MARVELOUS MACARONI

These cold days are perfect for indulging in a little comfort food, a chilly wait at the bus stop or a long walk home make our appetites keen,so why waste a good appetite on all the low calorie stuff that’s good for us. On your way home from work ,grab a bag of fresh or dried macaroni,some Cheddar and Cheshire cheese and that's all you need for a creamy ,delicious warming meal that’s quick and simple.

2 oz butter

2 oz plain flour

one and a half pints of milk

6 oz Cheddar cheese grated

4 oz Cheshire cheese crumbled

2 oz fresh bread crumbs

1 heaped teaspoon of made mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Set oven to 200 oC grease a large shallow dish and place a large pan of water on the heat to boil.

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the flour and stir to make a paste. When the paste begins to bubble add the milk gradually and whisk until all the paste has dissolved. Bring to the boil stirring constantly the reduce the heat a little and cook for about three minutes while continuing to stir.

Add the Cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir until all the cheese has dissolved in to the sauce, then add the mustard and season with the salt and pepper.

Put the macaroni in to the boiling water and cook following the instructions on the pack. While the pasta is cooking make the bread crumbs either in a mill of by simply rubbing the bread between your hands.

When the pasts is cooked to your satisfaction place in in the prepared dish and pour the cheese sauce evenly over, mix the crumbled Cheshire cheese with the bread crumbs and scatter over the top.

Place in the oven for fifteen minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with a very virtuous salad.

I n to this basic Macaroni cheese you may add chopped sun dried tomatoes. Diced ham. Crispy bacon, almost anything you like.

Tonight I am serving mine just as it comes with a dish of roasted stuffed peppers. Very self indulgent indeed.

A NICE BIT OF SKIRT!

No not a pretty female but a cut of beef. Once common and now rarely heard of this valuable and inexpensive cut is versatile and delicious. Perfect for a meat and potato pie it is lean and,if properly butchered free from any gristle or chewy connective tissue.

Today I placed my three slices (about a lb in weight) in an oven proof dish with a sliced onion,a stock cube, a little salt and a pint of cold water. Covered with foil the meat cooked for about two hours at 185oC,after that all I needed to do was thicken the lovely stock to make onion gravy and the job was done.

I served it with roasted potatoes,Yorkshire puddings and mushy peas, mashed potato is the best accompaniment as it helps to soak up the delicious gravy which this dish always produces.

The addition of a few sliced carrot,parsnips and swede would,in the same amount of time make a wonderful casserole which could be served with suet dumplings.

The cost of the meat,enough for three generous servings was £2.75 from my Grimsby butcher....and thereby hangs the tail...or is it tale?

Supermarket butchers tend to bundle this cut of meat in with the totally different shin beef and call it stewing steak. Since the shin beef takes longer to cook eating the resulting dish is redolent of chewing rubber bands!

Supermarket meat is almost invariably a sub standard product,over priced and over packaged not to mention  the poor farmer who is continuously being shafted by the big chain supermarkets.

I know that butchers shops can be hard to find and, particularly in the south of England expensive.

Try an on line butcher,preferably a northern one.

We order meat about four times a year for the freezer and because we order over a hundred pounds worth we pay no carriage charge,the meat is always fresh and of the best quality and a good deal less expensive.

I know I go on about this but in these difficult times I hate to think of anyone spending their hard earn money on the rubbish that is peddled by supermarkets.

One word of caution however,some on line butchers are just huge warehouses which dispatch any old rubbish all over the place. Choose a family butcher with an online presence and good reviews,I promise you there is nothing quiet like the excitement generated by the arrival of the meat box. Try it and see for yourself

BED TIME DRINKS FROM SCRATCH

A few years ago my old mum can to stay with us for a few weeks of rest ,relaxation and a damn good cosseting,bless her heart.

On the first night I was making bed time drinks and she asked if had any Horlicks.....I didn’t.

What I did have however was a jar of brewers malt, so I boiled the milk, put a good teaspoon of the malt into a mug and then whisked the milk on to it...no sugar needed. My mother loved it so much that she continued to have my version during the whole of her visit.

Pa loves Ovaltine,he has it every night after his shower,now and again we run out of this delectable beverage and so I put a teaspoon of coco powder and a half teaspoon of malt in to a mug and whisk in the boiling milk. Pa does not have any sugar added to this but of course it could be,also the amounts of cocoa and malt could be adjusted to your own taste.

My son loves hot chocolate,as do I and in the dreadful event of my forgetting to order any I just grate some plain chocolate in to a mug,add a little sugar and a drop of vanilla essence  them whisk on the boiling milk. This is called French chocolate I believe,in any case it is quite a treat with a few marshmallows to top it off.

For a soothing bed time drink whisk a dessert spoon of runny honey in to a mug of hot milk,this will not only help you to sleep but is also good for your immune system.

If you have and invalid in the house whose appetite is poor try beating an egg yolk in to a mug of  milk then heating almost to the boil. Flavour  with a little vanilla essence and a teaspoon of sugar.

If you do not like milk try and infusion of chamomile and lemon balm, or lime flowers made in to a tea. My own favourite is lime flower and lavender,very soothing.

