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.

2025 Reading/Listening Challenge

The aim was to read or listen to 52 books this year. The new reads/listens are marked with an asterisk. 
January (10)

• Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

• Playing with Fire by Derek Landy

• The Faceless Ones by Derek Landy

• Dark Days by Derek Landy

• Mortal Coil by Derek Landy

• Death Bringer by Derek Landy

• Kingdom of the Wicked by Derek Landy

• Last Stand of the Dead Men by Derek Landy

• The Dying of the Light by Derek Landy

• *Geekerella by Ashley Poston (do not recommend)

February (17)

• The Library of the Dead by TL Huchu

• Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by TL Huchu

• The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle by TL Huchu

• *The Legacy of Arnston House by TL Huchu

• *Fortunate Son by Caimh McDonnell

• Doing Time by Jodi Taylor

• Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

March (27)

• Saving Time by Jodi Taylor

• The Crow Folk by Mark Stay

• Babes in the Wood by Mark Stay

• The Ghost of Ivy Barn by Mark Stay

• The Holly King by Mark Stay

• *The Corn Bride by Mark Stay

• All Systems Red by Martha Wells

• Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

• Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

• Murder on Milverton Square by GB Ralph

• Poison at Penshaw Hall by GB Ralph

April (33)

• *Death in Douglas Glade by GB Ralph

• The Left-handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

• The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

• The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer

• Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

• *Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

May (39)

• *HMRC - The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson

• The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross

• The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross

• The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross 

• Angels in the Moonlight by Caimh McDonnell

• Dead Man's Sins by Caimh McDonnell

June (46)

• Firewater Blues by Caimh McDonnell  
• The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Olsen *
• The Family Jewels by Caimh McDonnell
• Fortunate Son by Caimh McDonnell
• A Man with One of Those Faces by Caimh McDonnell
• The Day that Never Comes by Caimh McDonnell
• Last Orders by Caimh McDonnell

July (49)

• Pyramids by Terry Pratchett
• Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Nothing recorded for August and September. I have no idea which books were consumed during these two months.

October (62)

• The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
• A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
• The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell
• Love Will Tear Us Apart by Caimh McDonnell
• This Charming Man by Caimh McDonnell
• Relight My Fire by Caimh McDonnell
• Tales from The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell*
• Ring the Bells by Caimh McDonnell*
• Doing Time by Jodi Taylor
• Hard Time by Jodi Taylor
• Saving Time by Jodi Taylor
• About Time by Jodi Taylor
• Santa Grint by Jodi Taylor

November

• Killing Time by Jodi Taylor
• Out of Time by Jodi Taylor *
• The Library of the Dead by T L Huchu

December

Books - November 2025

 

1. Killing Time

Jodi Taylor

2. Out of Time

Jodi Taylor

3. The Library of the Dead

T L Huchu

4. Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments

T L Huchu

5. The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle

T L Huchu

6. The Legacy of Arniston House

T L Huchu

7. Secrets of the First School

T L Huchu

8. The Ballymuchmore Bog Rocket

Steven Hooper

Craftings November 2025

1. Cross stitch in all the high temperatures for October

2. Cross stitch all the high temperatures for November

3. Cross stitch all the high temperatures for September

4. Knit 30 squares on Domino Riot

Menu - 17th to 23rd November

Mon: pan-fried salmon
Tues: jacket potatoes
Wed: celebration meal

Thur: sausages and mash

Fri: sweet potato curry

Sat: roasted veggies and feta

Sun: lamb scouse

Menu - 10th to 16th November 2025

Mon: goat's cheese and caramelised onion pastry
Tues: butternut squash pasta
Wed: roast chicken

Thur: home made ready meals from the freezer

Fri: sweet potato curry

Sat: cheese on toast

Sun: chicken piccata

Savoury Pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups of SR flour ( I use Dove Farm gluten-free flour)

1 egg (or 1 Tsp of chia seeds soaked in 3 Tsp of water)

water

Method

Mix the flour and egg together in a bowl. Gradually add in water until a good thick pancake batter is created. 

Put the pancake pan on at gentle heat, and then pour in a quarter of the batter. To one side, add the toppings of your choice. 

