Taking a break

Hello all,

You may have noticed that I've not updated this food blog in some time now! I should probably explain why...

During 2013 I was pregnant with our first child, and unfortunately I struggled to actually think about, let alone write about, food or cooking. This wasn't great for someone writing a food blog.

Since then, I've been busy looking after our family and working. I'm not saying that the blog is over for good, but it's definitely on a hiatus.

I hope you enjoy the site, and I'm sorry for the lack of new recipes.

Rhona

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Chorizo and Chickpea Summer Stew

So I know the word 'stew' is not something you would usually associate with summer, but bear with me. Normally I would use the excuse reasoning that we don't get much of a summer so really nothing is off limits food wise! This year; not true. For the last two weeks we have been basking in glorious sunshine and above average temperatures; finally truly understanding what a Summer should be like.

 

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Pancetta, Spinach and Mushroom White Pizza

Mr E and I hardly ever go out for dinner, and when we do it's usually on vouchers. There's a certain well known supermarket in the UK that issues reward points for shopping with them, and you can exchange these for vouchers for various treats such as a meal at a restaurant, hotel stays or days out. We almost always exchange them for restaurant vouchers, and that's pretty much the only time we eat out! I was about to say apart from birthdays... but I'm pretty sure we used vouchers for my birthday last year too!

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I'm Still Here... and I have a Secret!

I'm really sorry that I haven't been blogging for the last few months. Between trying to balance work, personal life, holidays, extreme fatigue, nausea and bizarre food aversions (please don't talk to me about chicken) I will admit that writing about food did not feature very highly on my to do list...

... if the penny still hasn't dropped, let me explain- I'm going to be a mummy! Baby Ellwood is due to join us on October 17th 2013.

Yay!

So I hope you will forgive me for the silence, but now that I'm well into my 2nd trimester and feeling a bit more human I will be back sharing recipes again- just maybe not quite as often as I did before!

Any special requests?!

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No Bake Nutella Cheesecake

I'm sorry for the long, unexpected silence- Mr E and I are having car issues at the moment, having killed our own and then, most unfortunately, somehow passing on that misfortune to my Sister in Law when she came to our rescue! I'm so grateful to my brave colleague who, with no concern for his own car, has kindly been giving me lifts to and from work. Never have I been so aware of how much we use our car until it became unusable- I don't think I'd realised before how much of the planning in a day is so easily dealt with by having a car to hop into at any given moment!

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Fresh and Simple Mini Taco Cups

The other day I was going to tell you about these fun little taco cups, but I got distracted by this Lime Cheesecake. I'm sure you can completely understand that feeling!

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No Bake Lime Cheesecake

Today I was going to tell you about my obsession with appetisers, and the mini taco cups that we made at the weekend (yum, by the way), but I'm not. Instead, I'm going to tell you about Lime Cheesecake.

Yummy, creamy, light and fresh Lime Cheesecake.

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Ice Cream Sunday: Salted Caramel Ice Cream

I'm having one of those nights where I have had the loveliest of weekends and to finish it off all I'd really like to do is curl up with my husband and watch the BAFTAs.

I do so love all the glitz and glam!

So, rather than spend any more time sharing a cutesy story with you (or at least one that would sound cutesy in my head) I'm going to do just that. Oh, and enjoy a bowl of this delightful little number.

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Thai Lamb Noodles

This recipe almost didn't make it onto the blog, and that would have been sad. Very sad. This is an all time favourite in the Ellwood household, and the most requested dinner by far.

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Hoisin Shredded Lamb Pancakes

My Dad is my hero. I think I may have mentioned that before (a few million times) but, just in case you missed it, I'll say it again.

My Dad is my hero.

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Ice Cream Sunday: Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

Last week I was a bit self indulgent with my choice of flavour for Ice Cream Sunday; Raspberry Ripple has always very definitely been my favourite. I'm not completely selfish though- the very same day I decided to try and make what I thought was Mr E's favourite.

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Shredded Lamb Wraps with Pomegranate Salsa

I haven't had my dinner yet, and I was just editing the photos for this post.

That was an error.

I am now so hungry I doubt I'll make it to dinner without eating all sorts of appetite ruining snacks.

Oh well.

It's not the pictures that are making me hungry really, it's more the memory of this meal. This meal that made me so happy to eat I didn't want it to end. Have you had meals like that? I've had a few, but rarely are they something I've made myself, because I'm my worst critic.

This was beyond criticism; it was perfection in a wrap.

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Weeknight Winner - Pesto Chicken Tart

 

The last time I told you about one of our tart recipes (my personal favourite, a Hoisin Tart), I blamed Mr E for being overly generous with the toppings- and, in turn, I blamed his generosity for my failed attempt at making said tart look pretty.

It turns out I may be partial to topping overkill too, and I'm just not sure it's possible to make these tarts look pretty. Good thing they're oh so very yummy that they're gone too quickly for your their appearance to even register!

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Ice Cream Sunday: Raspberry Ripple

Is it weird that I have a freezer full of ice cream in the middle of winter? As much as I'm enjoying this Ice Cream Sunday feature, and as much as I love ice cream, I do wish I'd had this brainwave a little earlier in the year- you know, back when the weather meant that ice cream was all I wanted for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

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Balsamic Roasted Tomato and Chorizo Risotto

Oh dear goodness I love this dish. Just looking at the pictures makes me want to pop out to the shops to buy some chorizo and tomatoes (I have everything else in the cupboards already) so I can whip it up. Then I remember that it's 9.30pm, I've already had my dinner, and that would be pretty silly.

Still tempting though.

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Chicken Caesar Salad

I'm back! Did you miss me?!

No?

Oh.

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2012 Favourites

As we welcome in the new year, I've decided (read: promised Mr E) to take a mini break from blogging for some proper holiday time and to focus on some very exciting events (mostly the wedding of one of my dearest friends)! Don't worry though (were you worrying?), I'll be back soon enough with some fab new recipes to share with you... Insanely good (and stupidly easy) raspberry ripple ice cream for one, roasted balsamic tomatoes and chorizo risotto for another and Thai lamb noodles to seal the deal (a particular Ellwood favourite).

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10 Minute Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

Hands up if, like me, you've had more than one full Christmas dinner in the last few days? Keep your hand up if, as much as you really really enjoyed them at the time, you're still uncomfortably full and can't believe the sheer quantity you consumed. Yup, me too. I'm ready for some lighter food!

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Merry Christmas!

Today is a day for family, fun and food... to eat, not to blog about. So I'm just popping by to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and to thank you for following along with my little blog- I'm so grateful for each and every one of you. I pray that this Christmas finds you happy and blessed!

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Ice Cream Sunday: Brandy Butter Caramel Sauce

It's Christmas Eve Eve; tomorrow we're having Christmas number 1 with my family, on Christmas Day we're having Christmas number 2 with Mr E's family, and right now we're curled up with chocolate and wine and the best season finale the creators of Homeland ever could have given us. What I'm saying is, I'm going to keep this brief!

Last week we had Mince Pie Ice Cream for Ice Cream Sunday, and I promised you a pretty special sauce to go with it... so I'm keeping that promise.

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