TARRAGON & THYME

Things to try and get done this week although there may be a little lap over from week to week thought it might be easier to commit to paper as my memory is not as good as it was Rosehip syrup Rosehip marmalade Rosehip and apple jelly Apple chutney Cucumber Gherkins (another batch the last one seems to have disappeared) These will be finished off tonight as they are brining Bread n Butter pickles Pickled Eggs Pickled Red Cabbage Mulled Pears in Red Wine Mulled Pears in Cider Mulled Pears in Crabbies Pickled Shallots Rosemary Jelly Christmas Cakes Christmas Puddings Plum Loaves Cinnamon Ice Cream Bottled mandarins/Clementines Souper Paste Bottled Cherry tomatoes Apple Pip Orange Jelly Orange Curd Lemon Curd Grapefruit Curd Grapefruit Champagne   I know I will not get everything done but as I am on holiday at the end of the week for 7 weekdays plus the two weekends I might stand a fighting chance of getting at least some of the bits and bobs done....

This recipe is a bit more organic and relatively easy to make: Ingredients 3 lemons half a pound of fresh ginger root 2lbs of sugar 2ozs cream of tartar 2 1/2 gallons of boiling water two tablespoonfuls of yeast Take the rinds of the three lemons by peeling very finely trying to leave as much pith behind as possible. Smash half a pound of fresh root ginger with a meat hammer or the end of a rolling pin to break it up and then put the rinds and the ginger, 2lbs of sugar and 2ozs of cream of tartar into a big  sterilised bucket and pour on 2 1/2 gallons of boiling water.  Let it cool until the liquid is lukewarm and then add the yeast.  Let it all cool and stand for 12 hours.  Then add the juice of the three lemons, strain the liquid and bottle into sterilised bottles. It will be very fizzy in a couple of days. Pattypan x

Lets face it most of us like a bit of cake at some time or another and when you have children in the house it serves as double duty having a bit of cake in the house in the first instance as something to have as a treat after tea or as a treat in their pack up box.  Even in the OH's.  and some can be used to make a very quick pudding with a touch of ice cream or cream. Today however we seem to have more considerations as to when to actually put the big oven on because of making use of and getting the maximum amount of food cooked as cheaply as possible and to this end it helps if you plan what you are going to cook and make several items before you even switch the oven on.  The house I live in is rented  - the cooker belongs to the house and is only a basic half sized  gas oven, but nevertheless I have managed to cook quite successfully ever since we have been in here (I am on my second cooker but the landlord chooses the cooker not me).  His choice of c...

I love homemade cordials and syrups they really are very useful, and very refreshing mixed with fizzy water or as a flavouring for mixed fruit salad, as a soaking syrup for a cake or into butter cream and no doubt a myriad of other uses to.  Even as a sauce over ice cream or used as a base for a sorbet, its always handy to have some of this in the pantry. Because of how much I use this when I make it I tend to make two batches to keep me going for a little while. Ingredients: 5 small lemons, with the outer skins scrubbed well 1 1/2 lb/700g sugar 1 pint/570ml boiling water 1oz/25g tartaric acid Method: Peel the lemons very thinly with a very sharp knife. Put the peel or sugar in a large bowl.  Add the boiling water and stir well.  Squeeze the lemons and add the juice and the tartaric acid to the syrup.  Leave to cool.  Strain and then bottle. Use about 2 tablespoons of syrup to each glass when mixing  but can also be used as a base for a sorbe...

Brggh its freezing the heating has gone on tonight big time even OH mentioned how cold he was so cold weather calls for good home cooking that warms you up as well as being tasty and simple to prepare.  Soup is a meal in itself and a good thing to have on the menu if you haven't got much money for housekeeping.   I buy cannelini beans from Lidl or the Co-Op.  Remember if you haven't got the exact ingredient change it for something similar. This is another one of my recipe cuttings. Ingredients: 200g dried cannellini beans 250g smoked pancetta or bacon cut into cubes 2 garlic cloves crushed 2 large stalks of parsley lightly crushed 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 large onion chopped 2 large potatoes cubed and rinsed 2 celery stalks sliced 3 tomatoes halved deseeded and chopped 200g Italian Risotto rice 1 small round cabbage quartered cored and sliced 250g shelled peas, fresh or frozen 3 small courgettes halved lengthwise halved again into quarters then thi...

