A "GEORGE" SIZED SANDWICH

Good Morning to you,

I was having a discussion today with my friend about the actress Kristen Scott Thomas.  I was saying that she was a talented actress and my friend agreed and then, as only women do, we discussed Kristen's amazing cheekbones.  My friend went on to mention another film she enjoyed with Kristen and that was Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  I then said, that there was another very good film.... and with that, my mind went blank.

Do you think I could think of the name of the film. No!

I described the film.... well sort of. I said, the film was set in the 1930's and 1940's, lots of sand and desert, a romance.... it's also a book. It was beginning to sound a little like Charades. No, neither of us could think of the film.

I said it was Natasha's favourite film.... as if my friend knew which film was Natasha's favourite film, but I threw it in anyway.... but could I think of the film..... no I could not.

Now if Natasha had been with me, she would have whipped out her Ipad and Googled the information.... that probably isn't a very good example, because of course Natasha would have known the film I was talking about, as it is her favourite film... but you know what I mean, if there is any information needed the Ipad is whipped out and we have the information instantly.

But Natasha wasn't with me, and I don't own an Ipad, so I carried on thinking about the film.... yes deserts kept creeping into my mind.... I know I said that before....more deserts oh yes and an aeroplane..... nope the film would not show it's face.

I thought to myself, don't think about the film, it will come, so while I am not thinking about the film.... which you know is not true, because I am thinking about the film, I will  show you George's Valentine's treat for today,

this hugely flavoursome sandwich.  I was not sure what to call it, as it is filled with caramelised onions, peppered ham and Leerdammer Cheese, oh yes, and I used walnut bread.  If I had used all the ingredients in the title, it would have made the title far too long, so I decided to name it...... A "George" Sized Sandwich".

So it is on with my pinnie and the music I am listening to today is,

the fabulous singer, Will Young.  Will is not only a great singer but also an actor.  If you have not seen the film "Mrs Henderson Presents" please do.  The film stars Will Young, Dame Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins. It is about a group of people who bring The Windmill Theatre back to life in the 1930's.

I have to tell you I am still trying to think about the film.  Maybe the title will spring into my mind whilst I organise my ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

2 slices of Walnut bread

3 slices of peppered ham

3 slices of Leerdammer Cheese

1 medium sized red onion

1 tablespoon of olive oil

and a little extra to coat the outside of the bread

Enough butter to spread on the bread

HOW TO MAKE 

A "GEORGE" SIZED SANDWICH

Slice the onion

and

place 

1 tablespoonful of olive oil

in a pan

and

add the onions.

Cook the onions until caramelised,

be patient as this will take a while,

but it really is worth the time.

When the onions are almost caramelised,

slice two pieces of Walnut bread.

You have a choice now,

you can, 

butter one side of the two slices of bread

or

you can brush with olive oil.

I tend to use butter on the inside

and olive oil on the outside.

Place the cheese on one piece

of buttered bread

and then

Place the peppered ham on top.

You might have to roll the ham and cheese, 

depending on the size you use.

Place the caramelised onions

on the second slice of buttered bread

then,

carefully lay the open sandwich of

ham and cheese

on top of the slice of bread

with the caramelised onions.

Brush the outsides of the sandwich with olive oil

or butter if you prefer.

Heat a pan and place the sandwich in the pan.

Using a spatula, gently press the sandwich down,

don't flatten it, as to my mind, a squashed sandwich 

is not a very nice sandwich.

When one side has browned, carefully

turn the sandwich over and

repeat the process again.

When the sandwich is golden brown you will find

that the Leerdammer cheese begins to melt

and believe me when I tell you,

this is a very, very, nice sandwich.

Just a couple of thoughts, be patient, when  you come to  brown the sandwich, as it will take a little while.  You don't want the pan to be too hot,  because this will brown the  sandwich far too quickly and you won't have a creamy cheese filling.

