* Out To Lunch, Be Back Soon!

I read somewhere that it's a not a good idea to write a blog post saying "Sorry I haven't been around guys", or "I'll post more soon, honest" and "Have you missed me, I'm still here"...

... Ummmmm.... not so good at following rules like this... so here goes...

Some of you have been in touch - friends, family (not just my mum!), complete strangers... asking where I am, so here's your answer (I'll try not to bore your butt's numb)...

First - there was Christmas. I hate Christmas. I don't like spending my money on other people buying them stuff they won't use, and getting back stuff I put straight in the Charity Shop. Ungrateful? Yes. Do I care? Absolutely not. I don't mind the whole family get together thing at Christmas, that part is fun, but you can keep the rest. So, Christmas and the lead up to it kept me busy.. and antsy. Not a good idea to blog when you're feeling a bit "sod the world" - so I didn't.

Second (yes, I am writing a numbered list, you might want to put the kettle on)... we were decorating our bedroom over the Christmas period itself - not just a coat of paint on the walls, but we laid a new floor (ourselves, we are that good), ripped out skirting boards and replaced them with new and sat waiting patiently for new furniture to arrive. The house looked like a bomb had exploded and we'd tried to cover up the aftermath with bits of tinsel and a teeny tiny Christmas Tree. Cooking kind of went completely out the window, with big brass knobs on. I could have photographed all the ham sandwiches we ate and blogged them, but somehow I think you know how to make a ham sandwich.. also, see *First Reason*.

Third (and most important) - we have spent the past 8 months going through the process of becoming Foster Carers. On January 14th, with the the help of our fabulous social worker, Angela and the support of friends and family - we went before an independent panel of people, and were given the thumbs up. It's not been an easy journey, but it has certainly been worth it. Since *passing panel*, I've attended training, support group and induction and hopefully we have our first young person coming to stay for respite care, within the next couple of weeks! I'm never going to be able to share the details of our fostering experiences - it would be unethical and in some cases a possible danger to the child - so I don't imagine I will mention it again, other than in passing.

So, there you have it - my "Sorry I haven't been around guys" blog post. I will most certainly return to sharing my recipes, as soon as humanly possible - I have even started using an online meal planner in the hopes of organising myself into being able to have time to cook recipes, photograph them and share them with all of you.... yeah... I don't reckon that'll last any longer than you do - but it's worth a try!

See you soon, my lovelies!

* Easy Cheesy Bubble and Squeak

I need to make more food with Easy Cheesy in the title. I like that title. I like anything even vaguely childish at the moment because I've got a rotten cold, which seems to go hand in hand with a more juvenile sense of humour.... my dreams are pretty freaky too - in a fun way!!! You are so rude!

I dreamt I had magic, the other night (stop groaning, you knew this is where I was heading), and that I was the most powerful magician/sorcerer in the entire world but I hadn't been challenged and therefore didn't know how powerful I was - then the dream jumped a little bit to me saving a load of people by letting them in my front door (apparently this dream could not afford much in the way of special effects)... then this *being* appeared in the sky - now don't laugh - it was Adam Ant. Moving swiftly on... I yelled out of my half open front door (that I was hiding behind - magicians get scared too apparently) at the Adam Ant cloud in the sky..."You don't want to take me on..." then imbued the last two words with a huge majestic power reminiscent of Charlton Heston in various movies "DOOOO YOOOOU?"....

Thing is.... I BOOMED the last two words out loud. In my sleep. As the Adam Ant cloud dissipated into vapour  - I heard a voice beside me snigger and say "Well I suppose this is going to be as interesting as "I'm a giraffe"...".

*sigh*

I'd woken Neil up.

12 hours later when he walked in the back door after work...

... he was still sniggering.

NOTE: There is no one real recipe for bubble and squeak - it's traditionally made up of left over vegetables from a Sunday Roast, all mashed together and fried in a pan on the stove in butter. Sometimes as a mash up, sometimes as a large cake and sometimes as patties. I find a general rule of thumb to follow is whatever weight of potatoes you use, use half that weight of vegetables (or thereabouts) - also, if you do happen to have creamed the mash together with butter and/or milk - you're best bet is to make a mash up and fry it as is, as the wetter the bubble and squeak mix, the less likely that it will be able to hold its shape and make decent patties (or cakes). Dry frying (no fat) also helps the patties to keep their shape and not take on extra moisture and become sloppy (but that might be just me!).

