I got the wobbles about lunch yesterday.
There were to be four of us and I chose two recipes from my newest book, Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics.
It was a first visit for one of the guests and, of course, I felt “on show”.
My menu: Pork chops with orange juice on a bed of white beans–a well-tested, simple, one-pot dish–and cheery pumpkin soup to start.
Comfort food for a cold, frosty morning.
(I love seeing the whited fields when I get up).
Panic set in while doing my exercises–a half-hour of bleary-eyed stretching on rising.
Exercise releases not just tied up muscles; the mind involuntarily starts to whirr.
It’s all too heavy–needs a lighter touch!
Maybe I should go buy some quail and frisée lettuce and Roquefort cheese, the classic blue cheese–produced not far from here.
I’d bought the chops two days earlier and the beautiful orange/ red pumpkin .
I’d make the soup for lunch and there’d be plenty left over for the weekend.
It was well planned.
Whirr, whirr, whirr…
This is just silly last-minute panic–trust your instinct–it’s all you have!
Didn’t you buy the house on instinct–a whim almost?
Yes, I never had a moment’s doubt–the panic then was that the sale would not go through–the owner would have seller’s remorse.
Here we still are 27 years later.
The soup was welcomed and the pork and bean dish could have had more sauce–but was fine.
Footnote:
Meredith–as often happens–stole the show with her lemon soufflé.
Robin Ellis 
HAPPY NEW YEAR Robin, Meredith & Pussy cats. May 2017 be full of new & exciting ‘Yummy Robin Yum Yum’s’👨🍳. Diane, Doug & GBS. 👨🍳🍲🥗🥂
Shawdian
>
Happy New Year to you too, Diane.
Robin…we received your newest cookbook for Christmas and I made the pork chops and white beans yesterday on a very cold and snowy evening here in upstate NY. It was delicious and wonderful….even my skeptical-of-anything healthy husband loved it! Thank you for all of the work you put into this.
Thanks, Jean–that’s lovely.
Sounds great Robin and yes trust your instincts is a good policy
Happy Birthday, Graham–Capricorns rule!
Thanks Robin…enjoy your birthday in a few days time
Happy New Year to you both, on our way from New Jersey to Quebec for the New Year, expecting snow so that soup sounds wonderful
So glad to see that even someone as accomplished as you Robin, has moments of self doubt.
Sounds wonderful. Happy New Year from New York City.
And the same to you, Carmen.
Oh Robin…that made me smile. Every time I cook a meal for guests I worry that it might not be good enough ! Bill tells me that I worry about things needlessly and I know he is right, but I still do it ! We can’t help being worriers as well as fantastic cooks can we ? Ha ha. Wishing you and Meredith a healthy and happy New Year. In love and peace Heth xxx
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Meredith and Robin! This morning, I didn’t feel as chipper (as you) when I came ‘bounding’ out of bed. Old, creaky joints and muscles and rain (yes, rain. here in Los Angeles!) have their say. I have a Kabocha squash sitting on my counter. Will use your soup RX for my inspiration.
Always grateful for your culinary insights!
Anne Epstein
LOL….I had the same problem on Christmas Day. My daughter and son-in-law came for the holiday dinner. I kept wondering if things were cooking too long as they kept calling me as they were running late. I set and re-set the table I don’t know how many times. My cat, Sweetie, looked at me like I had gone crazy. It all turned okay though and I collapsed in a heap on the couch relieved of my stress.
Sounds devine Robin and it’s so lovely the way you compliment Meredith (not just on her successful souffles). Happy New Year to you both with (hopefully) more appearances from you in Series 3 of Poldark. Cheers, Meg
I made those pork chops, too–delicious!! Today, we finish off some pot roast from a dinner we had with friends…or perhaps a slice of French-Canadian pork pie left over from Christmas (before it gets too old!) The lemon soufflé sounds great–perhaps Meredith will share? I had a hit with an eggnog cream pie I made for the holiday–easy, too–made with instant vanilla pudding, eggnog instead of milk, and a tub of Cool Whip. Not exactly on the menu for diabetics, though, unfortunately!
