That was the month that was - January 2024
Taking a look back at the first month of the year and the next stage of my kitchen make over. Plus I share some tasty recipes for chilly days.
Hello All
This year I thought it might be fun to share a monthly round up of whats been going on behind the scenes in the last newsletter of each month. And wow, suddenly, January is nearly over. So here’s what’s been happening this month.
Those of you who have been following me for a while will know that last year I started refurbing my kitchen / dining room. My kitchen dinner is not only where all the recipe testing and photography for my two blogs is done, it’s also the heart of our home.
It's over 20 years since we first knocked through to make a kitchen/diner, from a series of rooms in our basement, so while at first glance it's not too bad (if you ignore the missing cupboard door that fell off), a closer look shows it was pretty shabby everywhere and in need of a makeover.
As we are doing most of the work ourselves, it's taking a bit of time. Last year, I resealed the floors and worktops and painted a large built-in cupboard and display shelves, which house most of my props.
This month, we turned our attention to the kitchen cupboards replacing the wall units, which had become very worn. So most of the time the kitchen has been not fully functioning with everything out of the cupboards and on the work surfaces.
Now the new wall cupboards are up, and I’m really pleased with the results. I even managed to get in a bit more storage, so the worksurface is less cluttered.
The original kitchen was an Ikea kitchen, and unfortunately, they have changed their cupboard sizes, so the next step is to find a replacement doors that will fit both the old base and the new wall units. I’ll keep you updated.
And with everything back in the cupboards, I was finally able to do some photography this week, (I’ll be sharing the results with you soon) and a couple of batches of marmalade.
Until next time, have a delicious week.
Comfort meals for chilly days
When the weather is all over the place, freezing one day, then mild and wet the next, there is nothing like classic comfort food to ward off the chill and brighten winter days.
Toad in the Hole
If this isn't winter comfort food, I don't know what is. While stews and casseroles are ideal in the winter, the downside is they take a long time to cook. This is just as satisfying and much quicker!
Easy Chilli
Recipes don't come much easier than this, making it the perfect midweek meal. This simple version is packed with flavour and is as the name suggests very easy to make.
Shepherds pie
A delicious lamb filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until the top is golden, comfort food doesn't get better than this classic English dish.
Or you might like to try my vegetarian version Vegetable and Lentil Bake.
Easy Fish Pie
This has to be the easiest fish pie recipe I know. Pieces of cod and smoked haddock in a simple sauce topped with mashed potatoes. This recipe is really quick to prepare and very tasty.
Have you seen?
Chocolate Brownies with Mincemeat
Do you have half a jar of mincemeat left over from Christmas baking? Make a batch of these brownies. They are as delicious and indulgent as you would expect with a brownie recipe that includes real chocolate in the mixture. A delicious way to brighten up a dull January day.