THE RETURN OF OUR PERFECT NUT ROAST

We loved our nut roast when we made it a couple of Christmases ago but then we neglected it! This year however we resurrected this old favorite and it was still as good as we remembered. So much better than a shop bought nut roast, this mixture of herb and garlic mushrooms and nuts is bound together with rice and cottage cheese to make a beautifully plump and moist roast that is perfect not just for Christmas but for the whole year. It’s even got a good glug of wine in it for good luck. Who could resist that?

RED HOT RICELLA SALSA

So as with every Christmas I got a great selection of new cookbooks as presents. Two of my favorites were Nigella Lawson's new offering and Rick Stein's Road To Mexico. Both are fabulous and both also contained a recipe for a roast tomato salsa. I didn't know which one to try first so I decided to bang both the recipe's together to create a "Ricella" salsa (see what I did there!). I've taken the red peppers from Nigella's recipe and combined them with the lime and coriander leaves from Rick's and the combination really works well.

HANDMADE NO FRILLS GORGEOUS GUACAMOLE

Now I know I’ve already posted a recipe for guacamole before but this is my new take on the Mexican sauce to try and be a smidge more authentic having been inspired by Rick Stein's TV series about his road trip to Mexico. It’s a simple guacamole without any bells and whistles that you bash up using a pestle and mortar followed by a fork before seasoning to taste. No machines used here which is a good thing as your guacamole not only tastes better with its more interesting texture but also because you know you’ve put the effort in! 

POPPIN' GARLIC AND HERB TEAR AND SHARE ROLLS

I've dabbled in baking bread in the past but I still get very scared as it can go horribly wrong if you mess with the yeast or don't work the dough properly. Not the case with this tear and share loaf which was totes delicious. These fluffy little buns connected together like a bee hive have a hint of parsley running through the crumb as well as a burst of garlic which is added both in the dough and brushed on top with some butter. Finish with poppy seeds for crunch and you have the perfect set of buns for sharing at dinner time! 

SPEGGY MERBLES

What are "Speggy Merbles" I hear you cry? Well that's our affectionate nickname for spaghetti and meatballs of course. We love Quorn meatballs in our house and frying them up with some garlic, onions and roasted red peppers before simmering them in a herby tomato sauce is one of the simplest and quickest mid-meek meals to rustle up when you can't be bothered spending hours in the kitchen. Those merbles and sauce have to be served with a good helping of spaghetti though. Having merbles without the speggy is quite frankly; criminal! 

CHEEKY SLOW COOKED SPINACH AND CHICKPEA TAGINE

A few years ago we went on holiday to Morocco and it was there that I fell in love with one of their most famous dishes, the tagine. Named after the clay pot in which they are traditionally cooked in, there are many regional variations of this slow cooked stew but in my recipe I have taken some of the more classic tagine spices such as cumin, turmeric and cinnamon and used them to flavour a delicious vegetarian broth crammed full with chickpeas and an array of vibrant vegetables to create a truly wonderful meat free feast. 

FABULOUS GARLIC AND CORIANDER FLATBREAD

Baking bread can be quite a daunting and laborious task. All that kneading and proofing and then there is always the fear of your yeast failing so you end up with dodgy bread that's as tough as cardboard. This recipe for a delicious garlic and coriander flatbread removes all of these worries. You still need to rest the dough overnight but once you have then all you need to do is roll out your dough, pop it in the oven and finish with garlic butter for a delightfully thin and crispy accompaniment to many a meal.

ROSEMARY'S CAKE

Who is Rosemary? Well actually she is no one, it just eludes to the fact that this is a cake flavored

with fresh rosemary leaves. See what I did there! Herbs in cakes and desserts have become increasing popular over the years and after I dabbled in a lemon and thyme loaf last year I decided to try and give rosemary a shot in a bake. Well, let me tell you this for certain, it definitely works especially in the rosemary sugar crust sprinkled on top of the cake. Don't be scared people and embrace the herby bakes!

PATARA LONDON (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Searching around the Royal Albert Hall for somewhere to eat we stumbled across Patara's website and were instantly drawn to the promise of "Fine Thai Cuisine". We do love our Thai food and it was great to see that they offered a vegetarian banquet too. So on a warm Thursday evening we headed off to South Kensington, ready to tuck into some meat free delights! We had made reservations for our visit but we needn't of worried as there wasn't anyone in Patara when we rocked up. Great, we had our pick of tables and so we took a seat in corner of the dining room right by the window.

PERFECT PESTO PASTA

I've been getting a bit more adventurous lately when it comes to trying food that I thought I didn't like. I did it with satay when we were in Singapore (I now love the stuff!) and this weekend we decided to make some homemade pesto to see if it's better than the ready made stuff that I don't like. Well I like basil, garlic, lemon, pine nuts and parmesan so why wouldn't I like them all blended together. Turns out homemade pesto is well lush, super easy to make and I'm gutted I've been missing out for so long.

