General Chat

Val that recipe sounds good and actually the marinade would be good for chicken done as a stir fry I think. Like the sound of the marinade anyway so will make a note of it.

What would happen then Greenfingers if you used saucepans without magnetic bottoms.?

I think that I shall delay buying new pans until I have been back to the UK, they are very expensive here in Spain, well they are at least where I live.

We are out tonight for quiz night so had our main meal about three hours ago, OH did what I would call a huge Breakfast style meal, it was delicious but oh the calories!!! I am going to cook Cauliflower Cheese at his request, around about 10pm half way through the quiz we shall have some good sandwhiches on each table and I simply cannot resist them.

will be back tomorrow.

bye for now

17,10hrs Spain

Hope you find some good saucepans, I haven't commented on what to buy but the best I ever had were stainless steel with copper bottoms. I now have an induction hob and can only use ones with magnetic bottoms !!

Val thank you for the recipe.
I am going to try this recipe tomorrow or at the weekend. it sounds delicious.
I have all the ingredients so no excuse..I will report back/

Val. I also am using stainless steel saucepans which sounds very similar to you but the handles have become loose and there is no way to fix them. I have asked the shop where I bought them but a shrug of the shoulders was the only response!! ( Spanish for "cannot / will not do anything") what I would really prefer is saucepans which could be used on my electric hob OR in the oven, this is why I liked the French make and it looked good on the table as well!!

Do not mean to offend anyone with above statement.

I think I will wait until I am back in UK in May and have a look around, perhaps O should look on the internet as well.

We had a delicious meal last night but it was made from all the different vegetables left over from other meals, some minced beef, spices etc... i am sure we have all done the same from time to time. the vegetables included potatoes, onions, tomatoes, courgettes, carrots, mushrooms, one leek, some Indian spices ( only a little). I fried the minced beef and allowed it to brown nicely, then quickly semi cooked the remaining vegetables apart from the potatoes and the carrots,
Meanwhile I peeled the potatoes and carrots and cooked them in a saucepan, strained them and made sure they were dry and then added some milk and butter and mashed them together.I put the meat mixed with the veg into a lasagna dish and then covered everything with mashed potato and carrots and put it into the oven. It browned nicely and we ate the meal. Now it was supposed to be enough for two days, I was going to freeze the second half. I left it to cool and about and hour and a half later I heard the microwave. OH came along with a tray each and yes you are right we ate it all!! Oh dear I am supposed to be trying not to eat too much but it was delicious.

Not sure that it would be a Culinary Delight but we enjoyed it!!

07.56 hrs Spain

Another SA recipe as promised.


SOSATIES.
(This means skewered meat).

These are traditionally served at braais(BBQs) and are of Malay origin.

1 kilogram of meat or chicken makes about 16 sosaties.

Cut the meat/chicken into cubes (about 25mm) and place in a glass dish.

Marinade:

- 2 large onions chopped
- 125 ml vinegar
- 375 ml dry wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 15 ml brown sugar
- 45 mls curry powder
- 30 ml coriander
- 10 ml salt
- 5 ml tumeric
- 2 ml cumin.

- Saute the onions, curry powder and tumeric for a few minutes.
- Add the other ingredients and bring to the boil
- Allow to cool and then pour over the meat/chicken cubes and leave
in the fridge for 24 hours.

When ready to cook put the meat/chicken cubes onto wooden
skewers. Instead of putting them on the braai they could be
grillled for about 10 minutes - turn them from time time.

Serve with potato salad, baked potato or small jacket potatoes.

I use stainless steel copper-bottomed saucepans, which I I have had for years I find they are not heavy and easy to keep looking good. ( I also have arthritis is my fingers .) I do not use them in the oven as the handles would be damaged.

nudge because I really do want some more opinions Please.

Interesting AnninGlos,
I hadn't thought about Ikea

The besy saucepan I have had for ages was really cheap bought in Ikea, I have had it over two years now, I think it cost about £6 and is medium sized. I have got a ceramic hob and it cookd really well on that. It shows you can't always go by cost.

seeing that this thread is all about food and drink to accompany the food I wonder if we could expand a little.Initially I want to do this as I would like to discuss and gate views on the following
What are the best saucepans to buy? Now that does not sound very difficult does it/ But I used to have those lovely French last forever sauce pans etc but due to Arthritis I had to stop using them as they are heavy.
Please what are the best to buy in your experiences. I have had about four different sets, some more expensive that others but they simple do not meet the standard of the french lot!!

Can anyone advise, give views, tell me what they like & what they are using. Oh yes, I nearly forget we have electric oven and hob..

Bridget Spain 17.25 hrs

Yes it is Bobotie, which has lots of variations, I got my recipe from a South African friend, and she likened it to their version of Shepherds Pie

Hope you enjoy the Stroganoff , yes I find I cannot lift certain dishes as easily as I did a few years ago........what an old crock !!!!!!!

