I'm sitting exactly one metre from the fire (seeing as the dog has already comfortably taken the first 100cm for his own prime napping space) and it's still cold! It's times like these that I abhor cathedral ceilings with little room for insulation and large, large single glazed windows that allow the heat to escape in an instant while at the same time generously allowing the drafts in. Brrr!
Whine over. I'll focus on more pleasant things now, I really will.
Eggs. We seem to have a great abundance of eggs at the moment..that's good news, right?
A favourite way of mine to use up eggs is in a custard - whisk 3 egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of sugar until light and frothy and then add 1 1/2 cups scalded milk and whisk well. Return to a low heat in a clean saucepan and stir gently until thickened. Remove from heat and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Who says custard needs to be poured on something? It's a perfectly acceptable dessert in it's own right, wouldn't you agree? Thankyou muchly, hens.
Seedy treats from a good friend are the best! That is, if they make it to the salad without being munched up along the way..
What I'm tasting are chopped almonds mixed with pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and linseed seeds all toasted (or roasted?!) and then tossed with a dash of soy? They are extremely good and extremely moorish. Yum!
Comfort food is common here at the moment. It is winter, after all! Chicken and leek casserole with dumplings is a good candidate to keep the family sated.
I'm sure you know the drill, brown chicken in pan (or use up any leftovers from the roast), saute chopped leek, celery, carrot and garlic over gentle heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of flour with a knob of butter and stir through. A goodly amount of white wine and enough stock to cover. Simmer for around 30-40 mins, adding a chopped potato or two if you wish. Before serving, mix up a quick savoury scone dough adding herbs and cheese if it suits you. Cut them out and place on top of leeky chicken mixture. Bake uncovered at 200c for around fifteen minutes. Using homemade chicken stock makes a person feel all the more wholesome. ;)
A quick newborn dress was made for my youngest's teacher who was expecting their first baby. Exciting!
It was good to dive into the stash and find what was needed there. Pattern is this one, which happens to be free on ravelry. It was knitted in the round, following the directions for stripes in one of the project notes linked to the main page.With unexpected sightings of late winter bulbs, you would almost think spring was on it's way for us..
But no! Not until the frosty blast of snowy winds visit us first.
What a buzz to be tourists in our own backyard and visit the nearby mountain for a frolic in the snow.And yes, even a snowball fight or two,
... much to these girls' delight!
