MONDAY: Dreaming of Summer Days

Our lovely warm spring days seem to have disappeared, leaving us with rain, wind and bitter cold. :( With summer coming within reach so fast, I decided to ignore the reversal of weather last night, so instead of returning to winter comfort food, I tempted summer with a light chicken pasta full of chilli & citrus flavours, accompanied by good, crusty bread.




My Chilli Citrus Chicken Pasta is a favourite in our house. You can find the delicious recipe here. Tonight I added lots of baby spinach to add some 5+ A Day.

Can't wait for summer.
Tamara xx

MONDAY: A meal Jamie would be proud of

Jamie Oliver that is, one of my favourite celebrity chefs.



From his 'Happy Days' cookbook, I was inspired to make Penne Cabonara, with a few changes of course. No penne in the house, so lets swap spaghetti and to boost up the flavour lets add some tender, sweated onions and fried, chopped mushroom. Mmm.

To counteract the richness of the meal, I served a green salad, dressed with a sharp vinaigrette, mixed together in Jamies 'fairy fingers' method.

Now thats some pukka tukker!
Tamara xx

MONDAY: A Light Dinner

Shaun and I are both off work this day, just taking some time out to spend together and celebrate our 3 year anniversary, so we'll be a wee bit naughty this week, indulging in cooked breakfasts, and lunch and dinners out. Today to start off we had a bacon, mushroom and spinach omlette, followed by BK lunch (so naughty) and to fufill Shauns fatty craving, sausage rolls for afternoon tea. After all those calories, dinner needed to be a lighter affair with fresh tastes and some veges. Along comes Linguini Primavera.




I'm not sure how traditional this is, but I wanted a simple pasta dish to show off the new season spring produce.....and the very first of the ASPARAGUS! It is snow peas, courgette, asparagus with linguini, parmesan and pine nuts, drizzled with garlic infused oil.

A perfect meal for the beginning of spring, hurah!
Tamara xx

MONDAY: At your request, Honey

Crumbed Schnitzel would probably be my fiancees most favouritest meal in the whole wide world. I quite enjoy it too, though it certainly wouldn't be my choice if it was my last meal ever. But because I love him, and because I haven't made it for months, last night I promised him schnitzel. And thats what I delivered!




In our house schnitzel is only eaten 1 way, smothered in lemon juice and served with a pile of mash taties and peas. I've found the best schnitzel is that you make yourself, i.e buy steak, smash it out into thin schnitzels and crumb it yourself. That way theres no grissle and the like as in those plastic pre-crumbed pieces you buy. And flavour your crumbs too, last night it was lemon pepper crumbs and cooked in chilli oil. Mmm.

Tamara xx

MONDAY: Not the prettiest dinner.....

.....but it was damn tasty.

Puy Lentils with Sausages and Mushrooms



Imagine a delicate lentil casserole, with a mushroom aroma, dotted with chunky pork sausage and wilted spinach. A squeeze of lemon juice really lifts the flavours.

This meal would also be a great vegetarian main if you omitted the sausages.

Tamara xx

MONDAY: Italian Mama Style....

Chickpea and Leek Soup



A sofrito of onion, celery, leeks and garlic, slowly and lovingly cooked till translucent. Chickpeas and stock added and simmers until chickpeas are meltingly tender. Partially pureed, seasoned well and finished off with the addition of wilted spinach.

Drizzled with the best NZ extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with smoked paprika (after reading too many middle eastern cookbooks, where this is often the garnish)

Served with toasted Sourdough and 2006 Seifried Gewurztraminer (Nelson, New Zealand)

Recipe from Cuisine Magazine