Tuesday 12 November 2013

ONE WEEK LATER

THE DUST HAS SETTLED

since Mum died.... we have been to the probate office only to find my parents didn't have their own wills, only copies.  So a call to the Blackpool solicitors and now, 5 days later, I am still waiting for them to arrive.
The paperwork was unbelievable........... 4 pages on what money and assets Mum owned....almost nothing I might say.....together with 38 pages  (yes, 38) of notes.  Plus another 4 page form about her and all her relatives.  How many siblings died before her...that was easy.  But how many of their children are still alive...I have no idea.  We never saw the Sussex side of the family though cards were sometimes exchanged.
Then there were questions about Mum's aunts and uncles............... can you believe it?  I didn't and I had no idea either.  Oh, and their surviving children. 

Dad is doing well...he's very quiet and sleeps a lot but he is still reading a lot and enjoying a nip of brandy occasionally.

We have Mum's ashes on the coffee table at the moment.  She's in recyclable paper and card.  We are going to plant a rose bush and scatter the ashes round it.  There is a query about whether you need permission to scatter ashes but since folk do it all the time I can't see why a registrar would be needed.
so, next decent day we'll take Dad to the garden centre to choose a rose and have a cuppa in the café.  We need to get him out and about.

DIET AND FASTING

It's a week since we started the fasting diet and we will weigh in this evening.  We seem to manage the fasting bit OK, starting after the evening meal and skipping breakfast, soup for lunch and a slightly later evening meal so we fast for the 24 hours.  It means we have 2 alcohol free days so that's good. 
The calorie counter on myfitnesspal.com is really helpful. 

So what are we eating at the moment?   Sunday I tried a new recipe voted terrific by the menfolk.

BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN

Halve chicken breast pieces and wrap each in a half rasher of bacon...I used smoked.....you get more flavour for your money.

Peel potatoes and cut into small pieces, and some carrots.  Put in the roasting tin with some small onions.  Lay the chicken pieces on top and add fat...duck fat or butter or olive oil.  Season with salt, pepper, a tsp of thyme, and 1/3 bottle maple syrup.

Cook reg 6 for an hour.  Lift out the chicken and keep warm.  Leave the lid off, pour off the excess liquid and put the vegetables back for 1/2 more.  Serve with peas/beans/roast parsnips or whatever you like.

My oven turned itself off at one point but since I didn't notice for ages the timings are a bit hit and miss!

POT LUCK SOUP

All through the winter we have a soup pot on the stove.  I start with a good stock.....  either chicken carcase or clean veg peelings covered in water with onion, peppercorns and bay leaf added.  Pressure cook for an hour or so, strain and use.  Who needs stock cubes?

To this I add a handful of red lentils and a chopped onion.  Then diced carrot, diced squash, a bit of sweet potato, celery, a red pepper, seasoning and anything else in the veg rack.  Cook till all veg are soft then liquidise and adjust seasoning.
If it's too thick add passata.

As the week progresses I liquidise and add any left over veg.  It's really good for getting those of us who have hang-ups about veg to consume things we wouldn't otherwise eat!  Win-win.  I wash up the pot every week and start again.

FRUIT PUDDINGS

I bought lots of cooking apples at the harvest auction so it was time to  use them.  I stewed them and then what to do with it all!  We have lots of blackberries in the freezer so I made apple crumble, blackberry and apple crumble and an apple sponge pudding. 

Crumble topping
8 oz plain flour
2 oz sugar  (there's plenty in the fruit)
4 oz marg/butter

Rub fat into dry ingredients then spread over the fruit.
Cook 40 minutes or so at reg 6.

Sponge topping
Cream together 8 oz butter/marg with 8 oz sugar.
Mix in 4 eggs, 1 at a time, with a little flour from 8 oz SR flour.
When the eggs are mixed in add the rest of the flour and stir gently.
It should be what's called a stiff dropping mixture ie when you hold up a spoonful it should gently drop off.  If it's too stiff mix in a little milk.

Spread a layer on top of the fruit and use the rest to make a batch of plain buns.  It will make about 15 buns, fewer if you make muffin sized buns.

