#NewWeekNewRecipe – Becoming a Domestic Goddess

If you read my last blog post you will know that awhile back I had gotten into a bit of a food rut and wasn’t really enjoying cooking anymore! So I decided I was going to try a new recipe every week to try new things, improve my cooking skills and experiment with different flavours and cuisines. Here are my August recipes!

I’ve linked all the recipes below which you can follow if you like. I tend to read the recipe to get a general feel for how it’s done and then just start cooking so I rarely follow it to the letter.

Cauliflower Pizza

Pizza is my absolute favourite food but I always feel sick after I eat it and I was reading everywhere that a cauliflower base is a great alternative so I figured I’d give it a try. I think I told Mark on the Tuesday that I was making it that Saturday and he spent the whole week giving out about it saying I was crazy and I was ruining his weekend cheat meals. Bit dramatic, I know, but I was determined to make it!!

I used this recipe. The one thing I’ll say is that my mixture was very wet so I think less egg is needed but you can judge it yourself. I added salami, chilli and spinach to the pizza.

When it came out of the oven I was genuinely surprised at how appetising it looked! We had to eat it with a knife and fork but it tasted great! Definitely worth a try if you don’t want to get the sick tummy after a real pizza. I’d make it again!

Bhuna & Bombay Aloo

A bhuna and Bombay aloo are my favourite dishes to get from an Indian so I figured I’d try and make it myself. You can find the recipes here & here. I followed the recipe pretty closely because it was my first time attempting an Indian dish. Making all the different pastes and things made me feel like a really accomplished cook! I actually remembered to take pictures as I went (for once!) so you can see them below.

This dinner was delicious! The Bombay aloo were actually dry (they’re always in a sauce in the Indian takeaways) but they were really tasty. The bhuna was amazing too and full of flavour. I’m ashamed to say I did kind of miss the MSG and the feeling of knowing you’re being bold but other than that I cannot recommend this dish enough! I think it would impress at the dinner table if you had guests!

Chilli & Garlic Pasta

Has anyone seen Chef?? Well there is a scene where Jon Favreau makes Scarlett Johansson this dish and it’s so bloody hot I had to make it! So basically Mark was my Scarlett and I was the fat dude! I used this recipe although it’s really easy to make so you hardly need it! Chilli, garlic and pasta are possibly my three favourite foods in the world so this couldn’t go wrong!! I served it with blackened pesto chicken which was great!

Jambalaya

I worked in Bubba Gump’s, Chicago, for a summer where I discovered jambalaya! I had totally forgotten about it until I saw someone make it on ‘Come dine with me’ so I decided to give it a go. Find the recipe here (I threw in some prawns towards the end, just so you know). It worked out really well and was very tasty but I think I’d add a little chilli next time as it didn’t really have much of a kick (I like spicy food so take that statement with a pinch of salt…or chilli (I’m so funny!)). Mark absolutely loved this dish!

So there you go! My first four recipes from my #NewWeekNewRecipe challenge! I won’t be doing the challenge for September because I’m away for most of it and am trying to eat super healthy in the run up to my holiday in Thailand *SQUEEEEELS with excitement*.

My next blog post will document the final weigh in before the holiday! I have a goal in mind so let’s hope I make it. I was 3 pounds off with a week to go so it’s a tough one!

Check back soon to see how I do! And of course if you have any recipes you think I should try let me know in the comments below, follow me on Twitter –@Shlawlor and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby

How to become a doer!

Around the end of July I was feeling bored and miserable. The summer was not what I had hoped for, with little sun, few Sunday sessions and pretty much no fun outdoor activities to be had! I was caught in a cycle of getting up, going to work, making the same old dinners and bingeing on Netflix every night. BORING!!

So one day I decided to create a mind map (using www.mindmup.com) to have a visual of my LOVES in life and what I should be spending my time doing. The idea came to me after meeting a friend on the train who was also in a bit of a rut. She told me about a bit of advice she had been given – write a list of things you love and then write a list of things you do every day. Then, in future, aim to make the second list as close to the first as possible! Simples!

