Friday 29 March 2013

Good Friday Goodies





When I came down to breakfast this morning it was snowing; the roofs and garden were white and it was drifting down quite heavily. By the time I'd finished breakfast, emails, checked my to-do list and written a couple of birthday cards the sun was shining and all the white stuff had disappeared! Feeling so much chirpier now!


I was just in the mood for baking and what could be better than Hot Cross Buns? As I was happily kneading away I spotted out of the widow a female blackbird collecting swathes of dried grasses for nest building, joined briefly by our resident robin. Drat! I couldn't un-dough my hands quickly enough to get a photo, but I did catch the resident squirrel making his way down the beech tree, across the garden and up and away over the garage roof.


On the Home Organisation Front, my new board is now in situ by the kitchen door, and is proving very handy, not least in sorting the freezer contents out.


Regular bread making is proving (oh come ON!) to be quite addictive, both in the doing and the eating! I'm enjoying ringing the changes with various flours and extras. This loaf is one of a pair I made with Einkorn flour - a bit like spelt, just as 'ancient', and tasty. I've thrown in a good handful of linseed and other ground seeds which have given it a wonderful colour and flavour.



We had the last of the freezer faggots - recipe care of Dc at Frugal in Norfolk - yesterday for dinner. They are so tasty, I shall certainly be making these again.



Right, back to the Hot Cross Buns. Erm ....... - well, I had no candied peel so I chopped some dried apricots very small, raisins I had, but no sultanas so I finely chopped some stoned dates (they were SO chilled out .......) and er ....I didn't have any milk powder so they were made with water not milk. And to be honest, as they are for private consumption only, I couldn't be faffed making the pastry crosses. So all in all, they turned out to be  ..... just Hot Buns (now there's an image to conjure with!) and blummim' gorgeous they are too.



Yes, they look more like scones, don't they, but they are definitely dough-ey. After lunch we both spent half an hour or so Jim at his fly-tying desk and me sorting my photos out. (oh the joys of retirement)



Next I popped into my sewing room and picked out the fabrics for my jacket. Some are from my friend Magie (one G) at The African Fabric Shop, and some I remember buying at a market stall in Caen on our way to the ferry home. Must be 12 years ago, blimey! Others I have picked up at various quilt fairs over the years.  I need to crack on and get started arranging the pieces onto the jacket.



Now we are both pottering about doing what we do, and what needs to be done. The sun is shining and  the day has a contented feel about itself. How have you spent Good Friday?

36 comments:

  1. Doing a blog post, answering letters (ie handwritten real, proper ones!), bit of handwashing, banana cake making. Himself pottering in his room building his model railway layout. I can hear his music (Moody Blues at the moment), wondering shall I blast him with a bit of Quo? Nah, it's near afternoon tea time so I'm off to put on the kettle and sit down for a read.
    Another health scare hanging over me at the moment, more tests (unexpected, the result of some concern over last week's bloods) next week to try and sort it, hopefully positively. Trying not to think about it, but it has rather blighted the relaxed, happy to have Himself home for a couple of weeks feeling that I had before the telephone call from the surgery. Never mind, these things are sent to try us...and they do!
    Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I might sort some fabric for patchwork.

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    1. Hello MAggie, hope all goes well next week with the health issue.

      Sounds like your day has been panning out much the same as mine, it's so nice when a day comes along like this, undemanding, peaceful, tootling along at its own pace. Lovely.

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    2. This is the pattern of my days now, amazing what you can get used to if push comes to shove!

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  2. sounds like you are having the perfect day with a bit of allsorts lol
    Tilly

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    1. Thanks Tilly, it really has been a lovely gentle, busy but relaxing day. Hope yours was too!

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  3. Lovely post - just the sort of day I like and rather like mine was. Washing dried and ironed and put away hatches battened down now as it's too cold to be going outside any more dinner ready and waiting to be cooked.... as tilly said an all sorts kind of day!

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    1. Mmm, think the cold snap continueth! Lovely to have a day like this, isn't it?

