PigginSkint's DFW Diary

PigginSkint

I tried googling the recipes but couldn't find a close match, so I have typed them up...

Both of these recipes are from my very favourite recipe book ‘Vegetarian Kitchen’ by Sarah Brown (1984, BBC):

Spiced Almond Risotto
Serves 4

3 tablespoons oil
1onion, peeled and chopped
I clove garlic, crushed
6oz (175g) long-grain brown rice, washed and drained (I usually just use white basmati rice)
3 sticks celery (I usually use leeks instead)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh root ginger, grated (I usually just use ground)
1 pint (570ml) boiling water
2oz (50g) sultanas
4oz (110g) mushrooms, wiped and sliced
1 red pepper, de-seeded and cut into strips
4oz (110g) blanched almonds
salt and freshly ground black pepper
(My own variation – add approx ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper)

Garnish:
Wedges of lemon with the edges dipped in paprika (I have never done this, but it sounds yummy doesn’t it?)

Heat the oil in a pan, then add the chopped onion, garlic and drained rice. Fry for 5 minutes turning the mixture over well. Slice the celery diagonally and add it to the pan with the spices and fry for 2-3 minutes. Pour over the boiling water and then add the sultanas, mushrooms, red pepper and almonds – either left whole or roughly chopped. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the rice is cooked. All the water should by then have been absorbed, but check the risotto constantly during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Season well and serve hot.

Gado-Gado Sauce
Makes 1½ pints (900ml) sauce

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1-2 teaspoons root ginger, finely grated (I usually just use ground)
½ teaspoon salt
6-8 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1-1½ pints (570-900ml) water
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan and gently fry the chopped onion, garlic, bay leaf and ginger, sprinkling in ½ teaspoon salt while frying to bring out the juices and make the onion more succulent. When the onions become translucent add all the remaining ingredients and mix them together very thoroughly. At first the sauce will look fairly thin but as the water heats up the peanut butter will gradually thicken and the sauce will become creamier and thicker as it cooks. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the seasoning before serving.

hypno06

That's fab!! Thank you!!

I will need to do it on a day that OH is out - not his *thing* but def mine!!!!!

And most of those ingredients are in the storecupboards so :j

PigginSkint

hypno06 wrote: »

That's fab!! Thank you!!

I will need to do it on a day that OH is out - not his *thing* but def mine!!!!!

And most of those ingredients are in the storecupboards so :j

No probs! Most of these ingredients are what I usually have in my store cupboard as well, so this is something I make a lot!

PigginSkint

I think I must have got badly de-hydrated yesterday. I had the beginnings of a headache yesterday evening and woke up with an absolute corker at 6am this morning when I had to get up to make OH his coffee and sandwiches (he was in London today). I stayed in bed all morning feeling pretty grim and still didn't feel that great when I finally dragged myself out of bed at midday.

I realised that I was out in the hot sun at Drayton Manor all day yesterday and barely drank anything - I had a drink in the morning, at lunchtime and again when we got home, but nothing at all in between, most unusual for me, and not a very good idea!

So today I managed a trip into town to do a bit of shopping and to post some parcels - 3 more books sold through Amazon, hoorah! Then collected Avon books in and made dinner, and that is about I have done today!

I shall have to make up for it tomorrow because I need to get the house reasonably tidy before we go camping on Tuesday.

PigginSkint

Today's post continued (paranoia set in again about the laptop possibly cutting out again and losing everything!!)...

Yesterday evening I turned on my holiday settings on Amazon Marketplace - it apparently takes 36 hours to take effect and I was worried about forgetting to do it in time!!

Today I found out that my youngest brother whose current job finished on Friday (he is currently doing long term temporary contracts through an agency), starts a new one Monday! I can't wait to tell OH - see, it can be done!!

OH's trip to London today was the first one he has had to pay for himself - instead of paying for on the credit card (which is on my account) and then never paying it back :mad: so he has actually made the effort to do it the cheapest way possible - he went on the coach instead of the train at about half the cost. Funny how he can do it when it is his money he is spending instead of mine. :mad:

Oh well, if this it what it takes to bring on his lightbulb moment, it can only be a good thing.

PigginSkint

Continued...

My Dad is taking us to the campsite on Tuesday and OH doesn't know it yet but he is going to take opportunity to 'have words' with OH! Rather him than me - my Dad does have a way with words!:eek:

Anyway I think that is all for now - night all!

dawnybabes

Congratulations to your brother !

Does this mean your OH has another audition ?

My OH gets migraines and I can link it straight back to long life bread. Hope U feel better soon

dawnybabes

Missed the one about your dad - is anyones elses shwoing the posts funny, like a list at the top and one message only ?

Good on your dad, maybe the talk will work ....

PigginSkint

dawnybabes wrote: »

Congratulations to your brother !

Does this mean your OH has another audition ?

My OH gets migraines and I can link it straight back to long life bread. Hope U feel better soon

Thanks!

I only wish it was an audition - alas no! It is is theatre and dance project that he is working on with a friend of his. I know they have funding for it but I can't remember he will get paid much, if anything, for it.

De-hydration must have been the problem - I have drunk plenty today so feel much better now.

PigginSkint

dawnybabes wrote: »

Missed the one about your dad - is anyones elses shwoing the posts funny, like a list at the top and one message only ?

Good on your dad, maybe the talk will work ....

It was SM that offered to drop us off but Dad will be taking us. SM would have come with us but, to be honest, we are going to need the extra room for all of our stuff. Normally when we go camping there are only 3 of us - me, OH and DS - so we can use one half of the back seat for anything that won't fit in the boot (like the sleeping bags!). Having said that, Dad and SM also camp - they have a caravan nowadays - so they have a large car for the purposes of fitting all their gear in, so I think if I pack carefully we will be O.K.