Grey Days - Time for Kate Bush!

Women of Ireland

Hi there. A quick one today, as I am ill with flu and my energy level is at an all-time low.
Seriously, taking a trip to the loo is the equivalent of climbing Mount Doom at the moment. 

So what do I do, flat on my back or - alternatively - hanging crookedly into the pillows? I listen to Kate Bush, obviously. When I was little and ill my Gran used to cook me pudding; now that I am Gran material myself (don't mention this to my daughter though, I don't want her to get ideas) I have to provide my own comfort, so Kate it is. (Use the link at the top of this post)

Could be worse, eh?

To All Mothers, everywhere. Especially the ones who don't see enough of their kids.

Hi there, Mother.
Happy Mother's Day, to you!
I wish you a marvelous day, where you will be either spoilt by your own kids, by the kids who adore you even though they are not your biological ones, or by me.

Yes, you've read this correctly. By me.
Although shops would like to make us believe otherwise, not all mothers have doting children. If you fall into this category, for whatever reason, then this post is for you, especially!

Have a good day, Mother. You've nurtured a child in your body (often at discomfort to yourself!) and you've given life. For this alone, you need a medal.
I cannot bring you one, so I'll bring you a virtual bouquet and a treat most women will like :-)

You may be secure in the knowledge that you have contributed to the Great Scheme of Things, the circle of life. Good for you. 

Motherhood can be wonderful, all fulfilling. But it can be plain hard work, and a disappointment or disillusion as well, for some of us.

Take heart. I am thinking of you.

And I've looked up a link to one of my favourite singers, Kate Bush.

Mother Stands for Comfort

Have a good day!

By Popular Demand: my Secret Quiche Recipe.

Smoked ham and curried potato quiches

Good morning, folks!

Christmas buffet at Rays of Light home

It's me again.  (And apologies for the poor quality of the photos; my Samsung needs to be replaced...)
I was up at the crack of dawn, as I will be hosting yet another dinner party this evening, and wanted to bake my famous quiches.
So: Radio 2 on (they do a top 2000 between Dec. 25th and Dec. 31st - wonderful, all those musical memories!) and Viggo winding his way between my legs and tripping me up - you can picture the scene I'm sure.

When he had me almost pitching my face into the flour for the second time, I kicked him out. He is now sulking in the wintry sunshine in the back garden.

The quiches.

I have been baking quiches for 25 years. When I lived in London I very occasionally treated myself to lunch in a corner caf on Cricklewood Broadway.  The cheapest thing they had on the menu was a slice of quiche. So, for me, quiche is more than food, it is a trip down memory lane. When I finally managed to get me a kitchen of my own again, I started making quiches.

Preparations:
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

The bottom

Are you in a hurry? Use ready-to-go squares of puff pastry from the supermarket. It makes your bottom more fluffy (obviously) and it has a slight risk of going soggy, but the taste is fine. And it saves you time and you don't get your hands greasy and your clothes floury (not to mention your kitchen dirty).

Plenty of time? Make your dough from scratch, using 200 grams of buckwheat or ordinary flour, 50 ml. of cold water and 1 large organic egg (remember: happy chickens!!). Knead quickly, roll out with a rolling pin or wine bottle (always plenty of those in my kitchen), put it in a buttered quiche mold and put away in a cool place or in your fridge.

The filling

This is the curried potato quiche, by the way.

For this filling, I've used:
- 6 pre-cooked potatoes (left overs from yesterday's Christmas dinner; waste not want not, my Grandma taught me)
- 150 ml. coffee cream
- plenty of curry, salt, pepper
- 2 large organic eggs
- 50 grams of pine nuts
- 10 grams of shredded dried coconut

Whisk the eggs with the cream , coconut and curry etc. Place the potatoes on the quiche dough. Sprinkle the pine nuts on them, cover with the cream mixture.

Bake in the oven, for approx. 35 minutes. This rather depends on your oven, so check! 

Filling for smoked ham quiche
- 150 ml. coffee cream
- 6 slices of Italian or Spanish finely sliced smoked ham
- 8 tiny tomatoes (I've used the Dutch kind called 'Tasty Tom' - they taste sweet)
- salt, pepper
- 50 grams of freshly grated Parmezan cheese

Whisk the eggs with the cream, cheese and salt and pepper. Put aside. Quickly dry-fry your ham in a frying pan, lightly browning it. Put the slices of ham on your quiche dough, cover with the cream mixture. Push in the tomatoes.
Bake in the oven, for approx. 35 minutes. This rather depends on your oven, so check!

I have many more on my repertoire, so, perhaps I'll do an update some day.
For now, I'll leave you to it. My husband is feeling neglected and wants soup. Okay. I can do soup as well.