Of course the branded products are perfectly OK but if you keep your store cupboard up to specs you will never be at a loss when a lovely bed time drink is required.

A PUZZLE

                                            A PUZZLE

I have for some years been in the habit of ordering items of clothing for all the family from a company called “Cotton Traders”. This is mail order without any massive interest rates because ,of course everything is paid for in full when the order is made,and until recently all has been well.

The products are of a good quality,the prices not excessive and the customer service good........not any more.

Lately I have observed long delays between ordering the items and the arrival of same,what used to be a matter of a few days can now be counted in weeks. The courier who delivers the goods has developed the habit of throwing the goods down on the step and departing without knocking and now seems to hoard items until he has several before delivering them.

Over a month ago ordered a couple of items and took advantage of the free gift on offer,a laptop tray with light,perfect,I thought for Pa who is not always well enough to sit at his desk. The goods were to be delivered in five to seven working days..that was a month ago.

Today I called the company and was told

The courier had made numerous attempts to deliver the goods but we were out on all occasions.

I explained that the house was never left unattended and that there was someone in 24.7.

The courier had called once and finding no one at home had left a card!

While this contradicts the first excuse my own remarks cover both eventualities

The good were lost. Misplaced by the courier. The items were no longer in stock and they would send me a mystery gift.

I asked for a refund.

Customer services said that the matter would have to be refer to her supervisor because.......They could not give refunds until the goods had been returned,,,wait for it.....by the courier!!!!!!

I asked how this would be possible since the courier had lost the goods and there was a long pause while she again consulted with her supervisor. They would ,she told me ,chase the courier! Chase the courier? I thought they had lost the goods?

Is it me, or does this whole rigmarole seem like a load of absolute garbage.

When I order white trousers and a green top it is because those are the goods I wish to purchase,not a different item in a different colour.

This is not the first time we have had this trouble but I guarantee that it will be the last.....I shall await the promised telephone call tomorrow,and then we shall see.

COCONUT MERINGUE TRAY BAKE

 Hoorah for lazy Sundays! I am in danger of being spoiled,yet another real Sunday,complete with long lie in,lazy afternoon and a proper roast dinner,instead of either a hurried meal because my son has to work,or a hurried late dinner because the kitchen is full of Dungeoneers!

I decided to roast a guinea fowl for today,complete with sausages wrapped in bacon,roast potatoes,apple sauce and a selection of vegetables. I also made a tray baked cake for afters which used up lots of bits and pieces from the store cupboard.

COCONUT MERINGUE TRAY BAKE

1pk ready rolled short crust pastry

4 tablespoons of strawberry jam

4 egg whites

8 oz caster sugar

4 oz desiccated coconut

2 oz chopped hazel nuts

2 oz glacé cherries chopped

1 oz crystallised angelica chopped

Heat oven to 175C. Grease a Swiss roll tin and line with the pastry and bake blind for about ten minutes,remove from the oven and and spread the jam evenly over .

Beat the egg whites until stiff the gradually beat in the caster sugar. Next fold in all the other ingredients and spread over the layer of jam.

Bake in the pre heated oven for between twenty-five and thirty minutes.
Leave to cool in the tray ,slice when cold.

This tray bake will slice in to 8 large of 16 small slices.

My two cats are at daggers drawn again,I think the pheromone diffuser must be empty! Luckily we managed to contain the dust up by separating the combatants and then delivering a long lecture upon the need to share when one lives in a small house.

Twiggy went off to sulk in my sons room and Moth retired to her basket and slept ,I will not have any more of this nonsense,I do not care what Twiggy thinks I am the Alpha female in this establishment and my word is LAW!

Top Gear tonight, I do hope that this series is better than the ;last one which was,by and large mediocre,we shall see.  

FARMERS MARKET

              

                                 FARMERS MARKET

There are several Farmers Markets in the surrounding towns, all of which would take too long for me to reach by buggy and as public transport is impossible I would be unable to avail myself of their wares were it not for a kind neighbour who visits these outlets regularly.

Today ,while baking almond slices I received a call from him,they had,he told me the most beautiful partridges at the rate of five birds for £10,00, practically a gift. Well of course ,I said”Yes please.” at once. 

Mallard were £4.00 each, I ordered two,and finally he purchased for me a massive bag of organic breadflour,again at a bargain price;I was delighted.

When a little later he arrived with the goodies we were even better pleased as the game was of exceptional quality, my mind was already scanning the hoard of recipes I carry about in my head.

Every one seemed sleepy today and we agreed upon an early evening meal, a home made pizza served with a green salad and dips,followed by the almond slices I had made earlier,then showers all round and early to bed. I spent a little time giving myself a much needed pedicure. The house was quiet and |I played cards against an on line opponent as my feet soaked in the warm soap water....it was bliss.

Now I too shall pop into bed, and with the cats permission to sleep!

INTERNATIONAL NOSH

So far this week we have eaten food of Italian. English and Lebanese origin, tonight I prepared and Irish dish,Colchannon, which we ate with sausages,apple giant sized potato cake with a good hand

Colchannon is easy to make,it is a sort of giant potato cake with a handful of cabbage thrown in.

