Mixed Feelings

Advantages: Evocative read of Blethyn's formative years
Disadvantages: Loses it's way a bit once our heroine becomes an adult

...I have always liked the actress Brenda Blethyn - ever since I first remember seeing her in "Chance in a Million" a sitcom she starred in with Simon Callow on Channel 4 in the 80s. There was something incredibly endearing about her in that show, and that charm seems to be an integral part of her persona, to my mind anyway - even when she is portraying less than sympathetic characters. Browsing the books in Tesco one day I came across "Mixed Fancies", Blethyn's memoir, and I immediately decided I wanted to read more about the girl born Brenda Bottle in Ramsgate. Blethyn was the youngest of nine children, and her Catholic parents seem to have had a loving and enduring marriage, despite some of the poverty they had to cope with. Blethyn describes her family history well - for instance her parents didn't actually marry until 1944, despite...

rosebud2001 24.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mixed Fancies - Brenda Blethyn

A great Pizza Base Mix

Advantages: Easy, Great Product
Disadvantages: None

...Asda Pizza Base Mix: I love making fresh pizzas from scratch but to be honest I can't always be bothered and activating the yeast doesn't always work me so I thought I would try the Asda pizza base mix so I could whip up some fresh pizzas at a moments notice. The mixes are really cheap at only 55p for a box that contains enough mix for two 8" pizza bases. To make the mix is easy; simply pour the mix into the bowl, (there are two individual packets), add some water, mix, knead, shape and leave to rise. The whole process only takes about 15 minutes all told. I have to say that I prefer "thin and crispy" type pizzas so these make two 10-12" bases for me. The instructions are easy to follow but they are written a little small so you need to pick the box up to read it which isn't great if your hands are already covered in dough etc! So now...

donnabroom 04.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Asda Pizza Base Mix

Greens Cheesecake Mix:

Advantages: Cheap, Easy, Tasty
Disadvantages: None

...Greens Cheesecake Mix: I love cheesecake but I am not too keen on the frozen ones as they always seem a bit lame. Making cheesecake isn?t too hard but its faffy and generally there are things I would rather be making in my kitchen. In Asda, (well on asda.com), I saw these cheesecake mixes for a mere 55p each and decided it would be rude not to try them. You get a box much like the boxes on any other cake mix and it contains a little packet of biscuit crumbs, (to form the base), and a packet of cheesecake filling mix. You will also need milk and butter. To make the cheesecake is simple, you just line a cake tin, (something like a Victoria sponge tin), with tin foil then you melt the butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs and put in the tin. Then you make the filling which is the same as making and angel delight, add milk and whisk. Pour...

donnabroom 07.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Green's Cheesecake Mix

Schwartz Lasagne Mix

Advantages: Makes a lovely lasagne
Disadvantages: None really

...whereas you can buy 3 packs for £2.50. To accompany this packet mix you will need the following ingredients:- 450g minced beef, 150ml water, 3tbs tomato puree, 6 sheets lasagne pasta, 600ml cheese sauce, qty of cheddar cheese (grated). All the above ingredients are standard ingredients which can be found on the shelves of most supermarkets and are not too expensive either. This makes the complete meal pretty cheap which impressed me. Obviously if you used a couple of packets like myself then you would need to increase the quantitys of the extra ingredients to suit. Directions for use:- 1. Preheat your oven to 180, 350F, Gas Mark 4. 2. Brown the mince in a saucepan, drain excess liquid and blend the packet contents and tomato puree into the pan and mix. 3. Place alternate layers of the beef mixture and pasta sheets into...

bexx0907 30.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Schwartz Lasagne Mix

Easy peasy - sponge mix

Advantages: Simple to make with delicious results
Disadvantages: Not for dieters

...Morrisons Sponge mIx Having taken early retirement I am having to cut back on a few luxuries like fresh cream cakes from the local bakers. So with more time on my hands I have decided to make my own cakes and puddings. I have started buying Morrisons sponge mix as I have a local Morrisons store but I am sure the other main supermarkets will sell a similar product. Now I could start from scratch mixing flour, butter, sugar etc but why bother when a mix has done all the boring bit for you. Now the sponge mix costs 32p for 225g and is in a pink coloured plastic wrapper with Morrisons sponge mix written in white and there is a picture of two smallish heart shaped cakes filled with cream. On the back, in two white strips, is a list of the ingredient and nutritional information on the right and on the left a guide of how to cook...

colliedog2 04.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Morrisons sponge mix

Pick and mix, Rowntree's style!

