Hot Chicken, Bacon & Garlic Mayo

Another recipe for you this week! I’m rather into culinary experimentation. In fact, if I’m honest, I am totally unable to follow recipes properly; I always have to add my own little flourishes or substitute ingredients. Experimental cookery is great in my opinion! Some things you can’t really go wrong with – soups and stews for example. You can put pretty much anything into a soup or stew (particularly on the vegetable front, cos I know how hard you’ve all been working to get your Five a Day!) and there’s a 95% chance it’ll be edible… Note I’ve said ‘edible’, mind – it’s not necessarily going to be delicious!

Over the years I’ve had a lot of culinary disasters. In fact, some weeks Mr J complains that we never have anything edible to eat (it’s important to note, however, that Mr J is a particularly picky eater and that this statement is inaccurate). Every now and again there’s a little gem though and this is one of them. This is my highest rated recipe on my favourite recipe website (Recipezaar) and I’ve yet to find anyone who doesn’t like it. So if, you know, you make it and it turns out you don’t like it, then I don’t want to hear about it ok?!

Anyway, it sounds a little weird but you’ll just have to trust me that it works. Mr J likes it best with chips and steamed veg, but you can try it with whatever you fancy! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken fillets
• 2-4 slices smoked back bacon
• 4 heaped tablespoons low-fat (or regular if you’d rather) mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons garlic pepper seasoning (or to taste)

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 200c.
• In a small bowl, mix the garlic pepper and mayonnaise.
• Slather the tops of the chicken fillets with the garlic pepper mayo.
• Wrap the bacon around the chicken breasts.
• Bake for 20 minutes (-ish. My oven is a little crazy so keep an eye on it!)

The Compliments Game

I’ve been thinking about this blog post for ages now and it’s been in draft format for a couple of months. For once in my life, I am lost for words! I can be verbose at the best of times but I feel totally tongue-tied on this post, despite wanting to share it. There’s just too much to say and too many feelings to express with a language that feels rather inadequate. But I’m going to try… Not least because it sort of ties in with last week’s message.

Many years ago (well, ok, a few) I met a very interesting woman, purely by chance: We’ll call her Margaret. I was leaving my job and Margaret was my replacement, so we had a hand-over period of six weeks. I had never met anyone quite like Margaret before – at face value she was a normal, plain-looking woman but, to me, she was much more. Though it’s a huge statement to make; Margaret changed my life.

It wouldn’t be accurate to say I’ve ever been particularly shy or retiring but I did, like many women, have a selection of both interesting and ridiculous self-confidence issues when I was younger. This was my first “proper” job so it was also my first real experience of an adult working environment and a steep growing-up curve for me; a girl who didn’t go to university. For the six short weeks that we spent working together, Margaret challenged everything about me.

I’ll be honest; six weeks was really quite an unnecessary handover period for the job I was doing at the time, but circumstance dictated that this was what we had. So, sharing a desk, we worked through the requirements and practicalities of the position and also got to know one another as well. Margaret would always pay me compliments; day in and day out she would find lovely things to say to me; be it my work, my appearance or just something I did. To begin with, I would pooh-pooh them but she would tell me off, saying that she didn’t say anything she didn’t mean, and that the correct response should be ‘thank you’! I used to call it the Compliments Game and tried to get into the habit of doing the same to her and to my other colleagues too (male and female). We talked about so many things in those six weeks; how everyone is beautiful in their own way; how people have to learn to love themselves before they can love others; how no-one is perfect; how there are so many little things we take for granted.

Margaret gave me the gift of self-confidence. She also made me a better person by showing me how easy it is to make someone feel good about themselves. By the end of that fateful handover period I was a different person. I could graciously take a compliment, had learned to look for the best in people, and also to appreciate and thank people genuinely when they were kind or helpful or did something I respected.

I wish I could put into words what an impact those six weeks truly had on me. And it’s funny because, as an adult, I see Margaret through totally different eyes now: She had her own issues and insecurities that I was totally unaware of at the time. She wasn’t just trying to convince me of the merits of compliments, loving yourself and being a good person; she was trying to convince herself too. I was young and influential though and I took everything very literally. Which turned out to be a good thing! These days I’m a little older and a little more cynical, but the fundamentals of the lessons stay with me. We even play the Compliments Game at my current workplace sometimes and everyone agrees how nice it makes them feel; both giving and receiving compliments.

There is some symmetry between this post and my last but this isn’t about physical acts or reaffirming someone’s faith in humanity; it’s about reaffirming their faith in themselves and making them feel noticed and appreciated. We all make little (and not so little) efforts in our lives and we all want them to be recognised for what they are.

