Bones and Berries

Blackberry picking around the lake was fruitful and delicious.  I just love the vivid colour of cooked blackberries.

Recipe: Blackberry and apple crumble

Given half the chance, like his daddy, George would eat everything off the bone.  I have to look away while they recreate a scene from Walking with Dinosaurs.

"Where we goiiin?", "Whhhyyy", "Where next?"

My last two car journeys with George have gone as follows,

"Mummyyyy"
"Yes George"
"Where we going?"
"To drop Wilf and Alfie's presents off and then for a walk around the lake to look for dinosaur fossils and pick blackberries"
"Whyy"
"Because it is Wilf and Alfie's birthday"
"Are we not picking blackberries and finding dinosaurs"
"Yes, after we have dropped off the presents"
"Mummyyy, where we going"
"To drop Wilf and Alfie's presents off and then for a walk around the lake to look for dinosaur fossils and pick blackberries"
"Where are we now?"
"In the car going to Wilf and Alfie's house"
"Where next"
"Then on to the lake"
"Whyyy", "Where we going" etc etc etc etc etc.

On the millionth ask, I ask him back "Where do you think we are, where are we going now and where are we going next?"  He gives me the perfect answer.  Of course he isn't asking why, where, what for his own curiosity. His only curiosity is how long it will take to wind me up.  A pretty long time sadly for him.

This morning we went for our swimming class that we have been doing since he was 9 weeks old.  George wanted to wear my goggles, from about 8.30am this morning - the lesson started at 9.30am.  As he peered at me from his seat in the back asking, on one of our most familiar journeys, again, those questions: "Mummyyy, where are we going?, Why? Where are we now? Where next?"  I looked back at him, at those beady innocent little eyes and smiling wondrous face, peering through my far-too-big goggles and wished that like so many, I could bottle that moment.

My gorgeous, innocent, curious, testing little boy with the biggest sense of humour and a sparkle in his eye that melts my heart each and every time I look at him.  These are the moments that I hope I will never forget. 

Mess

I am a pretty clean and tidy person, apart from when cooking.  I need a chef's assistant, desperado.  Note the splattered chocolate cake mix adorning the walls, cupboards, photos.... - let's just say the bowl and I had a disagreement about how much mixture the electric whisk could handle.

There were lots of green and red tomatoes sitting in the greenhouse....

Tomato Soup (simple version) Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook:

200g onions, chopped

50g unsalted butter

900g tomatoes

5 tablespoons of dry sherry (I used a little less Port instead)

1 tblsp sugar if required (toms not ripe enough)

Torn basil to serve

Veg stock if needs thinning ( mine did a little - maybe 150ml)

Sweat the onions slowly (I always like to sweat onions for a good 10 minutes to make them nice and sweet)

Add everything excpet the cream and cook for about 10 mins

Whizz in a blender (I always use handheld whizzer) Push through a sieve (I didn't bother!)

Thin if necessary with stock and a dribble of cream and more basil. Yum Scrum.

Green tomato Chutney (Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook) :

7cm piece of root ginger

2-3 red chillis, halved

900g cooking apples, peeled, cored & chopped

450g shallots

1.75 litres white wine vinegar

450g demerara sugar

juice of 2 lemons

25g mustard seeds

50g salt

Bruise the ginger and tie it in a muslin with the chilllis

Put all the ingredients into a big pan preserving pan.

Tie muslin bag to the handle and let it dangle and release all the flavours

Start over a low heat to dissolve the sugar then boil for 2 hours until consistency is rich and thick.  I never felt that mine got that rich and thick 1. because I think there is slightly too much liquid, and 2. because I forgot to put the apples in, remembered after about 45 minutes then overdid the rest of the mixture so the tomatoes went a little too mushy. 

Put chutney into warm sterilised jars and cross your fingers for a month!!

I now have 15 jars of the stuff in my garage!

Playdough and party bags

Lots of fun making playdough for this weekend's party bags

If you add cream of tartar and cook it, it lasts longer than the usual flour, salt, water mix. Here is the recipe: Playdough that keeps



Squash

Gorgeous delicious autumn fruits. Tonight I roasted it with garlic and cherry tomatoes but must think of some more exciting things to do.

Things that don't mix well

Wind & Veg

The allotment has been suffering from last week's high winds and my crops are starting to dwindle.

3 Year old boys and buses


I thought it would be a treat to get on a bus into town.  It wasn't! "George, Please don't roll up and down the aisle with your new dinosaur dressing gown on" "Please don't swing on the hand bars" "Stop pressing the buzzer 10 times". Maybe he can go on a bus again one day. With his mates. When he's 18.

Vegetable decor?

Bags of onions and potatoes in hessians sacks in the garage, not too easy on the eye...

I believe my effort at garlic plaiting (thanks to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0tartEai7Q) deserves a place on the kitchen wall. 

There won't be any vampires knocking on our door.

Mud recognition

George received recognition this weekend by winning the 'muddiest child' pize at a birthday party. What do you expect from a dragon fighting prince?

Shorts soaked and stripped withn the first 5 minutes

Courgette and Runner Bean Chutney

I am always, honestly, quite happy when autumn arrives.  I love seasons and the changes that they bring.  The allotment and our garden have given me so much joy and fulfilment this year but it will be nice to have a rest from weeding and watering for a few months. 

