To say I’m not really a recipe kind of girl has a little truth in it, I like to think of myself more as an intuitive cook. I am more of a ‘see what’s in the fridge and work with that’ kind of a person. My food is also ever-evolving and I taste as I cook and add as a go along. Most of the time it works out pretty well! Wherever possible I don’t weigh and measure – this doesn’t work with cakes and jam and chutney of course but with anything else ‘meal wise’ then I see it’s a pointless exercise not to use a whole tin of chickpeas or half an onion for instance.
People are always asking for my recipes – I’ve made books and folders up for people over the years and even have a folder on my laptop now where I can just lift a recipe and email it to someone when they ask. But this, well, this is even easier isn’t it? So I’m slowly but surely getting things together here.
I have my storecupboard staples that I’m never without and those are things that we should all always have at our beck and call… It goes without saying that we should always keep both persuasions of flour, butter & sugar at all times. Herbs and spices are an absolute must, I couldn’t live without coriander, cumin, chilli, paprika to name but a few, and in my garden I always have parsley, mint, rosemary, chives, thyme and sage.
There is a lot of vegetarian food in this house, and whether you are one or not, we could all benefit from a few Meat Free Mondays. I also have some meaty meals here, some of hubby’s most loved plates and some dinner party go-to favourites.
Vegetarian
Roasted courgettes with onions, halloumi and herbs
Courgette and goats cheese quiche
Zucchini fritti (less healthy!)
Courgette and pesto tagliatelle
Paneer & vegetable tikka spiced kebabs – great for a BBQ
Courgette & broad bean summer salad
Courgette & goats cheese crostini
Sausage casserole (meat or veggie)
Summer roasted vegetable couscous
Roasted butternut squash with couscous & goat’s cheese
Beetroot, chickpea, quinoa & feta salad
Slow cooker three bean chilli
Cakes & puds
Rhubarb crumble cake
Rhubarb and coconut cake
Slow Cooker
Beef Bourginon (beef or Quorn for veggie)
Weekday Moroccan slow cooked lamb
Sausage casserole (meat or veggie)
Weekday slow cooker three bean chilli
Jams & Chutneys
Sweet courgette & apple chutney
Spiced courgette & tomato chutney
Green tomato chutney
Bread
Naan bread (bread maker)
Alcoholic beverages (hic!)
Christmas mulled blackberry vodka
Christmas
makingthishouseourhome 