October Goal Update 2

Posted on October 20, 2012 by nicdempsey

It’s not been a good week, chez Dempsey.

I was at home on Monday with a very upset stomach, thank goodness for the ability to work from home. On Tuesday, the cold that’s been threatening for a week or two decided to come out full force. I have not been a very happy Nic.

1) Cook a new recipe each week (I’m not making it specifically vegetarian but I will try for  three out of four)

I made French Onion Soup.

2) Exercise twice a week.

Big fat fail. I really haven’t been up to it, I did one longish walk this week but it wasn’t nearly enough. Next week, I’ll be all about the exercise!

3) Clean floors and hoover once a week

Done! After last week’s fail I made sure to do it.  It helps that I have people coming for dinner on Saturday night, when I have people in the house you can always guarantee that the floors and the bathroom will be clean!

4) 10pm school night bed time.

Pass but one night I didn’t get to bed until 10.30pm! The only reason I got through this week was the decent amount of sleep I managed to get this week.

5) Walk 10k four times in October.

Fail, fail, fail.

6) Tidy the cupboard. I have a store/junk cupboard off the bathroom that really needs some organising.

Was going to do it Sunday, didn’t. May get around to it this weekend though.

7) Cheerfulness. I’m going to find something that makes me happy every day and will list them as part of the Saturday goal progress report.

Saturday – Grace on Saturday night. I did mention this in the weekend post but I’m glad to be part of this community, that challenges and strengthens my relationship with God.

Sunday – It was my brother’s birthday. We didn’t always get on but on balance I’m glad I have a brother and I’m glad it’s him.

Monday – I was sick today and without wishing to be to graphic was extremely grateful to live in a country and a time with modern plumbing.

Tuesday – Drugs. More specifically Night Nurse. This week would have been unbearable without them.

Wednesday – Friendships that have the ability to change with circumstances. Reminded of this as Max and I discussed her childcare issues and our work issues.

Thursday – In Our Time.  I really love In Our Time, this week it was about William Caxton. Which got me thinking about how lucky I am to live in a time and a place, where working class girls are taught to read.

Friday – It’s Friday. I’m pleased to have got through the week and I’m pleased that I have a job that makes weekends special. It wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t.

8) Forward planning. It’s Christmas in three months and before that Ben, Oli, Christelle and Ma have birthdays. By the end of this month I would like to have their birthday presents sorted out!

Ben’s birthday came and went. There was no present, but Ben was fine about it as I do all the Oli watching. I have a present sorted for Ma and another for Christelle.  I’m on the way to knowing what I’m doing for Oli!

Did anyone else set goals this month? How are you doing with them?

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Friday Night Cocktails

Posted on October 19, 2012 by nicdempsey

Can you call it a cocktail if it doesn’t have booze in it?

This week, I are be mostly having a cold. I’m also trying to recover from the excess of London Cocktail Week, so am going easy on the alcohol. I also bought too much mint. So three ways to put mint in your drinks that have no booze in them.

Of course you could just make a mojito and that would be good too!

First up is the obvious fresh mint tea. Mint leaves + boiling water = tea.

Then an idea I nicked from The Orchard Pig. Apple, grapefruit and mint.

What

60ml grapefruit juice

120ml apple juice

20ml mint simple syrup

ice

How

Put ingredients in glass.

Stir

Fill glass with ice, stir again

Then a smoothie, this one minus cinnamon, with 12 mint leaves added.

 

What are you drinking this weekend?

 

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French Onion Soup

Posted on October 18, 2012 by nicdempsey

 

This week’s new recipe was French Onion Soup. If I haven’t already said it already the best onion soup is made by Christelle’s dad. Way back when Christelle and I shared a flat, she would come back from France with enormous jars of soup and a big block of Comte to grate into the soup. None of this faffing around with bread and cheese and grills, just put the cheese in the soup. It was the only time that Christelle knowingly ate onions and I’ve never had an Onion Soup as good.

Christelle’s family came over for her and Mike’s wedding in the summer and the night before we ate Michel’s onion soup. This decided me, I had to learn how to make a halfway decent French Onion soup. It’s taken me a while to get around to it but on Sunday I made it. I used the one from Bill Granger. He is fast becoming one of my favourite food writers and this is why. The recipes are easy to follow and taste lovely. Making good French Onion soup isn’t hard, it just takes time, to really get the onions caramelised, if you want a quick and easy soup, this isn’t it, but it’s perfect for an afternoon when you’re at home doing other things as this doesn’t need much attention. Given that I can’t get Christelle’s dad to come over everytime I need soup, this is the best solution I can come up with.

French Onion Soup

adapted from Bill’s Basics

What

80g butter

1.25kg brown onions, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon plain flour

125ml white wine

1 litre beef stock and 375ml water

80ml brandy

How

1) First slice your onions. (I used the food processor as it made the whole thing go easier.)

