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Thursday 27 September 2012

Janeth and Sarh's creations

Hello food.....

Gradually working their way through their copies of the Jess's Messes, Janeth and Sarh (better known as Jane and Sarah) have been creating various recipes. It's all looking great so far, I am so impressed with all their efforts, and yet again I'm just sad I'm never around to eat it!

Here is a little photo gallery of their experiences.
Cheesey Snackingtons
Sarh hard at work


Curious Creation
Succulent Sun Dried Tom Risotto

Sweet Potato Coriander Gnocchi


Terrific Thai Green Curry - Veggie Style





Ridiculously Rich Ribs

Hello food.....

The name may sound a teeny weeny bit negative, but it is clearly meant in the postitive 'ridiculously lovely' way! I hope this makes sense in other people's heads - not just mine! :)

This recipe is definitely NOT  a last minute thing, it takes ages to cook, but that is what makes it so beautiful and fall off the bone. It hardly takes any effort, just time, but I promise you - IT IS WORTH IT! I don't want to sound really arrogant about this recipe, but I just really really enjoyed it!

What do I need?
 (Serves 2)

Ridiculously Rich Ribs
  • 600g Pork Ribs
  • 2 Onions
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 10 Tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • Large Bunch Thyme
  • 2 Tbsp Dark Muscavado Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp BBQ Sauce
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 120g White Rice
(For extra BBQ Sauce)
  • 4 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tsp Tabasco
  • 1 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
What do I do?

  1. Place the ribs, roughly chopped onions and tomatoes, crushed garlic, worcestershire sauce, thyme, sugar, salt, pepper and bbq sauce in a heavy based pan (like Pat the Pot). Place in the oven, with lid on and bake for 8-10 hours on a low heat - Gas Mark 3, 150 degrees C.
  2. Keep checking and stirring, if there seems to be not enough liquid, add either more tomatoes, or a small amount of stock (any flavour - other than fish).
  3. When the meat is falling off the bone, remove the lid from the pan and turn the oven up a little for the final 15 mins.
  4. Meanwhile, place the rice in a pan and cook as instructed. Don't overcook, no one likes overdone rice.... this could be a massive generalisation, but I do not believe it is tasty.
  5. Make your extra BBQ sauce by placing all ingredients in a pan and bringing to the boil, leave to simmer until ribs are ready.
  6. Serve, eat and love! :)

Sunday 23 September 2012

More People Cooking

Hello food.....

I had a lovely surprise on Friday when  up on my Facebook popped a picture of my Noodley Doodley Doo soup that a friend had made.

Sarah's Noodley Doodley Doo Soup
Unfortunately, the way life goes, I haven't seen Sarah in a good few years now, so it was great to see someone else, other than the people I pester about Jess's Messes everyday are really enjoying making the recipes.

It looks fantastic, Sarah's comments about the recipe were: "Just cooked an amazing tea - Jess's 'Noodley Doodley Doo Soup'... It was yummy and will definitely make it again :) thanks for the mess xx" It's great to get such lovely feedback. The only shame with this, is that I wasn't there to eat it - It looks DELICIOUS!

Thanks Sarah for trying out the recipes and letting me know how you are getting on! I will look forward to hopefully more pictures in the future! :)

 

We're Cooking Up a Rainbow Today

Hello food.....

Party food!
My favourite advert in the world at the moment is the Lurpak: Chop, chop, chop, chop chopping.... song! My head spends a lot of time thinking about this song, it's just lovely! This photo - from mine and Sarah's wonderful housewarming party just made me think of this wonderful advert, as I do feel I 'cooked up a rainbow today' :)

There was very limited time to create this food, so I am glad I managed to get it all done before the guests arrived. It was just a few nibbles really, but I had to find another way to get the Jess's Messes name out there, so put a few business cards and hamper booklets out on the table. They weren't there when we tidied up, so people must have pocketed them! Hopefully that's a good sign. :)

Tuesday 18 September 2012

The countdown is on!

Hello food.....