When the batter starts to bubble, flip one half of the pancake over the over, and lightly press. Allow both sides of the pancake to cook to a golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Suggested fillings

• Stilton and prosciutto
• mozzarella and ham
• tuna and diced red onion
• sun dried tomatoes, spinach, roasted peppers and pesto
• peanut butter and jelly
• chocolate spread and banana

Notes

Oooh, these are good. At some point, I'd like to try freezing one, and then defrosting, and cooking in the air fryer. As yet, I've not had a chance.

Menu 3rd - 9th November

Mon: pizza

Tues: scouse

Wed: chicken and spinach pasta

Thur: cauliflower cheese and sausages

Fri: chicken risotto

Sat: fish pie
Sun: sweet and sour chicken

Books - October 2025

1. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Becky Chambers

2. A Closed and Common Orbit

Becky Chambers

3. The Stranger Times (The Stranger Times)

Caimh McDonnell

4. Love Will Tear Us Apart

Caimh McDonnell

5. This Charming Man

Caimh McDonnell

6. Relight My Fire

Caimh McDonnell

7. Tales from The Stranger Times

Caimh McDonnell

8. Ring the Bells

Caimh McDonnell

9. Doing Time (Time Police)

Jodi Taylor

10. Hard Time

Jodi Taylor

11. Saving Time

Jodi Taylor

12. About Time

Jodi Taylor

13. Santa Grint

Jodi Taylor

Menu 27th Oct - 2nd Nov

Mon: scampi and mash

Tues: chicken goujons in brioche rolls

Wed: Chicken Piccata

Thur: quorn lasagna

Fri: pizza

Sat: butternut squash pasta
Sun: braised sausages and cabbage

Menus, and Eating from the Freezer

Last week's menu did not factor in a certain little bear falling ill. The noble, and brave Beloved stepped in and provided meals during this time.

It's standard for us to have sausages, scampi, pizza, and homemade ready meals in the freezer for just such an eventuality. It was also useful as the freezer needs to be given a hard reset. There's goodness know what in there, apart from a huge build up of frost. 

This week, I'm trying to eat as much as we can from the freezer. The goal is to have a pretty empty freezer by the first of November. This will enable it to be switched off, defrosted and cleaned. Then I can get back to the joy of filling it back up again.

The first items to be added will be soups, most likely tomato and lentil, and also French-ish onion soup. On the Monday, (our usual day for going food shopping, the convenience foods will be added, pizza, scampi, sausage, hash browns etc - all so useful for the days when cooking is not an option. There will also be the basics, like chicken, fish and mash. There will be ice cream.  

I'm thinking about designating a shelf of the freezer for the Offspring's use. They can put anything they want in the freezer, as long as it remains within that shelf. 

Menu -- 13-19th October

Mon: Sweet potato and leek lasagna

Tue: Pecorino Chicken 

Wed: Baked Potatoes

Thu: Roasted Butternut Squash

Fri: Cooked Breakfast

Sat: Restaurant

Sun: Chicken tagine

Exercise

I am delighted to report the foot injured on the walking tour of Manchester is improving. Today, I was able to walk 150m before it gave any indication of pain. That's a big improvement on last Sunday. Then, every step was accompanied by some degree of pain.

In addition, the local shops are 1.4km away, and are a gentle stroll away. They are good place to visit for a bit of incidental exercise.

Pickled Ginger

Ingredients

200 g ginger

2 tsp salt

boiling water - to cover the ginger

60g caster sugar

120ml rice vinegar

60ml water 

Method

Using a teaspoon, scrape the skin off the ginger. Then using either a mandoline, or a vegetable peeler, finely slice the ginger.

In a small heat-proof bowl, add the slice ginger and sprinkle the salt over the top. Stir and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Pour boiling water on the ginger (just enough to cover) and sit for a further 2 minutes.

Drain the water, and squeeze any excess liquid from the ginger. Set the ginger aside to drain further on a paper towel. 

On a medium heat, stir together the water, rice wine vinegar and sugar until the sugar has dissolved.  Boil for 30 seconds. 

Place the ginger pieces into the jar, and then carefully pouring the hot pickling liquid over the ginger.

Allow to cool to room temperature, and then place in the fridge. Wait 24 hours before using.

