This is from a wonderful book of one-pot recipes called Potty by English cook Clarissa Dickson-Wright. She came up with it to feed her charges when she was Lord Rector of Aberdeen University.
It would make a wonderful breakfast in bed for that someone special.
Bacon & eggs in cups
25g butter
50g cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper
4 eggs, beaten
110g bacon, diced
1 tbsp chopped parsley
50g mushrooms diced
4 eggs extra
4 tbsp cream
1 Butter four ramekins or small oven-proof bowls. Sprinkle two-thirds of the cheese around the base and sides.
2 Season beaten eggs and put a quarter into each of the ramekins.
3 Mix bacon, parsley and mushrooms, then divide between ramekins.
4 Break an egg into each ramekin and cover with a 1 tablespoon cream.
5 Sprinkle remaining cheese and a dot of butter on top.
6 Half fill a roasting dish with water and put the ramekins in this. Cover with foil and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes.
7 Test and cook for longer if needed until eggs are set. Put under a hot grill for a minute to finish.
TIP: Take care when serving and eating these as the ramekins become very hot.
A better bouquet
My little winter garden is coming along nicely, especially the herbs, such as rosemary and thyme, which are surviving well in the mild winter we have up north. I’ve decided to put my floristry skills to the test and have started making little herb bouquets for gifts. Everybody loves a bouquet, but these herbal ones do double-duty.
Not only are they beautiful (especially if your rosemary is flowering), but it’s a gift that keeps on giving as it can be kept in the kitchen and you can snip off the herbs as you need.
If you want to keep it more traditional, you can use a mixture of herbs and decorative flowers in your posy.
Yoga mat spray
Yoga is fantastic for fitness and overall relaxation, but did you know that unclean yoga mats can lead to nasty bacterial infections?
Rolling up your mat after each session without wiping off your sweat creates a moist and closed-in area – the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
You should be leaving your mat unrolled every now and then to let it breathe, but you can also make up some of this spray which will keep your mat nice and healthy. You can also use this spray to wipe down gym equipment before and after use.
You will need:
Water
Witchhazel (I prefer white vinegar, but some people find the smell a little overwhelming – which can get a little awkward in small spaces like a yoga class)
Your favourite essential oils
1 Fill a spray bottle with: 3/4 parts water, 1/4 parts witchhazel and a few drops of your favourite essential oils.
2 Give it a nice shake to mix all the ingredients together, then spray over your mat.
3 Wipe down with a clean cloth. For added cleansing, leave your mat unrolled in the sunlight.
How to clean your hair brush
Over time, hair brushes and combs can get all sorts of lint, gunk and oils trapped in them.
Keep your brushes clean by sprinkling a teaspoon of baking soda all over it, then spraying with vinegar.
A mixture will form and after 10 minutes or so, give it a good rinse with warm water for sparkling clean bristles.
Warming bath
Finally, as the winter chill hits, this one might come in handy.
To warm your hands and feet, run a hot bath and throw in 1 cup Epsom salts with 10 drops eucalyptus oil.
The magnesium in the Epsom salts will be absorbed into your bloodstream.
Watch: Laundry hacks
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