My purple sprouting broccoli is finally producing broccoli!! It seems like we have been waiting for it forever! Oh, I do love purple sprouting broccoli. Todd does too. It's really strange. He loves the purple stuff but hates regular broccoli. Wierd. Who can figure out men!



I've been trying to use it fresh in whatever way that I can. I never tire of it. Today I decided to make a tasty mac and cheese casserole with it, using potato gnocchi and a delicious homemade cheese sauce, flavoured with strong cheddar, parmesan and stilton.



We all know how wonderful broccoli tastes with a cheese sauce don't we? When my kids were growing up it was one of the only ways that I could get them to eat their broccoli! Slathered with melted cheese whiz. (Don't judge me!) (They also liked it raw with ranch dressing for dipping.)



The potato gnocchi get all puffed and tender . . . almost heavenly like marshmallows. The broccoli stays brilliant and crispy tender.



The lucious cheese sauce blankets them both lightly . . . richly . . . the crispy crumb topping adding an extra layer of taste and a moreish crunch.



All you need with this is a delicious salad on the side . . . oh and you may want some crusty bread to mop up all of that scrummy cheese sauce!



Simple, easy and delicious. What more could you ask for?



*Gnocchi Mac & Cheese with Purple Sprouting Broccoli*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is rich and delicous. Soft little potato dumplings, crispy tender purple sprouting broccoli bathed in a lucious cheese sauce, topped with crispy cracker crumbs and baked until golden brown and bubbling.

16 ounces homemade gnocchi, or fresh gnocchi from the store
2 TBS unsalted butter
1 TBS plain flour
250ml of whole milk (1 cup)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)
1.5 ounces freshly grated Parmegiano Reggiano Cheese (1/4 cup)
3 to 4 TBS crumbled Stilton cheese (optional)
salt and white pepper to taste
12 ounces purple sprouting broccoli, washed and trimmed, then steamed until
crispy tender and then chopped (about 2 cups)

Topping
2 TBS freshly grated Parmegiano Reggiano Cheese
2 TBS grated strong cheddar cheese
2 TBS finely crushed cracker crumbs
Low fat cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a shallow glass baking dish. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute, stirring. Whisk the milk in along with the Dijon mustard. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. whisk in the cheeses, stirring to melt completely. Whisk in the mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Cook the gnocchi in lightly salted boiling water as per the package directions. Scoop into the prepared baking dish and toss together with the broccoli. Pour the cheese sauce over top to cover. Mix together the topping ingredients and sprinkle over top. Spritz lightly with the low fat cooking spray.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the gnocchi are lightly puffed, the sauce is bubbling, and the top is golden brown. Let rest for several minutes before serving. Delicious!

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This is one of those delicious kinds of meals that you need to have up your sleeve when you have a house full of people, but don't want to spend hours slaving over a hot stove.



it's also a real family pleaser. My children always loved this and I confess to having a certain fondness for it myself. I also have been known to cook this for a few missionaries in my time. It always goes down a real treat.



They get lots of roast dinners during the week . . . everyone tries to feed them fab meals . . . so once in a while I like to treat them to a meal that would be similar to something that they would get at home, and cooked by their mums. This is comfort food, pure and simple, and something that keeps them coming back for seconds!



Something homey, comforting and filling, and incredibly tasty. Pasta combined with browned minced beef, garlic and herbs, onions, bacon, herbs and oodles of rich and gooey cheese. It has all of the elements of a bacon cheeseburger but without the bun.

All you need on the side is a delicious tossed salad and some crusty rolls. Really . . . this is VERY good . . . and quick . . . and easy . . . a real family pleaser. Another tasty treat from my Big Blue Binder. (It does make rather a lot, so if you want you can place half of the meal into a casserole dish, seal well, and freeze one for another time!)



*Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Dinner*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

This is one of those great family style dishes that not only tastes delicious, but is also quick, easy and feeds a crowd. You can cut the quantities in half if you like, but I'd also like to add that it freezes very well and so it's one of those things you can have in the freezer, ready to whip out at a moment's notice!

16 0unces uncooked pasta (I find shapes work well like fusilli or shells, rotini or something like that) (1 pound)
1 kg of extra lean minced beef (2.2 pounds)
16 ounces streaky bacon (1 pound)
1 onion, peeled and minced
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tins of tomato soup
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp mixed herbs (freeze dried basil, freeze dried oregano, parsley, marjoram)
8 ounces extra strong cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups I confess I probably do use more, but start at 2 cups and add as you wish)

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove with and set aside to drain. Add the minced beef, onions and garlic to the drippings. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the beef is lightly browned and the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the herbs. Crumble inthe cooked bacon. Add the ketchup and tomato soup. Bring to the boil, then simmer while you cook the pasta.

