Must Have Kitchen Gadgets For Women...

Today, as I was baking, I made a list of all the kitchen gadgets a modern woman needs, especially in aiding the cooking and baking to be done quicker so she can get on with writing.

Firstly, a woman needs a slow cooker (mine is a Crock Pot - you can start it off on the hob, or even put it in the oven). This way dinner can be cooking whilst you're writing, or rushing around after the kids.

You also need a Kenwood - especially if you're a keen baker because you just chuck it all in and it mixes! I have fond memories of my mum's Kenwood, and I invested in mine a couple of years ago and have not regretted paying the extra money for it.

Plus some decent scales and a recipe book holder are handy!


But most importantly, every good woman needs in the kitchen ...

... a sexy chef who goes around only wearing an apron.

::: sigh :::

Haven't got one of those yet! Damn it!

Slow Cooker Writing

Today I got to try out my crock pot!  This morning, I put it on the hob, and did the recipe as I would do, only not bothering to cook the meat through... just browning it a little and breaking up the mince.  Once all the ingredients were nicely mixed I put it onto the slow cooker part and cooked on low. 

This afternoon, once I'd picked my son up from school I had an hour to just relax, get bits and pieces done, but not stress about the dinner.  It was lovely.

All day I had to resist the urge to lift up the lid - though I did later on to give it all a bit of a stir.  And because there is no light, I wasn't sure if it was on at first.  But being new, I got that new burning kind of smell but later the lamb curry was wafting through my house.  Yum!

Came in from 'Stars In Training', switched the slow cooker to warm, cooked the rice - and dinner was ready.  Actually handy, as I could serve mine and the kids tea up and leave hubby's until he got in.

In other news:  Been trying to finish Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide (so that it's another book down for the year!) and catch up on my reading (after being ill over the weekend I've been slacking).  The back bit is advice from other writers.  Funny how their ideas can stem from all sorts.  As I read I'm thinking, yes, that's me too!  They all say keep writing and persevere.

Tonight I am hoping I've finished my 6th Assignment.  I hope so (it's been quite painful!).  Will let it rest tonight and look again tomorrow, but then I will send it off and not tackle Assignment 7 until January 2011.  That way I'll be allowed the rest of the year (basically December) to work on my novel that I started for Mills and Boon.  It's working title is The Wedding Favour, though I'm not overly sure whether to keep it or not.  I like it... but not sure about the 'wedding' part.  But writing advice I was reading tonight says to write the draft to the end and that's what I want to do.  Then I'll print it off and go through it and see where it needs fattening up, fleshing out and where to get some emotion into it.  I'm still worried my conflict is a bit weak.   Does the hero have enough of a reason not to pursue?  Is it realistic his reasons?

But I've decided I'd like to see this story finished by the summer and at a level I'm happy with, I might be able think about submitting it to publishers or something... all seems too scary to really think about it.  But it's the only way I'm going to get on this bandwagon.

Also need to send off another short story to another competition somewhere, so that is likely to be December's job too. No rest for a writer... even an unpublished one.

All I Need - Another Recipe Book!

Crock Pot!

This is either really sad, or a sure sign that I've run out of things to write about, or as most of you may know, I'm a bit nuts. 

Yes, I'm going to ramble on about my slow cooker that now has a place in my kitchen.  Tiny bit of reorganising and we got it in there.  It's near an electrical point, easy to just pull out, add my ingredients and leave it sat there.

For those of you who may have set foot in my kitchen, yes, it is a lovely large size.  However, when hubby and I were looking at the house to buy, we were so enamoured with its size, we forgot to really look at it more deeply.  It desperately needs refurbishing.  It's the original kitchen to the house, so probably over 20 years old now and well, cupboards are falling off hinges.  But a kitchen this size, which needs completely ripping out, will cost us so much money - and will be a big job.  I keep think I'll get these things when I get my new kitchen, but I might not get a 'new' kitchen for another ten years yet (gosh, I hope it's not that long!). 


The reason for the slow cooker is that I realised I needed to make more use of my time.  And sometimes, like on Wednesdays, I have more time in the morning, than I do in the afternoon with all the running around.  Might even enable me to write more if I put my time to better use.  (I'm hoping for some time management miracle!)  I intend to try and use my crock pot at least once a week.


So now I need a recipe book, and I'd said after last Christmas I don't want any more!  Can you have too many recipe books?  I always say that if you get at least one recipe out of a book, then it's worth keeping.

I use my Tana Ramsay Real Family Food, and my Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food all the time - they're my kitchen bibles.  Jamie has given me a good basic stew recipe which I play around with - so that can go in the crock pot.  And the good thing is, this can sauté on the hob first.  That's why I bought it!  It can even go in the oven, if I really need it to.

I do a lamb curry in Tana's book which is GORGEOUS and can probably do that in the slow cooker.  Plus I've heard spag bol, chilli...  But I welcome all hints and tips in using my little slow cooker!  Any recipes! 

Oh and I could even do my Delia's beef in cider (another GREAT dish).

Can't wait till next week when I get to use it - Wednesday - Lamb curry on the meal plan.

So now I've managed to make room for my slow cooker, I need to find some space for a bread maker....  Why wait for this new kitchen - huh?