* Sherry Chicken and Mushroom Casserole {for Elephants and The Coconut Trees}

I've met some lovely people over the past year of food blogging, and a few weeks back, Meena, from Elephants and The Coconut Trees asked me to do a guest post for her blog. My happyometer hit a new high.

I love Meena's blog. Her food, recipes and photography are absolutely beautiful. I'm really hoping that some of her style will rub off on me, but I've a ways to go yet!

Meena asked that I share a recipe with her readers that I would typically cook, preferably either vegetarian or with chicken to suit the tastes of her readers. So I decided that this Sherry Chicken and Mushroom Casserole, was the right one.

It's good enough for a special occasion, and simple and cheap enough to be included in an everyday menu. As long as you love chicken and mushrooms, you'll love this. Honest.

You know the drill... CLICK FOR RECIPE...

Meena made me a thankyou card. I love her.

One Year Ago: Cappuccino Cake

* 12 Alternatives to RecipeNewz

When I first started food blogging a year ago, I had no idea that I'd have to "advertise" my recipes/blog for people to find out I was here. I thought it'd be enough just to write a decent recipe, take a picture or three and hit the *publish* button.... not so. The interwebz is a huge and cavernous space full of dust bunnies and silently rolling tumbleweed, if you start a blog up in unsuspecting ignorance of how to make friends and influence people.

Thankfully, whilst reading someone else's recipe I noticed a comment from someone called RecipeNewz and I followed the yellow brick road of the interwebz highway back to my very first, ever,  "food porn" site. It was a stroke of luck that the comment wasn't from one of the more overly discerning sites, because I think I'd have given up before I'd started - my photos really weren't "All That" (still aren't - getting there).

RecipeNewz accepted every single photograph and link to a recipe that anyone and everyone submitted. Although that may seem like it's best feature, especially for new food bloggers and those of us who are somewhat photographically challenged - I personally believe that it's best feature was it's complete reliability to publish your photo etc, within minutes of having hit *submit*. There was no moderation queue, no hoping for acceptance, no turning up three days later and discovering that Elana (the owner) was having a busy weekend and didn't have time to attend to her website. Just *submit* and maybe a couple of minutes later... BOOM! There it was.

Sadly, after a short break from food blogging in July - I've returned to discover that RecipeNewz is no more. I'm really sorry for that because it was one of the best *food porn* websites out there. However, I'm still here and I've needed to do a bit of foraging to find a replacement or three. 

Below are a few recommendations and comments based more on reliability than on acceptance levels. I've also included the accepted image sizes (in pixels). Though some of them do have a facility for cropping the image after submission, it's best to resize your own images for the sake of clarity.

• Fridgg - immediate - accepts all photos instantly - as long as they are food/recipe related (600 x450).
• FoodiePortal - within 12 - 24hrs - accept most photos (250x250)
• Foodgawker - within 12 - 24hrs - can be overly discerning in acceptance (275x275).
• Tastespotting - can take two to three days to get to photos - can be discerning in acceptance (250x250).
• Tasteologie - within 12 - 24hrs - can be slightly discerning in acceptance (250x250).
• Healthy Aperture - can take three or more days to get to photos - can be discerning in acceptance (250x250).
• Dishfolio - within 12 - 24hrs - accepts most photos (250x250). Photos are resized to 250x252 so slightly blurred in appearance after acceptance.
• YumGoggle - can take a couple of days to get to photos - accepts most photos (300x250).
• Kitchen Artistry - can take two to three days to get to photos - can be slightly discerning in acceptance (600x400).
• FoodiEpix - can take a couple of days to get to photos - accepts most photos (250x250).
• RecipesGawker - don't know yet. New to me (250x250).
• FoodSpreading - can take a week to get to photos - accepts most photos (250x250).

Vicky (in comments below) has given me a link to another *food porn* site that publishes immediately. If any of you have additional reliable and consistent sites to add, please let me know and I'll add to a separate list below. Thanks!

• HopWhere - immediate - accepts all photos - (250x250)

* My Top Ten Favourite Recipes From 2012/2013

So, yesterday completed my first year as a food blogger and the gold stars I stuck everywhere are starting to peel off. I no longer sparkle when I walk, which is just as well because I was scaring the shit out of the cat.

Today I reckon I've got just enough recipes to share my 10 personal favourites from the past 12 months - these aren't necessarily my most popular ones, but are most definitely the ones I have enjoyed cooking and eating, the most.