      Don't forget to stop And Smell the Roses

I have been playing again - its becoming an addictive habit, but so far I am well pleased with this experiment so far, all that needs to be done is for me to report back on the taste. I have had three baskets worth of Clementines for £3 from the Veg shop and peaches and oranges have always been a bit of a grey area for me as there is a lot of fiddling to do to get them processed.  With peaches it is getting them skinned with the oranges it is getting rid of all the pith and making the oranges look really edible.  This time round I am playing with Clementines. I decided to process the sugar syrup first - I did this at 8 oz for 2 pints of water - not a heavy syrup but a light one and made up 8 pints worth and left it to cool.  This will be boiled up again before use.  I have done things  this way as I have a lot of fruit to process and wanted to make sure that I had enough syrup for the bulk bottling session. Anyway here it goes: I peeled each clementine indiv...

I have been doing a lot of research in the past week or so into my family tree.  It is something that I have been doing on and off for the last 15 years or so and gradually the information is coming to hand.  I have a lot of family bibles that were passed on to me, which in turn will get passed on to the younger generation in due course.  Last week I have been able to find lots of information about my mum and my Dad's side of the family information which had been lost within the family for one reason or another.  Genes Reunited website has an offer on for about a month of free access to the 1911 Census returns for a period of a month where you can actually view the details on the Census without having to pay.  http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/home/index So even if you are not really researching your family tree as consistently as myself it might well be worth you popping over and having a look because it might just help clarify information that you have but whi...

I would just like to make welcome Lazy Daisy, (Lazy Daisy I am not sure if you have a blog or not  - let me know and I will post details) Mum of all Trades  http://mumofalltrades.blogspot.co.uk/ and All that I am Eating http://www.allthatimeating.blogspot.co.uk/ I hope you will make them all welcome and comfy and  http://lemondropsandgreenspaces.blogspot.co.uk/ too .  Look forwarrd to hearing more from you ladies in due course. Take care Pattypan xx

At the minute it feels a little bit like the Itchy and Scratchy Show here at Pattypans.   I completely forgot to take the usual precautions I take like wearing an apron and some marigolds and got stuck in de-seeding Rosehips. I need a kg to make some Rosehip Marmalade.  To tell you the truth I had forgotten about this little recipe.  I had come across it before but had never made it.  It was purely a chance conversation with our Head Cashier at work that triggered the memory of the recipe.  His wife is Danish and he was saying that the recipe she used for Rosehip Jam was very soft setting and not like we know jam but absolutely lovely as far as flavour goes.  That made my mind up  - I went looking for the recipe and found it.  It is from the Sloe Gin and Beeswax book by Jane Newdick.  So this evening I have been preparing Rosehips and will have to finish off tomorrow.  Those that I have prepared are in the fridge ready for processi...

I thought that in the run up to Christmas I would start popping up the odd recipe that I have made in the past and intend to use and make either in the run up to Christmas or as part of the Christmas food activities themselves.  The reason being threefold, first I need to be able to locate the recipes quickly i.e. all in one place, secondly I like to have a lprinted off list when I am making the same to help with the shopping aspect and also with the making aspect.  Finally I thought you ladies and gents might to share. {A Separate post will be done later which will contain all the Christmas in the one post). I love hot toddies and I am particularly partial to this little number which combines my love of anise and cider.  Goes down very well on a winter's weekend all I need is the fire to go with it. Ingredients: 1/4 pint /150ml pressed English Apple juice (Copella) 1/2 pint/300ml medium dry cider 1 tablespoon of rosehip cordial 2 Star Anise 1 tablespoon of Br...

Started early and I have been busy pottering around ever since. We have not long had tea, all cooked on the hob, minted lamb steaks cooked in a pan on the hob and a three tier steamer on the other, lashings of gray and it has all gone down very nicely. - very tasty.  OH was starving when he got in  and proclaimed he could eat a "scabby donkey" so tea was done early for us. I now have another pile of washing up to do.  I still have to cook my gammon joint for packups this week and to make some buns and get the soup on the go, so I will be disappearing back into the kitchen again very shortly. Its now miserable and raining again outside but it is not really cold at the moment. Hopefully  I will get back a little later on. Hope everyone has had a good day Take care Pattypan x

The mist is hanging in the air shrouding buildings, making them look as though they are swathed in cobwebs one minute the next as clear as a bell as the mist moves gently silently; it is wet and damp but it is not as cold - OH thinks we had a frost earlier but everything seems to be warming up again - it is not at the present as chilly as it was yesterday.thank goodness. I have been watching a new cook to me on the BBC Good Food Channel this morning Annabel Langbein.  I was quite impressed by the simplicity of her recipes and the food looks fresh and stunning.  Some of the recipes I was interested in they have not put on the site but then again they may be in her book so it is one I am going to look out for.  Well worth watching her programmes - I caught it by chance. I now have to get on and sort the kitchen out. Will be back later on Catch you soon Pattypan xx