Once I mapped out my ‘loves’ I realised I wasn’t really spending much of my time on them at all so I expanded the map to include the possible ways I could improve this. The result is below! I wasn’t sure at first if I wanted to share this picture because it’s very personal, a little cringey and people will quite possibly read this and judge me and think I’m a total sap. But then I thought of this quote –

‘If you had no fear of failure or of what people thought of you what could you achieve?’

 

–  and thought ‘fuck it!’ These are things I love and whoever loves me will be proud of me for going for it! So here it is….

As you can see I love food, writing and (more recently) I have been enjoying some photography! So this mindmap is the reason I started writing again on Lovefoodbaby. You can also see I love organisation (a bit obvious given the colour coded mind map) and travel. After taking this screenshot I also added singing to the map. I love to sing but actually NEVER do, at least not outside of the shower!

I was pretty happy with myself once I completed this but, about a week later, when I took the last piece of fruit out of my glass fruit bowl I saw the mindmap underneath piled up with all my bills and random pieces of paper gathering dust! Looking through the pieces of paper with lists and plans and random writings I realised something. I’m a friggin amazing planner, but not the may west *best* at actually DOING anything!!

And so the idea of a dream board was formed!! I realised that unless I saw the mindmap and lists and other random things I print off every day I will never actually act on any of it!! The boyfriend was kind enough to get me a big cork board and I began pinning. It’s like my real life pinterest board and I love it!

Ever organised, I printed off a title and little subheadings which I’ve listed below –

Title

Live…Laugh…love! (I know it’s cliché but it only became a cliché because it’s so on point and I really identify with it!)

Subtitles

• Mind map – Where it all began!
• Map of the world – Highlight the placed I’ve been (19 countries and counting!)
• Places to see before I die – The satisfaction of ticking these off will be immense!
• Goals – For this year and for 5 years (I told you I was a planner)
• Achievements – It’s important to remind yourself of the good you’ve done!
• Recipe of the week – Watch out for my new hastag – #NewWeekNewRecipe
• Inspiration – Quotes, pictures and anything else that inspires me!

And so the finished product looks like this! I’ve added a lot more to it now but you get the jist.

So I guess the big question is did it work? Well so far so good! I’ve made it as interactive as possible so I am changing the recipe, crossing off the days of my fitness challenges and adding/changing pictures and quotes pretty frequently. It’s in my bedroom and I see it every morning as soon as I get up!

Have I achieved anything with this yet? YES!

• I’ve lost 10 pounds and started to notice muscles that definitely weren’t there before, thanks to my challenges etc.
• I’ve learnt how to make 4 new recipes in the past month
• I’ve really cut down on my TV time
• I’m feeling a lot more positive and like I have a real direction in life which really is the best change I could have asked for!

I know this stuff isn’t for everyone and someone will laugh at it, mock it or disregard it but it is working for me and I think it’ll work for you too if you give it a try! Let me know if you do!! Let me know in the comments below, follow me on Twitter –@Shlawlor and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby

Brunch in Dublin: Whitefriar Grill vs San Lorenzo’s

Last weekend Mark and myself went into the Travel Health Clinic to get our jabs for Thailand. We decided we might as well make a bit of a day of it so I booked Whitefriar grill for brunch. Since it’s been named the best brunch in Dublin by Lovin Dublin I was really excited to give it a try. I booked a couple weeks in advance as I assumed it would be busy and it was. If you want to try it out definitely book in advance to avoid total despair. Too dramatic?

A couple of months ago I went to San Lorenzo’s with a few girl friends so below is a bit of a comparison. Who will be the winner?? Read on and find out!

The Staff

Anyway, jabs done and lollypops awarded, we headed over to the restaurant. The first thing I have to comment on is the WFG staff. I had been here for the early bird before also and both times the staff have just been so nice. I think it makes such a difference to the meal, especially for me, as I enjoy a bit of random banter. The staff in San Lorenzo’s were perfectly nice but I think in this case WFG steal the point!

