Harvesting and Cooking......

I went out this morning on this very blustery day to walk Woody dog and the local bramble bushes are laden with blackberries already. Its a bit early, but I'm not going to miss these. Luckily I had a spare bag in my pocket, so picked these. I've washed and frozen them , as I don't have enough jars to make jam at the moment and I want to pick some more yet.
These are our own home grown tomato's. They're tumblers and were grown in hanging baskets outside the front door.
I put our toms with the ones that were in the Veg box and made a pasta sauce this afternoon. I will freeze this down and use for a quick pasta dinner or in Lasagna. Thanks GTM for inspiring me to make some.
I've also got a loaf in the bread maker at the moment, and its smelling good. x

Tuesday's Baking....

Snicker and Peanut Butter Muffins, and Banana Muffins, courtesy of Nigella.
The snickers muffins are actually for someone at work. He's been pestering me for ages to make him some, as I used to bake and take stuff in all the time, and he particularly liked these. You can bet they'll be none left when I go in tomorrow; not that I mind as I hate snickers!
The Banana Muffins are for Hubby's lunchbox; but I'm not that impressed with these and won't be making them again, I'll stick to my Banana loaf next time.
All that baking, but none for me I'm afraid, I decided to try and be good this week, as I really need to lose weight, so Food Doctor Bagel toasted for me with Low Fat Cream Cheese and cucumber. It was Yummy though.

Sundays musings...

Today's Baking, Lemon curd Victoria Sponge and Honey Wheatmeal Bread.

Lovely, Purple sprouting Broccoli for dinner, with carrots, new potatoes and home made shepherds pie.
Woody getting all his toys out, all over the floor hhmmm.

A busy day, but a long week.......

You can't beat a mug of tea and a piece of homemade cake to lift your spirits, thats exactly what I did at lunch time. Of-course I shared the cake with Woody.

I've been feeling a bit out of sorts this week, like I'm about to come down with a cold, but it hasn't come to anything, so I suppose that's good in a way. I'm in a dilemma with my job at the moment, its a "do I stay, or do I go" kind of time. I've been given an application form from a lady I dog walk with, for a play worker at a local breakfast and afternoon school club. I will need to be trained to NVQ2 on the job, but will also get to do a First Aid and Health and Hygiene certificate, if I apply or even get the job. Another string to my bow I suppose. I am unhappy in my current job, but i do get shares and staff discount and maternity leave, this is the conundrum, am I better the devil I know?


I made homemade Pizza for tea, which was scrummy, I haven't made one of these for ages, and it made a nice change. See I'm still cooking from scratch! Hubby and I went to Macro this week and managed to get 48 loo rolls on offer and a massive box of washing powder, so this should save a few pounds and packaging. We have been seeing a saving in our shopping bills since our being green and frugal experiment started. I'm also making much more of an effort with the composting; last week it even had the added ingredient of Woody fur as he was clipped on Monday.
I've spent an hour or so undercoating one of the dining room walls this afternoon. I don't think hubby can moan at me for getting that wrong.
This is still to be altered and painted etc, but I can't wait till my Radiator/dresser is finished. I would like a few Emma Bridgewater pieces to go on it. "Hint Hint Hubby if you read this".
Hubby also made this door architrave, are there no end to his talents??? We hope to get a bit more done to this room at the weekend. I'm really looking forward to it being finished. It used to be a garage at one time, and since we've lived here its mainly been a dumping ground as we're gradually working around the house with the decorating. It will be like having a whole new room in this house. I hope to put some finished photo's on here before Christmas!!!

Recipe's as promised.....

As promised Autumn, Lemon Curd and Coconut Macaroon Recipes.

Lemon Curd Recipe

Juice and grated zest of 5-6 large juicy lemons
5-6 new laid eggs
8oz unsalted butter
1 1/4lbs sugar, caster or granulated

Grate the lemon zest finely and put into a bowl, then juice the lemons well and add the juice, strained. Chop the butter and add to the bowl, along with the sugar. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, and stir regularly until the sugar is dissolved and the butter melted. Beat the eggs well, and pour through a sieve into the bowl; stir frequently until mixture thickens to coat the back of a wooden spoon, then pour into hot jars. seal and label. When cool store in the fridge, keeps for up to six weeks.

Coconut Cookies/Macaroons

2 egg whites
4oz caster sugar
6oz desiccated coconut

Set the oven to 325'f or gas mark 3. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until very stiff. Fold in the sugar and then add and fold in the coconut. Drop small dessertspoonful of the mixture on the baking sheet, leaving some room between each for expansion. Bake for about 15 mins until lightly browned. Allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire wrack to cool. Makes 18-20 cookies.

Sunday Musings......

I've had a day of pottering around in the kitchen. I've made a shepherds pie, which is the most tasty I've ever made, if I do say so myself. All the ingredients were from our organic box, except the mince of course. I also made a rice pudding, I haven't made one of these in years, but its a cheap and easy pudding, especially for a cold day.
Whilst eating our pudding tonight, we started to watch 'My life with animals' with Simon King. What an amazing programme, I haven't enjoyed a programme like that for a long time. I didn't realise quite how much this man has accomplished in his 30 year career. I only really new him from watching Spring watch. But he was a child actor, and predominantly a wildlife cameraman for most of his life before he began wildlife presenting. I struggled eating my pudding through some of the programme, as in places it was really sad and I'm such a blubber when it comes to animals. If you saw it, it was the bit the lion cub couldn't keep up with its mum and died, and the bit where the meercat got bitten by a puff adder. Anyway if you didn't see it, keep a look out for a repeat as it was fantastic. Its the last 'Larkrise to Candleford' tonight so I'm off now to watch it with a glass of wine.

A bit of a kitchen witch day..

Today's Baking. Coconut Macaroons and Butterscotch Biscuits. Hubby wants me to keep up this cooking from scratch enthusiasm. He says it tastes much better and if it can save us money so much the better.
I've also got some bread in the bread maker and about to finish my sweet mama squash soup, made with, yes you guessed it, home made chicken stock.

Woody said can I have some mum please, you can have my paw!

Whats in the box????

My Veg box arrived yesterday. I only have one, once every two weeks at the moment, but if I can get more organised with recipes and making stuff from scratch to freeze etc, we will have a box a week and have no convenience food at all. That's the plan anyway. This weeks box contains:-

Sante Potatoes Parsnips Cauliflower
Carrots Celeriac Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Onions Sweet Mama Squash Jerusalem Artichokes (free)
Leeks Green Cabbage

Any Recipe ideas would be most appreciated. Sometimes I haven't got a clue what to do with it all. I would love to get hubby and myself eating less meat and more veg, saying that I'm not a vegetarian so recipes containing meat are still welcome.


Last nights dinner was lasagne yummy. I froze the two remaining portions for a meal in the week. This is so handy as i work three evenings and one day a week, so when i get home at 8.15 i can just reheat something.

It's still raining here, so the mission for today is to get a load of housework and washing done. I'm so addicted to blogging at the moment that my house is getting neglected. xx