Monday Happies

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Once again I’m joining in with the very lovely Gillian.

I’ve finally cast on some new knitting. This time it’s a hat for me. I received the pattern and the wool as a gift last Christmas and then, of course, by the time I’d finished the dog for LittleR it was way too warm to even consider making a hat for winter. It’s an easy knit and is coming along apace. So much so I can already see the finishing line. Maybe I should’ve taken another picture of progress so far? Although it may be too warm for a hat. Although I’ve dredged the boots out of the wardrobe, I’ve actually been coatless today. Outside. In Leeds. At the end of October. The weather is unseasonably warm.

I used a birthday voucher for a trip to Bettys Cookery School last week. It was brilliant. Not only did I make some delicious dishes to take home I was well fed and watered during the day with lots of Betty’s cakes and biscuits. It was a smaller course than normal and I chose the ‘One Pot Wonders’ day – although there were so many tempting courses to choose from. I thought it would be better to try out some things I might actually cook again rather than a patisserie day or elegant entertaining – both brilliant but the former is too much faff for a school day and the latter unlikely to happen until my children leave home.

We ate like Kings for the next 3 days as the ABO and I tucked into; Lancashire hotpot, Steak and Mushroom Pudding (thanks to an IG cry out Sue saved me from a steaming faux pas) and a chicken, chorizo and bean stew. There were also Autumn fruit charlottes. And we didn’t have 2 each. With ice-cream on the same night. No not at all.

I’ve already recreated the Lancashire hotpot – well what I mean is as is often my way I’ve changed it completely but just used the potato topping with what I had in the freezer!! This time it was a hotpot with beef and veggies in the pot.

All this savoury cooking has meant I’ve needed some sweet treats to go with it. The ABO saw an interview with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall somewhere and was hankering after some of his ultra choc brownies (available in his new book). I resisted the book for about a week (I loved Everyday veg but wasn’t so keen on Three Good Things) but it has some interesting recipes in it and lots that can be adapted or are specifically for various ‘free’ diets (e.g. gluten free). 

The recipe for these brownies is gluten free but my supermarket didn’t have any rice flour or gluten free flour and as that isn’t a necessity in our house I just used regular flour. It didn’t seem to make a difference to the outcome. They were (please note use of past tense) very, very chocolatey. The recipe is available online here. 

The garden continues to surprise me. There are still roses about to bloom.

The blueberry leaves have turned the most gorgeous red.

And the chillies continue to ripen (until LittleR picks them and attempt to chop on one…fortunately she stopped before she bit into it!).

I’ve been browsing some seed catalogues and bulb seller websites and getting totally carried away.

Although I’m not usually a fan of the actual day (or the days after) the clocks change (one of my children thinks 4am is a newly acceptable time to put the lights on!), I’m trying to embrace it this year with more coffee opportunities and extra time awake to chat to BigR and read or knit especially as the ABO is on an early shift. Hopefully normal (by that I mean post 5am!) service will be resumed shortly.

Sunday happies

Some shadows I noticed at work one day.

The days and weeks just seem to slip by. We’ve been in a haze of illness (short lived but nasty and the horrible wondering of who might succumb next...) (the ABO), leaving nursery excitement (BigR), learning to jump and fearlessly bump downstairs (no stair gate can hold her back) (LittleR) and coping with all of these things (me). Here are (some of the things) that are my happies since the last time I posted. Joining in with Gillian.

:: Learning to crochet.

I had a fab day with my friend on the ‘learn to crochet’ workshop. Not only did we put the world to rights and have a very tasty lunch (even with many gluten free options for my friend) I even learnt a new skill.

OK...it’s a bit ‘loose’ and ‘rustic’ but coming along. Hopefully I’ll get the hang of tension!!!

I‘m a loooooooooong way off the skill level of many fellow bloggers, but you never know one day I might improve enough to be half as good as them. Practice makes perfect. If I’m able to find the time to practice. It’s a priority for me to make time to do this.

:: Actually making a quiche. I followed this recipe from Sue at the Quince Tree’s blog. I even made the pastry. It was quite simple (in the end) and very delicious. I’ll certainly be doing that again. I’ve been trying to cook a bit more so we have some freezer options. The other weekend I made a shepherd’s pie and put two in the freezer as homemade ready meals. Next up some dinners for the girls.

