I love cooking. I used to do it all the time. Once upon a time we were all organic and vegetarian and everything we ate was cooked from scratch. Then we got busy, jobs and commitments took over, the girls and Robbie decided they wanted bacon..., and our eating habits became a big bit more relaxed. And now, years later, I still love cooking but it's waaaayy down the priority list...
But I'm a woman that loves a Summer project! I need to cut my food budget as it's going through the roof. I also need to feed us better and get us back on track. So, I've dug out my two faithful friends:
I love these books, I've cooked practically everything in the blue one and have written all over them. Always a good sign!
I made up a menu list, then wrote a shopping list, set myself a general, vague, very small budget, and set off to Lidl and Aldi's. Then I came home with most of what I went for...
Recipe today:
Then I hit a bit of a snag that isn't unusual for me... I didn't have all the ingredients so a bit of substitution was in order. Not made this recipe before but absolutely love Dhal and my favourite thing about it? Cheap as chips (or lentils!).
Got myself sorted:
Lentils, onion and lots of spices. Not necessarily the spices in the recipe but beggars can't be choosers!
Stuck on a bit of Steve Wright, got busy, quickly remembered why I love to cook - cos it's fun! And the whole time I was being watched by:
Sat like an angel on the bottom stair cos I'm tired of tripping over her every time I turn round in the kitchen. It's all very well having an adoring shadow but it's not always very safe!
Eldest was in Glasgow with a friend, Youngest was:
Then hubby came home a little early and settled himself on the swing with a coffee, a book, a cat, and the regulation nap in the middle of the day!
So I carried on, it smelt gorgeous, it didn't have any chillies, didn't have any shallots, not a curry leaf in sight, and fresh coriander to garnish? What do you think? But oh my it promised great things and I definitely feel that my cooking mojo is back!
Want to see it? You sure?
Lol!!! Looks like a pile of sick! Had Youngest crying with laughter, had hubby being all polite, but it tasted absolutely lovely. Please believe me!
And for pudding:
Yum!
And my outfit of the day was my beloved elephant skirt that I got on holiday in Devon about ten years ago. The perfect weather and the perfect skirt to show off my white, pasty little legs!
A good day all round I'd say and it's only 6.30! Plenty of time to go through and bake some oat and raisin cookies I reckon, though it might have to be chocolate chips... (also known as a bashed up kitkat...!) Think I need to stock up on some storecupboard essentials...!
See you soon!
Wendy x
I made a curry for tea tonight too! Unlike you, I bloody hate cooking - it's the relentlessness of feeding a family which has crushed the joy out of it for me, although it's not quite so bad as the kids get older and eat most things. When they were younger and all had different likes and dislikes, it drove me potty! I'd rather be sitting on the garden swing with a cat, coffee and book, please!
ReplyDeletePS. Great print on your skirt. xxx
I like cooking ... if I'm in the mood ... funnily enough I never seem to be in the mood at dinner time. I'm like Curtise, feeding a family for all these years has crushed the inspiration and motivation right out of me. My pantry seems to be overflowing ... but you guessed it ... if I need a particular thing it's NEVER in there ;0)
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Mmmmmm I love lentils. That looks really good to me. And you look so sweet in your India elephant skirt. Right in keeping with the theme. I was a vegetarian for years until I had a few health problems and the doctor insisted I eat more protein. Oh well.....what a nice life you have <3
ReplyDeleteWell done on your cooking, and I laughed at your description of what the end product looked like!! Tasty sick tho'. I hear you on the shadow getting under your feet, I think my Oscar would be happy in one of those baby front packs strapped to me daily!! I have a garden swing like you and it is definitely for reading, resting and SNOOZING on in the sunshine. Have a lovely weekend Wendy.
ReplyDeleteLike Curtise and Jo, I find cooking a bit of a chore, I threatened to stop cooking altogether at one point because of the eye-rolling and moaning over food I had cooked (then Dave advised me, apparently we have to feed them haha!) funnily enough I have been craving a dhal recently and there you go, I now have a recipe I can look at! your elephant skirt is fab btw! x x x
ReplyDeleteOooh, I love Dhal! It doesn't ever look massively appetising, you're right! I tend to think that about a lot of lentil dishes and they're almost all ridiculously tasty! Good work missus xo
ReplyDeleteI used to do it for a living and Jon loves cooking so I mostly leave it to him!
ReplyDeleteI love dahl or anything vegetarian, Indian, heavy on the spices and pulses. Love the dinner appropriate wrap skirt and husband recling with the cat! x
Wendy, your washing line is troubling me. How on earth do you reach the top bits?! It looks very high up off the ground.
ReplyDeleteBig clothes pole Bonnie. I need the line to be low down cos I'm so short, so a pole's essential! x
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