Wallet and waist friendly chicken casserole

For any of you with a slow cooker I need not highlight to you the benefits of this wonderful contraption. My parents gave me one for Christmas last year and I have been experimenting with it since. 

Protein packed yumminess

Having to work long hours and then an hours journey home the last thing I want to do is prepare a meal from scratch. Nowadays I come home to a kitchen filled with heart warming aromas and I must say my wallet and waistline are benefiting too, which can't be a bad thing a couple of days before payday.
This protein packed meal was super easy to prepare and (minus the wine) hardly cost anything. 
What I popped into my slow cooker:
2 chicken thighs (skin removed)
1/2 thinly sliced potato 
1 thinly sliced carrot
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 can adzuki beans
1 knoor chicken stock gel cube
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of red wine
A little ground pepper
This made 2 generous portions. If you didn't want the gravy to be so thin you could add a little cornflower.
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Dark, Milk and White Chocolate Ganache Recipes

Chocolate ganache is one of those things which can really make a cake or macaron pop!

Dark Chocolate Ganache Recipe

180g dark chocolate, chopped
90g double cream
Heat cream in a pan to just below boiling. Immediately pour over chopped dark chocolate. Gently stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

Milk Chocolate Ganache Recipe

200g milk chocolate, chopped
90g double cream
Heat cream in a pan to just below boiling. Immediately pour over chopped milk chocolate. Gently stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

White Chocolate Ganache Recipe

220g white chocolate, chopped
90g double cream
Heat cream in a pan to just below boiling. Immediately pour over chopped white chocolate. Gently stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

Make macarons/macaroons at home
Top Tips for making macarons at home

Chocolate Macaron - French meringue Recipe
The Best Macaron Fillings
My Favourite macaron fillings

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Craig the Incredible Hula Boy, La Reve

Craig the Incredible Hula Boy

This was the second time I have seen Craig the Incredible Hula Boy perform. The first time was a couple of years ago at the Wam Bam Club and really loved his ability to project his feel-good personality into the audience. Seeing him this time round his gymnastic skills have matured and his musicality was sensational. I could feel the audience willing him to succeed. Great job Hula Boy - looking forward to seeing you again!

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Kitty Bang Bang - Fiery Burlesque, La Reve
Lili La Scala, Operatic Burlesque, La Reve
Amy Panter - Amazing Aerial,La Reve
Ivy Paige, La Reve - coming soon
The Boy With Tape on His Face, La Reve - coming soon
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The Routemaster of the future has arrived!

New Routemaster pic from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/billkatygemma/6654680427/ 

The first of the new Routemaster-inspired bus has gone into service today. You can enjoy the new bus on route 38 which runs between Victoria station down Piccadilly and through central London into Hackney, East London. Eight of the new buses will enter passenger service in the first half of this year. Mayor London Boris Johnson described the new bus as being “revolutionary” and “the latest, greatest masterpiece of British engineering and design”. He has promised a return for a new “green” successor to the Routemaster. He has also withdrawn all bendy buses, a relief to many a cyclist. The 62 seater buses also come with a conductor but sensibly will not run in the evenings or at weekends. 

The Bus of the Future

TfL's surface transport director Leon Daniels said: "This vehicle really has set a new standard.
"It utilises the latest cutting edge engine technology to deliver phenomenal fuel economy and emission performance."
There have been moans from certain parties complaining of the cost to design, build and run these new Routemasters. A recession should not be used as an excuse to hinder progression. The future is made by people with vision. Even though a vision costs money to make into a reality it also created/maintained jobs having been built by Wrightbus, a company in Northern Ireland and the exterior and interior having been designed by London-based designers Heatherwick Studio.
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Pic of old routemaster from http://www.flickr.com/photos/16167635@N03/5930479827/

Victoria Embankment Gardens, London

The Imperial Camel Corps Memorial 

Across the road from Cleopatra's Needle are the Victoria Embankment Gardens. Embankment station is the nearest tube station and conveniently is right next door and is served by the District, Circle, Bakerloo and Northern lines. The Gardens are free to enter and have a very nice cafe with plenty of seating. The Gardens have some lovely memorials including one for The Imperial Camel Corps  


Victoria Embankment Gardens, Feb 2012 

My friend Mark and I enjoyed a Hungarian dance show last summer in these Gardens. The concerts are free and open to the public with free deck chairs which is unusual for London as you normally have to pay for deck chairs. Thankfully the deck chairs are already set up so you don't have to embarrass yourself. See how (not) to put up a deckchair.

