Bejewelled Biscuit!

I think preserving sugar might be my new favourite fun thing!!! I'm feeling diamond encrusted biscuits, cookies and cakes of all kinds coming on!!!

Again, a pinch from the Good Food website- http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/502630/sugardusted-wedding-cookies-

A perfect little munch alongside a strong black coffee.

Shallot Tarte Tatin

Sweet and tart, Gooey and crispy, Rich and creamy. What more could you ask for from a simple supper dish. Yum yum yum!

I melted about 25g butter, a tablespoon of demerara and a good slog of olive oil in a quiche dish (about 20cm) in the oven, about Gas 5. Then added enough shallots to cover the base of the dish and a few sprigs of thyme (one of the few hardy characters still surviving this harsh northern winter in my garden at the moment!). Then roasted slowly for 50mins, turning occasionally. Add as many chunks of goat cheese as you fancy (this is quite a fatty and rich dish), and plenty of black pepper. Then top with puff pastry ( about half a pack), and tuck down the sides. Turn the oven up to Gas 7 and bake for 25 mins until risen and golden brown. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Gorgeous with a light salad and green veg.

Treats for my Sweet

Gingerbread hearts for my fabulous Mr Hungry.

I used this recipe from the Good Food Website but used twice as much ginger and added some nutmeg and greatly reduced the cooking time- I cooked them for about 6 minutes.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/147612/spicy-tree-biscuits

Salad Lunch Platter

So, two friends coming for lunch, fab....

Not sure how to feed them both happily so have just made a BIG platter of all my favourite salads.... I thought this was a low risk strategy and that there'd be something for everyone- I hope this is true!

So, we have my Tuna &Cranberry Mix, Carrot and Sesame with White Wine Vinegar and Olive oil, Cold Salmon from last night, Hard Boiled Eggs (everybody eats eggs don't they?), Pickled Cucumber, Lettuce & Rocket with Toasted Flaked Almonds and a Jacket Potato each (I've never met anyone who won't eat a jacket potato!).

Lets see how this goes down....

Beginning the Gastric Adventure!

So, the Hungry Boy has been loving his baby rice for a few days and its time to progress to purees. I know there's a lot of trendy talk about baby led weaning and baby finger food but the Hungry Boy is starting a bit early and I think we'll wait to introduce finger foods. He's already proven to be like his parents by having a massive appetite, so I'm not worried about him not developing a healthy love of great foods in their proper form (no boy of mine will be turning his nose up at Broccoli or Cabbage! (She says optimistically!)), but just not quite yet.

Also, there's a surprising and special joy about little cubes of frozen purees, all stacked in neatly labelled bags in the freezer. Strange but true.

So far his firm favourite seems to be Pear and Parsnip for breakfast, but he has also had Carrot, Apple, Swede, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, all with great success.

An exciting start to a Big Foodie Adventure!

A Quick Salad Idea

Now, don't ask me how I came across this but this is one of my favourite salad combinations; Tuna and Dried Cranberries... I prefer it best with Balsamic Dressing (today I made a red wine and balsamic reduction), and Sunflower Seeds. A generous helping of Freshly Ground Pepper brings the flavours together beautifully. Yum... More filling than you might think.