Coffee Muffins

Cock-a-leekie is a traditional Scottish soup, so much so that I rather OD’d on it as a kid and for years afterward I couldn’t face the sight of a tin of Baxter’s Cock-a-leekie soup. However recently I have come to realise that

1. Just because I didn’t like something as a child, does not mean I won’t like it now.
2. Just because I don’t like something that’s mass produced doesn’t mean I won’t like it when I make it.

So I decided it was time to give this old Scottish favourite a go myself. Cock-a-leekie isn’t a particularly attractive soup, getting nice photos of it I think is difficult, with my photography skills it’s an impossibility, but I gave it a shot anyway.

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Not revolutionary by any stretch of the imagination, but this a quick dish that uses mainly store cupboard ingredients but can use up leftover meats and vegetables.

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Pomegranates always make me think of nights when it is pitch black outside, the fire is on, and I’m sitting in the living room with my mum and sister watching ER. My mum would sit with a pomegranate and divide it up passing over chunks of the bejewelled fruit to each of us.

Seeing pomegranates in stores always provokes that memory but it has been years since I’ve actually bought one, yesterday I finally took the plunge and bought two.

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I read this recipe on potato crust quiche and something in my head just snapped into place. I love quiche, but I dislike the ones I buy in supermarkets. I’ve made my own quiche once and while it was good, the shortcrust pastry didn’t exactly go to plan.

Seeing the potato crust idea was like aligning the stars, I could have homemade quiche without the extra hassle. It is also generally healthier using potatoes rather than pastry
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The October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge was brought to us by Jaden of the blog Steamy Kitchen. The recipes are from her new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.

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This week when I peaked inside my organic box and saw another bag of chard I groaned. It’s that small feeling of disappointment knowing of all the vegetables in the world – they keep sending me this. I could just ask them to never send me it again, but that feels like giving up. Admitting that this green and rainbow coloured leafy vegetable has defeated me.

It’s not that the vegetable doesn’t look pretty, it does, its pink, yellow and red stems look beautiful on a plate but it tastes metallic and bitter. Usually I sauté it and have it as a side, but in my vain attempts to make it taste better I over cook it and it becomes a green goo. But oh no, not this time.

A beautiful light colourful lunch

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This week I wanted to do something exciting with my Broccoli, something that wasn’t a stir-fry or simple side.

Isn't this cupcake bowl the cutest thing?

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So you baked your first loaves in the BBA challenge. You have two fresh loaves of beautiful bread that are wafting wonderful smells through your home, and you just want to try it. Right now. Well go on. The problem comes once you’ve had that first warm slice – what do you do with the rest of it?

A lot of people seem to make it and give one loaf to a neighbour. I wouldn’t know a neighbour of mine if I passed them on the street. Now maybe that’s a bit sad, I am sure I’d like to get to know my neighbours – but knocking on their door one night with a loaf of bread in hand may put me firmly into the crazy neighbour spectrum.
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No crazy new vegetables in here. Nope, just plain everyday vegetables in my box this week, so the challenge is how to make them exciting!

This weeks veggies

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It’s Sunday and I’ve still got all the vegetables from my organic box on Tuesday! So before the next batch arrives I have been trying to desperately come up with quick recipes to use all my veg up. After trying coriander flowers on my Broccoli soup last week, I decided to create a soup really determined to bring those subtle flavours out.

Carrot and Coriander Soup, garnished with coriander flowers

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