Happy Birthday Sid!

Everyday for the last 14 years there has been something not quite right in my world. On 12th October 1998 my families world changed forever when my dear Dad passed away. Always the "soft" parent who we could wrap around our little fingers he left an enormous hole that would or could never be filled. He was only a small man but to us he was always ten feet tall. Ever loving and ever giving, we simply were his world. There isn't a day goes by when thoughts of him don't enter my head. Above all things I wish that he could have met my children, it's not a very nice experience bringing your children to a graveside to meet their Grandad whom you know would have been a fantastic role model in their lives. Unfortunately such is life, bittersweet memories of what was and what could have been. Memories in the head and no more to be made but always love. So happy birthday to my dear Dad, hope you are being as well looked after now as you looked after us then. xxx

Comfort food was a must today so soup was in order. I had this in a cafe recently and enjoyed it so this is my recreation of that.

Chestnut, Parsnip, Apple & Curry Soup.

You will need;
50g butter
2 medium parsnips, grated
2 apples, cored and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
435g tin of chestnut purée
1 tsp of curry powder
1 tsp dried sage
500ml hot vegetable stock
Salt & pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the parsnip which you have grated. Cook for 4 minutes.
Add in the chopped celery and apple and cook for two further minutes or until slightly soft.
Add the curry powder and stir well.
Add in the chestnut purée, sage and the hot stock. Season well.
Cover and simmer for five minutes.
Remove from hit and blend until smooth. I sieved mine after blending to get a really smooth soup.
Serve with a drizzle of creme fraiche and maybe some homemade brown bread with lashings of real butter.

P.S. Ring your mother or father and tell them how wonderful they are and how lucky you are to have them. Life is too short to be all coy and shy about our feelings, let them know how you feel. xxxx