IT'S THE WEEKEND - HOORAH! (Recipe included)

So how did my pre-planned meals go?  Well the mixed bean chilli was ok, but wasn't chilli enough for me!  I need to remember that my slow cooker is a big one and so I need to put more in than I think; in fact when I think I've put enough in, put in at least an extra teaspoon.

I ended up discovering a half chorizo sausage in the fridge on Wednesday so I finely chopped that and fried it off before adding the pre-cooked tomato/pepper mixture that I'd prepped on Monday and then once heated through, added two tins of tuna, mixed in cooked pasta and covered in grated cheese before shoving in the oven to make a pasta bake.  That disappeared pretty quick!

Thursday I fancied a curry; too be honest I often fancy curry! Managed to get a 800g deboned leg of lamb from Aldi which didn't cost that much and put that, whole, into the slow cooker on a bed of peppers and onions.  Mixed a load of spices together (see below's recipe) and rubbed that into the top of the meat and around the side and poured on a tin of coconut milk and left it to cook on low for 8 hours! Unfortunately, I was at work when it was ready and it had been pretty much devoured by the time I got home meaning I only have the below 'before' photo and not an 'after' one.  Those large white chunks are coconut milk solids and not, as they look, huge lumps of feta cheese 😄

However, this is what it should and partially did look like; courtesy of the cookbook that I based the recipe on although our meat was shredded and not in chunks:

One thing I did do this week was spend a happy 45mins in front of Netflix grating fresh ginger into a jar!  I then covered with sunflower oil, so that I now have a jar in the fridge all ready to go for whenever a recipe requires it.  I also want to do this with the ton of garlic I currently have.

Freshly grated Ginger in Sunflower Oil ready for use

And I've recently discovered fresh turmeric!  It's a root not dissimilar in looks to ginger and I use it in exactly the same way except I don't peel it, I just grate it straight in.  The first time I used it I did peel it and then walked around for a few days with fingers that looked like I had a severe nicotine addition, so have now learnt my lesson and will never peel again! The flavour is far better and less earthy than dried turmeric.  It also means that I have a dish free in my indian spice tin; bonus!

Turmeric!!

No cooking on Friday as partner takes over for weekend and I was working anyway doing an extra shift.  Shamelessly treated myself to chinese takeaway chicken curry and chips on way home and snuggled on the sofa by myself to munch my way through it in peace.

Today me and son were at local Comic and Screen Festival and as partner got called into work today we've been really naughty and had pizza tonight!  So I have not exactly eaten that healthily over past couple of days.  Hey ho!  Back to proper food tomorrow.

What do you call a group of Ghostbusters?  A Gaggle?

BEST SLOW COOKER CURRY EVER!
3 red peppers (or any colour you prefer except green) cut into chunks
2 onions, cut into chunks
800g lamb (I used whole, but you could use ready diced)
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1.5 teaspoon turmeric powder (or 2in 'finger' grated fresh)
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1.5inch thumb of fresh ginger, grated
1 level teaspoon of chilli flakes (change up or down depending on heat required)
1 400ml can of coconut milk

Place the onions and peppers into the bottom of the slow cooker and sprinkle the chopped garlic, grated ginger and grated turmeric, if using, on top.
Then place the lamb on top of the veg.
Mix the powdered spices and the dried chilli together in a bowl and rub into the top of the meat or sprinkle on top if using diced meat.
Pour on the coconut milk.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours depending on the size/type of meat; stir half way through to incorporate the melted coconut solids.
If you have it, chop up some fresh coriander and stir in once cooked.
Serve with rice!

CHATTING TO MR CROW (includes recipe for 'Fakeaway')

Working last night, so no chance to get blog done.

I've now used my slow cooker every day this week so far and will be using it again tomorrow as I'm back at work in the evening.

Surprising what you can do in it, haha

Yesterday was pumpkin chilli using another one of the pumpkins I picked in October at the pumpkin farm; yes, they are still ok!  I have one huge one left and it's still really firm.  Actually the one I used yesterday was a smaller version of the big one and the skin was so hard on it, I nearly sliced off my thumb; whoops!

http://pumpkinmoon.uk/ - Pumpkin Farm where we picked our own pumpkins for Halloween 2016

Ended up finding that the quickest and easiest way to do it was to wedge it into manageable bits, then cut into cubes using a very sharp knife and a tea towel so I could whack it and then cutting the skin off.  Bit laborious, but it worked.  Then I just shoved it all in the slow cooker with a wedged onion, some garlic, coriander, cumin, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and a tin of tomatoes and a tin of butter beans as I didn't have any kidney beans!!  Very unusual for me I have to admit.  Must get back into buying the dried, soaking and cooking and then freezing in batches.  Works out a lot cheaper. The chilli was then cooked for 4 hours on high.  They had it with rice and I had it with some pickle and yogurt when I got home.

