This week my mum bought round a big pile of photo’s, in amongst the embarrassment was this one. She says it was my Dad’s favorite shot of me and he carried it in his wallet all the time. I can’t say I can really see the attraction, maybe the perm and the padded headband? or the truly awful mans jumper? who knows…. Although Ten Boy Jack just saw it and said, “Mum…is that you???…What happened!??!” …
out of the mouths of babes eh?
I could have told him he did, along with his two sisters!
I was 16 in 1990 when this was shot, lots of dreams and wide eyed hopes.
I think I also expected allot from people, believing all were good, expecting them to behave that way.
Not sure I am any wiser now. Maybe I just know that life, as well as people have allot more angles and facets. Some of them good, some of them not so.
This was also the year I started to cook, I found a recipe in mum’s Delia Smith for bacon and pesto pasta. Not having many of the ingredients I, *very girl guild like* found one or two alterations. Replacing condensed milk for the cream and any veg with tinned mushrooms. It was truly awful, but was my “signature dish” for a number of years (my poor first husband..wow..never thought I’d say that! , anyway back to the recipe….)
My other favorite thing in the whole world to eat was Nutella sarnies, with tones of butter on Mighty White bread. Just to be healthy of course!
So this week I have been playing around with, well slightly improved versions of these two dishes, I really hope you like em. If you don’t I will come and get you with my Smiths Record collection…. ( girlfriend in a coma, my personal fave… I know, I know its serious!! ;p)
first Up…
Crispy Bacon Pasta with Home Made Pesto
Ingredients
-
A big handful of fresh basil
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2 cloves of garlic
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A handful of pine nuts
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A handful of good parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano is a nice one)
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A tiny pinch of chili flakes
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Good olive oil
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Pinch of salt & lots of ground pepper
*Cooks notes – this isn’t an exact science but really fun, just keep adding and tasting until you have your own perfect pesto combo*
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4 slices of streaky smoked bacon
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70g of pancetta ( you can just use all bacon but the mix of pancetta & smokey bacon is divine;D )
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400g of spaghetti
Directions
To make the pesto, just bung all the ingredients (except olive oil ) in a pestle and mortar, and pound to a pulp. I love doing this, it reminds me of making mud pies strangely! Then poor in the olive oil slowly until you have a nice sauce consistency. (between 2 -3 tablespoons should do it)
If you don’t have a pestle and mortar you can do the same job with the end of a rolling pin and a metal bowl or pan.
Then just fry the bacon and pancetta, and drain on a kitchen towel.
Whilst that’s frying, cook the pasta.
Add the bacon and pancetta back to the pan with the drained pasta, (keeping by some of the pasta water) and then the pesto, stir together over a low heat adding a little of the pasta water to make a sauce.
And that’s it, maybe a sprinkle of extra parmesan on top and a ground of pepper. The kids like it with a giant helping of peas…. YUM!
And now pudding…its not mighty white, but it IS Nutella!
Ickle Nutella -Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
- Granulated sugar
- Nuttela filling (see recipe below)
*Cooks Notes, apologies for the use of cup measurements but the cookie bit of this recipe is american, you can buy cup measures in most super markets super cheaply and it is much easier than the Brit measuring!
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add icing sugar and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can. Stir in any remaining flour mixture and the nuts. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle
2. Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar to coat. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets. With the bottom of a glass, flatten balls to about 1-1/4-inch circles.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until tops are just firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
4. Spread bottoms of half of the cookies with a rounded 1/2 teaspoon Chocolate-Hazelnut Filling. Top with remaining cookies, bottom sides down. Makes 48 cookie sandwiches.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Filling: In a small saucepan, heat 6 big tablespoons of nutella and the same amount of double cream. Gently melt together and throw in some choped nuts. Then cool slightly before using in the cookies.
Love the pic and the memories sweetheart…. Food sounds pretty darn fantastic too xxxx
Thanku petal, i am sure those cookies will be making their way to a mouth near you very soon ;D XXX
You look wonderful, mind you I think you still do!
Aw Mads, LOVE you…thank gawd u cant see me right now….. just woke up…not a pretty picture at all! ;D XXXX
I had one like that…
Jumper I mean, not perm.
Love the recipes!
Oh shame would have paid good money to see you with a perm, glad you like the recipes tho ;D xxx
Are you only 36 !!! OMG You BABY ! I could almost be your mummy : ) hehehehe ! Love the pic. I had a perm when I was in my 20′s never again! I certainly didn’t look as gorgeous as you xx Needless to say I won’t be trying the recipe.
Lol, Karen, i do like it when you call me a baby
And you could SO make that pesto dish, I guarantee it’s easier than a fried egg sandwich ;D XXX
Ahh, memories! Hehe! That picture is great!
And I will definitely be giving the recipes a go – we love pesto almost as much as we love Nutella
Geat post as ever but I swear you are just trying to make *me* fat! x
Oh Mostly Yummy, u will always be yummy no matter how much nutella you eat, and its really good for you.. honest…practically a health food ;D XXX
Despite what you may consider bad fashion and grooming choices, I can see why your Dad carried that photo of you in his wallet. The way you are looking into the camera is very sweet and innocent. And beautiful, by the way. He was proud of his girl! (By the way: we are all very hard on former versions of ourselves and you are no different, my dear. You were and still are beautiful.)
As for the recipes, you are speaking directly to my heart, aren’t you? Bacon. If I could have married it, I would have. And make bacon babies. The nutella cookie sandwiches, well, they are speaking to my hips right now…
Terrific post. Hugs to you.
xxoxRichela
Aw thanku Richela, as always your comments make me smile, BIG ;D XXX