My Week In Short #3

16/05/16 - 22/05/16

Gifford's Circus at Sudeley Castle (explained below)

This week's update is a bit late, I know, but I thought I may as well share it with you anyway as last weekend in particular was quite busy and I really want to show you what we got up to!

The beginning of the week was really sunny and I remember that I made Gazpacho for dinner for the blog. It was a lovely way to cool down from the rare amount of heat that was resonating through the French doors. Fabio wasn't too sure about cold soup..maybe next time! I on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed it, although I must admit, it is a bit weird at first!

I honestly can't remember what I did on Tuesday (I must remember to take more photos or make note what we did!) but all I do know is that we actually went to the gym for once! I'm really getting into using the cross-trainer at the moment. More on that when I write my monthly fitness post. 

Wednesday and Thursday are a blur to be honest...

However FRIDAY was a good day and I actually remember! 

So on Friday, our friend Alasdair from when we lived in Canterbury (he doesn't live there now) came to visit. 

We took him to our favourite Thai restaurant, Thai Emerald in Cheltenham (which I mentioned in my first update), which he really enjoyed. I decided to try a Panang this time. Again, I forgot to take photos! The staff are really friend and the service is so quick. Would definitely recommend if you happen to around the area looking for a good cheap eat. 

After the Thai, we came back to ours and just chilled from all the eating, and properly caught up.

Saturday was the best day of the whole weekend. Our other friends from Canterbury spontaneously came to visit as well! It was perfect as we all got to see each other together. However we (Fabio, Alasdair and I) began the morning by a little trip to Chedworth Roman Villa. 

Now that image above isn't the Roman Villa at all, although I thought it was at first as it's one of the first and only villa-like building you see when you arrive at the site. Obviously I realised the building is more Tudor-like than Roman! It was actually where the museum is. We didn't end up going inside that part because of limited time. 

We don't live too far away from Chedworth, so it was nice to visit somewhere so historical near where we live. 

We ended up buying National Trust membership (why not!), so all were allowed on the tour. It was tipping down with rain, so we had fun standing there, listening to the guide give a run down of what felt like the all the Roman history. Luckily it was very condensed and he was funny, so it kept me listening despite my shoes getting very wet (why did I wear ballet flats..) 

Inside the only other building, which housed the Roman mosaic remains, we explored and listened to what life was like for an elite Roman family living in the area. The mosaics were so pretty and I couldn't quite begin to believe how old and well-preserved they are. It's hard to fathom that they actually come from Roman times and are not fake replicas. Unfortunately it was hard to get a descent picture as it was quite dark.

The wet weather made the grass and trees look so luscious and green. These are some photos from our walk from the Roman Villa back to the car. Oh and I forgot mention that the 'Roman Villa' is actually a cluster of 'rooms' without a roof. The site is basically just the remains of where the villa would have been.

After meeting our other friends who came to visit, we all had a quick lunch of soup courtesy of Covent Garden. A drive to Painswick followed by a lovely coffee and piece of cake from The Patchwork Mouse Art Cafe really was a great way to spend a Saturday surrounded by the people you love. 

Our lovely friends

The evening ensued and we were off again to Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe, to see Gifford's Circus perform. I'd heard so much about how great it was and I definitely didn't doubt those recommendations. It certainly lived up to expectations. It was magical, mystical, funny (Tweedy the clown and his pet iron called Keith!) and edge-of-your-seat-type gripping, especially when the acrobats performed. I definitely recommend anyone who hasn't seen them before, to go and see them whilst they are still touring. Here's a link to their page and dates of their tour. I would say that Gifford's Circus is one of the friendliest circuses (no animal cruelty!) around - probably the best next to Cirque du Soleil!

Sunday started off as a sunny one, so we all went into Cheltenham for a yummy breakfast at Montpellier Cafe. 

The Montpellier Breakfast / £6.50

Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon / £5.95

Mature Cheddar Cheese on Toast / £3.95 (My choice)

After an exhausting game of frisbee in the park, to top off a great weekend and also to cool us down, we went and enjoyed an ice cream at Milk Bar, an authentic Italian gelateria near the Promenade. Their artisan ice creams are to die for. I opted for the banana ice cream as it was just what I fancied. 

