Tuesday 25 August 2009

a country mouse cooks dinner






I bought yet another new cookbook the other day: Fay's Family Food http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=fay%27s+family+food
by Fay Ripley, who used to be in Cold Feet. I justified it to myself because it was reduced to £5 and really after all it's an INVESTMENT in my search for an organised life.

Last night I made Creamy Boursin Salmon Penne (P.183) from the "Don't Panic" section. I ate it and loved it, DH ate it but didn't love it and Little R didn't eat it at all. "Yuck," was her verdict. It involved mixing Greek yoghurt, tomato puree and garlicky soft cheese into a sauce and pouring that over pasta with steamed, flaked salmon and steamed broccoli. My verdict was "Yum" so we'll be having that again and Little R can have a banana.

Tonight I made One Pot Lemon Chicken With Thyme Rice (P.90). I was very attracted by the one-pot notion - Fay advises that you "use your favourite casserole dish"- until I realised that Fay is using one of those fabulous and scarily expensive casserole dishes that can be used on the hob then transferred to the oven and which also look very Jamie Oliverish on your table afterwards. I don't have such a thing. So I cooked it all in my huge silver frying pan then nearly put myself in A&E pouring it into a le Creuset rectangular casserole dish (splash splash OWWW) and covering it with tinfoil. Worked out fine. No need for vast expenditure to be made on kitchenware on http://www.johnlewis.com/, although I did enjoy contemplating that. I loved it, DH ate it without comment and Little R said yuck and ate a banana.

2 comments:

  1. Mmmm, the pasta recipe sounds delicious and nice & quick too. I'd also spotted the book for £5 on Amazon but have so far managed to resist...

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  2. The pasta one was particularly good for an organised life as I did it all in a steamer, with the pasta in the bottom section with the boiling water and the salmon and broccoli cooking above in the steam. Fay's tip was to oil the steamer pan for the fish so it doesn't stick. Next time I make it I'll go easier on the garlic soft cheese though.

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