Autumn is about warmth and cosiness.  It is slow cooked stews, beautiful leaves, snuggling under a blanket, thick jumpers, red wine, conkers, and evening cooking stints with the radio playing old jazz.  I just love that. 

My first autumnal cooking stint this week involved dusting off my preserving pan as promised.  I need to wait a month for it to 'mellow' but I have high hopes:-)

As I still have gazillions of runner beans the first attempt is Runner Bean and Courgette chutney:

"With its mixture of sweet and tangy flavours, this chutney is perfect saved with oily fish, but it is also delicious served with bread and cheese or a salad"

600g runner beans, thinly sliced

4 courgettes, thinly sliced

350g cooking apples, peeled, cored chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

450g light brown soft sugar

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander seeds

600ml cider vinegar

Put everything in a pan and stir, disolve sugar over a gently heat, bring to boil for about 10 mins. Reduce to simmer for 1 hr 30mins ( I did more like 2 hours to get the sauce thick). Ladle into warm sterilised jars. Cover each pot with waxed paper disc, seal and label. Allow to mature for in dark cool place for 1 month and fridge after opening.

Note to self: Buy some snazzy jar covers.

 

A Week of Firsts

George's first day at pre-school.  He loves it. More than I thought possible. Maybe it is the bike ride along the ducks, the shorter hours, the mingling with the bigger boys and girls ... most probably the toys - from computers to a designated 'dinosaur corner' (most likely).  Maybe, like me, nothing has before ever felt quite right in the way that this does.  I love the fact that he is 5 minutes from home, I love the structure the 'school run' gives to my day and I adore the fact that he is so happy and growing in confidence every day.

On asking him yesterday if he had spoken to any new friends yet, he said, "Mummy I'm not shy anymore but I haven't said the first words yet." 




First morning - very excited to wear his backpack





George insisted on riding his bike with both his backpack and his 'picnic basket' which he loved helping me pack up. Still had to run to keep up with him.



Life feels good. I have found myself being less troubled and worrysome. I don't feel like I need all the emotional crutches.  I've decided to give it all a rest, the herbs and the accupuncture cash is going on a week away in the sun in November.  What will be will be. Now that really is a first.

Happy Birthday hubby!

In the past hubby has been treated to cameras, ipods, bikes, weekends to New York etc etc for his birthday.  But now I don't earn a crust, how do I try to make his birthday extra special. Home made cards - tick, his old school best buddy here for the weekend - tick, some culinary delights...

Friday night: Chicken stuffed with spinach 

Recipe This was the leftover one as I forgot to take pics




At Waddeson manor - brilliant - we blew poor George's head off with some hot chilli peanuts! I did feel I was turning into my mum-in-law, muttering at every other stall "well I can't buy that for £xx - I could easily make it myself!" My brand new preserving pan may just be dusted off this week.





The best bottle of red I've had for a while - courtesy of hubby's buddy

Jamie Oliver Roast Pork loin: Recipe



 

Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook Rhubarb tart: Recipe. I have to fess up that the tart pastry case was one that I happened to find in my shopping trolley at Morrison's.

Local Mountain biking race at Aston Hill - we got soaked but hubby loved it (and I secretly quite enjoyed it). George said "Daddy will you come and watch me when I ride my bike down here". Hubby cries tears of joy.  I just cry.



Sarah Raven's (Garden Cookbook) Cauliflower Soup - the perfect warmer upper from a late summer soaking



Salmon and anchovy pasta bake: Recipe I used wholewheat pasta and it was just as yum.

   
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Hubby's Rhubarb crumb cake in the making: Recipe. Hubby requested a rhubard cake I had made before. This one is much more interesting and devilishly good.




A birthday isn't a birthday without candles, banners and balloons. George now beside himself with excitement that his own birthday isn't too far off. Not helped by the fact he found one of his presents today. Chances of 'Gator Golf' lasting till October 3rd?





Jamie Oliver's Sausage and mash with red onion gravy: Recipe. In the words of Jamie - PROPER comfort food. nb. No meal gets away unscathed from beans right now.



 



Post and kissaversaries

How nice is it to get post? Something that, I think, never loses its novelty.  A little card with a note always brightens my day and knowing that someone has dedicated that moment and effort to you is so special. 

Yesterday was mine and hubby's 10 year kissaversary or snogging anniversary as my gorgeously wonderful twin sister more accurately wrote in the card we got today. Ten years since we first really met and ten years since I kinda knew right away that I had met a very special man.  Much to my resistance really as I was a 22 year old singleton living the highlife in London town.  Thankfully I couldn't resist and what a ten years it has been.  We've travelled the world had so many highs that I'd need a fair few magnums to bottle them and of course the tough times which I quite simply would not have survived without my man. 

I got a beautiful bracelet, totally unexpected, from hubby and he got some freshly cooked seabass and allotment veg from me!  I didn't expect any other acknowlegment and when I got my lovely card from twin sister this morning, who frankly has little spare time with a demanding 4 month old attached to her breast night and day, well it made me smile so wide. 

Some of my favourite cards from the past few months