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Southern Red Beans & Pork - Jamie's America - 30th December 2011

I'm having my mum, dad, sister, her boyfriend and my baby nephew over for dinner and a board game (rock and roll!). Mike picked out Southern Red Beans & Pork which we intend to serve with rice, sour cream, guacamole, nachos and for the vegetarian vegetable quesidilla's. It is only 4pm and so far I have come across the following hurdles:

1. Had no idea what a ham hock was supposed to look like so asked the lady at the deli counter who said she could give me some slice. Very nice of her but cost me £23!

2. Ham hock was supposed to be cooked on the bone but the slices appear to be ok

3. Couldn't find all the garlic skin in the pot so I hope no one ends up eating it. Next time would peel them first, we don't like things quite as rustic as Jamie!

4. Forgot I had left it on simmer when I was watching Apocalypto (on the new bluray player) and the stuff at the bottom burnt which Mike kindly stirred into the rest of it. Picked out all the big black bits we could see and decided the small black bits added flavour, added 1.5tbsps sugar, extra vinagar and paprika and now tastes bloody good! Now just need to cook the rest and hope it's all edible.

The meal was a success and Jamie gets a 7 out of 10, it was really good but it wasn't absolutely amazing, probably would make it again and I do have a big pot in the freezer of leftovers now.


  

D-Day is comming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diet Day 1st January 2012

Somehow I have to come up with an amazing diet that means I get to cook from my beautiful cookbooks but still loose weight. I want to loose 2.5 stone before 16th June which is roughly 1.6lbs a week which is an achievable goal and I like achievable goals! This should mean by my holiday I will be 7lbs lighter than my pre-giving up smoking weight which allows me 7lbs to gain happily whilst in America!

So what do I pick for week 1 - Chosen recipes:

1. Bill's Basics (Pg 78) - Baked Borlotti Beans & Pancetta Soup
2. Bill's Basics (Pg 134) - Bill's Coq Au Vin
3. Jamie Oliver Magazine 25 (Pg 43) - Baked Potato Soup
      
But of course I must not forget that today, I can eat what I like and fully intend too!!!

Thursday 29/12/2011 - Jamie's Prawn Pad Thai & Tana Ramsey's Baked Cheesecake

Pad Thai - was amazing, would definately use this recipe again. Only a few deviations, used more prawns 280g in total, added a teaspoon of palm sugar and the chilli used was dried. Felt very healthy afterwards, may become a weekly favourite! 9 out of 10 - Best Pad Thai is at Busaba EatThai in London and has shredded green mango in it.

Baked Cheesecake with Rhubarb compote - I used left over gingerbread men and shortbread biscuit for the base (which worked really well). For the cream cheese I used half philadelphia (not light!) and half mascapone cheese. For th compote I used the leftovers of a jar of amaretto cherries which again worked really well! I only baked for 32 mins as I have a very feisty oven. I would also say that my cheesecake did not look like the one in the book, I think mostly because I have no patience to let things cool down before adding toppings (so the toppings melt). Finally I drizzeled some of the cherry syrup over the top and served with more syrup and the cherries on the side. 8 out of 10, Jen loved it despite the cherry drizzel.

My Cookbooks:

1.Bill’s Basics

2.Scandilicious

3.Two Greedy Italians

4.Hairy Bikers Perfect Pies

5.Nigella Express

6.Kitchen (Nigella)

7.Nigella Christmas

8.Feast (Nigella)

9.Road Food

10.The Northern Exposure Cookbook

11.Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

12.More Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

13. Pasta (Marks & Spencers)

14.Fresh Spanish

15.The Bread Makers Bible

16.Simple But Perfect Salads (Marks & Spencers)

17.The River Cottage Fish Book

18.Step-By-Step Cookbook (Good Housekeeping)

19.The Wagamama Cookbook

20.Yo! Sushi The Japanese Cookbook

21.Passione Gennaro Contaldo’s Italian Cookbook

22.The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

23.Cake Days (Hummingbird Bakery)

24.Rachel’s Favourite Food

25.Rachel’s Food For Living

26.I Love to bake (Tana Ramsey)

27.Gordon’s Great Escape South East Asia

28. Your M&S Cookbook

29.Foods of America

30.Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights

31.In The Mood For Food (Jo Pratt)

32.In The Mood For Entertaining (Jo Pratt)

33.The Naked Chef

34.The Return Of The Naked Chef

35.Happy Days With The Naked Chef

36.Jamie’s Kitchen

37.Jamie’s Dinners

38.Jamies’s Italy

39.Cook With Jamie

40.Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals

41.Jamie’s America

42.Jamie At Home

43.Jamie’s Ministry Of Food

44.Jamie Does (Spain, Sweeden, France, Morrocco, Italy & Greece)

45.Jamie’s Great Britain

The Cake Gallery So Far....

The Hummingbird Bakery Carrot Cake - Yum!

Christmas Party Buffet - Jamie's Rocky Mountain, Humming Birs's Gingerbread Cupcakes, Jo Pratts Sweetcorn Pancakes and Cheese & Tomato Tart and my own invention - the Christmas Quesidilla containing turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and chestnuts
   

Mike's 30th Birthday Peanutbutter and Chocolate Cake (internet recipe)

1st ever Christmas cake - the snowflakes were very awkward (do not do snowflakes again - ever)!

2nd Christmas cake (same year) the reindeer's are plastic but the trees are edible and suprisingly easy to make, much easier than snowflakes!
 

The Hummingbird Baker's Red Velvet Cake for my sister whilst she was in hospital recovering from having Ziggy (I didn't make the edible creatures), it is her favourite cake and possible mine?