easy | date with a plate.

Paprika and thyme chicken

January 31, 2014 by date with a plate.

It was another case of mid-week laziness. I knew it was my turn to cook dinner, I just couldn’t seem to summon the energy to be inventive, so I rustled up an old favourite that I know the boy likes: my paprika and thyme chicken. This little dish owes its origins to an abundance of thyme in the garden and an excess of paprika in the spice rack – I quite literally just banged this one out, but its become […]

Categories: Chicken, Dinner, mid-week • Tags: easy, flavour, garlic, paprika, thyme

Shortbread

December 24, 2013 by date with a plate.

As soon as I smell shortbread in the oven I am transported back to my four year old self, eagerly watching my Mother bake shortbread for Christmas treats. They are the ultimate childhood memory for me. My Mother has always been the Queen of Shortbread, and even if I did use her recipe it would never taste the same, perhaps that’s just because they are hers – I’m a big believer that whenever someone cooks for you it always tastes […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Special Occasion • Tags: baking, biscuits, easy, shortbread

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Radish & celery vermicelli noodle salad

November 22, 2013 by date with a plate.

Ever the optimist, I decided to muscle up some inspiration for last night’s dinner and make what I could from what was in the fridge already. Screw going to the supermarket at 8pm at night – I was hungry, desperate and tired (not to mention lazy). That’s when the creative juices kicked in. Pork chops, some fresh veggies and dried vermicelli noodles I knew were in the pantry. This combination allowed me to rustle up something appropriate to feed two […]

Categories: Asian, Dinner, Salad • Tags: chili, coriander, cucumber, easy, lime, noodle, radish, red onion, spanish onion, spring onion, vermicelli noodles

Coconut and lemon sorbet

November 11, 2013 by date with a plate.

Essentials for cooling down in the hot Summer months? Easy. Air-conditioning, minimal clothing and ice-cream, or in this case, sorbet. I am an absolute sucker for sweets, and sorbet is one of my absolute favourites. A recent trip to Indonesia provided endless inspiration after indulging with a scoop of coconut sorbet for dessert one humid and hot evening. It was bliss – pure, satisfying, cold bliss. So here’s my recreation, a coconut sorbet but with a tang of lemony goodness. […]

Categories: Dessert • Tags: coconut, easy, lemon, lemon zest, sorbet

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Smoked BBQ chicken (finger-licking good)

October 15, 2013 by date with a plate.

Our Sunday BBQ wasn’t complete without the addition of a whole smoked chicken to serve alongside our Cuban smoked pork. What a treat this bird was too, I was surprised at first that it only took an hour to cook and was unbelievably moist. This simple recipe is a real treat on your Weber BBQ – trust me! So simple, I was blown away at how good this chicken tasted with so little done to it. The sauce used to […]

Categories: BBQ, Chicken, Dinner, Lunch • Tags: charred, cloudy apple juice, easy, marinated, Oranges, smoked chicken, Weber

Beef Stew – oh so comforting, oh so easy

October 1, 2013 by date with a plate.

I love using cheap cuts of meat for cooking – too many people go straight for the fancy steaks or the racks of lamb, but take a minute to choose a cheaper cut and spend that extra bit of time cooking and you will be rewarded. Beef stew is the perfect way to enjoy such a cheap cut of meat, use a gravy beef or casserole cut to achieve the best results. Such a comforting and easy dish, a good […]

Categories: Dinner, Lunch, One Pot Wonder • Tags: beef, easy, Jamie Oliver, lemon, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, rosemary, sage, slow cooking, stewto

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Banana bread with pecans and coconut

September 15, 2013 by date with a plate.

There’s a thousand recipes out there for banana bread and everyone’s got their own way of doing it, but the core principle remains the same – overripe bananas, ready for mashing. The banana really does have to be overripe, its what gives the bread its wonderful flavour and moistness. It keeps for days and is perfect as an afternoon snack or a quick bite in the morning, regardless it should be served warm. And serve it with butter, please. I’m […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Breakfast, Snack • Tags: baking, banana, bread, coconut, easy, pecan

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Rocket, grape and fennel salad

September 2, 2013 by date with a plate.

Father’s Day in my family is always about the food, we don’t go crazy on gifts. Instead we like to share a nice meal together, and this year I opted to cook for my family (with the help of my lovely boyfriend). So there’s two posts today, the main and the side. I opted for a lovely leafy salad to go on the side of a pasta dish I made and it worked perfectly. Crunch from the fennel, sweetness from […]

Categories: Dinner, Lunch, Salad • Tags: baby spinach, easy, fennel, feta, grape, lemon, rocket, side dish

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Moroccan Chicken

August 23, 2013 by date with a plate.

I haven’t yet been to Morocco, but it’s on my hit list. Regardless, I can still make Moroccan Chicken and pretend to be there……sort of. Anyway, this is a great mid-week meal and can easily be scaled up in quantity to cater for a large group, or a hungry family. The method is easy, the flavours are great and the effort factor is minimal – can I get a “hell yeah!” Another great thing about any type of stew is […]

Categories: Chicken, Dinner, Lunch, One Pot Wonder • Tags: coriander, easy, flavour, honey, Moroccan, orange blossom water, saffron, spices, tomato

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date with a plate.

food for everyday.

Tag: easy

Paprika and thyme chicken

Shortbread

Radish & celery vermicelli noodle salad

Coconut and lemon sorbet

Smoked BBQ chicken (finger-licking good)

Beef Stew – oh so comforting, oh so easy

Banana bread with pecans and coconut

Rocket, grape and fennel salad

Moroccan Chicken