Cooking tonight (Mk3)

[Nicos]

We’re having another tumble salad.
This time with asparagus and salmon as ‘guest ingredients’.No doubt a few hard boiled eggs will feature in there too!

Fresh peaches for pud

[greenishfing]

Last night I made meat and potato (and added veg) pie with cabbage and gravy. It is my husband's new favourite meal now. I still can't believe it took me over half a century to work out how to make decent pastry.

[Nicos]

^^^ do share your pastry tips GF !!

[greenishfing]

My main pastry tip is to keep my hot fingers well away from it and use a food processor. I made edible but not particularly enjoyable pastry all my life as did my mother, both by hand and in a mixer. The recipe I use now for a top pie crust for the two of us is: Put 120 grams of plain flour and 90 grams butter (cubed) into the food processor with a pinch of salt. Pulse until you get fine breadcrumb texture (very quick). Mix an egg yolk and about a tablespoon of water. Add to food processor and pulse for a minute or so until pastry forms. Wrap in clingfilm for at least an hour. Roll out and use. This is such good pastry I never trim the edge of pies but fold any extra back in. It is rich and crumbly and melts in the mouth when eaten. The bonus......it is so easy and quick to make.

[Nicos]

Thanks GF ...will give it a try
Never put it in the fridge, so will do that next time

[greenishfing]

I only put it in the fridge if I have time after to let it come back to room temperature afterwards. Otherwise I just put it somewhere coolish for an hour or longer. I sometimes make the pastry in a morning and then come home at teatime and roll it out. (It rolls really well).

[Snoop Puss]

Quiche for supper, I reckon. With your pastry, GF. Blind bake for a bit first, I guess. Goodness, I do love all those eggy tarts. Onion tart, asparagus tart... Thanks for sharing that, GF.

And seeing as the oven will be on, I might bake some plums (if I can find them in the freezer, that is).

[Bren In Pots]

Tagliatelle, bol, garlic bread, parmesan, pesto and a glass of red.

[Containergardener]

OH having pizza . I'm having tuna and bean salad

[Mr Bones]

Simple meal last night, pork, broad beans and linguine. Broad beans in the freezer need using before this years are ready.

[Snoop Puss]

Quiche didn't happen and neither did anything else. Due to lack of bread, I fished out some pizza dough from the freezer and we had that. Makes a great easy supper. Thanks for the tip, Nicos.

[Bren In Pots]

Toad in the hole, carrots, kale then from the freezer runner beans and peas.

Who else has last years runners in the freezer ? me I still have two bags

[greenishfing]

Last night was scampi, potatoes scallops in beer batter, carrots and peas with homemade tartare sauce.

Tonight pasta bake (some for the freezer and to give away as well) garlic bread and salad.

I have now however got some kind of desperate chocolate need and have (in desperation) found some cooking chocolate in the cupboard and I must say it really is so good none of it is ever going to get "cooked". It is really a rare occasion that this happens but when it does it is an urgent desire. When I was young I was even been known to make chocolate cake at midnight.

[Nicos]

What a bizzare day

Had a brunch of own bacon and egg on own baps with lettuce and tomato,..,..then nothing at all until 9pm when I just stuffed my face with cheese and biscuits followed by a couple of peaches!

The pork and crackling wasn’t defrosted in time so that’ll be tomorrow nights supper.

[Nicos]

Bren, the bottom of my veggie freezer looks like permafrost...Goodness knows what’s down there!