And so the weekend was finished off back at ours with board games galore: Munchkin, Backpackers and Mr & Mrs, as it was tipping down with rain. I even lit and candle or two! Then Japanese for dinner whilst watching Me, Myself and Irene, before bidding goodbye to our friends. Until next time! 

What did you get up to last week? Did you manage to enjoy a bit of sun? Did you get done what you had hoped?

Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash and Rosemary Lasagne

Over the years I have found that you cannot really go wrong with a lasagne, be it ordering one from a chain or fancy restaurant, or making it yourself..as long as you get the basics right: the bechamel needs to be light and not too thick, and of course that the lasagne sheets are cooked through! 

My lasagne recipe is based on a Jamie Oliver one, however I have shaken it up and changed it quite a lot! The bechamel recipe however, is all his (I mean, I don't see the point in changing a perfectly good bechamel - and this one is super simple). 

I thought the combination of flavours between the rosemary, pork mince (also beef) and the sweet potato and butternut squash would pair perfectly. I not only have sprinkled the rosemary on top but also fried it right at the beginning with the added ingredient of pancetta, which I decided not to include in the title of this one as it really is used as just a flavour enhancer. 

I really urge you to try this recipe. It does a take a bit of time and love to make, but that's what Italian cooking is all about - the passion of making food for your loved ones.

I decided to use fresh lasagne sheets by Natoora for this recipe (not sponsored) as I really wanted the authentic taste of a lasagne made in a little Italian trattoria. Although I am fully aware that most Italians for years have been using dried pasta; even those that made fresh pasta themselves, they would sell it and buy dried pasta. 

I froze my leftover lasagne sheets, ready for my next lasagne mission! I also managed to make two mini lasagnes to freeze (before oven baking) and had plenty of sauce leftover too to freeze. This recipe really does provide for a plentiful couple of meals!

Ingredients

3 pancetta slices

3 sprigs of rosemary

2 onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Olive oil

300g minced beef

300g minced pork

2 x 400g tins tomatoes

100ml beef stock

350g of butternut squash and sweet potato, cubed

Fresh lasagne sheets (amount varies between which dish you use)

Parmesan

100g cherry tomatoes

1 ball of mozzarella

Bechamel

750ml milk

1 bay leaf

75g butter, unsalted

75g flour

1 whole nutmeg

Method

- Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.

1. First begin by making the bechamel. Heat the milk in a medium pan over a low milk, with the bay leaf added to infuse. Do not let it boil.

2. In a large pan, melt the butter and add the flour to make a roux, by whisking until it forms a paste. Slowly add the milk, bit by bit, whisking to incorporate, until smooth and lump-free. Make sure you never stop whisking to prevent burning around the edges - you need to reach all corners of the pan.

3. Season and remove the bay leaf. Whisk over a low heat until thickened. This can take anywhere between 5-10 minutes. Finish with a grating of nutmeg.

4. Fry the pancetta in a splash of oil over a medium heat in a large pan, until golden. Add 2 of the rosemary sprigs, finely chopped, and fry for a minute more.

5. Add the chopped onion and garlic - cook until softened and golden.

6. Add both the minces and fry until cooked through. 

7. Add the tin tomatoes, beef stock, butternut squash and sweet potato. Make sure the squash and potato are covered by the juices so they can cook well. Leave covered for 30 minutes on a low-med heat, until the squash and potato are cooked through. 

8. Now to assemble the lasagne. Choose a deep earthenware dish, or something round and deep enough to hold a good amount of lasagne. Grease the bottom and sides of the dish with a little bit of olive oil.

9. Add a layer of lasagne sheets on the bottom of the dish, letting them drape over the sides. 

10. Add a layer of meat - then a layer of bechamel - and a grating of parmesan. Repeat this, finishing with a layer of pasta, meat and bechamel. 

11. Scatter over the cherry tomatoes, halved; a sprinkling of the last rosemary sprig, chopped; a tear of the mozzarella ball, and an extra sprinkling of grated parmesan. 

