Welcome to the Ex-Official Blog of Writer, Presenter & Crafts Expert Momtaz Begum-Hossain which stopped being active on 31st August 2016.

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Momtaz's NEW BLOG is www.craftandtravel.com








Friday 23 November 2012

Thanksgiving Dinner In London

Finally! An invitation to attend a Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving - as soon as my American friend Zak invited me, it was an immediate yes. Feasting with friends on a wet and windy school night is the perfect way to banish winter blues.
Here's the boy himself carving up the turkey. What I love about this image is not the soft focus nature though that does enhance the fact Zak is a total sweetheart....it's the backdrop. The living room window which looks out onto Canary Wharf could easily be his hometown Chicago.
Sadly we did not eat this! Seriously though...£30 for a giant lump of tofu!!!!! I spotted this in a health food shop last week and was shocked!
All guests took along a homemade dish - this one was the most unique. Cinnamon infused sweet potato topped with marshmallows, it's a Nigella recipe, and is a side, not a dessert! 
I loved how the marshmallows melted to form little meringue style peaks.
In keeping with tradition we ate off plastic plates! Apparently this is very American!!
There were also three yummy desserts, this amazing apple pie, a pumpkin pie and a cheesecake.
I was assigned a Corn dish and after much deliberating settled for
Creamy Confetti Corn which I'm proud to say Zak confirmed was a perfect Thanksgiving choice.
I made it by frying up some frozen sweetcorn with an onion and red and green peppers. Pouring on a cup of half & half which I made from blending double cream and soya milk plus a few spoons of cream cheese. It was then seasoned with salt and pepper and baked for around 15 minutes. In the meantime I fried up and shredded vegetarian bacon which I added for garnish.


At Thanksgiving it's important to say what you're thankful for. We all agreed that we were thankful to have friends. Sometimes I neglect mine. I don't even have a Facebook account so I have know no idea what 1/2 of them get up to, but when I see them and hang out with them, life is always much less stressful.

I know, I know. Very little craft blogging from me at the mo - all gone a bit lifestyle. I'm so consumed by craft in my daily life at the minute that when it comes to blogging it's the last thing I want to write about! So um...more me, less crafting for the rest of the year, well until my next book is handed in which is making my life all a bit crazy, busy, mad at the minute!






Sunday 18 November 2012

Memories of The Last Rolo

The other day a friend gave me their last Rolo.
It's probably been a decade since I've eaten a Rolo let alone been offered one. That combined with watching Heston's Fantastical Food* last night where he made the world's biggest 99 ice-cream got me thinking about other old school foodie things I used to do but don't do anymore:

Lipstick M&M
My 1st lipstick was painting my lips with the colour that came off red M&Ms

Wearing Hula Hoops as ring
On all 10 fingers of course, before eating

Sucking Wotsits
The game here is to suck them into nothingness - no munching allowed

Salt & Shake crisps
Saving the salt packets and not adding them to the crisps just because...

Peeling a Twix
Eating all the chocolate off, then the caramel and being left with just the long biscuit base 

Strawberry lace plaits
They taste even better when you thicken them up by plaiting single strands together.

Trans-form-a snack
Can't believe they are now 30p! Anyway back in the day I had the patience to turn them into cars before eating.

Maryland cookies
I used to sandwich them between ice-cream - esp mint choc chip - though too lazy to today, biccies are now for dipping in tea and ice cream eaten for dessert!

Oh dear... this started as a fun reminiscing post, now it's turned into me feeling old. Better stop there then!

*Blatantly inspired by Pimp That Snack

Thursday 15 November 2012

Money Back Guarantee.....


For those of you who are wondering whether or not to buy my book....I can promise you the above.

Wednesday 14 November 2012

Special Offer on 101+ Things To Do With Glitter

Yay! My book is currently featured on Josy Rose, my favourite online haberdashery/craft supplies shop....(I'm not just saying that, it has been for the last seven years so I am really chuffed they decided to stock it! It's the only book they sell!)
Josy Rose is where you can buy the amazing glitter fabric that features in some of the projects - so you can snap up 101+ Things To Do With Glitter at 15% off and buy some sheets of glitter while you're at it!

Thursday 1 November 2012

Day Of The Dead Craft Night

I made the biggest Sugar Skull necklace ever to wear at the Day of The Day of the Craft Night I organised on Tuesday night at The Make Escape.
 Guests made masks, shrines, brooches and bags...see all the other photos here.