Sausage sarnie anyone...

7th August 2015

Don't give up, normally it is the last key on the ring which opens the door. Paulo Coelho

It's almost the weekend and the forecast is a couple of days of sunshine, today and tomorrow I'm glad to say!  Today for me involves quite a bit of paperwork but then I have my massage to look forward to and once I've done my meeting in the morning, I'm chilling in my garden, can't wait.

I enjoyed a jacket potato with the leftover mince beef and onions on for tea last night, it was really tasty and only 7pp, for lunch we'd gone shopping at Asda and I was starving walking round (we've only been talking about NOT doing this all week in meetings!), you'd be proud of me though, instead of grabbing a bag or crisps or something not so good, I bought a packet of ham (7pp) and ate that in the car on the way home, then had a slice of cheese on toast for my lunch for 5pp and my breakfast was one of those cinnamon bagels with a banana on top and an orange on the side.  So not a bad day, I did succumb to a pack of WW Salt & Vinegar bakes 2pp and also 2 chocolate biscuits that cost me 4pp, but I'm still tracking and hoping to survive the weekend!  #WWS7Sept is still n the cards, I shall not be defeated!

I've finally got round to buying some Heck chicken Italia sausages, 2pp for 2 sausages or 4pp for 5 sausages!  I'm thinking a sausage sandwich for breakfast, or they'd maybe make a toad in the hole type dish, I do hope they're nice because they're also gluten free which is a bonus for most, they're actually bigger than I expected too, obviously they're not huge but what do you expect for a 1pp sausage!

Or you could try something new;

Lemon, fennel and new potato sausage bake

11p total (serving 2 at 6pp each)

• 1 lemon
• 30g golden raisins or sultanas (1pp)
• 250g baby new potatoes, scrubbed and halved if larger than bite-sized (5pp)
• Spray oil
• 1 medium head fennel, cut into wedges
• 6 HECK Chicken Italia Sausages (5pp)
• Bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 2tbsp roughly chopped flatleaf parsley

1. Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6. Cut the lemon in half lengthways, then cut one piece into 4 wedges and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the other half into a small bowl. Add the raisins, stir and set aside for at least 30 mins.
2. Bring a small pan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook for 5 mins. Drain and add to a medium-sized roasting dish. Add the fennel and reserved lemon wedges, spray with oil, toss and bake for 10 mins.
3. Add the sausages to the tray and cook for 5 mins. Add the asparagus to the dish, turn the potatoes, fennel and sausages and cook for 12-15 mins until cooked through.
4. Mix the parsley with the raisins and scatter over the tray with any juices. Serve.

Or this ones the one I fancy;

Summery bangers and cauliflower-cannellini mash

11p total (serving 2 at 6pp each)

• Spray oil
• 6 HECK Chicken Italia Sausages (5pp)
• 1 red or brown onion, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1tbsp fresh thyme, rosemary or tarragon, chopped
• 125ml reduced-salt hot chicken or vegetable stock
• 400g cauliflower florets
• 400g can cannellini beans in water, drained and rinsed (6pp)
• Zest ½ lemon
• 1tsp Dijon mustard

1. Spray a large frying pan with oil and set over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook for 5 mins until deep golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 mins before adding the tomatoes. Cook for 3 mins until the tomatoes have cooked down.
3. Add the herbs and stock, season with freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil. Add the sausages to the pan, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 mins until the gravy has reduced.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the cauliflower and boil gently for 5 mins until just tender. Add the cannellini beans and cook for 2 mins. Drain well and return to the pan. Add the lemon zest, mustard and season with freshly ground black pepper, then mash until smooth.
5. Serve the mash topped with the sausages and tomato gravy.

I really like the sound of that mash, I might have to get me some beans and cauli, although I have said I need to use up all the food I already have in my cupboards and freezer so it may have to wait!

Here's to a fabulous Friday, and a huge congratulations to my lovely members Ben & Helen, they've named their 6lb 5oz miracle BeYOUtiful baby girl Phoebe Scarlett Cotton, now there's just one more reason to smile. xx