10. Bake in an oven for 30 minutes, until golden. 

Buon Appetito! You're going to be seeing a lot more Italian recipes soon, as I'm hoping to experiment with many Italian classics whilst still keeping to traditions. Salute! 

Milk Chocolate Torte / Magazine Mondays 23rd May

Another Monday, another recipe! Today for my foodie link up, I am sharing with you all another Jamie Oliver success: Milk Chocolate Torte. This torte is simple to make and super effective when you want to make something that looks impressive but is also quick and easy. It's also brilliant if you have a pack of 6 eggs to use up as it requires exactly 6!

When you think torte, you might think something along the lines of a tart, well torte actually means 'cake' in French, and that's what this is: a dense but not rich cake with a crunchy praline topping..mmmmm!!

In aid of my Magazine Mondays link-up (details below), I brought this recipe back to see the light of day, from the Jamie Oliver magazine June 2013 issue. 

Before I begin with the recipe, I'll just explain a little bit about the link-up:

Magazine Monday is friendly link up where we can all share the recipes we have cooked from any magazine or newspaper cutting you may have been saving. This link up gives you the opportunity and excuse to get cooking from them! 

And like I said in the last post, it will be a text-only link up until I get at least one regular participant! 

I will leave details on how it works below the recipe. 

Ingredients

Cake

170g butter

170g milk chocolate

6 eggs, separated 

150g caster sugar

100g plain flour

Cocoa Powder for dusting

Praline

100g caster sugar

50g hazelnuts

Method

1. To begin with, start with making the topping for the cake: the praline. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

2. Add the sugar to a small, non-stick pan and bring to a gentle simmer on a low heat. Make sure you don't stir the sugar, just wait for it to turn a golden colour. You can help it by swirling it around by tipping the pan. You will need to do this every now and again to stop it burning. This is called caramelisation.

3. Once caramelised, pour in the hazelnuts, swirl around and pour straight onto the baking sheet. Don't worry if it doesn't spread around completely; It will cool down very quickly, as soon as it hits the tray, so the best thing to do is tip the tray as soon as you can, to prevent this as much as possible. 

4. Leave to cool and harden. Once hardened, crush into a coarse crumb with a pestle and mortar. Don't worry if you don't manage to get all the lumps. 

5. Now to begin with the cake: pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees. 

6. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat, and add the chocolate. Stir to combine. Cool.

7. Whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl and add the chocolate, then the flour. Combine.

8. Whisk the whites until soft peaks form. Carefully fold into the chocolate mixture.

9. Pour into a 23cm round cake tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it is firm to touch and springs back. Leave to cool.

10. To finish, dust with cocoa powder and sprinkle over the praline. 

The Link-up Info!

How will it work?

• Choose a recipe from: magazine, newspaper, recipe book that you've been dying to try
• Share  your recipe on your blog and use the hashtag #magazinemondays on Twitter, and tweet me in the process (@fessjarmer) - I will retweet and comment on all 
• Each month I may include yours as apart of my favourites in a round-up post
• Share the love on your post by adding the Magazine Mondays board - use the html below and copy into your post
• Add your link by using the button below, and this will appear as a collage on my page
• Spread the cuttings love and comment on at least one person's post - you may get one back!

So what are you waiting for - spread the cuttings love!

<a href="http://www.jesscantoni.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x371/fessjarmer/magazine%20mondays_zpshm7mdu4q.jpg" alt="Jess Cantoni" /></a>

Pastries For The Weekend

This recipe is now my quick, weekend alternative to shop bought pastries. It's not fiddly, it's more authentic and most importantly, you'll be done in half an hour (trust me!)

Now of all people, I should at least make my own pastry. I mean, I don't have Le Cordon Bleu diploma of Patisserie for nothing! However I do feel that when it comes to puff pastry, i'm not the only one. I mean, even in one of my second puff pastry classes we were using ready-made (we did make our own batch first - FYI). Once you've learnt how to make it and know you could if you wanted, it's not worth the hassle when you can buy perfectly fine shop bought pastry (I know this is a bit contradictory to my post strap-line, but bear with!) This is one of the only shop bought things I'm okay with really - I mean, even Mary Berry does it!

