Dawn's Wedding Cake

For the second year running, I had the pleasure and honour of making a wedding cake for one of my two lovely step-daughters. This time it was Dawn, the younger of the two, who (after 18 years and 3 children) finally married the love of her life, Nick. It was a beautiful, emotional and very happy day!

The bottom tier was a dark chocolate "mud cake", layered and covered with dark chocolate ganache butter cream; the middle tier was a white chocolate and raspberry "mud cake", layered and covered with white chocolate ganache butter cream; these two tiers were them covered again with Renshaw's White Chocolate Flavour Fondant Icing, which I decorated using a quilting technique and silver dragees, then placed diamante ribbon around the bottom edge of each.

The top tier was a dark chocolate sponge cake, layered with chocolate whipped cream and covered with plain whipped cream. I then covered it with slats of tempered white chocolate, which I had also given a quilted look with a diamond pattern, and secured with a white satin ribbon and more diamante ribbon.

All three layers were then further decorated with sugar flowers I had made ... stargazers, callas, roses and carnations. (The top tier was supported by a polystyrene "cake", which was wrapped in cream satin ribbon and covered with flowers.) The whole cake was then topped off with a diamante heart and presented against a satin backdrop in the bridal colour of turquoise and a few "diamonds" scattered around the base. (The plinth was also a polystyrene "cake" wrapped in cream satin ribbon. The stand for the satin drape was made by my husband.)

Eggs Benedict

Well, it was my version of Eggs Benedict, anyway ... toasted muffins, topped with thinly-sliced smoked ham and cheesy bechamel sauce. I sprinkled them with smoked paprika and served with a small pile of leaves, drizzled with balsamic glaze ... both more for colour than flavour, although actually the sweet and tangy salad gave the dish a delightful "lift".

We started having "brunch" on a Sunday morning (late) last week - our first week back from Corfu - and enjoyed it so much that I think we might make it a fairly regular event, ringing the changes and even trying out different things from time to time; this, for instance, was my first attempt at Eggs Benedict (which I did without any recipe or even knowing exactly what it should consist of!) but we will certainly have it again. Next time, I will use more (or stronger flavoured) ham and make the sauce a little thinner ... I'll also use less sauce, but I might stick with the salad garnish, even though the idea of lettuce for breakfast is a bizarre one!!

Prawn Salad

Another "fasting" day ... didn't have enough calories left for coleslaw (a hefty 145 calories per tablespoon!), but this prawn salad was super delicious just with a drizzle of balsamic glaze (30 cals). At only 170 calories, it was a tasty, nutritious and surprisingly filling meal ... very nice! I also had a large bowl of fruit salad at lunchtime and a low-cal chocolate drink this afternoon.

Having completed a whole week of ADF now, I weighed myself this morning and found I had lost 7lb ... pretty impressive, I think! Admittedly, I had put on 3lb the week before (having visited Plymouth for a few days for my step-daughter's wedding), but to have got rid of that AND another 4lb on top was most encouraging. Even if I was only doing this for weight loss alone, I would be happy enough to keep going after that result ... but it's about so much more than just weight loss, and I'm already feeling less tired and more alert, so I will definitely keep going!

Starting ADF

Having seen the BBC Horizon documentary, "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" and watching a couple of friends enjoy the process, I decided to have a go at Alternate Day Fasting (or ADF). It's not just a weight loss programme, it's (allegedly) a way to prolong life expectancy, give more energy, lower the risk of certain cancers and other age-related illnesses and be generally much better for overall health and energy levels. One friend in particular has found the increase in her energy levels to be quite noticeable.

Not really fasting in the true sense of the word, the ADF plan allows for an intake of up to 500 calories (700 for men) on alternate days, then whatever you wish to eat on the others. On my first "fasting" day, I consumed a few pieces of fruit around midday, a bowl of salad late afternoon and some steamed vegetables in the evening. I also had a cup of low-calorie soup and a drop of skimmed milk in a coffee around bedtime. I found it easy and hardly had any hunger pangs.

Today was my second "fasting" day and I decided to make my few calories as delicious as they could be! My first meal of the day was this gorgeous bowlful of fruit salad, which amounted to less than 200 calories; I didn't eat it until 1.30pm, as I wasn't particularly hungry until then.

Then, this evening, I cooked a huge wok-ful of stir-fried vegetables, in a little olive oil and flavoured with black pepper and a few shakes of soya sauce. My husband had a pork chop and a few baby new potatoes with his, but I just had a big bowlful of veg at a little under 300 calories (would have been much less without 120 calories worth of olive oil).

