Books I’ve enjoyed 008

Posted on April 29, 2023 by The Little Room of Rachell

Helloooo all. How are you? It’s been a while hasn’t it…

I’ve gathered some more of my favourite reads for you. Some I’ve read fairly recently and others were advance reader copies, read quite some time ago before publication. What I haven’t done this time is link the titles to GoodReads since I figure you probably have your own favourite book-site. Let me know if you miss the links.

The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore

The story of three sisters: Rachel, Imogen, Sasha and their mother Margo, their relationships, secrets and glimpses into their past after they were abandoned by Richard their father, Margo’s husband.

The seaside setting in the large family house on The Isle of Wight was perfect, and the characters so real that I feel genuinely sad to leave them.

The writing is so good, the story just flows off the page; this is the first book that I have read into the early hours in ages, far beyond when I should have gone to sleep. I’ve loved it. The Garnett Girls is one of my reads of the year. I predict it’s going to be a huge hit and wouldn’t be at all surprised if it’s adapted into a film, and rightly so!

The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith

The latest installment in the highly acclaimed, internationally bestselling Strike series finds Cormoran and Robin ensnared in another winding, wicked case. When frantic, disheveled Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn’t know quite what to make of the situation. The co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie’s true identity. Robin decides that the agency can’t help with this-and thinks nothing more of it until a few days later, when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart. From GoodReads.

Wow! I finally finished it – having paused at just over halfway through to pick up Landlines by Raynor Winn. I was enjoying this, but not enthralled. It’s hard to feel sympathy for the victim and a compulsion to find out whodunnit when you’ve met the murdered character in only one or two pages. However, things really start mounting up after that and then I was completely in it for the long haul.

It was so cleverly done, lots of red herrings and diversions. I’m pretty good at picking the criminal, as I read a fair bit of detective fiction, but this time not at all! Even as they entered the building, in my mind it still could have been one of two others. I got it totally wrong! And it’s there fairly early on…

So, so, so glad I read this on my Kindle. I couldn’t have held that brick of the hardback and due to the extremely large cast I found the search function invaluable to check who is who and where they fit in. I gave it 4/5 stars because it was unnecessarily long. The editor could take a stronger stance!

Obviously a lot of the author’s personal experience of the internet, Fandom, Twitter etc has gone into the writing of this book. There is much more swearing in it, not offended by it, but I noticed the increase.

I bet Strike’s meeting with Prudence will lead into the next instalment…

Landlines by Raynor Winn

Some people live to walk. Raynor and Moth walk to live . . . Raynor Winn knows that her husband Moth’s health is declining, getting worse by the day. She knows of only one cure. It worked once before. But will he – can he? – set out with her on another healing walk? The Cape Wrath Trail is over two hundred miles of gruelling terrain through Scotland’s remotest mountains and lochs. But the lure of the wilderness and the beguiling beauty of the awaiting glens draw them northwards. Being one with nature saved them in their darkest hour and their hope is that it can work its magic again. As they set out on their incredible thousand-mile journey back to the familiar shores of the South-west Coast Path, Raynor and Moth map the landscape of an island nation facing an uncertain path ahead. In Landlines, she records in luminous prose the strangers and friends, wilderness and wildlife they encounter on the way – it’s a journey that begins in fear but can only end in hope.

Loved it! Alternated it in two halves with the mega long Ink Black Heart.

I recommend you read The Salt Path, and then read this! The afterword is bone tingling and I hope really helps to spur on further research.

Go as a River by Shelley Read

A chance meeting on the street between a teenager and a young drifter starts this story, which is set in rural Colorado. Beginning in the 1940s, we leave them three decades later in the 1970s. It’s hauntingly written, lyrical and really rather beautiful. This is a book about family, about love and about loss. But it’s also about resilience and strength. Victoria the main character is a force to be reckoned with, she is the definition of a strong woman and yet you also see her vulnerabilities and feel her pain. You follow her growing up from a young teenager in charge of the household, on her family’s peach farm, into an independent woman with a place of her own, dealing with loss and grief in her own way.

All the characters are sympathetic, even the troubled Seth, his uncle and father to an extent. This is a tough life, the family has experienced tragedy and huge losses, they do the best they can, but often fall short. Victoria is holding it all together, at least in a practical sense. Other members of the local community are believable and well drawn; the trouble making vinegar-tongued woman who runs the flop house, the jolly large woman who is friendly to customers and excels at selling the Nash family peaches at the roadside stall, the odd neighbour who is one of the most touchingly written. I could picture them all clearly, the writing is crystal clear.

I gather that there really was the damming and flooding of the Gunnison river to make the huge Blue Mesa Dam. I am interested to find out more about the communities who had to move and the houses and farms that were lost in Colorado.

Admittedly I preferred the first half of the book. I was not so keen on the diary extracts, but it was a clever device to move the story forward and to explain what happened in the interim, between the two main events of Victoria’s adult life. I did find that I really missed reading about the trees and the peaches though!

Homecoming by Kate Morton

Homecoming has a dual timeline which switches back and forth 60 years, between 1958 and 2018. There is an historic murder investigation, a missing baby, fractured mother daughter relationships and three women who reflect on their lives and place where they feel most at home. The characters are distinctly drawn and sympathetic for the most part. The author is clever at giving the reader an insight into what has shaped them and their relationships (or lack of) with each other.

This is a long book at over 500 pages, it’s a slow telling of a period in time when a tragic event occurs which rocks a community, changing the lives of everyone connected to the Turner family. The backstory loops around and around revealing more through a variety of devices. The chapters from the true crime book were an effective way to provide background. However, it took until around halfway through the book for me to become gripped, it’s rather turgid in places, but by then it really hooked me and got me guessing. Even when I was confident I could easily explain exactly what had happened, I was wrong!

The descriptions of the countryside, big skies, houses and rural life were well described. I used to be familiar with most of the locations mentioned as I lived in the hills of Adelaide, travelling down to ‘the flats’ via the Greenhill road daily for work, before the expressway was built, so this greatly added to my enjoyment of the book as it brought back many memories.

The Roasting Tin by Rukmini Lyer

Pop your ingredients in a tin and let the oven do the work. The Roasting Tin has recipes for 75 delicious one dish dinners ranging from chicken traybakes to supergrains. The concept is simple: fresh, easy ingredients, a few minutes prep, and let the oven do the work. Each chapter also includes a helpful infographic for how to build your own roasting tin dinner using whatever is in your fridge tonight. These quick, clever and delicious recipes are for anvone who wants to eat nutritious food made from scratch that fits around their busy lives. (And for anyone who doesn’t like washing up). GoodReads

Such a good book. I’ve made a few recipes, so far, and the one that’s already been cooked several times is the Crispy olive & pine nut* crusted cod with roasted red onions and cheery tomatoes. I made the tapenade with reduced salt green olives, using the recipe HERE

* Actually I forgot to buy the pine nuts, equal quantities of grated grana padano (or parmesan) works well instead. I stuck with that combo instead, as it tasted so good.

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Have you read any goodies lately? I’m currently reading an advance reader copy of Pip Williams next book, which runs parallel, time wise, with The Dictionary of Lost Words. It’s an interesting read, so far. And I started a new audiobook the other day, but I’m not altogether sure about it. I’ll have to listen to a bit more, before making up my mind whether to continue. (Quite gory.)

If you read any of the books I’ve featured, today or in the other posts, let me know what you thought of them? I’d love to know if we share some of the same tastes.

