What's a girl to do!

Well, everyone who knows me knows I love to cook and boy have I missed cooking! It's been a really strange few weeks and I actually think I'm suffering from the withdrawal symptoms of not been in the kitchen! Sad to some of you I know!

First hubbie gets a stomach bug and is off food for nearly a week (that's my worst nightmare!) and I just didn't have any desire to cook so it was plain food for both of us!  We've then just spent the most fantastic week down in Devon eating out and having fun. I have to say the meals out down there are truly the best. Fresh fish, good wine and a slower pace of life, heaven!  Meals out and summer evening BBQ's are great but I have to say I have honestly missed a bit of menu planning and cooking. Just when I thought I could hide myself away in my favourite place, make nice food while sipping a glass of Oyster Bay and listen to some of my favourite tunes, my dreams were shattered ........................ I'm without a cooker for about 5 whole days while I have a new kitchen floor fitted. DISASTER!
What am I going to do!!!!? Any recipe ideas would be gratefully received! Please - NO microwave meals!

Jersey Royal Potato, Asparagus and Pancetta Tart

What a fabulous weekend..... finally summer is here! We went to our friends on Saturday who I hadn't seen in ages and she cooked freshly baked scones and tarts. We then had an amazing BBQ in the evening where Bev had made beef keftas and marinated chicken skewers, corn on the cob with homemade jalapeño butter. Come join Gastronamis Bev! Its great that the blog is encouraging people to cook....... it certainly pays off. Couldn't resist posting a picture on Instagram of the bottle of Bollinger on Saturday....... what a treat. Pressure is on now when they come to see me.

So today we had loads to do around the house as we've been so busy recently (hence the lack of blogs!)........... I decided to do something that might appeal to everyone who hasn't got a lot of time but wants a delicious tasty meal with a feeling of summer.

This is a twist on a tartiflette recipe. Jersey Royal potatoes, creme fraiche, asparagus and Pancetta tart.

Ingredients - serves 2-3


Just Roll Pastry (sheets if you want ease)
150g creme fraiche (low fat if you are trying to be good)
1 egg
salt
cracked black pepper
30g Mature cheddar cheese grated
3 tsp of parmesan
1 small white onion chopped as small as you can
1/2 tsp of dijon mustard
Fine Asparagus
Pancetta slices

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C
2. Slice the jersey royal potatoes very finely. add to a pan add boiling water and cook for about 5-8 mins. Drain and put to one side.
3. Add the creme fraiche to a bowl, 1 egg, grated cheese, parmesan, salt and pepper, onion, dijon mustard and mix together.
4. Roll out the pastry thinly into a rectangle shape or cut the ready rolled pastry to the size you want.
5.  score the pastry (this means lightly with a sharp knife mark the pastry about 2 cm in all the way across - see picture) this will allow the edges to puff up.
6. Spread the sauce mixture to the inside of the tart.
7.  Layer the potatoes across the surface of the tart. (careful they may still be hot to handle)
8. Blanch the asparagus (place in hot water and cook for 2-3 mins)
9. Layer the asparagus on top of the tart.
10. Finish with the pancetta slices over the top of the tart.
11. Place in the oven and cook for approx 20 mins. Keep checking through the oven window but don't open the oven until you think its cooked.
12. Optional - you can finish the tart with pine nuts to garnish. These taste great if you grill. Keep watching them though as they burn quickly!
13. Tip - leave the tart to cool for 5 mins before slicing up otherwise it can get messy.

Enjoy.........

Louise x

Mediterranean vegetable tomato bake

This dish is perfect with BBQ food or simply on its own with some nice salad.

I actually pinched the recipe from my dad! It's a favourite of his served with burgers or sausages off the BBQ. It's so easy to make and a great substitute to serving up potatoes.

All you need to do is fry some red onion, red or green pepper, courgettes and garlic. Fry until soft then add in a tin of chopped tomatoes and a teaspoon of harissa paste (this is optional). Put all the mix into a dish. Cover the mix with breadcrumbs mixed with some grated cheese and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Delicious and perfect for summer entertaining!

Enjoy
Laura x

The Royal party menu!

I must admit I've been looking forward to this weekend.............England have their first game tonight and it's the Queen's birthday tomorrow! I'm not that in to football but hubbies happy and very excited (bless him) and that makes me happy! I've got the family round tomorrow for my special "Royal party".  I get to cook for everyone, be the party host and see the family, all of which make me happy! 😀

The buntings up, the tables laid, just the food to cook now!

This is a sneak peek at tomorrow's menu!

Coronation chicken
Pulled pork sliders
Lemon chicken skewers with apple coleslaw
Buttery new potatoes with garlic and parsley
A big bowl of salad to brighten up the table!

Finally, if we've all still got room I'm making mini lemon meringue pies topped with poppy seeds and a drizzle of cream!

I can't forget the little ones .......... they've requested good old traditional mini fish and chips, and to add in a bit of fun i'm serving it in some chip boxes and newspaper I found on a recent shopping trip!

Excited! Photos will follow tomorrow x

Its a Royal Birthday weekend...... looking for British themed inspiration?

So....... football is on...... its the Queens birthday so lots of excuses to get cooking. We are holding our Euro themed night next weekend but this weekend its all about British. Just incase anyone wants any inspiration I thought I'd put some ideas down.......... let me know if you want any recipes

Entertaining

- Quails scotch eggs - recipe on here 

- Coronation Chicken

- Classic Sausage rolls

- A centre piece quiche or tart (I know not traditionally British but we seen to have adopted it)

- How about roasting a ham joint in British honey and breadcrumbs?

- Mini Fish and Chips

- Mini Steak Pies

- Mini Toad in the Hole

- Asparagus is in season at the moment - why not wrap in British smoked bacon and grill.... 

Sweet

- Classic Victoria Sponge cake for the pride place on the table

- Raspberry and Lemon curd meringue sponge cake

- Mini Rhubarb and Custard cup cakes

- Traditional triffle - pimp it up with summer berries and sherry

- English Sparkling wine jellies

- Queens Pudding (traditionally made with custard, bread, jam and meringue......

- Eton Mess

Hopefully this gives you all some tasty ideas........ get cooking and get eating with your friends as food tastes better with friends 

xx

Smokey chickpeas - perfect for salads or a snack

Summer is here and salads are in so try these smokey chickpeas to add in a bit of flavour to a salad or have as a simple healthy snack.

All you have to do is drain a tin of chickpeas into a bowl. Add in some olive oil and a teaspoon of paprika, cumin and coriander. Mix and pour onto a baking tray and roast for about 30 mins.

They are so tasty, I think I'm now addicted to chickpeas😉

Spicy Lamb and Feta Koftas with a lemon and mint Greek Salad

Its Friday night and the food has been delivered. I fancied doing something a bit different tonight so I made Spicy Lamb and Feta Koftas with a lemon and mint salad. I also made some child friendly ones with Eryn too. I called them 'meat lollipops' and she loved it. I guess anything you can dip in tomato ketchup is a winner! She had fun making them though.

To make the Koftas:-

Ingredients

- 500g Organic minced lamb
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Tbsp Harissa Paste (yes Im using a lot of this at the moment in recipes!)
- 60g Feta
- Fresh Mint - finely chopped
- Parsley
- Salt / Pepper to taste

Method

- Put the minced lamb in a bowl, add the finely chopped red onion, Crumbled feta cheese, chopped mint (a sprinkle), parsley, season if you want to add.
- Mix tougher with your hands until combined
- If you are making some for the kids then take a little out and keep aside.
- For the adults - add the Harissa paste and mix together
- Form into sausage shapes
- When ready to cook, put under the grill for approx 10 mins until cooked through. Difficult to say exact time as it depends on how thick you make the meat. Turn when under the grill regularly.



Greek Salad

- Diced Cucumber
- Chopped cherry tomatoes
- Feta Cheese
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice - (quarter of a lemon)
- Cooked rice
- Fresh mint

-Mix everything together - serve. I layered mine with rice on the bottom and the salad on top.