(Sorry about the steam - but it was very tasty and filling!) At the moment, I'm finding this "diet" very easy to maintain and most enjoyable; if, on a "fasting" day, I suddenly feel like I simply must have a cream cake, or cheese on toast, or a bar of chocolate ... I just think, "Ok, I'll have that tomorrow"! Chances are, I probably won't, but at least I know I can if I wan't to, so there's no feeling of deprivation like there is with most conventional diets. And I do already feel healthier!

Jen's Wedding Cake

The bottom layer was a delicious chocolate sponge, with chocolate ganache butter cream; the middle layer was a zingy lemon sponge, with lemon curd butter cream; the top layer was a moist, light and fresh-tasting fruit cake (quite different to the usual heavy, dark fruit cake), covered with marzipan. The whole lot was covered with ready-to-roll icing (two layers marbled with purple/pink/white icing) and decorated with sugar-paste flowers and rice paper butterflies. The recipe was from the BBC Good Food website and can be found here.

Souvlaki, rice and Greek salad

Time to get "in training" for our Greek holiday in just over 8 weeks' time ... so we turned our kitchen into a taverna and produced this scrumptious Mediterranean meal.

A simple Greek salad (cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, red onion and black olives, dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, mixed Mediterranean herbs and dried mint, then topped with feta cheese and a little more oil and herbs); wholemeal rice and lamb souvlaki (lamb chunks, marinated in oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs, threaded onto skewers and grilled for around 10 minutes) topped with pepper sauce (chopped onion and peppers fried in oil, then simmered in chicken stock and finally blitzed in a food processor/blender) and tzatziki (natural yogurt, grated cucumber and mint). Quick, healthy and totally gorgeous!

Griddled King Prawns

So ... here I am, at the very beginning of my healthy eating and weight loss journey. Up to now, I am thoroughly enjoying it, am never hungry and haven't even thought about cakes, biscuits, butter or chocolate! The reason for that, I believe, is that I am eating such delicious, satisfying meals; I'm covering all the necessary food groups, keeping fairly close to the NHS-advised "Eatwell Plate" proportions and ensuring that the food I eat is good quality and prepared in a tasty way. After all, I AM worth it!!

Over the last week we have enjoyed lovely meals, such as baked salmon with stir-fried veg and wholemeal rice, dry-fried lamb steaks with new potatoes and steamed veg ... and even sausages and baked beans! But last night was a little bit special. This was a truly scrumptious meal, one we will definitely be repeating!

I baked a couple of quite large potatoes in their "jackets" and hubby knocked up a wonderful fresh salad (no oily dressing, but lots of fresh herbs from the garden - marjoram, chives and lots of mint). I drizzled some balsamic glaze over my salad and sprayed a tiny bit of light olive oil on my spud (I'm avoiding butter wherever possible), we topped our jacket potatoes with low-fat cottage cheese and a couple of skewers of lovely king prawns.

Before putting them on the hot griddle, I threaded the raw prawns onto metal skewers and flavoured them with smoked paprika, a little chilli powder, crushed garlic, grated ginger and freshly-squeezed lime juice. They were really flavoursome and the whole dish tasted quite luxurious.

Toad in the Hole!!!

Crikey, I hadn't made this for donkey's years! Turned out pretty good, though, considering I don't use a recipe so it's all guesswork. Basically, I just cooked half a dozen pork sausages in a non-stick baking tin, then (when they were cooked and nicely browned) added the batter and put back in the oven until well risen and browned.

For the batter, I used a couple of tablespoons or so of white flour (either plain or SR - I used a bit of both), salt and black pepper, one egg and about half a pint of milk. NB - nothing was weighed or measured, so these are VERY approximate guidelines!


We had this lovely "comfort food" dish with some roasted root veg and steamed courgettes, topped with a little gravy made from granules ... hubby loved it!

My Most Excellent Pork, Sage & Apple Pie!

This is a dish that can be varied ad infinitum, depending on what Sunday leftovers you have. This particular version (Pork, Sage & Apple) is one of my own inventions that I'm rather proud of!

Simply make a lovely rich pastry (I used 10oz plain flour, 5oz butter, most of a beaten egg - leaving a little for glazing - and enough cold water to bind lightly), line a baking tin and bake the bottom blind (use baking parchment and ceramic beans, then remove for a few minutes to "dry" the inside). Use only 2/3 of the pastry for this, rolling out the rest for the lid.

