The weekend I turned 30.....{Fish Pie Stew}

Well I made it to 30. Amazing! I had a fantastic weekend with lots of fun and laughter and I can honestly say I feel very blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

So now that the celebrating is over its time for me to put my head down and overhaul my lifestyle a bit. I have been trying to loose weight for so long and I always put it off or had an excuse. Time to get focused and get exercising!

This is a new-ish recipe that has become a really nice staple evening meal. I started off by making the original but I've changed it around a bit to make it a really nice alternative to fish pie, It's also much less time consuming so there's that as well...

Fish Pie Stew 

Inspired from the recipe here 

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

3 sticks of celery, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

175ml white wine

300ml chicken stock or vegetable stock if you prefer

1 tbsp cornflour, mixed to a paste with 1 tbsp cold water

200g raw prawns 

300g fish pie selection (the one I used had smoked haddock, cod and salmon)

small bunch flat leave parsley, chopped

300ml half-fat crème fraîche

150g new potatoes, already boiled and slightly squashed with a fork

heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and celery until soft. add the garlic and cook for another minute them pour in the wine and simmer until most has disappeared. p

our in the stock and cornflour mix and simmer for 5-10 mins, stirring often until thickened. season, then add the fish, new potatoes and most of the parsley. simmer for a few mins until piping hot, then stir in the crème fraîche. serve with a sprinkling of parsley. you could have this with some bread, but I find that the addition of potatoes makes this plenty filling. 

Dusting of the cobwebs; Barbacoa Beef

Well its been a while, a long while since I have written on this little blog of mine. I think I just got a bit disenchanted with the whole "blogging thing". I went through a bit of a tough time at the end of 2015 - I stopped cooking, I stopped writing and I found it very difficult to find joy in anything let alone nourishing my body. 

But life has seasons and I feel the sun on my face more now. I feel hopeful about life and about the future. Life is good and my love of food and cooking is burning bright. My fingers itch to share recipes and at the end of the day this is all I want this space to be - somewhere for me to share my recipes and my thoughts from my little kitchen. I'm not interested in numbers, shares, likes what I care about is the people who have said "I tried your recipe and we still make it regularly" (thanks Lia) and then a very dear friend (Hi Lucinda!) sent me a really lovely message about my blog just as I was about ready to shut it down completely and it has stayed with me...

So who knows how long this will last... we shall see!

Its good to be back 

This is my recipe for Barbacoa Beef which is so tender and so flavourful - its my favourite thing to put in a Taco!

Barbacoa Beef 

1350g beef stewing steak, cut into chunks 

2 tbsp coconut oil 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

2 tbsp chipotle chilli paste (I got mine from Sainsburys)

2 small green chillies, finely chopped 

1 small onion, chopped 

juice of 2 limes 

2 tbsp cider vinegar

3 bay leaves 

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp oregano 

2 tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

500ml beef stock

300ml mexican / spanish beer 

brown off the meat in the oil and then add all the other ingredients into the pan. you can the transfer this to a slow cooker and put on low for 5-7 hours or just leave on a low heat for 3-4 hours. its ready when the beef is tender and most of the liquid has gone. using two forks shred the beef and let the beef soak up the remaining juices. remove the bay leaves and serve the beef in a taco with a bit of salad and avocado  

For when you've missed your kitchen......{Roasted Chicken Legs in White Wine Sauce}

My friends, its been a little while,. I have no excuse except maybe this little fellow

World meet Augustus Oberon affectionately known to all as Gus. He is a little monster but the most affectionate and lovely kitten ever. He rules the roost in our household already. I love him. 

It seems to be a while since I've got myself into my little kitchen. Then yesterday I used some of my flexi-time and left work early so I could go home and cook. And this is what I made. Very french in it's style and whilst its quite rich it actually is quite light in texture. It reminds me of the days when my friend Kate would make chicken in white wine for me and it was literally my favourite meal ever! 

Chicken Legs in White Wine and Mushroom Sauce 

4 chicken legs 

butter 

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped 

100g mushrooms, sliced

200ml white wine 

250ml chicken stock 

couple of handfuls of frozen peas

75ml double cream

brown rice, to serve 

rub a little butter and olive oil onto each of the legs and season. place in a cast iron pan and roast in oven. once they are golden brown, remove from the pan leaving the juices and oils and then put the legs on a baking sheet and put them in an oven at a low heat to keep warm and finish cooking. with the pan with the juices, put on the heat and throw in the onions. cook until soft and translucent then add in the mushrooms. after a couple of minutes add in the wine, allow to cook of a bit and then add the stock. simmer for 10 minutes until its reduced by about half. add in the peas and cream and cook for another 10 minutes or so and then return the chicken legs to the pan for the final couple of minutes. serve with whatever you like! i went for brown rice.