York House Water Gate

The gates below mark the position of the North Bank of York House before the construction of Victoria Embankment in 1862. The gates fell into decay and in 1893 London County Council acquired them for restoration as an object of public interest.
When I walked around Victoria Embankment Gardens at lunchtime this week I was glad to see the stage area in use.


 

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Cleopatra's Needle, Thames Embankment, London

Cleopatra's Needle, Thames Embankment London

I have seen Cleopatra's Needle on Thames Embankment many a time but have never really stopped to take a proper gander. An Egyptian obelisk isn't exactly what one might expect to see along the Thames in Central London. It's originates from Alexandria, the royal city of Cleopatra. It is believed to have been made for Pharaoh Thotmes/Tuthmose III in 1460BC as it is carved with Hieroglyphics praising him commemorating his third sed festival. 

If anyone has seen the film The Mummy will certainly remember the scene with Rachel Weisz in the library. Later inscriptions were added by Ramesses II to commemorate his victories. Read the inscriptions on the Needle.

Next to Cleopatra's Needle, Embankment, London

The Needle was erected on the a pink-granite monolith which sits on a pedestal and holds two earthenware pots. The pink granite would have come from Aswan, Egypt. The pots contain various objects; a portrait of Queen Victoria, iron ropes and cables, a hydraulic jack, copies of an engineering magazine, and portraits of 12 of the most beautiful Englishwomen. 

The setting is neatly completed by two large bronze Sphinxes which lie on either side facing the Needle. These are a very Victorian version of the traditional Egyptian original, but still are impressively beautiful. There area is also adorned with winged sphinxes on the benches.

View of Needle from Embankment Gardens

What is Cleopatra's needle doing in London?
Well it's an obvious question with a less obvious answer. It was a gift to the British people, in 1819 in recognition of Nelson's victory over the French fleet, at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Britain wanted something big and imposing to commemorate the British victory over Napoleon, sixty-three years earlier.

The British public subscribed £15,000 to bring it over from Alexandria in Egypt. Cleopatra's Needle arrived in England after a horrendous journey by sea in 1878. Plaques mounted round the base of the Obelisk give a brief history of the needle, and commemorated the men who died in the removal and transportation of the stone.

Across the road is the Embankment Gardens. Read more.

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Amy Panter - Amazing Aerial

The Audience of La Reve, Cafe de Paris sat with their herts in the mouths last night. All eyes were on Amy Panter as she skillfully worked her way around the swinging hoop. The music was sexy and sassy and reflected the energy Amy radiated. Her suppleness would make any cat envious. Amy Panter transformed her evident gymnastic skill into an artform.

Amy Panter, La Reve, Cafe de Paris

Kitty Bang Bang - Fiery Burlesque, La Reve
Lili La Scala, Operatic Burlesque, La Reve
Ivy Paige, La Reve - coming soon
The Boy With Tape on His Face, La Reve - coming soon
Craig the Incredible Hula Boy, La Reve
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The Cheek of it!

Lili La Scala entertained audiences at La Reve, Cafe de Paris, London  last night with her Operatic Burlesque; singing opera whilst teasingly removing ones clothing. It's a tall order for the best of them and am not sure whether Lili La Scala is singer first and foremost or burlesque dancer. Her singing was light and bright, her movements poised even though a little quick. She sang and danced round the stage as if a happy songbird.

Lili La Scala, La Reve, London

Lili La Scala, La Reve, London

Other performers:
Kitty Bang Bang, La Reve
Amy Panter, La Reve
Ivy Paige, La Reve - coming soon
The Boy With Tape on His Face, La Reve - coming soon
Craig the Incredible Hula Boy, La Reve
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Fiery Performance at La Reve

Kitty Bang Bang at La Reve

 Mother always told me not to play with fire but now I feel I have been missing out! Kitty Bang Bang wowed audiences this evening at La Reve (Cafe de Paris) with a beautiful act filled with fire and titillating tease. Footballers Wives is not the only place where boobs are set alight!

Kitty Bang Bang at La Reve

Lili La Scala, Operatic Burlesque, La Reve
Amy Panter, Awesome Aerial La Reve
Ivy Paige, La Reve - coming soon
The Boy With Tape on His Face, La Reve - coming soon
Craig the Incredible Hula Boy, La Reve
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Eggstra fun this Lent (sorry)

An Easter Egg hunt in February may sound a little odd but with 209 of them to find around Central London you need that amount of time before Easter springs onto the scene! I have only properly collected 2 faberge eggs but I have whizzed by a number of them. You can text your find or do what I do and use the QR code, both of which are presented on the plinth of each egg. You can download 12 zone maps of the eggs to find here.

 Pictures of all eggs can be found here. The Vie en Rose egg would go perfectly with my rose ribbon I bought in Dover at the weekend but it is rather more expensive with the current bid at £300.

The most collected eggs can be found here. Looking at them I don't feel too clever finding my two now. Join the Faberge Big Egg Hunt.


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My Favourite Macaron Flavours

Learn how to get the best colour for your homemade macarons.
Lemon Macarons - use melon or lemon paste. Dust with pearl shimmer when cooled.
Pistachio Macarons - mixture of melon and eucalyptus. 
Or make your own pistachio paste:
100g sugar
50g water
100g blitzed pistachios. Tbsp the sugar syrup into the blitzed nuts and mush into a paste forms. Add more sugar syrup or green food colouring if required.
Raspberry Macarons - hollyberry liquid colour. Can dust shell with pink shimmer when cool.
Chocolate Macarons - dust with gold shimmer or stripe with melted dark chocolate when cooled and filled.
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Preparing your cake for decoration

Filling and crumbcoating your sponge cake

Filling and crumbcoating a sponge cake

Make sure your buttercream isn't too hard as you need to manouver it smoothly across the cake in a bit. 

1. Spread a small amount of buttercream onto the board and attach the first layer of cake. This will help the cake from sliding off.

2. Once the base layer of cake is in place, spread a thin layer of buttercream onto the base of the cake starting from the centre and working your way out. Do the same with the jam. I used raspberry jam. Repeat for the same layer.

3. Place the top layer of cake in place. DO NOT push the sponge down or this will significantly decrease the height and the overall effect. 

4. Crumbcoat the sides and the top of the cake using horizontal movements rather than vertical. Be firm but fair, the sponge is not as delicate as you might think. Create a thick layer to start off with so you don't tear the cake. Scrape the excess off using the side of your palette knife. Make sure you always keep one side of your palette knife as buttercream has a way of sticking to itself.

5. Pop the cake in the fridge for at least 15 mins. This allows the buttercream to firm up. Don't worry if it's a little crooked you can sort that out later when you're icing the cake.

Next.......covering your sponge cake
Earlier post: How to prepare a sponge cake for decoration

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How do I prepare my sponge cake?

The importance of splitting a cake correctly

Preparing your sponge cake for icing is so important. If the quality of your cake preparation isn't up to scratch it makes no difference how fabulous your cake decorating skills are you won't get the final finish you are aiming for.
The cake above is a 5" 3 tier sponge. The sponge was cooked in a large square tin and was cut to size.
Step 1. Splitting the cake
1. When creating layers you need to ensure each layer of cake is even. So rather than baking lots of thin sponges it's best to make a large sponge and use a cake leveller on setting no.2 and cut the layers from bottom of the cake. For the best effect when using a cake leveller start at the highest point of the cake and  use a sawing motion. Work your way to finish on one pre-decided corner.
2. Cut a second layer from the bottom of the remaining cake.
3. Cut the final layer from the remaining cake. You do not need the very top of the cake so you can discard this.
4. Use a cakeboard as a size guide and trim the layers to your desired size. 
Top tips when splitting the sponge cake: 
1. Bake a cake 1" bigger than you need to minimise wastage.
2. If you need to make a layer out of several pieces of cake (i.e. jigsaw), arrange them first then put the board over the top and cut to size. 
Filling and crumbcoating the cake next.....
See a fully decorated cake called starburst
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Starburst Cake

My chosen new skill set to acquire for this year is cake decorating. For the next few Mondays I will be posting the cakes I have decorated during my Sunday courses.
Week 1: Starburst cake

Starburst Cake

This is a 3 tier madeira/sponge mix cake with a buttercream and raspberry jam filling and white fondant icing. The coloured stars are made out of Squires flower paste. I have used the colours mint, black and white. I have also used a white shimmer powder on the white stars so they are not as invisible as they would have otherwise have been. The wires for the stars are fuschia pink to match the ribbon surrounding the 5 inch cake. Each wire was cut to size once the stars had been added to them. I used a smaller white stars ontop of some of the larger stars to add dimension. The stars are attached to the fondant icing using edible glue applied using a brush.
Icing the board and getting the height with the stars makes all the difference. I chose to show the join rather than blending it as I felt this went well with the lineal feel of the design.