In no particular order...

 Slow Cooker Spicy Sausages with Red Lentil Mash

Allison Day from Fridgg and Kate Miner from Il Faut Bien Que Tout Le Monde Mange! liked the look of this one enough to try it themselves. I LOVE when that happens. It's a great, tasty dish that can be cooked in a slow cooker, on the stove or in the oven.

 Rustic Strawberry Cheesecake

This is simple, and divine and nommy and I have to limit how often I make it because I have a hard time sharing it.

 Chicken Pizza Pasta Bake

A happy accident, the best kind. Pizza sauce, chicken, pasta and cheese. Yeah baby, YEAH.

 Seafood Paella

A simple but tasty meal that hit all the right notes. It has a firm place as a family favourite. Even *The Josh* can be tempted by this on occasions!

 Chorizo and Chestnut Mushroom Carbonara

This is one of those happy, happy use up what's in the fridge and hope for the best successes. Takes about 15 minutes to throw it together and tastes like you've spent hours on it.

Ratatouille Hotpot

This is surprisingly gorgeous and easy to make - ratatouille made on the stove, topped with potatoes, cream and cheese and then baked in the oven.

Chocolate and Marshmallow Fridge Cake

Ridiculously easy to make, it's something that littl'uns can do by themselves with only a little supervision - a combination of chocolate, biscuits, marshmallows and nuts - mixed together and left to *bake* in the fridge!

Creamy Seafood Stew

Oh I love, love, love this. It's so easy to throw together, and surprisingly tasty. There's also enough wine left after using it in the stew for a glass or two to go with it. What more could a girl want? Other than Jonny Depp, that is.

Pita Pizzas

So easy to make and always a hit. Just grab a pita bread and make up your own topping.

Butternut and Bell Pepper Curry

You wouldn't believe how absolutely BUSTING with flavour this is. I can't cook it often enough, but I don't tell my mum because she's positively hanging out to get some and I never quite manage to save enough for her. My bad.

* Happy 1st Blogiversary to me!

Happy Blogiversary tooo meee
Happy Blogiversary tooooo meeee...
Happy Blogiveeersaryyyyy Dear Meeeeeeeeee...
Happy Blogiversary..
To me.

Guess what?

I have managed to stick with something (that isn't a computer game), all be it sporadically... for one whole year. I have stuck gold stars on every evident bare patch of skin (and some not so evident) as reward for my sticking power. Yes. I have stuck stuff to me as a reward for being able to stick to stuff. Read it again. It makes complete sense.

I started this food blog one year ago today, in the hopes of recapturing my love for food and cooking, with the side benefit of injecting a bit more variety into our every day diets.

I've learned a helluva lot in the past year. More about food blogging and what I want from it, than about cooking... I thought when I started out that I would be famous by now, with at least 10 book deals and an autobiography. Move over Jamie Oliver... Abbe Townsend is taking over the building.

So... as Dr Phil would say (yes, we get him in the UK too)... "How's that working out for you?"

"Well, Phil... can I call you Phil? No? Well then... Dr Phil... it's not quite what I expected... "

I had no clue, until after the first week or two, that there are literally a gazillion food bloggers out there already. I thought I was going to be the only one (joke). I've been a part of an online gaming community for the past 10 years or so, that is quite vast and varied... and thought that it was possibly the largest online community in existence. I was wrong.

I also figured that all I'd have to do to maintain a successful food blog, would be turn up a few times a week, write a blog post/recipe, accept the adoration of the world (HUUUUUUUGE Ego. I've considered disowning it) and Bob's Your Uncle...but noooooooooooooooo.... food bloggers have to network. Dammit.

I'm pretty shit at this whole "networking" thing that draws communities together. I refuse to run around asking people to *like* me or *look at* me. Never done it in real life, not doing it online. I have the proverbial facebook, twitter and google plus pages because at the time they seemed like a good idea (not withstanding the whole "crap at networking thing") - but they aren't updated with any regularity because I can think of a million other things I'd rather be doing. They get updated when the blog gets updated, which isn't with any regularity either.

That's the thing. People like consistency when it comes to food bloggers. I'm not a consistent food blogger. I tried it, didn't like it. I tried to earn money from it too, with adverts... and suddenly the place was no longer fun. I spent hours researching ways to increase traffic, to increase revenue... and hardly cooking at all. So had to have a rethink there. Got rid of the adverts, went back to blogging for fun.