If you have a sandwich maker, don't be tempted to use it, as this sandwich is a full sandwich and you will loose something if you squash the sandwich.

Of course you can use any bread you wish.  I use Walnut bread, because it adds an extra dimension to the sandwich and I find good bread does make all the difference.  In case you are interested in making your own bread, I will be making Walnut bread later in the year.

So there will be one more treat for George before St Valentine's Day and what is quite normal for me is, I haven't decided what to make just yet..... but I do have another couple of days to decide.

Oh, and in case you are wondering about the film, no the title did not pop into my mind, as I hoped it would, I had to Google it and I am so glad I did, as it put my mind at rest.

The film is "The English Patient" alongside Kristen Scott Thomas the other fabulous actors were, Ralph Fiennes, Willem Dafoe, Juliette Binoche and Colin Firth...... I am now at peace.

Take care and I will see you a little earlier this week, because it is St Valentine's Day on Friday, so it will be George's final treat.

This week I will be joining,

Anyonita at Anyonita Nibbles for Get Him Fed

STEAK PIE WITH GRAVY

Good Morning to you,

When  George  was  younger  he  was  a  great sportsman. He loved white  water  canoeing   and  he  canoed  many  rivers,  in  different countries around the world.  He is a black belt, 2nd Dan Judo player and coach and  a keen  outward bounder.  I thought I would tell you this, so  that you can understand George's passion for sport, because today, our house is filled with excitement, as England is playing in The Six Nations Rugby Cup.

This afternoon George will be ensconced in his den, with everything he needs in it's appropriate place. The television "bleeper", will be within easy reach, the peanuts will be close by on the table and  a beer will be on his right. He will be wearing his England rugby shirt and he will be sat in his chair, fifteen minutes before the start of the match, ready and waiting.... and I have to tell you,  this afternoon, I expect to hear lots of hollering and cheering at the television.

Last weekend  England was playing France and we were beaten by France in the last two minutes of the game, and I have to tell you, there was lots of shouting at the television on that afternoon. As we were watching the game, I said to George, "Do you know, I think we are going to win this match" and George replied "Hold your horses, as there are still three minutes of the game left and you cannot be sure of winning, until the whistle blows".....and then it happened. France scored a try, two minutes before the end. I have to tell you, George was not a happy man. 

But today is a new day and we are expecting great things from the England team, as England is playing Scotland.... so this morning, George is running around doing the things he needs to do, before he settles down to watch this afternoon's rugby match.  

So this morning, I am going to be making something I just know he is going to love,

Steak Pie with Gravy.  It's big, it's hearty, it's meaty and full of flavour and I just know it is going to be a great big hit. 

So it's on with the pinny, and the music I am listening to today, is a group I know you will be familiar with,

The Corrs.  I just love their mix of Celtic folk music and it is not every day that you hear a tin whistle being played.  Listen to, "What Can I Do", "Only When I Sleep" and "I Never Loved You Anyway" and if you have not listened to The Corrs music before, (which I very much doubt) you will not be disappointed.

So I am ready to list my ingredients, and they are,

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE FILLING

1 kg large cubed stewing steak

3 medium sized carrots

1 large onion

1 celery stick

1 tin of tomatoes

1 litre of beef stock

1 tablespoonful of olive oil

2 tablespoonfuls of sunflower oil

1 teaspoonful of sea salt

1 teaspoonful of black pepper

2 tablespoonfuls of plain flour

INGREDIENTS 

FOR THE PASTRY

300g plain flour

75g unsalted butter

75g lard

2 egg yolks
(1 for the pastry and 1 to brush on the pastry)

sea salt

HOW TO MAKE

STEAK PIE WITH GRAVY

Peel and finely slice the onion.

Place 1 tablespoonful of olive oil

into a pan

and

slowly cook the onions until they become

 a rich, golden brown colour.

Whilst the onions are browning,

Peel and slice the carrots

into small chunks,

and cut the celery into 3 pieces

and set aside for the moment.

