Last week we had the Elders over for supper one night. I wanted to do them a real treat and so I decided that I would do them a BBQ Supper.   I had just gotten a lovely BBQ pack from Chadwick's Butchers and so it was the perfect opportunity to try out some different meats and to treat the lads.  I only did hot dogs and burgers and so I also created some delicious toppings to have with them.

I confess we eat a lot of chicken in this house and if you have been reading my blog for any appreciable of time that won't be news to you.  Sorry about that.  It's affordable protein, adaptable to lots of flavours and techniques and we like it.  It was a lot more expensive when I was a child.  I don't think we had it very often then.  It was a real treat and usually came in the form of a roast chicken . . .

I really love hummus.   Shop bought hummus is  really convenient, readily available and really convenient to use. But how much better is homemade . . .  I adore homemade hummus.  It's quite easy to make nd not very time consuming and boy, is it ever delicious.  I enjoy serving and eating it with raw vegetable sticks and toasted pita's for a really healthy snack.

I am no stranger to Zeo lightly carbonated drinks.   I had the opportunity to review them a couple of years ago, and so when I was given the opportunity to review some of their newer flavours I jumped at the chance!  I loved their old flavours and I have fallen in love with these new ones.  Made from natural ingredients, ZEO is an eclectic gathering of bold botanicals, fruits and fantastical flavours from nature.



In my box was:  Peach and Grapefruit, Zesty Lime and Blood Orange and Citrus.

I popped them into the fridge right away.

Zeo's exciting crisp tastes are created by blending 32 fruits and botanicals gathered from around the world with cold, clear, refreshing, mineral-rich spring water from the heart of England. Even the deliciously colours are extracted from nature. Lightly sweetened the sweetness is gathered from natural Stevia plants from South America, which are 400 times sweeter than sugar, but have absolutely zip calories. The rest of the sweetness comes from a touch of sugar beets and natural sugar cane.

I have been enjoying the bottles I was sent over the past few nights and when I say enjoying, I really mean enjoying.  They are light, refreshing and only slightly carbonated.  If I had to pick a favourite amongst these three . . .  I think the Blood Orange and Citrus might be it, but in all honesty I have enjoyed all three.

Crafted in small batches and  distilled and blended to make each recipe from its naturally sourced ingredients, these drinks are pleasant and quite satisfying.  I don't drink tea or coffee and I don't like to drink caffeinated cold drinks, and these made a really nice and refreshing drink to sit and relax with while I've been watching the telly evenings.

If you would like to know more about them and where to buy them, do heck out their page!  Release your brighter side!

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Many thanks to Zeo for sending me these to try. If you are looking for a refreshing drink which is low in sugar and filled with natural ingredients you really can't go wrong with Zeo.  I really did enjoy them and was not required to write a positive review.

We really love chicken in this house.   It's quite an affordable meat and very adaptable, which is why I was really happy to receive the latest cookery book by Paul Gayler to review, entitled . . . "Chicken & Other Birds, from the perfect roast chicken to Asian-style duck breasts.  Photography by Kevin Summers.   This is a book that will get a lot of use.

I have always wanted to bake Madeleines.   I have had a silicone Madeleine pan for quite a while now and had never used it.  Today was the day.

Ahhh  . . . .  Madeleines. That little French butter cake that most (non-French) people think of more as a cookie.

I have always wished that I lived in a place where you could get really good fresh peaches . . .  grown locally . . . and sweetly delicious.  To be able to walk out your door and pick a fresh peach sounds like a dream.  It's just never been my reality, and the peach is one of my favourite fruits.  I have always just had to do with tinned peaches or peaches which have been shipped in from much warmer climes.  I happen to love tinned peaches.  A favourite dessert when I was growing up was a scoop of  vanilla ice cream topped with some tinned peaches.  I still love it.

I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil! I also love sandwiches! This is a definite win/win situation! This is Day Five!  The final day!

Prior to moving back to Chester in 2010, I was employed as a person chef at a Manor house down in Kent.   I got to stretch my abilities and skills cooking for large silver service dinner parties and cocktail parties . . . and scrummy lady's luncheons . . . beautiful food and presentations . . .

I never ever got to partake of any of it, I was always the cook, and never the guest . . . kind of like always being the bridesmaid, but never the bride!

 I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil!  I also love sandwiches!  This is a definite win/win situation!   This is Day Four!

We've had a really busy day here today running about here and there.   We had to go all the way up to Manchester to have the Toddster's iPad fixed and then back again, amongst all of our other duties and so today for eats . . .  easy is the order of the day.

I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil!  I also love sandwiches!  This is a definite win/win situation!   This is Day Three!

I had a molar pulled this afternoon and am not feeling that great tonight. I am sure glad that I got a good dinner in before I went to the Dentist, because I sure wouldn't be able to get one in at the moment . . . I want ice cream, maybe . . . or soup.

 I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team.   As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running.  I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil! This is Day Two!

There is something deeply satisfying about a buttery, breaded and spiced breast of chicken baked until crisp . . . yet still fork tender on the insides . . . served alongside of a crisp and flavourful slaw . . . eaten out on the patio on a nice summer's evening . . . and shared with the one you love.









This is the perfect summer supper pour deux. The bread crumbs . . . all savoury and buttery . . . gilding the chicken breasts in a golden crisp blanket . . . with just a hint of spice. It won't smack you in the face . . . but it's there . . .