Veggie or not, here I come ...

… now for the “not” … and the photos.

Remember lining a baking sheet with bacon on Sunday and turning it into boxed bits?

The method in my madness is simple – if you have meat eaters to cater for then now is the time to dip into your Sunday stash of boxed bacon bits and sprinkle liberally over the top of your orzotto with miso roasted mushrooms .

Here are the photos :

Bacon bits in a box!

Everyone's happy.

Veggie or not, here I come!

Miso roasted mushrooms

Serves 4

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

3 tbsps miso paste

2 tsps soy sauce

2 tbsps mirin

1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar

Mix the ingredients thoroughly into a marinade. Box and set aside. Add the marinade to the mushrooms an hour before roasting to give it time to infuse, use a strong plastic food bag.

When you're ready to cook, pre-heat your oven 150fan/170c/Gas 3.

Place your marinaded mushrooms into a foil tray and roast for 15-20 minutes.

In case you're not familiar with miso paste, I used brown rice miso - it is available in most large supermarkets.

It's up to you what you do

You can roast the mushrooms the day before but reduce the

time to 10 minutes and then either re-heat in the oven for 10 minutes

or warm through in a small saucepan whilst making the

orzotto

Here's what to expect :

the marinaded mushrooms

then roasted

and served

Ta dah!

Veggie or not – orzotto photo-guide

Here they are :

Onions and orzo

Stock and wine added

it glistens – just like the real thing!

Add the Parmesan – creamier - even better

Add the parsley – better still

How good does it look?

Stand by for the miso roasted mushrooms!

It's Wednesday evening …

… veggie or not, here I come!

Tonight it's orzotto with miso roasted mushrooms.

If you've not come across orzo before let me enlighten you, orzo is a pasta and it looks exactly like rice. If you're a lover of risotto but haven't the time or the inclination to make it when you come home from a hard day at work, orzotto is the answer.

Orzotto

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

260g orzo pasta

425ml chicken stock (or vegetable)

75ml dry white wine

2 tbsps lemon juice

200g frozen petit pois

2 tbsp fresh pesto

bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

75g parmesan cheese, grated

black pepper

extra grated parmesan to serve

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and fry the onion for 2/3 minutes. Add the dry white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in orzo and cook for 1-2 minutes and then add the stock all at once. Simmer and stir occasionally for 7/8 minutes until nearly cooked. Stir in the lemon juice and the frozen peas. Simmer for a minute and then add the parmesan cheese and continue to simmer for 2 minutes until the peas are cooked then add the pesto and the parsley.

Season to taste with black pepper and serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

If you want to omit the wine increase the stock to 500ml.

It's up to you what you do

If you want to weigh your ingredients ahead I can only tell you that it doesn't take long at all and the pleasure you'll get when it takes you 15 minutes to cook and you're ready to serve is not to be sniffed at. The choice – as they say – is yours!

Photo-guide up next.

Faff free foto guide … the Kedgeree

Here's the usual step by step guide :

I am my own worst critic … I loved it. The smoked fish and the sweetness in the curry sauce is a perfect combination.

Lunch box anyone?

I've passed this box to a friend – I hate waste!

Will let you know the verdict.

Some like it with a drizzle …

… some don't. I'm a drizzle kinda gal. There's definitely moisture in the Kedgeree but, as a hat tipping to its Indian roots, I thought I'd add a sauce which is admittedly Malaysian - hey it's near enough next door - what's 2,000 miles or so these days.

It's all about balance and personal taste. You'll notice that there's no salt and black pepper included in the Kedgeree recipe – for a reason – there's salt in the fish and the curry and coriander provide the spice hit, add black pepper to your own taste. The rice and the egg balance the saltiness of the fish – now for the sweet hit.

Rendang Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve.

It's up to you what you do

You can make the sauce ahead and re-heat.

This is my solution for those who like a sauce and another for your “really useful” quick and easy sauce recipe repertoire – blimey try saying that when you've had a cup of gin!

It's Tuesday evening …

… and Kedgeree as promised :

Kedgeree – the fastest ever

Serves 4

500g rice

400g smoked haddock

50g unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp coriander

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half

half a lemon, cut into 4 wedges

small bunch of coriander, chopped for garnish

I'm using frozen mixed vegetable rice, microwaved – it took 8 minutes – whenever you've time – set aside cool, cover and fridge ready for use later.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the onion, curry powder and coriander. Fry gently until soft. Add the rice and mix thoroughly.

Cook your smoked haddock – use fresh if you can get it – or frozen - whichever you find most convenient. Bake in the oven straight from the freezer at 170fan/190c/Gas 5 for 30 minutes or poach for 15 minutes in a medium saucepan, covered with equal amounts of milk and water. Set aside to cool and then box and fridge until ready to use. Break the fish into small chunks and fold into the rice.

Place the eggs on top, then add the coriander and lemon wedges.

Serve with freshly baked French bread.

