Home Made Pumpkin Pie.It’s Easier Than You Think...

The Magical Pumpkin

Pumpkins ARE magical. They have pleasing shapes, are beautiful shades of orange and they smell of Autumn when you cut into them. Of course one of the best things about pumpkins is the way they taste! There are so many wonderful things you can create with pumpkins – never mind carving them into Jack O’Lanterns!

I am saddened by how many people throw away the seeds when they are carving their pumpkins. These seeds are not only good for you – they are absolutely delicious. All you need to do is clean them off and pop them in the oven for 20 minutes or so and presto – you have a snack that you won’t want to share with anybody else!

Luna Raye’s Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Ingredients

A pumpkin of course!

Directions

While you’re scooping all the gloop out of your pumpkin make sure to have a bowl handy in which you can reserve the seeds.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.

When you are finished with your pumpkin (carving it or preparing the flesh for a recipe) go back to the seeds and clean off as much of the gloop as you can, but don’t be too worried if there is a small amount left around the seeds.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the seeds out.

Lightly salt them and put in the oven. There is no need to add any oil.

Keep checking on them and giving them a swirl around the tray to make sure they are toasted on both sides.

When they are crisp to the bite take them out and serve them up.

You will wonder why you ever threw them away!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

So what else can you make with pumpkins?

• Soups.

• Stews.

• Curries.

• Roasted in the oven with some butter and maple syrup or brown sugar.

• Mashed on its own (or with potatoes) with lots of black pepper and some butter.

• As a filling for pasta, pasties and rotis (the best I ever had came from a little newsagents shop in Fiji).

• But my all time favourite recipe for pumpkins is the mighty pumpkin pie!

The UK is not big on pumpkin pie. It is near impossible to buy the usual canned pumpkin that many people use back in Canada or America. I have seen it in specialist stores but it usually requires a small bank loan just to purchase one can.

Most of my friends in the UK make funny faces when I talk of my love for pumpkin pie (they start talking about weird North American foods like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or egg-y waffles (eggo waffles) with maple syrup and crispy bacon).

Maybe it’s the Canadian in me but it just doesn’t feel like Autumn without pumpkin pie. This year for Thanksgiving I was determined to make one from scratch. I thought it would be impossibly difficult, but I found the most amazing website which talked me through the whole process. I am not much of a baker but I am pleased to say the pie (well I actually had enough mixture for 2 pies!) came out beautifully. The website said that once you have tried pumpkin pie made from scratch you wouldn’t want to go back to the canned version and I absolutely agree!

Please follow this link for their really easy to follow and fun to read recipe for the perfect pumpkin pie made from real pumpkin.

For those of you who have never tried this wonderful dessert (usually served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream) then give it a try. You will love it!

Yummy Pumpkin Pie Made From Scratch.

Happy Hour Cocktail: Mackay Martini...

My parents house move was successful and they are now busily settling in to their new home.

One of the house warming gifts they received was a bag of bush lemons from a friend’s garden. I had never heard of them before and they are certainly strange looking things.

They have a very intense lemon flavour which adds a wonderful fresh zing. I use lemon zest on pasta, in salads, soups, in muffins, breads and on yoghurt. It really brings a fresh summery pick me up to so many dishes.

Lemon juice is ideal for salad dressings, marinades and as an addition to drinks – particularly cocktails.

Last night for happy hour I decided to make one of my favourite drinks: a gin martini. A martini needs a good helping of lemon peel and it gave me a great excuse to try the bush lemons.

It was lemony and delicious and provided a welcome happy hour break from unpacking boxes!

Luna Raye’s Mackay Martini

Ingredients

1 ounce good quality gin ( Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray are ideal choices)

1 capful of dry vermouth

3 generous strips of bush lemon peel (if you can’t get ahold of bush lemons use the peel from regular UNWAXED lemons).

Add about 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice.

Directions

In a glass add 3 ice cubes.

