Homemade Jam Sandwich (#midweekmunchies 3)

Sometimes you just want an old school home comfort and for me, that's a jam sandwich.

 

Jam sandwiches feel like being a child. And they feel like a fun sandwich. One that I think we move away from as adults... But why? Why must we be mature and have fancy sandwiches that have things like avacado in them or boring things like plain cheese? Why can't we have fun? Why can't we have a treat? Let's face it, a jam sandwich is the closest thing to a pudding you can have as a main course!

 

However... If the guilt just keeps eating away at you, I think an excellent way to justify such a scrumptious sandwich is to use homemade jam. But don't despair! I am not suggesting you slave for hours over a pan and nor am I suggesting you cheat and just buy a fancy jar (although if either are your preference please feel free). No... I am talking about my recent discovery of Microwave Jam!

Yes... I have found out that you can make jam in the microwave and it is so simple! It is a revelation!

At this time of year as well, soft fruits can be picked up at markets or Pick Your Own farms for pretty cheap and you can stock up your cupboards for months to come. Yes, we're going a bit traditional but in the modern age, I think that's quite nice.

 

Step 1. Weigh out equal measures of fruit and sugar. I used raspberries. If using a chunkier fruit like strawberries chop them up into bite size pieces first. If you like a firmer jam, get jam sugar. The added pectin will give it a much more set texture. I like a runnier jam so I just used regular old granulated. (Also that was all I had)!

Step 2. Add the juice of a lemon.

Step 3. Microwave for 15 minutes.

You will need to stir it every few minutes and towards the end you need to keep a very close eye as it will try and bubble over. Just hit stop and let it settle down before starting again.

 

Then just let it cool a bit before popping into sterilised jars. I ran mine through the dishwasher but you can put them in the oven or use a sterilising tablet if that's easier for you.

 

And there you go! For less than 30 minutes work you have JAM!

 

All that is left to do is spread it on some bread and you have a highly satisfying lunch!

 

I'm going to have a go at blackberry jam once they are ready too. Then who knows!? Marmalade? What other kinds of jam are there? What are your favourites?

 

Call back next week for more ideas from my lunchbox!

 

Pip pip,

Charlotte x

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poorman's Lunch (#midweekmunchies 2)

It's that time again. Lunchtime.

Or... Maybe it's that time where you start worrying about what you're going to have tomorrow.

 

I had this very feeling last night. So I went for a fail-safe option. 'The Poorman's Lunch'.

Dining Al-Desko

Random bits of food on a plate has always been a lunch option in my family but when I tried to explain this to a friend she couldn't understand the concept. Until I compared it to the English pub classic... The Ploughman's. All of a sudden she got it, but promptly dubbed my cheap lazy version The Poorman's.

 

If you don't know, The Ploughman's lunch is basically some cheese, chutney and bread all washed down with a beer. Sometimes there's some cold meat chucked in. For a better explanation the ever reliable Wikipedia explains it here.

 

As you can see, my version today included: cheese, lettuce, a tomato, a boiled egg and some crackers but you could include anything you wanted. I also like to chuck in a carrot sometimes and a cold sausage would be amazing! I do like a splodge of salad cream too but I didn't have an appropriate tub to put any in this morning. I must pinch some sachets next time I'm at a pub for the future! But you could take a whole range of dips and things if you had some little containers.

It's a good way to use up fridge left overs and is really easy to chuck together at the last minute. The only thing I do that is a teeny tiny bit if effort is wrap my crackers in foil... Just try avoid them going soft.

 

Let me know if you think this is a weird one or if you think it's a good idea. Think of it as a salad you couldn't be bothered to chop up if that helps you get on board! I promise it's pretty darn tasty.

 

See you next Wednesday for another lunch box idea.

Pip pip

Charlotte x

 

Make Your Own Mug Shot (#midweekmunchies)

As much as I hate to admit it it, I like instant-just-add-water foods. Soups, noodles, porridge, the instant food market share really blowup in recent times and there is more variety than ever. They are convenient, tasty, relatively filling and depending on your retailer (and brand loyalty) reasonably priced. What I don't think they are is healthy and this is what needs to change.

 

I was first introduced to the idea of the DIY pot noodle from an old episode of River Cottage. I never managed to successfully create something that was actually tasty. It was always something that was a bit meh. So I shelved the idea, somewhere I the back of my mind.

And then for Chritsmas my mum got me this book:

I haven't really tried any of the recipes from them yet but I have adapted one to become my DIY mugshot.

First you will need the following ingredients and equipment.

• Small pasta, orzo or similar
• A variety of vegetable you like. Raw ones. Frozen is also fine. Jars too!
• Pesto
• Salt and pepper
• A spoon
• A chopping knife and chopping board
• A microwaveable tube of some kind (I use a microwaveable mug)
• A small tub for if you are taking this on the go, to keep the pesto separate
• A kettle
• A microwave (not 100% necessary)
• A fork (to eat it with)!

 

First of all, we are going to prepare, cook and eat all from the same tub, I dislike washing up.

 

Preparation

So let's start by putting some pasta in the bottom of the cup. About 3ish table spoons will be enough but you can adjust for how hungry you are.

I personally prefer orzo, but at the moment this funny little star pasta is what I have in.

 

Then, chop up your veggies. I have gone for Brocolli, cabbage, carrot, peppers,onion and onion.You need to chop them up pretty darn small as they have to cook very quickly.