The Décor

On the interior both places are really nice. San Lorenzo’s is much brighter which is great for brunch but I’d like to see how they set the mood in the evening. WFG is pretty dark which is perfect for evenings and I guess it’s good for cosy winter brunches too. I’m going to call a tie here.

The Food

 

On to the important business – the food. In WFG I ordered chicken parmigiana on ciabatta with sausage, melted mozzarella, rocket and fries. I find I always go for poached eggs or huevos benedict so I’m trying to broaden my horizons. The first thing to mention is the waitress laughing at my look of sheer horror when the food arrived. My sandwich was MONSTROUS! I don’t know how everyone else feels about this but I really think if there are sandwiches or burgers on a menu they really should be small enough to fit in your mouth! A big stretched jaw bite kind of size is perfect but this was so big I couldn’t even eat it with the top piece of bread taken off. And my mouth is not small! On the taste side of things it was fine. The sauce was good but it kind of reminded me of an Italian pasta sauce. The chicken was nothing to get excited about and the chips were pretty plain without a sauce. I ended up giving the end of it to Mark. He had gotten toasted sourdough w/ tomato fondue, smashed avocado, asparagus, chilli jam, poached eggs and said it was nice but nothing to lose your shit over!

 

In San Lorenzo’s again I tried to break from my norm and I got brunch tacos – Jerk chicken with avocado salsa, fried chorizo, red pepper mayo, iceberg lettuce, coriander, chili and lime. Straight away when the tacos arrived they looked so gorgeous and colourful! The meat was juicy and the toppings were perfect. It had a good kick, which is exactly what I wanted. I hate when you order a spicy dish and it’s got sweetness to it but this was just fiery perfection. The avocado worked really well too. Is it just me or are avocados suddenly totally en vogue? You’re no one if you’re not eating avocado at brunch! Everyone was really impressed with their dishes so we left very full and happy!

All in all it’s clear to see that San Lorenzo’s have won this round and, as the food really is key, they have won the battle! Really there is no competition, San Lorenzos’s wins hands down! The food is just absolute perfection and is probably the best brunch I’ve ever had.

I, by no means, want to shit all over WFG. The food was nice and I think I ordered wrong. I would try it again and get the heuvos rancheros but, with so many other places to try such as 777 and Taco Taco, I think it’ll be awhile before I’m back.

What’s your favourite brunch spot? Let me know in the comments below, follow me on Twitter – @Shlawlor and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby

48 hours in London – What to do!

Last weekend I went over to London to visit my friend, Aoife. I had such a great weekend that I just had to get back to blogging so I could tell the Internet all about it! It was my third time in London and although I would never live there I really do love the buzz and vibe of the city.

In April, when I last went to London, my friends and I missed our flight because we were in the bloody bar! Like one minute away from the gate! So I went directly to my gate this time round, after a quick stop off in duty free to treat myself to some perfume! Aoife and I really wanted to make the most of the weekend and visit a few different markets and restaurants so I was on the ball and did my makeup and hair on the train into the city so we didn’t waste any time!

On Friday night we went to Dalston Yard Street Feast, which is a night market that runs over the summer in 3 locations. The place was buzzing when we arrived around 10pm and there were a lot of people who had clearly been out since 5pm! I immediately loved the look and feel of the place! We started off with a cucumber G&T in the Gin Store while we tried to figure out what we wanted to eat. I wasn’t too hungry so I decided to get a cheeseburger slider and some chili fries from Slider Bar. The guy taking the orders was fucking everything up and it REALLY annoyed me! The slider wasn’t even that great and the fries were average so it was pretty disappointing. Aoife on the other hand got an amazing brisket burger and Cajun fries from Smokestak. They cook their meat in a 4.5 tonne custom fabricated smoker train! The meat was crazy tender and the Cajun mayo was TDF as Aoife would say. TDF – To Die For. Serious order envy on my part!

