Category: Cooking

I just fancied some pate, so decided to make some.

Hard boiled eggs – cold water, bring to boil and simmer for 7 1/2 minutes, rinse under cold water for 2 mins.

Soft boiled eggs – lower into boiling water, turn down and cook for 4 minutes.

Poached eggs – crack egg into sieve to allow runniest parts of egg to go. Whisk boiling water in saucepan with drop of vinegar, lower jug into water and tip egg out, turn down and cook for 3 minutes. Or put egg into lightly greased cling film in a ramekin and twist like a goldfish at the fair, and then dunk in boiling water.

Scrambled eggs – crack straight into cooking pan with butter and salt. Stir and leave 10 secs, stit and leave until how you like them. Take off heat and a know of butter or creme fraiche to stop cooking process. Mix with whatever you like – smoked peppers, mushrooms, dried toms, cheese, bacon, fish, herbs, whatever!

Granola – has an egg white, why? But flour, nuts seeds, honey, coconut oil, coconut flakes, cook 30 mins at 170c. Add chopped fruit after cooking.

Breakfasts: Home created muesli; scrambled egg; toast and cheese with avocado mayo; toast and marmite; toast and honey or homemade jam; blueberry muffins; omelette.

Main – oh, I am so confused! What do I want? Being by myself I tend to have to live with whatever I cook for at least 2 days! So, I am thinking salad. So coleslaw, hummus, potato salad, garlic bread, salad nicoise, French dressing. And then a nut loaf, quiche or pasta cheese bake, and maybe smoked mackerel pate. So that is at lest 3 days.

I also fancy a really good ragu bolognese, so maybe spag bol, and then chilli con carne? – that’s another couple of days.

So 2 to go. Lamb with a flat bread and salad might use up left over salad with raita.

So my shopping list is : eggs, lamb chunks, beef mince, bread rolls, white cabbage, smoked mackerel – it is probably sad that I have everything else.

And for the days when I can’t be bothered my comfort foods are : tinned tomato soup, baked beans and tinned sardines in tomato sauce.

And just obviously I am not following this already 15 hours later. Making a salad as the weather is wet, windy and chilly! So spicy chick peas, hard boiled egg in avocado mayo with smoked paprika, baked potato,

I might do a pizza with stripes tomorrow (Red Leicester and cheddar and mozzarella. Rye bread dough in bin – it did not rise at all!

And then deserts – I tend not to do these so perhaps one a week – lemon drizzle cake this week I think? I am not brave enough for meringues yet!

Another recipe I will have try. Quesadillas

This was bit of a novelty – a cookbook with 120 recipes and no photo’s. At first I was a bit patronised by the simplicity of some of the recipe titles such as fried eggs, but each recipe is referenced by the authors research to other chefs recipes, and discusses their benefits and drawbacks. I particularly liked this as it gives me ideas and a choice. I also liked the sauces as they are always useful to add flavour and pizzazz to otherwise bland food.

Most recipes only use normal ingredients.

Good old Guardian supplement on tarts today.

Individual chicken pies BBC Good Food. and individual apple pies

Leek, gruyere and nutmeg quiche and this one from BBC Good Food.

Easy recipe

Basic recipe is 1 litre whole milk, 5tbs dried non-fat milk, 1 tbs live yogurt, sweetener as required and flavourings.

So this is the start of a list I intend to make, varying between savoury and sweet.

Stuffed with an orange and a couple of bay leaves by the legs.

And from todays Guardian feast magazine, carrot and coriander fritters. I also like the alternatives.