This week,
I shall be a) moaning, b)2 positive comments, c) sharing a recipe, Kindle book
review, d)rustic recipe, e)Added to my Ravelry queue knitting suggestion
1) Moan
I wish
everyone who celebrates the Yuletide/Christmas a very happy festival. But I am reaching saturation point with the
whole thing already!
Probably
because I do not actually celebrate Christmas in the usual way. But our local supermarket was the first in
the UK to decorate the store in October (apparently as an exercise for other
stores in the chain to study), and it seems to have heralded the December
festivities for a lifetime now.
Meanwhile now I am getting older, I am not in a hurry for another year
to pass!
Vegetarians
and vegans who want a “traditional” Christmas are faced with some interesting
prospects today compared to when I had my first meat free Christmas back in the
early 1970s. In fact those of us who are no long omnivores have no difficulty
in finding plenty of convenience food all year round. Which leaves the person responsible for
“catering” with lots more free time to indulge in favourite hobbies. But on the
down side I just wish more restaurants
would realise how interesting vegetarian food can be and afford more choice.
The reason
I no longer eat out, is that I do not wish to see a menu four pages long for
everyone else, and a line at the bottom saying “vegetarian option available,
please ask”. Without asking I know it
will be based on the premise we all eat nut cutlets.
2) Positive
comments.
I was
really pleased to see in the Morrison’s Supermarket free magazine, that they
used women of normal proportions as models for the clothing article. At last.
Realistic article without catwalk model types. I hope this trend continues.
I went to
Currys and bought a dry fryer, and politely and
tentatively asked if that was the best price they could do. (It was cheaper than anywhere else! I had
checked before going shopping)
The nice
assistant gave me 5 per cent off!!
Couldn’t believe it, I have never haggled in a shop like this before.
3) Kindle
book.
I
downloaded free a book called Midwife: Liza by Valerie Levy. First and foremost
that makes me like this book is the last page! There is a proper ending. Nothing left in the air. I hate books that leave the ending untidy. The author writes midwifery textbooks, but
has also written this fictional account of a midwife in 1339. Well written book
and I will be reading her next book in the series. Well written and informative of the trials and
tribulations midwives and their patients had in the 1300s. The
one I read wasfree on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Midwife-Liza-ebook/dp/B00422LGZA/ref=la_B00422814E_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353599431&sr=1-1
Being free
I have not lined their non tax paying pockets!
But if it is not free when checked out, visit another time as books are offered free periodically but for short periods.
4)Recipe
Rustic SunnyTomato
flans/plaits
Why are
they called “Rustic”? Well, one look at
the pics shows I have a somewhat rough and ready approach to baking and so it
is a cop out to suggest they are rustic in origin. If anyone can make them looking more
palatable (which shouldn’t be difficult), then another posher name can be
given.
1 packet
puff pastry
Sun dried
tomato paste
Cherry
tomatoes
Optional
sweet pepper roasted, peeled and cut into strips.
Optional
grated cheese or vegan cheese substitute
If a
suitable shallow container is available like a flan dish then that can be used,
otherwise roll the pastry into squares and press the sides upwards to form a
shallow container. Prick the base and
spread base with the paste. Add sliced tomatoes and pepper if used. Also if grated cheese is used this is added.
Oven number
7 for 13 to 15 minutes.
Plaits are
made by rolling into oblongs, spread centre with paste and add tomatoes, cut
slanted strips down each side from centre to edge and then fold the strips
alternatively over the centre. Seal the ends.
The pastry can be brushed with milk or soya milk to get nice brown shiny
glaze.
5) Knitting suggestion
I like the idea of "convertible" garments, and Lion Brand have come up with a free pattern that fits the bill. (There is also a crocheted version). It is a good stash buster too. So this pattern is in my Ravelry queue, and is called Snapped Convertible Cowl Shrug
http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/patternFinder.fcgi?search=Search&searchText=convertible&I2.x=23&I2.y=7&craft=0&categoryKey=&subcategory=Any&size=&edition=&cost=Any&componentCategoryKey=Any&yarnClass=Any&searchType=0
