The season of blah???

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Imagine what the world would be like without the varying hues of it's colour . . . . the purples . . . the yellows . . . the crimsons and the blues . . .

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How very dull and drab it would be without the colour tones that surround us each day. Oh, we may feel like we are in the season of blah . . . dull, sodden . . . cold. But there is colour there . . . if we perchance to look . . .

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Nature paints the dried seed pods and leaves that cling to bare branches . . . different hues of brown and gold . . . the odd flower that blooms in confused splendor. Has it forgotten that winter is upon us?

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So too has nature painted the shells we find strewn along a deserted beach front . . . the stones that lay all smooth and polished by the waves of the sea . . . the lichen on the rocks and drying bits of seaweed . . . the water all dark and glinting off in the distance, the tide having carried it out.

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Gemstones . . . dug out of the earth and rocks . . . they are coloured in a myriad of ways . . . even pearls come in many hues, each one soft and warmly glowing . . . sapphires of dark and light blues . . . turquoise and silver . . . coal black and purple amethyst. The beauty of a desert rose . . . in many colours . . . gypsum formed into unique and flower-like crystals between the grains of sand . . . miracles of nature.

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Even we are not the same . . . each of us bearing a different hue and colour, according to our race and genetics . . . black and white, dusky brown, blonde and brunette . . . gorgeous reds and auburns . . . freckled or not. Tall, thin . . . short and round, and everything in between.

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God carries out His colour schemes throughout the earth . . . nothing is forgotten, not even the tiny feathers of a sparrow's wing. Is it not all beautiful?

I think so . . . and I so enjoy and give thanks. There is no such thing as a season of blah . . .

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Latest news on my father is that he is now home and resting well. Apparently he called my brother to let him know he was still alive. That's great news and I just know that the prayers of you all and more throughout the world helped carry him (and us!) through this latest episode. I think I will call him myself later today just to hear his voice. I am so happy to still have him with us.

We went to post our packages at the post office yesterday and they wanted £60 for one of the packages! Outrageous. I went out and bought smaller boxes and broke it all down and in 4 smaller boxes that one box ended up only costing £20 altogether! When you are talking about the Royal Mail, size DOES matter! Lesson learnt and all the other boxes have been broken down into smaller ones as well.

This is one of Todd's favourite supper dishes. We are both potato people and so I confess to having a soft spot for it as well. Simple, comforting and warming on a cold night. We always enjoy . . .



*Potato Pie*
Serves 4 - 6
Printable Recipe

This has to be my husband’s favourite supper dish. I just can’t make it for him enough. Simple, yet hearty…there’s no need for meat. I like to serve it with buttered slices of a crusted and hearty whole wheat cobb and pickled beets. Sometimes simple really IS best.

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
½ cup milk (¼ pint)
1 ounce butter (2 TBS)
4 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)
Salt and ground white pepper to taste
2 to 3 ounces fresh white bread crumbs, lightly crisped
Melted butter to brush on top

Pre-heat oven to 205*C/425*F. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.

Drain well and mash with the milk and butter until smooth. Stir in the cheese and seasoning to taste.

Butter a square 1 ½ to 2 pint casserole dish and sprinkle with the crisped bread crumbs, pressing them to the base and sides with the back of a spoon.

Spoon the potato mixture into the dish….there is an art to this…I spoon 9 large dabs into the dish along the sides and then the rest of it into the middle…that way I can spread it into the dish evenly without disturbing the crumbs too much.

Rough up the top with the tines of a fork and brush with melted butter. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Sometimes I make a basket weave pattern on the top, depending on whatever strikes my fancy at the time.



Over in The English Kitchen today, some delicious Pear Ginger Streusel Muffins, oh so moist and spicy good!

Wednesday musings . . .

The morning comes, the drops of dew

Hang on the grass and bushes too.

The sheep more eager bite the grass

Whose moisture gleams like drops of glass;

The heifer licks in grass and dew

That make her drink and fodder too.

