The English Kitchen

My Top of the Pop's (Dinner wise that is!)

2012-01-28T04:00:00.006Z

Source: flickr.com via Kate on Pinterest

Wahhh . . . gas works are still ongoing here at Casa de Rayner, and so once again no cooking going on. Sigh . . . sad but true. We did have a tasty fry up at a cafe this morning . . . but other than that we've only eaten fruit and cereal today. I think it will be toast and jam for tea, but that's always good and something we both like. After the fry up, something simple and non-fattening is in order!

I thought it would be fun to do a round up of my top of the pop's main dish recipes. These are the dishes that I cook again and again. I can see that comfort food plays a very big part . . . hmmm . . . I wonder what that says about me??? Sometimes it's nice to do a review of things . . . I think so at any rate. ☺

Beer Battered Fish & Chips

What can I say. I've always been a big fan of Fish & Chips. I think they taste better in the North West as compared to the ones we used to get in the South, and you can't go to the seaside without having them. Preferably eaten on the pier, looking out to sea and doused in salt and malt vinegar. Of course, making them at home is best of all.

Cottage Pie with Potato Cobbles

Cottage Pie is a real favourite with my meat and potatoes loving husband and he especially loved this version I made using extra lean beef mince . . . lots of onions, leeks and tasty carrots, swede and peas, all in a rich gravy and topped with lovely potato cobbles and cheese.

Sticky Bangers with Buttermilk and Chive Mash

There is nothing tastier or more beautiful than a good Butcher's pork Banger . . . and when you combine them with a sticky fruity glaze and some rich buttermilk and chive mashed spuds you have something that is very special indeed!

Macaroni Shepherd's Pie

Double the pleasure and comfort with your favourite lamb and veg filling topped with luciously rich macaroni and cheese. What more could anyone want! Different, easy and oh so tasty!

Perfectly Cooked Roast Beef

We have some of the best beef in the world here in the UK, and with my foolproof way to cook it, you are guarenteed to have a delicious roast beef dinner every single time. Tasty, tender and succulent. I like a standing rib roast best of all, but this method will work with any roasting cut. I guarantee!

Simple Pot Roasted Chicken

A deliciously moist pot roasted chicken served with plenty of veg and a tasty au jus. Heartily approved by my "Mr Darcy!" It may not look like much but it is really tender and moist. We like it with roasted potatoes, sprouts and mashed carrots and parsnips. Who doesn't love a tasty roast chicken and this, in my humble opinion, is one of the very best recipes ever!

Cod Fish Cakes and Tartar Sauce

Moist fish cakes, crisp on the outside and with no fillers, flavoured with fresh tarragon and served with a delicious homemade horseradish tartar sauce. This is one of our all time favourites, and so much tastier than those frozen fish cakes you buy in the shops.

Lancashire Hot Pot

British Tradition at it's very best. This is the good, old fashioned, stodge which never fails to please. Simple flavours, beautifully put together. This is what the UK is all about.

Not Your Mama's Spag Bol

Spaghetti Bolognese is one of the UK's most beloved dishes and makes weekly appearances in a lot of homes over here. My husband hates pasta . . . he's very old fashioned in that way, having been brought up during the war. Pasta is foreign food to him and he really prefers traditional dishes. He does like this though . . . as long as I spoon it over mash. I think everyone over here has their own "secret" recipe for Spag Bol. This is mine. It's a cross between Spag Bol and Chili, and quite, quite delicious if I don't say so myself!!

Chicken Curry with Rice

You just can't beat a good curry and I do believe that curry has overtaken just about every dish as Britain's favourite dish, even Roast Beef. (Although I do have to say we do love our Roast Dinners with a passion!) I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to curry . . . preferring mine a bit on the milder side, but loving it all the same. Chicken or lamb . . . fish or vegetable. Curry is one of our favourites. This is a lovely low fat one with a beautiful addition of spinach for added colour, texture and flavour. (We like Green Thai Curry as well!

Pssstt!! We also love a really good Lamb Curry as well. This particular recipe is very good indeed.

I just noticed something is glaringly absent here . . . a Tasty Fish Pie. Time to remedy that. Look for one soon!!!

On Monday I'll post my round up of my top ten favourite British Puds! (Am hoping I have gas for the weekend!)

In The Cottage today, Tex Mex Taters . . . cooked in the microwave and with the aid of an electric skillet!

