Using some of my Pantry Preserves

Today, I have been in the kitchen cooking.  I made up the Lasagna which I had planned on making yesterday using the Ragu made last evening, layering up in a square dish starting with a Lasagna sheet, then cream sauce, then grated cheese I just use a strong Cheddar,and then the Ragu.  Finishing off the top with a layer of Lasgna, cream sauce and then grated cheese. I had stored the cooled Ragu in the fridge last night in readiness for today.

All cooked up.  

A quarter portion for each of us.

The leftovers for a repeat meal tomorrow evening.

I then set too and made a Rice pudding.  It was supposed to be a Tapioca  pudding (Frogspawn) which I absolutely hate with a vengeance.  OH has a soft spot for it though.  I could  not locate the Tapioca though and so just grabbed what was left of the pudding rice. This time round though I did have a small tin of Evaporated milk to pop into it.  It helps give it a creamer flavour.  I  sometimes when I have it also use some fresh cream mixed in with milk and then grated Nutmeg, using a whole Nutmeg and grating it myself.  The flavour is far better.

I decided that the Rice needed something else and dragged a bottle of my homemade Blackberry and Apple pie filling/compote to warm up and then serve on the side of the Rice.  I must say, this is the first time that I had done this and it is something I will no doubt be repeating many times over.  The light sugar syrup I had used for preserving the fruit gave it a lovely flavour, which retained some of its tartness and there was no need for me to add anymore sugar. It is really convenient to be able to go to the shelf grab a bottle and then make a pudding from it. There is also something completely evocative when opening a jar of preserves in not only taste, but remembering the autumn when the fruit was gathered.  Hard work, but it is if we have a plethora of Blackberries be something that I will be repeating again.  Just look at that colour.  My Bramble Whisky is this colour too.  Every little helps when it comes to the Pantry shelf.

This is the mixture prior to warming through.  It is nice and firm, with a little syrup  I warmed it through without having to add any extra liquid.

Served with the Rice Pudding.  Went down very nicely, the mixture is sweetened but not over-sweetened so you can still get the tartness of the Berries coming through without being sour.

The remains of the Rice pudding for tomorrow, to be served with the remnants of the Blackberry and Apple pie filling.

The meal went down very well, was simple to make and not over-complicated and has made some very good eating for not just one night, but two nights.  I got both items onto one shelf in the small oven of my cooker, perhaps being 45 minutes top cooking time. Technically would make a very good meal for four.  As there are only the two of us, that makes for two meals the same two nights running.

In respect of other matters, It is no use,  I am going to have to have a sort out in this cupboard which stores all my condiments at some point.  A lot of my powders and some of my loose herbs are stored on the top shelf of this cupboard.  As I am vertically challenged I need a small stool to access this cupboard, but at least it stores them.

Hope everyone is keeping warm and safe.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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