Christmas Hamper 2010
So the countdown is on until my favourite day of the year! CHRISTMAS DAY! Yes, I am probably excited farrrrrr to early on, however this good planning this year means my Jess's Messes Christmas Hampers will be better than ever.

 In 2010 they were made as gifts, in 2011 I sold some to get the name out there a bit. In 2012 - they will be made to perfection as I really focus on the Jess's Messes business. Tell all your food loving friends! :)



Here's just a short snippet to see what offerings there are this year:

Giggly Gingerbread People

Beautiful Bags:
  • Secret Shortbread
  • Giggly Gingerbread People
  • Merry Meringues
  • Magical Mince Pies
  • Twisty Cheesy Snackingtons
  • Excellent X-mas Cake
  • Tarts
    • Leek and Stilton
    • Onion and Thyme
Jess's Jingle Jam
Jolly Jars:
  • Charming Christmas Chutney
  • Jess's Jingle Jam
  • Barrowscotch Butterclough Sauce
  • Ravishing Red Onion Marmalade
  • Luscious Lemon Curd


If you are interested and would like more information. You can do one of 3 things.

  1. Check out the hamper booklet here: http://www.jesssmesses.co.uk/app/download/5789552946/PDF+Booklet+2012.pdf 
  2. Email me here: jess@jesssmesses.co.uk
  3. Like the Jess's Messes Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/jesssmessesfood

Pictures of Food

Hello food.....

Boring title people may say, but it's pretty much straight to the point. This blog post is pictures of food, my food.

Beautiful Bread

Giant Jaffa Cake

Merry Meringues

Beautiful Butternut Soup

Filo Pastry Prawny Fantasticals

Stupendous Spring Rolls

Terrific Thai Green Curry

Le Fondant Du Chocolat et Orange

Friday 14 September 2012

Pat Pork

Pat Pork
Hello food..... Pat Pork - Beige on Toast, or so it looks... Ok I admit, in the future I would probably put this with sweet potato mash, or some lovely bright green veg, to make it look lovely. However, this recipe really shows you shouldn't judge a meal by its colour. Tasty on toast and SO easy to make! And of course, it meant Pat the Pot could come out to play!  

What do I need?
(Serves 4)

  • 800g Pork Shoulder  (cut into large chunks)
  • 10ml Sunflower Oil 
  • 2 White Onions (diced into large pieces)
  • 1 Leek (sliced)
  • A few Sprigs Thyme 
  • 500ml Organic Cider 
  • 75ml Creme Fraiche 
  • 1 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard 
  • A few Sprigs Flat Leaf Parsley
  •  6 Sweet Potatoes  (peeled and diced)
  • 10g Butter
  • 10ml Milk
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • Salt and Pepper  

What Do I Do?

1. Place the oil in a heavy based, ovenproof pan (or a Pat-the-Pot) heat gently on the hob, add the pieces of pork, and cook quickly until browned.

2. Remove the pork from the pan. Add the onions, leek and thyme and fry slowly until all lovely and softened.

3. Add the pork back into the dish and cover with cider. Bring to the boil and place lid on the pan. Place in oven for 1 hour at 150 degrees C.

4. After 1 hour, take out the dish and stir. Replace in the oven and cook for a further 45 mins.

5. After 45 mins place the sweet potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook until soft. Meanwhile, add creme fraiche, mustard and parsley to pork mixture and return to oven for 10 minutes.

6. Drain and mash potatoes, add butter, milk and nutmeg.

7. Serve altogether, a plate of warming, tasty goodness.

YUM!

P.S. If you like fruit in your main courses, you could add pieces of diced cooking apple to this dish after the first hour of cooking, it'll be lovely, soft and will melt in your mouth when ready... just an extra idea. :)

Enjoy!

Thursday 13 September 2012

Party times

Hello food.....

This summer it was my lovely sister's 30th birthday. As an old lady there had to be many celebrations, to try and make her feel slightly youthful again. :)

The Internet and the feast
So firstly there was a big party with all Elly's friends at a masdive cottage in the Peak District, I was asked to do food. Had I not been dying with toothache (woe is me) I could've created more delights. However I managed to create a few thingd for the buffet. (Don't ask about the outfit - I was dressed - very clearly - as the internet!)

