Pictures of Recently Enjoyed Food

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I am thoroughly enjoying a day off today. The morning was spent doing some retail therapy and this afternoon I am playing catch up on all the things I have been putting off the last few days. I have even managed to schedule some posts and there is a new one coming tomorrow! Hope you all have a fantastic Jubilee weekend, here's hoping the sun comes out again.

Taking inspiration from ohdeardrea's recently enjoyed things series.
1. Roasted Squash Wraps from River Cottage Veg 2. Salad on a very hot day 3. Jamie Oliver's Courgette Carbonara 4. Beetroot 5. Chargrilled Chard with a honey and Tapatio dressing

me

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So, I initially got tagged to do one of these posts by Elizabeth in January but got a little distracted and completely forgot all about it. There are rules that go along with this but aren't rules made to be broken? I thought I would mix it up and just answer the questions that Elizabeth and Abigail set.

1. What is your favorite place you have visited? This is really difficult, I think it has to be somewhere in Croatia. Dubrovnik has a special place in my heart but Plitvice is just magical.

2. If you could name only one favorite band who would it be? Wow, this is really difficult, I listen to so much different music that it feel kind of impossible to choose just one. Growing up Led Zeppelin was always playing so I think I will have to say them.
3. What's sitting on your nightstand right now? A lamp, a framed train ticket from the day Tim and I met, my engagement ring and a polka dot Malfi that we bought in New York
4. Name one tv show you love and one you can't stand. I'll have to say Luther, although I don't know whether a new series is coming or not, we have also been watching a box set of Jonathan Creek recently. I missed it the first time round and its one of those 'so bad its good' type of programs. Something I can't stand is Jeremy Kyle (I don't think many people can to be fair though)
5. What's the most adventuresome thing you've done on your own? I used to fly off to Dubrovnik on my own every summer from the age of around 12/13 for a month long stay with my cousins. I have really fond memories of those summers and flying on my own.
6. If you had the chance to rename yourself what name would you choose and why? I don't think I would, I really love my name and love that its a little different (in England at least!)
7. What is your dream job? My dream job would be owning my own little cafe with lovely food and cakes and a gallery/art shop attached to the side of it.
8. What's your favorite workout? If you don't workout what would your favorite workout be? I love going for long bike rides with Tim along the rive Cam, it never feels like a huge workout and the views are beautiful. I love the idea of running but I really struggle with it. I plan on getting into it more this year.
9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Another difficult question! Can you ask me in another 5 years time? We're still trying to see as much of the world as we can before we decide. It feels like every place we go we decide we want to move to. I do love living in Cambridge though, its a great city to live in, small but has a lot going for it and is close to London and more importantly, Stansted airport!
10. What do you picture yourself doing 20 years from now? Owning a lovely house, having a family, running said cafe, cooking, traveling.
11. What is your favorite style of art (contemporary, surrealism, cubism, impressionism, ect.) I love contemporary & minimal art. Artists like Bridget Riley blow me away but I also love figurative work, I love a good pencil drawing. Working in the Print Studio I feel very lucky to work with many amazing artists and be involved with the making of their work.

1. What is your favourite time of year- It has to be spring/summer. I love the that first spring day when you can finally wear a dress with no tights and the blossom in the trees but you can't beat a summer evening sitting by the river in Cambridge with friends and some drinks.

2. What makes you laugh- I laugh a little too much at You've been Framed

3. What was the last movie you saw at the cinema- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, such a great film, it really stuck with me for a long time after.

4. What's the one thing you couldn't live without- I don't know if he qualifies as a 'thing' but Tim makes life great and I couldn't live it without him (sorry, soppy I know!)

5. If you had extra time to do one thing, what would you do- travel travel travel!

6. Who was/is your celebrity crush- I think it has to be Jake Gyllenhaal

7. If you could go on holiday anywhere tomorrow where would you go- I'd love to do a road trip of the west coast of America, but if money really wasn't an issue, a huge round the world trip!

8. What inspires you- Just life really, its short and we should make the most of it. I don't want to look back in 20 years time and think what if. Its better to try and fail than to never give it a go.

9. What's your guilty pleasure- Carbs!

10. What's the best advice or wisdom that has been passed down to you- Never trust a short man (thanks mum!)

11. What's your current obsession- Have you not guessed from all my answers? Travelling! We're going to put together a list of places we desperately want to visit and then start working our way down the list!

Anyway, I'm off to get ready for work. I have some new recipes planned for next week before jetting off to Warsaw on Thursday for a festival that Tim is painting at- although we still haven't heard if our flights have been booked or when they are, why are festival organisers always so last minute? 

