Spaghetti Milanese

I love a good pasta dish, especially when you can tell a lot of care and time has been put into the sauce. A sauce made with love!
The following recipe was taken from the book Leon, of which I had bought for me second-hand (although it's practically new) for my Birthday from this most amazing second-hand book shop in Stroud. 

I chose this recipe to celebrate International Dining Week, which was set up in order to raise funds for those less fortunate, but also to raise awareness of the diverse cuisines and cultures that we have in Britain today. 

You can see me cooking it on my most recent vlog. 

Serves 2

Ingredients
4 bacon rashers
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
A splash of olive oil (1 tbsp) 
350g passata
1 tsp sugar
A cup of water
1/4 of a wine glass of red wine
Dried herbs of your liking and added to your liking - I used basil, mixed herbs and marjoram.
200g Spaghetti (or more if you think you'd like more)
Handful of basil, chopped
Parmesan for sprinkling

Method

1. Remove the rind and fat from the bacon.

2. Cut bacon into postage stamp-sized squares.

3. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat.

4. Fry bacon rind and fat until brown and remove from pan.

5. Thinly slice your onion and chop your garlic.

6. Fry onion and garlic in the same pan that had the fat, until light brown. (This helps give the sauce a nice flavour. Add a tiny bit of olive oil if it's sticking).

7. Add a splash of olive oil (about 1 tbsp) and add your bacon squares - fry until cooked.

8. Pour in your passata (if using a jar, try and get all of it out by pouring in a tiny bit of water and shaking to get it off the sides).

9. Add a cup of water and a 1/4 of a wine glass of red wine.

10. Sprinkle in some dry herbs of your choice. Try not to add too much though. It's best to do this and taste as you go.

11. Boil for 5 minutes.

12. Turn the heat down to a simmer and half cover with lid. Leave to simmer for 2 hours. 

13. Before the 2 hours is up, boil water for your pasta and cook your spaghetti for around 8 minutes or until how you like it.

14. Chop the basil and throw into the sauce. 

15. Drain pasta and mix in half of the sauce in a bowl.

16. Serve in bowls topped with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan. Enjoy!

Let me know if your try this dish! Are you joining in with International Dining week? What are you cooking?

Chocolate, Coconut, Banana & Coffee 'Milkshake'

This week is UK Coffee week! I know, I had no idea either until recently joining with the Food Year Link Up (links below). I'm not the person to turn away coffee, so I thought in aid of the celebration of this wondrous bean, I would make something a little bit different for you. In keeping with the warmer weather (she says) and my love of coconut, a chocolate, coconut and coffee milkshake, minus the milk, sounded appropriate... and extremely yummy, and slightly healthy (one count of your five a day!)

Firstly, a bit about UK Coffee week:

1. A nationwide fundraising initiative in aid of supporting coffee growing countries

2. All funds go to Project Waterfall in order to raise money to bring clean water and sanitation to coffee growing countries, such as previously in Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia. 

3. This year's donations will be going towards the Oromia region of Ethiopia. 

4. Most of the coffee growing regions come under what is known as the 'bean belt', meaning water is scarce. 

Don't you agree that if we want to continue enjoying coffee, we should support those countries that are growing it, especially when it comes down to clean water.

To donate, go to www.projectwaterfall.org

Also visit www.ukcoffeeweek.com for more information

THE RECIPE!

Ingredients 

200ml Alpro Coconut Original

Large shot of espresso coffee (I used Lavazza)

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp coconut cream

1 tbsp porridge oats + 1 tsp for sprinkling

1 banana, chopped

A squeeze of runny honey

Method

1. Add all the ingredients into the blender (I used a Nutri Bullet) and blend until smooth.

2. Pour into your glass of choice and drizzle honey on top, and add a sprinkle of oats for decoration. Serve!

Do let me know if you try this recipe and what you think! What other ways do you like to enjoy your coffee? And have you been celebrating UK Coffee week? Link me down below if you have, i'd love to see!

Here is the link for the Food Year Link Up for April, in case you are interested!

Bahrain Travel Diary Days 1, 2 & 3

For the past 4 days, Fabio and I have been enjoying the hot and humid sun in Bahrain, an island which sits in the Persian Gulf. 
In order to document our time here, I've been making some short vlogs, however it's hard to sometimes film everything, especially when you don't have your camera on you when something interesting happens! Therefore, I have decided to write a short diary of each day spent here, however I won't count day 1 as the day we arrived, since we spend most of our time up in the air and didn't arrive until about 7:30pm. If you're interested though, just watch the  short video below!