The pickled ginger will last for 2 weeks in the fridge.

Feta and Spinach Pastries

Ingredients

1  sheet of gluten-free puff pastry

1 onion, chopped

150g frozen spinach

1/2 tsp oregano 

200g feta cheese

100g mozzarella

1  egg 

sesame seeds

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

Sauté the onion, and then frozen spinach and 60ml of water. Stir whilst the water evaporates. Let the mixture cool.

Separate the egg. Add the egg white to the cooled mixture, also add crumbled feta and grated mozzarella.

Divide the in half, lengthways. Cover one half with the filling. Place the remaining pastry on top. 

Cut the pastry into squares, and place on a lined baking sheet. Use the egg york to make an egg wash. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake on a low shelf for 35 minutes. Even if it looks golden don’t take it out, hang tight for a better bake as there is a lot of filling.

Pickled Red Cabbage

Ingredients
500ml apple cider vinegar
500ml water
2tsp garlic (diced)
4Tsp sugar 4tsp salt
2 red onions
1/2 large red cabbage

Method
Put the water, garlic, sugar and salt into a saucepan. Bring it to simmering point, and hold it there for 1 minute until the sugar and salt have dissolved. 

Add the apple cider. Then remove from the heat.

Slice the onions finely, and the cabbage into strips. Mix together, and put into the container. 

Pour the pickling liquid over the cabbage. Ensure the cabbage is all submerged. 

Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes
The pickling liquid can be used up to 3 times before being discarded.

Menu -- 7th-12th October 2025

 

Tue: Stuffed marrow

Wed: Fish pie

Thu: Lamb Scouse

Fri: Chicken tagine

Sat: Risotto

Sun: Roasted veggies with pesto and feta

----

I'm keeping a record of what we are eating. Hopefully it will make future meal planning easier.

Book Launch: Ring the Bells

What a fantastic book launch!

This afternoon, The Beloved and I, and a group of Stranger Tims, took a walking tour of Manchester. Our Group was led by Elaine (Wonderwife) and Brendan (The Voice). It was marvellous. 

Scouse

This recipe is based on the one from the National Museums Liverpool's website.  Scouse is the perfect food for a day when the rain is lashing down, and a wind is blowing a hooli.

Ingredients

vegetable oil

1kg lamb

3 onions (cut into large chunks)

5 carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)

600g potatoes (peeled and quartered)

1 leek (sliced)

1 litre stock

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Method

1. Add vegetable oil to a skillet or large saucepan. Bring ito a high heat, and sear the cubes of lamb until completely coloured.

2. Reduce to a medium heat, and add the onion, and carrots. Cook until they begin to soften.

3. Stir through tomato puree until fully combined, add the potatoes, and then the stock or water.

4. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the lamb is tender or until the potatoes start to break down and thicken the Scouse, approximately 2 hours.

5. Add leek and mustard and cook for a further 20 minutes, check seasoning and add salt if required.

Serve with pickled red cabbage.

Notes

The original recipe called for 2tbsps of black treacle. I've tried it, and it makes the dish too sweet for my tastes. If you would like to include it, add the treacle at the same time as the leeks and mustard.

Sail Away

It was an incredibly broken night for me. At 4.30am, my brain said, 'Enough! No more sleep.'

The crossing was 'bumpy' and the seats were horrible. Although I did manage to doze off a few times. It wasn't proper sleep, it wasn't even improper sleep, just a a pale imitation.

10am saw our arrival in Liverpool. We had a look around the World Museum whilst I was research a back story for Sophie.

At lunchtime, the gluten-free offerings were soup, scouse or salad. We elected to try scouse. It is the rich stew Liverpudlians are named after. Its main ingredients are lamb, potato and carrots. When we get back home, I'm going to give it  a try.

Manchester Cathedral is between the railway station and the Travelodge. We stopped in there to escape the almost biblical levels of rain. A cathedral guide was very happy to info-dump, her brain to our brains.

The first person to use the code '007' was John Dee. He had been sent by Elizabeth of England to Manchester to be the collegiate church's warden. It took a few centuries before it became a cathedral.

During the English Civil War, Salford (just across the river) an Manchester supported different factions. People would climb onto the roofs of the churches and shoot at each other!