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 6, 2023 by The Little Room of Rachell

On New Year’s Day I had a good think about starting a project where you make something every day, (or plan something small that you can catch up on at the end of each week, when you invariably end up behind.) But I know better than that really, don’t I? So instead of committing to a plan, I started crocheting circles. I’lI make them whenever I want to do a little bit of crochet, or want something portable to take out and about, then I will turn them into circles in a hexagon, or rectangle, or square, or star, or… and join them together at some point. I REALLY like using variegated yarn, this obsession is not wearing off now and it’s been a couple of years. I plan to transform them with a single plain colour. Probably. That could change, as I wonder about maybe using other variegated shades for contrast, so the overall effect of the whatever it’s going to be would be mismatched and rather glorious. Glorious is a big word, but it’s a fresh shiny new year, so let’s be optimistic and enthusiastic.

After reading some one-word posts and resolutions in which people are already sounding rather desperate and negative, ready to concede defeat, I’m not making resolutions to be broken. I’m not planning to count anything (books, calories, steps, pounds etc etc…) or set big goals. I’ll make considered choices as I go. There’s enough happening in life as you go along, without beginning the year with a huge list of shoulds. No pressure, stress or things to fail. Hurray! Who’s with me?

This week there’s been a lot of wind and rain, but also a few good periods for walking. I’ve been here, there and rather busy, but have made time to walk. Look at yesterday’s sunset. Beautiful.

I stopped counting my mileage last spring, knowing after recording it for 3 years or so, that I average 1,000 miles walked a year. I did have a look at Strava and see that I walked 50 miles over Christmas. I knew I had tried to move most days, I didn’t realise it was quite so much. Those 2 mile jaunts around to look at the Christmas lights and catch glimpses of people’s trees add up!

Witney was looking really lovely on Wednesday afternoon.

It’s Epiphany today and the last day of Christmas. The lights and sparkle everywhere have been so welcome. I’m going to keep my three cosy red tea light holders out of my decs box this year and I’ve got star shaped fairy lights along the mantelpiece. January and February can be grey and grim, but there are ways to brighten up home and keep some sparkle.

I whizzed up some whole spices to top up my curry powder jar. I ground it all quite coarsely, those homegrown dried chilies are definitely still looking flaky, but it’s a perfect blend of flavours and will cook down well. If you’re feeling a bit low I recommend making a spice blend up to use in soups and curries, or as marinades. Buy a grinder and some whole spices to make your own blends. There are loads of blend recipes online. It’s cheaper in the long run than buying those titchy jars, especially if you buy larger packets of whole spices from an Asian Supermarket. You feel really productive and you get the flavours you want, adding more, or less of what you prefer. The kitchen smelt amazing afterwards, it’s very cheering.

These orchids stopped me in my tracks at the garden centre. How fresh and vibrant! Garden centres and nurseries are still managing to provide lots of colour and brightness. They’re usually warm too!

Meatless Monday’s (as I call it, most say meat- free) spicy bean & tomato soup. Fancy it? Diced onion, carrot & celery cooked slowly till softened, smoked paprika & chilli powder added and cooked for a minute, stir so it doesn’t burn, add a diced yellow pepper, a can of chopped tomatoes, 750 ml ish of veg stock, mixed herbs, can of drained black beans, can of drained kidney beans, a squeeze of tomato purée and a good simmer. Perfect!

Then a day or two later I browned 250g pork mince, cooked a little more smoked paprika and chilli powder, added the soup leftovers and threw some petit pois in at the end. Served it in bowls, with strong cheddar on top and called it Chilli!

Usually my leftovers get turned into soups/stoup (Hugh FW term for something halfway between a soup and a stew.) This was the reverse process and worked very well.

By Welsh artist Lizzie Spikes – Driftwood Designs

Too good not to share. I’ve put all the names and dates of the different moons on my calendar. So today is called Stay at Home moon. I don’t mind if I do. Sounds perfect. I’ve had a bowl of soup for lunch and my second piece of Christmas cake. (First slice of today I mean, only my second of Christmas!) I’ve started to Declutter Christmas (feels appropriate to be capitalised) as it’s time. Christmas cards are in a pile to read through and look at once more. I’ve dusted after taking away cards, Christmassy tins, a bowl of mini baubles, a wicker star and more. The Poinsettia has been watered a little, it hasn’t lost its leaves yet… Now the bauble boxes are open on the sofa, waiting to be refilled. I am feeling unusually regretful about the de-Christmassing this year; usually I’m ready to dust and put everything to rights, however this year I fancy keeping everything up until Valentine’s Day! I’ve really loved our Christmas tree. But all good things must come to an end.

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What are your plans for the weekend? Have you got any new recipes to try, new books to read or a walk planned? What about crochet and knitting; have you fallen for the make-something-everyday plan and kept it up, or failed after just a few days?!

Flatbreads for lunch

Posted on October 11, 2022 by The Little Room of Rachell

Earlier today I’d put the grocery delivery away, cooked some sliced spring onions, prairie fire chilies and garlic to make a soup (from Nigella’s Kitchen book) for dinner and popped it all into the slow cooker along with yellow split peas and some vegetable stock. I made myself a cappuccino and realised it was after twelve and apart from a clementine and a carrot I hadn’t eaten anything else, so I was hungry. A clip of recipes, which I had cut from a magazine, fluttering on the fridge door caught my eye, so I decided to make flatbreads for lunch…

No kneading or heavy handling required for these unleavened flatbreads

Ooh looking good after turning, it’s only been a minute or so in the pan

And on to the second, which looks strangely like an oven glove

Recipe adapted from September’s Good Housekeeping magazine.

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Flatbread recipe

250g self- raising flour, plus extra for rolling out

1/2 tsp cumin or nigella (aka black onion) seeds

1/8 tsp fine salt

150g natural yogurt

60ml water

Mix the seeds and a pinch of salt into the flour, gently stir in the yoghurt and the water to make a soft and sticky dough.

Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into four. I used my dough scraper. Each will weigh around 115g, if you like to be precise, rather than cut by eye.

Pat or gently roll to the thickness of 5 mm.

Heat a dry frying pan or griddle pan on a medium heat.

Cook the flatbread until golden on each side and puffy. Do not leave the hob! You will need to keep a close eye on them, it’s so easy to burn flatbreads. I cooked them for about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes on each side before I turned them, using a plastic fish slice, then back again after a minute or so until they puffed up. It’s magical watching them puff up, until they’re fully inflated.

Pop the cooked flatbread between a folded tea towel to keep warm while you cook the rest. I cooked one at a time.

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We ate the flatbread with tuna and a simple salad of: watercress, a little gem lettuce, quartered cucumber slices and ripe juicy tomatoes, with a dollop of mayo. Food of the gods.

Someone mixes his tuna with mayo. I like mine with sliced spring onions, freshly ground black pepper and salad cream. Each to their own, but mine is better!

Of course these flatbreads would also go really well with soup, another type of salad or eggs for lunch, or a casserole or curry for dinner too. The original recipe was with a harissa chicken stew, which appeals as well. The possibilities are endless. I could also see them being the ultimate comfort food spread with some melted butter and a little raspberry jam or (fresh?) lemon curd. Or maybe for dinner brush with garlic butter, herby butter or a combo of the two when cooked…?!

Note: if there are two of you and you are greedy make HALF the quantity. You will eat both! You probably don’t need to ask me how I know.

Mid-June

Posted on June 16, 2022 by The Little Room of Rachell

Eating: Mackerel salad with homemade honey, lemon & mustard dressing, sprinkled with 4 different mixed seeds.