The little bird his morn-song gives,

His breast wet with the dripping leaves,

Then stops abruptly just to fly

And catch the wakened butterfly,

That goes to sleep behind the flowers

Or backs of leaves from dews and showers.

The yellow-hammer, haply blest,

Sits by the dyke upon her nest;

The long grass hides her from the day,

The water keeps the boys away.

The morning sun is round and red

As crimson curtains round a bed.

The dewdrops hang on barley horns

As beads the necklace thread adorns,

The dewdrops hang wheat-ears upon

Like golden drops against the sun.

Hedge-sparrows in the busy cry ‘tweet’,

O’er nests larks winnow in the wheat,

Till the sun turns gold and gets more high,

And paths are clean and grass gets dry,

And longest shadows pass away.

And brightness is the blaze of day.

~John Clark, Morning







The morning is my favourite time of day. It is so quiet, at least until the sun starts to come up. It’s a time when I can be with my own thoughts, and not have to worry about anyone else. It’s the time when my brain is at it’s best and I do my best thinking. It’s when I can pray, a one on one conversation, just me and God. It is a time for me.



Sometimes I go and sit in the garden. The air is so fresh and the grass still damp from the night-time dew. Little beads of it cling to my toes, along with errant bits of dry grass and leaves. It is a privilege to be there and hear the earth awakening, the soulful song she sings.







Who thinks the earth does not speak is deaf, for she surely speaks to me. There is a tender sigh in the sun that slowly peeks above the horizon and begins to bathe her skin in it’s golden glow and gentle warmth . . . The tickle of a laugh in the whisper of the breeze that dances upon the tops of the hedgerows and brushes against the leaves just so . . . She smiles at me in birdsong, and cloaks me in her peace . . .



There is no other time of day just like it. Tis a gift to you and to me . . .







This is the time of year that gardens are full to over-brimming with Zucchini (Courgettes) (if you are lucky enough to have a garden that is!) We have grown them several years in a row and I have no end to the ways I can find to use them up, because, as anyone who grows them knows, there is no end to the way that they grow and grow and grow, they are so prolific! In the end you give up and some of them inevitably get so big that they are of not much use at all, but thankfully that is only the few.



I try to pick them when they are smallish, only about six inches or so in length. That, to me, is when they are at their best. They are delicious stuffed with a lovely bread, cheese and onion stuffing, and then baked until tender. Lightly sautéed in a pan along with some small cherry tomatoes and bits of garlic and herb, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese . . . An Italian stir fry of sorts. I grate mounds of them and freeze them in two cup bags to bring out come winter, and bake up into lovely zucchini breads and muffins, full of spice and moist goodness.



One of my favourite ways to use them though, is this delicious casserole. My sister gave me this recipe years ago, and it’s always been one of my favourite ways to prepare it. I could eat the whole pan it is so good. It does present a bit of a challenge to me over here, because I cannot find packaged bread stuffing here like I can at home, but I have made adaptations which seem to work just as well.



This is a taste of late summer, and I never eat this, but what I don’t think of my sister and the day she introduced this tasty recipe to me. (I might add that it freezes very well, so you can make up bunches of it and freeze it in small meal size metal trays to bring out for a taste of summer in the winter as well!)







*Zucchini (Courgette) Casserole*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe



I love this casserole. It’s my favourite way to cook zucchini when it is coming out my ears. I never tire of it. You can make it totally vegetarian if you substitute the chicken soup with mushroom or celery soup. It tastes just as good!



4 medium zucchini, washed, dried and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely grated

1 tin of Campbell’s cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup of sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

6 TBS of butter, melted

2 ¼ cups of bread stuffing cubes, OR (in the UK) 2 1/4 cups of lightly crushed seasoned croutons (I like the herb and garlic ones)



Pre-heat the oven to 180° C/350° F. Lightly butter a 1 litre baking dish and set aside.



Heat a large skillet on top of the stove and add a few TBS of water. Add the zucchini and lightly sauté until crispy tender. Add the onion for the last five minutes of cooking so that it gets tender as well. Drain well in a colander. Put the drained vegetables into a large bowl and mix together with the grated carrot. Stir in the cream soup and the sour cream. Season with a bit of salt and pepper to taste.







Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Toss with the bread stuffing cubes to coat.



Layer half of the buttered crumbs in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the zucchini mixture over top and then layer the rest of the buttered crumbs on top. Cover tightly with tinfoil and then bake it in the heated oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender and the casserole is bubbly and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.







I'm cooking Beetroot over in The English Kitchen today! (And in several delicious ways too!)

The Buds of May . . . a dream come true

"Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date."
~Shakespeare

This is what I dreamed about through the long cold months of winter, sitting by the stoked up fire . . . in the bitter days of fog and frost and snow . . .

This is what I pictured in my mind's eye as I gazed through fogged up window panes . . . when it seemed as if sunny days would never come again . . .

Lupins, tinted in rainbow colours all along the flower bed . . . tulips massed together in a blazing crowd of gold and rose and red . . .



This is what I longed for when the clouds hung dark and grey in the sky . . . the glory of the garden, all fresh and beautiful in the month of May.

Peonies, with their blown bushy and colourful heads, purple irises and wallflowers lining the pathway . . .

These are the thoughts I had as I sat in front of the fireside hearth in the depth of the cold winter . . . thoughts that I imagined the whole winter through . . .



This is the golden dream I dreamed . . . and now . . . it has come true.



Our dear Lura will be returning to California from the hospital today. Please say a few extra prayers for her as the journey will be long and arduous for her. It will be good for her to be back in her own home amongst her own things and I am sure her healing will step up once this happens. I know she will be well cared for, but at the same time I know it will be very difficult for her as she is still in an incredible amount of pain and none of her ribs have healed back together yet. She needs our prayers now, more than ever. Thanks so much for your ongoing love and concern for this very special and much beloved friend.

Lura, if you read this, please know that you are being born and uplifted by the wings and love of countless prayers.

We've been trying to lighten up things around here as much as we can and here is a lovely version of Eggplant Parmesan that is quite, quite delicious! I love it when that happens! Low fat and delicious at the same time works for me!!



*Eggplant Parmesan*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a lighter version than most, sporting a low fat bechamel and baked eggplant instead of fried!

1 large eggplant (about 2 pounds), sliced into 1/2 inch crosswise slices
1 TBS olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cup of skim milk
6 TBS plain flour
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups of best quality marinara sauce
1/2 cup of grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F gas mark 8. Place the eggplant slices onto two rimmed baking sheets. Brush each side with oil and season with some salt and pepper. Bake in the heated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through the baking time and flipping the baking sheets around.

To make the bechamel, whisk together 1/2 cup of the milk, the flour and the garlic until smooth. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has thickened, some 2 to 3 minutes. It will be pink in colour.

Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a shallow 2 quart baking dish. Alternate layers of the baked eggplant with pink sauce. Dollop with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake in the upper third of the oven until browned and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

Let sit a few minutes before serving.



Cooking over in The English Kitchen today a delicious Warm Asparagus and Jersey Royal Salad with a Honey Mustard Dressing.

To calm the soul and beast . . .

"Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything."
Plato

It is a common joke in our house that oftimes, when we are watching a television program and dramatic music comes up out of nowhere, we turn to the other and ask . . . where is the orchestra hiding in that scene. I know . . . what a corny pair we are!!! Truth is, were it not for the music in some shows, you would not be able to feel whatever it is that the director is wanting you to sense . . .



I love music and often spend my time plugged into my discman when I am working. I have my favourites that I like to listen to as I putter away . . . such as Mindy Gledhill and Take That . . . they are like the soundtrack to my artwork.

Sometimes if I am in a reflective mood I will pop in Barbara Streisand's greatest hits, or a collection of National Trust Country walk discs we own.



In the car we like to listen to good old Country music. I think every journey we've ever taken, has been taken along with Dolly, Merle and Kenny, with a bit of Taylor Swift thrown in for good measure.



