Great balls of fire

This recipe is perfect for a night when you just can’t think of what to make for dinner, and don’t want to spend too long in the kitchen. I saw this recipe over on Poppytalk Handmade months ago, but I can’t find the original post! Sad face. So it’s not possible for linkage, apologies. This is my non-vegetarian version {made with lamb mince} with a kick of spice. Dip those mothers right into a cool dip, and cut the richness with some sticks of fresh veg to make your mama proud. 

Ingredients – meat balls
1 pack of lamb mince {500g}
3 or as many cloves of garlic as you like, diced
6 chopped papadom peppers {any spicy peppers}
Chili flakes {if you like}
1 egg
2 tablespoons of flour
Salt and pepper
Method
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mush with your hands. Roll the mixture into balls about the size of a  mushroom and place in a hot pan. Ignore your temptation to add oil to the pan since lamb mince is fatty and before you know it will be bubbling away. Cook for 5 minutes / until the meat is cooked through. Transfer onto a paper towel to get rid of excess grease, serve along with cool dip, and eat with a fork to achieve maximum dip coverage.

Ingredients – dip
1 small tub sour creme
Juice from 1 lime
Salt and pepper

Method
Mix and serve in a cute bowl. 

You’re only a day away

Tomorrow, my bridesmaid’s and I are hitting up the Westin Hotel in the Dublin city center for ‘A Most Peculiar Afternoon Tea‘ in the Atrium Lounge. I’ve been looking forward to it for about two months. Check out the menu below, and feel free to be jealous, because I am, and I’m going … 

Gin and tonic served in a teapot? You had me at ‘G’. 

The four of us have conflicting schedules at the best of times, so it’s taken us months to organize this. I’m so excited it’s distracting me from my work today. This is my first afternoon tea, and probably my perfect afternoon tea, considering I don’t like tea … for shame. Earlier this month I posted this video perfectly summarizing how I feel about tea. 

I will be sure to post pics of tomorrows antics. If all goes well, I’d like this to be my ‘age appropriate, neutral and unoffensive’ hen / bachelorette party in the coming months. With more sinister happenings afterwards, of course. Happy Friday all 🙂

Craft central

What a weekend. I took a road trip with my folks across the west {or ‘wesht’} of Ireland and it was amazing. Until now, I don’t consider any trip within Ireland a holiday, but what I just experienced was a holiday. 27 to 30 degrees, sun, sand, impeccable weather and about 80lbs of food. It was glorious. 
We came across this adorable tiered mini craft cul-de-sac set-up, Ceardlann in Spiddal Co. Galway, and I demanded we stop so I could take copious pictures “for the sake of my blog”. Please note none of these pictures do the real thing + that fantastic weather any justice. The entire place was painfully adorable and felt so homely. 

I could have devoured the outside of this shop. It was my favorite, and was convincing me hits of yellow wasn’t something I would have to be afraid of – at An Spailpin Fanach {Irish language and culture shop}.

Lovely lavender shades …

Unfortunately, since it was early on a Sunday morning, only one of the shops was open – a basket and weaving shop – whose name I can’t remember / cannot find online! Sad face. The owner happened to be teaching a basket weaving class, so I took some sneaky pics {with permission, obv}. Happy face!

I’ll end this post on that sky … Very rare in this country. Hope you enjoyed your weekend, and if you’re anything like me, you’re looking forward to the long weekend already.