Reading: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves it’s the first in her Vera Stanhope series. Far, far too good. I’m bleary today as I stayed up reading until 12:15 this morning. Oops!

Looking: at all the colourful photos I took during a recent visit to Waterperry Gardens

Baking: cinnamon buns in May, a few times. It was a very, very tricky month and they were needed to bolster and treat a few special people.

Anticipating: paddling in the sea, eating Cornish pasties for lunch, walks, a cream tea, cold lager shandy, ditto cider, toast & salted butter with marmalade for holiday breakfast, ice creams, chatting to strangers, taking flowery and coastal photos, visiting a favourite garden, zooming down the motorway to sea views and sand!

Watching: Everything I Know about Love on the BBC iplayer. It’s one for when he’s gone fishing!

Smelling: the scent of the Ambre Solaire I’ve just put on. It’s such a nice smell. It’s 25° today. Lovely.

Wearing: shorts & t-shirt

Drinking: cold filtered water. A glassful has just thoughtfully been brought to me outside.

Planning: a return visit to the Cotswold Sculpture Park. I bought May’s issue of Gardeners World magazine from Mags Direct after hearing about the 2-for-1 card, it’s valid for a year. It’s given us a couple of really nice days out, to places we’ve never visited before. We’re planning to take the card away on holiday too.

Repeating: this superb recipe with cod, butterbeans, canned cherry tomatoes, rosemary & parmesan breadcrumbs on top (with my twist of lemon zest.) It’s so tasty and healthy. Recipe from Olive mag website

Buying: my first pair of prescription sunglasses.

From now on I won’t be screwing up my eyes through lenses of cheapy plastic sunglasses and making them tired from lots of reading. I have also bought some better quality sunglasses from Boots.

Visiting: my Aunty with my Mum next week. I love being ‘the young one’ and seeing them together. It feels special. There’s also something that makes me laugh about it too, but I can’t tell you. Sorry.

Loving: the new to me Czech gin Tōsh which was sent to me in a surprise free gin box on Saturday. It’s strongly flavoured, citrus with rosehips and works really well with Fever-Tree original tonic. I’m not a massive fan of it usually, because it’s quite bitter with strong quinine, but this gin complements it well.

May’s box – given free to me in June. Whoop!

Recommending: Craft Gin Club yes I know – again! But every time I include a referral code it’s used. If you also love gin and live in the UK this is for you. The offer is £15 off a box, free delivery and no further commitment. I love it.

Use my referral code to get this offer.

Visiting: a new National Trust property. We went at the weekend. Well, it was completely new to Someone, only new as an adult to me. Chedworth Roman Villa has changed as a visitor experience since I had to complete a worksheet and “Pay attention!” on a school trip.

All from the 4th century. The FOUTH century!

But it was these that made the hairs on my arms stand up:

I recognised and remember liking the dog and cat paw prints which were captured as they wandered around while the tiles were drying, either at the site of the villa, or in nearby Cirencester. But I remember feeling regretful that the cat’s print was not clearer, since I always preferred cats to dogs!

What have you been up to lately? I hope June is being good to you, so far. Please tell me three things?

Taking Stock – October

Posted on October 27, 2021 by The Little Room of Rachell

Making: my first soups of the season. Roasted butternut and chilli first. I had such a lunchtime soup craving that I was chopping vegetables, with the oven preheating, before 0900 on Friday! Someone was working in London and I had the house to myself. It was such a peaceful morning

While he was having swanky lunch, 500 feet up in the Leadenhall building in the city, I was cosy by the fire eating my soup and chunky sourdough cheese on toast. Bliss

Then the second soup followed the other, quite quickly. I made cauliflower cheese soup on Sunday. It’s so simple, but far more than the sum of its parts!

Here’s how: Use your largest saucepan and sweat a diced white onion in a little oil until translucent. Add a large crushed clove of garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add an extra large cauliflower, which has been cut into small florets, and a litre of vegetable stock. Cook until the cauliflower is tender. Don’t worry that there’s far more cauli than stock, it will all work perfectly. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Whizz with a stick blender (or in a blender when it’s cooled.) Serve with Danish Blue cheese crumbled over or a good handful of extra mature cheddar cheese. I find about 25g of cheddar per bowl is plenty.

I know it doesn’t look exciting at all, but it really is silky smooth and delicious!

Cooking: Chicken & Leek Bake. I don’t buy ready meals, I’ve always cooked from scratch. But weirdly when I was grocery shopping online last week, the store showed me a chicken and bacon and leek gratin thing in a plastic box. Urgh, but it was one of those instant ‘I must make this!’ moments. Then I saw this on my favourite recipe website Chicken & Leek Bake. I always adapt recipes, so mine had smoked pancetta and chicken breasts, not thighs, as that’s what I had in the fridge. And there’s no way I’m ever buying ready made cheese sauce! Mine had a homegrown bay leaf and some dried thyme popped into it. The English (Colman’s of course!) mustard made the sauce absolutely delicious. Perfect autumn / winter dinner. It is going to be made again and again, I predict!

Sipping: jasmine tea from my pint mug

Reading: a week or so ago I read Anne Tyler’s Redhead by the Side of the Road in a day. What a beautiful gem of a book. It was on the library Libby app

Waiting: to feel 100% me again

Looking: forward to seeing and walking beside the sea again

Listening: to Keith Stuart’s The Frequency of Us audio book. I had goosebumps by the end. Super twisty story

Wishing: a personal shopper would just deliver a rail of perfectly fitting lovely clothes to my bedroom. I really need to go shopping. Yawn

Enjoying: crocheting my gingerbread man. He now has a leg too

Appreciating: snuggling in bed with good books. My current is another ebook from the library, this time on the BorrowBox app. It’s The Never-Ending Summer by Emma Kennedy. I love her writing. I can recommend all her books, especially the non-fiction The Tent, the Bucket and Me. I read until gone midnight last night. This book is one of those ‘just another chapter’ page turners…

I always try to have a physical library book too, the libraries need to stay open. Use it or lose it! My friend made a Cranks Bible potato recipe last week and it prompted me to reserve the book. Should be good for soups too? I plopped it onto my car blanket in the boot yesterday, and sent her a pic. I’ve just realised it’s still out there

Eating: too much sweet stuff. After half term ends, next week I’ll be back to eating fewer treats

Liking: the new series of Young Sheldon

Loving: the anticipation of opening my first Inside Crochet mag in ages. I bought a 6 month subscription with some birthday money

Family apple picking afternoon was good fun

Buying: Christmas cards. I don’t know what it is this year, but I’m getting some things done early

Yesterday’s white sourdough, well greige really as the dark rye flour starter turns it a little murky!

Watching: nature changing week by week

Managing: one of my favourite 6 mile loops (circular walks) at the weekend

Hoping: for more blue sky days

Wearing: a furry blue top, so warm and soft

Noticing: even the oak leaves are turning now. Those ferns I showed you earlier in the month have now died back

Following: Lucy’s Blogtober posts. Her visit to RHS Harlow Carr is top, top, top for autumn garden colour. I’m loving the daily diary posts and save a batch to read at one sitting

Sorting: the freezer. I defrosted it on Monday. What a good feeling. I’ve been so dizzy I couldn’t do it until now. It’s looking good now, but apparently the crunchy noise of the door closing on 2 inches of ice on the top drawer is missed!

