We have friends coming over to see our new house – but what should we feed them?
It’s always so nice to catch up with friends, but when it comes to menu planning, I’m always at a loss.
I needed something that is easy to make, eat and clean up afterward. I don’t want to be in the kitchen missing time with my guests.
This time I picked a theme, Mexican, and set about making a Chilli Con Carne with corn chips, Mango Salsa, and Sweet Potato Brownies.
Were the brownies inspired by the potato brownies Marion spoke about in her “Food for a Martian” post? Why, yes, yes they were. I’ll admit I couldn’t wait to read the issue that the recipe is featured in. Instead, I took to Google to investigate potato brownies and immediately this recipe by Deliciously Ella popped up.
Cooking with Sweet Potatoes
I’ve always been quite loathe to cook sweet things with sweet potatoes, as they hold water. They tend to have a sloppy texture, rather than firm. However, this time I think I have mastered it.
I simply cooked them until they were just starting to become tender, and drained them and let them sit to cool. There was no excess water on investigating!
The recipe happens to be Vegan too, which was a coincidence, and which I am keen to try. If vegan cakes are yummy, then it might make my proposed ‘Vegan Challenge Week’ a reality and not just a passing thought.
Salsa for summer
Last summer we dined at our friends, the wonderful Gavin Hill and his wife, Laura, you know Gav Hill of this fame. (Yum!) At dinner, he served up a delicious Mango salsa, and we have dreamed about it ever since, (myself more than RP perhaps!)
It was the first time I had eaten something sweet in a salsa and my taste buds were jumping for joy. Isn’t it wonderful when you discover new tastes, especially when you think you have tried it all.
The basic ingredients are 3 Mangos, a red onion, a red pepper, coriander, a chilli and lime juice and you pretty much just chop, squeeze and mix. Could it be any simpler? Not even for this novice in the kitchen!
I will admit to popping two red chillis in though, not the one listed, and yes, you can taste it! Boy, can you taste it! But if you like spice like I do, then you will not be disappointed. (keep water handy).
Let me know if you try these recipes, or what you like to cook for friends coming for dinner.
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Karlie Simmonds Karlie has worked in Digital Media for over 10 years, she is passionate about health and wellbeing and lives in Edinburgh with her partner, children, and Pug, Poppy.
