summer Holidays in the Sun

So with the  holidays approaching and having booked 2 weeks off work I am very much looking forward to spending some quality time with the kids and with the gorgeous weather set to continue I am hoping to be able to enjoy the holidays on the cheap ( who would book their holiday a week before pay day).

Lots of paddling pool, picnics, days at the beach and anything else that's fun in the Sun. it feels like years since being able to enjoy the holidays in the sun without a long list of rainy day activities. So I want to know what your top tips for perfect picnic food is and what your most looking forward to in the holidays?

Luvli moshi monster birthday cake

This years birthday cake task was a moshi monster cake.

Was actually not as hard as I thought, I buy my coloured icing ready made so I made my cake and frosting as normal, then I simply drew an outline of luvli's shape then added the features so all I needed to do was use the paper as a pattern and cut out the icing and cut away the excess cake.

It took around an hour to decorate and she loved it, she didn't want to eat it it was so pretty.

Veggie Burgers

One of our family favourites is meat(less)balls in goulash, it takes an age to make so I only ever do it for special occasions, however whilst doing the meal plan for the week I realised that we had about 5 bags of veggie mince in the freezer and being the week before pay day I was going to have to be inventive with mince for the week.

I decided to try burgers, I did them mostly the same as the meatballs, mixed a bag of mince, 4 slices of bread made into breadcrumbs, half a large onion finely chopped and a clove of garlic. Because vege mince doesn't have a natural stickiness like meat I add a good splash of hot water and an egg. Now simply shape your burgers cover in flour then seal in a hot frying pan till they are a nice golden brown colour. Pop in the oven on about 200 for an hour (cover with foil so they don't burn, just so they are cooked through).

They taste lovely, especially with melted cheese on top.

I have read a recipe in a Linda McCartney cook book for meatless meatloaf and think I might try these burgers in a meatloaf shape then wrap pastry round a bit like a beef Wellington. If I try this out will post results or if anyone else fancy' s having a go let me know what it was like.

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Horse meat scandal from a Vegetarian's point of view

So it would appear this horse meat thing isn't going away any time soon and I have to say from a vegetarians point of view I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand meat is meat. I made a decision 18 years ago that I didn't want to eat meat, for me I don't separate a cow from a horse or a dog from a lamb, they are all beautiful animals that I wouldn't want on my plate, and to hear carnivores complaining that eating horse turns there stomach but a cow would be perfectly delicious from the outside looking in is quite bizarre.

However my second view ( which I think is what most people are feeling) is that it's not the horse meat but the fact that we have been lied to, I religiously stand and read ingredients labels, I check everything for the vegetarian symbol, and if I find out that what was in my food was not what I had been told I would be furious too. I don't buy ready meals but I do buy meat substitute products and have to put my trust in the manufactures that these are being produced under strict regulations. So although the horse meat scandal doesn't effect me directly I share with everyone else a feeling of distrust with supermarkets and food manufacturers.

I suppose the real question is will this change are shopping habits or will we all forgive and forget?

Vegetarian Cornish pasties

First things first, these may not be actual Cornish pasties, my understanding of a Cornish pasty is that it's the crinkle along the top that makes it a Cornish pasty,  I do the crinkle so am calling them Cornish pasties if this is not the case then I apologies whole heartedly. Phew now that's done I will crack on with the recipe.

Now I haven't eaten meat for.......18 years, There are obviously lots of meat substitutes around now and I think you can get these pasties, but I tried them and wasn't that impressed so here is my version.

ingredients

1 Onion
2 medium potatoes
1 carrot
( these should all be diced quite small)
1 pack of your preferred brand of vegetarian mince
Good handful of peas
1 pack of frozen short crust pastry ( I am with Jamie Oliver on this one, I think it's just as good, but if you prefer by all means make your pastry from scratch)
Vegetarian gravy
Cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry off the onions, potatoes and carrots until they start to soften, add the mince and cook until browned.

Whilst that is cooking make up your gravy, not too much as you don't want there to be too much liquid as this will give you soggy pastry, but anyone who cooks with veggie mince will know it drinks up water, I add my cumin to the gravy I like quite a lot but add as much as you require.

Now add your gravy and peas to the pan and let the mixture simmer until everything is cook through and piping hot.

While that's simmering prepare your pastry. You need to roll it out to about 5mm thickness, be careful not to roll too thin or all the filling will explode out of the pastry when cooking.

I use 2 different size plates for my pasties, an adult portion and a kids portion, side plates are perfect size for adult pasties and I use saucers for the kids.

The last point I would make is that you don't need lots of filling a good dessert spoon in the little ones and 2 for the big ones is perfect, don't over fill or it will just end up a mess. You will have loads of filling leftover but I just freeze it and then next time you have a quick homemade meal ready to go.

Put milk on half of the circumference of you pastry lift into the middle and squeeze and crinkle going out using your thumb and finger. Prick the sides of the pasty with a folk, these air holes will allow steam to escape without the pastry falling apart and glaze the outside with the rest of the milk

Cook in an 180 oven for about 20-25 minutes.

To do List

I always seam to have a list in mind of things I would like to try in the kitchen, however when I find time to bake I tend to do things that are tried and tested so I know I will have an edible finished product rather than trying out new recipes that may be a complete disaster and end up in the bin.

This year I have vowed to not only attempt, but perfect all the items on my cooking to do list, some are recipes that I have never tried before, some are things that have never worked in the past but I'm still determined that I can crack them (the dreaded potatoes dauphinoise being a case in point)

So here's the list, not massive but potentially hazardous!!

Custard
Know this is a tricky one because I don't actually like custard, however I think that is because I remember school custard which I am hoping mine will taste nothing like and that this will change my opinion, and if it doesn't I have 3 very eager testers that will be more than happy to give me there opinion on my cooking.

Cookies
These are 1 of my trouble areas, I have attempted these a few times over the years and never got them to the right texture, some have been so bad that they never made it to a plate, some tasted fine but where more biscuit than cookie, it's the soft centre that alludes me but hopefully not for long.

Gingerbread
More precisely a gingerbread house, but as I have never made gingerbread before I think I will try gingerbread men first then try to upscale to a standing structure.

Fresh Pasta
Have wanted to attempt fresh pasta for years but have never pushed myself to do it, I read recently that blogs are best used to help you achieve what you want by writing it down and sharing with others, so I am hoping this is the case and that now it is in black and white it will encourage me to take the plunge.

Potatoes Dauphinoise
This may well be my downfall, have attempted this on several occasions and they are normally inedible, my sauce is fine but no matter how long I cook the potatoes for they are always raw or extreme al dente. But I will persevere till the end of the year, but if at the end of this year they are still 95% disaster I will never attempt them again and will admit they are beyond me ( but with a heavy heart)

So that's my list, I will obviously make lots of other hopefully scrumptious things over the year and will try and blog as many recipes as I can but this is my challenge and I will keep you updated with my success as well as failure.