Margot, Author at Coffee & Vanilla

Bread Rolls with Leftover Christmas Herbs

Homemade bread rolls recipe using up leftover herbs.

Happy Holidays & Prosperous New Year 2012

This year we have started celebrating Christmas yesterday (Polish way) with Wild Mushroom Soup and Mushroom & Sour Cabbage Pierogi (Polish Filled Dumplings). Today Herb Butter Turkey is roasting, Roasted Carrots and Beets in Balsamic Maple Syrup are waiting already aside, same 10 Minute Cranberry & Orange Sauce and veggies for Polish Vegetable Salad just […]

Bouquet by Serenata Flowers – Giveaway (CLOSED)

Flowers are universal gift for any occasion: anniversary, new baby, birthdays, new home, to say “thank you” or “sorry” just to mention few. All of us love to receive flowers and now taking part in Serenata Flowers competition you can make this special person in your life extra happy. One of my favourite bouquets are […]

Cabana – Brasilian Grill Bar at Westfield, Stratford City, London – Review

Cabana – Brasilian Barbecue is located in center of Westfield shopping center in Stratford City. It’s interior is very original, unexpected especially that you are coming inside straight from a freezing, grey, London docks. You walk into a warm interior with colourful lights that create nice moody ambience. It made me feel like in some […]

Warm Black Eye Bean Salad with Mushrooms, Coconut Rice and Parsley

INGREDIENTS 500g black eyed beans (soaked for about 5 hours) 500g potatoes (diced) 500g carrots (diced) 1 garlic head (peeled and coarsely chopped) 3 tbs olive oil 500g button mushrooms (chopped) 3 tbs butter large bunch of parsley (finely chopped) 2 sweet red pointed peppers (chopped) 2 cups of easy cook rice 400 ml tin […]

Bead Angel Christmas Ornaments

Easy angel ornament made out of Hama, Ikea or Tiger store beads.

New Ground Coffee Collection from Douwe Egberts

Couple of weeks ago the whole range of ground coffee from Douwe Egberts showed up on my doorstep. I don’t have to tell you how thrilled I was and proceeded to test them immediately. Café Milano – Rich & Aromatic (strenght 3) I started with Café Milano as it was Saturday afternoon and the name […]

Lunchbox # 115 – Cinnamon Raisin Bagel & Marshmallow Smurfs

Lunchbox # 115 (for 6 year old girl) toasted cinnamon & raisin bagel with peanut butter cherry tomatoes (my daughter loves them) pieces of clementine 2 marshmallow Smurfs lychee juice (not pictured) bottle of water (not pictured) Everything placed in glittery EZ-Freeze lunchbox with a freezable lid and placed inside insulated Charlie & Lola lunch […]

Cupcake Stand Christmas Tree

MATERIALS for the tree metal cupcake stand about 9 m of sparkly garlands / tinsels (we used 3 x 2 m green and 2 x 1.5 m golden ones) slim long chain small baubles with hooks for the star thick corrugated cardboard wooden skewer paint glitter in a shaker TOOLS scissors star shaped stencil or […]

Roasted Peppers, Black Eyed Beans & Rice Salad

INGREDIENTS 500 black eyed beans (soaked overnight) 1½ cups easy cook rice 3-4 red, yellow and orange bell peppers salt Maggi sauce handful chopped parsley garlic powder to taste 4 tbs butter or olive oil EQUIPMENT tongs to turn peppers container with lid, plastic bag or bowl and a plate gas cooker pot with […]

Hotel Chocolat Christmas Giveaway (CLOSED) – Announcing The Winner

On Monday, two weeks ago, I have posted The Sleekster Classic Christmas Double Layer Selection Giveaway by Hotel Chocolat. Thank you Everyone for participating. Today, using traditional method, together with my husband we prepared little scraps of paper with names and our 1 year old has randomly selected the lucky winner: The Duo Dishes, congratulations!! […]

The Village Bakery Rye Bread & “Try Rye” Challenge

The Village Bakery rye bread, from the left: Rye (Rossisky), Rye with Coriander (Borodinsky) and my favourite one Rye with Seeds (Seeded Rossisky). They are running at the moment “Try Rye” challenge when you can lose some kilograms while eating almost the same only replacing regular bread with the rye one. If you would like […]

Matchbox Christmas Countdown Calendar / Advent Calendar

Chest of drawers style countdown calendar made out of matchboxes.

Getting Ready for Holiday Season

With Christmas just around the corner it is a good idea to plan ahead and be prepared to avoid the rush. This can be done easily because shops start selling Christmas stuff before Halloween is over! This year, because of the small baby in the house, who has just started walking and grabbing everything, we […]

Free Lunch at Feeding the 5000 Event in Trafalgar Square (Friday 18th of November)

The highly successful ‘Feeding the 5000’ event returns to London to raise awareness of unnecessary food waste in the UK and demonstrating and educating on ways we can reduce waste. The Feeding the 5000 team, with the support of the Mayor of London and in partnership with Fareshare, FoodCycle, Love Food Hate Waste and Friends […]

The Sleekster Classic Christmas Double Layer Selection by Hotel Chocolat – Christmas Giveaway (CLOSED)

With Christmas just around the corner beautiful double layer box of chocolates filled with Christmassy flavours of mulled wine, chilli, rum, cherry, gingerbread and cinnamon, can be very handy, either to treat your guests or as as a delicious gift for someone special. And now you have a chance to win one of those gorgeous […]

Black Pasta Monsters – Halloween Pasta with Sausages

Halloween pasta monsters – quick and easy recipe idea.

Roasted Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Chowder and A Jack-O-Lantern

Super easy and frugal recipe using carving pumpkin flesh.

Expat Women: Confessions by Andrea Martins & Victoria Hepworth – Book Review

I while ago came across “Expat Women: Confessions – 50 Answers to You Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad” written by Andrea Martins & Victoria Hepworth and published by Expat Women (available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com). If you are an expat woman many of mentioned problems may not concern you at all but some will and […]

Steamed Sprouting Broccoli & Radishes with Ultimate Cheddar Sauce

Purple broccoli and radishes in quick Cheddar sauce that is also perfect for other steamed veggies.

Lunchbox # 114 – Strawberry Banana & A New Pink LEGO Lunchbox

Lunchbox # 114 (for 6 year old girl) pepperoni sandwiches made with homemade Five Minute Bread strawberries banana pieces of dried fruits (apricots & sultanas) couple of banana shaped jellies strawberry yogurt (not pictured) tropical juice drink (not pictured) bottle of water (not pictured) Everything placed in LEGO lunchbox and placed together with icepack inside […]

Polish Yeast Cake à la Granny Ala / Ciasto Drożdżowe Babci Ali

INGREDIENTS 5 medium egg yolks 1 cup golden caster sugar 330 ml milk 100g unsalted butter 500g plain flour 70g fresh yeast or 3 tbs active dry yeast 1 packet of vanilla sugar – optional 150g raisins or other dried fruits (I used cranberries) ½ tsp sea salt EQUIPMENT two mixing bowls (small and big) […]

New Cathedral City Mature Lighter Cheddar

Just a short note to let you know that recently Cathedral City came up with new cheese: Mature Lighter Cheddar. It is a little bit lighter in colour (piece of cheese on the right) but has the same great, deep, strong taste and crumbly texture like original Cathedral City Mature Cheddar, yet it has 30% […]

Indian Spices Biscuits from The East India Company

I would like to share with you my latest discovery: Indian Spices Biscuits from The East India Company. First let me introduce the company to you: The East India Company has been created in 1600 by The Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I. Since that time their ships sailed the seas in search for […]

Swedish Cookies & Coffee – Fika at London’s Soho Square (Admission Free)

On 24th, 25th & 26th of August Visit Sweden is transforming London’s Soho Square into ‘Fika Square’. Each of those days between 12.30pm and 2.30pm a team from the Southern Swedish holiday destination of Skåne, led by world famous pastry chef Jan Hedh and accompanied by traditionally dressed Swedish old ladies, will be serving traditional […]

Spice it up! by Levi Roots – Cook Book Review

Couple of days ago my copy of “Spice it up!” by Levi Roots published by Octopus Publishing has arrived (also available on Amazon). It is beautifully published hard cover with clear typography and filled with full size, fresh, vivid photographs that make you want to start cooking Caribbean food straight away. I was nicely surprised […]

Sloppy Joe Sandwich with Turkey Chilli con Carne

True comfort food… fresh bread, spicy mince, cool cream, melted cheese and crunchy veggies.

Steamed Veggies with Potato & Chicken Mash – 8 months +

INGREDIENTS 100g chicken breast 250g potatoes 1 tsp real butter (unsalted) boiled water 1 tsp fresh or frozen dill steamed veggies to serve (I used broccoli, cauliflower and baby carrots) METHOD Cook potatoes with chicken breast and water until soft and cooked through. Add butter, dill and blend adding more boiled water if necessary. Serve […]

Wholesome Lunchbox # 42 (July 2011) – The Round-up

Hello Everyone, welcome to the 42st edition of Wholesome Lunchbox. I made some changes to the format of the Round-ups, you can take a look at the new guidelines here. Starting from this month, with regret, I will be posting on Coffee & Vanilla only selected submitions but at the same time there is no […]

Peach & Raisin Dessert 7-8 months +

INGREDIENTS 1 peach (seed removed) 1 tsp of raisins 2 tsp instant baby rice METHOD Steam peach and raisins with few tbs of water. Remove peach peel. Mash everything in baby food masher or with a fork. Stir in rice and mash some more. Serve immediately. Make 1 portion. NOTES Add more water if the […]

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Author: Margot