Bangers and some rather gruesome looking mash!

Evening all, I've stopped laughing just about long enough to bring you this post! My dinner tonight was quite possibly the most ridiculous looking thing you've ever seen so here it is in all it's glory! It's all down to my latest discovery, Purple Majesty Potatoes grown by UK spud farmer, Albert Bartlett & bought from Sainsburys. Their natural purple colour is down to these particular spuds being high in anthocyanins, the same thing that gives blueberries & red cabbage their colour. This makes them rich in antioxidants & lets face it we all know they're good for us (even if no one I know really understands why??)

It was really tasty although I have to be honest, eating purple mash might take a bit of getting used to. They'd definitely make a great Halloween tea! Or, given they turned the water a bright shade of turquoise, might prove quite useful if tie-dying were ever to make a come back! Have a good evening, Rebecca x

Fruit tarts - made with a little help!

Ok, so lets get the obvious out of the way...what is up with the weather!? It's usually around this time of year I'm dusting off my boots, adding an extra layer & wondering whether I really can get another season out of my coat? Instead, yesterday I was in shorts, barbecuing! I for one was very confused by it all. Anyway it was this impromptu BBQ that led me to making this dessert which I wanted to share with you.

Summery desserts in October - what's going on?

I was plodding around the aisles of Sainsburys looking for dessert inspiration when I came across their new range of chilled dessert ingredients. Ready made pastry, compotes, ganache, creme patisserie & the like. Now I make no secret of the fact that I can't make pastry, I always blamed it on the fact I have hot hands, but recently I was told that it could in fact be related to my hormones! Apparently the level of oestrogen you have in your body effects your ability to make pastry...I'm not sure that's ever been medically proven, or if it's simply an elaborate old wives tale, but I'll take it as an excuse!

So, grateful for a helping (non hot, low oestrogen) hand, I picked a pack of ready rolled dessert shortcrust pastry & a pouch of creme patisserie. I was given a set of individual loose bottom tart tins for Christmas, so this was the perfect opportunity to try them out & make yummy fruit tarts.

I lined the tins with pastry & in the absence of baking beans prodded the bottom with a fork to stop it puffing up, then baked them for around 12 minutes. When they'd cooled completely I squished in the creme patisserie then topped them with sliced pineapple, grapes & strawberries.

As much as I consider myself a scratch cook, there are some things that I look at & think why bother when the convenient version is so good. The fruit tarts were absolutely delicious & at 45p per tart (excluding fruit which I was buying anyway), they were excellent value for money. Have a good week & enjoy the sunshine while it lasts! Rebecca x