Thursday 17 March 2016

First Dinner Guest - Thyme-stuffed Chicken, Butternut and Spinach with Mushroom Sauce.

With a dinner guest arriving in the early evening we popped in to the supermarket to collect the last couple of ingredients.  Where we came across these brightly coloured measuring spoons and cups.  Since the move ours were yet to be uncovered from one of the many unopened boxes in the shed. The handles were always coming loose when washing up, plus they didn't match like these pretty ones.

Since moving to Hawkes Bay we have been alternating dinner visits with a local friend. Over summer it was easy to throw something on the BBQ and dine outside.  This week it was our turn to host.  In the past whenever we have had people for dinner, Jeremy has been the chef whether he was serving up a Roast Lamb or a Lasagne. Tonight I took the opportunity to try one of Nadia's recipes - Thyme-stuffed Chicken, Butternut and Spinach with Mushroom Sauce. It was divine.

Our guest was initially surprised that I was in the kitchen, and gobsmacked to discover that it was the first time I had made this particular dish. The comment on the photo page rings true - "
I never knew I could cook like that!"

**Cooking notes for next time: Chicken could be cut in half length ways if using large breasts, as very filling meal. Re-baste pumpkin with oil and maple syrup, I used buttercup rather than butternut pumpkin and they ended up quite dry.

First day of Autumn - Harissa Chicken with Fennel, Orange, Baby beet and Feta Tabouleh ad Hummus.

What a way to start a food/at-home-mum blog, with a food photo fail.  Luckily Nadia Lim has a much better photographer for her recipes.

This is the third week of a project 2 years in the making. Wow, where did that time go! This time 2 years ago little did we know a little human was forming in my tummy, I had just started my third year teaching with no release time and no mentor...and a real class.

Before we had even imagined this wee human, I gave Jeremy a cook book with the promise that I was going to cook a meal from it each week. He would get a night off cooking a week and I would learn to cook.

Fast forward through a stressful pregnancy/real challenging class, a premature labour and 5 weeks in neonatal unit, 11 months breastfeeding and expressing, selling a house, moving to a new town and it's happening, I'm learning to cook and an added bonus for Jeremy I am now cooking most nights of the week, including a Friday.