novel34

This recipe showcases Capellini pasta.    Capellini is not something which I have had a very easy time finding here in the UK actually. Capellini, or angel hair pasta traditionally cooks in a fraction of the time as regular pastas.  I decided to do an all in one pan dish, with the pasta actually cooking in the sauce.  I thought Capellini would be perfect for this because of it's shorter cooking time. I used fresh chorizo sausage, which was easily crumbled and gave the sauce a bit of a kick.  Feel free to use the dried version as well.  Both are good. Some tinned chopped tomatoes, a tin of drained borlotti beans, some frozen peas along with onion, garlic and stock and I had a very delicious entree indeed, and all in one pan. I like it when I can cut back on the washing up don't you???   All in all it made for a lovely and fairly quick supper.  A scattering of grated cheddar on top and we were good to go.  The pasta worked very well...

It's no secret.  I love, LOVE potatoes.  Low carb doesn't work for me.  I cannot live without potatoes.  It's as simple as that.  They are my favourite vegetable.   I love them any way I can get them . . . boiled, mashed, steamed, fried . . . but my favourite of all is BAKED!  I just adore baked, or jacket potatoes as they are sometimes called.  In fact my very first meal here in the UK back in 2000 was a jacket potato topped with cheese at a little cafe in Euston station whilst we were waiting to catch our train up here to Chester.   So as you can imagine I was thrilled when the Bannisters' Farm people asked me if I would like to try some of their frozen potato products.  I am no stranger to the 4 ready baked potatoes packet.  I've been buying them regularly since I first spied them in the shops a couple of years ago.  I just adore them.   You can have one baked and on the table in 6 minutes, which is pretty handy, but i...

  A few weeks back the people from Barber's 1833 Vintage Cheddar sent me a pack which included everything in it to make Spinach and Cheese Souffles.   I love it when that happens.   I made the soufflees the very next day.  I just could not wait to make them.  Everything was so fresh and looked so good. I am a very experienced cook as you know.   As I was making them I queried a part of the recipe, which didn't quite look right and I almost  went with my gut feelings and did it the way I thought it should be done . . . but then I thought  to myself, no . . . you need to do this the way "their" recipe says to do it and so that is what I did. What I ended up with was some very tasty failures as soufflees. They were more like omelettes, and they took twice as long as the recipe stated to bake . . . they were not soufflees.  We ate them anyways, and they were good, but not near what they should have been.   I should have gone with...

I got a fabulous hamper  in the post the other day. I love it when that happens.  Nestled inside was .this!! Everything that anyone could possibly need to cook a delicious Roast Beef Dinner, with fresh carrots, potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, a joint of beef, a lovely porcelain gravy boat and these gravy pots from Knorr ! I have long been familiar with the Knorr stock pots and use them frequently, but I have not had a lot of experience with the gravy pots.  I was interested to learn that Knorr Gravy Pots have wond the Gravy/Stock category in the product of the year awards for 2014!  Exciting news for Knorr! Launched in 2012, and now available in three flavours . . .  Beef, Chicken and Onion . . . these gravy pots provide a quick and easy accompaniement to any roast dinner.   Igor Zago:  (Knorr Professional Chef and mastermind behind Gravy Pots) "Myself and the team that created this fantastic product are extremely proud of winning this award.  I ...

  I do get sent the nicest things.   I am sure you get quite tired of reading about the latest things I have been sent to try sometimes, but I do try to make my posts more interesting by creating something tasty with whatever it is that I have been sent! The East India Company recently sent me a couple of their products, a pot of Strawberry and Pepper Jam and a jar of Chocolate Island Cane Sugar.   I had not heard of the East India Company before they contacted me but what I learned about them was very interesting indeed. Granted a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, The East India Company was founded to explore the mysteries of the East. As The Company grew, it mapped trade routes through unchartered territory and changed social customs, tastes and ways of thought to influence the very fabric of our lives today. The Company’s pioneering spirit and sense of adventure created British India, founded Hong Kong and Singapore and introduced tea to Britain and India. T...

I was recently sent a gift pack from Godminster Cheese , just in time for Valentines day . . . their sweet "Heart to Heart" set ,   is a tasty combination of a delicious 200g Vintage Organic Cheddar and 150g Heart-Shaped Organic Brie, both heart shaped and presented in their very own unique gift box.  Godminster Vintage Cheddar is completely organic, containing no preservatives and encased in a ruby coloured wax.  There is no need to remove the wax as it makes the perfect case to keep it in.  You can simply slice the top off and scoop out the cheese and then replace the "lid" when you are done.  Best served at room temperature, this lovely chedddar is rich and creamy.  Quite delicious! Godminster Traditional Organic Brie, is an organic soft cheese, created using fresh milk from the Godminster Farm.  With it's fresh flavour and creamy texture, this was also quite delicious. Inclued as well was a round of their lovely Organic Brie which I decided to ...