I am, however back with a meal full of yummy things to share. This was dinner for 6 of us one night last week when we had family visiting. It started off being "just" a simple a dinner- a pasta bake, then dad was able to spend a whole afternoon in the kitchen....
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In pairs (top and bottom) from L-R Pasta Bake Mezze Plate Strawberry Pavlova |
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Starter Clockwise from Top Left The full plate, and again Foccacia Spadini cooking Spadini on the plate |
On ours you will find.... (Clockwise from top centre of top right image above)
Vine leaf stuffed with rice salad and a drizzle of minted yoghurt
Spadini- minced chicken, garlic and herbs, rolled into a long thing cylinder, coated in bread crumbs and shallow fried.
Potato Salad
Rocket Leaves
Manchego Cheese
Cherry Tomato
Our own Hummus
Carrot and Sesame Seed salad (centre)
My dad also made some very yummy focaccia with pine kernels and sultanas in it and the top is drizzled with our own tomato sauce and chunks of mozzarella. So. Damn. Tasty.
Onto the main course next
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Main Course Pasta bake before on left and after on right |
This one is a break from the usual tomato sauce based version. The sauce is a saffron bechamel and it had courgettes, french beans, spinach and green peppers in it, topped with a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. I love the pre-cooked look of it, as the colours are just so happy, that said the cooked version I'd happily have in front of me a few meals running!
Dessert. A must say, when he announced he was making pavlova, I wasn't really sure what to say to my dad. I hate cream, in particular desserts covered or filled with it. My mother also doesn't eat cream. But this is a clever pavlova.
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Dessert Clockwise from Top Left Meringue Ready to go out Pre-Serving |
We served it with a little splash of chocolate sauce, which was a little bonus and added a bit of richness to the whole thing and to say it went down well would be an understatement. In fact, I hoovered up about a half of the leftovers, which may or may not have equated to half of the whole pavlova...
Do you have a go-to family dinner that you use when there are a lot of you to feed? Do you like to mix up ideas- Italian, North African, British and Spanish all on one plate?!
Oh... and if you haven't already entered, I'm running a little Thank You giveaway at the moment, 4 chances to get your hands on a little thank you from me for following and supporting Chloe Likes To Talk.
6 comments
I really need to avoid reading your blog when hungry (ie all the time at the moment!). God, that food looks delicious. Must have a go at making spadini. They sound utterly yum.
Does your dad have a recipe for the focaccia or is he one of those impressive people who just makes it up as he goes along?
This food sounds and looks amazing!
Lush photos and post as always
xx
http://homemadefashionista.blogspot.com/
oh my god...the pasta bake...and the pavlova...STARVING!!
Oh, Chloe! This is my favourite sort of posts! FOOOOOD!! More please!!! (this has cheered me up, what with all the awful news of riots) x
Oh my, that food ALL looks delicious! x
Again my food minister approves, this all looks divine!
Maria xxx
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