3 tiers

It is a simple design and may look easy to do. The key is preparing the cake for icing and getting the icing even on the cake and stars.
Tricky parts:
- The corners for both buttercream and royal icing need specific attention.
- Equal sponge height. I used a cake slice but you can use a knife if you have a good eye and a level hand.
- Flower paste stars - can't be too thin as the stars won't attach but don't make them too thick or the stars will be too heavy forcing the wire to become shorter to compendate therefore reducing the impact of the cake.
I will do a post on how to prepare a sponge cake for icing and another on how to ice a square and a round cake shortly.
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Mumbai - a new addition

Mumbai is the newest addition to the league of world class cities. It has become unaffordable for many ordinary people. The basic pressure on space has pushed up the cost of accommodation for everyone.The pressures of growth and demand impinge on Mumbai in mush the same way they do on Hong Kong and Singapore.Mumbai is much the same way as Hong Kong and Singapore, it's physically constrained by being on a peninsula where significant infrastructure investment is required for the city to expand. Population: 20.5 million
Alternative honeymoon destinations - Darjeeling
Paris - an international and cultural centre

London - a forward thinking historial city
Hong Kong - a global financial centre
New York - the big cosmopolitan apple
Tokyo - a new city with old traditions

Boneless Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Feta Cheese, Pine Nuts, Fennel, Olives, and Herbs

After a long day out day geocaching on Hampstead Heath with friends in freezing January what kept me warm was the thought of the stuffed leg of lamb waiting for us when we got to mine. And of course the bottle of Malbec. 

Boneless Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Feta Cheese, Pine Nuts, Fennel, Olives, and Herbs

1 (5 pound) leg of lamb, deboned and butterflied
1 Bulb Fennel, chopped
2 tbsps minced shallot
1 tbsp butter
1 ½ cups crumbled feta cheese
1 cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped mint
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped basil
1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

Salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 375oF

Method:

1. Cut six 2-foot lengths of butcher's twine. 

2. In a small frying pan sauté fennel and shallots in butter for one minute or until lightly browned, seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and cool. Mix well with feta cheese, pine nuts, olives and herbs; season with pepper as there is probably enough salt from the feta.

3. Arrange lamb on work surface, inside facing up. Place a sheet of cling film over lamb and pound with a meat mallet to flatten out the  meat slightly, if needed, until leg is a fairly even thickness. Remove the cling film and season generously inside and outside of the lamb. Place the stuffing mixture lengthwise along one side of lamb; roll up lamb over stuffing, tucking in the ends. Evenly space 6 pieces of twine under lamb roll and tie the roll firmly.

4. In a roasting pan on the stove top (possibly over 2 burners), heat the oil over a high heat.  Add the lamb roll and sear all over, about 6 minutes in all.  Insert a rack under the lamb roast in the roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 375˚F until an instant read thermometer reads 140 degrees F for medium rare, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting occasionally.  Remove from oven and let sit, cover loosely with foil at least 10 minutes. 

5. To serve, discard strings, slice in 12 pieces and serve 2 slices per serving with your favourite accompaniments. May I suggest potato dauphinoise, braised red cabbage, broccoli and carrots.

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Get Married Abroad

A wedding abroad may once have been just fantasy, but with the cost of weddings in the UK continuing to soar it can actually end up being a cheaper option. With Valentines Day encouraging more couples to tie the know, why knot (sorry!) consider getting hitched overseas?

Here are some of top dream wedding destinations as voted by my girlfriends:

Barbados

No one does beach weddings quite like the Caribbean, with over 10,000 British couples getting married here every year. The most popular of the islands include St Lucia and Grenada, but the size and easy access of Barbados ensures it’s the favourite. Here you’ll be able to lap up the luxury in an all-inclusive resort for two weeks, and you can get a wedding packages costing in the region of £500 – including the planner and all legal fees.

