Rainy day biscuits

Today it has rained for most of the day so, after doing piano practice, Bible studies and the daily housework, math and language studies, we set to and made our traditional Rainy Day biscuits.

Here is a photo showing the results of our handy work. Don't they look good enough to eat?!

If anybody would like the recipe I can post it, but for now it will be sufficient to just make your mouth water.

More quotes!

One of my more grown up children, tired of all the complaining she'd heard because the temps. have normalized, came out with this one the other day:

"I just don't understand people. The cold is so cool when you're warm"


Yesterday, whilst having supper my youngest said "Mama, I'm still hungry".  (Surprise)
"Have an apple." I said.
"An apple? An apple won't empty my hungerness"
(Loud roar from the the whole table)
"What's the problem?" he asked, and then added "I'm just doing like Shakespeare. He used to make up big words and then put 'ness' on the end."

Hola!

Munchy Monday #5: Orange sponge cake

This is one of our family favourites, made normally for breakfast or afternoon snack. Very easy to prepare and gone in a matter of minutes.

You will need:

1 orange
250 g sugar
250 g self-raising flour ( or plain flour + 2 tsp. chemical raising agent )
3 medium eggs
100 ml  sunflower oil

Method:

Top and tail the orange. Discard top and tail! Cut the rest of the orange up into smallish pieces, add the  sugar and blend with a hand blender till smooth. Add all other ingredients and blend well. Pour batter into a greased cake tin ( 30cms by 20cms or similar ) and cook on 180ºC for 20 - 25 minutes.

Note: To make the cake a little special, when cooled you can dribble melted black chocolate over the top in a zig-zag pattern.

Bescuit de taronja

Es necessita:

1 taronja.
250 g sucre.
250 g farina.
2 cullerades de postre de llevat químic.
3 ous mitjans.
100 ml oli girasol.

Instruccions:

Se'ls treu les dues puntes a la taronja i es talla la resta de la taronja a trossos petits. S'hi afeigeix el sucre i es trituren els dos ingredients amb una batedora elèctrica fins obtenir una crema espessa. S'hi afeigeix la resta dels ingredients i es barreja tot bé. S'aboca en un motlle de forn, previament engreixat, i es forneja uns 20 - 25 minuts a 180ºC.


Nota: Per fer més especial el pastís, un cop fred es pot decorar amb xocolata fosa.

Winter at last!

For those of you who are under the impression that Catalunya is all sun, sea and palm trees, this is what greeted us this morning as we pulled the blinds up.

So we all had a quick breakfast, dressed up warm and went out to play...

 

 See the vineyards here?

 

 

Last but not least... our little snow mouse.

You have to be quick if you want to enjoy snow where we live. By mid afternoon there was not a trace. Anywhere.

Friday Fun Fact #1

The Hundred Years War did NOT last 100 years. In fact it lasted a total of 116 years.

It was a series of conflicts waged from 1337 to 1453 between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France, about who should control the French throne. It was a dynastic disagreement dating back to William the Conqueror who became King of England in 1066, whilst remaining Duke of Normandy. The war started as a result of King Edward III of England's refusal to pay homage to King Philip IV of France, leading to a retaliation by the latter who confiscated King Edward's lands in Aquitaine, south west France.

 King Edward III

The war rapidly became an economic conflict also, as the French monarchy squeezed  more and more money from northern Europeans. War was an expensive business and the French began taxing many everyday items such as salt, bread and wine so that they could finance their battles.

 William the Conqueror

Such famous people as Robin of Sherwood, King John,  King Richard II, Joan of Arc, Bertrand du Guesclin and King Charles ( called The Victorious) all had important parts to play during this war.

The Hundred Years War ended because another internal war - the War of the Roses - broke out in England, leaving the kingdom in no position to wage war against the French.

It is to be mentioned that Calais remained in English possession until 1558 and the title of King of France was claimed by the British until January 1st, 1801.

Control your stress levels!

Here at home we were having one of those mornings when I came across this quote from Winnie - the - Pooh...

To seem quite at ease hum tiddley-pom once or twice in a what-shall-we-do-now kind of way.

I must admit I don't have much to add to this but to take a deep breath and keep going!

Happiness is...

This photo was taken a few days ago through the kitchen window, by my dearest. 

 Happiness is... an over ripe olive!

Munchy Monday #4: Lemon and orange curd

This is delicious spread on warm bread, put into jam tarts or simply by the fingerful! Mine never lasts for 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge, for sure.

Makes 900 g ( 2lb ) of curd, approx.

