What`s for dinner Clarey?: My furry Valentines

What`s for dinner Clarey?: My furry Valentines:  For Valentines, galentines and all the precious souls I love to feed. Including my trueloves Charlie and Lola my furry valentines 365 days ...

My furry Valentines

 For Valentines, galentines and all the precious souls I love to feed. Including my trueloves Charlie and Lola my furry valentines 365 days a year !

This week at the homelessness prevention charity I cook at we were super busy. As well as sexy mince and lovely chocolate nut bread pudding we served marry me chicken!

I only called it that as a provocation , so the queue of 65 hungry guests didn't just stand in line and accept what was on offer, they all asked " what's marry me Chicken?" I assured them it was so delicious they would all want to marry me after they'd tasted it.

I got a few proposals mostly indecent ones but dinner service went playfully well. I think positive people have one thing in common, they don't take themselves too seriously. They haven't forgotten that life is one big game to be played well. They're not luckier than anyone or born with "happy genes" they just infuse everyday with a healthy dose of daftness.

So I tend to spend my days working hard and feeding the 7000, but it's fun and I love it.I tittyfart the day away being kind and having a laugh if I can. None of us are getting out of this World alive so we might as well make everyday a good one for ourselves and others. 

Marry me chicken

12 chicken thighs

Olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika

Salt, black pepper

Honey, soya sauce

1 big pot double cream

4tbs wholegrain mustard

1tbsp tarragon

Squeeze of lemon

Marinate the thighs in a healthy slosh of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, 2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed, a slosh of soya sauce  ,drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Leave for 30 mins then roast in a hot oven for 30 mins until the skin is Crispy.

Then tear it up once it's cooked and put in a pan, pour on cream and bring to boil, stir in mustard and tarragon and a tsp of sugar. Loads of black pepper at the last minute and serve on buttered rice.

When not on duty as Venus of the soup kitchen I would add a dash of sherry in homage to little Mu my Heavenly Nanna, who couldn't cook for Toffee but lived til 92 on a diet of pork pies and Harvey's Bristol cream sherry.

Mmmmm ❤ 

I just love crisps!

 This week has been cold, wet, rainy, sunny, windy, busy, happy, gentle and a bit mad in equal measure.

I find myself nostalgic for a kinder, gentler World. The 1980s when I was a bright eyed ra ra skirt wearing , Madonna and Prince devotee were such fun.

I remember the music was amazing and I loved driving in my mums suzuki jeep with the roof down singing " thinking of you" by sister sledge. That wah wah pedal at the start transports me right back to when all I had to worry about was the state of my perm and what was for tea.

The years have flown but I'm still bopping to work singing along to The smiths and The Cure. I go to aquafit as often as I can and I jump about like a happy hungry hippo to walking on sunshine, crocodile rock and Gloria.  Absolute bangers that motivate my old banger of a body to keep going.

Tonight I've made a spinach and paneer curry and almond rice but the loaded crisps I've made for Lily are delicious.

Remark on the remarkable ...ooof these are fit...

2 large bags of kettle chips

1 brie

Mature cheddar

Parmesan

1 pack of salami and parma ham

Put the crisps in a baking tray top with all the charcuterie you can spare , tuck a ripped up brie underneath, top with cheddar cheese and grated parmesan and bake for 20 mins til oozy and golden.

I might drizzle some hot honey and chilli flakes ontop but I'm a complete domestic slut on a Friday!

At Manna House today we had 65 for a free lunch of carrot and cumin soup, spaghetti bognese , mac n cheese and veggie curry and rice. Panettone pudding and custard.

Everyone I met today were so grateful and happy to eat a delicious home cooked meal for free.

Love on a plate is real 😋💜

Lily had a great first day at a new job today, so these deluxe loaded crisps are for her #fridayiminlove 💜

I love you truffles

 It's February 2026 and I cooked 7323 free meals last year at Manna House in Kendal. A statistic to be proud of and I  was busy compiling a recipe book "World on a plate"for the homelessness prevention charity. I love my job and helping others is a privilege but this year I need to carve out a little time to write my own recipes and share them here...