Day 1
We woke up early to the arrival of Fabio's brother, wife and 3 children, who had also just flown over from the UK.  For breakfast we ate yummy American style pancakes with Nutella, washed down with a proper Italian Caffe Latte. It was authentic. It was made by Fabio's Italian mamma. We mainly spent the morning relaxing by the poolside, soaking up as much sun as we could like plants that hadn't been watered for years. I of course, being the pale being that I am, soaked up too much and got sunburnt. I am still dealing with aftermath as we speak!  We also decided to be brave and jump into the pool, which was not surprisingly, pretty cold. Once in though, it warmed up and we frolicked and played (with the children) until we were prunes.  For lunch we indulged in a meat feast, cooked on the BBQ by Fabio's pa, which tasted exquisite; the first BBQ of the year always does!  After yet more relaxing (I hope this diary doesn't bore you with all the relaxing we have done so far), at dinnertime we ate the much awaited shawarma! This is literally THE most delicious wrap on this planet. I chose the chicken one and Fabio chose one beef and one chicken. Oh the party my mouth had when I took that first bite. Trust me, this is nothing like the kebabs you get in the UK. Not even close. (Ignore that fact that this says 'day 2'. They will always be one day ahead because of the video I made for the flight).

Day 2
Another morning of caffe lattes but this time with the addition of a juicy mango (again, way better than its exported UK cousin). Today we had another relaxing morning but spent lunch out at The Rugby Club. No, we didn't hop back on the plane back to the UK just for our lunch. Bahrain is a massive hit for expats and has a lot of British and Americans living there, and so the Bahrain Rugby Club has become a popular place for them and their children to gather for events, football and rugby tournaments, as well as to eat the delicious food at the Manos Restaurant. The Manos restaurant serves a variety of cuisines, from a really good t-bone steak (melt-in-the-mouth!) to thai dishes and pan-fried fish. Everything is very tasty. We shared some halloumi bites and Saganaki, something I have never tried before but was curious. It turned out that it was battered feta pieces soaked in honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds. They were very pleasant! For main I chose the beef massaman curry with rice, which was also really tasty, and very garlicky! The only thing I would say is that most of the food tasted very strongly of garlic (to me anyway), unless It was just my tastebuds! After a little wonder around the club, we came home and the children enjoyed an Easter egg hunt around the garden. I also enjoyed one of  their spoils; a yummy kinder egg, although different to the usual.. this one had a spoon and you had to spoon out what was melted chocolate with two little crispy eggs in the centre. It was still rather nice (of course it was, it was chocolate!) In the evening we had a simple supper of bits and bobs (salami, salad, bread etc); a delight for the stomach which was already carrying a lot of heavy food inside from lunchtime!

Day 3
Caffe latte and fruit salad was today's breakfast of choice. And after some much needed relax (of course you knew I was going to say this) and a snack of cheese bread and Za'atar bread (google this!) some of us went off to hit the shops in Bahrain's City Centre Mall. Honestly, this place is like home from home. They had a Debenhams, H&M and even a Marks and Spencer! Of course I only went in the shops that we don't have: Victoria Secret, Virgin Music and Books and Bath & Body Works.   For lunch we ate light with a bowl of the most delicious homemade pesto with pasta and some fruit salad for afters. The reason for this is because we were preparing our stomachs for the meal that was to come later: an Indian buffet at Lanterns restaurant. This buffet is something to write home about for sure. The naan bread is freshly made with a dense texture but crisp surface (so yummy). When you arrive, you are served a little charcoal grill on the table with 3 little bites of different types of grilled meat: tandoori, shish kebab and chicken breast. The buffet is a mix of indian curries, biriyani and DIY stir fry, where you plate what you would like yourself and they cook it. This is also worth trying if you go. There are also a selection of Indian starters (the tabbouleh and hummus is a must-try) and also desserts. I was recommended to try by Fabio's father, a sweet cake-y ball which is soaked in syrup. Despite its sickly sweetness, I quite liked it.  We ended the evening relaxing in front of the TV watching Scrubs. I love that show. 
Will write about the next few days once they happen.. ha. 
xoxo

White Chocolate M&M Slabz

This is for all the lovers of white chocolate. This recipe is such an easy way to create a 'bar' of chocolate that you can customise to your liking. It's so easy that you probably all can figure out the recipe without me writing it down here. However for blogging and continuity purposes, I will! 

Ingredients

300g of white chocolate for melting 
A packet of M&Ms (I chose the peanut ones)
2 oreo biscuits
Coloured sprinkles

Method

1. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie (you can use a bowl over a pan of water if you don't own one).

2. Line a tray with greaseproof paper and pour the chocolate all over.

3. Crush the oreos and crumble over the chocolate, as well as the M&Ms and Oreos. 

4. Leave to cool and then place in the fridge to finish cool it further. I would suggest to temper the chocolate, to stop it from melting in your hands, but I think this will be demolished quick enough to allow that to happen!

Happy Easter everyone!

Easy Mini Egg Easter Nests

These little yummies are my absolute childhood favourite! So easy to make and super duper quick! I'm sure all of you have made these at some point in your life. And if you haven't, start now!!

BEWARE THESE ARE VERY CHOCOLATEY!

Ingredients

3 shredded wheat packets (those that you find inside)

350g milk chocolate

Colourful sprinkles

Packet of mini eggs

Pastel coloured cake cases and little tooth pick things (no idea what they are called?!) to decorate. I found mine in Home Bargains for 99p!

1. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie (make one yourself by placing a bowl over a pan of shallow boiling water) or buy the one I have from John Lewis for £35.

2. Crush the shredded wheat in a bowl. 

3. Pour the melted chocolate over the wheat in the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until all incorporated. 

