Rice bread

I am a creature of habit. Yesterday, making supper after getting back at about 10pm, I put rice on to cook - the same amount I would normally use for the two of us. I ate, fell into bed, and came down this morning to find the kitchen scented with basmati rice, as I had failed to wash up. The chickens will love to eat these leftovers, but I thought I'd use them up to make a rice loaf. It's in the machine now, so that it will be ready to eat when I get home.

On the other hand, not all my habits are so thoughtless. I like to get at least a little organised for supper during the morning, and these past few days have underlined the importance of this in avoiding last-minute shopping for junk foods. Yesterday morning, I spent a few minutes making a lovely lentil stew, one Fiona at Cottage Smallholder has posted about a couple of times. She says it's originally a Jane Grigson recipe, and I'll look it up when I've got a bit of time (all this driving to Oxford steals any free time there might be). It's the first part of a vegetarian mousssaka, but I didn't get that far with it. I'll post about this in the next couple of days, but in the meantime, here's the link. Delicious, quick, easy, cheap.

Sorry - once again, no photos, no time. Next week.


Rice bread

I'm making this in the machine, but it shouldn't be a problem to mix it up by hand and let it rise once or twice.

1/2 tsp easy blend yeast
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt
350g good white bread flour
115g cooked rice (dry)
1 tbp skimmed milk powder
1 egg (no need to mix this)
a glug of olive oil
180ml water

I used my basic setting, small loaf, medium crust. It'll be ready when I get home this evening.

This is adapted from Jennie Shapter's Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook which I bought in the Oxfam shop a couple of weeks ago. It's the first time I've baked from it.