Crunchy Tuna Wraps

2012-01-27T04:00:00.004Z

Due to ongoing local gas works there hasn't been a whole lot of cooking done here today. They were supposed to turn off out gas this morning, but here we are gone 1 PM and the gas is still on. I haven't dared start anything as they could knock on the door any minute. They are supposed to be removing the old lead pipe which brings the gas into our house and replacing it with a new plastic one and replacing the old gas meter as well.

We have stayed in all day waiting for them to do the job. If they don't get it done today, they can forget about doing it tomorrow. We already have plans and we're not open to changing them . . .

So anyways, instead of cooking anything for our lunch and risking having it interrupted halfway through I made us some tuna wraps.

Britain is a Nation of Sandwich Lovers. Oh boy do they love their sandwiches over here. They are definitely Sandwich connoisseurs! I was quite amazed at the different kinds that you can find when I first arrived on these green and verdant shores . . .

Pickle and cheese. (Branstons and cheddar) Cheese and Onion. (A mixture of Red Leicester, Cheddar, spring onions and mayo.) Cheese and Tomato. (Sliced tomato and grated cheddar.) Tuna and Sweetcorn. (Tuna Mayo with the addition of sweetcorn.) Egg and Cress. (Egg mayonnaise with spicy mustard cress sprinkled on top.) Bacon and Egg. (Egg Mayo with the addition of cooked bacon.) I could go on and on . . . there just seems to be no end to the variety of tastes and flavours you can find.

There is also no end to sandwich shops either. I think there has to be at least half a dozen in the centre core of Chester alone . . . and then each grocery shop has whole sections dedicated to the ready made sandwich. Rest stops on the motorways are also filled with ready made sandwiches . . . a boasting a great variety of fillings and breads. (I love the sandwiches from M&S. They are beautiful . . . always fresh, generously filled and never dry.)

There are panini and there are wraps. I don't think any nation on earth does the humble sandwich more honor than does Great Britain. But then again . . . the sandwich was invented here was it not?

(John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich and "Inventor" of the sandwich.)

It has been duly noted that the Earl of Sandwich, who lived during the 1700's, was attending a card-game tournament. He was hungry, but wanted to continue playing while eating, so he needed both hands to stay clean and he needed one hand free to hold up the cards. So he told one of the servants to fetch him some slices of roast beef and put them between two slices of bread. The other royals noted this and eventually started ordering "what the Earl of Sandwich came up with". Eventually they just started calling it a sandwich. And thus was born the sandwich.

Nobody loved sandwiches as much as my late Aunt Freda did. Oh, my . . . but they were one of her most favourite of all meals. It was a joy to watch her eating one, her pleasure was so very evident. She even made the humble peanut butter sandwich look like haute cuisine when she was eating it.

I do confess . . . I love a sandwich as well. Today I made us these tasty wraps for our lunch . . . filled with a delicious low fat tuna filling, stogged full of crunchy bits, like celery, peppers, cucumber, spring onions and shredded lettuce. With low fat mayo, the added spark of some prepared mustard and wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla . . . they were most healthy indeed.

Is a wrap a sandwich??? I think so! Mind you . . . we made up for the lack of fat in these healthy wraps by imbibing one of these after . . . but . . .

shhh . . . I didn't tell you that! for what is an eclair . . . but a sandwich of a different type . . . choux paste, cream and chocolate. Meh . . . don't burst my bubble.

*Crunchy Tuna Wraps for Two*
Serves 2Printable Recipe

A sandwich by any other name!! Tasty and crunchy and very healthy!

2 TBS reduced fat mayonnaise
2 heaped tsp of prepared mustard
1 (200g) tin of tuna packed in water, drained and flaked (7.06 ounces)
2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1 stalk of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
3 TBS chopped red sweet bell pepper
fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 inches of English Cucumber, very thinly sliced
a handful of shredded lettuce
2 whole wheat tortillas at room temperature (8 inches in diameter)

Combine everything but the cucumber, lettuce and tortillas in a bowl, mixing all together well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Lay out the tortillas. Divide the tuna mixture equally between them and spread it out to cover the surface. Lay the cucumber over top. (You want this to be very thin for ease of rolling. I use my mandoline. You may also just chop it finely if you wish instead of slicing.) Spread the shredded lettuce over top of the cucumber. Roll each topped tortilla up tightly. Cut in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.

Cooking in The Cottage today, Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry. (Thank goodness for electric skillets!)

Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

2012-01-26T04:00:00.005Z

This is a recipe that I got yonks ago from my dear sister. It's one that is quick and easy and oh so delicious . . . a bit calorie laden . . . but once in a blue moon it's ok to have a bit of an indulgence. It's when you bring once in a blue moon treats and undulgences to EVERY day that you run into trouble . . .

This recipe goes together lickety split. Just cook the macaroni and while it is cooking beat together the eggs, milk and seasonings. Have the butter measured and the cheese measured and grated and ready to go. Then . . . quick as a wink, as soon as the macaroni is cooked you throw it all together and . . . just like magic, presto chango . . . you've got delicious macaroni and cheese!

Seriously, it's as easy as all that. I kid you not!

I always use a strong cheddar because we like the flavour of strong cheddar, but you can use a medium cheddar if you want the cheese flavour to be a bit milder. Do taste before adding salt though . . . cheese can be quite salty and it wouldn't do to add too much and spoil the dish.

You could stir in some chopped ham or chorizo, or crumbled cooked bacon if you wanted to make it that tiny bit tastier . . . in for a dollar in for a pound and all that! You could also toss in some well drained chopped tomatoes.

You could sprinkle the top with buttery crushed croutons for a bit of crunch if you wanted and even pop it under the grill to really crisp it up . . .

Me . . . I like it just as it is, and I relish every tasty morsel.

*Stove Top Mac and Cheese*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Not for the faint of heart, this calorie laden treat, but boy oh boy . . . what a delicious way to go! Easy, uncomplicated and oh so tasty!

8 ounces macaroni
4 TBS butter
2 large free range eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp dry mustard
10 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil and then cook your macaroni according to package directions. Whilst the macaroni is cooking, whisk together the eggs, evaporated milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper and mustard in a large measuring cup. Once the macaroni is cooked drain well and then return to the pot. Stir in the butter until it melts, then stir the egg mixture into the hot pasta. Add the cheese and cook and stir over low heat until the cheese is melted and the whole thing is nice and creamy. Serve hot.

Note - You can cut the calories and fat somewhat by using "light" evaporated milk. I do NOT recommend using low fat cheese however, as the melting properties are not quite the same as full fat cheese.

Over in The Cottage today, Bacon and Mushroom Sauced Chicken Breasts.

Chicken Taco Salad (low fat)

2012-01-25T04:00:00.006Z

I know it's winter and not really salad days . . . but what's a girl to do . . . I was craving salad today, which isn't actually a bad thing to crave per se . . . salad is pretty healthy stuff.
I was thinking of a delicious Chicken Salad that I used to be able to get at a Mexican Restaurant in downtown Fredericton when we lived there . . . I have long forgotten the name of the restaurant . . . but not the salad. that's the way it usually goes . . .

Necessity being the mother of invention . . . and cravings driving me on (no, I'm not expecting, just a glutton) . . . I invented my own version of it. I had to make a few adaptions to the ingredients I had on hand, but I think I did that quite successfully. You be the judge of that!

I didn't have any tortilla chips, but I did have a package of soft corn tortillas and so I made my own. Which are actually much, MUCH better than store bought tortilla chips. YOU get to control the amount of spice and flavour . . . and they are baked, not fried. So easy to do. I love em!

The only chicken I had available was some frozen battered chicken strips . . . not totally healthy, but in small quanities, ok. These were actually chicken tenders . . . not chewed up chicken. I shook them (frozen) in a bag with some Tacon seasoning and baked them. VOILA! Southwestersn chicken strips. Cut in half diagonally, they were fab in this salad.

The real star though is the dressing. It's cool and creamy and very low in fat, which is an extra bonus! I used no fat mayo and sour cream for mine and it turned out just wonderfully delicious with just a bit of heat. You can control that by using more or less of the Chipolte chili paste. (This gives it a nice smokey flavour too.) I used mild salsa, as that is what I had.

If you don't have a stock pot, don't sweat it. You can just use some stock powder. You can of course make it even lower in fat by using plain skinless boneless chicken breast meat, cut into strips and then tossed with the taco seasoning mix. I had to use what I had to use . . .

With low fat cheese, and baked tortilla chips, lots of veggies, a bit of low fat cheese, and a very tasty low fat dressing, I think this is quite a healthy salad meal . . . Todd . . . well, he's not a salad person per se. He had a steak pie. Men!

*Chicken Taco Salad*
Serves 4

The dressing is the real star here. You can make it as spicy or not as you desire. It's easy to keep this low fat as well if you stick to low fat ingredients!

