While The Cat is Away....

I just had to share this photograph, it made me chuckle.  'When the cat is away, the mice will play!'  When my partner goes out to work I let the 'ladie's out!  They love to be free, pecking and scratching in the garden.  They trash the joint!  Scratching up bulbs, pecking the fruit and vegetables, scratching soil all over the lawn, but their 'joie de vivre' is unrivaled.  I leave them playing out for hours!  I keep checking them like 'A mother Hen'.  There are lots of cats in our street and the occasional Sparrowhawk flies over, the sparrowhawk has taken several pigeons from my garden.  There is a very cute black and white cat in particular that is fascinated by the chickens, they cluck loudly when he is about, he sits outside their coop and scarpers when he sees me.   The Chickens stick together though and they like to hangout in the undergrowth for most of their time.  They also make a 'Clucking Commotion' if anything troubles them.  When I pop out to make a head count they delight me in their enthusiasm to see me.  The other day Daisy literally came skidding to a halt on the path.  Today I took the camera out and managed to get my definition of a  great 'Chicken photograph'.  All three of them are in it and facing the same direction!  Poppy and Daisy are sprinting down the path Aka 'Roadrunner style' beep beep!  Poor Rose is so desperate not to be left behind, she is flapping and running her fastest.  This is a lovely greeting, I have a little chat to them, they might peck my shoes or jump up to peck my clothes and then I leave them to it again.  I am still getting 3 lovely eggs each morning.  I am worried about the cold weather and glad they love each other so much as they sleep huddled together which keeps them warm.
( I do thank you all for popping by and humoring me with your kind comments on my ramblings. x )

'While The Cat is Away, The Mice will Play.'

(You can buy the pattern for these cute mice 'here')

Frittering Away!

I found this recipe at 'Alia's Creative Life' Blog, they are quick and crispy Vegetable Fritters.  I have never made anything like these before and ignoring the 'deep fried' aspect thought they are a good way to get the kids to consume vegetable.  They made a nice weekend snack in front of the T.V.  It is almost essential to have something to dip them into.  I used Home made 'Tamarind Sauce' the kids preferred Ketchup.
Ingredients
1 small cabbage, finely shredded
2 carrots, grated
2 onions, finely sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small can of drained sweetcorn

Plain flour 125g
A mug of water.

Method
Mix the flour and water to make a thick pouring consistency, you may need to add more water or more flour.
Stir the batter in to all of the vegetables and mix well.

Plop spoonfuls of this mixture into a hot deep fat fryer, until the fritters are golden.  Drain well and enjoy!  Next I would like to try Pakora, by adding Curry Powder to the batter mix and making spicy fritters....

Rippling Along

Attic 24  and Little Tin Bird invited us to join their 'Ripple Along'.  At the last count on the 'Flickr' group there were 167 folks all rippling away!   I just couldn't resist over committing myself to a massive crochet project.  The back of my sofa is crying out for this, so we can snuggle under and watch TV.  I can see it now, me, my seven year old and the dog all fighting for a corner.  My seven year old thinks it is already fab and likes to drape it around himself and the 15 year old said he would like it for his bed!  I am delighted both boys have an appreciative eye for handmade hooky goodness.  It is a bit of a Yarn Eating Monster and highly addictive to work on.  I have tried a ripple pattern before and failed so I am rather chuffed to have mastered this.  I am now chugging along quite nicely.  It is a bit Bob Marley at the moment, but it isn't going to stay that way.  I am having help from my seven year old 'Supervisor' when it comes to colour selection, so I can blame him! 

Teenagers! 'Bob Dylan' Cardiff 2011

I thought I would do a quick Bob Dylan tribute post with one of my favourite Bob Dylan songs.  My son, Henry, went to see Bob in Cardiff on Thursday.  Just don't tell his school that I thought a Bob Dylan gig would be infinitely more educational than a couple of days in a town centre High School!  The friend that he went with first saw Bob in 1964.  Henry has listened to Bob since he was tiny and then grew into buying  Dylan CDs with his pocket money. He also likes to play acoustic guitar and practices Dylan songs.  He loved the gig, he said Bob was "Very Rock n Roll".  That is not bad as he was 70 this year.  I don't feel very Rock n Roll at forty so I hope I improve with age!!!  I have ordered a harmonica for Henry as his ambition is to tour pubs playing Dylan songs!  What a week, Muesli, chickpeas and Bob Dylan....I will be knitting my own Granola in no time.
Love and Peace to All Y'all Maaannn!
"Keep a clean nose, watch the plain clothes,
You don't need a weather man to tell which way the wind blows."  

