Stitches out

I had a little operation a week last Wednesday and yesterday the nurse took my stitches out! Hoorah! I'm mostly glad because this means that tonight I can soak in a long warm bath for the 1st time in 2 weeks ..... not that I haven't washed you understand but it's just a long hot bath, vanilla candles and a glass of Banrock Station is so much better than 5 minutes of pulsing (we need a new shower) luke warm (we so need a new shower) water!

Watch this space - I'm not coming out until I'm like a prune!!

Page 123 of the book next to me

Found this at A history teacher.
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don’t search around and look for the “coolest” book you can find. Do what’s actually next to you.

"Louis swung around the edge of a free table and sat down hard on the lightly padded seat, beaming like a madman as Edson followed suit." From "Vodka with Chocolate Chasers" by Dan Trelfer a very funny book about a journey on the Trans Siberian railway from Beijing to Moscow.

Where have you been since Sunday Jo?

You might have wondered why I haven't posted and what have I been doing whilst not posting since Sunday and the hangover! Well the honest answer is "html".

It's all new to me - I don't even know what html stands for!! However I manged to alter and add things to the side bar of "Chez laquet!" What next? ...... the world is my lobster!! (Yes I said lobster - blame Kevan!!)

Which Cava?

I am officially hungover!! 3 bottles of Cava ..... what were we thinking? I am only out of bed because it tastes/feels like a camel has set up home in my mouth and a celebration of Riverdance is taking place on my cranium - water and bed!!

By the way - Tesco's Finest 2000 Vintage Cava was the best - will be ordering online later from Tesco! When I can look at a computer screen without my eyes hurting!

What to eat to soak up all the Cava?

So we need something to eat to soak up the cava - nothing to hide the flavour!!

Simon's making "fish pie" - delicious and here's his recipe!

To serve six you will need:-

500g white fish - cod or icefish
300g smoked fish - haddock etc
250g salmon - about 2 fillets
200g large cooked prawns
200g frozen peas
1 medium onion, finely diced
15g butter
1/2 pint bechamel sauce (- you can cheat and buy a packet or Ed Baines does a fabulous one - see the link to UKTV Food's Great Food live website and his recipe below!)
1 tbsp capers
salt & pepper
Mashed potato to cover (made from Maris Piper potatoes, butter and warm milk!!)

Ok - firstly steam the fish until "just" cooked - all of the fish were still slightly rare, they finish cooking in the pie. Flake the fish - it's up to you how rustic you make this, finely flaked? Some chunks? etc

Soften the onion in the butter - no need to brown it!

Combine fish, onion, frozen peas, capers and bechamel in a oven proof dish - a low long dish works best to allow maximum browning of mashed potato. I don't think this needs a lot of salt due to the smoked haddock but you will need to adjust the seasoning to your taste, he always adds freshly ground pepper.

Finally top the pie with your mashed potato and cook in a moderate oven - 190/gas mark 5 for 35-40 minutes - untitl the mashed potato is golden brown.

Serve with your favourite vegetables or a crisp green salad.

Ed Baines' bechamel sauce is on the UKTV food website - http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/

Saturday night is cava night!

Well Simon and I have some serious drinking to do tonight - we are doing a final taste test on Cava, ready to buy enough fizz for the wedding! Cava is a delicious sparkling Spanish wine made using a "method Champenoise" and (unlike Champagne) doesn't give me a hangover!!! Well unless you drink 3 bottles - which is exactly what we are planning to do!

So the three wines we are tasting are -

Freixnet Cordon Negro

Tesco's Finest 2000 Vintage Cava

Hardy's Pinot Noir Chardonnay

Yes, I agree the third choice is not really a Cava - but what the hell, loved it last time we tasted it!! So with shouts of "courage mon brave" echoing ...... off I go!

Dinner last night - Simon's Killer Chilli Con Carne

Friday night was chilli night - delicious with a glass of Sicilian red or three! Drowning my sorrows after the leg fell off my computer chair - so you all know what I'm going shopping for today!

2 tbsps olive oil
2 large onions
700 g lean stewing beef , cut into chunky cubes
5 garlic cloves , crushed
800 g canned chopped plum tomatoes
2 green peppers , sliced
3 green or red chillies, chopped (he uses fresh jalapeños)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 can red kidney beans
1 tsp sugar
1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped or "artfully torn"

Heat the olive oil in a casserole,or saucepan and fry the meat until lightly brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and stir for a minute or so before tipping in the tinned tomatoes, chillies, peppers, and a good pinch of salt.

Cover the pan and simmer for about an hour, until the meat is tender and the liquid reduced to a thick sauce. If it gets too dry during cooking, pour in a little more water. Add the cumin, kidney beans and the brown sugar.

Simmer for a further 10 mins before serving; at the last possible minute stir in a handful of fresh coriander (cilantro if you're an American!). Simon serves his chilli with rice or warmed tortillas, sour cream and salsa.

Shopping for shoes

I love shopping for shoes and this morning my friend Simone and I were off to Lakeside - looking for shoes and an outfit for the wedding (May 14th - so I'm not panicking yet you understand!!) We got as far as Gravesend and had to turn back because the A2 was covered in snow! Kent is taking a real hammering this winter - pictures to follow as soon as I have downloaded the software (and worked out how to use it!!)

Telling Mark

I am feeling a little nervous this morning - I have just told my friend Mark about my "online mutterings!" Mark is the person I turn to with technical questions / ramblings / problems etc - so I am quaking as to what exactly he'll say ............ however at least I know that one person will be watching this space.

Snow

It started snowing yesterday morning (March 2nd) and didn't stop all day and now - yes you've guessed it, it's started again! Big fat flakes flying past the window - I feel a snow ball coming on!

New - want to see pictures? Click here --> snowing or still snowing

Dinner tonight - Salmon

I'm not exactly sure how far I can go - can I publish recipes on this blog, or will I be in breach of copyright? I'm sure some kind soul out there will let me know!! We'll start with my own recipes just in case

So tonight for tea we will mostly be eating "Salmon cooked in a bag!" This is an old favourite, cooked in the oven "en papilotte" - tinfoil bags in fact! Very easy recipe!

So for 2 people, you need ........
2 salmon fillets (or steaks if you prefer)
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
couple of sprigs of fresh parsley
1/2 a lemon
salt & pepper

Make an envelope out of tinfoil, double thickness is best for each piece of salmon.
Place salmon on sliced shallots, season with salt, pepper and a squeez of lemon.
Place a sprig of fresh parsley on top of fish and seal tinfoil parcels!
Cook in a medium oven (150 / gas mark 5) for 15-20 mins.
Salmon is moist and slightly pink inside, delicious.

Going to serve it with boiled new (charlotte) potatoes and a watercress and creme fraiche sauce!

Enjoy!!

Yahoo games

If you have never played JT Blocks - please don't because of this posting I would hate to be the source of a new addict!!

However if you feel you really must, click here!

I'm not sure how best to describe it - you have to click on links of blocks (just 2 or more) to make them colla ............ hang on why am I explaining? I have to go and play!