Nigella's sausages with beans & peppers served with Italian roast potatoes

Recently I have taken an interest in cooking. Now I am far from becoming the next Nigella and even further away from baking cakes that are on the same par as Mary Berry (my last cake took an hour to bake!) but I am improving! My speciality at the moment is Italian cuisine, I guess it's because most of the time you are not made to slave over a hot stove as most of the dishes involve throwing everything into a pan and watching it simmer away for no more than an hour.

For Christmas I had quite a few recipe books (I think someone is trying to tell me something!). One of them was 'Nigellisima' by Nigella Lawson. So as the weather signalled a lazy day indoors, I took the opportunity to cook up a storm in the kitchen. I have tried my hand at pastas and Nigella's 'meatzza', which was another success, and now it was time to cook more of a hearty dish. I ended up making the sausages with beans and peppers. The recipe does recommend to eat with chunks of bread to dunk but I chose to serve it with another of Nigella's recipes, Italian roasted potatoes.

Both recipes were easy to follow and most of the ingredients you will find stored at the back of your cupboards, apart from the fresh herbs and potatoes of course!

Here are a few pictures to show you how easy these dishes are to make.

Begin by roughly chopping the potatoes into mini quarters. Throw in a few cloves of garlic and chopped rosemary and coat with oil. Cook in a hot over for about an hour until golden.

Then cook the sausages in garlic oil for a few minutes until they brown slightly and add red vermouth (I used red wine instead). Add a can of drained butterbeans, sliced flame roasted peppers from a jar, a couple of bay leaves, a can of cherry tomatoes and half a cup of water, and season with salt and pepper.

Simmer for 15 minutes then turn up the heat and simmer for another five minutes. Above is my end result :)

I have to say I was very impressed with it and quietly chuffed with my effort. I will definitely be cooking this again as it's so easy to make. It's a delicious alternative to a Sunday roast or sausage and mash dinner!

(Image not my own!)

Abigail

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A New Year Means A New Bag.

So every season, I always try and find a new bag for myself...

BUT it is a real struggle to find THE bag I really like and want.

As we are smack-bam in the middle of 'transeasonal' fashion, I found it very difficult to decide what style, size and colour to go for... and the fact that I am really fussy and indecisive!!

I have a slight obsession with the colour burgundy at the moment and after stalking the Asos pages for ages I came across this wonderful and quirky bag which seemed to be a perfect bargain at £35 for myself.

Carrying on the animated animal trend from last season, I chose this Owl Bowler Bag to add to my small collection of accessories.

It is a great everyday bag as the size is quite generous and it also comes with a shoulder strap to make it a bit more casual and accessible for work.

Also I love having special deliveries to get me through the week :)

Lucy
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Snuggled up indoors on a snow day!

So the snow has finally made an appearance and it doesn't look like it is going anywhere anytime soon.

After attempting to drive to work yesterday I decided to make a quick exit and return to the indoors. 

This is how I spent my Friday afternoon...

Bliss.

Lucy

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The Golden Globes gets a blush makeover

The Golden Globes' 70th Anniversary blossomed in soft shades of pink and bold blacks last night.

The red carpet was adorned in the likes of Sienna Miller and Kate Hudson dressed in soft floral and glamorous black floor length gowns by Erdem and Alexander McQueen. Jessica Alba in particular looked stunning in powder pink Oscar de la Renta. The $5.8million Harry Winston necklace and added feathered Roger Vivier clutch perfected the strapless gown, and her soft brushed, tousled hair made her an image of beauty.

Although Angelina Jolie and her leg were no where to be seen this year, it seem as though others paid tribute to them by wearing dresses with high splits in their honour. As always, Miranda Kerr took a risk, combining a plunging neckline with a high split and of course she got away with it- Orlando Bloom must be the envy of men everywhere! 

Other favourites were Claire Danes in a post box red Versace gown and Zooey Deschanel also in red, wearing Oscar de la Renta's strapless, sweetheart neckline gown and pearl necklace. No no's for me were Halle Berry in Ateiier Vesace's asymmetric gown- so ten years ago! And the cut, nasty fabric and matching tangerine shoes of Marion Cotillard's Christian Dior dress and heels. She was definitely a sight for sore eyes as she clashed against the red carpet.

There's my brief low down of The Golden Globes' best dressed. What were your best and worst dressed from last night?

Abigail

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J.W. Anderson delivers the shock factor at LCM

This week, the fashion industry celebrated something that tends to get overshadowed by womenswear.  Yes, this week has been London Collections Men. 

Whilst catching up on the designers latest offerings in London, I found myself startled at what I had saw. Amongst the classicism of Savile Row and brocade, velvet robes by McQueen, and the watercolour prints and cobalt blue, photographic knitwear from Jonathan Saunders, there was a hint of novelty that laid in between. Or rather a gasp of 'is he actually being serious?'

J.W. Anderson brought humour and the shock factor to the catwalk as he sent his male models down the runway dressed in tiny frilled shorts and matching bandeaus. 

I suppose London could have seen it coming if his show notes were anything to go by. "An examination of bourgeois kinkiness and boudoir perversity." But nothing could have added shock more so than seeing boys frolic up and down the catwalk in dresses. If I had to pick a favourite though, it would be the mini, black, leather, pinafore dress teamed with frilled riding boots- it sort of reminded me of a Victoria Beckham dress from her A/W '12 collection.

Here are a few pictures courtesy of Drapers of the collection. What do you think about J.W. Anderson's provocative ways? Can you see your man wearing a dress next winter?

Fashion or not, I'm still not convinced that guys in this day and age will be sporting this ensemble whilst out on the prowl in a couple of seasons to come...

Abigail

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Topshop Spring Season Picks

I cannot wait for this torrential weather to stop and for a hint of sunshine to come out!

Spring season is around the corner and already I have got my eye on some potential purchases!


This week to cheer me up I bought this little number to begin my spring wardrobe collection.

Topshop

Sleeveless Tile Print Tunic

Lucy

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January Sales - Zara Goodies

As soon as Zara opened their doors on Boxing Day, Abigail and I were ready to spend our Christmas money (sad i know!).

I felt like we were in the Friends scene where Monica is on a mission to find her wedding dress!

Everyone was pushing their way through to get the best of the bargains!!

The fitting rooms were crazy - I am soo relieved I don't have to work in Sale anymore and can understand why the Sales Assistants get so annoyed with the mount of clothes the customers throw at them to handle!

Anyway I did pick up a couple of bargains in the Zara Sale.

At the mo I am obsessed with the colour khaki and my wardrobe seems to be getting a lot grungier, especially with this dull weather I have been wearing a lot of dark colours.

These floral skinny jeans are so comfy, although I am quite restricted to what tops to wear with them! And this peplum khaki peplum top is great for this season to wear in the day and night, you can dress it up and down as its a simple shape with simple detail.

The jeans cost £22 and the top was £12.99 - overall I am happy with my purchases as I can wear these pieces in the Summer too :)

Happy New Year!

Lucy

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