Crepey Corner

[DukesOfTripHazard]

Where the cool and the discerning hang out. New one.

Chat now, innit.

I have also - and reassure me, please, my lovely fellow Crepesters that this is OK - realised it may be better to keep cooking to a bit of a sensible minimum while I'm feeling so hassled (full-time job, two books I'm supposed to be bashing on with, freelance stuff...). I do know MrsS manages to do a Very Grown Up Job, cook fabulous food, and write but then she has a very dedicated, frugal and abstinent lifestyle in order to make this possible

MrsS, I foolishly followed your example and drank rather alot last night I am beginning to feel a bit more normal now.

MI, I keep cooking to a sensible minimum most of the time by cooking double of most things and freezing half for later, using the slow cooker to cook at least double quantities, serving up the favourite pasta pesto (made with fresh-filled pasta and pesto sauce) pasta with an out-of-a-jar tomato sauce or oven baked fish and chips or omlette or anything that is cooked easily at times when I am most in a rush. Is this the sort of reassurance that helps?

That is indeed most reassuring. I can't even face cooking a massive curry for the rest of the week at the moment. It's clearly one of those phases when I'm convinced I'll Never Cook Another Meal Again.

We had jerk chicken tonight, care of kind old uncle Levi. Just bung the marinade sauce on for an hour or two then grill - tis a faff-free fav in our house

when endlessly producing family meals all gets too much I fall back on a handful of meals I can produce very quickly, on automatic pilot, that everyone will eat... and try to have the staples to make them in fridge / cupboard. make a mental list of 3 or so things that could fall into this category and save some energy MI!

oh and don't waste time feeling GUILTY, total waste of your time.

I know . The thing is, I am actually a pretty good cook, honestly, and like producing food. But just at the moment I realise that I would rather spend what free time I have reading/MNing/practising (oh god have massive amounts of singing to work through tonight!), not faffing around in the kitchen.

OTOH the Inferiorettes are quite partial to a spot of cooking after school, with assistance from their various childminders/babysitter

...oddly enough I find it v hard to evade the pressure to be a Good Mummy who produces Lovely Home Cooked Food.

My mum used to do a proper, complicated, two-course meal, frequently involving complicated Indian food, every night. After a day teaching quite horrible racist kids

but you can produce (good enough) lovely home cooked food... but it needs to be easy home cooked food if you're pressed for time and generally stretched at the moment...

"firecracker rice" (spicy pre boiled rice with diced peppers / onion / carrot etc and prawns / salmon cooked in wok with ginger, chilli, coriander).

pasta with chickpeas and broccoli (florets cooked in pasta pan for last few mins of pasta cooking, chickpeas heated in olive oil in which you've fried garlic and added anchovy) and parmesan.

salmon parcels (salmon, chopped / shredded veg on top, drizzle of sesame oil and soy sauce, baked in oven in foil parcel) with fresh egg noodles.

oh and I'm not averse to the odd posh ready meal (charlie bigham's fish pies from waitrose are v v good but not cheap) now and then.

all above served with decent bag of salad. fruit / ice cream / nice biscuit for pud.

hope you don't think I'm teaching you to suck eggs...

Oh I have days where I really cannot face cooking dinner. Quite a lot of them, actually. We sometimes go to the cheap and cheerful sushi place over the road. I am not really into planning meals, having grown up in a house where you could tell what day of the week it was by what was on the table. The freezer is your friend here. We have the wonderful Picard, so my standby is usually salmon with green beans, with rice or potatoes (oven chips or frozen dauphine potato balls at a push). I have mixed frozen mushrooms and bacon bits to sling into a risotto. Fish fingers and baked beans with potato wedges are also good.

Mmm, I will have to try that pasta and chickpeas recipe. Sounds good. I also have a list of quick, uncomplicated, but also perfectly healthy fast suppers. I had an uncharacteristic outbreak of actual "proper" cooking last week, but I think I'm done with that now for another year. Gingerbread went down very well at the w/e, but have already delegated the making of the next batch to dd. Sadly, I have now found myself to be paying the price of a week of beer and pretzels so am having to introduce austerity measures. Bah. I thought we were on the go so much on holiday that I had got away with snarfing all the extra cals. But - damn and blast - I seem to have been michelinised. And I do not mean that I have been awarded any stars for the excellence of my cooking (as if). Even dh has commented on my increased girth (which is a bit rich, as he is a bloater, as I often remind him ). And am now facing a whole week of writing about chocolate. I realise that if this is the entire extent of my hardships, I should be thankful. But still...

