Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I made chicken stock. From the few tastes I took, it came out rather good, but we'll see when I eventually use it in something. I followed Michael Ruhlman's Ratio for everyday stock. I love this book. It's got seriously interesting things in it - like how to make sausages from scratch and chicken stock and the best pancakes I've made (Alton Brown's pancake recipe is still one of my favourites, but this one is slightly easier for a Saturday morning).
So, a bit of a background on me and chicken stock. Every time we make roast chicken (which is about 4 times ever) I say to myself: I really should have a go at making stock from the bones rather than just throwing them out. So I'd shove the remains of the bird in the fridge, and look at it every time I'd open the fridge over the next few days, and say to myself, "Really should make stock." But it never happened, because I was never really motivated. And I'd end up throwing it out after a while. So yesterday, I finally psyched myself up for a whole day of keeping an eye on a pot of bones and water, and it turned out great. I did it in the slow cooker, because I know for a fact that I can't keep any of my pots on the hob at below a simmer.
And I'm making two breads today. A naan for Liam and a carrot / butternut squash / pecan loaf for me for later if I get peckish or tomorrow's lunch. And hopefully it'll still be good when Mammy and Daddy come to visit on Friday (I'm doubtful about that). As I write this, I have corn starch all over my right side. It fell out of the press and spilled all over me :/ And it doesn't clean up easily.
Ooh, and I made a salad dressing the other day. It involved carrots and ginger and vinegar and oil in the blender and turned out lovely.
So that's that. A quick round-up of other news: I am slowly finding homes for all our stuff in this house. I want to relearn to drive here in Ireland, but when it comes to actually going out driving I don't want to. I only have my learner permit for a year, so I can't really dawdle with it. I'm running the intro 5e D&D game. And I'm really enjoying trouncing Uruks in Shadow of Mordor.