A Snowy Sunday in Cambridge

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Kings College & Chapel

Last Sunday, Tim and I set off for a long walk around Cambridge. We had a pretty heavy snow fall (for England) the night before so I was excited to take my camera out and get a bit snap happy. (Unfortunately the snow has now completely frozen over making for a very treacherous walk wherever you go). I thought I would share some of my photos of the always beautiful Cambridge. Sorry for so many photos, I cut it down so many times but have still ended up with lots.


Also, I should apologies for the lack of posts this last week. After a long time of talking about trying out something new I finally gave myself a little push (it didn't take much) and applied for a job in a lovely cafe in Cambridge called Stickybeaks. I had my trial shift today, and got the job! It's needless to say I'm very happy. It's seriously great to be doing a job that involves food. It feels like a massive step in the right direction for me.

The Chimney at Jesus College (where we got married)

The punts were still going strong and had made a path through the ice

I have a new recipe coming tomorrow as well as a 'Photos of Recently Enjoyed things' inspired by Drea

My Top 5 blog recipes of 2011

Pin It So I thought I would take inspiration from some of the other food blogs I read and do a round up of my top 5 recipes of 2011. 2011 was a great year for me and marked the birth of this blog. I hope that it just keeps on growing and that I keep on being inspired with new recipes. 

1. Pad See Ew - This has become one of our staple meals. I love mixing it up depending on what vegetables we have in the house.

2. Pesto Pull Apart Bread - The most moorish thing I have ever eaten and bound to impress when made for friends and family. Honorable mention also goes to Sundried Tomato, Garlic, Pine Nut & Pecorino Pull Apart bread, a bit of a mouthful in more than one sense!

3. Flourless Chocolate Cake - This has also become a bit of a staple recipe for when a chocolate cake is needed. It was also a bit of a star of the Mill Road Winter Fair.

4. Vegetarian Pho - The perfect meal for when you're feeling a little under the weather, it is sure to perk you up instantly. Another really versatile meal so you can make it work with a lot of different things you may have in your kitchen.

5. Self Frosting Nutella Cupcakes - A complete indulgence but they did prove to be very popular on the blog. A smaller photo as this was back when I was still using my phone to take all the photos.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a prosperous 2012. Thank you for reading and for all the support!

My Christmas in Food

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So, I have been trying to summon up the energy to go through and edit the many photos I took over Christmas and it has taken me till now to do it. It has been so nice having some time off from everything and although I got ill on Christmas night it has been a nice excuse to lay on the sofa and eat all the chocolates that I got for Christmas (not that I need any excuse!) I am happy to report I am pretty much all better now and am planning a day of baking today, if I manage to get out of my PJs and to the supermarket that its! I realise its a bit of an overload of photos but I thought I'd share how we did Christmas this year. I loved hosting it and I am happy to report it all went without any glitches- despite the fact that our oven broke 5 days before Christmas. Luckily our landlord was great and got it sorted in time for us! Apologies for the dark and grainy photos from Christmas Eve, I still haven't quite got the hang of low light photography.

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas.

Kombos- A traditional Bosnian Christmas Eve meal consisting of saurkraut, lots of garlic, olive oil, butterbeans & canneloni beans topped with baked potatoes. Traditionally you don't eat meat on Christmas Eve.

Cheese selection with blinis in the background

The star of Christmas- Lancashire Bomb cheese. We pretty much finished the whole lot in 2 days.

Smoked Salmon on homemade Blinis with soured cream and horseradish

Homemade filo & sweet pastry mince pies

Homemade sourdough for Christmas day breakfast

More cheese

Chorizo scrambled eggs and blinis

Brussel Sprouts stir fried with bacon, shallots and garlic and topped with roasted chestnuts

Piglet

Roasted vegetables with my favourite- roasted parsnips

Petit Fours

Chocolate, Pistachio, Raspberry and Almond Macaroons

Some more petit fours

FoodCycle Festive Feast & Vegetable Crumble Recipe

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A couple of weeks ago I was invited along to the FoodCycle Festive Feast which took place at St Pauls Church where FoodCycle run their weekly meal. I popped down early to help set up and cook. I also got a chance to make my flourless chocolate cake for around 50 people which was a bit of a challenge but I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through all that chocolate & butter!

On the night  we were treated to some seriously delicious food made with surplus vegetables & fruit that would have normally been thrown away. For the main course we were treated to a seriously tasty Vegetable crumble which was served with seasonal vegetables & roasted potatoes. As soon as I tried it I knew that I wanted to make it for us at home as its the perfect winter warmer. I asked very nicely and Sam Martensz (one of the guys in charge at FoodCycle Cambridge) has shared the recipe below. I can't wait to make it next week! 

