Hope your Sunday is special

31 March - Solution for the last clue and the next cryptic crossword clue

Exactly how rent is paid? (2,3,6)

Solution – to the letter

If you do something "to the letter" you do it exactly.  And you pay rent to the letter (as in landlord)

Today’s cryptic crossword clue – solution tomorrow

Model, keeping one's balance (5)

Source of clue – NZ Herald

Hint – this is a container clue

Crumbed mushrooms

These crumbed mushrooms were a complete experiment.  My better half is not that keen on mushrooms so I wanted to find a different way of doing them.  I thought that a bit of crunch might be a good thing.

I was using ordinary little white button mushrooms.  I de-stalked them.

I made an egg mix with some crème fraiche, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper – whisked until nice and smooth.

Dip each mushroom into the mix and then roll in panko – Japanese breadcrumbs.

Fry the crumbed mushrooms until golden on both sides.  They were crunchy but still very noticeably mushroomy on the inside.  I will be doing them again – maybe with a little more spice.

The world today ....

30 March - Solution for the last clue and the next cryptic crossword clue

Get down to nudism, astonishingly (8)

Solution – dismount

The letters in "to nudism" can be scrambled ie appear astonishing to read "dismount" ie get down.

Today’s cryptic crossword clue – solution tomorrow

Exactly how rent is paid? (2,3,6)

Source of clue – NZ Herald

Hint – The solution is a phrase that means exactly.

Burleigh Court Hotel Cotswolds

One of my sisters had her wedding reception in the Burleigh Court Hotel near Stroud in the Cotswolds in England.  I was lucky enough to stay in the hotel. 

It is a small family run hotel (18 rooms) in what used to be a manor house.  As you can see it has spectacularly lovely grounds (over 3 acres) with just lovely outlooks over the Golden Valley.

The interior of the hotel was lovely and English – leather, chintz and florals everywhere.  My room had a fantastic four poster bed.  Shame I was on my own in it!

[Just in case you were wondering – I haven't been paid to post this or anything – it is just a place I thought was a bit special]

It's Good Friday today

29 March - Solution for the last clue and the next cryptic crossword clue

Cheerful bishop's flexible (6)

Solution – blithe

Bishop = b

Flexible = lithe

B + lithe = blithe (or cheerful)

Today’s cryptic crossword clue – solution tomorrow

Get down to nudism, astonishingly (8)

Source of clue – NZ Herald

Hint – The first letter is d

Food on Friday: Peas and Beans

 ON

We're going green for Food on Friday today – Peas and Beans (green beans, that is).

First, here are what Stephanie Alexander says go well with peas and beans:

Peas

Asparagus	Bacon	Butter
Carrots	Celery	Crabs
Cream	Eggs	Ginger
Green peppercorns	Ham	Leeks
Lettuce	Mint	Onions
Parsley	Poultry	Prawns
Rice	Sage

And Beans

Almonds	Bacon	Beetroots
Butter	Cashews	Celery
Chillies	Chinese roast pork	Chives
Chorizo sausages	Cream	Fermented black beans
Feta cheese	Garlic	Ham
Mint	Mushrooms	Olive oil
Olives	Onions	Parmesan cheese
Parsley	Peanuts	Pine nuts
Potatoes	Prawns	Salt
Spring onions (green onions)	Sweet peppers (capsicum)	Turmeric
Walnuts

Now, on to the link up.  Just put your name and the name of the dish into the first box and paste the url for your post into the second one.

Do pop by some of the other links to check them out.  If you would like a button you will find one on my contact page.  Cheers

Yesterday ... isn't that just a song?

28 March - Solution for the last clue and the next cryptic crossword clue

Japanese city, very large (also known by  another name?) (5)

Solution – Osaka

Ok, Osaka is an important city in Japan.  You can also get to "Osaka" by taking OS for very large and adding "aka" for also known as.

Today’s cryptic crossword clue – solution tomorrow

Cheerful bishop's flexible (6)

Source of clue – NZ Herald

Hint – The last letter is e

Birdsong

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks made quite an impact on me.  Some parts of the book are incredibly gory and gut wrenching but overall it is such a great story that I had to keep reading on.

The story is set in France before, during and after World War I. It is intensely romantic whilst being very realistic about war itself.  There is a bit of sex stuff in the novel.

It is 20 years since Birdsong was first published but don't let that put you off.  It is haunting and beautiful and harrowing.

I relate to this today!

27 March - Solution for the last clue and the next cryptic crossword clue

Girl, Hazel, I fancy, must accept wager (9)

Solution – Elizabeth

The girl's name Elizabeth can be made up by scrambling the letters "Hazel, I" ie making them fancy and putting them around "bet" for wager.

Today’s cryptic crossword clue – solution tomorrow

Japanese city, very large (also known by  another name?) (5)

Source of clue – NZ Herald

Hint – the solution is the name of a city in Japan

Need some inspiration? Try lemons and limes – Part I

Today the inspiration for you is drawn from Food on Friday: Lemons and Limes.

Andi at The Wednesday Baker did this superb Lemon Tunnel of Love Tea Cake.

I liked the refreshing sound of this Blueberry Lemonade by Angie at God's Growing Garden.

The presentation of these Lemon Cupcakes with French Vanilla Buttercream is beyond spectacular (Oh, when am I going to learn how to take photos like this!)  You are an inspiration Butteryum!

Marisa from The College Cuisiner did these great Chipotle Lime Shrimp Skewers.

I liked the sound of the dressing used by Just For Cooking in this Avocado and Cucumber Salad with Kiwi Lime Dressing. (Of course, we call them kiwifruit here in NZ where Kiwi's are either the native bird or an informal term for a New Zealander)

The last inspirational post for you today is this sweet treat.  White Chocolate Lemon Truffles by Major Cake's Kitchen Affair.

There were so many great and inspiration dishes that Need Some Inspiration next week will also be about Lemons and Limes.

If you would like to see the Pinboard with all the links, please click here

Actually there's a grain of truth here ...

26 March - Solution for the last clue and the next cryptic crossword clue

Sight provided by glasses, limited (9)

Solution – spectacle

A spectacle can be a sight.  Another word for glasses is spectacles – and if you "limit" that word ie cut off its last letter you get "spectacle".

Today’s cryptic crossword clue – solution tomorrow

Girl, Hazel, I fancy, must accept wager (9)

Source of clue – NZ Herald

Hint – the solution is a girl's name

Leftovers Rescue Mission

You might recall the pork and tamarillo bake I did.  Well the next day we had quite a bit of the potato cabbage layers left and I didn't want to throw it out so I went on a rescue mission. 

I fried up some rashers of bacon.  I picked out as much of the cabbage as I could from the potato/cabbage mixture and threw that out.  I then add what was left to the pan with the bacon.  Then I cracked into the pan 3 eggs and fork scrambled them.  And ta dah a perfectly fine lunch!  I did put some chopped parsley on top for garnish.