My best blogging month!

677 page views on my blog this month, I guess that's not a lot compared to many but it's my best month yet so thanks to everyone who visited!


http://gail-triedandtested.blogspot.co.uk/

Raymond Blanc's Beef Bourguignon

I cut this recipe from a magazine a while ago and put the ingredients on my shopping list yesterday. I failed to read the recipe which requires marinading the beef overnight. Sorry Raymond but this is what I was having for dinner tonight so omitted the marinating and it was still the best beef bourguignon I've ever had, not sure it could have tasted better! I did use ox cheek too - thanks to Waitrose for selling this cut of meat.

Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Decided to make soup today too! No recipe just sauteed  onions and leeks with a red chilli and fresh grated ginger, added loads of fresh tomatoes and some homemade chicken stock. 30 mins in the pressure cooker, liquidised and sieved. Will probably serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and crusty bread!

Seeded Carrot Flapjacks

Made these this afternoon, the recipe is listed as healthy but there is quite a lot of sugar. I guess the carrot provides 1 of your 5 a day so I'll go with it! They taste great so give them a try!

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/652493

Today's Cooking

Health baking today - Seeded Carrot Flapjacks,

for dinner tonight Raymond Blanc's Beef Bourguignon and ready for tomorrow Simmered Lamb Shanks ready to serve with pasta.

Waitrose!

Excited to be doing my food shopping at Waitrose today - Sad?

Jason Atherton's Roasted chicken thighs with squid and pipérade

Another tasty supper thanks to Jason Atherton, served with Salt and Rosemary Focaccia from Morrisons


http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/roasted_chicken_thighs_92473

Chorizo and White Bean Soup

This was todays lunch - Chorizo and White Bean Soup, really easy to make and very tasty served with crusty bread. If you don't like meat I'd just add more veggies and a few more spices. Here's the recipe:

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/651525

Lakeland visit cancelled!

Due to unforseen circumstances (a very ill van) we didn't make it to Lakeland - thank goodness for mail order and the internet! We also didn't make it it Pulci Pizza for dinner as planned so hate to admit we had KFC and I actually quite enjoyed the Flamin Chicken Wrap!

Lakeland Visit

Working in Keswick tomorrow (if we get throught the floods!) and that usually means a visit to Lakeland at Windermere - must start my shopping list!

Nigella vs Paul

Had high hopes for Nigella but generally getting the thumbs down so think my new cookery book will be Paul Hollywood's How to Bake!

Chicken Cacciatore - as it should be!

Tonight's dinner - really simple Chicken Cacciatore, made by Duncan and he managed not to deviate from the recipe!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4251/chicken-cacciatore

Nigellissima?

Not quite sure about Nigella still, loving the steak and cheesecake ideas but thinking it's not a serious foodie programme!

Wetherspoons!

Lazy tea tonight - Jolly Tars in Cleveleys, I guess you get what you pay for at Wetherspoons but liking the melting cheese in my fishcakes and the very reasonably priced wine!

My Chicken Tabouleh!

Here it is - my Chicken Tabouleh - never used bulgar wheat before but really enjoyed it, just mixed with tomato, cucumber, feta cheese and spicy chicken breast on the top.

Tabouleh

Tomorrow I'm making a Chicken Tabouleh for the first time, not sure what to expect especially from the Bulgar Wheat?!

Ricos - Tried and Tested!

We had dinner at Rico's tonight. One of our old favourites where you get what you pay for! The food is always good, ambience right and prices reasonable along with great service! We will happily eat here week after week. Tonight's choices: Mushrooms and Tortelloni speciali (small portion!) for me, Ribs and Pescatore Pizza for Dunc.

Nigellissima!

Nigella is not my favourite TV chef/cook (sorry Nigella and her millions of fans!)  - BUT I have loved her recipes in the Sunday Mail YOU magazine the last couple of weekends so looking forward to her TV series starting next week and may even add her book to my collection!

Hot Smoked Salmon Pate

Made Jamie's Hot Smoked Salmon and Horseradish Pate ready for lunch tomorrow, looks really tasty and very pretty stored in a Kilner Jar, will serve with toasted pitta. Jamie's recipe is with smoked trout but I can't seem to find that and he serves with mini Yorkshire puddings and I can't make those!

 

 

Foodie TV!

Enjoying the last week of Masterchef and looking forward to Great Bristish Bake Off tonight!

Healthy Baking!

Apparently its National Cupcake Week so I might make some at the weekend but I've just been on the Good Food website and found some healthy bakes I might try too!

Seeded Carrot Flapjacks http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/652493

Sweet Potato & White Chocolate Cake http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/649406

Cooking for the Freezer - again

Moussaka and Bistro Chicken in progress to fill another space in the freezer!