Place 2 tablespoonfuls of flour

onto a plate

and add

1 teaspoonful of sea salt

and

1 teaspoonful of freshly ground black pepper

Mix together until combined.

Thoroughly coat each cube of stewing steak with

the seasoned flour.

Place 2 tablespoonfuls of sunflower oil

into a pan 

and

add about 8 cubes of seasoned steak to the pan.

Fry until browned on all sides.

Don't overcrowd the pan because the

steak will not brown.

As the meat browns place onto a plate

until you are ready to use.

Continue until all the cubed steak

has browned.

then

place all the browned steak into a medium

sized saucepan

and

add the chopped tomatoes,

the carrots,

the browned onions

and the three pieces of celery.

Add 1 litre of beef stock

Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer

and cook with the lid on for

for 1 1/2 hours or until the

meat is nice and tender.

Remove the celery stalks as these

were only used to add flavour.

If there is too much gravy,

using a slotted spoon, remove the steak, onions and carrots

 from the pan.

Turn the heat to high and reduce the gravy,

until you have the consistency you require.

Return the steak, onions and carrots to the pan 

and stir together.

Check the seasoning.

Place the steak with gravy into a pie dish

and

allow to cool.

Whilst the steak is cooling,

make the pastry

I have not taken photographs of how to make

the pastry, as this is something we have

made many times before.

Roll out the pastry.

Using a pastry brush, 
brush water around the rim of the pie dish.

Cut 1.5cm  strips of pastry and press to secure the strips

 around the rim of the pie dish.

The water will help the pastry to adhere.

Again, using a pastry brush,

brush water onto the pastry,

which you just placed around the rim.

Place the rolled out pastry top onto the pie,

trim the edges and seal the edges either using a

fork, or by crimping, which ever style you prefer.

Brush the pastry top with egg yolk

and cut two slits in the pastry to allow the hot air to escape.

Place in a 180C oven and cook

for 50 minutes, or until the

filling is hot and the pastry is golden brown.

Take a look at the filling,

what do you think?

Now I have to tell you, this Steak Pie with Gravy,

 will certainly

"Warm the cockles of George's heart".

I have decided I am going to present it at half-time.  I feel sure he will be able to smell the steak cooking, but he will be so involved with the rugby, that he will not want to tear himself away from the television, just in case he misses a try. 

Fingers crossed for England,  but I just know that Jacqueline who writes Cheapskate Blethering, will be in the oppositions corner as her husband, who is also known as "The Great Scot" will be rooting for Scotland.

What can I say, but, "Let the game commence!" well to be honest, that is what George would say.  

I say....... "Good luck to you".

Take care and I will catch up with you on Wednesday.

This week I will be joining,

Miz Helen's Country Cottage

and

Lynn at Turnips 2 Tangerines

.

RICE PUDDING

Good Afternoon to you,

One of my favourite puddings as a child, was Rice Pudding, made with full fat milk, pudding rice, sugar and a touch of nutmeg.

This was a very popular pudding when I was a child and I was very lucky as both Ivy and Phyllis made lovely rice puddings.  I think rice pudding was  so very popular, because using just a few ingredients, it was a pudding which was filling, and which would stretch quite a long way and when you  had a growing family to feed, puddings such as this, were very useful to have in your cooking repertoire.

Remember these were the days when we called a pudding,  a pudding and not a dessert..... that came much later.  

I have grown older, and I have to tell you, I still love rice pudding, and I am pleased  to tell you, so does George.  So today as part of George's Valentine's gift I am going to be making,

a deliciously, creamy, Rice Pudding.

At the start of winter, I bought a huge bunch of rhubarb, which I froze to make rhubarb crumble.  I was thinking about what to add to the rice pudding, when I remembered I had just a single portion of frozen rhubarb left in the freezer, so I thought I would use it today. 

The addition of rhubarb is going to sit well with George as he loves rhubarb.

