Muse to amuse and exercise for two

I feel just as sorry for our four legged friends at the moment – lockdown and restricted to an hour a day for a walk. I realise that the restrictions have eased a little but some of us are nervous to venture forth.

I'm lucky to have a garden and so went rummaging in the shed – rummage rewarded I dug out Rose's agility kit from way back when. I found hurdles, two tunnels, one short, one longer and then remembered that I'd cobbled together a platform – very scientific, a short plank of wood raised by two bricks at each end. Further research bore fruit – thank you again Amazon and we invested in another hurdle. They are made from sturdy foam so can't hurt – they are so light however that a gust of wind or a stiff breeze might carry them off into the next village! If you see a flying hurdle you'll know it belongs to Rose!

Our routine these days is a morning walk and then around 4pm we have some agility fun – I thought a couple of photos might make you smile :

on the plank – she waits until she's

told to move off

the short tunnel – a treat encourages her

the hurdle – flying high!

It just goes to show what you can assemble with stuff you've got lying around.

A dog will never do what he or she doesn't want to do – I think it's safe to say she's enjoying herself!

Up next … time for cake

Musing VI

Howdy, how are you?

It does seem that things are beginning to change although how we'll adapt to queuing to shop on the “High Street” or your nearest Shopping Centre remains to be seen. We're all nervous of dipping our toe in the water …

I'm beginning this week following on from the “dive in” stir fry in Musing V.

It feels appropriate to serve a retro revival “dive in” weekend dessert treat too – the old ones are the best and this is years old.

A “Pizookie” is a cross between a pizza and a cookie – I've never understood the pizza bit – I know it's possible to buy and make sweet pizzas - you might want to try this after the “dive in” stir fry – keeps the washing up to a minimum!

It's a flexible pud – take it straight from the oven to the table and then spoon scoops of vanilla ice cream into the middle and away you go.

You'll get a crisp “crust” that cracks to reveal a gooey underneath, a molten centre.

Pizookie

Serves 10-12

125g unsalted butter, room temperature

150g light soft brown sugar

100g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

200g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarb

½ tsp salt

250g plain chocolate, broken into chunks

Pre-heat oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4.

Put butter and sugars in a bowl and beat (you can use a hand mixer – or, if you want a workout use a wooden spoon and some good old fashioned elbow grease) for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, following by the vanilla bean paste.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients – the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt. Tip it into the butter mixture, beat until combined, then stir through the chocolate. Tip into a 20cm ovenproof frying pan or a shallow cake tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. 25 minutes will give you a molten centre, 30 minutes a more set version.

Cool for 5 minutes, then add scoops of vanilla ice cream in the middle – dig in!

The ultimate sharing indulgence.

You can make ahead if you prefer, let it cool and then cut into portions. It freezes well too.

Take out portions as required, pop into the fridge and then when you're ready to serve microwave on high for 20 seconds for the gooey version, incidentally the crispy outer edge becomes chewy – perfect with the goo.

Yet again this treat is filling so you might want to think about cutting small portions to freeze.

Here's the proof :

 

Straight from the oven

It actually looks like a slice of pie made

from pastry – pastry it is not

20 seconds later it looks like this

It might be an idea to hide it in the freezer!

I hope that has made your mouth water – definitely another candidate for the “crowd pleaser” and “lip smackingly good” categories. You'll be very popular with the family!

Okey dokey, down to business – here's the menu for this week :

Spaghetti with home-made meatballs and

tomato sauce – or Alfredo if preferred

Fish pie, with a mornay sauce

Tarragon chicken, cheese and

onion mashed potato, griddled asparagus

and roasted fennel

Chilli – meat or veggie

using braising steak for the meat eaters

and Quorn pieces for the veggies

Serve with rice and/or wraps with

sour cream on the top

Veggie roast

Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, roasted

carrots and cauliflower cheese (from the freezer)

Home-made burgers in brioche buns with

a relish and a slaw and wedges on the side

Pork loin steaks with Calvados Cream Sauce

roasted beetroot, peppers and carrots,

sauté potatoes

By now I must have a certain reputation for “rant of the week” - I wouldn't want to disappoint so here it is! Actually it's a continuation of a previous rant – remember Sicilian Lemon Curd replacing the alien abduction of the Marmite Peanut Butter Smooth? The shelf remains bare.

As is my usual plan I mentioned it to Whizzer – hold the front page – there isn't any in her neck of the woods either! I'll make my own, there are after all more important things to worry about. I'll keep you posted.

A little light relief up next ...

