This week's new pots and easy chicken casserole - I only make easy ones, but, belive me, they are yummy!

Hi everyone! We have had another cold day. The snow hasn't completely melted around us yet. I keep dog walks to minimum. When it is as cold as this, we really look forward to a hot meal after a hard working day. Don't you? Here is my very easy chicken casserole. Meat falls off from bones. Very tender and yummy! After eating all meats and vegetables, we will have soup for a lunch. You need to remove the fat on the top before warming up.

• Heat a large pan.
• Place chicken (thighs, drumsticks etc) skin side down in the pan.
• Peel and cut vegetables into chunks (carrots, potatoes, swedes, onions, mushrooms), and add them on top of the meat.
• Cook them on a gentle heat for about three hours. Add any wine you have got into the pot. (1-2 TBS)
• Season and enjoy.

 

Midori's very simple casserole

Vase inspired by volcano

I made this vase in 2010. I had kept them unglazed for a long time. When I got it glazed, I didn't like the way the glaze behaved, so I got it fired two more times. Finally it became something I expected. The lines on the pot are atrractive and dynamic. I imagine flowers look great in this vase. I can't wait to pick some flowers from the garden in spring!

Volcano vase

Here is Mike's new cup. It is lovely! We really like this combination of glazes. There are more of his cups coming up later. He did some experiment on one of them. We hope it will come out pretty!

Mike's beautiful cup

This little white bowl is our glaze sample. It looks like icing sugar! This glaze usually crackles on any clay containing frits. We used to use German smooth white stoneware with this glaze. It was a perfect match. But the price for Greman clay quadrupled; I had to source another clay locally. So I bought specially this smooth clay to try last summer. It takes us a bit of practise to throw this clay well, but we will get there. I intend to make a rabbit mug, and use this white glaze for it. Watch this space!

Glaze Sample

Mike is making a cake for our parrots and our polenta muffins, right now. The casserole is on the hob. I can smell it. I am getting hungry. See you tomorrow!