Journal Update:

Well, it’s only been a week since I started this blog and already I feel as if I’ve turned a corner with my cooking and finally added some decent recipes into that empty file-box of mine.


I’ve been so warmed by the generosity people have shown by sending in recipes and the support given to My Recipe Journal’s page on Facebook - thank you.

Thanks to your delicious recipe-sharing it’s been an exciting week in my kitchen. My goal starting this blog was to add one new recipe to my cooking repertoire each week and I’ve already exceeded that.

Megan. B’s Pumpkin and Fetta Risotta has been the stand-out dinner-time success with my family this week, getting the tick of approval from everyone. I came close to messing that one up when I arrived home from the greengrocers with fresh lemon thyme instead of oregano. Doh! Perhaps I need a few lessons in herb-identification? (Alex went back to the shop to get the oregano and saved the day).

The next success has come from here: A no-knead bread recipe from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg. The bread (four loaves!) I made from this master recipe was fantastic and the method is so simple I can easily see myself getting into the rhythm of making bread every day. I’ll post some photos when I get a chance.

I also attempted Guy’s dahl recipe - although what I produced wasn’t strictly sticking to his recipe. Who am I kidding... It was nothing like Guy's recipe. Looking in my pantry just as I wanted to start cooking I discovered I had only one tin of lentils... and two extra teens to cook for that night as well. Dahl without lentils? Ummm... I ended up improvising with chickpeas and loads of sweet potatoes, not exactly the dahl Guy had in mind. Looks like I’ll have to have another attempt at the original recipe.

Lesson learned? I need to get stuck into meal planning so I have the correct ingredients on hand when it comes time to cook and that situation won’t crop up again.

Tracy’s Fruity Polenta Slice, meanwhile, is still waiting for me to try. Polenta is not a staple in my pantry, in fact I’ve never cooked with it before, but I now have stocked up on all the needed ingredients so I’m ready to test that one out. It looks so tempting...

I hope you, too, have been enjoying the recipes shared so far – keep ‘em coming!

x

p.s I'm off to cook today with 11 other mothers in massive meal-sharing get-together in which I have to come up with 20 serves of my dish! Wish me luck. I'll report back on this one. Nervous...