Of course I could have made Champ,another Irish potato dish,this time with scallions,(spring onions) added. The Irish certainly know a thing or two about potatoes.

Tomorrow a home made pizza of massive proportions is on the menu,a treat for my son and a damn site less expensive than ordering from Pizza Hut, where if you want a decent amount of topping you have to pay, I think it's a pound for each one. Having paid the extra you get a tiny portion of mushroom or a smidgeon of ham, you need at lest three extra toppings to prevent the meal from being nothing but dough.

My son assures me that it is different in the Pizza Hut resterilise and I am willing to believe him,the take away pizzas are a rip off.

Sunday,and for once my son is at home I shall roast a guinea fowl with roast potatoes and all the trimmings...lovely. I have in mind another Middle Eastern dish for Monday Slow cooked lamb with a side dish of foul medames,it sounds awful but in reality it is a lovely dish made with Fava beans,lemon juice cumin,and parsley amongst other things, have made this dish for vegetarian friends and they love it. The recipe goes back to the time of the Pharaohs and is becoming increasingly popular in the west,and with good reason.

I love English Regional food, and having lived in many parts of the country I have picked the brains of many a chef along the way. It is nice however to be able to ring the changes now and then or things can become tedious.

I have never tried to cook food from the Southern states of America although it sounds delicious,perhaps I shall one day bump into a chef from New Orleans, who knows?

WebRep

Overall rating

This site has no rating

(not enough votes)

GREAT GRANNY MUGWUMPS WINTER TUMP SOUP!

Long ago,in the dim and distant past that was my childhood,such things as freezers were unknown in rural backwaters such as ours. Indeed,electricity had not been connected in our village when we first moved into the farm. As a consequence of this the storage of food stuffs was completely different.

For instance,meat was kept in a contrivance called a meat safe which comprised a metal box with a door made of very fine(fly proof) mesh. This was always kept in the coolest part of the house,usually on a stone shelf or even the floor,it worked;but only up to a point.

Milk was kept from curdling by placing the bottles in a bucket in the well,(no mains water either), our farm had a dairy on the north east side of the house,fitted with stone tables and shelves, a stone floor and its tiny window shaded by trees it was perishing cold even in the hight of summer. Here we kept the cream and the cheeses we made, nothing fancy,cottage cheese,and a few soft cheeses,it was a simple way of storing an excess of milk.Eggs to were stored here too,and game was hung from great iron hooks.

Vegetables were stored too, apples in the loft, soft fruit went in to jams and jellies and the root veg,such as carrots ,parsnips and potatoes were stored in a thing called a tump!

The tump or clamp is it is also called protects the vegetables from the effects of frost and we had several of these on the farm. A circle would be drawn on the ground and a trench dug around the outside ,for drainage. Next a deep layer of straw was place inside the circle and the root vegetables piled carefully on top in a cone shape. More straw was then used to cover the veg and a pipe was inserted in to the pile which was then covered with a layer of earth,at least 6” deep.

Going out to the tump was a regular chore for us children and woe betide the urchin who neglected to re cover the vegetables properly . Of course there were cabbages and kale still growing....if you were lucky but the contents of the tump were the mainstay of many a household.

On cold winter days a hearty soup could be made from the stored vegetables and a few additions,this recipe is and old family one.

To make lots of soup

2 carrots

1 large parsnip

half a swede

1 small turnip

2 leeks

2 medium sized onions

about half a pound of pumpkin,if you have any handy

salt

pepper

2 pints of vegetable stock

1 desert spoon of ground coriander

3 oz butter.

6 savoy or January King cabbage leaves finely chopped

Peel the vegetables and cut them in to small dice. Melt the butter in a large pan and then add the vegetables. Fry for about seven minutes,add the stock,bring to the boil then simmer gently for twenty minutes.

Add the cabbage and simmer for a further ten minutes the season with the salt,pepper and coriander powder.

Serve with fresh crusty bread or hot cheese soda farl.

Only vegetables in season were available to us back then ,so for the authentic taste of the times give it a try. Oh yes,one more thing,you can use meat stock if you have any,chicken or rabbit are particularly good.

WebRep

Overall rating

This site has no rating

(not enough votes)

CATS IN TH KITCHEN

With Pa at hospital for the day and my son asleep I had intended to have a quiet day, and to a degree I did...sort off.

To begin with,it was with some difficulty that I tottered down stairs this morning,a night of torment occasioned by arthritis had meant that I had not slept well. In fact I fell asleep no more than an hour before my son arrived home from his night shift. He had,he told me, found waking me extremely difficult........he found it difficult....waking this morning felt like climbing out of a well.

I must have been dreaming as apparently I kept muttering about hair dryers...I can't think why?

When at last I was conscious enough to drink my coffee and take a couple of pills we saw Pa off for his treatment and then as my son climbed in to his newly made bed I got the stair lift to the ground floor and began the days labours.

Now it is not that I had a great deal to do you understand,no, the problem was,the cats! Twiggy,who hates this type of weather only a little more than she dislikes to use her litter tray continuously asked to be let out in to the garden. In the space of half and hour she did this at least ten times and each time she rang the bell to come in again almost at once.

