Yummy Beef Pie

On Sunday, for lunch, I slow cooked a piece of brisket that was on special offer at the local supermarket. It was in the oven for ages in a red wine gravy with some carrots and a couple of parsnips and it emerged from the oven beautifully tender and was absolutely delicious with roast spuds, parsnips and loads of fresh veg, but, as usual I cooked for an army and there was loads and loads left. Yesterday, rather than divide the leftovers between the dogs, and in the  recently revived spirit of thrifty living, I scooped it into my trusty earthenware pie dish ........ 20p from a car boot sale a couple of years ago ....... along with the leftover stuffing, roast potatoes and parsnips and made a shortcrust pastry top to turn it into a pie. It was extremely yummy. I know that I should try to be health conscious and curb my enthusiasm for hearty pies and warming stews but quite frankly, the weather is so depressing at the moment that I just don't seem to be able to help it. Add to that some apple crumble with a big dollop of thick Jersey cream for desert and I'm a very happy bunny.

In the afternoon, I set about making some cards for the market. I realised last week that I'm very low on stock and of course, I can't make any money if I have nothing to sell. So I switched on the TV ...... I like to have something in the background that I can listen to ...... and I set to work. I love making cards. It's actually my favourite crafty thing to to do because I find it very relaxing. Kind of like when you were a child and made collages out of pasta and seashells. In fact I actually used to use seashells and sea glass, that I had collected from the beach, on some of the cards I used to make many, many years ago. Come to think of it, I can't believe I have been making cards and doing crafty stuff for such a long time. I used to have a stall at Tavistock pannier market about 17ish years ago! I even had a website! Back then though, the market stall was only once a month and it was really more of a hobby. Now I do three days a week at the market at Trerulefoot here in Cornwall and I am trying to build up my hobby into more of a little cottage industry. I'm thinking though that when, and if, spring ever arrives, I might have to take a trip to the beach and find some little shells and some lovely sea glass and once again incorporate them into my cards.