Crepeys, not Creepys

[Cremolafoam]

Get back on here you lot!

Rosen and I could put in our klops recipes.

Oh yes - Klops recipes welcomed. MI - I liked the vegetarianilism semolina-y type thing you posted on WA which is now lost in the mists of....WA.

MrsS - I could HEAR your mother! Made me laugh, too

I went into Sainsburys looking for ramekins. I found plenty of dip bowls, but nothing I could form a twice baked cheese souffle in. Collared nice middle aged man who shook his head and told me that ramekins had gone out of fashion.

FASHION??? Who ever said they were in fashion?? Its like saying that 'saucepans are old hat'. FFS.

So I went into the GU aisle and found 2 x 2 boxes which were half price. So for £2.50, I get 4 ramekins and 4 puddings. Result.

In Tu News, I saw this: Jacket

Quite boxy - so not for me - but its 99% cotton, and felt v nice. Would recommend for office wear.

Think they are in the cookbook already MrsS?

Ds claims to have "made" a burger today - am wondering where on spectrum from "reheated something I bought last night" to "chopped an onion and mixed with mince" this Is!

Well in that case I will give you Boiled Carrot Salad. Don't mock, it is delicious.

Ramekins are not a fashion item, young man.

Odd day at work today. Woman for whom I have been covering maternity (hereafter referred to as Defensive Maternee) was in today, doing one of her KIT days. She is all about where's 'my' chair, where's 'my' drawer, these bits of paper are 'mine' (we moved rooms while she was away and are in a state of disarray). She spent the whole day looking at emails, or checking admin, or hunting down a better chair, or talking about which days she was going to work, and generally being an irritating slacker. While trying to get me onside by saying 'well of course you understand what it's like having children' when she left at 3 o'clock. I know your game, sunshine.

Right. It's a 5:2 day, so I'm in for a proper treat of dinner - a carton of dhal soup.

Boiled Carrot Salad

500g (1lb) carrots
Salt and pepper
½ – 1 teaspoon Harissa
1 – 2 teaspoons cumin
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ – ½ teaspoon ginger
Few olives to garnish

Boil the carrots (chop them first) in salted water. Mash when they are cooked (they need to be very soft, none of your al dente rubbish). Mix the rest of the ingredients together and slosh on the carrots. Keep in the fridge. If they make your mouth pucker or the flavours seem too much, a day in the fridge will mellow them.

Herbs, she sounds sooooo annoying!

Can someone remind me how to gain access to CrepeWeb? Was it a link via PM from someone?

I do love Klops.... making a roast dinner out of a pound of mince....MrsS Did we not put the recipe on there already?

Herbs what do people actually do on their KIT days...they didnt have them when I was on mat leave....

Admittedly, I'm not entirely sure. But she said she wanted to get gradually back into work, sit with some children, etc.

Am receiving gradual intelligence that she is fairly universally disliked for being a bit lazy, a bit needy and a bit bossy. It seems my spidey senses were correct.

It was only in the last few years or so that I actually found out what ramekins were. I have passed at least 40 years of my life in blissful ignorance .

I am fancying a curry so am off to find ingredients. Have discovered that M&S peshwari nan is the business.

There is a bowling staff social at work where families are invited. I'm not sure that DS is going to be persuaded to go bowling with his English teacher. He does like bowling and his English teacher but in terms of credibility I think it's a non starter.

MrsS - would that be dried ginger or fresh??
That would be great with a few crackers for lunch.

I've signed up with Smitten Kitchen on FB. I get the most fabulous stuff sent through. I also love the way she writes, and the fact she often makes fun of herself. Some of the baking stuff looks seriously lush.

I'm going to have a go at her Double Chocolate Banana Bread. I mean, whats there not to like?

I have 4 (iv) bananas past their sell by date looking at me from the fruit bowl.

Ive got to do some trend forecasting for 2018 - anyone got any info? Economic/ educational/whatever....?
I've got a fair bit to go on, but anything else welcomed!

In Ramekin News - isn't that interesting!

One crepey considers them to be a bit of fairly standard kitchen kit, and one has only just come across them!

I use them for all sorts of stuff - leftovers, butter, pate, sugar bowls... and twice cooked cheese souffles! Not sure I'd manage without them.

Rose it is a linkee that I sent out to those who PMd me - PM me again if you can't find it. The cookbook I on there but anyone could add individual recipes as separate files (or PM me) and I will produce a new edition every so often.

The only ramekins I have are those that used to contain gu puds. And seem a bit small for anything useful... Yet I keep them, in their millions, 'just in case they come in handy'.

Dried ginger is what I use. Airborne, you also need to check out David Lebowitz

Cooked Smitten Kitchen cake this evening. Got a bit cocky as I had too many bananas and made double. Not sure I got the Cocoa measurement right, as it tastes VERY cocoa-y.

It's not too sweet which is good, but it sticks to the roof of your mouth in not a good way.

Have wrapped up and hope that tomorrow it'll taste a bit better.

Which cake is that, Airborne? I am currently making cinnamon buns, which I haven't made for years. I love Smitten Kitchen - both the blog and the book. The Belgian Brownie Cakelets are AMAZING and very easy. DD1 has made brownies and I have a bit of my honey cake left as well, so we are well served for cake at present!

Have just done a huge Amazon spend and bought 2.5 kg of chocolate chips, some sweetened flaked coconut and a kilo of cocoa powder (Callebaut for both the cocoa and the choc chips, as it is excellent quality).

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

It was this one, Mrs S. I think it all went wrong around the cocoa quantity. The rest of the ingredients I used as per her metric quantities, but then she states 1/2 cup of coca powder.

So, I got my cups out and measured half a cup. It looked like an awful lot (well, it was, because I was doing a double quantity, so it was one cup...) and tipped it in.

The finished cake does taste predominantly of cocoa, and has a very dry-stick-to-the-top-of-your-mouth kind of feel to it. The kind of slice of cake you'd need at least a PINT of tea with it.

I'm also wondering if her suggestion of Dutch Processed Cocoa has anything to do with it; its been 'alkalised' for some reason, and the UK stuff I think is what I would call normal.

Oh, I did like your buns on FB, too MrsS

this is the cocoa powder I use. It is Dutch processed (I think all cocoa powder here is?).

Please can I ask for views on 7/8 length jeans. I have seen a pair in Phase 8 which I really like apart from the length. Do you think I will get used to them and learn to love them or will I just get permanently cold ankles? www.phase-eight.com/fcp/product/phase-eight/jeans-&-jeggings/aida-7/8th-zip-hem-jeans/100959354

Anything 7/8 length or cropped seems good in the summer but I seem to leave them in my wardrobe the rest of the year. If cold maybe stick on some leg warmers and ankle boots in the winter?

I am a great fan of that length. Despite being a Notorious Shortarse. And I think it would suit you.

I like the way they look and agree they would suit you, mrsW.

But I don't understand them not in summer [wails] - what's the point if you wear boots and socks to keep warm so they look full length?

I like them for summer. I suppose in winter you would wear them stuffed into boots, which is also fine. I am going shopping with the DDs today. As DD1 is now earning around £1000 a month (take home) I won't be treating her to anything more than a coffee. I suspect this will come as a shock to her, but she is notoriously tight with her money. And I am taking her to the theatre tomorrow night.