Add the capful of dry vermouth and swish around the glass coating the ice cubes and bottom half of the glass.

Add the ounce of gin.

Add the bush lemon peel and juice.

(If you aren’t using bush lemons then add the unwaxed peel and juice of a regular lemon).

Enjoy!

If only the oven was working I would love to use the lemons to make a lemon drizzle cake.

Bush Lemon an essential ingredient in the Mackay Martini

Mackay Martini

West Side Story And Peppercorn Sauce...

Musicals have never been one of my favourite things but when I was given the opportunity to see West Side Story at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney’s Star City I couldn’t refuse.

Although I wasn’t really familiar with the story I knew it was based on Romeo and Juliet. I was surprised when I heard so many songs that I knew; I Feel Pretty, Somewhere and America are songs I have hummed in the kitchen while cooking. At least now I know where they come from!

The production was wonderful and the cast brilliant. Alinta Chidzey who played Anita was absolutely terrific and for me was the real star of the show. Another treat was the presence of an orchestra which really added some extra magic to the musical numbers.

The show was part of a dinner theatre experience. We were treated to steak with salad, potato wedges and a rich creamy peppercorn sauce. I decided that I wanted to try to make the sauce when I next got the chance. Tonight my dad threw some steaks on the barbi so it was the perfect excuse to make the peppercorn sauce.

It was much easier to make then I thought and what I loved was that it gave me a chance to cook with a new ingredient; green peppercorns in brine. This was delicious on steak and on the accompanying boiled potatoes.

Fortunately for everyone in the kitchen I refrained from humming any songs (I was too busy licking the spoon).

Luna Raye’s recipe for creamy peppercorn sauce.

Ingredients

3 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp green peppercorns in brine (drained and 1/2 of them crushed the other 1/2 left whole)
3 – 4 Tbsp of thickened cream

Directions

Heat butter in frying pan and add shallots and garlic.

Cook a few minutes until softened but be careful not to burn the butter.

Add the white wine and the chicken stock.

Cook until the liquid has halved.

Add the Dijon mustard, peppercorns and cream.

Cook for a further 2-3 minutes and season with salt.

Serve with steak, on burgers or over potatoes.

Enjoy!

Focaccia Bread With Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Moz...

The other day the urge to bake struck again. This time I wanted to make some focaccia bread to have alongside a Jamie Oliver recipe for Chicken with Basil and Sweet Tomatoes. I thought it would be just the thing to mop up any flavourful juices (it was!).

I have baked focaccia bread before and it is relatively simple to make. The recipe I have used in the past calls for a bit more seasoning in the mixture and I have always enjoyed adding some extra toppings to it; olives, sundried tomatoes and caramelized onions being among my favourites. Here is the recipe courtesy of Terri McCarrell and All Recipes that I have used many times before.

Since the Jamie Oliver recipe had so many wonderful flavours going on, I decided to make a simpler focaccia (Focaccia alla Ligure) and garnish it with some sea salt. I sourced a different recipe for this bread from the brilliant site Rustico Cooking and although it turned out very well there was cause for concern. I activated the yeast according to the packet instructions but it called for slightly more water than the recipe needed. The result was very sticky dough. I kept adding a bit more flour but honestly I think I could have added the whole bag. So I left it to rise and waited to see what would happen.

What happened was that it rose successfully and I had twice as much of the sticky dough as before! I somehow managed to get it in the pan where it was left to rise for a further 45 minutes. (cat lovers may appreciate this – but at the precise moment my hands were completely and hopelessly covered in goo, Nutmeg decided she ‘wanted’ things. Water, food, cuddles, specially designed tents made from my collection of sarongs that I drape over cushions for her– you name it she wanted it. Patience is not her strong point and I got in trouble for making her wait! By the way ALL her food and water bowls had been cleaned and replenished before I started making the bread – she just enjoys being cheeky!)

Anyway I wasn’t able to ‘dimple’ the top of the bread because it was just too sticky. It actually didn’t look that bad and when it came out of the oven it looked, smelled and tasted fantastic! Although I had made it in anticipation of my chicken dish I couldn’t resist having a slice or two for lunch. I was in a Mediterranean frame of mind and so I decided on a simple open faced sandwich with tomato, basil, avocado and mozzarella.

It was simple, delicious and healthy. It was raining outside (finally some much needed rain!) so I sat indoors by the window and ate my lunch – it was like I had my very own plate of sunshine. These simple beautiful flavours just can’t help but put you in a good mood. It was just what I needed on a rainy Wednesday afternoon!

Luna Raye’s Recipe for Focaccia with Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Mozzarella

Ingredients

Focaccia bread, large piece sliced lengthways. (You can use store bought but if you decide to make your own even better! Try either recipe I have mentioned above – they are both delicious!)

Drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

1large vine tomato sliced

½ avocado sliced

5-6 good sized slices of buffalo mozzarella

Handful of basil leaves, roughly torn.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

If you’ve made your own bread, allow it to cool slightly on a wire rack, about 20 – 30 minutes.
Once cooled cut a generous sized piece and then slice that in half lengthways.

Brush lightly with some extra virgin olive oil and place under a medium grill.

As the bread starts to brown slightly (about 5 minutes) add the slices of mozzarella and place back under the grill.

While the mozzarella begins to melt slice the tomato and avocado.

Once the cheese has melted (about 3-5 minutes, but keep an eye on it) take the focaccia bread out and put it on a plate.

Add the sliced tomato and avocado and season with salt and pepper.

Tear the basil leaves and scatter them over top.

You can finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil if you choose.

It’s best to use a knife and fork as it’s a messy one to eat – but often the messiest food is the tastiest.

Enjoy!

Focaccia with Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Mozzarella

Omelette With Fresh Herbs And Cheese....

There is a real art to making the perfect omelette. I will confess that I haven’t quite mastered it yet (they tend to be a bit on the mangled side), but I do like to try. For me the key ingredients in any omelette (aside from the eggs) are fresh herbs, freshly ground black pepper and some grated cheese. That’s really all you need for a perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner! Well actually add some freshly sliced tomatoes and a few slices of whole meal toast on the side, and you’re away!

Unfortunately our tomatoes aren’t ready for eating yet – but they are getting there. So for this meal we used tomatoes from our local farm shop. I really can’t wait till we can use our own!

Luna Raye’s Recipe For A Fresh Herb and Cheese Omelette.

Ingredients

6 eggs (I always used organic and free range).

Fresh Herbs:1 Tablespoon Sage finely chopped.

3 Tablespoons Curly Parsley finely chopped.

3 Tablespoons Tarragon finely chopped.

4 Tablespoons Chives finely chopped.

¼ Cup of grated mature cheddar cheese, (You can also use Gruyere).

Salt and some freshly ground black pepper to taste.

3 – 4 Vine tomatoes sliced and served on the side.

A few slices of buttered wholemeal toast cut into triangles.

Directions

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk.

Add the grated cheese and the chopped herbs and mix together.

Season with some freshly ground salt and pepper.

Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and when melted add the egg mixture. It’s important NOT to let the butter brown as this means the pan is too hot.

While the mixture is cooking use a spatula to lift the edges of the omelette so that some of the uncooked mixture runs underneath.

When the omelette is set (or a golden brown colour) underneath it’s time to flip it over. It will still be slightly runny on top and as you flip it, it will finish cooking through.

This is usually where I cross my fingers and hope for the best (or more likely I call my husband in to deal with it so that I can go and pour the wine!)

NOTE: Tonight I finally realized where it was all going wrong. For too long I was trying to cook ‘Kent’s biggest omelette’ in my kitchen. This is NOT a good idea and it makes omelette management very tricky. More often then not a large portion of it ends up on the stove top (which I then have to clean – not fun!). So the key to success is a smaller pan and cooking each omelette individually.

