Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
La Traicion (Betrayal)
I watched this programme last night and wasn´t in the least bit surprised when Soledad (Danna Garcia) went looking for her beloved Hugo played by Mario Cimarro. She arrived at his accommodation and told him of her love which led to the ultimate conclusion … wasn´t Hugo though, it was his twin brother. Did I find this funny, oh yes. Was it obvious this was going to happen … absolutely! Cannot wait for the next episode.
One question if any La Trash fans read this post. Why does Arturo want to kill Soledad and his baby?
Beef soup
Our family always liked to have Heinz Beef Soup on a cold winter evening with hot toast spread with butter. Unfortunately Heinz no longer make this soup so we tried to find a recipe that is similar in taste and texture, without success! We are currently trying to come up with our own recipe, again without too much success. This is the nearest we have ever been to the original, which reminds me of a favourite childhood soup, Mock Turtle.
1 lb shin beef, skirt or braising steak
4 shallots – finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic – finely chopped
6 fl oz of Madeira wine
2 oz pearl barley
2 plum tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
2 pints of beef stock
Salt and black pepper
Cut beef into 1” dice, place in a plastic bag with seasoned flour and shake until all the meat is evenly coated
Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan and brown meat in batches, remove meat from pan and put to one side. Add the shallots – about half way through cooking add the garlic, cook until translucent, add the Madeira to the pan to deglaze
Remove from heat and stir in the pearl barley, tomatoes, stock and seasoning. Return the pan to the heat and whilst stirring to combine, bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally
Allow the soup to cool and transfer – in batches – into a liquidiser and blend until smooth, return to the pan and reheat, do not boil
Serve with fresh crusty bread
West Riding Potted Beef
This is a really old recipe that I found in the family recipe box. I seem to remember eating potted beef spread on freshly baked crusty bread … as a child. I loved it then, but since coming to Spain have been unable to find anything like it.
1 lb piece of lean beef
2 oz clarified butter – melted
1 pint of cold water
Cayenne, freshly ground nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Place the beef into a saucepan and add sufficient water to come half way up the side of the pan, place over a low heat and cook for about 4 hours, topping up occasionally with boiling water if necessary
Cut the meat into small dice and pound thoroughly in a pestle and mortar (or blitz in a food processor – don’t make it into a paste)
Meanwhile, reduce the juices to about 2 tablespoons
Mix the meat with a little of the juices produced plus clarified butter or ghee
Add seasoning to taste, transfer into small pots, cover with melted butter and seal, store in the refrigerator
I would not keep this potted beef for too long, just a day or so, though I seem to remember some people kept it for a week or more. My advice, don´t try to do this, make it and eat it when cold.
PERDIDOS
One of my favourite programs and it is on tonight. My questions seem to have changed over the past couple of weeks since the crash of the flight with Oceanic 6 onboard.
Does anyone else think that Loche is not himself? His character seems to have changed and somehow I don´t think he is the Loche we know and love.
Faraday has returned to the island on the submarine apparently to deal with the bomb. Rumour has it that one of my favourite characters is to be killed off when the bomb explodes. But as with all deaths on the island, will she be dead? Though Ben did say that even on the island, when you´re dead, well … you´re dead.
I just cannot believe that Loche … yes back to him … would be chosen as leader of the others, just not right, unbelievable.
Who is the bad guy, most people I talk to think Ben. I think it is Charles Widmore. Ben stole a baby and let that strange French woman go, Charles wanted Ben to kill the baby and the mother.
Who will survive? I think some of the Oceanic 6 will die in the war that is to come. My favourite for being killed off is Jack, though if Loche wasn´t already dead (and I am absolutely sure that Loche isn´t Loche), he would follow closely. Who do I hope will survive, well it has to be “eye candy man” Sawyer, and Miles – love the lines, Ben of course – my favourite character. Sayid … what happened to him when he ran off after trying to kill Young Ben?
Who will win the war? Ben? I hope so.
