Well it's only 67 days until Christmas apparently and who doesn't love receiving a yummy foodie hamper as a gift? I was lucky enough to be sent this luxury Mylor Riviera Westcountry Hamper to try and I was really impressed with the quality of the products.
The hamper contains the following products:
40 bag packet of Cornish tea company tea
Bottle Of Tarquins Blackberry Gin
Jar Of JB Preserves Plum Jam
Bottle of Cornish ketchup ‘smokey one’
Bottle Of Elderflower Presse
Bottle Of Cornish Orchards Cyder
Bar Of Kernow chocolates
Box Of Furniss Fairing Biscuits
Box Of Furniss Cheese Biscuits
Jar Of Cornish Honey
Jar Of 3 Fruit Marmalade
Jar Of JB Preserves Piccalilli
The Tarquins Blackberry Gin is really good (with elderflower tonic), and I've already used the Cornish Honey in my famous Honey and Peanut Butter Flapjacks. This hamper retails at £75 but there are cheaper alternatives available if your budget can't stretch that far.
Riviera Westcountry Hampers only include products produced in Devon and Cornwall and if you would like a custom hamper made they are always happy to oblige. There is also the choice of having a wicker basket or recyclable cardboard hamper tray to carry your chosen products.
The perfect gift for Christmas!
Disclosure: I was kindly sent a hamper to review. All thoughts are my own.
This comforting sausage meatball pasta bake was much needed after a day of raking leaves, mowing the lawn and lots of weeding in the garden. I do love this time of year but its hard work when you have so many tree's!
The ingredients for this sausage meatball pasta bake were delivered by Cornwall Recipe Box, who asked if I would like to try out one of their holiday ready recipe boxes. The company is run by a brother and sister team in West Cornwall who share a love of good hearty family food. They got thinking how tricky it can be when on holiday to make the most of opportunities to sample local food, particularly with kids in tow, and so Cornwall Recipe Box was born, delivering recipe boxes direct to holiday homes throughout the whole of the county.
All of the ingredients are either grown/produced locally, or supplied by independent Cornish suppliers. The recipe boxes are delivered in recyclable packaging with a detailed recipe card and instructions to follow.
There are lots of really yummy recipes in their Autumn/Winter 2018/19 range including Smoked Haddock Chowder and Roasted Squash Risotto but this Sausage Meatball Pasta Bake was extra special. They are also currently working on a 'classics' menu too that will be available year round so keep an eye on the website for that.
This Spicy Sausage Meatball Pasta Bake was gobbled up by everyone which is always a good sign. The portion sizes are extremely generous too, leaving leftovers for hubby's lunch the next day. We really couldn't have been more impressed by their service and I would thoroughly recommend trying out a box if you are on holiday in Cornwall soon. Locals can also order the recipe boxes to their homes.
TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THE SPICY SAUSAGE PASTA BAKE
For a less spicy meal replace the chilli sausages with plain pork or hickory smoked sausages.
The recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd.
Serve with a side salad or fresh veggies.
Up the veggies by adding a tin of sweetcorn or some cooked peas to the pasta bake.
A hearty and comforting sausage meatball pasta bake recipe with chilli sausages.
prep time: 15 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 45 mins
ingredients:
8 Chilli Sausages
200g Cherry Tomatoes
2 Garlic Cloves
200g Breadcrumbs
2 TBSP Rapeseed Oil
100g Fresh Parsley
400g Pasta
1 Lemon
200g Creme Fraiche
200g Cornish Gouda (or cheddar)
Salt and Pepper
instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°c (180° fan).
Snip the end of the sausages and squeeze out the sausage meat into a bowl.
Finely chop the parsley and mix half into the sausage meat with half of the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into your hands to form small balls.
Cut the tomatoes in half and place in an ovenproof dish. Place the meatballs on top and bake for 20 mins until the sausage balls are cooked.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil with a pinch of salt.
Peel and chop the garlic, grate the rind of the lemon and mix into a small bowl with the remaining breadcrumbs and parsley.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and boil for 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile grate the gouda cheese.
Drain the pasta and return to the pan with a little of the cooking water, rapeseed oil and the breadcrumb mixture.
Take the baking dish out of the oven and stir the pasta mixture into the meatballs and tomatoes. Dollop over the creme fraiche and sprinkle over the grated cheese.
Grill for 5 minutes until starting to brown. Serve with a green salad.
Schools been back now for a few weeks and I'm very much liking the routine again! I'm a stickler for routine and over the holidays it all went a bit out of the window. Meals particularly were haphazard and we're all craving more home cooked food with lots of fresh veggies, regular bed times and sitting down together at the breakfast table every morning. Well, I am at least!