SUPER SLOW COOKED CARROT AND CORIANDER SOUP

I love making soups. They are a perfect thing to make when you have random bits of vegetables to use up and that is what happened to me when I had some carrots left over from a Sunday roast one week. Not wanting to put too much effort into making my soup though I decided to make a slow cooked carrot and coriander soup in my slow cooker so that I would be able to just lash everything in and leave it to work it's magic so I could spend the day walking around the park in the sun instead of being stuck in the kitchen. 

PIZZERIA MOZZA SINGAPORE (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Our adventure overseas continues now with the second week of our holiday were we ventured over to the vibrant and beautiful city of Singapore. We came armed with our guide book and when we didn't have any luck finding any food in the Little India area of the city we decided to venture to the glorious Marina Bay Sands and it's shopping area where you can find Pizzeria Mozza. Described as having "pizza crusts to die for!" and with our love of pizza we just knew we had to go and visit them to find out for ourselves.

"MELT IN THE MIDDLE" CHEESE AND ONION POTATO CAKES

These cheese and onion potato cakes came about when I was trying to make a vegetarian version of a fish cake on Good Friday this year. I wanted to make them really special and so with some leftover cheese in the fridge I set about making a delicious potato cake with an amazing melt in the middle cheese filling in the centre that would explode over the plate once you cut through the golden panko breadcrumb coating. They take a little work to make but trust me when I say that it is really worth the effort. Who knew potatoes could be so exciting!

S.K.A.I BEACH CLUB BALI (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Our Bali adventure continued on day two with drinks on the beach during sun downers. I can't think of any better way to finish off a hard day of sun bathing by the pool. How about if there was a yummy meal to be had too? With hungry bellies we headed off down the strip and stumbled upon the SKAI Beach Club. This restaurant is part of the Padman Resort in Legian but we didn't let the fact it's attached to a hotel put us off giving it a try as the menu looked delicious!

GRILL ON THE ALLEY MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

It wasn't the first time that we had visited Grill On The Alley in Manchester when we visited last month however when we received an email that they were offering discounts on table bookings so that people could sample their new menu and with a visit to the city planned, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give them another shot. So, off we popped with our reservation ready to see what delicious new treats they were serving up this springtime.

QUALITY CORNFLAKE FRIED QUORN NIBLETS

Did you see my Crackin' Cornflake Fried Chicken? Well obviously I had to go ahead and make a vegetarian version for the veggie at home and so out came the trusty Quorn chicken pieces. I wasn't sure that they would work being soaked in buttermilk and then being deep fried in a herb and spice flavored flour and cornflake coating but they worked incredibly well. They were just as good as the cornflake chicken in my opinion and so make a great healthier alternative whilst also being a new way to make those Quorn pieces more exciting!

CRACKIN' CORNFLAKE FRIED CHICKEN

I think I've finally cracked it when it comes to making the perfect deep fried chicken. With the most delicious meat I've ever eaten on a chicken thanks to it having been in a bath of buttermilk overnight, I bring you my crackin' cornflake fried chicken. Not only does the crispy coating of the chicken taste delicious thanks to the combination of herbs and spices in the flour mix but there is also the best crunch ever to them thanks to the addition of oodles of crushed cornflakes. Perfect weekend comfort food after a long week in work!

PROPER DIRTY LEFTOVER CHILI ENCHILADAS

Whenever we make a chili con carne we always have loads leftover. A batch we make can last three days sometimes if we go all out! Just having chili and rice for three days straight would be boring though so you need to think of ways to breath life into it each evening. Enchiladas are a perfect way to do this. Wrap your leftovers in tortillas, cover in a tomato based sauce, cheese and fresh herbs and voilà, your chili is transformed into something new right before your very eyes. It's proper dirty but proper delicious!

BOOZY BBQ BEER CAN BIRD

Beer can chicken is not something I have invented but it's certainly a craze that has been going around on the foodie scene for a while now that I hadn't tried yet. I tried it this weekend just gone for the first time and I'm so glad that I did because it's absolutely phenomenal. I mean what could go be wrong with the combination of beer and chicken? Add to this boozy bird a lully BBQ butter rub made with paprika and cayenne pepper and applied to the skin before roasting and you are in for the best Sunday roast of your life. 

CRACKIN' CORNFLAKE CRUSTED MOZZARELLA STICKS

Oh, I do love a good mozzarella stick! Biting through that crispy breadcrumb coating and letting that stringy cheese just dribble all over your chin? Yup, it's totally messy, dirty and wrong but I bet there are a lot of people out there reading this agreeing me right now. One question? How can you make mozzarella sticks even better? Simple! Make your own home made versions and use crushed cornflakes mixed with panko breadcrumbs, garlic and onion powder to make the most delicious, crispy coating ever!