Getting: organised for winter

Coveting: a new stick blender. Mine ground to a halt a while ago

Only 11th and apparently Christmas displays had already been a go-go for 2 weeks

Feeling: determined to do more garden pruning before the hedges are cut back on Tuesday

Hearing: the gentle ring of tinnitus

Remembering: making the bird and other little things when I was new to it and absolutely crochet obsessed (and I didn’t have a wooky hand which now holds me back.) I recently came across this photo of my noticeboard in the first Little Room, it made me smile

How’s your October been? Are you ok? What are you making, cooking, watching and reading?

Taking stock – October

Posted on October 21, 2020 by The Little Room of Rachell

Making: my Granny Square blanket and Close to You scarf. I’m focusing on just these two and not dipping into other WIP bags. Some actual finished items would be good

Cooking: soup! It’s that time of year again. Last week it was BNS, Sweet Potato & Red Pepper, yesterday I made this Spicy Parsnip recipe

Sipping: drinking black Yorkshire tea

Reading: City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

Looking: at the birdfeeders, there’s some interest but not much eating yet. They’re stocked up with peanuts, seeds, mealworms and suet balls

Listening: to comedy audio rather than novels: Alan Partridge From the Oasthouse, French & Saunders Titting About podcast, This is This Country and Mortimer & Whitehouse Gone Fishing. All are on Audible UK. (That’s a pure recommendation – no commission, sadly.)

Enjoying: pics of my nieces at the seaside

Eating: lots of veg – sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, parsnips, BNS, cauliflower, swede, carrots, fine green beans…

Liking: all the autumn colour

Blenheim Palace

Loving: the WhatsApp group I’ve set up with friends – inspiring each other with recipes and motivation for keeping going with healthy habits

Buying: a few Christmas presents! Unplanned, but I saw things and thought oooh yes. Feeling organisedish

Watching: Rebecca on Netflix soon – it’s out today. A few rooms at Waddesdon Manor were used as filming locations

Another Dorset apple cake baked on Friday to share with family. We’re awash with Bramley cooking apples after all

Hoping: the same as you all…over…soon…

Wearing: scruffs!

Following: the news but not too much, a general overview of things feels like enough

Noticing: changes in the trees and hedgerows

Sorting: practical things ready for winter, inc getting the heating system sussed out and quotes for hedge and tree trimming

There’s also a bit of a glut of homegrown chillies. They’re ripening even in the fridge

Getting: outside everyday

Saving: money, on all the things we aren’t doing and places we aren’t visiting. Plus no clothes shopping for literally months either, I can’t do the no-trying-on thing and am not a fan of online clothes shopping (much queuing in busy POs for the inevitable returns!)

Bookmarking: autumn warmer recipes like this Mushroom Bhaji

Feeling: positive

Hearing: birds tweeting in the hedge

Tell me what you’re doing, noticing, making, cooking, reading or ?

Taking Stock – January

Posted on January 30, 2019 by The Little Room of Rachell

Making : piles of things to take to the charity shop

Cooking : Thai Red Curry Butternut Squash Soup from Olive magazine’s website – recipe here. It’s delicious. I doubled up the onion, garlic and red Thai curry paste. And used 1 kilo of (frozen) BNS cubes. If you like thicker soups definitely don’t use all the stock

Drinking : a mug of soup

Reading: The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

Wanting: to find out who’s who now. I’m up to 94% read on my ebook, the app estimates it will take 25 minutes to finish

Playing: Kermode & Mayo’s Film review podcast (they’re talking about the Bohemian Rhapsody film)

Deciding: what to read next

Wishing: for a smart Boden bag

Enjoying: cooking lots of new recipes

Not a new recipe, just a colourful tray of veg for roasting: carrots, yellow and red pepper and fennel with sprigs of rosemary

Waiting: for SNOW

Liking: snowdrops and croci appearing

This verge will be full of a host of golden daffodils soon

Wondering: when I’ll meet a rather lovely friend for lunch, we need to find a date that doesn’t clash with anything else. We’ll get there

Loving: ebooks – from the library! All without going to the library. Choose what you fancy on the library app, place a hold for a popular book, an email comes when it’s available and I use the Libby app to download and read it. They are FREE! ❤️

Pondering: posh coats, bags and leather gloves

Considering: a new foundation – do you use liquid/double powder or nothing?

Buying: I got a rolled eyes reaction when I got home from the dentist and a quick visit to one of my favourite yarn shops. Yes, I know I can’t actually use it at the mo, but you don’t pass up Rowan when it’s £2 in the sale! Sheesh!

Watching: Cold Feet, our old friends are back

Hoping: that varying the strength exercises will progress the healing of my hand

A cheeky G&T on Thursday night

Marvelling: at the slowly slow progress of my hand but it’s definitely improving. Had another Physio Hand Therapy appointment yesterday

Cringing: at how reconciliation, communication skills and empathic behaviour seem to be missing from some people’s emotional intelligence

Needing: chocolate

Questioning: whether I can keep thinking, typing and listening. Nope. See you later Wittertainment

Such a fun girl’s weekend away: so much chatter, laughter, tasty food, gin, prosecco and a large Baileys too

Smelling: my perfume

Wearing: a tunic with big front pockets, leggings, chunky red cardie

Following: so many things on TV, Netflix and Prime that I’ve written a list! We’ve stuck to the trad viewing habits of tending to watch an episode, or two at most, a week despite the constant availability of complete series

Knowing: binge watching can spoil the impact and enjoyment of programmes

Thinking: I sound like the forty something I am!

The fridge has spoken again

Admiring: bright colour wearers

Sorting: socks, I’m putting pairs together, then folding and folding them again, rather than pairing them into a lump. I wondered if it stretches the ribbing otherwise. I think my sock drawer looks pretty cool, (if that’s not a total contradiction of the definition of what’s cool….) with all sets in order and like colours together

Frozen single gloves seem to be in abundance on fence posts this month

Getting: nerdier by the year

Bookmarking: recipes, Guardian article and helpful quotes which I rarely go back to read

Coveting: a book of labels

Disliking: the book of labels and stickers I ordered online, they didn’t show many pages online

Opening: the book, wondering why I need a huge Bon Voyage or an Ex Libris sticker which take up half a page

Still going strong

Giggling: at The Navy Lark despite it not being very funny

Feeling: full of soup

Snacking: not necessary right now

Helping: Mum find the BBC World Service so she can record The Beatles Last Concert on Freeview tv (BBC R4 play a selection overnight of The WS programmes. It’s on tonight on The WS if you’re keen to hear it live)

Hearing: Someone saying “I thought you were going to put the heating on!”

Mixing: radio stations. I’ve tried Chris Evans on Virgin, Zoe Ball on BBC R2 and Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 during the early mornings

Mixing II: spices for curry powder

Worrying: it’s pointless, I try not to

Slicing: cucumber. It’s been in the fridge for weeks now

Celebrating: blue skies and sunny days

Forgetting: to put the heating on. Oops, but it’s an hour or more since I said I would, so it can’t be that cold in there!

Winning: nothing since a raffle at Christmas

Pretending: this time next year Rodney, we’ll be millionaires!

Sneaking: marshmallows

Embracing: birdwatching, though our RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results on Monday included just the usual garden birds, no woodpecker like I ordered and which came one year, during the hour!!!!!!!

You? Tell me two things, three if you’re feeling particularly chatty

Six

Posted on September 16, 2018 by The Little Room of Rachell

1: Many, actually all, ends darned in on my patchwork blanket strips. Bouncy linen / moss stitch is very satisfying to darn into because the stitches are so bouncy. It was just doing it with one knee bent, so I didn’t hold the fabric with my right hand, that was tricky. I had to stop and move around frequently to stop getting pins and needles ‘elsewhere’ in my body!

