Well, if my hero, Nigel Slater, can name a book Toast, why can't I call my blog post Roast, I ask? Today, I will be making two: chicken and smoked ham. I feel a little like it is the title of a musical*, but I'm not so talented, I'm afraid.
So last night, Husband#1 made tea for all. As you may know by now (or may not, not to worry), he is a big Ina Garten fan. If he and I were to split ever, I'm certain he would cross the pond and stalk Barefoot until she agreed to let him into her posse of trendy 'friends.' Not that he would want to depose the lovely Geoffrey, either. Indeed, Ina and Geoffrey are our role models for marriage; if we can manage to be together as long as them we'll be doing well! But I digress. The meal wasn't an Ina recipe at all, but fish (cod) in a tomato and olive sauce. He sautéed onions and garlic in olive oil before adding a tin of tomatoes, a lot of pitted black olives and some dried oregano. Once heated, he seasoned and added the fish and put in the oven for about twenty minutes, when the fish was cooked. It was served with crushed new potatoes with a little (good) extra virgin olive oil, as Ina would say! It is not a meal that would be out of place on a Saturday night, and that is a huge compliment, with a piece of crusty bread. Lovely, and once again demolished by both gals. It is quite something to see my gals eat fish, they have it gone in seconds. And then the olives - they both (aged 2 and 5) ate quite a few. Proud!
So, today's a big day for Husband#1 and an even bigger one for me as I'm having an eye test. So, I'm overweight, unfit, have high cholesterol, a dodgy back and so it will add insult to injury should I find I need age-related spectacles. Perhaps I ought to go to sleep and I can find out the truth in the morning rather than pontificating!
Wednesday, 21st August, 07:47
Early it is that I've had to rise this morning (and by the language, it seems it is also an earlier century) and the gals are only just rising almost two hours later. Bought up some drinks, Biggie looked at hers, turned up her nose and declared she wanted something else. Booboo is about to be woken with the morning bobby (bottle of milk); the evening one has been put to bed this holiday but I daren't mess with morning bobby just yet.
Wednesday, 21st August, 18.08
Goodness me, a thousand pairs of glasses later, for I do not look good in specs (olde English again!), I am sat with my gals whilst Husband#1 tirelessly crunches data next door. I'm a single parent once again, possibly for the next day or two, so it's not good. My roasts have been delayed - the chicken should have been roasted for lunch, but we ate in the play pub instead, and the ham should have been eaten in minestrone for tea, but is still in the oven and the gals are eating beans on toast. A failure of a food day.
All is not lost, however as the chicken will follow the ham into the oven and I will be starting my minestrone shortly. I intended to freeze a large quantity for later consumption anyway, so it doesn't matter and I can make it whilst doing a little work.
*I mean Roast!, not chicken and smoked ham...
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