A South African Meal which I will try this week. If anyone else tries any of the dishes/ recipes on her would they please give a review or perhaps a star rating 4 as excellent and 1 as OK. This is only a suggestion so feel free to say your opinion of the suggestion.
Thanks

* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

* 2 onions, peeled and sliced
* 2 1/4 pounds good quality lean ground beef
* 1 thickish slice of white bread
* 1 cup milk
* 1 tablespoon medium curry powder (or hot for the hale and brave)
* 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 teaspoons salt
* freshly grated pepper (about a half teaspoon)
* 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
* 1 1/2 tablespoons malt vinegar
* 1/2 cup seedless raisins
* 2 tablespoons strong chutney
* 2 bay leaves (or fresh lemon leaves if available)
* 2 medium eggs


Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in medium sauté pan. Stir in onions. Cook over medium heat until transparent. Add ground beef. Cook until lightly browned and crumbly.

Soak bread in half the milk, squeeze out excess milk and mash with a fork - DON'T TOSS SQUEEZED OUT MILK! Pour it straight back into remaining milk. Set milk aside, and ad pulled-apart bread to the meat mixture.

Add curry, sugar, salt, pepper, turmeric, vinegar, raisins, chutney to the beef mixture. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish, and place bay leaves on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes in preheated 350°F oven.

Beat egg with remaining milk and pour over mixture approximately 25 - 30 minutes before end of baking time.

Serve with steamed rice (traditionally yellow!) and extra chutney.

Pure South African comfort food! Especially nice in winter, or cold with a salad in summer.

Serves: 6

This was given on my daily diary so thought I would post it on here.It was from Val in south Africa.

I am going to buy a slow cooker when I am in the UK and also thinking about new saucepans, I used to use those lovely French saucepans which come in a range of delightful colours but I cannot lift them anymore due to arthritis.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Green fingers I am going to use your Stroganoff this evening.

Any suggestions for Easter food anyone?

I will put my thinking cap on

07.00hrs Spain

Hi here are two of my receipes for the dinner party of a lifetime..
Cannot remember which book the Stroganoff is in !!

Twice Baked Souffles

45g butter, 3 tbsps plain flour, 1/4 litre milk, 60g mature cheese grated, 3 medium eggs, salt and pepper, 1 tsp made mustard (I use Dijon) 6 slices bread 150ml double cream and 30g grated Parmesan

This recipe serves 6 - grease well 6 Ramekin dishes.
Oven at 180o C Put butter (brokenup) In a saucepan, along with milk and flour, this all in method works well, as long as you keep stirring, I use an electric whisk. Beat to a smooth sauce bring to boil still stirring for about 2 mins. Take off heat stir in grated cheese. Separate eggs. Add yolks to cheese sauce season well with salt and pepper,, mustard and a little grted nutmeg. Beat egg whites until stiff . Put one tablespoon into sauce mx to loosen it then fold in rest. Spoon mix innto the ramekins and
level tops put dishes into a roasting tin fill slowly the tin with boiling water to a depth of 3/4 inch Bake for 15-20 mins until mix is firm. These can be left overnight at this point. Before serving turn each soufffle out put in a tray put oven to 200oC . Pour cream over each coating lightly sprinkle with parmesan place in over for approx 10-15 mins until souffles sllightly brown.

The bread is optional but toast and cut into rounds and when serving place a souffle on top of each. Also lovely cold.

Choc Pots

If you use those small expresso cups to serve you can get eight out of this recipe.

75g strong dark choc at lease 70% cococa solids
25g butter
Yoks and whites of 3 standard eggs, 1 tbsp warm water
150ml double cream

Break up choc add butter and gently melt (I use the miicrowave and go at 30 secs a time) Beat in egg yolks.Then stir in warm water. Beat the egg whites till stiff and gently fold into choc mix, until all combined. Gently put into either the expresso cups or small dishes (its very rich but yummy) Chill, can also be done day before. Top with whipped double cream Wow !!!!!!!!!!

Just remembered which book Strog in

750g Fillet steak cut into strips, 1 grated onion, 75g butter, 400g sliced button mushrooms, s & p 3 tbsps white wine 150 ml double cream

Beat strips of meat with a meat tenderiser, or your rolling pin Fry chopped onion in 40g melted butter add strips of meat just for 5 mins turning once. Take meat out add mushrooms and fry for 3 mins, put steak back in stir in wine cook until met feels tender then add cream and stir in without boiling. Serve with wild rice cooked to instructions on packet.

Alternate method for above use slow cooker, chuck eveything in APART
from cream and leave to slowly cook until just before serving add cream !

Then enjoy

I wonder if anyone has seen the connection of these four people???? Interesting!
May need some sideways thinking,

Spain 10.00hrs

My first guest for dinner is Dirk Bogarde whom I fell in love with and was devastated when he died. A wonderful actor, in my view, very handsome, and certainly a great actor.

Sir Dirk Bogarde may not have called himself a humanist, but he did repeatedly reject the notion of God and campaigned tirelessly on many issues close to humanist causes. His experience in World War 2 cemented his assertion that he was “done with God.”

