Barbecued Chicken & Aubergine Salad | Book of Elsa

This chicken taste best if left to marinade overnight but at least 30 minutes is just fine. 

aubergine salad

don't mind the throw away bbq

smells so good

marinaded chicken ready to go!

Tiramisu | Book of Elsa

Five ingredients make a light as air coffee dessert by the name of Tiramisu. Beware though: it has to be made the day before you need it but I find that useful. Also it helps the texture of the finished dish if all the ingredients are at room temprature before you begin. 

Gateaux Bananes | Book of Elsa

Believe me when I say this is the easiest snack I know. I'm not even sure it can be classified as 'recipe' per se as there are only three ingredients: bananas, flour and salt.

The bananas have to be very very ripe, mashing them with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and enough flour to bind into a something resembling a thick pancake batter. Then fry in batches using teaspoons. Eat whilst still a little warm so not to burn your mouth.

Book of Elsa

Spruced-up Couscous | Book of Elsa

I'm not one to impose my will unto others. The way I see it its a live and let live kind of situation. However, I am goint to tell you this: Couscous is not BORING and this recipe is proof. Just season with salt and pepper, add some drained canned chickpeas, dried fruits and nuts of your choice. Pour over some hot vegetable stock and cover with cling for 20 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork and eat alongside whatever protein you have or as a lunch in and of it self.

Fish Cakes | Book of Elsa

Like most people, I work very long hours and there is no way I get home after a 12 hour day and begin peeling anything except my clothes. But, we still need to eat and eat well at that, so here is what I do: At the weekend preferably a saturday afternoon after all other chores I've been ignoring are done I prepare part of meals that can either keep in the fridge or freezer.

1. Such as couscous salad that can be eaten cold or at room temperature.
2.  Fish cakes that are frozen ready to fry/oven bake at a moments notice.

If all else fails it is ok to put some pasta on to boil <again> and open a jar of pesto; 

Life is way too short to worry about it, just take off your coat, eat, relax and move on sister.

Book of Elsa 

About 1kg of potatoes mashed with some butter and a little milk. 

Apple Turnover | Book of Elsa

<Large> Apple and Blackberry Turnover

The large is in brackets because I was lazy and couldn't be bothered to make a couple more reasonable sized ones which would be the normal thing to do here. 

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat at 200℃

Peel and roughly chop a couple of eating apples, I used cox but I mean please use whatever variety you want.

Add a few blackberries

Some lemon zest

2 Tablespoons of caster sugar

2 Tablespoon of ground almonds

1 Teaspoon of cornflour

Whisk a golden egg 

Roll out puff pastry into a rough circle

Pile the dry mixture on the left side of pastry; this amount is too much I took off about half, bagged it and am freezing it for next time. 

Brush the edges with the beaten egg

 Bring the right edge to the left making a half moon. 

Crimp edges with a fork 😼

Brush the top with more beaten egg, refrigerated for 30mins

Bake for 25mins.

Eat with lashes of cream or custard.

Time - Book of Elsa

Now is the time to believe in magic 

Now is the time to believe in people

Their goodness, openess and ability for kindness

Now is the time to put trust in our neighbours 

Believing that they mean us no harm.

They want the same things we all do.  

When our world is shutting down, everywhere we look nothing but bad news. Fake news.

There's time to spread something else too. 

If not you then who? not now?! I hear you... 

But when and whom?

They say change is slow.

I disagree. Change is people.

It is you and it's me

Now is the time to be the change you wish to see. 

Start small: have a conversation...

How about right now?

Book of Elsa

Orange Scented French Toast | Book of Elsa

To anyone familiar with my Instagram these are no surprise: I adore french toast. Most of the time I can only make them on saturdays when I have time to let the custard soak into the bread  and cook in butter low and slow, like. I'm salivating just thinking about it. This orange scented version is extra special and I hope you try it. However, the orange flavoured syrup showed on the picture above is not very good and I would not even think of giving you the recipe until it's perfect so I'd suggest you have greek yoghurt with.

Yoghurt Drop Scone | Book of Elsa

Yoghurt Drop Scone... The title says it all: a quintessential Sunday family breakfast favourite that are easy to knock-up and utterly delicious. This particular recipe is adapted from the cookbook Mamushka from OIia Hercules a review of which is available here 

Book Review | Mamushka - Olia Hercules

Marinated Pork Belly | Book of Elsa

I Wrote a book | Book of Elsa

Eves' Secrets is a short novel that I have written: it's only available on amazon kindle here for the bargain price of £0.99 or free if you have kindle unlimited!
Have a fantastic weekend!

BOE

Christmas Haul | Book of Elsa

Book Review | Victim Without a Face - Stefan Ahnhem

Haul | Book of Elsa

 Finally used the gift card from my birthday! Went a tad LUSH crazy. On the other hand this dress from Oasis is sublime and a steal at £15!

XO,

Tinsel Skater Dress | Oasis £15 

Tinsel Skater Dress (back) | Oasis £15

American Cream Hair Conditioner | Lush £9.95

Tagliatelle alla Carbonara | Book of Elsa

This is a true week day stand by for me. The quantities suggested here offer a load of leftovers but that's a great thing if only stop the "what am I going to eat later" debate. 

XO

Book of Elsa 

Rice Crispy Treats | Book of Elsa

Book Review | The Ten (Food) Commandments - Jay Rayner

First things first: this is not a recipe book. It contains recipes sure and good ones at that, but they are not the raison d'être of this book. They are, like snacks to nibble on whilst you ingest the true message of the written word. That word is worship. At the altar of PIG and other foodstuff... 

If like me you love food, then this is definitely a read for you. Funny, smart and current Rayner does something with words I had only previously experienced with Nigella Lawson: he makes me want to eat. To eat very well indeed.

Thank you

Book of Elsa

PS: it's available here

Aubergine Dip | Book of Elsa

This recipe came my way in the middle of the night courtesy of Nigella Lawson, Feast (2004) I've fiddled with it a little. By which I mean, taken out stuff I didn't like or have in the cupboards at the time of cooking. 

The dip itself is fantastic with bread, carrot sticks and any other crudités you might like. I don't judge. Enjoy 

xo

Cuba Vlog | Book of Elsa