Crafts and Life

  We are starting to get some semblance of order into the garden (post pup purchase!) and so we put another couple of rosemary plants and a couple of English lavender in the side by the fencing – the small amount of fencing is to deter a small furry from…

Chicken is always a good choice for entertaining because it is so versatile and most people like it. Slowly cooked in white wine and given lots of flavour with garlic, herbs and bacon, it makes an ideal dinner party dish that is also quick and easy to prepare. SERVES 6…

  Before any one asks this is NOT a fine example of the candle dribblers art – this is the morning after starting a Baltic Porter trial brew off. There was a slight mistake in calculating the amount of yeast required and there turned out to be 4 or 5…

Ingredients 2 garlic clove 4 slices fresh ginger root 1 scallion 2 tbs soy sauce 4 tbs sherry 1 tbs Hoisin sauce 1 tbs chilli sauce 1 tbs honey 0.5 tsp salt Method Crush garlic and ginger root; cut scallion into 2 inch pieces. Then combine with remaining ingredients. Rub…

Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 400g/14oz stewing beef, cubed 700ml/1¼ pints hot water or beef stock 300g/10½oz mixed mushrooms (such as oyster, button or shiitake), washed thoroughly, roughly sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper For the tomato salsa 400g/14oz vine-ripened tomatoes, each cut into eight wedges handful chopped fresh…

Ingredients 0.5 lb lean pork 1 tsp cornstarch 2 tbs soy sauce 0.25 lb fresh ginger root 1 scallion stalk 2 tbs oil 2 tbs water 1 tsp sugar Method Slice the pork thin against the grain. Dredge in cornstarch; then add soy sauce and toss. Slice ginger root thin.…

Ingredients 4.5 lb oxtail, cut into pieces 1 tbs plus 1 tsp black peppercorns 2 tsp caraway seeds 0.5 tsp cardamom seeds 0.5 tsp saffron threads 1 tsp ground fenugreek 1.5 tsp turmeric salt to taste 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1.25 lb small white onions 10 garlic…

The leg is almost healed (not even the tiniest bit swollen this morning!), the sun is shining, I am sat without a sweater on (almost unknown for me!) and I got some stitching done. Okay so it isn't one of the four I want to get finished first ~BUT it…

Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil 250g/9oz streaky bacon 6 potatoes, thinly sliced into rounds 2 onions, peeled, sliced 5 carrots, peeled, sliced 500ml/17½fl oz chicken stock salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 150g/5oz cheddar cheese, grated crusty bread, to serve Method 1. Heat the vegetable oil in a…

Ingredients 1 large chicken breast 1 tsp cornstarch 0.5 tsp salt 2 tbs sherry 0.25 lb smoked ham 12 small fresh mushrooms 4 tbs oil Method Skin and bone chicken breast; cut against the grain in slices 1/8th inch thick, then in 1 inch circles. Combine cornstarch, salt and sherry.…