Have fun experimenting with different herbs and above all – enjoy!

Fresh herbs for my omelette; Parsley, Chives, Sage and Tarragon.

Omelette with Fresh Herbs and Cheese.

Picnic Success: Spicy Cucumber, Carrot and Cashew ...

I am still recovering from last Saturday when my husband and I went on our first ever road trip since passing his driving test. We got some supplies the night before, namely an extra large cooler box. Perfect for keeping our picnic cool and also providing a great storage place for any treats we happened to pick up along the way. It is cherry season after all!

I woke up early and set about making the Spicy Cucumber and Cashew Salad. I had planned on making it the night before but got carried away watching several episodes of Burn Notice (Bruce Campbell is my hero!). Fortunately it is a very simple dish to make. The most labour intensive part is chopping and mixing.

We did make some adjustments to the original dish that chef Bill Granger showed on Saturday Morning Kitchen. He made a marinade for some chicken thighs and used half for the chicken and the rest as a base for a spicy salad dressing. As we just wanted the salad we followed his recipe for the salad dressing but added a few extra bits to compensate for the lack of marinade.

To view Bill Granger’s fantastic original recipe courtesy of the BBC Food website please click here.

This is how we made our version of this tasty salad.

Luna Raye’s version of a Spicy Cucumber, Carrot and Cashew Nut Salad with Vermicelli Noodles.

Ingredients

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 large red chillies, finely chopped

2 tsp of fresh ginger, minced

4 tbsp sugar

4-5 tbsp of fresh lime juice

250g of vermicelli rice noodles

1 large cucumber halved and thinly sliced

1 medium sized carrot halved and cut into thin strips

4 spring onions, sliced finely

Small handful of fresh mint leaves (we used apple mint from our garden)

3-4 tbsp unsalted cashews, crushed.

Directions

Put fish sauce in large bowl with lime juice and sugar.

Stir until all the sugar has dissolved.

Add the chopped garlic cloves, chillies and minced ginger to a pestle and mortar and crush and blend until you get a nice paste (it won’t be a smooth paste but everything should be blended up well).

Add this mixture (it should smell fantastic!) to the liquid in the bowl and give a gentle stir.

Cut the cucumber, carrot and spring onions into thin strips and set aside.

Cook the vermicelli noodles by putting them in a heat proof bowl and adding enough boiled water to cover them. I gave them a quick stir as I did this just to make sure they didn’t clump together.

I also snapped the noodles in half before cooking them – to make them a bit more manageable in the salad.

Leave the noodles to cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Once they have softened drain and rinse them in cold water.

Once cooled, add the drained noodles to a large bowl and gradually start to mix in the liquid (fish sauce, lime juice and dissolved sugar) and the finely chopped vegetables.

Toward the end add the finely chopped fresh mint and continue to mix until well combined.

Just before serving add the crushed cashew nuts.

Enjoy!

NOTE: I also wanted to mention a really helpful tip that Bill Granger shared as he was preparing his dish. Limes can be difficult to squeeze, and even rolling them on the countertop before hand sometimes doesn’t help. He suggested cutting the lime in half and then taking the very end of the lime off. This leaves you with a rather large ‘slice’ of lime which is much easier to squeeze. I tried it and it worked a charm!

We had a fantastic day out and really enjoyed our picnic. The salad made a refreshing change and in the current heat wave we have been experiencing it was just what we needed.
In our eagerness to tuck into the salad we forgot to put the cashew nuts on. Luckily we brought the bag with us but we hadn’t crushed them. My husband not having the patience to wait dumped a handful of cashews onto each plate. It still tasted great but I think in future we will crush them, if we can remember that is!

As we continued with our driving adventure (Ok we got lost!) we passed a sign saying cherries for sale. We turned down a lovely country lane and found a mother and daughter selling the most beautiful cherries out of their back yard, which led into their orchard. We got a pound of cherries and ate them all on the way home. It was a successful day and a very successful picnic. We did make it home eventually and it was no thanks to the sat nav!

