Lavender Shortbread

Take one lavender bush

Collect 2 tablespoons of flower heads

Wash, and Slice
Add the flowers to 175g softened unsalted butter and beat.
Add 100g caster sugar and carry on beating.
Stir in 225g of plain flour and bring the mixture together using your hands.
Divide the mixture in half and roll out to form two sausage shapes. Roll the biscuit sausages into some Demerara sugar until coated.
Wrap in baking parchment and chill until firm

Preheat oven to 160c/fan 140c/gas3 and grease two baking trays.
Cut each sausage into 10 slices and put onto prepared baking trays leaving room for them to spread
Bake for 15-20 mins, until the biscuits are pale golden brown and lift them off the trays onto a wire rack to cool.

Delicious , fragrant and a great accompaniment to elevenses tea!

Spicy Portugese Roast chicken

I haven’t done a recipe post in a while so I thought I’d share with you what I’m cooking for Sunday Dinner today- an alternative on the classic roast dinner, but using a whole chicken- I’m making The Londoner’s Spicy Portugese Roast Chicken with roasted pepper and sweet potato.
ingredients
1 whole chicken
4 tsp Smoked paprika
4 tsp dried chilli flakes (or 2 dried Piri Piri chillies)
4 cloves of garlic, or a handful of dried garlic granules as I used!
2 lemons, juice and rind
Handful of dried coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
Olive oil
Salt
2 limes
1 fresh chilli
Several bell peppers to roast
A bag of sweet potatoes to make into your roast tatties

Make your marinade first- this can made up to 24 hours in advance, but it needs an hour minimum. I made mine at lunchtime, then went for nice long dog walk and left it until 5pm when we bunged it all in the oven.

Pop all the spices and lemon and olive oil into a pestle and mortar and mix together until it makes a smooth paste (alternatively you could use a mini blender) if it’s too thick add some more olive oil.

Grab your chicken, stuff it with the two limes (half them first) and a halved chilli

and then smoother the paste all over it!

When you’re ready bung the chicken in the oven (190C/375F) for an hour, then add your peppers (half them and chop out the innards!) and sweet potatoes (don’t take the skins off, just chop them into bite sized chunks!) for another 30-40 minutes so that they roast alongside the chicken.

Before serving, drizzle some of the chicken gravy over the chicken so that it sizzles and glistens, and serve at the table alongside a nice bottle of wine!

Yum yum 🙂 Thanks Rosie Londoner, a fabulous recipe, one of the nicest Sunday dinners I’ve ever cooked!
Until next time
Lx

Viva Espanol!

A couple of weeks ago we nipped for a mini break to Spain with my mum and stepdad.

We booked our flights with Easyjet and booked our hotel seperate ly through Easyjet hotels. We flew from London Luton and as we were flying early on the Friday morning we stayed overnight and left our car at the travelodge for just £19!

We were flying to Alicante, which is only a 2 hour 10 min flight, so easy for mini breaks. After an enjoyable flight, enhanced by the inflight Elderflower and champagne cocktails (=a lighter purse!) we arrived and quickly found a cab to take us to our resort- the very lovely Guardamar Del Surga, which is about 30 minutes (€45) transfer.

Check in at the Hotel Guardamar was quick and simple and we were very quickly shown our rooms- with sea view!

We chucked our beachwear on, and within 1 hour of getting into the cab at Alicante airport we were on the beach, which is one of the best sandy beaches I’ve seen on the Med, sangria in hand, having had a dip in the bath like sea!

this was taken on our last day hence the tan!

We stayed on the beach literally all day for the 3 days we were there. It was perfect. We had a good laugh with the beach sellers, drank far too much sangria and chilled out to the max.

The first night we found a tapas bar for dinner on the main stretch. I forget it’s name, mainly because I got absolutely smashed on sangria and free baileys, of which we were given two massive pitchers of once we’d settled the bill!

Second night and determined not to make the same mistake, we opted for a swanky seafood bar on the sea front; Almanjar restaurant

The food was delicious- mum and I shared the special paella which was simply the most impressive paella I’ve ever tasted! Keefy and Alec had the sea bass, which they also enjoyed.

When the bill came, so did some delicious shots of Vodka caramel- complimentary of course, and absolutely delicious!

We had a great time, and I must say I was so impressed with the Easyjet app- no printouts required, you check in via the app up to a month prior to travel and at the airport you get a bar code which is scanned at the security gate, and at the boarding gate – it’s excellent and made travelling much nicer without the mounds of paper!!

Jazz in the city

Last week, Keefy and I took a very exciting trip down to London town. Being jazz musicians, I’m always on the look out for cool gigs to go to, so imagine my absolutely delight when I discovered that Dave Grusin (piano- and Keith’s absolute favourite) and Lee Ritenour (guitar) were in town at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. It was an ideal birthday surprise for Keith, who had no idea his hero was visiting the UK.

this is the moment it was revealed to Keith what we were doing for his bday
I booked our day return train tickets a month in advance and got the pair for £50- I was well chuffed with this. Trainline have a nifty new app that means you no longer have to print your tickets at the machine at the station- they are stored as e tickets on your phone and I have to say this system was a dream to use. I’d highly recommend it!

Back to our day trip- we arrived into London Liverpool station shortly after 13:00 and having dealt with some rather sneaky but painful blisters (managed to convince himself to buy me a new pair of flats from H&M!) we were on our way. Refusing to pay nearly twenty quid for two return journeys on the underground we decided to walk the 2.5 miles from Liverpool St to Piccadilly. Naturally this caused for a couple of refreshment stops- the first being a very British pub just near St Paul’s Cathedral

where we both enjoyed a good pint of London Pride. Next we stopped at one of the coolest places I’ve ever drank in, the Old Bank of England which has now conveniently been transformed into a Fullers Pie and Pint pub!

This place was really, really cool and we enjoyed another pint of London Pride whilst people watching and drooling over the menu. Interestingly this place is supposedly nestled between where Sweeny Todd’s barbershop was and Mrs Lovett’s Pie shop was but these days you can find it on Fleet Street.

On arriving at Piccadilly circus we headed for Jamie’s Diner- a “pop up” started by Jamie Oliver designed to serve up tasty burgers and American food, using top notch ingredients, and that it did! We enjoyed a burger each, himself choosing a beef hotdog, topped with pulled pork whilst I went for the bacon and cheese burger topped with blue cheese. It was delicious, very good value (the bill was £40 and we had a litre of wine to accompany out burgers) and we had a great seat overlooking the mad crowds of Picadilly going about their business.

Suitably stuffed we walked the half mile or so towards Frith St, home to the awesome Ronnie Scott’s jazz bar

We arrived just as doors were opening and we’re shown straight to our seats. For those of you that haven’t been here before, even if you’re not so much into jazz, you should totally give it a visit. It is a really sleek, sophisticated and totally atmospheric venue- as soon as you walk in you get that dark mood lighting feel, and you know that something awesome is going to happen! The seats are arranged in a large U shape with the small compact stage in the middle and I think you would have a great view from wherever you sat. The staff were lovely, drinks and food (not that we ate!) reasonably priced- it was just perfect.

The show itself was beyond expectations, the Ben Williams trio opened the night and around 8:30pm the main show started. The music was just superb and at 10pm we rolled out happy as Larry, having obtained Lee Ritenour’s autograph

and excitedly made the 2.5 mile walk back to the train with just enough time for a sneaky mcDs for the train ride home!!

Perfect day!!!

Sunday Spa- a girly day out

A few months ago I bought a spa day voucher off living social- a spa day for 2 at The Cambridge Belfry- I think it cost a mere tenner! Me and my pal Brod, got our diaries out pronto and booked it in for this weekend.

I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting a great deal there, the price was so cheap, but a girly day has been long on the cards and we knew we’d at least enjoy a free drink and a good old pastry.

Sunday soon came round, and we met outside at 10:30 ( we could have got in as early as 09:00 but seeing as I live an hour away AND it was a Sunday we agreed to roll up at a far more reasonable hour!)

first impressions

Once inside and checked in we were offered the opportunity to book treatments, and I couldn’t resist but to book myself in for a mini facial as I’d never had one before. We were told where the changing rooms were and where the various pools/rooms were and off we tottered. We were immediately impressed, the pool side was clean and larger than I expected and there was a jacuzzi bubbling away, along with some sun loungers, a water fountain and a nice view out into their grounds. Just through a side door was a nice sauna, and a steam room.

We spent a lovely couple of hours working our way through the sauna, steam room and pool happily chatting away about wedding plans (we’re both getting hitched next year) and putting the world to rights!

I nipped in for my facial whilst the Brod enjoyed some sunbathing outside overlooking the lake.

The facial was lovely- and I was told I have excellent skin- hurrah! There’s only so much spa ing one can do before needing a refuel though, so at lunchtime we took ourselves off to the bar area, got our freshly baked Danish pastry (yum!) and free drink, and bagsied the last table in the sunshine. Perfect.

What an enjoyable morning we had- and I cannot get over what a good deal it was. Keep your eyes peeled on http://www.livingsocial.com for similar deals, but I was very impressed with Cambridge Belfry.

The afternoon was spent clothes shopping of course, followed by a tasty Indian in the evening with my Keefy at the Diss tandoori, where they had a deal on- 50% off all food!! Bargain!

All in all, a perfect Sunday! Wonder what next Sunday will bring!

Until next time
Lx

The Mills of Pakenham, a lovely Suffolk stroll

Wanting to make the most of the nice weather, we decided to go for another stroll at the weekend. This walk is included in our 30 walks in Suffolk box (can also be viewed here) and although we’ve done this walk before, it was quite a while ago and it ticks all the boxes taking in a river stroll, a pretty town, a windmill and a Watermill.

Setting off from the very pretty large village of a Ixworth, found just off the A143 between Bury St Edmunds and Diss, you can park in the village hall/library car park for free. Cross the road, passing through the church yard and carry on round the road until you get to the Bridle path opposite Abbey Close.

You walk along the bridle path passing the beautiful Ixworth Abbey, a Georgian manor built around the ruins of a 12th-century Augustinian priory, until it opens out into agricultural fields.

Ixworth Abbey

Follow the clearly marked path round the fields and back round on yourself and soon you’ll see the typically British view of Pakenham windmill before crossing the main road, the A143.
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The walk takes you right past the windmill – I don’t know about you but I love a good windmill!

You follow the road through the small hamlet of Grimstone End before reaching the Watermill, a handy place to stop and refuel – there is a lovely little tea shop inside the Watermill. We opted out of the tearoom this time (it was shut) so made do with our picnic lunch on the grassy area in front of the Watermill. There are some interesting topiary designs to check out from Millers field, opposite the Watermill. My favourite was the ballet dancer however Keefy preferred the pied piper.

aren’t these topiary designs amazing?!

You follow the road back the short distance, re cross the main road and back into the village. It’s a lovely little walk, well I say little, memory map said it was over 5 miles, but the paths were immaculate so it didn’t feel too bad!!

Until next time
Lx

Friday night is Date night

We try and keep romance alive in our household by having a regular date night – a night devoted to good food, a film and no facebook! We tend to take it in turns to cook, and this time it was my turn!

We started with tomato and garlic flatbread, topped with mozzarella and fresh sliced tomatoes. I have to admit, I was intending on cooking the flatbread myself but there was an offer on at Tesco this week for £1 flatbread, which frankly looked too good to be true! I did however carefully chop the fresh on the vine tomatoes and mozzarella. Now that’s what I call an easy starter!!

Main course was Glazed Pork Fillet, Cajun style pepper rice and homemade bbq sauce (courtesy of Jamie Oliver’s 15 Minute meals book ) It was absolutely delicious and a doddle to make (I’m not going to share the recipe as you can find it in his book or you can watch the episode 29 here). I’m astounded as it’s the 3rd meal from this 15 minute meal series that I’ve made, and the first time that I’ve managed it remotely near the 15 minute mark! The homemade bbq sauce was also revolutionary!

Date night tends to be the only time that we have pudding, unless we have guests that is, and I spent a while leafing through the numerous cook books I’ve acquired over the years deciding what to make. I settled on another Jamie Oliver recipe, this time from his 30 minute meals book. A summer meringue, perfect for this lovely warm spell we seem to be enjoying.

The meal, washed down with a stonking bottle of 2012 Chateauneuf – du- pape was a resounding success, Keefy even said afterwards he felt like he’d eaten at a posh restaurant, the food was so good. All I can say is it must have been the waitress/chef in jim jams that gave it that feeling!

After dinner, we settled down on the sofa to enjoy the movie, “The Heat”- in which an uptight FBI Special Agent (Sandra Bullock) is paired with a foul-mouthed Boston cop (Melissa McCarthy) to take down a ruthless drug lord. I really enjoyed it- it was very funny! I’m a big fan of Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids and she doesn’t disappoint in this one!

Until next time
Lx

Saxlingham Nethergate – a 5 mile stroll

Yesterday, Keefy, Jazz the pooch and I had a lovely walk in beautiful Norfolk countryside.

Saxlingham Nethergate was our destination, which is just under 10 miles south of Norwich.

We’d read about the walk on the BBC Walks page so packed a small picnic, loaded Jazz into the boot and set off, arriving at Saxlingham Nethergate just after 12:00.

As soon as you drive into the village, you get a sense of why the BBC call this one of the prettiest villages in Norfolk.

The walk starts at the car park at the recreation ground, where you can park for free. It takes you towards the very pretty church, which is on a tiny little village green with a magnificent Elizabethan manor on one side.

You walk through the grounds of the churchyard and through a little gate and into the open vistas of the beautiful countryside, with fields of barley and wheat rolling in front of you.

It really is beautiful, and you get to enjoy these views through the majority of the walk as most of the well kept paths skirt around field edges, every now and again dipping you into a woodland area.

