Greek meatballs

A little while ago I bought loads of chicken thighs and froze them. They seemed like a good idea at the time, but really I missed chicken breast too much and they got ignored in the bottom drawer. After last week's salad extravaganza I had some halloumi left, so I decided to see if I could turn the halloumi and chicken into some sort of Greek delight. It was a success. Here's what I did:

2 chicken thighs, cut into chunks
A clove of garlic
A generous teaspoon of dried parsley
A slice of white bread
One large egg
Half a teaspoon of cumin
Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
A handful of black olives, chopped
500g passata
100g spaghetti

1. I placed the parsley, garlic and bread in the mixer and whizzed until I got breadcrumbs

2. I then added the chicken thigh chunks, as well as the egg, and blended together until the mixture was a consistent but rough texture
3. I scooped out small portions about the size of a walnut and placed them on a plate in a ball form, covered them with cling film and popped them in the fridge.

4. It was at this point I wandered off for a while. Sometimes you just need to walk away and check your Twitter feed.
5. Then I returned and got to work with a frying pan at a medium heat. I popped some olive oil in, and fried the balls in batches until they were cooked through.

6. After removing the balls from the pan, I used the same pan and added the passata, cumin, cinnamon and olives.

7. Once this was heated up, I returned the meatballs to the pan.
8. It was at this stage that I put the pasta on to cook, simmering everything for 12 minutes.
9. Just before the end of cooking, about 2 minutes from serving time, I added the chunks of halloumi to the tomato and meatball sauce. I didn't stir it - I wanted to warm it without melting it into the sauce.
10. I then drained the pasta and added half of the meatball sauce mixture. The remainder of the sauce and meatballs is sitting in a plastic box in the freezer, waiting for my to finish work late one night. Can't wait.

Banana & oat pancakes

I've done a classic "Lucy". Tried out a new recipe and forgotten to take photos. In all fairness, there aren't a lot of photos you can take in 4 minutes without it overtaking what you're doing.

Today's breakfast was banana and oat pancakes. Health food, if you will.

1/2 cup oats (I've gone all American, sorry)
1/2 a banana, ripe
2 egg whites - and frankly a bit of yolk because it slipped in

I whizzed these simple bits in my hand blender, and then poured the "batter" in 3-inch discs onto a hot dry non-stick pan. Simple as that. They take about a minute on each side - you can lift up the edge and see if the underside is golden, before flipping it onto the other side for the same treatment. It made 4 little pancakes which were plenty filling, let me tell you.

They are fat free and flour free and all that healthy-what-not. Which means they don't taste like normal pancakes, however... if you're trying to be a bit healthy and you want a full tummy without the guilt, they are really very agreeable. I will admit to adding a tablespoon of golden syrup to them after serving, as they don't have much "pep" - but I might try adding some fruit to the mixture next time (after I've been to the shops) for a healthier topping.

Monthly Menu - March

Week One
Monday - Sausage plait
Tuesday - Asparagus, tomato and spinach quiche (courtesy of Mother In Law)
Wednesday - Basil and tomato pasta
Thursday - Giardiniera pizza at Pizza Express
Friday - Goan Fish Curry (takeaway at my Mum's)
Saturday - Dinner out at Shakesby's in Horncastle - spiced parsnip soup, rib eye steak and raspberry meringue roulade
Sunday - Spicy fruity couscous

Week Two
Monday - Spaghetti bolognese
Tuesday - Butternut soup
Wednesday - Bacon salad "thing"
Thursday - Fish plait
Friday - jacket potato with tuna and sweetcorn mayo (Weight Watchers, no less)
Saturday - Sausage plait (new family favourite, by all accounts)
Sunday - roast chicken dinner

Week Three
Monday - chicken fajitas
Tuesday - meatloaf (courtesy of Mother In Law) - it was GOOOOOOOOD
Wednesday - baked potato with tuna and sweetcorn mayo (again)
Thursday - breaded chicken tenders, baked potato and a massive crunchy salad
Friday - take out
Saturday - steak night!
Sunday - roast chicken dinner with homemade Yorkies

Week Four
Monday - Thai green curry
Tuesday - chicken, asparagus and halloumi with crackers
Wednesday - cauliflower fritters
Thursday - Greek chicken meatballs and spaghetti
Friday - curry night!
Saturday - buffet at a party. Woohoo.
Sunday - curry night!

Stung by the Great British Sewing Bee

Alright, more like bitten by the GBSB bug, rather than stung by the poor little bee!

The lovely people at Minerva Crafts - www.minervacrafts.com - tweet along with the Sewing Bee (which is on Tuesday nights on BBC2 at the moment) telling you, amongst other things, which patterns the sewers are using. It makes it really, really hard for me to not buy the patters they're referring to. So this week I gave in and placed an order. I went for New Look 6189 (which was one of the patterns being used in the GBSB) and Simplicity 1696 because this looks very similar to a pair of trousers I currently wear very frequently to the office.

