How to add a cookie policy widget to Blogger Blog

Its very important to have a cookie policy widget to your blog. The  EU must implement the EU Cookie Directive. Under this law, websites are required to get visitors informed consent before placing a cookie on their machine.If your site uses any third party cookies, Google Analytics, Facebook ‘Like’ buttons, Social plugins, ‘Add This’ social sharing buttons, or any other non essential cookies, you will need to add an cookie opt in interface to your site.you can read all about it here.

How to do this.

Step 1
1.Go to your dashboard and click on design.

2. Select pages and then blank page.Once the blank page opens you will need to write a privacy policy.There are many templates available on the internet, you can use any of them and you can add the text and customise it to fit with your blog .. You can check out this sample.

3. Once you have created your privacy policy page you need to publish it. Make a note of the privacy policy  page URL you will need it in step 2.

Step 2- There are many cookie policy widgets on the internet, one I find easy to install is by heartinternet.co.uk

4. Go to layout and select add a gadget .

5.In gadgets,select HTML /Java script and a pop up widget  box will open.(Configure HTML/javascript)

Add this code in the HTML/Java script widget box

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://www.heartinternet.co.uk/eu-cookie/main.css"/> 
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://www.heartinternet.co.uk/eu-cookie/white.css"/>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.heartinternet.co.uk/eu-cookie/support-opt-in.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.heartinternet.co.uk/eu-cookie/require-opt-in.js" read_more="http://YOUR_DOMAIN.COM/PAGE_URL.html"></script> 
<script type='text/javascript'> HI.optInCookies.disagreeURL = "/PAGE_URL.html"; </script> 

<style>.hi-cookie-power {visibility:hidden;}
</style>

6. In the code replace the red text with url of your privacy policy page that you created in step 1
7. Save the gadget and position the gadget at the footer of your blog.
If you have followed the instructions properly you will see this on your homepage.

NB- For word press blogs check this page.

Valentine Felt Gift Hearts video

Its nice to receive a token of love on valentines day especially if its a personalised gift. These pretty valentine felt hearts are adorable and very easy to make.

To make these hearts you will need:

1 piece  Red felt

1 piece White Felt

Small ball of Polyester Wadding

Heart templates 2 sizes

8 Assorted buttons

Embroidery thread assorted colours

Red ribbon 14 cm long

Needle

Scissors

Pencil

To see how to make these Valentine Felt Hearts 

please watch this video.

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Halloween Gift Cups Video
Birthday Gift Tags Video

A bloggers Meet and some awesome food.

I have been blogging for almost five years at my food blog simply.food. Through blogging, over the years I have made many blogger friends and I have had the opportunity to meet some of them in person at blog events, pr events, blog summits and also at various meets we have organised amongst ourselves. There are a few bloggers that I have particularly formed a bond with and now we have become firm friends.We chat on the phone, meet up for create, cook and click sessions and generally have fun together.On Saturday I had arranged to meet one such friend Mina Joshi from Give me some spice. Mina is a very down to earth and easy to get on with and I really enjoy her company. She is an established blogger and what I find most endearing about her is that her personality shows through her blog. I love the simplicity and care she puts into each and every post with detailed photos and instructions.

Mina lives in a beautiful town in Cambridgeshire called Ely. It has a beautiful cathedral there and a lovely riverside. The drive to Ely from London is somewhat long, it is almost 2 hours, although I am sure you can do it in less time if you were familiar with the route. I arrived at Minas and she greeted me with open arms and a lovely welcoming hug. Over a hot cup of masala chai (tea), we chatted about food, food and more food. Mina recently started teaching cookery classes so it was great to learn some tips and tricks from her. You too can learn to cook from Mina if you live in Cambridgeshire you can book the classes at Ely College. After fueled with tea we went for a lovely walk around Ely, we saw the amazing cathedral and the small produce market. Ely is very picturesque and pretty. The weather although was chilly was in our favour a we had a glimmer of sunshine to enjoy too.