I am combatting the middle-aged spread by taking the dog on a brisk-paced tour of local places of interest instead of his usual 20mins bored walk round the school sports field. And am cutting back on cheese intake - mine, not the dog's. May have to go back to Zumba. Or find some sporting activity that I actually properly enjoy (unlikely, frankly). Bah once more. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Never mind too busy to cook; I was too busy to eat yesterday. My total intake for the day was half a bagel, a piece of DS's birthday cake and two glasses of wine. Not my finest day low-carb wise.

Strops - it's winter. You need a little extra padding. Embrace the pretzel-paunch.

Gnnn. Cooking. What a pain in the downstairs.

When I worked, I'd buy breakfast on the way to the office, buy lunch, and quite often go out for dinner, or get something easy and expensive from Waitrose or M&S. Very rarely had to actually think of things to make.

Now I have to make and clear up mine and DS's breakfast; think of, make and clear up mine and DS's lunch; think of and make DS's dinner, clear up; think of and make grown up dinner. Oh, and clear it up.

Standbys include poached chicken with sesame and ginger rice; stir-fry with griddled salmon; sausage and mash; veg curry; spag bol from big batch in freezer; chilli ditto; roast squash with pesto and pasta; er... that's it. Brain too bored to think of more.

Middle-aged spread that had gone thanks to squitty arse has now returned, along with more normal bowel habits, so I dare say I'm going to have to start doing that bloody shred thing again. Pffffffff.

I am embracing my extra winter padding. I am not going to feel guilty that I should be attempting the shred thing. Girls love the shape you are!

Though tell you what - having to merrily dance through toddler music classes, carrying the huge heft that is DS, will burn off some extra calories, I'll be bound.

Currently photographing and cataloguing old DS clothes to flog on ebay. Those of a non-sentimental value, natch. There's a much larger bin bag of garments I can't bear to part with yet, which DP is eyeing for the charity shop. Nooooooo.

I have kept a couple of fav outfits for each of mine in their "boxes" and one of the tiny-baby baby-gros that DD fitted into till she was about 3months old. Awwww

I sometimes dig out the tiny babygro with cars on that was the first thing DS wore when he was born, and is sporting in my fave photo - DP holding him, with such a look of pride and wonder on his face. Never fails to make me blub.

Upon researching sales on ebay, not sure I can be arsed with the faff - looks like I'll make about a fiver.

In S&B news, it's my birthday coming up, and family members are asking what I'd like. I need a few well-chosen accessories or garments, that will transform me into a casually chic, yet quirky, fantasticalness.

Have you bought anything - or spotted anything - wonderful and suitable? I'm thinking cardis, jewellery, gloves, bags, etc... This is my chance to update my wardrobe away from Sainsburys.

what sort of things do you like?
what sort of fantastical gorgeousness do you aspire to?

I don't know, but will watch for the advice!

On second thoughts, you might have more luck posting the question directly on the s&b board where the real guru's can advise you. As opposed to your fellow Hags

I bought that WCo dress today as it is on offer. MUST now return to former frugality. Although in truth I have purchased not that many new garments since starting new job - several pairs of leggings and the Jigsaw frock (as well as socks and pants, which were let me tell you much needed) - and I have worn them all solidly.

Am much appreciative of all your quick cooking suggestions and support. Can I also recommend smoked mackerel, flaked into either rice (cooked with peas, quite often) or with potatoes and green beans (the latter can come out of the freezer?). Also couscous. (To which you can profitably add frozen grilled veg fried up in olive oil and garlic). And grilled/dry-fried hallumi.

Mr Inferior, however, is not great at quick cooking. One waits, snarling and murderous with hunger, for him to get food onto the table.

Smoked haddock, rice and peas. Spice it up for the adults...

Any veg cheese - a variation on cauliflower cheese, but you chuck in anything to hand...

I am not giving fashion advice.....I know my limits :)
MI - am loving that perfume :)

Ruby did you catch it from me?