When you find a brilliant curry recipe ....... {Dan Toomb's (The Curry Guy) Chicken Chasni}

I'm a big fan of spicy food and I love a curry, I'm not a big fan of the calories from an Indian takeaway. I love making my own curries and my "go to" blogs for curry recipes is The Curry Guy. I love his recipes and when I saw this one I had to give it a go myself. It was a great recipe that H and I shared on a Friday night whilst watching a film and congratulating ourselves on resisting the temptation to go out! I pretty much followed the recipe to a T and I really wouldn't change much about it - I just used coconut oil instead of oil so its a tad healthier, although at the end of the day a homemade curry is always a better option over a takeaway or even a jar of sauce!

Chicken Chasni

recipe can be found here

3 chicken breasts – skinned and sliced
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 onions – finely chopped
4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1 x 2cm piece of ginger - finely chopped
2 x green chillies - finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp turmeric

400ml chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp mango chutney
2 tbsp mint sauce
3 tbsp ketchup
200ml milk
200ml double cream
 juice of one lime and one lemon
 4 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander

place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and stir in the turmeric and the lemon juice. marinate for about 20 minutes while you make your sauce. heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. when the oil begins to bubble, throw in the chopped onions and fry for about five minutes until translucent and soft. add the chopped garlic, ginger and chilli and allow to sizzle before adding the cumin and paprika and fry for a further minute. pour in the chopped tomatoes and the fresh coriander. place the onion mixture in a blender with the mango chutney, mint sauce, ketchup and the coconut milk. blend for about a minute until very smooth. wipe the pan clean and add a drop more oil into it if needed.
add the chicken pieces and brown them for a couple of minutes. add the blended sauce and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. then add the double cream and simmer for a further few minutes.
season to taste, squeeze the lime juice over the top and garnish with coriander.

A Simple Sweet Tooth......{cheesecake sandwiches}

When wining and dining friends pudding is always my last thought. I think about flavors and cheese and meats way before I think about what's going to finish of the food. This is probably because we are not sweet eaters in my house - I'd rather have cheese. Cheesecake is a good choice for me because it contains cheese (did i mention I love cheese?) an usually a citrus fruit. These are great, they are the easiest pudding in the world and they taste fab, your guests really won't mind that you have gone to so little trouble because the taste is there and you have more time to talk.... and that my friends is the rally reason for gathering around the table to taste and to talk

I have made these with lemons but you can just as easily substitute this for limes and call them key lime pie sandwiches. Just make sure you leave them for those 20 minutes so the biscuits soften slightly - it makes the whole affair a lot less messy!

Cheesecake sandwiches

one pack ginger nuts, or other ginger biscuit of your choice
250g full fat cream cheese
2 - 3 tbsp icing sugar
zest one lemon
juice 1/2 lemon

soften the cream cheese in a bowl, add the icing sugar zest and juice and mix, taste and add more sugar/ lemon juice if needed. if its a bit loose put in fridge to thicken for 30mins or so. take a biscuit and add a dollop of the cream cheese mixture. sandwich another biscuit on top. repeat until all biscuits are used. leave for around 20 minutes so that the biscuits soften slightly and they are easier to eat. devour them.  

A taste of Italy from Whitstable.......{Spaghetti alla Vongole}

I wax lyrical about Whitstable so much on this blog but then I love it so much. Last Saturday we wondered down to the fish market and I decided against mussels and instead opted for some fresh clams - a bit pricier but then you need less to make a rather wonderful Italian meal. This took me right back to summer holidays in Italy although it was March on the Kentish coast. I don't eat pasta very much at all these days but when I do, it has to be worth it - full of flavour and not to heavy. Don't be scared of shellfish when you are cooking clams they tell you when they are ready to eat as their shells open - makes it so simple!