As you can see the recipe it really versatile so its the perfect meal for using up any vegetables you may have laying around at home.

"This is the rough recipe on the scale that I originally came across it. The main changes were the vegetables and I think the real star were the jerusalem artichokes they gave it that sort of smoky flavour. To anyone else I would say I planned it that way, blending the flavours with the expert mix but as you know really it was because we got a huge bag of them donated and they would work with this style of dish!"

Serves 6
You will need-

• 2kg mixed root vegetables- parsnips, jerusalem artichokes, carrots and potatoes
• 200g pumpkin
• 2 onions, sliced 
• 4 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard 
• 3 tbsp honey 
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 
• 1 tbsp chopped rosemary 
• 360ml double cream 
• Salt and pepper 

For crumble topping

• Handful of crushed walnuts
• 1 good handful porridge oats 
• 5-6 good handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs 
• 25g cubed unsalted butter
• 50g grated mature cheddar 
• Salt and pepper

Parboil all root vegetables separately until soft but not falling apart. Mix in roasting tray with the pumpkin. 

Saute onions until translucent then mix with vegetables. 

Whisk marinade of honey, mustard and rapeseed oil in a bowl with fork, adjust for seasoning adding a little more pepper than you think is needed, once it has been combined with the vegetables and roasted it will come through and give the necessary kick. 

Now mix in the the vegetables and place in preheated oven on 180C for 30-40 mins until the vegetables are slightly brown and the pumpkin is cooked. By roasting the vegetables first with the honey their natural sweetness will be amplified, this wouldn't happen if you skip straight to the next stage. 

Whilst the vegetables are roasting rub the topping together with your hands- no cheating with food processors. Once it has all been mixed set aside, take out the vegetables when ready.

Now pour over cream, adding a little more if you think it is necessary but no need to drown it! Sprinkle the walnuts over, they are better in between the topping rather than in it as you don't want to risk that burnt nut bitterness. Put on the topping, patting down firmly and then return to the oven which will should be turned up to 200 degrees. Watch like a hawk to avoid burning but it should be nice and golden brown after about 20 minutes. 

Special mention also goes to the lentil and mushroom pate which was served with crusty bread & a winter 'slaw'

All in all I had a fantastic evening and my team even mananged to win the food quiz (I never win anything) and no cheating I promise! So I snagged a FoodCycle apron and lots of other goodies. Unfortunately I didn't have as much luck with the raffle, there were some fantastic prizes provided by Cooking Gorgeous, La Tasca, Limoncello, Fudge Kitchen, Rawr Chocolate, and Nana Mexico.


Nick Gresham (brother-in-law) shot a video of the night which you can see below. Also a big shout out to Jen & the rest of the FoodCycle team who organised the whole event and to Love Food Hate Waste who sponsored it... as you can see they did a fantastic job and raised £750 for FoodCycle!

Christmas in our home

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Having a little play with bokeh

After being inspired by some of my favourite blog's tours around their Christmas decorations I thought that I would share a few photos from around our home. For the first time this year Tim & I are hosting Christmas at our place. My mum and dad (& Whisper the dog) will be coming up to Cambridge on Christmas Eve and will be with us till Boxing day and I really can't wait. I have slight concerns that the piglet we have ordered may not fit in my tiny oven but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it! We have some serious treats in store for us for dinner this year and I can feel my waistline expanding just thinking about all the food in store!

Being an only child meant that growing up Christmas was always very small, usually being just the 3 of us. They were always so magical and full of tradition. From the traditional Yugoslavian Christmas biscuits my mum would make to the tradition of the meal on Christmas Eve night. They are all traditions I hope to keep going and I especially can't wait to do when we have kids of our own. After meeting Tim I became part of a bigger family which just keeps on growing, 3 brothers-in-law, two sister-in-laws, 2 nephews & a niece and of course my mother & father in-law. We try to alternate where we spend Christmas each year but some of my favourites have been where both families have combined all sitting around a big table passing around plates of food lots of laughter and playing games after dinner. I look forward to starting some of our own traditions this year.

The first presents under the tree along with some dropped needles

Homemade felt garland

Some of the blogs that have inspired me to share some photos with you include Elizabeth, Drea & Abigail. Be sure to stop by and check out their beautiful homes and also make sure you check our Drea's super Easy Christmas Tree Garland Tutorial (which inspired me to make my garland above)