So it is on with the apron, and the music I have chosen to listen to today is,

the Country and Western singer, Garth Brooks.  The first time I heard of Garth Brooks was when I visited Atlanta.  Natasha had placed a portable radio in my bedroom, and knowing how much I love listening to music, had tuned the radio in to a Country and Western station. 

At the time my knowledge of Country and Western music was very limited. I had heard of Jim Reeves, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, but that was about the extent of it.  Then I listened to the Country and Western station and I discovered a different genre of music which I thoroughly enjoyed.  

Do you know who else enjoys listening to Garth Brooks.... Phyllis. When there is housework to be done, she pops Garth Brooks onto her player and then she bops around the room, doing her dusting and cleaning.  She tells me, whilst she is listening to Garth's music, boring housework, isn't so boring anymore, as she sings along to the music.... I wonder where I get my love of music from..... I just can't imagine.

The few ingredients I need, are ready and waiting to be turned into a delicious rice pudding.

INGREDIENTS

200g pudding rice

575 ml of milk

300 ml of single cream

1/2 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg

A little butter to butter the dish

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

75g of caster sugar

HOW TO MAKE

RICE PUDDING

Place

the milk and the cream

into a saucepan

and

add the 

sugar

then

add

1 teaspoonful of vanilla extract

and

add 1/2 teaspoonful of

grated nutmeg

and

the rice.

Place the saucepan onto a medium heat
and keep stirring until just before 

the milk mixture reaches boiling point.

Remove from the heat.

Butter a dish

and gently ladle the contents of the

saucepan into the dish.

Place in the oven at 140C

for 50 -60 minutes

or until the rice is cooked

and becomes soft and creamy.

If you don't like the skin which forms on the 

rice pudding, just gently pull it back with

a spoon.

But if you are like George and I,  and you like the skin
then leave it intact.

Allow the rice pudding to cool a little

then,

spoon into a dish

and enjoy it

just as it is,

or

add a little stewed rhubarb.

The sharpness of the rhubarb works

really well with the soft, creamy texture of the 

rice pudding.

By now you know about me and my sweet tooth, so you will not be surprised to learn that, as a child, my favourite topping, would not have been rhubarb, oh no, thank you, it would have been strawberry or blackcurrant jam, which was made by Ivy. Remember, when I was a child, we did not have chocolate very often, as chocolate was a treat, which we were given as a gift at Christmas or Easter time, and certainly not everyday. So my "sweet fix" came from jams.

Jam would not sit well with George as it is much too sweet, but I do know he will thoroughly enjoy the tartness of the rhubarb.

So this is my second gift to George..... and you might have guessed, a little gift to myself as well.

So take care and I will see you later in the week.

ROASTED RED PEPPER DIP

Good Morning to you,

Have you heard the saying "The way to a man's heart, is through his stomach"?

I am not advocating that this is true, as there are many ways to a man's heart, but for George, this statement is certainly true.

He loves good food, and as I have mentioned before, scrumptions left in the fridge to snack upon, makes him very happy indeed.

..... and so I thought, that with St Valentine's Day being just around the corner, it would be fun to cook food, which I know George loves. So each Sunday and Wednesday, until St Valentine's Day, I am going to be cooking random dishes which George enjoys.... and this will be my gift to him.

If I am honest, we don't really celebrate St Valentine's Day, in the traditional way, as George feels it is all too commercial. He hates the idea of being told that each year, on 14th February, he has to demonstrate how much he loves me, by being forced into buying flowers, at exorbitant prices.  He would rather bring home flowers on days when he is out and about, when he sees a bunch of flowers which he knows I will love. It could be a bunch of early daffodils, which I love, it could be a bunch of Lilly's which I also love, or it could be a bunch of roses which have caught his eye.

Does that makes us both unromantic..... no, not at all.  I am such a romantic person, I love all the hearts and flowers which surround us on the run up to St Valentine's Day, but I do appreciate George doesn't.  So without George knowing, my gift to George is, going to be cooking foods which I know he will enjoy.

