Category: Random

Posted on

Packed Lunches

What is it about packed lunches that make me want to shut my head in the fridge?  At school they were a treat saved for school trips.  The trepidation I felt as I peeked inside my tuppaware box to see what my mother had rustled up, was second to none.  It was never anything to write home about, but to me it was wonderful and integral to the thrill of the the trip (only floored by the visit to the gift shop).

seriously?

Today, packed lunches are the norm.  And I now have to make them for my 2 year old to take into nursery.  This is the same 2 year old that only eats weetabix.  She spent the last 5 months at nursery having their cooked lunches and never ate a thing.  I am sure they blame me for poor dietary habits, but the other two children were the same at that age, except with shreddies.  The health visitor assured me it was fine.  I was not so sure…

Anyway, undeterred I saw a book entitled ‘Healthy Lunchboxes for Kids’ which I guiltily bought in order to revolutionise my lunchbox packing skills.  Shouldn’t have bothered.  I am a mother of three and I defy anyone to get their kids to eat 3 bean soup or pepper stuffed wraps for lunch, let alone have the time and equipment to prepare and store it all.  The only redeeming feature was that they used the same Cath Kidston tins that I have and they looked better than I thought.  I need a book entitled ‘Packed lunches for kids who refuse to eat anything but wholegrain cereal’.  Now, that would be a useful addition to my heaving recipe bookshelves.  I’m afraid the other one is destined for next week’s NCT sale….

If you have any normal suggestions to help me out please let me know!

Posted on

Recipe Books

I got very excited yesterday when I saw that Lisa Faulkner’s new cook book is half price on Amazon at the moment to pre-order!  I loved her on Masterchef and I always prefer people who aren’t necessarily trained chefs but cook because they love it.  Like Nigella, who I also hear has a new book/series in the pipeline! VERY exciting!

So if, like me, you have an addiction to buying recipe books, why not try this one?  

I also treated myself to another recipe book.  The Book People do brilliant discount books and include new releases.  I ordered the hardback of Mrs Beeton’s How to Cook – a modernised version of the Mrs Beeton classic. Released in October 2011 it is just £7.99 down from the rrp of £25.00.

Both Lorraine Pascale books are on there too for about £6.99.
Happy shopping!
Posted on

Chocolate Chip Cookies

So desperate was I for a biscuit with my cup of tea, I tried one of my daughter’s baby biscuits.  Not going to do that again in a hurry.  So I thought, sod it, I’ll make some.  Where better to turn for baking than the Great British Bake Off cook book.  I actually had all the ingredients and got to work.  Then something happened that was definitely not in the recipe.

With Kitchenaid in full swing, I dropped the entire egg into the mix.  There were two obvious options.  (1) Swear loudly, bin in the lot, forget about biscuits and sulk.  (2) Swear loudly, pick out the eggshell and carry on regardless.  I went for option two and biscuits were made.

Alas, they weren’t terribly nice.  Nice enough for me to have two before they’d cooled, but not great.  The only think I changed was dark muscovado sugar not light and I can’t believe that makes a huge difference.  They were quite cakey and actually not very sweet.  Baked well, easy recipe (apart from the egg debacle) but not one I’d make again.  Any recipes for choc chip cookies welcome as I have been looking for a really good recipe for ages and every one I try just doesn’t quite match up to Millie’s Cookies……
Posted on

Blueberry Tart

My latest bake was Blueberry Tart from Joanne Harris’ book – The French Kitchen.  Yes, she’s the one who wrote Chocolat.  And yes, to my satisfaction there was a section in the recipe book called just that.
This blueberry tart is like the ones you find in French patisseries and looks really difficult, tasted divine and is easy peasy to make – pastry and all!
I initially served it warm with some Haagen Dazs vanilla ice-cream, but then we took the dogs for a walk and scoffed the rest cold with a cup of tea (it should be cold) and I think it was even nicer.
Anyway, you know it’s good when your guests have seconds and ask for the recipe!
Posted on

Recipe for Disaster

I love this cartoon!  It really does sum up my attempts at cooking!  I have never understood how a recipe can be published when they just don’t work.  You can follow it to the last gram and still it turns out to be a disaster.  Are these recipes even given a test run?  Or are they just made in a big purpose built kitchen and not tried in a normal kitchen with a small oven and limited workspace?  After all, they are written for the likes of you and me and not fellow chefs.  I hope!

Of course, it could just be that I have limited cooking skills!  More likely….

Posted on

Boeuf Bourguignon

Ha!  I can finally spell it without looking it up!  
Today’s supper (or tomorrow’s lunch) is to be Beouf Bourguignon, something I’ve never cooked before.  I am going to use the Lorraine Pascale recipe as I seem to get on very well with her (except the paella….).  I was explaining to Husband what is it and he replied ‘So, it’s basically stew?’.  Well, yes I suppose so but stew doesn’t sound very sexy whereas boeuf bourguignon makes you slide into a dodgy French accent and alliterate.
Anyway, it doesn’t look too tricky and I do like a recipe you can make one day and serve the next with the notion it improves with standing.  Chilli is great for that.  I am hoping the kids will try some although I imagine they’ll take one look and ask for sandwiches.

******

Boeuf is in the oven.  I am slightly worried for two reasons.  One is that I am only making it for me and the old man so I halved the recipe and I am a bit worried about cooking times…..Maybe I should have made the whole lot and frozen half?  It is meant to cook for 2.5 hours so I reckon I’ll knock off half an hour…..*fingers crossed*
Secondly, the recipe seems so easy I am concerned about how I am going to mess it up, which I invariably will.  Perhaps my recipe halving will have done the trick, or the fact that I put all the liquid as Marsala when I should have halved it with Burgundy or stock…..(I know, Marsala is Italian but Lorraine assures me it works.  Just annoys the French).
******
Ooh!  It was lovely!  So much so, Husband and I mopped up the juices with the kids’ leftover chips (I know, shocking behaviour) and I am making it again for friends coming over next Sunday lunch.   I actually forgot to take a photo of my wondrous creation, so I have posted somebody else’s instead, but it looked very similar…..yum!