Thursday, February 20, 2014

Birds of Paradise. Our Wednesday.

A friend sent this to me today, a  stupendous video about Birds of Paradise in New Guinea. I didn’t know there were so many varieties nor such clever displays. Do watch if you possibly can.


Wednesday we decided to try for Costco again and managed to part relatively Costconear. Despite the light snow and wind, it was actually +2°C today so not really too bad. We managed to get everything we wanted in the way of meat and pills (vitamins and Co Q10) then went to check out, oops, our membership had lapsed since last July, I didn’t realise, so had to pay it and that made the bill a lot higher than I expected. I am planning to make some tourtières in the near future and needed some ground veal, Costco had some, but I really didn’t need to buy several pounds of it, I only use it for the one thing, so left it alone.

Having broken the bank, we decided to head up to Sobey’s, a not so local grocery store (lots in town, none close to us) to get the veal. We were stopped at a traffic light when suddenly BANG!*!* an SUV rear ended us. Frightened the life out of both of us. We both thought poor little car, we have an OldsOldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, old but reliable. When Matt went to look there was, thank God, no damage. The silly female who had rammed us kept saying “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry” and Matt said she should watch the traffic properly in future. I wonder if she was texting. Illegal here. Anyway, she hung back and didn’t come near us all the time she was following us. Eventually she turned off. Actually, writing this some while later, my shoulders hurt, maybe we should have exchanged names! Oh well, too late now.

Got to Sobey’s no ground veal, they don’t grind/sell it any more. However, the Tourtierebutcher we know quite well advised us to go to Central Meat Market, one street over. Got there, they didn’t have any til tomorrow. I asked if they would save me some for Friday, they assured me they would. Now all I need is pastry. That, thankfully, is easy to get. I can make 4 pies with my recipe and the bought pastry which is enough to last us for a while. Although I ordered 2 lbs of ground veal, maybe I should make eight pies, hmmm.

D’you think I should stay in bed, life doesn’t seem to be treating us too well lately. Not only that, I can’t apparently bowl worth a damn any more either. Of course when I hear other people’s problems  I wonder what I am complaining about.

Obviously some of you have kids and it seems BBC Food are running a “Cooking With Kids” series. Here is the one I got today. I’m in the mood for some chocolate, maybe some wine too.

Cooking with kids: Chocolate cornflake cakes

By Caroline Hire

Servings

Makes 12 Chocolate CornflakesEveryone loves crispy cornflake cakes, whatever their age. Get the whole family in the kitchen to make these simple bites
 
  • Tip
    Tip for cooking with kids
    Before you start tie back any long hair, put on your aprons and wash your hands. Make sure your child is stable where they are cooking and comfortable with the angle they are cooking at. As you cook explain what the different ingredients are where they come from.
  • Ingredients

    50g butter
    100g milk or dark chocolate, broken into chunks
    3 tbsp golden syrup
    100g cornflakes

Method

  1. Children: Weigh out the ingredients. Older children can do this by themselves with supervision and little ones can help to pour or spoon ingredients into the weighing scales. Put the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a saucepan or microwavable bowl. Put the cornflakes in another large bowl.
  2. Grown ups: Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in the saucepan over a low heat or briefly in the microwave. Allow to cool a little before pouring over the cornflakes.
  3. Children: Stir the ingredients together gently using a wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into 12 cupcake cases arranged on a muffin tray (or baking sheet, if you don’t have one). Grown ups will need to do this for younger children or simply arrange on a tray and let the mess happen. Put in the fridge to set.
Or of course you could make them on your own.

Have a great day.
Jo (2)



14 comments:

  1. Some freaky looking birds in that video.
    Always exchange information, just in case! Glad no one was really hurt, including your car.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think they are gorgeous.

      You are right Alex, I guess one should. Although we have "no fault" insurance here now which is a stupid system IMHOP. The strength of the bang I am very surprised the car was OK.

      Delete
  2. Those birds are beautiful!

    I love me some CoQ10. I'm so glad there was no damage to your car. I wouldn't be surprised if she was texting either. People do it all the time. So dangerous.

    Elsie
    AJ's wHooligan in the A-Z Challenge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aren't they just?

      I have been taking CoQ10 for a while, mainly for cramp.

      Not so many people do it round here these days because it is against the law.

      Delete
  3. I remember making chocolate cornflake cakes (and rice crispy versions) as a child. Seems cupcakes are the fashionable ones now though ....
    MMmmm maybe you should spend a couple of days in bed or out of harm's way LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too Sue, I preferred the rice crispy ones.

      I think so too although today was a better day except it's snowing like billyo now.

      Delete
  4. Hope your shoulders feel better. Thank goodness you didn't suffer from more extensive injuries, and your car wasn't damaged. Hope you're able to get some rest.

    Julie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not been bad all day but they were aching late this afternoon. Put some warmth on them for a while, much better. Rest not a problem I'm pleased to say.

      Delete
  5. Sorry about the fender bender there, I almost got ran over by a lady at a stop light that never looked up from her phone as she ran me out of my lane in the intersection a few weeks ago. She didn't even look! I'm in awe of her recklessness.

    And I just read an article yesterday about how beef, chicken, and pork came to dominate in the Americas. I was really interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Infuriating isn't it? Is it legal where you are?

      Sounds like it was. I always loved the start of Ivanhoe where the jester and the swineherd are discussing Saxon and Norman names for foods such as Oxen in the field and Boeuf (beef) on the table.

      Delete
  6. No, staying in bed is not the solution. Play a game of cards or scrabble instead. Then make a pie or two. You know the drill. Keep yourself busy, but have fun doing it. Then you'll have nothing to worry about at all.

    MJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
    Writing Tips
    Effectively Human
    Lots of Crochet Stitches


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh go on, I was looking forward to a few days in bed doing nothing (probably drive me up the wall). Your recipe for keeping busy sounds more realistic though.

      Delete
  7. Glad you and the car are okay but I'm with Alex - always get details. Learnt that after a whip lash which didn't show up until some hours. Someone pulled out in front of us (without looking and on to a major highway). GK slammed on the brakes and missed him but my neck was damaged. The other driver just took off and we didn't have a chance to get any details but I've had problems with my neck ever since which has cost quite a lot in medical treatments not to mention pain.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Luckily medical is free here, so if there is a problem, it won't cost anything medically. I do agree though, should have exchanged details. Sorry about your neck. Painful neck/shoulders isn't funny. Actually, Matt found a piece of metal which fell off the trunk (boot) lit when he opened it, same colour as the SUV, didn't know what it came from, but wasn't off our car at least.

    ReplyDelete