 

I also added some jarred roasted pepper and some sun dried tomatoes. Becuase I could. Other things I've used in the past include things like frozen peas, sweet corn and green beans.

 

Then, add a twist of salt and pepper. Put the lid on and shake shake shake it up to season and mix.

 

Finally, put a teaspoon of pesto in your little tub, pop it in with all the other stuff and go off on your day.

(I had to buy my pesto on my way to work becuase when I opened the jar it was a total mould fest... Urgh... Sorry for that image but I'm being honest).

 

Cooking

This is super easy. Take out the pesto pot and boil the kettle.

 

Once it has boiled pour enough water in to cover the pasta layer at the bottom. Yes I know we shook it up but if your pasta hasn't fallen back down, just think of it as an imaginary fill line.

 

Then, pop the lid back on, flip the steam flap (or don't seal the lid all the way) and wait. If you like crunchy veg, this is where you stop. If you prefer a slightly softer vegetable then you can pop it in the microwave. Please only do this for a few seconds at s time though as it may try and boil over.

I didn't bother and went for the crunch option.

 

Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then stir in the pesto to thicken it up a bit.

 

EAT.

 

Also, a nice extra addition is to put some cherry tomatoes in at the end with the pesto, they warm through beautifully but I wouldn't want to cook them with everything else or I think they might go a bit mushy.

 

I would love to know if you try this and any variations you have a go at. Let me know if you do.

 

Happy munching,

Charlotte x

 

 

The Lunch Box Challenge: The Reboot

That's what cool stuff is called these days right? Reboot?

I have no idea. I'm not cool.

 

I am however, embarking on a series of posts about lunch boxes. And especially, what to put in them.

I have always been a packed lunch sort of girl. At school I took a packed lunch rather than have school dinners and even at college and university I would take food in rather than buy it when I got there. There is no point pretending this isn't because I am a but of a cheapskate.

Lunch costs.

A lot.

A modest lunch bought out will be somewhere in the region of £2 - £3.

A more exciting lunch will be nearer £5 - £7

 

Let's say you work a standard 5 day week, buy lunch every day at an average of £5 (I am allowing for a drink and a snack aswell here).

You get about 6 weeks off so that's 46 weeks of the year at £25 a week spend.

That is a massive £1150! Even if you just took one packed lunch a week you would get that down to under a grand at £920.

Which, frankly I still think is awful but then I'm not paid the mega bucks.

That is a holiday! A lovely holiday!

 

Last year I spent a month having a different thing for lunch everyday. It was tough but I did it. I tried doing that again this year in January but found that my goal to save money meant I wasn't willing to buy a lunch out when I ran out ideas at home. And I think ideas are a major part of the issue with a lunch box. Thinking of ideas is hard. And time is the other massive factor. The morning is a rush and nobody wants to have to spend loads of time preparing a lunch when they can just pop out of the office and grab something.

 

So I am going to try and put together a bank of ideas for us all to use. Ideas that are quick, easy, possibly ideas that can be made ahead of time or in bulk and above all tasty! No one wants a boring lunch after all.

 

I am planning to post a new lunch-related post each Wednesday. Sometimes it will be a recipe. Sometimes it will be snack focused. I might do lunch box reviews or what I had today type posts. We will see but keep your eyes peeled for some Mid-Week Munchies coming very soon.

 

Let's do lunch soon,

Pip pip, Charlotte xx

 

Wakefield Comic Con

 

Move over San Diego, Wakefield is joining the Comic Con scene.

 

I can't remember when I found out that Wakefield was holding a comic con. But it was a while ago.

We booked our early bird tickets, not wanting to miss out and promptly pushed it to the back of our minds. As it drew nearer, we started to think about how popular it might be and what might be happening. We couldn't really find out too much to tell. As neither myself or the boy are Facebook users, and most of the marketing seemed to be on there, we were able to gain a bit of info about who some of the celebs we're going to be, but nothing that told us how big the even was or how many people were interested.

 

The event itself was probably about the size that I was anticipating. Held in the newly renovated Unity Works it was jam packed with traders selling all kinds of different memorabilia and gift ideas and of course many, many comics.

 

In terms of popularity though, it was big. Bigger than we had thought and bigger by the slightly disorganised queue system when we arrived with our early bird tickets, bigger than Wakefield was expecting.

The early birders (who were allowed in between 10 and 12) were queuing halfway around the building when we got there at about half past. The people who wanted to get at 12 had already started a separate queue. By the time we left about two hours later that queue was gettimg close to surrounding the whole place. I think they were operating a one-in-one-out system because we were warned as we left that if we wanted to come back in we would need to queue again.

Things I wish I had done at Wakefield's Comic Con.

1. Taken more pictures. I was just a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing.
2. Taken some pictures of the Cos-Players. I'm sure they would've let me but I was too scared to ask. And also, the overwhelmed thing again.
3. Queued for the signed photos from the Red Dwarf guys, especially Robert Llewellyn. I would've liked to have told him that I have really enjoyed his News From trilogy.
4. Known more about actual comics.

 

If you have any pictures from the event, please share them or let me know where I can find them in the comments, especially the costumes. I would love to see them. One day, maybe, I wouldn't mind having a go myself!

 

I really hope that Wakefield does this again next year. It was pretty darn cool and I bet it would be even better next time.

 

I shall end this post here with a picture of the most giant inflatable Baymax, because... Baymax!

 

Pip pip,

Charlotte x