We returned home after a refreshing walk and Mina served a late lunch of Puri ( puffed spiced Indian bread), tangy spicy Chole aloo (chickpeas and potato curry) and Ondwo a savory baked  lentil cake with some delicious green coriander chutney and her special carrot chutney.

Stuffed to the brim I did not think any more food would pass my lips when Mina tempted me with her scrumptious Gajjar Halwa ( carrot dessert) with lashing of cream. It was delicious and despite feeling so full I managed a generous helping of it. You can see the Mina's Gajjar Halwa recipe here.Whilst eating we chatted non stop about everything and nothing and where time flew we were not even aware.In hind sight I think I feel a little guilty as we probably bored Mina's other half totally in the process with our excited chattering.

Soon the day was drawing to a close and it was almost 6.00 o'clock. I had to force my self to leave as the drive home was going to be lonely and long through the countryside. I was surprised  even more by Mina when she presented me with a goody bag of  some lovely gifts of Carrot chutney, Ondwo, Carrot halwa, A lovely cakey calender, notepad holder, a pretty little cushion and a citrus chopping board to match my blog logo very apt !!

I am sharing some photos of all my gifts. All the food in the photos was prepared by Mina Joshi.  If your mouth is watering at the sight of this yummy food you can check all her recipes out at her blog "Give me some Spice." I had a wonderful time and I hope that  next time Mina will visit me so I can reciprocate the hospitality.

Mixed Berry Smoothie

Today just for a short while the sun peeped out from behind the clouds and it almost felt like a crisp spring morning.To celebrate the sunshine I whizzed up this mixed berry smoothie for brunch. The vibrant colour really cheered me up and it tasted really amazing.

I also wanted to showcase another addition to my props, namely the two matching milk bottles and  the the pretty mint green ceramic tray. The bottles were rescued from my sisters glass recycling bin and the tray in the picture was a recent Christmas gift from a friend .The tray also comes with matching bowls too so no doubt it will appear in another food picture very soon. Below is the recipe for my Mixed Berry Smoothie.

Mixed berries with low fat yoghurt and a dash of honey.

Ingredients:

120 ml tub light greek muller strawberry yoghurt
125 g / 4 oz mixed frozen berries(blackberries,blue berries,strawberries)
2 tablespoon honey( add more or less to suit taste)
60 ml water

Method:

1. Place the yoghurt, water, honey and berries into a blender jug and whizz them up.
2. Pour the berry smoothie into two milk bottles and serve immediately.

Carrot Soup

I hate rainy days with blustery winds and enjoy nothing better than staying indoors when the weather is bad.On these sort of cold and wet days I particularly relish the thought of hot piping soup and fresh crusty bread. This carrot soup is so easy and simple to make that it can be rustled up in 20 minutes flat.If anything it actually took me longer to set up the photoshoot than it did to prepare and eat the soup!
Coming to the props, the two blue soup bowls were a find from a stall in a street market in Covent Garden, and the wooden spoons were a find in a charity shop. As always I cannot stop myself coming home with something for food pictures. Now for the recipe.

Sweetness of the carrot, the kick from the chilli makes this rich and creamy carrot soup delicious.

Ingredients:

4 medium carrots peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium potato peeled and roughly chopped
500 ml water
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli de seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
1/2 red chilli cut into slices for garnish
4 basil leaves roughly torn for garnish

Method:

1. In a microwaveable bowl add the chopped carrots and potatoes, cover them with 100 ml water and cover and cook for 8 minutes on high or until carrots and potatoes are thoroughly cooked.
2. In a saucepan add the oil and heat it on medium heat. Once oil is hot add the onions and cook them until they are translucent.
3. Add the salt, pepper, red chilli and lemon juice and the cooked potatoes and carrots.
4. Add 200 ml water and bring the soup to a slow simmer.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender and puree it in two batches.
6. Transfer the pureed soup back to the saucepan and add the remaining 200 ml water, bring the soup to boil and remove from the heat.
7. Transfer the soup into soup bowls and garnish with chilli slices and torn basil leaves.
Serve with hot crusty bread.

