I agree about the potato along with onion... Darina Allen's advice too. I am not a great potato eater. But will put in carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato as also they thicken. At the end then the final bit is plenty of seasoning or spices/herbs to taste.... or even a bit of cream. I freeze cream in mini ...

Yes I would recommend a soup maker. It looks like a kettle and takes up same space on counter. It is really a combination of a kettle and a blender. Once the ingredients have 'brewed' it will then fine blend or chunky for you and beep to say it is done. I was impressed at how robust the design of th...

Trying to be good in the post christmas season so have got the soup maker in position and can do a mean soup in 19 mins. Yes it is easy in a pot on hob but this thing is great as can set up and go off and do something else til it 'beeps'. The minimum amount mades enough for three portions.

A jacket potato was the second thing we did in a microwave many yrs ago. Pierce a few times and wrap in kitchen paper, turn around at half way point. A couple of minutes per potato depending on size. Wrap in tin foil after and maybe sling in oven for another bit if it is 'on'

Now that the table is free again, time to crack on with those jigsaws everyone keeps giving me!

At first I did not see much there of interest. But now would recommend Banshees of Inisheerin Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri Under the Banner of Heaven I missed recording Chariots of Fire tonight but it is there on Disney Oh there is Dumbo and I never saw Bambi as a child so that is on my ...

As for sprouts it is all in the cooking! less is more!!

Loved the 1940 clip of rural Ireland. I presume they 'colorised' it? and location? Kerry?

Isha that is a good recipe for fish, good for easy cooking on hob and also for single portion. I have done it that way too and bonus is nice sauce for otherwise bland fish. Other half will only have Donegal in a coating but I am gluten free so often semi wrap salmon in foil, skin side up and bake. D...

out with the phone and and record reg and then litter.... report it!

Ah but what about Nov to Dec 26th of 2010... and January 1982 was a shocker too.

There are 'discussion' in our house about need for boiling water for tea but not for coffee!
A good feature of a kettle is the window that shows level of water and one that had a very small minimum level.

I had one of those things that stored about 3 litres of water and dispensed a cup of boiling water at the touch of a button. Might have been of use to someone with dodgy hands or eyesight probs to get a cuppa.

Do such things exist? how about one of the fancy Quooker boiling water on tap set ups? Apart from eye watering initial cost/installation, how much is the running cost? is the water kept always at boil temp should it be needed?

A wise woman once said...... nothing.

Standard kit for my kitchen is one fluffy for drying hands and 100% linen for drying items.

Ah now you are talking KHD :) ... I too am passionate about my Irish Linen teatowels and still have vintage ones back to my first house. Boyers in Dublin used to sell 'seonds' for 50 pence. I am sad to report that the Irish teatowel industry is gone. You may see Ulster Weavers and even 'by appointme...

Try County Library... I know Pearse Street library research room has old copies for Dublin,

Proud of my 'dishcloth' = made in covid of 100% cotton. It is used for wiping over counters/table. It is soaked in Milton regular to bring back its whiteness. I could live without a dishwasher but worship clothes washing machine. Dishes that are handwashed have scrubbing brush or one of those sponge...

Maybe throw in some hormone granules for root growth? Soimething similar to rooting powder for cuttings.

I agree about FB being less popular these days especially by younger folk. I use it only to keep up to date with interest groups but find it very frustrating/shallow.

I would recommend the early seasons of the Crown. Apart from the family interest, it gives excellent historical background to the 1950's. I found especially interesting the one about the background of Prince Philip.

You can get kettles that will boil a mugful at a time, regular sized not travel ones.

I miss the daily hard copy newspaper, a routine chore of day to get it home and then to read. I have read IT since when it was available at student rate many moons ago. Then the supplements would pile up unread for saved for whenever.... I enjoyed delivery to the house for a year or so, nice treat f...

Made a special plea before work commences that you need an extra dose of pain numbing gel.... and prob not a good idea to neglect cleaning for so long, that auld tartar just builds up and probably a limit to how much they can shift in one session.