food, reviews & life in my kitchen
An absolute classic, shepherd's pie is one of the ultimate comfort food dinners, and always takes me back to my childhood. Mum used to cook individual pies served in mini ceramic pie dishes, with creamy mash toppings. The edges of the mince filling underneath used to crisp against the sides of the dish, creating this… Continue reading Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Now that the festivities and celebrations of December are over and we face the long, quiet month of January, I turn to food to brighten dark evenings while waiting for spring to arrive. As much as I want excitement in my food, I also want to cook and eat healthy dishes. Having eaten my way… Continue reading How to cook healthy, tasty food & my Chilli Chicken Stew Recipe
It’s a strange thought as we're here on the edge of Christmas, that only a few months ago our garden was full of tasty vegetables waiting to be picked and eaten. Now when I look out of the window it seems empty in comparison. The huge courgette plant that dominated our patio is long gone,… Continue reading December food: A look back at summer, and forward to winter
Until recently, it had been years since I ate pork. Memories of chewy pork chops and roasts that didn’t really do it for me (sorry Mum!) completely turned me off to pork. It was only when pork escalopes appeared in my Abel and Cole meat delivery box that I was forced to reconsider. Initially very… Continue reading Pork with Apples, Sage and Cider Recipe
Pumpkin and squash soups have always been one of my favourite flavours of soup, and I love the combination of spices with the sweet taste of squash. In autumn, when squash are at their best and in season, this is the perfect recipe to celebrate them! I love a thick, hearty blended soup, but you… Continue reading Fiery Squash Soup Recipe
With lots of late summer tomatoes ripening in my garden, there are few things I love to do with them more than to roast them and make a delicious warming tomato soup. Roasting the vegetables in this recipe gives them a sweeter, more intense flavour, and helps to make this soup a rich comforting treat!… Continue reading Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup 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
When the weather is cold, and spring just doesn’t seem to be on its way, I always fancy warm, comforting food. One of my favourites (and a bit of a classic in our family) is Mum’s homemade mushroom soup. She serves it Boxing Day lunchtime as a perfect antidote to the excess of food we… Continue reading Ultimate comfort lunch: Mum’s Mushroom Soup Recipe
Anyone who knows me well will know that I love pie. I love pie with creamy mashed potato, doused in thick gravy until the mash begins to dissolve in the liquid and the pie crust starts to soften (to my mum’s sheer horror). I love cutting into fresh, crisp pastry, homemade when I have the… Continue reading 3 things that make a perfect pie & my 3 favourite pie recipes
This is an indulgent and warming recipe to treat yourself to on cold nights. For me, chicken and mushroom pie is ultimate comfort food, and is full of nostalgia. As a child, my favourite dinners were always the kind which came with gravy and veg. In fact at one stage, I wouldn’t even entertain the… Continue reading Chicken and Mushroom Pie Recipe