It's been Five Weeks of Rationing

Five weeks has flown by and we have both been enjoying our rations.
Grumpy Teenager has been enjoying our wartime meals alot.
Both Salem and I are still loosing weight.  I've lost 7kg in total and Salem has gone from 36kg at the start, down to 31.5kg.  He really doesn't need to loose weight but it is dropping off.
It's quite amazing as we are having full cream milk, cooking fat, butter etc.. which we never ate before.

We still aren't using much of our sugar rations and now Salem has found that he enjoys his cups of tea without sugar.  He has saved some of his lollies ration too.  My lollies don't last long at all.
We had a big spring clean (in the middle of summer) and Salem did alot of cleaning for me so I gave him half my lollie ration in payment, and it was chocolate too!!!!

We have all been enjoying the wartime recipes and Salem likes to help out with making our meals.
A big favourite with the boys is Semolina Pudding which I substitute half the milk with water and just cook it on the stove top leaving a lid on the pot and turn the heat off to finish the cooking.  Yum, yum, yum.



Semolina Pudding

Ingredients

• 600ml, 1 pint milk
• 45gm, 2-3 oz semolina
• 25gm, 1oz caster sugar
• 15g, or a knob of butter
• a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (to taste)

Making and cooking it

1. Well grease an ovenproof dish
2. Put milk into pan and heat until lukewarm
3. Sprinkle in the semolina
4. Cook slowly, stirring all the time until it comes to the boil and thickens
5. Add sugar and butter
6. Remove from the heat and pour into the ovenproof dish
7. Grate (or sprinkle ready ground) nutmeg over the top
8. Put into a moderate oven (160C or Gas 3) for 30 minutes.

Another family favourite is the Vegetable and Oatmeal Casserole.  The boys love it.
I add either a leek or an onion diced up and fry in the cooking fat until soft along with a diced up carrot and stalk of celery if I have it.  Grumpy Teenager even literally licks his plate clean.



Vegetable and Oatmeal Casserole

Ingredients

• 450g ( 1lb) mixed root vegetables
• knob of dripping
• 50g (2oz) coarse or medium oatmeal
• sprinkling of paprika
• chopped parsley and herbs to flavour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5ml (1tsp) meat extract or stock cube
• 1 pint vegetable stock

Making and cooking it

1. Peel and dice the vegetables
2. Fry in dripping until slightly cooked
3. Add the oatmeal and stir until the fat is absorbed
4. Season with paprika, herbs, salt and pepper and add the meat extract
5. Add the vegetable stock and simmer gently, covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally or it may burn on the bottom

A little corned beef, cooked meat or fish may be added at the last minute.

It doesn't look like an interesting recipe but it really is delicious.