Tuesday 21st February 2012 is Pancake Day. What is your favourite pancake topping or filling? Do you prefer savoury or sweet?

Do you toss, flip or fold your pancakes? I will never forget my dad tossing the pancake so high that it stuck to my grandma’s kitchen ceiling … that was many moons ago but a classic childhood memory that will always stay with me. Maybe I can attribute my love of flipping pancakes as high as I can to that memory, and also to the giggles and open mouthed expressions on my children’s faces as their mad mummy goes for it again

No matter what kind of pancake topping or filling you prefer, the first step is to make a great pancake. So, here is a very easy pancake recipe that we will be using tonight…

You will need:
100g plain flour
2 eggs
300ml milk
1 tbsp sunflower oil
salt

Preparing the Pancake Batter:
Sieve the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the 2 eggs, a splash of milk and 1tbsp of oil. Mix all the ingredients together until you have a smooth paste and then beat well. Add more milk if the mixture is too heavy to beat.
Continue whisking the mixture until all the remaining milk has been added and you have a slightly thick consistency.

Cooking the Pancakes:
Ensure you have a good non stick frying pan (particularly if you are having a pancake tossing challenge!).
Very lightly oil the frying pan and place on a medium heat. Add a big spoonful of the pancake batter and tilt the frying pan to allow the batter to cover the base of the pan evenly.
If you have added too much batter, do not worry, quickly pour it back into the bowl.
The pancake will lightly brown within about 30 seconds.

Before attempting the big toss, gently ease the pancake from the pan base and then go for it! Remeber it is all in the wrist action and the “flip” is aided by pushing the frying pan away from you as the pancake is launched into the air and pulling it back into you as you catch the descending pancake.

Once you’ve had you fun, get creative with the fillings & topping … our children love the good old savoury pancake stuffed with ham, cheese and egg followed by a sweet ice cream & fruit filling.

Happy Pancake Day …. Now, let’s see how high can you toss your pancake!

Here’s a video of our great friend Lynsey from La Rosilla catering, showing off her pancake tossing skills …

Share on Facebook

We have had some unbelievable support over the past twelve months, from collaborators and other webiste owners, particularly with regard to our Newsletter. This article was published in The Telegraph this week … we are so grateful to them and to the fantastic response we have already received in response to the interview … thank you to everyone concerned, it is all our friends, family & readers who make our Family Life in Spain all the more enjoyable

‘Twitter helped us make friends when we moved to Spain’

Expats all over the world are turning to Twitter to keep up with the news from home, boost their business or find new friends abroad. In the first of a new series of fortnightly features, Suzi Dixon chats to Lisa Sadleir, a British expat in Spain, about how she uses the site

Username                     @FamilyInSpain
Followers                                              1424
Date joined Twitter            23/01/2010

Why did you decide to join Twitter?
We had recently moved back to mainland Spain and had started using Facebook to get to know local people and businesses and Twitter just seemed to be the next logical step.

How often do you use it?
Too often… according to my hubby! I must admit to using Twitter most days of the week. The time spent varies depending on whether I am in the office, at home or out and about.

What do you like most about it?
Twitter can be great fun and it can also be a great source of information. I have met so many new people thanks to Twitter, people from all parts of Spain and people I probably would not have met otherwise.

Do you use any software to manage your tweets?
I have always used Tweetdeck. I find it very easy to use and have not felt the need to look for anything more complex.

Do you access from home and/or out and about on your mobile?
Oooooh yes! We love showing off when we are out and about enjoying our day to day life in Spain. Whenever the opportunity arises we post photographs taken wherever we are at the time. Sharing photographs gives people a real feel for our life here.

Do you run more than one Twitter feed? If yes, do you use Twitter for business?
We have a business account, @ccbspain, for our, shall we say, more serious tweets. We also tweet in Spanish from that account. As the majority of our followers are English-speaking we do not want to be giving them links to articles in Spanish that they may not understand. @FamilyInSpain is our fun account that also provides interesting information for people living in or moving to Spain.

Do you read news and blogs that are linked to tweets?
Definitely yes! By reading certain people’s tweets you can discover blogs and information that you may not have the time to find yourself. However, we never click on a link sent by somebody we do not know – the hackers are devious sometimes.

Do you find you interact most with friends and family you already knew before joining? Or new Twitter friends?
None of our family use Twitter and to be honest that is a good thing. Facebook is our preferred way to interact with friends and family. It is a more intimate community. We have become Facebook friends with a few of our Twiends but it rarely happens the other way round.
That is not to say that we do not have loads of fun on Twitter though!

Who are your three top recommendations to follow on Twitter and why?
Only three? Hmmm, this is not easy but here we go …
@DavejBull because he is funny! Completely over the top and makes us laugh about simple day-to-day occurances in Spain.
@MigginsPies because he provides links to so many interesting articles and blogs about Spain, business, entrepreneurship and many other subjects that interest us.
@Lynzinthsun for her great photos of mountain life and tasty homemade recipes and because she is my partner in crime on our #escapeto adventures.
(If there’s space we’d also give a shout out to @sevillatapas @costawomen @grahunt @piccavey and @pierrewaters… and of course @TelegraphExpat.)