The bell is quite noisy ,but not as loud as the howling that follows if I do not open the door at once. My son's room is directly above the door so I always try to avoid the howling stage whenever possible. I began to feel like a very harassed Jeeves and having accomplished nothing ,due the the constant distraction I finally read madam Twiggy the riot act after which she betook herself to my bedroom and peace reigned.............but not for long.

With twiggy safely indoors Moth decided that it was,at last,safe for her to come in. Her anxious little face appeared at the kitchen window,her mouth making a silent Meeeeeeuw! I let her in while she was still in silent mode and spent the next fifteen minutes or so giving her a cuddle for hungry as she is she will eat nothing until she has made sure that she is still welcome.

Next,a bowl of milk and a dish of meat,then some more meat,another long cuddle and,at last she was ready to sleep in her snug basket tucked safely away on the bottom shelf of the stillage by the the radiator.

During the next hour I hastened to prepare our evening meal of sausage,bacon and halogen kebabs,a dish of tabulated peppers,roasted vegetables,spiced tomato sauce and Lebanese Holy bread,a treat for both Pa and my son who is at last eating properly again.

Next I toasted a large pan of mixed nuts until they were golden brown,salted them and set them aside to cool,another little treat for Pa.

Now,I thought,I can take a break...........nope..........there was someone at the door.

Actually I did not mind as it was a good friend who had called in with some sunflower seeds for our birds and to collect a birthday card for her mother who is 100 years old this week. While she was talking to me on the telephone recently she hung up on me to take another call,she was hoping that it was Buckingham Palace and it was,to confirm the sending of a telegram from the Queen.

She rang back to apologise, when she had finished the call,I said of course that I did not mind being hung up on for the queens business.

When she left I felt sure of an hour or two to catch up on my writing,but no sooner had I switched on my lap top when P a called to say that his treatment had finished early and he was on his way home.

Since the hospital is less than a quarter of a mile away I went at once to put the kettle on!

Of course I was glad to see him back home but it meant that through out the whole day the only time I had to enjoy the peace and quiet was during my lovely,solitary breakfast,and thanks to the cats in the kitchen I felt as if I had bats in the belfry!

Tonight’s meal was a huge success so I was glad that I had taken the trouble.

I am looking forward very much to a hot shower and a long spell with my feet off the floor,some sleep would be nice ,but a shan’t hold my breath .I shall enjoy lying quietly with my little cat,a good film and a couple of malted milk biscuits. Good night everyone....or good morning,where ever you happen to be.

FROSTED GINGER CAKE FOR A FREEZING DAY

                                                 Please remember to feed the birds, thank you.x

  

Good grief ,it was cold last night, enough to freeze the crenelations off a castle turret!Even the cat felt the chill and climbed in to bed with me. There was frost on the window panes too. Pa and I had breakfast this morning while refereeing our two cats both of whom had decided that they wanted to sit in the same place...neither would give ground and so a compromise was found....I took Twiggy upstairs with me and left Moth in Pa's company,it worked...and Pa did the dishes too!

We all felt that we needed a little sparkle today so I made an iced ginger cake,the recipe follows,have fun.

FROSTED GINGER CAKE

175g /6oz unsalted butter,softened and with a little extra for greasing

175g/6oz caster sugar

3 large eggs beaten

1 tablespoon of black treacle

2tablespoons of golden syrup

225g/8oz self raising flour

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

1 teaspoon of mixed spice

1 tablespoon of ground almonds

2 tablespoons of whole milk

2 tablespoons of ginger syrup

FOR THE TOPPING

225/8oz icing sugar

1teaspoon of ginger syrup (from a jar of preserved stem ginger)

Preheat the oven to 160o/325o F ?Gas mark 3

Grease and line a a 9” cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy,Put the eggs and treacle in to a jug with the ginger syrup and mix together Sift the flour and spices on to a plate .Alternately, add a little of the egg and them a spoon full of the flour mixture until you have used up both.

Add the ground almonds and milk and stir together until you have a smooth mixture.

Spoon the cake mixture in to the prepared tin,smooth the top with a palette knife and bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tray for 10 minutes then turn out on to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the icing. Put the icing sugar in to a large bowl. Beat in the ginger syrup and add just enough cold water to make a thick icing-be careful not to add too much water to quickly. Place the cake on a flat plate then spread the icing over the top letting it run down the sides. Decorate with edible silver balls.

This is the recipe as it appears in the book, I actually put extra ginger syrup in the icing and less water,it makes the icing more gooey.

UP TEMPO

The unfamiliar calm of the past few days had lulled us all in to a false sense of security and we were ill fitted for the rigours of a typical Monday,let alone this particular one. In spite of all the snow the intrepid delivery men who haunt our door like noisy poltergeists arrive as usual at the crack of dawn, so the day started,as it were ,with a bang,several bangs!

In my long white night dress,bare feet and tousled hair I must have looked a total fright for it was the delivery driver who acted as if he had seen a ghost,he threw the package at me and hared off up the path, heedless of the ice he slipped and landed squarely on his backside. I hastened to close the door lest he should hear my helpless laughter.

More packages followed and, realising that peace had departed with the weekend I reluctantly dressed and got on with the business of the day.

