Disgusted of Sheffield

As I've said here before "I don't do Christmas", but I do do Christmas lunch. What can I say, I'm a Contrary Mary. But what I heard today, just disgusted me (and resulted in a few choice swear words).

Can you imagine charging someone to come to Christmas lunch? I'm not talking about a restaurant or hotel or a pub, they earn every penny they charge. No, what I heard today was about an individual's own Mother asking for payment from her own child. I don't meaning asking someone to bring the sprouts, or a bottle of bubbly or a bag of prawns, but asking for £30 hard cash. I know many people are feeling the pinch this year, but even still who among us would demand cash from their own family for the privilege of sharing Christmas Day with them?

Warming Food for Cold Days

The weather has been cold, wet and horrible; which just puts me in the mood for warming and hearty food. So let me introduce you to Chicken Casserole and Dumplings. It's also pretty damn easy to make.

Ingredients for 4 Hungry People:

For Casserole

1 Large Leek

2 Parsnips

2 Carrots

Half a Celeriac

5 Mushrooms

1 400g Tin of Tomatoes

8 Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Plain Flour

Salt/Pepper

For Dumplings

200g Self Raising Flour

70g Vegetable Suet

1 Tsp Mixed Herbs

Salt/Pepper

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/190 ^oC/375 ^oF. Wash and slice the leek, both white and green parts, the long cooking makes it all tender.

Peel and chop the root vegetables into 1-1.5 cm dice. You don't have to use these vegetables, it's just what I had to hand. Also great would be, swede, turnip, jerusalem artichoke, sweet potato, I wouldn't use potato as they tend to turn to mush.

Quarter the mushrooms and remove the skin from the chicken portions.

Heat a large casserole (with a lid) on the hob and add the olive oil, gently fry the vegetables for 5 minutes with a little salt and pepper. Add the plain flour and stir it in well. Add the tinned tomatoes and then 1 tin full of hot water. Finally add the chicken portions and try to submerge them in the liquid. Heat on the hob until it is bubbling, then put on the lid and put in the oven for an initial 1 and a half hours. Now go and snuggle up on the sofa and keep warm, or as we did today go to a cold and wet Sharrowvale Market.

Now for the dumplings. Put the self raising flour, suet, herbs and seasoning in a bowl and mix together. Add enough cold water to make a soft slightly sticky dough. Spoon golf ball sized portions on top of the casserole, then return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, this time with the lid off.

Serve up to hungry people, all that will be left is the bones.

What to eat this week

Started the weekend by making Quark Pastry (from my Nordic Bakery cookbook) and making Jam Pinwheel Pastries. Very yummy.

SATURDAY:

Spouffle - quick easy and very delicious

SUNDAY:

Mushroom & Stilton Pie with Potato & Celeriac Mash and Broccoli

MONDAY:

Moussaka

TUESDAY:

Orecchiette with Broccoli, Chilli & Pine Nuts

WEDNESDAY:

Spaghetti & Meatballs

THURSDAY:

Smoked Salmon Tartiflette

FRIDAY:

Chicken & Mushroom Pie and Veg (lets see what comes in the box)

For Fluffrick's lunch this week I made "Mexican Tomato & Bean Soup" from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's new book.

What to eat this week

So we are already half way through the week, but I want to keep a record of what we are eating.

SATURDAY:

Cauliflower Cheese

SUNDAY:

Country Chicken Casserole with Dumplings

MONDAY:

Vegetable Fajitas

TUESDAY:

Trout, Potatoes, Broccoli and Dill cream sauce

WEDNESDAY:

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Blue Cheese and Walnut

THURSDAY:

Turkey Lasagne and vegetable

FRIDAY:

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto - we should have had this last Friday, but I've had a cold, so we had Chinese Take Out instead

For Fluffrick's Lunch this week I made him Five Root Soup a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Special, I was going to make some bread from my new Nordic Bakery book, but I haven't felt up to it, I hate having a cold.

A Day Out in Bradford - or the dangers of letting me loose in a fabric shop

Last Wednesday (yes, I know a whole week ago) Fluffrick and I had a day out in Bradford. It may not leap to the front of everyone's mind as a day trip destination, but it was a grand day out, which my love wrote a post about over on his blog.

As well as the cultural stuff at Salts Mill and The National Media Museum, I was indulged by going to the lovely fabric shop "The Shuttle". Despite the fact that I really do not need any more fabric, I came away with the following lovely things.

From Top to Bottom:

Sage Green Irish Linen - £1 a meter - 3 meters

Mint Green Baby Cord - £2 a meter - 2 meters

Brown with a blue Stripe Linen Mix - £2 a meter - 3 meters

Golden Irish Linen - £1 a meter - 3 meters

Lilac Baby Cord - £1 a meter - 1.1 meters

Navy Jumbo Cord - £3 a meter - 2.5 meters

They have wonderful shelves in the back with discounted fabric, I could not resist. I already know what I want to do with half the fabric, the Green Baby Cord is going to be another "Boden" inspired dress for me. The brown stripe and Navy Jumbo Cord and both going to be trousers for Fluffrick. When I pull my finger out and actually make theses things I will post pictures here, Fluffrick will be so happy to model again.

In addition to the David Hockney gallery at Salts Mill, there is a great Cafe on the top floor and a wonderful bookshop on the second floor. I do love a good bookshop. I know it is far cheaper to buy books on-line, but there is nothing quite like browsing round a well laid out bookshop and I came away with this little treasure.

There are lots of lovely breads, biscuits and sweet things to try, it should be fun.

What to eat this week

SUNDAY:

Moussaka

MONDAY:

Pumpkin & Prawn Curry with Naan Bread

TUESDAY:

Roasted Squash Falafel, Cous Cous and Halloumi

WEDNESDAY:

Twice Baked Potatoes

THURSDAY:

Pizza

FRIDAY:

Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

As I am a cooking from scratch sort of girl, this week's menu is dependent on me not be totally shattered. Fluffrick is on holiday this week and we have plans to tile the hall floor. It's about time too, as the tiles have been hanging around for ten months patiently waiting to be put into service. I just can say I'm looking forward to trying to tile a floor that is in constant use. We may just end up having Scrambled Eggs or Cheese on Toast all week.

Dr Who?

I have no qualms about saying that I am a huge Sci-fi geek, how could I not be when I share my birthday with Gene Roddenberry. I am also a major league Steven Moffat fan, having watched him from the very beginning. Technically I should have been too old for "Press Gang", but that didn't stop me watching and loving it. So to say that I love the Steven Moffat iteration of "Dr Who" would be an understatement.

Last night saw the season finale of "Dr Who", and many questions answered, but oh so many more asked. How am I going to last until next autumn for the next season of Who? At least there is the Christmas Special to look forward to, I am counting the days.

But there is one little thing filling the sci-fi void that Dr Who has left and that is the network premier of JJ Abrams "Star Trek". It doesn't matter that we have the film on DVD, that we wnet to see it three times at the cinema, including once in IMAX.I will still be watching it on Channel 4 tonight.

Who would have thought that two science fiction shows created in the 1960's would still be going strong and entertaining audiences over forty years later. Personally I think that's just brilliant.