On the way to church on Sunday mornings we listen to a lovely album from the Tabernacle choir entitled, Heaven Song. It is beautiful and puts us in exactly the right frame of mind for worship. In fact, I often listen to it during the week as well . . . along with other Gospel music which I have in my collection. When I was working at the manor, I had gospel and uplifting music on my ipod that I listened to as I went about my duties. There were many times during the last year I worked there, which was particularly difficult for me . . . that I felt carried and uplifted through my hours of work and the demeaning atmosphere I was working in, by the positivity and inspiring nature of the music on my ipod. Many times I felt the hand of the Lord on my shoulder and His love for me . . . it truly helped to get me through days and nights where I only wanted to sit down and cry. It helped me to remember who I was.



I often put on Classic FM and just sit on the sofa with my eyes closed . . . letting the music carry me away to another realm of existance . . . there is no need for words . . . the melodies paint beautiful and soulful pictures in my mind. Oh, I do love those special journies so much . . . journies taken with a bumble bee as it buzzes through the garden, or a sailing ship as it sails the waves, or just wandering through a field of corn . . .

I think I could live without the television, and even without the computer if I had to . . . but I would have a very difficult time living without music in my life. I has followed me all the days of my life, and all I need to do is to listen to a particular piece and I am transported back to certain years and occasions . . . a special soundtrack that has catalogued all the events of my life . . . the good and the bad and everything in between.



I have an appreciation for it that knows no boundaries . . . well, except for rap music that is. I reckon there is a reason that rap rhymes with crap . . . but that it just me. That is the one type of music I have never been able to develop a taste for as a whole, and somehow . . . I just can't see it happening now! Heavy Metal also does my head in . . . just sayin . . .

Here's a tasty recipe from the archives of my Big Blue Binder. I can't remember where I got it from originally, but I have had it for years. It's great to take to church suppers and is always one of the first dishes to disappear. It's wonderful to make when you have lots of leftover ham you want to use up. I sometimes even go out and buy a big slab of ham specifically just to make this. You want a nice flavoured sausage meat to use in this. The leftovers make wonderful sandwiches!



*Church Supper Ham Loaf*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe

This is another tasty offering from my big blue binder. Perfect for when you have lots of leftover baked ham to use up. I sometimes even buy a pound of ham from the deli to use for this, for special occasions.

1 pound baked ham, ground, at room temperature
1 pound lean sausage meat, at room temperature
2 cups of soft fresh bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 cup of sour cream
1/3 cup of finely chopped onions
2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp of paprika

For the Basting Sauce:
1 cup of soft light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of cider vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with deep sides and set aside.

Using a light touch, thoroughly combine the meats and bread crumbs. Beat the eggs together with the sour cream and seasonings, the onion and lemon juice. Mix this mixture into the meat/breadcrumb mixture, combing thoroughly. Shape into a loaf and then place into the prepared pan. (I usually line a loaf pan with cling film, pack the meat mixture in and then dump it out into the baking pan.)

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat that has accumulated.

Combine all the basting sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour this over the hot loaf and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, basting it regularly with the pan juices, until the loaf is cooked through and well glazed.

Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Cut into slices to serve, with a bit of the basting sauce spooned over top.



Over in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Onion and Mustard Sauce to serve with bacon, gammon (ham) or fish, or corned or spiced beef!

Friday this and that . . .

There's a banner of green in the hedgerow now,
There's a flicker of Spring in the air;
There's a chatter of birds in the tree-top bough,
And the earth's waking up everywhere!
There's a smile in the sky, as a puffball cloud
Sails by on it's platter of blue . . .
There's a promise of hope, in the green shoots proud,
And there's Spring, in the first morning dew.
~Elizabeth Gozney

Spring, spring, spring! I know now why Todd loves Spring most of all. Over in Canada, Spring is quite different. There is usually still a ton of snow on the ground when it arrives . . . all dirty and yukky, and the ground gets so muddy. Here it's a quite different feeling, and I quite like it myself.