My idiot son,although still in considerable pain announced over breakfast his intention of going to work tonight as usual,in spite of the fact that the last thing he needs is to be out in the freezing cold air. In spite of the fact the due to the pain he has hardly slept at all for days,and despite my own pleading,begging and finally dire warnings!!!! One thing I do know and WILL say is that the clueless ingrates he works for are not worthy of his loyalty and frankly if I were in his shoes I would tell then to swivel...if you get my drift!

Much as usual for a Monday people can and went but the work was done,then at four O clock,just as I was about to prepare a chicken and ham pie for dinner................a knock at the door proved to be a soldier friend of whom we are all very fond..and so the pie was left to its own devises.

It was lovely to see our young friend again and the time passed more quickly than realised when at five he took his leave and I realised that I had exactly fifteen minutes to make the pie from scratch.

Wonder Woman ain’t and so it was after six before we sat down to what turned out to be one of the best pies I have ever made. The whole pie(and it was a large one ) disappeared in short order and I was thankful that this was so for the promised pie was in the nature of a treat for the boys.

With dinner over and the kitchen cleared I can ,at last attend to the answering of e,mails and the writing of this blog. I feel overwhelmingly weary but happy that things went well after all. Frankly I cannot wait until my son works his last shift for the shiftless (pardon my little joke) jesters for whom he works......I have a large box of fireworks ready for the great occasion and I promise a fine display!!!!!

SUNDAY,SNOW AND SCRABBLE

   OLD FASHIONED MALTED MILK BISCUITS

It was wonderful to wake up this morning and not have to scramble out of bed and rush down stairs for a hurried breakfast to make room for the Dungeoneers. Actually I rather like to have them about the place but oh, the luxury of a proper lie in on a Sunday,especially when there is snow falling.

We drank several cups of coffee before venturing forth for a breakfast of French pancakes,and very good they were.

Afterwards I set about making a large batch of cookies, I had decided to bake some treacle oaties,but discovering that I did not have sufficient golden syrup I baked some malted milk biscuits instead. They are quite a plain biscuit but the flavour of the brewers malt really comes out as you munch away, they are satisfying,nutritious and are also very good with a strong cheese like mature Cheddar. Today we ate them hot from the oven with a pot of tea,both the boys love them so I made lots.

MALTED MILK BUSCUITS

4oz butter

4oz granulated sugar

12 oz plain flour

half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

1 egg

2 table spoons of malt extract

2 tablespoons of milk

pinch of salt

Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add the egg and the malt and beat again.

Finally add the flour, salt , milk and bicarbonate of soda and mix to form a dough.

Roll out and cut into rounds with a pastry cutter.

Bake at 170oC for between 10 and 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack,store in an airtight tin.

These cookies can be dipped in chocolate,or topped with a plain white glacé icing and sprinkled with a little ovaltine.

Although my son is still in considerable pain was managed a couple of games of Scrabble this afternoon,during which we drank more tea and ate more cookies. About half way through the second game Moth our Calico cat appeared at the window urgently requesting to be let in, ten minutes later with a sachet of food in her tummy and a big fuss from my son she was tucked up in her basket by the radiator fast asleep.

Upstairs Twiggy was draped along my bedroom radiator luxuriating in the heat ,she did not budge all day.

Having declared a no chores day (except of course for the baking) I made a very fast pasta dish for dinner stuffed with home baked ham and sun dries tomatoes,onions and leeks, real comfort food for a chilly day.

The snow did not stop at all and now as I write I can see it swirling wildly around the street lamp opposite,the flakes seem bigger now and they are falling faster than ever. The lane has not been gritted and the pavements are unusable,the snow is so pretty that I cannot regret is,t presence,even so I cannot help wondering what the roads will be like tomorrow if it continues.

For now we are warm and snug and happy to be together,the three of us and our cats,there is nothing better on earth than this I am sure.

CHELSEA BUNS FOR TEA

It seemed odd not to have have the Dungeoneers meeting here today and it will be even stranger tomorrow as,due to the bad weather and my sons current infirmity there will be no games at all this weekend. My poor boy is miserable ,but I am glad as I think he needs to rest as much as he can before he returns to work.

Days and nights of pain have left him exhausted and as he is still taking large doses of pain killers he is finding it a;most impossible to concentrate.

He is insistent that he will go to work on Sunday, fool that he is,for all the hanks he will get for dragging himself out of bed to make an almost two hour journey in the freezing cold he might as well have a duvet day!

Of course he will not listen to me and so I shall not nag,well,not much!

For myself I too need a rest,after a more than usually busy week I feel less than energetic,I am hoping for a long lie in tomorrow...we shall see.

I made a large batch of white bread today and as I had a little dough left over I made some Chelsea Buns,sticky and delicious,next time you make bread have a go.

You will need

A square cake tin 8x8

about 1lb of white bread dough

a hand full of raisins

3 oz butter

2oz granulated sugar

egg white to brush

For the glaze

2 tablespoons of milk

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar]

caster sugar to sprinkle.

Knead the dough into a ball then roll out on a floured surface into an oblong shape 10”x 5”.

