Just Supporting (Continued)

[DirtyGertiefromno30]

Yes it's that time again another thread ! 😁

Am at morrisons waiting for ds2 he is getting a couple of things we couldn't get in aldi. How much in Aldi??? 3 times my list 🤣🤣 oh well everything will be stocked up for a while. Need to get diesel too, damm.
Cloudy and cold, sun is trying to get through the clouds but mostly failing. Wish the clouds would go as its supposed to be the night to see all the planets in the sky. Typical.

Hope you got what you needed @DirtyGertiefromno30 . I will need a miracle to get all this stuff in freezer!

Aldi always does that to you doesn’t it @Thebookofcarolagain😁. You go in for a few bits and come out with enough food to survive an Apocalypse 🤣. At least you will be nicely stocked up for a while even if the freezer is about to burst🤗.
Typical about the diesel as well just one more thing when you are already worn out !
I have just done freezer Tetris here and managed to cram it in 🤣.
Hope you are not waiting too long and Ds2 got what he needed 😊
Just having a cuppa and watching The Mentalist on NF.
l love it 😁👏❤️

I managed to get it all in the freezer @DirtyGertiefromno30 it's a Xmas miracle 🤣

Ds2 wasn't long, longer than he should have been because of them messing up the tills while he waited to be served. He got harissa paste and potato croquettes at least. He has gone off chips and potatoes for some reason so I said get them. (None in aldi) He always gets his smoked cheese in there.
Got rhubarb and custard hot cross buns in aldi so had one with a cuppa then I got back.
Oh I nearly forgot, did you get the medjool dates? I treated myself😋
Its blooming baltic here and still cloudy, sun did get out a bit but it was still cooolllld.
Gotta cook chicken for tea, ds1 suggested I do it in gravy with dumplings. Sounds good to me. Ds2 not keen on curry tonight.

Just realised dentist is Tuesday not tomorrow, one day reprieve🤣

Haha, Xmas miracle getting it all in the freezer indeed @Thebookofcarolagain! 😂 Poor Ds2 with the tills, but at least he got his croquettes and harissa paste. I don't think l have e ever had smoked cheese you know 🤔
Rhubarb and custard hot crisps bun with a cuppa , ohh perfect treat 😋 .Medjool dates too, nice one! I did get some dates from Tesco after and l picked up another pkt today , they live them here 🤣😋.
Cold and cloudy here too , Brr. 🥶. Chicken in gravy with dumplings sounds yumm 😋.
DJ is having sausages and mash and l am having a garlic cheese flatbread 🫓 😁😋
One of my favourites. Haven't had baked pots lately, must do some tomorrow l think 🤔 😁

Oh dear that bag of croquettes hasn't lasted long! There's about 4 left in it. 🤣🤣 I fancied 2 and did 3 each for the boys...Will need to buy another bag in Asda on Tuesday when I go to dentist!
You should try the smoked cheese, it's either in a wrapped tube in the normal cheese section or in big thick slices in deli section in Morrisons. I like it now and again but ds2 really likes it.

There wasn't many in the bag of croquettes @Thebookofcarolagain😱.
At least with the dentist on Tuesday you can get more and l bet you will need other things as well by then, it's always the way 🙄.
Just had our tea, very nice , going to start watching the first Inspector Lyndley series now . I really liked it first time around 😁

How did you guess @DirtyGertiefromno30 i forgot to put rubber gloves and small zip lock bags on the list! 😁😁 I am not buying anything else!
Tea over, dishes done, jammies on, doing nowt else. Ds2 bought himself a pack of éclairs and gave me one, yummy.
Got a couple of dates and pecans for snacking on later. I shouldn't have bought them....

Oh to hell with it @Thebookofcarolagain 😁 a little bit of what you fancy does you the world of good and now your Christmas stash has gone as well! You have to have something to treat yourself with 😋🤗.
Oh yummy choc eclair well done Ds2 😁😋.
Just cracked open the Licorice all sorts so l am worse than you at least yours is healthier than mine 🤣

Ooh I like a liquorice allsort too @DirtyGertiefromno30 🤣🤣
Have been lost in GW last night and tonight. Time just flies! I should know when to.stop!