It's up to you what you do

I cooked the rice and fridged

I cooked the fish and fridged

I chopped and bagged the onion

I hard-boiled the eggs

as additional Sunday “I'm in the kitchen anyway” tasks

If there's one thing that drives me mad it's fantasy timings given in recipes. To back up my mouth I set my timer. The bread took 10 minutes to bake - whilst it did its thing, using a large frying pan, I melted the butter, added the onion, curry powder and coriander and cooked for 2 minutes until the onion was softened and the spices “cooked” to release their deliciousness. I added the cooked rice, fish and finished with the eggs.

Faff free food in 10 minutes - hold that thought ...

The aim of this game …

… is to give you fast, home-cooked suppers after a hard day at work. You'll know exactly what's for supper, no stress or panic shopping on your way home – more time for you. The added bonus is that at the end of the week you'll have little or no food waste – no scary bits lingering in the bottom of your fridge – just think of the dosh you'll save!

You have control here – the more stuff you prep and cook ahead the less likely you are to inhale a packet of biscuits. After the holidays you are addicted to sugar, fat or salt or all three. You need to wean yourself off the overload – by being organised and planning ahead you'll look forward to your supper and not have any room left for snacking!

At the end of each of the following recipes there's a list of elements that can be made ahead – it's up to you what you do in addition to the four tasks given for Sunday.

Kedgeree – the fastest ever, coming next and the best example I can give you of saving time, dosh and little or no waste!

It's Monday evening …Chicken, chorizo and pear salad

… and time to use some of that chicken breast you slow cooked yesterday. A warm, welcoming salad.

Chicken, chorizo and pear salad

1 pear, sliced, cored and divided

into 10

1 knob of unsalted butter (20/25g)

100g diced chorizo, or smoked bacon bits

if you prefer

150g sliced chicken breast – smoked if you like

35g chestnuts or walnuts – chopped

chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

Use a type of pear that's suitable for cooking – Bosc and Anjou are perfect – they hold their form, don't use Comice – they'll disintegrate. Using a large frying pan melt the butter and add the slices of pear sauté for 2 minutes, turn and repeat so that the slices have colour. Set aside on a baking tray and place in a warm oven.

Add the diced chorizo to the frying pan and sauté until coloured. Add the sliced chicken breast, the nuts and the pears and turn gently so that all the ingredients are properly warmed and coated with the chorizo juices and the butter.

Here's a photo-guide :

Supper in ten minutes!

When your alarm sounds …

… and your chicken is ready if you do nothing else remove it – carefully – it will fall apart and set aside in a dish or foil tray and most importantly strain the stock, cool, cover and fridge. You don't have to strip the chicken if you don't have the energy – cool, cover and fridge until tomorrow.

This is what you've achieved by doing virtually nothing :

2 x 200g bags of chicken breast

500g of stock – I'd suggest you split it into 2 x 250g bags

150g approximately of chicken suitable for adding to soup

or sandwiches

Fridge the bags of chicken for the moment – you may decide to use some before committing the remainder to your treasure chest (the freezer).

Watch this space!

Mood food and no faffing …

… in other words you have to be in the mood for good food and not all the junk you've inhaled over the holidays - which is why we have to be smart and prep and cook ingredients ahead so that you're more likely to fancy your evening meal - “mood food” and less likely to hit the speed dial button for your favourite takeaway!

There are no rules here, just a menu for the working week – 5 evenings. You can swap and change to suit yourself or change it altogether for that matter. These are suggestions to motivate you to do one thing – get organised, two if you include plan! There'll be options along the way.

Your Menu

Chicken, pear and chestnut salad with chorizo

Kedgeree – the fastest ever - with or without rendang sauce

Miso roasted mushroom orzotto with optional bacon bits

Carrot, coriander and chickpea soup – optional chicken

with vegetarian dumplings

Home-made burgers with wedges and a tomato, onion

and sweet pepper salad with a Balsamic glaze

What you're cooking for your Sunday lunch is up to you. I would just like to ask you to complete four small tasks whilst you're at it!

Wrap six large baking potatoes in foil and bake. (180fan/200c/Gas 6).

I would bake for an hour and a half and then test – you want your paring

knife to move firmly through the potatoes. Remove them and

set aside to cool – bear in mind they will continue cooking

because they are insulated by the foil

Line a baking sheet with foil and cover with bacon of

your choice – I prefer smoked. Bake for 15 minutes (180fan/200c/Gas 6)

turn and repeat - it will be crisp! Let the bacon cool and break into

small pieces, box and fridge

Grate a large box/bag of mature cheddar cheese

and fridge

Slow cook a whole chicken – it takes 5 minutes -

check out the Chicken label on the blog “Slow, strip,

strain and stock” for the recipe

all you need to do is leave a trail of post-it-notes or

perhaps a more modern technique is to set your phone

alarm for 8 hours time!

Are you with me so far?

Post holiday blues …

… whether it's an over indulgence of your guilty pleasure(s) or that overwhelming feeling that you never want to see another shopping list ever again!

Sadly we don't have much of a choice since we have to eat. Added to which there'll be pressure now for that gym membership or, worse still, an invitation to join a weight loss plan.

