Pen-pals and Yorkshires

I had a good weekend, don't know about anyone else but mine was fine. I cooked a rather scrummy roast beef dinner on Saturday for Sister, I even made Gluten and dairy free Yorkshire puddings, I was impressed with that I can tell you. I have never yet managed these delicious morsels and to be honest I thought I never would, but I did. I am getting more experimental with my use of flours as I get used to the various different ones and how they work. You could say it was a labour of love. Husband certainly thought so, apparently I can now make a large one filled with meat and gravy, I say give me a chance! It could have been a fluke you know, I think I may need to consumer taste test a few more batches just to make sure.....Although, I could be tempted to go for a Toad in the hole....hmmmmm. Ponder, ponder.

Whilst I was killing time on the internet the other day I was commenting on Various Facebook statuses, from people I rarely see and who some I might never see again and strolling through a craft talk forum and making friends. I like this idea of cyber friends, don't get me wrong I like real friends too, but sometimes when making real friends is harder than it appears the cyber life proves a good substitute. I know some people out there, (strange ones I am sure) do not "get" Facebook or do not choose to have a life on-line.... I am genuinely puzzled by this, my whole life these days seems to be on-line whether it is my calendar, linked to both Mother's and Husband's, to my contacts linked to a Google account and Facebook or my random outpourings on this blog, my banking, my shopping Sainsburys and frivolous alike. I find comfort in the fact that when my M.E keeps from  joining the big wide world that I do not miss out on the aspects of life that other's may take for granted. If I did not have the internet I would not be able to do food shopping on my own, I would not easily see the pictures of my gorgeous grandchildren, I would not be able to make friends and share my passions, I would, in a word, be lonely. Now isn't that a thought for all those that decry the internet?

Do you remember those days at school that we were made to write to strangers in letters, pen-pals, from this country or from others, offering up insights into our lives and the details of what we were doing? We didn't know these people and in some cases we had nothing in common with them yet it was an acceptable way of doing things. What are Facebook and forums but a large gathering of pen-pals? Slightly more instant admittedly, and yes sometimes I do miss the excitement of receiving a letter but it is slowly being supplanted by the excitement of an instant response of an e-mail. Yes! I have mail.



Gluten and Dairy free Yorkshire puddings

This is adapted from a recipe on the net, I haven't followed it slavishly and have changed a couple of things so I cannot claim credit for it all to myself.

50g white rice flour
50g tapioca flour
a good pinch of slat
2 eggs
150ml unsweetened soya milk
150ml water
10g dairy free marg melted and cooled
oil/veg shortening  for greasing

Oven  230C gas 8

Mix together the milk and water.

Sift the flours and salt into a bowl
Add in the eggs and whilst whisking add half the milk and water mixture making sure all the flour is mixed in, add the remaining liquid and cooled marg and stand for an hour. After this time it will need stirring as the flour sinks.

Alternatively you could just bung it all in a food processor or liquidiser and blitz until all mixed.

Pre heat the oven, either grease bun tins with sunflower oil or place a small amount of lard or shortening in each one and heat until almost smoking. When hot enough pour in the batter and fill each cup to 2/3 full.

Bake for approx 20-25 mins.

Remove, devour.

Bear in mind that gf flours do not brown as much as normal flours, so your puds will be paler.