I Love Cooking...

And nothing pleases me more than being trapped in a kitchen, any kitchen, touching and making food.
Tonight's offering to Mr H. and Mother is Chilli Con Carne, rice and tortilla chips. I've had to scale down the chilli on account of her Majesty, don't want to add tummy trouble to her mile long list of ailments. The dark red chilli will be rich and packed with chunks of green pepper, slithers of onion and fat ruby red kidney beans. Have also included a sprinkling of paprika which adds a touch of sunset orange to the pot. Canned tomatoes dashed with tomato puree add even more exotic colour and, to beef it all up two Oxo cubes and plenty of black pepper.

I am not pure.

I don't baulk at the idea of using stock cubes, ketchups or shop bought chutneys to make my dishes better but there are things I won't use. Cook-In Sauces.
Whenever I see someone, usually a lady, in Sainsbury's, browsing through Sauce shelves I want to tell her not to do it.
Better to rustle up your own barbecue sauce dear by mixing together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, pepper, garlic, sauteed onions, water, mustard and a few other things...............(Who's got the time?)

Anyway.
An excellent sausage sauce can be made by swishing together honey and ketchup. Why bother with Mr Homepride? And you need a can opener or be willing to break a nail or something on a blasted ring-pull.
If one has a half decent storecupboard one can dispense with expensive salty syrupy dangerous goo.
I digress.
Tonight's excellent Mexican STYLE dinner/tea will be a little late because I've been nattering to mum, actually I've been bending her ear violently in response to her needing many hands to hold her together/upright.
"Never get ill, never get old" She said

So after dealing with her fears and pyjamas I allowed some private time out just for me. And during this exquisite brief sojourn I promised myself some things.

1. Not to jump ahead, to 2012. To stay in the Now.
2. To lighten my hair, a touch, a ray of sunlight over the steel greyness of impending middle age.
3. To widen my horizons, as necessary as home cooked grub and as exciting as life itself.
4. To freak out occasionally, losing it is good for the soul.
5. To be silent, silence gives grace to a woman, never been much of a talker anyway.

All this to-do recently with mum has given me the pip. She's a star whose twinkle has been dulled by loss, loss of her loved one and loss of body fat.
A once shapely vital woman has seen her immaculate stuffing and pretty manicured nails fall to bits. And on seeing this I've become not only a bit more mental but a lot more in love with life.

Life never fails to shock!

:)

Today's Special

Beef Casserole chock full with sliced carrot, diced potato, onion wedges and nipped swede... then after a few hours topped with eight small dumplings. I've added some dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and plenty of black pepper. Salt kept to a minimum on account of using two oxo cubes. Taste and check along the way you might find you need to add a little extra. Each his own.

For sweet...Eastern Rice Pudding.
This is exotic warm and spicy. Add a little cinnamon, ground cloves, light brown sugar and creamed coconut to the rice and milk then top with shavings of butter and bake as normal. I didn't have any creamed coconut this morning so I improvised by dropping in some dessicated coconut. Haven't used the dried stuff before but I think it should turn out alright.

Also being made today is a Banana Loaf. Mary Berry recipe using simple storecupboard ingredients and two over ripe nanas lounging at the bottom of the fruit bowl.
This is smashing!

A quick word about last night's X Factor.

Dull.

Be interested to see who gets the boot. Girl group Little Muffins exchanged woeful stories about overweightedness and becoming strong through experience. Joy boy Marcus cruised, dotty Irish girl Janet forgot her lyrics. This child has no place in the world of entertainment. Meanwhile Misha has. She rocked. But despite that and her new found tears I still don't dig her.

This year is turning out to be interesting.


No need to waffle on about family upheavals, you all know about that.




But there is something I must waffle about and that is the fact that I am now the stunned owner of a real Fox Fur Coat.


Mr Horsehound and I took a stroll to Hockley and the charity shops therein...


In 'Friends of Lions' I saw a cream faux fur jacket. I tried it on and it looked fab sweetie and as I swung it about the manageress nosed in asking whether I'd be interested in the real thing. This real thing she said couldn't be sold but a donation of £10 would do nicely.


Quick look to Mr Horsehound.


I said "Yes, love to".


