10 favourite recipe books

It's cold and windy outside (although not as windy as it must have been when the trampoline flew over the fence...), and I'm thinking of hot comfort food. Mmmm... and a hot chocolate and a good book. Sounds like bliss! So on that topic, here's our 10 favourite recipe books:

1. Jamie Oliver at home (he's also in love with his veggie patch, so that's extra points for him! I wish I could transplant his patch over here...).


2. My own little collection of recipes copied from everyone far and wide. The most commonly used recipes being spaghetti bolognese (red wine and Worcestershire sauce making this one a winner) and lentil soup (lots of bacon is the key)! Oh, and meatballs. I have the best meatballs recipe in the world! Honestly! I'll share it with you if you like.


3. Stephanie Alexander. A truly exhaustive recipe book including just about everything! I often make her apple crumble (minus the ginger).


4. Risotto (by Christine Ingram)-a staple in our family.


5. Moosewood Restaurant cooks at home. Lots of lovely vegetarian recipes, and the best brownies I've ever had.


6. 100 bread machine recipes. Mostly drooled over, not many attempted. I do love making sour dough (not in the machine though), but it doesn't always work I'm afraid. It's sooooo yummy grilled with parmesan cheese and herbs in the sandwich press..... Mmmm.


7. Friendly Food - from the allergy unit at RPA. Very handy for making things like mayonnaise without dairy.


8. The Family Circle Easy Menu Planner. Our favourite being Moussaka.


9. The Women's Weekly birthday cake book. Not that butter cake is a particularly thrilling type of cake, but all those birthday cake styles are very handy.


10. Indian cooking (Women's Weekly again). Mostly for drooling over, again, but we do the occasional korma or rogan josh (while the children have eggs on toast!).





I just about threw the knitting out the window today! I'm trying to get the hang of the knit and purl thing, and kept being interrupted by questions or losing count. After I unravelled the first 3 rows about 6 times I thought it best to lay it aside before I threw it outside in the mud! It was much more simple when it was just plain knitting! I now have a very healthy respect for all those knitters out there wrestling with jumpers and beanies and things.


On another note, our chicken no.3 has decided to expand her vocabulary from just 'no' and 'don't' to include some other words! Very exciting! We started to teach her some sign language (the Signing Time dvd's are brilliant), and it seems to have encouraged her to say the words as well.

I'll leave you with a (slightly blurry) picture of the lovely little Zebra Finches that visit us every day.