Dot the surface with the butter then sprinkle on the sugar and raisins. Roll into a sausage shape and then cut in to 6 equal pieces, Place side by side in the prepared tin cut side up.

Brush with a little egg white and bake in the oven at 220oC for fifteen minutes.

Dissolve the granulated sugar in the milk and brush on to the buns while they are still hot then sprinkle on the caster sugar at once. Leave to cool the serve with butter.

SNOW,SNOW, I TOLD YOU SO!

I know I keep going on about this but speaking as a much mocked weather prophet I am rather enjoying the discomfiture of the knockers.

My son and I both had appointments with the Doctor today and we set out muffled up in fur ushankas, and a motley assortment of heavy clothes, we looked like stragglers from the Russian Army as we trudged and trundled through the deep snow.

It transpires that the intense pain my son has been in lately is being caused by a swollen Lymph Node, the treatment for which is anti biotics,for the moment he is still taking lots of pain relief and is still drowsy as a consequence. If there is no improvement by Monday the Doctor will see him at once,without an appointment,which is a great relief all round.

Normally tomorrow would be a gaming day for my son and his friends ,a combination of the weather and his painful jaw has caused him to cancel and so we shall have an impromptu free day.

We decided to have a no chores day today and spent the afternoon hunkered down in the warm kitchen playing scrabble and guillotine. We drank several pots of tea and had a wonderful time just being together.

To finish a lovely afternoon we had a meal we all love,eggs,bacon,sausages and baked beans with newly made potato cakes,simple and delicious if a trifle naughty!

Before Christmas my son ordered new mobile phones for the two of us and today they arrived. I must say they are more sophisticated than I had imagined and weather or not I shall be able to understand how to use mine is a moot point.

Snow in time for the weekend is a child’s dream and I expect to be awakened early tomorrow by the shrill sound of excited youngsters enjoying themselves across the lane. Snow men of all shapes and sizes abound in these parts and I am looking forward to seeing this winters works of art. As a child I used to make snow cats and horses,and once with the help of our local doctor we made a real igloo,the year was 1963, the igloo lasted for three months.

Weather or not you like the snow I wish you all a wonderful weekend, either out in the frosty air or snuggled up before the fire,what ever you do,enjoy yourselves.

LASAGNE AVIE STYLE

Even Garfield, the Lasagne mad moggie  would like this lasagne,it,s tasty,it,s easy and it's quick to do. I'm making it for dinner tonight so if you want to try it ,here we go.

FOR THE MEAT SAUCE

1lb minced steak

2 large onions peeled and chopped

1 clove of garlic

1 400g tin of tomatoes chopped

half a tube of tomato purree

pinch of salt

black pepper to taste

1 heaped teaspoon of sugar......yes sugar!

Half a pint of beef stock or two beef stock cubes dissolved in half a pint of water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Fry the onion in the olive oil until it softens then add the mince. Break up the mince using the back of a fork and fry until brown,add the tomato purree and sprinkle on the stock cubed and fry until all the meat is covered with the tomato.

Add the tinned tomatoes,sugar salt,pepper and the water and bring to the boil. Simmer for thirty minutes then remove from the heat.

FOR THE WHITE SAUCE

1ltr milk

1 bay leaf

1clove of garlic

16 peppercorns

3 oz butter

3 heaped tablespoons of plain flour

salt to taste

Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to almost boiling point. Remove from the heat,cover and leave to infuse.

Sieve the infusion in to a bowl ,discard the bay leaf peppercorns and garlic.

These two steps can be done in advance if necessary.

Melt the butter then add the flour and mix to a smooth paste,when the paste begins to bubble remove from the heat and whisk in the milk infusion.

Bring to the boil then reduce heat and cook for about 4 minutes stirring constantly. Season with salt to taste.

To finish

I always use fresh lasagne sheets but if you prefer dried just follow the instructions on the pack at this point.

Grease an oblong oven proof dish and line the base with some of the lasagne sheets. Spoon on half of the meat sauce and about a quater of the white sauce. Repeat the process with the remaining sauce finishing with a layer of the white sauce on top

At this stage you may,if you wish sprinkle the top with the cheese of your choice, This time I used Cheshire and a little Kaskaval sheep’s cheese,which gives a golden colour and a lovely richness.

place the lasagne in to a hot oven 180oC for twenty minutes ,remove from the oven and serve with a crisp green salad and some garlic bread.

Serves 4 to 6 depending upon how hungry you are!

FROST

I love the clear crisp cold a frosty morning brings,tiny sunbeams sparkling on frosted grass and cobwebs swagged like silver threads along the railings and in the hedge row. As I drank my morning coffee, my tame wood pigeon sat outside the window,his feathers reflecting the pearly pinks and blues of the winter sky;it was a lovely start to the day.

My son,still in considerable pain had been restless all night and as a consequence so had I,we were both a little rusty as we sat watching Judge Judy,a show to which we have recently become addicted. I made porridge for breakfast,perfect in such chilly weather and for my poor boys aching jaw.

With breakfast over I had planed to tackle the bathroom,there followed a series of distractions of the usual kind and by the time everyone had left there was barley time to make a batch of butterfly cakes and to prepare the fish cakes for dinner. With a little help from Pa I managed to get things ready and at seven,a little later than usual we sat down to a dinner of fish cakes with sugar snap peas,chips and a dill cream sauce.

