Yay for May – it was an action packed month although my kitchen capers were somewhat curtailed by my return to part time work. I don’t know what’s more of a shock to the system – rejoining the world of work or realising we’re half way through the year already! Shock factor aside, it’s always good to catch up with Sherry and friends for this month’s edition of In My Kitchen.
I seem to live in a perpetual state of dumpling withdrawal and so I literally took matters into my own hands and made my own pork dumplings – so grateful to my old mate Steph for sharing her recipe. I made a big stash and froze them in portions in the freezer so my cravings will always be satisfied whenever I’m desperate for dumplings.
I usually boil dumplings but I made pot stickers with the frozen dumplings I got from the Chinese supermarket last month and they were the absolute bomb diggity. My dumpling cravings have been well and truly satisfied.
My neighbour gave me a lorry load (that’s only a slight exaggeration) of rosemary. It looked pretty and the kitchen smelled amazing but I wasn’t really sure what to do with it except chuck some in with our roasties! If you know of any other wonderful ways to rosemary, pray do tell!
I pressed publish on this Halloumi, Pesto and Chickpea traybake – now that daylight savings has arrived I can finally take pictures for some of all those dinner recipes that have been taking up real estate in my drafts folder over winter.
I also made a batch of lemon butter – the first time in forever – I’d forgotten how good it tastes!
I used some of said lemon butter to make this Rhubarb and Lemon Butter Cake for a neighbour’s birthday which went down a treat. I actually didn’t get to taste the cake but word on the street is that it was scrumdiddlyumptious.
My friend Lucy from Sydney (I thought I should specify which Lucy as I know about 6 of them, LOL!) came for a flying visit just before her birthday so of course I made her a cake. Coffee cake is her favourite so of course, I made her Granny Barbara’s Coffee Sponge. It’s an oldie but a goodie!
I finally made Recipe Tin’s One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice and it was insanely good. Mine looks underwhelming compared to Nagi’s – I was too lazy to garnish – but believe me when I tell you it tasted way better than it looks. Even David said it was one of his favourite dishes ever – this is high praise indeed. This might be the first time I’ve made this dish but it definitely won’t be the last!
I need caffiene and lots of it in the mornings. I usually have a large mug of coffee but I’ve had to switch to espressos because big mugs of coffee and invigilating exams don’t really mix. So, I’ve switched to espresso coffees in the morning and I found the little espresso set that my mum gave me years ago. As we’ve just clocked up 3 years without my mum – where does the time go? – these cups (seen here with a nice reflection of the kitchen blind,) have brought me a lot of comfort.
The most exciting thing in our kitchen this month wasn’t food related though. We welcomed this Doug Hyde artwork into our home and I love it so much. It makes me happy every time I look at it and I feel like I’m a legit adult now I have a ‘proper’ piece of art, from a gallery and everything! I’m quite obsessed with Doug’s work and feel I may need to start saving for my art collection. Don’t tell David!
Now I’ve told you what’s been cooking in my kitchen, tell me in the comments what’s been happening in yours!
