Hitherto a chilled-out Sunday

So this weekend we decided we hadn't enough energy to do the whole Sunday Roast thing. So thought we'd make ourselves that 'spiced beef casserole we'd given to the the 'Day's' the previous weekend.

As this recipe takes 2 hours to cook in the oven we made it the day before, which allowed us to go for a chilled out coffee at "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" cafe.

I have to say the do a ruddy good hot choc there as well a good cuppa tea.
As you can see, I've managed to keep up the knitting, not far to go now! Think Pete's starting to get a bit worried that I am actually gonna finish it, and he will actually wear it!! :D

Pete was working on some new sketches for his new series...

Soon we started to feel a bit hungry so headed back to get stuck into the tasty casserole. The recipe is my sisters and I'm yet to have found another that comes anywhere as near as good! It is LUSH!

 

Weeze's Spiced Beef Casserole

Recipe:

1.5kg Stewing / casserole beef

4 Onions sliced

Oil

1 clove of garlic crushed

225g  Field Mushrooms

25g Plain flour

half tsp ground ginger

1 tsp curry powder (when I'm not looking pete usually adds more!?)

1 tsp Muscavardo sugar

1 pint beef stock

2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce

salt/pepper

Horseradish - as much as you want :)

Directions:

Brown the meat in oil making sure the oil is HOT first, then drain the meat onto some kitchen roll. Keep same oil hot and add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and more oil if needed. Fry for 4 mins.

Then add the flour, spices & sugar whilst stirring continuously for 2 mins. Add stock a little at a time and then bring to the boil.

Place the meat back into the dish and mix it up. Place the dish in a pre-heated oven at 170oc for 2 hours - Watch the casserole if it becomes a bit dry & add more water if this happens.

Once out of the oven add seasoning & Horseradish to taste.

Enjoy!!

We had ours with rice and Kale (our new fav veg! Lush with pepper and butter). Also after trying many different Horseradish's we think Colmans is the hottest & tastiest. If you think there is a better one, do let me know. Mx

Knitting Grannies

As you've read, I am nowing trying my hand at knitting. This IS a working progresss & seems to have gone in reverse after a bit of a malfuction & I had to undo three days work!! There were a few expletives flying about when this happened.

TIP: Don't run before you walk.

The reason for this malfunction was - I had completed around 25 rows of good knitting and was pretty chuffed. However this led me to believe that I could take on the world & thought I should throw in a couple of 'cable stiches'. Hrumph! "Throw in" Who was I kidding!!??

Pete started to view his scarf with a worried look and bravely suggested I stuck to knitting. He is a brave man isn't he!?

Anyway I am continuing in my quest to create Pete a scarf, even if it means him wearing it in the height of summer! I shall blog some photos when it is nearly finished....

In the mean while our knitting needs have been fullfilled by Granies Inc! This is a awesome website where you get to design your own wooly hat and then a 'granny' will knit it for you. It truely is ACE. A couple of friends have got hats from them & they're really lovely.

So Pete and I have designed and ordered our hats - due to arrive this week!

Guess what!? I went onto their website http://www.granniesinc.co.uk and they've chosen my hat design as one of the Top 3 designs of the month!! How cool is that?

Shall let you know when it arrives :)

New Year New Skills

"New Year resolutions are to eat less cake and to learn new things."

Unfortunately that means baking less cakes and stuff in general, which is not good for the blog. What will I do instead!? Then a friend mentioned she had started knitting. BINGO! New skill, no cake involved and it keeps me busy.

So I'm attempting to knit right-handed (hard work for a left-handed person) and create Pete a scarf. I've done a couple of inches so far woop woop! Has only taken me two days do... hmm at this rate it'll be ready for next Feb!?

Videojug.com  has saved me quite a few times, mind you still had to undo two days work on sat :-O thus the pint of Guinness...

Wish me luck..... I need it!
x