Crispy and brown on the outside and creamy with soft potato and moist fish in the middle the boys loved them and scoffed the lot with relish. We hardly had room for the butterfly cakes ,still somehow we managed to eat six between us!

As darkness fell the frost increased its grip upon the garden,my robins feasted on meal worms and suet, this daily largess is amply rewarded by the performance put on by these feisty little birds. I love the feel of their tiny feet when the come to take the food from my hands, the cock bird is more self assured than the hen,although she too will occasionally take a live worm from my fingers.

In doors the bitter cold strikes chill from every pane of glass and we drew the curtains early to retain the warmth,only my bedroom window remains uncurtained so that my little cat can watch the foxes in the orchard,once she has settled down for the night the curtain will finally be closed.

I am looking forward to snuggling down in my comfy bed,hopefully to sleep but if not it is lovely to be warm and cosy and safe when outside the weather is wintry. Almost worth staying awake for? Perhaps.

FACE ACHE

Often used to describe a gloomy individual am grieved to say that at the moment it accurately describes my poor son,who is usually a very cheery sort. Towards the end of last week he began

to complain of pain in his jaw,which worsened as the week progressed.

Today it s become much worse and he has been obliged to resort to taking some of my heavy duty pain killers in order to make it bearable. Needless to say he has an appointment with his GP....but not until Friday. In the mean time its warm drinks, soft food and regular doses of the sort of pain relief tablets that could knock out a horse.

I am used to these as I have to take them frequently,my son is not , the side effects are rather drastic in so far as they cause him to go to sleep, at the very best they induce extreme drowsiness and dizzy spells, all of which makes it impossible to function normally. Even I try not to use them during the day as I find it impossible to concentrate when I do.

How bitterly cold it was today and yet without the awful everlasting dampness we have suffered of late I found it rather refreshing when I popped out to buy cat food. On my way home dusk was settling in and the sun was setting, behind the dark fuzziness of the trees in the shelter belt. A frost was beginning to settle on the grass, and for a while fire fought with ice;then  the sun sank behind the trees,paling as it died,the frost won.

Suddenly it felt much colder and I headed for home, and for he rabbit and bacon pudding which had been steaming on the stove since late morning. The soft suet shell with lots of gravy and some mashed carrots was perfect for my son,Pa and I feasted on lovely chunks of the tender wild rabbit and bacon rolls which filled the pudding. I think it is the best way to eat rabbit,especially on a cold winter day.

Now it is dark outside,the days work is done and we are all feeling sleepy after our meal, soon I shall take my shower before making a hot drink for us all. Both of the cats are in doors,twiggy with me,Moth curled up in a basket in the warm kitchen and I am thankful that neither of them has chosen to be out tonight.

In the dark orchard the foxes are courting,their yelps and howls punctuate our sleep at night,I like it,most of the time. For the past couple of nights a Little Owl has called from the ash tree outside my bedroom window,I cannot see him but I know he is there, woe betide the wood mouse who ventures forth tonight.

I have prattled on quiet long enough, now for a nice hot shower. Sleep well world,and keep warm!

THE KNEES NEVER LIE!

Three weeks ago I warned my friends and family nationwide that there would be snow this week. I was sure of this as my kneecaps are a very reliable weather oracle when it comes to forecasting snowfall,they are never wrong. The advent of snow causes the afore mentioned joints to feel as if a bag of frozen peas had been strapped to each one,it is most unpleasant and can continue for weeks.

Of course like most prophets my forecast fell upon deaf ears ,my warnings met with mocking voices, sarcasm and ribaldry. This morning up and down the country my friends and family are eating snow......after all these years you would think they would learn!

If the weather is to be very windy I suffer from neuralgia for days before the event. Damp weather causes my rheumatism to worsen drastically. I am a walking weather vane.

This time I was correct to the very day, even the met office with all their satellites and weather stations have difficulty being so accurate.

So to all those stubborn mickey taking characters who did not leave home this morning properly equipped for bad weather I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!!!!!!

WebRep

Overall rating

This site has no rating

(not enough votes)

CHILL OUT

Bright cold weather, such as we had here today suits me right down to the ground and after dealing with the usual chores and callers I set out for a run.

Always preferring to have and object I decided to pop in to TESCO for a few odds and ends. The sun was bright and the air still as I trundled along,glad of my fur mittens and the warm woollen cloak given to me by my son.

Every one was muffled up in scarves fur hats, boots and thick coats,I could see my breath on the air,It was definitely becoming colder every minute and remembered that snow had been forecast in the near future.

The supermarket was busy,I went upstairs at once as wanted to buy another fleece onesie for Pa,the first having been a great success,my luck was out,there were none to be had.

I decided to check the ladies section ,perhaps, one of the nice manly tartan ones had ended up there by mistake,alas,I was wrong. It was evident that since my last visit things had been moved around and in place of lovely warm ,fleecy ladies night wear........Bikinis, sun dresses,.beach ponchos...I kid you not.

