So I’ve been thinking a lot about my book and what it’s going to be like. I’ve spoken to a lot of friends and family about it and everyone has an idea or something they’d like to see in a cook book. The more I’ve talked with people the more I realise that everyone seems to want something different out of a cook book so where do you begin?

I think it would be impossible to write a cook book that satisfies everyone. How do you arrange the recipes? What sections do I have in there? There’s a million books like that out there. The more I’ve been thinking about it the more I realise that I’m writing the cook book for me more than anything. After a chat with my Step Mum Jo I’ve decided the book is going to be a journal of me, my life and what I like to cook. For those that read my blog you’ve already been getting a taste of it and I guess over the next 12 months you’re going to get the live version of the book. After 12 months or so I’ll try to wrap it up into some kind of well presented printed book and e-book which should hopefully contain some great recipes and some other interesting stuff too. I’m about to go back to Australia to begin a new stage in my life so it seems to make sense to try and chronicle it as I go. I’m heading out there with about $200 to my name, staying in a hostel called the Funkhouse and about to start a course in sports fitness and take up Kung Fu again at the age of 33, tho if anyone asks I’m 27.

A lot of people have said to me there needs to be some kind of hook and I guess that’s it. I’m the hook. I’ve been cooking since I was about 5 or 6 years old so I’d like to think I’m beginning to know what I’m doing. I’ve got a million things to learn about food but I’ve got a huge passion for cooking so I guess that’s a pretty good start. Hopefully by the end of it I’ll have a book which contains great recipes that anyone can have a go at. Not just that but stuff that you could have every day that’s healthy and super tasty. Plus you never know, it might just have some pretty good ideas on life the universe and everything, oh and ninjas.

So to start the ball rolling as it were here’s a cool little recipe for the vegetarians and mushroom lovers out there.

Stuffed mushrooms

Ok so this is a quick little recipe for some really nice mushrooms with roast vegetables and goats cheese. I completely forgot to take any photos of the finished product so you’ll have to do without.

Quantities will depend how many people you are cooking this for. This should do about 6 people. For this you will need.

Large mushrooms like Portobello or the large field mushrooms. 1 per person
2 red peppers and an orange pepper and a yellow pepper
2 courgettes
Goats cheese sliced into 5mm slices
Mozzarella finely diced 
Parmesan freshly grated
Oregano – dried or fresh
Fresh basil
Salt and Pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

1. ok so get a roasting tray then chop the courgettes in half then half length ways then into three length way slices for each half. (does that make sense? Basically little sticks so they fit on the mushroom) Then roughly chop the peppers. Put in the roasting dish season with salt, pepper and oregano and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 15 mins on 220°C, stirring a couple of times. You want them to soften and get a bit of colour.

2. Remove the vege from the oven once done and put the vege on a plate. Now get the mushrooms and remove the middle stalk and place in the roasting dish. spoon over the vege making sure to get even amounts of courgette and pepper on each mushroom. Now roughly chop the basil and sprinkle on top of the vege. Now add some finely chopped up mozzarella three slices of goats cheese and finally a sprinkle of parmesan. Give it a little season of pepper and a quick drizzle of olive oil and chuck in the oven on about 200 for 10-15 mins.

You want the cheese to melt a bit and take on some colour. The time will vary depending on your oven. Once done remove and spoon over some of the liquid left in the bottom of the roasting dish. Serve with salad and new potatoes or if you like meat then try it with with Steak and chips or maybe roast chicken and mash or something.

Enjoy