Hope you both have a lovely, healthy, and Happy New Year!! Hugs & purrs for the kitties, too!! Love from Gene & Dianne in very snowy NH
Robin,this meal is nothing short of fantastic!Especially the ending of Meredith’s
show stopping souffle!
Your posts and recipes always give us something to look forward to!
Thank you!
Wishing you both,and four pawed ‘kids’, a New Year filled with blessings of health and joy.
Sharing with ones you cherish gives real meaning to life.
The whited fields pic is beautiful.
Happy New Year!
Mary
whited fields
Sounds delicious. Happy new year to you and your family from Lisa in Mt Gambier south Australia Australia
Thanks, Lisa and to you too.
A very happy New Year to you & M and feline family from us here in foggy Aylesbury! We are hosting dinner tonight…it was going to be a small affair, menu all planned…then another neighbour’s party was cancelled yesterday due to illness, so our guest list has doubled suddenly. I ‘followed my instincts’ & have changed the whole menu to make it all easier…several different curries & accompaniments! Hoping you have a wonderful evening and that 2017 is full of great things and good health for you both xx
Wish we’d been there, Rachel!
Happy New Year to you and Paul.
oh and Happy New Year to you both from a very windy North Yorkshire G and W x
Happy New Year Robin, from the first country to see in 2017!
Thank you for your always interesting posts, fabulous recipes and brilliant appearances as Reverend Dr Halse.
Looking forward to more of the above this year!
Best wishes also to Meredith and the feline family.
Lana
NZ
Thanks an the same to you, Lana.
An inspiration, as always. I’ll give this a try. Good for frosty New Mexico days.
May you and Meredith enjoy a Very Happy New Year.
Nancy, Santa Fe
And the same to you in Santa Fe!
I agree with you Robin…sometimes the mind whirrs to much and it’s so boring!!!! The instinct is better and fails rarely!!!
Here’s your comment Catia! Not lost after all.
Hello Robin and Meredith, I will certainly be making good use of your lovely recipes once the festive season is over! Like your self, I also love to see white landscapes, I am definately a winter person, adore watching snowflakes falling and trees covered in white frosting, hoping to see some during this winter! Wishing you both and the family cats a Very Happy Healthy New Year.
Kind Regards
Beryl
(Sennen Cornwall)
The same to you, Beryl and thanks.
Happy New Year! I received your cookbooks for Christmas and have been busy experimenting with the recipes. I don’t have an oven, only a small on-the-countertop version, so I must make some compensations. Such is life. I’m glad to hear that a man has doubts and even happier to have one express it. 😉 ALWAYS go with your gut instinct. It has served me well through the years. Wishing you and your family the best in 2017!
The same to you, Sandra–thank you.
A balmy 13 degrees here in Cornwall, no lovely frostiness, just gentle waves spilling on the sand.
A very Happy New Year to you both.
And to you, Sophie Jane.
It was fun to read this, Robin. Thanks, Karen
Happy new year to you both, that meal sounds just right to me Robin though I must amit to having the wobbles when I am cooking for people for the first time. Daft isn’t you know it’s right but it’s there, glad all worked out right in the end.
What a lovely view you have. How poetic your writing is. Soup looks wonderful.
Hey Robin! This year we want to give you very special wishes for a happy birthday and long long life to you and your Meredith! Hope to see you soon, lots of love Rosaria and Giuseppe from Italy!
Many thanks, Rosaria.
I have been watching Poldark series for the first time while tucked up in jolly ol’ Oxfordshire. They don’t make films like that anymore. What a fantastic cast, costumes, and excellent production. Will try a cookbook now. Wishing you and Meredith a very wonderful new year.
Thank you Kyle and the same good wishes to you.
No point in sending me the script I’m out of the loop now!