General Chat

Oh dear! I cooked a stir fry today at OHs request. He was very kind and said it was nice...I am honest and it was horrible!!

Not sure where I went wrong.fib fib. We had some herbs and spices that I wanted to use and the beef was not very good.....it was called fast fry beef..well I shall not be buying that again.

To think of all the delightful dishes on here I hold my head down in sorrow and disappear... Do not worry it is only me being the actress I always wanted to be!!

19.02 Spain

For your special meal would this do

Take a piece of pork fillet enough for two. Cut lengthways and bash till thin.

Sprinkle nutmeg and cayenne on top press into breadcrumbs and fry gently until brown and cooked, did this today and it was lovely, with green beans, asparagus . And you have so many desserts to look at on this thread you should wow your OH and make up for the stir fry.!!!

We all have off times but isn't it lovely when they still eat it bless them

My daughter attended a Jewish school - had a wonderfuly education there and of course we had to observe all the rules. A new form teacher had not long arrived and one of the other teachers was heading off to get lunch, she called out to him to get her something. He said what would you like and she said a ham sandwich ...LOL

The children were not allowed fish or meat or cheese in their sandwiches - because there was the risk of it not being done the correct way. They put on some amazing spreads at their various festivals and I have the recipes for quite a few of their "eats" if anyone would like them.

Persie

Bridget - if I am doing a stir fry I do the meat separately in a little frying pan and very lightly cook it and then chuck it into the rest at the last minute that way it stays tender and is not chewy. I usually whisk up one egg in a little bowl and then put a bit of oil in a non stick pan and pour the egg in as soon as this is cooked put it on a paper towel then put the beef or lamb cut in strips in the same pan. I cut the egg into strips and chuck it along with the meat into the stir fry at the last minute. If using pork or chicken it can be cooked with the stirfry as they have to be cooked through properly.

I find it fiddly but he loves them so I do one every two weeks at least.

Persie

We have been quiet on this thread....I made the German Salad when my visitors were here and they loved it, I also added two sticks of celery cut reallt thin and it was mega.

Made Macoroni Cheese with pancetta in it for tonight, but OH took me to lunch so not used... but I did use my all in one white sauce..which I can thoroughly recommend.

Two oz butter cut up small, 2 ozs plain flour, or if you have an allergy gluten free flour works just as well, but it won't be as white, and 3/4 pint milk. Put on low heat and gently stir , you may not need all the milk (can use soya) just make it to your own spec. Once bubbling turn up a notch, keep stirring, then when thick take off hob. Mix in 1 DSP Dijon Mustard and as much cheese as you like,, or parsley whatever you want it for. It works every time and is so much easier than faffing about doing a roux !!

Hello everyone,
Yes it has been quiet for a while as you say Greenfingers but maybe we have all been busy trying out our delightful Culinary Delights!
Also delighted with the recipe for the white sauce,I will certainly try this.

Thanks as well to Persie. yes please put on some more recipes, I lived in a very Jewish area when young and when I went High school , a convent, it was next door to an Hasidic Jewish school. We were always given food gifts to try on the special holidays and also lived and trained as a nurse in the east end of London and most of our neighbours were Jewish so I grew up with taste buds that appreciated their food.

Going to look for some more recipes and will be back later : ;-)

Mustard and Lemon Sausages with carrot mash

Serves 4

8 plump pork sausages, 2 TBsp grain mustard, a TBsp Dijon mustard, 3 heaped TBsp runny honey, 2 TBsp lemon juice.

For the mash 750g/1lb 10oz carrots and a large knob of butter

Oven at 200oC In a bowl mix the mustards,honey and lemon juice stir well, put sausages in a dish, don't overlap them and pour over the mustard mix. Bake for 25-30 mins rolling them occasionally as they will then take on a glossy coat. Meanwhile to make the mash, trim and scrub carrots, slice into chunks and put in a steamer over boiling water. Cook until just tender. Mash with a generous knob of butte and divide between 4 plates putting the suasages on top.....obsolutely delic :D

A Nigel Slater recipe.