She then disappeared for a few moments, presently popping up with a knee length coat.
It was Divine.
Dark brown with delicate variegations.


I grabbed it and slipped away to the changing room...


Upon donning it I instantly knew it was "just right". All I had to do was stump up the necessary...


Mr H. prised open his wallet and I retrieved a brown one with her Maj blinking in the unaccustomed light.


I handed over the cash to the little elderly volunteer manning the till and thought she was about to collapse so excited was she at the sale of something glamorous. Beats bowls and blouses.


So out Mr H and I went, me feeling like a femme fatal and Mr H. feeling poorer. We dived into the nearest shop doorway where I flung off me old coat and shimmied into the little red beast...


Pic to come.....

I've been away but now I'm back!

And looking forward to the weekend so much.... IT'S UNREAL MAN!

But first I must engage in a wee bit o' tittle tattle...

As mum and I fell through/out of the eye hospital's heavy doors I saw in the misty damp distance a black cab. Me say YES so......with my coat flung about and Mother with her one good eye I waved like a Star on the Red Carpet hoping Crazy Cabbie man would take pity on us, pull over and stop in the NO STOP area.

He did and what a character he was.

Before asking what particular road we required, he told me I looked exhausted and there and then, in a sort of no stop zone, poured, from HIS polystyrene cup into another polystyrene cup, a good 6 inches of steamingly hot coffee. I was stunned. But then...blessed and thanked him and, with a new found faith in mankind, shoved Mother onto the seat whilst holding onto the warm white cup of goodness.

I could easily love this MAN.

Anyway he shot off at a rate engaging in non-typical conversation which went something like this...
(Make allowances for roughly remembered conversation this is due to temporary memory loss and not enough carbohydrates.

St Cabman " You alright back there?"

Bewildered shattered me "Yes and thanks for the sustenance"

Giggle giggle.

"St Cabman "You from round these parts?
"You what?"
"Not a London gel are ya?"
"Hold it right there sunshine, I am a London gel born and bred. Mate."

Laughs sweetly whilst gliding around a cyclist.


"So where you bin today then?"
(Flipping cheek these cab drivers have, but one such as this is worth sharing a jest or three with...)

"I have been south of the river and am now the other side of the river with a one-eyed Mother who needs to get home Pronto. Dear."

"AAHHHHHH! You're funny" The Saint said
"You got a boyfriend?"

Well....that made gooey eyed mum laugh. Miracle.

"I love all men especially cheeky chappies like what you are"
Another gutsy very loud laugh....from the grey haired driver.

By this time we were crawling past Paddington Station and likkle emotionally drained moi was on her last legs and mum, bless her scarred and battered one eyed head, was heaving with various pains and afflictions. And it's at times like these that I want to love love love, even bawdy taxi men. Just a particular trait of mine...when life is scaring the hell out of one I do take on the garb of romantic/wisewoman/jester. Anyway I digress. Back to the yarn...

He continued. Driving and Talking...

"So where you from now then?"

"Essex"

OMG I shouldn't have uttered the E word on account of it bringing out in him every Blonde Essex Girl joke.

I interjected loudly...
"I AM NOT AN ESSEX GEL, WELL NOT REALLY. I HAVE RUBY RED LONDON BLOOD FIGHTING TO GET ROUND MY FURRED UP ARTERIES, SO STOP IT YEAH WITH THE WHITE STILETTOS JOKES. You are an angel though" I said misting up the glass which divided him and I.

BUT.

It was when we arrived at our destination that St. Cabman (Bill) became an Angel...
As he knew I'd be travelling back to Sarfend later that afternoon he offered to pick me up after I'd done me mum's shopping and drive me to Liverpool St station... on account of my wit.
But the best thing, the very best thing was that he slashed the fare by half:)
I nearly choked with emotional utterances about generosity and how East London boys like him made me proud to be English. (He resides in Docklands. Rented accom.)
And so after dealing with my sweet but definite 'no thank you darling' he helped with the bags.

And had the last word.

"Don't cost anything to be cheery" he said and then couldn't get back in his cab on account of locking the driver's door...:)
But with an optimistic valiant wave he jumped in the other side and flew away like the Angel he was.

Bless you Bill x

I am in a positive mood tonight, on account of Bill and all other Male Saints I know so will indulge in tea and a film with a Supernatural bent.

