Mixed Bag Saturday

 After all the events of the last few days and being cream-crackered, we decided we were having a lay in this morning only to be woken by a telephone call from our Gas Engineer who has confirmed that the new boiler will be arriving and be fitted this Wednesday.  So I have a lot of work to do before then to facilitate this happening.  We need the heating and quickly.  I was given another date but I cannot wait another week for this to be fitted.  So must get stuck in.

Saying that, today has been more of a day off even though I have been busy.

After getting up, getting warm and having a cup of tea to start the day off, we then went to the Butchers.  OH let me go in and I ended stocking up a bit.

We bought 1/2 kg of back bacon unsmoked, half a kilo of Sausages, 1/2 a kg of chipolatas, a leg of Lamb (a bit of an extravagance but it has been a while since we last had Lamb.  I stud it with Garlic and Rosemary so we are looking forward to that as it is a favourite. If I manage to get a whole leg at a decent price I always turn the remnants into a Posh Mince Pie recipe courtesy of Jamie Oliver.  It is only the bottom part of the leg not a full leg.  I also bought four chicken breasts  for curry pots, two Rib Eye steaks for having with homemade chips, mushrooms and fried onions or in a Sarnie, two Gammon Steaks (I do not have any tinned pineapple available at the moment but I do have some fresh pineapple that needs using up). Might have to have a look at the veg shop in the week on this count and if they have any can some.  I also bought a jar of Lincolnshire Honey (for having on toast - we can have decent toast now with the new cooker), two Curry pot sauces which are sold fresh, a Haslet (pronounced Ayslet from where I come from for having in sarnies.  I like with a bit of chutney or some Daddy's brown sauce.  This is also something I am going to be making in the near future.    I also forgot to mention that I have also bought some Beef Skirt to make my own Cornish style pasties.  I love a bit of pastry every now and then and especially a pasty.  So we have some different items on the menu this week which will be interspersed with scratch meals as well.  The reason we are buying in fresh at the moment is because I currently do not have any freezer room. Normally I buy fresh meat and then freeze it myself. That will change though as OH has promised me a new one.  It will just be a matter of WHEN.  I am desperate to buy in some Pork Bellies in to turn into Bacon and also into home-stuffed rolled roasting joints which are a great favourite with our family.  It is good both hot and cold and none of it ever goes to waste.  It is something I started doing when the children were young and it was a good economical way then of proving a joint for Sunday dinner, which I always insisted was the main meal of the week and one that everyone should be present at.  Each family although busy needs to catch up at some point and to share conversation and food.  Whether that be your natural family or a blended family like mine.

We then walked Her Majesty (Missy) down to Castor Backwaters.  The world and his wife were out walking for their hour's exercise.  Everyone behaved themselves and were socially distancing.  It was good to see so many people getting proper exercise.  Castor Backwater has been flooded quite badly and the fields are flooded and people were walking on the flooded fields as they were solid ice.  I feel very sorry for the wildlife that lives along the edges of a river during this type of weather and incidents.  The walkways and fields were muddy but because there had been such a bad frost last night it was solid and not messy to walk on which was fortunate.  Had a pleasant walk in the fresh air for about half an hour and then went to stock up on Pet Food.

When we got back in (which was near 2pm, it was absolutely freezing out.  I had the remnants of the Cottage Pie I made earlier in the week left over and in the fridge so I pinged it in the microwave and that went down very nicely and warmed us up a bit.  I was a little late into the kitchen as we then had a cup of tea and I did not get into the kitchen until 3:30pm.  I have since made my Fish Pie and my Potted Shrimps.  There will be separate posts put for these  together with the recipes in case you want to have a dabble.   Potting is something I am going to be doing more of.  I think it will be a good way of using left overs from the Sunday joint or a chicken which can be used in Sarnies during the week or used as a starter in their own right.  After cooking in a water bath you can freeze the Potted Shrimps which appeals to me long-term.

I tried to cajole OH into trying the fish pie but he wasn't having any of it.  I enjoyed it though.  He was not hungry but later on cooked tea for him - he just did not want very much.

However my new cooker has performed magnificently.  It is extremely pokey and very efficient.  It has been lovely to be back at a proper cooker again.

I am a little sad this evening as my best friend's brother has succumbed to the Covid 19 virus and he passed this morning.  It is all very sad and I was very upset as he had Down's Syndrome.  He bought much fun to our lives, he was full of mischief and full of fun and a very good mimic. He could not for the life of him pronounce my name, so he came up with his own pet name for me.  Dependent on his mood he either called me "Trish Trash" or "Tissue".  RIP sweetheart you will be much missed.  My thoughts are obviously very much with them at the moment. This bloody awful virus!

Washing up will have to wait.  Will see to that in the morning and the post for the Fish Pie will be popped up in the morning as well.  I had hoped to do that tonight.

Catch you soon.

Keep safe.

Pattypan

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