I wanted to try making some soft bread rolls and as the oven would be on for this, thought I would make a cake too. I've been having a few too many cakes lately, if I am not careful my waist band will be getting even tighter.
I let the bread machine make the dough, it is a good setting that I don't use enough, but it does take a good 2 hours 20. I got out the dough and shaped it into 13 rolls (not sure how it ended up 13, it was supposed to be 12) and then left them in the sun with a damp tea-towel over them to rise some more.
After an hour or so they went into a hot oven for 15 minutes. Nothing like fresh home baked bread rolls.
Then I made a couple of lemon drizzle loaves. These are so delicious, made so mostly by the drizzle. I heat up the juice of 2 lemons with 4 tablespoons of sugar and dissolve and then pour it over the two finished cakes as soon as they come out of the oven. Makes the cake lovely and sticky.
These are two fairly small cakes, one will go in the freezer for another time. I have put 7 of the bread rolls in the freezer too.
I made a frugal lamb tagine too in the slow cooker (which probably, officially means that I can't really call it a tagine).
This was just 2 lamb steaks that I had bought for £2 with a yellow label some time ago and left in the freezer, cut into pieces with a grated onion and red pepper, an array of good Moroccan spices, can of tomatoes, some stock and some raisins, all shoved in the slow cooker and left to cook all day. It was really good and there are a couple of portions left.
It's very 'saucy' as there wasn't much lamb in it, but there were plenty enough chunks for me. I filled the couscous with some of the herbs I have growing. It was lovely.
A great day of cooking very frugally. I am rubbish at totting up the individual prices for things, but I do know that, firstly, I didn't go out and buy a single thing for anything that I cooked today, it was all from my store cupboard and secondly that the reduced lamb was by far the most expensive ingredient used today.
I checked on my laundry liquid this morning, it has gone lovely and gloopy, just like laundry liquid should be. I am actually looking forward to my next load of washing now to check it out!
A couple of people asked me for my home made shampoo recipe, I will do a post on it soon.
Hehe! those are two appliances I'm forever considering buying and never actually do: a bread-maker and a slow cooker. The little rolls look especially lovely to me :) Perhaps for Christmas... if I leave a few hints lying around ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, in general I am not a great one for kitchen gadgets, the sort that get used once a year and then become dusty in a cupboard, but with both the bread machine and the slow cooker I can't recommend them enough. Both are brilliant and in my house get loads and loads of use, bread machine once or twice every week and slow cooker all through winter (this is when I like stews). I do believe some bread machines are better than others, and mine is a really good panasonic one, but I got it second hand on e-bay for about £20. The slow cooker was from ASDA for under a tenner when they had an offer - these are all pretty much of a muchness and should never be expensive. Go for it, it is a gadget you won't regret.
DeleteAs always I'm hungry now I've read your post. My slow cooker and bread maker are two of my favourite belongings, they're frequently on the go, side by side, in my house.
ReplyDeleteYes, mine are constantly on the go too, I have a spot for both, which I think is important, because as soon as you put them away in a cupboard, they become out of sight, out of mind.
DeleteHi, I have been making my own laundry gloop for a while now and and we have 3 gruby children! I've tried lots of different bars of soap and the best I've found is tesco lemon x 4 pack as it leaves everything with a nice lemon scent without the need for essential oils.
ReplyDeleteNext time round I'll use lemon! I fancy the idea of a bit of scent.
DeleteBeware of those scented soaps. They can be irritating to the skin if you are of a sensative disposition. I make my own olive oil soaps/castile soap as DB gets skin rashes from other products.
DeleteHi, I have been making my own laundry gloop for a while now and and we have 3 gruby children! I've tried lots of different bars of soap and the best I've found is tesco lemon x 4 pack as it leaves everything with a nice lemon scent without the need for essential oils.
ReplyDeleteNice job, as always!!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteLooks like you've had a very productive and tasty day :-)
ReplyDeleteYou made a proper baker's dozen! :) I want to start making bread too. There's nothing better than warm fresh bread. Mmmm!
ReplyDeleteYou are a wonder and a fine example to us all to get off our butts and cook. The rolls look just right for dunking into soup, yum. Its great when you can cook a meal from stuff in the freezer and turn it into something amazing. Well done you.
ReplyDeleteThe lamb dish looks delicious I might have to give that a try
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't mind I have tagged you in an 11 blog tag here http://littlefamilyof3-sarah.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/11-blog-tag.html x
I am getting a slow cooker for Christmas from my sister, and i cant wait to make things like this! Are slow cookers easy to use?
ReplyDeleteClaire, they are an absolute doddle. I made a pork stew for a friend today in one and i literally threw all the ingredients in and turned it on and walked away for 8 hours. You can pretty much make any stew, casserole, sauce in it. I even make my bolognaise in there.
DeleteI make rolls everyweek on a saturday and slice them and freeze them straight away for the week ahead. I actually make the cobs from frozenand they defrost in the lunchboxes. This way they are as fresh as the day I first made them.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of 13 rolls - a baker's dozen!
ReplyDeleteRecipe for the bread rolls.....looks good!
ReplyDeletethe soft bread rolls have me drooling...was thinking of making some for Thanksgiving but it's never warm enough in my house for the yeast to work...
ReplyDeletethank God for slow cookers...
there are some cooking recipes which increasing in the world and there are some dishes which are popular day by day.
ReplyDeletetatsoi hoisin salmon stirfry