Any further recommendations for expats looking to use Twitter?
Stick with it! Most people take up Twitter and then drop it as they do not feel it is working for them. It is like a friendship… the more you put in, the more you can hope to get out of it.
Decide whether you are tweeting for fun or tweeting for business. Having two separate accounts may be better for you.
Unless you are a celebrity, you will not get automatic followers. Give people a reason to follow you. Remember, it is quality rather than quantity that counts… don’t use any of those daft “get more followers” machines! It’s like buying false friends.
And finally, have fun and follow us at @FamilyInSpain!

Read the original post  here

Share on Facebook

Ideally located in an olive grove a short drive from Coin, Wildside Forest School (WFS) has been cleverly designed to give you a real “in the campo” feel, yet is easily accessible by car.

The location has been converted into a true adventure playground for all ages. The rope bridges, huts and swings have been carefully installed so as not to disturb the natural habitat of resident bugs and wildlife.

Our day started at 10am when the younger group (4 – 7 years) were all sat down and introduced to the WFS team. The camp rules were clearly explained as well as the plan for the morning’s activities.

The children were split into small groups (max. 4 per instructor) and they then headed off into the campo to collect materials for their first task: to make a Blobster!

As they returned to the base, laden with twigs, leaves, flowers etc they set to work getting extremely messy with clay & materials, creating their own version of a Blobster … smiles all round!

All cleaned up and Blobsters put on display in the sun and left to dry. A quick refreshment break and then onto the next task …  each group was going to design a shelter for their Blobsters.

Gary, the team leader, showed the children the different types of shelters they could make from the materials around the forest.  The groups then set off to collect materials and set to work creating their shelters. The instructors were at the ready to assist with cutting logs and branches to the children’s specifications  … they knew what they wanted!

At the end of the session the groups each showed off their designs and discussed each other’s creations.

The morning ended with a couple of stories, sat out in the open air and beautiful sunshine.

It was a wonderful way to spend a morning with the children … we cannot wait until next Saturday to discover what our next activity will be : )

For further information  and contact details, please visit the Wildside Survival website here:  

 http://www.wildsidesurvivaleurope.com/Forest-School-for-Kids.html

Share on Facebook

Please be advised that the Spanish tax authorities are catching up with  foreign property owners in Spain who are not making any kind of tax declaration in Spain.

You are considered a tax resident in Spain if you complete your annual tax returns (Dec Renta) in Spain. If you submit your tax returns in another country, you are considered a non resident, in Spain, for tax purposes and consequently you should be submitting a non resident tax return (modelo 210) at the end of each calendar year.

For an explanation of the non resident tax please read the article here.

If you are unsure whether you should be a tax resident in Spain, see the article  here.

For further advice and information regarding your own personal situation, please contact  CCB Spain: Here.

Share on Facebook

We would like to thank all our contributors for their help in compiling this bumper issue.

We hope you enjoy reading it and we look forward to your feedback and comments.

Remember that you can download it onto your computer so you can read it whenever you like!

Enjoy …

Share on Facebook

Here’s another of our easy “lifestyle change” healthy (ish) easting recipes. It’s great to have in the fridge for when those unavoidable “I really  need a munchy” feeling kicks in. It is best enjoyed with celery sticks, cucumber chips or carrot strips … pitta bread is even nicer (as a treat of course!)

The amount of spice you add can be varied subject to your own personal taste.

Crushed Bean Dip

You will need:

Jar of  butter beans (or similar)

Jar of chickpeas

Juice of 2 lemons & Zest of 1 lemon

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

2 tsp ground cumin

Tub of natural yoghurt (125g)

Fresh corriander (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pour half the chickpeas and half the beans info a food processor.
2. Add the crushed garlic, cumin, lemon juice and yoghurt and process until you have a smooth paste.
3. Slowly add in the remaining beans and chickpeas until you achieve the desired consistency.
4. Finally, stir in the lemon zest & chopped corriander.

Eat immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Share on Facebook

It’s that time of year again … after weeks of over eating and excessive drinking during the festive season , (and this Christmas we did go over the top ) , the “D word” hovers menacingly at the back of our minds.

Well, having completed the Detox Plan last year and punishing our bodies to little avail we have this year ousted the Detox diet and jumped on the “lifestyle change” bandwagon . That is the 2012 jargon isn’t it?

So rather than really horrible boiled cabbage soup recipes that we forced ourselves to gulp down for only 7 days (of the whole year) , we are going to try new recipes using more healthy and alternative ingredients for as long as we can.

I must admit, so far so good! Seven days down and let’s see how many more to go. This dessert recipe was this weekend’s treat and it was welcomed by all family members. Let us know if you try it and what you think …

Coming soon … Beetroot Brownies!

