Radiotherapy # 14, 19 to go

I was nervous today because it would be the first time I had done a radiotherapy session and worked afterwards.  As it was, I needn't have been anxious.  Radiotherapy passed as usual.  It took longer as they took a picture of the treated area to ensure it was correct which meant I was 'in position' for much longer, which hurts my arm and shoulder.  I had time to come home and tidy up because my mil was arriving that night and she doesn't like a mess (tough, this time, love!)  still, the living room is acceptable and her bedroom is clean-ish with fresh Lenor-smelling bedlinen, what more could a girl want?

I had one class still on work experience so I only taught two back to back, which was a relief because even in normal times Friday is pretty challenging.  And it was fine, love the students and enjoyed forgetting about everything else for a few hours, although I was pretty knackered after the last student finally left the room.  Then went to pick up mil.

Managed to get her to go to watch swimming whilst I had a little downtime and enjoyed a visit from the lovely Lisa and her cute as a button girls, so it was nice to chat.  She had ever so kindly brought us a bottle of Pulco (my favourite drink apart from champagne), croissants for tomorrow, a baguette and a fabulous Jamie Oliver inspired chicken pie, minted peas and carrots.

This was such a godsend not having to cook or even think about cooking after a pretty tiring day, relatively full, according to my new standards of activity.

Things I was grateful for today:

The bus driver who, on the bus to go and get mil, gave me back my 2€ when I tried to buy a ticket and squeezed my hand saying don't worry about buying a ticket.  Not sure why, I don't think I was looking particularly poor or needy, but it was nice and the hand squeezing was weird but nice too.

The fabulous chicken pie!

Chicken Pie
(Adapted from Jamie's 30-Minute Meals)

500g free-range chicken (you can use breast or thigh)
a knob of butter
1 bunch of spring onions
150g button mushrooms
1 heaped tsp plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
2 tsp English mustard
1 tbsp creme fraiche
300ml chicken stock
a few sprigs of thyme
1/2 a nutmeg, grated
1 sheet of pre-rolled puff pastry
1 egg
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil.

"Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Chop up the button mushroom and spring onions and slice the chicken into strips or bite-sized chunks.

Heat a lug of olive oil and a knob of butter in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and spring onions to the pan with a tablespoon of plain flour and give it all a good stir. Mix in two teaspoons of English mustard, a generous tablespoon of creme fraiche and 300ml of good chicken stock (though I have used a stock pot and it was fine). Finally add some picked thyme leaves and a good grating of nutmeg, season with sea salt and pepper. Leave simmering on the stove whilst you sort out your pastry.

When I say 'sort out your pastry' of course I simply mean get it out of the fridge and unroll onto a dry lightly floured work surface. Using a knife, lightly criss-cross the surface.

Once your chicken filling has thickened up slightly, tip it into a ovenproof baking dish slightly smaller than the sheet of pastry. Cover the filling with the sheet of pastry; don't worry about the edges, just tuck them in around the filling.

Bake on the top shelf of the oven for around 15 minutes, or until gorgeously browned.

If you want to go all the way Jamie, serve alongside peas and smashed carrots."

Do try this at home!