Musings – V

Can you remember what life was like before lockdown? It has changed our perspective I think and everyone I speak to refers to “the new normal”, whatever that means.

I've always been very close to my Sister, Whizzer and both her boys. Only geography separates us - Northamptonshire and the Peak District. Since the lockdown began Whizzer has taken to sending me parcels – I don't know whether it's deliberate – I must ask her – they always arrive on a Saturday, the start of the weekend (if you can remember what day it is).

Last Saturday was no exception – inside the box, among other treats was a sight I never thought I'd see – yep, you've guessed – the Marmite Peanut Butter Smooth!

Feast your eyes!

Absolutely!

H asked when I was going to open the jar. A sharp intake of breath on my part and I then explained that I needed to gaze lovingly at my jar for a while and revel in its magnificence – it's like new shoes (or in my case a new handbag) that have been your heart's desire for ages. When and if you're lucky enough to own said shoes or bag you don't wear the shoes or use the bag – you drink in the loveliness.

H thinks – and he's probably right – that I'm as mad as a box of frogs – no news there!

This weeks Musing Menu :

Steak & Onion pie

Smoked Salmon Stack with

avocado

asparagus

poached egg

Pizza – my version

hoi sin sauce

mushrooms, mozzarella, black olives

Maple glazed chicken

New potatoes

Mixed veggies – spring onions, sweet baby

peppers and mange tout – sliced finely to a

similar - stir fried

Nasi Goreng

Sandwich stack with wedges and sides

The dive in stir fry

Instead of a rant this week, a new subject – nature notes.

Picture the scene, I'm taking Rose out for her one hour walk. We live in “gardens” that are circular, split into two semi circles, with one road leading out onto the High Street. As we turn to walk onto the High Street I can see two birds on the ground. Initially, it looks as if they are having fun. As we drew closer I realised that there's a sparrowhawk on top of a baby thrush and the baby is in trouble. I ran towards them shrieking like a banshee and waving like mad and the sparrowhawk, startled by this racket, flew off. We reached the baby thrush who was, not surprisingly, stunned by the ordeal.

We stood and waited, quietly – even Rose - who seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. My antics were rewarded when, after couple of minutes, the baby shook itself and flew into dense shrubbery – that was close.

I cannot say how wonderful a sight it was to see the baby fly off, seemingly not hurt – right place, right time!

A big grin, a warm heart and a good deed for the day.

Back soon, stay safe and well,

Love xxx

MiamMiam Musings III

MiamMiam

Musings

I hope you're enjoying the random ramblings!

To recap … remember “where has all the flour gone” - a red letter day, check this out :

 

It has become a ritual, down the aisle beginning with the eggs and then a great gaping whole where the flour used to live – I thought I was having a moment, as they say. It took all my self control not to shout with joy and run up and down whooping as I went – not a pretty sight!

I took this as a sign of hope in that very slowly there may be a chink of light? How strange that your mood is lifted by the sight of a bag of flour, a sobering thought – on a lighter note I think it's time to celebrate … with cheese scones!

Here's the musings menu for the week :

Ham hock stack – roasted leftover

cooked Charlottes or any new potatoes, cubed

as the base for the stack - use a ring to build the stack.

Add the ham hock and then complete with a poached

egg

Scallops and prawns, stir fried in teriyaki sauce

serve with egg fried rice

Slow cooked braised steak and onions

with mashed potatoes and parrots

Cauliflower cheese with optional

chorizo or smoked bacon for the meat eaters

Chicken curry, noodles and flat breads

Fish, chips & peas – my way

Baked cod loin with hoi sin sauce

potato wedges seasoned and mushy peas

Lamb with mint sauce

Stir fried shredded white cabbage and onion

with Balsamic vinegar

Roast potatoes

Petit pois

They say everything comes in threes – since the beginning of lockdown :

Number 1 - from nowhere our electrics tripped – resetting just knocked them out again. Long story short thank goodness my electrician is on speed dial, someone, somewhere was smiling, he answered the phone! Well that was an exciting couple of hours – it's process of elimination – the net result of which is … the dishwasher is no longer with us. A telephone call to Bosch, explained, quite rightly, that they were only responding to items deemed to be necessities – ovens, hobs, fridges and freezers. In a moment of madness we said, hey we'll just revert to the old fashioned way and do it by hand. It seemed like a good idea at the time … three weeks in and I'm saying – privately and in jest of course – I'd like to know who decided that a dishwasher isn't a necessity!

