Cookbookmaniac
  • Chocolate Pear Pudding by Nigella Lawson
    Chocolate Pear Pudding by Nigella Lawson
    Baking Recipes

    I love corner shops, they have always been there for me. I could always count on them to have enough lollies, chips and ice cream to make me grin like a spoilt child. They were perfect for the after school snack of pies and sausage rolls in my teenage years. They were the place to get the newspaper and magazine for the bus/train ride to work as a young adult. I also love the corner shop because whenever I have a craving and want to make something simple and quick... I can simply duck over to the little shop around the corner. No need to start the engine of the car. No need to dress nicely. Sure its much more expensive, but the convenience is far more important when you just want a homemade chocolate cookie fix. The corner shop became my hero when I decided to pull this together…

  • Wild Barramundi with Black Olive Salsa by Sophie Dahl
    Wild Barramundi with Black Olive Salsa by Sophie Dahl
    European Recipes

    There are days when I really want to indulge. These are times when only chocolate and red frogs will do. Then there are days when I want something light and good for me. One Sunday afternoon I was feeling like eating for my health and so I flipped through some of my more healthier cookbooks. Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights has an exciting range of meals based around the seasons and breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whenever I want to make something quick and healthy I often reach for this book. I will often find something or feel inspired by it. She doesn't eat red meat or chicken, however there a couple of lamb and chicken recipes (strange...). Vegetables and grains are predominate throughout the book. I also find that I am adding ingredients to her list. Whether it be a squidge of butter, an extra clove of garlic or some dried…

  • Ham in Coca Cola by Nigella Lawson
    Ham in Coca Cola by Nigella Lawson
    American Recipes

    I have a quiet obsession with all things retro-kitsch-trashy. You wouldn't know it if you saw me. I mostly keep it to myself as I fear the sideways glance when people realise that I collect some of the stuff they tried to get rid of in their garage sale. I am not hardcore when it comes to going through vintage markets, I simply pick up items whenever I spot them. My obsession with cookbooks takes precedence. Here are some retro-kitsch-trashy things in my kitchen or on my mind * I have a timer in the shape of a hen with little chicks as the time guide * Two chicken-shaped egg holders live next to two owl salt'n'pepper shakers that sit on a celery green soap dish. * I have an ice cream scoop in the shape of an ice cream * Most of the items in my kitchen do not…