Spanish Gypsy Stew (Olla Gitana)
A traditional stew which can be made with or without the addition of pork, easy to change to a tasty vegetarian casserole
2 x 14 oz tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or the equivalent dried, follow inst on pack)
2 pieces of pork shoulder (optional)
1 carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
4 pints of chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
10 oz French green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch long pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 handful of blanched skinned sweet almonds
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 tsp pimienton (or to taste)
2 ripe plums tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1 pinch saffron threads, crushed and added to 3 tbsp hot water
3 tsp red wine vinegar
Garnish – 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, rolled and thinly sliced
Put the chickpeas, whole pieces of pork and sliced carrots into a deep cassrole or pan, add sufficient stock to come three quarters way up the casserole then place over a medium beat, bring up to the boil, add the butternut squash, French green beans, season and gently bring up to simmering point, cook for 15 minutes
Add the olive oil to a frying pan (with a nob of butter for extra taste) set over a medium heat, add the garlic and almonds, cook for about 2 minutes, keep moving all the time, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl lined with kitchen paper to remove as much oil as possible
Add the onion to the frying pan and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pimienton, stir then add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the stock from the casserole, continue cooking until the tomatoes soften, reduce and deepen in colour, this should take about 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring add the casserole then stir in the saffron
Cook over a gentle heat until the vegetables are tender, the butternut squash should have begun to disintegrate, add more stock should the soup become too thick. When ready remove the meat from the soup, cut up into pieces and serve separately
Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor and blitz until finely ground, gradually add the red wine vinegar while stirring, add to the soup, simmer for 5 minutes and transfer to a serving dish. sprinkle with the finely shredded mint leaves. Serve with fresh crusty bread
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-10-18
- RT: @stephenfry: Just heard the very sad news about dear Stephen Gately. He was loveable and sweet natured and will be hugely missed. #
- I have come to understand that fiesta means little more than lots of parades, copious food and a warehouse full of fireworks. #
- @travelblggr I know the feeling – it drives me nuts! in reply to travelblggr #
- RT @topicaltuesday Its topical. Its Tuesday. Its: Topic #25 Commercialisation of Pink October http://bit.ly/4BFy4h #pinkoctober, #p4o #
- #threesweetsonly Liquorice (no sugar, hard), Midget jems, Marzipan fruits #
- @fembat Was it the vast quantity of chocolate consumed recently that inspired you to name a theme "chocopress"? in reply to fembat #
- I believe I have lost my appetite, and gained an elephants. I want to eat ALL the time. #
- #FF @MaryMoh, @therecipeblog, @williamcooks #
- The trouble with the world today is that there are too many of us trying to force their opinions on others. #
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Time passed
Hard to believe that it is now two months today since my operation and nearly three months since the offending lump was found. Such a lot has happened but I still find it hard to voice my feelings on the issues involved, for instance: being diagnosed with cancer; the operation and now Chemotherapy, then radiotherapy and then Tamoxifen. I’m still a little numb after all that has happened and occasionally feel irritable which in turn makes me feel guilty. I went shopping last week-end only to find myself feeling irritable when anyone came near me. Decision made not to shop when I feel this way.
But is this defeating the object. For instance, the nurses and doctors tell me to “live life normally”, do what I enjoy etc. the last friend who heard these words died within six months. Today must be a negative day and again, the nurses tell me this is normal and all part of the acceptance thing!
Confusion – I cannot understand why I aren’t asking the usual questions people seem to ask (of no one in particular), for instance: “why me?” or making statements like “this can‘t be happening to me“. I cannot understand why I don’t cry, as do some of the woman who have Chemotherapy at the same unit as myself. Just a couple of times there have been tears, but it’s usually been tears of sympathy for others. I still don’t feel anything other than calm acceptance of the hand fate has dealt me. Is this normal?
Another issue that bothers me just a little is “being positive about the future”, why does this bother me? Simple, I don’t know what it means. Is it being sure that I have a future? Or is it just stating to all and sundry that I will beat this and live to ripe old age – whatever that entails. All questions, no answers.
