Today Wednesday (16082023) at 5.30 am and I am making a small white loaf in our old bread machine.
Later at around 9.00 am when the loaf is done I’ll be putting on about four pints of milk to make yogurt in our Ninja 15in1. It takes about six hours. Our secret is to add the contents of a tin of evaporated milk. Oops, the secret is out now!
That should make about 5 x 500ml jars of thick creamy yogurt. (delicious with honey and dates)
Stroke is an awful experience to go through, awful for those who love you as well.
. . . but life isn’t over yet.
There’s still time to share some of the things that make it good to be alive.
No, life isn’t over. No matter how hard it is, you have to keep on going. Find things you like to do. My mother couldn’t recover mentally, but she surely did enjoy food, particularly in the second year after her stroke. She ate and ate… It was amazing. She just loved Chinese food. lol.
Cooking is great for the mind and the soul. Please keep at it.
I think Bobbi might have been hinting he wanted green beans. Peas are my favourite - had them with our shop bought pie tonight. Work gets in the way of baking
I watched breakfast telly yesterday and saw Gok Wan demonstrate a simple chicken curry and rice.
I’ve decided to have a go at that.
The recipe and video are online, so I’ll work with that.
It does look rather tasty.
Groundnut oil, for frying
2 onions, cut into strips
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thick discs
2 tbsp plain flour
4 tsp medium heat curry powder
600ml chicken stock
1 tbsp clear honey
4 tsp light soy sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp garam masala
For the chicken and vegetables:
Ground nut oil for frying
1 onion, cubed into 2cm pieces
8 button mushrooms, cut into thick-ish slices
75g frozen peas
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 2cm cubes (I used chicken thighs)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar
Egg fried rice, to serve
Method
Place a deep saucepan on the hob to heat.
Add the oil followed by the onions and garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the carrots and cook on a low heat for 8 minutes.
Add the flour and curry powder to the pan, mix well and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually stir in the stock, mixing well and beating out any lumps, then add the honey, soy sauce and bay leaf and bring to the boil.
Lower the temperature and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the garam masala, cook for a further 1 minute and then strain.
In a separate pan, fry the onions and mushrooms until soft.
Add the peas followed by the cooked chicken and curry sauce and heat through. Season to taste with salt and sugar.
Serve alongside egg fried rice.
Look after your dad, as I am sure he looks after you.
It is silly hours in the night, or is that morning, (4 am) and I am about to put on another bread machine loaf.
Despite the recent huge increase in the cost of bread flour one of these loaves costs no more than 50p which when compared with the cost of supermarket bread is a no brainer bargain, sort of appropriate for one stroked.
Yesterday evening also put together a fruit loaf, costing no more than 30p, it goes to show brain dead bread by Bobbi is better.
@Rups
Aah Sir Rups, I have not before met with this Uncle Roger,
but I do know the indispensable General Gordon Google
who directed me to a South East Asian outpost of the YouTube in the UK.
Now I understand.
I have achieved a true Oriental Enlightenment.
Thanks for the Introduction, I especially enjoyed his reviews of Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay,
My cooking would probably have him sighing ‘HAIYAA’ too.
Have you tried preparing Chinese food for yourself, do you opt for eating out or home delivery?
We like take away food, ordered on the Internet, it makes a convenient treat every now and again.
Of course I like to try making food for myself too, but this is not for everyone. Being retired and having had a stroke, I have the time and it does give me an interest.
I’ve never cooked Chinese dishes at home; that said, my mother made Chinese orange chicken about 3-4 years ago. She probably made it 3 or 4 times. It was heavenly. She was a very talented cook. But she didn’t cooked for over 2 and a half years, so we had to learn to cook on our own (watched my mother enough, so I knew how to lol).
Let me know what dishes you make at times, or anything new you’d like to share. This place is now home for me.
Stroke survivors have a very special place in my heart.
@Matthew1798
You are very welcome here and I am sure you will make many friends.
I bet your mother taught you well and would be proud of you.
Home made food has so many things going for it. Tasty, cost effective, etc etc.
I will keep posting details of the sort of things we try.
I’d like to recommend a retired cook who has posted much online. He has a mild and helpful manner and gives thorough instructions on YouTube and on his web site. Search for John Kirkwood or click the link and you will discover a treasure trove.
I must add that my recipes and instructions are not aimed at those with special dietary requirements as I have no expertise in that field.
I find cooking so calming, even more so during my grief. I think that some people don’t realize how therapeutic it can be. They think they have to be a long-time cook, or an expert to start cooking. You don’t know at all!
Pie was yummy! xx
Peas are my favourite - had them with our shop bought pie tonight. Work gets in the way of baking 
