A bit of a Round Up

Friday evening, I did a little more tidying up in the back bedroom.  I have a lot to do, and it is very gradually being sorted but decided to concentrate during the day on other projects and just chunk away on this room of an evening. Needless to say, have more to do tonight.

Saturday however, started when we went out first thing to try a new veg stall in a layby that we had been told about.  The veggies we came away with as I did not need many after the main stock up during the week, are as follows:

10kg bag of red potatoes £7

1 large stalk of Brussel Sprouts £1.50

1 Celeriac £1.50

4 Parsnips Freebie

Without the parsnips this came to £10.  He gave me the Parsnips for free.  Apparently, the chap who owns the stall, grows the majority of the veg himself.  Shall go back here again and will perhaps dip between the two veg shops as I could see that both have advantages and minuses, but they seemed to accommodate between them everything I will need on the veggie front. Have got to have the veggies as it allows you to do so much even as a side ingredient or a main ingredient.

The kitchen has also been attacked again.  Am having to do in stages or chunks as energy levels are not what they should be at the moment.  The effect of the change in temperature in the winter months tends to impact on me quite badly especially.  Fortunately, have made a bit more progress, but a lot more needs to be achieved.  Am getting stuck in again today.

Tonight's tea was simple good food.  Homemade chips, eggs and beans with bread and butter.  The potatoes that we bought this morning are excellent for homemade chips. Hope they are good across the board with mash etc.

I bought some Pomegranates that had been reduced from the Veg shop the other day.  I thought it was about time that I dried them. I had this idea to slice them, and then also add them to Christmas garlands intermittently between orange slices.  Was not sure whether this idea would work or not but decided to have a go anyway so into the Dehydrator they went, and I left them overnight.

We will see how they turn out tomorrow.

Sunday.  We woke to mist swirling, but not dense; a tad chilly but on goes another jumper to keep the cold at bay for me.  OH, is not feeling it.

Then starting with the kitchen again.  Needless to say, am washing everything down as usual, as I go along.  Needless to say, it is taking its time. I cannot for the life of me do half a job as I like everything when it is sparkly clean, and everything is sorted out and although hard work it does give me a lot of satisfaction. On the plus side nearly all the washing has been done.

The dehydrator was on until about 12pm.  The slices are nice and dry but have come out a bit fragile.  I have some varnish that I might spray on them to keep them intact rather than them fall to pieces.  Then I will have them for next year.  That is the plan in any event.  However, as an aside to that, I find that I actually like dried Pomegranate so might do some more in due course to put up on the Pantry shelf. Seems to have a bit more flavour.  Anyway, here are the finished slices.  I am leaving them to cool down naturally and "condition" before setting too with the varnish!  I have some other ideas too so hopefully the weather will let me get out and about a bit.

We were going to have had a Toad in the Hole for tea tonight, using up the last of the chipolata sausages.  A kilo of chipolatas goes an awful long way.  However, as I wanted to get the kitchen finished, we swapped this for sarnies and some fruit and cream for afters.  Was not terribly hungry in any event.

We walked Missy at that time of even dusk, when everything goes quiet, and most people retreat to their homes and to the warm.  The dark seems to have an effect on most of us during the longer darker days of the changing seasons. The mist was starting to rise and to look ethereal.  Seems to muffle noises as well.  Even the wildlife was retreating to their burrows (there is a Rabbit warren with several members who are usually present at this time of evening, but tonight only one solitary member could be seen, and I think he was on his way back).

I plan on getting back to the grind in order to get the kitchen more or less finished (if there is anything to do it will just be odds and sods for tomorrow).  I have managed to get all my equipment back in its cupboards.  I have also managed to fix my Mouli for pureeing fruit.  It does help if you pop it in the right way in the first place.  Give me credit though I did work it out bit by bit, oiled it a little and it is now working again.  The Food Processor bowl has disintegrated, and I need to save up for a new one and it will not work without the lid locking onto the bowl properly.  You cannot buy the bowl and lid on its own now for this particular model.  They have come up with a new bowl and lid, which is being offered at a special price.  Once have saved for this should be able to throw the old bowl and lid.  From what I understand they have replaced the bowl due to the bowls not lasting as long as they are supposed to. So have worked this out just in time for a stack of Apple sauce I have to make.

Meals for the rest of the week

I have made a chicken stew/pot pie recipe for eating up during the week. Must make the most of what is around us. I am hoping to get a couple of individual pies and also a stew out of what was left. It is just the "stew" in the fridge at the moment which just needs warming, but with a bit more thickening, and a bit of pastry can be turned into a pie. I hate waste of any type.  I also have chicken stock from the carcass. So much from one hefty chicken but lots of good eating.

Have two packs of Beef Skirt about 1lb in weight each. One is for a stew and the other is for homemade Cornish style pasties.

There are a couple of bacon rashers left and I intend making a Quiche with veggies in and will probably serve with homemade chips.

I also have a stack of vegetables so soups such as Leek and Potato soup, mixed veggie soup, Roast pumpkin soup and more onion soup are all possibilities as well.

So, lots of good eating in the offing.

Another reason for the kitchen being sorted is that I can set too and get the bread machine out and start experimenting with that and also with some hand baking.

I also have some re-jigging of equipment to sort out.  My main Dehydrator needs to go into the dining room on top of my Tumble Dryer, rather than being on top of the dishwasher in the kitchen and then the small one can go on top of that so that all the drying appliances can be in one corner together and out of the way.  I have some large Stock Pots, my Steam Canner and some racks to go up there out of the way.

Right am off to get on.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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