Tales from The Shire

Fortune_Smiles

Christmas Plan

We've finalised our small Christmas plan.  DS1 will be coming to us on his own Christmas Day evening and leaving the day after Boxing Day.  So, as we're on our own for Christmas lunch I've booked us in to a local hotel's new dining pods.  We'll have one to ourselves and they'll provide an electric log burner and blankets and a lovely, festive lunch of course.  The area has been decorated with an alpine theme (think lots of fir trees and white fairy lights) and looks very pretty.  It's a big indulgence but will help to make Christmas special for us despite not being able to see family and friends.  Mr F and I have been talking about budgeting more for fun stuff next year as this year's fun money has mainly gone into savings, home improvements or extra charity donations.  All worthwhile investments but not all that much fun.  We'll make an early start with Christmas lunch.  Despite the situation, I'm actually starting to look forward to Christmas now.

Meals have been Creamy Beetroot Risotto, Leek & Wensleydale Toasties, Vegetable Jalfrezi and Roast Mushroom Gnocchi.  Mr F is bemoaning the lack of meat in his diet though (he said he dreamt about chicken last night 😂) so I've rejigged the meal plan for next week to cater for his carnivore leanings.  A local hotel is doing a 'Heat & Eat' takeaway menu so we might order from them for Saturday evening.

FDawg is still very excitable so I've ordered some diet supplements which are supposed to help him to stay calm.

Clever Mr F has managed to repair a Bo$£ speaker and convert it to bluetooth 🤩  He's also put some more solar lights up so we can get to and from the barn in the dark.  I think he's earned a meat pie 😁

Happy Monday all

Fortune x

SandyShores

Hi Fortune, just popping by to say hi.

I had a little chuckle at MrF's chicken dreams.  We tend to eat a lot of veggie stuff, its kinder, healthier, tastier and much easier to clean up (although there's a lot of prep in those veggies).  MrShores hasn't said 'where's the meat' for a while though especially with DD home there's been more butchers trips).  I love the look of the jalfrezi, so will give it a go this week.  Not sure about the beetroot risotto - I love beetroot and I love risotto but not sure of the two together?

Sandy x

Fortune_Smiles

SandyShores said:

Hi Fortune, just popping by to say hi.

I had a little chuckle at MrF's chicken dreams.  We tend to eat a lot of veggie stuff, its kinder, healthier, tastier and much easier to clean up (although there's a lot of prep in those veggies).  MrShores hasn't said 'where's the meat' for a while though especially with DD home there's been more butchers trips).  I love the look of the jalfrezi, so will give it a go this week.  Not sure about the beetroot risotto - I love beetroot and I love risotto but not sure of the two together?

Sandy x

Do give the beetroot risotto a try @SandyShores.  I'm not a big beetroot fan but I love this receipe.  I don't bother with the pureed bit - I just dice the beetroot, roast it and stir it in to the cooked risotto.  I also stir in the creme fraiche instead of serving it on top.  It's one of just two beetroot recipes I like so far (the search continues).  The other is a beetroot and halloumi curry.

Fortune x

rtandon27

Fortune_Smiles said:

SandyShores said:

...Not sure about the beetroot risotto - I love beetroot and I love risotto but not sure of the two together?

Do give the beetroot risotto a try ...I'm not a big beetroot fan but I love this receipe....

Sandy, I'll second that!  I'm not a huge fan of beetroot either, but tried the risotto recipe last time Fortune suggested it & we thoroughly enjoyed it! 

We've found one other beetroot recipe that was really tasty & so easy to make - a beetroot & feta pasta - in our house it is now called B@rbie pasta as it is so vibrantly pink

Fortune_Smiles

rtandon27 said:

Fortune_Smiles said:

SandyShores said:

...Not sure about the beetroot risotto - I love beetroot and I love risotto but not sure of the two together?

Do give the beetroot risotto a try ...I'm not a big beetroot fan but I love this receipe....

Sandy, I'll second that!  I'm not a huge fan of beetroot either, but tried the risotto recipe last time Fortune suggested it & we thoroughly enjoyed it! 

