Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Hello again,

So pleased the lemon pud went down well, Grunnie; mine is bubbling away slowly on the stove ready for tonight, and the dumplings are made. I was going to make the feta cheese and red pepper recipe for a starter, but maybe I'll do this one instead. It's a favourite of one of my vegetarian friends (and he goes to posh restaurants like 'Le Gavroche' and 'Wintringham Fields') and I've even got fluted ramekin tins to do them in - but they taste just as good whatever you use. They can be frozen unbaked and then baked from frozen allowing an extra 5 or 10 minutes baking time.

Twice- baked Goat Cheese Souffle - serves 6

2 tbsp. butter, 3 tbsp. flour, 1 and a quarter cups hot milk, pinch of cayenne pepper, squeeze of lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 3 and a half ounces semi-hard goat cheese, 2 eggs, separated, melted butter for brushing, 3 tbsp. dried breadcrumbs, 3 tbsp. ground hazenuts or walnuts (or any bits of nuts you have), 2 egg whites, salad for garnish.

Melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook to a roux for a minute, then gradually whisk in the hot milk to make a thick white sauce. Simmer for a minute, then season with cayenne, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the crumbled cheese until it melts. Cool slightly then beat in the egg yolks.

Brush the insides of 6 ramekins with the melted butter and coat them with the breadcrumbs and nuts. Shake out any excess.

Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees/gas 5 and prepare a bain-marie - a roasting tin with boiling water. Whisk the egg whites to the soft peak stage and carefully fold them into the mixture using a figure of eight movement. Spoon into the ramekins.

Place the souffl!s into the bain-marie and bake for 12-15 minutes. until risen and golden brown. You can serve them at this stage, otherwise, let them cool then chill.

To serve twice-baked, re-heat the oven to the same temperature. Run a knife round the inside of each ramekin and turn out each souffl! onto a baking tray. Bake the souffl!s for about 12 minutes. Serve on prepared plates with a dressed salad garnish.

I'm putting off tidying up those books, but it has to be done so think I'll take a cup of tea with me!

Viv xx

Gosh, yes, I'd forgotten about the 'Angelique' books - the nearest we got to 'Fifty Shades of Grey'. Though I must admit I thought that was tame after all that hype! When you went to Lincoln Cathedral did you also see her house in the Close (I think that's what it's called).
I've read 'Katherine' so many times; it really captured my imagination. I also love Wilbur Smith because I used to live in Africa; maybe we weren't swamped with so many books then because I've read all those authors you mentioned. Have you also read books by Elizabeth Goudge? I like her as well - apparently she's J K Rowling's favourite author so I'm in good company.

Must go and finish my rug quota, and then a tidy up before my guests arrive.

Viv xx

Skip Dive

The Aran front and back

Afternoon Everyone,

I've been reading along but not posting as I've had a cold and a cough, followed by a bout of sickness but in between times I have been doing lots of making do, mending and minimising.

DH and I went to the cash and carry the other day for work but also picked up a few reduced bargains for ourselves. For £3.37 we managed to get a sack of potatoes, 3 bags of salad, a pack of rolls,mushrooms, a loaf of bread and 4 pints of double cream. The potatoes are in the garage, the hens have eaten the salad, the loaf is in the freezer, DH has eaten the rolls and the cream has been turned into butter and used for meals along with the mushrooms. I now have two and a half pounds of butter and a pint of butter milk to keep me going.

On the craft side I've been making homemade cards for various birthdays coming up. My mother gave me an enormous box of old cards so I've been chopping them up and doing some upcycling to make new ones.

I also was a Girl Guide and Queens Guide and love reading most of the authors mentioned in the past few pages. I dug out my old guide uniform recently and after reading something mentioned somewhere on the forum, put it on ebay. I got over £50 for it. I've still got all the memories and a photo of me wearing it and had actually forgotten I still had it. It's gone to someone who collects Guiding memorabilia and tours round with displays giving talks so gone to a good home.

Description wise - I'm another littlie. If I stand as tall as I can I just scrape 5 foot but often come out as 4ft 11 and threequarters on the weighing machines at Boots. I've got a blonde bob and am a size 10/12 but aiming to get back to a size 8/10.

Rose