Bom Dia
Not a lot is happening today, Maria is working until 2.30, I have a bit of gardening to do. I have things to plant, a Lemon Tree, a Blackberry bush and a Purple chilli tree/bush thing.
I hope her Majesty will be happy. I know what a lemon tree is and what it looks like. I’m not sure why the berry bush/tree has red and black berries on it. WTF!!!! Is it a blackberry or red berry bush ???? Also the purple chili’s I’ve never seen before, seemingly they will go red, who knows the wonders of gardening eh!!!!! If you’re like me and completely unknowledgeable about the garden, try these links. I found a great site that informs the not so green-fingered fuckers (like me) about how NOT to kill things. RHS. Also check out the Gardens and Parks in Madeira.
We have the Princesses coming to visit today, 🥰 Maria is picking them up after work at 2.30pm. We have two granddaughters, Laura who’s 8 and little Bella who’s nearly 3. They are beautiful girls, so cute and well behaved (most of the time). Laura is tall for her age and Bella is petite, as you can see. So CUTE!!!!
Laura is tall for her age, one of the tallest in her class. People sometimes forget that she’s still a baby (albeit a big one). She’s very kind with a soft nature. She loves animals, Bandit and Smokey. They love her too and get so excited when she visits. Her favourite is Cookie. Laura thinks she’s a cat (Gato). Yes, the word for cat sounds like a cake. 😆 She loves cats, she even wears little headbands with cat ears on.
She loves headbands and has ones for every occasion.
We get them from the shopping mall’s Madeira Shopping or Plaza Madeira. These are the two big main shopping malls in Madeira.
It’s a shame Cookie doesn’t show the same amount of affection. He will take so much petting, and then the claws are out. I wish he’d let her cuddle and kiss him but he wont. Maybe he’s as grumpy as me. 😡
Bella is very petite, a tiny little thing, who has a very strong will and temper of a devil.😍 She will look at you if you tell her No as if butter wouldn’t melt. Then, she will go right ahead and do it anyway, but with an angelic smile on her face😍. We can’t get mad at her. She will give a guy hell when she’s older.
The girls aren’t really fussy eaters, as long as something they like haha. We can usually coax Laura to eat something that she’s not keen on. But Bella is another story. If she doesn’t want it, then that’s that.
Don’t bother trying to coax her, just get into the kitchen and prepare something else. We sometimes wish she was more like Smokey and would eat anything. 😆
They both like meals with sauce/gravy. So it’s mince with gravy and mash potatoes for them and a Hot spicy Chilli con Carne for us.
Grumpy’s Chilli Con Carne:
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp olive oil
500g beef mince
400g white rice
1 chopped medium onion
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Can of Red kidney beans or feijao preto (portuguese black beans)
500ml beef stock (i sprinkle in 2 tsp beef gravy granules too, makes it thicker)
2 tsp Hot chilli powder
2 tsp Ground sweet red pepper
2 tsp Ground smoked paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
Parmesan cheese (fresh/dry)
½ tsp white sugar
1 square dark chocolate (high % in cocoa is best)
Salt and pepper
Method:
Put olive oil in large frying pan, on medium heat
Add chopped onion, cook until tender and translucent
Add garlic stir for 1 minute
Add mince and salt/pepper.
Break up mince with wooden utensil while cooking until browned
Add chilli powder, red pepper, smoked paprika and ginger, coat mince
Cook while stirring for 2 minutes
Add beef stock, stir well
Add red/black beans
Stir in sugar and chocolate, mix well until chocolate has melted
Season well with salt and pepper
Cover pan, turn down heat to low and cook for 20/25 mins
Meanwhile boil a saucepan of slightly salted water (i put in a stock cube too)
Add rice and simmer for approx 15 mins then drain
Put rice on a plate. Place chilli on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve hot with garlic bread. Enjoy with lots of Vinho of course……..Scrumptious 🍷🍷
Maria’s turn to wash up 🙂
Grumpy in Madeira 
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