Number 2 – three days later and I'm about to start my favourite household chore – NOT – the ironing. Guess what … the electrics tripped again … the iron is no longer with us – can you see a pattern emerging? I'm beginning to twitch every time I go to switch anything on. Thank you Amazon although I suppose I could have justified leaving the ironing to pile up because I didn't have an iron … nice try!

Number 3 - the day after I'd done the weekly shop H went to move my car to get to his and … yep you've guessed - it wouldn't move, another long story short, the rescue squad were called and then a Volvo mechanic, who asked me have you put petrol in recently? Answer – yes, gulp! I can't repeat what I thought – suffice it to say my blood ran cold. A sprint indoors and a rummage for the receipt confirmed that I'd not done the unthinkable and filled my car with diesel … phew! The indignity of watching my car being towed away on a low loader was ridiculously traumatic, like losing a limb. For goodness sake get a grip!

The tide turned, I no longer have a pile of ironing, my garage re-opened its service department and the fault was fixed and I got my car back in time to do the next shopping run, all this excitement is too much.

Just before I go, I have an update on “Marmite Smooth Gate” … the quest continues. It helps when you have family in a different part of the Country. In my case my Sister, Whizzer and grown-up Nephews, Lucas and Nathan all live in the North West. Lucas is also my Editor and IT Consultant and like me a lover of both Marmite and Peanut Butter – I now have them all on the case – they love a challenge – watch this space. Of course it may be that we have visitors from outer space who have never experienced either delight and become addicted, commandeering supplies as they leave the production line! Well really.

Stay safe and well,

Love xxxx

P.s. I mentioned cauliflower cheese in the menu …

Muse to amuse …

...remember the Pilates class and inviting Rose?

Here's what she thought – in photo form!

Will I do or am I over-dressed?

This looks interesting … lets get this show on the road!

I love this, it's really good fun

Time for relaxation … more like a sea otter

than a Tibetan Terrier!

We didn't get too much done but we certainly had some fun and lots of laughs – hope she makes you smile too.

MiamMiam Musings II

MiamMiam

Musings

… continued and still winging it!

Some days are good, some not so good.

On the days that are not so good it's really difficult to get motivated. This calls for drastic action and I have a cunning plan - give myself a “kick up the backside” or “get a grip” - whatever the phrase, therapy is required.

I'm lucky – I love to cook – which is great normally but producing food every day brings pressure. I'm still sick of food, in fact more so with every passing week.

I hate repeating myself but without doubt planning meals takes some of the pressure off.

Here's my menu for this week :

Kedgeree – the fastest ever

with a side of chip shop curry sauce

Time for another batch cook of Cottage Pie

bases

Frittata using up leftover veggies with a side

of bacon

Slow cooked venison – already in the freezer

lemon glazed carrots

New potatoes

Asian Spiced Salmon with roasted beetroot

and leftover new potatoes - sautéed

Pork loin steaks with apple sauce – slow

cook the steaks and freeze portions for

another day

Sage and onion stuffing with extra onion

Roast potatoes, parsnips and carrots, all in the

same roasting tray

Orzotto with a side of crispy pan fried

diced chorizo – perfect for the meat eaters and

the veggies – the chorizo served on top of the meat

eaters portion drizzled with the oil from the chorizo

That's that sorted and I've decided to make two extras this week – one savoury, one a sweet treat.

I love kedgeree but don't like dry dishes, even if they are well seasoned – I want a “gravy” or “sauce”. It appeals to my sense of symmetry to drizzle curry sauce over kedgeree since both are Indian in origin – a small pot of curry sauce on the side ticks that box so Chip Shop Curry Sauce it is! It's not compulsory to use the curry sauce - it'll never be wasted - I'll freeze what doesn't get used, a perfect savoury extra.

The sweet treat is a batch of hokey pokey. It's easy peasy and very moorish. It'll be cut into squares, bagged and frozen – to pull out whenever I get the urge for a sweet hit or even to serve with ice cream and fresh fruit.

It's rant of the week time … can someone please tell me where the Marmite Smooth Peanut Butter is? I've been trying to buy it since Adam was a lad all I've ever seen is the crunchy version. It's advertised constantly and it's driving me up the wall – I think it's a plot deliberately designed to upset me … it's working!

It may be that it doesn't exist … or … I've just realised, there's someone out there with a Marmite Smooth Peanut Butter mountain – how rude!

The longer lockdown continues the more it appears that none of us know what day it is. I have to check on a daily basis so that I stick to my routine of shopping on a Wednesday. If I'm not careful I'll work every day in some form or another, on the blog, cooking or chores generally – including may I say the worst chore in the world – ironing!