Enjoy xx

Harissa & Feta Pasta Frittata....... left over quick dinner for hubby

Ok so I get home from work on Wednesday and have zero food in the house....... Ive been away with work this week and I've not got around to doing the food shop yet. Chris is going to be late home and I have a starving child. Opening the fridge I stare at it in the hope for some inspiration. In my head I'm mentally doing 'Ready steady cook' to see what i can pull together. (Secretly I quite like the challenge as sometimes you can come up with a great new dish)

Ok so I have pasta, tinned tomatoes, soft cheese - excellent I can make a quick pasta dish for Eryn then worry about Chris later.

Ingredients

- Pasta
- Tinned Tomatoes
- Dried Italian herbs
- Salt/ Pepper if you want to use
- Philadelphia
- Vegetable Oil
- 2 cloves of Garlic
- Onion - chopped as small as you can

Method

- Add the Oil to the pan and add finely chopped onion and garlic - cook until soft
- Add the chopped tomatoes and a sprinkle of Italian herbs
- Turn down the heat and simmer
- Heat water in a pan and add the pasta - cook according to instructions.
- Drain the pasta and add the tomato sauce
- Serve

Eryn added feta cheese and parmesan to her dish to decorate.....

Ok so I overdid the pasta quantities and have loads left over....... so Im now thinking what can I do with this to make it interesting for Chris when he gets home.

Ingredients

- Leftover pasta from above
- 3 eggs - beaten
- 1 tbsp Harissa paste
- feta cheese crumbled
- Sweetcorn

Method

- Turn on the oven to apron 180C
- Spoon in the Harissa paste into the leftover pasta
- Heat a frying pan with a little oil- ideally a skillet or small frying pan
- Add the leftover pasta
- Poor over the beaten egg and flatten down the pasta into the egg with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Cook on a low heat for approx 8 mins
- Sprinkle on the drained sweetcorn and crumbled feta cheese
- Add to the oven and cook for a further 5-10 mins until the egg is set in the middle.
- for extra colour finish off under the grill

Result!!! A new dish that was created with a few standard left over ingredients

Sunday breakfast - creamy mushrooms on toast

I love lazy Sunday mornings and it's the one day of the week I get to make something a little bit different for breakfast.

Monday to  Friday it's a bowl of granola, Saturdays are usually a rush getting the little one ready and off for swimming so it's a quick piece of toast and jam. Sundays are perfect for a nice family breakfast and cup of coffee!

Today I made creamy mushrooms on toast and it really was delicious.

Method :
Sliced button mushrooms in a saucepan with some rapeseed oil. Fry then add in a couple of tablespoons of low fat soft cheese, few splashes of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard.  Easy as that!

Enjoy
Laura x

Big on taste...... Taste of summer...... Tomato, Basil and Creme fraiche Risotto - perfect vegetarian recipe!

Its been a long week at work this week. However after 11 hours at work on Wednesday I still managed to knock up this fantastic recipe. Made up on the scratch out of my head! I love it when this happens and it goes right. Great vegetarian recipe.......

Everyone can make this and I promise you it can't go wrong! 

Ingredients

- Butter
- 2 cloves of Garlic
- Chopped chilli - optional

- Arborio Rice

- Onions

- Veg stock

- Tin of chopped Tomatoes

- Salt

- Pepper

- Basil

- Creme Fraiche

- Cherry Tomatoes

Method

- Add 25g of butter to the pan and melt. 

- Add 1 onion chopped. 
- Add the 2 cloves of crushed or chopped garlic. 
- if you want a little heat then add the chopped chilli. - optional

- Cook until soft on a low heat. 

- Add 125g of Arborio rice and coat until glossy. 

- Make up 600ml of vegetable stock. Add small amounts of veg stock and wait until the   

  rice has  

  absorbed it. Add until half has gone. 

- Add a tin of chopped tomatoes. stir. 

- Add the salt and pepper.

- Add the cherry tomatoes to the oven and roast. 

- Add the remaining of the stock gradually until all absorbed. 

- Add the basil to taste.

- Add a large spoon of creme fraiche and stir in. 

Serve with the roasted cherry tomatoes on top.

Delicious!!! 

p.s if you double up the recipe you can save the left overs and make arancini s the next day! 

Enjoy Louise x