SO FAR SO GOOD

A little cooking and a little housework was allowed today and I managed to get through the work quite well I thought. Getting back on my feet seems to take longer these days,I think that the longer I lie about in bed the weaker become so it is good to be up and about again.


Dinner tonight was perfect for the time of year,a Pork and vegetable casserole made with a rich cider sauce and served with a bloomer from the freezer was exactly what we all needed on such a chilly old day.

APPLE CIDER SPICED PORK CASEROLLE

1lb diced pork steak

1 large carrot

1 small turnip

1parsnip

quarter of a swede

half a pond of small potatoes cut in half

1 large onion

1 sweet apple

1 can of cider

1 tablespoon of tomato purree

1 tablespoon of plain flour

1 tablespoon of apple jelly

half a pint of chicken stock

salt and pepper

a grating of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of ground coriander

1 tablespoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.

1 tablespoon of oil

Put the oil in to a pan and add the meat fry until golden brown then add the onions and cook until they soften. Add the flour and the tomato purree then stir until all the meat is coated. Place the meat into a deep casserole dish. De-glaze the pan with the cider and pour over the meat. Peel and roughly chop the vegetables and add to the pot with the small potato halves. Season with salt and pepper then add the stock. Sprinkle on the paprika ,nutmeg and the ground coriander and stir in with the apple jelly. Cover the pot and cook in the oven at 180oC for an hour and a half.

Put the pan on to a hot ring and reduce the liquid for a few minutes, add the balsamic vinegar just before serving with crusty bread or hot cheese scones.

Late last night after had fallen asleep the two cats had a stand off in the kitchen,poor old Pa had no chance and certainly came off worse. Twiggy woke me by jumping on my bed and imitating an air raid siren and poor little moth took to her heels.

I read the riot act to Twiggy and today ,much chastened she is roosting on my radiator while Moth is asleep on a chair under the kitchen table. So much for the much vaunted cease fire. Perhaps I should avail myself of Hillary Clinton’s expertise while she is in this neck of the woods.

The afternoon sun belies the dreadful cold that insinuates itself under doors and through cracks in the windows and we have all taken to wearing sweaters indoors rather than turn up the heating...after all it could get colder still. Snuggling up in bed with a hottie and piling on the fur rugs is something that we all look forward to at the moment and the fact that we are all more tired than usual is adding to the attraction of a warm bed and a hot drink.

Tomorrow hope to pick up both the baking and Avies Home Made Christmas where left off, I love all the bustle that the season creates ,all the lovely sights sounds and smells of
Christmas and the kitchen is at the heart of our family celebrations always ,so for me there is no better place to be.