You know the feeling. It’s been the day from hell at work, the traffic home is feral (why is it always the M4 entry point), you’ve still got to get the groceries, it’s also the night you have to wash your hair and really wash your face (because you wore a full face of make up to work) and, oh yeah – dinner. The day just isn’t long enough.
I’ve been reading food blogs lately and I love the posts about meals people have whipped up and as I’m technically a food and ‘other things’ blog – I needed to post about food tonight.
So apologies if the following aren’t revealations to you – just part of real life and also apologies to the true food bloggers – this ain’t meant to be disrespect or satire. It’s just how things went down from around 7.28pm tonight…….
Hit the house, say Hi to R and begin preparing for battle. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after my years of watching chefs on TV – it’s hygeine and cleanliness. Off come the rings and watch.
I’ve been reading food blogs lately and I love the posts about meals people have whipped up and as I’m technically a food and ‘other things’ blog – I needed to post about food tonight.
So apologies if the following aren’t revealations to you – just part of real life and also apologies to the true food bloggers – this ain’t meant to be disrespect or satire. It’s just how things went down from around 7.28pm tonight…….
Hit the house, say Hi to R and begin preparing for battle. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after my years of watching chefs on TV – it’s hygeine and cleanliness. Off come the rings and watch.
Turn the oven on and unpack the groceries en route.
Is anyone else as stoked as I am that Morning Fresh and White King toilet cleaner were on special at Coles this week? They are staples in our house, so I had to stock up. Note the enviro bags. No time to ponder my savings or that I used envirobags for the week’s shop.
First up are the potatoes – salted and coated in a bit of olive oil. Then – in the second thing I’ve learned from TV – a Nigella trick, skewer the raw potatoes on metal skewers to get them cooking faster. Note also in the background of the photo on the right – Pop’s tomato sauce. Pops is my nickname for R and he wrote explicitly on this week’s shopping list that I had to get Pop’s tomato sauce. So this one’s for you, Pops.
By the way, the cotton potato bag really works! It’s drawstring at one end and is double layered cotton. I got mine at Coles for under $7. Okay – that’s another food tip.
I cook by a series of alarms – the oven, the microwave, the rice cooker. I also have a timer on the fridge so that I know when to start the quick reheat things and vegies while other things are roasting.
The secret weapon is revealed – my legibly labelled containers of made ahead chicken. I was meant to be a doctor from a very young age, like since I started cursive writing at school. Note the pre-arranged snap frozen parsley garnish.
Okay, and before you know it, those potatoes are out and golden-ly good. The microwave has pinged, and the spinach has cooked itself in some water and a high gas flame. Pause. I LOVE ANOLON. Their pots and baking accessories are the Best Thing Ever. They are heavy (my arms are more toned from using Anolon) but nothing ever sticks and crusts.
And voila – dinner is served.
I also make my own garlic butter and freeze it in little pats wrapped in grease proof paper – deluxe on baked potatoes. This is a tip from Jamie Oliver.
But, I have to reveal my secret weapons and the alternate holy trinity for the Domestic Goddess At High Speed.
Roasted red peppers + dead red wine + Masterfoods recipe base sachet (sorry, wrong Masterfoods recipe base – this one’s for photographic purposes only, I used Italian Chicken Casserole) = meal that tastes like it’s been made entirely from scratch. Another Nigella tip – though she favours jars of onion jam over the roasted red peppers.
And before you know it, it’s nearly time for bed.