Preparing and cooking a healthy, home made family meal every evening is no easy feat for us busy parents is it?!
After school activities combined with pressing deadlines means we have less spare time nowadays and dinnertimes can turn into dinner dilemmas in an instant!
As much as I love cooking, realistically I can’t spend hours slaving over the stove every night, but equally it’s important to me that my family eat nutritious and fresh food, which is why I love sharing my easy and healthy family meals with all my lovely readers.
So when I was invited to London last week for an exclusive blogger event with celebrity mum and recipe author Fay Ripley and Red Tractor Beef and Lamb, I couldn’t wait to get I jumped my ‘Nigella On’ and take part in a cooking challenge to create a mini roast in under 50 minutes!
I’m a huge Cold Feet fan, so it was fabulous meeting Fay Ripley (who reveals some exciting information in my Vlog of the day (below) about an upcoming series!) and I love her latest cook books ‘Fay Makes It Easy’ which include, ‘100 delicious recipes to impress with no stress’.
She even forgave me when I called her Tina Fey on camera! Oops!
..We were all tasked with creating our roast lamb or beef recipe and I opted for a Mediterranean style roast making a red wine jus with garlic, rosemary and roasted vegetables. I’m sharing the recipe below for this week’s Tasty Tuesdays.
When you’re using quality ingredients and great cuts of meat, I believe in keeping the flavours simple for the tastiest dish. My kids love this roast of mine.
The red wine jus is also fine for children too as the alcohol evaporates.
Such tasty cuts of meat!
When choosing your meat – whether it’s beef or lamb –always look out for a quality mark like the Red Tractor logo which guarantees the meat you are buying is farm assured.
Watch out Nigella
Here I am with Tina Fey 😉 I mean Fay Ripley
Snapping away!
Thanks to La Redoute for the sheer top, ensuring I look glam in the kitchen (as you do)!
And it’s ready to go in the oven
And here’s my finished dish!
And carved!
Fay Ripley then judged each of our roasts and whilst I didn’t win, Fay did comment that she thought my lamb was the best cooked which was a touching compliment!
Well done to well deserving winner Afra of Mad Mum of 7, her dish was delicious!
It was such a fun day, spending time with my blogging mates who share this wonderful world of blogging made it awesome.
My highlight was hanging out, eating and laughing my way through the day with my gorgeous friend Charlotte of Berice Baby (far right).
Now it’s time for my recipe
Roast Lamb With Rosemary, Red Wine Jus & Roasted Vegetables
Serves 2-3
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes (for medium)
Ingredients:
- 1 x 350-400g (12-14oz) lean lamb mini roasting joint
- Pinch salt
- Freshly milled black pepper
- Good quality Olive Oil
- 3 large sprigs of rosemary
- 6 garlic cloves
- 250ml of good quality of red wine
- 50ml Water
- 8 vine tomatoes
- 200g/7oz new potatoes, washed and quartered
Method
Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 190°C, 375°F.
Mix the salt, pepper and olive oil together and rub into the lamb joint and then stud it with rosemary and garlic.
Place into a large baking tray with your potatoes, tomatoes and extra sprigs of rosemary. Drizzle with more olive oil.
Cook for 35 – 40 minutes depending on how pink you and your family like your lamb.
About 5 minutes before the lamb is ready, add your red wine to the oven tray with water and reduce to a jus.
Remove lamb and vegetables from oven and serve with jus.
Easy!
For more tasty beef and lamb recipes do visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk
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Great video Vicki, not overly faffy, really good to watch – I’m thinking of starting them soon, just got to kick myself up the proverbial and get myself started. Great Linky too 😀
Wheelie Good Meals recently posted…Strictly Suppers 2015 #3 Quickstep Leftover Fishcakes
Yes, you must do it, so much fun and so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I get really chuffed when I stop by and see something new and different and creatively exciting. You are so imaginative and creative I love it! Thanks for hosting and for having me!
Nikki Frank-Hamilton recently posted…Social Media Focus-Pinterest
Oh that means a lot Nikki, thank you x
Oooh I’m so jealous, Cold Feet is one of our favourite ever TV programmes. Your lamb looks yummy too.
Charlotte Oates recently posted…Win: Chimasu Subscription Box
So glad you like it, Cold Feet was epic wasn’t it x
I love love love lamb and this looks scrummy!xx #tastytuesdays
All about a Mummy recently posted…Wise Owl Cupcakes
So glad you like it, thank you x
Wow! What a great event you all went. Love the look of your lamb,
Eileen Teo recently posted…Chocolate and Walnuts Brownies
Thanks Eileen, it was great fun, so happy you like my lamb x
Wow your dish looks amazing! And seems so simple too.
Kerry Manners recently posted…I have joined bloglovin
Really is simple, thanks Kerry, glad you like it x
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
You always write the best posts <3
Such an incredible day – Love spending time with you sugar & your lamb was to die for … Ready for round two?? LOL
See you soon sweet cheeks
Charlotte x
Woohoo, definitely babes, thanks for making it amazeballs, your lamb was delicious too-it was literally one of the best events I’ve ever attended, so much fun x
Well done you, the lamb looks delicious
Alison recently posted…Chicken Supreme Recipe
Thanks Alison 🙂
Looks delicious and like such an all around fun day. Thank you for the link up and I look forward to browsing your gorgeous blog.
Thanks so much Anne x
What a brilliant idea! This looks delicious and so quick and simple – my kind of recipe!! Am Bookmarking. 🙂
Eb Gargano recently posted…Chickpea, Feta and Herb Salad
Yay so pleased you like it x
This look so delicious I have never tried to cook roasted lamb so will have to test this out for the family. Thanks for hosting.
jenny recently posted…Letters to Him & Her ~ #33
Think you will really enjoy it, thanks for your comment and linking up 🙂
Your lamb looks gorgeous – really well cooked and still juicy and tender! I’m definitely a fan of anything that is easy to cook on weeknights and a roast can be a really good option as it doesn’t take much preparation time.
Corina recently posted…Huevos Rotos
Thanks Corina, it really is so quick and easy and leftovers can be used up in the week
Ah ha, yes, cooking nutritious food with good quality ingredients and minimal effort is exactly what inspired my blog post! Your lamb looks amazing and those cuts of meat superb. What a great event! The Tina Fey remark did make me laugh! Thanks for hosting #tastytuesdays
John Adams recently posted…Feeding the family with a slow cooker
Thanks John, can’t wait to see your post-such a fun event, one of the best I’ve attended and taken part in x
Absolutely brilliant! I’m crazy impressed with you lovely lady x
Pulling out that delicious lamb roast under pressure was the perfect test of whether it works on a busy weekday evening when everyone wants your attention left, right and center 🙂
Lamb is one of our favorites!
Thanks so much, so glad you like it-we love a mid-week roast x