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  4. Lovely photographs. We had a busy morning, being Friday its time for the Friday Fettle, the house is all clean and tidy now and the washing done. This afternoon was spent relaxing and doing a bit of blogging, hubby went flying, it the first time he's been able to go for a while with the weather being so bad. Tomorrow I shall be doing a spot of baking, coconut cakes and a date and walnut loaf while the oven is on for a joint of gammon.

    Your bread looks delicious, just my kind of loaf, hubby only really likes the boring white stuff!! I like the sound of the Hot Buns with the dates and apricots, they are my favourite dried fruits, quite often I will buy them and they never get into the cakes!!

    Gorgeous fabrics, they will look fab on your jacket.

    The new whiteboard looks splendid, I see there will be some delicious meals on your menu plan over the coming weeks. Well done to you for getting organised.

    Enjoy your Easter.
    Karen x

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    1. My reply got split off from yours, Karen, see below! Lx

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  5. Yum Yum, piggy's bum!!
    Just come in from work, but the fields are still soggy in places so not as much done as we would have liked. Flopped out in front of a roaring fire, kna....ed. I asked my husband to try the website on his iPad recently acquired and it said,.... new version of Adobe Flash Player required and javascript needs enabling too. So maybe??
    All working on friend's 'putters, other than that i'm at a loss. Happy munching. x.

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    1. Have a nice warm, Mrs GH. Hm, yes, my lap top is a new one, perhaps I need to check the updates. I will! Lx

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  6. Oh Karen, we are SO on the same page! My stash of pitted dates was almost all gone ...and not into any baking, if you see what I mean! We have a Friday Blitz - well, we did Before Retirement - stuff just kinda gets done when one of us feels like these days! (I hasten to add that it DOES get done regularly!)

    yes, the organising - still a bit stop-go it must be said, is making a difference and keeping the chaos at bay! Lx

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  7. This post gave me a giggle. I loved the "stoned dates". Wow, that African fabric is gorgeous. Can't wait to see the jacket all done.

    My Friday has been mostly running a few errands and falling asleep in the recliner before supper. I did manage to put a meal on the table of meatloaf, roasted cauliflower and green beans canned from our garden.

    Have a great weekend. Enjoy.

    Hugs,
    Sharon

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    1. Hi Sharon, Reminds me of a cafe we went to in New Zealand, called Smashed Pippi. I loved the idea of Pippi having a skinful and popping in for a coffee to sort his head out, but it turns out pippis are tiny molluscs found at the nearby beach!

      Have a lovely Easter. Lx

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  8. It's a good job I'm eating Saturday morning breakfast in bed (porridge with dark sweet cherries and sliced banana) or I'd be off in search of food after reading about your tasty faggots, home-baked bread and buns, Lynne!
    My Good Friday creative: Googling images to make a collage for a sea poem I'm writing, in the hope I'll now be able to write myself out the corner it's got stuck in...
    Have a fabulous Easter! x

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    1. Mmmm! Jayne that's a 5-star brekkie you were havin' there!

      Love the idea of a poem on a collage. Might I suggest some of Angie Lewin's lino prints? Her images are mainly the flora of the wild sea-side, naturally you'd have to credit her. Or use something similar. or perhaps stark, skeletal plant-forms aren't what you are after. Look forward to seeing /reading! Happy Easter. Lxx

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    2. Thanks for the suggestion Lynn. 'Skeletal' might be what I'm looking for... The collage is purely for my own use - the idea is from a poetry prompt I thought I'd try, as I can seem to proceed with this particular poem.

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    3. Breathless with anticipation! I love her work, and Mark Heard's, similar. Lx

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  9. Bread looks lovely as do your Hot Cross-less Buns.Can't beat a spot of home baking. Glad you like the faggots.

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    1. Dc they were brilliant, thanks so much for the recipe. Have just been looking at your bread method, similar to mine but there are a myriad of different 'right ways' aren't there! The Hot Crossless Buns - ah I like that!

