Blog Challenges
Simple and In Season July Round Up
What fun I have had hosting Simple and in Season this month. Such a stunning range of entires which just goes to prove that eating in season does not have to limit your creativity in the kitchen. I have LOVED looking at all the entry posts. It is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine and I can quite often be found taking the ipad to bed to read blog posts rather than a book. A big thank you to Ren for allowing me to host and also to everyone who sent a blog post in. It’s been a blast!
To start us off I’m going to tell you about this Cinnamon Raspberry Cake from Cake of the Week blog. It is covered with swiss meringue buttercream which has fresh raspberries mixed in. The piping is very clever and flavour combination of raspberry and cinnamon sounds like a real winner too.
Lovely recipe from My Froley blog now who entered their Quinoa With Grilled Tuna & Tofu dish. I have seen quinoa quite a bit lately in recipes and it has made me intrigued to try it. I love the look of this dish, but the best bit for me is a picture at the bottom which shows My Froley’s daughter eating this with what looks like a big thumbs up. So cute, especially as my children are no where near as adventurous!
I need to say a big thank you to Garden, Tea, Cakes and Me blog for entering their Mini Gooseberry Tart recipe has it has brought back fun memories of helping my Mum pick gooseberries each summer from the big bush we had at the bottom of the garden. I’ve not used them myself in baking yet, I think because I just don’t see them that often in the shops. Now I’ve remembered how good a gooseberry can taste, I’m going to hunt a few out and this gorgeously rustic looking tart might be the first thing I make.
What can I say? Another super traybake recipe from Ren at Fabulicious Food. This one is a Seasonal Cherry and Almond Traybake, and I know for a fact that it will taste divine. Why am I so confident? I’ve made Ren’s traybakes before and have been very impressed.
Next is another wonderful looking chocolate cake with raspberry cream. Having seen two cakes now which feature raspberries mixed into cream/frosting I feel I would be missing out if I did not make one. Lottie’s World of Cake’s and Bakes made this cake for a BBQ that she was going to, and I think that is the perfect occasion for this cake too.
A lovely entry from Laura Loves Cakes next, and this time she has created a white chocolate and cherry loaf cake. Laura talks about having too much batter and the cherries sinking to the bottom, but I think it looks amazing (sign of a fabulous baker) and I would never have noticed. It’s a lovely idea to use fresh cherries in a cake on only something that you can do this time of year.
This summer berry and chocolate traybake from Jen at Blue Kitchen Bake looks so quick and easy to make and these sort of recipes are fantastic for bookmarking when you have only a couple of hours notice of friends coming over. Summer and berries and chocolate is sucha great combo too.
Look at this cute rose and strawberry cake from Chocolette at Chocolate Log Blog! I’m loving the ladybirds and I bet rose and strawberry tastes divine. This was Chocolette’s very own birthday cake this year and I have to mention it because we share the same birthday!! Might be making this one for myself next year!
One of the nicest things about summer I think are the salads. I have been trying out a few new ones myself this year, and again always on the look out for new recipes to inspire me. This asparagus pecan quinoa salad with a maple-mustard dressing from The Taste Space blog looks and sounds superb. Very seasonal and just right for this challenge.
You can always count on Karen from Lavender and Lovage to come up with something really special. This time she has created a double chocolate and summer berries truffle slice. It looks just how one might imagine it. Chocolately, moist and berrytastic.
Another entry from Chocolette, and this time it is blackcurrant and white chocolate cookies. She made these to fit with her tricky We Should Cocoa theme this month of blackcurrants. You may remember that I made blackcurrant and white chocolate cupcake style cheesecakes for this challenge, so I know how lovely this combination of flavours is.
Chez Foti is a blog that I have descovered recently and I really like it. It has a great selection of healthy, family friendly meals and I know some of the produce used is home grown. This spinach, courgette and pesto risotto a a great example. One that I have on my list to try.
Michelle from Utterly Scrummy and I each have 3 children and I love to pop onto her blog every now and again to get some inspiration for feeding my tribe without spending a fortune, which is what she does very well with her family. This month Michelle sent in a rhubarb and raspberry yoghurt cake which makes the perfect family dessert using produce from her garden.
