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What was that wine called again……?

Aha!  You need an app and I have just the one!
For years I would drink a bottle of wine (usually whatever was on offer) and think ‘Ooh – that was really nice.  Must remember that one for next time’.  Of course, next time came and I would be patrolling the wine aisle of Waitrose looking for it.  Then it would strike me that I actually got it in Tesco.  Or was it Sainsbury’s?  Maybe even the garage on the late night wine run….
Then with the arrival of an iPhone came the world of apps.  And in my newbie enthusiasm I, of course, searched ‘wine’.  The app I found is called Memorable WInes and basically you can photograph and record a wine you like – grape, year, price etc. plus your own notes (i.e. got it at  Tesco!).
It’s not flashy or anything, but works really well and is perfect for what I need it for which is wandering up and down the booze aisles trying to match up the label and wine.  Here are a few pics to whet your appetites…you may know of other/better ones but I’m sticking with this one for now.

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Rice Krispie Chicken

This is a recipe from Lisa Faulkner’s book: Recipes from my Mother for my Daughter.  It is basically home-made chicken nuggets, but more exciting and can be done with the help of little people (children, not elves).  Quick and healthy to make, they went down a treat, although my kids were slightly miffed that there was no snap, crackle and pop!

However, the second time I made them a few rogue coco pops had wriggled into the rice krispies so we had a little bit of fusion food…..chicken and chocolate.  Reaction was mixed from ‘Hey!  There’s a coco pop!’ to this face…..

All you need to do is dip strips of chicken in mayonnaise and then into crushed rice krispies and bake at 180ºC for about 20 minutes.  For the exact recipe, please consult Lisa Faulkner’s book (which I hope you all have – it is very good).

I was going to post a photo but we ate them all before I remembered……next time!

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The Glynde Food & Drink Festival

This year we are going to the Glynde Food & Drink Festival, set in the grounds of Glynde Place, East Sussex and the lovely organisers have agreed to let me chat to some of the chefs and blog about how marvellous it is!

I haven’t been before, but it promises to be an amazing day out and you can even take the kids as there are childrens’ cookery classes or a craft & creche area to keep them busy.

dhruv baker
The Aptly-named and Talented Dhruv Baker

Celebrities already signed up to run demonstrations are John Torode, Dhruv Baker, Tim Anderson and Lisa Faulkner (if you don’t watch Masterchef you may be saying ‘Who?’ but trust me, they’re all fab!).  I have signed my kids up for a junior masterclass and really wanted to sign up myself for a bit of one-to-one with Dhruv, but fear leaving Husband with the 3 kids for 1 hour+ would send him over the edge…

You can pre-book or turn up on the day, but there is a discount if you book ahead.

It’s just down the road from me so an easy excursion, but if you’re further afield I do think it will be a visit – A foodtastic and hopefully sunny day out all in celebration of local and wonderful food and drink!

lisa faulknerThe Gorgeous Lisa Faulkner
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I’m a Finalist!

Well, knock me down with a cheese string, I made it to the final 8 in the Tasty! category of the Britmums blogging awards (#bibs)!

How the hell did that happen?

As you can imagine I am chuffed to bits and have been tweeting my delight and then…..wait for it….I GOT A DIRECT MESSAGE FROM NIGELLA LAWSON CONGRATULATING ME!! (sorry for the cyber-shouting, but how exciting is that??!!)  Look…

One word speaks volumes..

Now, to celebrate I might just have to fire up the kitchenaid and get baking!  I am sure my son would appreciate a ‘didn’t Mummy do well chocolate cake’ and I did buy myself a new cake plate and server last week.  I know…but I needed them!  I was slightly irked it was a Kirstie Allsopp cake-server, but hey – it’s candy striped and pretty! Whatever I cook, it’s got to be Nigella and I’m going to blog about it!

M&S, if you’re interested….

*allows self one last burst of self-adulation* YAHOO!
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Sausage Rolls

WHY have I never made these before??  They are so scrummy and, as ever, easy to make!

Here’s what to do…
Finely chop 2 shallots, 2 large cloves of garlic and 2 sage leaves and saute in about 20g of butter.  Then in a bowl mix it in with 450g of sausagemeat and thyme leaves (from about 4 sprigs).  I cheated on the pastry and used pre-rolled puff pastry.  Cut the pastry sheet into two rectangles and arrange the sausagemeat mixture in two long sausages down the middle of each.  Then gently pull the pastry over the meat and sealed with egg wash.  Cut each one into 6 pieces and lay on a baking tray, seam side down.  Brush again with egg wash and bake at 180ºC for about half an hour.  Then wait for them to cool a little before scoffing the lot (or offer them to other people too if you are of a kindly disposition).

On my ‘Net Diary’ app I have worked out that it is 134 calories per sausage roll if you use the jus-rol light puff pastry sheet.  Just in case you’re counting….!

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It’s been a cookin’ Easter!

Well, Easter is just about over and I have not stopped cooking!  In a good way, but non-stop!
Good Friday was with the MiL so I escaped having to do anything very much.  But on Easter Saturday I made fresh tagliatelle, Easter cupcakes, blueberry tart and porcini sauce.  All the aforementioned have been cited on my blog before so I won’t bore you with the details, but it was all go in the kitchen!
On Easter Sunday we said Hallelujah!  To Ms Lisa Faulkner.  I made her roast leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary, her mint sauce, her Nanna’s nut roast and her creme brulee.  All were mighty fine and scoffed with much enthusiasm, although the mint sauce wasn’t very minty…more of a hollandaise, so next time I shall step up the mint!
Before
After

It never gets as much ‘press’ as Christmas but actually, on the cooking front, it is almost as busy really!  A big fat roast, guests to entertain and feed plus egg hunts to organise.

I also broke my Lentian fast of ‘no wine in the week’ with the most gorgeous bottle of white burgundy.  Heaven…

I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend; shame about the weather!