Slowcooker or from the oven?

Out from the depth in the cupboard came my crockpot it hasn't been used for a while so after a quick dust and rinse out I set about making a beef casserole with some "taste the diffrence" beef that had been lurking in the freezer (I did defrost it overnight)  we had it for dinner tonight after it had been cooking away since 8 this morning we ate at 5.30 in stock, onions,garlic,carrots,celery, tomato purée a small amount of red wine and a hand tied bunch of fresh herbs. 

It was ok meat a bit tough though. 

Here's the problem it just doesn't taste as good as when I use the same ingredients in a my well know cast iron casserole dish in the oven cooked on about 140c for about 4 hours.

The diffrence seems to be the gravy in the slow cooker it comes out quite watery and even a little bland. From the oven the gravy is thicker has much more taste and the meat is even tender. 

Am I the only one or is it my cooking. My reptoir of slow cooking recepies are very limited regarding the slow cooker but I have stacks I use for the oven one pot meals. I have tried chicken in the slow cooker children hated it and to be honest it wasn't great from the oven same dish children can't get enough. 

Reading this back it's starting to sound like a very middle class problem or something you might here in a very well know upmarket Supermarket. 

But I don't want it to become one of those gadgets that just sits I the cupboard gathering dust and it's very useful to have something straight to hand with a bit of planning if we have been out all day. 

Maybe I should invest in a couple of slow cooker cookbooks as a few more won't hurt in my vast collection I already have.

Visiting a new place.

I'm still here and I have been reading lots of your blogs but I really haven't had anything to say at all. I think it's because I'm at a real loss as what to do and in a way I'm feeling a little low. I'm a stay at home mum which I love and I know many people would give anything to be in my postion. Just lately when I have dropped the children at school done all the housework popped to the allotment not much to do now though. I'm at a loss until I pick the children up again and it's like that everyday from Monday to Friday. It's like I need to do something but not sure what and it needs to fit in with family life. 

Anyway today we all visited Langard Point in Felixstowe it's right by the docks and there is a lovely little cafe that overlooks the River Orwell as it's just come in from the North Sea and you have a clear view of the large container ships being loaded and unloaded. There was a brisk wind and we went for a walk around the old fort it does look an interesting place something we will go back and visit. Though just walking around some old towers that face out to the sea was enough to occupy my son today. He spent much of the time hiding and being a boy he was playing at soilders.

It's nice to visit somewhere diffrent and the wind was good to blow away the cobwebs and the sun was just enough to lighten my mood. Best of all it was just good enough to spend some family time together.

There's no such thing as a friendly game of cards

I love playing cards. It's the one thing I remember that was fun from a childhood filled with uncertainty and fear. My Nanna taught me how to play things such as rummy, patience,sevens and crib. It helped no end with my maths. 

I still play cards with my children especially things like old maid and donkey but now they can also play sevens my sons favourite and Newmarket which I had never played before until last year. Last night we had a card night as my husbands Nan is staying and she's a tactical card player could be somthing to do with age but she also likes to accuse people of cheating. 

We play with pennies and I won a few hands so I came back with more than I went with. The children surprised me they are starting to get a really good and my daughter can be very shrewd whilst playing sevens holding key cards back actually she came home with £4.00 worth of pennies she only started with £1.50 worth. 

But must importantly it's about spending time with the family and having fun and laughter and for my children its special for them to have time with there parents,grandparents and great grandparent. 

Looking forward to Christmas as that's when the next cards night is likely to take place. I best start adding to the penny jar.

Reading other blogs

I love reading other people's blogs it's a chance to be nosy which I'm terribly  interested in things other people do. I love the tips people give and I love people opinions whether you agree with them or not. It's a bit like prying in people's diarys but in this instance the people don't mind otherwise they wouldn't blog would they. 

I don't get many comments on my blog posts (I'm not fishing for any) but people do read my ramblings which Im pleased about. I'm not as consistent as other people blogging but I'm hoping to be better at it though sometimes I really have nothing to say as I usually have just stayed home and done the housework and read. 