Not the best photo of our patio but the photo I wanted was taken across rather than down and I couldn't figure out how to turn it !!!!

Greenfingers, tomorrow I am going to cook the meal you suggested on the first of the month as OH has been very busy, and is even staying at home to watch his dearly loved football team on TV instead of going to see it with his mates. So as he cooked a "fry up" today I thought that I would treat him tomorrow.

Everyone

Yesterday we had visitors, again and I did a good old roast dinner with lamb as the joint....basically everything was put in the oven so not much cleaning of the saucepans etc, did par boil the potatoes/carrots first and also had fresh green beans and broccoli it was delicious. for desert we had freshly picked strawberries, grown in a neighbours hot house with real cream and /or icecream.

Greenfingers
OH has just peeked over my shoulder and informed me that he would like your recipe for his meal on Monday!!

I am away from next Monday afternoon for about 8 days so please will everyone keep this thread going...I will try to get on a comp somewhare but know it is not going to be on the top of the list of things to do. I am so looking forward to the Church Blessing for my son and his wife, the officers Mess are cooking all the food so who knows I may get some tips and good recipies...however I do not see myself cooking for 150 people again!!!

17.52 hrs Spain

Will be thinking of you have a lovely time, I wll pop on thread when I can I think we are all too food orientated to give up. I still have to make the Lumberjack cake. OH and I have been working hard in the garden, we are trying to make it a bit more how can I say...older age friendly. As I have said to many I do not mind getting older, its the process I hate !!!

heres a lovely summer salad dish, which will stretch to 8 at least and if you do not like courgettes, you will after having this.

Marinated courgettes

6 large courgettes thinly sliced on a mandolin or grater or by hand, put in a bowl and salt leave for 1/2 hour.

meanwhile in a pan put 1/2 pint wine winegar, 3/4pt granulated sugar, 1/4 pint white wine 1 TBsp fennel seeds, 1 TBsp coriander seeds, 1 TBsp mustard seeds, 6 shallots finely chopped (or ordinary onion very finely chopped) 1 large red or orange pepper very finely chopped. Bring all of this to the boil, dissolving sugar. Take off heat . Rinse salt off courgettes put in a bowl pour over liquid, leave for a couple of hours to cool. It is a very surprising salad and totally delicious

I was looking for a quick recipe this morning because I want to use my meat before we leave to go to UK next week.

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 bunch green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 pork butt steaks
Directions
1.Melt butter in a skillet, and mix in the soy sauce. Saute the green onions and garlic until lightly browned.
2.Place the pork steaks in the skillet, cover, and cook 8 to 10 minutes on each side, Remove cover, and continue cooking 10 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).


Hope you enjoy it

Please remembner that I will be away from early on the 10th to around the 18th. please look after this thread for me. The marinated Courgettes sound delicious, we eat lots of courgettes so will definetly using this recipe when we come home.
Will be looking for BBQ food soon so you have all been warned!!! please can we have some good outside food or picnic style food.....
Take care of yourselves,

:D :-)

12.57 hrs Spain

Braytoisse

4 Baking Potatoes cooked at 180oc for about 50 mins or until tender. ut potatos in half and gently scoop out the flesh leaving the skins intact. Maash the flesh with 2 ooz butter. Remove rind from 250g size Camembert cut into small chunks and mix in with the mashed potato along with 3 TBsp creme fraiche,2 tsp Dijon mustard and a chunky piec of cooked hame cut into cubes (can use cooked pancetta)plus one beaten egg. Put the baked skins on a tray and fill the skins with the flesh filling; Bake in the oven at 160oc for 10 mins then finiished off under the grill, after grating gruyere over the top (about 3 oz). don't have to use gruyere if you do not like it, any cheese would do. Makes a lovely supper dish for 4 or cut down for 2, or half a spud plus other bits from a BBQ etc.

