Here is my bucket list for September with the things on it that I am planning to do this month. 

August seems to have passed by in a flash! I can't believe we are at the end of the month already! It signals the end of a fabulous summer holiday and the start of early autumn. I'm not sure if I'm ready for autumn just yet! 

I have really enjoyed all the things I have been doing this month. I managed to fit in all my bucket list plans for August and have had a blast. We had a fantastic holiday in Crete with lots of swimming, sandcastle building, beach days, relaxing with books and I got some colour in my cheeks!

My daughter and I had a chilled, relaxing day at a spa that my eldest daughter surprised us with. We had a wonderful massage and facial, swam in the pool, had a sauna and a lovely lunch.

I made a healthy banana split which was really tasty. Instead of ice-cream I used Greek yoghurt and fruit, still yummy but without the naughty calories. This will be a regular dessert for me!

We are seeing Mcfly in Scarborough tonight at the open air theatre. I am so excited, this will be our seventh time! Live music is so thrilling, it's definitely a favourite hobby of mine. I'm sure I will get some great photos for my girls and I.

Have a lovely weekend everyone. We are staying in Scarborough for a couple of days so I've got my fingers crossed for paddling weather!

There is little to beat fresh pasta and home made is even better. It is so simple to make your own pasta and it is so worth the effort. Everyone will immediately be able to tell that they are eating something a little special.

I made my own pasta for this ravioli with ricotta cheese and smoked salmon, but you can buy sheets of fresh pasta to save time.

First, this is how to make the pasta.

Ingredients for the pasta dough (serves 6)

300g (2 1/2 cups) white flour, type '00' plus some for dusting

3 medium eggs

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

(Note - I made half the quantity here)

1. Sift the flour onto your worktop and make a well in the centre.

2. Break in the eggs.

3. Add in the salt and oil.

4. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, mix the flour into the eggs, working from the centre outwards. Once you have a crumbly texture, scoop the mixture together with your hands and start to knead until you have a soft dough. Knead then for about 8 minutes as you would knead bread. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5. Once it is rested, flatten the dough, with your hands, so that it will fit through the pasta machine.

6. Lightly flour the pasta on both sides and start to roll it through the pasta machine, from the widest to the thinnest setting. Make sure you keep the pasta dusted at each stage. You will be left with a long sheet of this pasta ready to use (use within the hour).

Ingredients for the ravioli filling

750g (3 3/4 cups) ricotta cheese

zest of 2 unwaxed lemons

300g (about 10oz) smoked salmon

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 

salt and pepper to taste

Other ingredients

oil to drizzle for serving

chives to sprinkle for serving

a beaten egg to assemble the ravioli

1. Place all the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl and mix together with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste.. Cover and place in the fridge to rest for 10 minutes.

2. Lay the pasta sheets on a work surface which has been dusted with flour. Put teaspoonfuls of the filling at 4cm (1 1/2 inch) intervals across half of the rolled out dough. Brush the spaces between the fillings with the beaten egg. Gently cover with the rest of the dough and press down between the parcels of filling on all sides. 

3. Use a pastry or pasta wheel, or sharp knife, to cut the pasta into squares between the fillings.

4. Cook the ravioli in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. I did this in batches. Drain and place in the middle of a large serving plate and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a little olive oil, sprinkle with the chives and serve.

This recipe can be a little fiddly but, once tried, home made ravioli will become a firm favourite.

I took this recipe from Gino's Pasta by Gino D'Acampo.

Have a great weekend everyone!

I adore maxi dresses, can you tell yet? My wardrobe is full of them in all different colours. I find them so easy and comfortable to wear.

This dress comes out of my wardrobe every year. I have had it quite a while but I never get tired of wearing it. I usually layer it with a jersey dress underneath. I had a turquoise blue one on here but I also wear it with a pink one too. 

This dress is from the wardrobe too, I love the fact it is strapless and I find it very slimming.

I fell in love with this skirt as soon as I saw it. I love the cut of it and the way it falls at the back. Perfect for summer evenings. I normally wear a plain black t-shirt with it.

We decided to go for a walk up the hill to visit a little village as it was just too windy to sit on the beach. It was further than we thought! By the time we reached the top we were so thirsty so of course we had to have a beer!

I bought this dress because I fell in love with the back of it. It's so pretty, light and airy although strong gusts of wind did blow it up a few times!