This post is an entry for the Taylor Wimpey Dinner party Competition. With a simple brief to create a Dinner party menu of Starter, Main course, Dessert and an accompanying wine. 

Anybody that knows me will appreciate that food is something I enjoy with a passion and it just so happens that here in Mid Wales, on the Ceredigion coast, we have been blessed with some of the finest ingredients to work with. Festivals run through the year and most towns and villages will have at least one food based event, usually in the summer months. Some of the larger towns suh as Cardigan or Aberaeron, will have several and many annual visitors will often coincide their visit with the seafood festivals, true taste expo's or local walled garden harvests. A couple of years back I created a dish using locally picked wild mushrooms and fresh vegetables from the National Trust gardens at Llanerchaeron. With this dish I found myself in London as a contestant on Tesco's Real Family Cooks on Channel 5. Unfortunately I never made it past the filmed qualifiers, but a family weekend in London was a treat in itself.

So, what kind of treat would a guest be served at my Dinner party?

WELCOME APERITIF

Chilled Raspberry and Strawberry smoothie

I always believe that the palette should be prepared before a treat. Fresh Strawberries and Raspberries can be picked at Penlanlas Fruit Farm just up the road in Aberystwyth. If you take the children, this is guarenteed to be an adventure in itself and if you stop at the nationally acclaimed Rachels Organic factory, you can pick up an unbeatable pot of natural yoghurt with which to blend your fruit. Mix with ome crushed ice made with Ty Nant water and you will set the taste buds tingling!

STARTER

Medalions of Welsh Black fillet and wild mushrooms.

A simple starter that needs no 'tarting' up, the taste is all natural and mindblowing. Cut some Welsh Black fillet steak into medalions approximately 3cm thick. These should be cooked slowly in a deep sided pan with a small knob of local unsalted farm butter and a splash of red wine. Add some local woodland wild mushrooms (These can be bought at Llanerchaeron) and serve over some crisp rocket salad. A thick sauce will have been created during cooking and you can add a little cream to this, stir and spoon sparingly over the top of your dish.

MAIN COURSE

LOBSTER served with 'STWMP' and crispy Leek.

If you live in Cardigan Bay then a Lobster main course is an obvious and delicious main course dish. I know many people will mix their Lobster with a thermidor sauce or add a minted mayonaise or such. NOOOOO! This is a criminal assault on the most delicious food you will possibly ever taste. This should be simply cooked and presented with a wedge of lemon. A local country dish is 'Stwmp' a simple mash made with potato and Swede, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt. This can be mashed with a little double cream and then piped 'Duchesse' style onto the plate alongside the Lobster. To make crispy Leek, you should finely julienne your leek very thinly in strips of about one to two inches, then flash fry in a little olive oil. 

DESSERT

No Bake Cheescake, served with fresh Double cream.

To make a simple no bake cheescake, mix together one part marscapone with two parts Philadephia. Crush some digestive biscuits and layer across the bottom of small dessert bowls. Spoon and sculpt the cheescake mix over the biscuit and leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours. This simple dessert, served with fresh cream is pure decadance.

WINE

Although it would be traditional to have a red wine with the steak starter, after the fresh smoothie aperitif, it would be nice to serve a cold crisp Reisling which will set off the Lobster.

So there you have it, a complete feast, easilly prepared, locally sourced and you just know that your guests will be blown away.

 

 “This post is an entry for BritMums’ Hungry to Happy Challenge sponsored by Richmond Mini Meatballs” To check it out click Britmums competition Linky

#Hungry2Happy Challenge entry

MEATBALL MADNESS

If you have children you'll appreciate,

That teatime experiments aren't always great,

One'll want pasta and one'll want meat,

Well Richmond have cracked it and cooked up a treat!

Next to the sausages in the supermarket chilled aisle,

these little balls of wonder have now arrived in style,

Popped in the oven they're ready in ten,

you'll be using these beauties again and again!

So what's going on I hear you all ask,

Well creating a meal is this weeks task,

I could go to town and do a Delia Smith,

But I've kept it simple because ALL kids love this.

So what do you need to create this dish with ease ,

The meatballs of course and some grated cheese,

Some sauce and some pasta and some small cherry toms,

Don't worry about quantities you can't really go wrong!

Pop your balls in the oven and pasta in the pan,

suace in another and the process has began,

this meal takes 10 minutes from decision to plate,

Simple, delicious and kids will think it's great.

No need for flash presentation or some jokey monster styles,

It's Pasta and meatballs.....the reward is their smiles,

If you need confirmation you can take it from me,

Serve them this dish and empty plates you will see!

