Better than bad, it's good

During the move I bought a few books to help pass the time. It seems I get just as much fun out of reading about things as doing them. One of the books had instructions for a wooden pincushion (here is a link to the book).

I took one look and was instantly transported back in time to being a kid and watching Ren and Stimpy (for those who have no idea what I am talking about, here is a link that should explain everything). I thought how great it would be to have a log pincushion, and with a few small modifications I could have one. I mean, everyone needs a log!

Another of my achievements that I feel compelled to share is today's lunch. I am one of those people who must have a recipe to cook from and must do a specialised shop just for that recipe. I have long envied Luke who can take half a potato, some stale bread and a paperclip and create an amazing meal (which I have to say is more impressive than MacGyver defusing a bomb whilst hanging upside down under a jumbo coming in to land with nothing more than a can of hairspray, a poem about cats and a post-it note).

Anyway, so here is the picture... and because I feel like a bit of a twat for taking a photo of my lunch and posting it on the Internet (a bit like the photos of people's feet while standing in a circle around a clover daisy or the pictures of someone holding an apple while looking vacantly at something above them and slightly to their right) I thought I would include the recipe that goes with it. I call it.... Chicken Noodle Soup (because that is what it is and I am not very good with names. I was thinking of calling it "chicken and noodles with bok choi and mushrooms in a clear broth", but thought that was a bit long and slightly pretentious).

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock (make up according to directions)
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp chilli
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp lemon grass
1 chicken breast
1 packet rice noodles
sesame oil
rice wine vinegar
1 bunch bok choi, washed and chopped in large chunks
1 handful of button mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 handful of chopped spring onions
Sesame seeds to serve
Pickled ginger to serve

Instructions
1. Pour chicken stock, ginger, chilli, garlic, coriander and lemongrass into a sauce pan. Add chicken breast and cook over a high heat until chicken breast is cooked (approx 7-8 minutes).
2. Remove chicken from stock and allow to cool, keep stock mixture.
3. Cook rice noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and toss through a splash of sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.
4. Warm bok choi and mushrooms in stock mixture, remove before bok choi wilts.

To serve
Place a serve of rice noodles in the bottom of the bowl. Add shredded chicken, mushrooms and bok choi, sprinkle over spring onions. Ladle in some of the stock mixture. Sprinkle sesame seeds over everything (in the bowl obviously) and add pickled ginger on top. Serve immediately.

To keep for Ron; put all ingredients into a bowl and the stock mixture into a glass. When ready to eat, heat each separately and combine just before serving. This will prevent the noodles turning to slush.