Cats, kittens and their hotel in the sun

Did you choose your baby’s name?

2024-05-29T02:04:00.000-07:00

Apparently lots of couples can’t agree on a baby’s name. When I became pregnant at 37, considered very old 35 years ago but I was a reluctant mum and held off until the last moment, becoming pregnant very quickly once trying. We decided if baby was a girl then I should choose and I chose Chanel. If baby was a boy then husband should choose. It was a boy. He chose my birth sign Leo. It wasn’t a popular name back then but really suited our son. I loved it because it couldn’t be shortened. We as his mum and dad call him PIBS. Standing for Pain in the Bum as I needed an episiotomy during the birth. No big deal if any of my readers are pregnant. I chose an epidural and in my birth plan requested the quickest healing cut. Was running upstairs after three days much to the horror of my home nurse visitor who advised a bit more rest.

So, if you have a child or children, how did you decide on the name?

International Cat Day- 8th August

2023-08-09T05:24:00.001-07:00

I didn’t realise it was International Cat Day yesterday. I haven’t heard of it. What about you?

Edward Lear, Poet

2023-08-08T02:31:00.002-07:00

Rick Stein mentioned on a television programme in India yesterday that he remembered his mum reading this poem to him as a little boy.

It’s rather long but quite interesting.

On the Coast of Coromandel
   Where the early pumpkins blow,
      In the middle of the woods
   Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Two old chairs, and half a candle,
One old jug without a handle--
      These were all his worldly goods,
      In the middle of the woods,
      These were all his worldly goods,
   Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Of the Yonghy-Bonghy Bo.

Once, among the Bong-trees walking
   Where the early pumpkins blow,
      To a little heap of stones
   Came the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
There he heard a Lady talking,
To some milk-white Hens of Dorking--
      "'Tis the Lady Jingly Jones!
      On that little heap of stones
      Sits the Lady Jingly Jones!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

"Lady Jingly! Lady Jingly!
   Sitting where the pumpkins blow,
      Will you come and be my wife?"
   Said the Yongby-Bonghy-Bo.
"I am tired of living singly--
On this coast so wild and shingly--
      I'm a-weary of my life;
      If you'll come and be my wife,
      Quite serene would be my life!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bongby-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

"On this Coast of Coromandel
   Shrimps and watercresses grow,
      Prawns are plentiful and cheap,"
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
"You shall have my chairs and candle,
And my jug without a handle!
      Gaze upon the rolling deep
      (Fish is plentiful and cheap);
      As the sea, my love is deep!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Lady Jingly answered sadly,
   And her tears began to flow--
      "Your proposal comes too late,
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
I would be your wife most gladly!"
(Here she twirled her fingers madly)
      "But in England I've a mate!
      Yes! you've asked me far too late,
      For in England I've a mate,
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
   Mr. Yongby-Bonghy-Bo!

"Mr. Jones (his name is Handel--
   Handel Jones, Esquire, & Co.)
      Dorking fowls delights to send
Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
Keep, oh, keep your chairs and candle,
And your jug without a handle--
      I can merely be your friend!
      Should my Jones more Dorkings send,
      I will give you three, my friend!
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!

"Though you've such a tiny body,
   And your head so large doth grow--
      Though your hat may blow away
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
Though you're such a Hoddy Doddy,
Yet I wish that I could modi-
      fy the words I needs must say!
      will you please to go away
      That is all I have to say,
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!"

Down the slippery slopes of Myrtle,
   Where the early pumpkins blow,
      To the calm and silent sea
   Fled the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
There, beyond the Bay of Gurtle,
Lay a large and lively Turtle.
      "You're the Cove," he said, "for me;
      On your back beyond the sea,
      Turtle, you shall carry me!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Through the silent-roaring ocean
   Did the Turtle swiftly go;
      Holding fast upon his shell
   Rode the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
With a sad primeval motion
Towards the sunset isles of Boshen
      Still the Turtle bore him well.
      Holding fast upon his shell,
      "Lady Jingly Jones, farewell!"
   Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

From the Coast of Coromandel
   Did that Lady never go;
      On that heap of stones she mourns
   For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
On that Coast of Coromandel,
In his jug without a handle
      Still she weeps, and daily moans;
      On that little heap of stones
      To her Dorking Hens she moans,
   For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Rumi, Persian Poet, circa 1200’s

2023-08-06T06:01:00.000-07:00

Either give me more wine, or leave me alone”

Sounds like great minds think alike!!!