Raspberry and white chocolate muffins are one of my favorite flavours, so I’m thrilled to see a lovely looking recipe on the Garden Deli blog that I really must try. I know this one will go down really well with my girls and perfect for lunchboxes!
Jen from Blue Kitchen Bake has made me smile too as her recipe for smoked salmon & watercress soufflés look pretty impressive, and I’m always on the look out for recipes to make as part of the Come Dine With Me dinner parties that my husband and I do with a bunch of friends. Jen’s soufflé looks incredible. It would be fab if I could recreate that.
Sweet potato and pear soup is a completely new flavour to me, but do you know what, I think this would totally work. I’ve made apple and pumpkin before and I suspect this would be similiar. So thanks Sharky Oven Gloves (love the name of that blog) for the inspiration.
Another inspiring combination of sweet and savoury, and the second amazing entry from The Taste Space is this lovely sounding strawberry, avocado and mint salad with a chocolate balsamic vinaigrette. Strawberries and chocolate in a salad, I would never have been brave enough to try it on my own, but now I have a recipe I’m totally there. This blog is one to follow for some ‘break all the rules’ ideas.
More stunning summery soup from Linzi who writes Lancashire Food blog. This green garden soup incorporating veges that you might be growing in your garden is a healthy and tasty way to use up your own produce. Make double if you can, freeze a portion and enjoy over winter for that rare taste of summer when you desperately crave it.
I’ve not yet explored the world of jam making, but this next entry is enough to make me want to rummage through my glass recycling and wash out all suitable jars to transform into something rather lovely by filling with strawberry and mint jam from Katie over at Feeding Boys and a Firefighter. I think this combo of flavours would taste divine.
Back to cakes and what an impressive one too. Chocolate… tick, berries…tick, cream (with basil)…double tick! Working London Mummy combines new flavours and sophistication with absolute ease. These wee chocolate victoria sponge cakes with black fruits and basil cream, would not look out of place at a 5* hotel.
More conserve making inspiration here with a blackcurrant jelly to tickle your tastebuds. I’m thinking this would be gorgeous on crumpets, in cakes, at the bottom of a trifle, mixed into cheesecake…the list goes on. Thanks to Made by Jayne for sending this over.
How sweet is this next entry? A heart shaped Venetian Risi e Bisi (rice dish) to show your other half how much you love them? Such a lovely idea and I hope Alida’s partner from My Little Italian was grateful from her thoughtfulness (I’m sure they were).
The lovely Laura from How to Cook Good Food (who hosted last month’s Simple and in Season, see round up here) has entered an easy family tea of tomato gratin now that her 3 children are on their summer holiday. Same for me here so this recipe is one that I will be trying. Looks child friendly and would be perfect served with a chunk of fresh bread to wipe up the juice at the end.
Karen from Lavender and Lovage enters her second recipe here and it is the delightful sounding stuffed tomatoes with herbs & oats (Gluten Free). Karen tell us that this is good value and it’s a recipe that she has been using for years. Two great qualities if you ask me.
I’m really pleased to see some bread in this month’s round up, so thank you Helen from Fuss Free Flavours for making some. You can’t beat homemade bread and these tomato chutney rolls look perfect! Just the job for a nice summer lunch. Think I would have to butter mine up and add a slice of cheddar or blue cheese.
More tempatation now with a white chocolate, blackcurrant and apricot cake sent over by Cake, Crumbs and Cooking. A beautifully moist looking cake which I am sure wont have lasted long. It reminds me a bit of a panattone looks wise.
There are some lovely photos showcasing this next entry of cherry chocolate clafoutis on Food to Glow’s blog. It really does look delicious. A great way of using cherries up too which are of course totally in season right now.
A second entry from Ren who as most of you know writes the beautiful Fabulicious Food blog. This time Ren inspires us again with a classic fresh buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad. I think this picture says it all…YUM!