 I am rather partial to onion bhajias and have quite frequently in the past bought them from the Co-op for £1.40 a tray of 6.  That is until I found this recipe. Ingredients: 6 level tablespoons of chick pea flour 1 level teaspoon of turmeric, ground cumin and garam masala 3-4 tablespoons of water Salt and ground black pepper 1 medium large onion peeled Deep fat fryer Method: Combine the flour and spices  in a bowl and add enough water to make a stiff batter.  Season cut onion into 4 wedges and then into narrow strips and stir into the batter. Heat the oil in the fryer to 190 degrees C.  Add a dessertspoonful of the mixture into the pan when it rises to the surface add the next spoonful continue until the pan is full and cook each bhajias for about 6 to 8 minutes turning them over halfway through.  Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Cook any remaining mixture in the same way.  Can be served immediately or reheated in a hot oven for a fe...

I have been sorting through some paperwork this evening and have come across a chart which very usefully lists wedding anniversary milestones and what used to be the relevant material out of which the present should be made out of.  Most of us know 25 years silver, and 50 years golden but did you know the names for the others.  Here they are 1st Anniversary - Paper 2nd Anniversary - Cotton 3rd Anniversary - Leather 4th Anniversary Linen/Silk 5th Anniversary - Wood 6th Anniversary - Iron 7th Anniversary  - Wool (copper) 8th Anniversary - bronze 9th Anniversary - Pottery/china 10th Anniversary Tin/Aluminium 15th Anniversary - Crystal 20th Anniversary  - China 25th Anniversary  - Silver 30th Anniversary - Pearl 35th Anniversary - Coral (Jade) 40th Anniversary - Ruby 45th Anniversary - Sapphire 50th Anniversary -  Gold 55th Anniversary  - Emerald 60th Anniversary  - Diamon...

Its been a quiet day here today. OH has been working as he is tomorrow.  I have done lots of pottering around, and started bottoming out the lounge will have to finish that tomorrow it always takes a while to sort out but always looks good for the time and effort spent on it.  However I have had quite a bit of washing to do so the washer has been on quite a bit.We have also had a nice hot tea, a home made cottage pie with lots of grated cheese on top. Its cold out tonight so that has warmed us from the inside out Normally will serve us two meals but OH was hungry and has polished off what was left.  When it comes to food I don't mind whether its gone in one sitting, or whether its turned into another meal on the following day just as long as it not wasted.  I also have a joint of gammon out which I am going to cook tomorrow for the pack ups during the week. We are to have minted lamb chops for tea with veggies tomorrow and I may do some onion soup as well as I h...

I guess Someone found the Picallili then!  I think I am going to have to hide the rest at this rate! Ah well it would appear he enjoyed it!

Just because its Grey  Doesn't mean that the Sun isn't shining

Its not been a good day today weather wise, and that in turn has impacted one me  and I hurt after an extremely busy day at work.  I wasn't really in the mood to do a lot of cooking  but last evening had got a couple of packs of beefburgers out for this evening's tea.  I have been determined so far this month to make the use of what I actually have available in the house without having to go and buy anything specifically.  So we have had a nice simple supper.  When you talk of beefburgers most people envisage the archetypal MacDonalds or Burger king.  When I say Burgers I am talking about whole meat burgers prepared by our Butcher with lots of flavour and no cereal.  But you can do more than just have them in a bun.  Tonight I went back to my childhood and a meal that my mum used to do us for a quick scratch meal.  Grilled Burgers, (we had two types of Burgers Steak Burgers and Pork and Apple Burgers and home made chips and baked beans a...

Its a bit rough out there this morning, peeing down with rain with lots of gusty wind  I have to walk to work through it this morning and I am not looking forwrard to it at all. Not my kind of weather not even puddle jumping weather.  Ah well it is autumn but I am not looking forward to the trawl to work.  It really is a duvet day. This morning has not been a good start I awoke when the alarm went off rather rudely turned over and went back to sleep again - fatal and then when OH called up iits a startled rude awakening which will leave me catching up with myself all day long.  I am meeting friends  dinner time, all ladies who used to work with each other as part of a tight team and who have remained friends although iit is about 17 years since we all last worked together; one of us was seconded to the States for three years and has come back and because of health issues no longer works, and one of us is retired and has been for about 10 yaers; the two youngst...

