Nearly Wordless Wednesday 30/1

"I could report you for this you know......"

Black & White Sunday

Chili Dog!

Baking with Declan.......

In my post on Wednesday, I mentioned how much I like the occasional Scotch Egg. I really didn't think anything of it, but I was amazed how many people asked what a Scotch Egg is. I thought they were really famous, but apparently not! The best suggestion comes from my good pals Frankie & Ernie who thought that when they hatch little guys with kilts and bagpipes come out!! You two are priceless...hehe! Lots of you (who clearly understand my Mum well...) thought Scotch whisky must be involved. Please don't give her any ideas.....

So.... being a helpful sort of a chap, I thought I'd give you a bit of background on the humble Scotch Egg and share Mum's recipe with you, in case you fancy making some.

A Scotch Egg is a boiled egg, coated in seasoned sausage meat, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried. It is delicious served hot, but can be eaten cold and is great for picnics.

I must just point out that the egg I was scoffing on Wednesday was shop bought. They are commonly available in the UK, prepackaged, in supermarkets.....and frankly they are disgusting. Mum says this is why I like them! If they are for human consumption, we strongly advise making your own.

The famous London grocer Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented the Scotch Egg in the 18th century, although very similar styles of egg could be found in India long before that. The reason it is called "Scotch" is less clear, but the two most favoured reasons seem to be a) originally the egg was encased in Scottish beef mince or b) the name comes from the word scotched which apparently is an old fashioned term describing something coated in tenderised meat, breadcrumbs and deep fried. 

To make 4 Scotch Eggs you will need:

4 medium free range hen's eggs

8oz of good quality sausage meat

Mum says it is best to buy good quality sausages, skin them  and break them down with a fork. Cumberland sausage works well.

5oz course homemade white breadcrumbs

4oz plain flour

2 beaten eggs

4floz milk

Salt & pepper to season

The eggs need to be at room temperature before you start. Bring a pan of water to the boil and place the eggs in the boiling water for 5 minutes. This will result in the finished Scotch egg being quite runny and is best if the eggs are being served hot. If you want to eat them cold, boil for 7-8 minutes. Take the eggs out of the pan and plunge in iced water. When they are cold carefully peel the shell and leave the eggs in the water.

Season the sausage meat and form into 4 balls the same size as the eggs, then flatten each ball into a rough circle about 5' in diameter. Dip the eggs in the flour and wrap each one in the sausage meat. Flour the eggs again, mix the beaten egg and milk together, dunk the eggs in it and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat the flour, egg and breadcrumb process once more.

Deep fry the eggs in vegetable oil at 175 degrees centigrade for about 6 minutes. They should be a deep golden brown in colour. 

If you are looking for a healthier option, the eggs can be oven baked at 190 degrees centigrade for around 25 minutes until golden. 

Enjoy!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday 23/1

Snack Time!

Blimey Mum, I'm not a giraffe you know!

Oh that's better.....

I do love a Scotch egg every now and again.......

I don't believe it! I can't possibly have eaten it all......

Black and White Sunday

Feed the birds......

I was just about to say me Mum likes the birds, but then I wondered if that would be regarded as libelous, so I will say that Mum feels sorry for our little feathered friends in the cold winter months and likes to put plenty of food out for them. Everything is put on a bird table to stop my good self from scoffing it all and making meself sick.......

Because Mum has way too much time on her hands is kind, she often makes food for the birdies. Here are the latest offerings.

Bread, seed & meal worm lard cake.....nom nom nom.....or not!

Next she made some fat balls to hang up. These were made with porridge oats, bird seed, meal worms and some out of date muesli stirred into melted lard. She then took a small foil pie dish and half filled it with the mixture. She then placed a small piece of orange / fruit bag netting over the top and then placed another layer of mixture on top of that. The balls were placed in the freezer until hard. The metal tray was then removed and string tied to the exposed netting. 

The remaining mixture was rolled into small balls and placed into a fat ball feeder

All goodies in place!

Unfortunately the following pictures aren't great as the only way we could snap the birdies was from inside the house through the window, so there are issues with reflections. Gives you an idea though!

Starlings and a sparrow. They've made a good start on the fat ball holder!

A Robin patiently waits his turn!

He's getting there!

Well there has to be a picture of me doesn't there?! Do you think if I stand here long enough the birdies will forget about me and drop their fat balls on the floor? I prefer it when they get plain old bread. Much more chance of snack then!

Wordless Wednesday 16/1

"So tell me; I'm all ears.........?"

I'm still here!

Hello everyone. Hope you all had a good weekend. Mum is STILL very bad tempered not very well so I have done very little. We went for a short walk on Saturday which nearly killed her she struggled with and then she kept me up all Saturday night. I don't know about her, but I am shattered!

I am having to spend today keeping an eye on the snow, so I can alert Other Mum if she needs to skive off work leave work early due to inclement weather....

So far the snow is a bit pathetic. I am trying to compete with Beckett over in Canada but I think I am fighting a loosing battle. His Dad has a snow blower......wow can you imagine that!!

I know it's a little late in the day, but I thought I'd show you my Christmas presents. As you know I went to Ganny's and had a lovely time. This is what I got:

Ganny bought me my new teddy and Tiger came from her friends Aunty Jean and Uncle Terry. Evil Mum hid teddy when we left I have left teddy at Ganny's so I don't have to spend 2 hours choosing which toy to take when we visit. 

When we got home there were more surprises. Aunty Steph (who is really my sister and KC's mum but lets not complicate matters) had left me a present from her rabbit - my cousin Lola!

I'll just read the label first.....

Grrrr! I'll 'ave ya!

Lola had sent me a Lola! (Is that a good idea?!)

See. I CAN be nice to bunnies!!

Well have a good week everyone. I better get back to waiting hand and paw on me Mum staring at the snow....

Sick Note

Hello Everyone.

Please excuse me for not blogging, but my Mum is not well. She has had the 'flu since the middle of last week, and frankly has been a nightmare to look after. She has been lying in bed or on the sofa moaning and refusing to eat. (Oh well....all the more for me....)  The nurse says make sure she has plenty of fluids, and now that I have convinced her that doesn't mean whisky, we seem to be on the right track. She says she feels a bit better today, which is good, as I am sick of running around after her and not going on nearly enough walks.

I'm not sure when I'll be back; trying to use the laptop with my paws is very difficult, but I hope maybe next week sometime. For my sake, please send positive healing thoughts to Mum. I'm not cut out to be a member of the caring professions......

Love Deccy x