Though I do love cooking and baking so will probably pop a few food posts up along the way and those who know about my allotment it is finally starting to take shape with proper beds being constructed from wood planks I scavenged from a friend which has saved me a few pennies. Much to my husbands delight.

I have enjoyed people's posts and comments regarding stoptober and whilst I admire those who can and are organised enough not to beable to spend on groceries throughout the month I would find this difficult because I have done this in the past and have found I spend much more in the month where I do a large shop at the beginning than doing a weekly shop. Doing a weekly shop where I have stuck to a list means I'm not doing little top up shops in weeks three and four which means I end up doing a very large shop again because everything runs out at once.

Tomorrow we are getting together with family for a card night I can't wait as I love playing cards Newmarket is my favourite as well a sevens. The children are quite good at this and it does get quite competitive especially as we are playing with 1p,2p and 5p coins. 

Cooking from the books

I have many cookbooks and I love reading them but very rarely use them and I seem to have got in a rut of the same foods every week. So while I was ironing and catching up on Jamie's comfort food which I have the book. I thought I would cook his curried fishpie we were going to have fish anyway and I must say it went down a treat. I did have to modify it to make it dairy and gluten free to suit my daughters diet. (She is very allergic to this things) the only thing I did was not make the sauce with the milk and used cornflour to thicken. 

I really enjoyed cooking this with the help of the children and seem to have got my interest back in preparing and cooking for enjoyment not just because we have to eat. 

The other thing I have done is make bread rolls I have dabbled with baking bread before but never have been successful. I went to make the packed lunch for Mr M and children for school and realised I had no bread in so using Paul Hollywoods how to bake book I have made 12 white rolls they are currently cooking in the oven.

I'm going to be more organised with my cooking and vary the things we have and not be scared to try new things if the children don't like it I will try again. 

Tomorrow is beef casserole but I will be baking as we have no cake in the house at all.

A city break and a change in diet

I have been away for a few days to Barcelona with Mr M. We had a lovely time but I missed the children so much so we won't be repeating it anytime soon. Barcelona is a lovely city and we did a couple of excursions one to see Gaudis work the unfinished cathedral the Sagrada Familia this is an amazing sight and hopefully it will be finished in 2026 which is 100 years after Gaudis death. It's amazing from both inside and out.










The outside tells a story starting from the birth of Jesus to his crucifixion.






We also visited the monastery on Montserrat Mountain this was such a peaceful and tranquil place and is the home to Benidict Monks. We happened to see a couple but they keep themselves to themselves and there living quarters are kept very private from the the tourist attraction. This is also home to a black Madonna which was found in the caves of Montserrat mountain however she's is made out of popular wood and therefore become black due to the wood oxidising. The views were spectacular along with the buildings.

















I ate some amazing food and we spent time strolling around the gothic quarter and going in a huge covered market where there was so much fresh produce it kind of puts some of our markets to shame.









Also moored at the harbour is Steve Jobs super yacht. It's an amazing boat but is such a shame he didn't get to see it before he passed away. It now belongs to his estate.





I was certainly glad to come home though I have came home to the news that like my daughter I have coeliacs disease. It's not entirely surprising as I have shown symptoms for quite a few years though this has been put down to various other things. I eat pretty much gluten free but I will miss bread and I don't like the gluten free alternative so it's going to take a bit of getting used to.

I'm now going to try and catch up with all your blogs and news.

Could it be summer

It's been a lovely day in Suffolk today and one could be mistaking that it could quite possibly still be summer. If it wasn't for the fog first thing in the morning, the turning of the leaves and copious amounts of berries on the hedgerows once a sign we are in for a cold winter. I'm not sure how much of that is true.

I have spent a lovely morning cycling through the countryside with a friend in total we cycled 59k we did stop for a cheeky coffee and cake at Pump Street Bakery in Orford. Which defeats the object of burning all those calories off.

A morning at the plot tomorrow and housework and sorting out my craft area as I'm desperate to get back into sewing some bits but at the moment my work station has rather a few muddles on it.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad