MY BLOG, MY RECIPES, MY FOOD!
I've been really inspired recently by Sweets Made Simple on BBC2. Please please check it out if you haven't watched it as Miss Hope and Mr G and their enthusiasm is infectious. It was enough to get me off my bum again to make these delightful coconut ice squares. They require no baking, just a bit of muscle, some time to cool in the fridge and with just four ingredients, they are so easy to make as a homemade treat or gift for friends and family. They are a true classic and now you can make them too!
I'm very much a fan of the vegetarian lifestyle. I'm not one myself but going majorly veggie has helped me to lose a few stone. I do compensate the meat in my meals with a lot of Quorn however I know that a lot of vegetarians might not like Quorn so here is a spicy tomatoy rigatoni dish with big chunks of Aubergine as the "meat" of the dish. Sprinkle two types of cheese over the top and garnish with fresh basil and its so tasty I'm sure even the carnivores out there will be asking for more!
So you've got you hot dog buns proofing away so what's next? Well you can't have hot dogs with out a sauce. Now there a ketchup/mustard debate about this but if you want to try something different (and a bit more grown up) then give this recipe for a delicious BBQ sauce a go. Sticky, sweet and ever so boozy it's perfect for slathering between your buns. You should be able to have a big batch already in an hour, ready to carry on working your bread.
Today is the last day of our holidays so it's time for one last blow out meal and what better way to 
Another One Shot Sunday Roast now and this one comes inspired from some left over halloumi I had in my fridge from a BBQ we had during our week away in Wales. Using the halloumi as a base, I pooled together other ingredients I had in my cupboards; cannelloni beans, red peppers, tomatoes and basil to create a roast that is a great reminder of holidays around the Mediterranean islands. Throw in some potatoes and you once again have a Sunday roast ready to delight friends and family a-like. 
Damsons are a fruit I'd not even heard of until two weeks ago. Now that I'm more immersed in foodiness I like to see what's in season and they are apparently due to be. Then by a strange coincidence when in the Llanberis slate museum gift shop this week (random I know!) I spied a jar of damson jam and thought it was sign. I snapped up a jar and used it in this recipe for some sweet puff pastry treats that are so quick to make you can have them in your gob in just over 1 hour.
I have to admit that there is an ulterior motive for this recommendation. This special book containing 50 fab recipes to commemorate Fred the Homepride mans 50th birthday contains two of my very own recipes, the butternut squash quiche with Ashley's twist and my walnut brownies. This is the first time any of my creations will be in print and for me it's a very special occasion and one of my proudest moments. I've pre-ordered my copy and now so can you too!
Recently we discovered a fabulous Liverpool business, Childwall Food and Drink. They deliver fantastic fruit and veg boxes straight to your door at, what has to be said fantastic prices. Not one to turn down a bargain we bought ourselves a box and inside was a beautifully ripe pineapple. It's not something I would usually buy so I took the opportunity to bake this mouth wateringly moist banana and pineapple cake slathered with buttery caramel cream cheese frosting. I call it my "Totally Tropical" cake.
This recipe (I hope Whovians may appreciate the title) is something I rustled up last night using up the ingredients in our kitchen before we head off on holiday. I've made an easy peasy bolognasy before which was packed with chili heat. This bolognase is more fragrant and herby so is much more suited for those who are not a fan of spice. It's so simple and quick and can be knocked up in less than an hour. Perfect if you don't want to spend the whole evening in the kitchen.
Whats the name all about? Well it's quite simple. This delicious pie has 3 types of cheese, 3 types of mushrooms contained within two types of pastry. I maintain that a true pie should always have a pastry base and lid and I've covered my puff pastry lid with Parmesan whilst the filling is rich full of Cheddar and mozzarella which melts to go all beautifully gooey and stringy. Its such a comforting evening meal ideal for a rainy weekend when you just need something to warm your up from your head to your toes.
I love tarts! No don't be smutty, of course I mean a scrummy pastry base filled with a delicious filling. Of course I've made many a sweet tart like my famous bakewell tart but one of my favourite bakes has to be a cheesy tart. Now we all know about Lorraine and her quiche but it's not very original or veggie friendly. Here is my "Cheesimato" tart. Herby pastry lined with tomato chutney, filled with a cheese and onion savoury mix and topped with breadcrumbs and cherry tomatoes. Great for a summer meal!
There are some great berries in season at the moment and we are always told that we should eat the seasons. The problem I have is that I'm not a fan of raw fruit so I can only stomach fruit when it's bake. Jon knows this so when we had some fruit in the kitchen about to turn he did the best thing possible and made this beautifully sticky and sweet crumble which I call Toffee "Apple-Berry" flavor. Its so quick to make, uses up all your fresh berries and is so quick to make. Whats not to like? 
I hadn't made any ice cream for a while so I though it was time to crack out another "Ice Cream Sunday" recipe. This time I'm going for a true weekend treat. This is a beautifully creamy, smooth and rich Crunchie ice cream which big and little kids a like will really enjoy. The recipe uses Crunchie rocks which you can find in most supermarkets but you can use bash some Crunchie bars with a rolling pin instead if you can't find them. 
The weekend is her and it's start to think about this weeks Sunday Roast. It's also been a very long week in work so it's time to crack open the wine and relax for the weekend. White wine and chicken is a classic combination but I only really see it in stews and casseroles but never really on a whole roast bird. Here I've created a fantastic marinade that really pumps that wine flavor into your roast, complimented with some garlic, lemon and fresh herbs for a delightfully fragrant and oh so adult Sunday Roast. Prepare and marinade the night before and