Arabic Potato Chab

2023-03-08T08:40:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

400g of minced lamb.

One onion finely chopped.

Corn oil for frying.

A teaspoon of turmeric.

A heaped teaspoon of curry powder.

Flat leaf parsley, washed and finely chopped.

Salt and pepper.

Large potatoes for the mash.

A dessertspoon of cornflour.

Fry the onions until translucent. Add the minced meat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, parsley and a teaspoon of curry powder. Cook another 5 minutes and then leave to cool down.

Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water and when soft, drain the water and mash the potatoes with turmeric and cornflour.

Leave to cool down.

Take a tennis ball size of potato in your left hand and roll into a ball. Make a pouch to insert the meat mixture. Slowly work the potato dough so as to cover the meat completely and flatten into a patty. See photo. Freeze for 20 minutes before deep frying until golden in colour.

Nice served with a big side salad. Brown sauce and beetroot.

Edward Lear, Poet

2023-03-05T03:11:00.000-08:00

Rick Stein mentioned on a television programme in India yesterday that he remembered his mum reading this poem to him as a little boy.

It’s rather long but quite interesting.

On the Coast of Coromandel
   Where the early pumpkins blow,
      In the middle of the woods
   Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Two old chairs, and half a candle,
One old jug without a handle--
      These were all his worldly goods,
      In the middle of the woods,
      These were all his worldly goods,
   Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Of the Yonghy-Bonghy Bo.

Once, among the Bong-trees walking
   Where the early pumpkins blow,
      To a little heap of stones
   Came the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
There he heard a Lady talking,
To some milk-white Hens of Dorking--
      "'Tis the Lady Jingly Jones!
      On that little heap of stones
      Sits the Lady Jingly Jones!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

"Lady Jingly! Lady Jingly!
   Sitting where the pumpkins blow,
      Will you come and be my wife?"
   Said the Yongby-Bonghy-Bo.
"I am tired of living singly--
On this coast so wild and shingly--
      I'm a-weary of my life;
      If you'll come and be my wife,
      Quite serene would be my life!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bongby-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

"On this Coast of Coromandel
   Shrimps and watercresses grow,
      Prawns are plentiful and cheap,"
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
"You shall have my chairs and candle,
And my jug without a handle!
      Gaze upon the rolling deep
      (Fish is plentiful and cheap);
      As the sea, my love is deep!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Lady Jingly answered sadly,
   And her tears began to flow--
      "Your proposal comes too late,
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
I would be your wife most gladly!"
(Here she twirled her fingers madly)
      "But in England I've a mate!
      Yes! you've asked me far too late,
      For in England I've a mate,
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
   Mr. Yongby-Bonghy-Bo!

"Mr. Jones (his name is Handel--
   Handel Jones, Esquire, & Co.)
      Dorking fowls delights to send
Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
Keep, oh, keep your chairs and candle,
And your jug without a handle--
      I can merely be your friend!
      Should my Jones more Dorkings send,
      I will give you three, my friend!
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!

"Though you've such a tiny body,
   And your head so large doth grow--
      Though your hat may blow away
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
Though you're such a Hoddy Doddy,
Yet I wish that I could modi-
      fy the words I needs must say!
      will you please to go away
      That is all I have to say,
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!
   Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!"

Down the slippery slopes of Myrtle,
   Where the early pumpkins blow,
      To the calm and silent sea
   Fled the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
There, beyond the Bay of Gurtle,
Lay a large and lively Turtle.
      "You're the Cove," he said, "for me;
      On your back beyond the sea,
      Turtle, you shall carry me!"
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Through the silent-roaring ocean
   Did the Turtle swiftly go;
      Holding fast upon his shell
   Rode the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
With a sad primeval motion
Towards the sunset isles of Boshen
      Still the Turtle bore him well.
      Holding fast upon his shell,
      "Lady Jingly Jones, farewell!"
   Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

From the Coast of Coromandel
   Did that Lady never go;
      On that heap of stones she mourns
   For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
On that Coast of Coromandel,
In his jug without a handle
      Still she weeps, and daily moans;
      On that little heap of stones
      To her Dorking Hens she moans,
   For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
   For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

Comment

COOKING EVERY DAY

2023-01-30T03:43:00.000-08:00

After over 50 years of cooking most days, I like to take a break. This week we have plenty of leftovers as well as meals prepped over the weekend. This will free up time to do other things. More time for blogging, shopping and chatting to friends. I also want to start sending my books to agents and publishers as I kind of gave up after so many rejections.

