Slice....Swansea, Restaurant Review...

Hubby and I went for a belated Valentine's Meal on Thursday. There were two reasons for it being belated, firstly hubby was in London, whilst we were in Wales on Valentine's Day itself, and secondly the restaurant we went to is only open Thursday-Sunday each week...ever since we discovered this little gem of a restaurant, we try to book a meal there whenever we are visiting Grandma and Pops in Swansea...and because it is such a small restaurant, it seats around 16-20 only, you have to book plenty of time in advance...The Restaurant in question is Slice, it is so called because of it's shape, a thin wedge of a building in one of the most unassuming parts of Swansea. But make no mistake, although Slice itself is unassuming, its food is definitely not!!

Welsh Cakes...

As we are in Wales, I thought it only fair to include a favourite recipe from Grandma's recipe tin...In fact the recipe she uses is from her Mum, so my hubby's Nan's recipe for...

Comforting Cannelloni..(.Winter Warmers pt6)

Well, it's another grey and grim day outside, so what better to make for dinner than my Bolognese-Filled Cannelloni...Hubby and I are off out tonight for a belated Valentine's Dinner at Slice Restaurant in Swansea...{a gorgeous tiny place that only seats about 20 people max!! It may be small, but it is a slice of Welsh Heaven!!! (Will post foodie pics tomorrow)}...so I offered to cook Grandma and Pops, plus my two smallish people some of my cannelloni...as always, it is an amalgamation of several recipes, from several people and places that have fused to become the recipe below....

Cook Books and Cooking Influences...

Before I came away to Wales, I took a few photos of my cookbooks...


This shelf is a double layer....

After Every Sunday Dinner...comes a...

Super Yummy Pudding!

This weekend it was my Deconstucted Pavlova...A firm family favourite and really so simple to make. I was scared of them for years until I asked my Mum how she made hers...This is the recipe she gave me, it's from The Dairy Book of Family Cookery.Which my Mum bought me many moons ago when I was a student (I think!)

Anyway...here it is...

...Sara's Mum's Yummy Scrummy Pavlova... 

Sunday Dinners...(Winter Warmers pt5)

Hi guys, well, me and the smallish people are in South Wales right now, visiting Grandma...we've left hubby at home to some peace and quiet...

Before I left home, I remembered to upload some photos from the weekend, so that I can still post a few bits and pieces whilst away...So without further ado...Sunday Dinner...in our house, the two nights on the weekend are the only time we get to sit down and eat together, during the working week it is more often a case of two smallish people eating together, followed much later by two larger people...Sometimes I will sit with the smaller ones, and hubby will eat when he gets in from work...Not ideal I know, but these are the times we live and work in...So...Saturday and Sunday are meals we all like to eat...plus the odd 'newbie' once a month or so. It's because of this that we don't very often subscribe to the 'Sunday Roast' theory...We just plump for good home-cooked meals that we can share as a family. This Sunday it was Lamb cooked in Red Wine...

Kids in the kitchen...

As it is half-term break here in the Uk...I thought I'd post about getting your children involved in cooking...Mine are always pestering me to help with the cooking, and we're not just talking desserts and cookies...I've had mine peeling potatoes and helping to make cottage pie and spaghetti bolognese quite often.
My 2 started off chopping soft veggies using a normal table knife, things like mushrooms and courgettes, for pasta sauces, then as they've got older they have been taught how to use a kitchen knife safely, and will now help with pretty much anything (if they're in the mood that is) Their favourite savoury things to help with being Pizzas, Homemade burgers, My Bolognese Sauce, and mashed potato...there's nothing quite like smashing those potatoes to release after-school tensions! Sweet things include anything from cupcakes and cookies to pavlova and celebration cakes...Having them next to me in the kitchen is a nightmare great! No seriously, although I often curse having anyone in my kitchen...when they do come and ask to help or make something I will let them if humanly possible at that time...

Saturday Night is Curry Night...(Winter Warmers pt4)

We're trying to stop ordering out for dinner...so I am making my own versions of our favourite take-out meals...Last night was Curry Night...and the curry I made also fits into my Winter Warmer classification. I do make 'proper' curries from time to time, but more often than not they tend to be tomato-based, whatever is in the fridge/cupboard type meals...although, as I tend to have similar ingredients around most of the time, my curries tend to be pretty similar! Last night's was... 

...Chicken, Aubergine, Spinach and Mushroom Curry...