ForQuorned is Forearmed

Have hardly had time to catch my breath recently with an influx of sociales. Had a wonderful night last night comprising of central drinks with the London fam then party time with Harrie. This morning Harrie and I somehow burst out of slumber feeling very lively so I was more than ready to take on Broadway market with Diana for a coffee and custard strawberry tart. Post that I came home and was very Mum and cooked all the vegetables I had in the fridge into more than two conclusions. I made a broccoli and pea pasta sauce for lunch and a Quorn Veg lasagne to lie in wait for future occasions. Then when I next need a quick tasty dinner out the blue I can whip it out of the freezer and pop into open mouths via the oven.

Gina made me this lasagne on Friday served with buttery crusty ciabatta to mop up the sauce.

1 bag Quorn mince, 3 cloves garlic, 1 bottle of pesto, chilli powder, single cream, lasagne sheets, cheddar cheese, assorted veg (she used mushrooms, courgettes, peppers, spinach). Fry Quorn mince in oil, add garlic until partly cooked. Add veg and continue frying until those slightly cooked. Add chilli powder and 1 bottle of pesto and water measuring half of that pesto bottle. Leave to simmer until veg cooked. Grease ovenproof dish, lay one sheet of lasagne sheets, top with cream, then veg/mince layer. Repeat till dish is full. Top with cheese. Bake at 150c until cheese is golden.

It's so good.

Probably should have a quick nap now so I've got time to fit in an episode of Brothers and Sisters before Bob comes round to get ready for David Haddrell's birthday party. It's all go!

Sweet slumber lacies xxxxxxxxxx

Without a trace

Alex and I went against Razorlight's advice and went to visit Dave's new flat in Dalston. There was actually a gang right outside the window. We kept accidentally catching their eyes whilst we were cooking. Don't they know it's a private road?? Going to tell their Mothers.

We made mash potato with spring onions, red cabbage and onion gravy to have with sausages. I was in charge of the red cabbage reduction which was quite a task. I usually cook with quite a lot of vigour so the boys were in charge of reducing the mess. This was also quite a task. They kept chanting, 'without a trace, without a trace' at me to remind me to keep my wooden spoon strokes small. Usually people will be scraping food off their door handles for weeks after i've been round. I'm very hard to shake.

Eventually it all came together and we had an absolute feast with only two or three bits of red cabbage overboard. Oh and we toasted Dave's new splendour with pink cava bien merci. Et Vous?

Alex had bought us a crumble he'd made which was delish. It had whole blackberries in! Very Sylvanian families.

I think I need a nap now so sweet slumber peaches xxxxxxxxxx

It's a wrap!

Well actually it's a crepe, but what is wrapped up is my time unemployed as I start work on Monday. Those boxsets are going to have to start watching themselves after all. Met Sashy at her flat for a lovely afternoon tea on Wednesday. She made me a chocolate crepe and a cup of tea to go with our chat time.

Recipe: 1 cup flour, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons butter, melted. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the butter; beat until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter in so that it coats the surface. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Squiggle chocolate sauce inside and fold up.

Sashy is ever so good at it!

Mark and I are playing a game where I play a bird song and he guesses what bird it is so I better go as i need my fingers to press the sounds.

Bye for now my mushrooms on toast xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There's a stewaway on board!

Continuing my affinity with the ocean I went to Dani Bristol's flat for dinner on Tuesday. She lives overlooking the canal on Kingsland Road so my gills weren't far from water thankfully.

She slaved over a delicious hearty stew overflowing with beans and pulses and grainy stuff and swede and cabbage and carrots and potatoes. Recipe: seemed to be cook it all up together for a while. I was too busy chatting to notice. Ooh and we mopped it up with some chunky bread and butter.

For pudding Blue Granny had stowed away in my bag a tub of stewed fruit (actually 2 so we had our pick of apple or blackberry. She is wonderful) and a bag of crumble mix that she had pre prepared that morning. So I combined the two components (we plumped for blackberry fyi so next dinner party is getting apple) and cooked in the oven for half an hour at gas mark 6.