Morning everyone ☺️
Weather is pants here 🙄
So fed up with it 😭 😖
It's so nice going down a GW black hole though @Thebookofcarolagain
I am in a black hole with The Mentalist ATM 🤣.
Well there is nothing else for it with this weather so just as well.
Going to see Mum in a bit .
Tip run first .
Have a good day everyone 😊

Afternoon all.
The sun is actually shining now! Took a while today but it finally cleared enough. Still blooming cold though.
Just a pottery day, bathroom scrubbed, changed shower curtain etc, washing away. Looked up recipies for pork shoulder steaks I got yesterday, might try the polish one. I have all the ingredients.

Yes @DirtyGertiefromno30 GW is a lovely place to go to escape into. Very relaxing.

Afternoon everyone! ☀️
Oh it sounds like you’ve had a proper productive one @Thebookofcarolagain
bathroom scrubbed, shower curtain changed, washing on very satisfying when it’s all done isn’t it 😁? Even if it is blooming cold!
It’s actually gorgeous here now too, sunny and bright and my washing is out on the line 🤣 You can’t beat that fresh air smell when you bring it in. Makes it feel like Spring is trying to show off a bit but l wish it would behave itself and stay in the sunny side now 🤣
That Polish pork shoulder recipe sounds fab! If you’ve got all the ingredients you definitely have to try it 😁.
AHH yes, GW really is a lovely little escape. Just watching it feels calming somehow.
Not that long to the Chelsea flower show 😁
Bring it on!
Mum was fine there thankfully, Jacket pots tonight for tea 😋

Lovely out 😍

That looks fab, just like here @DirtyGertiefromno30
The pork shoulder is in oven, it has an hour then I make up a 'sauce' then back in for 40 mins. Fingers crossed it's not a disaster 🤣
Got to do pots to go with it.
Thinking about just sowing a few poppy seeds, red and frilly on top border just to fill up a bit of space till I can get more plants. Keep getting distracted by you tube though😆😆

Makes such a difference when the sun finally shows up, even if it’s still blooming freezing @Thebookofcarolagain😁
Oh the pork shoulder sounds amazing. I’m sure it’ll be far from a disaster 😋
I love the idea of the red frilly poppies along the top border. They’ll look so cheerful and fill that gap nicely while you decide on more plants. And they’re such an easy flower, scatter, rake in, done 🥀
You’ve had a good productive day already though, bathroom scrubbed, washing on, dinner in the oven. Well done you😁
Jacket spuds for tea 😋
Washing dried and away and looking forward to Silent Witness tonight ☺️

Hi both. We've had sun and it felt almost warm enough to be in short sleeves, but not quite.

Good luck at the dentist tomorrow @Thebookofcarolagain

Thanks @FridayNighFeeling not looking Gerrard to it at all. Won't be a simple pull out i imagine if its broken inside. Fingers crossed!
Yummy that was really good @DirtyGertiefromno30 Pork steaks just fell apart. Will def do again. Can post recipie if anyone wants it. I had jacket pot too. Ds1 not feeling great today so didn't bother making pots for both of us as he is avoiding eating after this a.m. ds2 is out at beach with friends so will get his later.

Hi @FridayNighFeeling☺️
Glad you have had this lovely sunshine it makes such a difference ☺️

That sounds absolutely delicious @Thebookofcarolagain 😋
So glad the pork steaks turned out that well, when they just fall apart like that you know you’ve nailed it 😋. Definitely a recipe worth repeating. Yes please do post it , I bet a few people here would love to try it.
A jacket potato with it sounds perfect too. Hope your DS1 perks up soon bless him 💐. Hope your DS2 is off living his best beach life with his mates 🤗👏. Good luck tomorrow with the Dentist too 🤗
Had a lovely tea now chilling with a cuppa ☕