You will need:

2 lemons, grated rind and juice 
1 orange, grated rind and juice
4 medium eggs, well beaten
225 g / 8 oz white sugar
125 g / 4 oz unsalted butter or margarine, cut into small pieces

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a sturdy glass bowl and cook in a simmering bain-marie for 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove the bowl from the hot water and whisk the curd with a stick blender or by hand, for 1 minute. Pour into warm, sterilized jars and seal. Once cooled, it can be stored in the fridge for 3 - 4 weeks.

Cuajada de limón y naranja.

Para 900 g de cuajada, aproximadamente.

Se necesita:

El zumo y la piel rallada de 2 limones
El zumo y la piel rallada de 1 naranja
4 huevos medianos batidos.
225 g azúcar blanco.
125 g mantequilla sin sal o margarina, cortada en trozos pequeños.

Cómo se prepara:

Se ponen todos los ingredientes en un bol y se cuecen al baño María unos 15 minutos una vez esté hirviendo el agua, removiendo la mezcla a menudo. Se saca el bol del agua y seguidamente se bate la mezcla por un minuto con un minipimer o a mano. Se pone en tarros calentitos y esterilizados y se tapa. Una vez fría la cuajada, se puede guardar en el frigorífico entre 3 y 4 semanas.

Munchy Monday #3: Meatballs and vegetables

Serves 8-10

You will need:

For the meatballs:

400g minced beef
400g minced pork
2 level tblsp. fine breadcrumbs (plus more to coat with)
2 level tblsp. dried parsley
1 portion frozen garlic, defrosted (or similar)
1 level tblsp. salt
A generous squirt of your usual tomato sauce

Mix all the above ingredients well, and make into balls. It should make about 40  meatballs. Coat with breadcrumbs.

For the sauce:

1 kg. packet mixed frozen veggies
1 - 1 1/2 ltrs. of meat or chicken stock, boiling
1 level tsp. paprika
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:

Put enough oil in a big frying pan to half cover the bottom of the pan. Add meatballs and gently fry on all sides until golden. Add the veggies, still frozen, and stir for two minutes. Add most of stock to pan and stir. Add paprika and stir again.

Bring to boil then gently cook on a low heat for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally. After 10 mins. or so the sauce will begin to thicken a little, so you might have to add more stock or water so that it will not all stick on the pan. Add salt to taste.

Mandonguilles a la jardinera

8 - 10 racions

Es necesita:

Per les mandonguilles:

400g de carn picada de vedella.
400g de carn picada de porc.
2 cullerades soperes de pa ratllat.
2 cullerades soperes de julivert sec.
1 ració d'all congelat, ja descongelat (o similar).
1 cullerada sopera de sal fina.
Un bon raig de tomaquet fregit.

Es barregen tots aquests ingredients molt bé i de la massa se'n fa boles no massa grosses (dóna per a unes 40 mandonguilles); després es rebossen amb més pa ratllat.

Per la salsa:
1 kg d'ensaladilla congelada
1 - 1 1/2 litres de caldo de carn o pollastre,  ja bullint
1 cullerada de postres de pebre vermell
Sal
Oli per fregir

Instruccions:

Es posa oli en una paella gran i es fregeixen les mandonguilles fins a daurar-les. S'afeigeixen les verdures, 1 litre de caldo i el pebre vermell, i es remena bé. Se li fa arrencar el bull i es deixa a foc lent uns 20 minuts, tot i remenant-lo de tant en tant. Es rectifica de sal.

Quote of the day

Today I exploded with this:

The problem in this house is that you always have to do something before you do anything!

The Robin

This is a well known British nursery rhyme which dates back to the 16th century.

The north wind doth blow and we shall have snow,

And what will the robin do then, poor thing?

He'll hide in the barn and keep himself warm,

And tuck his head under his wing, poor thing.

Munchy Monday #2: Winter fruit salad

Serves many

You will need:

A lettuce of any type
A selection of winter fruit - I have used here a banana, an orange, an apple, a couple of slices of pineapple, and a handful of raisins.
Olive oil
Salt
Lime or lemon juice

Method:

Wash and prepare the lettuce in the usual way and place it in a big serving bowl. Cut the fruit into small pieces and place on the top of the lettuce. Sprinkle over the raisins. Sprinkle over a small amount of salt, then lime or lemon juice and lastly, pour olive oil over the whole salad.

Amanida d'hivern

Racions: les que convingui.

Es necessita:

Qualsevol tipus d'enciam.
Una selecció de fruita d'hivern: he fet servir un plàtan, una taronja, una poma, unes rodanxes de pinya i un grapat de panses.
Oli d'oliva.
Sal.
Suc de llima o llimona.

Instruccions:

Es renta i es prepara l'enciam com sempre es fa, i a continuació es posa en una plata de servir. Es talla la fruita a trossos petits i es reparteix per sobre l'enciam. S'afageixen les panses.  S'amaneix amb oli, sal i unes gotes de suc de llima o llimona.