It was one of those nights…

Last night was one of those nights when we had food in the fridge, but after a day of writing about food and cooking, there was no imagination left in my head.

Turns out I create some of my best recipes that way 😀

We started with some cubed pork loin, which had been marinated in vinegar. (It was for a different recipe, but we had some left.)
There was a bottle of cider on the shelf; a couple of apples in the fruit bowl…a lonesome carrot and sweet potato lingering in the bottom of the fridge. The cupboard contained onions. It always does…as a cook I panic if I am onionless.

We chopped the onions and sautéed them, adding half a teaspoon of Bicarbonate of soda to them, to speed up the cooking time. (It was another of those evenings when dinner was meant to be at 9, but was served at 10 oops.)

The pork was then added and cooked quickly to brown the outside. The chopped sweet potato and carrot were quick to follow, then we simply poured in the cider and left to bubble. After half an hour I thickened the sauce with some cornflour and left it to simmer for five minutes more.

My wonderful partner provided his speciality of very mashed, mashed potato.
I may be biased, but it was divine. (The potato was pretty damned good too) I shall make more next time so I can test its freezability.

Dinner by Sky
Mash by Pod

Happy Friday from all @ thesideplate.com
mashers

Can you have your cake and eat it?

Can you have your cake and eat it?

I have to admit I am more of a savoury girl than a sweetie. However some days, especially when there is a distinct nip in the air, and a little bit of blue in my mood…I want cake.

Carrot or coffee sponge would be best; without nuts preferably (It is not that I dislike nuts, in fact I spend a lot of time with them….but I don’t want them in my comfort cake).

Iced or plain, I do not mind.

A little square of sponge that soothes the soul.
A little slice of magic from so few ingredients.

Cake is possibly the nearest you can get to a hug from a food item.

Is it that it reminds us of childhood? Or of Happy Birthdays. Weddings and Christmas…it seems all celebrations should contain cake.

I believe it was Julia Child that said, “A party without cake, is just a meeting.”
And I think we can all agree we need fewer meetings and more Parties.

So I shall celebrate it being Thursday with a slice of coffee cake, just the smell of it baking has lifted my spirits.

I have my cake; I shall take great pleasure in eating it.

Hugs and love

Sky @ thesideplate.com

http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/cappuccino-cupcakes

All things cake