I was not the only one staring in disbelief at this untimely display, we shook our heads and parted marvelling at such nonsense. I wandered in to an aisle containing floaty frock and flowery smocks,even the damned handbags had flowers on them. I had seen enough and went back down stairs where I was confronted with row upon row of Easter eggs flaunting themselves gaily on the opposite side of the aisle to unwanted tins of Christmas biscuits cards and gift wrap,

I should not have been surprised to see Halloween favours and garden furniture!

Bathing costumes...in January..... try buying one in August and all you will find are fur boots and ushanka. The world has gone stark raving mad........or is it me?

WebRep

Overall rating

This site has no rating

(not enough votes)

STICKY PORK WITH WRAPS SIDES AND SAUCES

This is a simple way of cooking pork and is very appealing to young children. It looks much more complicated than it is.As I cooked today I was kept amused by the antics of our resident parakettes,the photograph is of one of last years youngsters,now full grown and very,very cheeky.

                               FOR THE STICKY PORK

2lb pork belly

Marinade

3 tablespoons of honey

3 cloves of garlic crushed

3 tablespoons of soy sauce

pepper and salt

I pinch of dried chilli if you like heat.

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl then place the pork in the marinade,coat well and the refrigerate for three hours.

Remove the pork from the marinade and roast uncovered in at 185oC for one and a half hours (basting with more of the marinade from time to time)by which time it should be cooked. If not give it another fifteen minutes and check again.

FOR THE TABULAH

4oz Bulgar wheat

tablespoon of olive oil

2oz pine nuts

1 dessert spoon of poppy seeds

2 oz sun-dried tomato chopped

2 oz roasted red pepper chopped

half pint of chicken stock

salt and pepper

a good hand full of fresh parsley chopped.

Heat the oil in a pan then add the Bulgar wheat and the pine nuts,stir until the oil froths a little and the, add the poppy seeds,continue to cook for 1 minute more.

Stir in the tomatoes and the peppers then pour on the chicken stock and season. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat and cover with a tight lid and leave.

The Bulgar wheat should cook in the residual heat and is lovely eaten cold. If you wish you can reheat Bulgar wheat by adding a little more water or stock and heating gently.

Tomato sauce

1 can chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato purree

half an onion finely chopped

pinch of dried rosemary or a teaspoon of fresh rosemary chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch of salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the onion,fry with a pinch of salt until softened. Add all the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for twenty minutes until reduced by about a third. |Serve hot or cold.

Creamy cucumber relish

half a cucumber

medium sized pot of crème fraiche

salt

chop the cucumber in to small cubes, sprinkle on the salt and leave for a few minutes.

Drain of the liquid then stir in the crème fraich. Serve chilled

The addition of a dish of shredded spring onions and shredded crisp lettuce are a must, side dishes of black olives and coleslaw may be added if liked.

Serve with flour tortillas,buck wheat pancakes. Pitta pockets ,whatever suits your family the best.

THE STONE STRIKES AGAIN

I may have mentioned in the past that I have long suffered from the same condition as my hero and fellow diarist Samuel Pepys, “the stone”. He was so relieved to be rid of his that every year afterwards he gave a party in celebration of his deliverance..I can quite understand why.

My own sufferings began over ten years ago,and went undiagnosed for four years,during which time I suffered the torments of Hades, lost over half of my body weight and suffered severe kidney damage due to a succession of infections the last of which almost killed me.

There followed a course of prolonged and painful treatment (Lythotripsy) during which one lies on a sort of bed part of which is underwater and spend the next thirty -forty minutes having sound waves fired through your kidneys to crack the stones...this is very painful indeed and only made bearable by the knowledge that the pain caused by the stones in much much worse

The treatment shattered the multiple stones which infested both kidneys,unfortunately small shards, to small to zap remained,even more unfortunately they did not flush through the system as we had hoped. During the intervening years these tiny shards have grown in stature and are now giving me “what for!”

When the pain strikes there is nothing I can do but lie still and pray that the stone will either pass through or at least dislodge itself from is present uncomfortable position. When the pain becomes unbearable an even large doses of codeine cannot help I have to go to A and E for pain relief and a merry old performance that can be.

Why is it that nurses refuse to believe that there is anything wrong with you,it is almost as if they think that you have rocked up at hospital for the pleasure of being in their company!

Last time it took hours for the staff to realise the trouble I was in, by which time I needed hospitalisation instead of a simple dose of Morphine. The acute pain had caused my already high blood pressure to soar to a dangerous level. One of the nurses asked why I had not mentioned it.......I had, numerous time and was told,and I quote. “ Let us be the judge of weather your blood pressure is high or not.”

At the moment with my son on his night shift it is difficult for me to go to hospital,Pa needs so much attention and the idea of leaving him alone,worried and confused just adds to my own worries.

At the moment, full of codeine I am feeling rather fuzzy,the pain is bearable at the moment and so I hope it will remain.

I managed to bake a batch of hazelnut shortbread and cooked a prawn and crab pasta for dinner so I must be on the mend.

One thing about the past few days which has been pleasant,my new furry hot water bottle and I have become well acquainted and I must say I am very fond of its comforting warmth...so is my cat!!!!