2) Melt the butter in a large heavy based pan over a medium heat and add the onions, bay leaf and thyme. Cook for about an hour, until the onions are soft, golden brown and caramelised.

3) Add the flour and cook for a minute, making sure that the flour is all stirred in.

4) Stir in the wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

5) Add the stock and the extra water.

6) Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Leave it to simmer for half an hour, stirring occasionally.

7) Season with salt and pepper and add the brandy

8) Give it another 10 minutes on the heat and then serve in bowls with lots of grated cheese, Comte for preference.

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What I’ve Read – May to September 2012

Posted on October 17, 2012 by nicdempsey

It occurs to me that I haven’t done a books update since June. I have been reading, not a huge amount but I have been reading.

33. For the Darkness Shows the Stars – Diane Peterfreund

Oh, this was lovely and re-imagining of Persuasion. Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen book, however, this is it’s own story and I don’t have anything else to say except go and read it.

34. Persuasion – Jane Austen

After reading For the Darkness Shows the Stars, I had to re-read Persuasion. Still my favourite Austen.

35. Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Mayberry

I read this with Luc (godson number 3). He liked it but he’s a nearly 12 year old boy and this has zombies in it!

36. Starcrossed: Dreamless – Josephine Angelini

Read the first one, needed to read the second. It’s still fun and will read the third..

37. Anna Dressed in Blood –  Kendare Blake

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. I loved Cas and I’m going to read the sequel at some point.

38. Tantalize – Cynthia Leitich Smith

Hated this. It was just too obvious and the world building wasn’t strong enough. I finished it but through gritted teeth.

39. Dust and Decay – Jonathan Mayberry

Another ‘read with Luc book’, some of the writing is a bit clunky but it did provoke some interesting conversations and more zombies.

40. Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel

I resisted reading this for a while. I studied Tudor history and I’m not convinced that Thomas Cromwell was a good man but I got around to reading it and it is brilliant. I didn’t find the present tense narrative difficult but can see why people could. I was sad when I finished it, because even though I know what happens next, I want to see it as Mantel writes it.

41. The Red Pyramid – Rick Riordan

Summer reading with Luc. It’s a romp and we enjoyed it and read the next two straight away.

42. The Throne of Fire – Rick Riordan

See above

43. The Serpent’s Shadow – Rick Riordan

See above

44. Unspoken – Sarah Rees Brennan

Funny, strange and heartbreaking. Thank you Sarah Rees Brennan..

45. Bring Up the Bodies – Hilary Mantel

I finished this last week and already mentioned how lost I feel without it. It’s going to be a long wait for three. You can see Thomas changing, he’s still himself but you can see the way that power and what he has to do is changing him. You can also see how it’s changed others. Hilary Mantel has said that she will be sad when she has to chop off his head and I feel the same way.

So what has everyone else been reading? If you’ve read something and loved it, tell me about it!

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Biscuits

Posted on October 16, 2012 by nicdempsey

On Friday night Oli, Ma and I made biscuits. Oli was responsible for rolling and cutting out the shapes! He was very keen on the bell and the moon shapes and squashing the dough together!

 

I love cooking with small children, I think it’s important for children to be comfortable in the kitchen and to understand the effort that producing food takes. Oli is still a bit to young to really learn that lesson but he loves to make cakes and the eating afterwards!

 

 

Even if you don’t have a 2 year old to entertain, these are really simple and the dough can be frozen.  They are from How to Eat (my favourite Nigella cookbook) and she suggests that you could use them to decorate the Christmas tree. For the chocolate version leave out the cinnamon and use 25g of cocoa and 175g of flour.

The Biscuits

From How to Eat

What

300g plain flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

100g butter

100g soft brown sugar

2 eggs

60g golden syrup

How

1) Put everything except the syrup and eggs in the food processor and mix until it looks like crumble

2) Add the eggs and syrup and blend until the dough comes together.

3) At this point you can just wrap the dough up in clingfilm and leave in the fridge or freezer until you need it. However, if you’re going to make biscuits now. Heat the oven to 160°C/Gas 3/320F.

4) Divide the dough, wrap half in cling film and put it in the fridge.

5) Flour a board or work surface, rolling pin and the very sticky dough. (Don’t worry it will get smoother as you re-roll it, this dough takes a lot of flour and a lot of handling, which is why it’s so perfect for small children!)

6) Roll to about 5mm thick and cut your shapes. Keep doing this until you’ve used all the dough or you’ve filled a baking tray.

7) The biscuits take anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes to cook. They will harden as they cool.

8) You can eat them as they are or ice and cover in sprinkles!

Posted in Cooking, Family, Food | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Weekend

Posted on October 15, 2012 by nicdempsey

The weekend started on Friday afternoon. Ben and Laura went out to celebrate Ben’s birthday by seeing Level 42 and Ma and I got to babysit Oli.

