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redofromstart

I hope everyone has the same glorious sunshine? Its lovely here so we all went for a local walk, round to the (aptly named) stinking woods to squelch through the mud and admire the bluebells and the wild garlic. I could have done with the time in the garden, but it was nice to go for a family walk and the boys not moan all the way round like they used to.

Bit sore now so not much else will be happening today. I've watered the tunnel, and notice that the first peas are through in the veg plot which is good - old seed and wasn't sure they would grow.

I picked up an (expensive) pack of british asparagus so looking forward to that later with a one egg mix of this delia foaming hollandaise. I've got some chicken bosoms out for flattening, marinading and pan frying - we will be having it with some wild garlic, mint and tomato couscous which DS1 says will work as a result of a 'no wild garlic and polo mints don't mix' discussion on the walk. Its great when he thinks about food combinations like that I also cooked the last few potatoes from the old bag, cold with chives and mayonnaise will be nice.

The dry goods list told me I have a tin of evap milk. No idea why, its not something we use actually but then I remembered a recipe I had from my mother. Early summer Sunday puddings as a child revolved around home made no churn ice cream, spooned thick toffee sauce and mini meringues. There was always a jar in the fridge, and it got spooned over sliced bananas too.

No churn ice cream (Caution: contains raw eggs)
4 eggs, 4oz sugar, 10fl oz whipping or double cream, and vanilla essence. Seratae the eggs then whip the whites to stiff peak then whip in the sugar one spoon at a time. Fold in the beaten egg yolks and vanilla essence. Whip the cream and then fold into the egg mixture. Freezer over night, no need to churn , etc.

Toffee Sauce
2oz butter, 3 oz brown sugar, 2 oz white sugar, 5oz syrup in a pan, slowly melt together and then let it bubble gently for five minutes. Take it off the heat and beat in 4 fl oz of evaporated milk and some vanilla essence. This thickens as it cools, and is best stored in a jar in the fridge. No idea how long it lasts for, its always been gone within a week. Freeze the rest of the evap milk in 4oz blocks (says my frugal mother)

She sent me the recipes when the boy was three weeks old as I clearly needed more calcium because she knew I wouldn't eat properly. I measured the evap today in the last of his old feeding bottles. This amused me. He is 15 :cool:

Mini meringues
I've also made some tiny meringues to serve it with, two egg whites, 4 oz sugar. Egg whites whisked to stiff peak, then whisk in a spoonful of the sugar at a time and take back up to stiff peak. Teaspoons of mix onto a baking papered tray, into the oven for 20 minutes at 140, then 20 minutes at 100 then switch it off. I'll report back on the timings, I've mixed a couple of recipes.

HairyHandofDartmoor

It does look like excellent gardening weather. I love bluebell woods, even squelchy ones I hope you have a productive and enjoyable weekend Redo.

redofromstart

Thanks HHOD More glorious sunshine. although I was a bit stiff to do anything useful yesterday other than usual washing/ironing marathon. DSs did the lawns so the place instantly looks better. Hoping to get more done today, if I had a push at it I could clear the last of the long border ready for planting.

The meringues worked well, crunchy outside and a nice chewy middle which is how I like them. The toffee sauce is runnier than I remembered but very nice.

Yesterday we had a slow roast leg of lamb. Quartered onion, big fat garlic gloves (in their skins), rosemary (or a sprinkle of mixed herbs) into the roasting tray. Added the lamb, salt, pepper and oiled it then tipped in 600ml of beef stock. Loosely covered in foil and then ignore it in a 150 fan oven for four hours, take the foil off and give it another 45 minutes to brown. Neither of us will eat rare lamb so slow cook makes for tender well cooked lamb. You could make gravy with the juices if you separated off the fat, and the garlic is soft and sweet apparently.

greenbee

Don't overdo things in the heat... but do make sure you spend some time sitting in the warm looking at the garden.

I got three of 4 holes dug and 2 of the plants in. Didn't get the lawn or the weeding done, but have done some laundry and clearing out of the garage. I also did some reading and alternated lying around in the sunshine with lying around indoors.

Today I need to get the hornet out of the stove (windows are open, next I need to be brave enough to open the stove), pot up the rest of the nicotiana plugs that I'd forgotten I'd ordered (hope I have enough compost as I don't fancy going shopping, although I also need rose food), plant the last 2 shrubs and a geranium, split some logs and hopefully do the mowing when it cools down. Plus laundry and packing away some of my winter clothes to make room for the summer ones - all my travel until at least the end of this month is to warm or hot places so I should be OK to do this!

Food here will be salad, if I can be bothered.

doingitanyway

Redo, I finally got into the garden yesterday. Looks much tidier but so much more needs doing. Your lamb sounds nice

EssexHebridean

Oh my - your food sounds amazing! I'll happily eat pink lamb but also love a beautiful slow cooked bit - I usually do shoulders cooked for hours until it's dropping off the bones (mainly because done any other way it's an utter bar-steward to carve!)

redofromstart

It worked really well EH, and shredded nicely.

A&C sent me another code so I have waited until they had british asparagus in, as that plus a medium veg box took me over the £20 spend to use my £10 off. Double asparagus, double mushrooms and double kohl rabi makes me for an unusual veg box but at least I know it will be eaten with enthusiasm. I've not seen kohl rabi anywhere else but I have planted some seeds which have germinated.

More asparagus and hollandaise tonight, followed by an experimental use up the lamb biryiani with pistachios and mint. MrM had some short dated shelled pistachios at 60p so I have those in stock for once.

Too hot to do much outside today, will have to crack on tomorrow and get the green waste bins filled.

redofromstart

Clothes Spends:
£4.98 in Lidl on two long line cotton vest tops, a default wardrobe item for me. I'll put them away till current collection need replacing but I rarely see these under £4 so a good buy.

I've taken a number of photos of myself for the style challenges and am bothered about my size creeping up again. I try to avoid scales (or I get obsessive) but a bit of focus on F&V consumption wont do any harm. I'd exercise but by the time I have finished in the garden my knees and back and old lady hips just don't want to.

Wrestling nettle roots out is a lot easier after the mix of sun and rain.

The lamb thing was ok, used stuff up but not a keeper of a recipe. Tonight we are on prawn stir fry (RTC stir fry veg, with extra mushrooms and big fat raw prawns (Makro, 700g of huge frozen raw king prawns £10ish)

Bluegreen143

Those recipes above for the ice cream and toffee sauce sound absolutely divine - thanks for sharing! The lamb sounds good too, I never think I like it much but occasionally my parents serve a big roast and its always nice there. Husband isnt keen either which is why I!!!8217;ve not bothered to cook it ourselves but then he would eat it at my parents house too so maybe I should give it a bash!

HairyHandofDartmoor

Good luck with losing weight Redo. Will the style course change what type of clothes you buy from now on?