The people in our lives all make efforts every day in their work, appearance and actions. How many do you fail to notice or take for granted? And, if you do notice them, do you say something to let that person know? People’s self-confidence gets unnecessarily chipped away at every day, but it can be rebuilt so easily with a few thoughtful comments. You only have to think about how good you feel when someone compliments or appreciates you to imagine what you can give back to others!

I still have some self-confidence issues (who doesn’t?!) but these days they have a much less of an impact on my life. Though I’m sure time and maturity are responsible for some of this, I credit Margaret for the majority of it – rightly or wrongly. It’s a shame that more young people aren’t immersed in such a fantastic environment while they’re still easily influenced. In fact, it’s a shame we’re all not. So look around you now and see who deserves a compliment. Maybe it can be your Random Act of Kindness for the day; it is Friday, after all!

Random Acts of Kindness

Several years ago I read a book by Danny Wallace called Join Me. I’m not going to tell you what it’s about because I think you should read it for yourself, but the long and short of it is that basically you’re inspired to carry out a Random Act of Kindness or two (I’ll call them RAOKs to go easy on my RSI!) every Friday. Being younger and more easily influenced at the time, I signed up and would diligently carry out my RAOKs every week without fail. Sadly, as the years have gone on, I’ve kind of forgotten about those Fridays and, while I still do RAOKs from time to time, any regularity has gone by the wayside.

RAOKs to me were always about doing something for other people; restoring their faith in humanity a little, if you will. We’ve all been on the receiving end of them from time to time: The lady at the supermarket with an overflowing trolley of groceries who lets you in front of her at the check-out; the gentleman who gives you his car parking ticket which is still good for another two hours; that kind of thing.

It’s been a rather challenging few weeks for me personally (I won’t bore you with the details) and I’ve been swamped with RAOKs; some a little more random than others! It’s these kind, thoughtful friends and strangers who reaffirm my faith in humanity (which wanes at the best of times) and I have been truly touched. So it was these little acts plus a blog post which has re-inspired me to restart my own Friday RAOKs. The post is Make Yourself Happy – help someone! and it’s by Jane C Woods (someone I follow on Twitter and whom I have great respect for) You should read it; it’s good.

I don’t propose you spend any money doing RAOKs unless you can afford  it and particularly want to. There are already so many free ways in which you can touch people. These are my personal favourites and some of the ones I will be dragging out of the closet again as of tomorrow…

• Donate your old magazines to the local doctors’ surgery for their waiting room
• Pay someone a compliment
• Give blood
• Offer to take a group/couples photo of some tourists
• Buy a cup of tea for a homeless person
• Let a car out at a busy junction
• Make a CD/playlist to cheer a friend up
• Donate all your old crockery, cutlery & haberdashery to a charity shop or someone who needs it
• Give up your seat on the train or bus to someone who’s having to stand
• Phone an elderly relative and take time to talk to them
• Thank your parents for all the amazing things they have done & still do for you!
• Help someone take their pram/pushchair up or down some stairs
• Make your other half breakfast in bed
• Be the designated driver for the night so your friends can have a drink
• Pay for the person behind you (ok, perhaps not at the supermarket, but anywhere else is fine – cinema, coffee shop, newsagent, etc)
• Offer someone your newspaper when you’ve finished reading it
• Clean a communal hall way

Think of all the ways people have touched you over the years and I’m sure you can add a lot more ideas to my little list!

I’m  off to re-read Join Me and to try and expand my list of potential RAOKs. Tomorrow is Friday… what will you do?

Unclean

I have many wonderful housewifely talents but, sadly, cleaning is not one of them. I can not tell you how much I despise it; it feels like a total and utter waste of my time and of my life every time I pick up a dishcloth or dust off the vacuum cleaner. Luckily for me, Mr J is very well trained when it comes to domestic duties; he is truly his mother’s son! There are many chores now categorised as ”man jobs” that really ought to fall under my remit, but then I am truly my mother’s daughter! The other week I had an old friend up who had not visited since we moved into our happy little home. Her opening statement was “Ohh it reminds me so much of your parent’s house!” Now I think [read as: hope] this was in some way meant as a compliment but, since my mother stopped employing a cleaner some 6 years ago, it really wasn’t!

Ever since Mr J and I started living together it has been my mission to get him to agree to a cleaner. I have changed many things about him over the years (he really is the man I always wanted him to be now! Well, almost…) but he is stubborn as a mule when it comes to the issue of a cleaner! Growing up, having a cleaner always seemed rather decadent and middle class and, though that stigma no longer exists to me, it does to him.

When I was a teenager I thought it was laziness that led my mother to employ a cleaner but, as an adult, I see the merits on so many levels! When you’re working full time and trying to have some semblance of a life, there are just so many better things to do! So many housewives already have to work full time, come home and make a healthy, wholesome dinner, sort the washing out, feed the cats (or children if you’ve upgraded from cats) and then, after all that, clean the house too! Yet here I am, five years on, still with no cleaner. So what am I doing wrong?

