Wednesday 30 October 2013

A morning in the kitchen

Or should that be Notes from a Domestic Goddess? !!!


I spent the first part of the morning blog-hopping.  For quite a long time actually, but hey-ho, suitably impressed by a Bacon and Egg Pie over on Anglesey Allsorts' blog, I set to and made one for my menfolk, with some subtle differences.  No tomatoes (they don't "do" tomatoes), no grated Courgette sneaked in (though I still have some to use up from the garden), and instead I Mandolin-sliced potato very thinly and laid it in layers with chopped bacon, and a sprinkling of cheese, and topped it with three free range eggs before putting another cheese pastry lid on it.  This is how it came out of the oven (above), and below are a couple of the layerings:





I had some cheesy pastry left over, and a single portion of Chinese Mince from the other day (which got its name from the half a packet of Chinese stir fry mix which needed using up and got combined with the mince, and onions, tin of chopped tomatoes etc), so I made two pasties . . .


The lovely golden colour is partly the cheese in theh pastry and partly the egg glaze I used.

I was on a roll by now, and as I had fresh yeast in the fridge (they give it away free at Tesco) I made a Cottage Loaf.  This really took me back to my childhood, when I would go to the corner shop for my mum, get her the Cottage Loaf, and by the time it got home, the wonderfully burnt knob on the top would be inside my tummy!  This one over-prooved a bit as the kitchen was warm from baking and I made the mistake of turning my back on it . . .  Tastes good anyway.



I am haunted by apples at the moment, so yesterday and today I have tackled the most urgent ones (bruised or split) and cooked them up.  Of course, while I had the oven on, what better thing to cook than . . . a deep dish Apple Pie in the lovely green dish which I found in TKMaxx this summer, and which is an exact match for the lovely big green mixing jug I was treated to when we were in Hay-on-Wye in July.


So, having worked, now I shall play, and clear the table to get my quilt blocks assembled.  I wish I could show you them, but they are destined for my daughters, who come on here . . .

17 comments:

  1. If I'd not just eaten a hearty breakfast your bakery photos would have me yearning to taste! I think you bacon and egg pie is similar to the 'quiche' that I sometimes make--husband doesn't care for it, so I can only produce one when there will be others around to eat it up.
    I made bread yesterday as well--I usually make four loaves at a time and freeze or give away some.
    Apple pie was my Grampa Mac's favorite--he always said it was the perfect pie for a farmer!
    Do we get even as hint as to what sort of Star block you are making????

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  2. Glad my cooking made you wanting to taste it! The quiche I make is normally a Quiche Lorraine, which has beaten-up eggs, milk and/or double cream, snipped bacon, cheese and tomato slices if wished. No pie top to it though, as this one had. I hadn't made bread for ages - Keith kept saying not to bother, and buy the spelt loaf he likes. I think men and apple pie go together like steak and onions : )

    I will e-mail you a pic of what the star looks like. . .

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  3. Hi you ... pie looks good .. I liked the idea with the potaotes must give that a try. Its nice to find someone else trying to scratch a living from rehoming old and faded things.

    Vicky x

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  4. Hi Vicky, lovely to have you visit. I have to say that I just love fossicking around in boxes full of "stuff" at auctions and car boot sales, and sometimes things just "speak" to me and I have to bring them home. My husband said the pie was good (I had one of my leftover pasties) so that is praise indeed (he's a fusspot over food - has to be plain and simple!)

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  5. Thank you for coming my latest follower and introducing me to your lovely blog. What a great baking day you have had everything looks delicious. I have also visited your blog on Edward Thomas. I have never heard of him before but his poems are wonderful thank you for introducing me to his work and story.
    Sarah x

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  6. Radio 4 have a programme on Sunday afternoon Sarah, if you want to learn more about Edward Thomas. Matthew Hollis will be on Bookclub at 4 p.m. talking about his biography of ET (Now All Roads Lead to France). Edward Thomas is one of my passions . . . I adore your photos by the way and it's a proper breath of sea air to visit your blog.

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  7. I'm feeling in need of that pie in my mind but not body. However, I intend to make it anyway!

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  8. Love pie and yours look so good. But what really caught my attention was the Cottage Loaf. The way some people love chocolate I love bread and that looks so good.
    I am making chicken jerky and yam jerky for The Square Ones today. But really I would love to make a pie.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. forgot to say how much I love your new header.

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  9. Ah my sweet, you have made my tummy growl and it's nearing midnight here--not a great time to be starting an apple pie !~! Such lovely cheese crust, I adore cheese and there are few food that can't be improved by adding cheese to them. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. very yummy! I shall try making that!X

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  11. Annie - bon appetit!

    Lynda - sorry to make you hungry so late at night.

    parsnip - enjoy your jerky making. Something I have never tried. I like good bread too. Glad you liked the header taken at Laugharne. It looks so much better blown up than it did as an Ordinary Photo!

    Em - good rib-sticking food is the order of the day, especially with the miserable wet weather we've had recently.

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  12. You're making me hungry :) the pies and pasties look absolutely delicious. Love the Cottage Loaf too - you can't beat homemade bread :) We were given pounds and pounds of cooking apples recently so have a feeling there'll be lots of apple pies and crumbles here in the next month :)

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  13. R/Robin - have you ever tried making your own mincemeat? A good way of using up excess windfalls. I realized - when I was still wide awake at 2a.m. this morning - that I hadn't started mine yet, so I stocked up with dried fruit today (3 for 2 on all baking things in T*sco at present). I will put the recipe up tomorrow for you.

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  14. Fancied those pasties and the potato/cheese pie looked scrummy - it puts on weight though; shame on you for leading us down a perilous 'garden path' ;)

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  15. thelma - I try not to eat them. I had one of the pasties and froze the other, and the rest of the baking was for my menfolk.

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  16. What a domestic diva you are! I'm going to have a wicked time trying not to eat till dinner since oogling all your delish images, lol. I've an astounding supply of apples this year from my few apple trees and have been busily putting up applesauce for now and into winter. I'm anxious to try your potato cheese and great mincemt recipe. Thank you!
    Hugs, Issy

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