Finally, it is Saturday at last! New Year's Eve again, the end of another year, one which has been quite good for me personally although not so good in other rather more important and significant ways.
It's not icy this morning. In fact, the ice cleared quickly yesterday, leaving a dull, damp, dismal, slightly foggy day with not a glimmer of sun to relieve the depression. I've checked the BBC weather and they seem to think it will be the same today too.
I bustled around getting the house sorted out for the cleaners, not that it took long as it's still in its Christmas and tidy state. Then I sat and knitted while watching a DVD: highly indulgent and very much enjoyed. When the cleaners arrived I went out. I like to give them a clear run and also there's a puritanical streak inside me that makes me feel incredibly guilty if they are working while I am playing. I know I would only be in the way if I tried to help as they have their methods and routines and anyway, what do I pay them for, so I tend to disappear.
Yesterday I headed off for Hobbycraft but realised before very long that, judging by the traffic and the queues for various car parks, I wouldn't stand a snowball's chance of a parking slot. And so it was - as I approached the Hobbycraft roundabout, the queues each way to get in dismayed me so much I headed off in a different direction and ended up at Sainsbury's where there was some parking to be seen.
I pottered round, treated myself to some new slippers and the new monthy food magazines which I will enjoy over the next fortnight or so. I've weaned myself off the weekly rubbish magazines now, but the monthlies do seem much better value and can be very interesting, although there's not always very much I actually fancy making and the recipes tend to be pretty expensive.
Once home again, I settled to some more knitting. I have finished the knitting for the doll itself and now have to work out how it all goes together, especially putting on the hair. Once I have done all that, making the clothes will be great fun!
Then I have another crib set to make for someone. I have decided to make one piece in the set per week. After all, I do have almost all year to get it done!
Today starts with some shopping - Hobbycraft will be fine first thing in the morning. Then I have ironing to do and a bed to make up. Alex is staying over tonight. I asked what he would like to eat, expecting him to say pizza, but he asked for a Christmas dinner as he wasn't really that well last week, didn't have much and didn't really enjoy what he did have. That's easy - I have the turkey in the freezer and the rest is really just a simple roast dinner with a few bells on, the component parts of which I already have or can make.
Today's food
B: bran flakes and fruit
L: home made soup
D: Christmas dinner !!!
Time for a coffee and then I shall make the stuffing - dead easy with a packet mix and some added bacon and ham for flavour. I have half an onion so I will chop that finely, microwave it soft and add it to the mix too.
Have a great day, however you are spending it and enjoy any celebrations of which you may be a part. See you next year.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
Friday, 30 December 2016
Friday
The days really are getting confused. All day yesterday it felt like Friday so today has to be Saturday, right? Wrong! Another Friday! Friday's are nice so no complaints!
It's still jolly cold and shaded bits of my garden remained frosty all day yesterday. I gather it is expected to remain cold through the weekend before maybe warming up a bit next week. It's nice to have some proper frosts: they make the world look so attractive.
Yesterday went well. I made some broccoli soup with the left over broccoli stem and it was delicious. I have some cream left over so I added a bit plus a bit of soft cheese which always adds a little something to the flavour of a soup. I made a 'Turkey leftovers biryani' that I found on the Tesco site and it, also, was jolly tasty - still is as there's enough soup and curry for today as well.
I made myself get organised and booked the car in for a service. It's needed one for a while and the local Peugeot place makes it very simple. All done online and they tell you how much it will cost. They also do a car collection and delivery back afterwards at no extra cost so I've gone for that as it makes things so much easier for me.
I thought it would need an MOT but no, not until September so that's now in my diary so I don't forget.
Finally, I paid my road tax. They really do make it so simple nowadays. All online, all done in less than five minutes.
So the car is now legal for the next year.
The PC is home again and running smoothly, thanks to my clever friend, Eddie. How I would manage the technology side of things without his help I really don't know. How fortunate am I, eh?
Since stopping teaching, I have used home printed sheets as my diary which has worked fine. However, for Christmas, Alex gave me a lovely A5 whole page per day diary with an embroidered, applique, beaded owly cover from Paperchase so I am transferring all my info from the sheets to the book and using that instead. A most useful and welcomed gift - thanks, Al.
Once I have done that, I need to make sure the house is reasonable by sorting out my corner where I sit, knit and watch telly. It's a bit of a mess but it is all superficial and five minutes of sorting will deal with it. The cleaners are coming and I do like them to have a clear run.
