No action just plans

I have a confession to make. I went home last night with every intention of baking something, but it didn't happen.

I got home and got to work on the finishing touches to my sister's jewellery box, which ended up taking an hour an a half which was longer than I had anticipated in my plans. Then I had to shorten the new kitchen curtain. I had already tried to do this a week ago but after shortening it based on a measurement taken from the end of the curtain, I discovered to my dismay that the curtain cannot have been the same length all the way across and still dragged on the floor in the middle. I know that I shouldn't grumble as it was a cheap curtain that had been discounted by 75% in the January sale and as it was from Matalan I did not expect it to be John Lewis quality, but WTF?  How can it be a different length in the middle than it is on the end?? So I took it down, re-pinned it with my new guess-timation of what the length should be and then hung it up again to check the length before I committed to using the needle and thread. So the taking down and pinning, and re-hanging and taking down and sewing took me a good hour (I do not have the luxury of a sewing machine so this is the good old sewing by hand). Once the curtain was up and no longer dragging on the floor, I heated up some of my divine 'Cuban Cure' soup and collapsed on the couch for some well-earned chill-time.

I did peruse my cookies, cupcakes & other tempting treats book but due to the lack of (any) butter in the house, I could not get motivated to make anything. Instead I treated myself to a long, hot bath while reading Julie & Julia and dreamed of the Spiced Pecan Cake with Pecan Icing. This cake is mentioned in the book and although I don't want to ruin it for anyone who wants to read the book and han't yet - it sounds like the sexiest cake on earth. To make and to eat and to feed to someone you are trying to seduce. So... although I am in a monogamous relationship and not trying to seduce anyone except my dear boyfriend, I want to make this cake. I am dying to make this cake. However, as it sounds huge, I need a slightly special occasion to justify taking a whole day to make a cake, so I am going to make it in February for a friend's birthday, and I can't wait!

Tonight's culinary adventure is slow-cooker pork & dumplings which has been painstakingly made by Jel, with the occasional MSN-based assistance from me. I have to admit that I am SO looking forward to going home after my gym session tonight and having dinner there, all done, ready and waiting in the slow cooker. Tomorrow morning I will be up early making the slow-cooker lamb with coriander and honey, I'm surely the half hour less in bed will totally be worth it.

Until then, happy cooking
Claire