The market closes up at midnight so afterwards we nipped into Farr’s School of Dancing for another G&T and some people watching. The bar has a really cool vintage theme and is definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

The next day we were up bright and early to seize the day! We rented the London bikes, which are only £2 for the day, and cycled to Victoria Park. Once we got there we had brunch at the famous Victoria Park Pavilion. I opted for bacon and egg on sourdough bread and Aoife got eggs florentine. The food was really good and it was so nice to be sitting outside on the picnic benches beside the lake. The lake was so nice in fact that Aoife decided we should rent a pedal boat and have a little tour around it! I’m not sure if we got a dodgy boat or what but it was REALLY hard to get the thing moving and turning! We ended up getting stuck in some weeds and at one point I honestly thought we were going to have to be rescued! We eventually got back to the pier though and I was happy to be back on dry land. I don’t think I ever laughed so much!

With legs like jelly we got back on our bikes and cycled through the park and towards the Olympic stadium. We got off the bikes at the back of the stadium and had to walk the entire way around it to get to the entrance. Aoife is not the best tour guide. She wanted to go to the man-made Beach East to check it out and once we got there we went straight to Pub Tropicana for a drink and to cool off! It was gloriously sunny and about 24 degrees!

Next up was a quick train ride to Greenwich for a look around the naval college and a cup of coffee. I really liked it here. It’s much more laid-back and European than the other spots we visited. I guess I’m just not much of a city girl! We headed back to Aoife’s apartment then to chill out and rest our feet!

Once we finished our episode of ‘come dine with me’ (seriously, I’m always either eating, thinking about what to eat or watching programs about people eating!) we got ready for our night out! We had decided we were going to go to Brick Lane for an Indian so I had done a bit of research to choose the best place to go. I found this blog really helpful when making the decision!

So, we ended up going to Cinnamon! It was BYOB so we brought two bottles of wine with us. Classy ladies! The trick to getting a good deal for your meal is to know where you are going and then act really interested in the restaurant beside that place! We ended up getting 20% off our bill. I wanted to hold out for a free drink too but sure what are ya gonna do?!

I got the bhuna and Aoife got the butter chicken. We shared some poppadums, garlic naan and bombay aloo too. It was A LOT of food! We both enjoyed our meals but I would have like if the bhuna was a bit spicier. There was literally no kick from it. Aoife also said that, while the butter chicken was nice, it wasn’t like any other she’d had before and it was more yellowy than red. The highlight of the night was when the waiter informed us – AFTER we had eaten our meals – that eating rice at night makes you fat! He then proceeded to tell us he was a personal trainer and whipped out his phone to show us a picture of his bicep. So weird!!

After dinner we walked up to Shoreditch high-street and ended up in Dragon Bar. Having eaten so much Aoife was convinced that we would not be able to get drunk. Let’s just say we proved her theory wrong! It was a great night just dancing around drinking more wine. I have to say, I just love the music in the bars in London. There was a lot of RnB and rap which is right up my street and which you don’t really get in Ireland so I was having the time of my life! It also helped that no-one knew me so I didn’t have to be self conscious about my hella-cool dance moves! Girl got SWAG!

Me being me, I left my phone in the bar but the lovely barman kindly text MY DAD to tell him they had it so I had to drag a very poorly Aoife back to the bar the next day to retrieve it and immediately delete many embarrassing Snapchat story entries which, thankfully, had not sent yet! Once we’d gotten that business out of the way we stopped off at Shoreditch Urban Street Fest for a feed. I got a pepperoni pizza, which was crap, and Aoife got an Argentinean steak sandwich, which was delicious. Second bout of order envy of the weekend!

Having put Aoife through enough, we parted ways at Liverpool street station. I was tired, a bit peaky and pretty emotional at this point with the thought of a flight home but it was so worth it for such an amazing weekend!!

So, what do you like to get up to when you’re in London? Leave a comment if you know of any places, restaurants or activities I should check out next time! Follow me on Twitter – @Shlawlor and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby

Review of The Gourmet Kitchen, Irish Village Markets

Yet again I found myself walking towards Merrion Square last Thursday afternoon for the Irish Village Market. I brought my lunch in specifically to avoid this but it’s like my belly takes over from my mind around midday and when I woke up from my hungry trance I had eaten an entire bread roll and a pile of chips!!

