Food to Soothe....

It's been a tough old week in a variety of ways really- glad to have got to Friday, although that in itself hasn't been straightforward. Amazing son number 1 refused to come into the house for nearly 2 hours following a shoe shopping trip after school this afternoon- I was ready to give him his sleeping bag and camping mat out there but I am glad to say he is now tucked up in bed after the gorgeous husband intervened. I have to say that if I was taken out and bought 3 new pairs of shoes (3 pairs!!! I can only dream....) I wouldn't be stropping about it.

So, food to soothe was a mushroom and tarragon pearl barley risotto alongside a nice glass of Marlborough Savuignon Blanc followed by a home-made chocolate chip brownie. I'm too tired to think about how I cooked it all and write the recipe down, but it was delicious. And the best thing is that pearl barley is so tough (the gorgeous husband understandably refuses to eat reheated risotto made with risotto rice) it can withstand being warmed up a second time  - so there are happily a couple of portions in the freezer too. Although I'm hoping that next week will be a little easier and I won't be eating it for the same reasons.

.....Any Excuse for Chocolate Sauce

It is Pancake Day here on Tuesday. I usually forget and we then have them the following day after I've been to Sainsbury's for the necessary ingredients to redeem myself. However this year I have managed, quite uncharacteristically, to be organised. I also realised that Tuesday is going to be busy so we had pancakes for tea yesterday. With lemon, sugar, chopped bananas, mini marshmallows and chocolate sauce. I don't remember anyone having all 5 toppings at once thankfully. I stuck to the lemon and sugar predictably - but I did burn my mouth when making/tasting the chocolate sauce (hard job, someone has to) so wasn't wanting any more but was reliably informed that it was "delicious" (thank you gorgeous husband and amazing sons) with the bananas and marshmallows (or was it marsh-melons?). I do feel that although Tuesday is too busy for pancake making we might have to keep with tradition and have pancakes on Wednesday again.......plenty of chocolate sauce left. I probably should say that the 'ice cream' table cloth in the picture was chosen by the sons. I did promise myself a more sophisticated one once our kitchen was finished but my organisational efforts seem limited to pancakes for now as we actually finished the kitchen nearly 3 years ago!

Too Cold For Ice-Cream

Beautiful Prague

Prague was stunning - but rather chilly to say the least. But then the frosty temperature lent itself rather nicely to warming up with gluhwein from street vendors, beer in the beer halls, and slivovice or becherovka wherever we could get it! Sadly, it was too cold for ice-cream - even for me and I make a point of eating it whenever possible and there was an abundance of temptingly lovely ice-cream shops in Prague. On our first morning there we encountered a man eating ice-cream in the sub-zero temperature - think it was about minus 10 degrees and not rising very fast! Still, at least his ice-cream wouldn't have melted.....

Frozen

Not So Glorious....

The gorgeous husband and I have just enjoyed a few days in Prague - more of that to come. We even got to fly with British Airways (oh the comparative luxury!) from Terminal 5 at Heathrow. Where there is a Ted Baker. A Ted Baker that is open at 5.30am on a Sunday. A Ted Baker that is open at 5.30am on a Sunday morning and that has on wondrous display the 'Handbag of Glory'. He very kindly took me to see/buy this 'Handbag of Glory' but I am sorry to say that it was not so glorious, in fact it was distinctly lacklustre. This was a shame as I was told I could have it for my impending birthday. Never mind - there will be other bags that live up to the title I am sure! Such as this one - which is already in my 'SMALLER THAN THE MALES IN MY FAMILY BELIEVE' handbag collection:

And I already have my eye on some gold sandals instead - I am far too fickle I fear!

An Unfair Advantage

We're talking about the very seriousness business of HOT CHOCOLATE you understand. Apparently I make the 'best hot chocolate' - not just according to the sons, but also their friends. There are several essential ingredients:

• caramel syrup
• mini marshmallows
• proper hot chocolate made with cocoa and milk and sweetened to taste

But unfairly I also have a secret weapon - my Bamix. This is like a hand-blender, but it comes with interchangeable blades that do different jobs. One of these blades aerates - and you can use it to whip skimmed (yes, skimmed - not even unhealthy hot chocolates!) up to practically the consistency of whipped cream. Perfect for topping off the hot beverage that is so popular in our house.

Chorizo, Bean and Lentil Stew

I've just finished work for the week - I know, I know it's only Tuesday I hear you say. I got home pretty late after son 1's trumpet lesson and needed to cook something for dinner.....with very little food in the house! If it wasn't for being rescued by the milkman again this morning (milk, bread and yoghurt - THANK YOU) I think there might have been a mutiny on my hands. We get through a lot of food - I say we, the cat and I tend to graze modestly during the day, the husband has scaled back his portions, so in truth it's the sons who at age 12 and 7 (nearly 8) can pack it away! So dinner tonight was a store cupboard raid, and in truth it was rather good.

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion finely sliced
200g chorizo sliced and then the slices halved
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 carton of passata
1 tsp chilli flakes
200g lentils
2 tins cannellini beans
salt and pepper

1. lightly fry the onion in the sunflower oil
2. add the chorizo and cook for a minute or two, then add the tomato puree and cook for a further couple of minutes
3. add the vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes, passata, chilli flakes, lentils and cannellini beans and stir well
4. bring to a simmer and let it gently bubble away until the lentils are cooked - mine took about 30 minutes
5. top up with a little water if the lentils swell too much
6. season to taste
7. serve with couscous or rice, or if you prefer bread (pittta? naan? crusty baguette?)

VERY easy - I like that after a day at work! And there are a couple of portions ready for the freezer which makes me very happy too and an extra one put aside for the lovely friend's lunch tomorrow. I'll definitely be making this one again.

To The One I Love

You amaze me, you truly inspire me, you bring the very best out of me.

 I would be truly privileged to know you just as a friend, but I am your wife.

I am eternally grateful that you are my husband and that you chose me.

I know no other words as inadequate as 'I love you' in this moment,

they don't begin to express the strength of my feelings and emotions.

So they will have to do - I love you, always.