Ingredients

1 Pack of Richmond Meatballs.

Dried  or Fresh pasta,

Grated cheese.

Jar of pasta sauce or passata.

Baby plum tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.

Preparation Time

0  (Just cut tomatoes while everythings cooking)

Cooking Time

10 minutes

Don't forget to CHECK FIRST!

As you will be aware from my previous post, I am prone to enter the odd competition lol! Well fair's fair, I have invited my 'Better' half to pass comment as well and as she is reluctant to involve herself on the 'pooter' beyond Facebook and Tweeting, I have interviewed her.....and guided her....I swear to god it's like pulling teeth sometimes.....

A MUMMY PIGGY TALE

This is an entry for the Brit Mums and Virgin piggy bank comp featured here sponsored by Virgin Money

Well Mrs Elvy, Mr Elvy has entertained us with his stories of comping fun, what do you see as a great way to make money go further in the Elvy household?

Firstly, stop talking like a smarmy w****r and trying to act all sophisticated (I have faithfully typed her responses). The comping that you do may have led to a few trips and a nice little bonus at times BUT it is me that has to watch the pennies day by day, put food on the table and clothe the girls.

Okay, I accept that, but what exactly do you do to save those pennies?

(A little swearing takes place at this point, before Mrs Elvy calms and composes herself)
Saving money is something that you do everyday! You might think nothing of going to Morrisons or Tesco and piling food in the trolley, but those vouchers that can be collected through the month can easily knock £20 off a monthly shop...EVERY month. The odd coupon in a paper and a quick check online. Companies have facebook pages most of the time and you can often pick up free product vouchers from their pages!

So you can save money shopping, and I agree that this is all helpful, but printing off a few coupons and vouchers wont really make that much difference will it?

(Mrs Elvy muttered a little before continuing)... It is NOT just for shopping. When you go into town for the day with the children, a check on various voucher sites will get you half price dinners or 2 for 1 offers in various pizza, burger or restaurant chains. Also now, other sites are popping up and these 'group' sites will often allow you to take up some amazing deals on everything from haircuts to theme parks and adventure places.

So that trip last week to Carmarthen?

We went on Wednesday because I could take advantage of the 2 for 1 cinema offer from Orange, this meant we paid £12 instead of £24. Then we also ate at Pizza Express and spent £15 for all four of us instead of £25! (Orange Wednesdays again). We stopped in WHSmiths to pick up a book for Amy, free with a voucher from the Newspaper the week before...and we stopped at Tesco on the way home to pick up a couple of things for the kids (Clothes) because I had some Clubcard vouchers to spend! Typical day really, but by organising a little and thinking ahead, maybe a little prompting and making everyone think it was their idea, I saved over £40 without really trying.

So did you really fancy pizza then?

(A lot of laughing) I didn't really mind pizza, but convincing you and the girls that you wanted it....that's the easy part!

I then let my wife return to her coffee and early evening television. I now have to think carefully whether I really am in control in this house? or am I really so easy to manipulate?

Piggy Bank Tale

There is an interesting competition via Britmums and Virgin Money. You can read the details here and all they are looking for are some money saving tips and some insight into how you make your money go further in every day life!

Now in our house we all have ways to help the pennies go further and make life that little easier, so here I give you the Elvy family approach to finances. I'll start with me....

A DADDY's PIGGY TALE

Now believe  it or not I am a Letting Agent in day to day life, yes, that's right, I am a suit wearing, smooth talking office type. But you know what they say about dark horses or Still waters lol.

I have an addiction, under control but only just. I am addicted to comping. The image of compers cutting out coupons, scouring supermarket aisles for entry forms are far removed from modern day reality. Todays comper could be anyone from a car salesman to a checkout girl. A modern day comper will always have a wicked sense of humour, be willing to have a laugh and most importantly....we all enjoy life to the full.

The main benefit of being a comper is of course the prizes, which of course save you buying items and sometimes provide great experiences which would normally not be affordable. Being a busy guy hasn't stopped me filming some great videos last year that won various prizes...

This video won me a great trip to watch Arsenal play football....

Other videos won Wii Package (Click for vid link)  or Holiday breaks but as you can see, win or lose, they're great fun to take part in and film!

Prizes last year that sit in our house now include a TV, Trampoline, too many toys to mention, Wii, Phones, gadgets, gizmos and various other items. That doesn't include £000's of vouchers for supermarkets (including £300 Morrisons and £70 Tesco) or other high Street stores (£500 John Lewis, £100 Argos). 