Things I made:

Tarts - Onion and Thyme
           Leek and Stilton
           Mushroom, Rosemary and Cheddar

Fresh Spring Rolls with homemade Nuoc Cham

Tangy, Cheesey, Twisty Snackingtons

Lovely Lamb Koftas

Succulent, Spicy Salsa

Tasty Tomato, Baysil and Mozzerella Skewers

Classic Cheese and Pineapply on Sticks

Lovely Lime Leaf and Tumeric Chicken

Mum and the feast
Then a week later, it was time for mum to create one of the most fabulous feasts I have ever been to. She definitely deserves a feature on this blog, as the spread she put on was just utterly fantasmical! Presented by mum in the following picture - just scrumdiddlyumptious:



Website Updates

Hello food.....

Christmas Hampers

Loads of Jess's Messes Website updates - including Christmas Hamper Info.

Make sure you check it out and find out all the latest Jess's Messes happenings.

The Cookbook
Books and hampers can be ordered through PayPal now, so you will receive the books directly from me - much better than through a third party! :)

Lovely.

Thank you!

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Scumptious Scallops

Hello food.....

Scrumptious Scallops
This is a recipe I have  had a lot of questioning looks about. How does bacon, pear and fish go together? Surely I must be insane? However, no, I don't think I am insane, well not in food ways anyway!

The thought behind this dish, came from my youth - working in Pizza Express. There was a salad, called the Pancetta Salad (not as original as Jess's Messes names), which me and Cate (my lovely fellow Pizza Express friend) were OBSESSED with. It had pancetta and pear and lettuce, blah de blah and just worked wonderfully well. So my thoughts grew from here. Hmmmmm, crispy bacon is lovely with scallops - but perhaps a little overdone, what can I do with it to make it more interesting? Well, pear and bacon goes well together too - and so this dish was born... Let me know your thoughts

What do I need?
(Serves 4)

  • 2 Conference Pears
  • 4 Rashers Streaky Bacon
  • 10g Butter
  • 10ml Sunflower Oil
  • 12 King Scallops (out of shell)
  • 1 Lemon
  • Hamdful Lambs Lettuce
  • Salt and Pepper
What do I do?

1. Finely dice the pears and palce in saucepan. Cook on a slow heat until it has all turned to mush!

2. Grill the bacon slowly, until all the fat has gone lovely and crispy. Wait for it to cool and crumble into small pieces. Place in ovenproof dish.

3. Season each scallop with salt and pepper.

4. Melt the butter in a non-stick, shallow frying pan, along with the oil. Meanwhile heat the pear puree under the grill.

5. Place 3 blobs of puree on each plate. When the butter is piping hot add each scallop qiuckly. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan.

6. Cook very quickly on a high heat for 2 minutes each side and place one on each blob of puree.

7. Sprinkle bacon and lambs lettuce on top and dress with pan juices.

8. Serve immediately.

ENJOY! 

Jess's Messes - BACK WITH A VENGEANCE!

Hello food.....

IIIIII'MMMMMM BACK!
Ok, so maybe I've had a longer holiday than most people in the world do, but it's been a busy summer. I've had my birthday, moved house, things have been going on. Yes, i am just making excuses - after finishing the book I was a little sleepy.

Now, however, as Christmas Hamper time approaches - I am back, with a vengeance!

So keep tuned for lovely free recipes, Christmas Hamper news, Jess's Messes - The Cookbook news and various other food experiences.

Follow Jess's Messes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessMesses 

Like the Jess's Messes Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/jesssmessesfood

Pat the Pot

Hello food.....

Pat the Pot
After a summer of wonderful birthday fun, I came out the other end with a wonderful Le Crueset pot.

However, I cannot simply accept it as a cooking pot, everything in my kitchen has to have a personality - therefore PAT THE POT came into being.

She is wonderful. Truly wonderful. I am sure many recipes will be born through her! :)