These British cherry cupcakes and British strawberry cupcakes appeal to the baker in me. Lovely innovative use of seasonal fruit and I think the photos in this post are stunning. Thanks to Kitchen Delights for sending it in.
Another recipe using those plentiful courgettes was sent in by Chris from Cooking Around The World. This rosemary and courgette quiche sounds like a really nice match of flavours, and I just love the picture of Chris in his cowboy hat on the blog post!!
And last but not least, more tomato and basil from Jen at Blue Kitchen Bake in the form of a tomato and basil tart. Super for the summer and stunning with all those colours. You can’t beat fresh basil to finish off a dish with style and flavour.
Tagged july entries, simple and in season
MaggieAugust 1, 2012 at 8:38 am
Wow there are some fabulous seasonal food ideas here and new blogs to discover. Thank you for the roundup.
FleurAugust 1, 2012 at 7:38 pmAuthor
Thanks Maggie. x
Karen Burns BoothAugust 1, 2012 at 8:42 am
What a WONDERFUL round up Fleur and what wonderful recipes too…..a fabulous seasonal inspiration too……thanks for your kind words! Karen
FleurAugust 1, 2012 at 7:38 pmAuthor
Glad you enjoyed reading it Karen. It’s a good few hours to write it up (as I’m sure you know) but very worth it. x
janet @ the taste spaceAugust 1, 2012 at 9:11 am
Lovely round-up! I always appreciate the new ideas for local, seasonal eats.
FleurAugust 1, 2012 at 7:37 pmAuthor
Thanks Janet. Really loved your entries. They were so creative. x
JayneAugust 1, 2012 at 10:39 am
What a great round up! Also lots of new lovely blogs to me!
FleurAugust 1, 2012 at 7:31 pmAuthor
Thanks Jayne. Really loved the look of your entry. Keep thinking about it on freshly baked bread…mmmm!
Laura@howtocookgoodfoodAugust 1, 2012 at 8:24 pm
What a fantastic round up Fleur! Well done to you, you have a brilliant selection of dishes all of which I would happily tuck into.
Great to read about them all, thanks for such a good write up xxx
Louisa FotiAugust 4, 2012 at 4:43 pm
What a gorgeous round up, so many recipes I’m eager to try! Thanks for hosting! Louisa
FleurAugust 8, 2012 at 9:39 pmAuthor
Thanks Louisa. Loved discovering your blog through the process of hosting
ChocletteAugust 5, 2012 at 7:37 pm
What an absolutely fabulous round-up Fleur. So many delicious berry recipes. I t just shows a good spirit of “we will enjoy summer food, even if it never stops raining”. Thanks for a great write up.
Hadn’t realised our birthdays were on the same day, though I knew it was there or there abouts.
FleurAugust 8, 2012 at 9:42 pmAuthor
Sarah from Maison Cupcake has the same birthday too
. Glad you enjoyed the round up. X
Working london mummyAugust 5, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Lovely roundup and thanks for kind comments x
Ren BehanAugust 7, 2012 at 8:03 am
Dear Fleur, sorry to be so late commenting, I’ve just finished checking out all of these wonderful entires. I adore the tofu photo with the little girl tucking in! But seriously, what a wonderful round up and SO many beautiful new blogs to explore showcasing all this fantastic seasonal produce! Love it, thanks so much for hsoting you were fab xxxxx
FleurAugust 8, 2012 at 9:46 pmAuthor
Thanks Ren. Loved hosting I really did. It’s a great challenge and lends itself to a wide variety of entries which is fab. X
Laura@howtocookgoodfoodAugust 8, 2012 at 8:03 pm
So sorry I have only just read this. Have to say you have done such a wonderful round-up, and quite a task you must have had!
)x
Lovely to see so many fantastic recipes and I will be visiting many more blogs because of it
Laura@howtocookgoodfoodAugust 8, 2012 at 8:04 pm
Oh, I had read it, sorry! Am in need of a holiday I think! xx
FleurAugust 8, 2012 at 9:50 pmAuthor
I do this all the time!!! Thanks for both comments (they were lovely the receive) and enjoy your hols. X