Tip runs & Saucy Squirrels

Five for today

1)  Declutter – filled up back of car with piles of household rubbish & went to tip. Feels good to be making a little progress.

2) A good find – whilst at tip I spotted a pile of books someone had thrown into the skip that as destined for incineration, why they weren’t donated to charity I have no idea. I saw old Ladybird books which made me feel sad as they are quite sought after but they’d been squashed down by other rubbish. However, on the top I saw this pristine book & asked if I could take it.

It’s by Woodrow Wyatt – The Exploits of Mr Saucy Squirrel and I think it’s a first edition from 1976! (as old as me!)

3) Homemade bolognese – My chap makes a wicked bolognese from  scratch & that’s what we had tonight! Yum! Beats any stuff from a jar!

4) Growing – Sylvie had to have her seat belt adjusted as she’s moved up a notch! Bittersweet as I love having a little baby, but excited as she’s growing strong & it’s all because of my milk! I still find it amazing how it all works!

5) The Voice – I don’t watch soaps or much TV really, but I love watching this!  I look forward to it all week & I’m excited to watch the second part of battles tonight! Plus I do love Sir Tom Jones twinkly eyes! 😉

Yummy & Quick Fish Pie

Been wanting to make a fish pie for ages & having never actually made my own, I decided today was the day. Craving proper comfort food!

I am a member of a lovely cookery group on Facebook & got some tips on there, whilst loosely following a Jamie Oliver recipe.

Ingredients
Approx. 700g of cod & haddock (I used unsmoked as my eldest doesn’t like it)
1kg potatoes -peeled chopped
1 carrot
2 celery
2 medium onions
Red chilli (I used a frozen chopped cube equivalent to 1tsp)
200g (ish!) Good mature cheddar
Butter
Salt
White & black pepper
Knorr fish stock cube
Grated nutmeg
Fresh parsley
Lemon
Small tub 250ml half-fat creme fraiche
Frozen peas
Fresh or frozen spinach – I defrosted two lumps!
4 free range eggs

Method

Preheat oven 200°c

Peel & cut potatoes, put in pan salted water to boil for mashing. In separate pan, start boiling eggs.

Put butter in saucepan, put in onions & celery, gently softening for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, butter dish & grate in carrot & cheddar, add chopped fish chunks, drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lemon, add tub creme fraiche, pinch of salt, white pepper, chilli, chopped parsley, grated nutmeg, crumble stock cube, mix all together gently. Add frozen peas & dot with spinach. When eggs boiled, cool them in cold water, peel & quarter eggs & place over top.

When potatoes are done, drain & mash using drizzle of olive oil/butter & season.

Cover pie & sprinkle with additional grated cheddar.

Cook in oven for around 45 minutes or until golden & bubbling.

We chose to serve ours with extra peas. It was a big hit with our family – it should serve 6. We had two very hungry adults, two hungry older children & two little ones & polished off the whole lot!

Enjoy! Let me know if you give it a try 🙂