Goodbye autumn ... hello winter
I am joining in with Jenaveve's Just a minute meme, where we take a few moments to recall what we've been doing during the month. So to the best of my recollection, May went something like this ...
Growing ...
... carrots, broccoli and snow peas. Tell me: will keeping nursery-purchased seedlings in the close confines of their original containers produce teeny-tiny bonsai vegetables? I guess it will all become clear at harvest time in about 12 weeks.
Reading ...
... mostly online articles about formatting blogs. In my previous life, I used to be able to do a bit of technical stuff for work. These days ... technical ability ... pffftt, gone. Not much call for it these days at Chez Hoppo Bumpo. So I've made rather heavy weather of reading up on the template changes I wanted to make.
And of course I thought I'd made some kind of monumental error, after actually making said changes. My blog started proclaiming Operation Aborted in a none too friendly manner and then disappearing. Seen this error? Apparently its wasn't my fault; its been happening to other blogs too.
There's a bug in the Google Followers widget, which makes the whole show go to custard if you are browsing using Internet Explorer. The solution? If you are the blog author, you can temporarily remove the widget or move it much further down in the order in your sidebar (more information here).
If you are a blog reader and experiencing this problem, switching to a different browser should eliminate the problem. I could go all conspiracy theory and suggest that Google's own proprietary browser Chrome probably works just fine!
Creating
... a stockpile of household staples just in case we all get the flu. There's tissues, bags of pasta, tinned soups, boxed stock, powdered milk and all manner of other goodies (including jelly beans and chocolate ... you can't be too careful, you know). This website is excellent for suggestions as to how to stock your pantry for an medical emergency or natural disaster (no mention of chocolate, though!).
I had the flu when I was about 16 and remember to this day how ill I felt. Grocery shopping would definitely be low on the list of things you would be able to do if you were ill (and/or being home quarantined, as 3000 of my fellow Victorians have been). Hang on; what am I talking about? Grocery shopping is always low on that list!
Watching ...
... a program called Masterchef. Its part made-for-TV-competition; part cookery class; part soap opera. I can truthfully say that I enjoy watching the technical cooking demonstrations and amazing creations. But if I am being completely honest, I'm becoming hooked on watching the machinations between the contestants. Rivalries have been tame 'til now, but hotting up: will someone find a fish head in their bed soon?
Cooking ...
... a proper breakfast. You know, I'm really not particularly fond of breakfast cereals. I've spent years dodging them with all sort of inappropriate substitutes (breakfast cheesecake, anyone?). In particular, I have loathed that slimey, gluggy, tasteless gloop that masquerades as porridge.
Recently, however, I've reconsidered. Perhaps its my age. Those oaty promises of lower cholersterol and increased fibre and beta-glucan intake suddenly sound attractive. And afterall, I do like fruit cobbler with its crumbly oat topping. So may I present ...
Hoppo Bumpo's porridge hack for people who detest porridge
1/4 cup rolled oats
A scant 1/2 cup low fat milk
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 tiny shake of cinnamon
1 grated cooking apple
1/2 teaspoon butter
Combine oats, milk, sugar and grated apple in a covered microwave-safe container. Cook on high for about 2 minutes. Stir through butter and serve. Just like fruit cobbler, only breakfast (icecream, optional) .
To see who else is playing along with Just a minute ... head over to Jenaveve's blog, August Street.
Yum, thanks for the porridge recipe. I'd forgotten about porridge. I too am guilty of all sorts of inappropriate foods at breakfast time.
ReplyDeleteSo who do you think is going to win Masterchef? Our household is addicted.
Hello you. Glad you got the blog stuff sorted. Love your drop down menus. Yummy porridge recipe too. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm completely hooked on MasterChef! I'm hoping Aaron gets the boot tonight...
ReplyDeleteyou might not get that many veggies if they are kept in their little containers :/ would be cute to get little bonsai versions tho :D
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I'm going to have to ask a possibly stoopid question... why is there no chocolate mentioned on that website?
ReplyDeleteNo, my question is... what the heck is 'cooking apple'? *cringeing before all those who know*
I only ask because I really love the look of this little ditty... would be one I would make. Unless the whole apple thing gets complicated?
I wonder if Homeshop still delivers if your house is quarantined?
ReplyDeleteI hate grocery shopping with a passion!
that recipe sounds yummy!
ReplyDeletePlenty of dried fruits are yummy too, they soften during the cooking. I don't think I'd have the patience to grate an apple first thing - I gotta eat as soon as possible or it's cranky town the rest of the morning HAHA!
ReplyDeleteHope your veggies do well. I haven't done any because I don't want to spend all the time required to make a proper garden patch.
I have found that people who hate porridge just don't eat it right....I LOVE porridge (oatmeal), but it doesn't pass my lips without a full complement of butter, sugar (pref brown), full cream milk (or cream is even better), and salt. And you can't skip any of them, or else it's gagworthy. You can add MORE, like the apple is YUMMY, but NEVER less! :p
ReplyDelete