Jan 27
Crispy chicken wings are one of those foods that seem to be universally loved. A hot wing, fresh from the frier or oven and ready for dipping into your favourite sauce, is a wonderful thing. The crisper the better for maximum crunch and all those little nooks and crannies to grab on to the sauce. Read more
There may have been a row or two in the house this week. Or possibly even three. I know there was one about skirting board. And one about banisters. And a real humdinger about the cock (who is still alive, but on his absolute final warning). I can’t think of any others right now but I get the feeling I’m leaving something out. Read more
Ok, so I’m knackered. My muscles ache, my leg is bruised, my fingernails are filthy and my hair is inexplicable. I really need to spend half an hour standing under a steady stream of hot water. Alas, our shower does not allow for such luxuries. For a start, it takes about three hours to heat the water. You then get about five minutes at a soft trickle before the water starts to run cold. Unless you move at lightning speed you will still be covered in suds by the time the hot water runs out, leaving you to dance about the bath as you do the final rinse with cold water. Read more
Friday night is movie night here in our house. During the week we each tend to do our own thing – reading, listening to music or watching YouTube videos relative to our areas of interest. Come Friday, though, we like to curl up together to watch something a little trashy. Earlier in the evening we treat ourselves to one of our favourite Friday dinners – burgers (which we had today), pizza, fajitas or such like. Then I like to make a big bowl of popcorn to munch in front of the TV. Throw in a few beers and I’m in heaven. Read more
I’ll never forget the first time I had fajitas. I was living in Texas and was brought to a restaurant by one of my colleagues to sample the local Tex-Mex cuisine. I had, of course, heard of fajitas but hadn’t tried them and decided to give them a go. The sizzling platter of meat and vegetables, along with a selection of cold toppings such as sour cream, guacamole and grated cheese, that was delivered to each individual diner fascinated me. I absolutely loved the idea of building my own fajita my way, with my chosen ingredients. Read more
One of my chief ambitions in life is to rid my kitchen of all commercially processed foods and make everything myself from scratch. While I’ve made some good progress over the past year I still have a way to go. It’s an ongoing journey – I’ll get there little by little. I appreciate that I am fortunate in that I have time to spend in my kitchen preparing my food. Back when I had a full-time job I did my best most nights, making speedy reliables such as pasta dishes or stir-fries, keeping the ingredients as fresh and healthy as possible. But come Friday evening I wanted a treat – something sticky or gooey that could be eaten curled up on the couch in front of a good movie, perhaps with a cold beer on the side. Read more
I’m in a funny humour. It could be the alignment of the planets, perhaps residual giddiness from finding my first eggs in the chicken coop this week, maybe even Eurovision madness. Who the heck knows. But everything I read seems to be amusing me. I’m ok with that. I like to be amused! I guess most of us do, especially on Fridays, after a long, hard week. So, just for fun, this week I thought I’d bring you a selection of some of the more humourous links I came across during the week. I hope they brighten up your day! Read more
It’s been another busy week here on the range. Digging has started for the geo-thermal heating for the new house. It’s not a pretty sight at the moment but it should be worth it in the end. Mr. Cock has become a bit territorial about the chicken house and attacked me yesterday when I went in to clean. We’ll need to see some improvements in demeanor, Cocky, or there may be a very large saucepan in your future. Finally, I’ve been working hard on planting my vegetable beds, often until late evening as it was just too hot during the day. Read more
Spring has truly sprung here in Lithuania over the past week. The weather has been warm and sunny and there has been an explosion of growth. The fruit trees have blossomed and the bees are buzzing busily gathering nectar for delicious honey. Dandelions have shot up and are providing a welcome feast for my girls. If only they would produce an egg I know they would have the most golden yolks imaginable. Read more
It’s been a tough ole week. I have concluded that if our marriage can survive these renovations it can survive anything! On the plus side, things are moving quickly. The piping was laid for the under-floor heating & the concrete floors poured. The upstairs insulation is almost complete & work on the lights is underway. And we managed a trip to IKEA to pick out our new kitchen – utter heaven for a girl who loves to cook. Read more
I can’t believe how quickly the week has flown by – it only seems like yesterday that I posted the last set of Friday Favourites. It’s a beautiful Spring day here – clear blue skies with just a hint of bite in the air. The weekend promises something similar, so hopefully I’ll get started on planting out my seedlings. We’re also hoping to build a greenhouse using the old windows from the house. Busy, busy. Read more
It’s been a busy week here with getting our new cock settled, patiently waiting for that first egg from our girls (which has not yet materialised) and making some key decisions on our house design. I’ve somehow managed to keep up with my reading. There was lots of interesting stuff on the net this week. Did any of you get duped by an April Fool’s joke? I know I did! Read more
I’ve always loved Fridays. From early morning there is a sense of joy at the impending weekend. By lunchtime you know the worst is behind you and by mid-afternoon you are really starting to unwind. Back when I had an office job, Friday was usually the only day when I could take my afternoon coffee break uninterrupted. I might even get to write a few personal emails or to catch up on social media. Finally a little “me” time. Read more
My Food Odyssey 