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  10. I do envy you the tranquillity this post suggests, and all that game in your freezer!!!

    Have a lovely Easter Lynne :D

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    1. After a lovely tranquil day yesterday today has been one long prep and cook! Largely so I don't have ot tomorrow. Just got a beef pot-roast to get into the oven later, when I shall be popping in the Lemon Pudding! Yay!

      I'm not too fussed about game myself - we get pheasant and partridge because a friend of ours goes beating. Jim used to as well but now has no time as he is up to his eyes in fishing-related stuff! Wouldn't mind a couple of rabbits though ......
      Happy Easter xxx

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    2. So glad you all 'adored' the pudding! And thank you for your lovely, funny, comment ... what would the world be without a noggin of this or that! I definitely think I'm adopting Mel's suggestion of always asking for a noggin more wine hehe ;D

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  11. Ooh that gorgeous African fabric Alice and I are very envious! Enjoy Easter Sunday we have a family day tomorrow so must think about meal planning! Love Sue xx

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  12. Hiya Sue, oh gawd, have just eaten Annies Lemon Pudding, it went down a storm here! Even Jim loved it and he doesn't do puds.

    We have mum with us so a bit of a hiatus on the sewing front - I'm itching to get in and get the first pieces on the jacket! Speak soon.xxxxx

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  13. Dearest Lynne
    Wow, you are spot on about our hand writing! Gosh, so similar. The only difference is that you are writing organised lists and I am writing frivilous ones :o)
    Beautiful African fabric too, your coat will be a technicolour dream one with all those amazing patterns and colours, can't wait to see it.
    As for your baking, well I am pants at baking anything that involves dough and am green with envy at anyone who can bake bread...I often look into going to a bread making course but they are always so expensive. I just want a plain and simple day not a posh one with artisan bread! You may well just have inspired me to get trying again. Enjoy the rest of your Easter, I need to clean the house and get ready for work again tomorrow. xox Penny (ps. thanks always for your lovely comments and conversation)

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  14. Hiya Penny, I am promising myself to sit and start cutting fabric TODAY!!!!!!
    Have a go at bread, Penny, dough is very forgiving, you don't have to have an 'aptitude' for it like people say you need for pastry (a light and cool hand!). Get a bag of strong white flour, packet of instant dried yeast, and follow what it says on the bag. Too wet - throw in some flour, too dry while you are doing the first mix? Chuck in some tepid water - and don't get hung up on the water temp OR about the salt touching the yeast for heaven's sake, it's all going to be mixed in a minute!! Go for it! Lx (I have to comment, because I must but also because it is really the best bit, as Annie always says!)

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  15. Happy Easter - all your baking looks delicious. So glad you enjoyed your trip to NZ - I am certainly lucky to call it home. Thanks for stopping by at my place :-)

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    1. Hi Lynette, thanks for popping by. We had the best of times this year up at Orewa and Other Places and we are already thinking about our next trip in a coupleof years time. Lx

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  16. All that lovely food, definitely feeling very hungry now. Thanks for your welcome back ... :0)

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    1. You're welcome, Shirl, and thanks for popping by.

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  17. Hi Lynne, Lovely baking pics! I must thank you for your organization/ white board posts. I'm looking through them for some moral support as, lets face it I'm the only one in our house to 'do' the food side of things.I also found your link to 'the quince tree' blog a great help, especially the freezer posts.Flissx

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    1. Hi Fliss, well I'm glad someone has found them useful1 They are proving to be a real boon, and I find myself jotting to-do stuff on the big one which we can both see clearly, rather than on a bit of paper which only I am privy to.

      Sue's blog is great, I always enjoy her writing and she often has great advice too. Lx

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  18. On Good Friday we went for a very cold walk, then came back and I baked an apple cake whilst the Mister got on with a few jobs - all very relaxed, a bit like yours really! Til we can really get outside for long periods, we've not much choice really. xCathy

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    1. CAthy only just found your comment! Sorry. Hopefully the warmer weather is on its way.......fingers crossed! Lx

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