Unfortunately, I can’t batch cook for the freezer as my other half isn’t keen on food that has been frozen. He reckons it alters the taste. He is fussy about ready meals from the supermarket too.

One good thing is he enjoys cooking but as age creeps up, he’s less enthusiastic.

Mother Child Telepathy

2023-01-29T07:43:00.002-08:00

Apparent Apparently the most common form of microchimerism is fetal maternal. A condition where the foetus passes on a small number of cells to the mother’s body through the placenta during pregnancy.

Apparently the most common form of microchimerism is fetal maternal. A condition where the foetus passes on a small number of cells to the mother’s body through the placenta during pregnancy. pparently the

What about you?most common form of microchimerism is fetal maternal. A condition where the foetus passes on a small number of cells to the mother’s body through the placenta during pregnancy.

The reason I researched this is I chose a harmonica as a belated Christmas present for Jnr. I could have chosen many models on Amazon. When he opened it today his face lit up. He showed me the harmonica in his basket on Amazon. He hadn’t bought it yet but it was exactly the same one in C chord. Same colour. I know nothing about music so why I chose C I have no idea. This isn’t the first time it’s happened. reason I researched this is I chose a harmonica as a belated Christmas present for Jnr. I could have chosen many models on Amazon. When he opened it today his face lit up. He showed me the harmonica in his basket on Amazon. He hadn’t bought it yet but it was exactly the same one in C chord. Same colour. I know nothing about music so why I chose C I have no idea. This isn’t the first time it’s happened. ly the most common form of microchimerism is fetal maternal. A condition where the foetus passes on a small number of cells to the mother’s body through the placenta during pregnancy.

Chicken livers in paprika and cream sauce

2022-11-30T08:35:00.002-08:00

I lost a tooth about 7 weeks ago. Since then I've been researching implants and have struggled to eat some days. Today I made chicken livers in paprika and cream sauce with a splash of white wine. Husband made white rice. It was fairly easy to eat.

Did you know?

2022-11-12T08:31:00.003-08:00

Each week, the average person sheds around a third of an ounce of skin.

Halloween dates back 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain meaning “Summer’s end”

Apple bobbing goes back to the Roman festival for Pomania, the goddess of fruit and orchards

Bram Stokers, who wrote Dracula, never visited Transylvania

CAFE DE PARIS

2022-10-13T03:51:00.002-07:00

It takes its name from the Swiss restaurant where it originated. Finely chop half a bag of flat leaf parsley. Chop a few chives. In a medium bowl combine with 125g of softened unsalted butter. Add 1 crushed clove of garlic and 1/2 a teaspoon of paprika, as well as 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. 25g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a quarter teaspoon of salt. Use a fork to mash all the ingredients together. Wrap in greaseproof paper and make it into a cylinder shape. Serve slices on top of steak.

ROSEMARY

2022-09-15T07:17:00.004-07:00

Rosemary is best known as a culinary herb. It’s generally used to flavour roast lamb and chicken. It’s also used to add flavour to herb oils and vinegars. Burn branches on a BBQ to flavour the meat.

Rosemary stimulates circulation and increases blood supply.. An infusion is thought to lift mild depression. Possibly good for treating headaches.

Use fresh sprigs to give perfume to a room. It may deter insects and moths.

NOTE: it’s not recommended for epileptics Avoid during pregnancy and breast feeding.

Herbs of Provence - Rosemary is an ingredient in the classic mix of dried Provençal herbs.

Can be container grown indoors or out.

Dry the sprigs and branches and strip the leaves off before storing. Crush the leaf just before use to release the aroma.

Having Guests for Lunch?

2022-08-16T06:43:00.003-07:00

Don’t forget the drinks. Plenty of vino, big jugs of still and sparkling water. Orange juice for the children. Thirsty guests are unhappy guests and at Casa Janussi it’s OH’s job to make sure nobody has an empty glass.

Life in the Pandemic

2022-08-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

You just get on with things

Taking it all in your stride

Struggling and juggling

There’s never an easy ride.

