diaryofacookbookaddict

When the living is easy…

The Summer Solstice has come and gone, but the long summer days and the meals that go with them continue. Freed from the shackles of school routine, and buoyed by some quality beach time (Sunshine! Sea swimming! Ice cream for dinner!) I am finding pleasure in later bedtimes, more time outdoors, and summer cooking. WhetherContinue reading “When the living is easy…”

Make cocktails while the sun shines…

I live on a small island in the middle of the North Atlantic. It’s a fairly temperate climate, (three cheers for the Gulf Stream!) but summers are…well…optional. There’s a lot of weather that looks like this: BUT. Tucked in between the showers, the mist, and all of the clouds, there are little nuggets of gloriousContinue reading “Make cocktails while the sun shines…”

ALL the Food

I’ve had a wonderfully indulgent few weeks full of celebrations, houseguests, and travel. As I settle back into routine and process it all, I’ve realised a few things… 1. Explore your local. I’m incredibly lucky to live in a brilliant neighbourhood in Dublin that has burst into life over the last few years. My sleepyContinue reading “ALL the Food”

Staycation

So…I’ve been working on a post about quick and delicious pasta dinners that you can make when you need to fling something on the table quickly. Then I made a last minute decision to take a few days off work and relax with my family over Easter. As soon as I put my ‘Out of Office’Continue reading “Staycation”

Slow Living

My love of slow cooking has been well documented on this site already, but it has become a necessity since I returned to work and renewed my commitment to family dinner. I use it at least once a week. Sometimes, I use it to make to make a batch of baked beans that I portion into freezer containers. OtherContinue reading “Slow Living”

What’s for Dinner?

So, I used to dread those words because I didn’t always have an answer…now that I have become an obsessive meal planner, I dread them for a totally different reason: I live with a threenager. Here he is: Super cute, right? And tonnes of fun, really. 90% of the time. Because the other 10% ofContinue reading “What’s for Dinner?”

I’m ba-ack…

So I went out to dinner with some friends in London last week. OK – fine – we went for drinks, and then I insisted on dinner because this girl can’t really handle her pints any more. Thanks to some impeccable local knowledge of one pal, we ended up in the most gorgeous Italian restaurant inContinue reading “I’m ba-ack…”

Raindrops and Rhubarb

I love living in Ireland. Honestly. There’s always a learning curve when you uproot your life and move to a new place, but I honestly can’t imagine calling anywhere else home right now. I mean, where else in the world can you find this kind of beauty 90 minutes from your doorstep? Not to mention enjoyContinue reading “Raindrops and Rhubarb”

When the Cupboard Is Bare

Meal planning takes a on a new challenge this week: I’m on a quest to clean out the fridge and pantry before my family and I head off on our Easter holidays. I concede that I will probably leave behind the odd tin of tomatoes or chickpeas, and that I should probably just throw awayContinue reading “When the Cupboard Is Bare”

Spring has Sprung

So here is my new year’s resolution…3 months late is better than never, right? I’ve wanted to re-start the blog for some time, but have been struggling to make it a priority and find motivation. Since Monkey Number Two has started taking longer naps, and spring produce has made an appearance, I will make excusesContinue reading “Spring has Sprung”