♥ a food, travel and lifestyle blog ♥
Each year I try and make a recipe from the previous collection. This year I made Pauline's date scones which were really good. Dave, who does not ordinarily eat anything with dates thought they were excellent. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Date Scones ♥ In October 2021 Dave and I had to … Continue reading Date Scones
Following the ethos of Ottolenghi Test Kitchen, I adapted a recipe to make use of what was in my pantry. This prune soda bread was absolutely amazing, and I will use this as a base recipe for more bakes. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Prune Soda Bread ♥ Last month on Twitter, … Continue reading Prune Soda Bread
This berbere spice blend is my take on the traditional Ethiopian blend. I used spices I had in my pantry which I am sure will meet with Yotam's approval. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Berbere Spice Blend ♥ At the start of the pandemic I removed myself from all the Facebook groups … Continue reading Berbere Spice Blend
I bought a bottle of cider that was recommended to me and it was awful. So much so that the only palatable thing I could think of doing with it was to make mulled cider. Thankfully the weather is perfect for warm drinks right now. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Mulled Cider … Continue reading Mulled Cider
To get this recipe for Chicken and Chorizo Pasta perfect, you will have to make a red pepper purée. It sounds like quite a mission, but the effort is certainly worth it. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Chicken And Chorizo Pasta ♥ I have a method of packing that I have stuck … Continue reading Chicken And Chorizo Pasta
You can adapt this recipe for Cape Malay venison shanks by using lamb shanks. Or make it more budget friendly and use mutton chops or stewing beef. Either way, your kitchen will smell enticing. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Cape Malay Venison Shanks ♥ Whilst on the phone to a service consultant … Continue reading Cape Malay Venison Shanks
The day Inger shared her recipe for carrot cake cupcakes I printed it out. And I made them that very weekend. These were so good, and received thumbs up from all the taste testers. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Carrot Cake Cupcakes ♥ I have a UK Sim Card which we have … Continue reading Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Pre Covid one could not get beef cheeks for love nor money. Restaurant chefs grabbed them and they became a luxury item. But now, there seems to be easier availability. And the price is budget friendly. I made a beef cheek ragu reminiscent of what we have had in Italy. Head straight on to the … Continue reading Beef Cheek Ragu
Using some of my favourite ingredients I created a banana peanut butter smoothie. This was like a meal in a glass, and something I will make again for a quick lunch time treat. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie ♥ My messaging App of choice is WhatsApp. I like … Continue reading Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
When I was sent a signed copy of The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià, I was immediately drawn to the recipe for Crema Catalana. The book contains the meals he fed his staff at elBulli and from these, Dave and I have chosen one entire meal to make. A lot of the ingredients … Continue reading Crema Catalana
Ellie Goulding, in her book Fitter.Calmer.Stronger, has a great resource on how to go about making your own smoothie, which I am sharing with you. Ellie is devoted to smoothies and suggests that you only use herbs in a green smoothie. I went ahead and just randomly picked what to use, and I was quite … Continue reading Make Your Own Smoothie
I have the most amazing rosemary bush planted in a pot outside our guest bedroom. The plant has lovely flowers and I just love the scent it gives off. I decided to make some rosemary salt as a hostess gift for a friend when we went for dinner. And I kept some to use for … Continue reading Rosemary Salt
This bacon and leek quiche took several attempts to get it perfect. I wanted the leeks to be cooked and not squeaky when you bit into them. And the bacon had to offer some texture. To me, what makes this a must try dish is the addition of the cheese. Head straight on to the … Continue reading Bacon And Leek Quiche
When you are told to make a spiced caramel as it is a 'game changer', you know you have to! And really, this is so good. I can think of so many ways to use this liquid gold, and the first one that came to mind was ice cream. Head straight on to the Recipe … Continue reading Spiced Caramel
I made this Bourbon and Orange Glazed Gammon two years in a row. It is so good, and we ate cold gammon for days afterwards. This is a great alternative to traditional glazes as it is not too sweet. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Bourbon And Orange Glazed Gammon ♥ The latest … Continue reading Bourbon And Orange Glazed Gammon
My friend Nico gave me a bottle of Grappa for my 50th birthday with the promise I only drink it with him. Sadly, he passed away before we could enjoy that tipple together so I decided to use the grappa to make a few jars of drunken cherries. Head straight on to the Recipe For … Continue reading Drunken Cherries
Make this quick mint and coriander chutney when you need something to accompany your vegetable curries. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Mint And Coriander Chutney ♥ I have a very small side hustle business. At one stage it had been my intention to open a health shop alongside a treatment facility. But … Continue reading Mint And Coriander Chutney
This roasted cherry tomato chutney is best served at room temperature with lamb or beef. Here I have used it to compliment some hake fish cakes. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Roasted Cherry Tomato Chutney ♥ Dogs are such a good indicator of a person's true self. Our first Boxer, Maxine, had … Continue reading Roasted Cherry Tomato Chutney
This cauliflower hummus is low carb and according to Jax, packed with veggie power. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Cauliflower Hummus ♥ Because the holes in my ears start closing as soon as I take my earrings out, I wear sleeper's. These round rings are really plain, and I like to add … Continue reading Cauliflower Hummus
According to Heal, this ginger and lime granola is high in fibre. I can attest that it is packed with flavour. We all loved the ginger, and I particularly enjoyed the crunch when added to yoghurt. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Ginger And Lime Granola ♥ It took me five weeks to finally … Continue reading Ginger And Lime Granola