Thursday 29 September 2011

Christmas-a-comin...

No surprise that I decided to get on with this blog as the corner turned on summer (what little there was of it up here in Scotland) as I love autumn, summer may be all BBQs and al fresco dining but what use is that when you live on the 4th floor of an old Glasgow tenement?   No, give me soups, stews and hearty pies any day...

A very generous man I work with, lets call him Peter for that is his name, brought me a Lidl bag stuffed full of apples from the tree in his garden a fortnight ago.  Not a 3p Lidl bag either, an extra large 10p bag.  To date Ive turned those apples into 11 jars of chutney, 7 jars of savoury jellies, 9 jars of jam of various flavours and Ive still got some strained apple juice lying dormant in the freezer just waiting on a call up.  On top of that I was lucky enough to happen on some wild damsons on a trip up north last week, quick as a flash they were transformed into wild damson and cassis jam and quite spectacular it is too!

I make a lot of chutney, jams etc so Ive invested in a proper maslin pan, jam funnel, muslin jelly bag and proper thermometer.  I buy my jars online but sometimes I recycle old jars and just buy new lids (this is essential).  I will post the recipes for all of the above goodies in the next few days or so.

Talking Mince

Late home the last few nights so we have been eating quick and easy, last night a speedy leek and potato soup was whipped up as a perfect post-run supper.  Had no firm ideas for the next few nights either so I took some mince out of the freezer before bed and this morning I knocked up a couple of options using what was hanging around in the fridge..I hate waste!  Total prep time was about 10 mins and cooking time approx 40 mins.

Make-do Chilli
200g lean mince                      4 chestnut mushrooms sliced
2 crushed garlic cloves           1 carrot chopped very small
1/2 onion chopped                  3 large tomatoes chopped                        
1/2 leek chopped                    1 can red kidney beans

2 dried chillies chopped very fine, salt, pepper to taste and some water.

  1. Browned the mince then add the onions, chilli and garlic, cook down for a few mins
  2. In went the carrots, mushrooms and leek, cook down another few mins
  3. Added the chopped tomatoes and the can of kidney beans, loosen with a little water.
  4. Checked throughout and season to taste.
  5. Left to simmer for around 40 mins.
Cooled quickly and into fridge for later.  Rice or some baked potatoes will round it off.

Make-do Pasta Ragu
Same method, same core ingredients but omitted the chillies and the kidney beans.  Instead added a few sprigs of rosemary and instead of plain water use around 200 mls of veg or chicken stock.

So, two pots on the go, two meals cooked, cooled and ready for eating later all before 10am!  Not bad at all!

Sunday 25 September 2011

Welcome!

It will get better, I promise...

So, whats this all about?  Im a busy working woman in my, alas, late thirties, with a daughter, cat and partner all wanting feeding (not always in that order) and to put it simply, I love cooking.  I didn't always love it, it has sneaked up on me over the last few years and now I'm told Im quite good at it!  I'm a practical woman so weeknights I do simple, made-from-scratch family meals and then at weekends I go a bit mad trying out this and that. 

I don't have a fancy kitchen with triple ovens, belfast sink or Kitchen Aid (although I have placed an order to Santa for that); I've got a small galley kitchen in my cosy wee Housing Association flat near the centre of Glasgow, with the basics covered and not much more!  I save where I can and invest a little more in good quality stuff where it matters.  Making something out of nothing is a bit of a speciality of mine, basically I try to do great things with modest means. 

I will post recipes, experiments and musings on a fairly regular basis, so feel free to pop by for a cuppa sometime...