Until they arrive I've no idea what sort of fabric I'm going to use, how much I'll need or what other bits and bobs I need to get my hands on, but that doesn't stop me being very, very excited! I've a feeling these will need some effort to fit, so I may well get hold of a load of cheap fabric from somewhere that I can make some mistakes on, and then make them for real once I've worked out how to get the pattern to cover my bottom properly.

I love reading!

I love reading but often don't make time to do it. It's one of those things that I forget just how much I enjoy until I start doing it again. I've read quite a few books this winter, and thought I'd share some thoughts on them.

Kiss The Girls, by James Patterson

I've just finished this. What an amazing story-teller James Patterson is! I was reading this because I wanted something with realism but that wasn't normal life, and also wasn't one of the fantasy books where being a good person guarantees you the perfect job and the perfect relationships. The second book from the Alex Cross series fitted the bill perfectly. It's structured in lots and lots (over 100) of really short chapters, each about 2 and a half pages long. The story is fast-paced and urges you to read more, and with the chapters being short you can easily think "I'll just read one more"... and before you know it you've read a book in a week. Very enjoyable thriller. I've bought the next three books in the Alex Cross series; that's how good it was!

Silver Lining's Playbook, by Matthew Quick

I bought this because I had heard the film was good, and was in the mood for something with a challenging topic (mental health, in this instance). I really, really enjoyed the book. It's incredibly short - I read it in a weekend (although I did little else really). I loved how the book made me feel for the main character even though he was quite frankly completely bananas! The characters are completely unique, like nothing else I've ever read, and though the story isn't plain sailing it does have a wonderful crescendo. I watched the film as a result of reading the book and enjoying it and.... well, they've changed fundamental parts of the story! The father is completely different, and there's another character who is completely, utterly wrongly presented in the film... I won't ruin the story for you but I would recommend reading the book over watching the film. It's Tropicana With Bits compared to the film's Robinson's Squash. And that's an oscar-winning film!

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbriath

This book appealed because I'd read Casual Vacancy and thought it would be as good. I was really disappointed! The story is about a private detective who is hired to work out if someone's death was a murder or suicide. The book just didn't keep a pace suitable for that kind of story. The story and the way it was written was approachable, but for me it lacked drive and excitement.

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn

"Woah, didn't see that one coming". That's pretty much what I thought when I finished reading this! I was absolutely stunned at the way this story made me feel about the characters involved. It's engaging, exciting, confusing and excellent! And  you won't believe the ending!

Books I've loved but read quite a while ago:

Before I Go To Sleep, by S J Watson (su-PERB)
The Hunger Games Trilogy, by Suzanne Collins (there's a reason the trilogy is popular, and was made into a film!)
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (hilarious and you can really identify with Mindy)
Life Of Pi, Yann Martel (awesome book, much better than the film)
Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling (very readable book for grown ups, a rarity!)
The Island, by Victoria Hislop (a beautiful story that makes you appreciate life)

Books I've enjoyed but probably won't pick up again:

Girls In White Dresses, by Jennifer Close
The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty

Basil and tomato pasta

A couple of weeks ago I found some exciting pasta in Aldi - basil and tomato flavoured farfalle. Stripy pasta, no less! It's green and red striped, and was too good to miss. I kept it simple and served it with a tomato and mascarpone sauce and basil for garnish, topped with parmesan. Once cooked the colours looked a little more washed out, and honestly I couldn't taste the apparent flavours (maybe because of the sauce I added). Still good pasta though!

Isn't it pretty!

Sausage plait

Poor man's Beef Wellington or luxury sausage roll? You decide!

400g pack pork and apple sausages - about 6 fat sausages

1 roasted red pepper from a jar, patted dry with kitchen paper

1 large egg

½ tsp chilli flakes

2 tbsp tomato purée

flour, for dusting

250g ready-made puff pastry

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (mine's a fan). Line a baking tray (so much easier to wash up than a greased tray. 

2. Remove the meat from the sausage skins by snipping off the ends, then squeezing the sausage meat into a bowl. It's really quite fun.

3. Cut the pepper into small pieces. Break the egg into the cup, beat with a fork, and save 2 tbsp for glazing. Add the red pepper and remaining egg to the sausage meat with the chilli flakes and tomato purée. Mix - I recommend using your hands because once you've squeezed the sausages you're in the mood for some mess.

4. Sprinkle some flour on the work surface and roll out the pastry to about 30 x 30cm. Put the pastry on the lined baking tray.

5. Spoon the filling down the middle of the pastry in a sausage shape – leave a little gap at the top and bottom (about 3cm).

6. Cut the pastry at a slight diagonal, on either side of the filling, into 1.5cm strips, the same number each side. Brush the pastry all over with most of the saved egg.

