WOAH! Well I have not written for quite some time….the rest of last year and the start of this one have been dominated by work-related matters, namely, restructuring and a new job.  This sucked out a lot of my brain energy for some time – but I think that a good way to get back into my cooking and writing saddle, as it were, would be an item all about what I have been cooking and eating this week past.

Much of my eating lately has been adorned with home grown tomatoes, which feels nothing short of miraculous seeing as my tomato plants looked like they weren’t inclined to produce anything for most of summer. No complaints from me though, harvesting my own tomatoes right now feels very autumnal and quite delicious.

I love a good cheese toastie and this is a respectable vehicle for excess tomatoes.  My new office has a strict no-toasters policy as apparently toasters are major culprits of expensive fire brigade call-outs?  This does mean we have a generous selection of toasted sandwich presses to hand, so I am enjoying cheese toasties with homegrown tomatoes and sliced gherkin. 

Mid week dinners have been a feta-stuffed chicken breast recipe, which is winner in my humble opinion.  I’ve adapted it over the years from a print copy of the Healthy Food Guide from more than a decade ago, building on a simple concept – chicken breasts stuffed with something yummy and baked (kind of poached) in bubbling tomato sauce. I really do recommend it because although stuffed chicken breasts sound high maintenance, they are really pretty easy, and most of the cooking work is done by the bubbling tomato sauce and a hot oven. Stock and a little balsamic vinegar produce a savoury sauce, aided by escaped pieces of feta that blend in.

To make it – preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade and heat some olive oil in an oven- and stovetop- proof pot or dish.  Add 1-2 cloves of sliced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add 2 cups of spinach and cook it down.  Tip in 600mls passata, 150 mls stock or wine, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon oregano and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer.  Meanwhile, cut through the middle of four whole chicken breasts lengthways, nearly in half lengthways, but not quite.  Stuff the gap with feta and cracked pepper. Once the passata mix is bubbling away, nestle the chicken breasts in the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is done.  Top it with Parmesan and a little drizzled balsamic vinegar if you like a slightly sour hit. I find this really filling and don’t tend to need much else with it except some salad, but I reckon some crusty bread would be go well dipped in the sauce to scoop up any escaped feta.

On Thursday after work I was dining alone, so it was home to something I had in the freezer – this tomato baked rice (yes, my own tomatoes again!). The cinnamon stick may seem a weird addition but it adds a nice spicy depth to the dish. I haven’t toyed around with this one yet, but it seems ripe for the fiddling so watch this space.

Saturday was a delight – a beautiful, mellow, golden light-filled kind of Autumnal day, and a great time of year if you happen to fancy fresh hopped beer. Although not a massive beer-drinker, I don’t mind the odd beer-y tipple and Mean Doses’ Kolsch and currywurst event was just the ticket.

A cold rainy Sunday yesterday called for a roast dinner, the first of this year. I’ve missed my little spot to cook and write so if you’ve read this far, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading of my culinary activities for the week – I’ll be in touch again soon x