2: An act of masochism visiting my favourite wool shop when I can’t craft? It felt a little like that last Saturday, but I did enjoy looking at and feeling all the new yarns and admiring some of the new colours. Things move on so quickly, don’t they?

3: This was taken in the waiting room before I saw the Hand and Wrist consultant on Thursday. I liked the way everything coordinates!

But as I told it then: “Don’t think for a minute you’re getting knitted sock. I’ve only brought you to show the consultant how I held the yarn, using tiny fixed circular needles and the repetitive movements which wrecked my hand in April!

I’ve had a hand x-ray and also a scan. He freaked me out saying it may be arthritis. I almost screamed, and did actually wail that I’m too young! Raised eyebrows and “Plenty of twenty and thirty year olds experience it you know…” the x-ray didn’t show signs of any though. Phew.

The consultant reckoned beginning 10 minutes of crochet once a week and increasing the time by 10% will lead to an hour eventually “And by that time – doing it for an hour – you’ll be bored of doing it anyway!” My turn for raised eyebrows. How little some people know, eh?!

Oh, when I said I’d have to give up on the idea of knitting my own socks and buy them from M&S instead, he did say: “But they won’t be so pretty.”

There will be no crochet or knitting for a while yet. This splint has a metal bar up the palm and has to be worn 24/7, apart from showering. I’ll go back for a follow up appointment in six weeks time. I really hope it does the trick, because the invasive treatment options do not appeal! (Huge understatement, typical of the English.) There’s no permanent damage to the tendons, thankfully, but it seems getting the issue to settle down could be tricky.

I can’t say this enough; if you’re knitting on tiny fixed circulars, or doing any craft at all, take frequent breaks. Maybe set a timer, so you don’t do too much in one sitting? This is *no fun* and no real crafting for five months (and counting) is the least of the general day to day soreness and discomfort I’m experiencing. But I know that it’s the kind of sensible warning that’s easy to ignore when you’re caught up in making. I did!

4: I saw Cathy had posted about making bookmarks on her blog and admired them, saying I’d have to make my own at some point. A few days later I received one in the post! It was the day of my initial appointment and x-ray, nice timing. It’s holding my place in Dewey: the Small-Town Library Cat who Touched the World by Bret Witter and Vicki Myron, one of my current reads. It’s a cute dip-in and out of story. Spencer, the small town, is in Iowa. The best aspect of the story is learning about the farming history of the area.

5: One of the salon dogs at my hairdressers. A cockapoo with a cat-like temperament, apart from when the postman comes every morning with a treat for her, and her golden doodle sister, in his pocket. She’s very stressed as you can see, it’s a hard life. This is one of the chairs in front of the hair wash station. Often when you sit on a chair they’re warm….!

6: A friend is moving back to Australia after living overseas for nearly 2 decades. In the process of emptying out her pantry she found five cans of chickpeas! So to use one can up she put together a chickpea and butternut curry. As these things go, she posted a picture of it on Facebook and inspired lots of us to make the same for our dinner the next day. It was just the perfect grey, cool day for a curry. I made mine with onion, garlic, root ginger, spices (ground cumin, ground coriander, chilli flakes, a pinch of ground cardamon, pinch of salt and grind of black pepper), coconut milk (light), about 100ml of stock, a 400g can of chick peas 400g of butternut squash and served it on on a bed of spinach. It was delicious!

Tell us your news, what you’re making, cooking or reading at the mo? Or anything else you want to share.

Taking Stock – April

Posted on April 28, 2018 by The Little Room of Rachell

Making : nothing still as my hand is very sore, it’s my right and I can’t even crochet; because holding yarn makes it sore too. So zero making and it’s not good. I’m surprised at how much I feel at a loose end.

Cooking: Baked Haddock with chorizo and tomatoes. Put wedges of lemon, some diced chorizo and cherry tomatoes into a tin and bake in a hot (200 degrees) oven for 10 minutes. Pour over a splash of white wine (I used mirin) and add haddock (or cod) fillets, season with freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is done. Delicious with new potatoes and a green salad.

Drinking: don’t ask……nothing except water and jasmine tea. I feel iffy this morning.

Reading: I finished Miss Treadway and the Field of Stars by Miranda Emmerson this week, it’s a good read.The National Herb Centre

Wanting: a cooked breakfast.

Looking: a little rough around the edges!

A corkscrew hazel, what a great looking tree.

Playing: I just finished listening to The Girl With all the Gifts by M.R Carey this morning. A 5* audio book.

Deciding: to move very soon; into clothes and a fully upright position.

Wishing: I had just said “No, thank you” to more drinks.

Enjoying: seeing bluebells appearing in woodland.

Waiting: to feel a bit sparkier.

Liking: The Girl with all the Gifts, I’m going to think more about it today; always a sign of an interesting and provocative book.

Loving: M&S Butter Mints.

Upton House and Gardens, NT

Pondering: the themes of those two books: what it is to be human and identity.

Considering: my next audio book.

Buying: a new pasta bowl. I dropped one and five doesn’t work!

Watching: The BBC’s The Woman in White .

Hoping: they haven’t changed it too much, as I only read the book last year.

Marvelling: at the cool temps after a week of ‘summer’.

Needing: something to eat.

Questioning: why we think we’re hilarious when drunk.

Smelling: perfume.

Wearing: scruffs.

Following: The Vegetarian Society for some new recipes.

Noticing: tiny lambkins in the fields around.

Knowing: it’s going to rain on and off all day.

Thinking: this is a cosy Saturday, yes, doing no craft feels like wasted time, but its better to rest and get better.

Admiring: all the Fairisle knitting on Instagram, I like spotting the current trends in knitting and crochet.I tried a bit of crochet one day this week, but decided it’s not a good idea if it causes discomfort.

Sorting: photos online.

Getting: an easier way to import them, by a happy accident.

Bookmarking: recipes for next week.

Coveting: longer finger nails.

Disliking: the way nail varnish looks good for roughly only 6 minutes.

Opening: last year’s varnishes and finding they’re now glue.

Giggling: at Grace and Frankie still, an episode every now and then is the way to watch.

Feeling: spoilt for choice with Freeview, The BBC iPlayer, Netflix and Prime.

Snacking: on raw carrots, as always.

Helping: people needing some encouragement and a little positivity.

Hearing: a little bit of traffic noise.

Mixing: nothing today, drinks last night….

Worrying: about the usual stuff.

Slicing: an onion a day for most dinners, what would we do with an onion shortage?!

Celebrating: birthdays

Forgetting: nothing important, so far.

Winning: £2:90 on the lottery Friday.

Pretending: it’s time for breakfast (at 12:36.)

Sneaking: no sneaking.

Embracing: the special ones.

Taking Stock list from Pip’s marvellous Meet me at Mike’s if you fancy writing one too.

Have a good weekend all! (I feel better post-breakfast.)

This week

Posted on November 3, 2017 by The Little Room of Rachell

This week I’ve pottered about making-wise and haven’t really done much. It’s been brilliant to feel 100% well again after a rough few weeks. I was concerned there might be something quite wrong. When the GP pronounced my results, and therefore me, ‘normal’, I breathed a big sigh of relief. I’ve steadily gone back to being my usual active self, with a quite a bit of extra grinning. It’s just so good to get your bounce back after feeling awful, isn’t it?

