Saturday 7 January 2017

24 Carrot Magic...!


Hello dear friends - I'm back after a couple of weeks 'blogging break' over the holidays.  Happy New Year to you!

So, I don't know about you, but every January I seem to end up resolving the same things ... eat more fruit and veg, be less wasteful, drink more water etc. etc. and this year is no different (although as I write this it is currently 12.20pm and all I have had to drink so far today is two cups of coffee .. oops ... but water is soooooo boring isn't it?! **she wailed**) I always seem to begin the month full of enthusiasm and come back from the supermarket with a trolley full of fresh produce and then after one meal can't face it again  and so it sits languishing in the fridge until it's time to throw it away, lol!

This year I am determined to try and buy what's in season and make use of every bit, although I think I am on to a loser already to be honest.  Mr B and I made a trip to Costco last weekend as I had a yearning to cook roast lamb on New Year's Day.  I really wanted roast beef however have not been able to find a joint of topside (or even anything remotely similar) here to save my life!  **sulky face**  Whilst we were there we tried to gather all the other ingredients we needed for dinner to save having to go to the supermarket as well on the way back (that is never a good idea on New Year's Eve) and just about managed it.  The only downside was that Costco being Costco, everything came in gigantic quantities ... and there were only three of us for dinner after all.  Still, Mr B pointed out that the price for a gigantic bag of carrots at Costco was hardly more than a smaller bag from the supermarket and so, as I couldn't really fault his logic, we came away with a bag that would keep Bugs Bunny in snacks for months, plus an equally ginormous bag of sprouts;  the same of green beans (which for the record I am sick of already); plus two cartons of fresh berries ... oh and a MASSIVE cooked ham!

... and this was after 4 meals and a huge batch of carrot soup!


Jan 1: So after roast lamb, roast potatoes & butternut squash, Yorkshire pudding (yes, I gave in to the pressure and we had it with lamb ... shock, horror ... sorry Mum) carrots, sprouts, green beans, gravy and mint sauce on Sunday we still had enough Yorkshire pudding batter to make at least a couple of pancakes, half a joint and had hardly even made a dent in the vegetables!  Damn.

Jan 2: Still feeling fairly enthusiastic about my 'no waste' resolution, I made the Teen some pancakes for his breakfast with the rest of the pudding batter & whipped up a Shepherd's Pie with the leftover lamb, which we ate accompanied by ... yes ... carrots and green beans (I couldn't face sprouts two days in a row).  Whilst the pie was in the oven I also roasted the rest of the butternut squash, an onion ... and more bloody carrots ready to make some soup the next day.

Jan 3:  Not feeling quite as enthusiastic, I managed to find a recipe for carrot & butternut squash soup made in the slow cooker ... genius.  I chucked in all the roasted veg with some stock and seasoning and left it to do it's thing.  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my slow cooker?  ... just checking.   As I opened the fridge to get the stock though, I saw the large tubs of untouched blueberries and raspberries glaring at me accusingly.  Bugger ... I forgot about those.   I checked the cupboards and realizing I already had everything I needed, decided to whip up a batch of granola to eat with the berries and some yoghurt (another over enthusiastic purchase at Costco - still unopened). Inspired!

I have to say though that the soup was soooo good!  Here's the link to the recipe I used if you fancy giving it a go.  Slow Cooker Carrot & Butternut Soup.  The recipe says to finish off with Almond milk, which I didn't have (obviously ... yuk) so I just used a healthy dollop of .... double cream, lol!  It was still a bit thick and so I added a little regular milk until I got the consistency I wanted, however, next time I make it I think I might use some more stock if it still needs thinning out after adding the cream as it was a bit too creamy for me (if there even is such a thing as 'too creamy'!).

I doubled up on quantities (as I had plenty of carrots!) and put half in the freezer for a quick supper another day.

Yum!  (Not my picture - I couldn't be arsed with all the fancy bits on top!)

Jan 4:  Breakfast of yoghurt, granola & fresh berries.  **checks fridge**  Still half a bag of sodding carrots, enough green beans to sink a battleship ... oh god ... and ... half a ton of sprouts **groan**!  Right ... I'm out of ideas.  Managed to find some salmon steaks at the back of the freezer - that will do for tonight's dinner and get rid of a few more of the blighters to go with.  Just as I was dishing up though, I realized that I had actually forgotten to cook the carrots (it was accidental, honest guv!).  Dammit!  Never mind, I'll just pop them back in the fridge and we'll have to have them tomorrow ...

Jan 5:  McDonalds anyone??!  Oh good Lord, but we haven't even started on the ham yet! **weeps quietly into fridge**  The Teen's first day back at school and back to the dreaded task of making the packed lunch ... that'll be a ham roll then ... with a side of carrots .. for the next three weeks!  Deciding I had better use some of that for tonight's dinner, I adapted a trusty Delia recipe and made a cheesy ham and leek pasta bake, however, as it made LOADS, there's now half of that left in the fridge as well!  It's like a scene from the Magic Porridge Pot - every time I open the fridge everything seems to have multiplied!  Incidentally, had just dished up the pasta when Mr B asked where the carrots were that we were supposed to be having with it?   Oh crap!  Forgot them AGAIN!  (ok ... it may not have been entirely accidental this time!)

Jan 6:  Can't even look in the fridge, so we decided on dinner and a movie!

We tried a new place that's just opened in Scottsdale - Hand Cut Burgers and Chophouse which was great, then on to see the movie Fences with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.


We really enjoyed it, but I have to say it wasn't quite what I was expecting and seemed a bit slow in places (the old biddy next to me was properly snoring and I had to do one of my none too subtle 'coughs' to shut her up!).  I would not be at all surprised though if both Denzel Washington and Viola Davis aren't nominated for Oscars based on their performances, which were both superb.  I would give it 8/10 (oh and take your tissues).

We had originally set out to see Hidden Figures, which just opened last night, however, all seats bar the ones right at the front were already sold out!  Will have to do that one next week perhaps



Finally, a question for you ...

I am in two minds whether or not to continue with the Barlow's Big Adventure blog and have been wondering whether it has now come to it's natural end?  I started it as a way of recording our giant move across the pond and to keep friends and family updated on our adventures as we embarked upon this exciting journey, however, given that we will have now been here for two years at the end of March (I know!  How quickly has that gone?!) I am wondering whether it has lost it's appeal somewhat?  (the blog ... not the adventure!).  I must admit, as we have kind of settled into a new normality, some weeks I really struggle to find things to write about that aren't dull as ditchwater.  What do you all think?  Let me know, as without you, dear readers, it is kind of pointless anyway!

Thanks for stopping by again ... you are appreciated!


TTFN
Bev x




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