How depressing.

We're so fed up with feeding people and all that goes with, it's time to take a moment, take stock and breathe.

If you'd like some help, try this on for size, pardon the pun, get organised.

If Santa gave you dosh for Christmas, why not invest a small amount on Splitting Atoms and Grating Cheese, or, life's too short to faff around. Please don't panic, it's not about diets, weight loss or the gym. It's ideas and help to get organised, the knock-on effect of which is to save you precious time not to mention save you dosh and reduce your stress levels into the bargain!

Life's too short ...

Food guilt is a terrible thing …

… it's too late for recriminations - “Why did I eat my way through that giant box of chocolates … I don't even like chocolate!” I'll bet you have a pixie on your shoulder whispering in your ear “you don't want healthy, balanced food you want junk – in whatever form - sugar, salt or both!” The final straw is that your favourite jeans are, shall we say, a little snug?

I'm not a lover of resolutions, they are destined to be broken and done by the middle of January. What I do love is being organised and in a routine where food and meals are concerned. Life is so much easier when you have a plan.

If you must make a resolution to change the way you eat, can I make a suggestion – keep it to yourself – should you “fall off the wagon” for a day, just get back on, there'll be no-one – pixie or work colleague (who is watching you like a hawk, willing you to fail) any the wiser – no pressure.

What makes matters worse at this time of year is the weather – usually wet, cold and miserable - that makes us want to “stoke our boilers” and comfort eat. You can comfort eat, just with the right stuff.

The trick here is to make it easy on yourself and plan.

That's exactly what we're going to do – plan a weeks worth of suppers, with may be the odd lunch thrown in. We'll be doing as much work and prep when we're already in the kitchen, cooking for example a Sunday lunch – you're in there anyway so why not make the most of your time.

You'll be glad you did …

Using up the Camembert - photo guide

There's nothing like dunking fresh bread into warm cheese :

We have chopped pistachios, honey roasted cashews, sweet chilli sauce, chopped cranberries and redcurrant jelly. It's difficult to know where to begin!

I fancied beer bread for a change.

If you'd like to treat yourself buy a ceramic Camembert Baker suitable to fit the 250g cheese or a larger “dip baker” version, here they are :

A baked Camembert is not just for the holidays!

And finally, using up the bits and bats

I think most of us finish up with an excess of cheese after the holidays – here's what I did with the Camembert I didn't get around to using with my cheese board.

I suppose you have to be a lover of cheese for this dish. An ideal partner for either the soda or beer bread and a great idea for a sharing appetiser – getting messy is part of the fun. Before we begin a note – make sure the box is stapled – not glued!

Baked Camembert

250g Camembert

1 clove garlic or garlic paste

olive oil

Bread of your choice

Pinch of sea salt

Handful 25g of chopped dried cranberries

Handful 25g of chopped mixed nuts

A bowl of sweet chilli sauce - 75g

A bowl of redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce - 75g

Preheat your oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4. Leaving the Camembert in the box, score around the top about half cm in and cut off the top layer of skin. Slice the garlic clove and poke into the top of the cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil then bake in the oven for 15 minutes – or until gorgeous and oozy in the middle.

I served the Camembert with warmed fresh beer bread.

Option 1 – dunk the bread into the cheese and then into the cranberries and nuts – repeat!

Option 2 – pour sweet chill sauce or a spoonful or two of either redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce into the centre of the baked cheese and dunk.

Retro stuff at its absolute best.

What's not to love – hmm, may be bake two cheeses – it's difficult not to keep dipping.

Yum!

Photos next.

Just before we leave the holidays behind for another year …

… a bit of fun.

The stocking filler and the Rocky Road fest!

Each year when we travel to visit the family we take an extra – a stocking filler if you will. Over the years it has been a luxury panettone, amaretti biscuits or posh crackers for Christmas Day.

My idea for this year began when a friend of mine was waxing lyrical about the Middle Eastern version of Rocky Road and so I decided I'd make her some as a Christmas gift. That gave me the idea for the family “extra” - Rocky Road - me and my big ideas.

I made the Middle Eastern version batch first since I had to deliver to my friend before we left for the holidays and I decided my hairdresser might like it too - I froze the rest.

I should have realised that it was a tall order – leaving aside the Middle Eastern version I made two more batches of original Rocky Road and divided it into eight containers, bagging the remainder to transport, the thought then occurred – will it all fit into the car with all the stuff we have to take … blind panic!

Here's what my kitchen looked like :

First family visit was to Daughter in Law (Dil for short, it's much easier and so much more affectionate!) - Granddaughter, Partner and Great Granddaughter call in – that's four containers delivered. We left another two containers for Son and Dil to be passed on on Boxing Day. The final two containers delivered other Son and Dil – a great sense of achievement I can tell you.

Fast forward to later in the day …

… and an extract from a text received from our Granddaughter :

… the Rocky Road is the nicest thing Lee has ever

eaten in his life!

I think that definitely guarantees a repeat order!