For the Salad:
10 ounces chopped cos lettuce (Romaine, about 9 cups)
1 (4-serving size) package of frozen chicken strips
1 package of taco seasoning mix
1/4 pound of shredded cheddar cheese ( 1 cup)
a handful of pitted olives, sliced (black and green)
4 ounces crushed taco flavoured tortilla chips (about 2 cups)
1 small tin of salad crisp sweet corn, drained well (about 1/2 cup)
4 spring onions, chopped (white and green parts)
1 large ripe tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 small red pepper, chopped

For the Dressing:
250ml of sour cream (1 cup)
1 Knorr Vegetable Stock pot
1 heaped TBS mayonnaise
2 TBS tomato salsa
the juice and zest of 1/2 fresh lime
1 tsp chipolte chili paste (or as desired)
1 small clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 TBS chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

First make the dressing. Put the sour cream into a bowl along with the vegetable stock pot and mayonnaise. Mash and mix well together with a fork, until the stock pot is completely dissolved. Stir in the salsa, lime juice and zest, chipolte chili paste to taste, garlic and fresh coriander. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired with fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover and chill until you are ready to use.

Shake the frozen chicken strips together with half of the taco seasoning mix. Place on a baking tray and bake according to the package directions. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature if desired. Cut in half on a diagonal.

Divide the lettuce amongst 4 chilled salad plates. Divide the olives, drained corn, spring onions, sliced tomatoes and grated cheese amongst the four plates, scattering all on top of the lettuce. Scatter the chicken pieces over top. Sprinkle with the crushed tortilla chips. Serve and pass the dressing at the table.

Note: You may serve this with additional tortilla chips if desired.

To make your own low fat tortilla chips. Cut several corn tortillas into wedges. Place on a baking tray. Spritz with low fat cooking spray. Sprinkle the tops with some ground coriander, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, mild chili powder and oregano flakes to taste. Bake in a 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5 oven until crispy and lightly browned, giving them a stir halfway through the baking time. It should take between 8 and 10 minutes.

In The Cottage today, I'm baking a delicious Walnut-Pear Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

Popina Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-24T04:00:00.005Z

This is a cookery book I have had in my bookcase for a few years now. The Popina Book of Baking, by Isidora Popovic, published by Ryland, Peters & Small. I think I picked it up in Waitrose one day when I was grocery shopping, having immediately fallen in love with the looks of that tart on the cover.

Popina started out in 2000 with a grant from the Prince's Trust and a stall in London's Portobello Market. Their delicious goodies now grace the shelves of many, many gourmet food shops. They specialize in hand-made, organic, additive free sweet and savoury baked goodies, using the finest seasonal ingredients. I've never had the opportunity to taste any of their products . . . but this book, I guess is a way of being able to savour some of their delights in your own home kitchen.

Today I baked the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from the book. I didn't change anything from it. I only ever very rarely do the first time I bake something as I want to see what the recipe artist intended first off . . . before I grab the ball and run with it. (I know . . . for someone who is trying to lose weight, I'm very, very naughty to say the least . . . )

These are big cookies and they look really puffy . . . but they are amazingly crisp. The picture in the book showed really flat cookies. Mine were not flat, so I don't know . . . no matter . . . they are delicious anyways.

I didn't get any molten chocolate . . . probably because I used chocolate chips . . . if I had used real chocolate I would have had oodles of molten chocolate goo, which probably in the wrong hands could be rather dangerous . . . a minute on the lips and all that . . .

If you are looking for a lovely fat, crisp chocolate chip cookie filled with lots of milk and dark chocolate goodness, this is the cookie for you.
I think when I make them another time I will add some sultanas or dried cherries. I like a bit of fruit in my chocolate chip cookies . . .

And perhaps some chopped toasted pecans. Those would be a really delicious addition . . . although having said that they are pretty yummy without any additions . . . truly. With a glass of cold milk . . . ummm . . . deeply satisfying, fresh out of the oven.

I can't believe it took me two years to bake something out of this book . . . I think I'm going to try the Cherry Chocolate Truffle Brownies next . . . do you think I should??? Dare I????

Ohhh . . . might be deliciously temptingly dangerous, don't you think??? (Other tasty offerings include such delicious treats as Cheshire Cheese and Apple Straws, Pepper, Pecorino and Thyme Tartlets, Wholemeal Spelt, Carrot, Apple and Pumpkin Seed Muffins and that tasty tart on the cover??? It's a Nectarine and Summer Berry Tart!)

