Steamy Sunday

 

A shorter walk today (4.8 miles) as I was time limited due to making our Christmas puddings.  I oven steam which is easier than doing on the hob, but you still need to keep an eye on in the water levels. I use a fairly deep pan so can get around three hours before needing to top up with boiling water.  It’s surprising how quickly the time goes when you are up against the clock.  It was a quick sprint for the last half mile but luckily it hadn’t boiled dry.  Eight hours steaming and they are out of the oven and cooling.  In the morning I will change the baking paper and foil and tuck them away until needed. One for this year, one for next.  Same recipe since 2002. Tried and tested

Chilly Sunday

 We had a busy day yesterday, or so it seemed. First job of the day was to make my Christmas Puddings - 8 hours to cook.  I oven steam, so much easier and no steamed up kitchen. 

Then a walk, nearly a wade in places, lots of flooding but our side of the country fared so much better than most. Then preparing dinner for four, Jamie Olivers' Slow Roast Lamb and Beans, followed by knitting - one  surprise WIP completed and another well underway and lastly a night cap.

1st photo - Peter making a wish. Last photo - after 8 hours cooking

Slow Roast Lamb over Beans

Frosty start, in fact the side of the garden in the shade stayed frozen all day

Flooded fields

Hot chocolate laced with Bailey's - you have to take a warm drink

Flooded pathways

Christmas Pudding vest for Rachel - finished just as she walked through the door.!

Current WIP - back completed, front started

Homemade Plum Vodka - just the right thing for a cold evening

Proof of the pudding

I forgot to post pictures of my cooked Christmas puddings, so here we go, they are all repackaged and stored away for now, but believe me they smelt so good

These are a couple of knits that I've completed for Rufus, I really must stop taking the pictures at night as they really don't photograph well, hopefully I can post some more of him modelling them in a better light

The hoodie I finished this evening.  I need to decide what to knit next.  I think Rufus has enough to be going on with for now, so maybe a throw or something to try and use up some of my stash which just never seems to diminsh! But then I do have a small forest of fabric Christmas trees that need decorating so maybe I should get those done first, time is running out only 3 weeks til Christmas.  Have you got your shopping done yet?

Busy weekend

As you can see I've been busy this weekend, warming squash soup for Saturday lunch; a Santa hat and Candy Stripe hat and mitts knitted for Rufus. Christmas puddings made and currently oven steaming, still 1.5 hours to go but its worth it. I've made this recipe since 2002 and it never fails to please.

We only got a dusting of snow but it has been very cold, did a bit of shopping yesterday and managed a good walk this morning, so a productive weekend. Feeling much better today, though still have a head full but the cough has subsided which is a relief all round -back to work tomorrow )-: