Fabulous dinner and place to stay

Hello,

I hope you had a lovely weekend and found time to do some cooking, maybe trying out a new recipe or two?

Just wanted to tell you about a fantastic hotel in the New Forest that has newly opened and is amazing. Limewood Hotel (www.limewoodhotel.co.uk) is not just a wonderfully relaxing place to stay and thoroughly deserving of its 5 star status, but the food (designed by Alex Aitken) is superb.

For those wishing to try the complete fine dining experience there is a finne dining restaurant where the 8 course tasting menu is around £75 per head. Failing that you can eat from the al a carte menu for £48 for three courses, or for the more relaxed dining experience try 'The Scullery'.

We chose The Scullery and they did not put a foot wrng, the food was fantastic, from the bread brought out as we chose what to eat, through to the coffee at the end. We could not fault it.

We have also been their to treat the 'in-laws' to an afternoon tea. We sat in an encloed around witha galss roof as the sun shone through...a beautiful setting and the scones as part of the afternoon tea were the best I have ever tasted...you simply must sample the delights of this lovely retreat in the middle of the forest. You will not be disappointed!

I'll be trying out some new recipes soon and as soon as I do you will be the first to know.

Have fun

Dave

Cheats Lamb & Potato Bake

Good morning.

It is 8.57am as I type this and no I haven't been cooking already, this is from earlier in the week - I'm not that nuts!

Thought you would be interested to see the Cheats Lamb and Potato Bake. Where I say Cheat, it is only cheating because it uses bought sauces rather than making your own.

This bake is:

1) Delicious

2) Easy to make

3) Great comfort food

4) Has a slight feel of 'the Med' about it

I thought it easier to point you in the right direction for the recipe rather than type it all up, click on the link below:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/448625/lamb-and-potato-bake

For the lamb & potato bake we added a little more cinnamon than mentioned and rather than just a plain tomato pasta sauce we bought a garlic and onion one just to add a touch more flavour. We also sprinkled a little grated cheese over the top before baking.

Have a couple of friends coming over for dinner this evening so will be updating the blog tomorrow with whatever it is we decide to create...

Until then..."Get in the kitchen and rattle those pots and pans!!!"

Dave

The Easiest Starter Ever

Hello All,

Sorry for the silence over the last few days, but I am now back and have a simple starter recipe for you that looks fantastic and tastes even better. This looks absolutely great and is a qucik, fresh and easy starter for a dinner party.

Ingredients for two people:

1 x Avacado

1 x Tomato

1 x Red onion

1 x Tub humous (I use caramalised onion flavoured)

a few black olives

Method:

- Cut the avacado in half

- Get rid of the stone

- Fill hole where stone was with humous

- Chop olives, tomato and red onion into small slices

- scatter olives tomato and red onion over the humous

- drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil

Tip: I also use the left over olive, onion an dtomato to make a little salsa to pop oon the side of the plate

The drizzle on the plates in the picture is a balsamic and chilli drizzle - this is more for effect than anything else...

This would also make a quick and easy light lunch, healthier and slightly different than a salad (although a tad trickier to put in a lunchbox for work!)

Next up is a Lamb and Potato Bake - Again it is simpe, but it is delicious and is perfect for the cold and wet British summer!!

See you soon

Dave