In a career that spanned seven decades, his artistic achievements and contribution to cinema should earn the title of ‘hero’ alone, yet he also had a series of successful novels and autobiographies as well as campaigning for various good causes.

His film career included work with some of the most celebrated directors in that period of artistic cinematic history and included films about issues that frightened the more mainstream Hollywood studios. Many believe that these decisions left him unable to continue the film star status and lifestyle that he enjoyed during his early career, yet Bogarde’s insistence that stories about issues such as homosexuality and the holocaust not only deserved to be told, but deserved to be told well, says much about his integrity as an actor.
I will add the next guest in a minute or two and then you may all work out why I chose these people.!?

Margaret Thatcher


Margaret Thatcher was born on October 13, 1925 in Grantham, England, the younger daughter of Alfred and Beatrice Roberts. Her father was a greengrocer and respected town leader, serving as lay-leader with their church, city-alderman and then as mayor. He taught Margaret never to do things because other people are doing them; do what you think is right and persuade others to follow you. She attended Oxford University from 1943 to 1947 and earned a degree in Chemistry, but it was clear from early on that politics was her true calling. She stood as a Conservative candidate from Dartford in the 1950 and 1951 elections. She married Denis Thatcher in December 1951 and they had twin children, Mark Thatcher and Carol Thatcher. She practiced tax law for a time in the 1950s, but was elected to Parliament from Finchley in 1959. Two years later, she was appointed to the cabinet as Minister of Pensions. In 1970, she was appointed Minister for Education and earned the title 'Thatcher the Milk Snatcher,' for eliminating free milk for schoolchildren in a round of budget-cutting. After the Conservative Party lost both general elections in 1974, she defeated Edward Heath for the leadership of the party. She was elected Prime Minister in May 1979 and served for eleven and a half years, longer than any other British Prime Minister in the 20th Century. As Prime Minister, she was staunchly capitalist and bent on wiping socialism from the face of Britain. During her tenure, she cut taxes, spending and regulations, privatized state-industries and state-housing, reformed the education, health and welfare systems, was tough on crime and espoused traditional values. Her time in office was eventful, having to contend with an economic recession, inner-city riots and a miners' strike. Her first great triumph in office was the Falklands War in 1982, when she sent British troops to reclaim British possessions off the coast of South America that had been invaded and occupied by Argentina. The British won that war and it showed the world that Britain was once again a power to be reckoned with. Her time in office saw unprecedented economic prosperity. She was staunch political allies with Ronald Reagan and through their tough foreign and defence policies, brought the Cold War to an end and a victory for the Free World. It was she who persuaded President George Bush to send troops to Saudi Arabia right after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. The Poll Tax and her refusal to endorse a common currency for Europe led the Conservative party to force her out of office in a bloody internal coup. She was forced to resign as Prime Minister in November 1990.

James Laver who wrote the first book I can remember reading Tommy Apple and his adventures in banana-land. I cannot find anything at all about James Lavers' amazing life with the exception of his writing this book!!! so if he came to dinner I could ask him is it a childs' book or as I think is it really a view of life at the time he wrote it.
Has anyone else read this book???

The person who inspired me and still does. Florence Nightingale a short synopsis.

Her reputation as a nurse was well known throughout the world and this caused her to be used in an advisory capacity by the United States during their civil war. She was also the first woman to receive the British Order of Merit, and in her very last years was recognised as a pioneer of the Red Cross Movement.

A remarkable woman who believed that God had empowered her especially to help the injured and improve their facilities, Florence Nightingale, helped to pull hospitals from the Middle Ages into the modern world. The amazing woman known as 'The Lady With The Lamp' died peacefully aged ninety in 1910.

nudge11.18hrs in Spain

Sorry haven't been back with recipes, will aim for today, this week has gone past in a flash.

\went shopping today and just as we arrived at the butchers he was reducing the cost of all his meat!! we must have bought enough for the next 4 weeks! Then it was the normal shopping along with bits and pieces that one suddenly spies and have to have!!

Had Lasagna for dinner tonight with Garlic bread and then some Hage Das Ice Cream it was simply delicious.
Had a call from Army son tonight which was a lovely surprise. We have to get OH measured for a special suite for sons church blessing of hiismarriage last year.
It is one of the dress suits with tails etc. All the family males will also be wearing these. and Army son is paying for all of these.So we have to go on line tomorrow and find how to do the measuring!!!

Also of course it is St Patricks' day today so we are out for a traditional Lunch and some dancing , singing and generally quite a lot of Crac (this means talking to each other and having a good time) just in case anyone wonders.

Bye for now and apologies for not adding why I chose the people I would have to lunch, will do this asap.

0Ohrs 20mins in Spain

Hello Greenfingers, Looking forward to reading about the ingredients later today. This afternoon I shall explain why I chose these people to come to my dinner Party.

I wonder of anyone else will try this little exercise?