Spaghetti alla Vongole

750g fresh clams (approx)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 red chilli, finely chopped

20g butter

olive oil

150ml white wine

zest and juice 1/2 lemon

handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

enough spaghetti / linguine for 2 people

cook the spaghetti according to instructions, you want it slightly al-dente. warm the butter and olive oil in a pan and add the garlic and chilli. once it has softened add in the wine, when it starts to simmer, ramp up the heat, add in the clams and put the lid on the pan. shake a few times as it cooks. the clams will take around 4-5 minutes, once the shells have opened. discard all clams that haven't opened. add in the pasta, parsley, lemon juice and zest and toss them all together. season and serve. It's really that simple but tastes a million dollars!

Linking up with Vicky at Honest Mum

When fish is this fresh........{Grilled Prawns)

We spent my birthday weekend in one of my favourite places - Whitstable. One of the things I love about it is the fresh seafood market. Often one of the evenings of the weekend we will forgo the many places to eat and just buy some fresh fish from the market and go home and cook it.

We were spoilt for choice at the market this week and after a lot of umming and ahhing I picked up some lovely fresh large prawns. You could do so much with these BUT I can't help thinking when fish is this fresh you are best keeping it really simple. I went for a really simple but fragrant butter made with juicy garlic and lots of fresh parsley which soaked into the prawns under the grill. We lingered over them with a fresh glass of prosecco and some fresh baked bread from one of the deli's. There's nothing better in life really.  

Grilled Prawns with Garlic & Parsley Butter

10 large raw prawns 

50g good quality butter

1/2 shallot, finely chopped 

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

handful parsley, finely chopped 

1 tbsp olive oil

if you wish take the heads of the prawns and then de-vein them and then butterfly them so they lie flat on the grill. mix all of the other ingredients together and then dollop it in the prawns. place under the grill for around 10-15 minutes until the prawns are nice and pink and cooked through. How easy is that?!

A rather special meatball........{Chicken Meatballs with Chicken Gravy}

I love cooking for my friends, I love entertaining. I feel like there is nothing more satisfying then placing steaming bowls of nourishing food in front of those I love and then comes the joy of them enjoying my food. This Saturday I went to my friends Lu and Andy and I cooked for them. Seeing as it was cold and dreary (the joys of living in Blighty) I wanted to make a really comforting dish that warmed our souls and meatballs sprang to mind. Now, I usually go down the Italian route with my meatballs; pork and beef mince or sausage meatballs with a rich tomato sauce. More recently I've opted for my lighter Moroccan version with Turkey meatballs and a vegetable sauce. Neither was quite what I wanted on this occasion and then I remembered a recipe I seen by Tom Kerridge whereby he made pork meatballs and served them with a brown ale gravy. Again this wasn't quite my cup of tea but it was along the right track. So my dear readers I present to you my chicken meatballs with a chicken gravy. They are much lighter than your average meatball and are packed full of flavour, served on mashed potato with a rich gravy they really are something special. As I have mentioned before I have a crazy love for mashed potatoes which my diet pretty much omits these days so it was lovely to have them as a treat.  If I were having these in the week I would make the meatballs and serve them with a tomato sauce and courgette spaghetti which would be just as tasty and much healthier.

Chicken Meatballs with Chicken Gravy

For the meatballs:

460g chicken thigh meat (skinless)

200g chicken breast meat

1 onion, very finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

200g panko breadcrumbs

pinch of dried red chillies

2 TSP dried oregano 

1 TSP dried sage

2 TBSP fresh sage, finely chopped

1 TBSP fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

S&P

For the gravy:

500ml fresh chicken stock

250ml white wine

2 shallots, roughly chopped with skins still on

2 cloves garlic, cut in half with skins on

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

To serve:

mashed potato - I make mine with butter and milk with lots of black pepper

leeks - I used two, sliced and cooked in butter and a splash of wine

in a bit of oil cook the onions until soft and let cool. blend the raw chicken meat in a food processor until smooth and then place in a bowl. add in the cooled onions and all of the other meatball ingredients then get your hands dirty and combine all the ingredients. bring together in a large ball and then cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least 2 and up to 24 hours. once you have chilled the mixture then roll them on to smallish balls about the sized of ping pong ball this recipe should make about 24. then place on a tray, cover with clingfilm and then place back in to the fridge for another hour or so. heat some oil in a frying pan and then cook of the meatballs in batches don't be afraid to get them nicely browned - they taste best this way. Once you have cooked them put them in an oven proof dish and but them in the oven on a lowish heat for 20-30 minutes just so they cook the whole way through and stay warm whilst you make the gravy.

to make the gravy put the wine, shallots, garlic and rosemary in a pan and then reduce down until it is more like a glaze - this takes approx. 10 minutes. add in the stock and then let simmer until you have a nice rich gravy. strain.

to serve add a spoonful of mash potato, top with a spoonful of leeks and 3-4 meatballs. spoon over some gravy to finish.