I went early this time, at 12pm, and the place was very quiet! I’d say this has a lot to do with the sudden change in the weather which has everyone staying indoors and thinking about buying their winter coat rather than their lunch! However,I was happy with the peace as I strolled around looking at what the market had to offer. I was having curry that night so I stayed away from those stalls, even though they all smell so good! I eventually landed on The Gourmet Kitchen. The smokey barbecue smell just called to me!!

 

I opted for the Flame Grilled 28 Day Dry Aged Sirloin Steak(Cooked Pink) – Served on a toasted Ciabatta with fresh rocket, red onion and a choice of Sauce. I’m a traditional gal so I went for pepper sauce. I actually don’t think I have enough words in my vocabulary to explain how good this was! The steak was pink, juicy and tender with no grizzle or fat. The sauce was amazing too, it had a great kick but didn’t over power the meat. It also wasn’t poured on so thick that my bread turned soggy. It was literally the most perfect steak sandwich I have ever had in my life, it could even have been the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. I find more often than not when you order a steak it just doesn’t hold up to your expectations but this is not the case with the Gourmet Kitchen.

 

For the steak sambo and chips (which were perfectly nice too) I paid €9. I’m pretty sure it was only meant to be €8 but I only noticed afterwards and to be honest after eating the sandwich I really wasn’t that miffed! My only complaint about the Gourmet Kitchen is that it doesn’t have a Bricks and Mortar store because I want to eat there, like every day!

 

Please, please, PLEASE try these guys out ASAP. Maybe even tell them I sent ya, I might get a free steak out of it 😉 Let me know if you visit them! Leave a comment, find me on Facebook and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby

They are currently operating at the following markets…Every Tuesday located at the Stillorgan LUAS Station from 11.30am – 2pm

Every Wednesday behind the convention centre at Spencer dock from 12 – 2.

Every Thursday at Mespil road on the grand canal from 12 – 2
and at Merrion Square Market 12 – 2

Every Friday 11.30am to 2.00pm  on the banks of the Grand Canal at the junction of Northumberland Road and Percy Place, Dublin 4. and in Sandyford at the junction of Carmanhall Road & Ravens Rock Road in Sandyford industrial estate from 12 – 2

They also recently started trading at Howth market every Saturday and Sunday from 11-5! Its just opposite the train station!

Beginners guide to a fairly decent Sunday roast!

Hello everybody! I hope everyone is having a lovely week, we’re nearly there – only two days to go till FREEDOM for the weekend! As you all know a few weeks ago I decide to attempt my first roast! I decided it would be best to start off easy and focus on getting the meat just right so I didn’t do roast potatoes this time round! It’s on my to-do list for the next time I cook a roast!

 

I followed this recipe to the letter and my meat turned out really juicy and tender!! I did throw some baby boiled potatoes into the oven dish though!!

 

When the meat was done, I took it out of the dish and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes! In the meantime I put my liquid through a strainer and then spooned out my carrots and potatoes and popped them back in the oven to stay warm. I was then left with a great stock to make a gravy out of!! 

 

Gravy is a big thing in my family. My dad takes longer to make the gravy than any other part of a Sunday meal and, even though he seems to just use anything he finds in the fridge, it always turns out amazing!! For this reason, I stole some frozen gravy from my parents freezer to have with my first roast! I actually feel so much pressure to make a great gravy so I chickened out! I did add a little bit of my stock as the gravy was quite thick so I didn’t leave it go to complete waste! 

 

Anyway! All my short cuts and failings aside, the meal turned out great! Mark even said it was the best roast he had ever had (*cough, think it was because of the gravy, cough*). The carrots were really nice with the herbs and the meat was very succulent!

