TARRAGON & THYME

I received an unexpected bonus yesterday courtesy of my brother.  He and his wife have just bought a new washing machine and the one they had isn't that old and they asked if I would like it.  I jumped at the chance; it was delivered yesterday and is now in situ in the kitchen. It is immaculate and is working at present and I am chuffed to bits with it.  I feel very lucky. So far this holiday I do not seem to have got on very much with what I had intended.  Not that I haven't got on with stuff, just not what I had planned.  Never mind, but at least this evening I have managed to sit and do a little bit of crotchet which is very relaxing.  I have another long term project of a throw worked in white, wedgewood blue,  royal blue, navy blue, red and grey on the go (amongst a load of other things) and I am hoping to have a real spurt in the next few weeks in trying to get some of those UFO's either finished or a little more on the way to being finished....

Take equal parts of rosehips to Apples so if using 2lb of rosehips use 2lb of apples.  Chop up the apples (you do not need to peel as the juices will be going through the jelly bag and whizz the rosehips through a food processor until the berries are minced pop the apples and the rosehips into a heavy based pan (not aluminium) and cover with water and bring to the boil until the rosehips and apples are soft.  Strain through a jelly bag (if using the rosehips this way this is a necessity as these berries have very tiny hairs/fibres that if not strained off properly will irritate you system to high heaven so straining is a necessity even iif you prepare the rosehips beforehand.  Always strain.  Remember the innards of what is in the rosehip is the basis of itching powder. Leave overnight in the jelly bag to drip.  Do not interfere with the jelly bag and try and force the ingredients through as this will spoil the effect of the jelly and we want a nice clear j...

Good morning everyone; last night I was out and about so I left other half to his own devices for something for his tea.  It wasn't as if he had not eaten as we had the Bacon and Leek Omelette  mid-day even though it was a light lunch.  But today we are having the coconut chicken with lemongrass recipe that I posted here  http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/coconut-chicken-with-lemon-grass.html. The chicken is defrosting as we speak. However I decided that we needed pudding to go with it.  I just fancied something naughty and I think this pudding may just fit the bill.  I am rather partial to dates and figs and the like and I like puddings I think they just finish the meal off nicely with a drop of custard.  We always had pudding when I was growing up it was a way of padding out a little bit of meat and making sure we were full.  As was the soup course, as soup always pads you out so you don't need to eat as much come main course or p...

Today (Wednesday) we had a quick cooked lunch to use up some bits and bobs in the fridge.  To tell the truth I didn't fancy too much but fancied something light and filling.  I had some smoked bacon [i allowed two rashers each] (but you could easily utilise some cooked ham) gently fried, together with a very finely chopped leek and then fried in butter until golden.  I mixed up three eggs each with a drop of milk and then incorporated half of the bacon and half of the leek  to each omlette (I made two) and it made for a very tasty quick lunch served simply with some mixed salad leaves and it went down well.  Sorry there wasn't a photo I kinda thought about it afterwards after I had eaten my omlette. Simple things are often the best. I had made these and just presented OH with one even he ate it all up and said he had enjoyed it.  He doesn't normally do omelettes. I have had a good day today; thanks to my brother - thanks Dave much appreciated.  I...

This is just a quick make for the pantry shelf, a nice mixed spice sugar that you can actually use in your baking or as s topping for mince pies, or apple and pecan muffins or in rock cakes wherever you would use a touch of spice.  I think this would be lovely in home made teacakes or hot cross buns too.  If you make this now it should be scented well in advance.  The recipe comes from a magazine cutting this time by Jamie Oliver. Ingredients: 3 cloves 2inch piece of cinnamon stick broken into rough chunks 3 tablespoons of sugar Pinch of grated nutmeg Strip of Orange Zest ( I used dried) Pinch of ground ginger Method: Place the cloves, the cinnamon and a tablespoon of the sugar into a bowl of a pestle and mortar and grind it all together as finely as you can.   Add the nutmeg, orange zest, ginger and the rest of the sugar and mix everything together.  Sieve the sugar to remove any large pieces of spice. Use where the fancy takes you (might ev...

BLONDIES I love Brownies and their hidden gooiness and I think that they are something worth the making for Christmas both in their dark chocolate version and this white version.  But ooh the taste.  They do not last long in this household (that' when we are on our own) or with the extended family.  I am sorry I only have the imperial recipe for this one not the metric. Ingredients: 9oz white good quality chocolate 4oz unsalted butter 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon of salt 12oz golden caster sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 11oz plain flour 4oz pecan nuts roughly chopped Method: Melt the white chocolate and the butter in a bowl over a pan.  The water just needs to simmer.  Allow to cool slightly. Whisk the eggs and salt until light and frothy then whisk in the sugar and the vanilla whisking until thick and light.  Whisk in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and the chopped pecans stirring gently until well blended....

  I have the ingredients in and thought that I would quite like to make the following recipe it ce rtainly appea ls to me but I am not sure whether to do it or not as OH is not keen on cinnamon.  Think the jury might be out  will have to see how it goes, but thought I would post the recipe in case it appeals to anyone else.  All bei ng well it will be for tea tonight or failling which it will be for tea on Thursday (perhaps I will not tell OH a bout the cinnamon).   Coconut Chicken with Lemon Grass Ingredients Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients 1 1/2 kg/3lb chicken pieces 1 tablespoon of oil 5 cloves of garlic crushed 2 onions chopped 1 small red and 1 small green capsicum pepper chopped 250g/8oz tin drained canned tomatoes 2 teaspoons of turmeric 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds, ground 1 teaspoon of dried cumin 2 cups/500ml/16v fl oz of coconut milk 1 tablespoon cornflour 1 teaspoon grated...