How to make a gingerbread house

gingerbread house

I admit this is not something I have ever attempted to make but I have been so inspired by Tesco´s video above that this year I might just make one! Click the video to view in its entirity on the main Tesco website. Incidentally stay tuned to my blog over the next week or so as we have some amazing chocolate gifts up for grabs from Hotel Chocolat, Green & Blacks and Cadburys! (UK Residents Only) … [Read more...]

Schwartz Slow cookers The Gift of Time:

schwartz_trailer

When I am particularly busy I like to ensure we have good wholesome home cooked meals by utilising my slow cooker. It means I can prepare the meal fairly early and forget about it until needed - without worrying about whether it will burn in the meantime! This is why I was particularly interested in some PR I received regarding the new product Schwartz slow cookers. Schwartz has created delicious recipes to use on creating the perfect dish for lunch and dinner times. This is perfect because the … [Read more...]

Don’t be seduced by a pretty cake

cake

It’s very easy to be seduced by the decorative artistry of a cake, the tremendously thick and tasty icing and the beautifully arranged toppings is enough to make anybody’s mouth water. However, just like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge a cake by its sweet sugary trimmings. As my sincere Grandma use to say without a hint of irony “It’s what’s inside that counts”. I’m the first person to hold my hands up and admit that I have often neglected those … [Read more...]

Rich Beef Gravy – Marco Pierre White recipe video

The secrets to a wonderful rich beef gravy provided courtesy or Marco Pierre White For more videos, recipes and cooking tips from Marco Pierre White and Knorr, go to www.knorr.co.uk … [Read more...]

How to carve a Turkey

Christmas is rapidly approaching (a little too rapidly in my opinion). Unlike previous years when our Turkey carvings are as tidy as your average Horror movie massacre this year we have in fact resolved to do it correctly. I discovered this handy little video online! Enjoy! Far easier than trying to follow written instructions! … [Read more...]

Kitchen Renovations & Slow Cooker Recipes

A friend of mine recently approached me for some slow cooker recipes - namely because she has no kitchen! She has decided to have a new kitchen installed because her old one was a relic of 50s design. She has the most wonderful story about her nightmare adventures in the world of kitchen renovations - some of it hardly worth believing. She´s had a few over the years as they tend to move to a property in need of renovation, do the refurbishment whilst living there and then sell up and move … [Read more...]

Boiling Rice

I have to admit my rice is not always perfect - I can cook paellas and risottos until the cows come home, but give me the job of turning out a nice pile of white rice, and I will often deliver minuture bullets or white mush! The following video will help anyone who, like me, struggles to get a really good result when cooking basmati rice. … [Read more...]

Chilli con Quorn Jackets

A few years ago I was vegetarian.  More than anything else because I had ethical issues with the treatment of animals sent to slaughter. But I digress. One of my favourite meat replacements was Quorn, a highly versatile product.  Quorn, in reality, is fairly bland - but it is a great medium for adding flavours - my favourite being combined with a tangy chilli sauce in a stir fry with noodles and thinly sliced vegetables. The great thing about Quorn is its extremely low in calories and fat … [Read more...]

Red Wine in cooking

redwineglass

"If you cant drink it, dont cook with it" As a well seasoned foodie I often hear people state they use cheap wines for cooking. But, truth be told, this is not my personal mantra. For me, there is little point in cooking with a wine which is, by all accounts, totally undrinkable. A poor quality wine, especially one which tastes awful, will result in equally poor quality dishes and sauces! That said, I do not believe that the price of a wine is in any way indicative of its drinkability! … [Read more...]

(Videos) Cooking with Cheese

I adore cheese, passionately. English, French, Greek and Spanish cheeses in particular (and those are expressed in no particular order). Each and everyone have their strengths. The full bodied cheddars, crumbly wenslydales and cheshires of my home. The full bodied cheeses of France. Then, oh my, my favourite cheese of all time the crumbly, tangy, and salty goodness that is Greek Feta. My new home too has the most exceptional matured cheeses, and if you havent tried mahon or other "quesos … [Read more...]