*Popina Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies*
Makes 12 large cookies
Printable Recipe

You can use regular chocolate chips, or cut up your own chocolate for these. Any way you do it, they are fabulous. Eat the cookies warm for some molten chocolate scrummieness!! From the Popino Book of Baking. Plan ahead as the dough needs to chill in the refrigerator before baking.

120g unsalted butter at room temperature (generous half cup, about 4 1/4 ounces)
165g of soft light brown sugar (8/10 cup packed, or scant 14 TBS packed)
1 TBS golden syrup (can use golden corn syrup)
few drops vanilla
1 large free range egg
210g of plain flour (Generous 2 cups)
1/2 tsp baking powder
60g each dark and milk chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup each, or use chocolate chips)

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the syrup, vanilla and egg, beating it in well. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir this into the wet ingredients, mixing in well. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Shape the dough into a roll, 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Line several baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap. Cut into 12 equal slices. Arrange the cookie dough discs onto the prepared baking trays, leaving plenty of space in between for spreading.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cookies are pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for several minutes. Serve warm for a real taste treat. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

In The Cottage today, a delicious Blackberry Cobbler.

Don't forget to enter my Blogging Event, Come Dine With Me! You can read all about it in the post just below this one. The more the merrier!!

Come Dine With Me Blogging Event 2012

2012-01-23T04:00:00.005Z

Welcome to the very first annual
"Virtual"
Come Dine With Me
Dinner Party
Cooking Event 2012
hosted here on
The English Kitchen
and sponsored by

We've all watched the show, but now it is your turn to participate in your very own Virtual Dinner Party, held in your own home and presented here on The English Kitchen.
Between Now and the beginning of February, 2012 is your opportunity to sign up to have a Virtual Dinner Party, to be held in your house, and presented on your own blog.

MENU
will be YOUR Choice!!
DECOR and ENTERTAINMENT
YOUR Choice!!
PRESENTATION
YOUR Choice!!

To be included in this exciting first time event
all you have to do is to
send me an e-mail at MarieAliceJoan at aol dot com with Come Dine With Me in the Subject Line.
You will be assigned a date to present your dinner party on, showing on your blog with the menu and pictures you have taken yourself. I will provide links on that date to your post.
My readers will then be able to visit your page, where they will enjoy a virtual feast provided by yourself. Presentations will run over a week's time period, starting on the 6th of February and ending on the 11th of February. At the end of that time my readers will be able to vote and assign points to the various participants.
The winner will be gifted with a beautiful prize
provided by the people from

consisting of
a HelloFresh 5-meal bag containing meals for six people
a total of 30 individual meals complete with recipes!!!

If you happen to hate food shopping, or just simply don't have time and would like an healthy diet for your family then you will love HelloFresh!

Amazing recipes and all ingredients
delivered directly to your door every week

How it all works: Every week they'll send you amazing recipes and all the ingredients you need to prepare them.

Choose your Plan:Select the number of meals per week and how many people are in your household.
Changing the way you shop and eat couldn't be easier:
Then, choose the number of meals you would like to receive per week and how many people are in your household.

FREE Home Delivery!

Your recipes and groceries will be delivered Monday evenings between 5pm and 9pm.

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Your ingredients will be delivered straight to your door on Monday evenings.
The best thing is the delivery is included in the price!

Become a Master-chef!!

All the recipes have been created by world-class chefs and nutritionists.
The recipes are simple and straightforward and they don't take any more than 30 minutes. You don't even need any fancy kitchen equipment.

Enjoy!!!

You can start enjoying delicious home-cooked food and spend more time with the people you care about.
Sit back and enjoy yourself and spend quality time together at a family dinner or with your partner.

This is a fabulous prize and well worth the effort of entering. So here are the rules. Every contest must have rules.

1. You must agree to host a virtual dinner party in your home to be held during the week of February 6th to 11th

2. In order to qualify for the Hello Fresh prize you must reside within the area that Hello Fresh now delivers to. This can be simply checked by going to their page and entering your postal Code into the box provided.

3. You must, on the day assigned to you, present your Virtual Dinner Party to the world via your blog, with write up and photographs etc. and then provide me with a link which I can then share with my readers. A photograph which I can present on here would also be very helpful.