A trip to Macdonalds Dona Lola Resort in Calahonda, Spain

2022-07-02T03:08:00.000-07:00

Macdonalds Dona Lola in Calahonda, Spain

Stayed here in June. Fabulous weather. Lovely view of the sea but the apartments have been built so that the sun never comes inside or on the balcony. Sunbathing on the balcony just isn’t possible. The apartments are comfortable with everything you need except a washing machine but there’s a laundry on site. There’s plenty of restaurants on site including one next to the pool with entertainment some evenings. The hotel is right on the boardwalk with access to the beach but no sunbeds or umbrellas in the immediate vicinity.

Reception area

The path to the main pool area

View from our balcony

The cottages beneath us

Flamenco show in La Plaza Beach restaurant

The guitarist was particularly good and the dancer included hotel guests.

The adults only heated pool.

There’s an adult only heated swimming pool with plenty of sunbeds and umbrella. There’s a gym and indoor pool for the occasional bad weather days.

Adult pool area

La Plaza Beach restaurant pancakes

La Plaza Beach restaurant chocolate fondant

La Plaza Beach ABBA night

A fun night out with nice food.

Plaza Beach risotto

La.Plaza lamb chops

La Plaza Beach dessert

To summarise, the Macdonalds Dona Lola is a relaxing place to stay. If you have mobility issues it can be difficult to get around as there are lots of stairs and no lifts. A mini market on site was very useful and Mercadona supermarket is over the main road. The apartments are fairly well equipped so it’s easy to rustle up a snack.

In typical Spanish fashion the apartments are built to avoid the sun so it wasn’t possible to sunbathe on our balcony.

Mama's tips for taking it easy and chilling out.

2022-04-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

The key to an easy life is flexibility.

Be the Italian olive tree that bends in the wind,

Not the English oak that snaps.

Moving on from work in Spain - Tales from London

2021-11-24T02:47:00.002-08:00

A sheikh from the Middle East is married to 5 wives. He has had to divorce one as only 4 wives are permitted. Normally he would accommodate all 5 plus their children and many grandchildren at the Dorchester hotel. Extra rooms allocated for the servants and drivers, taking over half of the hotel. The sheikh has decided to buy land in Buckinghamshire and after Covid-19 restrictions started to ease, he obtained planning permission to build four residential buildings and a hotel in the middle. The idea being that the residential buildings will house his wives and ex wife plus their entourage. Whilst the servants can be accommodated in the hotel. When they aren’t in residence, the whole complex can be rented out to other rich people. ◦ How am I aware of this? My husband works for a car hire company regularly used by the group. Last night he received a call asking for a car to collect the architect from the airport. She was transferred to Berkshire to oversee the whole project. Will it be successful? Who knows. My husband worked in years gone by for a very elderly Sheikha. She bought a large family home in West London and asked us to do minor decorations. Surely she could afford professionals but she wanted us. You won’t believe this, but she continued to live in her luxury Park Lane flats. That’s correct. Plural. The big family home with massive garden was only utilised by her chef to cook in comfort and transport the food back to Park Lane. ◦

ANISE

2021-08-20T01:55:00.001-07:00

ANISE - not to be confused with STAR ANISE

It is related to the carrot and parsley families.

The seeds taste of liquorice and come fron a plant with long feathery leaves. They help counteract wind and are a natural stimulant. It is said that the Romans used to eat it at the end of a meal in order to aid digestion. Indians also use the seeds to aid digestion. It is used in stews, cheese dishes, fish and of course, with curries.

The seeds of the anise or aniseed plant are used in cookery. They have a very distinctive liquorice flavour and a sweet yet spicy aroma. The dried seeds are ground to make powdered ground anise, which can lose its flavour quickly so it is best to buy seeds and grind them freshly or to buy ground anise in small quantities.

Anise is popular in savoury and sweet dishes including Indian dishes, bread and fish recipes. Anise adds flavour to biscuits and cakes. It is also the main flavour in many drinks including Pernod, French Pastis and Greek and Turkish Ouzo.

It is probably best to dry-fry the seeds in a hot frying pan for a few minutes until the aroma is released.

This spice is widely used in Middle Eastern, Italian, Indian, German and Mexican cooking. Anise seed is used in Italian biscotti, desserts, and charcuterie.

