Long time...

...sorry that I have no posted something in a long time.  But I am actually waiting for some pictures of more cupcakes I made this weekend.  As soon as I get them, I will send them in a new post to share with you!

Also, last night, I made risotto for the first time...very strange rice in the sense that you have to keep adding stock and waiting for it to be absorbed, but a great result!  I added bacon bits to make it more interesting, but after leaving the food overnight, the bacon seems to have salted the meal so much that it is difficult to stomach!  Well, we live and learn...

:)

Confession

Ok, ok, I know that it seems like years since I posted something on this blog, but to be honest, I have been cheating as far as my cooking is concerned.  Hey, I'm human.  Michael has been eating all the sandwiches and burgers that I have been churning out, and I know that it is time for me to make something nourishing and wholesome for him again...

Nigella!!!

Spaghetti Carbonara

I spent some time with Nigella this weekend...watching her "Nigella Feasts" dvd.  As soon as I came across the episode "Solitary Sensations", I knew that I had to make something special for Sunday dinner.  I tried the Spaghetti Carbonara...:)  What a joy!  And to make things even more interesting, I didn't have any white wine to hand, so I used red, and the results were awesome!
The idea of eating raw egg may seem repulsive to some, but believe me, it makes a sunshine sauce which is not only delicious, but also sticks to each strand of spaghetti!

Awesome!  Thanks Nigella!  :)

I'm not sure if it is my own doing, or that of Nigella, but I am often inspired to create Italian dishes that are more than just ordinary.  So, I made normal penne pasta last night, but added a sauce that was more than just tomato...it contained fresh herbs and pepper...I also added some chicken strips and added this sauce to the pasta...really awesome.  :)

Just take ingredients you like, mix them and you will be amazed by how amazing the meal can be!

:)

Sad as this may sound, I have had a week of fast foods and sandwiches!  Sometimes life can really take you on a side road and your time to cook is not forthcoming...well, I have to say that I was unhappy not to be in the kitchen, but I am so looking forward to getting back in there and making something new!  :)

So, Michael and I are going on a picnic this weekend, and we are taking Nigella along (metaphorically speaking)  :)

We are having buttermilk chicken drumsticks, pecan nut coleslaw and rocky road, as talked about in one of Nigella Express episodes...:)

Going to be awesome!  Will take pics!

A curry in a hurry...

I have always been a fan of indian food, and I am happy to say (smug even), that I have found a way to make a curry in a hurry.  Strange as it may sound, one should always cook the spices before you add them to the meat that you are using.  So I made some chicken last night, fried in butter, and cooked the indian spices seperately in some water (feel free to use any spicage you like).  Then I combined the two, added some coconut milk and some spicey rice.  I served this with some home-made brown bread...

All praise again to the Queen of food...Nigella...what an inspiration she is in my kitchen!  :)

Long weekend...

We just enjoyed a long weekend here in South Africa for the Easter season, and I had this brilliant idea to make trifle according to Nigella's recipe which she shares on the Nigella Feasts DVD.  So, I bought some chocolate cake, canned cherries, custard and cream...layer upon layer of gorgeousness!  :)

Michael and I are STILL eating on the trifle, and it is a joy with every bite!