The buns take about 10 minutes at reg 4/5.  the sponge pudding will take longer....20 minutes +... but it depends on how thick the layer of sponge is. 
Stick a skewer or knife into the sponge to check if it's done.....it should come out clean.







Tuesday 5 November 2013

LONG TIME NO BLOG!

It's such a long time since I posted anything here but life just got in the way.

First it was all the fruit and veg in the garden and I started jam making etc.
 



Then we had our holidays.
Then we had Messy Church to organise.

Then we had another holiday and came back with our granddaughter, who stayed for 6 months whilst she attended Bradford college.
And then our daughter decided she was getting married.....with a couple of months notice.





Then we took the granddaughter back and had a few days in France.

And so on............till  3 weeks ago when Mum was taken ill.  I spent 5 days at the hospital and then they arranged for her to go home to Springfield, where she died later in the day.  So then there was/is all the stuff that comes after a death. 

So here's to a new start.......we need to lose a bit of weight and so we, hubby and I, are going to have a go at the 5:2 diet.  The science seems to make sense, with the 2 fast days triggering the body's repair mechanisms, which results in weight loss and improved health.  I've tried cutting down generally....I always get up from meal still a bit hungry....that's deliberate........but I still don't lose weight.  SO........... let's hope that this will work. 

Today we weigh ourselves and set a target weight loss.  We're also going to measure our waists...apparently your waist should only be half your height and mine's a bit too big!  Of course, I'm the shape my Mum was at this age but that's no help is it?  She didn't lose weight till she was really, really old.....80 +....... so I need to do something now.

So, weight 64kgs
      waist   39 inches.............and I'm only 4ft 111/2 inches so something has to go!

Tomorrow is our first fast day....500 calories for me, 600 for hubby .... homemade soup and no bread at lunchtime and if we skip breakfast we'll be almost there.... if we can not snack this evening and have no alcohol then the fast will actually have started after this evening's meal so it shouldn't be so bad.



























Wednesday 23 May 2012

Foods for a sore mouth!

I've just had a tooth out.......rather a nasty one if truth were told.  The dentist had to loosen it first and then chipped a piece of the next door tooth before she managed to pull out the cracked tooth............so it's very careful, soft eating for a week till the other tooth can be fixed.

 Easy Corned Beef Hash

Chop up the contents of a tin of corned beef...... keep the pieces fairly big or they'll disintegrate completely in the pan.

Add them to a pan with a tin of baked beans.

Add chopped, cooked potato or a tin of new potatoes and gently stir it all.

Heat through gently, stirring carefully.  Don't let it stick to the bottom of the pan or it will burn.

Serve topped with a fried egg.

Quick, tasty and easy to eat with a sore mouth.

Ham/bacon and cheese omelette

Beat 3 eggs with a little black pepper.

Melt a knob of butter or a splash of olive oil in your pan over a moderate heat.

Fry bacon cubes or  ham cubes till just about brown.

Pour the egg mix in and swirl round to fill the pan.  It doesn't matter if the ham/bacon lands up all on one side.

Use a spatula to lift the egg mix as it sets so it doesn't stick.  Move the pan to keep the liquid egg moving till it's more or less set.

Add grated cheese.

Flip over one half of the omelette to make a semicircle (mine always break at this point!)

Cut in half and serve with salad (if you haven't got a sore mouth) or peas.

Brown sauce/ketchup is allowed!

Variations

Omit ham and/or cheese.  Add fine herbs or finely chopped parsley.  You'll need to add a little salt to the eggs if you're not using bacon.

Super scrambled eggs

If you have had a nasty time in the dentist's chair you need some pampering and a touch of luxury.

Beat 3 eggs with a little salt and black pepper.

Melt a knob of butter in a small pan; add the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon.

Keep stirring the mix over a lowish heat till it starts to set.  Make sure you don't let the eggs stick and burn.

Once it starts to set turn off the heat (you can always turn it on again if you need to) add smoked salmon pieces and stir in gently.

Eat and enjoy.  If your mouth isn't sore serve it on hot buttered toast.

NB If you let the egg mix get too dry you'll get a watery liquid which spoils the texture.