Cook the pasta in lightly salted water according to the package directions until tender. Once tender, drain well and then stir into the beef mixture. Add 3/4 of the cheddar cheese and stir it in to melt, then sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top and allow to melt. Serve right from the pan with lots of crusty bread and a tasty salad on the side.

It will soon be fresh asparagus season over here and I can't wait. I think that the UK has some of the best asparagus in the world! Fresh asparagus is available pretty much all year round these days . . . but more often than not it is from Kenya . . . not the local seasonal stuff . . .



I just love asparagus. It epitomizes spring to me . . . like strawberries and Wimbledon, the three seem to go together hand in hand. It was not a vegetable we ever had in my home when I was growing up. I think I only ever tasted it once rolled inside some sandwiches at a childhood tea party and I wasn't sure that I liked it. It was probably tinned, and so it's no wonder . . .



Fresh asparagus is one of the true treasures of springtime. I love it slightly steamed and served with some lemon butter for dipping or with some rich and delicious hollandaise. I love it tossed with olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper and then roasted in the oven until it gets all slightly caramelized on the edges, and crispy tender inside. I know it's not quite fresh asparagus season just yet, but I can't help but getting a jump start on it.

Asparagus pairs up wonderfully with chicken . . .



*Chicken, Asparagus and Potatoes in a Garlic Cream Sauce*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I like to use Charlotte potatoes in this. They have a wonderful flavour and roast up nicely, keeping their shape. You will need two bunches of asparagus for this recipe.

500g of charlotte potatoes, cut into wedges (1 1/4 pound)
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 TBS olive oil
4 single boneless chicken breasts (with the skin)
400g asparagus trimmed (about 1 pound)
a small packet of chopped pancetta lardons (about 1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
125ml chicken broth (or dry white wine if you are so inclined, 1/2 cup)
2 TBS whole grain french mustard
300ml double cream (about 1 1/8 cup)


Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Combine the potatoes, pepper and olive oil in a large bowl. Tip them onto a large shallow baking tray in a single layer. Roast uncovered in the heated oven for 20 minutes or until just beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a tiny bit of oil and then brown the chicken breasts well on both sides. Place the chicken, in a single layer, over top of the potatoes and roast for an additional 10 minutes, until the potatoes are nicely done and the chicken juices run clear.

Steam or boil the asparagus for several minutes, until just tender. Drain and keep warm.

Place the pancetta lardons in a nonstick skillet and brown over medium high heat, until nicely crisped. Drain off all of the fat. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring until fragrant. Don't brown. Tip in the broth. Bring to the boil, scraping up the pan drippings and crispy bits. Boil until reduced by half. Add the cream and mustard. Bring back to the boil. Boil, stirring, until the mixture thicken slightly.

Divide the asparagus between 4 heated plates. Top with the potatoes. Spoon on half of the sauce. Lay the chicken breast on top and then spoon the remaining sauce over top. Serve immediately.

This is another gem from my Big Blue Binder. I have so many cookbooks that I sometimes forget my Big Blue Binder is there . . . but then I rediscover it again and I wonder why I ever use any other cookbook! It is that full of tasty little gems!



Beautiful little treats like these Ugly Bars . . . I'm not even sure what the original name of them was, that is long lost . . . so is the source . . . my kids christened them Ugly Bars, coz they sure ain't pretty, and that's what we have always called them!



They are proof positive that delicious doesn't have to mean pretty or complicated . . . some of the tastiest things to make are the easiest.



I always enjoyed making these because I always had the ingredients in the house to make them. White chocolate, peanut butter, rice crispies, mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.



They all work together to create something that is unctuously, sinfully rich, and crunchily moreishly scrumptious!



mmm . . . mmmmm . . . snuffle snozzle . . . mumble . . . rumble . . . Oooops!! Sorry it's not polite to talk with your mouth full . . . is it?? That is one tasty mouthful! I dare you to eat just one!



*Ugly Bars*
makes one 9 inch square pan
Printable Recipe

How could something so utterly ugly taste so fantabulous??? It's a mystery to me, but a delicious one!

12 ounces white chocolate chips
45g smooth peanut butter (1/4 cup)
100g rice bubbles (3 cups, crisp rice cereal)
75g of mini marshmallows
3 ounces mini chocolate chips, divided (1/2 cup)

Butter a 9 inch square cake tin. Set aside.

Place the white chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Melt using 30 second bursts of heat, and stirring each time. It should only take about 2 minutes maximum. Don't let the chocolate overheat as it will seize up. (Don't let any water come in contact with it either.) Add the peanut butter and whisk together until they are completely amalgamated. Let sit for a few minutes to cool down to lukewarm.

