Cooking and sewing

Here are a few recipes I made last week that I was impressed with.  I like to try a new recipe or 2 during the week otherwise I find I make the same old things every night. 

Russian Black Bread: link

A delicious dark rye bread, not to heavy with that lovely taste of caraway seed.  However this recipe is designed for a bread-maker and had a lot of liquid to flour - I use a KitchenAid and as a result had to add approximately 1 1/2 cups of extra flour as it was just too sticky.  It really was guess work by looking at the texture of the dough - but well worth having a go.  I plan to make more of this bread - that's my loaf in the picture above!

(picture from the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog)

Honey Glazed Chicken: link

This was very easy to make and so yummy.  I didn't use the barbeque, cooked the chicken legs in the oven.  Probably lacked the extra smoky smell from the barbeque - but just as nice.  As it is winter here, I had this with roasted brussel sprouts (tossed in honey and dukkah) and cauliflower cheese.  But would be lovely with a salad.

(picture from Pioneer Woman Blog)

Crash Hot Potatoes: link

This is a great recipe and would be fun for kids to make.  I modified the recipe (as I tend to do with most recipes), I added bacon, feta cheese and cheese with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs  - you could really add anything to these crushed potatoes.

Even  though I am trying to reduce my cookbook collection I bought these on the weekend from a small bookstore that sells excess books. With my mothers side of the family Scottish I thought I should own a cookbook from Scotland - however I had to laugh when I found this recipe "Loin of wild boar with bog myrtle".  It suggested I obtain the boar from the butcher!! Other recipes include "Roast young grouse", "Grey partridge with lentils" and I certainly won't be making "haggis with clapshot cake" or "black pudding with potato and apple".   But there were recipes that sounded really nice and I could buy the ingredients.

The granola I made last weekend is almost all gone - my youngest son just loves it with yoghurt.  I eat mine with stewed apple.  Will make more this week! Isn't it wonderful to make food that is loved by the family.

~oOo~

Besides cooking, I have also been sewing and made 3 "wheat packs". The first 2 (cats - below) are for my eldest son and the flowery one was the one I was going to keep - but I ended up giving it away!!  The 2 cat ones are filled with just pearl barley but the flower bag contains pearl barley and lavender and as a result smells really nice when heated.  I thought the lace made it a little more feminine.  Need to buy some more fabric as I am running low.

~oOo~