Advantages: More than one variety.
Disadvantages: High in sugar.

...Upon a late night visit to my local corner shop on the quest for "treats", I noticed this bag of beauty's, nestled inconspicuously next to the revels. After a closer inspection I realised that this particular pack contained all mt husbands favourites, so of course this also warrants a review! The product I will now review is "Rowntree's, pick & mix". The bag that these sweets come in is very colourful and eye catching, it consists of thick diagonal orange, purple, yellow and green "stripes". In the centre of the pack is a picture of all the different fruit flavours that is incorporated into the sweets, the strawberries look particularly appetising! Across this picture is the product brand and name in thick, bold white writing, with the three sweets in the pack being named beneath this with a picture of each sweet. Finally...

sarahbarrow 26.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Rowntree's Pick and Mix

When I knead you... Hovis White Bread Mix

Advantages: Easy to make, reliable results.
Disadvantages: A little on the expensive side.

...Review of Hovis White Bread Mix The Product This is an easy peasy mix for producing one loaf of white bread. I generally keep a couple of these mixes handy when we are travelling on our narrowboat, as sometimes we find ourselves in an area where shops are few and far between, bread seems to be the one staple that we run out of fairly regularly during our travels! The 495g pack will produce 1x 2lb loaf or 8 rolls. The only ingredient you need to add is water and even a 10 year old child can make it...in fact my 10 year old granddaughter has made it! Packaging The bread mix comes in a recyclable paper pouch. It is basically pale yellow and green in colour, with the well known 'Hovis' logo across the front in a gold coloured font, above images of a green mixing bowl and a delicious looking loaf of bread. The front of the pack...

brittle1906 23.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Hovis white Bread Mix

Mix and match these people

Advantages: fun
Disadvantages: none

...This pick and mix card game from Orchard toys is good fun for children aged 3 to 7 years old. It has been around for several years now. I have played with it in a few different play settings. This game it is available from several toy shops between £5 and £8 This toy is basically a set of people cards that have been cut into 3 . Heads bodies and legs. The idea of the game is to match them up to make a complete person. There is a policeman, a cow girl, a fireman. a pirate, a king , a clown, a boy , a girl ,a nurse There are a 12 characters in all 36 cards but I can not remember who they are. There are several ways you can play this game depending on the level of the players . You can use this game as a simple matching game just trying to build the people correctly. You could play this with one child as a simple matching...

mumsymary 30.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Orchard Toys Pick & Mix People

MIXED BERRY GOODNESS from RYVITA ~ ONE BAR or TWO?

Advantages: Only 3% fat; contains Prebiotic and wholegrain; no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives;
Disadvantages: One might not be enough.

... MIXED BERRY GOODNESS from RYVITA ~ ONE BAR or TWO? . + Only 3% fat; contains Prebiotic and wholegrain; no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives; 61kcal/bar. - One might not be enough. I must admit that I am not especially good at remembering to eat meals, even when I am supposed to take medication either before or with food. The trouble is partly that I get quite caught up in whatever I am doing at the time; if I don't have alarms that indicate tablet time, breakfast time, lunch time (etcetera) I just keep doing whatever I am doing at that time, be it sleeping, reading, Ciao'ing or whatever, until I get distracted. The other reason is that with dietary restrictions (I am lactose intolerant; I cannot eat red meat or animal...

jesi 31.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Ryvita Goodness Mixed Berry Bar

Rowntree's Pick and Mix

Advantages: Good packaging, great taste.
Disadvantages: Would have liked jelly tots in there too.

...packaging normally. The graphics on the packet are very clever, it subconsciously makes your mouth water by adding flying drip marks around the words pick and mix, to make the product look really juicy and inviting. I bought it because it was very eye catching and has everyone?s favourites in it. I would have maybe liked one other sweet added to the trio, as fruit gums and fruit pastilles are quite similar, it would have been a bit more interesting to the taste buds to have another extra taste. Or maybe a more definably different texture, as the tooty frooties are crunchy, the other two are more chewy/soft; another texture would have been welcomed. I think there could have been jelly tots in there too, as the size of them more than the texture, would have made another interesting twist to the mix. But overall I do really like this product...

violetxoxo 09.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Rowntree's Pick and Mix