What is the deal on anti-bac?

OK, I would like someone to give me the answer to this, please.

I grew up without anti-bacterial soap, kitchen cleaner and dish washing liquid. I did not have a pile of infections. In fact I may not have had any to speak of, leaving aside the time we camped together with a massive group of folks in a muddy field, and one toilet, and you do not want anymore details than that!! I have just completed in the last six months the food hygiene course and it is anti-bacterial all the way, and yep it kills those nasty germs but not all of them. (So beware!!)

Do we need antibacterial everything or is it about good hand washing with some soap? Basic good hygiene practises? Will good ol' soap and water do it?

Maladjustment and soap.

We have lived in our house now for four years. I so dislike my narrow rectangular kitchen and dream for a large square one. We arranged the microwave and stuff the day we moved in and have lived with it like that ever since I guess just thinking that we had made the best decision for the kitchen, based on the space on the counter tops we had. On Friday I was walking through the kitchen and it suddenly hit me......if I moved that there and that there and then that to over there we could double our usable working space. This may sound sad but I have been excited about our kitchen over the last few days. It is so improved.

It got me thinking that often we just live with things because we have got so used to looking at them, responding to them, in the same way. We miss out on challenge and improvement and settle for the OK in our own lives. We accept things that are not in actual fact unacceptable in our communities and our world at large just because we have looked and listened for so long we have stopped hearing and seeing the truth. I renew my commitment to maladjustment.

I am happy to share my shortbread recipe with anyone who wants it. I am also away to work on a shower gel recipe. Take one bar of pure olive oil soap, (smells interesting!?!), grate, add boiling water and essential oil of your choice. (Dearly hope this bit works!!) Will let you know how it goes, or those who live in closer proximity to me, may well be letting me know!!

One of the highlights of our holiday season for the last couple of years has been opening our church on New Years Day to folks who may need some company, some warmth and some nutritious food. Many folks had cooked up a storm and I was part of the kitchen team who made sure all was to temperature and fit for serving.(The joys of regulations!) It was great to see and hear the buzz around the place. Over 30 folks we trust found something to make that day a little easier. For me it is good to start the year with a real outward focus. And it reconfirms my commitment to maladjustment.
I also discovered a shortbread recipe that will forever be the one I use and am happy to share. I made it first for friends and family on Hogmany. Ok. I made it next for friends on the 2nd. Excellent and even better for the fact I made scones too so we have eaten shortbread for days.
We attempted a jerk ham. It was a real project and the results were good but like the shortbread we need an excuse for round two. The clootie dumpling however being on round 9 was just sooooo good but needs to be bigger. If you are catering for folks then a rule of mine is that there has to be left overs, and definitely of clootie dumpling.
I just do not get why when I can cook pretty well and why when we have very little junk in our house (shortbread being high quality of course!!) buddy boy (a fit and healthy three year old) had such a limited diet. "Don't like it" is the answer for everything new. All fruit and veg. He will do peas (around 10) and endless baked beans. He will scrape any sign of sauce from his spaghetti! I used to be one of these people who was pretty disparaging about parents whose children developed these kind of habits. Yes, I know at some point I took a step or two wrong but really, honestly and truly I am not lazy, lacking in will or imagination.
So the next few days I plan to set us out on a new approach, using the ideas in Deceptively Delicious and the Sneaky chef. I am determined meal times will not be a battle ground because that works for no one. We just need to decide exactly which of the three or four ideas we are going to follow........ !

New Year's resolutions!!

Happy New Year to you!! May this be one of many blessings.

I am not one for setting New Years resolutions. This year will not be any different seeing as I set myself some hefty challenges during the summer. There is enough exploring, and thinking, and committing to, in these for another year I reckon.

The only non resolution I am making is to try to make time for some quiet in life, some time for reflection, some time for thought. I am calling it a non resolution because in actual fact it is a necessity. Giving up on January 15th is not an option.