Saturday 19 May 2012

Easy Biscuits



Easy Biscuits
Ingredients
8oz flour, self raising is best (gluten free if necessary)
+ pinch of salt (it brings out the flavours)
5oz butter or margarine (soya margarine if it's for vegans)
beaten egg or milk to mix (soya milk, rice milk if for vegans)
4oz sugar, castor or granulated

Sifted icing sugar and halved glace cherries to decorate or glace icing and chocolate sprinkles or hundreds and thousands.

Method
Rub the butter or margarine into the dry ingredients.

Mix to a stiff dough with the milk/egg.

Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for 1/2 an hour or so. (this is not essential but it helps!)

Knead on a floured board and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut circles with a pastry cutter. Place on a buttered baking tray and prick with a fork.

Bake gas 4/ 350F/ 180C for 12 minutes or so until they are pale golden and leave for 10 minutes as the biscuits are fragile when very hot.

Put onto a baking tray and sift icing sugar on the biscuits whilst they are still warm. Pop on a half glace cherry whilst still warm.
or
use glace icing to decorate, with or without sprinkles on top.


This is a nice easy recipe to use with children.

A great site for really delicious recipes and good ideas visit:

http://www.bakerella.com/mix-things-up/

Friday 18 May 2012

Hasselback Potatoes

Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes

by on June 7, 2011 in Potatoes, Sides

Recipe Description

Cheesy, creamy, potato-ey!



Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Scrub potatoes.
You need 2 wooden spoons with handles of the same width. Place a spoon on each side of the potato and start slicing the potato into thin slices. The spoons will stop the knife from cutting all the way through the potato.
Slice the butter into thin pieces. Alternate the butter and the parmesan, stuffing them in between the slices of the potato. Season the potato with garlic powder and kosher salt. Drizzle the potato with olive oil.
Bake at 400ºF for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle heavy cream over the potatoes. Top with cheddar cheese.
Place back in the oven for 10-12 more minutes. Remove and serve!

Ingredients

  • 2 whole Golden Potatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 piece (about 2 Inches Long) Parmigiano-Reggiano, Sliced Thinly
  • ⅛ teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
  • ¼ cups Heavy Cream
  • ¼ cups Cheddar Cheese Blend

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Utterly irresistible (and fattening!$) recipes


Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies



1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 (11.5 oz) bag milk chocolate chips (I prefer Hersheys)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a standard size muffin tin with cooking spray. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a Ziploc bag, and seal shut. Lay the Ziploc bag flat in the microwave, spreading out the chocolate chips in a single layer. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove bag and flip, microwaving for an additional 10-15 seconds until all the chips are softened. Set aside to cool.
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining chocolate chips (1 cup) and stir to combine.
3. Using half the cookie dough, scoop 1.5-2 tbsp of dough, flatten it out a bit, and place in the bottom of the muffin tin. Repeat for a total of 10 cookies. Cut a small tip in the corner of the Ziploc bag, and gently squeeze a layer of chocolate over the cookie. Scoop and flatten the remaining dough and place on top of the chocolate layer. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are just browned. As soon as they come out of the oven, run a knife around the edges to make for easy removing later. Cool completely before removing from the muffin tin, running a knife around the edge to help loosen.
These are good as mini muffins, too! Try baking at 350 for 9 mins. Enjoy!

The picture is a muffin with ice cream and chocolate sauce!

I shall try this at Messy Church.


 This is one to impress the French neighbours with!

Baby Cinnamon Buns



1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of a pie plate. Add the brown sugar to the butter and stir to combine. Unroll crescent dough and pinch seams together to create one big sheet. Spread with remaining softened butter. Combine white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the buttered dough. Roll the dough back up into a log, and cut into 8 cinnamon rolls. Place rolls in prepared pie plate. Sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Top with vanilla glaze (recipe follows) and serve warm. Store leftover cinnamon buns (who am I kidding??) at room temperature.
Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons heavy cream (or 2 tablespoons milk + 1 tablespoon butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
With a fork, stir together sugar, cream, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Add one tablespoon of milk if needed to thin. If using milk and butter instead of cream, heat the milk and butter in the microwave to melt the butter, then add to the sugar and stir in vanilla.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2AA97Z/:1NnNEyfS3:Q!wzKjLG/www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/chocolate-chip-lava-cookies.html/