Meal Planning Monday 9th June

Ok, im a bad blogger lol…there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in a day 😦 Will try harder… As its Monday, please pop over to Mrs M’s for more meal ideas.

For the last 2 weeks I’ve been using The Hairy Bikers Asian Adventure as inspiration for meal planning…and its worked pretty well. Everyone (including the fussy eaters) has been enjoying the meals (shock horror gasp!) and I’ve managed to tone down the chilli…just a little bit 😉

So again, this week, we’re going Asian lol

• Monday – Bulgogi Beef
• Tuesday – Fasting – Pizza for Kids
• Wednesday – Salmon/Chicken Teriyaki
• Thursday – Fasting – Something for Kids
• Friday – Chicken Curry
• Saturday – Sweet & Sour Pork
• Sunday – The Hubster is in charge (so it’ll probably be a takeaway lol)

Note the distinct lack of desserts and cakes *sighs* Soooo depressing 😦 But, needs must if I’ve got any chance of getting into my summer clothes from last year!

What are you planning to cook this week?

Foodie Penpals Reveal Post (May)

Its the last day of May today and i suddenly realised that i hadn’t posted about this months parcel lol.

My Foodie Penpal this month was Amanda at A Penny Pinching Guide who’s box contained some lovely bits i can experiment with 🙂

So a huge thank you to Amanda and yes, you’re right, that Latte is to die for!

My Birthday…In Food Porn

Had a wonderful Birthday…Lunch at Laduree, evening meal at Dinner and a stay over at The St Pancras Hotel. Came home and demolished a whole box of chocolates lol 🙂

Am i all foodied out? Nah lol…i could do it all again tomorrow! 😉

Meal Planning Monday 12th May

Although I’ve still been meal planning every week, this is the first week since March that I’ve taken part, official like. The A-Z Challenge really did me in lol

Anyway, back now, and unfortunately having to go on a diet *boo hiss* as we’ve just had far too many cakes and puds these last few months, and my Acid Reflux problem has returned, and even with medication i can’t shift it. I know its worse when I’m carrying some extra weight *sighs* 😦

Last week i picked up a lovely new cookery book in one of my local charity shops. Brand new, still in its cellophane, for 2 quid! 🙂

I’d never heard of Darina Allen or the Ballymaloe Cookery School…until now and this book lists all their recipes they teach at the school…food porn at its best!!!! 🙂

So this week, my meal plan has come from Darina’s book…

• Monday – Steak Sandwiches
• Tuesday – Takeaway (i have a busy day)
• Wednesday – Shepherds Pie & Bread & Butter Pudding
• Thursday – Its my birthday so we’re out that night
• Friday – Teriyaki Salmon (Teriyaki Chicken for the kids) & Rice Pudding
• Saturday – Lasagne (I’m going to try Darina’s recipe)
• Sunday – Who knows…The Hubster is in charge

As you can see, only 2 puds and no cake this week 😦

Please pop over to Mrs M’s to see what everyone else is up to this week.

Make me drool…what are you planning to cook this week?

Lemon Mascarpone Cake

Well, its been a while hasn’t it 🙂

Ive still been meal planning, still been baking, and starting tomorrow i’ll be back to blogging.

I posted a picture of this cake on FaceBook last week and a friend of mine asked for the recipe. I have to admit….i tweaked a Mary Berry *shock horror gasp* 😉

 

For The Cake

• 2 small lemons
• 275g softened butter
• 275g caster sugar
• 275g self raising flour
• 2 level tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs

