I woke up pretty stiff and achey, too, which usually does not bode well for any weekend plans, especially when they consist of trying to steam my way through a magahoosive facienda (that'd be a "to-do list" in Latin). Still, despite feeling like something chewed me up overnight and spat me out this morning, I managed to cut OH's hair, start off a new batch of kefir and a fresh one of kombucha; I dealt with the tomatoes (roast with onions, then add basil and a pinch of sugar, whizz it up with a stick blender, box up, freeze). made OH's lunches for the week (chicken pasta salads) - my lunches, at least to start with, are leftovers from yesterday, DD's pasta, cheese and onion pasties or potato salad.
This is what the kitchen looked like mid-action:
And then I spent the afternoon re-doing DD's timetable, as we are changing the way we are approaching certain things. That's just one of the many really good things about home education - flexibility.
And before you know it, it's time to start the dinner off. I was hoping to pick up a roast of some sort when shopping on Saturday, but there wasn't anything that fitted the budget with any ease, so a couple of chicken breasts came out of the freezer instead - with all the trimmings, they are quite large enough to be shared out between the three of us. I still fancied Yorkshire puddings though, so the chapatti flour came out (as it's the only flour I have left). Not my best - but perfectly adequate.
This reminds me - isn't it funny how our fears and prejudices about cooking are rooted in familiarity - I remember making mayonnaise as a five year old, and it never ever split - I did not know that it could ! The first time someone told me of the possibility, though - guess what happened the very next time I attempted to make it ? Nowadays, though, I just use Elaine's ten second method - I dare anyone's negative thoughts to split that ! ;o)
Anyway, Yorkshires were one of my fears - not having grown up with them, and never having seen anyone make them, opening a packet of Aunt Bessie's and heating them up in the oven was the most I dared do for years. I mean, how on earth would I make them rise in that bowl-shaped form ?
Turns out, they do it all by themselves. All I have to do is put some fat into a muffin tin, get it really, really hot, and in the meantime, break an egg into a measuring cup, note the volume, then mix it up with an equal volume of flour (even if it is chapatti) and milk, a pinch of salt..... Get the tin out of the oven, pop a spoonful of batter into each muffin cup, then bake on 200C (fan oven) for 15-20 minutes.
Couldn't be any easier, now could it ?
I like roast dinners, but the bit I am less fond of is the amount of washing up they generate - and that's despite me clearing up as I go throughout.
Give me a nice casserole or risotto to cook any day of the week..... One pot meals rock :o)
Mmm, it all looks yummy. I know what you mean about the washing up though, it always amazes me how much is generated. It's good to get some advance cooking done as well. Hope you all have a good week.
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