Another part of my routine is running – normally twice a week and in the countryside with my mate - sadly that stopped some while back. I have a small treadmill in my garage – the best money I've ever spent. It's not just about exercise it's about getting my head straight too so a double whammy. If I stick to a routine it helps – this afternoon I'm giving myself a Pilates class and I've invited Rose, our Tibetan Terrier … should be fun!

This week's confession and guilty pleasure … watching an old film and my absolute favourite, giving my age away – Zulu -1964, yikes. I've watched it so many times I could recite the dialogue, for the uninitiated it's the true story of the Battle of Rorke's Drift in 1879 and Michael Caine's “breakthrough role”. Such is my addiction the soundtrack is my ringtone …

uplifting … stratospheric!

Stay safe and well – until next time

Love xxxx

MiamMiam Musings

MiamMiam

Musings

Welcome to MiamMiam Musings, or – I'm fed up with being confined!

Not sure how this will go but for the moment I'm winging it.

I don't mind my own company but, as is always the way, when it's enforced it's a different kettle of fish – you know what I mean – you decide to give up cheese or chocolate and immediately you crave whichever is your guilty pleasure.

Here are my musings to date … I'm sick of food – having to queue to buy it and then to cook it – every day, it's enough to send a person doolally tap (translated - “to lose one's mind from boredom”).

For me it's one shopping trip each week – M&S Food and then Waitrose. M&S is great at 8.30a.m on a Wednesday – Waitrose thereafter sometimes good, sometimes not.

I've gone back to basics and actually it works. I write my menu for the week and then paper clip it to my wall calendar – a glance in passing each morning tells me if I need to pull anything from the freezer or for that matter any prep that's required. The point being it's done, dusted and organised then move on!

From my wall menu I make my weekly shopping list – for once I pay attention – I've no intention of going out more than once so it's worth a few extra minutes and checking the store cupboard. Here's my menu for this week :

Prawn and smoked salmon salad – my “salad” is

a mixed bag of cabbage, carrot, lettuce, pepper and sweetcorn -

baby silverskin onions, beetroot, boiled eggs, grated cheese, tomatoes and

part-baked sourdough bread (and butter of course)

Lamb fillet, already cooked, from the freezer

Parrots – leftover carrots and parsnips, mashed and seasoned

Sautéed cooked, baked potatoes

butter beans

Redcurrant jelly

Ham hock

poached egg

Seasoned potato wedges

The ham hock came from the Waitrose shop this morning – not been able

to get it for ages – one pack for tonight, the other into the freezer!

Sweet and sour chicken

Rice with vegetables – frozen from M&S

Slob night – Croque Monsieur – minus

meat for me with a side of fries

beetroot relish

Chicken pie – made from slow cooked chicken

already in the freezer and a mushroom sauce, again the base

is in the freezer – haven't decided yet whether it'll

be a pastry top or a sliced baked potato version

Prawn curry with

rice and flat breads

At the bottom of my menu for the week I've written three ideas for next week – if I don't write stuff down I'll forget – if I decide to cook something else who cares!

At this moment in time I'd kill for fast food – in particular a veggie burger from McDonald's or, the best, a Mexican Bean Burger from Burger King. At a push I'd even settle for Fish and Chips – it has come to this. Believe me when I say I'll be at one or the other when they re-open. In the meantime I'm treating myself to a pizza – that I haven't had to make!

Now for my “rant of the week”.

I know we've all suffered with “loo roll gate” and “who stole all the tinned food” not to mention “where did all the flour go” - thankfully the Supermarkets have now taken some control, after making a shedload of even more profit – I digress – here comes the rant.

It's confession time - since I was a teenager I've loved salad cream and always put it on chips – once a slob … it was years before I discovered that the Belgians invented it – with posh mayo of course! I had salad cream on my list last week – imagine my surprise, she says light heartedly, to find the entire shelf empty in Waitrose. To say I was “cross” puts it mildly.

All was not lost … I've had deliveries from Derbyshire and Southport – needless to say I have enough salad cream to sink a battle ship with a great lifespan. It gives me great pleasure that I will not be lining Waitrose's pockets any more than I need to since now I have my own personal salad cream supply.

I feel so much better for that!

That's the end of my musing for this week but before I go a reminder – check your store cupboard, your fridge and your freezer – you'll have forgotten what's in your freezer already – then decide on your menu and then make your list! Not forgetting a bottle of your favourite tipple – a person has to have a treat!

I hope my musing has made you smile, stay safe and well.

With love xxx