For The Filling And Icing

• 1 bag icing sugar
• 1 large tub mascarpone

To Decorate

• 1 large lemon
• 50g caster sugar

1. Grease and line 2 round cake tins. Using a potato peeler remove the zest from the large lemon and cut into thin strips. Place the strips in a small saucepan with 25g of the caster sugar and a little boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on baking parchment on a oven tray. Scatter with the remaining 25g caster sugar and place in a low oven set at 110 for an hour to dry out. Juice the lemon and set aside for later use.
2. Quarter the 2 whole lemons and place in a pan. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid and remove any pips.
3. Place the lemon pieces in a food processor and blitz to a smoothish pulp. Transfer to a small bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients to the processor and blend until smooth. Lift out the blade and stir in half of the lemon pulp.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown (or it passes the skewer test). Leave to rest for 5 minutes in the tin then turn out and remove baking parchment. Cool on a wire rack.
5. To make the mascarpone filling. In a bowl cream the mascarpone with icing sugar and the reserved liquid from the boiled lemons until you have the desired level of sweetness. Personal choice here people. Then add the reserved lemon pulp.
6. Cut the cakes in half (for 4 layers) or just use the mascrapone to sandwich the 2 cakes together (as i did).
7. Use the remaining lemon juice added to icing sugar to make a runny icing and pour onto the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with the crispy pieces of lemon zest.

I gotta tell you…this was scrummy! 😉

Foodie Penpals Reveal Post (April)

Im afraid im a day late on my reveal post for Foodie Penpals, but thats because my box didn’t arrive until yesterday. My Penpal had problems with posting as she was out of the country, but i was just relieved that it hadn’t got lost! 🙂

A huge thank you to Lucia at Lulabella’s Kitchen for my lovely parcel. Now I’ve got to find ways i can use it all 🙂

And i’ll do that while I’m enjoying a Latte. Thanks Lucia 🙂

 

 

Taking A Break For The A-Z

For the past couple of years I’ve taken part in the Blogging A-Z Challenge. For those of you who don’t know what it is its where you blog a post a day throughout April and each blog post must be inspired by a letter of the alphabet.

I thought initially i would do it on this blog. Recipes…food from around the word…my favourite foods (L would definitely be Lobster lol), but i really need to get back into fiction writing, and i think this could be the motivation i need.

So as i’ll be blogging every day over at The View Outside (short pieces of fiction) i won’t have the energy to blog here too *sighs* and although the Kitchen Adventure and Meal Planning will continue, unfortunately cake making might have to take a back seat 😦

See you in May! 🙂

My Second DegustaBox

Arrived this week…

I only have a couple of things left over from last months box and this months will probably be the same, but I’m enjoying getting the packages…its all a little bit exciting (how sad am i? lol).

Check out DegustaBox if you fancy giving it a go and if you like them on FaceBook you could get your first box for £4.99, which is definitely a barg! 🙂

Im off to try the Chai Latte Hot Chocolate…

Peanut Butter Cookie Squares

This months Bake Club Challenge is “Square Bakes” 🙂

So after scrolling through dozens of recipes online, i decided to try Peanut Butter Cupboard Cookie Bars. Which turned out to be far more difficult than i’d first imagined. Im not the brightest button in the box when it comes to maths, so trying to calculate 1/3rd of a cup when you only have a 1 cup and a 1/4 cup measuring devices was more than my brain could take at times. But, i muddled through, and ended up with something edible lol

 

Have entered into the Bake Challenge, won’t win of course, but enjoyed baking them 🙂

Only try these if you love peanut butter! Very sickly lol

Lamb On Skewers

or Arni Souvlakia, Elizabeth David tells me 😉

Her recipe is more of a recommendation than anything else…

“Cut a piece of lamb from the leg into inch cubes. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and Marjoram. Thread the meat on to skewers and grill them. Serve them on a thick bed of parsley or shredded lettuce, on the skewers, with quarters of lemon.”

Ok, to liven mine up a bit i used Halloumi & red peppers between the lamb, and served them with couscous that had Feta cheese in, Hummus, olives and pita breads.

I thoroughly enjoyed it! (kids were unappreciative as usual lol). Perhaps one day i’ll be able to have them the Elizabeth David way…

“Eaten on the terrace of a primitive Cretan taverna, flavoured with wood smoke and the mountain herbs, accompanied by the strong red wine of Crete, these kebabs can be the most poetic of foods. Exquisitely simple…”

Mmmmmm….i can see myself there now *sighs* 😉