Category: Cooking

Inspired by Aaron and having hot water again, and a car that works outside I have been looking for recipes. OK salad might not be the winter warmer of choice, but the sun has been out, Beach Boys on music with Fleetwood Mac, Carole King, Pink Floyd.

Aaron said my pizza was the last unhealthy thing he would eat for a month! Cheeky git!

Well it made me think about what was healthy and unhealthy! I guess I would start with most, if not all, takeaways and processed foods. Then there is red meat or any non-organic meat. Then it gets a bit more complicated.

Is there a better value fruit to eat at this time of the year? I absolutely love them – sweet, great texture, not pips – just brilliant, and cheap too. I also just got a fantastic sour dough loaf. Toasted with a little butter and, well actually nothing or anything!

• 100 g samphire
• 50 g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon juiced

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Put the samphire into a pan of boiling water for 1 minute then drain.
• Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan or wok then add the garlic. Cook it gently for a couple of minute till it browns slightly.
• Add the samphire and heat through. Stir in the lemon juice at the end. If you don’t want it to be too sharp stir in half, taste and then add a bit more.

To be honest I can see why it is not more popular – its ok but I prefer sprouts! I would like it if I gathered it myself!

Just had a delivery of gourmet vegetables – heritage carrots and potatoes, chicory, variety of mushrooms, samphire, coriander, variety of cheeses, quince, pears, figs, bramley apples, persimmon, Jerusalem artichokes, avocado, arty lemonade, and other stuff. Yogurt made. I have not iced xmas cake as it is probably sweet enough already. I think the programme was called ‘ready steady cook’ when a variety of ingredients were provided and contestants had to come up with a meal – that is me at the moment – trying to plan what to cook. Small gammon is cooling and I will bake it later.

220g self raising flour; 110g butter; 110g caster sugar; 120g dried apricots and mango chopped; 1 tbsp honey; 3 eggs; 3tbsp milk. Mix well and bake for 40 mins at 170C. Icing made with zest and juice of 2 clementines. Full marks from my testers Aaron and Jamie!

One to try

But in the meantime I have sort of followed a recipe! Dried apricot and mango cake. I think with maybe lemon icing?

I am going to try this recipe. And then a stollen cake.

Whatever you are eating this Christmas, one of the joys of a roast is gravy. So here is a veggie version which I have tried and is great. GRAVY

I will certainly be having a nut roast over the next few days, all ingredients are interchangeable! A NUT ROAST . This one has a huge list of ingredients – but it is Christmas!