More food for thought

If the Pastor dies, I confess now, it is probably MY fault! Partly because I have passed on my streaming cold to him and also because I have fed him some food which was a month past its sell-by date!

Lurking in the back of the cupboard I found a Soreen Malt Loaf which I got in a BOGOF a few weeks ago. Must have been longer ago than I thought, because it was best before JUNE 15th!

I couldn't bear the thought of wasting it, so opened the packet and found it looked and smelled OK. Sliced off a corner and tasted it, and it was a bit dry and chewy but...

Then I remembered that I'd noticed in Delia's cheat book that she had a bread&butter pud recipe involving malt loaf. That's the NEW book, on the right of the picture, not the original 1970's version on the left. I have the first one - I even prepared meals for student boyfriends from it! [p142 Cherry flan - take one sponge flan case, empty can of cherry pie filling into it, sprinkle with sherry. Except I had no any sherry which didn't really help!]

Anyway this afternoon I googled a bit and couldn't find the recipe online, for her malt loaf pud, other than a review of the new book which said "And a weird steamed pudding made from malt loaf" Did not feel like steaming, so decided to bake the pud in the oven whilst the fish was cooking.

It came out surprisingly well, and had a bizarre chocolatey-ness to it. It was rich and we have only eaten half. Here is my recipe for baked malt loaf b&b pud.

INGREDIENTS

1 soreen malt loaf [of indeterminate age!]

½pt milk

2 eggs

1 oz butter

1 tbsp demerara sugar

METHOD - preheat oven to 180'C

Slice the loaf into 8 pieces, butter sparingly. Arrange slices 'standing up' in a 1pt Pyrex loaf dish. Meanwhile, beat eggs, milk and sugar in a jug. Pour liquid over the loaf. Bake 2 minutes on High in microwave*, then bake in oven for 20 minutes. Serve with custard. [or yogurt/cream /creme fraiche/whatever]

*the microwave bit is simply to save time and energy - you could probably bake it in the oven for the whole time and allow 35 minutes.

Yesterday Steph wanted to go into the Next Clearance Shop on her way to the station, so we also went into the Aldi next door. Got these amazing noodles. They look much more sophisticated than Pot Noodles [which, I must stress, we NEVER buy!] My mother's maiden name was Spooner - so we all love Spoonerisms, and Liz and Steph always referred to those snacks as "Not Poodles"

I love the 'proper chinese-takeaway' shape of the  box, and the little picture on the other side, of chopsticks, box, and happy chinese child. Quite what they will taste like I have no idea. At least food shopping in Aldi is very thrifty!

Had a lovely phone call from a lady in Sussex this afternoon. Her church are doing "Going Bananas" as their holiday Bible Club this year - but couldn't find the video. She posted a request on the SU bulletin board, and I contacted her to say she could borrow our tape. We shared ideas and had a great conversation.

Bob's out at another meeting now - but [assuming he doesn't succumb to ptomaine poisoning or similar] should be back later for Housegroup.