Daisy Chains and Picnics

I had some leftover haggis, neeps and tatties from our Burns night supper, I was going to make a pie but then these delicious portobello mushrooms were on offer so decide to make stuffed mushrooms instead. They were absolutely delicious and filling, Darren took the leftovers for his work lunch next day. Ingredients 4 large flat or Portobello mushrooms 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 onion, chopped leftover cooked haggis leftover cooked mashed neeps (Turnip) leftover cooked mashed tatties (Potatoes) cheese, grated Method 1.  Preheat oven to 200 ° C , 180 ° C fan. 2.  Remove stems from mushrooms, set aside. Place mushrooms stem side down onto a lined baking tray, brush with a little olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes until moisture has leaked out of them. Remove from oven, soak up excess liquid with paper towels. 3.  In a frying pan, heat oil over a medium heat, add onion, cook for 2-3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add haggis, cook for another 2 minutes, add chopped mushroom ste...

 A delicious way to use up leftover cooked chicken. I called it a sandwich filler but it is delicious in jacket potatoes or on its own with a side salad. Ingredients 400 g leftover cooked chicken 4 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp mustard 1 spring onion, finely sliced pinch cayenne pepper handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley lime juice to taste 1 small red chilli, chopped (optional) Method 1.  Break up chicken and stir together with mayonnaise, mustard, spring onion, cayenne pepper and parsley. Season with salt & pepper, add lime juice according to taste. Enjoy

  As we are still in the middle of renovating the bathroom and everything is in a muddle and mess, I didn't put much effort into Burns Night this year. Mum had posted out a couple of tins of Haggis so we had those along with neeps and tatties which we ate off of our tartan plates. Oh, and talking of Burns night, I managed to pour scalding hot water over my finger which instantly came up in a huge blister which burst under the pressure of the cold running water. It's left a raw patch on my finger which I have to keep covered with a dressing for a couple of days or so! So that's Burns Night 2023 in a nutshell!

  Scott came home with a load of homegrown carrots, parsnips and a zucchini from Sally, so after using some in soup, I made a carrot and zucchini slice for tea, Cerys loved it. She had some for her tea and lunch next day. Ingredients 6 eggs 1/3 cup milk 3/4 tsp salt pepper to taste 2 tsp dried parsley 1/4 tsp ground paprika 1 onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup grated cheese 2 medium carrots, grated 1 large zucchini, grated 120g plain flour 1 1/4 tsp baking powder Method 1.  Preheat oven to 180 C. Line a 20 x 30 cm baking tin with greaseproof paper. 2.  Remove moisture from zucchini by squeezing between your hands. 3.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk salt, pepper, parsley and paprika. 4.  Stir in onion, garlic, cheese, carrots and zucchini. Add flour and baking powder, mix together well. 5.  Pour mixture into prepared baking tin, spread surface evenly. 6.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until set and golden on top. 7.  ...

Here is another goat curry I found on the internet, this one I found  here . It explains to add all of the ingredients listed to your slow cooker except for the tomatoes, water and the garam masala, these are added at the final hour of cooking. This recipe has less preparation time which is great if you are lacking time, just throw most of the ingredients into the slow cooker and let it do the work for you. Set your slow cooker on high for four hours, stirring every hour to make sure nothing burns. We have had a curry almost every Saturday night for years now, not take away, sometimes made from scratch but mostly shop bought jars or packets, adding whichever meat I have at the time, but never with goat, usually chicken, beef or lamb. But goat curry made from scratch is sure to be our Saturday go to curry from now on as I intend to try various recipes as I come across them. Ingredients 1 kg goat curry pieces 4 whole cloves or a pinch of ground cloves 2 cardamom pods or a pinch of ...

  I made this as a side dish as we were having chicken nibbles for tea. Full of delicious crunchy vegetables It was the perfect side. Add some chicken or beef strips to add some protein for a main meal. Ingredients 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 onions, petalled 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 red capsicum, seeded & sliced 2 spring onions, sliced 150g mushrooms, sliced 100g sugar snap peas, trimmed bean sprouts 1/2 cup plum sauce 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce 1/2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine 1/4 cup vegetable stock 250g Singapore noodles 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds Method 1.  Soak noodles in hot water, drain, rinse with cold water. 2.  Heat oil in a wok over a high heat. Stir fry onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes.  3.  Add capsicum, spring onions, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, bean sprouts and 2 tbsp water. Stir fry for a further 4-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. 4.  Combine sauces, stock and cooking wine. Add to vegetables along with the noodles. Tos...

  I did these freeze-ahead roast potatoes for Christmas day to make life a bit easier, they worked out perfectly and tasted delicious, I will certainly be doing this again, it took a lot of preparation out of Christmas day lunch. When I came to roast them I added garlic cloves and some fresh Rosemary to the roasting pan. Ingredients 1.5 kg potatoes, peeled 1/2 tbsp semolina 1/4 tsp garlic powder 50 g duck fat, melted Method 1.  Leave small and medium potatoes whole, cut larger potatoes into halves or quarters depending on how big they are. Put potatoes into a large pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Boil for 6 minutes exactly, then drain in a colander and leave them to steam-dry for a few minutes. Toss in the colander to rough up the edges. 2.  Transfer to a large bowl. Shake over the semolina, garlic powder and a little salt and pepper, toss well to combine. Spoon over the melted duck fat and toss to coat evenly. Lay potatoes on a tray lined with greaseproof...

I love a tasty salad and this one is simple and delicious with refreshing cucumber and crunchy red onion complimented by the tangy zesty dressing, perfect for a summer side dish. Ingredients 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt 1 tsp lemon zest 3 tsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp dried dill 1/2 small red onion, finely sliced Method 1.  Place sliced cucumber in a sieve over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss, allow cucumber to sit for 30 minutes, then gently pat dry with a paper towel, this helps to reduce the moisture. 2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yoghurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder and dill. season with salt and pepper to taste. 3.  Add cucumber and onion slices, toss to combine well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy

  Saturday 14th January, it reached 32°C. I went into the pool for a while later in the afternoon. We had salad for tea which we ate on our laps as the dining room table is still covered in items due to the bathroom renovation. We had planned to do an outdoor cinema in the evening but the wind got up so we ended up watching Luca inside.

I made a roast duck for New Year's tea. Jodie bought this from work a couple of months ago so this gave me the perfect reason to try it. For crispy skin leave the duck uncovered in the fridge to dry out overnight. Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced salt 400ml apple cider 1 tbsp cabernet pepperberry paste 2kg duck (approx) Method 1.  Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced. 2.  Add olive oil to a small pan over a medium heat. Add shallot and garlic until shallot is softened. Add a pinch of salt and the cider, increase heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a rolling simmer, continue cooking until liquid has reduced by half. 3.  Pat duck dry using paper towels. Carefully score duck breast with a sharp knife taking care not to pierce the meat. 4.  Season duck inside the cavity and on the skin generously with salt, sprinkle with a little black pepper, place a couple of small orange slices or orange zest inside the cavity. 5....