Recipe: Stew some fruits or visit my granny and she'll give you some, and put it a tin then layer the topping over it. Topping appaz is: 300g plain flour, 175g unrefined brown sugar, 200g unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature. Rub that all together until you get crumbs.

Had a very merry meal with Dani, Sparkles and her housemates Harry and Pat. Then we chucked the surplus out for some anti boy: watching BrideWars which I'd siphoned off Granny's coffee morning goods (I had asked). What a tonic.

Then I had a dreamy sleep, fun breakfast with Sparkles and came home to a day of writing. Don't know how employed people fit all this in!

What kind of boat never sinks? A friendSHIP

Bob and I took a leaf out of classic films such as The World Is Not Enough and Spice Girls: The Movie on Saturday and sped down the Thames on the Clipper.

Before a wave carries me too far on with the story though let me tell you about our picnic in Borough Market first.

We had cheese and parma ham baguette, mulled apple juice and a coffee cake which we accidentally ate before we boarded. The sea air makes me so hungry!

We hopped on the boat and proclaimed "Take us anywhere!" The boat people didn't seem to like us because they kept asking to see our 'All day River Roamer' passes and asking when we were getting off. Sorry Captain, our ticket says till 10pm. We're with you for the long haul!

We seemed to go round in a circle a bit but then the boat zipped off to the Millenium Dome where we got out and went for a rest after our high paced activities.

There was this bubble room in there with padded floor areas to lie down and 'Chill' so we snuggled under Bob's fur and trying to ignore the teens clutching at each other and swaying their arms to 'Hallelujah' had a good 50minute rest. Then we exited and tried to pop it but failed. This is Bob punching the bubble room.

We had such a good day. I think that demonstrates that as the Spicie's say, 'Friendship never ends' even though the day did and I had to release Bob back into David Haddrell's custody.

Cheerio my hearties xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pea.S I love you

Mmm just had the aftermath of a toad in the hole with gravy with broc, and sugar snap peas.

Went to Blue Granny's yesterday and she was very sad to note that no one was able to polish off the last helping of toad in the hole so I promised to eat it for lunch today. She packed me off with it wrapped up in a foil tray with a little bottle of the gravy. Tasted as great today as it had yesterday although unfort not followed with scrabble, hot ribeana and crumpets.

She also gave me some daffodils which are lulling me into a very contented false sense of spring.

Inspired by their happy blooms I might make a lemon drizzle cake. I'm going to Sashy's for tea later and i think a few slices would sit nicely.

Method and Recipe: Heat oven to gas 4. Beat together 225 g butter and the same of sugar until pale and creamy, then add 4 eggs, one at a time, slowly mixing through. Sift in 225g flour, then add zest of 1 lemon and combine well. Line a loaf tin (8 x 21cm) with greaseproof paper, then spoon in the mixture and level the top with a spoon. Bake for 45-50 mins until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the juice of the lemon and 85g sugar to make the drizzle. Prick the warm cake all over with a fork, then pour over the drizzle - the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping. Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve. MMMMmm.

Laters bravehearts xxxxxxxxxxxx

Chip downpour: The final chapter

I assumed that you would all be wondering wide eyed what ever happened to the chips that rained cruelly down on my poor head yesterday. Well, I ate them for dinner. Scooped them off my sheets and onto a baking tray. Sashy and Alex came round for Sunday night dinner and we had burgers and chips and roasted tomatoes. This was all pretty easy and Alex handled it all anyway but incase I was leaving you gasping for a recipe here is a proper way of doing it:

Minted lamb burgers:

1kg lamb mince, 1 large onion peeled and grated, 25g fresh breadcrumbs, 2 tsp dried mint. Preheat grill and in a large bowl combine the mince, onion, breadcrumbs, dried mint, seasoning. Shape into 8 patties, brush lightly with oil and grill for 8-10 minutes on each side.

Make a yoghurt sauce with plain yog, 2 small garlic cloves minced and mashed to a paste, fresh mint leaves shredded. When Dashy made these for us we had them in a toasted half of pitta with the yoghurt sauce and slices of tomato and crisp iceberg lettuce. They were very satisfying. Oh and chips obvs.

I really should probably go and get dressed now.

Bye for now lemon drops xxxxxxxxxx