Life’s been ticking along to the tock of my beloved set of routines and ‘to-dos’ for the week.  I’m heading into that last week of work before I get on that plane to LA and the anticipation has given me a much needed second wind to get things done.

I’ve been batch cooking to fill the freezer so that we have dinners ready to go when I return from my trip.  This frozen parmesan rind went into my pot of bolognese to give it more richly salted flavour.

Next up was a batch of vegetable, bean and streaky bacon soup.  The random floating add-in for this was a celery heart.  I’m a bit lazy when it comes to buying celery and pay the obscene mark up for those pre-packaged, precision chopped celery sticks.  I’m pretty sure they’re meant for snacking and not cooking but this mum cooks with them.  Anyway.  It turns out prepackaged celery hearts are almost as precision chopped but cheaper than the packs of sticks.  The hearts add so much flavour to soups while the surrounding celery stalks are trimmed for easy cooking prep.

In non batch cooking news, I’ve discovered the wonder that is a one-pot pasta dinner flavoured by a dusting of spendy cheese.  My first creation was this broccoli and parmesan spaghetti and I’m planning to make a blue cheese and spinach pasta this week.  The basic principle is that you cook the pasta and vegetables in a pot of boiling water, drain and reserve about a cup of the water and then return the pan to the stove.  To the pan add garlic and either butter or oil to saute it.  Then return your pasta and veg as well as your desired cheese.  Add as much of the reserved pasta water as you need to get the cheese ‘sauce’ to coat the pasta evenly.  Serve garnished with parsley.  I’ve been using that semi-dried stuff.  It looks so pretty, too.

In honour of the final countdown to my departure, I’ve been getting my flight attendant on with the reappearance of fancy scarves in my work outfits.  This is a Zabavushka from Hermes.  Remind me to see if anything catches my eye at their duty-free store at the airport…  Not that I need reminding.

www.fashionunited.com

www.timeout.com

We’re at that time of the year where dessert can either be left over homemade fruit mince with ice cream or else a sneaky hot cross bun or two, also with ice cream.  My pick is the former.  Fruit, fibred, dairy, Cointreau and brandy? 

It’s like those breakfast superbowls everyone loves at my local cafe… only more tasty (and alcoholic),

Be well.