Everyone has their favorite corned meat hacks but trust me, give this a try!
- 1 piece corned meat (size really doesn't matter, works for any)
- 1 onion
- 3 tbsp worcestershire
- 3 tbsp marmalade
- 3 tbsp golden syrup
- 3 bay leaves
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I won't tell you how to cook your corn meat as this works with any method, whether you are a boiler, slow cooker or pressure cooker, you're set. Mix worcestershire and marmalde into however much water you cook in then drizzle the golden syrup over the exposed meat, chuck in your bay leaves and cook. I chuck my vege in the sauce to cook closer to being done, then fish the bay leaves and veggies out and thicken the sauce with a cornflour slurry for a bit of variation from the good old white sauce.
The Ramblings:
Deep, rather introspective one today, let’s talk mental health.
Unless you are someone I consider a very close friend, most people have no clue about the chaos that exists inside my skull. I don’t want to get bogged down in that here, pity parties don’t achieve anything, suffice to say my head often isn’t a very happy place to be and if you see me pull over on my way to town, be warned, I’m probably going to chuck my guts up as I overthink how I’m going handle something ‘new’. But, now I know what I have to do to manage it.
2016 was a huge year for me. I left everything that had become my ‘normal’ because that normal just wasn’t working for me, it didn’t make me happy and it didn’t spark joy. I fell on my feet working as a govie for a family that no words can describe how awesome they are on all fronts. When I decided to head west I was simply in search of ‘quiet’. All I wanted was to just lay in bed at night and hear absolute silence and by golly did I get my silence with no phone reception or internet in my quarters, when I left the house at night it was just me, the overwhelming noise inside my head, the overwhelming silence outside of it and the most beautiful stars.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a bit of a fruit cake, but in my silent cocoon I did a lot of hard learning about what makes me tick and what I need to be stable and I found peace. I need purpose. I need to feel like what I’m doing is worth something, not just in the eyes of others but to me (seeing a kiddo’s eyes light up when they are learning to read was my favorite purpose, even if it also made us both want to bash our and each others heads against the desks at times). I need to have noise filled days with people who inspire and challenge me (try an 8 yr old boy, fills both boxes a million times over!) and then I need to find silence at night. I also need animals to love. There is no better therapist than those with soft ears and kind eyes, whether it be a doggo, puddy cat, or lambie; I need my animals. Finally I need to feel free. The fastest way to do that is turn my phone on airplane mode and go for big walks (the endorphins from exercise don’t hurt either). That right there is the formula for my happiness. Seems simple right?
Change isn’t my friend, and this year I have had a LOT of change that ripped my hard fought ‘peace’ to shreds as I’ve figured out who to apply my formula to my new situation. I’ve made excuses to miss a lot of stuff because my head simply wasn’t up to it, and that’s okay. I had to take time to find purpose. I know people say lovely things about cooking is so worth while, it makes the blokes lives so much easier etc etc. To me though, as much as I love cooking and feeding people, what I do is baby adults who are perfectly capable of feeding themselves like most other functional adults do on a daily basis. To me that doesn’t feel purposeful. Nice for them, but not purposeful. Leading up to show season I got my fix, running the showgirl and RA comps, young farmers etc, but that ended in May, back to square 1.
This website has been a good filler in my life, I love seeing other people making my creations. But this new job, I love it so much. I love what it’s about, ensuring people living remotely still have simple access to the emerging technologies that are changing the face of agriculture. I love everything about it. I love being part of a team that is doing something awesome. It also gives me the noise and the people filled days I need. Unlike a lot of other set ups, I’m not allowed to help with outside work with the blokes. I wouldn’t say I’m a lot of use outside, but I used to love trying and just jumping in with whatever was happening, and the learning that went with that. As much as I could keep my hands busy with crochet, knitting, sewing, you name it, I had a lot of alone time and very little mental stimulation. And by golly did that cramp my feeling of freedom.
Now though, new job, lamb in tow, adoring puppy dog who needs long walks, soon to be getting back into dancing (bring on term 4!), life is looking up again. The point of sharing my self indulgent introspection? Not overly sure, but I’ve been tight lipped about my ‘black dog’ for long enough, I don’t need a billboard but I don’t want to be preaching others opening up while being a clam. There are so many people along the way who have (sometimes unknowingly, others with a lot of very conscious effort) helped pick up the very scattered pieces of Claire, who have looked past the ‘I’m okay face’ and I don’t like to think about where I would be without them. So much gratitude and love.
If you’ve read to here, you a champion and sorry, enjoy your corn meat!