Homemade Kievs - an average dine

Chicken breasts stuffed with cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes coated in breadcrumbs. With green veg, roasted red pepper, rocket and mini jacket potatoes.




Result? The breadcrumbs didn't stick to the chicken (lack of egg wash - didn't have any in). The mini jacket potatoes burned. Though we're still tasty. And the red pepper was a bit pointless really. I only added it for colour.

Peanut butter on toast anyone??


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday Night- The Apology Tea

So in one whole year, this is the first full meal the love interest has ever cooked me.

And the reason for said apology meal was when...... popping to the local for last orders turns into a 3am wakeup call accompanied by a suspicious looking dolphin stamp.




Oven cooked salmon with spinach (picked up instead of rocket) tomatoes, coleslaw and new potatoes.

Now..... This may not look much but this was a BIG deal, before, I've only ever had a burnt omelette and sporadically distributed cheese on toast. This meal was simple but effective and extra points for the fact he bought salmon to please me when he actually wanted steak.

However what was even more effective in the apology stakes was the bunch of McQueens flowers delivered earlier in the week. Yes I'm not ashamed, I can be bought by gifts.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Blog Hits Twitter!

Yes that's right people, the UK's best food blog (official) has joined Twitterverse! Follow us at @whatdidyouhavefortea for even more food musings.

Wymers Do Sunday Lunch

Me and Snake took a trip Westside (a rare occurrence, we is true to our east side roots innit) to visit the Wymers for a Sunday lunch... With a difference.
The order of the day was soup. Soup??!!! Yep - but not just any old tinned tat. The most delicious soup I ever did taste.

Jamie's cauliflower and Stilton with bacon bits and rosemary rubbed sourdough toast. Layer the lot up in casserole dish and bake



Soup love. John complained that the toast bits looked like sausagemeat and therefore a false promise and Snake kept asking what was for main.
I declared it the best meal of 2012. Take note soup lovers!

Edie turned her nose up and opted for mushy peas instead






There just ain't no pleasing some people.......,

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Project Skinny: Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

The cabbage soup diet (and Beyonce) can do one - spicy butternut squash soup is our key to project rexy...i mean, health.

Start by chopping onion, garlic and fresh chillis and fry them in a little olive oil until soft.

Chop a butternut squash - you'll need a sharp knife and a good arm, they're the everest of vegetables.

Add the butternut squash to the onion etc, add a chopped potato (leave out if you're hardcore), as well as a couple of sticks of celery and salt and pepper. Then cook for a few mins until the squash starts to soften.

Then add the stock, cook for 30 mins or until said sharp knife cuts the squash easily. Then blend away.

Pour into a bowl, swirl through a spoon of philadelphia or grate some parmesan, then serve with crusty brown bread (and butter, obvs).

I've dropped a dress size already. Probably.

A healthy snack

After eating at a Michelin star Indian the night before (I didn't take pics for fear they may think I was a spy from my local gaylord currie house trying to pinch their snazzy Indian recipes #i'dratherhavegonetotayyabbs)

We decided to carry on the posh nosh with a trip to Chicago rib house much to señor nellists disgust.



Loaded potato skins with bacon, onion and jalapeños. What can I say.... I preferred it. You can take the girl out of hull and all that.

And to top it all off I found my ultimate dining accessory. Bonus.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday night- superchef dine

Friday night saw a visit to chez wanless-titterington (no idea why she didn't want to make her name double barrel?!) which is always a guaranteed foodfest.

On arrival we were greeted with hot out the oven hors d'oeuvres (or oys dee urves as my brother pronounces)




Puff pastry with caramelised onion and anchovies.








An amazing seafood parcel of chilli scallops, prawns and clams







Main course of belly pork with greens and our very own potato dauphinoise.



Camera shy stu






Was absolutely deeeelish. Top marks to the weasels

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday night- breakfast for tea

Not much explanation needed, it was yum. yes the juices touched each other and im ok with that.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday Night Dine: Pizza Express

There's nothing like a bit of pep-me-up pizza on a wednesday night, especially when three of look's finest fashion assistants and pizza express are involved. Ridge had got chummy with the PR (she's got da contacts) so we dined out sampling the new leggara menu. For the non Express obsessives, its the low(er) cal pizzas where they cut the middle out and stuff the hole with rocket. As per we couldn't decide what to have so we thought when in rome and ordered one of each. I'm a fashion assistant not mathematician but with 6 pizzas, 3 assistants, and 500 cals in each pizza thats, well, a lot. We were also offered the new low cal wine (100 kcals a glass) but opted for 2 bottles of full fat pinot grigio. Better not get started on the puddings (choc glory, ice cream and cheesecake FYI). We could teach bulimics a thing or two about binge eating. Pizza express should be renamed pizza excess. I.feel.sick.

P.S please note before and after shots

Emergency Tea

Ok so not the traditional kind of emergency, but the kind where your defrosted chicken breasts look like an e coli hot bed and you choose life. So with my planned meal (summer in winter chicken- it's a good food.com fave) in the bin, I fell on a Stofberg-Manley fave. THE SUPER WRAP!

                   Get a flour tortilla wrap, spread on a layer of hummus- not too thick mind.

Then add salad leaves, I'm a fan of rocket nice and peppery. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion.

Then the red stuff, I love sweet and hot pepperdews (Saffer ingredient magic on pizza's too)

            And tomato and more hot chillies- but then I eat Pizza Express Etna pizza, I like it spicy!