Sometimes you have to go back to basics to actually move forward.  My grandparents always maintained that if you had a roof over your head, food in the stomach and warmth that anything else was a bonus.  In the past three years I have had to go back to basics and some of the lessons that I have learned will stay with me  for the reset of my life and be put into practice in the future as well.  My partner lost his job three years ago and mine was the only wage that was coming in and in some cases it was spread too thin and some months we did not have the money to go food shopping and had to rely what I had in house.  I learned what basics I needed during that time.  Fortunately for us I had been in the habit of when I had money previously available to me in keeping a good stock of basic items like, flour, rice, pudding rice, dried milk, dried peas, soup mix, etc etc.  preferring to buy basic ingredients and then doing something with them myself.  ...

I have been out this evening to a friend's home and her home is heated by an Aga.  I grew up with a Rayburn - well that's what my Nan had and that stove was in service from new for over 60 years before it had to be given away.  An Aga is on the wish list as are a couple of open fires/log burners.  They are so much a way of life and of comfort. It has been an enjoyable evening with very good company as usual; I had gone out without having any tea and so have just had a favourite sandwich i.e. Goats cheese cut into slices in buns with salad leaves and fried onions.  Hits the spot for me every time as I am a tad partial to the old Goats cheese. I hope I have a better nights sleep tonight as I could not get comfy in bed, my hips were playing up and I could not lay for very long in the one position and I just got myself comfy and wouldn't you know it the cat who had been distinguished by her absence decided that indeed she was coming to bed and decided to pad.  A...

This is a favourite in our household and what's more its relatively cheap and simple to make. Ingredients: 4oz grain 2 pints of milk 2-3 oz of sugar 1/2 oz finely shredded butter Grated nutmeg Method: Pre-heat the oven to Gas mark 2 (310 degrees F). Grease a pie dish with some of the butter. Wash your chosen grain in cold water if necessary (I find I get a better result when I do this) then place into the greased pie dish with the milk.  Leave to stand for approximately 1/2 an hour. Add the sugar and then flake the remaining butter onto the top together with your nutmeg. Bake slowly until the pudding is brown on top and of a thick creamy consistency. To ring the changes I use a pot of cream and just reduce the amount of milk by the amount of cream in the pot. This recipe can also be used for making a Large Sago, whole rice (Carolina type or short grain), flaked Tapioca or Flaked Rice. Gives approximately 6 helpings Cooking time about 2 1/2 hours Enjoy pure...

Its a bit grey and chilly here in Peterborough and I have had a bit of a rough night sleep wise - I wanted to sleep but I was up and down all night and then once I got myself comfortable Squeak who had opted to sleep in the front room with Demetri decided she was coming to bed and started treading all over me.  Never mind. I have three more new ladies to welcome to the blog they are  Linda (I am not sure if you have a blog let me know if you do and I will post a link) Mum, http://mumssimplylivingblogat.blogspot.co.uk/ and Emma Kate http://paintedstyle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/ .  Make yourself comfortable ladies and I hope you find something of interest among my mutterings. I am afraid its a quick pop in pop out as I have to get myself off to work.  I have some Christmas tree decorations that I want to make in the next few weeks or so just need to get the pattern copied so that I can make some card templates (have cereal packets kept upstairs in the craft room for th...

(I just don't know where the time has gone to this weekend I am just waiting for the Yorkshire Puds and then tea will be served.  I just haven't been on this planet this weekend head in the clouds not really being aware of time or place just simply being.) Since updated as we have now eaten tea which was delicious.  Have updated the Yorkshire Pudding Supper with the photographs. I have been busy as usual.  OH thinks I am  a bit of an embarrassment because I take the time to try and re-use whatever glass bottles, jars come my way when it comes to preserving etc.  The only thing I don't scrimp on is new lids for each and every separate bottle or jar.  Perhaps recycling should be my middle name  - well I try and do what I can. I found a load of beer bottles playing hide and seek with me earlier on which I must have put aside for recycling at some point and promptly forgetting about them, in readiness for  me going to do some home brew and al...

We have bright sunshine but it is chilly out.  I have therefore kept indoors wrapped up just pottering about planning and plotting getting things that are chaotic into some kind of order.  We are not having a roast today but we are having the Yorkshire Pudding Supper but with chicken and veggies (the chicken breasts are defrosting as we speak).  Hopefully will have some photos later but am having problems with my phone at the moment but will see if can take some piccies later if not I will appropriate OH's mobile phone. When sorting out The Jam Store the other week I have found all sorts of bottles I knew I had and could not locate.  So now I have found them am going to have to get the thinking cap on, but I have in mind some Orange Wine, some Apple Pop, some Ginger Beer and a lager and bitter kit that I have in house.  I love the plotting and planning stage and then I do everything in one fair swoop - have to with working full time otherwise if I did not c...