Shortbread

Here it is - my homemade shortbread, impatient for it to cool so we can eat!

Sunday cooking :

Simmering away in the pressure cooker today is lamb stock ready for some autumnal Shepherd's Pie and Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks.

Thinking about making shortbread before the Sunday Roast goes in - Rib of Beef with Roasties and Creamed Leeks.

Pressure Cooking

Lamb Jalfrezi for tonight's dinner. I usually cook this slowly for a couple of hours minimum but was late getting started tonight and knowing I had a hungry golfer to feed used my new bit of kitchen kit - the pressure cooker. Cooked the lamb really well in 40 mins but the sauce was not as rich as usual. Anyone else have pressure cooking experiences or advice to share?

Quesadillas

Tonight for dinner, super easy tried and tested Chorizo, potato and thyme Quesadillas!

 

http://gail-triedandtested.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/chorizo-potato-thyme-quesadillas.html

Oven Thermometers

I recently bought Heston Blumenthal's recipe book, his recipes can be a bit involved but the one's I have tried have been worth the effort.  One of his recommended pieces of kit is an oven thermometer which I bought - they aren't expensive and give the true temperature of your oven which I find never agrees with the oven's own thermometer - maybe that's why my Yorkshire Puddings never rise!

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/11235/Oven-Thermometer

Jamie Olivers Empire Chicken

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Jamie's Empire Chicken, Bombay Potatoes & Indian Gravy.

Marc ordered this at Union Jacks when we there a few weeks ago, presentation may have been a bit better but can't imagine it was any tatsier than this! Jamie's recipes never fail to impress!

Rachel Allen & Rick Stein

 

 

Been cooking for the freezer today. Above is Rachel Allen's Beef Provencal, slowly cooked beef  with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, capers and black olives. Also made Rick Stein's Lamb and Potato Curry with Coconut Milk - here's the links for some really tasty recipes:

Beef Provencal http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/648096

Lamb Curry - can't find the link for this so here's the recipe which serves 16-20 so remember to adjust as required!

225g unsalted butter
1kg onions, chopped
100g fresh ginger, finely chopped
100g garlic cloves, chopped
4 medium-hot chillies, finely chopped
1 tbs crushed pasilla chillies* or dried chilli flakes
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
2 tbs ground turmeric
2 tbs ground cumin
2 tbs ground coriander
4 tbs sweet paprika
2 kg lean lamb (such as leg), skin and excess fat removed, cut into 4cm piece
400ml can coconut milk
300ml water
4 tspn salt
1kg small waxy potatoes (such as charlotte), peeled, cut into 2-3 cm pieces
2 tbs sunflower oil
2 tbs black mustard seeds
1 bunch (about 80g) coriander, roughly chopped, plus a few extra leaves to garnish

-Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, red chilli and crushed pasilla chillies or dried chilli flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until the onion mixture is soft and lightly browned.
-Spoon the onion mixture into a blender or food processor and bend to a smooth paste. Return to the pan and add the tomatoes, spices, lamb, coconut milk, water and salt, then bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1¼ hours. Stir in the potatoes, cover and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are tender. (If you’re making this curry the day before, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until needed.)
-Shortly before serving, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and leave them to sizzle vigorously for a few seconds. Add them to the piping-hot curry and stir in with the coriander and more seasoning, if necessary. Sprinkle with extra coriander leave to garnish.
*Available from specialty spice shops.

Delicious October

Loving this months Delicious magazine, looks like salted caramel is the flavour of the month, looking forward to trying salted caramel brownies and salted caramel tart tatin.

James Martin & Saturday Kitchen

Loving that James Martin and Saturday Kitchen  are back on the telly!
I'll definitely be trying the Heaven dish soon.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/scallop_linguine_66413

Jamies Great Britain

Loving my latest recipe book 'Jamie's Great Britain'. There's some recipes similar to the dishes served at Union Jacks so looking forward to trying some of those!

Another 'Best' Lunch!

Today for lunch I made a Blue Cheese and Fig Tart, I was hoping there would be some left for me but those lovely people I cook for devoured it!

It's just a shortcrust pastry base with a filling made of 120ml each of cream and creme fraiche mixed with 2 eggs some crumbled blue cheese and halved figs.

Double Raspberry Bakewell Tart

Needing an excuse to try this recipe! Another from James Martin - looks amazing!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2365637/james-martins-double-raspberry-bakewell-tart

James Martin's Chicken Breast with Wild Mushrooms

This is the only time I use chicken breast, I don't know if it's the method of cooking or the fact that it's French trimmed but the meat stays really moist and the sauce is fantastic.

Looking forward to eating this tonight with creamy mash and sauteed leeks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/french-trimmed_chicken_70337