4. If you are not within the area that Hello Fresh now delivers to, I will provide an alternate prize, (To be announced) which will not be worth as much, but . . . it will be coming out of my own pocket so . . . You will also gain a bit of prestige and the esteem of the food blogging community! This means that if you live in America, or elsewhere, you can still participate and get in on the fun!

Sign ups will be open until midnight on the 31st of January, with Dinner Parties to be presented on the week between Monday the 6th of February and every day through to Friday the 11th February inclusive. Voting will commence on February 12th and a winner will be announced on February 14th.

The more the Merrier! Let's make this a really fun event. I do hope you will want to join in.

Cranberry, Orange and Pistachio Muffins

2012-01-23T04:00:00.004Z

Most Sunday afternoons I bake something scrummy for a light supper late in the afternoon. We are usually starving when we come in from church and so have a quick bite then . . . so we're not really all that hungry when the evening rolls around. Just a bit peckish . . . a quick scrummy bite is usually all we want.

Sometimes it's a fruity quick bread, or scones . . . or cakes. (I know naughty me!) Today it was these lovely Cranberry, Orange and Pistachio Muffins.

This folks is precisely why I stock up on fresh cranberries when they are abundant in the shops before Christmas. I just throw them in the freezer bag and all. That way I have lots of cranberry scrumminess to look forward to in the winter months . . .

. . . those dark and dull days that are so grey and gloomy . . . with not much to brighten them up. Damp and blah . . .

These lovely little muffins are like pretty little jewels in a winter wasteland! So bright with the cheery red cranberries and green pistachio nuts! Almost Christmassy . . . but they're not for Christmas coz it's January.

Light and moist and oh so yumbly tumbly good Good GOOD!

You can store any that you don't eat right away in a tightly covered tin and refresh them for a few seconds in the microwave before eating. Not that you will have much left over . . . but you might. You never know. Miracles happen every day.

*Cranberry, Orange and Pistachio Muffins*
Makes 6 large muffins, or 8 medium
Printable Recipe

Moist and flavourful muffins with just the right amount of tang and sweetness. The cranberry and pistachio topping is so pretty!

2 large free range eggs
80g caster sugar (scant half cup)
50ml of sunflower oil (1/4 cup)
the finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of one orange
150g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
100g fresh or frozen cranberries (1 cup)

Topping:
50g of fresh or frozen cranberries (1/2 cup)
hand ful of shelled pistachio nuts, chopped
demerara sugar to sprinkle.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a muffin tray with either 6 large muffin cups or 8 medium cups.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, orange zest and orange juice together well. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add the wet ingredients all at once and fold together, just to moisten all. Stir in the cranberries. Spoon into the muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full. Sprinkle the remaining cranberries on top, dividing them amongst each. Sprinkle each with some chopped pistachio nuts and aa generous sprinkle of demerara sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes without opening the door. When they are ready they should be well risen and spring back when lightly touched.

Remove to a wire rack to cool somewhat before eating. Stire in a anrtight container for up to 3 days. (You can refresh them with a quick burst in the microwave.)

Over in The Cottage today, a delicious Deep Dish Salmon Pie.

Basic Fruited Scones

2012-01-22T04:00:00.005Z

Oh, it is bitter cold outside today. Not a day fit for man nor beast. This is a day for hunkering down in front of the fire with a good book, a lap blanket and a plate full of these tasty scones and a hot chocolate (or tea if that's your pleasure!).

We love them stogged full of fat little crunchy currants and sticky plump raisins . . . with a bit of spice. Mixed spice is our preference, which is a spice mixture sold over here in the shops . . . ground cinnamon, coriander, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and ginger . . . warm spices, homey spices . . . there's a recipe to make your own over there ------->> in my right side bar.

You can of course use whichever fruit combination that floats your boat! Dried cranberries and grated orange zest . . . poppyseeds and lemon zest . . . dried sour cherries and almond extract instead of the vanilla . . . toasted pecans . . . finely chopped candied ginger and chocolate chips . . . chopped dried apricots and white chocolate chips . . .

All lovely . . . all comforting . . . all delicious and just perfect for a day like today . . .

This does make a lot, but they freeze really well, either before or after baking. Just wrap up really well and freeze. When you are ready to bake them, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time before you turn the oven off. Easy peasy . . . lemon squeasy.

If you don't want wedges, feel free to pat the dough out into a rectangle, 1/2 inch thick and cut out with square or round cutters. (sharp tap straight down and up to prevent them from being lopsided.) The important thing is that you don't overhandle the dough.

But most important of all . . . quite simply enjoy.

