Monday - the first day of the holiday

. . . and doesn't it feel great.

Of course, I was up early.  I didn't mind, I love these early mornings when all is still and silent.  You can get loads done in the early mornings.

I used the time to make some lemon fruit spread from the pulp leftover from making lemon drink yesterday.  Both recipes are now on my other blog, here and here.  Lemon is so refreshing on these hot and humid days.

Yesterday was another hot and humid day - in part, anyway.  I got the hot stuff done early morning, including roasting the chicken and preparing the vegetables.  I made some lemon drink according to Diane's instructions and then, as I discovered, as it states in the Thermomix book, Fast and Easy Cooking.  Thanks for the info, Diane, and apologies for bothering you with it when it was right under my nose.  I think I need to re-read that book.  It's a while since I did so and I have forgotten a lot of what's inside.

Beth and I wolfed down the drink and Alex joined us in finishing it off over dinner.  Later on I made some more which is now chilling in the fridge and I used the pulp to make the lemon fruit spread early this morning.  It is cooling in jars now and I think I will have some on toast when I get round to breakfast.

As the afternoon progressed it got blacker and blacker, and the humidity was horrendous.  At times it was almost hard to breathe, if you see what I mean.  Then the thunder started rumbling and the rain fell.  Nothing too dramatic but it certainly cleared the air and the rest of the day was a lot more comfortable.  I was even able to snuggle under the quilt when I went to bed.

Now for today.  Well, I want to wander over to Wyvale at some point, I want to make some gingernuts at some point and I have, HAVE to do some ironing and some tidying up.
There was quite a lot of dinner left over yesterday as Al was a bit overcome by the heat and didn't eat much at all (most unusual - normally I have very little left over).  I have peas, courgettes, new potatoes and chicken and I think I will make a sort of potato topped pie with it.  I plan to saute some onions in chicken fat, then layer the veg in an oven dish - courgettes, onions, peas, chicken, more courgettes, pour over the gravy and then top with slices of potato with some grated cheese to top it all.  It was mostly already seasoned so I won't have to worry about that but I might add some mixed herbs.  That would be a whole meal in itself, but I have three or four runners that are ready for picking so I will have them on the side.  It won't be much but it will be a nice taste.

Borrowed from Google Images.

Beth left a huge courgette with me so I can make lemon courgette cake.  It's a bit of an experiment but it sounds OK and uses up more courgette than the bog standard recipes you find with ask for half a small courgette or five slices or whatever.  As usual, Beth is over-blessed with them and I'm always on the lookout for ways of using them.  I really must see if I can find a good churney recipe.  If it works out, I will blog about it on my Teacher's Recipes blog.

Well, off I go.  Shall I make the ginger nuts first or the lemon courgette cake?  Decisions, decisions.  And to think that usually I would be on my way to school by now.  It feels wonderful!