Las Vegas

Getting married in Vegas is about the two of you...and Elvis if you want it to be. Vegas itself may be big, brash, glam and glitzy, but that doesn’t mean your wedding ceremony will be. The city is full of small wedding chapels catering for marriages 24 hours a day. You’ll both need to apply for a licence, but with the Marriage Licence Bureau open late and at weekends this couldn’t be easier. The cost in Vegas depends on what you’re after; you can do it for as cheap as $100 or you can opt for an all-inclusive to be arranged from the UK for a little more. Read a little more about Las Vegas as a destination.

Bali

Bali has a dramatic coastline with white sandy beaches creating the most picture perfect backdrop to your dream wedding. The weather is stunning most of the year round and you may even be able to get your entire wedding package for around £500. There is a little red tape to getting married in Bali as you’ll need to get an affidavit completed by the British Consulate and you’ll need to prove that you both belong to the same religion.

Italy

Italy continues to be a popular destination for weddings, with the regions of Tuscany and Umbria the stand out choices. You may dream to get married in an ancient Roman village or an elegant palazzo, with the evening spent enjoying an Italian feast. To get married in Italy, couples will need a Certificate of No Impediment in the UK, be resident in Italy for several days before the wedding and apply for a licence in person. Read my six most picturesque places in Italy.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

The girls in my office are big big BIG fans of brownies and we as a collective have embarked on the search for the best brownie recipe. Whenever I make brownies they are always enthusiastically taste tested in the office.Due to the quality of chocolate and the peanut butter these brownies are not too sweet and are ideal for sweet and savoury lovers alike.
Ingredients for crunchy peanut butter chocolate brownies
225g crunchy peanut butter (I use Waitrose essentials)
200g bar dark chocolate, broken into pieces (minimum 70% cocoa content)
280g soft light brown sugar (caster sugar is an ok substitute)
3 medium eggs (room temperature)
100g self-raising flour
Method for these yummy brownies
1. Leave 50g each of the peanut butter and chocolate to the side. 

2. Heat oven to 180C (160C fan/gas 4).Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper. 

3. Gently melt 175g peanut butter, 150g chocolate and all of the sugar in a saucepan, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has just about melted. 

4.Turn off heat and stir for a few moments allowing the mixture to cool a little but not to set.

5. Use a wooden spoon to beat in the eggs one by one. Stir in the flour and scrape into the prepared baking tin.
6. Melt the reserved peanut butter in the microwave on High for 45 secs, or in a pan, until runny, then drizzle over the brownie. 

7. Bake for 30-35 mins until it has a crust, but the middle still seems slightly uncooked.
8. Melt reserved chocolate, drizzle over the brownie, then cool in the tin before cutting into squares.
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So that's another Valentines Day done and dusted

Phew! So that's another Valentines Day done and dusted. Did you survive? I saw many a guy last night carrying some form of flower in Covent Garden. There seemed to be excitement buzzing through the air as couples greeted each other outside the tube station. Awwwww. The situation in Pandora on Long Acre seemed a little more strained with anxious men making a last minute purchase on the recommendation of the shop assistants.

Our office yesterday was decorated with large heart cut outs on the wall with individual roses on each desk. I received a lovely surprise delivered to the office and have yet to figure out how to get them home in one piece. Message within the card: Do you know who sent these?

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Valentines Day Ideas

Don't worry - you have time to do something nice for Valentines Day. Here are some of my ideas:

Spiced valentines biscuits

You may have missed my posts throughout February which are in one way or another related to romance:
What is romance?
What colour roses are best for Valentines and how many?
How many roses should I buy? What do they mean?
Help! I don't have a vase

Help! I don't have a vase

Historical Romance
When or when not to kiss around the world
Duchess of Devonshire: Kisses for Votes
18th Century - language of the fan

Recipes
Spiced Valentines Biscuits
Romantic Raspberry Cake
Champagne cupcakes
No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
Handmade Ganache Chocolates
Handmade Gold Chocolates
Jewelled Florentines
Recipes that go together well
Autumn Tomato Soup and Pesto Foccacia Bread Recipe
Handmade beef burger with salad and homemade rhubarb chutney

