Tuesday, March 18, 2008
18th March. A big thank you to Delia Smith.
Thank goodness for Delia Smth!
The TV cook who has instructed us and advised for 30 years has now come clean and admitted that the use of good quality pre-prepared items in cooking is sensible and beneficial on many occasions.
I watched her new series yesterday evening and it brought a huge grin to my face as I realised that, at last, we could all admit to "cheating". At least the majority who do cheat could relax and feel re assured that they were not failures or ruining the planet or being second best.
I had her first How to Cheat at Cooking recipe book ages ago and now I think I might add the new addition - it will save me the bother of searching for some of the high quality ingredients, for she has named items and where to buy them.
I can't wait to do her fishcakes with tinned crab.
Oh wow! The mayonnaise she used looked superb. It came in a plastic tub and I am sure was infinitely better than the much promoted Hellman's Mayonnaise (which I have been using for some time).
Some of it comes too late for me - the spaghetti bolognese is now off limits for me, (with its rich tomato sauce - to which she added 2 spoons of cognac) but I am sure I can use the Marks and Spencers tinned minced lamb in many other ways for there are so many cook-in sauces to choose from.
One we used last week - a sweet chilli and garlic, will be used in many meals in the future.
Because I am not in full time work I maybe will not bother with the frozen mashed potato that Delia has used. I make a good mashed potato, by adding butter and maybe horseradish or garlic, or mustard. Anyway I must be sure about the boiling of the vegetables first.
I do like to create interesting meals and rarely use a recipe book these days. I like to experiment with flavours and will on the spur of the moment put together something from the fridge or store cupboard with spices.
And on other days we will eat whole meals that have been cooked for us by somebody else.
So, Delia lifted my spirits.
And they needed lifting.
I really didn't feel good for most of yesterday.
Bill is feeling worse again today.
We just don't seem to be able to get to the point where we have climbed away from the bug - progress is followed by a rapid decline.
Bill will see the nurse tomorrow at the doctor's to discuss his blood pressure. Perhaps all he needs (and me) is reassurance that it is normal for blood pressure to go up when the body is fighting infection. The trouble is, when his BP goes up it goes up to potentially dangerous levels. Mine on occasions has almost reached a normal level!
Today I have been in the shop.
It hasn't been a busy day. Not a word has been said about the shop closing but perhaps we are already sending out vibes that the end is nigh. I feel so guilty about encouraging people to keep coming back to the shop - today there were a couple in who had not been before and were talking about how they would certainly be back. "Don't leave it too long" I wanted to say - but of course just thanked them for their praise and smiled.
So that was Tuesday.
I shall have another early night and hope that I don't cough too much.
Tomorrow is another day!
The TV cook who has instructed us and advised for 30 years has now come clean and admitted that the use of good quality pre-prepared items in cooking is sensible and beneficial on many occasions.
I watched her new series yesterday evening and it brought a huge grin to my face as I realised that, at last, we could all admit to "cheating". At least the majority who do cheat could relax and feel re assured that they were not failures or ruining the planet or being second best.
I had her first How to Cheat at Cooking recipe book ages ago and now I think I might add the new addition - it will save me the bother of searching for some of the high quality ingredients, for she has named items and where to buy them.
I can't wait to do her fishcakes with tinned crab.
Oh wow! The mayonnaise she used looked superb. It came in a plastic tub and I am sure was infinitely better than the much promoted Hellman's Mayonnaise (which I have been using for some time).
Some of it comes too late for me - the spaghetti bolognese is now off limits for me, (with its rich tomato sauce - to which she added 2 spoons of cognac) but I am sure I can use the Marks and Spencers tinned minced lamb in many other ways for there are so many cook-in sauces to choose from.
One we used last week - a sweet chilli and garlic, will be used in many meals in the future.
Because I am not in full time work I maybe will not bother with the frozen mashed potato that Delia has used. I make a good mashed potato, by adding butter and maybe horseradish or garlic, or mustard. Anyway I must be sure about the boiling of the vegetables first.
I do like to create interesting meals and rarely use a recipe book these days. I like to experiment with flavours and will on the spur of the moment put together something from the fridge or store cupboard with spices.
And on other days we will eat whole meals that have been cooked for us by somebody else.
So, Delia lifted my spirits.
And they needed lifting.
I really didn't feel good for most of yesterday.
Bill is feeling worse again today.
We just don't seem to be able to get to the point where we have climbed away from the bug - progress is followed by a rapid decline.
Bill will see the nurse tomorrow at the doctor's to discuss his blood pressure. Perhaps all he needs (and me) is reassurance that it is normal for blood pressure to go up when the body is fighting infection. The trouble is, when his BP goes up it goes up to potentially dangerous levels. Mine on occasions has almost reached a normal level!
Today I have been in the shop.
It hasn't been a busy day. Not a word has been said about the shop closing but perhaps we are already sending out vibes that the end is nigh. I feel so guilty about encouraging people to keep coming back to the shop - today there were a couple in who had not been before and were talking about how they would certainly be back. "Don't leave it too long" I wanted to say - but of course just thanked them for their praise and smiled.
So that was Tuesday.
I shall have another early night and hope that I don't cough too much.
Tomorrow is another day!
