It's cold. It's windy. It's dreary. No, not my heart, although.....outside. I've spent these cold days in the kitchen, which, honestly, is where I spend my days in general. I made Denise's (the English Girl) soda bread. It is a favorite for me and it's very good.
I made soup, which yielded three lunches.
Then last evening I made fish for dinner. I guess fish is the focus here as the rest is out of focus.
I am not feeling holly-jolly. I'm grateful there is no need for me to pretend. It will be Mark and yours truly for the holly-jolly day. I plan to have osso buco. Perhaps Julia Child's Gateau au Chocolate. Might as well mix cultures, besides the Italians taught the French to cook. Before you yell at me, look it up. 🤷🏻♀️ Matthew and his wife will come for lunch on Saturday. She was advised by her doctor to end her vegan diet due to some health issues, so she is once again vegetarian and much easier to cook for. We will have a vegetable lasagna with a white sauce, an Italian salad and, I think, a blueberry clafoutis. Mixing food culture once again.
Forget Caturday. It's Gattoday.
30 comments:
Food for the foodies. Can't beat it.
Is Gatto destroying your sweater?
What a sweet picture! 😊
I'm not jolly either. It is the first time I have not been festive, I'm just doing what I have too. Yesterday I was in a World Market store and they were removing Xmas and putting up Valentine merchandise. A lady and I looked at each other and shrugged.
Gatto, what a sweet contented face he has. He loves his home.
Take Care,
Kaye.
I had never heard of a clafoutis before - I was going to make a cranberry cobbler for Christmas breakfast...perhaps I should make a clafoutis!! Thanks for the inspiration.
Seeing your foods always makes me hungry!
I'd never heard of clafoutis, either. Had to google it. Also looks delicious, of course.
Vegetarian is easier to cook for than Vegan, for sure. Funny, I was a vegetarian for about 12 years and my health just slowly got worse and worse. I am back to eating meat and have gone "basically" Keto now the past several years. I think it helped me survive the cancer, actually--lack of carbs.
Anyways, have a marvelous time with family and a sweet peaceful time with the hubby and cats. Great pic of Gatto! :)
I don't really like fish but your fish looks quite tasty. What kind is it?
I have a tiny turkey breast and I'll cook that on Christmas day, it's very tiny. Otherwise, meh. I'm slowly taking the Christmas baking out of the freezer, I usually give it to someone as a gift but that's not happening this year so we're going to enjoy it. I also made more of those shortbread and took them over to my neighbor and wished her a Merry Fucking Christmas. She likes that.
Mmmmm, all good food in your photos. Some years I don't feel so holly jolly either, even though the world screams so strident that we must! Have a nice day, however you spend it!
As vegetarians, Jenny and I will also be having a vegetable lasagna on Christmas Day. Plus fruit salad, chocolates and Christmas pudding. We've never missed turkey.
So you may as well eat it! I can't help myself, Lori.
The cats adore Mark. They tolerate me, AC.
He can be a sweet cat, Cheerful.
Seriously? Marketing, marketing, eh, Kaye.
They are so simple, Dreaming. I was introduced to it decades ago by Julia Child.
Very simple to make, Rita. If you don't know the substitutes vegan is impossible. At least for someone who uses a lot of dairy in cooking and baking. It wasn't an actual problem for me because I don't see her often. Keto is not for me. Pasta is a staple, but if it helped you recover from cancer stick to it!
It's flounder. I often use Old Bay as a seasoning and it was pan fried in butter. The turkey breast sounds like a good plan, keep it simple. I would like the shortbread recipe if you are willing to share, Pixie.
Thank you, Sue. It will be a day by the fire with my non-alcohol wine and food. Peace and quiet. I wish the same for you.
I can easily accommodate no meat. I love eggplant meatless balls. As long as I can use egg and butter I'm good, nick. Veg lasagna is very good.
Vegetarian is a lot easier to cater than vegan, so that's good. I haven't made a clafoutis in ages. Maybe I will.
Soda Bread, Sounds Yummy. Ever thought of your own cookbook? Down here, everybody at some time either contributes a recipe or authors a cookbook. I have my paternal grandmother's cookbook, "The Boston Cooking School Cook Book." Written and compiled by Fannie Merritt Farmer. First published in 1896, my edition was copyrighted in 1924, in 1926, and given to my Momma in 1952. I found it in her library when Momma passed in 2001.
It great day for a nice bowl of soup.
Bake looks wonderful! I don't do dairy but I can see for those who do, it's just easier. Fits in more foods because so much is dairy. Though dairy comes with health issues too. Hope she can find a meal plan that works best for her.
Do, Boud. You have blueberries!
Soda bread is good and this recipe is very good. I'm not qualified to be writing cookbooks but I'm flattered you think so, Tommy. I have an ancient cookbook that belonged to a great-grandmother. I haven't used it!
We have certainly been in soup weather, Dora.
Thank you, Ivy. I know if it is how you cook and bake it becomes much more simple. Not knowing, I don't know what to do or use. She has some health problems that were made worse by lack of some nutrient which she wasn't able to supplement to the level she needed. This is a compromise she needed to make. I don't think dairy is used to the extent it is here!
You are cooking and baking up a storm!
If I can be of any help, I am a long time vegan baker and mad scientist. Though I really think of myself more as an alternative baker because it goes beyond just not using dairy and eggs, I also don't bake with aluminunmumum (I don't think I spelled that right), and other other things. Though I do use eggs for Tim's popovers and cow cheese for his homemade pizza - I don't use it for my pizza and I never use it for dessert bakes. So ... long story short (too late), I'm happy to help if I can.
I feel like a slacker... I'm making lasagna, Lyssa is bringing dessert, Matt, the garlic bread and salad. But I *am* really excited about seeing my kids and their spousal units for Christmas.
I am so glad you enjoyed that bread and thank you for the shout-out. You certainly made, will be making some delicious meals. We will be having a relative quiet Christmas this year, though our son and daughter-in-law will be coming, and I’m thankful that they only live 14 miles away. There will be phone calls and Facetimes however. As we get older it becomes more difficult to spend time on the roads or in the air. Merry Christmas and A Very Happy New Year to you and your family.
Post a Comment