Busy in the Kitchen

A very cold and bitter night last night, the heating came on a couple of times as we have it pre-set that below 15 degrees the heating should come on.  It is not only us that need to keep warm but the animals too.  Both have their blankies and comfortable spots. Missy in particular because she is short-coated and elderly is in need of the extra warmth and comfort. I am too.  Because I get so cold even with the heating on whenever I go into the kitchen or bathroom which are the coldest rooms in the house, I have taken to wearing fingerless mitts to try and stop my hands going into spasm.   It seems to be helping.  I have also sent off for some proper compression gloves for RA sufferers/Raynaud's Syndrome/Osteo Arthritis, Scleroderma etc. etc.  I am hoping that they will assist in keeping my hands at an even temperature.  Worth a try in any event.  My hands used to be lovely and straight, but these days my fingers are definitely "off-piste" and my finger joints are frequently swollen.  Dexterity is not what it used to be, and I have a lot of pain and discomfort in my hands, especially after a spasm.  It is what it is and I am plodding along doing what I can to keep things at bay.

Today it has been very cold as well; heating has been on again but not all the time, just when the temperature goes too cold.  Have been moving around quite a bit so am warm despite it being cold outside.

I have been pottering in the kitchen again.  Sorting cupboards one at a time and getting stuff back into their "homes". I have also boxed up some of the ingredients bought recently into boxes with like items in each box to make it easier to move said items when popping them into the Pantry as they will be all together which should make my life a bit easier when it comes to refilling the Pantry which I hope is going to be in the next few days.  Once everything back in will do the rest of the shop.

Bearing in mind this cold weather, at the beginning of the week G went to the Butcher for me to get some Stewing Steak to make a big stew. He came back with 1.5 kg. I have used 1kg in the stew, and the extra will be cooked up tomorrow to make a steak pie to be served with mash and veggies.  That way on I get stew for a couple of days and steak pie meal with fresh veggies for a couple of days. Doing things this way will mean I will get a night in-between each meal to get on with stuff in the house.  As I have said earlier on today the stew was made and we have subsequently had this for tea.  This time round rather than adding/serving with mashed potatoes I have added potatoes to cook in the stew itself. I prefer the mash but G prefers in the stew.  That was tasty and has warmed us up a lot.  You have to have at least one hot meal when the weather is cold.

Soup making is on the menu as well initially to be eaten fresh but also for filling the Pantry a little bit as well. I am quite happy with homemade soup as I like soup in any event.  G is not as keen.  Different upbringing.  My Mum always made sure we had plenty to eat and had a pressure cooker when I was a baby.  Mum taught me how to use one as it was a good way of making sure that we had a nice hot tea each day - at one point Mum worked as well, and it eased things up on time constraints as well. The beauty of a pressure cooker is that you can cook a complete meal in them as well as preserve.  My Ninja Foodi has the pressure cooker facility on it.  This stew was cooked in 40 minutes; although it was left to go cold, it was re-heated and simmering for a little while afterwards. Gone down very nicely.

Have a lovely evening, keep warm, keep safe.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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