Also, there's this whole thing with photographs. I didn't realise that taking a photograph of food was so bloody complicated. When I started, I was cooking in the evenings, turning the kitchen lights on and photographing whatever I'd just dished out. Looked good to me. Apparently not to everyone else though. This is still my biggest problem, even now. I have a little point and shoot digital camera, that I've had for a few years now and because I am well aware of my personality defects and inability to remain interested in projects/blogs/books/plants/the upbringing of my child etc for very long.... I have thus far refused to purchase a DSLR (DLSR? SRLD?) camera or much in the way of *food props*.

So... so far we have a huge community of food bloggers already in place, an aversion to networking, inconsistent blogging, a lack of interest in funding and hit and miss photography...

However... I love it.

I'm fumbling my way through the networking thing and have a made a few friends along the way. I'm never going to be a consistent blogger because although I enjoy food and cooking, it turns out that I quite like doing other stuff too. I don't mind that I don't have 10 book deals and an autobiography in hand, but my own TV show would have been nice (DOWN Ego, DOWN!) and I'm finding the photographic side of things adds another facet of enjoyment, rather than just serving a purpose.

I've discovered a deep and abiding love of spinach. I now know what to do with a bunch of chard. I bought a slow cooker. I've made gnocchi for the very first time (coming soon). I've won the war with pastry. Anything with the words "pasta bake" in the title is an instant hit. I like creating vegetarian recipes. I'm lazy. I no longer feel the urge to spit chickpeas at random passersby when discovering them in my food. I really like beans, plurals of them... and I still have a shit ton of marshmallow fluff that I don't know what to do with.

There's more... but that whole *attention span of a rabid gnat* thing is starting to settle in...

Just one last thing... thankyou, to everyone that takes the time to leave a comment  and helps to make it all worthwhile. It's been nice to meet you all.

I shall see you anon, or not - depends on which way the wind is blowing ;-)

One Year Ago: Enchiladas

* Reason's to be cheerful...

Thankyou, most lovable (not) Kelly at Dysfunctionally Functional for nominating me for this kick arse award! I had a speech all written out, was half way to the shops to purchase a new dress and get my hair done... when Kelly disclosed that none of that was actually necessary. I'm calling her bad names in my head.

The deal for getting this award is as follows:

1)  Display the trophy on your post.
2)  Write a short piece that starts with:  I Didn't Kill ____ Today.  It doesn't have to be a person; it can be an appliance, a business, or anything else you choose.
3)  Nominate a few people and let them know it's their turn to vent!

Kinda like a glorified chain letter ;o)

Now I'm kinda stumped, because there's so much to choose from...

Okay, here goes...

I Didn't Kill Joshua, Today. Actually, it was last Sunday, but let's use some poetic license here and I'll explain... I know it says *click for recipe* below... there's no recipe but click it anyway...

* Mexican Pasta

I had intended to update with a recipe on Monday evening, but when I came home from a somewhat long day in various parts of Devon and Cornwall.... Neil gave me the news that he had been made redundant.

I wish I could say I was surprised, but I've been holding my breath for the past six years, waiting for this to happen. He works (worked - whatever) in the construction industry, and the fact that we made it this far into the recession without him being made redundant, was not only a bit of a miracle, but had also almost convinced me that we might make it out the other side.

We haven't.... and neither did the rest of the team that work in the South West of England. Everyone has been made redundant. The firm that they work for ( a HUGE international company), will employ contractors rather than their own team of men in our little tiny corner of the world.

Neil was convinced that they'd be scraping him off of various parts of the county, after he told me. I think he was more fearful of my reaction, than of actually being made redundant... I surprised the living daylights out of the pair of us when my only response was "Oh well, we'll get through it."

I have been dreading... DREADING... this, since he started work for them 18 years ago, near the end of the last recession. I'm not a pessimist, but once you've lived on benefits and finally manged to get off of them, your worst nightmare is that it happens all over again... well - here we are again, and quite frankly - no one has died. In truth, I almost feel relieved that now that it's happened I no longer have to wonder if it will.

We're luckier than a lot of the men laid off - we're not just starting out - struggling to furnish our home or pay a mortgage, we have no little ones to feed and clothe, we don't smoke or drink... and we're twenty years older and wiser. When we moved into this house we had no bed to sleep in... just one sofa that my mum gave us, an old fridge freezer and a washing machine that my dad bought us, an oven that Neil's mum bought us and sent through the post!!!... and a bed for our son that a friend lent us.