Scores on the doors last year were :-

Manna  7323  What's for dinner Clarey 0!! 😉

So here goes! I'm hoping journalling my daily eats and treats will make you smile and maybe try one of my recipes.

I love you truffles

These little beauties were made out of leftovers from Christmas 

1 whiskey soaked fruit loaf cake

Baileys

2 bars of dark chocolate(  I love Bourneville)

1 tub of brandy butter

3tbsp golden syrup

Cocoa and caster sugar to roll in

Break the fruit loaf into crumbs and soak with leftover Baileys. Melt the chocolate and butter and syrup to make a chocolate sauce. Stir into the crumbs and roll into small balls. Dredge with cocoa and a little caster sugar. Put in a tin and refrigerate until they are firm .

My nickname at my house is chocolatey Clare ( chocolate eclair) these would be lovely served in threes with pouring cream or squirty if you're trashy like me.

Tomorrow at Manna House...

In the Learning kitchen we will be making 

Spicy parsnip soup

Chicken pie and cheesey mash ,savoy cabbage and bacon

Broccoli cheese

Cinnamon roll bread and butter pudding

Cinnamon custard

Last week a homeless guy paid me the biggest compliment by saying " thank you that didn't taste like a free meal". 

It's 2026 we need to do better for those who are not doing well in our society.

As a teenager in the 1980s Prefab Sprout was my favourite band . "The Venus of the soup kitchen" was on my Walkman on repeat.

These days in my encore career I'm always teaching people to make soup, souper Tuesdays are dedicated to spinning straw into gold! Whatever free vegetables arrive from supermarket waste or from our allotment we whizz up into liquid gold.

Spicy parsnip soup

Chop the tops off 3 bags of wonky parsnips. Wash but don't peel ( fibre is my 2nd favourite F word!) Chop into chunks put in a pan

Cover with a carton of uht full milk

Add 1tbs curry powder,  2tsp cumin, 2tsps garlic granules, black pepper and salt

2 veg stock cubes

Bring to a simmer and when the parsnips are soft whizz them up with a soup wand .

If you're feeling flush add a pot of double cream and a handful of chopped coriander before serving.

I always have a big pan of soup on the go , super tasty and full of the vitamins we need to stave off the Winter bugs.

To me food equals joy and when Joy is in short supply , a bowl of soup made with love, kind of saves the day.

My great Auntie JOYce is 97 today , she is my beloved Nanna's youngest sister and when I speak to her on the phone its like phoning heaven. She has the same little Yorkie voice and giggle and sounds so much younger than her age. What a woman. 

So this year I want to be more joyful like Auntie Joyce and like my soup a little bit spicy! Bland is banned.

What`s for dinner Clarey?: Love pie and Love soup

What`s for dinner Clarey?: Love pie and Love soup:  I just  realised that 2023 was a complete old mother Hubbard year for my recipe blog. I wrote a cook book" Love on a Plate" for M...

Love pie and Love soup

 I just  realised that 2023 was a complete old mother Hubbard year for my recipe blog.

I wrote a cook book" Love on a Plate" for Manna House the homelessness prevention charity I work for. I was recuperating and healing from having a hip replacement . I cooked about 750 free lunches for my lovely Manna House clients. In short I've been busy.

I've also been happy and pain free now my hips don't lie, thankyou Shakira . You cannot underestimate the power of a simple, happy pain free existence. When I was a physical wreck my friends and loved ones helped me manage the pain and reminded me not to be one! It's a privilege to help feed people who need a boost . To me a home cooked meal or homemade cake is love on a plate.

Being proudly Northern, I love pies, homemade soup and a nice cuppa with a delicious sweet treat, If I can share this with others, make them feel joy then that makes my day.

Two yummy recipes from this week and a day after Valentine galentine tiffin recipe too...

