Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 6: Calmly through the day

[MissConductUS]

I've started a new one. Please join us and share the boring and mundane things happening in your world. It will be calming for all.

@PersisFord and @ReallySpicyCurry, the recipe for date and apple squares is here: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/date-apple-squares but I use far less sugar and butter:
160g butter
1 cooking apple
125g dates (because the packet weighs 250g, so you get two batches from a packet)
140g soft light brown sugar + 1 tbsp in apple and date mixture
175g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
100g oats

I added about 4 tbsp mincemeat to the apple and date mixture once I'd taken it off the heat - it was the little bit I couldn't fit into a jar after making lots last week, so it was sitting forlornly in a pot in the fridge.

Yesterday I de-bobbled my jumpers before putting them on a wool wash.

DH and I went for a little walk, a route we often do, but we took a right that we've never taken before and it turned out to be lovely.

Today we're having roast chicken and doing some goose fat potatoes as a practice run for Christmas.

DH and I stayed up until after 2am to watch Biden's address. DH was very impressed with Harris and thinks she sounds sensible and passionate.
DH is still asleep and this morning I have been continuing to teach DS2 (7) how to play Texas Hold Em poker. He was very pleased to beat me with a higher straight and relieve me of the Superzings we are using as chips. He's got a natural aptitude for card games, so I fully expect him to be kicking my ass in a few months and I have played at National level can hold my own.

[quote TheBeeatAmbridge]**@PersisFord* and @ReallySpicyCurry*, the recipe for date and apple squares is here: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/date-apple-squares but I use far less sugar and butter:
160g butter
1 cooking apple
125g dates (because the packet weighs 250g, so you get two batches from a packet)
140g soft light brown sugar + 1 tbsp in apple and date mixture
175g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
100g oats

I added about 4 tbsp mincemeat to the apple and date mixture once I'd taken it off the heat - it was the little bit I couldn't fit into a jar after making lots last week, so it was sitting forlornly in a pot in the fridge.

Yesterday I de-bobbled my jumpers before putting them on a wool wash.

DH and I went for a little walk, a route we often do, but we took a right that we've never taken before and it turned out to be lovely.

Today we're having roast chicken and doing some goose fat potatoes as a practice run for Christmas.[/quote]
How much is far less? That fine line between reducing sugar and fat and reducing taste.

@EggyPegg the original recipe calls for 225g butter and 230g sugar +50g in the apple/date mixture. It comes out quite greasy and very sweet, and there are lots of comments on the recipe about this. The amounts I've listed above still make for a delicious and indulgent treat, I promise you - I'm not someone who shies away from fat and sugar at all, but the original recipe is genuinely a bit OTT.

I am installing the last win 7 updates on a pc to find out if it is possible to turn it into a WIN 10 to make it usable for WFH.

We need to use up sprouts and cabbage turnip (voc ??) for our midday meal. I do not like either very much, but there is always chili sauce.

DD is off on her run, she was worried about disturbing two church services for rememberance Sunday but I said just to walk past those and run elsewhere.

DH is preparing Sunday lunch, DS is with the silkie chickens.

DH carried the cat up last night and I saw her being carried and she got cross and ran off, she hates being seen being carried but she's quite elderly now but wants to appear sprightly. I've just being doing solicitors forms and contacting tradesmen for checks, hoping one will reply.

I got to the farmers shop before they closed.

I did online yoga this morning and had some lunch. Now I’m back in bed and plan to stay here for as much of the day as possible.

I am lying on my bed reading this thread on my phone and drinking a huge mug of tea. I am thinking about doing some exercise. Only thinking mind.

[quote TheBeeatAmbridge]@EggyPegg the original recipe calls for 225g butter and 230g sugar +50g in the apple/date mixture. It comes out quite greasy and very sweet, and there are lots of comments on the recipe about this. The amounts I've listed above still make for a delicious and indulgent treat, I promise you - I'm not someone who shies away from fat and sugar at all, but the original recipe is genuinely a bit OTT.[/quote]
Aha. I didn't realise that you'd adjusted the amounts already in your post. I was wondering how you were going to reduce 140g of sugar without compromising taste! That'll teach me not to click the link. I'm a for reducing where we can. Because then I can eat more of it!

I had a very nice lunch of fried eggs, sweet potato toast and salad. I'm now drinking tea and contemplating the second assignment I need to submit by Thursday. I submitted the first last night. DH is playing Xbox with the DCs, so I think I'll take my washing machine playlist and head upstairs (though am currently listening to mine live).

Back from our bike ride now - about 13 miles so a reasonable distance when you factor DS in! Was lovely to be out with DH and DS and for DH to be towing DS

I can confirm that the apple cake I made yesterday goes absolutely fantastically well with a coffee. It’s topped with a cinnamon and brown sugar mix, and it’s just a great combination.

Feeling quite at one with the world at the moment. Although the uniform ironing pile is looming somewhat. But it can carry on looming for a minute or two.

I just popped a pan of brownies in the oven.

I took DD to work at 6:00 and then got to my old supermarket (Stop and Shop) just as they opened. They sell a really nice Boar's Head brand uncured small ham that we want to have for Thanksgiving. They had two, but the sell by date on both was the 10th, so I bought the bigger one and put it in the freezer when I got home. I'll make an orange juice and brown sugar glaze for it when I bake it.