Carrot & Ginger Zesty Loaf

You will need:

100g butter

100g brown sugar

100g golden syrup/black treacle

zest from 1 orange

zest from 1 lemon

1 large carrot (peeled & grated)

5 balls stem ginger (very finely chopped)

175g self-raising flour

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground ginger

pinch of salt & pepper

2 eggs

 Simple Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Grease a loaf tin.
2. Gently heat the butter, sugar, treacle/syrup and zests in a large saucepan until everything has melted.
3. Remove saucepan from the heat and add the grated carrot, flour (sieved) , bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, salt & pepper and eggs. Stir well until all the ingredients are evenly mixed together and you have a smooth mixture.
4. Pour into the loaf tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes. The loaf will rise and brown slightly. ( If in doubt, test with a sharp knife to check that it is completely cooked)

Optional Topping (If you are not worried about the calories!)

Sift 150g of icing sugar into a bowl & stir in the juice of a lemon or orange until you have a smooth mixture. Cover the top of the loaf with the icing (once it has cooled down!)

Share on Facebook

From 1^st January 2012, all pet dogs, cats and ferrets can enter or re-enter the UK from any country in the world without quarantine, provided they meet the rules of the Pet Travel Scheme.

Animals which do not meet all the rules must be licensed into quarantine until they are compliant. They might then be able to obtain early release if they can be shown to comply with the necessary pet travel requirements.

Steps to be taken to if you are taking your dog, cat or ferret to the UK from Spain:

• Have your pet micro chipped – Before any of the other procedures for pet travel are carried out, your pet must be fitted with a microchip so it can be properly identified.
• Have your pet vaccinated – After the microchip has been fitted, your pet must be vaccinated against rabies. There is no exemption to this requirement, even if your pet has a current rabies vaccination. Rabies boosters must be kept up to date. The length of the waiting period before entry to the UK is 21 days after the first vaccination date. A waiting period is not required for subsequent entries into the UK, provided rabies boosters are kept up to date. If the vaccination is in two parts the 21 day wait will be from the date of the second vaccination.
• Get pet travel documentation – For animals being prepared in an EU country, you should get an EU pet passport. If you are preparing your animal in a non-EU listed country or territory you will need to obtain an official third country veterinary certificate (apart from Croatia, Gibraltar, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland who also issue pet passports).
• Tapeworm treatment – (dogs only): before entering the UK, all pet dogs (including assistance dogs) must be treated for tapeworm. The treatment must be administered by a vet, not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours (1-5 days), before its scheduled arrival time in the UK. There is no mandatory requirement for tick treatment. No treatment is required for dogs entering the UK from Finland, Ireland or Malta).
• Arrange for your animal to travel with an approved transport company on an authorised route – Your pet must enter the UK from a listed country or territory travelling with an approved transport company on an authorised route.

As both the Republic of Ireland and the UK have not had indigenous rabies for many decades, compliance checks on pets travelling between the two countries will not be applied. Pet owners travelling with their pets should therefore not experience any change on the ground from the 1st January 2012.

Owners of pets entering the Channel Islands or the Republic of Ireland from outside the British Isles should contact the appropriate authorities in those countries for advice on approved routes and any other requirements.

• For Jersey visit the States of Jersey website or e-mail rva@gov.je
• For the Republic of Ireland visit www.agriculture.gov.ie or e-mailpets@agriculture.gov.ie, or ring the Helpline on             +353 1 6072827

Download the DEFRA leaflet here: bringing-pets-to-uk-2012 .

Share on Facebook

Spain is famous for its love of ferias, festivos and holidays. We have often said that there is always an excuse for a holiday in Spain.

Towards the end of 2011, the national holidays in December on the 6th (Constitution Day) and the 8^th (The Immaculate Conception) caused havoc with the working community. The fact that these days fell on a Tuesday and a Thursday resulted in many businesses and communities choosing to write off the whole week. Needless to say, this was not only disruptive but also cost the country a lot of money in the run up to the festive season.

The problem arises when a national holiday in Spain falls on a day other than a Monday or a Friday. This results in the beloved Spanish “Puente” (meaning bridge) .

What is a Puente? If a holiday falls on a Thursday, for example, then the Friday is also allocated as a no work day, hence forming a bridge to the weekend and consequently, extending the holiday.

Following an announcement from the Spanish government to move some of the National Holidays in Spain in 2012, the official work schedule for 2012 (calendario laboral 2012) is still to be confirmed.

Dates we have heard about so far are:

• Wednesday 15^th August will be moved to Friday 17^th August
• Thursday 1^st November will be moved to Friday 2^nd  November
• Thursday 6^th December will be moved to Friday 7^th December

Once all the dates are confirmed and a definitive calendar has been published we will let you know.

What do you think about this monumental change? Do you think it will have much impact on the economy? Add your comments …

Share on Facebook

Share on Facebook