While the cleaners are here, I'm off out to Hobbycraft (if I can find a parking slot). I'm making some more nativity crib sets (on commissions so if you're interested, do post in comments) and am out of skin coloured yarn. I also want to knit a Santa for our stall next Christmas, maybe as a raffle prize, and I don't have the right red for it.
Today's food is the same as yesterday's as the recipes made enough for two. I have blogged about the biryani recipe on Teacher's Recipes as it was dead easy and really tasty!
http://fooddiaryofteacher.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/leftover-turkey-biryani.html
So, today's food is:
B: turkey dripping on toast
L: broccoli soup
D: turkey leftovers biryani
plus assorted fruit for snacks.
Have a super day.
It's still jolly cold and shaded bits of my garden remained frosty all day yesterday. I gather it is expected to remain cold through the weekend before maybe warming up a bit next week. It's nice to have some proper frosts: they make the world look so attractive.
Yesterday went well. I made some broccoli soup with the left over broccoli stem and it was delicious. I have some cream left over so I added a bit plus a bit of soft cheese which always adds a little something to the flavour of a soup. I made a 'Turkey leftovers biryani' that I found on the Tesco site and it, also, was jolly tasty - still is as there's enough soup and curry for today as well.
I made myself get organised and booked the car in for a service. It's needed one for a while and the local Peugeot place makes it very simple. All done online and they tell you how much it will cost. They also do a car collection and delivery back afterwards at no extra cost so I've gone for that as it makes things so much easier for me.
I thought it would need an MOT but no, not until September so that's now in my diary so I don't forget.
Finally, I paid my road tax. They really do make it so simple nowadays. All online, all done in less than five minutes.
So the car is now legal for the next year.
The PC is home again and running smoothly, thanks to my clever friend, Eddie. How I would manage the technology side of things without his help I really don't know. How fortunate am I, eh?
Since stopping teaching, I have used home printed sheets as my diary which has worked fine. However, for Christmas, Alex gave me a lovely A5 whole page per day diary with an embroidered, applique, beaded owly cover from Paperchase so I am transferring all my info from the sheets to the book and using that instead. A most useful and welcomed gift - thanks, Al.
Once I have done that, I need to make sure the house is reasonable by sorting out my corner where I sit, knit and watch telly. It's a bit of a mess but it is all superficial and five minutes of sorting will deal with it. The cleaners are coming and I do like them to have a clear run.
While the cleaners are here, I'm off out to Hobbycraft (if I can find a parking slot). I'm making some more nativity crib sets (on commissions so if you're interested, do post in comments) and am out of skin coloured yarn. I also want to knit a Santa for our stall next Christmas, maybe as a raffle prize, and I don't have the right red for it.
Today's food is the same as yesterday's as the recipes made enough for two. I have blogged about the biryani recipe on Teacher's Recipes as it was dead easy and really tasty!
http://fooddiaryofteacher.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/leftover-turkey-biryani.html
So, today's food is:
B: turkey dripping on toast
L: broccoli soup
D: turkey leftovers biryani
plus assorted fruit for snacks.
Have a super day.
Thursday, 29 December 2016
Thursday
Good morning, gentle readers. Around here it is another very cold and frosty early morning but no fog at the moment. Because of my early waking habits, the heating comes on at around five, so it's nice and cosy and, as usual, I am counting my blessings with sincere gratitude.
I finished off dealing with that old turkey yesterday and now I have enough meat for twelve meals squirrelled away in my freezer in old take away containers - four of sliced white breast meat and eight of chunks of mixed brown and white, all covered in stock. I have frozen portions for two rather than for one because I can see me using them when Alex comes over. I also have a small pot of turkey fat which I will use when frying or roasting, I think, or maybe as dripping on toast, a real throwback to childhood when it was a favourite. In fact, that's what I shall have for breakfast today, well seasoned. Hardly healthy but most certainly economical!
So that's the end of the turkey and the cooked veg and there is one mince pie left. Also, embarrassingly, I found an old Christmas pudding (commercial, not home made) in a high cupboard that is now over a year out of date (pudding, not cupboard). I console myself with the fact that Mum used to keep her puddings for years and, at some point, will open it and see. It it is manky, I shall chuck it but if, as I suspect, it is still OK, I shall enjoy it very much.
Back to yesterday. After sorting the turkey, I continued with the washing and got a few loads done. At one point the door leaked and my heart sank, but I think it must have not closed properly because after that it was fine again. A bit unnerving though!