On Wednesday I was out, wondering if I should try to rush home in daylight to take photos for my weekly Yarning post, but decided that was plain silly. It was far more fun to carry on with the five mile walk home I’d planned, in bouncy Tigger fashion as I felt full of beans again. Then I made the decision to have a break from it as I’ve posted YA updates non-stop since April without a week off, even on holidays. It’s time to pause. I let the regulars know there and then, and that happily was that. I’ll still show you what I’m reading regularly; as I like the return comments and links to your posts sharing what you’re making and reading. Do carry on adding yours whenever you feel like it.

So, this week I’ve made my friend that pot-holder for her new narrow boat, so she won’t burn her hand picking up the kettle. Its a nice pop of pink to go with her scarf curtains too. (Thinking ‘eh?!’ See here.) If you want to make one too click on the My Designs tab at the top of the page for the free pattern. If you do can you let me know, or better still show me your make please? I get regular messages from people saying they’re copying my colour combinations, checking details of patterns or asking for crochet advice etc but frequently I never have an acknowledgement of my reply, or get to see their version. If that’s you: Go on! Show me please! I’m on all the usual social media and Ravelry, so it’s dead easy.

I finished my bag at Sewing Club on Monday. I guess I don’t need to spell out that I’m not a fan of all the pressing when sewing, especially as the tutor doesn’t use water in her irons. I imagine it’s because she doesn’t want leaky irons in her car but it makes pressing tricky. Sometimes I have sprinkled water from my drinking bottle to steam out particularly irksome creases but this week I lost the will to ~~live~~ iron again, by the bag’s end! That crease line will drop out with use, won’t it? Perhaps if I go out in the rain it will definitely go. That’s maybe an extreme anti-iron solution.

I’m reading Bitter Lemons of Cyprus by Laurence Durrell and I can’t believe how good it is (this to raised eyebrows from Someone who bought it for me in 2014.) It’s funny and written in such an engaging style. I laughed out loud at Frangos and his cattle coming home in the evening, though felt a bit sorry for the one whose tail was being corkscrewed as he ran home.

When adding a few more rows I realised I can’t really decide if the Garter Stitch Blanket is ugly. It’s a stash buster and probably destined to keep someone in need warm, but I don’t want to send a truly hideous offering.

Last night I cooked this Chicken and Orzo one-pot dish but subverted the recipe using a little rapeseed oil, as I refuse to use yucky Fry Light. It was very tasty, but next time I’ll substitute the suggested spices for smoked paprika, fresh oregano and thyme.

What’s your week been like? Whatcha making, reading and cooking at the mo?

Lately

Posted on June 21, 2016 by The Little Room of Rachell

With a little help from my friend Trish, of Made by Patch blog, I’ve figured out how to crochet a half hexie so I can finally finish the little blanket off. Hurray! I’d worked it out apart from the beginning; where I was crocheting a chain of 4 and slip stitching them together. Ingeniously she chained 4, but then made the first stitch into the first chain made, making the other 3 into a treble – so no lumpy bumpy circle at the bottom in what should be a half.

Cooking king prawn linguine – so delicious! You want to as well? Roast cherry tomatoes with a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar. While the linguine is cooking, gently cook the king prawns in another teaspoon of olive oil, some cloves of garlic and red chilli. Top with basil and a shaving of parmesan. What you can’t see is a hungry man with a slight frown on his face and his fork poised, while I make him wait to take a photograph of his dinner!

A gorgeous sunny, relaxed Friday with drinks and dinner at Samuel Jones Smoke & Ale House by the river Exe, in Exeter – thoroughly recommended

A return, after about 14 years, to Lanhydrock a National Trust property, near Bodmin in Cornwall. It was just as good as we remembered and still one of the best houses; due to the sheer number of rooms to see. There’s an interesting focus on the upstairs-downstairs lives of the former inhabitants.

I’ve brought my hexies away with me, to deepest sunniest / rainiest Cornwall, but so far they’ve stayed zipped inside my Cath Kidson bag. I think it’s official: I’ve lost my crojo, or my crajo in general. I’m wondering if by putting this out there now it might mean I do some later?! But there are other things I AM doing: walking lots, as usual, visiting the gym to use some of the equipment, doing an Aqua Zumba class and rediscovering my swimming skills (used to be part of a swimming club.) As it was pouring yesterday morning we went to the local leisure centre to swim lengths, then played race and dive for the locker key and I even did a few handstands in the pool. I dread to think what the expression was on the faces of the young lifeguards! I don’t actually care. When I am old I shall wear purple…. (This poem.)

Iced tea

Posted on July 2, 2015 by The Little Room of Rachell

Make a pint of tea, I used Tetley Berry Burst Flavoured Green Tea. Leave to steep till strong.
Add honey to taste and sprigs of mint. Leave the mint to infuse for a while.

Double the liquid with a pint of cold water if you’re in a hurry to drink it immediately, but if you can make it ahead it’s better to leave the tea to cool and it will obviously be stronger.

Add frozen raspberries, a few fresh sprigs of mint to decorate and lots of ice.

Of course you can always omit the raspberries and add whatever fruit you have to hand; such as slices of lemon, orange, lime or other fruit.
Enjoy!

Fruit smoothie

Posted on May 21, 2015 by The Little Room of Rachell

This is the nicest smoothie I’ve made, apart from the watermelon based ones when I added vodka last summer, but that’s another story!

Fruit Smoothie

Serves 1

50g frozen raspberries

1 banana

1 175g strawberry muller light yoghurt

150ml skimmed milk

Put all in a blender and whizz until smooth.

—-

You can use fresh fruit but I much prefer using frozen as it makes a deliciously cold smoothie. If you use ice it melts and dilutes the flavour.

If you use less yoghurt adjust the milk ie: 120g yoghurt, 200g milk.

Play around with the yoghurt flavour or use plain, and try different fruits. Grapes are a bit weird as you get bits of skin and it doesn’t look so appealing!

If you have any good smoothie recipes, using fruit or veg, or both, please let me know.

Woolly jumpers on!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by The Little Room of Rachell

It was such a lovely day on Sunday; 17 deg and no need for a warm jacket. We sat on a bench and I was just saying how perfect it was to put your head back and feel the warm rays on your face, when I clonked my head on the back of the bench. I’d like to say this is a rare kind of clonk, but sadly it’s not. At a friend’s housewarming I apparently threw myself down onto her sofa, after unpacking lots of boxes, and hit my head on the bookcase which had been placed behind. I don’t really remember that one. Maybe I concussed myself!

Anyway. the walk, weather and sight of the trees, berries and wild fungi were beautiful. I really LOVE autumn. Always have.

This is the first one I’d seen this season, on Sunday, but then I stumbled into full-on Christmas yesterday in a ‘room’ in Homebase. I like it in October, that’s when I begin to get little tingles about Christmas, the colourful lights and decorations to come. By December the relentlessness of it has worn me down somewhat, then on the actual few days it’s all fun again. Until the next year…

The weather’s gone back to typically autumn temps with wind and rain featuring quite a bit this week. But the advantage of autumn and winter blanket making is being able to cosy under them while you crochet! The ripple is over half-way now and I’ve come up with a really cunning plan about the design. More on that another day.

Shotgun Lovesongs - Picador I’m really enjoying my Shotgun Lovesongs audio book. It’s perfect for rippling along to. The four main characters: Henry, Beth, Lee and Ronnie are dramatised by different narrators/actors. I’m loving the the way a couple of them pronounce words like ‘orange’ and ‘mirror’! I’m not sure if that’s due to them aiming to sound like authentic Wisconsinsites, but I likey.