Garbanzos!

My friend was very proud of this little plant and sent me the photograph.  It is a 'Chickpea' plant complete with cute little pods.  I did not know you can grow these in the UK.  I love the fat little pods.  I also love chickpeas.  I buy the dried variety as this works out more economical than the canned and use my 'Slowpot' / 'crockpot' to prepare them in bulk.  When they are tender I then put them in to little bags in the freezer, so they are ready to drop in to soups, curries, stews, and salads.  I will also have to have a go at 'falafels'.  I love the Blog 'Alia's Creative Life' and really enjoyed the photographs that accompanied this recipe here Masala Garbanzos.  Garbanzos are good on 'Healthy Eating Plans'!  Inspired by Alia's recipe, I tweaked it a little to make 'Aloo Chana Chaat' in my trusty old 'Slowpot'.  I think this is a great healthy, tasty and thrifty recipe.


Aloo Chana Chaat

Garbanzos, (Chick Peas) 2 Cups (You can use them straight from the can or just boil Chickpeas)
Onions, 3, finely sliced
Tomato, 3, finely chopped
2tsp Garam Masala
2 red chilies finely chopped
six cloves of garlic finely chopped
Boiled Potato, 3 Medium, Peeled and Cubed
Coriander Leaves/Cilantro, 2 Tsp, Chopped
Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Heat some oil in a sauce pan or a wok.( I used that spray oil honest Guv!)
2) Saute the onion it becomes tender.  Put it into a slowpot on the hot setting.
3) Add the Garlic, chilies, Garam Masala, Chopped tomatoes and Potatoes.
4) Add the Garbanzos (Boiled Chickpeas) and stir well.
5) Cook on hot for 3 hours then turn it low until ready to eat.   Garnish with Coriander Leaves!
6) Serve Hot, with Tamarind Sauce or Chutney.


I also had a block of dried 'Tamarind' at the back of the cupboard.  I have never used Tamarind at all.  The same friend with the 'Chickpea' plant said her Hubby bought a block too and wondered what you do with 200g of the stuff.  I 'googled' and found a recipe for a sauce, the sauce apparently keeps really well.  Again I tweaked the recipe to suit my store cupboard.  


Tamarind Sauce
200g of Dried Tamarind
500ml of hot water
1tsp of chilli powder
2tsp Garam Masala
1tsp Salt
75g of sugar
1 large dessert spoon of Black Treacle


Put all the ingredients together and soak for 30 minutes.   Using a liquidizer or hand blender whizz until smooth.  Now for the labour intensive bit...rub the mixture through a sieve.   Bottle and store in the fridge.  This makes a delicious tangy sauce to add to curries or to eat as an condiment.  

Aloo Chana Chaat served with Homemade Tamarind Sauce

Muesli Bars....and Chickens

I thought these would make a really healthy, quick breakfast.  They are very tasty...but this flamin diet Healthy Eating Plan does not seem to be working for me!  This week I put on half of the weight I have lost over the last four weeks.  I don't think it is all Muesli Bar either!  I have had a bad back this week, so I have not been very mobile.  I will be glad to feel well again and be more active.  I must try harder with the diet Healthy Eating Plan.  I would recommend these bars to anyone hoping to gain a few pounds!!!  They are great for kids lunchboxes too.  Oh and chickens are very partial to one or two!

Muesli Bars
Makes around 25 bars
2 oz/50g Butter
200 ml Golden Syrup
50g brown sugar
3 oz/75g wholemeal flour
6 oz/150g rolled oats
750g Muesli 
50g Craisins (Dried Cranberries)
6-8 eating apples (peeled and grated)


Method
Melt the butter, syrup and sugar together.
Mix it into all the other ingredients.
Press into a baking tray and bake in a medium oven for 30-40 minutes.

Here is 'Poppy' scarpering past the 'Sage' she must be telepathic because I get 'bad' thoughts when I see 'Chicken and Sage' together.

Rose enjoying 'Windfall' Apple

Daisy, hanging out on the back step staring into the kitchen waiting for 'Goodies'  she would not like a  Diet  Healthy Eating Plan either.

I can't believe how quickly my sons have grown, I also can't believe how quickly my 'Girls' have grown.  They are about six months old and getting ready for their first Winter. They need fattening up with Muesli Bars.