Now I have finished the knitted crib, I have nothing to knit, so I looked through my collection of Greenhowe patterns and found one for a 'dress up doll' quite like one children had in the olden days. A doll in underwear and patterns for removable garments. I have a number of friends with little girls and so does Beth and I am sure it will end up somewhere so, while watching Harry Potter I started knitting again.
Not having something to do with my hands when I set down of an afternoon and/or evening just feels so wrong but at my age I don't want to knit just any old thing! It has to appeal.
Today, being Thursday, is usually wheelie bin day and it took me a while to remember that they're not coming today, they are collecting tomorrow this week. I am most impressed that they have managed to keep the once a week collection going through the holiday week. My bin is full and over the road, where they have children, their bin is overflowing. To miss a week, as used to happen, would be a minor disaster!
I have been very good this week and have the bag of recycling card ready for collection. All the paper is in a basket and I need to flatten it all out so that when the card has been taken I can put the paper in the sack instead for next week's collection.
Today will be spent washing, drying and ironing but the major task on the list is to turn out the fridge and see exactly what is left. Then I can plan my meals accordingly. I will have to do a little bit of shopping as Alex is staying overnight, but a pizza and some crisps is not going to break the bank.
Today's food will probably be , , ,
B: toast and dripping
L: broccoli soup (made with a stem I saved earlier on in the week)
D: something turkey-ish, most likely curry as I have a recipe for left-over turkey biryani.
And now I must have my first coffee . . .
I finished off dealing with that old turkey yesterday and now I have enough meat for twelve meals squirrelled away in my freezer in old take away containers - four of sliced white breast meat and eight of chunks of mixed brown and white, all covered in stock. I have frozen portions for two rather than for one because I can see me using them when Alex comes over. I also have a small pot of turkey fat which I will use when frying or roasting, I think, or maybe as dripping on toast, a real throwback to childhood when it was a favourite. In fact, that's what I shall have for breakfast today, well seasoned. Hardly healthy but most certainly economical!
So that's the end of the turkey and the cooked veg and there is one mince pie left. Also, embarrassingly, I found an old Christmas pudding (commercial, not home made) in a high cupboard that is now over a year out of date (pudding, not cupboard). I console myself with the fact that Mum used to keep her puddings for years and, at some point, will open it and see. It it is manky, I shall chuck it but if, as I suspect, it is still OK, I shall enjoy it very much.
Back to yesterday. After sorting the turkey, I continued with the washing and got a few loads done. At one point the door leaked and my heart sank, but I think it must have not closed properly because after that it was fine again. A bit unnerving though!
Now I have finished the knitted crib, I have nothing to knit, so I looked through my collection of Greenhowe patterns and found one for a 'dress up doll' quite like one children had in the olden days. A doll in underwear and patterns for removable garments. I have a number of friends with little girls and so does Beth and I am sure it will end up somewhere so, while watching Harry Potter I started knitting again.
Not having something to do with my hands when I set down of an afternoon and/or evening just feels so wrong but at my age I don't want to knit just any old thing! It has to appeal.
Today, being Thursday, is usually wheelie bin day and it took me a while to remember that they're not coming today, they are collecting tomorrow this week. I am most impressed that they have managed to keep the once a week collection going through the holiday week. My bin is full and over the road, where they have children, their bin is overflowing. To miss a week, as used to happen, would be a minor disaster!
I have been very good this week and have the bag of recycling card ready for collection. All the paper is in a basket and I need to flatten it all out so that when the card has been taken I can put the paper in the sack instead for next week's collection.
Today will be spent washing, drying and ironing but the major task on the list is to turn out the fridge and see exactly what is left. Then I can plan my meals accordingly. I will have to do a little bit of shopping as Alex is staying overnight, but a pizza and some crisps is not going to break the bank.
Today's food will probably be , , ,
B: toast and dripping
L: broccoli soup (made with a stem I saved earlier on in the week)
D: something turkey-ish, most likely curry as I have a recipe for left-over turkey biryani.
And now I must have my first coffee . . .
Wednesday, 28 December 2016
Wednesday
It is Wednesday, isn't it? < checks > Yes, it is. I'm losing count of the days at the moment! It's very cold out there with freezing fog so go carefully! It's nice and warm inside though!
