TFL to displacement activity cooking

Partly triggered by ideas from Clarissa, I committed two experiments yesterday, both edible.

One was to add raw chopped onions to fishcake mixture  l was already toying with using sweet potatoes rather than white. And  I  went and added in a handful of raw spinach. An egg, baharat, salt. Small can of tuna, drained.

I don't deep fat fry, but I sort of roasted the cakes at 400°f on an oiled baking sheet. About half an hour, turned midway 

Pretty good supper. Interesting combo of flavors. I wondered if the sweet potato would work, and it did. The onions and spinach cooked through. This beats deep fat frying, which I don't like doing

Then Clarissa made a great tart crust using just ground almonds, caster sugar and one egg white. 

So I tried that, because it was a chance to do something I've had in mind for ages, using the upside down nonstick muffin pan to form pastry shells.

But I found that my dough was way too sticky to work. I'd ground regular sugar to make caster, and whole almonds. Almonds vary, eggs vary, and she was pressing hers into a fluted pan, not rolling it. Anyway I added flour until the dough was dough, used a crumpet ring to cut out circles, and see how it went

350°f about 25 minutes, left them to cool in place.

Then lifted them off, sampled the little one. Really nice. Very crunchy, not too sweet,  good almond flavor. 

So these are now in an air tight container until I get the ingredients for filling them. I hadn't thought that far. Ran out of sugar, a first, so the rest is on hold till reinforcements arrive.

I'm really pleased with the upside down pan idea, not mine, saw it somewhere. Next time, to get a shallower shell, I can use a smaller cutter. I'm definitely doing this again.

And I've been studying toilet replacement parts for the leaking unit upstairs. I think it may be possible for Gary to fix it if he ever gets time again. 

We both suspect the base gasket of needing to he replaced. I can't do that, since it entails unscrewing all the works and lifting off the tank, a bit beyond my strength.  But since it leaks only when flushing, we both think some seal isn't functioning under pressure. With luck I won't need a plumber. 

Then the overhead light he fixed for me downstairs jumped off the clips holding it in place. Twice. I think it's a lousy design, and I'm ordering a different, bigger light with a different installation design. I can't keep asking him to run in and snap it in place again!

I haven't seen him for a week to talk to, but I think I'll go ahead, order the new one, and ask him to install it. Then when he unhooks the first light which is now hanging down, but light in weight, not dangerous, I can return it for a refund. And maybe it will all stay fixed. 

I feel better now I've made a couple of decisions. Action always helps my frame of mind.