Suzanne Collins skidded onto our radar at warp speed with her The Hunger Games trilogy but she was writing even before the publication in 2008 of the first book of the series. She had already published several children's books but this was her first attempt at Young Adult and she sure hit the nail on the head. She was actually the author who turned me on to Young Adult books and I have read a whole raft of brilliant ones since then. I read the first page of The Hunger Games and was completely hooked into her world and couldn't put it down, reading it in the car on the way to work with Adriano and, dare I say, even in the toilet. I grabbed the second one, Catching Fire, and devoured it as well. Then I looked out for the last one, Mockingjay, and dove in but it felt different. Katniss was damaged, as well she should be, but it dragged me down. Where was the strong heroine who battled against all odds to win? She felt broken and I wasn't wanting to read about Katniss as a broken … [Read more...] about Favourite Author No. 6 – Suzanne Collins
Pasta with Creamy Tomato Mince Sauce – 15 minutes from go to whoa
I found this recipe on Framed Cooks. It looked so simple but I was worried about cooking it for my Italian husband because cream and tomato don't really equate to a typical pasta sauce. But I took a deep breath and dove in. It takes no longer than the time it takes to heat the water and cook the pasta. This recipe is not low Fodmap. Pasta with Creamy Tomato Mince Sauce Print Author: Suzanne Perazzini Ingredients Olive oil 500g/17.6oz mince meat 1 Onion - chopped up A can of chopped tomatoes (420gms/14.8oz) 1 cup of cream 2 tbsp tomato paste Salt and pepper Parmesan Pasta - penne Method Cook the pasta as normal. Heat oil in a pan and brown mince together with the onion. Add tomatoes, cream and tomato paste, simmer 10 minutes. Season and add to cooked pasta in a big bowl. Add grated Parmesan at the table. 3.2.2807 … [Read more...] about Pasta with Creamy Tomato Mince Sauce – 15 minutes from go to whoa
Lasagna Al Forno with Spinach – the fastest lasagna I know
Lasagna is quintessentially Italian but I don't make it very often because it takes too long and, even though my family eat late by New Zealand standards, we do like to eat before 9pm. I do think I cook slowly no matter how much I try to speed up but I started this a little early tonight at 7pm and we ate just after 8pm including cooking time so that was pretty fast for lasagna. I found this recipe in the latest Verve magazine and they noted it was courtesy of Victoria Ave Meats. Here we go: This recipe is not low Fodmap. Lasagna Al Forno with Spinach Print Author: Suzanne Perazzini Ingredients Fresh lasagna Grated cheese Olive oil 450g sausage meat 1 red chilli - finely chopped 2 cloves garlic - crushed 150g/5.3oz mushrooms - sliced 200ml/7oz of creme fraiche 100g/3.5oz spinach - chopped salt and pepper 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp sugar Fresh thyme Method Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Oil a 15x25x5cm ovenproof dish. Heat oil in a … [Read more...] about Lasagna Al Forno with Spinach – the fastest lasagna I know
Egg, Bacon and Feta Sandwich – make your life easy
Adriano loves sandwiches as long as the bread is thick and the filling robust. Even though the filling can take time to make, psychologically this kind of meal feels simple. We had left over buns from hamburgers Adriano made last night and I still had some of a cheese blend of ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan that I used in a recipe a couple of nights ago. However, you could substitute feta or blue cheese if you are partial to those strong flavours, which I am not. You will never see me use blue cheese in any recipe. This could also be accompanied by some oven cooked chips if more bulk is needed for certain members of the family. This is not a low Fodmap recipe. Egg, Bacon and Feta Sandwich Print Author: Suzanne Perazzini Ingredients Curly endive Bacon Feta - diced Onions - diced Red vinegar Mustard Buns salt Pepper Eggs - one per bun Method Fry the bacon and slice it up. Cook the onion in the bacon fat and add a few teaspoons of red wine vinegar and one … [Read more...] about Egg, Bacon and Feta Sandwich – make your life easy
A Week with Marilyn – a truly mixed up woman
This morning I saw My Week with Marilyn and was enthralled from beginnng to end. Not just by Michelle William's subtle and nuanced performance as Marilyn but by the complex and troubled woman she portrayed. At once seductive, manipulative, vulnerable and unstable, she could transfix those who saw her in person as well as on the screen. She was a star in the true sense of the word - one of a kind. On the set of The Prince and The Showgirl, Marilyn was often late and unpredictable, infuriating Laurence Olivier, which only worsened her behaviour. Also exasperated with her, her current husband, Arthur Miller, departed for the States to get a break from her. Marilyn used Colin Clark, third assistant to the director, as a crutch when everyone seems against her. I will leave it to you to decide to what degree she used him and then spat him out. However, what does come across in the film is what an extraordinary actress she was. At the end of the movie, no one moved in the cinema and … [Read more...] about A Week with Marilyn – a truly mixed up woman
My favourite places in the world No. 6 – The Scottish Highlands
In 2003, my husband, son and sister took a road trip around Scotland, England and Wales. We started in Edinburgh, which I loved, but apparently we were very lucky with the weather, and then went north into the Scottish Highlands. This is the most scarcely populated area in Europe after mass migration to urban areas during the Industrial Revolution. It also includes the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis. Geography lesson over. The Scottish Highlands took me by surprise. I felt an immediate connection and revelled in the dark atmosphere – much like that in the books I write. My ancestors were the Macdonalds from the Isle of Skye and those slaughtered by the Campbells at Glencoe. We were lucky with our two-days on Skye as well weather-wise and actually saw the tips of the mountains – a rarity. This is an island seeped with history and I felt it. There’s nothing light-hearted about the place and that’s fine by me. It inspired me to write a mystery story set … [Read more...] about My favourite places in the world No. 6 – The Scottish Highlands