There’s only a very small section of road to walk on on this 5 mile stroll, so you can really relax, take in the rolling scenery and enjoy the wild flowers lining the paths. It would be a good walk to do in the autumn as we passed loads of blackberry brambles, in full flower. I was hoping to collect some elderflower to make some cordial, but I think we’re a bit late as it seemed to be looking worse for wear. Maybe next year. The fields were looking healthy though and it’s always a joy to see poppies.

Towards the end of the walk you walk round a field full of horses, who seemed particularly interested in Jazz!

They followed us all the way around the perimeter!
Near our return to the car park, we realised that we hadn’t eaten our picnic, so we took a welcome break in the last field to enjoy our rolls!

Just before reaching the car park, the path leads you into the woodland where the remains of St Mary’s church lie, which was abandoned in 1688.

We enjoyed the walk, it took us 1hr 45 to complete, which we were impressed with. We found the written instructions very easy to follow and mainly accurate, but we would recommend you make sure you have an ordnance survey map for the area, or like us- a memory map gps device, to accompany you.

Homemade jam, in a breadmaker!!!

This is one of my favourite things to make at the moment, especially as I can pimp the jam jars with my Cath Kidston labels along with my personalised labels that I got off ebay for about £2!

I still can’t get over how easy it is to make jam in the breadmaker (check yours has got a jam setting on first though!)

Ingredients
fruit, jam sugar, jam jars (sterilised), pretty labels-a must!

Take your fruit (I’ve so far tried strawberry, blackberry and raspberry, separately not combined), wash it and trim any leaves or twigs off! Whatever the weight is of your fruit, so say half a kilo, measure out the exact same amount of jam sugar. Throw the sugar and the fruit into the breadmaker, select the jam setting and start. Hurrah! Mine takes 1 hr 20 mins to complete. Whilst the jam is bubbling away in the breadmaker, put the jam jars and lids through a hot dishwasher cycle, then microwave (although don’t put the metal jam lids in the microwave!) or oven til dry.

Once the jam has finished, carefully spoon out into your dry jam jars (careful, the liquid is hot!) and immediately put the lid on, tighten and put in the fridge overnight! Don’t forget to decorate your jam jars!!

Patio Garden Grow Your Own- Part 1

Ever since getting my own place I’ve always been interested in growing my own food produce.

Strawberry plants are a good plant to start with as they are easy to care for, hardy and grow again year after year. Oh, they taste pretty fine too!

It started when I lived in a flat in Croydon with a shared garden. I bought my first strawberry plant, watered it daily, even talked to it (!) and watched in awe as one big juicy strawberry grew and grew, looking juicier and more delicious by the day. One morning I was out watering and decided it was THE day to eat it! Excited as it was the first thing I’d ever grown, I decided I would wait until I got home from work, even picking up a pot of clotted cream to enjoy with the lonely strawberry! Imagine my horror when on my return, I rushed out to pick the berry and it had vanished!! To this day I still don’t know where it went!!

Fast forward 5 years, and a different house, in a different county, and I decided to try again. This time buying several strawberry plants for my patio pots in the hope I’d manage to raise more than one strawberry! I had 3 good years of strawberry harvesting, until we moved house again (the strawberry plants came with me!) In our new pad the patio is a bit larger so I’ve decided to be a bit braver and branch out.

My pinterest patio project

After months of scouring Pinterest you can find my boards here and looking for patio veg inspiration, I found this page of beauties

I fell in love with the wine crate vegetable planters and set about finding some wine crates. I couldn’t believe my luck when not long into my search, a lady posted about some being available on my local Facebook buy/sell page. I fired a quick email off to her and arranged to pick up the next day!

my wine crates that I bought of Facebook for £20!

My favourite- I got given this from a students dad who is a wine merchant (get in!) as Chateuneuf du pape is my all time favourite wine

Preparing my wine crates
First things first was to sand down any sharp edges. I* (read Keefy!) then drilled some drainage holes into the bottom of the boxes.

I then cut some holes into a grow bag that I no longer needed and stapled it inside each wine box to create a lining.

Finally I coated each box with some Danish Oil to waterproof each box. They are now ready for planting!

Planted with 2 x courgettes plants, 1 cucumber plant as an experiment and 1 tomato plant

Planted with 2 Aubergine Plants

planted with 2 x bell pepper plants but they don’t look too healthy at the moment

Recycled tins= hanging colourful herb garden

Another Pinterest inspiration, I saved 3 baked bean cans, washed them and then drilled* (well Keefy drilled!) drainage holes in the bottom and a screw hole in the back. I then painted them with craft paint from Wilkos and planted my herbs; mint, thyme and parsley. Have to say, I’m really pleased with how these look!