KFC

Warren did his grandparent/parent duty today and went to sports day at school with youngest grandson. As he and I had been out all day (and I hadn't taken anything out of the freezer for dinner)I suggested take away. We decided to buy KFC and take it home. Five pieces of chicken, two individual serves of coleslaw, two small tubs of potato and gravy, a serve of hop chips and a pepsi each and a few cents change from $20.

After we had eaten i asked warren how was his chicken and he said "Quite frankly, the KC that we used to buy in China tasted much better" I had to agree. We had bought KFC quite often while we lived in China probably as much as once a fortnight, some nights we would walk to one KFC outlet, eat and then walk home again a distance of between five or six kilometres. (In our city in China there was at least six KFC outlets and only one Maccas)

Often we would buy a bucket of chicken which would include ten pieces of chicken two bread rolls, two sweet corn cobs and a large bottle of Pepsi for 74RMB (approx $16) included in the pack was three large disposable cups and ice.

Tonight's meal was the first KFC that we have eaten since returning from China twelve months ago. I have already taken meat out of the freezer for tomorrow nights dinner.

A bonus!

As I drove into the garage tonight, I could see Warren in the kitchen at the stove, hummm maybe he was cooking dinner. It was only 5.40 pm and we normally have eat around 6.30pm. Dreadful thought but I was hoping he wasn't cooking sausages, I usually have some snags in the freezer, they're handy if the kids come as I know that they are something that they will eat but I don't particularly like sausages and would much rather leave them in the freezer.

Anyway, what was cooking was crumbled ham slices and steamed vegetables. Crumbled?? my husband had been hiding his light under a bush! I had opened a can of ham a couple of days ago for sandwiches and did think that he could use the rest for an easy lunch. He had looked in the fridge and saw that and decided to crumble it.

He sliced the ham into fairly thick slices dipped them in a beaten egg and then into some crushed corn flakes and lightly fried in the pan, wonderful.

Dinner was served five minutes after I arrived home and I didn't have to think about dinner or do anything about it.  Bonus! (It tasted pretty good too!)

Card Night (and Dinner)

Years ago we had young kids and very little money, we used to meet with friends for dinner and then our entertainment was a game of cards. When the kids bedtimes came, they would be put to bed in the lounge while we continued. We probably did this once a fortnight and alternated who's home would host.

Years later with many states, houses and moves in between we find ourselves living in the same suburb as our card playing friends and we still play cards.

Some things have changed, our kids all have children of their own, dinners are a little bit more fancy and the host supplies the wine as well now. Used to be that the guests would bring the wine, now the guests just turn up and enjoys the meal without having to do a thing. Our game playing has gone from three or four games in a night to only two and we only get together about every six weeks or so as even though we are all retired, we are too busy to meet more often.

Last night it was our turn to be the guests and it was nice to have roast pork and vegetables plus lemon pie and no dishes yay.

Egg Plant

This is a vegetable that I really enjoyed while we were living in China. Very early on, I learnt to say it in Chinese so I could order it if and when we went out to dinner. While visiting a young friend, he took me to the kitchen where his grandmother was cooking the dish, so quick and I was surprised at the amount of sugar, salt and soy sauce that she used. As Warrren cant eat soy sauce, I don't make it the way that she did but it was interesting to watch her.

Warren bought me a plant so that I could grow and cook my own, trouble was I had no idea when they were ready to pick. I belong to a brilliant website which has a forum and I asked the question on there and got several answers in double quick time. One lady said that she hoped I really did like them as one plant could generate up to 100 fruit. I think we have had about 20 so far and there is 3 or 4 small ones still on the bush. I picked two yesterday and used one in a dish for last nights dinner.

I cubed it and put it into my non stick fry pan and when cooked added a tin of tomatoes and then pasta at the end. We had visitors for dinner and they are quite fussy so I didn't know how they would like it, one guy had three serves.

 I gather that he must have thought it was alright. In the picture is the left overs which we had for lunch with some added mince and spinach. I like to use up left overs pretty quickly. Tonight will be be having chicken soup and a homemade sausage roll, quick and easy dinner as its footy time.