Happy Valentines Day

 I would like to wish everyone a happy valentines day. I don't normally go beyond a card on valentines day but this year I am making an exception. On this day six months ago Simon and I got married and I can't imagine where the time has gone. This evening I shall be cooking up a feast for the boy as he likes his food. On the menu is thai green curry. Today I shall give you my thai bbq prawns recipe. I know its not summer but they work just as well under the grill. I would give you a photo of them but having made the marinade I've just discovered my prawns are out of date so trip to sainsburys for me! I shall give you a picture of my valentines iced shortbread biscuits instead.

Thai BBQ prawns.

• 1 pack of prawns. (you can use more- the marinade will stretch.)
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed.
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Juice of one lime.
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley (or 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley.
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder. (optional if you don't like spice)

So easy- just place all the ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a stir and add the prawns. Make sure the prawns are all coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and leave for at least half an hour.

In the mean time, if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water otherwise they will burn under the grill.

Thread the prawns onto the sqewers and place under a hot grill turning them over regularly until cooked throughly.

Happy eating

x

cooking disaster #001

Ladies and gentlemen please note, when cooking Jerusalem artichokes make sure you scrub them thoroughly. No one likes to eat grit. I think I shall peel them in future!

Orange and Mango Muffins

I am terrible at eating fruit. My husband tends to forget to take any fruit to work with him. We've found that the result of getting a weekly fruit and veg box is that at the moment we are inundated with oranges! Hence the recipe. These are completely experimental but I think they taste OK, ( hopefully Simon will too). Feel free to adapt this as you wish- I can't follow recipes either.

250g plain flour

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

125ml vegetable oil

zest and juice of 2 oranges

1 mango cut into small chunks

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6. ( I think its 200 degrees?)
2. grease a 12 muffin tin.  You can use cases if you can't be bothered. I forgot to buy them.
3. beat the eggs with the oil in a bowl.
4. Place flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a large bowl and mix in the eggs and oil mixture.
5. Mix in the orange zest and juice into the mixture and then stir in the mango chunks.
6. Spoon into your muffin tin and place in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, allow to cool and enjoy.

Happy Eating

x

The birth of Happy Carrots

As I have been embracing life as a housewife (unemployed bum sponging off her husband) I've had to find new things to fill my time. Food is most definitely the way forward. When I was working I complained so much about not having time to bake things and to cook because I was just always tired after spending 3 hours + a day commuting. Its nice to finally be able to have some time to play in my wee little kitchen with whatever happens to be in the cupboards.

In this time I've also discovered the world of the veg box. Some lovely little man comes and delivers a box of goodies to my front door each week full of nice things,  half of which I have never cooked before and haven't got the first clue what to do with. Hey presto, here is born a new era of experimenting (some good, some disastrous, burnt and inedible). the products of which I intend to document here for your perusal. Watch this space. Elena's recipes coming soon. Many thanks has to go to Sharon for her suggestion of creating a blog in the first place and thanks to Stacy for suggesting the name.

Happy Eating.

x