Quiche Challenge

Last week i decided to try something I had not made before, there are so many recipes out there for everything..its just finding the right one.  I always think if you like food and know what good food tastes like then you will have no problem finding or putting together a recipe for anything.  I have found blogs are the best sites to find decent recipes on as the person putting them on is most likely someone like you or me.  Enjoys cooking or baking and with all different levels of experience from professional to amateur.  Therefore you can browse through a lot of recipes and know which ones sound right for you.  This week's "Quiche Challenge" recipe comes from a blog that I love love love. Its gourmetlovers.co.uk, their expertise lies in brunching and with a list as long as your arm with gourmet foods and great recipes to try.

Bacon, Spinach and Duck Egg Quiche was exquisite, it was fiddly to make I must admit but now that I have  done it and that it tasted very good, I would be happy to make it again and the sooner the better yum yum!  I added some chicken breast to my dish by just cooking a breast through and then just adding it to the recipe with the bacon and spinach.  There are lots of different ingredients you can add to quiche including all types of tomatoes, mushrooms and courgette. Also using different types of cheeses can add lots of different strengths of flavour. So there's lots of experimenting and eating to do..yay!

Heading to a bbq this weekend so next weeks blog could be interesting..:)

Burgers, Chips and Dips

Hey everyone, what else are the weekends for but quick and easy foods with a little indulgence.  Friday night was another successful dinner party involving mostly the male gender so was time to fill the bellies..:)

I made a starter that i found in an Indian cooking book i have had for ages but never really used..just read over and over saying i am going to cook out of this some night and well  i did.  Aloo Ki Tikki aka spicy potato patties were very delicious, unfortunately i just didn't make enough of them. The recipe said made 12 patties but really only got 6 out of it..oops.  I will know for the next time.  That is what cooking is all about trial and error, it is in my book anyway.  The Aloo ki tikki is best serve with chutneys or sweet, sour or spicy sauces.  I went for two popular ones known as mango chutney and Raita, totally made from scratch.  Very thankful for the invention of the food processor that day.  These allow your mouth to cool from the very spicy potato cakes but you can make them with chilies if you like spice.  

The next course definitely filled everyone up, yummy pork and chilli burgers with avocado salsa, chunky chips and Tuscan salad.  Its just great food that everyone likes but also healthy for those who are looking for tasty great food without adding on the pounds!   Everything here is easy to make and quick so hand for a friday night dinner at the end of that long working week.  Salad can get so boring but with this great tasty Jamie Oliver inspired dish of Tuscan salad you'll not be able to get enough.  The avocado salsa can be bland to some people but its a great cooler when theres other spices going on.

After eights anyone? These chocolate dipped peppermint creams are the perfect way to end a meal and are a cheaper version of after eights and you get far more from a batch than you would in a box of chocolate mints.  Very easy although messy with clouds of icing sugar in your kitchen these are the simple wee melt in the mouth sweets perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

Enjoy everyone..diane xo

Winter Warmers

Hey guys..this week I have made some scrumptious comfort food as this weather does not seem to know what it is doing.  It is has got so cold from being lovely, warm and sunny the past couple of weeks.  Therefore, we all really need something to warm you inside out..:)

My spicy vegetable and lentil soup goes down a treat on a windy, bitter cold day.  It a combination of lots of winter vegetables such as butter-nut squash and carrots. The lentils just make it that bit thicker and more filling so it works out as a very healthy dish too.  You can make it as mild or spicy as you like too but the spicier the better in my book..you can find how to make this winter warmer in my Recipes section.

Spicy vegetable and lentil soup

Bread has always been a great accompaniment for soup, however it can get a wee bit boring or some people do not like to include much bread in their diet.  But if you can have home-baked bread knowing exactly what is going into it then its a winner all round.  This is a moderately easy bread to make..no need for any fancy gadgets, just a bit of time and love.  This carrot and poppy seed bread is a great addition to any soup dish or just on its own with a bit of butter makes it total comfort on them cold blustery days.  So, go on and give it a go if you fancy something that will make you feel warm inside but also keeps the scales down..:)

Carrot and Poppy Seed Bread