Linking up with Vicky at Honest Mum

40 Days of Fitness.......... {Thai Red Prawn Curry}

 

 

 

 

 

So Sunday is a day of rest on 40 Days of Fitness although yesterday I went on my first run with H. Feeling pretty proud of myself and I loved finally being able to run with him! The programme suggested that rather than a roast we have a healthier Thai red chicken curry. We don't really do roasts in our house but we love Thai curry so rather than use shop bought paste I rustled up my own and used prawns and veg rather rather than chicken as I'm trying to use up bits in my freezer but the paste can be used with any protein combination. Making your own pastes are quick and easy and really are much more flavoursome and fresh - give it a go.

 

Thai Red Prawn Curry

for the paste:
2 red chillies, chopped
4 cloves garlic
thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 lime leaves
1 lemongrass stalk, roughly chopped
1 TSP paprika
1 lime, juice
1 TBSP fish sauce
1 TSP sugar
2 TBSP coriander stalks

for the curry:
coconut oil
1 red onion, sliced
4 baby aubergines, cut into chunks
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
150g raw king prawns
100g small peeled prawns
couple of handfuls soya beans
2 TBSP Coriander leaves, chopped 
1 lime, juice

to serve:
brown rice
lime wedges, sliced red chilli and some coriander  

place all of the paste ingredients in a blender and blend until a smooth paste. heat the coconut oil in the pan and place in the onions, cook until soft and then add in the aubergines and peppers, cook until aubergines have softened. add in the paste and coast all of the vegetables. add in the coconut mil, fill the tin up with water and add that in as well. bring to boil and then turn down to simmer. add in the prawns, soya beans, coriander and lime juice and then leave to simmer for 10 minutes or so until prawns are cooked through. serve over rice in lovely deep bowls  

 

 

 

Valentines Day Main Course........ { Boeuf Bourguignon}

 

No I haven't gone all unhealthy on you but if ever there was a time to indulge in some rich food then cooking your main for Valentines Day would be it. This is a favourite of mine that I developed over the years, it was also the first recipe I did for my magazine food column.  It's a winner and bound to make your beloved fall even more madly in love with you, food does that don't you know?! This does require some time to cook but once you’ve spent a little time on prepping you can just leave this to bubble gently on the stove whilst you get on with more important things...

 

 Boeuf Bourguignon

1kg chuck or shin of beef cut into large pieces – this is important so it doesn’t break down in the cooking process
20 Shallots, peeled
30 button mushrooms – I used chestnut button mushrooms
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
150g streaky bacon, cut into short strips
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
Bottle of red wine – French is best here; a Burgundy works well but I have also made it with a Merlot
300 – 400ml beef stock, add 300ml to start and then add more if you need to

firstly, the night before you need to marinate the beef in the wine and herbs (not the garlic) and use the marinade as the cooking liquor - this will add a depth of flavour to the dish. toss the beef in a little seasoned flour and then colour the meat in a little oil and butter – make sure you use a heavy based casserole dish or pan.  remove the beef and then add the shallots and cook for around 5 minutes, until they go slightly golden, then add the mushrooms and cook for a further few minutes. remove them from the pan and set aside. add a little more oil to the pan if needed and add in the onion and bacon. once they have browned slightly add the beef to the pan along with the garlic, stock and the wine and herbs. season and then simmer on a very low heat for around 1 ½ hrs – alternatively, you could pop it in the oven at around 140°C for the same amount of time. add the shallots and mushrooms and cook for a further 30 minutes. i served this with my homemade dauphinoise potatoes and baby carrots which worked well. you could actually make the whole dish the day before and just heat it up for 30 minutes or so before you need it – a bourguignon that has mellowed overnight is a tasty dish indeed! 

 

Linking up with the lovely Miriam for the "Lets Grow Together" series - Welcome to my blog!

Valentines Day Starter.........{Prawn and Crayfish Cocktail boats}

Valentines Day is fast approaching and today I share with you an old classic which makes a great starter! It's a old favourite of mine - a twist on a classic, and whilst it's not the healthiest, omitting the bread makes it that much healthier!