7. Tuck the top and bottom edges of the pastry over the filling. Now we're making a faux plait - starting at the top, lay the pastry strips over the filling, taking one from each side, to cross like a plait. Now brush the top all over with the last of the egg. 

8. Bake for 35-40 mins or until golden.

I served mine with baked beans because I felt like sausages and beans should be brought together once more. I considered adding them to the filling but thought it might be too wet.

This isn't an original recipe by me - I got the bones of it from my mother in law's recipe collection, I believe she tore a page from a cooking magazine some time ago with it - and because of that I'm not sure where it's from.

Monthly Menu - February

Week One
Monday - baked potato with tuna
Tuesday - Caribbean chicken pilaff (cooked by my lovely mother in law)
Wednesday - butternut soup (I can't get enough)
Thursday - gammon, mash and winter veggies
Friday - pizza night!
Saturday - Thai green curry and rice
Sunday - curry night!

Week Two
Monday - Roast chicken
Tuesday - chicken soup
Wednesday - baked cod and braised fennel (it was appalling!)
Thursday - soft boiled eggs and soldiers
Friday - steak my husband's way (I'm going to try to get him to write down what he does)
Saturday - home made pizzas with pepperoni and jalapeños
Sunday - take out - from the local rib house

Week Three
Monday - beef stew
Tuesday - piri piri chicken soup, from Asda
Wednesday - Caesar salad (but with bacon, asparagus, baby corn and fine beans)
Thursday - butternut soup and tiger bread
Friday - spaghetti bolognese
Saturday - Subway; Italian BMT with all the salad options (I needed it, actually needed it)
Sunday - roast beef dinner with all the trimmings, including Yorkies

Week Four
Monday - chicken fajitas
Tuesday - cod in parsley sauce with mashed potatoes (courtesy of my father in law)
Wednesday - goats cheese and vegetable pizza (out of the freezer, sadly)
Thursday - paprika chicken
Friday - baked potato with cottage cheese and pineapple
Saturday - curry night!
Sunday - slow cooked lamb hotpot

Slow cooked lamb hotpot

I make beef stew quite regularly in my slow cooker, and whilst it's one of my favourite meals to make and eat, it's easy to just stick to that and try nothing else, which isn't very adventurous. As the sun is out and spring looks like it's on its way, I thought it was time to vary the contents of the slow cooker and do something with lamb. As always the first thing I did was preheat the slow cooker, then I started with my ingredients:

500g lamb leg steak (I used leg steak because it was meatier than the chops in the supermarket)
200g Chantenay carrots, topped and tailed
2 sticks celery
1 white onion
1/2 swede
2 tablespoons plain flour
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons dried rosemary (my shrub has had it, so we're back to dried)
Two tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1.5 pints of beef stock (I thought I had lamb stock in the cupboard, but was wrong)
Sliced waxy potatoes - enough to cover the meat, veg and gravy in the slow cooker - for me that was 4 small spuds

1. I diced the lamb into bite size cubes, then coated it in seasoned flour and sealed it in a frying pan. Then I transferred this to the pre-heated slow cooker (on high).
2. I chopped the onion and fried this in the juices left from the lamb. I added the remaining flour which had not stuck to the lamb, and made sure I'd got all the goodness out of the pan by adding some of the stock until a thick gravy was produced. That was then added to the lamb.
3. To the preheated slow cooker I added the carrots (whole), celery and swede (which were chopped into bite sized pieces). I then added the herbs and Worcestershire Sauce, gave it a good stir and added the remaining stock.
4. I added the sliced potatoes to the top - I sliced them to about 5mm thick so they would hold shape without staying uncooked. They were layered up - just enough to ensure all of the top of the stew mix was covered. I added a little salt and pepper so that the top wasn't completely boring. A sprinkle of extra rosemary might have sneaked in too. I left the slow cooker on high for the first 30 mins, then turned it to low for the rest of the cooking time.
5. I started this around 12pm, and served it at around 7pm with green beans and a little cabbage

Comfort food for breakfast

I love porridge. Especially the jumbo oat variety, but porridge in general is my go-to breakfast. I fancied trying something different with my oats this morning, so this is what I did.

1/2 cup porridge oats

1/2 cup milk

Just less than 1/2 cup water

Handful sultanas

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 manky old green apple (you can use a nice one, I only had manky ones left)

Put the oats, milk, water, sultanas and cinnamon in a pan and bring to the boil slowly, stirring a little. Let everything cook through until you've got pretty much the texture you want, and the oats are cooked (about 2 to 3 minutes). 

Grate in the apple and stir. Heat the mixture through - I just left it while I cleared up the mess of grating a juicy apple - et voila! Breakfast is served. 

It did look a little bit funky because of the colour of the cinnamon, but it tasted lovely. Putting the sultanas in at the beginning means that by the time the porridge has come together they're juicy, fat and bursting with sweetness. 

No need for sugar when there's sultanas and cinnamon!