*Basic Fruited Scones*
Makes 16
Printable Recipe

These are lovely and light. Stogged full of lovely currants and raisins and a a bit of spice.

298g of plain flour (3 cups)
73g of caster sugar (1/3 cup)
42g of powdered milk (1/4 cup)
3/4 tsp salt
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice (see recipe on sidebar --->)
3 to 4 ounces dried fruit (currants, raisins, apricots, or other dried fruit, 3/4 cup)
2 large free range eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
125ml of buttermilk (1/2 cup)
8 TBS cold butter
1 large free range egg, beaten with 1 tsp water for glazing
coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar for topping (optional but good)

Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 8. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Drop in the butter. Cut it in using a pastry lender, or rubbing it in with your finger tips until you have a crumbly mixture with pieces of fat that are the size of baby peas. Stir in the dried fruit. Whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing in with a fork and being careful not to overmix. Gently fold together until everything is evenly moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Divide the dough in half. Place both halves onto the prepared baking tray and pat each half into a 7 inch circle, approximately 1/2 inch thick, leaving at least 4 inches between each round. Cut each round into 8 wedges, separating them only very slightly. Brush the tops with the beaten egg/water combination and sprinkle with some coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar, if using.

Place on the middle rack of your preheated oven. Bake for 7 minutes only. Turn the oven off and allow them to sit in the oven for a further 8 to 10 minutes without opening the oven door. They should be golden brown. Remove from the oven at the end of that time and place on a wire rack to cool slightly before cutting apart and eating. Ideally they should be served immediately or at least within a few hours of baking. You can freshen them up by gently reheating in a warm oven. They also freeze well.

We like them warm with butter, but you can have them with whatever you want. Jam and butter are good as are jam and clotted cream.

Cooking in The Cottage today, some delicious Dill Sauced Poached Chicken.

Blueberry and Almond Breakfast Bake

2012-01-21T04:00:00.004Z

I grew up surrounded by an abundance of wild blueberries, so much so that they were very much taken for granted . . . not those big grape sized ones that we get in the grocery stores over here, but those delicious tasty little pea sized morsels that you can only get from spending back breaking hours in the hot sun to acquire.

Along about the first week of August the ice cream buckets would appear on the kitchen counter, and we kids knew it was blueberry picking time . . . a time we both dreaded and revered all at once. We would spend hours in the blueberry bush, choosing and picking the dainty delicious berries and filling those ice cream buckets, the time only made longer according to how many actually made it into the buckets and how many made it into our tummies!

The warm summer sun and humming insects helping us to feel all cosy and, well . . . part of a family, all co-erced into partaking of this glorious labour! Co-erced by rose coloured memories and the anticipation of pieces of warm, fresh blueberrie pie, the lucious blue juice dripping onto the plate, mingling with runny rivelets of melting fresh vanilla ice cream . . . beautiful puffy lemon coloured muffins studded with those gorgeous purple berries and sprinkled with crusty sugar crumbles on top . . .

. . . light as a cloud buttermilk pancakes bursting full of the sweet lucious beauties, stacked three high, a golden pat of butter melting and gilding the edges, doused in beautifully sweet real maple syrup, the perfect foil . . . we knew as children that the more berries we picked the more of these delights we'd be able to savor over the long winter ahead.

Tired and hot at the end of the day, our fingers stained blue, with blue lips and teeth, sitting around the kitchen table with big bowls of tasty berries sprinkled with sugar and covered in cream. Berrys still warm from the sun, cream cold from the fridge, smiles on all the berry stained faces, knowing we had once again secured this little taste of summer for the winter ahead . . .

Oh how I missed them when I first moved over here to the UK. They were not readily available at all . . . what I wouldn't given at that time for a fresh blueberry pie. When you could find them at all, a premium price was paid for them . . . one that we could only afford as a very rare treat. Thankfully that is no longer the case, and whilst we can't get the lovely wild ones I grew up with, the larger cultivated ones are quite common in the shops now, although they can still be a bit pricey from time to time.

This past autumn we planted some blueberry bushes so that next year, with any luck, we will have our very own tasty source of the little beauties in our garden. Lots of little jewels to make delicious things such as this Blueberry and Almond Breakfast Bake . . . kind of like a baked French Toast . . .

Enticing, heartwarming and a beauty to behold. This pleases me on lots of levels. Eggy and lightly sweetened with a crisp and sweet sugared almond topping. Delicious!

