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! 

NEW HOUSE VICTORIA SPONGE

So we have moved into a new house! Exciting stuff but it does come with some issues such as getting used to a new oven. Baking can be such an exact science so it's very important to get accustomed with the workings of a new oven before working on more challenging bakes. For the first cake of our new home I went back to thee classic bake, the Victoria sponge. I'm pleased to report that our new oven is a gem and the sponges came out great so I spread one with jam and whipped cream before sandwiching them together for a little treat after dinner.

ONE LAST NIGHT AT MANDRAC (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Yes, I'm well aware that I've spoken about my visits to Mandrac several times already but as it is one of my most favorite places in the world and we did visit it for a third time when we visited Lopud in September that I think it's perfectible acceptable to talk about it for another time, especially when the food was once again utterly delicious. No surprises here, this isn't the day that Mandrac mess up and the food was awful, it's just me showing you some more of the amazing food that was served up too us on our final night on Lopud.

KONOBA TAURIS, SIPAN (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

One day on holiday we decided to take a short ferry ride over to the adjacent island of Sipan to go and have a little wander and check out the sites. After hitting the island and exploring the south side we took the bus over to the westerly port of Luka to hit the beach and enjoy a couple of beers. After a hard days swimming in the crystal clear ocean and sunbathing we headed back round to the port and sat down at Konoba Tauris, looking for a bite to eat.

LA VILLA, LOPUD (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Time for dinner at the pretty little konoba known as La Villa which stands out against the other restaurants along the Lopud sea front with it's beautiful terrace decorated with green vines which twist and turn all around the walls and roof. It's a gorgeous place to sit down and enjoy dinner but does the food match up to the setting?

RESTORAN DUBROVNIK (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Don't be fooled by the name! Restoran Dubrovnik is not actually on the mainland of Croatia but is actually another restaurant (or "konoba" to use the local lingo) on the beautiful island of Lopud, just under one hours ferry ride away from Dubrovnik. Restoran Dubrovnik is one that always pops out when you google up about the island. They seem to have the biggest social media profile as well as featuring quite highly on sites such as Tripadvisor. We did stop by when we visited last year after a day at Sunj beach for a quick lunch but this year we decided we would take a relaxing dinner there to really take the time to sample what they had on offer!

A RAINY EVENING AT MANDRAC (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

The weather on Lopud is on the whole, gloriously clear and warm however on our trip to the island this year we unfortunately had one day were the storm clouds did roll over and it rained for near enough one whole day. Luckily for us we didn't have to wander too far to find something to eat in the rain as it gave us another opportunity to sample the delights of Mandrac just below our apartment at Villa Biramisa.

A RETURN TO MANDRAC AND TO BLOGGING! (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

After a long month of difficult times coupled with holidaying in Croatia as well as moving into a brand new home I am finally back ready to share some of my latest dining experiences and some brand new recipes. What better way to start this next chapter than with a return to an old friend. Last year we visited Mandrac on Lopud and instantly fell in love with the amazing setting, friendly laid back staff and most importantly, the incredible food. Would they be able to work the same magic 12 months later when we visited again this September?

BE BACK SOON!

You may of noticed I've been a little quiet recently. Sadly, earlier this month I lost my dear Dad after a struggle with his ill health. His smile has now returned to my mum in the big pub in the sky. We are all obviously very saddened by this and right now my focus is looking after him, my family and myself. Dad however would not want me to quit the things I love and so with a holiday coming up I've decided to come back refreshed and ready to blog in October. Until then there are many recipes and review for you to enjoy and I'll catch up with you soon! 

SMOKY AND SPICY TEXAN TATERS

So it's bank holiday Sunday and I'm far too chilled out to be cooking up a big Sunday roast. I need something that's simple, quick and tasty and these Texan potato cubes are the perfect side to whip up under these circumstances. It's just diced potato, onion and peppers roasted in garlic, paprika, Old Bay seasoning and my old friend liquid smoke. In just under an hour you have a delicious tray of super special spuds and what makes these taters so simple to make is that you just chuck everything into a bowl, mix and transfer to a roasting tray. It really is that easy.

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! 

LULLY VEGGIE LASAGNE

One of the most comforting meals you can have in my eyes is a vegetarian lasagne but it can appear like a bit of a faff to make one especially after you have had another long hard day at work. That is just not true with my lully vegetarian lasagne. OK, it does require a bit of work but that is only really in the preparation of the yummy Quorn mince, tomato and pepper filling and the cheesy white sauce. Once it's layered up and in the oven all you need to do is sit back, relax and wait for this lully little treat to bake. Result!

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. 

MATTY'S FABULOUS MINTY FALAFEL

I have tried to make falafel's in the past but they always turned into a big mushy mess. I just never seemed to be able to get the consistency of the uncooked chickpea based mixture right so they just dissolved as soon as they hit the pan. Not so with the minty falafels I've managed to perfect here, they were spot on! Made with carrot, onion, cumin and mint, they are absolutely delightful and (if you have a food processor!) they are super simple to make. So much so you'll be whipping these middle eastern bad boys up all the time!

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.

THE RETURN OF THE (NO) BUTTER (NO) CHICKEN CURRY

Everyone loves curry night! Getting a takeaway on a Friday is the ultimate in lazy weekend treats. I love creamy curries and my absolute favorite is a scrummy butter chicken. Dipping your naan bread into that yummy sauce, it's naughty but oh so nice! Butter chicken is not the best thing to have really if your trying to shed a few pounds though so it was great when we created this low calorie version a few years ago as it meant I could enjoy this coconut milk based version without any of the guilt. Hurrah!

SUPER SWEET SPICED RED CABBAGE

When we bought a red cabbage last week I spent ages trying to find a fancy recipe to jazz it up but all I could find were Christmassy type recipes. Right now it's August but I thought you know what, let make it anyway because great flavour isn't concerned with what time of the year it is. This recipe braises the cabbage and an apple in a stock that is flavored with star anise and cloves for a bit of spice and golden syrup and sherry vinegar for a bit of sweetness. It's a marriage of flavors that really is super!

BRILLIANT CHOCOLATE ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

I love a good old chocolate orange. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's my favorite flavored chocolate and so to be able to transfer those flavors to a cake to me sounds like heaven. I totally did it with this gorgeous looking chocolate orange bundt cake. A delicious light and fluffy sponge smothered with a glossy chocolate icing all flavored with big juicy fresh orange juice and zest to give it that amazing classic chocolate orange flavour combination that not only tastes yummy but looks divine!