Spicy Cucumber, Carrot and Cashew Nut Salad with Vermicelli Noodles

Underneath a Willow Tree, The Perfect Picnic Spot.

Perfect Picnic Food But We Forgot the Cashew Nuts!

Scones: A Sweet Sunday Treat....

I woke up this morning with a craving for scones and an urge to bake. The sun was streaming in the windows and the birds were singing loudly, it just seemed like the perfect morning to get in the kitchen and chuck some flour about the place. My husband has a love/ hate relationship with my baking. While he always appreciates the final product, it’s my somewhat haphazard approach (mainly my wild handling of flour) that offends his delicate Virgo sensibilities and his need for a completely spotless kitchen.

When I mentioned scones I could hear the slight tremble of fear in his voice. To be honest it’s been so hot here that I almost didn’t feel energetic enough to make anything and I certainly didn’t want to clean flour off the kitchen counter, walls and floor (I really am a messy cook!).

Fortunately I found a very simple scone recipe that is minimum fuss (and mess). It is courtesy of the BBC Food website and you can find it here.

One big problem I had was that I only had plain flour in my cupboard and the recipe calls for self-raising. I wanted the scones so much that I decided to chance it – I just added a generous teaspoon of baking powder (plus a dash of wishful thinking). I was also feeling creative so I decided to add some cinnamon and raisins to the mixture as well.

These scones are great as they don’t take long to bake at all – approximately 12–15 minutes. So by the time was husband wandered sleepily out of the bedroom the scones were made and on the wire rack cooling and the tea was steeping in the pot. There wasn’t even flour on the kitchen floor, which is saying something.

O.K so they didn’t rise very much but they were very light and moist. The cinnamon came through nicely and combined well with the raspberry jam I served on the side. The raisins added some nice texture as well as additional sweetness. They went down very well with a pot of Clipper Everyday Tea and a morning episode of Burn Notice.

In case you can’t access the link, here is the recipe I used for the scones. It’s from the very helpful BBC Food website

Scones

Preparation time: less than 30 minutes

Cooking time: 10 to 30 minutes

Makes 8-12 scones

Scones are the easiest English teatime treat. There’s scope to customise these sweet ones with dried fruit or cinnamon.

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz self raising flour

• pinch of salt

• 55g/2oz butter

• 25g/1oz caster sugar

• 150ml/5fl oz milk

Preparation method

1. Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

2. Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter.

3. Stir in the sugar and then the milk to get a soft dough.

4. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm/¾in thick. Use a 5cm/2in cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.

5. Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden.

6. Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter and good jam and maybe some clotted cream.

Cinnamon and Raisin Scones on the Cooling Rack.

Scones A Sunday Treat

A Perfect Summer Meal: Luna Raye’s Light and Ea...

Summer has well and truly arrived. For the past few weeks the sun has been shining everyday and it has been hot, hot, hot! This lovely weather has worked wonders on my garden and everything seems to be thriving (which makes a change from last years disappointing efforts.)

There is an abundance of herbs and I have been incorporating them into as many of my meals as I can. Last night I had a craving for pasta. Sometimes you just can’t beat a bowl of spaghetti served with a nice chilled white wine.

Although I am growing tomatoes, they haven’t started to bear fruit yet so I bought some plum tomatoes from a greengrocer that specializes in local Kent produce. I also bought a few chestnut mushrooms. Once I had assembled those ingredients I went out into the garden to collect some herbs. I decided on Parsley, Coriander, Sage and Lemon Thyme.

It was a very light and refreshing meal and the flavour of the herbs came through beautifully. I really love being able to use ingredients from the garden and I can’t wait until we can use our own tomatoes!

So here is my recipe for a perfect summer meal:

Luna Raye’s Recipe For Light and Easy Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Herbs from the Garden.