Submitting to:
Cook with Luv Javelin Warrior
Extra veg event by fuss free flavours and utterly scrummy

In my VEG BOX ~Carrots event by citrusspiceuk

Flavours of the world ~Grande Finale event by simply.food











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Potato Soup

Five minute Pasta Salad.

Working almost full time means that the two days off I get, I try and pack as much blogging time as I can into them amongst all the other things that are on the to do list for those days. On such days cooking something styling it and capturing on camera takes a fair amount of time, especially in the winter when there is no daylight for good photography. Today was one of those days so when I saw a glimmer of sunshine peeping through the rain clouds I thought why not rustle a speedy lunch that I can click and post without much ado and before the daylight disappears. This pasta dish I made in 5 minutes flat and got it on a plate to take a picture before the rain clouds came out and the sunshine disappeared.

A healthy and delicious salad low in calories but delicious in taste.

Ingredients:

180g / 8 oz cold cooked penne pasta
1/4 yellow capsicum cut into strips

2 inch piece of cucumber cut into matchsticks

1 small carrot peeled and grated

1 small tomato cut in half and sliced

8 green seedless grapes cut in halves

30g / 10 oz cooked sweet corn

2 -3 basil leaves torn

Dressing

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pinch of chilli flakes

1 teaspoon of chilli garlic hot sauce

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of Italian oregano

Method: 

1.In a large bowl add the pasta, cucumber,capsicum, carrots, grapes and sweet corn, toss all the ingredients together.

2. In a glass jar with a screw top lid add all the ingredients listed in the dressing list . 

3. Place the lid on the jar and shake it to mix the dressing.

4. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss together.

5.Transfer the pasta salad to a serving dish and garnish with torn basil leaves

Serve immediately.

Submitting this to:

In my VEG BOX ~Carrots

Flavours of the world ~Grand Finale

Javelin Warriors Made with luv
Healthy side dishes event by Priya Guest hosted by Nandoos Kitchen
Delicieux and Eat your Veg FSF Winter
Extra veg event by fuss free flavours and utterly scrummy
Pasta please event by Jac at tinned tomatoes and guest hosted by Tina of Spicy Pear

Potato Soup

 I recently shared with my friends my passion for collecting  props for food. This obsession has become so well known with my friends and family that I am now constantly given props as presents. This beautiful soup bowl and spoon used in the photograph of the potato soup recipe came all the way from India.It was gifted to me by my husbands work colleagues whilst he was on business trip in India. The bowls have a beautiful blue intricate pattern hand painted on a lovely cream background. The pair of bowls are simply beautiful and I love them.

Creamy and rich hearty potato soup which is perfect to beat the winter blues.

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
10 green beans top and tailed and finely chopped
1 small carrot peeled and diced
1 small onion finely chopped
1 small clove garlic peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
300 ml water
1 tablespoon single cream for garnish

Method:

1.Place the potatoes, carrots and beans in a microwavable dish, add 100 ml water and cook for five minutes on high until all the vegetables are cooked.
2. In a pan add 1 teaspoon olive oil and wait for it to heat up, add the onions and garlic and saute until onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add the cooked vegetables and add remaining 200 ml water. Bring the soup to boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
4. Transfer the soup to a blender jug and puree the soup to a fine puree.
5. Once soup has been pureed transfer it back to the saucepan and add the salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
6. Reheat the soup and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
To serve transfer the soup to serving bowls and swirl some cream over the top of it.Serve with warm crusty bread.

You may like:
Pumpkin and Apple soup

Submitting to:
In my VEG BOX ~Carrots event by citrusspice

Drinks and starters event @Cook click and Devour
Healthy side dishes event by Priya Guest hosted by Nandoos Kitchen
Delicieux and Eat your Veg FSF Winter
Made with luv Javelin Warrior
Extra veg event by fuss free flavours and utterly scrummy
In my veg box ~Potatoes event by citrusspiceuk guest hosted by Give me some spice