BREAKFAST WITH BASSETTS VITAMINS
I try and get my children to eat as healthily as possible, but Bassetts Vitamins do play an important role in our morning routine, particularly since the three year old has acquired a slight aversion to vegetables (hopefully it will pass!).
Bassetts Vitamins contain no added sugar and are made with natural flavours and colours and can be taken from the age of 3. Giving my children a pastille with their breakfast every morning gives me peace of mind knowing that they are getting necessary nutrients*. My kids like all of the flavours they come in but my three year old Heidi loves the Omega-3 + Multivitamins Orange Flavour Pastilles which contain omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B5, which contributes to mental performance, and vitamin B6 which supports normal psychological function. The pastilles are soft and chewy so perfect for small children.
I asked Heidi what the orange multivitamin pastilles tasted like and she said they tasted 'like orange fruit flowers and a hot orange sun'. ' They are a real hit in this house anyway - even my husband sneaks one sometimes.
BREAKFAST IDEAS FOR BUSY PARENTS
Wholegrain cereals and wholemeal toast feature heavily in our house at breakfast time but I do try and mix it up a bit to keep them interested. Below are some healthy back to school breakfast ideas that I make for my children (and the adults too) on busy weekdays.
You might think Slow Cooker Porridge isn't going to be a quick and easy breakfast...but it really is. All the hard work gets done the night before (and it really isn't very hard), so in the morning all you need to do is lift the lid off the slow cooker and serve. When the kids are going out of the door at different times like they do here, this is the perfect breakfast as you can keep the porridge warm for as long as you need. I love honey and raisins stirred through mine but the kids really like sliced banana on top of their porridge. A spoonful of homemade jam stirred through is also really nice.
These healthy fruit and nut bars are great for breakfasts on the run! I take a few of these to work with me as I try and go swimming first thing and eat breakfast at my desk. These can be frozen so I tend to make a big batch, freeze them individually, then pull out however many I need the night before.
I make these for lunchboxes but my eldest always sneaks a few at breakfast time too. She is definitely more a savoury person when it comes to food, so these savoury ham and cheese muffins suit her perfectly. Feta and spinach muffins make a nice change as well.
Muffins in general make great breakfasts and I tend to vary the fruits as to what's in season. These cherry and almond muffins are lovely when you can get fresh cherries but blackberries or raspberries also work well.
I love yogurt and fruit at breakfast time and this raspberry fool is a lovely light breakfast. Any fruits would work in this recipe - I've made it with strawberries and blueberries before and in the autumn I often use blackberries from our garden.
What do you dish up at breakfast time on a busy weekday? Do you give your children vitamins at breakfast like I do?
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post with Bassetts Vitamins. I received payment for this post. All thoughts are my own. A pack of 30 Bassetts Vitamin +Omega-3 pastilles retail at £5.50
* Just a reminder that food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a healthy balanced diet.
We all need a speedy pasta meal once in a while don't we?! This quick and easy Bolognese recipe definitely ticks the speedy box by making use of some yummy new products from the M&S Italian Collection.
I managed to get this bolognese made and on the table in just 20 minutes, so a great recipe when you have starving children to feed (school makes them VERY hungry it seems). The bolognese, although not authentic, is very tasty and makes use of a ready made Tomato & Basil sauce that Marks and Spencer sell. I also used some of their fresh fusili which cooks in just a few minutes and to stretch the meal to feed three hungry kids and two adults I served the quick bolognese with yummy cherrybell pepper foccacia.
M&S have some lovely ready made sauces on their shelves at the moment and next time I might use the chunky vegetable sauce to try and get a few more veggies into the kiddo's. Later in the week I'm planning to use their fresh ravioli with the green pesto for another quick and tasty meal for after football and hockey training!
M&S ITALIAN COLLECTION
The newly launched Italian Collection from M&S not only features ready made sauces, fresh pasta's and delicious Italian breads but also a large selection of ready meals which are ideal for taking to work or eating on a night when you don't fancy cooking. My Mum feeds the kids a couple of nights a week so I often grab a couple of ready meals for me and hubby to enjoy on those nights.
The King Prawn Risotto is a particular favourite of mine featuring juicy king prawns and sweet Santarella tomatoes and it means I get to enjoy a meal that I wouldn't normally cook for us as a family (two of my children don't like prawns - hopefully they will acquire the taste for them soon!).
Hubby likes his meat so the Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Pappardelle is one of his favourite meals from the range but there are so many others to choose from including;
Roasted Mushroom Risotto
Chicken Pea and Pancetta Risotto
Pancetta Carbonara
Crab Linguine
Scallop, Pancetta and Pea Linguine
King Prawn Bucatini
All of the ready meals can be microwaved in a matter of minutes or if you prefer, many of the products in the range can also be oven cooked.
TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THE QUICK BOLOGNESE
The bolognese recipe can easily be doubled if you're feeding more than 4 people.
Add a glug of red wine to the sauce for some richness just before adding the tomato and basil sauce.
Serve the bolognese with grated parmesan and fresh basil for an authentic Italian meal.
Any leftover bolognese can be served as a topping to jacket potatoes the next day.
A quick and easy bolognese recipe using products from the M&S italian range.
prep time: 5 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 20 mins
ingredients:
1 Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped finely
1 TBSP Dried Thyme
3 Rashers Streaky Bacon, chopped
250g Steak Mince
350g Tub of M&S Tomato and Basil Sauce
1 Beef Stock Pot
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 TSP Sugar
instructions
In a large pan, fry the onion, garlic, carrot and thyme in a little oil until soft
Add the bacon and steak mince and fry until the mince is browned.
Add the tomato and basil sauce, stock pot, worcestershire sauce and caster sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with fresh fusili pasta for a quick and tasty meal.
These jam doughnut muffins are made with sweet strawberry jam and are perfect for charity bake sales and children's birthday parties. The kids love playing the 'who can eat the whole doughnut muffin without licking their lips' game, which my husband is also partial to joining in with too.
The jam doughnut muffins are made with natural yogurt which gives them a lovely lightness but all of the other ingredients are standard pantry staples so the muffins are really easy and quick to make. You can use whatever jam you like but lemon curd is also really nice!
I love the muffins that have jam oozing out of the top...but be careful not to burn your mouth. You've got to let them cool before eating!
TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THE JAM DOUGHNUT MUFFINS
Try raspberry or blackcurrant jam for a change, or even lemon curd.
If you don't have natural yogurt you can substitute with creme fraiche.
The recipe can be easily doubled if you are catering for a large number of people.
The jam doughnut muffins are best eaten within 2 days of making them.
Who doesn't love Macaroni Cheese? I clearly do judging by the amount of macaroni cheese recipes I have on my blog! This sweet potato, feta and smoked paprika macaroni cheese is my current favourite though, not least because of its vibrant colour! It's comforting, filling and most importantly very yummy and we all love it here, especially on cold autumnal nights.
I tend to make the macaroni cheese the night before, so when we get in from work and school all I need to do is bung it in the oven to bake. I sometimes serve macaroni cheese with salad and garlic bread but more often in the cooler months I'll serve it with some fresh veggies like broccoli and cabbage.
The sweetness of the sweet potato contrasts so well with the saltiness of the feta and don't worry if you have any veg phobic children, they wont even notice the sweet potato as its mashed into the smooth cheese sauce.
TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THE SWEET POTATO MACARONI CHEESE
Up the vegetables by adding sweetcorn and peas to the cheese sauce.
If you have any leftover chicken or pork from your Sunday roast, add that in too.
If you like a bit of heat add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cheese sauce.
The macaroni cheese can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before baking in the oven.
Sweet Potato, Feta and Smoked Paprika Macaroni Cheese
This sweet potato macaroni cheese combines mashed sweet potato, salty feta and smoky paprika into this decadent macaroni cheese recipe.
prep time: 20 minscook time: 20 minstotal time: 40 mins
ingredients:
500g Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed into 2cm chunks
300g Macaroni
50g Butter
50g Plain Flour
600ml Milk
200g Extra Mature Cheddar, grated
150g Feta, crumbled
1 TSP Dijon Mistard
1/2 TSP Smoked Paprika
1 TBSP Cider Vinegar
Oregano to garnish
instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°c (180°fan). Put a pan of water onto the hob and bring to the boil
Add the sweet potato to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl and lash. Set aside.
In the same boiling water cook the macaroni according to packet instructions, drain when cooked.
Whilst the pasta is cooking in a large pan melt the butter then stir in the flour. Add in the milk then stir continuously over a high heat until the sauce thickens. Take off the heat then add in all of the cheddar, half of the feta (reserving the rest for the top), dijon mustard, smoked paprika and cider vinegar.
Combine the cheese sauce with the pasta and mashed sweet potato then spoon into individual oven proof dishes or one larger dish. Sprinkle with the remaining feta and bake for 20 minutes until bubbling. Garnish with fresh oregano if using.
NOTES:
Calories and nutritional info is for 1 serving.
calories
787
fat (grams)
27.7
sat. fat (grams)
17.2
carbs (grams)
98.1
protein (grams)
35.9
sugar (grams)
18.9
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MORE RECIPES
Have a look at my recipe index which has hundreds of family friendly meal ideas, including lots of pasta recipes and don't forget to follow Jam and Clotted Cream on Pinterest, which is a great visual guide to my recipes.
