Sunday

Chilly chives!

Brrrrr - wasn't it cold and bleak yesterday!  It was here, anyway.  It snowed more or less all day but, after very heavy snow that settled quickly, some of the time it was light and powdery flakes that melted when they touched the ground where the previous snow had melted or been cleared but stayed where it landed on existing snow.  It was hovering around zero degrees all day but dropped when darkness fell, although there's been very little snow overnight.  The roads are going to be nasty, especially untreated ones, so go carefully.  I intend to remain indoors all day apart from trips to the shed to get stuff out of the freezer.

It wasn't like this all day, thank goodness!

I had a go at the Hollywood bloomer but it didn't look anything like the one on the telly.  It tastes wonderful though, so no complaints: after all, taste is the main thing.  I think I am going to poach some eggs and have them on bloomer-toast!  I have poaching pods and thought I would try them in Thermione, in the varoma, to see if that works.  I also made a most delicious spicy parsnip soup, just right for damp, chilly days.

When I was in Morrison's yesterday I was looking for something for Sunday lunch for me and Alex and ended up buying some unsmoked gammon which I intend to boil.  With any luck that will give me some good hammy stock with which to make ham and pea soup or maybe some ham and lentil soup as well, depending on how much stock I end up with.  They also had some likely looking cauliflowers so I will make a cheese sauce to have with the meal.  When it's ham I sometimes make a tomatoey based sweet and sour sauce but that wouldn't go too well with Beth's vegetarian meal whereas cheese sauce will go with both and with the cauli.  So we're having ham with roasties, roast parsnips, cauliflower and a cheese sauce.  I will serve soup as a starter - I did have lots of parsnips to use up - and some stewed plums for dessert, maybe with custard, seeing as I have plenty of eggs.

Right, well, looking at the time, I'd better vanish into the kitchen and get going or all the plans I have made will remain just that - plans!
Stay warm!


Spicy parsnip soup recipe in TsRs