Other than the fact I work just three days a week and really have no excuse for not having the time to clean, Mr J’s biggest gripe about getting a cleaner is how we would find someone we can trust to work unsupervised in our house. There are several ways, in my opinion; all of which I learned from my mother:

• Ask friends and colleagues with cleaners of their own who they recommend as a reputable person or company to approach.
• See if any family or friends with a natural tendency for cleaning (<< this bit is important!) would like some extra income from doing the cleaning for you.
• Pay your kids. Obviously they’ll need to be of a certain age to do this, but if they want some extra money then get them working for it! 30mins cleaning the bathroom = £xx. Job done, money kept within the family (you know you were going to give in anyway!) and the children are learning a valuable lesson at the same time.

If it seems too expensive then consider breaking it down a bit too. For reasons unknown to me, I don’t really mind cleaning the bathroom(?!); however I hate vacuuming and I despise all that filthy grease in the kitchen! That’s hardly an hour a week (it’s a small home) but I’m sure we would both feel much happier with how the house looked and felt.

My final and biggest argument for getting a cleaner is this though: Women are proud creatures. If we had a cleaner, I myself would be a cleaner person. Just as my mother did, I would actually end up cleaning before he or she came round because I would be so mortified at the thought of anyone seeing the house in a filthy state. I know how backwards this sounds, I really do; but it’s true. My part of the chores would be done and dusted by the time someone entered the house to finish my work!

So this post is really a bit of a call to arms for all those men out there: If the light of your life hates cleaning, think about all those other wonderful things she does for you and let her off the hook by suggesting a cleaner. Not only will it make her life easier but you’ll also score masses of brownie points if you suggest it unprompted!

I’d like to dedicate this post to Mr J, but I know he won’t be reading it. Instead he’s just asked me why I haven’t done any cleaning today, despite being at home with nothing to do. Oops…!

Five a Day

Ooooh I haven’t blogged in ages. Naughty! And now I’m going to do a nagging post too!

So, five a day: One of my little personal passions. I discovered the other week that there is actually an official NHS website about this. And, dare I say, it’s actually pretty darn good! Tip no.5 on the front page (hiding finely chopped veg in sauces) is one of my personal favourites. Mr J is pretty good about getting his five a day these days thanks to my incessant nagging and will-breaking perseverance. But I do wonder what he chucks in the bin when I’m not looking or sneaks back into the cupboard/fridge, so I like to sneak an extra portion or two into dinner when I can.

But why should you care about five a day? Well lots of reasons really. Other than containing loads of goodness they also help keep you regular. And fruit in particular tastes good! So sweet and juicy…

So these are my top tips to help you get a bit more fruit and veg in your diet:

• Veg with a less strong flavour (courgette, etc.) is ideal for tomato based sauces for pasta, etc. Grate it up, drain it over the sink for a few minutes and whack it in. You’ll hardly even notice it’s there!
• Make a smoothie or homemade soup. Add a bit of creme fraishe or cayenne pepper to hide that veg taste if the thought really turns your stomach.
• If you can’t be bothered to make your own then buy some lunchbox smoothies or fruit drinks from the supermarket. Ok, so they’re not ideal, but it’s better than nothing!
• Drink a glass of juice. Ridiculously easy and one a day right there!
• Grow your own fruit and veg. Sounds a bit far fetched perhaps but if you can get kids (or even grownups!) involved with the growing process then they are much more enthusiastic about trying something they have “produced themselves”.
• Get your five a day out the way early in the day. I know I always have a minimum of two portions at dinner, which leaves me three to get through by tea time. After breakfast, nothing passes my lips until my three portions are down (unless they’re in my lunch of course) and then, whatever rubbish I eat afterwards, well at least I’ve had my five! ;o)
• Baked beans count for a portion and, honestly, what’s nicer for breakfast than (cheesy) beans on toast?!
• Try new stuff. Tinned, fresh, frozen, whatever. Give it a go. There has to be something you like!

So tell me; how many portions have you eaten today?

Hot Fudge Pudding

I’ve been trying to cook everything from scratch again recently. I seem to go through phases where I get a bit lazy and buy pre-prepared food, but it never lasts long. Too expensive! Cooking is generally a bit of a stress release for me too. I have always enjoyed it, probably thanks to my grandmothers who were both keen cooks and always had my sister and I helping out with bits and pieces in the kitchen.

I enjoy cooking so much that I ended up going to catering college when I left school. It was an interesting experience and, other than giving me more confidence in my cooking and teaching me the obvious, the one notable thing I took away from the course was that I don’t enjoy commercial cookery! In a big kitchen you tend to just be responsible for just one or two dishes all night and I always found this really unsatisfying. Not to mention the fact you have zero input with actually choosing menus and designing the dishes.

