Beetroot & Broccoli Chickpea Crumble - Bakemas Day 4

Its Monday morning, December 4th and it seems I’m all ready for testing Christmas dinner recipes which is what we’re doing here today. I mean this doesn’t have to be a Christmas dinner recipe it can be an any night of the week dinner but I figured I’d get a head start so I have a couple of options.

Sausage & Vegetable Stuffed Mushrooms with a Cheesy Garlic Breadcrumb Topping

Mushrooms are probably one of the only vegetables I always turn down, I won’t talk about the ins and outs of my distaste for them because I’m sure it will make this recipe seem oh so inviting but what I will say is if I had to eat mushrooms I would eat them like this. I think cheese, garlic and sausage can make anything enjoyable (maybe I should put that theory to the test GMM style) but these stuffed mushrooms are delicious, so delicious a mushroom-disliker may potentially like them! I can’t guarantee it but I’m definitely an advocate for trying things anyway and if in doubt...just add more cheese!

Tomato & Vegetable Quinoa Bake

There’s something about new year and me getting a cold, okay so I only have 2 two year running streak which I don’t wish to continue but I’m pretty sure the cold I had before Christmas that didn’t quite go away came back with a vengeance when the clock struck 12, actually it was when I woke up on the first but let’s say it’s when the clock struck twelve for dramatic effect. It’s safe to say with the way I’m feeling I’m not in a new year new me kind of mood, I’ve got more of a new year, same slob kind of thing going on although post cold I’ll potentially be ready to kick some serious butt...potentially! Usually when I get a cold I’m in a constant state of hunger and I always find the more I eat the faster I get better but now I find it ridiculously easy to skip meals and have to end up eating at midnight to get enough food in and am usually all around too tired to be bothered to cook anything nutritious. This quinoa bake is pretty much the answer to my cold and maybe the answer to your dinner woes, do you have dinner woes? It’s healthy and still pretty much comfort food which is exactly what I need at a time like this.

Garlic, Cheese, Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Crumble - Bakemas Day 21

I was already a little obsessed with putting every fruit and all the flavours in a crumble topping, now that I’ve made my first savoury crumble I might just have to put everything in a crumble, and I mean everything! Parsnips in a crumble? Roasted parsnips with cheese and garlic in a crumble add in carrots and did I mention roasted garlic? Seriously it’s like all my dreams coming true.

I love roasted vegetables, I would eat a plate straight out the oven and this crumble was me wanting roasted vegetables with crumble on top and cheese, who wouldn’t add cheese if they could. I didn’t want this to be remotely like a casserole because I am not a fan; I think I’ll have to tackle those in the New Year because I mostly remember them being overcooked and full of beef and I’m sure there must be light at the end of the beef stock soaked tunnel. What I’m trying to say is if you’re looking for a recipe for a saucy gravy filled vegetable crumble you’re looking in the wrong place but whatever you’re looking for make this because you won’t regret it. This is a perfect vegetarian main for Christmas or any day in the colder months, as I’m sure my family will find out next year, or as a vegetable side to your turkey, ham or whatever it is you like to eat on Christmas day.

Chicken, Tomato & Vegetable Stew with Herby Dumplings - Bakemas Day 7

So I’m definitely ill, brilliant! Isn’t it just the worst when you’re ill to the point where you’re in too much pain to sleep, because it sort of feels like someone’s whacking me in both sides of my head every few seconds and every time I swallow it feels like there’s a massive lump in my throat, I imagine that lump is probably phlegm, too much? And don’t even get me started on the body aches. Anyway, I didn’t have plans to make this today, actually I didn’t even have plans to make this any time in December but I woke up craving this and it’s one of the main things I want when I’m ill. Thinking about it, I was craving this yesterday too but I obviously didn’t put two and two together I was in ignorant bliss hoping I’d just be run down for a week or two. This is my mum's recipe, well I say recipe it's more....her throwing things into the pan type thing but it's usually roughly the same. I got kind of obsessed with it a few years ago and would eat it every day and cooked right the dumplings are the best part. It’s pretty much healthy hearty comfort food that cures winter blues and colds, so expect magic.

