Did much better keeping to my meal plan last week. Hope Santa was watching my good behavior. Only one dish got bumped and that's because I made so much mushroom risotto that I was able to use the leftovers to make Arancini.
My Tuesday 65+ Community Cookery class at the STAR flat did a grand job yet again this week. Fish was off the menu with a special request for Mince and Doughballs. We followed this up with Bread & butter Pudding. Perfect rib sticking comfort food for this time of year.
The idea of a Chicken Lasagne seemed to capture the imagination of a few folk last week so here's how I make mine. Its one of girl's favourites.
Chicken, Sweetcorn & Broccoli Lasagne
1 whole cooked chicken
Small tin of sweetcorn
Head of broccoli
6 sheets of lasagne
1.5 pints milk
85g marg
85g plain flour
S&P
Nutmeg
English Mustard Powder
100g Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks, drain the sweetcorn, chop the broccoli into florets and par boil for a couple of minutes.
Make the white sauce using the all-in-one method. Add the milk, marg and flour to a saucepan and whisk constantly over a medium heat until the sauce thickens.
Add the nutmeg, mustard powder and season to taste.
Mix the chicken, sweetcorn and broccoli into the white sauce.
Layer up the lasagne sheets and chicken mix in an ovenproof dish and top with mozzarella.
Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.
For St Andrews Day on Saturday we enjoyed a Scotch Beef Chateaubriand with all the trimmings. Onion Rings, Fried Egg, Peppercorn Sauce, Roast Veggies. If you haven't already guessed, I like my meat rare.
On Sunday morning myself and boy headed to the Mearns Winter Food Festival at Balmekwan. The Hog Roast was fantastic. Purchases were made from Loaf Face Co-Op, Cambus O'May Cheese, Isabella's Preserves and Summer Harvest Rapeseed Oil.
We had friends for dinner in the evening and enjoyed the three breads from Loaf Face with a Baked Camembert and a selection of dipping oils. The favorite Loafie was The Midgie Bite made with Cheese a wee nip from Jalapenos.
Mains was Pot Roasted Pheasant with Shallots, Cider, Cognac and Caramelised Apples. Served with Parmesan Parsnips and Sweet Potato, Braised Red Cabbage and Mashed Potato with Smoked Rapeseed Oil.
We almost had room for desert and inspired by my cookery class I made a festive Pannetone Bread and Butter Pudding with Spiced Ginger Preserve.
So the first week of December and time for #MealPlanningMonday. I've dug out all my Christmas magazines but haven't actually got round to looking at them yet. The aim of the meal planning game this week is to run down the freezer and store cupboards in preparation for filling them with Christmas goodies.
Salmon with Maple Syrup & Grainy Mustard
Unidentified Soup (at least I think its soup. Found in a Mackies Ice Cream tub in the freezer and its definitely not Ice Cream)
Stir fried Beef and Noodles with Lime & Ginger Sauce
Fishy Freezer Rummage
Baked Potatoes with Chilli and Cheese
Also on the menu this week is my Christmas night out with Rock Choir at the Palm Court Hotel. Rustling up a Yule Log in my Countdown to Christmas evening class, I Could Eat a Horse Film Screening at Woodend Barn and Kickstarter Supporters party at The Foodstory Cafe.
I have a feeling its only going to get busier from here on in. Enjoy your week and don't forget to tune in to Kitchen Cafe on BBC Radio Scotland this Friday 6th December at 1.05pm. Hopefully I won't sound too stupid.