A Quick Make It Up as you go along Rogan Josh

2021-08-05T09:07:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

teaspoon of Nigella seeds

teaspoon of mustard seeds

a sprinkle of chilli flakes or a whole chilli

4 heaped teaspoons of paprika

10 cardamom pods

salt and pepper

Quick and easy ginger paste

Quick and easy garlic paste

Frozen onions....a good chunk, the more the thicker the sauce

A tablespoon of turmeric

500 grams of fillet neck lamb cut into chunks

1 large soft tomato, cut and chopped

A large tablespoonful of ghee to cook with

Method

I felt lazy today and short of time to cook, so did a quick, from memory, rogan josh. I decided to use the slow cooker as I wanted to go for a short walk too. Good for the mental health during this Covid pandemic, or so they say. It looked like heavy rain, so didn't wander far, just to the postbox and back. Before I went I did this:-

Took the slow cooker internal pan onto the hob and added the ghee, then threw in the frozen onions, quickly followed by the garlic and ginger paste plus the turmeric. At this stage, it looked a little dry, so I threw in a glug of extra virgin olive oil (posh chefs wouldn't approve). Then I fried the lamb and added the paprika, salt and pepper, tomato, yoghurt, mustard and Nigella seeds, cardamom pods and some chilli flakes as the red chilli I found in the fridge had seen better days and went in the bin. I added a little hot water, no measurement, just until it looked enough liquid to cook in, and put the dish back into the slow cooker which I set on high for 4 hours but it was more than ready in two hours, so switched off. Husband made basmati rice with mushrooms, turmeric and peas and I made a sambal of cucumber, tomato, red onions, coriander, crushed cumin, lemon and extra virgin olive oil.

Middle Eastern Kibbeh in Tomato Sauce with Turnips and Parsley

2021-07-07T03:42:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

Kibbeh (available frozen from Middle Eastern supermarkets)

A whole tube of tomato puree

1 litre of water

A bunch of parsley (use half)

6 turnips, peeled and sliced

Cooking oil (I use olive oil)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a large saucepan, mix the tomato puree with the cooking oil over a low heat. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook the turnips for about 10 minutes and then add the frozen Kibbeh. Simmer on a low heat for about 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper as well as chopped parsley.

Serve in a large soup bowl with hot rolls and butter.

Alternatives:

If you don't have turnips, or don't like them, sliced potatoes could be substituted.

Spanish Supermarket Stew

2021-05-28T03:57:00.001-07:00

Well, that's my name for it. When we lived in Spain, we used to do a big shop at Carrefour hypermarket, once in a while. Carrefour is so big that we often spent several hours there and stopped for lunch. One of my favourites was the beef stew and I think it was a little like this.

Ingredients:

Chunks of beef for stewing

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped, or if you really like garlic, put a whole bulb cut in two halves.

A small tin of tomato puree

Olive oil for cooking

A red bell pepper, cleaned and sliced

Salt and black pepper

Beef stock

3 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar

A jar or tin of pre-cooked peas and carrots

1 tablespoon of gravy granules with 200 ml of water

Method:

Cook the beef in a pressure cooker if you have one

Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil (large saucepan)

Add the tomato puree, cooked beef, salt and pepper, vinegar and gravy made up with the water. Add a beef stock cube and more water if necessary. When everything is soft, add the red pepper, peas and carrots. Adjust the thickness of the sauce with more or less stock.

Serve with either a baguette to dip or paprika potatoes sliced in the oven on a tray, cooked for about an hour on 180C. Or Yorkshire pudding goes nicely with the stew.

SPICY FRENCH CHICKEN

2021-05-18T06:08:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:

A whole free range or corn fed chicken

A chunk of onion

A whole lemon cut in half

Parsley leaves and stalks

A few bay leaves blended with paprika

Salt and pepper

A knob of butter or two

A cup of water

A tablespoon of cornflour

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190C

Place the chicken on a rack over a roasting tray

Cover with the ground bayleaves, paprika, salt and pepper

Dot with butter and squeeze half a lemon on the chicken, then pop the lemon and onion inside the chicken to create steam inside. Put the chicken in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Take the chicken out and cover with tin foil to rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the residual juices into a pan, mix the cornflour with the water and pour that in the pan. Simmer until you have a sauce.

