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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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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Chicken Caesar Salad

I'm back! Did you miss me?!

No?

Oh.

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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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Wild Mushroom Soup

In winter, we keep a pretty good stock of soup in the freezer. It's just so nice to be able to warm up on a crisp day with a bowl of your favourite... which is why at any given time we usually have at least three varieties in the freezer to choose from, and why we keep them in individual portions. They make for a far more enjoyable, much more filling, and just as easy lunch to take to work than cuppa soups!

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Sweet Potato Pizza with Rosemary Garlic Butter

When I still lived at home with my parents, my sweet momma and I would do "ladies who lunch" and always go the same place and always order the same thing. Both of us. Every time.

In the village next to my parents house there is a little family run Italian restaurant that we just love. It's not just the wonderful food they serve, but the fact that we are greeted by the same familiar faces each time and they give us such a warm welcome. The last time we were there, our waiter didn't even need to ask "Are we having the usual, ladies?"... he just smiled and said "we'll get on with your pizzas then". We loved that!

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Carrot and Thyme Soup

Do you remember when I told you about our garden? Didn't it look so neat and tidy in those photos? Well, it doesn't look like that anymore. At all. Our courgette plant has taken on a life of its own (quite literally) and is now sprawling over the raised bed like some sort of monster from the deep... our sunflowers are no longer looking very sunny and are straining against the string we used to support them as if desperate to be free of a straight jacket and our herbs.... our poor little herbs have become spider central! Thank goodness Mr E retrieves them for me (he's well trained like that).

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Puy Lentil, Pomegranate and Feta Salad

This is another one of my "salads". The kind of salad with a distinct lack of anything leafy... the kind of salad that I will eat out of choice rather than an attempt to be a 'grown up'. The kind of salad that Mr E will actually request!

I can't decide if my favourite thing about this salad is the jewel-like pomegranate seeds that burst in your mouth, the flavourful lentils, the crumbly, salty feta, the zingy dressing... or just the lack of leaves. Whatever it is, this is one of my favourite salads and I'm hoping that soon it will be one of yours too!

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Walnut and Cranberry Chicken Salad Croissants

A few weekends ago, Mr E and I got a whole Saturday together. A whole Saturday! It was bliss, and made all the better by Mr Blue Sky deciding to join us. To make the most of this perfect day we decided pack up a perfect picnic and head to a perfect setting.

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Pesto Bread Wreath and a Special Guest

 

I love baking bread. I love the process, the smell... and especially the outcome. But you know what I love even more? Baking bread with friends! Last weekend, my precious friend Becky came over to hang out for a while, and although she is a seriously good baker (I mean seriously good) she had never made bread before so asked if we could give it a go. At this point I should probably mention that Becky is 14 (she's a member of our youth group) and the photo above is the outcome of her first ever attempt at making bread! I told you she was seriously good- talk about natural talent!

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Mediterranean Couscous Salad

So I owe you a couscous salad. A recipe for one, that is, not an actual couscous salad (although you'd be very welcome, just give me a call so I know you're coming)! I love this salad. Not just because it's yummy, but because it is one of an elite group of salads that Mr E not only finds acceptable but actually requests! It's a keeper.

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Mushroom Pasta from Mushroom Pate

Is it too soon for another pasta recipe? I really hope not, because I promised you yesterday I'd tell you about the amazing pasta dish you can make with mushroom pate, and I really like to keep my promises. 

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Cream of Celery and Blue Cheese Soup

Mr Ellwood and I had a very exciting weekend. A very, very exciting weekend. An unbelievably exciting weekend. We, ladies and gentlemen, got to go to the London 2012 Olympics! Not only that, but we were blessed to have tickets to the final day of the rowing- we got to see Team GB bring home 2 Golds and 1 Silver! Woohoo!

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Potato 'Salad'

Question: why is potato salad called a salad? Isn't that false advertising? I know not all salads are leafy and green (believe me, I'm familiar with non leafy salads... given my aversion to leafy things it's the only way I eat salad!), but really isn't that just stretching the truth a little too far? I know there are healthier versions and tweaks you can make to nudge it back in the direction of health food, but as far as I'm concerned the things you might tweak are what make potato salad so glorious in the first place- why mess with a good thing?

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Thai Green Mussels

... sitting on a wall. Thai Green Mussels, sitting on wall. If one Green Mussel should accidentally fall, there'll be.... um, what's Thai minus one?! Ok, sorry, I have just had that in my head ever since I made this, and that was 4 days ago, so I needed to share it with you. I'm generous like that.

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Hoisin Tart

As much as the title of this post might sound like an insult, it's not. It's an Ellwood favourite for a quick, simple, tasty, and budget friendly dinner. Winner all round!

One of my favourite things about this dish is that it's good for using up leftovers. I quite often have a few stray spring onions left in the salad drawer from another recipe that didn't call for a whole bunch. As for the meat, you really can use up whatever you've got! We had some slow cooked beef to hand that was shredded up, but we have used chicken, turkey, pork and lamb before and all worked beautifully!

A word to the wise- make sure when preparing this you only let people help if they are actually going to be helpful! Mr E thought he was oh so cute with his "One bit of cheese for me and.... one bit of cheese for me". After getting his hand slapped he really wasn't much more help because he likes a looooot of cheese (see photo evidence below). Please do not feel the need to overload it as much as we have!

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Apple Poached Gammon with Peach Butter Glaze

Last Sunday, there was a new experience in the Ellwood household. Roast dinners are not an uncommon experience in our house- but the usual victims are (in no particular order) Lamb, Beef and Chicken. Duck on special occasions. Gammon?  Mr E hadn't even had Gammon like this, let alone in our time. Have you? I remember it as a childhood family favourite, but for some reason it has been neglected in recent years.

Not anymore. It was declared an instant hit, not least by me as it was so easy to do!

P.S. OK, so I should probably admit that this isn't technically a roast, but it's along the same lines and makes a great alternative.

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Bacon and Chickpea Soup with Spicy Tortilla Chips

Wow. Just wow. Seriously- wow.  Yes, I know the title of this post was "blah blah soup blah blah" but I promise, soup can be wow! Don't believe me? Having served this for Sunday lunch I was still pottering about in the kitchen (read: taking photos to post on here) before sitting down to eat, and suddenly there was a great deal of shouting from the other room. "Honey! Honey! Seriously, come quick, you have to taste this!"... which brought a smile to my face almost as quickly as I thought "he thinks I didn't taste it before serving?".

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