Friday Night With Friends and More Camp Oven Cooking

Friday was the evening, arranged by Cheryll, to stitch with all the other girls.  For a change, I was quite productive.

It was a good opportunity to make a start on some Santa Sacks to send to Jan Mac.  

I have quite a supply of Christmas fabrics and ribbons, some of which have been sitting there for a while, so this is a great way to make use of them.

Over the last little while, my Janome sewing machine has been giving me some grief with tension and being a bit noisy. it was a bit worse on Friday night, so in the end, I have packed her away until I can have her serviced.  Hopefully, that will be in mid October, when things start to open up again.  

I decided that Mum's Elna could do with a bit of a work out.  I haven't used this machine very much, as Mum and Dad gave me my little Elna Stella shortly after Mum bought this machine.  It was a bit stiff to start with, but after it warmed up, it ran like a dream.  It's good to get the old girls out occasionally and give them a run.  My Stella will be next in line.

I ended up with five Santa Sacks.  The sizes varied according to what fabric pieces I had.  My plan is to fill a prepaid 5kg post pack with as many as will fit.  I thought this may fill it, but there is still loads of room, so more to make.  Not a problem, as I still have plenty of fabric and ribbon.

We've been having a bit more of a play with the camp oven. 

I was going to make some rock cakes, so why not make them in the twelve inch camp oven?  

A trivet would be good, but the one we have is one Mick made for the ten inch oven.  I know, there is an old cake cooling rack in a drawer in the kitchen.  Let's try that.  Made to measure.  Bonus!

Now having the twelve inch oven as well is very handy, as the bigger size if much better for some things.  Best of all, the smaller one nests nicely in the larger one for storage.

Using the heat beads has been great, as we have been able to cook in the shed, out of the rain that kept blowing across.

The mix fitted perfectly in the oven.

Half an hour later they were ready to eat.

I think you could say that is another success.

Next, to try some roast lamb for dinner last night.

Rolled leg of lamb, ready to go, with rosemary and garlic. No water or oil.

One hour in, starting to brown and time to add the veges.

Done, after two hours.  The veges were cooked through, but didn't brown, so maybe add some more coals on the lid half way through.  The juices in the bottom of the pan weren't burnt on and made beautiful gravy.

The meat was melt in the mouth and the gravy was delicious.  Yet another success.  

We are really enjoying playing with the camp ovens.  A fun thing to do while we can't actually go camping.  I have a couple of other ideas of things to make in the next few weeks.  Watch this space.