2025 Recipe Challenge

The challenge was to try twelve new recipes this year. Smashed it.

1. Roasted vegetables with orange glazed sausages
This was a great success. It is now one of our regulars.

2. Chicken and spinach orzo

It's essentially just chicken risotto made with pasta. It's fine, but nothing spectacular.

3. Apple, walnut and Brie pastries

Interesting, and tasty.

4. Paper dumplings
Nope. Never again. It's tried them twice, and I just can't get the rice paper to be good. If shallow friend, the rice paper welds itself to the skillet. Done in the air fryer, they don't get so crispy. And they take a fore ever to make.

5. Bonnag

6. Fruit Bonnag

7. Chicken and potato pie (version 1)

It was a pile of hot chicken and potato stodge. We felt like we'd had dinner, but it was all a bit meh.

8. Chicken and potato pie (version 2)

This was so much better. It is essentially cubes of chicken in a rich gravy, with lots of veggies, This was cooked in the skillet, and then topped with thin slices of potato. The potato is brushed with a little butter, and the whole lot baked for 40 minutes.

9. Chicken breasts with a lemon, pepper and herb crust
Delicious!  Gluten-free bread was rendered into bread crumbs. A couple of tea spoons of powdered garlic was added, along with Herb de Provence, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. The chicken was dipped in egg, and then into the crust. It was baked at 200C for 20 minutes.

10. Cheesecake Filling

A lovely cheesecake filling originally from a recipe for a pastry galette. The filling is quick and easy to make, and is egg free. It should be simple to make a vegan version.

11. Butterscotch Sauce

It's good stuff! It can be poured over ice cream, or rippled through. It's rather wonderful.

12. Sweet Potato and Leek Lasagne

13. Upside Down Goat's Cheese and Caramelised Onion Tarts

Scouse
The perfect food for a wet, blustery day.

Pickled Red Cabbage

The perfect accompaniment to Scouse.