Kung Pao Chickpeas and Other Tales

oh Dear...I haven't blogged for 2 months...I do check and read the comments though and thank you for those.

I seem to be so busy with visiting Dad 3 times a week, I cook for him and we go shopping(which I really dislike but it must be done!), DS1 has been in hospital for a few days and DD has hurt both shoulders and is a mess to say the least! Priscilla has also needed our support more than ever with her father in law dying in hospital last month and the fact that she is expecting her 4th baby despite being told she couldn't conceive after the treatment she's been having! Frighteningly though her tumour has grown and another has developed in her lower abdomen. Yesterday she had surgery to run a tube from one kidney to a bag on the outside as the tumour was squashing the kidney...I don't know how she keeps going but she does.

Charlie was born 10 days late and is now 7 weeks old, he is so cute and cherished as you can imagine, he weighed in 9lbs 5 oz and is thriving on his Mummy's milk...

So whenever possible I have loved being at home, 'just' pottering....tidying the garden when the sun is out, cleaning, reading, knitting, cooking and baking at my own pace. I bought a fantastic book and am making some lovely bread now in the bread-maker , this is the egg-enriched loaf(not quite as yellow as this evening photo)...

Today I got some more washing soda and made up Wendy's Magical Spray, it's safe and effective and I'm really pleased with it. Have a look at Wendy's blog as she has so many ways to save money around the house and garden. Wendy has even been on telly in this very un-flatteringly entitled documentary 

 Then there was the tourtiere or French Canadian Meat Pie I made for the first time. It's traditionally served on Christmas Eve but should be on every meat eater's menu plan. I made the pastry with butter and plain flour in the food processor and used a kilo of pork and beef minces(all free range), a chopped onion and about 3 level teaspoons of allspice in lieu of the spices in this recipe Chicken stock is much nicer to cook the meat in, it should stay quite moist but with very little liquid as you don't thicken it to make gravy. That's a maple leaf on the top and not a waving starfish.

So about these chick peas...in Canada at Chinese Restaurant buffets you can to sure to see Kung Pao or Captain's Chicken and it's very very tasty. I saw this recipe and was intrigued, partly because I never see any legume other than black beans in Chinese cooking. I found this post rather hard to follow as I don't use teriyaki so went with the following seasonings instead...

4 teaspoons of Lee Kum Kee Chili and Garlic Sauce (yummy)
2-3 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

You could mix and match any of your favourite sauces too.

I left out the carrot but used red and green capsicum instead, chopped peanuts really set the dish off and I didn't have the sesame oil which is why I'm writing all this here for when I forget! I wouldn't say it feeds 4 people either, 3 at the most. Do you like my thrift shop pyrex dish?

I think that's all for now, the washer is beeping at me to hang out the bathmats so I must away, will leave you with a photo of the beautiful Papa Meilland rose that bloomed exactly 3 months after Mum's passing, it was her favourite because of the heavy perfume; is it odd to talk to a rose bush?
Enjoy your day and hug your loved ones tight xxx