Prawn and Crayfish Cocktail Boats

250g large peeled prawns
120g crayfish tails 
3 tbsp good quality mayonnaise 
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
Couple of drops of Tabasco 
Squeeze lemon juice 
Half a cucumber, shredded into ribbons (I use a peeler to do this)
Little Gem lettuce, remove the outer leaves you will need around three depending on size

take the mayonnaise and ketchup and mix them together. add the Tabasco and lemon juice and season. have a try and adjust to taste (I usually end up adding a bit more lemon and black pepper). add in the prawns and crayfish tails (reserving some of the tails for garnish). take your lettuce leaves and use them as “boats";  first add a couple of ribbons of cucumber and then the prawn cocktail and finish with a garnish of a couple of crayfish tails. Serve on a lovely wooden platter and let people just help themselves. 

 

Linking up with Vicky at Honest Mum

When Paella rice isn't an option......{Wild Rice Paella}

Because paella rice really isn't an option for me. Complex carbs only which is fine I like sweet potato and brown rice. I went for another run yesterday night which was the fourth day of exercise in a row (probably a record for me) and my body was in need of some serious carbs. Now I'm not saying this is the healthiest dish in town - the chorizo sees to that (and paella without chorizo makes me sad) BUT the use of brown and red wild rice, soya beans and extra veg makes it that bit better for you. I'm sorry I'm a bit scatty with my measurements I do tend to just throw things in a pan!

Wild Rice Paella

1 cup red and brown wild rice, uncooked

2 banana shallots, diced 

100g chorizo, sliced into £1 coin thickness

1/2 red chilli, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 TSP dried red chillies

5 mushrooms, cubed 

1 TSP paprika

pinch saffron

splash white wine or brandy

chicken stock, fresh is best or from a stock pot

couple of handfuls of  frozen soya beans 

handful frozen peas

10 raw prawns 

1 tomato, cubed

put the chorizo in a heavy based shallow pan, and cook for 5 minutes until the oils are released and they start to crisp up slightly. add in the chilli, garlic and shallots and stir until softened. add in the dried chilli, paprika, mushrooms, and saffron. stir for a few minutes then add in the rice and coat it in the pan oils. splash in some wine and cook it off and the add in a good amount of stock, i covered the rice and a good 2 1/2 inches more. leave on a moderate and keep an eye on it but don't stir. when the stock is almost all absorbed check the rice - if it's still hard add some more stock if not then add in the soya beans, peas, prawns and tomato and cover the pan. cook on low for another 5-10 minutes or so and then everything should be cooked nicely. serve.

Healthy Weekday Meal #3...........{Chicken Puttanesca}

Many moons ago when I wasn't dieting I blogged a favourite pasta recipe Puttanesca Spaghetti. Now as I am avoiding processed foods and my diet is pretty low carb I wanted to find an alternative to this favourite sauce of mine. Step in courgette (zucchini) ribbons to replace the pasta and a chicken breast to bulk up the dish and add lots of protein. I loved it, the heady flavours kid you in to thinking you are eating a much richer dish and the courgette compliments the sauce really well. Its going on the list of my favourite easy and healthy weekday meals.

Chicken Puttanesca 

Inspiration for this recipe came from BBC Good Food (here) and Supergolden Bakes (here)

2 chicken breasts 

1 small onion, diced

50g anchovy fillets, drained and then chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped 

1 tbsp dried chilli flakes

400g tinned tomatoes

1 large tomato, diced

2 tbsp pitted black olives

2 tsp small capers

olive oil

small handful of parsley, chopped

1 courgette

olive oil

brown the chicken in a pan with a little olive oil. remove and de-glaze the pan with a little water. add a splash more olive oil and then the onion, garlic and anchovies, cook until the onions are translucent. stir in the fresh tomato, tinned tomatoes and then fill the tin halfway with water and add that. sprinkle in a little sugar to help sweeten the tomatoes. bring the sauce to the boil and then turn down the pan to a simmer. add the olives and the capers and season well. place the chicken in the pan and cook covered for 20 mins and then uncovered for 10 mins so the sauce thickens up. sprinkle with  parsley. 

for the courgette, use a potato peeler to get long slices of ribbon the length of the whole courgette. I find one courgette for every 2 people works, add a tsp olive oil to a pan and a dash of water and cook the courgette - it only takes a few minutes.

