Misty

Afternoon turned dry but misty. Nothing like zero vision to make you feel cosy inside.

Update on lamb curry - it is the best one I have ever made and if I was served it in a restaurant I would be a very happy customer.

Easter

Its lovely and rainy outside, so we have an excuse not to go out. My favorite type of day! I have just finished another David Sedaris book and have about 100 pages left of 'The Darling Buds of May' before I throw myself headlong into the next book which will either be Fay Weldon's 'Nothing to wear' or I go back an try to get on with the 'New York' book by Rutherford. He is just not very engaging... I also have another 3 books started but they can be read slowly over the coming weeks.

In the oven: diet coke cake - or muffins rather - trying an online recipe using a ginger cake mix + a coke zero. Nothing else. Will report out.

In slow cooker: Lamb Tikka Masala - should be ready in approx. 5 hours.

From Friday - Swedish rye bread using a Finax 'shake n' bake' mix. Its wonderful with cheese and ham. Or a boiled egg and a slice of tomato.

Wonder if it will rain tomorrow? If it does I am planning poached salmon in the slow cooker and attacking some of the books I have bought but not got round to reading yet...

Slow cooker update

The eggs were nice but would have been even nicer if I had been brave enough to take them out after 30 min, but I chickened out and left them in for 40.

The lamb was lovely, we had wraps with tzatziki and salad. Plenty left over for Monday dinner. The stock is great so that we are saving to use as a stock in a curry. Or I will forgets its in the fridge, find it in three weeks and wonder what on earth it is.

Testing easter recipes

I got a slow cooker a while back and while I love the idea of it we haven't used it a lot. Its a bit big for two people I guess. We made a lovely roast chicken in it and the stock and vegetables left over made a wonderful soup.

So, in the spirit of spring and easter I am trying two new recipes in the slow cooker this Sunday:

Eggs en cocotte - breakfast (will be ready in 30 min)

Lamb shoulder - dinner (will be getting ready while we are out golfing)

Fingers crossed they will be nice and we will have dinner ready for us when we get back. If both work out we have two dishes for easter sorted. The last easter dish will be something with salmon, not sure what yet but am sure I will find inspiration during the week.

Spring is here

The cherry trees are beautifully pink. The tulip buds are about to burst. The first bare legs are out. The restaurants have all put the tables out.

Winter

As spring is being slow coming we decided to embrace winter. So for my birthday we went up to Lapland Lake in south Adirondacks. We stayed in a very cute little cottage with a great wood burning stove - making for toasty relaxation after the skiing. The cross country skiing tracks start just behind the cabin so not only was it 30 seconds to get out it also meant a break for tea is no problem. Lovely! We ordered the Finnish platter catered dinner - meatballs, beetroot salad, cabbage rolls (kaldolmar) and salmon potato casserole (laxpudding). Mmmm.

Definitely going back - wish it was a little closer so we could go again this weekend!