Ingredients

Spaghetti (I used enough for 2 people approx 160 – 200 grams).

9 Plum Tomatoes cut roughly into chunks (Cherry Tomatoes also work well. What’s important is that they are fresh).

9 Chestnut Mushrooms sliced ( I like mine a bit chunky but they can be sliced thinner if you prefer).

A selection of Fresh Herbs preferably from your garden! I used Curly Parsley, Coriander, Sage and Lemon Thyme. I used approximately about 4 Tablespoons of the chopped mixed herbs.

Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese.

Directions

Cook the pasta in lightly salted water according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking roughly chop the tomatoes and slice the mushrooms. Set them aside.
Roughly chop the herbs and also set aside.

When the spaghetti is al dente drain it and do not rinse. The idea is to keep a small amount of the cooking water in the pot.

Put the spaghetti back in the pot and add the tomatoes, mushrooms, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
Mix well and transfer to serving bowls.

Add some freshly ground pepper and parmesan cheese to taste.

Enjoy it out in the garden with some chilled white wine!

NOTES:

For ages whenever I cooked pasta I would add a wee bit of olive oil to the water which I thought would prevent the pasta from sticking together. This was not only rather costly it can actually impair the flavour of the dish. The pasta becomes oily and is unable to absorb any sauce.

I also remember being told that it was important to rinse cooked pasta after it’s been drained. This isn’t a good idea either. Rinsing pasta cools it down which means it stops the pasta from absorbing sauces. This can also impair the over all flavour of the dish.

Rinsing also washes away any starch that is left on the pasta. This starch is important for thickening sauces, so it’s beneficial to always reserve some of the cooking water from your pasta.

I first tried this technique when I made Nigella Lawson’s Linguine with Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Mushrooms and it was wonderful.

Here is a great article by Shirley Corriher on How To Cook Pasta Properly.

Light And Easy Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Herbs

The Abundant Garden.

Brewing With Love And Nose Rubs: Cat Cuddle Tea....

When I was younger I pestered my parents on a daily basis for a pet. At that time it didn’t matter to me what kind of pet, I just wanted an animal companion to cuddle up to and share my secrets with. Then one summer day when I came back from a solo visit to see my grandparents, I was greeted at the door by my mom, who told me there was a special surprise waiting for me. I will never forget the first time I saw Cinders. She was a tiny ball of gray and white fluff and to be honest I was terrified of her! She was so tiny that I was frightened I would hurt her if I went near her. I soon got over my worry and would often scoop her up for a cuddle. She was a remarkable cat who gave our family lots of love, joy and laughter for over 22 years.

As a teenager I did my share of babysitting but I was actually more popular as a cat sitter. I would look after people’s cats while they went on holiday and would shower them with as much love and affection as I could – so they didn’t miss their families too much while they were away. It was the best job I ever had! I looked after cats in Canada and the UK and made many wonderful friends (human and feline) along the way.

Now I do love all animals BUT there is something completely wonderful about cats. They hold a very special place in my heart and I know the world would be a miserable (and far less interesting place) without them. I am purrfectly happy in admitting that I am a total slave to my cat Nutmeg!

When I say I would do anything for her– I mean it! When she squawks I come running. Of course this has now resulted in me bringing her large glasses of water throughout the day (and night! – can we say ‘sleep deprivation’ everyone). In fact all she has to do is look at me in a certain way and I drop everything. Nutmeg does love a good cuddle and she often calls me over to have a wee snuggle and a mad cleaning session (I don’t do any cleaning – I am just expected to watch and admire).

Working from home means my day is wonderfully broken up with bouts of cat cuddling. This has created something which I call ‘Cat Cuddle Tea’.

Luna Raye’s Recipe For Cat Cuddle Tea.

Ingredients

1 tea bag (I love Clipper Organic Everyday Tea)

Water, just off the boil.

Milk and Sugar (or Honey) if desired.