Tonight I’m making fish chowder for dinner. It’s a Lesley Waters recipe and you can find it here.

What are you cooking, eating, making, reading?

Soup days

Posted on October 7, 2014 by The Little Room of Rachell

Although the weather has been mild and warm lately I’ve already thrown myself into soup making. I really love trying different recipes, and old favourites, every autumn and winter. The week before last I made Curried Sweet Potato from the River Cottage Veg book, last week it was my old fave Chilli lentil and tomato soup. The recipe is here, blogged a few years ago, if you fancy making it. Times flies etc when you’re blogging…

This morning it’s so much cooler that I made a batch of soup for our lunch. It’s Moroccan tomato and chickpea soup with couscous from the Good Food website. Spicy and hearty this is a goodie. I used 400g of homegrown tomatoes, rather than a can, as we’re still ripening bowlfuls around the house. (My ipad is on 2% so this post is a race against time!)

Moroccan tomato and chickpea soup with couscous

By Barney Desmazery

Serves 4

75g couscous
3 tbsp olive oil
750ml hot vegetable stock
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, chopped into small cubes
4 garlic cloves, crushed
half a finger of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 tbsp ras-el-hanout
1 tbsp harissa paste, plus extra to serve
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin chickpeas
juice ½ lemon
roughly chopped coriander, to serve

Method

Tip the couscous into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir through 1 tbsp of the oil. Pour over enough hot stock just to cover and cover the bowl with cling film and set aside.
Heat the rest of the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and carrot gently for 8 mins until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 mins more then stir in the ras el hanout and harissa and cook for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes and stock and give everything a good stir. Season, add the chickpeas and simmer everything gently for 20 mins until thickened slightly then squeeze over the lemon.
Uncover the couscous and fluff up with a fork. Spoon the soup into bowls, top each with a mound of couscous, scatter with coriander and serve with extra harissa for those who want it.
Recipe from bbcgoodfood.com

:: I used only 1 tbsp of olive oil for the veg and none in the couscous
:: I omitted the chickpeas, it was filling enough without
:: Blended half the soup in my liquidiser as it was a bit ‘skinny’ for me with all the cherry tomatoes, it was a lovely consistency
:: Used 1 3/4 tbsp of ras-el-honout as it was all I had left, but that was perfect for a good spicy kick with the harissa

What are you up to?

Polenta bread

Posted on September 26, 2014 by The Little Room of Rachell

I baked my usual couple of loaves last Friday and decided to also pick a new recipe to try from my Bread book. (I can’t recommend this book enough, I’ve made quite a few different loaves and they’ve all turned out well.) I’d ordered some polenta, aka fine cornmeal or maize flour, for a lemon polenta cake for dessert on Sunday. There was only the option of buying a 1kg bag so using some for a loaf seemed like a good idea!

I put this photo on IG and had a request for the recipe – so here goes:

Polenta Bread

From Bread by Liz Hebert, this is a Women’s Institute recipe book.

Makes 1 loaf. Can be frozen.

350g (12oz) strong white bread flour
115g ( 4oz) polenta, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fast action dried yeast
25g (1oz) butter, melted
275g-300ml (9-10 fl oz) hand-hot water

1) Combine the flour, polenta, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl. Add the butter and water and mix to a soft dough.
2) Turn out onto an unfloured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth (I use a dough hook on my mixer and knead for about 5 minutes.) Cover and prove in a warm place until doubled in size (Up to an hour but depends on warmth.)
3) Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with polenta.
4) Knock back the dough and shape into an 18cm (7 inch) oval. Place on the baking sheet. Using a shape knife, make deep cuts on alternate sides.
5) Cover and prove until doubled in size.
6) Preheat the oven to Gas mark 7 / 220oc / 425of
7) Sprinkle liberally with polenta and bake for about 25 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

This loaf has a really nice texture and flavour. Family ate the rest of the loaf – so it’s definitely a tried and tested approved recipe.

Happy Friday everyone!

Knitting idiocy, darning idiocy & a bowl of coconut porridge

Posted on February 9, 2014 by The Little Room of Rachell

I can’t quite believe I blithely said that I would cast on, and take this lace pattern to a new knit group a friend and I visited last week. What was I thinking?! Especially as I’ve said here that I’ve always taken crochet or something easy to knit while I chat and drink. So, I cast on the 70 odd stitches, knitted 3 lines chanting k2tog, yo, ssk, psso etc and realised I’m just going to either knit a cobweb, or seem like an total oddball. I grabbed the rest of a ball of bamboo cotton, my little notebook and knit another waffle knit cloth. I still had to concentrate but it was far easier than doing the lace pattern chant and appearing really antisocial.

For my usual knit group later in the week I took some Not so soothing (after all) granny squares and sat darning the ends in for the whole evening, until my eyes felt like they were bleeding. So, that’s 480 – 140 = 340 to go. Never again, NeVeR. It’s a crochet wasteland at the moment here I know. But if I start something new the granny squares will be permanently in my Yarndale bag undarned.

I’m not (really) going to mention the amount of water that’s surrounding us, and which has the potential to flood the house. There’s no point getting worked up or worried at this point. We were on flood alert over Christmas and it came to nothing. Although the cumulative effect of all this rain means we have fields and fields and fields underwater all around and impassible roads…. I was awake, looking out of all the windows, in the early hours last night just checking that the neighbours weren’t canoeing along the road. We had a huge storm and I think the high wind woke me up, plus the fact I’d checked the flood status (‘on alert’) before bed meant it was on my mind. Anyway, let me share my gorgeous recipe for a warming, very filling breakfast in these rainy times. I keep making it and never ever need to eat before lunch after this bowl of yumminess.

Coconut porridge

45g porridge oats
300ml skimmed milk
2 tsp light brown sugar
1tbsp desiccated coconut

Put all in a pan and cook on low for at least 15-20 minutes. You get the creamy flavour from the porridge with added texture of the coconut, sweetness and flavour of the brown sugar. It is DELICIOUS.

I’ve had banana porridge, apple, cinnamon over the last 4 months, and also eaten it plain, but this coconut version is my current favourite. I was rooting about in the pantry one morning for something different to add to it and came across the coconut. It was leftover from when I’d baked a coconut and cherry cake last autumn. Try it and let me know what you reckon? MMmmm roll on tomorrow morning.

My current reading…

Printed book: Park Lane by Frances Osborne.

Kindle: re-reading (guilty pleasure) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs.

Audio book: I’m really enjoying Red Joan by Jennie Rooney, narrated by Juliet Stevenson. I’ve listened to other books she’s read and love her style (I keep hearing a cello at certain times as I strongly associate her with Truly, Madly, Deeply but that’s not too distracting!) It’s turning out to be a cracking story with mystery, intrigue and some complex characters.

Thanks for your recommendations last week.

Crafty treats & birthday presents

Posted on August 16, 2012 by The Little Room of Rachell

>A wander around a new craft superstore

> This is a little different but each to their own! It’s probably more comfortable than being carried in a little handbag…> A few treats > A surprise in the post. But this was a disappointment for the one who collected it from the post office and thought he’d won a fishing reel in a competition! The look was priceless when it turned out to be a subscriber gift from Mollie Makes magazine. So, I get the magazine for a year of birthday present that keeps on giving, and the Amy Butler fabric! Win, win.

>Stopping to admire my doorstep> Greek salad for lunch, not craft or a birthday present but a very tasty meal sitting in the sun listening the Best of David Bowie…..Let’s Dance! We could be Heroes….Little China Girl…..Fashion!….Ashes to Ashes…..> Trying out one of last week’s birthday pressies – my new slow cooker. I had to use pliers to turn the knob round on my last one and like this red model very much. I’m cooking Malaysian beef and aubergine curry for dinner (smelling good!)