Hi all!
well , its been lovely today , and I got 3 loads of washing dry !!
It has also been quite nice for the last few days , so I have started to crack on with weeding in the garden . The ground is still damp enough to pull out weeds and grass growing through everywhere . It was sadly neglected last year , so am determined to get on top of it before it goes beserk 😀
All well here , just about back on an even keel after the hols - house back to rights , washing and ironing up to date .
Other than that , just toddling along with crafting , also cooking and baking . Ripe bananas into muffins , a bag of apples are being used up a bit at a time with apple flapjacks .
Just used the last of the sprouts out of the veg patch tonight too for tea ( not just sprouts - made a chicken , ;eek and mushroom pie using up bits out of the fridge and ready rolled pastry) .
Good to hear your Mum is doing okay DirtieGertie
How annoyong about the insurance BookofCarol - it is so easy to forget . Fingers crossed you can get a refund.
The rest of the week is looking good here , so DH is hoping to get the grass cut , and he has started to wake up from his usual winter torpor to do some DIY too . I really need to spring clean in truth ......
Waves to everyone
Take care all x

Goodness you are always busy @bookbook
Ignore the house if you can get the sunshine in the garden take it🤣
Those apple flapjacks sound good, can you post the recipe please, if not it's fine.
Glad your Dh is waking up after his winter hibernation.

Ds2 is home and tucking into the pork and last of croquettes @DirtyGertiefromno30 Was fine on the beach till the wind got up again. Its howling around the house now. 😡
Here's the recipe I think its all there.
Just a note, check on the stock level about halfway through the first cooking as it drops very low by an hour.

I didn't use as many shoulder chops, (I added the leftover small loin chop into it to use it up) but it was delish. Depending on the size of the chops you may need an extra one, I.e 3 people = 4 chops as they fall apart when fat dissolves out of them.
Mine were done after 30 mins 2nd cooking.

Braised park shoulder steaks

Ingredients
▢4 pork shoulder steaks approx. 1½lb
▢1 tablespoon oil vegetable or olive
▢3 small/medium onions cut into wedges or thick slices
▢3 garlic cloves halved or roughly chopped
▢1 bay leaf
▢2 allspice berries or a pinch of ground allspice
▢1½ teaspoons dried herbs herbes de Provence or similar
▢⅔ teaspoon paprika sweet or hot
▢2-3 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard add to taste
▢1 teaspoon soy sauce
▢⅔ teaspoon honey *optional
▢1 tablespoon all-purpose/plain flour
▢1¼ cups (300 ml) stock any
▢fine sea salt to taste and lots of freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 F/170 C/150 fan/gas mark 3.
Season steaks: Season the steaks on both sides with a little salt, lots of pepper, paprika and dried herbs.
Brown meat: Heat the oil then add the bay leaf, allspice berries and the steaks and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the meat is nicely browned.
Braise: Add the onions, garlic and about half of the stock then cover, place in the centre of the oven and cook for 1 hour. Remove from the oven.
Thicken sauce: In a bowl combine the flour with the soy sauce, mustard and honey (if using) and whisk in a small amount of the remaining cold stock until smooth. Add the rest of the stock then pour this mixture over the steaks and sauce making sure it's distributed evenly. Cover and return to the oven for another 30-40 minutes, until the meat is tender.
Serve: Remove from the oven, adjust the seasoning if needed and enjoy!

Sounds like such a lovely, productive few days @bookbook😊 .
Three loads of washing dried!
Well done!
You’ve timed the weeding perfectly while the ground’s still damp, and it's so satisfying pulling it all up 😁. It must feel good getting back on top of the garden after last year.
Your baking and cooking sound fab too , banana muffins, apple flapjacks, and that chicken, leek and mushroom pie with the last of your sprouts. So good to be using everything up too.
Nice to feel back on an even keel after the hols. Hope DH keeps up the DIY momentum and gets that grass cut while the weather’s good 🤗

It’s horrible when the wind starts howling round the house@Thebookofcarolagain especially after a lovely day. Glad DS2 enjoyed the beach while he could though , fresh air always does us the world of good🤗
That recipe sounds absolutely lush. Thank you so much for the recipe that was so kind of you . It's proper comfort food too. I love pork when it just falls apart 😋. Good tip about checking the stock halfway , nothing worse than opening the oven to find it’s nearly burnt because the liquid’s disappeared 😱!
It sounds like it turned out perfectly 😋.

The onions were a little bit err coloured because the stock was so low when i took it out @DirtyGertiefromno30 but its just more flavour 🤣🤣 I just added more stock than the recipie for the 2nd cooking.
Will def make it again, it's Ds2 approved. i have more of those steaks in freezer. Got a big pack in Aldi, haven't seen.them there before.