 

I promise the next time I make a roast that I will make roast potatoes and gravy! I just need to figure out how to do all this aaaaand have it all ready at the same time! Preasure!!!!! Let me know if you have any tips! Leave a comment, find me on Facebook and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby

Thai Curry recipe straight from an ex-Indie Spice chef!!

Ingredients (serves 6)

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• 4 large or 6 regular chicken breasts.
• 2 tins coconut milk
• 1 jar of red dragon thai curry paste
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 onions
• 2/3 peppers – any colour
• 1 tub of mushrooms

 

Method

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1. Roughly chop all of the vegetables. Chop or crush the garlic. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.
2. heat a tiny amount of oil in a large pan. Add the coconut milk and stir until all the lumps are gone.
3. Once the milk is smooth add in the curry paste and stir.
4. Throw in all the vegetables and raw chicken and stir to cover in the sauce.
5. Sprinkle a generous amount of pepper into the sauce and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook up some rive or noodles.
7. Serve and enjoy.

A little note from lovefoodbaby

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This is by far my favourite recipe. It was handed down to me by my boyfriends mother who was given it from an actual Indie Spice chef!! It’s unbelievably easy to make and absolutely perfect for cooking in batches and freezing or making a big pot for a dinner party. It tastes a lot more complex than it actually is, you’ll have everyone thinking your a top class cook!!

 

Let me know if you decide to try out this recipe! Leave a comment, find me on Facebook and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby.

Review of Angel Park Eatery, Lower Mount Street

Last Friday I went to Angel Park Eatery to grab lunch to go. A friend in work goes here a lot and her food always looks amazing! Thanks for the recommendation Laura Jane! Angel Park eatery is a  wholly Irish owned company who pride themselves in using locally produced Irish produce. They do not use any processed bouillon, sugar or fillers, they just use pure and natural ingredients! It is located on Lower Mount Street Just beside Merrion Square in Dublin.

I got the chicken and satay peanut noodle salad – Sautéed chicken, grilled peppers and onions served on a bed of satay peanut  noodles and mixed leaves. The portion size is perfect. It comes in the same size silver chinese box you get your drunken 3in1 in of a Friday! At €6.50 it’s a bit more expensive than your 3in1 but it really was worth it. This salad was really fresh and tasty and I felt satisfied after it! They also do gourmet sandwiches, wraps and hot dinners. This picture really doesn’t do the salad justice! I immediately regretted my decision to take it our of the box to photograph it as all the good stuff is on the bottom, at least it gives you an idea of size! That’s a dinner plate.

I ordered my lunch using the ‘downthesofa’ app which Chopped use also. Unfortunately when I arrived to pick up my lunch I was told their app was broken at the moment which was disappointing. An email or text to let me know this earlier would have been appreciated. However all the staff were really friendly and made up my salad in a heartbeat. I have used this ordering app before with chopped and it was great so I would recommend using it with Angel Park Eatery in future as it can be very busy and you don’t want to waste your lunch queuing! It also ensures you’ll get what you want as when I arrived at 1.45pm they were pretty much cleared out! You just need to order by 12.40pm online (12pm for chopped).

There is a basement seating area if you want to sit in although I chose to go back to the office. I definitely recommend Angel Park Eatery as a different and healthy alternative to the Deli roll from your nearest Spar for a healthier and tastier lunch! Visit http://www.angelparkeatery.com/ and click order online to sign up to the app. While you’re at it, don’t forget to find me on Facebook and add me on instagram – @lovefoodbaby.

Review of BóBó’s, Dame Street

On Wednesday myself and my sister met for dinner. After a quick trip in to Abercrombie to spray perfume all over ourselves we were ready to head to bóbó’s on Dame street.

Finally I’m hitting somewhere from my list! To be honest I’m broke this month because I got a little over excited on payday and did ALOT of online shopping so I’m paying the price now. I actually won a free burger by commenting on one of BoBo’s Facebook pictures with my personal profile which is why I could afford to go. Anyway! Back to the food!

The place was much bigger than I expected, the walls are all painted with cows and the green tile floor is cool. I nipped straight to the toilets to wash up before ordering. No soap! This is pretty much my only negative comment about the place so fear not, it’s all sunshine and roses from here on out!