Obviously we'll have to economise, and I imagine that one of the things to be hit will be the food budget... *sob*... so it may get interesting around here for a while, until one or both of us have new jobs... or we've won the lottery...

Ah well....  Here's to a new adventure in this zig zagging road through life. Nothing ever stays the same, does it!

There is a recipe here - honest. Just click the link below :)

* Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day to all the mums out there today!

It's the official Mothering Sunday here in the UK today and it's come upon us out of the blue. I'm pretty sure we only just finished with Christmas a few days back and yet already - here we are.

AND there have been Easter Eggs on shop shelves since Boxing Day here. Honest.

My son has just phoned from his nan's to wish me a Happy Mothers Day. He's improving with age...

When he was 10yrs old he decided he'd rather buy himself a bar of chocolate than waste his money on me because I could buy my own flowers, if I really wanted some. There was a twisted logic in that that I actually admired but my entire family kept trying to save the day by coaxing him into at least picking a few weeds out of his grandad's garden and handing them over as a token gift... well... Josh isn't one to be coaxed and that year I ended up with the torn off heads of mum's Camelias being lobbed at the patio windows to cries of "Happy F*****g Mothers Day!!!".

He was a sweet child.

He's 21 now and this year - although I haven't seen him yet - he's bought himself a DVD for Mothers Day. Apparently I can watch it with him and keep it on the shelf downstairs.

It's my fault that he's the way he is, because I find him very funny. When he was throwing those Camelias at me and swearing, I was rolling around the living room floor trying not to wet myself laughing. The fact that he's actually remembered Mothers Day this year, is progress.

Happily, I don't need flowers or a card to know that he loves me.

I'm his mum :)

However - MY mum needs to know it in person, up close and personal - so I'm letting her cook me a roast dinner.

You can see where my boy gets his winning personality from, can't you.

Happy Mother's Day XXxx

* Lamb Ragu with Cavatappi

This lamb ragu more or less cooked itself, once I'd got everything in the pot - which gave me free time (which is new- haven't had free time since some time in 1983 - I think), to research ways in which to improve my blog. It's actually becoming a bit of an obsession, and some of the tech that you need to know in the background is above my head... so I may have to ask my baby bruvver to lend a hand - he's very, very clever. Got a smart mouth too, which doesn't help.

I'm occasionally in danger of putting the blog, before the cooking - and it's the cooking that makes me happy. The blog is to be a part of and to share the happy. Not be the happy. That made sense in my head. Really.

Although initially I didn't really enjoy the photographic element of sharing the happy, it is now becoming part of the happy (yes, I'm going to be bolding and underlining every mention of the happy... I just did it again. Because I could.) - which is okay, as long as I don't rely on it (the photograph, just in case you were lost) as anything more than a prop. I'm trying to improve my photography without spending any money that I don't have, because a decent photo is a better way of sharing the happy (hahahahaha) than presenting an image of a meatloaf that resembles a dog turd.

Not many people can see beyond the dog turd.

Anyway, if you pop in here occasionally and discover the blog looking very slightly different now and then, I'm just trying to find a better way of sharing the happy (I'm starting to piss myself off now).

Enjoy the ragu, it's too easy (and tasty of course) not to try at least once.

* Scuba Doo

I'm not dead. I've just been amazingly busy and had little time or inclination to food blog in the past few weeks. It's done nothing but rain here for what feels like months and it's been almost impossible to take a decent photograph of my cooking in such grey and depressing light (plus I have no gizmos or real know-how to aid me) so hubby and I hit the road and took ourselves off to Egypt for a week, for some much needed sun, sea and sand.

We didn't go touring, because of the civil unrest. It would have been a bit bloomin' stoopid to go on holiday and get all *het up* trying to get through Cairo etc to the Pyramids, or to Luxor for the Valley Of The Kings - we'll do that next time.

We did... however... go scuba diving (that's me on the left!)!!! It was amazing, and really NOT the sort of thing you keep to yourself so I'm going to share a few photographs of our holiday and our diving experiences. We do have a video of it all, but You Tube keeps buggering me about so it's yet to be uploaded and inflicted upon everyone.

I've Christmas to deal with now, so hopefully will be blogging recipes again in the New Year. Plus I quit one of my jobs, so will probably have more time to do the things I want... well, that's the plan.

Click on the link below if you want to to see a few highlights from our holiday - I promise not to bore you with too many!