Sunday

The leeks seem to have survived the planting and are nice and upright and looking at home.  I haven't killed them - yet!

Good morning, everyone.  It's another promising start to the day, sunny and fresh with a bit of a breeze trembling the tops of the trees.  I've done my usual survey of the estate - oh, OK, back patch - and all seems well.  There are tomatoes still for tea!

I remember, before we had the threat of blight so it must be last century, one summer holiday, every morning (so it seemed) I would go out and pick half a dozen tomatoes, fry them in the bacon fat and have the most delicious bacon and tomato breakfast, sitting out in the already warm garden.  Maybe this summer will be the same as there are loads ripening and there might be a glut.  It will be nice to hand produce to Beth - it's usually the other way where that's concerned.
Or maybe it was all a dream!

I had a kitchen day yesterday so it was lucky not to be too hot.  First of all it was the weekly bread: with Thermione's help it is down to a fine art and it all went as smoothly as ever.
Then I started thinking about lunch.  I've blogged about lunch over in TsRs so do take a look.  The resulting Definitely-Not-a-Caesar-Salad was really delicious, thanks to a series of happy circumstances.
Then I dithered and doodled regarding dinner and finally made a sort of tuna pasta thing which was nice.  Not as nice as the salad but I'll make it again.  It would have been nicer if I'd used full fat Philly, not the light version, but one has to consider calories as well as pennies!
Neither of them are ultra-frugal a-la-Jack but they're both low cost and good value.

For a little time I've been thin king about finding a recipe that will make nice rolls.  The rolls I usually make are the same recipe as the loaves and I wanted to vary things a bit.  I found a recipe for 'soft white bread rolls' so I gave them a go, with Thermione's help, as usual.  It made six decent sized rolls but the funny thing was that I fell asleep while they were proving and when I woke I rushed them straight in the oven and they emerged looking wonderful, just as crusty and beautiful as those you buy in the supermarket for 25p each or five for £1.  I don't know what they taste like, hopefully better than said supermarket rolls.  I'm having one tonight for tea so I will report back and post the recipe if they're OK.  Maybe that's where I've been going wrong with rolls.  Maybe I have been under proving them!

When I went shopping I met two just-ex pupils, one nearly pupil and several I taught at sundry times.  That's the thing about living very close to the workplace and I love it!  It was great to have a little chat.

Apart from that, I continued with my knitting, watched some Poirot and sundry other bits and bobs, dozed a few times and generally had yet another lovely day (monotonous, isn't it?)

Today is going to be a kitchen morning.  It needs a good clear up, things need putting away and so on, I have a pile of washing to deal with and it is generally past the point of managing easily in there.

Then Beth and Al are over for dinner.  Lovely!