I make a lot of this and used to when the kiddies were home as well.  When you haven't got a lot of money it is a good filler outer and helps make you feel full.  And you don't have to stick to the rules you can put Yorkshire Pudding with anything you like. Another good stuffer or filler outer is "stuffing" but I will talk about that another time. Today I am talking about a quick simple meal for a weekday night one that will warm the cockles of your heart and soul during these cold winter nights.   I have a proper recipe for you to follow along with notes on the way that I do it.  Until you find your own way round recipes sometimes things can seem daunting but they are only as complicated as you want to make them.  I am a plain simple cook who was lucky enough to receive a thorough cooking education at home (I used to have to earn my pocket money by helping my mum in the kitchen on a Sunday morning when she would do not only the Sunday roast but also t...

I have come across this recipe which is a cut out from an old magazine and I have made my mind up I am going to make this this weekend.  It was part of a gardening Article and I think it may be a Sarah Raven recipe. Ingredients: 350g/12 oz self raising flour sifted 1 teaspoon of cinnamon Pinch of salt 225g/8oz butter 100g/4 oz sultanas or raisins 175g/6oz caster sugar 75g/3oz toasted hazlenuts chopped 500g/1lb cooking apples zest of 1 lemon 3 large eggs Method: Grease or line an 8 inch/20cm loose bottomed cake pan. Using a food processor put in the sifted flour, cinnamon, salt and butter and pulse the ingredients until like fine breadcrumbs.  Put this mixture into a separate bowl and then stir in the sultanas raisins sugar and toasted nuts. Peel core and chop the apples roughly and add to the other ingredients with the lemon zest.  Lightly whisk the eggs and stir into the mixture but do not beat. Spoon into prepared cake pan and bake in a moderate o...

It has been a lazy day in my household today as I felt absolutely cream crackered after being back at work and still not fully clear of this cold which has been getting me down somewhat so I had somewhat of a bit of a lie in not getting up very early and just keeping snug and warm. OH also has the weekend off and he also had a lie in  and we both feel better for it.  It has been a long very busy week.    I have a habit of chopping recipes I am interested in out of magazines that I have had and they have been gradually getting into an ever increasing heap and so the best part of this afternoon has been spent sorting  some (not all of) them out and keeping the ones I am really interested in and disposing of the others.  As I have said before if you have a recipe or recipes you have a starting point for playing and creating something that suits your palate and life style.  But I have found some lovely recipes that I intend to try - like this evenings...

Linda as requested please find the recipe that I use.  I hope you enjoy it. The Recipe I use is an old Mrs Beeton's recipe from the Everyday cookery book and it has been known by several names including Eve's Pudding (the Apple being known as the forbidden fruit as eaten by Eve).  Anyway it makes a lovely filling pudding to a meal. Ingredients 5oz of butter/margarine 3oz demerara sugar 1 level teaspoon of cinnamon (I have to leave this out as OH does not like cinnamon - I do) 1lb cooking apples (I have Bramleys but any decent cooking apple or a mixture of sweet and cooking apples can be used) 4oz sugar 1 egg Vanilla essence 8oz self-raising flour Pinch of salt Milk to mix Method Grease a 2 pint pie dish.  Melt 1 oz of the butter, demerara sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan and add the peeled, cored, slice apples and cook for about 5 minutes. Cream together the remainder of the butter and 4 oz of sugar and beat in the egg.  Add a few drops of vanil...

I have been sorting out through some old magazine cuttings that I have kept deciding on what recipes I want to keep and those that are of no real interest to me, but also looking for insipiration for something warm for tonight's tea making use of what I have available to me without having to go and buy something.  At this time of year you need something warm and filling and tasty and by chance I have found this recipe which I am going to trial this evening.  The only thing I haven't got is some red onions but I will use white instead.  The rest of the ingredients are in the fridge, pantry or freezer. The fresh sage is in the herb border.  I am then going to serve this with either some shredded buttered cabbage or some Kale both go extremely well with pork.  I have four pork steaks which I have liberated from the freezer but you could equally use pork chops.  Cooking for me is about making use of what I have and if I haven't quite got the right ingredients a...