The first of those things, is nothing complicated, but something I know he will enjoy eating, whilst watching  football.

He will eat this Roasted Red Pepper Dip with slices of carrot and cucumber or sometimes with crisps. Once the beans are cooked, this is a quick and simple dip to make and one which disappears very quickly. The unexpected ingredient is Cannellini beans.... yes the same ones that I used for the Beans in Tomato Sauce.  When I cooked the dried beans, I kept a few back to make this Dip, but if you prefer, please use tinned Cannellini beans. You know I am an advocate of dried beans, simply because you get more for your money, but I also understand that time is also very precious, and when speed is the order of the day, tinned beans have their place.

So it is on with my apron, and the music I have chosen to listen to today is,

the fabulous Canadian jazz singer and pianist, Diana Krall.  Listen to Diana's version of "A Case of You", "Just the Way You Are", "Deed I Do", "The Look of Love", and I've Got You Under My Skin". I had better stop before I list all the album tracks..... can you tell I like Diana's music. This album was recorded at the Paris Olympia, in front of an audience, so, along with the audience, you have the pleasure of enjoying Diana singing live. 

So it seems appropriate, that as this Roasted Red Pepper Dip is for George,  "Just the Way You Are" is the perfect song to listen to.

Now I am ready with my ingredients, although there is not a lot today.

INGREDIENTS

200g of cooked Cannellini Beans

or

400g tin of Cannellini Beans

2 cloves of garlic

2 large Sweet Red Peppers

1 red onion

1 teaspoonful of chilli flakes 

1 tablespoonful of olive oil

juice of 1/2 a lemon

Sea Salt to taste

HOW TO MAKE

ROASTED RED PEPPER DIP

If you are using dried Cannellini beans,

soak them in water the night before you are going to use them

and 
cook them the following day.

Place the peppers on an oiled baking tray.

Brush the peppers with olive oil

and bake in a 200C oven

until the peppers are roasted.

Place the roasted peppers on a plate,

then cover with another plate.

(The steam will make it easier to remove the skins
 from the peppers.)

When the peppers are cooled a little,

remove the skin and seeds

and 

set aside.

Finely slice the onion.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan
and gently cook the onions
until they are golden brown.

Add the chilli flakes and cook for 2 minutes.

Crush the garlic
and add to the pan.
Cook for 2 minutes.

If using

tinned Cannellini beans

strain the liquid from the tin

and

rinse the beans in cold water.

Place the beans in a saucepan 

and

cover with water.

Bring to the boil and then

turn off the heat.

Drain the beans.

Place the hot beans, onion,  garlic and chilli mixture
into a blender,
then add the roasted red peppers
 and whizz until smooth.

Check the seasoning and add sea salt to taste.

Add a squeeze of lemon to taste
and whizz again.

When the dip is cold,

spoon into a dish.

Have your crisps at the ready
or if you prefer,
pieces of celery, cucumber and carrot,
ready to dunk into this 
Roasted Red Pepper Dip.

There are changes you can make to this dip, sometimes I will add a tablespoonful of Tahini, because I love the flavour of sesame seeds. Other times I will leave out the lemon juice and add a couple of tablespoonfuls of sour cream.  It's about whatever you fancy on the day.

In case you are wondering, why I heat the beans. I find, when the beans are hot, the other flavours are absorbed much better and then you get a much better depth of flavour.

I know that this dip will make George very happy, especially whilst he is watching football and as I have prepared it with love, isn't that what St Valentine's Day is all about..... love..... and not money.

What are your thoughts, do you love St Valentine's Day, with all it's hearts and flowers?  Or do you have other ways which you celebrate St Valentine's Day?

Take care and I will see you on Wednesday.

This week I will be joining,

Lynn at Turnips 2 Tangerines

and

Miz Helen's Country Cottage

and
Kristin for Get Him Fed Friday