Pumpkin Chilli before cooking

Today was another beautiful day; yesterday was overcast and I had another headache (convinced they are to do with air pressure), so quick trip for supplies in Aldi, quick visit to Wilkinsons for toiletries and home to put washing out on the line and have a general peruse around the garden.  Obviously I got distracted by Mr Crow and his constant cawing; it would appear there maybe a rival crow about as he wasn't very happy when another appeared.  Also saw the first bumble bee of the year and happily watched him buzzing about for another 10mins.

Mr (or Mrs) Crow

Decided that as I was out there I'd tidy around the 1st pond area and cut back the dead stalks from the tansy and the foxgloves, dug up some weeds and grass clumps and then watched the water snails and whirlygigs busying themselves in the water.  I can spend rather a lot of time just watching wildlife in my garden, haha.

Tonight's dinner was a first for me.  I'm on a slow cooker page on Facebook and they are always going on about a 'fakeaway'; basically a kebab type thing made with mince, onion, garlic and herbs which you moosh together until smooth (I did it in the food processor) and then cook, wrapped in foil, in the slow cooker.  I cooked mine for 4 hours on medium along with several sweet potatoes which had just been scrubbed and put in whole.

I would have taken a photograph, but they descended like vultures before I got the chance, so maybe next time.  It was alright, I wouldn't rave about it, but it was simple and served in pitta breads alongside some homemade coleslaw and a green salad it made a good meal.

'FAKEAWAY'
500g of lamb mince
1 onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1tsp of dried oregano (although I used fresh as didn't have any dried)
1tsp of dried mixed herbs
1/2tsp paprika
salt and pepper

Blitz the onion, garlic cloves, oregano, mixed herbs, paprika in a food processor until very finely chopped.  Add the mince and blitz again until smooth (it looks a bit like sausage meat).
Turn out onto some tin foil and squish together into a cylinder/sausage shape.
Wrap in foil and place direct into slow cooker and cook on high for 3hrs or low for 6, or, if like me you have a medium setting, 4hrs on med.
Unwrap and thinly slice.

WELL THAT WASN'T A GOOD START WAS IT? (includes recipe)

Missed out on a post yesterday as was ill all day until about 3pm and then off to work at 4.30pm so no real time to write anything up.  Stonking headache, neck ache and felt sick.  Tucked myself up in bed with water, paracetamol and slept as much as I could which did, eventually, help!

Luckily I'd prepped the slow cooker dinner the night before and as we have so many timer switches which are used at Xmas for all the lights, I dragged one of those out and plugged the slow cooker in meaning I didn't have to worry about dinner at all. Whoop, whoop!  Satay Chicken and it was devoured with relish apparently. Unfortunately it does mean that there were no photos.  Hey ho!

Felt a lot better today and as beginning of the month and weather was a bit brighter I went out and done the main bulk of the shopping.

Iceland for frozen fish and a few veggies and some cheese, then Aldi for sarni stuff (popped in to see a mate for a cuppa whilst round there as she only lives over the road) and then Holland & Barrett (our other independent health food shop closed down 😢 ) for flours and peanut butter.

Tonight's dinner was a new recipe for polenta; polenta and mushroom 'tart'.  Kind of like a pizza with the polenta being the base and then the veggies and mozzarella on the top.  I like polenta, but I'm never sure on quanties and always end up making either too little or way too much.  Tonight was the latter.

Polenta 'tart' (those are tomatoes not carrots, haha)

The mushrooms were cooked with spring onions, loads of garlic and thyme and some frozen sliced green beans.  The polenta was made using stock and then lashings of cheese, butter and rosemary added.  Not the most healthiest of meals, but was filling and tasted a lot better than it looked.


POLENTA AND MUSHROOM 'TART/PIZZA'

butter, plus extra for greasing
1.27 litre vegetable stock
300g quick-cook polenta
Chunk of cheese, grated
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped
punnet of chestnut mushrooms, halved
4-5 spring onions, chopped
couple of cloves of garlic finely chopped
small bunch thyme, leaves only
couple of handfuls of green beans
2 balls mozzarella, drained
6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease a large baking tray or roasting tin.
Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan, then slowly pour in the polenta, whisking all the
time and let bubble for 8 mins, whisking continuously.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, butter, rosemary and plenty of seasoning.
Spread the polenta over the tray and bake for 30 mins.

In a frying pan fry the mushrooms in a little olive oil along with the chopped spring onions and then add the finely chopped garlic, thyme and some seasoning.
Add the green beans and heat through.
Once the polenta has had it's 30mins, remove from the oven and place the mushroom mixture onto the polenta and dot with torn mozzarella and halved cherry tomatoes.

Return to the oven for another 15mins or until cheese is bubbling.
Allow to cool a little so that the polenta firms up a bit and it becomes easier to serve.

I didn't do that last bit and it was rather sloppy to serve, but then firmed up in the eating bowls.  Oh well, will learn for next time.