No bake chocolate cheesecake

Champagne Cupcakes for Valentines

Champagne and raspberry cupcakes

Makes 12 champagne cupcakes
Cupcake Sponge Ingredients:• 160g unsalted butter
• 160g caster sugar
• 170g plain flour
• 2 ½ teaspoonsbaking powder
• 3large free range eggs, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons of champagne
Method:1. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes using an electric hand mixer.
3. Crack the eggs into a jug and lightly beat them, add the champagne to them.
4. Sift the flour and baking powder on top of the creamed butter and sugar mixture.
5. Add the egg and champagne to the bowl.
6. Mix them with an electric hand mixer at a medium speed for two minutes.
7. Divide the mixture among liners.
8. Bake for 18 minutes at 180C. Press lightly on top of the cakes – if they spring back they are ready.
9. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack if possible.
Buttercream Ingredients:• 125g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 275g icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons of champagne
Method:1. Place the butter into a mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer until soft and whippy
2. Sift the icing sugar into the bowl and slowly blend with the hand mixer.
3. Increase the speed of the hand mixer slightly and beat together for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the champagne and mix everything together with the hand mixer for a further one minute at a slow speed.
Raspberry Filling Ingredients:• 8 tablespoons of raspberry jam
• 4 tablespoons of champagne
Method:1. Mix the raspberry jam and champagne together in a bowl.
2. Using an apple corer, core out the centre of each cooled cake.
3. Using a teaspoon, fill the cored out cake with the champagne jam mixture and replace the cored out sponge back into the cake.
Decorate your delicious champagne cupcakes
1. Frost each of the cakes with a palette knife or piping bag and nozzle.
2. Decorate with your favourite sprinkles, a cocktail firework or a fresh raspberry. Enjoy!

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See my other recipes

Don't have a vase for your valentines flowers?

Congratulations, he bought you flowers. The only problem is that you don't have a vase. Don't worry, with a little imagination you can turn a couple of tumblers and a coloured glass bowl into something quite stunning. So house the potpurri somewhere else and wash the glass bowl so it shines.Get a couple of tumblers together and start cutting the flowers.

As you can see from the pic above I have used two glasses as vase substitutes. I have placed those glasses within a low glass bowl and have filled the bowl with water and used a few pettles from a weaker rose to add a little colour.
Tip Tip: Cut the flowers at a 35 degree angle to allow the flowres to soak up as much water as they want.
Add a little sparkle
If you have some spare glitter hidden in that craft box of yours why not add a little to the water?
Find out the meaning of the colour of roses.

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A Scent of a Woman

The wish to smell nice has travelled with us through the centuries and never more so when l'amour is in the air. The key is to find a scent which reflects your aspirations. Make your own unique perfume which matches your personal aspirations to a T.
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Romantic Raspberry Cake

You don't need to go over the top this valentines day. I did a normal vanilla sponge and made a cream cheese frosting using fresh raspberries to give it the fabulous natural colour you can see in the pic but also adds a little tartness to the cake so it's not too sweet. I added some raspberry jam and raspberry cream cheese frosting in between the sponge layers.
Vanilla sponge and icing recipe
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Crack open the right bubbly

With valentines Day falling on a Tuesday this year it feels like a little more effort is required mid-week than if it was at a weekend. You needn't go to the lengths of cooking a 3 course meal unless you want to. Choosing a nice bottle off bubbly to accompany your normal mid-week meal along with a few candles can be just the ticket for you both to make your own dessert  oh la la! 
Chosing the right bubbly for your valentines meal
Bubbly doesn't mean you need to fork out for some rather expensive Champagne either. Oh no! There are other options out there that don't cost the earth and are rather tasty to boot such as Cava and Prosecco.
What is Prosecco?
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine. The name Prosecco can only be used if teh wine is made from white Prosecco (Glera) grapes that come from the Valdobbiadene/Conegliano region of Italy.There are two types: spumante and frizzante.
How do I keep bubbles in my opened Prosecco?
Prosecco may not keep as well as Champagne once opened. If kept overnight, use an air tight stopper - a teaspoon set into the bottle won't work.
What is Cava?
Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine. It's called Cava after the cellars in which it's produced.
Champagne cocktail ideas
Add fresh peach juice to Prosecco for the perfect Bellini, or add a measure of Creme de Cassis for Kir Royale.
Prosecco doesn't keep as well as Champagne but don't let that stop you from opening a bottle for the two of you. You can always use some to make yummy champagne cupcakes.
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