When I was a child at school, these few weeks before the official arrival of spring we would be busy colouring in pictures of frolicking sheep and daffodils to decorate the classroom walls, even though it would be weeks and weeks before we saw the daffodils and we never saw the sheep at all . . . unless you were lucky enough to live on or near a sheep farm! Here in the UK, already now, all the verges and traffic circles are filling up with blooming daffs and I can well imagine that up near Ullswater in the Lake District it is a riot of yellow bobbing blooms . . . that is where Wordsworth penned his famous poem about Daffodils . . .



I got a lovely package in the post a few days ago. My friend Cyndy told me that she had picked me up something yonks ago that reminded her of me and she had popped it into the post. Inside I found this lovely Kitchen Angel. I think it's just beautiful and not the least because it came from a friend! That makes it even more so!

And just what would spring be without a few sniffles? Well, I even have those! Not that I am rejoicing in them . . . I'm just sayin, is all . . . my own fault really. I went to the chapel one night last week for the second part of my Temple Recommend interview and the fella who interviewed me was coughing and sneezing, and told me he was just getting over a really bad cold. I had the distinct feeling as we shook hands at the end of it that I needed to go wash my hands right away . . . I didn't . . . so now I have the sniffles. C'est la vie!



Now that I have a grand daughter I have the opportunity to make a special doll and I think I will start one soon. This one will be the most special of all as it will be going to family. I also have a few sock monkey's to make. There is such a special feeling involved when you are creating something for a grandchild I think . . . my friend Lura, has created beautiful dresses for all of her grand daughters for their Baptism's, wonderful labours of love. I won't be able to do that, but I can certainly create for each of my much loved grandchildren something quite unique for only them . . . a special legacy as it were, tangible and huggable too!



Something else that arrived in the post this week. This adorable little puppy that I bought from an Esty seller, SendSunshine. She needlefelts the most beautiful little animals. Isn't this adorable. I feel a story coming on! All of her creations are so sweet and adorable. There's just so many talented people out in this world. We all have special and unique talents you know. They might not always be as obvious as this, but they are there all the same!

Well, I am just beginning to prattle now so I'll end this with the recipe that I have for you today. Delicious Panini sandwiches for your lunch today! Mmm . . . mmm . . . good!!



*Bacon and Mozarella Panini*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I suppose you could skip the faff of baking the dough, and cutting it into squares and just make this into a pizza by plunking all the filling ingredients on top of the crust and baking it like a pizza, but really . . . do take the effort to make the sandwiches. They are oh-so-scrummy!

a refrigerated pizza crust dough
4 tsp basil pesto
1/4 cup Caesar salad dressing
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and
cut into 8 slices, or 8 slices of regular mozzarella cheese
freshly groudn black pepper
12 slices of cooked smoked streaky bacon
2 ripe plum tomatoes
8 large fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup of butter

Preheat oven to 190*C/375*F. Spray large cookie sheet with oil or cooking spray. Unroll the pizza crust dough onto cookie sheet, pressingg the dough into a 16x11-inch rectangle, pulling gently if necessary. Bake 9 to 16 minutes or until light brown. Cool about 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle.


Cut the cooled pizza crust in half lengthwise and crosswise to make 4 rectangles. Remove rectangles from cookie sheet, cutting each rectangle in half crosswise for a total of 8 squares.

On each of 4 crust squares, spread 1 teaspoon pesto and then set aside. On each of remaining 4 squares, spread 1 tablespoon Caesar dressing. Place 2 cheese slices on each, on top of the Caesar dressing. Top the cheese with a grating of pepper, 3 bacon slices, 2 tomato slices and 2 basil leaves. Top with remaining crust slices, pesto side down.

Heat 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet. When the butter is foaming place 2 sandwiches in skillet. Place smaller skillet or saucepan on sandwiches to flatten slightly. Keep the weight on the sandwiches while cooking. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until the sandwiches are golden brown and crisp, and fillings are heated. Remove from skillet and cover with foil to keep warm while you make the remaining two sandwiches. Repeat using the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sandwiches. Serve immediately.