The wife will tell you that her careful shopping, canny surfing and endless comparing saves a fortune, or the children will argue that recycling makes a great difference and growing vegetables not just saves money but makes you one with the earth (or something similar), BUT having fun, saving money, getting great prizes....

THAT'S COMPING!

Avocado Week...Let the fun begin!

Well, how has it been for everyone else.....welcome to November!!!!

Last week was 'Avocado Week' and the guys over at the AVACADO BROTHERHOOD (You gotta love that name, sounds like the next installment of assassins creed!) have decided to launch a blogging initiative.

Now any group that can have such a relaxed attitude to a competition has my vote. The initiative to 'Blog-an-avo' was launched at an annual dinner where the group enjoyed a leisurely dinner and cocktails!

Cheers!

Now, Avocado's form a staple part of the diet in the Elvy household and simply blogging about them and talking about their creamy decadence would be a cop out. Anybody who hasn't tasted an avocado would not appreciate my musings.....and those that already loved them would just smile knowingly and think...

IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?

So lets ramp this up in stages....

1. Take your avocados.....

2. Slice and add to top off  a cracking Nacho's dinner!

There are three things that top off a great Nachos dinner..

1. Sour Cream

2. Jalapeno Peppers

3. Avacados (sliced or creamed)

But the avacado is so much more and to honour that I am going to have a little fun.

I have this week been selected to feature as a followed fan on the RUSSELL HOBBS facebook page. Over the next four weeks I will be one of 4 fans and 4 experts, uploading recipes onto the COOKERY CHALLENGE wall. 

Now this is where the challenge will be....

I will feature during my uploads 2, 3 and 4 ..... 'AVACADO MAN' and he will be looking to pass comment on my meals....maybe marking me out of 10, or just general observations. 

LET THE FUN BEGIN..........

Where dreams come true!

When people talk of the 'Must do' places to visit.....if you have kids the one place you'll always here being mentioned is Disney. 

And then you have the three options.

1. FLORIDA - Most peoples first choice, but a long way to travel and it's going to cost a lot.

2. CALIFORNIA - The advantage of adding 'Hollywood' to the itinerary, but still going to cost you an arm and a leg.

3. PARIS - Cheaper, closer and still too much to do in one visit!

So where would the 'Elvy' family be talking about today....

The 'Disneyland' Hotel

If you get the chance to travel to this remarkable place, you should allow at least three days just to cover the park and not leave feeling that you didn't quite do it all.

In addition you should contemplate staying in a central Disney hotel. It will cost you more, but how many times are you going to go to 'Disney'. That extra money will buy you early entry, character dining and a few other things that are simply magical.

The Grand Staircase 

Beds fit for a princess.

There are many picnic areas within the park and with the food costing a considerable amount, purchasing snack materials to keep you going through the day is advisable. Make sure you all eat a good hearty breakfast and this will keep you going until evening. The Disney village has a huge range of eateries for the evening, but you must remember to attend the Wild West show where you can watch great action whilst feasting on a traditional hog roast and banquet.

Finally, if I could give you one more word of advice..... Take your mother in law.

You'll buy so much stuff that she'll come in handy to sit on that suitcase....

  Because you'll come home with a damn site more than you went with!

The above is a blog about a recent holiday for Travelizer where they are offering a great £800 prize.

Fingers crossed.

Putting myself in Arms way!

Well my arm is back......after 7 weeks in plaster and 3 in a splint the Doctor has announced with great reverence, 'Looking good to me!' Now although he was holding my hand at the time, I would like to think that he meant the broken wrist was mended. My belief is even more firmly held considering the followup comment included the phrases 'This feels really good' and 'Keep using it and it will get harder'

I firmly believe that the arm resulted in my recent dip in good fortune and September was lean on the comping front. I did pick up 12 prizes, generally small, but including a Le Creuset Pan and electric rice cooker from Blue Dragon, some towels from Yossi at appliances Online, a £100 shopping voucher from Mecca Bingo and a £100 Amazon voucher from a rug company.

Mecca brief...a new bingo call. Loved this, good excuse to terrify the wife.

But....we all want to know.....what is 'Team Elvy' up to, now that I'm back......well September was lean, but we still had fun.... October though...Watch out, The girls and I are on a mission, the photos and video competitions are on!

Amy is set up as the Face of Galt , The family have been cooking and Heinz Ketchup, Carluccios and Tesco are in our sights. Add a lot of other vid and photo comps are lined up....life is good!

Heinz entry - Cook a lasagne!

Carluccios - Mushroom Stroganoff

Watch out! The Elvy's are coming!!!!