Daft Dinners.....

.....Or something to cheer up a dreary day; we've all heard of a rainy day box, well this is a rainy day dinner, to cheer up a Bank Holiday weekend of rain, a little rain, and a bit more rain. I don't think it stopped all weekend.

Consequently we were stuck indoors looking out on a wet and miserable looking landscape







Bears really don't like to venture out in wet weather, it makes our fur far too soggy! We decided we needed something cheery to brighten our weekend, and what better than food, funny food....

First we made a cheesy potato pie,




it's really just your basic mashed potato with a little (or a lot if you're that way inclined) of cheese mashed into it. Add some grated cheese to the top




and bake in a preheated oven, 210c, along with a tray of sausages, for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how well done you like your meat. Pork has to be cooked through for humans,




and contrary to popular misconception, bears like their meat very well done, not rare! Of course, make sure before and after handling food to wash your paws.




If you like warm plates, don't forget to put them in the oven at the same time as your food, cold plates make your food cool quicker.




As the sausages and cheesy pie are cooking, forage in the fridge for the other ingredients, you will need two cherry tomatoes per serving, and one mushroom, or anything else that could resemble a nose (we usually use cheese triangles but Horace had eaten them all in a fit of cheese bingeing last weekend!

You will also need a tin of beans,


Add the beans to a pan




and warm through just as your pie and sausages are reaching the final stages of cooking.




Oooh steamy, a free sauna at the same time as you warm the beans!!

When the pie and sausages are cooked, remove from the oven. NB (note to bears) you MUST wear oven gloves for this or you will singe your fur!




Now to assemble your smiley face dinner

First dish up the cheesy mash in a circular pattern, then add a sausage for a mouth, two tomatoes for eyes, and the mushroom for a nose, next, take your pan of beans off the heat and add them to the top of your 'face' to create hair




Now comes the best bit - eat eat eat.




mmmm, cheesy pie faces, cheery, and perfect for weather that's dreary.

With love from the bears 🐻

Fab Flowers

Evening all. Horace here to show you how to make fab paper flowers from your cardstock. I found this handy tutorial while perusing blogs

http://bearpuffsadventures.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/how-to-make-cute-paper-flowers.html

It's so easy to follow, and helps use up all those pieces of cardstock you keep in the hope they'll come in handy one day. Of course, making your own flowers saves a fortune compared to shop prices for blooms.

The first step is to choose some card, you need enough in one colour to cut three squares, one 4x4" one 3x3" and one 2x2"










Fold each square of card twice, into a triangular shape.



Now take some scissors, and cut in an oval fashion across the shortest straight line of the card, unfold your cut card to reveal this



Repeat for the two remaining triangles, then punch a small hole into the middle of the petal




Choose a coordinating brad from your stash, ours are in small baggies sorted by colour - we're very organised bears!


Add the chosen brad to the middle of your smallest petal, then layer the other petals underneath the smallest, making sure to feed the brad through every layer. Your flower should now look like this


Next, mist each layer of your flower with water, until it's quite wet, but not dripping. Scrunch up each individual petal of the flower as you wet the layers.


Once every petal is scrunched up, carefully uncurl them, and leave to dry. Then you can sit back and admire your creation. How pretty.


With love from the bears 🐻