I decided to go for the Emancipator – tomato, lettuce, bacon, cheese, onion rings and deli mayo. Shin got the Colm – lettuce tomato bacon and guacamole. We shared a skinny chips with rosemary. Shin got a glass of red wine and I got a pint (!) Of TK red lemonade. I thought it was great when I saw it. It’s so Irish and it reminds me of my nanna who always had it in her house.  She was a fan of Jameson, red lemonade and TWO ice cubes, no more, no less.

Dear Lord when the burgers came out I was a little scared. They’re massive!! Julia Roberts would have difficulty getting this thing in her mouth! The chips portion was massive too, thank God we decided to share! After cutting it in half I attempted my first bite. Ladies be warned, it’s a messy meal. I do not recommend this as a first date! It really was good though! The bun was really light and fresh and the burger was cooked to perfection. I usually enquire about sauces or ask for them on the side but I decided deli mayo sounded harmless enough. This was a bit of an error on my part. There were obviously gherkins or something in it which I wouldn’t be a huge fan of and I found it was so strong I couldn’t taste anything else but once I scraped most of it off it was much better. The chips were nice, I couldn’t really taste the rosemary but there was a gorgeous paprika spice mix on the table which was lovely on them.

All in all I really enjoyed the meal although I would have liked a slightly bigger plate to work with. The staff were nice but not in your face and the selection was great. I particularly like that they have things like half chips/half onion rings and chips with coleslaw on their menu because these are things people want but wouldn’t always ask for or, if they do, the waiter doesn’t know what to charge and it turns into a huge deal.

I recommend this place for a casual get together with friends, it’s chilled and unpretentious.  Maybe just up the music volume a bit BoBo’s, I’m not even sure I heard any and it could definitely add to the atmosphere if it keeps with the tone of the place.

People! Let me know if you head to BoBo’s! Find me on Facebook and instagram – @lovefoodbaby.

My weekend of cooking!

I had no big plans last weekend so I decided to get some good cooking done. My menu plan –

Friday – Chicken Jalfrezzi

Saturday – Chilli Con Carne

Sunday – The Sunday Roast

I hit my first speed bump on Friday when one after work drink with a departing colleague (miss you Tracey) turned into four or five. Clearly I was not going to be making a curry when I got home. Take away it was!! I had a feeling that would happen so I purposely took the chicken out of the freezer so that I would have to make it on Saturday if I didn’t make it home on Friday. I’m my own worst enemy.

After my at home bootcamp (Mark was working and couldn’t bring me to the class) I made a start on the curry. I tried out the Patak jalfrezzi jar as I’d heard good things. I just chopped up some onions, peppers and chicken and threw it all in to a pot with the sauce. I didn’t even fry anything first. You can feel the enthusiasm emanating from me, I know. It actually was lovely though! I didn’t even taste it until Mark got home and said it was nice! I definitely recommend it for a quick easy meal.

Once that had cooled down I portioned it and put it in the freezer for another day because I has big plans for my dinner – Chilli con carne sitting on the couch in front of the telly watching a movie and drinking a fizzy drink! Bliss!! I fried up some onion and garlic then threw in a spoon of cayenne pepper and stir quickly. Then I added the mince and browned it. Once I poured out the excess fat I threw in a jar of mild chilli con carne sauce from lidl and simmered for twenty minutes. Simples!! While that was going on I chopped up some potatoes into wedges, drizzled with oil, salt, pepper and paprika and but in the oven. They take between 20 and 45 minutes depending on the size.

Wedges and mince on our plates, I set everything down on the coffee table with a bowl of nachos and some salsa, sour cream, guacamole and parmesan. It’s a great meal to pick at! We also had 7up in wine glasses, we’re fancy like that!!

I feel my roast deserves a post all of it’s own so I’m going to write it up and post it on Sunday, just in time for you to try your own!  Find me on Facebook and instagram – @lovefoodbaby.