New Year Cocktails, Mocktails and Christmas Leftovers Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail Hello! I have been absent for a few days, as some of you might have noticed, enjoying Christmas and the ensuing festive period, with family and friends. I’m back today to share some of my festive moments, as well as a pretty delectable cocktail, that…
Formal Party
Christmas Party Canapés! Cheese and Celery Pinwheels (Whirls)
Christmas Party Canapés Cheese and Celery Pinwheels (Whirls) I have fallen in love with canapés and small bites this year, and I am convinced that all you need is a table filled with tasty canapés, both savoury and sweet, and then a “sit-down” meal is not required. It all started with my special Thrifty and Organic…
A Small Christmas Dinner: Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast and Sausage Stuffing Loaf
A Small Christmas Dinner: Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast and Sausage Stuffing Loaf Picture the scene, a long table laden with food, the pride of place going to a glossy, bronzed roast turkey surrounded by discarded paper hats, golden roast potatoes, sprouts, honey roast parsnips and ruby-red spiced cabbage; happy, smiling faces of all ages look on at the feast…
It’s Party Time! A Fabulous Collection of Canapés & Party Food Recipes
Thrifty & Organic December: It’s Party Time! A Fabulous Collection of Canapés & Party Food Recipes Core Ingredients for December: Ham or Gammon; Stilton Cheese; Red Cabbage; Salmon; Brussels Sprouts; Oranges Menu Plan and Recipes for DECEMBER: Verrines of Brussels Sprout Velouté (Creamy Brussels Sprouts Soup) Mini Yorkshire Puddings with Spiced Red Cabbage and Ham…
The Great Potato Debate and Sticky Christmas Marmalade Chicken Recipe
The Great Potato Debate and Sticky Christmas Marmalade Chicken Recipe And so the great potato debate started…….I, the cook, and therefore more knowledgeable about yesterday’s luncheon dish, wanted mashed potatoes, he, the mere diner and other resident of the Lavender and Lovage household, was adamant that he wanted baked potatoes; we battled it out for at least ten minutes,…
From The Lavender and Lovage Bakery: Country Style Walnut Bread Rolls
From The Lavender and Lovage Bakery: Country Style Walnut Bread Rolls Home-made bread, you cannot beat it, especially when the bread in question are small rustic style bread rolls studded with walnuts with a floury finish…..and, especially when time is at a premium and the dough is mixed, kneaded and proved in a bread maker,…
British Carrots: Sticky Roast Chantenay Carrot Medley with Pomegranate Molasses
Where Our Food Comes From……. British Carrots: Sticky Roast Chantenay Carrot Medley with Pomegranate Molasses Welcome to a new series of posts called “Where Our Food Comes From”……..over the last few months I have been lucky enough to visit numerous factories, farms, orchards and food events where the focus has been all about home-grown British…
Edible Gifts for Giving: Spiced Brandy Soused Clementines
Edible Gifts for Giving: Spiced Brandy Soused Clementines Now is the time to start thinking about making special gifts for giving…….for Christmas hampers, the tea time table as well as hostess gifts for the impending party season; it’s a time for preserving, baking and making special recipes that will be served throughout the festive…
Thrifty & Organic November: Pear & Walnut Cake, Sausage Cabbage Rolls and Celeriac Gratin
Thrifty & Organic November: Pear & Walnut Cake, Sausage Cabbage Rolls and Celeriac Gratin Core ingredients for NOVEMBER: Sausages, Cabbage, Potatoes, Celeriac, Pears, Walnuts Menu Plan and Recipes for NOVEMBER: Sausage stuffed Cabbage Rolls Celeriac, Cheese & Potato Gratin Pear, Walnut & Brown Sugar Cake Welcome to a new Thrifty and Organic recipe planner for…
“Smorgastarta” (Swedish Savoury Sandwich Gateau) for National Sandwich Day
“Smorgastarta” (Swedish Savoury Sandwich Gateau) for National Sandwich Day November seems a funny time of the year to be celebrating National Sandwich Day, but as an avid sandwich lover I am keen to participate in this day of crusty bread and enticing fillings! We, in the UK, have already marked British Sandwich Week in May,…
A Show-Stopping Chocolate Cherry Cake for Chocolate Week!
A Show-Stopping Chocolate Cherry Cake for Chocolate Week! There is nothing as nice as a BIG home-made chocolate cake on the tea time-table and although I am primarily a savoury person (cheese, bread and pies are my downfall) I do love a slice of chocolate cake now and then. And, as it is Chocolate Week…
Cast Iron Recipes! Cooking with “Le Creuset”: Comfort Chicken Casserole
Cast Iron Recipes! Cooking with “Le Creuset” Comfort Chicken Casserole What could be better than a comforting plate of chicken casserole as autumn leaves begin to fall in their hundreds and aromatic wood smoke spirals around brick chimneys……….pearl grey mists greet me on my way down to open up the chickens every morning and the Robin is sporting…
Thrifty & Organic October: Pork & Apples with French Style Lentils and Salted Chocolate Brownies
Thrifty & Organic October: Pork & Apples with French Style Lentils and Salted Chocolate Brownies Core Ingredients for October: Pork, Pumpkin, Apples, Lentils, Cabbage and Chocolate Menu Plan and Recipes for October: Meat Free “Garbure” Soup with Cabbage and Pumpkin Pork Steaks with Apples, Sage and Cider Apple Vinegar French style Braised Lentils Sea Salt…
Autumn Beckons: Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with Elderberry Glaze and Port Jus
Autumn Beckons: Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with Elderberry Glaze and Port Jus Autumn really is beckoning, the mornings are misty and cool and the evenings are “drawing in” with darkness falling by eight thirty now……..I’m sad to see the summer go, but I love autumn and all it brings. It’s a season of harvest festivals, crackling…
An Autumn “Summer Pudding” Recipe for Sunday Lunch
An Autumn “Summer Pudding” Recipe for Sunday Lunch A British classic, a Summer Pudding is a thing of sublime beauty – swathes of gently poached berries and currants encased in a shell of soft bread, it’s an easy recipe to make and makes good use of excess berries (and currants) you may have throughout the…
