A Little Something to Sweeten the Monday Blues...

I must be going through a pastry phase!  Today I finally made some time to make Paul Hollywood's apricot tart; it was worth the wait.

Delia's Tomato Tart with Swiss Cheese and Rosemary

Determined to provide some good quality homemade food next weekend without spending valuable family time in the kitchen, I thought I'd spend today cooking some dishes that could be frozen and then re-heated on the day.  I didn't quite manage to make everything that I'd planned, however, I still have the next few days.  The dish below is one of the things that I made this weekend and I hope that it tastes as good as it smells!

Bye Bye Haagen Dazs...

I have, for a long time (ever since tasting Dad's home made ice cream), hankered after an ice cream machine of my own.  Now that I have one, I think that I, or rather my waistline, may be in serious trouble!  Why must my hobbies revolve around food rather than the gym? 

I was going to try making some lemon ice cream but the recipe required some lemon syrup and as I couldn't find any, I decided to settle for a traditional vanilla recipe instead.  Boy oh boy, is it good!

Slow Roast Beef with Orange Gremolata and Sweet Potato Mash

I've finally discovered a good local butchers (Patrick's of Camelon) who are wonderfully helpful and obliging  and this means that I am now in a position to source a wider range of ingredients, for example, the shin of beef that was required to make the Gordon Ramsay dish below.  Thanks to all of my work buddies for your recommendations regarding a good butcher, you weren't wrong!