Today actually isn’t my cookery at all, but my dear friend Charlaine’s! She’s been such an inspiration to me and is an absolute godsend for recipe testing and macaron-making that I’m quite happy to say she’s quite the cook herself. The other day she needed something to do with tofu and green beans, so a quick googling gave her some inspiration.
I love the beautiful prawns and inclusion of enoki, which are my favorite mushroom. Om nom nom to Charmy (I expect the recipe)!!
For Christmas, I received The Winnie-the-Pooh Cookbook by Virginia H. Ellison. Those who know me well know how much I love Pooh Bear, especially in classic form, and I’m convinced no one can be a proper Adult without reading the original books. I can’t wait to make a Cottleston Pie, though the jelly omelet sounds a bit dubious.
As it’s chilly out and rather windy, Pooh and I decided to warm ourselves up with some hot cocoa. The recipe obviously isn’t mine!
When you go after honey with a balloon, the great thing is not to let the bees know you’re coming.
Honey Hot Chocolate for a Very Blusterous Day Outside
Makes one cup.
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp honey
3/4 cup milk
Pinch of salt
1. Stir and simmer the water, cocoa, and salt over low heat for 2 minutes or until smooth.
2. Add the honey and milk.
3. When it is very hot and before it boils, remove from the heat and serve.
Gotta keep the creative juices up, right?
I look like a ten year old today, in a large, comfy sweater circa 1984, chunky glasses and a mass of unkempt curly hair I’m growing out. If I saw myself sitting behind my desk, which already looked too big for me, I’d want to hug me, too.
Combine that with the three giant cookies I’ve nibbled at in the 4 hours I’ve been at work (chocolate with Reese’s pieces, chocolate chip and M&Ms, peanut butter), and the current appearance of my desk — lunchbox and toy motorcycle — I think I’m already a contender for Cutie Cuddlebug 2012. Or Mr Narcissist. And yeah, that’s my Ducati.
In all (or at least a little) seriousness, I’m a huge fan of bringing one’s lunch to work or school. It’s part of my philosophy of avoiding processed foods at all cost. It’s so ridiculously easy that I’m baffled why I have to bring it up at all; exercising a little common sense will save your wallet, your waistline, and (if you bring your lunch in an adorable lunchbox like I do) make you really popular in the office.
I don’t understand why some people don’t have three free minutes to make a sandwich, or, better still, cook a little extra when making dinner the night before and when cleaning up, pack a bento/lunchbox/brown paper bag. I reckon my lunchbox today, which was filled with turkey meatloaf, couscous, crispy, garlicky broccoli, and a salad, probably cost me an additional 30 cents last night at dinner and one and a half minutes of packing time. Compared to the 10 bucks you’ll pay for a fat-loaded wrap, or the 5 bucks for sodium-satured frozen meal — I can’t help but wonder why more people don’t ascribe to this method, as my lunchbox kicked the ass of every other lunch in my office in cost, health, and most importantly, taste.
Now for another cookie. Om, nom, nom.
