British Sausage Week: Day 1: Halloween Spicy Sausage Casserole

Grill chipolata sausages until browned. Chop and saute vegetables - leek, red pepper, courgette and pumpkin (see what I did there? for Halloween?) in olive oil - until soft.  Add sprinkle of mixed herbs and 2 minced cloves of garlic.  When soft add chicken stock, sausages and tin of tomatoes - add hot Cajun sauce, chili, marmite and season to taste.  Simmer for 30mins or so, making sure there is enough sauce.  Scoff with basmati rice.  Very tasty.

Cauliflower and potato curry

Still feeling a bit grim - but well enough to go back to work tomorrow - so comfort food required.  Chopped and sauteed onion with curry powder (of your choice, this was a biryani mix), garlic, mushroom and green beans.  Then added chopped potatoes and cauliflower (well, romanesco, but it doesn't matter, and doesn't show the drama of the vegetable).  Add tin of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and water/stock.  Brought to boil, then bunged in simmering oven for 40 minutes or so.  Rice done in normal way, ie "steamed" in Aga warming oven.  Just before serving stirred in quite a lot of double cream ... tsk, tsk - but it does produce the silky texture.  Served in my Dennis the Menace bowl, cos that sort of thing cheers me up - what a daft sod I am.  Victim quite liked it, but prefers curry with meat in.

British baking week: Day 5: Also Apple Day - so Apple Bread

More or less from here http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/apple-bread/detail.aspx ... but the batter was far too dry so added about 4 tbsps orange juice.  The result is lovely and moist with a bit more underlying fruitiness.  Next time might even add orange zest for added oomph.

British Baking week: Day 4: Marmalade cake

Marmalade cake from the Great British Bake Off cookbook 2011.  Should have used a smaller tin - but generally voted a success.  Yes, I have missed Day 3 - but I am off sick with flu, so I'm amazed I have managed anything at all.

Crab and crackers

Normally, if I were to think of crab it's with one of those "take 3 pheasant and a dozen quails eggs" moments where you can feel the £s flying out of your pocket.  BUT, thanks to the wonder of "use by" dates found BARGAIN dressed crab, and so couldn't resist.  Victim was thrilled as she loves crab, but doesn't get it often.  So mixed dressed crab with assorted chopped salady bits (spring onion, cucumber, avocado, cherry tomatoes, parsley - would have added radish if we had any) - add chopped chili (our homegrown) and squeeze of lemon juice.  Good grind of black pepper and a spinkling of sea salt, and serve on crackers.  LOVELY!

British Baking Week: Day 2: Belgian Waffles

I have been spoilt by an early birthday present - an authentic American waffle baker.  Victim insisted on a trial straight away - so Belgian waffles with ice cream and maple syrup for pudding it was.  I never knew there was yeast in waffles!  I wont repeat full recipe here - because the cream, butter and sugar are just too naughty... google for a recipe.  Thus far 4 waffles have been made and consumed - at £75 each!  We need to eat more to bring the price down!

Leek, mushroom and cavolo nero stroganoff

Hahahahahahaha.... got veggie dinner into victim - who said "thanks, that was nice".... result!

Sauteed sliced leeks and mushrooms, season, add mixed herbs, garlic and stock, simmer for a while.  Add chopped cavolo nero and paprika to taste.  Simmer again.  Cook pasta, drain.  Stir creme fraiche into veggies (and worcstershire sauce if you fancy, aren't too strict veggie).  Sprinkle paprika to serve. Easy peasy veggielicious - and good use of veg box produce.  Some toasted hazelnuts would be nice sprinkled on top.

British Baking week: Day 1: Broccoli cornmeal muffins

British Baking week again!  and a glut of broccoli in th veg box - so gave these a go.  Not brilliant, but not bad - fortunately dead easy as I am still pathetic with this flu bug.

Steam broccoli florets and drain.
Mix 1 cup flour, 11/4 cups cornmeal, 2 tsp baking poweder, 1/2 tsp salt, pinch chili flakes.  In another bowl mix 1 cup milk, 1 large egg and 4 tbsp corn oil.
Mix wet and dry ingredients togther and stir in broccoli.  Sprinkle with seeds for extra healthiness.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for about 18 minutes 180C.

RIP Betty Driver - hotpot

Sad news yesterday that Betty Driver (Turpin) of Corrie has died at 91.  Happened to have lamb for tea so turned it into a sort of hotpot in her memory.  After 10 days of flu this is about the first meal I have managed - and only then by chopping, browning and bunging in the oven and having a sit down.

Spanish omelette

So, Spanish omelette, but I've been watching too much British Bake Off, so tomato ketchup takes on a whole new role! Recipe.... OK - peel and dice potatoes (3 baking in this case) - boil - slice and saute an onion, add green beans (chopped), courgette (diced) and mushrooms (roughly chopped).  Season veg mix.  When potatoes are soft (12ish mins - depending on how small the dice were), drain them well and add to the softenned veg.  Whisk together eggs (I used 8 - 4 normal sized, and 4 of our little bantams).... Stir veg mix, add frozen peas and check seasoning.  pour on eggs  - stir in over light/hob and finish under grill ... or transfer straight away to a medium oven until done from bottom to top - and top to bottom (about 15 mins).  Then, squirt artistically with tomato ketchup.

In other news victim is deeply disappointed as the poly tunnel is still in its packaging!  Never mind, hopefully it will appear today.

Spagetti with chicken, green beans and pesto

Boil beans and spagetti, marinade bite sized chicken pieces in garlic and lemon.  Roast some tomatoes.  When cooked, about 12 mins, chuck together with jar of pesto.  Grind on plenty of black pepper.

Chicken and sweet potato hotpot

Veg box revenge.... sweet potato and red cabbage lolling about at the back of the fridge - actually turned into something quite delicious.

Started with the red cabbage - chop an onion and saute in olive oil, added chopped red cabbage - give it a few stirs and add a tsp or so of dried fennel seeds, salt, black pepper and apple juice - a good grind of black pepper and enough water to keep it moist.  Simmer, and chuck in medium oven with a lid on.

Then, onto the hotpot.... chop leeks, celery, carrots and saute in olive oil in a big casserole pan - add chopped green beans, chopped asparagus ends (optional - leftovers), suate a bit longer.  Push veg to edges and brown chicken chopped into bite sized pieces in the centre - add 2 cloves chopped garlic, and some "greek seasoning" (or some paprika/ oregano and mint).... when a bit browned deglaze with white wine, and add chicken stock, tomato puree and some mushrooms and  fresh tomatoes.  Simmer, lid on, for about 20 mins.  Meanwhile peel and thinly slice sweet potatoes - and then arrange in tidy layer on top ... the missed pic as the gathered victims were straight in there with the serving spoon.

In medium oven, with lid on for 30 mins - lid off for final 15-20 mins. 

Steam romanesco as you would broccoli.  Serve, and watch the vitamins take over gathered victims systems - doing them more good than they expected.  Also, sweet potato top gets big thumbs up from sweet toothed, and slightly spiced hot pot thumbs up from peeps who like "summat a bit different".  The only thumbs down was for the red cabbage - but that's just because they're nuts... I loved it.