Made a no bake chocolate crunch cake this week

12oz Chocolate
4oz butter
14oz condensed milk
8oz digestive biscuits (I used the whole packet)

melt chocolate and butter together ..I used a bowl in boiling water but you can nuke it
Add condensed milk and beat until creamy then add broken biscuits and mix

line cake tin or as I did a loaf tin spoon mixture in and leave to cool. then fridge for approx 2 hrs until set.

It wasn't what I remembered as a child but I shall be making it again (very soon) as OH adored it <3

Thank you for adding to this.we are in the UK not far from where I used to work, we set off tomorrow for Winchester or rather just out side.

Just learnt about the earthquake in Spain, how terrible for not only the people who live(ed) in this ancient place but also for the destruction of a very every old area.

I have heard on the radio tha other parts of mainland Europe may also have Quakes...how frightening.

Well just unpacking for the night, then going for a showere and then to the dining room for a premier Inn meal,

I will try to add something each day but not making a promise!

Prayers and thoughts for those in the quake and their loved ones

Bridget

Hello everyone

Well we are home now and very tired but it was a wonderful trip and the setting for Ar,my son and his wife, having there Blessing was truly amazing . I not that there have not been many messages so hope that you are all well.
I am now doing the washing whilst OH has gone to get Jet and Joe from the kennels. I will be back later as I think they have just arrived.
10.30 hrs Spain

Glad your blessing went OK. I finally made the Lumberjack Cake at the weekend, its very nice but as I used desicated coconut on the top, it probably wasn't quite the same. However I plan to use less butter for the top next time and leave the coconut in the milk for a while until it soaks it up a bit and then melt the butter with it. Am trying a new corned beef hash recipe tonight so wil post what happens

Byeeeeeeeeeee :D

The Corned Beef Hash was great so I will share

1 x 340g tin Corned Beef cut into cubes, 1 large onion peeled and chopped,200g frozen peas,200g frozen sweetcorn, 300g cherry tomatoes cut in half, 4 TBsps semi skimmed milk , 4 TBsps fresh chopped parsley, 500g Small new potatoes cooked and then cut in 1/4s. SERVES 4 so also 4 eggs fried when serving and optional

Heat small amount of oil in a wok and cook onion for about 10 mins until lightly golden., then add potatoes and cook until they are slightly golden, then stir in corned beef and cook for furthe few mins. Stir in peas, sweetcorn and tomatoes moisten with milk and add the parsley. Serve at once top each portion with a fried egg. YUMMMMMMMMMMMm

Mustard & Lemon sausage was delicious, definitely a new delight in my house so thanks to Greenfingers.

I now have a new request. It is BBQ time here and this is not my strength in cooking...black saugages are what I am most known for! , we have a charcoal BBQ for cooking sooo please can we have some recipes. Thank you.
09.17hrs Spain

Green fingers,I forgot to say how delicious your recipe on the first of May, the pork was divine.,

Yes we had the pork again on Saturday it is a good recipe..glad you have all liked the receipes

7 layer salad

shredded lettuce,
4oz peas forzen but defrosted
bunch shallots chopped finely
4 sticks celery chopped fine
7 slices bacon cooked well and then cut up
4 oz cheese grated
4 boiled eggs just the yolk
1 medium carton sour cream and put in chopped mixed herbs or a small jar or bottle of Ranch dressing.

Arrange all the above in this order, lettuce,celery,onions,peas.bacon, crumbled egg yolks and then pour over the dressing.

Lovely with a BBQ

Spanish eyes if you want an all round BBQ sauce, look back thru this thread and find my Barbados Chicken, the marinade for that is great with spare ribs,pork slices and sausages. Tho for the ribs you might want to do more.

3.58 pm Norfolk UK

Green fingers your message has arrived just in time as the people we went to tonight are coming for a BBQ tomorrow afternoon, good idea about looking back ,

Had a great evening with a Spanish chap cooking a great paella, with seafood and rice, yum yum, I am never going to loose weight !!

I will also make the 7 layer salad

Will be back tomorrow

23.40 hrs Spain