Anybody else up yet?

I can't get a mental picture of Gordon Brown in his pjs out of my head! I envisage winceyette stripey ones with one of those old-fashioned white cloth cords in the waist! Very covered up of course!!

when - I am not sure I like the sound of 'Will you follow me to granddad's shed?' Is there something you haven't told us?

Good morning Butternut. Now I'm thinking I might find a couple of threads to put you off your stride!! Would you like to follow me to grandad's shed or shall we have a chat about changing our looks after 50?

I think the pyjama party was originally described as a "sleep-over" organised by Sarah Brown. Marginally easier to understand, but still not an event one would have wished to attend!

I can't get my head round Gordon Brown hosting a pyjama party! I wonder if he wore his suit, shirt and tie?
Cameron appears to be guilty of bad judgement, at the very least. What on earth was he thinking about to hire Andy Coulson?

Glad you had a good night Oxon.

when - I think I'm following you on threads on my morning run through on GN! this morning. 10 min. time lag, I think!

I was watching Andy Coulson give evidence last night but fell asleep. No wonder I wake up so early in the mornings. I will try and make sure I see RB tonight.

Morning all.
I was awake at 4.30 again, and too early for anyone else to be up....Have been reading and working on family history again.

I had such a good time last night here that I woke up giggling again...oh the healing power of laughter! It's 7.30 and I havent been on the loo yet..well only for a wee. And I did sleep from 11.

Bonjour!
Lovely sunny morning, and enjoying my coffee. Yes, when, I've just read that RB is giving evidence. An in and out day today, so I may catch her on the tv.

Just been to take the dog for a walk and settling down with a cup of tea and the news. I see Rebekah Brooks is appearing at the Leveson inquiry today.

Good morning all!

Been up since 4.30 - one of my insomniac nights, but I think it's because I have had enough sleep, so I'm not exhausted. Had one big mug of Columbian coffee, now about to make a pot and take a couple of cups upstairs, where DH is gently snoring. Not for much longer!

I am on my second cup of coffee [de-caff]. No school run today so have no timetable,if the weather is reasonable I will plant up DIL's pots for her patio. The rest of the day is mine - yippee!!!!

I have had my first cup of tea and listened to the early morning news.
I never brown anything, just take the skin off chicken and stick it in the slow cooker with vegetables and stock made from cubes. Tastes great

I suspect it was the way to go when you did really roast meat - in front of an open fire. If you sealed the meat first it would not dry out so much. "Roasting" these days is really baking, and often the meat is covered or wrapped in foil. Casseroles and stews catch the juices in the sauce, so they are not removed from the cooking meat.

What I do depends on what time I have and how I feel.

My Pop used to stand the beef joint on a grid and place the Yorkshire pudding beneath. The juices would mix with batter and make a super centre to the pud. It was delicious hot, and even moreso when cold. Happy memories

I have used both methods and cant see any difference, in fact sometime some of the best meals I have made are the ones I throw together without any time or effort.

Browning meat was supposed to seal the juices in! I have done an experiment where I browned 1/2 but not the other 1/2. I then proceeded to cook both separately and got the family to blind tase both casseroles.
Result :- no difference!

QED?

absent, absent where are you we need to pick your brains !

Let's ask absent. She'll know.

Me too, annika. I'm a no repeats cook because half the time I can't even remember what I put in, usually just what there was kicking around.

Bags I sometimes brown the meat and sometimes I don't I have never noticed any difference in the taste and none of the family have said anything so why do we do it I wonder ?
I think I will pass this on to the super cooks out there, I am the sort that throws things together and see what happens

I don't seal roasts, but I've always browned the meat for stews/casseroles. I'm not sure why it's considered necessary, but I know I'd feel I hadn't done it right if I missed that bit!

I don't seal roasts either. Just put them on a grid over an oven dish and put it in the oven. Always get delicious gravy. It's a Rayburn cooker. Maybe that makes a difference. Couldn't do this with a fan oven, I suppose.

If you're making a stew and are going to eat the gravy/juices that come out of the meat, do you need to brown it first? I thought browning was mainly for roasts, to keep some of the juices in by 'sealing' the meat. Have I been misled?

Thanks Annika - yes, that should be do-able, even for my tight morning schedule!