I haven't mentioned presents yet, have I? We really only give very small gifts, if anything at all and that is absolutely fine. It's an agreement we all have. I find that most of the things I give have been home made, one way or another. Dad was pleased with the fabric book mark I gave him and immediately replaced the one he had in his current book, which was a strip of newspaper, while his eyes lit up at the liqueur chocolates! John seemed happy with the jars of preserves, the biscotti and the fudge (and a book mark like dad's). Jane liked her fluffy scarf and fudge. Mum absolutely loved the nativity crib set (phew).
I bought books for Beth, gave Alex a cheque (older teens - you know!) while Dave and Anna had a box of different chutneys (not home made this year).
So nothing very expensive and much home made and there was a lot of love around as we all opened our parcels.
Yesterday was a busy day. Mum and Dad went home and by midday I had three lots of washing on the line. Not that any of them actually dried very much in the cold and still air but at least they got a freshening up. I damp ironed it all later on and it is now airing on a rack by a radiator. The fourth lot of washing went into the tumble dryer so will be harder to iron but never mind!
More today but slow and steady wins the race and my machine does have a very useful 'speed' setting
I ended up with a huge pot of turkey carcass and stock which simmered for hours. It set overnight so I am reheating it, giving it another good boil and doing the rest today.
I meant to start catching up with my Christmas viewing but there were some Harry Potter things on ITV plus Mastermind and University Challenge so I didn't start. It will keep, after all.
Today's food:
B: bran flakes and fruit
L: bubble and squeak patties with a side salad
D: either turkey and veg pie or a curry - I haven't decided which yet.
Time for my second coffee so I will stop now. Have a good day and stay warm!
I haven't mentioned presents yet, have I? We really only give very small gifts, if anything at all and that is absolutely fine. It's an agreement we all have. I find that most of the things I give have been home made, one way or another. Dad was pleased with the fabric book mark I gave him and immediately replaced the one he had in his current book, which was a strip of newspaper, while his eyes lit up at the liqueur chocolates! John seemed happy with the jars of preserves, the biscotti and the fudge (and a book mark like dad's). Jane liked her fluffy scarf and fudge. Mum absolutely loved the nativity crib set (phew).
I bought books for Beth, gave Alex a cheque (older teens - you know!) while Dave and Anna had a box of different chutneys (not home made this year).
So nothing very expensive and much home made and there was a lot of love around as we all opened our parcels.
Yesterday was a busy day. Mum and Dad went home and by midday I had three lots of washing on the line. Not that any of them actually dried very much in the cold and still air but at least they got a freshening up. I damp ironed it all later on and it is now airing on a rack by a radiator. The fourth lot of washing went into the tumble dryer so will be harder to iron but never mind!
More today but slow and steady wins the race and my machine does have a very useful 'speed' setting
I ended up with a huge pot of turkey carcass and stock which simmered for hours. It set overnight so I am reheating it, giving it another good boil and doing the rest today.
I meant to start catching up with my Christmas viewing but there were some Harry Potter things on ITV plus Mastermind and University Challenge so I didn't start. It will keep, after all.
Today's food:
B: bran flakes and fruit
L: bubble and squeak patties with a side salad
D: either turkey and veg pie or a curry - I haven't decided which yet.
Time for my second coffee so I will stop now. Have a good day and stay warm!
Tuesday, 27 December 2016
Tuesday
Good morning, gentle readers. It's a chilly, bracing morning, just as they told us it would be, and I'm hoping those clear skies herald a good drying day today. I do hope so as I have copious amounts of bedding to deal with and I do dislike having it hanging around for too long.
So it's all over for another year. Well, all bar sorting out the aftermath - moved furniture, too much left over food, etc. My last guests are leaving this morning and life more or less reverts to normal again. I'm looking forward to peace and quiet and time to catch up on all the telly I have missed over this last weekend. Thinks like Going on a Bear Hunt, Bake Off, Doctor Who, the Carols from Kings, Strictly . . . oh, so many things I really wanted to watch. Thank goodness for iPlayer and the like.
Apart from the aforementioned washing (plus drying and ironing, of course), my main task for today is dealing with the turkey.
It's an odd sort of problem to have really. I always get my turkey from Kelly's of Danbury. Famous and justifiably so with the added advantage of being a local business. Terribly expensive but real quality and anyway, I get financial backing from my parents, bless them.
Anyway, when I opened the box which came on Friday, there was a note inside saying that their turkeys had grown exceptionally well this year and therefore they had given me a bit more. A bit more? I had ordered a 7k bird and what came was more akin to a 9k bird. My heart sank somewhat because the last time that happened I had ordered a much bigger bird as I had more guests and the resulting giant wouldn't fit in even my largest roasting tin and I had to borrow mum's largest tin, hack off the legs and even then it was touch and go!