Meanwhile, cook off a chopped onion or two and maybe a few mushrooms in some oil and/or butter, seasoning well; add your leftover meat (chopped into chunks) and gravy, allowing to thoroughly heat through. Add whatever herbs or other flavourings you fancy.

When the pastry is cooked but not too brown, remove from the oven and put the meat mixture inside with a little of the gravy. Top with any cold filling you are adding (it helps keep the pastry lid cold before it goes into the oven - I used cold apple sauce in this version) and the pastry lid, using the remaining beaten egg to stick it down and glaze the top. Pop back into the oven until the lid is nicely browned and serve with your choice of accompaniments ... totally yummy!

NB  Make sure you either eat it all at once, or have the rest cold ... DO NOT RE-HEAT MEAT FOR A SECOND TIME!!!

Fish Pie

Time to clear out a couple of things from the freezer ... a pack of "fish pie mix" (haddock, smoked haddock and salmon) and half a bag of cooked prawns. Cooked in the oven in a little milk and tarragon, I also added a few peas and a couple of hard-boiled eggs, then thickened the sauce with a little cornflour. I topped it with creamy mashed potatoes (and a few shavings of cheese) and served with steamed carrots and curly kale. Very tasty and satisfying indeed!

The New Cooking Pot!

V  This delicious Vegetable Pasta Bake was the first meal to be cooked in our lovely new "La Cuisine" sauté pan; it worked very well, as you can see!

I had, some time ago, frozen a portion of Mediterranean-style roasted vegetables (chopped quite small), so I only had to defrost that, sauté a few extra mushrooms in olive oil, par-boil some wholewheat pasta twists and combine it all together in the new pot, with a box of passata and some Italian seasoning. I then popped it in the oven for maybe 20 minutes, with the lid on, then topped it with grated Cheddar and Parmesan and put it back for another 10 minutes without its lid. Absolutely scrumptious ... and we're having the remaining half of it tonight!

A Trio of Loveliness!

V  I had a bit of a cook-off last night, culminating in this delicious threesome (clockwise from the top): vegetable lasagne; spinach, tomato and blue cheese quiche; feta, basil and caramelised shallot tart. All three were delicious (yes, I did taste them all!) and all freezable, so nothing will go to waste if it's not eaten today.

I had pack of Jus-Rol shortcrust pastry in the freezer, so I thawed that and made it go to two quiche/baking tins. The first, I filled with crumbled feta cheese and a few shreds of fresh basil, caramelised sliced shallots (fried in a little butter/oil, then simmered with a spoonful of balsamic jelly) and five beaten eggs, with just a little seasoning. A very light grating of cheddar on the top gave it the nice browned finish. The second was a mixture of four beaten eggs, Greek yogurt, grated blue cheese, frozen chopped spinach (thawed and pressed into a sieve to extract excess water) and black pepper; this was poured into the pastry case on top of a few chopped tomatoes. In both cases I blind-baked the pastry cases first.

The lasagne was simply some leftover roast vegetables, with plenty of sauteed chestnut mushrooms and some herbs/seasoning, layered with lasagne sheets and a béchamel/cheese sauce, topped with a little grated cheddar again. Lovely!

Chunky Vegetable Bake

V  Ok, I admit that from the photo this dish could be pretty much anything topped with a cheese sauce ... but what it actually was, was a "chunky vegetable bake" from a recipe on the back of a packet of Morrison's Pasta & Vegetable Mix. This is a combination of dried split peas, beans, lentils, pasta and (from the look of it) various floor sweepings! It's incredibly easy to cook; just put it in a large saucepan of water, boil for ten minutes, simmer for about forty minutes (until tender), then drain. (You may want to rinse it, too ... I did!)

Make your favourite cheese sauce (or any other flavour you fancy, I suppose) and set aside. Lightly fry some chunky chopped veg (I used onion, courgette, broccoli, red pepper and mushrooms) in a little oil, then add the cooked pasta mix, plenty of chopped fresh parsley and basil, then put it all in an ovenproof dish. Top with the sauce and a little grated Parmesan, if you like, and grill until it looks like this!

I used half a pack of dried mix and half of the end product was enough for two of us, so it's a cheap meal as well as being wholesome, easy, tasty and filling. I can't think of any negatives!