Is anyone with me???

So I'm just going to get down to business straight away. This post is more of a guide on how to shape the dough to make some interesting pastries, as well as explaining how to make my favourite  stewed rhubarb as a filling for the Danish pastries. 

Ingredients

Pack of ready-made puff pastry

1 stalk of rhubarb

50g caster sugar

An egg for egg wash

A selection of chocolate chips - any flavour you like

A couple of pieces of white/dark/milk chocolate - it's up to you with this one!

Parmesan cheese for the cheese twists

Method

STEWED RHUBARB FILLING

1. Wash and cut the rhubarb into slices and add to a pan with the sugar. Cook on a medium heat and when softening, lower the heat and cook until completely soft and stewed. Put aside to cool. 

THE DOUGH

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.

2. To prepare the dough for shaping, flour the surface and roll out the dough until 4mm thick, about 3/4 the length of your rolling pin.

3. Trim the sides but don't throw away. 

NOW FOR THE SHAPING

4. DANISH PASTRIES: LATTICE - Using a d-scraper or a knife, cut part of your dough(depending on how many you would like to make) into squares. 

5. Fold the square into a triangle and cut two slits each end of the long side (base of triangle). Re-open and place a dollop of rhubarb in the middle. 

6. Bring the sides of each triangle over, and tuck under and over each other - see my pastry at the bottom in the main blog image with the choc chips (you can use choc chips if you like too).

7. BASKET: - The basket is a simple one. You just cut your pastry into a square, place the filling in the middle and the fold each corner to meet in the middle. (See top, left pastry in image)

8. SQUARE: - I didn't make one of these, but it's so simple again. Cut your pastry into a square and place the filling in the middle. And that's it! 

9. PAIN AU CHOCOLAT: -  Cut your dough into a rectangle shape and place a piece of chocolate (usually a baton is used specifically for these, however you can use any piece of chocolate. I used a piece of white and dark chocolate in mine.) 2cm from the top of the dough.

10. Fold your dough down over the chocolate and then place another piece of chocolate by the fold, and fold again. 

11. CHEESE TWISTS WITH LEFTOVERS: - Now with any leftover trimmings you may have, cut them into strips and grate some parmesan cheese liberally over them. 

12. Carefully twist them into spirals and place them on a baking tray. 

13. Place your other pastries onto a separate baking tray and brush them with egg wash. Make sure you cover every corner of the pastry, as any missed spots will show up once baked.

14. Bake your danish pastries and pain au chocolat in the oven for 10 mins. Bake your cheese twists for 5-8 mins, until golden.

There we have it, lovely, quick pastries that you can serve on the weekend; perfect if you have visitors! 

Would love to hear if you make these, and also what your thoughts are on shop bought vs homemade puff pastry.

How to: Dinner Party for 10

Catering for 10 people will always seem (and partly is) a daunting process. This is why when I had the joy of 10 of my lovely friends visiting on the weekend, I had to be prepared! 

In this post I will be explaining my tips and tricks of how I planned and prepared my dinner party for 10, and hopefully give you some inspiration along the way! 

First Priorities and Things to Think About

1. Will your party have a theme?

2. How much do you want to spend?

3. Do any of your friends have any allergies/intolerances/preferences? I.e gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian etc..

One of my guests had a strong intolerance to spice; strong like he would notice even the tiniest bit of spice, so I had to be careful. I also had a guest who didn't eat chocolate, so I had to bare that in mind to. It's always respectful to try and adhere to your guests tastes and preferences. 

Planning Stage

When you have established what theme your party will have (mine didn't have a theme, although it did have some Middle-Eastern influences in some of the food) and how much you are going to spend, you're ready to hit the cookbooks/internet to get planning. 

It's best to plan at least a week in advance. 

How I began my planning stage, was to browse quickly through most of my cookbooks and make a note of any recipes that I would deem quick and easy to cook for 10 people. I would put aside any that were too fiddly or not great for bulk cooking. You are looking for:

1. Recipes that are great for batch cooking. I.e. Chilli con Carne.

2. Nothing fiddly or too fine dining-esque

3. Nothing too weird or unusual in case some guests are not used to it. (i.e. don't cook rabbit, just incase!) Unless you know your guests love this particular ingredient!

