novel34

  Now and then in the wintertime when all is grey and filled with drizzle, in between storm and gale,  God sends a golden day, a day filled with skies of blue and warm sunlight, almost too lovely to be real.   You want to hang onto the sunshine in hope, but . . . before too long the rain and drizzle return . . . sigh . . . such is winter on these verdant green isles . . . There is nothing for it but to hunker down and keep warm by the fire.  Hearty casseroles, soups and stews are the order of the day.   Sustaining comfort foods . . . just like this sausage and mushroom casserole I am showing you today. It's a simple casserole, using simple things.  Most of my recipes are . . . I am a simple woman with simple tastes and I live with a man of the same ilk.  He would be happy with meat and potatoes every day of the week, every day of the year.   He is very easy to please . . . which is not an entirely bad thing I don't think. You want t...

 I love food this time of year . . . I know I say that all year round, but this is the time of year that we really start to get stuck into comfort foods . . . winter warmers . . . rich soups, stews, casseroles and bakes. Food that, with the exception of a few small prep details, pretty much cooks itself.  Simple and wholesome ingredients, but let me tell you . . . more often than not there it nothing simple at all about the flavours!  Most pack a very delicious punch! I've always been the kind of person that has been able to put things together and come up with something satisfyingly delicious . . . things like this Chicken, Bacon and Leek Casserole I am showing you here today. It's simple.   It uses stuff you most likely have in your fridge, larder and freezer right now.  It tastes fabulously delicious, and it basically cooks itself.  I like to serve it with some fluffy mash.  The Toddster is a real mash lover.  I like to cook some greens on the ...

  I was recently sent a lovely hamper filled with goodies and asked to come up with a "Winter Warmer" recipe using some of them.  There were so many things it would have been possible to come up with one recipe which would use them all, but I certainly can come up with more than a few different recipes using a variety of the ingredients. The term "Winter Warmers" symbolized comfort to me, something we all long for and cling to when the cold weather hits and this challenge could not have come at a better time as this weeks thermometer has dipped down into single and minus digits!  Brrr. . . There is nothing nicer when the air gets cold than staying snug indoor by the fire.  The cold temperatures inspire us to eat heartier and soups, stews and casseroles are the order of the day.  When I saw the ingredients in the hamper I was immediately inspired to want to create a hand and heart warming soup.   There is nothing nicer to warm the soul on a chilly day than ...