Better and hungry (recipe list included)

Dear world,

 I've been frantically busy and then frantically ill so writing wasn't really possible. Neither was cooking. I've been eating crackers and chinese rice porridge for awhile now. And soup.

 I'm still blowing my nose and coughing a little but I'm definitely better enough to be terribly terribly hungry. I met the Jester for lunch yesterday and demolished a whole plate of roast chicken and salad - I know it doesn't sound like a lot but I normally eat a very small lunch. The roast chicken food coma wasn't fun though.

I've also got an enormous craving for pasta - Mr Grey and I haven't made pasta in ages and I really want some cacio e pepe with maybe sausages on the side. Ok and some cherry tomatoes. Just so the meal is... um... complete and nutritious?

Today is looking so nice and friendly (please don't let me jinx it). So I thought I'd write down another list of recipes I want to try. Yes, another list. I can't help it. When I was sick I surfed food blogs and now there are so many more things I want to try :)

1. Mark Bittman's Easy chicken and rice. This is a one pot dish - therefore it must go on the list.

2. Nigel Slater's pork meatballs.

3. Lentil soup with sausage. (It's supposed to be sausage and chard... but I think I'll skip the chard. I mean, lentils are healthy right?)

4. Japanese strawberry shortcake.

I think the shortcake recipe is probably the most complicated of the lot but I watched the instructional video while sniffling and sneezing and it looked do-able..... plus I love strawberry shortcake so I've got to give it a go.

I'll be back with a news report of how the cooking goes! I've got a ramen dinner tonight with ex colleagues and ooh, I can't wait!

toodles!

Di

P.S. Yes. I did more or less write this post so that I could have the links to all the recipes I wanted to try all in one place :) Saves me having to hunt them up on other blogs. Besides, I'd be a cruel and selfish friend if I didn't share that Mark Bittman one pot recipe. One pot recipes are meant to be shared and sung from the roof tops.