serve the chicken and sauce over the courgette ribbons  

Basking in Dry January....... {Chicken Basque}

One of my plans to own my 2015 is to loose some weight and to kick it off H and I have been partaking in Dry January. Its a great way to get cracking on healthy eating and lifestyle and lets face it a rest from the booze is never a bad thing. So Saturday night came around and as we weren't drinking and we were still quite tired from the Christmas and New Years holidays we decided to have a night in and I decided to cook us a nice but relatively well balanced meal. It also gave me a chance to try my new cookware - a present to myself , I couldn't resist as it was half price in Sainsburys. This recipe is one I have loved for years - Delia Smith to thank for that and I'm giving you my version of it here, it's rustic cooking at it's best. Enjoy!

Chicken Basque

(Original recipe by Delia Smith and can be found here)

6 small chicken fillets

1 large red pepper, sliced 

1 Spanish onion, thickly sliced 

4 tbsp olive oil

150g Chorizo, cut into slices thickness of £1 piece

100g sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped 

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp smoked paprika 

1 tbsp tomato puree 

125g brown basmatic rice

125g wild rice 

300ml chicken stock

200ml dry white wine 

1/2 orange cut into wedges 

50g pitted olives (I used black and green)

put 2tbsp of the olive oil into the pan and brown off the chicken. Remove from pan. Add the rest of the oil and the onions and peppers, cook for 5 minutes or so until they have softened and browned off slightly. Add in the chorizo, tomatoes and garlic and cook for couple of miutes, stirring constantly. stir in the rice and make sure the grains are coated in the oil. Add the tomato puree, stock and wine and seasn. bring to a simmer. place the chicken on the top of the rice with orange and olives dotteded in between (my photos show how it should look. Cover and put in oven at 180oC for and hour, until rice has cooked through. 

How to make Rye crisp breads more interesting....... {Smoked Mackerel Pate}

With H and I really hitting the healthy eating and the dry January we are always on the look out for healthy lunches and snacks.  Step up to the mark Ryvitas! We love them but they can be a bit dry and a bit bland sometimes so we like to find scrummy toppings (peanut butter with banana is a favourite). I had bought some smoked mackerel and decided to make a pate which worked perfectly on top of the crisp bread. It's very easy to make but tastes lush.

Smoked Mackerel Pate

300g smoked mackerel (I used the one with crush black peppercorns)
150g low fat cream cheese
3 spring onions
juice of 1/2 - 1 lemon
S+P

take the mackerel, cream cheese and onions and roughly blend. season and stir in lemon juice. taste and add more lemon juice or black pepper if needed. spread on crackers, crisp bread or toast. Yes, it's that easy!

It's Friday and here are my 5 things....

One 

I have purchased all of my Christmas presents - which must be a record for me. Plus last weekend H got most of his which is surely a record for him! So I feel smug. Then I stop feeling smug when I look at the mountains of presents I have to wrap. I have a bit of a tradition whereby I stick on Love Actually, pour myself a glass of wine and spend the evening wrapping up my gifts. I try and keep it as peaceful and as calm as possible!

Two

I have also ordered the Christmas meat - a ham and a turkey. I always want to try goose but then I worry that if people didn't like it then Christmas dinner would be ruined.  I have to confess I don't cook the feast itself - my brother takes on that challenge and he is AWESOME at it.... I will be making these for the starter / canape - perfect with a glass of champagne! 

Three

Check out these vibrant colours! I went a bit Mexican this week and shared some fresh and easy recipes for fish tacos and courgette quesadillas - check them out! Anyone else created something ace in their kitchens this week?

Four

(Not on the High Street)

I've been thinking about my Christmas outfit this year and is it a bit odd that this is by far my favourite thing I've come across. And its for kids. Man, I love petticoats and I love stripes! Even the pigtails I feel are inspired!

Five 

(New York Times)

We are going to my friend Lulabelle's for a Christmas party on Saturday and I am taking ingredients for a Christmas Cocktail - the one I have linked to uses pomegranate but I will make it with cranberry juice. 

1 part cranberry to 2 parts prosecco with a squeeze of lime. 

I'll also make some ginger fizzes:

piece of stem ginger, 1 tsp stem ginger syrup topped up with prosecco

Christmas is well and truly on its way! 

So many Friday link ups! Happy to be linking up with these lovely ladies!