I had to go into work yesterday for a few hours, which has wrecked by normal weekend routine, so I'm going to skip Zoom church today to get caught up.

@Prokupatuscrakedatus It's perfectly possible to upgrade from Win 7 to Win 10. I don't think you even need to do the updates on Win 7, but it won't hurt.

www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-download-windows-10-for-free-now-that-windows-7-is-dead/

@EggyPegg I'm really touched that you and your DH stayed up to watch the acceptance speeches. It's lovely that so many good people in the UK care about what happens to us here in the US.

It's an odd feeling, after four years of that lout being president having it all come to a close. It's a bit like being told that you no longer have an illness. It's great news, but it's a change in the world that requires an adjustment.

On that note, here's something that made me laugh this morning.

Trump Locks Himself In Oval Office, Swallows Key

@missconductUS

Yep, he (der Computer, so male) seems to be upgrading at the moment, but you never know with Microsoft. I expect a few hiccups.
If it works I can use the labtop for private and this one for the office, which would be nice.

I've managed to use up all my veg-bag vegetables. Which means I can now eat veg I actually like until the next bag of bloody parsnips, onions and carrots turns up. Yay!

@EggyPegg I'm really touched that you and your DH stayed up to watch the acceptance speeches. It's lovely that so many good people in the UK care about what happens to us here in the US.

I'm not one for normally following politics closely. But this year I decided to pay more attention because I have such a visceral reaction to Trump. DH then watched the polls close with me, and we've both become so invested. I now know more about the electoral system in the US than I do in the UK. I also introduced DH to CNN, as he was watching the coverage on Sky News. I say if you're watching something in the US, watch it on a US channel. DH is a convert and found the straight talking reporting and opinions both hilarious and refreshing, particularly after Trump's 'they're cheating' speech the other day (which we watched live). The BBC and Sky News are wonderfully polite and subtle. Much less entertaining.

We've had A LOT of late nights this week.

@MissConductUS I particularly enjoyed this on IG today.

I have bought my first slow cooker. It is a Crockpot 3.5L and was on special offer at Tesco. Any tips gratefully received. Just pondering what to cook for the family first and wondering if I still have time to do a beef joint, new potatoes and carrots in it, successfully, and get to eat before bedtime. At the moment, it's all a mystery.

Yesterday when I cleaned the kitchen I moved the biscuit tin to a different worktop. It’s now between the tin with the coffee in and the breadbin. It looks OK there. It can stay for the time being.

I was so relieved when I found out Biden had won I cried. I’m so happy that stupid orange idiot is on his way out (under his own steam or assisted by security. )

@HeatherAndSand

I have bought my first slow cooker. It is a Crockpot 3.5L and was on special offer at Tesco. Any tips gratefully received. Just pondering what to cook for the family first and wondering if I still have time to do a beef joint, new potatoes and carrots in it, successfully, and get to eat before bedtime. At the moment, it's all a mystery.

I do jacket potatoes in mine as I don't have a microwave. Pierce, wrap in foil and put in on low for about 8 hours or high for about 5.

DH often does pork in it. He says that cooking it on different settings (eg low and high) impacts the end product. So one setting results in a pulled pork texture, the other gives a roast pork texture. Possibly the same with beef? Disclaimer, I'm a vegetarian with little interest in learning how to cook meaty meals as DH covers that.

I was also hugely relieved that Biden is in. From what I can gather he won't stand by quietly if Boris tries to muck around with anything threaten the GFA. I can manage with 20% rises in food prices and lorries queuing at the border as long as the GFA stays intact and we don't end up with things kicking off here again.

Thank you, Eggy. It feels like a bit of a celebration meal after the election result, so I don't want to get it wrong! We don't eat a lot of meat, and when we do I try to go for smaller amounts of the higher welfare, free range, organic type. Hence today's small organic beef joint.

@Squirrel26

Ooh, thanks *@Spudlet*, I love apple cake and it’s surprisingly hard to find a recipe.

I’m doing yet more washing (bath and hand towels). I shall run out of hanging space soon.

I use a Dorset apple cake recipe I picked up at a National Trust property. I can’t find it online any more, but this one looks to be the closest to the one I’ve made: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/dorset-apple-cake

I had to look up ‘haar’. I like learning new words.

I ordered a new Fitbit last night by click & collect because my current one stopped counting my steps. I have been using it as a watch too. I noticed this morning it’s working again. 🙄 Now I need to cancel the paid-up C&C one.

[quote Prokupatuscrakedatus]@PersisFord
Parsnip, that's Pastinake. I never had them, but DH granny loved a Schnaps made from Pastinaken. I checked on Chefkoch.de and it seems to be eaten more in the south.
I grew up on Grünkohl, Melde, Mangold, Wirsing, Weißkohl cooked with potatoes - and I can't find translations at the moment. Sorry.[/quote]
Is mangold a yellow-fleshed spherical sort of veg? I’ve got a feeling it might be our humble swede, which I think is also called rutabaga?

@boatyardblues
No, I do not think so, that would be a Rübe.