:: Seeing this bee (can you spot him? or her? I know nothing of bees. Do female bees get to leave the hive?) on some very random planting outside Tesco near the A&E dept of the Leeds General Infirmary. He looked very happy. I’ve seen a lot more bees this year.

:: Spending my birthday money on some books. I had a gift voucher from some review work I did ages ago too. I’m loving the Smitten Kitchen...so many delicious things to make.

::Attempting some (more) inspiration for Autumn cooking. I’m hoping the couple of hours (don’t get me started on all my leave disappearing for the 2 weeks of 2 hour days BigR has starting school!!) I have when BigR is (briefly) at school and LittleR naps (hahahahahaha) I can get some tasty things going on. Nigel Slater is my go to for this kind of cooking and Hugh’s everyday veg is a great book.

:: Planning for a 5^th birthday party....it’s Elsa-tastic.

:: Remembering that even after the most trying day (Is it only my child that moans and whines? Why do I let it get to me?) there is always gin.

Back to work, eating and playing

Another week goes by here in Yorkshire. I made it a 3 day week...potentially trialling what life could be like if I’m brave enough to mention flexible working to my boss later this week but that’s another story...

The ABO and I had a day together on Tuesday. We escaped to Manchester for jeans (him), a skirt (me) and burgers (us). The shops are the same shops here in Leeds but arranged in a different order so that we’re never quite sure where we are, it’s not that familiar to us and seems to lend itself to pottering. Even the M62 being closed on the way home didn’t dampen the spirits too much.

Friday we had a family day at the seaside. After a fairly long drive to Whitby, we had fish and chips, ice cream and made sandcastles. The tide was coming in (and fairly fast) so we didn’t linger too long. LittleR had no fear and merrily chased sea gulls and ran toward the waves (in direct contrast to BigR at the same age who on Perranporth beach was scared by the very gentle sea) and BigR attempted to make sandcastles without getting too sandy (this is not usually her fear at nursery where she frequently comes home covered in mud and sand!!!).

 

The ABO went back to work yesterday. He’s away most of this week and we’re (literally) counting down the days until he’s based locally now...So in his absence (I find it easier if we have a plan one the weekend) we went to see old friends of mine from Un ii Sheffield. Their children are now teenagers (well one is and one nearly is - how did that happen?!) but they entertained my two really beautifully. BigR came away with a whole host of ‘Littlest pet shop’ toys my friend’s daughter has grown out of. She’s gone to bed with them too!

 

I’ve been enjoying coffee from our new machine....trying out new beans although I’ve been careful not to overdo the caffeine...well not too much...

I’ve been cooking . We made homemade pizzas this afternoon. I used Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s pizza base recipe which can be found in the river cottage bread book or here. 

For the tomato sauce I used this recipe from Sue at the Quince Tree. I’ve made this sauce so many times now...it’s useful for so many things and the girls lap it up. 

BigR added cheese, mushrooms and ham to hers. I kept LittleR’s a very simple margherita. They were delicious even though I didn’t put as much salt as Hugh suggested into the dough as I was going to be giving it to the baby. Actually I think I barely used10% of his suggested amount. I’m so used to eating food without any added salt (unless it’s butter, I love salted butter!). They were a great success with the girls...even if one did get stuck to the baking tray (why only one?)...

As a little treat the other night we had pancakes again. I bought my pancake pan with a voucher from my birthday when I went to my Betty’s cookery school day. It’s been getting good use. They were delicious. Filled with ice cream and mango. Yum.

 

I’m itching to get in the garden. I was reminded though that it’s not as warm as you think with some chilly winds. We’ll hold off on the temperate plants for now anyway... BigR planted peas at nursery and came home with her plants the other day. She was so excited that her seeds had germinated and would become peas!!! She checks on it everyday and so far she’s not been disappointed to see a difference. I’m hoping they carry on thriving and we can transfer them to a pot for outside later in April.

 

Plans for this week are

:: coffee with a good friend I haven’t seen for ages. We used to work together and I miss her. It’s taken us ages to get a date we can both do in the diary!

:: baking a cake for the return of the ABO at the end of the week

:: the usual supermarket type visit but to include some nice things to eat and menu plan for in advance

:: hopefully to get into my new book ‘Raven Black’...having finished ‘The Snow Child’ (superb!)...I’m not sure where my reading mojo has come from!

 

Hope you have lovely things planned too.