Tuna, Cheese & Vegetable Stuffed Sweet Potatoes - Bakemas Day 2

Healthy comfort food is the ultimate goal when it comes to winter, no one wants to eat salad when it's 5 degrees out unless you're the type of person who uses their heating to make it feel like a sauna. I think I hit the nail on the head, all the comfort and every good intention of being healthy, so maybe the cheese is questionable but everybody deserves a little cheese in their life, especially at Christmas. I’m definitely enjoying that I can prepare this for about 10 minutes then bung it in the oven while I do something else because I seem to have accumulated a lot of things to do again, not to mention I haven’t even started sorting out Christmas presents yet. Okay so being unorganised isn’t rare for me but I think I’m getting slightly better, at least I’m feeling the need to be organised even if I’m not accomplishing it. I spent a lot of the first day of December making Christmassy bags for my granddad to give the kiddos (or just spent time thinking about making them), yes it’s getting festive all up in here, although, I say making I’m still only at the painting stage. The painting stage is the best part though; it gives me an excuse to watch Christmas films while I do it which I’m more than happy to do. Seeing as I stayed up till 3am painting I didn’t find time to put up my tree yet which fingers crossed I can get done today if I get to the end of my to do list, which let’s be honest is highly unlikely. I did help my mum put the tree up outside though, well, I lifted it, then stood there feeding her the lights while she put them on, so all around I was really helpful. If you’re lacking time like I am at the moment this is a really simple and incredibly yummy dinner, like I said, 10 minutes of prep and you can bung it in the oven and come back half an hour later. I put the leftover pepper and onions in the dish but you could even add more veggies in the dish to roast so you don’t have to prepare side vegetables.

Soy, Tomato & Garlic Marinated Chicken with Rice and Crunchy Veg

I’ve been having some....digestive problems? Let’s go with that. Is this too much too talk about on a food blog? Basically a lot of stomach aches, a lot of feeling sick and not a lot of want to eat food. I’ve basically been living off hot chocolate biscuits and chicken and rice, don’t judge me! I imagine these are all completely the wrong things to eat with an upset whatever but that’s just how it went down. I’m still not really all the interested in food but may I grace you with the presence of the recipe that has kept me alive for the past 1-2 weeks. Don’t get me wrong this may or may not be the best thing to eat with a stomach upset, I guess you have to figure out for yourselves what to eat, but basically what I’m saying is don’t judge the recipe on my stomach upset. Trust me, it's even yummier with a tip top digestive system. I could quite possibly live off of this meal! This is one of those dishes that are tasty hot, but the leftovers are just as good, if not slightly better because you don't even have to cook to eat! And better still the flavours intensify over night, so double the recipe, triple the recipe, put the chicken in your sandwich the next day, this chicken is your oyster!

Toasted Wensleydale, Grilled Vegetable & Plum and Apple Chutney Sandwich

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer, I had to open one of these bad boys, it's not quite as enjoyable as opening an airtight jar with the satisfying pop, although the chutney is better. Three weeks I think it's been, I just had to and we already managed finished a jar, I think that took two days; that's a new record. The chutney tasted perfectly fine to me, I guess it just goes to show you don't have to wait a month although if you're sensitive to vinegar I guess it's better to be safe and wait it out, I'm a little bias and actually quite like vinegary chutney, but it wasn't noticeable at all.

I met a friend in the morning for coffee and after walking the 3 miles home I sat in the kitchen kind of wanting a nap, I've been so tired recently, and decided to make this sandwich, I usually just stick to wensleydale and chutney but figured I'd crank up the nutrition a little, even thought it's a toasted sandwich I kept the cheese solid, which is completely preference I much prefer my wensleydale fresh from the fridge as I think the texture goes better with the chutney.

I ended up making these sandwiches again the next day with a friend, we watched a weird Kristen Wiig film with chutney dripping out our sandwiches.