So we don't wind up with loads of salad and no bread, or vice versa, here's a list of Eurovision eligible countries and what we might bring/make to represent them.
Strike through means that they haven't made it to the Grand Final.
CountryWhatWholast year Armenia??stuffed veg (bulgar wheat) Austriacheese, hamIsobel & Nickcheese/ham? Azerbaijan ( Read more... )

AVOCADO: Avocados can be frozen successfully and used in guacamole, dressings and spreads. Just remove the skin and stone, then mash with one tablespoon of lemon juice per avocado and freeze for up to two months ( Read more... )

Salads/Vegetables

Russia - Russian Salad (Mandy)
Romania - baked pumpkin (got)
Latvia - Kurzeme (Sauerkraut) (got)
Hungary - Hungarian Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream Dressing (got)
Georgia - aubergine and walnut sauce and Georgian salad (got ( Read more... )

Other recent hits on the food front include:

Polenta and game stew: we had four pheasant breasts in the freezer which we wanted to use, and this was the answer. Adapted and scaled down brillantly. I initally thought there would be leftovers but Alex and Cory went at it with gusto (as did the adults) so there was none.

Parmesan biscuits: I made ( Read more... )

So the Eurovision Song Contest was last night and we had a party. It was rather short notice as we only decided to host a party a couple of weeks ago), and we decided at even shorter nice (during the first semi-final) that we would try and have a foodstuff or a dish from every country in the final.

And we managed it, except for Romania who we ( Read more... )

Bit of a made up recipe but it seems to work (although Alex wasn't so keen).

Put a generous handful of raisins or sultanas in a pan and add a glug of white wine. Bring to boil, take off heat and put a lid on.

Dry toast a handful of pine nuts in a large frying pan, set aside.

Put olive oil in pan and saute some sliced shallots.

Add a bag of ( Read more... )

Today I had a rather yummy feta and pasta salad which was fusilli with sauted spinach and leek with cumin seeds. I shall ahve to try to replicate it at home.

Current thoughts are:

Didn't manage to do following: To make on Monday & Tuesday: shortbread, (amaretti), Nigella's ricciarelli and pistachio macaroons, paneforteMon 20 ( Read more... )

the Uni was closed tody because of the icy conditions so all three of us were at home for lunch. Unfortunately I had put 'cottage cheese and ryvita' on the weekly menu plan for lunch which none of us felt like of a wintry day. So at midday I looked around the kitchen to see what we had and we had carrots and a packet of pitta in the freezer. A ( Read more... )

On Sunday I made the following (adapted from a Nigel Slater recipe).
Chicken and mushrooms in Olorosso
Place skinless, boneless chicken thighs, whole chestnut mushrooms, bacon (cut up), a couple of bay leaves and several springs of thyme in a roasting tin, slosh in the sherry, season and bung in the oven at 220degC for about half an hour. When the ( Read more... )