Cheerio:)

Thursday wrote Mrs Horsehound...

Home.
Sweet.


Mum was ready by the time I'd arrived (9 a.m.) so after a quick cuppa we bussed our way to the docs.

After an hour or so we were on our way back..by foot. And her choosing to walk instead of getting a cab or bus made my morning.

She'd been pulled and tinkered with at the surgery but it didn't stop her dawdling around Waitrose picking up meat a little later on... I was so pleased. She is far from excellent health but an interest in food is always a good sign.

Back indoors we chattered away like a couple of parrots till it was time for me to leave...

I left and it was chilly outside so I wrapped myself in a large brown scarf and sat motionless on the tube...
I'd be fibbing if I said I wasn't shattered by the to-ings and fro-ings and comings and goings so I let myself chill on the busy tube train, nothing to read just my hands on my lap clutching my brown patent leather handbag.
Aaah lovely....

And then I woke!
As the woman on the Tannoy told all that we were now at WHITECHAPEL.
WHITECHAPEL? What was I doing at WHITECHAPEL. I'd drifted off to bloody sleep and missed Liverpool Street station by two stops. Soppy Fool.
I leapt from my seat, jumped off, scrambled around platform 1 ran up steps ran down steps like a whippet on acid and then on platform 2 waited...and waited... Funny how enforced waiting leads to deep and meaningful thinking.
I was away, away with demonic fairies ,and as they played and toyed with me, and as they filled my head with their sentimental gushings and warnings I simply told myself "TGIF. Soon." I have a day of freedom tomorrow and a mixed bag of jollities for the weekend..... so I waited for the Hammersmith and City line train and let the November wind rough my cheeks.

I got home and immediately fed Monty. I then, for my mind's sake, took comfort in District 13 Ultimatum. Fantastic. Damien saves the dispossessed once again. Utter nonsense, but isn't all fantasy?

Even though I'm wearing a large full blue Pashmina I'm still going to make dinner. A big bowl of meaty Ravioli with a tomato and Mascarpone sauce and to dunk....garlic bread. For freshness a salad of tomatoes and cabbage leaves dressed in olive oil and lemon juice.

Pudding will be a blue and white bowl of mellow Cornish ice cream.

What sweet way to end a post:)

I'm sure Today's Wednesday

I'm losing track of space and time.
Been in London a lot too.
Oh and my monitor went bonkers...hence no posts!

So aswell as being screenless, I've been propping up dear Mother, doing all the things a good daughter should, things like dealing with docs, officials, cash flow, Waitrose and feet. But in all this time I haven't forgotten about my blog. How I'd have loved to spew out vitriol as I listened to mum's upstairs neighbours screaming their greasy heads off as I tried to sleep and how I'd love to have penned a few words over the impossibly inept council officers who wouldn't know sense if it came and smashed their faces in. But I couldn't. I couldn't let anything out and so as my arms ached my heart did too.
Staying at mums has been a jolly sick mix of late nights/early morns and non-stop tea making. It's enough to make me dive into a bottle.
Talking of which, I was so zonked last night after a mad cap day with mama that I poured into my moon time milky drink a slow pour of brandy. I think it did the trick because I overslept this morning!

This afternoon after returning from Sainsbury's I fell asleep again, this time in full clothes with Monty on my tum. Didn't matter. Nothing really does.
All that really matters is good health.

So with my gamine haircut, slimmed down tum and sturdy bitch queen boots I'm off to London again tomorrow this time very early...Mum has to have her stitches removed and I'll be grabbing a few minutes with her doc to chat about a dozen or so things.

But then it's Friday:)
And so off with the bovver boots and on with the cutesy kitten heels.
I'm going to damn well partay!

Cooking tonight: Nasi Goreng. Chocolate Cake. Brandy flavoured Ovaltine.

Thoughts

Looks like a wonderful day weatherwise...
Wonder if I could convince the little Lovely to come with me and Mr H. to the pub!

My hair is wild so am eagerly awaiting Lisa with her scissors.

Remembrance service looks like it will be bathed in Autumn sunshine. The music, the crowds, the old warriors and families of old warriors marching...all life affirming....

And on that upbeat note I say far thee well.