Hello Dear Reader,
I've just about got my breath back after yesterday. You see, I'm one of those people for whom 'ok' won't do. I either get it right or I sink into a self deprecating pit of self criticism that takes me an age to work my self out of. I had prepared to cook Christmas lunch for 24 and by the time several other people rocked up, the number was 32. There was enough but only just. I felt dreadful, if I had known there were a greater number then I would have prepared more food.
I'm like that at home, I always like to make sure there is enough food to see us through the week. I can't imagine not being prepared. I've always got money set aside to pay for fuel to get us to work, the money is budgeted for the heating wood, the utility bills, insurances and just about any cost I can possibly think I will need or even might need.
I know the last week of term is going to be hard work, any teacher reading will testify to the week before Christmas being really hard. Some children have the best of time to look forward to whilst others have nothing at all to look forward to, not to mention the tension in families at this time of year. So, fellow teachers, my advice is to make soup and take a flask of it to work to keep yourself going.
My soup is Ham Bone Soup.
You will need:
A gammon/ham hock
Onion
Leeks,
Celery
Carrots
Potatoes
Water to cook the hock in.
Place the ham hock in a large saucepan with plenty of water and the chopped vegetables.
Cover and cook for one and a half hours until the meat starts to come away from the bone.
The ham hock cooks along with the vegetables and flavours the soup. The ham hock is removed and the meat is eaten cold once stripped from the bone. We'll probably eat it with home made chips and and egg. (Ham, egg and chips).
Ham hock, taken out and roasted for twenty minutes with some honey and mustard.
Veggie soup in a delicious ham stock, really warming.
I will portion up the soup and take it into work with me each day.
I'm sure any parents of school age children, especially primary school children will recognise how busy and sometimes fraught this time of year can be. There's also a lot of pressure.
Over to you Dear Reader, who thinks that this time of year can be just too busy for families?
Until tomorrow
Love Froogs xxxx
#Adventchallenge
12th - more books have been boxed up
13th - spare clothes horse that we don't need
14th - more clothes, this time some of my son's that are still here.