King prawn salad

Trying to eat as healthily as possible, at the moment ... so it's fruit (and more fruit!) for breakfast, then a big fresh salad for lunch. This is not a problem for me, as I love pretty much all fruit and salad veg. Yesterday's treat (and it was so nice that I might have it again today!) was a totally scrumptious king prawn salad.

A huge bowlful of fresh salad veg, drizzled with balsamic glaze, then topped with beetroot salad, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, king prawns and a dollop of coleslaw ... the latter is the "naughtiest" thing on the plate, as I don't have any bread with it, so it's still fairly virtuous! And absolutely gorgeous!

The staff of life!

My first attempt - in very many years - to make a loaf of bread. I'm rather pleased with the result, especially as it was made the "old-fashioned" way, by hand and using fresh yeast. It's turned out very well indeed ... and the texture and flavour are excellent!

I followed Paul Hollywood's recipe (found in The Great British Bake Off book) for the "perfect white loaf", but substituted the plain white bread flour for the same amount of white flour with grains and seeds. Very simple recipe, the only thing that might stop you having a go is the amount of time it needs (up to 4 or 5 hours in total, although you don't need to be around the whole time) and your own lack of confidence ... but really, it is easy and the end result is well worth having a go for!

Sherry Trifle

In honour of my late Mum - who always enjoyed a drop of sherry and a nice trifle - on what would have been her 95th birthday.

Trifle sponges, liberally laced with dry sherry, covered in fruit cocktail and topped with custard and whipped cream. Finished off with grated dark chocolate and a few glace cherry halves.

Mushroom & Pea Risotto

V  Our "midweek meat-free meal" this week was a substantial bowl of risotto - so quick, easy and cheap to make and extremely tasty.

I sauteed some chopped onion (in olive oil and butter) in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan until transparent, added some sliced mushrooms and black pepper until they were nicely browned, then tipped in some risotto rice (arborio) and stirred it all together to coat each grain. After a minute or two (when the rice started to "click") I added some white wine, which bubbled and reduced quite quickly, then some vegetable stock (one cube in a pint of boiling water, added around 1/4 pint at a time). The heat went up and down several times, depending on how it seemed to be cooking, and I stirred the whole lot quite often. I added a tiny sprinkle each of Italian Seasoning and paprika, and added some frozen peas when the rice was almost cooked but still with a little "crunch". After another 2-4 minutes, it was ready to serve ... so I added some half-fat cream!! (Really not necessary, but quite scrummy!) Served in a bowl with a few shavings of Parmesan ... lush!

Bacon, Leek, Cheese & Potato Bake

This is one of the tastiest - if not the tastiest - thing I have cooked for a long time! It is an incredibly quick, easy, satisfying and relatively cheap meal, based on this recipe. It's advertised as "low fat" but, in my version, it probably isn't!! I added more bacon and a little grated cheese between halves of the potato/leek mixture and also topped it with some grated cheese. (I also used more cream than was strictly necessary ... but it was half fat!)

Naughty? ... Yes! But heaven on a plate? ... Most definitely!!! It was so delicious and satisfying, that it needed only some simple steamed veg to accompany it; in this case, carrots and curly kale.

Meatballs on Pasta

Little homemade meatballs (just lean minced steak & seasoning), sitting on a swirl of tripolini pasta, accompanied by a rich tomato, mushroom and chorizo sauce, topped with shavings of Parmesan cheese ... absolutely scrumptious!

Lower-fat Vegetable Lasagne

V  In our continuing efforts to have lighter evening meals, we decided to try a lower-fat version of our roasted Mediterranean vegetable lasagne last night. The vegetables were chopped small, roasted in a little oil (covered with foil) for about an hour, seasoned with black pepper and Italian seasoning (mixed herbs), then brought together at the end with a tin of chopped tomatoes, some water and a shake of Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce; I used courgettes, aubergine, mushrooms, red & green peppers, leek, carrot and red onion.

When the vegetables were cooked, I placed a layer in the dish and topped with dry lasagne sheets, repeated and finally topped the second layer of lasagne with the following: soft cheese (I used Philadelphia Light) mixed with low-fat, Greek-style natural yogurt, a little milk, black pepper and some crumbled feta cheese until it was a creamy spreadable sauce consistency. I spread it over the lasagne and topped it with grated cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. It went back in the oven for 20-30 minutes ... and was absolutely delicious!! (We had the leftovers re-heated for lunch today and even my 16-year-old "fussy eater" granddaughter wolfed it down!)

We served it with nothing more than a small green salad, drizzled with balsamic glaze.