Nigella, I most certainly am not....

My Mum was a brilliant cook.  We had fresh homemade food - made from scratch everyday.  Apple pie, steak and kidney pudding, rabbit casserole, rice pudding to name but a few dishes.  I was keen to learn and would try and copy her when I was young.  But along came the '80's and with it the microwave and all of it's convenience foods.

Now, why bother to waste your time in the kitchen preparing dinner when all you have to do is pierce a couple of holes in the plastic lid and pop it in the microwave for the few minutes and.......voila! You have a tasty, ready meal for one.  Or do you?

No you don't.  And that's half the problem.  It's so easy to buy ready meals now days.  Time is short in many households and you know what it's like the kids want their dinner as soon as you walk through the door after school.

So I'm really trying to eat better, not just me the whole family but it's not easy when cooking is not really your forte is it.

So last week, I thought I'd try and make some Cornish Pasties.  I followed the recipe to the word but as I have not made pastry for nearly 28 years (since school) I flopped.  No, I flopped BIG TIME.  If we had a dog I wouldn't even have given them to him to eat.  They were awful.  Hard as nails.  Like biscuit coated mince and veg.  YUK.  So in the bin they went.....with a loud thud as they dropped to the bottom of it!

I'm now having flashes of Ria from 'Butterflies' keep coming in my mind as she was one terrible cook!

So tonight, I thought I'd get the scales and apron out again and have ago at making a Dorset Apple Bake.  Now, I was feeling a bit cocky and thought I'd add some extra ingredients - even though the recipe didn't call for it.   Why oh why did I do that?  Yes, it's edible but it would have been better without the cineman.  Then, as it was cooking, I thought I'd 'knock up' an easy cheese flan.  EASY - well that's what the recipe said (Oh, and it was from a school website for Yr 9 children, so how hard could it be??)  Well, let's just say the finished article is edible...just about.  Could have done with more cheese in it....a lot more cheese actually.

So, I'm not too dis-heartened and I will try and improve - 'cos as they say "Practice Makes Perfect" don't they.  And none of it will be wasted as I shall take it to work tomorrow and 'cos they love me they are sure to eat it.....I find the threat of a Chinese burn can work wonders too.

Have a good week.

Sue x x x