Today, again and again my mind has returned to the diagnosis in particular having to visit the surgeon (or one of his registrars) for the next five years before being given the all clear. (I did put in hopefully but deleted this word as it isn’t positive). When I visit the surgeon I find I don’t have possession of the “family brain cell” that day. Apparently again this is normal. One nurse said many patients feel they’ve left their brain at the door of the consulting room.
This journal does help me sort out my problems though, trouble is a couple of weeks down the road and the same issues arise again, oh well. I’m not normally a drama queen, but I feel this post makes it look that way, oh well J, good night journal, I’m going to bed J to continue with Sharpe’s Escape.
3 litres of fluid
This morning I couldn’t sleep, turned over in bed to my left side and saw my Grandma stood at the side of the bed. She died when I am was in 20’s. Is this perhaps another side effect, hallucinations?
Three litres of water, fruit juice whatever per day!!! That’s the equivalent of 5.25 pints!!! It’s not easy to drink that much in a day and not be sat permanently on the loo, but it’s important for the health of my urinary tract, apparently. I got up every two hours last night. This morning I felt a little tired and went back to sleep mid morning until just after 1 pm.
Can’t drink tea or coffee – not just the smell, it’s the taste, strange metallic.
The smell also, every so often I get a horrible sweet smell that is not pleasant. But the way I look at it, if this is the worst it throws at me, then it’s okay.
Seems I have different ideas about side effects as I feel that the worst ones are having an immune system that’s not up to par or DVT, whereas others fear loosing body hair, self image is important I suppose, particularly when faced with months of treatment.
Must admit that the actual treatment and side effects felt so far haven’t been too bad. I do understand that as the treatment goes on I will feel a little more tired each time. After about 7/14 days my immune system will be at it’s lowest ebb and that’s when I have to take more care. But on the whole I am trying to obey all the instructions, taking temperature every day, phoning the hospital if the anti nausea tablets don’t work and so on.
The team in the Oncology Department are first rate; they are kind, considerate and all have a good sense of humour. One the staff said she would see me through my Chemotherapy Treatment, right until the end. Never again will I criticise the NHS or it’s staff; on the whole they are great; just the odd one who perhaps hasn’t got the communication skills or experience but will learn soon enough. It must be hard for them because some of the people are really ill. Their immune systems so depleted that they need blood transfusions to help them continue with the Chemotherapy.
It amazes me that friends, relatives and colleagues think I am brave. For me it’s just getting by – day to day, looking to my future. I’m not brave, I’m just a woman who is facing another trial that I intend winning, one way or another.
And now we’re back to the fluid bit, thought for today “how can I possibly drink 3 litres of fluid per day, two (well just maybe), but three”
Anxious
Feeling a little anxious about the chemotherapy tomorrow. You can read all the material there is on it but nothing prepares you for going through the first treatment – it’s an unknown quantity and I don’t really appreciate those at the best of times.
I forgot to mention previously that I will be having one treatment every three weeks for the next 26 weeks.
Sleeping Pills
I have an appointment with the senior surgeon who oversaw my lumpetomy tomorrow. I’m not sure what it is about precisely, although it is probably just a follow on to our discussion earlier on in the week. I was a little confused about the notion of chemotherapy, and whether it is was really worthwhile for someone who is lymph node negative of my age.
He gave me some sleeping tablets and some antibiotics to counter any infection from the operation.
In fact there is a funny story associated with those sleeping pills, well I find it funny. I had not been sleeping well since the day I found the lump back in January, and really was feeling very tired. I mentioned this to the surgeon on our last meeting, and he duly asked his junior to prescribe me something explaining that when surgeons got to his level they normally left the prescribing to juniors and tended to only deal in knives themselves!
That night I prepared for bed, put the sleeping tablets to one side intending to take them later. I read the instructions, noticing that they were not intended to be taken with certain medication, put them to one side to get a glass of water came back and began to read. I woke up the following morning having had the best nights sleep I’ve had since January – and I hadn’t taken one sleeping pill! Seems like the threat was enough 
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