Then I add ham and cheese, whatevs you have in the fridge will do.

 Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar not too much mind or you'll end up with a soggy wrap.

                              Next add a glass of white wine to one hand and wrap t-other.

                                                 And get your gob round it...

Saturday night- vegetarian lasagne

Saturday nights in jan couldn't get more rock and roll if they tried. boardgames, home made lasagne, herbal tea, I tell ya this shizzle was off da hook.

Anyhoo back to business, a delia veggie lasagne.





Chop the veggies, red onion, tomatoes, aubergine, cougettes, mushrooms. Cover in olive oil and seasoning and roast til the edges start to brown.











In the meantime make the cheese sauce, put flour and butter in pan and make a roux, add nutmeg and milk and keep storing til the sauce thickens. Then add in plenty of cheese, and when you think you've added enough, add more.




Get a suitable dish, pour in one third of the cheese sauce, add the roasted veg and add big chunks of mozzarella.
Add a layer of lasagne sheets and repeat.




-et voila a veggie lasagne with a side of sausages for the boys. Okay okay I had a couple too.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sundays Hangover Cure: Dippy Eggs

Before you ask, no I am not five, and yes the soldiers were necessary. I heard from some uber health professional (no look mag employee, obvs) that eggs are supposed to be the best hangover cure. Can't say they've completely erased my red wine-white wine-vodka-gin headache but that and the carton of orange juice defs helped. Oh, and because I couldn't not eat for the 5.5 mins cooking time I snacked on a spot of brie whilst they were happily boiling. (thanks Nellist).

Fast food AND good for you. Amen

Friday night- treat night

You'll see a pattern emerging here.

No drinking=eating double the kcals as reward.

After a zzzzzz week my Friday night involved a lot of online scrabble and a magnificent tea (note: in taste, not skill)




Bacon egg and tomatoes sandwich, with a side of cheddar. And what?!




I'll make up for it by going for an 8 am run. Ahh the bemefits of a Saturday morning sans hangover.
Me, smug, noooooo.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday night treat - fish and chips

As I am 19 days sober, yes that's right, no need to fetch your reading glasses, you read correctly- NINE-TEEN days.

And after a tres stressful day in the off (since when did January's become the busiest month WTF) and a lengthy discussion with Kate about how with the absence of alcohol in our diet the weight must be literally falling off our already waif like frames.

I decided to hit the fish house in Victoria park for the works. Haddock, chips and mushy peas, with a side of bread and butter and a pickled onion.



It was deeeelish,

was the bread necessary? No.
Do I feel sick? Yes.
Will I go again? Ain't dat da truth







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Guest Blogger: Eichler

So, after about 6 months of being begged (literally) for my words of foodie wisdom, the time has come. Yes readers/fans its Eichlers first blog post!!!

As a special treat the lovely people at Clarks aka my bessie Jess took me and a bunch of journos to Babington house. After a spot of the toughest yoga ever (yes I did sweat) and a massage, we sat down to a delish meal. First up I had a scotch egg. A weird choice maybe, but frankly with meat and egg deep fried what's not to love. And love it I did. 

Next up I had whole plaice with mussels in an anchovy and rosemary dressing. By dressing, I think they meant butter. Now, carb crusaders, before you start to worry my meal was significantly sans carbs, panic not - prior to this I'd inhaled four slices of bread (rustic), and had eggs royale on arrival. And if we’re being picky two rounds of toast – but that was at 7am so it doesn’t count.

Anyway, after that we managed to squeeze in a spot of pudding. Unforts because the car was waiting to take us to the train station (oh the glamour) there was no photo opp but like the #trooper that I am I managed to keep the kcal count up with a spot of sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel ice cream. Full doesn’t even come close.

However, one groundbreaking FYI....there was NO BOOZE. The less said about that the better.

On the whole, a lovely time at Babs house. Thanks Clarks!

Sunday's Rack Of Herb Crust Lamb

Another browwwnnn post I'm afraid. So after Chrimbo in SA, (lovely thanks for asking) I was feeling rather home sick for the old country so I whipped up a bit of, you guessed it, lamb! This time a posh version of a chop, the rack of lamb. It was only myself and Sam so it wasn't a huge feast or many pics but here is my Sunday dinner...

Herb curst made out of rosemary, parsley, thyme, sourdough breadcrumbs (because we hadn't finished our Gail's loaf over the weekend), lemon zest, wholegrain fresh mustard and anchovies. Butternut squash mash and lemon  blanched spinach.

Close up of the lamb, not as pink as I'd have liked but the crust kept it moist (sorry gals I know you don't like that word but it is the best way of describing my lamb)

And for pud a little bit of beef biltong- and what?! 

Tuesday's Tea - Ham Hock with Colcannon

Last night saw the first round of home cooked Tuesday's at 106 (my gaff).  Kicking it all off was Adam with some good old English pub grub, we'll he does work in a boozer after all.


Boil ham hocks in stock and then cover with honey, wholegrain mustard and roast in the oven for what seems like forever - we didn't eat till gone 9 fyi, i'm more of a 6.30 kinda gal but hey it was worth the wait..

Knock up some colcannon

and serve ham hocks with a cream, cheese and chive sauce, obviously I opted for this as a side food touching and all that

and here it is...

All that's left to say is see you next Tuesday when i'll be, err cooking... god help them!