Goats Cheese, Caramelized Red Onion and Hazelnut Sweet Potato Bake.

That title is a little bit of a mouthful but honestly I made this up the other day and actually think it's the best dish I have ever made. It is so tasty. If you are a fan of Goats Cheese, you will love this!


Ingredients


2 Large Sweet Potato's

Goats Cheese (you want a good size wheel - see photos) 


1/3 Cup Hazelnuts (slightly crushed)


1 Red Onion
Balsamic Vinegar
Oil


1 Chopped Tomato's
2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Teaspoon of Basil
2 Tablespoons of Cream Cheese




This is a little bit of a time consuming dish; 30 mins preparation time and about 15 - 20 mins to cook. 


Once you have all your ingredients laid out pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. Then, peel and cut the Sweet Potato in to discs (about 1/2 inch thick) and boil them until pretty much cooked.


While this is happening, cut your Red Onion into slices and place in a pan and cook together with a dash of oil and a good amount of Balsamic Vinegar. It is important to do this on a low heat and cook gradually until the onion is soft and sweet. Add more Balsamic if it seems dry. 


Next, open your can of Chopped Tomato's and place into a bowl. Add the Tomato Pure, Garlic, Basil and Cream Cheese. Mix together to create a tomato sauce. 


You can now cut your Goats Cheese into discs that will go on top of the bake. And, also, have your partly crushed Hazelnuts ready.

Place a layer of the sweet potato discs in the bottom of the tray to start. Then add some of the tomato mixture on top (above).

Then, put another layer of the potato discs (above) followed by another layer of the tomato mixture.

On top of the second tomato layer, add the goats cheese discs, caramelised red onions and hazelnuts (above).

...and place in oven for about 15 mins on 190 degrees celcius, or until ready (above).

Delicious.

Yellow Squash and Red Pepper soup + a successful charity shop shop.

Yellow Squash and Red Pepper Soup.

I spent a few days in Glasgow this week. Shopping for a dress. And practicing music for a wedding. I stayed at a friends who lives outside Glasgow a little in the beautiful hills. It is very peaceful there and I do enjoy visiting. My friend had acquired a large 'Yellow Squash' but were not to this day sure if thats what they're called, and even after googling it I'm still not sure. So lets call it a Yellow Squash. My friend suggested that we make soup with it so we did! 

We used;

1 Large Yellow Squash Roasted (make sure you take the skin off, we didn't and ended up having to sieve the soup as the skin didn't blend)

1 1/2 White Onion

1 1/2 Red Pepper Roasted

2 Carrots

Vegetable or Chicken Stock

4 Cloves of Garlic

Salt

Curry Powder

Butter

Olive Oil

This turned out sooooo delicious and I think a lot of that has to do with roasting the Squash and Red Pepper, so do that first while the carrot, onion and garlic are frying together in some butter. Pretty much just add everything together and it all cooks together nicely. You can add as much or as little stock as you like, we added quite a bit of stock as we both like it tasty! I can't remember how much exactly it was though! 

Blend it up when all the veg is soft, then as we did, have some oatcakes and cheese to compliment...oh and a dash of cream on the top!

I also went on a little trip today down the Ferry and found some really wonderful things. My favourite, a vintage pair of cartier heels. Unfortunately they are too big so I am going to try sell them on eBay along with these other things below. It was a good day for finding little bits and bobs.

Wedding #1. Nude?

There are a few weddings coming up in the next months which on a number of levels I am unprepared for. Most pressing of those matters is the outfit. So, lets start with the dress. I have been searching and I found a beautiful short smock dress with chiffon sleeves and really chic cuffs in a plum colour. But, I can not for the life of me remember where I saw it. But I want it. But if not then any of these below would be sufficient. Preferably the first one.

Topshop, £80

 

Miss Selfridge, £85

Modcloth.com, $89.99

 

 I am going shopping in Glasgow on Monday/Tuesday so I may find what I am looking for then. Oh, I love buying a nice dress or two.

So wedding number 1 is going to be a pastel green wedding. It is a funny thing when you have one thing in mind then end up with something completely different!