Cookathon

Okay, I can see why I don't usually do the cooking - although hopefully if I did it more it would get better!! Leigh usually does the cooking in our house (and what a blessing!) but as it is Valentine's today, I offered to give it a go. Chicken and pancetta patties with potato rosti and roast squash, followed by a lime pie (lovers' lime pie that is...). Had a complete nightmare shopping for the ingredients - I took the afternoon off work today to make sure I got everything and was ready but I should have had the whole day!! Main problem being that nowhere seems to sell chicken mince now - what is that about?? Went to Sainbury's - no joy. Went to Morrisons and got turkey mince.. (no time to go anywhere else). Also wanted some nice candles from the candle shop in town, but that's now moved and I couldn't find the new shop!

So got home feeling rather frustrated and began my cookathon - actually everything turned out pretty well considering my cack-handed-ness (if that's a word) although I was getting increasingly concerned about the lime pie. It is a Nigel Slater recipe (and very nice too) but at varying points in it I was warned that if there any any holes AT ALL in the pastry then the filling will leak out! After cooking the pastry blind it was running with fat, and after taking out the beans and cooking a bit longer - the bottom of the pastry just ballooned up! Had absolutely no idea if that was right or not, so i just carried on and fortunately all turned out well in the end. I don't think I can take the stress though - it's almost worse than work!!!