The recipe’s from Ultimate Slow Cooker by Sara Lewis if you fancy trying it.

A bit of crochet, a bit of baking

Posted on July 23, 2012 by The Little Room of Rachell

We’ve been having lovely weather here in the south of England after what was weeks and weeks and weeks of rain. There’s a bit of a festive looking forward to the Olympic opening ceremony vibe in the air at the moment too.

I had a request to crochet another dishcloth since the one I made in January has now come to the end of its useful life. So, I sat in the garden and whipped up a new one with my stash of dishcloth string. This time it’s rows of alternating doubles and trebles for extra strength and scrubability (new word invented?)

I’ve been making banana bread too….

….Nearly ate the first slice before remembering to take a piccy! Ooops.

Banana bread

300g ripe bananas, 15ml lemon juice, 125g shelled chopped walnuts, 75g unsalted butter, 175g dark soft brown sugar, 50ml walnut oil (I don’t have any so used olive oil) 1tsp mixed spice, 3 medium eggs (I used 2 large since it’s what I had) 325g wholemeal bread flour, 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda, demerara sugar

Line a 2lb loaf tin with non-stick paper, heat oven to 180 oc (160 fan assisted) 350 of / Gas mark 4.

Peel the bananas and mash with the lemon juice until smooth. Stir in the walnuts and leave to one side.

Gently melt the butter in a pan, tip into a mixing bowl with the sugar, oil and spice. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until everything is evenly combined.

Sift the flour and bicarb into a bowl, adding the bran caught in the sieve to the flour in the bowl. Beat half the flour into the egg mixture, fold in the banana and walnut mixture, then fold in the remaining flour gently.

Spoon into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle some demerara over the top and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Dan Lepard recipe: taken from The Guardian…oh ages ago.

This is substancial but surprisingly light in texture.

Sunshine & raspberries

Posted on July 18, 2012 by The Little Room of Rachell

Yesterday we had a properly sunny day; it felt like summer with blue skies and fluffy white clouds and not a raindrop in sight. So Mum and I set off to the local pick-your-own farm (with we’ve-picked-some-for-you farm shop and cafe complete with bouncy castle) to plunder the fruit.

We picked raspberries and black-currants but gave up on the strawberries. To be honest lots were moudy or unripe from too much rain and they are sitting on soggy straw. When I got home I whipped out a couple of bags of sugar from my pantry, weighed them had just enough for a batch of jam. My first ever batch of raspberry jam. It’s incredibly quick to make and very, very easy. I’ve always made various chutneys: apple & orange, spiced apple, apple apricot & peach, apple & rhubarb, marrow chutney etc etc in the autumn because we’ve been lucky enough to have gardens with apple trees. I’ve also made jellies: chilli & apple jelly, mint jelly, rosemary jelly etc but never jam – apart from helping Mum when I was growing up – mainly because I’ve never eaten much. This seems to have changed in recent years and we get through a steady supply of Bonne Maman preserves. Now it’s going to be Bonne Rachell! *cheesy but pleased with self*

Raspberry jam

900g raspberries – wash and put in a heavy based pan, they need to gently cook in their own juice for about 10 minutes until soft

Take off the heat, stir in 900g sugar until dissolved

Add a knob of butter and bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until setting point has been reached. Tip: put a few saucers in the freezer, to test SP put a small spoonful of jam onto the saucer, if it winkles when pushed with your finger a minute or two later it’s ready.

Remove scum. Pot in sterilised jars, cover. Lick spoons/fingers. Clean up. (I also found a splash of jam on my foot last night!)

This recipe made 4 pots of jam though only 3 are shown.

Chilli & Lentil soupyness

Posted on July 16, 2012 by The Little Room of Rachell

It’s grey and rainy today. In the middle of our wonderful summer! Yes. This is irony.
I wondered about salad for lunch and then decided what I really craved was lentil and chilli soup. I just felt the need for something warming. It’s a BBC Good Food recipe that I’ve used time and time again, usually in the winter months!
It’s been a good chance to fill up my new masala tin while the soup gently bubbles away.

Do you fancy making this too?

Lentil & tomato soup

Heat a pan and dry-fry 2 tsp cumin seeds and a good pinch of chilli flakes until they smell nice and pungent.
Add a tablespoon of oil and chopped red onion, cook for five minutes.
Stir in 140 g of split red lentils with 850ml of vegetable stock and 400 g can tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes until lentils have softened.
Whizz in a liquidiser or use a stick blender until its chunky. Put back into the pan and add a few tablespoons of chick-peas. Makes 4 portions. Serve garnished with chopped coriander and a swirl of yoghurt/creme fraiche/double cream.

Yum!

It’s the weekend

Posted on June 16, 2012 by The Little Room of Rachell

Today for lunch I made Spiced bulghar, chickpea and squash salad It’s scrummy. Absolutely delicious.

• 1 butternut squash, about 1kg/2lb 4oz peeled, seeded and cut into small chunks
• 2 red peppers, seeded and roughly sliced
• 2 tbsp harissa paste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 140g bulghar wheat
• 600ml hot vegetable stock
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• juice of ½ lemon
• 150g natural bio-yogurt
• 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 180g bag baby leaf spinach

::Heat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.

::Toss the squash and red pepper in the harissa paste and oil. Spread the chunks out on a large baking tray and roast for 20 mins until softened and the edges of the vegetables are starting to char.

::Meanwhile put the Bulghar wheat in a large bowl and pour over the hot stock, then cover tightly with cling film and leave to absorb the liquid for 15 mins until the grains are tender, but still have a little bite.

::In a separate bowl, mix the garlic and lemon juice into the yogurt and season to taste.

::Let the Bulghar wheat cool slightly then toss in the roasted vegetables, chickpeas and spinach – the leaves may wilt a little.

::Season, if you want, drizzle with the garlicky yogurt and serve warm.

Recipe from the BBC Good Food website

***The changes I’d make to the recipe are to roast the garlic with the butternut and peppers, but still have a yoghurt-lemon dressing as this works really well drizzled on top. I’d also recommend seasoning the vegetables before they go in the oven.***

And with the dressing….

This is a really tasty, healthy and filling lunch. Win win!

I’m going to crochet a few more of these over the weekend…

….while I wait for the feather cushion pad I ordered for the blooming flower cushion. The circle for the back is now complete too. It’s just a case of waiting patiently for it to arrive. I’ll post a picture when the cushion’s complete. The part I’m really looking forward to is dc-ing around the edges. Joining using dc stitches is my favourite joining method, so far.

Enjoy your weekend.

Mr Scrappy (and the Hilton crochet)

Posted on January 22, 2012 by The Little Room of Rachell

I’ve got a stinking cold but have enjoyed doing a bit more of my Hilton crochet for the bag I’m making…

I wanted a smaller thing to make so Mr Scrappy was the project I began yesterday…

I really really needed some advice about stitch markers, so tweeted and got some from the ever-helpful Lynne.

The method above works sooo well!

Mr Scrappy seemed like a great way to use up my odds and ends, though as you see I lost the plot a bit last night and used all green for one of his legs or arms! Blame it on watching/listening to Red Dwarf while counting the stitches in the round…

You can also get the pattern here….

Thanks Stacey!

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Finally, here’s what I’ll make for dinner tomorrow…

I love chicken

I love chickpeas

I love sweet and savoury together