Ross-on-Wye Yarn Bombing and Homemade Vegetable Pasta Bake

I think it must have been some time last year in July, that D and myself went to the market town of Ross-on-Wye.  Lockdown restrictions had eased and we were beginning to feel a tad comfortable going out and about again, playing tourists.

As we walked around, we noticed that post boxes, bollards, street signs and lamp posts in the town centre had  been yarn bombed by some local guerrilla knitters. 

Here are a handful that I managed to get photographs of. 

We had a poke around in some of the independent shops.  

We didn't purchase much, maybe a book that had vintage music posters.  To be honest, with a puppy it was proving difficult to go into shops.  When i did, the pup barked, when D went in the pup barked.  He just did not like be apart from either of us, even though there was only a door between us.

The town centre got considerably busy the longer we stayed; and our pup was finding it a bit overwhelming and to be truthful, so was I.    

So we took a gentle walk along the river Wye for the puppy to stretch his legs (but still on a lead). 

So now onto the homemade Pasta Bake.  

This is perhaps one of the easiest Vegetable Pasta Bakes to make.  

I made the tomato sauce for the pasta bake from scratch, but if you want you can use ready made or passata even.  Stir in the cooked macaroni pasta and chopped vegetables: mushrooms, red pepper and spring onions; and for some piquancy capers and black olives. Served like this, its good as a Pasta Salad: warm or cold; or Sprinkle the top with grated cheddar cheese and bake!  

I am sharing this Vegetable Pasta Bake with Souper Sundays for Soup, Salad and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen. 

Colourful Painted Pebbles and Caponata

Some time last year when we went exploring other parts of Wales around us, especially as we now had a growing puppy and always looking for more exploratory places to walk.

We stumbled upon these painted pebbles garden on one our forest walks. 

It was wonderful and i could have hung around this area a bit longer, and took time taking pictures of those that I favoured, maybe next time. 

I have always wanted to paint pebbles. I had hoped it to have been one of the hobbies i picked up during the pandemic, but no new hobbies, partly because of my four legged friend, but mostly for other reasons.  Maybe one day, i'll get to have a go at creating some of my own.  

Some recipes fall out of favour, either they become old fashioned or overtaken by other food trends. A bit like this Caponata that I made about four months ago when we had aubergines grown in the greenhouse.  

I was reminded of Caponata  a Sicilian dish made up of aubergine, peppers and olives after having seen it featured on some repeat TV celebrity cookery show and it got my mouth watering.  So much so that I was inspired me to make use of the homegrown aubergine this way.

 

It was worth making.  It was really good and made for a lovely light snack.  I especially loved how the vinegar penetrated the spongy white flesh of the chopped aubergine elevating it to something quite delicious.  Sweetness from the red peppers and tomatoes, and piquancy from capers and black and green olives.  

Sicilian Caponata

Serves 4 - 6 

Ingredients

2 large aubergines, cut into cubes

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 x400g tinned tomatoes, crushed or blitzed

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 red peppers, thinly sliced

50g capers, minced

50 black olives, pitted

50g green olives, pitted

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Saute the onion in the olive until soft and translucent. Stir in the aubergines and cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes.

Then add in the the white wine vinegar over the aubergines, then add blitzed tomato puree, red peppers, capers, and olives. 

Cover and cook gently over low heat until the vegetables are tender.  

Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the parsley. 

Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and set aside to cool.  

New Year but still much the same

Happy New Year.

It's been nearly two months since i blogged. I am not going to make excuses, my heart and mind are just is not in the same place, as it was when i first started blogging over a decade ago.  

Also nearly two years on: we are all still living through a pandemic; and every day is day to be grateful for and not to take anything or anyone for granted.  

I am not one for reflecting or making New Year resolutions, partly because i learned long ago that I was never good at keeping them, but there are two things that I intend to abide by.  To reconnect and continue to make new connections; and to ensure i take regular breaks whilst doing my day job.  I give it too much of me, and it gives me very little in return these days. 

It was another quiet festive holiday. Just D and me for our vegetarian Christmas Roast dinner and yes, of course our new fur friend who is now nearly 10 months.  I did have a go at making my own festive wreath for the first time.  I made it with seasonal leafy greens picked up from our forest walks with the puppy.  There were no red berries to be seen, so i decided to use the ornamental red chillies in the garden that were beginning to wane now.  My festive wreath was not abundant, but i was rather pleased with how it adorned our front door. 

I should let you know that I have not been doing any fancy or new experimental cooking.  Its another reason for the lack of blogging (not much to share); as well as feeling lethargic and brain fog. But what i have made regularly, are firm favourites that we return to often, many of which have been shared in my decade of blogging. 

There was plenty of cheese, crackers, olives, stuffed peppers, grapes, berry fruit and savoury snacks and a pumpkin feta pie in the centre garnished with pumpkin seeds.  

This cheese tray was brought over by my nephew and his partner O one evening.  It was such a delight to have guests, i nearly forgotten how it felt like to have people over. I know Sherry of Sherry's Pickings is taking a restful blog break from hosting In My Kitchen series, but I thought I'd still share a handful of things given to me over the festive season.  

My brother and niece came by briefly with pile high gifts. I was gifted lots of chocolate that D mostly ate. Tins with baking ingredients to make cupcakes, brownies and flapjacks. D got a jumper and socks!  You will also note some non-fiction books and a Nina Simone CD in the image above. These were gifted to me by D. I had watched 'Summer of Soul: Or When the Revolution Could not be Televised' and was reminded of the power of her words and songs. 

Okay, enough about me - how are my lovely and loyal readers doing? I will try and come by your blogs soon.