TARRAGON & THYME

Comfort food is a must when the weather starts to turn; this past ten days or so (apart from the mini heatwave the other weekend) especially when you have been at work all day and want something substantial and good for you to eat.  I always have a main eye when I am cooking to how much it costs.  If I switch the main oven on I always fill it up to get maximum amount of food cooked often preparing several things before actually switching the oven on.  On this occasion I added some scones to the oven to make use of the cooker being on. A meal is a meal at the end of the day and you don't have to have several vegetables on the plate at one time; sometimes its about making the best of simple ingredients and getting the best flavour out of them.  Tonight we have had home made Toad in the Hole made with some decent sausages, home made onion gravy served very simply with home made mashed potato and it was warming, cheap and scrummy and best of all was made ready...

Taken from "The Quiet Mind" A  little book of sayings by White Eagle "Look Below the Surface" "Do not judge by what you see on the surface, but develop an inner vision and insight into spiritual cause and effect.  Then you will know that you can judge no man"

OH was working today overtime; the day did not start too well in that the car had a flat tyre!  Anyways he went to work but was home early at 12.30 pm and told me to get my glad rags on we were going out to get some lunch.  Not being one to let an opportunity like this to escape I quickly got changed even though I was up to my eyes in bottling the glutney.  Got that finished 9 bottles not bad it is now curing for at least 6 weeks. His nibbs has been told hands off. Anyways back to lunch went to one of my local haunts The Beehive in Peterborough.  The food is out of this world in there and we have had a very lovely roast beef, yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes seasonal veg and gravy for £10.50 a head followed by pudding OH had cheeseboard I had a most delightful apple tarte Tatin  with vanilla ice cream- and it was to die for.  So I have had a very delightful and unexpected lunch out and I really enjoyed it.  I am now stuffed! I an now trying to get...

Well I am up and ready for action.  I am likely to be esconced in the kitchen for the best part of the day completing the projects I started yesterday.  I have also started some apple jelly for some chilli jelly.  My recipes tend to fluctuate a bit whilst I am in the throes of doing things and sometimes I go back and make the recipes I had intended to do with a fresh batch of ingredients and some times time comes into why I don't always do a recipe.  Needless to say there is still lots to do. I also have a gammon to retrieve and cook and some bread buns to make so I shall have quite a bit to do.  And then of course I have to strip the kitchen out completely so I think I had better get a wriggle on. Better get on Catch up later on Pattypan (or should that be Pottypan?) xx

Its been a very busy day today.  I have been doing a lot of prepping for one of my marathon pickling and  preserving sessions. I started this morning by brining some cucumbers - they will be finished off tomorrow with onion vinegar and fresh dill. I have also started the Bengal chutney (this is carrot based and the link for which I gave you the other day but here it is again.  Not tried this one before but it has certainly piqued my interest and I liked the idea for a quick supper as well. http://www.chutneyandspice.com/2011/apple/bengal-bite s I have also processed 6 jars of home made pasta sauce as well as I had run out and it has lots of fresh herbs in too.  I processed two baking trays full of ingredients here they are before going in the oven I have also started the Glutney recipe. I have used courgettes, tomatoes, apples and onion http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/aug/11/features.weekend I have bought some nectarines to m...

I am eager to get back in the swing of doing something per day, and being as I have quite a few herbs available in the herb border and as I am partial to a goats cheese salad I thought I would put up some of this precious oil  up so I could enjoy it during the winter months; so far this year it has been like permanent winter and any simple pleasure no matter what its form helps ease the grey days. It is quite simple to make all you need is some oil - I use a very light olive oil a sterilised jar and a mixture of herbs (however the herbs must be dry) when picked) I have used tarragon, thyme, rosemary a couple of bay leaves, and a couple of leaves of basil as I wanted a mixed oil but you can just use one individual herb  like rosemary to make rosemary oil or you can use saffron, chilli, Tarragon the choice is very much up to you.  Then all you do is bruise your herbs (try using the end of a flat rolling pin) and just crush the herbs to release their oils and then top ...