I have found making chicken (on the bone) so much easier since trying out numerous Nigella chicken recipes   And somehow, every time the meat is incredibly tender and even sweeter to taste.  I made some baked chicken covered in bacon, but added some crushed garlic and lemon between the chicken and the bacon.  The lemon permeated the entire piece of chicken and made the entire meal fresh and satisfying!  I served this up with some vegetables...:)

I made Michael's favorite last night again...chicken, mushrooms and bacon pie...it is always a winner, but I realized something about the gravy...the more flour you add, the thicker the gravy becomes...to many of you this might be obvious, but I learned that last night for the first time.  That fact is going to help me in future stews, pies and gravy en devours!  :)

Hi everyone...tonight I am going to attempt to be Italian again, by making some pasta with minced beef and cheese.  Sounds simple, but Nigella has taught me that to enhance the flavor of this kind of dish, you should start off with garlic oil and onion.  You can even add some frozen peas into the mix to add a bit of substance.  Going to do all of the above!

And just for fun, I wanted to show you all how the amazing Nigella appeared at the promotion of her Nigellissima book in New York.  :)

The amazing thing about pies to me, is not only are they super comforting, but they are also incredibly easy to make!  My particular favorites are sausage rolls and Nigella's Chicken pie with bacon and mushrooms.  Last night, Michael and I enjoyed the sausage roll comfort, with some italian potato chips (salt, pepper and oregano)...what a treat!  :)

Try it!!

Ok, so, last night was not exactly the culinary experience of them all, but I must say it was delicious nonetheless...Michael and I made some toasted sandwiches with ham, salami, cheese, mayo and home-made chutney (Nigella Christmas Chutney).  All of this was pleasurably washed down with some sweet tea.  :)

You know that there is an episode in the Nigella series called "Retro Rapido"...well, one of those recipes is for sole goujons...sounds amazing, but when you cannot get your hands on some sole, then chicken will do just the thing!  I made some chicken goujons with corn flakes, chicken spice, chili flakes and mayo to bond it all together...then bake this in a high oven for about twenty minutes!  And there you go!  I served it with some potato salad which had bacon and cheese...yum.  :)

I find that sometimes, making something a little more traditional can give you a new perspective on an old favorite. I was adventurous again, and decided to combine the Nigella skills I have gained through reading her cookbooks and watching her amazing shows, by creating a meal which is so typically South African, but should be shared with the world...
I made use smoked snoek (fish), with curried rice, peas, corn and boiled egg last night.  Michael had the good sense to suggest that I add some lemon to the mix, which really brought out the flavors!  The smoked fish is very strong, and one needs to be careful when adding spice...so I kept it simple by using salt, pepper and some curry.  It serves well as a meal on its own, but can be served with some toasted wholewheat bread if you are in the mood.  I'm sure Nigella would be so proud of me!  :)

Here is a pic of the traditional creation with a Nigella twist...

 

Food, to me, is a very interesting part of life.  Not only does food sustain life, but we can also experiment with it, and learn from it.  Just such an occasion came up last night when I was preparing supper for Michael and I.  I have to admit that I have never seen Nigella prepare pizza, but I have seen her recipe for Naan bread pizza in the Nigella Express cookbook.  The idea of pizza has always inspired me, not because I have an Italian background (but I have been to Italy), but because pizza allows you to add and be creative in every sense of the word.  Cheese is an obvious addition to any pizza, and also a tomato base.  You can pretty much add anything you like as a filling, and keep going until the pizza resembles a child's coloring book.  :)  And once it is all done, pop the pizza into a moderate oven for about five minutes, and the results are incredible!  :)  The only tip I can give you is to add salt and oregano...they are perfect for any pizza!  The cheese you use also makes no difference, unless of course you use Stilton or blue cheese...but any are good.

Enjoy!  :)

To be honest, not every cooking experience can be a pleasant one...sad, but true...
Last night I attempted to make quiche, and must have added too much of something, and it didn't turn out as expected.  Luckily, Michael is always a trooper, and we ate the food anyway.  I guess we have to make mistakes sometimes to learn more about food.  So if you ever find yourself happily cooking away, and it does not turn out as expected, just don't lose hope!  See it as a learning curve!  :)

My psychology tip for all you home chefs out there!