food, reviews & life in my kitchen
As a relatively new (though no less enthusiastic) gin drinker, I was very excited to visit the Gin Festival at STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway, in Swindon. It was the perfect opportunity to spend an evening out with my Mum, who is equally into gin, though has been drinking the good stuff… Continue reading Why you should visit a Gin Festival!
At the end of a busy Bank Holiday weekend, I just wanted to share a quick update from the garden, because I can’t believe we’re already harvesting and eating our home-grown produce in May! The recent rain and sun weather combo has probably helped a lot, but I didn’t expect to be eating from our… Continue reading Veg update – May harvest!
When anyone asks me what my favourite cake flavour is, it’s a difficult choice between lemon cake, chocolate cake and a classic Victoria Sponge. Actually, it’s a difficult choice between all cakes, but sometimes simple is best. These little Victoria Sponge fairy cakes make the most of the simple, timeless combination of vanilla sponge, vanilla… Continue reading Victoria Sponge Fairy Cakes Recipe
We've all been there. You go to get the bread out to make a soft sandwich, or even a slice of toast, and are faced with a sorry, hard lump of stale bread, which really isn't good for anything. Except, it's absolutely perfect, for making homemade croutons. It's already started drying out, so it's really… Continue reading Stale bread croutons recipe
Roast dinners are simple, but comforting. The smell of roast meat cooking makes me think of family dinners around a table crowded with dishes of potatoes and veg ready for us to help ourselves. Having a roast has always been a Sunday tradition in my family, and even though I no longer live with my… Continue reading Cook the perfect roast potatoes every time with this easy recipe!
We love eating lots of fresh veg and salad, so this year we’re growing our own. As you can imagine, I’m very excited. Having grown up in a village where having a vegetable patch is the norm, I was determined that I would do this myself when I left home – it’s just on a… Continue reading Growing our own veg
I love pizza – who doesn’t? The comfort in that delicious combination of tomato and cheese in every mouthful is really hard to beat. And really hard to resist. (Hence my long history of pizza related cheese burns on the roof of my mouth…) But despite this, it’s really hard to find pizza that’s done… Continue reading Cotswold pizza flour review and cheddar & tomato pizza recipe
This pasta bake, with ricotta filled conchiglioni (giant pasta shells) in spicy, tangy tomato sauce, is one of my favourite pasta recipes. It is simple to make, yet feels luxurious and special thanks to the creamy cheesy filling in each shell, which goes oh-so well with the spicy tomato sauce. It’s a perfect recipe to… Continue reading Baked ricotta stuffed conchiglioni recipe
Spicy chilli con carne has always been one of my favourite dinners, and this recipe is a fail safe way to cheer me up and fill me up. I’ve been working on the recipe for a while, changing the ingredients and quantities from the version mum has always cooked, which was pretty good to start… Continue reading Smoky chipotle chilli con carne recipe
This lemon drizzle cake is perfect for an Easter celebration, and I always associate it with spring and summer. As with most of my favourite baking recipes, this is one I’ve inherited from my mum, and it reminds me of hazy afternoons spent eating freshly baked scones and lemon cake in the garden, watching insects… Continue reading Lemon drizzle cake recipe