4. Recipes you can prepare most parts in advance, to make life easier

Once you have chosen your top choices, narrow down to those that you prefer or think will work best according to your circumstances, and draw up your menu. 

My Dinner Party Menu for 10

Drinks on Arrival

Paris Ice Tea

Nibbles on Arrival

Rosemary and paprika coated Almonds

Hummus served with crispy flatbread and raw veg

Starter

Pub-style cheese and chutney croustades

Main

Crisp-coated chicken breast served with mediterranean veg and/or fattoush salad

Dessert

Millionaire Cheesecake served with clotted cream ice cream and a wafer

Everything on the above menu was homemade, even down to the ice cream wafer. Trust me, it is possible with a little preparation!

Once you have your menu sorted, the next step is draw up a plan of which items you can prepare in advance and when you will do this. Also you will need a shopping list of what to buy for the following week's preparations. My plan looked something like this:

FYI: My party was held on a Friday night

Tuesday: shop for all items needed

Wednesday: Make ice cream and coated nuts

Thursday: Make cheesecake and ice cream wafers

I know this may seem brief, but it doesn't need to be long or complicated. However yours can be as a complicated as you like if you want it to be, as long as you can understand it! 

Why I Chose What I Chose (Recommended recipes at bottom of post)*

- The ice tea was so easy to prepare in advance and non-alcoholic, so great for everyone.

- Coated nuts were so simple and easy to prepare in advance. They keep for a long time too.

- Hummus is so easy to make and always goes down well. Again, great for advance prep. And the flatbread can be done in advance too.

- Croustades starter was quick and simple, and I gathered most people like cheese and bread.

- Crisp-coated chicken was unusual yet also very easy and great for bulk cooking.

- Med veg is yummy and again, great for the bulk-ness aspect.

- Salad is a nice healthy option, and is easy to make. The Middle Eastern twist on mine just made it that bit extra special.

- I chose cheesecake because it's easy to prepare in advance and most people enjoy it.

- I have a ice cream maker, so the ice cream was pretty simple to do in advance, but also created that 'wow' factor of having made it myself.

- Wafers are so simple. End of! 

Because of careful planning and choice of recipes, all I had to prepare on the night before guests arrived were:

1. Cut up the salad items and use any excess for the pre-dinner nibbles.

2. Slices the baguette and toast.

3. Make the cheese and chutney mix. Chill.

4. Cut the veg and roast. 

5. Crush the crisps for the chicken coating.

Once the guests had arrived:

1. Serve the drinks

2. Grill the baguettes with the cheese/chutney topping

3. Coat chicken breasts and cook in oven.

4. Plate up and finish off the salad.

Now I think you will agree with me that this is quite minimal for a host hosting a party for 10 people. Because of careful planning, I was able to mingle with my guests and not stress out! Most of the work was already done.

How did I cater for the person who can't have spice and the one who doesn't eat chocolate?

I put out two hummus dishes, one with paprika sprinkled on top and one without.

I made sure that I had prepared a separate salad bowl without any of the Middle Eastern Spice added. 

I made a couple of croustades without the chutney and just cheese.

And because I had made ice cream as well as the cheesecake which had a chocolate topping unfortunately, I was able to serve an extra helping of ice cream with a little wafer to finish it off.

To some it may seem that I went too much out of my way, but I feel that little things like this don't go unnoticed and can really make your guests feel at home. 

Now you have the food down to a 't', next you need to think about:

Preparing the Table

Now I'm not expert at table planning or design, however I have read enough magazines and been to enough parties at my sister's (a great table layer!), to know what works and doesn't. 

Just consider these points:

1. Try to avoid weird patterns or anything too old or dated on your table cloth. A nice neutral colour always works best. Unless your party is themed of course.

2. Don't over crowd the table with unnecessary items. No, those fives vases are not okay, unless you're going for a botanical look!

3. Lay the table before guests arrive (see below).

4. Try and make sure everything matches, unless you like it that way. This is why neutral and wood-based items work: i.e a wooden salt and pepper shaker will blend in nicely with most themes.