Measure the rice bubbles, mini marshmallows and 1/2 of the mini chocolate chips into a bowl. Mix together well. Pour the white chocolate mixture over top and stir quickly together. Press lightly into the prepared pan, using lightly buttered fingers. Don't compact them too much.

Place the remaining chocolate chips into a small microwavable bowl. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Using a small spoon, stir to melt and then drizzle the melted chocolate all over the bars. Allow to set completely before cutting into bars. This will take anywhere between 20 minutes and half an hour. Store in an airtight container.

I have always had a great love for granola. I like to make my own though . . . that way I can control what goes into it. When I make my own, I know exactly what is in it . . . natural ingredients, no preservatives, chemicals etc.



I first began making my own back in the early 1980's. I had a next door neighbor who used to always make her own and it was really tasty. Much nicer than what you found in the shops, and not all that expensive either. Especially if you live near a bulk food store.



Through the years I have changed and adapted the recipe until I have what I now think is the perfect recipe. Perfect for me at any rate.



I like a nutty, toasty granola. Not too sweet or too high in fat. Chock full of nuts and fruit. You can vary the variety of nuts and fruits of course, only using what it is that brings you the most joy. I like lots of fruit and nuts in mine. That's what brings me the most pleasure. Handy for breakfast or for snacks.



My favourite way to eat this is for breakfast, in a little glass fruit dessert dish . . .with a nice dollop of thick greek yoghurt on top, (No fat one for me) and a drizzle of Greek honey. I love Greek honey with it's beautiful hint of anise flavour . . . it's my favourite kind.



This is the perfect way to start the day! Seriously!



*Fruity Breakfast Granola*
makes about 14 cups
Printable Recipe

You can make this as fruity as you prefer. I have found through the years that some fruits are not that good in it as they make it soggy. I don't recommend using any MOIST type of dried fruit, I prefer to use dried apricots, cranberries, raisins, mango, etc.

6 fluid ounces vegetable oil (3/4 cup)
4 fluid ounces of liquid honey (1/2 cup)
200g soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed firmly)
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
650g of old fashioned flaked oats (8 cups)
2 handfuls of sunflower seeds (about 1/2 cup)
40g of sweetened flaked coconut (1/2 cup)
85g of raw almonds (1/2 cup . I like marcona)
60g of raw pecans (1/2 cup)
30g of raw cashew nuts (1/4 cup)
30g raw macadamia nuts (1/4 cup)

To finish:
a couple handfuls of chopped dried apricots
a couple handfuls of dried cranberries
a couple handfuls of raisins
a handful of chopped dried mango
a handful of chopped dried pineapple
a handful of chopped dried papaya
a handful of chopped dried dates

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Have ready a couple of large rimmed baking sheets, which you have sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, coconut and nuts. Set aside.

Put the oil, honey, brown sugar, salt and vanilla into a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the warm mixture over top of the oat mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat.

Divide the mixture in between both of the baking sheets. Bake in the heated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every ten minutes or so, until the granola is a deep golden brown. Allow to cool completely before adding any fruit. Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks.

Note: The recipe is quite easy to cut in half. I normally only bake a half recipe at a time because they are now just the two of us. Makes a nice snack as well.

Back home I used to love to go to the local Chinese restaurant in town on occasion for a special meal. The owners were friends of my parents and had been for years. You order by a number. I always ordered a number 4. Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls, Beef and Broccoli, Egg Fried Rice and an Egg Roll. It was my favourite meal. I have tried to make my own Beef and Broccoli at home before, but it never tastes the same. I don't know why.



This restaurant used to be called the Shaker Restaurant when I was a teen . . . and it was where we used to hang out after school drinking cokes and eating chips. It had those quaint booths and all . . . it was the place to go if you wanted to check out all the hunkaroonies in the town. Anyways . . . I digress!!



Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls. Love them . . . but they're not all that good for you are they? Dipped in batter and deep fried . . . tsk tsk. Very naughty, but totally delicious.

These lovely wraps are a way of fulfilling the craving you might have for Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls . . . except nothing is deep fried and they're quite healthy. You simply make the sauce and pour it over the chicken filets (tenders) and then bake them in the oven until the sauce thickens and gets all sweet and sour scrummy.



I cheat and use one of those pouches of ready cooked basamati rice, the two serving size . . . it stretches easily to help fill at least 4 wraps, if not more.



