I'm Back!

Buongiorno, I am back.  Sorry it's been a while, I've had so much going on and I've been ill (bad dose of man flu), my poor Sky Blue is poorly (eye ulcer and infection), and just not been motivated to blog but I have still been cooking and this will be a bumper issue.  Mr W is watching Antiques Roadshow so I have free reign for a while... ;)

It was my birthday at the beginning of March and I decided that rather than go out I would have a few friends round and cook for them - tis what I like doing best.  Unfortunately we only have room for six currently, but I plan to resolve that when we do the house up as I would ideally like to be able to cook for ten at a time.  I cooked a five course meal and stupidly forgot to take photos, except for the dessert.  What an idiot!  I was so busy, and quite stressed, particularly when one of us (there is dispute as to which one) dropped part of the starter on the floor in front of our guests and had to start again.  D'oh!  We had a great night though, with far too much food (maybe five courses was a tad ambitious) and lots of drinks and laughs.  It is always a fun night at Chez Watson :)  Anyway, here is my dessert....

I also cooked spicy butternut squash soup, pate with toast (and bruschetta for the non-pate fan), then twice cooked pork belly with crackling, cabbage with bacon, creamy mash, green beans and baby carrots (cheese stuffed chicken breast wrapped in parma ham for the non-pork fan, with oven roasted home-made chips), then toberone mousse with spun sugar, and a cheese board. 

Tonight we have had roast lamb with mashed potato, roast potatoes, buttered carrots, savoy cabbage, steamed leeks, Belvedere broccoli, butternut squash puree and port and redcurrant gravy.  Mmmmmm.

 I have cooked lots of other things recently so will just post some more photos here and will start posting regularly again....

Budha:

Work charity cake (coffee & walnut):

Chicken & chorizo ingredients:

Chicken & chorizo with saffron rice:

Chicken salad:

The garden from the kitchen:

Garlic mushrooms:

Ribe eye steak:

Belvedere broccoli:

Rib eye with stacked potato and butternut squash chips, broccoli and fried courgettes julienne:

Heston's earl grey hot cross buns:

Roast lamb with mashed potato, roast potatoes, Belvedere broccoli, buttered carrots, butternut squash puree, steamed leeks and redcurrant and port gravy:

Leek and potato soup:

Macaroni cheese:

Margarita:

Moussaka:

Moussaka with salad:

Roasted tomato and pepper soup:

Spag bol:

It's good to be back, won't leave it this long again :) xx