This time, however, it just fitted so all was well!
However, it does mean there is more leftover than anticipated, even after sending John home with a goodly amount and ditto with my other guests who are leaving today. Beth's cats will be treated and after stripping the carcass, the rest will go into the freezer to be used over the next few weeks/months. The resulting delicious stock will partly go into home made soups and the rest will go towards the gravy for next year's turkey. I know it sounds odd but I do like to make the gravy in advance as I hate that last minute rush, so some good frozen stock is just the ticket!
So that's today all sorted out!
The decorations are staying put until Twelfth Night and so are the pictures on this blog. 😊
I stopped mentioning my meals towards the end of the year as things got less organised but I shall start again now. So . . .
B: toast and fruit
L: ham/turkey salad, apple
D: leftovers bubble and squeak, orange
So it's all over for another year. Well, all bar sorting out the aftermath - moved furniture, too much left over food, etc. My last guests are leaving this morning and life more or less reverts to normal again. I'm looking forward to peace and quiet and time to catch up on all the telly I have missed over this last weekend. Thinks like Going on a Bear Hunt, Bake Off, Doctor Who, the Carols from Kings, Strictly . . . oh, so many things I really wanted to watch. Thank goodness for iPlayer and the like.
Apart from the aforementioned washing (plus drying and ironing, of course), my main task for today is dealing with the turkey.
It's an odd sort of problem to have really. I always get my turkey from Kelly's of Danbury. Famous and justifiably so with the added advantage of being a local business. Terribly expensive but real quality and anyway, I get financial backing from my parents, bless them.
Anyway, when I opened the box which came on Friday, there was a note inside saying that their turkeys had grown exceptionally well this year and therefore they had given me a bit more. A bit more? I had ordered a 7k bird and what came was more akin to a 9k bird. My heart sank somewhat because the last time that happened I had ordered a much bigger bird as I had more guests and the resulting giant wouldn't fit in even my largest roasting tin and I had to borrow mum's largest tin, hack off the legs and even then it was touch and go!
This time, however, it just fitted so all was well!
However, it does mean there is more leftover than anticipated, even after sending John home with a goodly amount and ditto with my other guests who are leaving today. Beth's cats will be treated and after stripping the carcass, the rest will go into the freezer to be used over the next few weeks/months. The resulting delicious stock will partly go into home made soups and the rest will go towards the gravy for next year's turkey. I know it sounds odd but I do like to make the gravy in advance as I hate that last minute rush, so some good frozen stock is just the ticket!
So that's today all sorted out!
The decorations are staying put until Twelfth Night and so are the pictures on this blog. 😊
I stopped mentioning my meals towards the end of the year as things got less organised but I shall start again now. So . . .
B: toast and fruit
L: ham/turkey salad, apple
D: leftovers bubble and squeak, orange
Monday, 26 December 2016
Boxing Day - Monday
Good morning, everyone. It's a lovely, sunny day today and we are all bleary eyed and inclined towards sleep.
Food is leftovers and then more leftovers, so a very easy day really. Folk are coming for lunch but leaving afterwards.
Yesterday was great but after a very busy Christmas Eve and a very early wake on The Day, by the time lunch was over I was ready to crash. So I did. As I said on Facebook:
"I'm now enjoying ye olde, anciente tradition that goeth something like . . .
'She (or he) who doeth ye dinner, doth not do ye clearing, washing uppe and putting awaye.' "
Food is leftovers and then more leftovers, so a very easy day really. Folk are coming for lunch but leaving afterwards.
Yesterday was great but after a very busy Christmas Eve and a very early wake on The Day, by the time lunch was over I was ready to crash. So I did. As I said on Facebook:
"I'm now enjoying ye olde, anciente tradition that goeth something like . . .
'She (or he) who doeth ye dinner, doth not do ye clearing, washing uppe and putting awaye.' "
A few photos of tables but not of people as they don't want me to. Fair enough!
Now I'm off into the kitchen to start organising leftovers. Such hard work! 😀
I hope yesterday was all you wanted it to be and that today is also a good day.
Sunday, 25 December 2016
Christmas Day - Sunday
Wishing all my 'gentle readers' a very happy, peaceful and joy filled Christmas Day.
The last Christmas music has to be a double dose of some very familiar and well loved music.
I missed an awful lot out. Maybe I will do it again next year and start on December 1st.
Have a great day!
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