Dogs, Chickens and Vintage China

Nicked from Saga Magazine: Sugar-free oatmeal raisin cookies 22 January 2016 The raisins bring their own natural sweetness to this healthy sugar-free biscuit recipe from Susanna Booth. Cooking time 45 minutes Resting time 20 minutes Makes 35 Oatmeal raisin cookies are extremely easy to make as they use just four ingredients Ingredients 300g (10oz) jumbo rolled oats 160g (5 ½ oz) raisins 85ml (3 ¼ fl oz) sunflower oil, plus extra for oiling 175ml (6fl oz) boiling water Plain flour, for dusting Method With just four ingredients, these cookies are simplicity itself, but none the worse for that. What makes them so irresistible is the way the chewy raisins burst through the oats, which have a lovely, almost buttery, crunch. Serve with a glass of milk for a perfect mid-morning pick-me-up. Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Lightly oil a couple of baking sheets with a little sunflower oil. Place...

Taken from a boat forum Being a new 'boy' to the forum I'm not sure if it's been mentioned before, but a cheaper (and superior) version of decking oil can be made from the following recipe (handed down through three generations of Scots boatbuilders- I'm the fourth): One part linseed oil (boiled or raw); one part white spirit; and one part Cupranol (this is a clear commercial timber preservative used for fence posts etc). Any clear substitute will probably serve as well. Keep applying to raw timber until it will soak up no more. Any surplus on the surface will harden to a pleasant 'gloss'. If in doubt test it on a piece of scrap wood and you'll see that the wood takes on a pleasant honey colour throughout - without losing any of its flexibility. If desired the treated surface will take a coat of paint without adverse affect. This Scots' broth works out at approximately one quarter of the price of most commercial deck oils. (And sorry if this puts a...