4. Spoon evenly into cake cases and top with 3 mini eggs each.

5. Decorate with the colourful sprinkles.

6. Leave to cool and harden. Serve and spread the chocolatey goodness!!

Easter Coconut and Vanilla Popcorn Slices

Usually Easter is a chocolate lover's favourite time of year, but as there are always an abundance of chocolatey recipes going around, I thought I'd try and bake something a bit different! I originally found this recipe on Pinterest, on www.somethingswanky.com but I've mixed and changed it up a little bit. 
These gooey, biscuity slices are irresistible. Especially with kids. When my Nephew tried them this weekend, he went back for seconds..and thirds! With a hint of vanilla and coconut from the popcorn and a taste of chocolate that reminds that it's still Easter from the mini eggs, they are one to try if you don't want to overindulge but still impress your guests. And they are super simple. 

Ingredients

1 tbsp unsalted butter
8 jumbo marshmallows or 20 small ones (I used jumbo - it sort of depends on what size pan you are using)
1/4 bag of Proper Corn Sweet Coconut and Vanilla Popcorn
3 Rich Tea biscuits 
1/2 bag of Cadbury's Mini Eggs
Colourful Sprinkles

Method

1. Grease a square cake pan (I used a 7 x 7 inch pan which was 1.5 inches deep with a loose bottom).

2. Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave.

3. Add the marshmallows to the bowl and microwave for about a minute or until they are gooey. (I had to do mine in stages as my bowl was quite small. Also watch out as the mallows will puff up in the microwave and look like they are about to burst!)

4. Pour the marshmallow into a large bowl and pour in half the bag of popcorn. Crumble in the rich tea biscuits.

5. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and spread to the sides. The mixture will be very sticky so it will be more like dragging it to the sides!

6. Decorate with mini eggs and sprinkles. 

7. Cool for 10 minutes and then slice and serve! They will keep in an airtight container for 3 days.

Happy Easter everyone! And let me know if you try these! 

First week of vlogging

So you guys may or may not know that I've recently started sharing more of my life than I normally do, by vlogging. 

It didn't mean to end up like this but I'm happy it has.

This is the title of my most recent vlog (see below)

The background story 

It all began in late 2014 where I became more interested in Youtube and following certain Youtubers, rather than just browsing for random videos now and then. I saw how much fun it looked and thought, I want to join in! However, I had a pastry course to attend at Le Cordon Bleu in London, which I was very much looking forward to, and of which I graduated in June 2015. 

During this course is when it all began. I needed an outlet to distract myself, procrastinate if you will. I began with making the most common, but also the most popular video of all.. yes, a Primark Haul! After a few weeks I was surprised to see that had over 300 views, so that spurred me on to do more (despite my low subscriber count)

I thought why not make some food related videos. I tried one where I baked cookies, and my Husband filmed it for me, which made it a lot easier. However that one wasn't so successful, and I can see why! 

 

So I experimented and did a totally different type of cooking video (along with a few other random ones), which turned out to get a lot more views. I'm not offended if it's because it didn't feature me! Haha!  
 
I actually really enjoyed making that, despite that I remember it being a quick job before going off to catch the train to London for class! 
I sort of slowed down with the whole Youtube thing towards the summer. I did one more video (another Primark haul - I do enjoy them!) and then stopped. We moved. We got married. SO many things happened. And then a few weeks ago I was inspired again to start doing something Youtube related. I think it was because my friend Rachel spoke about being interested in vlogging, and I had toyed with the idea for a while. I really loved the idea of being able to look back on just an ordinary, or perhaps one of the best days, when  you're 90 odd. Something to show the Grandkids!  That's why I'm doing. For the memories. And also for the support. Youtube has such a good community in the right places. You just need to know where to look. I've met some friendly people so far, despite the distance, it feels like I actually know them! Probably because some of them are vloggers too! 
My first week Well I've been doing it for 12 days now, and I've enjoyed every minute! It makes the day just that tiny bit more interesting. When you know that you are going to have an audience, you are sort of more inclined to do something a bit more out of the ordinary that you usually would. I mean, Ive started eating breakfast more often since beginning my videos with clips of me making it, when I used to just have a coffee.  The editing process is my favourite part. I really do love it. I love the way you can cut things when you sound like poo, or are babbling on (a lot of the time!) Also the way you can speed things up or reverse it. I'm learning all the time; another reason to love it. I've literally taught myself (with a tiny bit of help from Google) how to edit on Adobe Premiere. I'm very proud of myself! *pats on back* I also love the laughs it has brought to our house, such as when showing my Husband back clips that I've filmed, some of which are sometimes too hilarious to share!  I literally cannot think of one thing I don't like. The only teeny tiny thing is when you lose footage, but hey ho, that's life!
That's why I encourage you people to try it if you haven't! Maybe don't upload it to Youtube at first but keep it for your own personal memories. Or maybe don't daily vlog at first, but just once a week. It really is good fun. Let me know if you do!  
My most recent vlog (March 16th)
FYI - I have also started doing other lifestyle videos, and plan to do more cooking tutorials. Stay posted!  


Jess xoxo