Directions

Boil some water (being mindful not to overfill your kettle).

Add tea bag to your favourite mug.(My favourite is my Star Trek mug)

Fill the mug with the boiled water and gently poke at tea bag with a tea spoon.

While the tea continues to steep go and cuddle your cat.

Give ample nose rubs, chin scritches and haunch pats.

If your feline friend asks for a drink, pour them some water and bring it to them in a crystal glass. Make sure to hold the glass steady.

After they have had their water, bury your face in their fur and make smooch-y noises and praise them.

More nose rubs may be needed at this point.

Ignore cramp in your left side because you aren’t sitting correctly on the sofa (most likely because kitty is stretched out).

When 30 minutes has passed gently remove yourself from the sofa to check on your tea.

It should now be cold and unpleasant to drink.

Place unused milk back in the fridge and unused sugar or honey back on the shelf.

Get back to the sofa immediately to resume cat cuddles.

Enjoy!

Luna’s Cat Cuddle Tea Tips:

• As long as you haven’t added milk or sugar you can reserve the cold tea to give your house plants a nice boost. My great grandmother always used the cold tea left over in her tea pot for her African Violets – and they were always stunning and in full bloom.

• Place tea bags in a small dish and put in the fridge. They are wonderfully refreshing to use on tired, puffy eyes.

Some of Luna’s Favourite Cat Websites:

The Cats Protection League

Feline Cat Rescue

I Can Has Cheezburger

Catio Showcase

WhollyCat

Way of Cats

Come on and give me a cuddle - you know you want to!

Luna Raye's Cat Cuddle Tea

Nutmeg Unamused At Dragon's Inability To Give Nose Rubs

Bruschetta: A Delicious Half Time (Or Anytime) Tre...

Like many people this summer I will be watching the World Cup. I am not an avid football fan but I do enjoy the bigger matches and the World Cup is always exciting. During the England vs. USA game we needed some cheering up after Robert Green allowed the Americans to score an easy goal.

During the half time I decided to make a quick and easy bruschetta. This recipe is slightly different from traditional bruschetta recipes as I didn’t heat the tomato mixture before spreading it on the bread, but it is still full of flavour and goes very nicely with a chilled beer. We had Maple Moon Ale, an award winning ale from Joseph Holt’s Derby Brewery.

After our half time treat we felt slightly better about the match. We didn’t score another goal, but we didn’t allow another goal in either – which is something.

Luna Raye’s Half Time Or Anytime Bruschetta.

(If you want to make this at half time make sure you put the oven on 10 – 15 minutes in advance. So approximately 30 – 35 minutes into the first half of the match)

Ingredients

15 – 20 organic cherry or plum tomatoes.

1 clove of garlic, minced.

1 banana shallot finely chopped. (You can use any shallot but I prefer banana shallots as they are milder)

3 – 4 Tablespoons freshly chopped herbs. (I used Parsley, Coriander, and Sage) I would have loved to use some of my Basil but it’s struggling at the moment.

Pinch of sea salt.

Black pepper to taste.

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

2 – 3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.

1 small baguette cut lengthways and then halved.

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Place the cut baguette slices on a baking sheet and put in oven to slightly toast them. (You can brush a little virgin olive oil on them at this stage if you wish).

While the baguette slices are gently toasting in the oven. Roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a medium sized bowl.

Add the minced garlic and chopped shallot and mix well.

Add the sea salt and some black pepper and gently blend in the chopped mixed herbs.

Take the baguette slices out of the oven and spread the tomato mixture liberally over each slice.

Finish with a light drizzle of virgin oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes or until the Parmesan has melted and the tomato mixture is slightly bubbling.

Keep a close eye on them as you don’t want them to burn.

They should be on the plate by the start of the 2nd half (although it does help to have a kitchen assistant to speed things along!)

Happily serves 2.

Half Time or Any Time Bruschetta

My Poor Basil