What To Include On Your Table

No matter what theme your party will be, these items are always necessary on your table:

- Cutlery (get your best out!)

- Napkins (cloth or paper - you can fold these so many ways)

- Drinks glasses

- Table cloth 

- Salt and Pepper shaker

Optional Items Which Make All The Difference:

- A vase with a flower. Or even a small plant - succulents work well.

- Candles - tea lights are best.

So now you are all prepared with your table laid and food prep done, you're almost ready. Just remember these few points:

1. DON'T stress - your guests will always be forgiving.

2. Try and mingle with guests when they arrive. Give yourself time to breathe between each course.

3. Don't forget to eat as well. It's easy to forget when thinking about other things.

I really hope this little guide has been useful for you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments. Also let me know if you have any tips if you have also hosted for this amount of people before - would be nice to share!

*The Recipes I Recommend 

I've only added the recipes which I perceived as being particularly great for a dinner party. If you wish to know a recipe I haven't added, feel free to ask and I will send it your way.

Paris Ice Tea (Park Avenue Potluck by Florence Fabricant)

Ingredients

1 cup of sugar

Juice of two limes

3 orange spice tea bags (I couldn't find this flavour so I chose lemon and mandarin)

Fresh raspberries

Fresh blueberries

2 limes, in wedges

Method

1. Put sugar in a saucepan and add 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves.

2. Add the lime juice.

3. Pour into a metal bowl and cool down by placing bowl over another filled with ice and water. 

4. Infuse the tea bags in a tea infuser or pitcher with 1 pint of water boiled water. Steep for 10 mins.

5. Remove tea bag and chill until time to serve.

6. To serve, divide the fresh fruit between the glasses and add the ice tea. Pour the sugar into a small jug and serve alongside to sweeten. 

Rosemary Roasted Almonds (Mary Berry Cooks by Mary Berry)

Ingredients

200g blanched almonds

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Method

1. Dry dry the almonds on a high heat until toasted.

2. Add the oil, salt and rosemary and reduce the heat. Fry until crisp.

3. Remove from heat and sprinkle in paprika. Toss together and serve. If not using straight away, store in a air-tight container. 

Hummus Recipe (Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour) 

Ingredients

3 x 400g cans of chickpeas - keep the liquid of 1 1/4 cans

4 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp garlic oil (I used crushed garlic cloves instead)

Juice of 3 lemons

4 tbsp of light tahini (I used normal tahini)

Sea salt flakes

Paprika to garnish 

Method

1. Whizz the chickpeas in a food processor until smooth. I used my nutri bullet but I had to do it in stages because even the large cup wouldn't hold it all. You can use whichever you prefer. Add part of the chickpea liquid and olive oil a little at a time, to get an even texture.

2. Add the garlic oil (or cloves), lemon juice and tahini, as well as the rest of the olive oil and sea salt to taste. Mix thoroughly. 

3. Keep adding olive oil drizzle until you reach the right consistency. Correct seasoning as you wish.

4. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of paprika. 

Pub-Style Cheddar Chutney Croustades (Park Avenue Potluck by Florence Fabricant) - I've adapted the method slightly

Ingredients

1 jar (10 ounches) mango chutney

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

24 thin slices of baguette, lightly toasted

Method

1. Grate the cheese into a bowl. 

2. Pour in the chutney and mix in.

3. Toast the baguettes slices lightly. 

4. Top each slice with a spoonful of cheese and chutney mix. Grill under a medium grill for 5 minutes. Serve straight away. 

Melissa McGraw's Potato Chip Chicken (crisp-coated chicken!)

Ingredients

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1 bag of crisps

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 lemon

Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Place the butter into a baking tray, large enough to fit the chicken in a single layer.

2. Put the tray into a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees until melted. 

3. Crush the crisps in a polythene bag. 

4. Coat the chicken with butter in the baking dish. 

5. Place each breast one a time, into the bag with crisps, coating evenly. Place back into the tray.

6. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the chicken. Cut the lemon into slices, and place around the tray. Season and bake for 20 minutes.

Note- I doubled this recipe for my party.