TARRAGON & THYME

I had a little bit of luck the other week; each month I pay into a work's lottery syndicate where we choose one number each.  The bonus ball each week is the number we use and it depends on the Lottery bonus ball number as to who wins.  I found myself the very lucky winner of £49.00 which I have put to some bits for my kitchen that I have had my eye on for a few months or so.  If you like a little bit of a treat for me after not having had anything much in the past few years or so.  Some of you will say oh not gadgets again, but you see I really do use my gadgets especially when it comes to doing fancy bits and bobs and I get a lot of pleasure from them as I really enjoy cooking and messing around either decorating things  or experimenting with something new.  So what have I indulged in. The first item is related to the Cheesemaking post a little while ago.  I have invested in a digital thermometer which I think will come in very useful with the Chee...

I love antique shops, bric-a -brac stores, market stalls, flea markets car boots and I enjoy a good rummage.  Haven't been for  look around for quite some time but last week I succumbed and popped into the local British Heart Foundation shop literally a straight in straight out, spotted something that looked interesting - the price definitely was £6.99 and it was crotchet lace.  It was only when I got it home and had more of an inspection that I realised how large it was 80 x 80 inches and in excellent nick no staining and quite frankly a very lovely cloth - I do hope you agree.  I am well chuffed with it.  It would appear to be a lovely tulip design too.  Now all I need to do is to find some nice second hand cotton and make some very plain simple knapkins to go with them.  Even if It hadn't been in such condition I would have found a way to recyle the item into something useful. This was laid out over my two seater settee and it ...

Good morning everyone  it is a beautiful sunny morning so far here in Peterborough- sorry for the absence, things have been quite busy around here just lately and also at work - I also seem to be going out a lot more in the evenings which has had an obvious knock on effect and because I am walking to work and quite often am walking home too I have been going to bed a little earlier than I normally do. Thank you all for your good wishes - I am okay honestly and hopefully will be back to normal service quite shortly too many fingers in too many pies I have also been getting to grips or shall we say a tentative toe in some different computer programmes i.e. learning them not only for work but also for home use and being as OH hasn't assisted its been down to me to get to grips - sometimes I am a slow learner. I am okay promise Catch up with you all soon I promise Have a lovely day Pattypan xx

I was having a rootle as you do in Lakeland the other day just passing the time of day during my dinner hour looking at all the goodies I cannot afford and making a mental wish list of some of the items that I would quite like when I espied some new products.  A little book entitled how to make soft cheese by Gerard Baker - it had only come in the other day £2.99 and I was one of the first to nab it.  It has seven recipes for home made cheese and they are:   Mozzarella Halloumi Ricotta Cottage Cream Fresh white Feta  http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16571/Lakeland-Basket-Soft-Cheese-Mould http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16851/Vegetarian-Rennet  http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16570/Lakeland-Conical-Soft-Cheese-Mould-  http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16737/How-To-Make-Soft-Cheese http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16571/Lakeland-Basket-Soft-Cheese-Mould  Lakeland have since added a short video http://www.lakeland.co.uk/info/homemade-cheese-guide-step-by-step ...

Think it will be Gammon Pineapple and chips for tea this evening as yet again I have a lot to do as is always the case.  Last evening I had an early night I really hurt as it rained her all day yesterday and so I was in bed by 10.15 pm have kept warm and am a little easier this morning although I still hurt a bit; I really could do with a day in bed but that isn't going to happen so a couple of paracetamol will help ease the way.   Anyway I mentioned a Nut Roast recipe that I had come across recently and which I am going to collect the ingredients together for at lunch time.  I haven't really experimented much with vegetarian food but this one made my mouth water when I came across it so I thought I would post the recipe in case you ladies and gents also wanted to share.  Thought it might make a simple pure food offering that would go well with a mixed salad.  I plan to make this tonight when I get home as I thought it would be something quick to have ...

Morning everyone just a quickie before I depart off to work.  I woke stiff this morning my lower back and my legs are not co-operating well together - no wonder it is raining how dare it I have to walk to work.  At this rate everyone is going to end up rusty.  Its gentle rain fortunately and I have dug out the big umbrella so I should be well covered and I must admit I enjoy the thinking time as I walk to and from work it helps me put things in perspective and helps me calm down before I either get into work or before I arrive home important time in a busy schedule.  It will be a busy day as one of our girls does not work a Monday (she works a Saturday) and so Monday is her Saturday and one of our other girls is on holiday for the week so it will be all hands to the pump and at least this week I will not be billing continuously which is always a logistic race before the books are closed and getting people to do what they should is always a massive logistical nightma...

Our late Sunday lunch was very tasty consisting of roast beef, roast potatoes cooked with the beef, onion and garlic and then served with peas, cauliflower, carrots and Yorkshire Pud which all went down very nicely.  Then I managed to get my hair washed early and let it dry naturally I managed to get five pots of mashed potato (I used the tail end of a sack of potatoes all in the course of waste not want not) and 5 pots of the Carrot and Swede crush.  I still have about 8 swedes to prepare so no doubt I will do some more carrot and swede crush during the week or just plain swede crush  So I am well pleased that I have a little stock to keep me going  Its also handy to have something like this in the freezer especially if you have a partner who is not au fait with cooking as it means if for one reason or another if  you are unwell they can still make the rudiments of a meal. I just have a pair of trousers to iron for OH and then am off to bed to get some...

I started the monthly shop today and we paid another visit to the butchers and topped up quite a bit; as a consequence of which I have had to give the upright freezer a bit of a sort out to get the new stuff in; it has meant me turfing out a few items which are going to be used in the next few days or so as it was time they were used up. Just some of the things I have packed away  complete with a label, content and the date bought (very important) are: 5 trays of flavoured chicken thighs in trays of four three chinese style and two barbecue style (all for £10.00) 6 gammon steaks 2 trays minted lamb double chops 4 rib eye steaks  3 gammon slipper joints 2 beef joints 2kg pack bacon divided into 6 bags of about 12 rashers 1kg tray of sausages (dvided into 8 bags) Large tray of chicken breasts £20 (seventeen extra large breasts in tray packed into 6 bags x 3) Tray of mixed burgers 12 on tray for £10 2 trays of stewing meat  So we haven't done...