I still love cooking, but now just for family and friends so that I can be as decadent as I do or don’t like with the menu and can experiment with ingredients.

This week I’d like to share one of my favourite recipes. Though I can’t claim credit for it, it’s my favourite easy-to-throw-together dessert. It doesn’t look posh and it certainly isn’t very healthy but it’s ever so simple to make and it’s so tasty. Particularly if you’re a chocolate lover or have a sweet tooth!

This is courtesy of Recipezaar, which is my favourite recipe resource website. It’s in cups, so if you’re a Brit like me and don’t have any in your cupboard then you can always pop to Tesco or Wilkos and pick up a set for a couple of pounds.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons cocoa, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/4 cups water, hot

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350F / 180C
• Stir together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, flour, 3 tbsp cocoa, baking powder and salt. Blend in milk, butter and vanilla, beat until smooth.
• Pour batter into 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.
• In separate bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and remaining 4 tbsp cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter.
• Pour hot water over top; do not stir.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until centre is almost set.
• Let stand 15 minutes and serve, spooning sauce from bottom of pan over top.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Grow your own…

My family have an acre or so in Buckinghamshire which they’ve cultivated for about 4 generations now. I didn’t realise how tasty organic, home grown veg was until I left home and started shopping at Tesco! So four (or is it five?) years ago my other half and I decided to get an allotment. At the time, allotments weren’t particularly fashionable and we actually got to choose which plot we wanted from about 15! These days there’s a waiting list as long as your arm for even half a plot. Even now though, turnover of new residents is high because most people just don’t realise how much work that little tenth of an acre is to maintain.

I love having an allotment; in my town it’s like a little oasis of calm and beauty. We’ve lawned over a small part of it for picnics and sunbathing on our breaks too. But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s easy work: Aside from the (never-ending) digging, you need to be committed to weeding and watering, so expect to be up there every day or two in the height of summer. And starting up also means investing a decent amount of money in equipment, though the majority of outlays are one offs.

Harvesting is a fantastic time though and the first mouthful of each crop is always sensational! There is nothing like eating freshly picked fruit and veg – particularly when it’s a labour of love and you know exactly what’s gone into it! The downside of seasonal eating though is the sheer volume of one food ready at any one time! Thankfully most things are not around long enough to get tired of (except perhaps potatoes), so when you think you’ve just about had enough strawberries and cream to last a lifetime, the season ends and it’s onto the next item!

If you have the time and inclination I recommend growing your own fruit and veg to anyone. You don’t even need an allotment! Our flats each have a small balcony and residents here grow flowers, tomatoes, herbs, lettuces and all sorts! If you have a garden then you’ve even more room. If you don’t have any outside space then you can speak to your local council about allotments or why not consider adopting an elderly person’s garden! 

The closer to hand your produce is the better though. I do miss not being able to pop out to the garden and pick my fruit and veg like I could when I lived with my parents all those years ago. These days it’s a 20min walk or a 5min drive, so the balcony is a nice supplement for the more frequently used herbs, etc.

Growing your own fruit and veg is not for everyone, but it’s an educational experience and helps to keep you fit and healthy. Why not start with something small and move on from there!

Three-Day Week

12 months ago I never imagined I’d be working part-time. I’ve always worked full time and, until recently, always held a part-time evening job as well to supplement my income and keep me busy. Moving in with my other half several years ago saw the end of that as it seemed pointless living together and never seeing one another, but I wonder now whether I won’t have to walk that path again in the not too distant future.

I’ve been working three days a week since April now. It’s an interesting situation: On the one hand I’m eternally grateful for still having a job; I love my role and the company I work for; I know my reduced income is better than none at all and that a lot of people are in far worse situations than I. It’s also nice to have more free time and not to be rushing about constantly; I am doing a degree by distance learning and this has given me an excellent opportunity to focus my efforts and free time on completing that faster than I would have otherwise. But on the other hand I have all this time and no money with which to enjoy it. How nice it would be to go to the gym during the day or to learn something new. As it is we have ditched most of our subscriptions and memberships in order to save money so I am left with exercise DVDs and daytime television.

So now I spend my time stretching out everything – I make a real effort to get up at the same time as usual and to keep busy; falling into that lazy, daytime television trap is too easy. I have become a more diligent cleaner (something I have always shied away from in the past); I find myself cooking something extravagant for lunch on my days off; I spend whole days engrossed in my studies. But am I fulfilled? I don’t know. I always wanted to have the luxury of being a housewife. I envied those who were able to watch their children grow up every day and not miss all those firsts; who could have hobbies and take the time to go to the gym regularly, bake all sorts of goodies and cook fabulous evenings meals. But now that this opportunity is mine (not that we have children to keep me busy) I find myself wishing I could just be back at work again.

I suppose there’s no pleasing some people…