Ol is at the stage where Mummy and Daddy going out is deeply traumatic for him! At one point he told his Mum, that he wanted to “get ready and go out for a little while like Mummy and Daddy”. I had prepared for this by coming armed with biscuit dough and cookie cutters. Ol loves to cook and it was a great distraction.

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Oli was convinced that he needed to be up when his parents got home, which wasn’t going to happen so we did a deal that involved a bath, hot milk, an episode of Team Umizoomi and three bedtime stories!

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We stayed in Watford on Saturday because we were out for family lunch to celebrate Ben’s birthday (I’m not the only person who has birthday weekends!). So we went to watch Oli’s swimming lesson, oh the glamour of poolside footwear! By the way those jeans are actually green!

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Then lunch

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Oli helped blow out the candles

Saturday night was Grace

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It’s not something I say enough but I am so thankful for Grace community and the chance I get to meet with them and the space to reflect on my faith and my relationship with God (this month with no migraine, yay!)

Sunday was all about domesticity. I tidied the house and did washing and made the Christmas Cake and also French Onion Soup (good but not as good as the soup made by Christelle’s Dad!)

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Now the work week begins. Happy Monday people!

Posted in Faith, Family, Food, Grace, Home, How I Live, London, Ma, Thankful, Things I Like | Leave a comment

Sunday Music

Posted on October 14, 2012 by nicdempsey

The car that Ma hired for our Yorkshire trip had a DAB radio so we could have 6Music (I love 6Music and yes I realise it makes me a complete cliche but I’m past caring!).

I stayed in the car until it was finished…

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October Goal Update – Week 1

Posted on October 13, 2012 by nicdempsey

Welcome to Saturday. So the first update of the month!

1) Cook a new recipe each week (I’m not making it specifically vegetarian but I will try for three out of four)
I made these. Really good although I amended them a bit, didn’t make them mini and didn’t serve them in a bun but they’re seriously good!

2) Exercise twice a week.
I did some walking but not enough exercise this week.

3) Clean floors and hoover once a week (I’m hoping that eventually this will be like the vegetarian days and I don’t even have to think about it!)
Fail for this week

4) 10pm school night bed time.
Surprisingly I’ve managed this!

5) Walk 10k four times in October.
No walking so far..

6) Tidy the cupboard. I have a store/junk cupboard off the bathroom that really needs some organising… as you can see!
Not done yet!

7) Cheerfulness. I’m going to find something that makes me happy every day and will list them as part of the Saturday goal progress report.

Sat – I lost my purse. I got it back. Minus the money but with the cards.

Sun – I spent the day preparing for the week by cooking. Was incredibly grateful that I have enough food to eat.

Mon – London, coming home from the LCS I was just so overwhelming glad to live in my city.

Tues – I was at the Sipsmith distillery so I was grateful for gin!

Weds – I was so happy to be at home.

Thurs – Having good friends.

Fri – Grateful to be a aunt

8) Forward planning. It’s Christmas in three months and before that Ben, Oli, Christelle and Ma have birthdays. By the end of this month I would like to have their birthday presents sorted out!
Working on this.

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Friday Night Cocktail

Posted on October 12, 2012 by nicdempsey

Tonight there will be no Friday Night Cocktail for me. I will be babysitting the nephew, who if we are very lucky, won’t scream blue murder because his parents are out having fun without him!

Also because last night Ma and I went out with Christelle and Mike to the American Bar.

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Happy Friday!

Posted in Booze, How I Live, London, Things I Like | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Four things

Posted on October 11, 2012 by nicdempsey

1) Apparently, I am a person who eats and enjoys porridge. Proof that if you keep trying food you don’t like you may come around to it eventually!

2) How to tie my shoelaces. I’ve been doing it wrong all these years.

3) On Tuesday night, I was at the Sipsmith distillery in Hammersmith for their Pig Out with Sipsmith event as part of London Cocktail week. I’m a massive fan of Sipsmith and I’ve been to the distillery 3 or 4 times now, it’s never boring and it’s refreshing (for me anyway) to meet people who are so into what they’re doing. If you’re in London (even just visiting) see if you can get to Sipsmith for a distillery tour, it’s £12 and worth every penny. On Tuesday, Sipsmith had partnered with Serious Pig and Orchard Pig. I came away with a goodie bag that didn’t only contain gin but also the products from both pigs (snacking salami and apple juice) I can’t recommend them highly enough. Go find them in the wild..

20121010-205133.jpg4) Yesterday I finished Bring Up the Bodies. I am feeling a bit lost now and anxious for the next and final book. It’s going to be a long wait.

5) There is a category of sheep called ‘Fat Lambs’. We found this out last week at the Masham Sleep Fair.

So can you guess the name of this sheep that I knitted for Oli…

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