Maybe serve with potato dauphinoise. Rub a pyrex dish with garlic and olive oil or butter. Add thin rounds of potatoes. They should be floury, such as King Edwards, Desiree or Maris Piper Add 500 ml of double cream. Bake with the chicken and decorate with flat leaf parsley. The cream can split if the oven is too hot, so if you are lucky enough to have a second oven, put them at a lower temperature of 140C.

TIPS FOR MORE HEALTHY EATING

2021-05-16T03:57:00.001-07:00

Choose lower fat alternatives, such as substituting low fat cheese for cream cheese.

One third of your meals should consist of salad or vegetables.

Remember to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

To help you use less olive oil, try using an olive oil spray for cooking, or when making salad dressings.

If you are trying to cut down on salt, use extra spices and herbs to add flavour to your meals.

Want to cut down on fat? Swap frying or roasting with grilling, using a griddle pan or steaming your food.

Choose a leaner cut of meat without fat such as poultry with skin removed, fillet steak. Cut off any visible fat.

Choose wholegrain rice and pasta as they are higher in fibre than the white alternatives.

When using cheese, maybe think about a mature Cheddar or a hard blue cheese, for more flavour, but use less of it, perhaps grating it.

TOMATO, YELLOW PEPPER AND CELERY SOUP

2021-05-06T07:53:00.001-07:00

Having had my second Covid 19 vaccination today, I fancied something nutritious to eat, followed by an afternoon with my feet up resting. I didn't have any side effects from the first vaccine, but that doesn't mean I will escape this time. So far, so good.

I didn't know what to have for lunch. We often eat our main meal at lunch time, but today is other half's day at the office instead of working from home. So I checked for any vegetables past their best in the fridge and popped them in the soup maker with a vegetable stock cube.

Ingredients

2 carrots, cleaned and chopped

2 celery sticks, cleaned and chopped

1 yellow pepper washed and chopped (discarding the pith and seeds). Other colour peppers are fine.

1 clove of garlic (for healthy reasons)

2 cleaned spring onions (scallions)

2 soft tomatoes, washed and chopped

1 vegetable stock cube

2 cups of water or more according to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Lemon juice and crusty bread to serve

Pop all the ingredients (except the lemon and crusty bread) in the soup maker and set it for 21 minutes on blend.

Handy Household Hints and Tips Part Four

2021-05-04T04:57:00.001-07:00

Chopping boards need a clean?

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of salt on the chopping board.

Wipe down with half a lemon

Rinse in hot water, but don't soak.

Does your iron look dirty?

Spread clean paper onto your ironing board and sprinkle with salt

Disable the steam button on your iron and make sure there's no water in it

Turn the heat setting to maximum

Pass the iron over the salt to remove any dirt.

Dirty oven? Try this

Pour one cup of baking soda in a bowl.

Dab a wet sponge in the soda and apply generously to the dirty parts of your oven

Using a spray bottle, spray white vinegar on the paste

Wipe clean with another clean sponge.

Clogged drain? Why not try this?

Mix half a cup of baking soda with half a cup of salt, in a bowl

Pour the mix over the blocked drain

Then pour a cup of warm vinegar over it and leave for a few minutes

Rinse with at least 1 litre of boiling water.

Cats, kittens and their hotel in the sun

Did you choose your baby’s name?

International Cat Day- 8th August

Edward Lear, Poet

Rumi, Persian Poet, circa 1200’s

Arabic Potato Chab

Edward Lear, Poet

COOKING EVERY DAY

Mother Child Telepathy

Chicken livers in paprika and cream sauce

Did you know?

CAFE DE PARIS

Cafe de Paris Butter

ROSEMARY

Having Guests for Lunch?

Life in the Pandemic

A trip to Macdonalds Dona Lola Resort in Calahonda, Spain

Macdonalds Dona Lola in Calahonda, Spain

Mama's tips for taking it easy and chilling out.

Moving on from work in Spain - Tales from London

ANISE

A Quick Make It Up as you go along Rogan Josh

Middle Eastern Kibbeh in Tomato Sauce with Turnips and Parsley

Spanish Supermarket Stew

SPICY FRENCH CHICKEN

TIPS FOR MORE HEALTHY EATING

TOMATO, YELLOW PEPPER AND CELERY SOUP

Handy Household Hints and Tips Part Four