Over in The English Kitchen today there's Clean Out The Fridge Soup!

Bloom . . .

“And the day came when the risk (it took) to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
~Anais Nin

For years I resisted change because I was afraid that growth was always a painful process. I guess it had seemed that most of the lessons I had learned in life, and my opportunities to grow had always been accompanied with a lot of agro and misery. It suddenly occurred to me though that in resisting change and growth, I was also wasting a lot of time, creative energy and emotion. Things that could be better spent on other things.

Why does change come with such difficulty? Why do we allow ourselves to become stuck in ruts? I think the greatest stumbling block to freeing ourselves from these chains is fear. Fear of change, fear of stepping out into the unknown, fear of judgement, fear of failure . . . In giving in to our fear, I think we fail ourselves. I think we prevent ourselves from becoming and being the best that we can be. The whole reason for our presence here on earth is to grow and stretch, and to become the best that we can be. We cannot do that without expanding our boundaries.



There is a scripture that says that in our weakness we are made strong. Who has not heard the story of the old man and the butterfly. An old man was once watching a butterfly struggle to emerge from it’s cocoon. As he watched it struggle frantically in it’s cocoon to free itself, he began to feel sorry for it. It was working so hard, and seemingly getting nowhere. He thought to help it a bit by taking a pair of scissors and cutting it free. When he had done, so the butterfly lay there limp and unable to fly. In his eagerness to help, the man had missed the great secret to a butterfly’s strength, for it is in the struggle to free itself from the cocoon that the butterfly strengthens it’s wings enough to be able to actually fly.



And so it is with life. It is through the struggles and the agonies we suffer that we too are made strong and beautiful. It is in the growth that we learn and evolve and become what we were truly sent here to become. Change is not always bad. We need to exercise our wings and break free from our cocoons. It truly is a good thing.

I know it is late in the year, but, if you can, try to find one perfect rosebud in your garden or at a flower shop if need be. Pick it and place it in a small vase on your desk or night table. Watch it bloom. “Each blade of grass has it’s Angel that bends over it and whispers, “Grow, grow.”’ We are likewise blessed. Let us listen to it’s voice and bloom where we are planted.



I always have a few tins of salmon or tuna in my larder. They always come in handy when I feel uninspired and have to come up with a quick meal on the spur of the moment. This is one of our long time favourites.



*Salmon Loaf*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This is a wonderful recipe I have been making throughout all of my cooking life. It was my mother’s recipe and most likely my grandmother’s as well. I expect it probably came from off of a tin of salmon at one time. It’s delicious. I like to serve it with a cucumber sauce. (see below)

1 large tin of salmon
½ cup milk
3 cups soft bread crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
1/3 cup of the juice from the salmon tin
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 TBS finely chopped onion
The juice of one small lemon
½ tsp hot pepper sauce
½ tsp of salt
A good grinding of black pepper
1 tsp dill weed
3 egg whites, beaten stiff

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5. Grease a loaf tin really well and set aside.

Drain the salmon, reserving the liquid. Remove as much skin and bone from the salmon as you can and then mash it really well.Scald the milk and add the breadcrumbs. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the salmon liquid and beat smooth. Stir in the beaten egg yolks, minced onion, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, hot pepper sauce and dillweed. Mix it all in thoroughly. Fold in the egg whites.

Spread into the greased loaf pan. Bake in the heated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until firm to the touch and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before loosening from the pan and cutting into slices to serve.

Serve with the cucumber sauce below or creamed peas if you wish.

*Cucumber Sauce*
Makes 2 cups

This is a lovely sauce that goes very well with fish of all kinds.
¼ cup butter
¼ cup plain flour
2 cups milk
1 ½ cups grated unpeeled Englishcucumber
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dill weed

Put the grated cucumber into a colander and drain it while you make the rest of the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for about one minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Stir constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in the salt, cayenne and dill weed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add the grated cucumber, blending it in well. Serve.



And in The English Kitchen today, scrummy Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Muffins