Comfort food- good old traditional British grub Yum. Shepherds pie is just one of those classics. I think this evening all I'll do is a spaghetti in sauce. The sauce is made from smoked bacon lardons- fried until crisp with onion and garlic, oregano, black pepper, then a tin of chopped tomatoes is added with some basil. The cooked spaghetti goes in when this has simmered for about 20 minutes, its turned down low and fresh spinach is added to it with the lid on to allow it to wilt. More freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese on the top to serve with garlic bread on the side.

We've got roast pork today. I've put so much salt on the fat, we might need a pneumatic drill to cut the crackling.

As I only have only ate poultry for the past35 years and I love the smell of bacon, I have discovered turkey rashers by Mattisons.
At first I fried them, then being lazy put them on a plate in microwave, just as good. They are delicious-smoky ones are the best.Very low fat and high protien too.

I'm going to look them out. I haven't seen these before. Thank You .

Turkey rashers are quite nice; when I worked in the Middle East we often had them.

I haven't tried chicken sausages but I do have a great big bag of Welsh dragon sausages. They are from our butcher friend. He makes them from scratch and no sooner has he done so they sell out.They are so meaty made with pork- not rough end cuts either. They are mixed with herby concoction and some chilli to give a very subtle kick and there's no fat in them or next to none. I think I'll wack a few on the BBQ later and we'll have them with salad and jersey new potatoes.

Corned beef hash and baked beans today. - Easy and light.

I could never get my head around corned beef. I only met it at school aged 11-18. I still can't. Rebonnk, I'm sure you enjoyed it anyway? x

I did Gladys.

Only one problem, I mucked up setting the oven before I went out for a drink: got home and it was stone cold. Shall we say I received a few stern words from the other half?

Still, once heated through it was lovely.

I have a sweet potato chilli planned for the weekend. Mmmmm!

As long as it works out right, I'll post it here midweek

I cooked the chili early this morning, and I must say, it tastes a treat.

I always think a chili tastes better after being rested before being eaten, rather like a good stew.

The recipe will do the two of us for two days when served with rice.

2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Half a dozen stalks celery, chopped
2 largish sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tea spoons chili powder

Cook gently at 160 for about 1[SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]2[/SUB] hours

I'll add a few chopped spring onions when I warm it for serving.

If you don't like it too hot, perhaps add the chili powder later and gradually?

Yum- sounds lovely. What time are you eating? I haven't decided on our meal yet. It'll be hard to follow last night's though. The most yummiest meal cooked by our friends and shared with 8 in total. To start, nibbles in the form of olives, gherkins, nachos with jalapenos etc washed down with a glass of fiz, then a whole leg of lamb that had been studded with garlic and rosemary served with crushed new potatoes sprinkled with rosemary, ( You have to like rosemary or you'd be stuffed) finished off with fresh green beans, sprouts and carrots and of course a light but tasty gravy if you wished. Then as if that wasn't enough- rhubarb and mandarin crumble with ginger ice cream and or custard and cream. I missed that bit- I'm not a rhubarb fan but I did par take of the cheese and biscuits which included a whole Camembert studded with garlic and (guess what?) rosemary baked until runny. Simply magic.I think we wended our way home around 0145. If it is going to be between 24-26 degrees today, I think its going to be a salad with a couple of steaks on the BBQ.

well that's it- BBQ has gone. I'll probably do stir fry chicken and will use some spring onions in that too. They really do add something to it that I notice is missing if I don't use them.

I did a Jamaican style corned beef meal last night.

Corned beef
Red pepper
Tomatoes
Onion
Spring onion
Sprinkle of chili powder

Served with white rice and cucumber.

Even Mrs Rebbonk was impressed!

I've made a beef Jalfrehzi from scratch for tonight. I uusually do it with chicken but thought I'd give it a go using the beef. Its smells and tastes delicious- just simmering on low now.

I'm doing onion and corn omelette and farm house sausages, veg on the side, peas and broccoli.
plain and simple today.