We've found one other beetroot recipe that was really tasty & so easy to make - a beetroot & feta pasta - in our house it is now called B@rbie pasta as it is so vibrantly pink

Love the sound of that pasta recipe @rtandon27 - will definitely be giving it a go 😀

Fortune x

SandyShores

Will definitely be trying the beetroot recipes - I love feta so that's a must rtandon and I love risotto so will have to try that as it looks so easy.  Not sure about sourcing beetroot - I usually buy the ready cooked so will look out for fresh.  It reminds me of the time I planted a load of seeds out in the garden and it just wouldn't stop growing - beetroot coming out of my ears - I could have done with your recipes back then.  Sadly when I met my new partner (now DH) he grassed over my veg plot and knocked down/decked over the greenhouse that I'd spent so many hours in and when DD came along I hardly had chance to do any gardening.  But I miss my days pottering and growing things.  We don't really have room in our new house garden for veggies, but I might have to get a raised bed or even take on an allotment (or maybe I'll just reminisce from the warmth of my kitchen and buy some from MrTs ).

rtandon27

SandyShores said:

...Not sure about sourcing beetroot...

We have a weekly veg box & earlier this autumn seemed to get beetroot every week - one of the lovely ladies on here (might have even been SL) advised to pop them in the bottom of the oven in tinfoil when the oven was on for anything else.  Once cooled, the skin slips off so easily & then I chop them into quarters and pop into the freezer in a bag for storage.  The rest of the year, we have a package of cooked & vacuum packed beets in the storecupboard (the ones without the brine/vinegar) which came from MrS's or MrT's grocery store & were found in the international food aisle with the Polish foods.

Fortune_Smiles

SandyShores said:

Will definitely be trying the beetroot recipes - I love feta so that's a must rtandon and I love risotto so will have to try that as it looks so easy.  Not sure about sourcing beetroot - I usually buy the ready cooked so will look out for fresh.  It reminds me of the time I planted a load of seeds out in the garden and it just wouldn't stop growing - beetroot coming out of my ears - I could have done with your recipes back then.  Sadly when I met my new partner (now DH) he grassed over my veg plot and knocked down/decked over the greenhouse that I'd spent so many hours in and when DD came along I hardly had chance to do any gardening.  But I miss my days pottering and growing things.  We don't really have room in our new house garden for veggies, but I might have to get a raised bed or even take on an allotment (or maybe I'll just reminisce from the warmth of my kitchen and buy some from MrTs ).

rtandon27 said:

SandyShores said:

...Not sure about sourcing beetroot...

We have a weekly veg box & earlier this autumn seemed to get beetroot every week - one of the lovely ladies on here (might have even been SL) advised to pop them in the bottom of the oven in tinfoil when the oven was on for anything else.  Once cooled, the skin slips off so easily & then I chop them into quarters and pop into the freezer in a bag for storage.  The rest of the year, we have a package of cooked & vacuum packed beets in the storecupboard (the ones without the brine/vinegar) which came from MrS's or MrT's grocery store & were found in the international food aisle with the Polish foods.

My beetroot comes fresh in my veg box too - I just peel it with a veg peeler, as I would potatoes, chop it up and roast it.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Hello World!

I went out into the world today 😲  It's such a rare occurence these days it feels like an adventure.  First I went to our local independent supermarket and posted some parcels - 3 returns, 1 Bay sale and a Christmas present.  Also picked up some cash and filled the car up.  Came home for a quick lunch then off to drop a donation at the food bank and into town to pick up a few Christmas treats from Mark$ and have my hair cut.  My usual hairdresser is on maternity leave at the moment so I had a new lady.  Not that happy if I'm honest.  She didn't dry my hair off after washing it so it was dripping down my face as I walked to the chair, didn't ask where my parting should be and started cutting with it on the wrong side and she burnt my head with the hairdryer 😲  It must must have been on the highest setting possible.  Her next client turned up half and hour early and was waiting and I felt she was rushing.  I also think she's not cut enough off.  She seemed to be snipping the very ends only which means I may have to go back.  I'm not paying £50 for a haircut that's going to last a couple of weeks.  I'll wait and see what it's like once I've washed it and then decide what to do.  I don't want to go back to her but it's awkward as she's in a senior position and has been there a long time.

Lunch today was a quick cheese bagel and supper was Saucy Meatball & Potato Tray Bake leftover from yesterday.  Mr F has been getting his meat fix 😆  He doesn't know it yet but there are some pork pies and bacon in the fridge for him.

I think I'll leave it a while before going out into the world again.  I found it very busy and stressful.  Usually I thrive on all the hustle and bustle.  I may need to break back into life on the outside gently when the time comes 🙂

Happy Thursday all

Fortune x

beanielou

My hairdresser died 5 years ago sadly & I still miss the way she cut my hair. 

I feel your pain.