Of course you could just have that delicious chicken on it's own as a main course with some rice and vegetables . . . it's just as tasty that way . . . but these wraps are extra delish . . . a bit of crunch from the fresh lettuce . . . that tender sweet and sour chicken . . . some tasty rice . . . layered together and wrapped up in a warm whole wheat tortilla!



Wowsa . . . wowsa!! Dey be mighty good if I don't say so myself. I think I sometimes come up with the most delicious ideas, don't you? And it's even better when they are kinda, sorta . . . healthy!!



*Sweet and Sour Chicken Wraps*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

These are one of the best things I've eaten lately. Toasty warm wheat tortillas wrapped around sweet and sour chicken tenders, lettuce and chinese rice. Yummo! Plan ahead as the chicken needs to cook for about 1 hour before you make the wraps.

For the chicken:
1 400g pack of chicken mini fillets (tenders You will need 2 to 3 per person)
garlic salt
black pepper
2 TBS corn flour (cornstarch)
125ml of white vinegar (1/2 cup)
145g sugar (3/4 cup)
125ml of chicken broth (1/2 cup)
4 TBS tomato ketchup
1 TBS dark soy sauce

To finish:
1 pouch of cooked oriental stir fry basamati rice (2 serving size)
1/2 small head of lettuce, shredded (about 2 cups)
4 large whole wheat tortillas

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Place the chicken filet pieces into a shallow baking dish. Dust with garlic salt and black pepper. Whisk together the cornflour, sugar, vinegar, broth, ketchup and soy sauce. Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces, and stir to coat. Bake in the preheated oven until very tender and glazed. The sauce will be nice and thick. Take out of the oven and proceed as follows.

Heat the pouch of rice in the microwave according to package directions. Set aside.

Heat 4 tortillas in the microwave as per package directions. Lay each on a heated plate. Place 1/4 of the lettuce down the middle of each heated tortilla. Top with 1/4 of the pouch of heated rice and then with 2 or 3 glazed chicken tenders. Close each wrap and serve immediately.

PSSSTT!! The winner of the Cillit Bang All in One Cleaner is commentor number 4 as chosen by a random number generator. (Sorry don't know how to post a picture of that, or even take one.) Gil you are the winner. If you could e-mail me your details I'll make sure they get one out to you as soon as! Thanks all for entering. Wish I could give one to each of you!

Even though we have had a fairly mild winter this year . . . I still find myself longing for the salad days of summer . . . there are some days when stodge just doesn't cut the mustard. I want lettuce, and I want it now!



I love fresh salads made with lovely fresh tomatoes and other salad vegetables, but in truth . . . the tomatoes at this time of year are decidedly anemic looking and tasting! There is no salvaging them!!



Instead I choose to use fresh fruit. It adds beautiful colour, texture and flavours to my salad. eating apples and pears . . . the fruits of winter . . . along with some sweetly chewy dried cranberries, little jewels of colour . . .



Tossed together with some lovely cos lettuce . . . crisp and crunchy and slightly bitter . . . just perfect with the sweetness of the fruit . . .



Crunchy salty roasted cashew nuts . . . Creamy sweet nutty emmenthal cheese . . .
And a sweet and sour lemon and poppy seed dressing . . . homemade of course! You get the tartness of the lemon combined with the sweetness of sugar . . . a little bite from some grated onion and the crunch of poppy seeds.



Oh, my . . . this is some good, and does the trick. I am happy . . . for now . . .



*Winter Fruit Salad with a Lemon and Poppy Seed Dressing*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

A perfect blend of crunchy cos lettuce, sweet apples, pears and cranberries, salty cashew nuts and nutty emmenthal cheese, swathed in a tangy lemon and poppy seed dressing. Delicious!

1 pound of cos lettuce hearts, washed, dried and torn into bits
(Romaine lettuce, 16 ounces)
6 ounces emmenthal cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler (Swiss cheese)
150g of roasted salted cashew nuts (1 cup)
75g of sweetened dried cranberries (1/2 cup)
1 large eating apple, washed, cored and thinly sliced
1 large ripe pear, washed, cored and thinly sliced

For the Dressing:
95g of white sugar (1/2 cup)
125ml fresh lemon juice (1/2 cup)
2 tsp finely grated onion
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
150ml of salad oil (2/3 cup)
1 TBS poppy seeds
(This will make more dressing than you need, but you can store it in the refrigerator and
use it for other salads.)

To make the dressing, shake all of the dressing ingredients together in a large jar until emulsified. Set aside.

Toss the lettuce, cheese, nuts, cranberries, apple slices and pear slices together in a bowl. Divide amongst chilled serving plates. Give the dressing a good shake again and drizzle some of the dressing over the salads. Pass remaining dressing so that people can top it up as need be on their own salads.