Love Soup

So good for you, this is bottom of the fridge soup  made from leftovers.

In a pan fry a large chopped onion and a couple of leeks  until golden. Add some leftover mashed potatoes, leftover frozen peas and a couple of chicken stock cubes , 330ml of boiling water and 330ml of double cream. Simmer for 20 mins and then blitz with a soup wand. Season with salt and black pepper and a tsp of sugar. Swirl with cream and serve in a warm bowl with some hot buttered toast.

Love Pie

Brush 5 sheets of filo pastry with melted butter

Top with 3 blocks of feta cheese crumbled

Add a bag of spinach that has been wilted in garlic butter and a couple of beaten eggs.. Dot with caramelised onions, 4 red onions caramelised in muscovado sugar and a dash of cider vinegar. Top with more filo pastry brushed with melted butter and sesame seeds.

Bake in a medium hot oven for 30 mins until golden and Crispy. 

Galentine tiffin

Good use of leftover chocolates (as if!)

Crush up 30 digestive biscuits or any you like chocolate hobnobs work too!

In a pan heat up 250g  butter, 4 tbsps golden syrup, 4tbsps soft brown sugar and 2tbsps cocoa to make a wicked chocolate sauce. Pour over the crushed biscuits and combine and press into a lined baking tray. Then top your tiffin with chocolates, press them in whilst it's still slightly warm . Chill in the fridge and cut into squares to share with your besties with a cuppa.

There you go inexpensive , delicious recipes , if you make anything for someone with love  it always tastes better. I made some croutons for the soup with a heart shaped cutter and popped them in the air fryer...my new love.

One minute you're young and sexy, the next you're obsessed with your airfryer. Happiness rests on such little things as a heart shaped crouton on a Winters day or making it for someone special to remind them they are loved 365 days a year.

Choccywoccydoodah

 Holidays with my family

I`m not a great lover of holidays, the sort where you sit about sunbathing or feel duty bound to continually scran as you`ve paid an extortionate amount of dosh to go all inclusive.

Nah my idea of a holiday is to go "all exclusive" and see about four other people max, provided I gave birth to you or you`ve been my bestie for 35 years you`re invited!!  I think I`m an undiagnosed hyperactive borderline sociopath/antisocial old git!

 I cannot concentrate long enough to binge watch any dirge on TV. I spend my working life amongst loads of little and interesting people. What I yearn for is rare solitude. If you really want to be in my gang , make me a fire, make me a crab sandwich and pour me a rum and coke. I`m low maintenance really.

Easter is a lovely holiday. I adore blossom, the blossomier the better. All my children come home to see me (see my well stocked fridge really!!) There`s no presents to worry about , everything revolves around chocolate really. I`m a good Catholic girl at heart and Lent has been more about Lenten promises rather than deprivation. More not less always gets my vote. I haven`t given up anything...to be honest I gave up smoking when I had the twins and there`s no way I could sacrifice, coffee, alcohol or chocolate for anyone. Jesus, I sound like a right princess. In my defence I`ve tried to be more giving and have more compassion for people who drive me round the bend. I`ve made lots of lovely grub for homeless people and run a market stall to make money for my learning kitchen.

All I want for Easter is a rest. A chocolate covered peaceful time punctuated with a few swims and a shedload of roast potatoes(key to happiness)!!

I hope you do exactly what makes you happy too...

Chocolate nests

Big bowl cornflakes

Big bar Cadburys Dairy milk

Mini eggs

Bun cases

Pina colada

Melt the chocolate in the microwave and pour over the cornflakes , anyone who prefers Shreddies is a sadist and not in my Easter bunny gang. Spoon into bun cases and top with 3 mini eggs per nest. Refrigerate until set and then enjoy all Easter time accompanied by your favourite tipple , mine is pina coladas at the moment but I`m lairy Clarey, so feel free to have it with a nice cup of tea like normal people would enjoy. xxx