*Blueberry and Almond Breakfast Bake*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

You need to plan ahead with this as it needs to be refrigerated overnight. The hardest thing about it will be waiting for it to come out of the oven as it smells fabulous while it is baking!

1 9 inch whole wheat baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes
(about 4 ounces)
250ml of 2% milk (1 cup)
6 large free range eggs
125ml of pure maple syrup (1/2 cup)
pinch salt (optional)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 heaped mug of fresh blueberries (about 1 cup)
a handful of flaked almonds
2 TBS demerara sugar (turbinado)
Maple syrup for pouring (optional)

Spray a 7 by 10 inch baking dish with some nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the bread cubes in the dish. Dust with the cinnamon. Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup and pinch of salt (if using.) Pour this mixture evenly over top of the bread cubes, making sure the liquid saturates the bread evenly. Scatter the blueberries over top. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and turbinado sugar. cover with plastic cling film and then refrigerate overnight.

In the morning take it out of the fridge about half an hour before you want to bake it.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Uncover the dish and then bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the eggs are set and the casserole is lightly browned on top. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into quarters to serve. Serve hot with or without more syrup for pouring.

In The Cottage today a delicious Tomato and Bean Soup!

Breakfast Oatmeal Muffins

2012-01-20T04:00:00.011Z

Here's an oldie but a goodie gleaned from the depths of my Big Blue Binder. I've been making these tasty muffins for years and years.

Hands down they have to be my absolute favourite Oatmeal Muffin of all time. I've tried lots of different ones . . . but I always come back to this recipe. These muffins are moist and stogged full of raisins and nuts, with just enough spice and vanilla to make them oh so scrummy delish.
They make great use of leftover oatmeal so you need never throw out any that's left in the pot after the family has eaten ever, ever again.

In fact . . . I dare say that after you try these tasty little babies, you'll make sure you always have enough oatmeal leftover just so that you can treat yourself and your family!!

Do make sure you butter the pan well though . . . as they do stick. I don't like to use paper liners with them either as they stick to them too and I want to have all that muffin scrumminess in my tumminess! (haha . . . I know . . . don't quit my day job!)

*Breakfast Oatmeal Muffins*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

These muffins are a great way of using up leftover cooked oatmeal. I often cook extra oatmeal for breakfast so that I can treat us to a batch of these the day after!

100g of plain flour (1 cup)
200g of soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
125ml of vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
2 large free range eggs beaten
180g of leftover cooked oatmeal cereal (about 1 cup)
150g of raisins (1 cup)
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease a 12 cup medium muffin tin very well. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together the leftover oatmeal, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients only to moisten. Fold in the raisins and nuts (if using). Spoon into the greased muffin cups, dividing the batter evenly amongst them.

Bake for 18 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool somewhat before eating.

Cooking in The Cottage today, some delicious Light and Crispy Fish Fillets.

Vanilla Spiced Breakfast Oatmeal

2012-01-19T04:00:00.004Z

This has to be our favourite weekday breakfast in the winter time. Not only is it filling, giving us much needed energy to combat the colder winter temps, but it also is belly warming and immensely satisfying without being high in calories or fat.

It really doesn't take much effort to make your own oatmeal from scratch and let me be honest here . . . homemade from scratch tastes infinitely better than prepacked/instant . . . seriously.
It's comforting and heartwarming. It's delicious.

I think it is the vanilla and spices that make this so special. I also happen to like raisins and they also add something wonderful to the mix . . . and as for those toasted pecan nuts on top, well they give an added dimension of flavour and crunch.

You really can't go wrong with this . . . lightly sweetened with brown sugar and juicy plump raisins . . . it is the perfect winter breakast. And if you are really in a rush, you can spoon yours into a cup and take it with you when you dash out the door to begin your day.

It's a good thing . . . not to copy Martha or anything . . . but it IS a good thing! (Don't throw away any leftovers . . . I've got something fantastic to show you tomorrow that makes good use of them!)

*Vanilla Spiced Breakfast Oatmeal*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This makes a frequent appearance on our seasonal Winter breakfast table. Spiced with warm spices and topped with crunchy toasted pecans, it's filling, delicious and always welcome!

60g of shelled pecan nuts (1/2 cup)
825ml of water (3 1/2 cups)
160g of old fashioned rolled oats (2 cups)
75g of raisins (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
freshly grated nutmeg
2 TBS firmly packed soft light brown sugar
250ml of low fat milk to serve (1 cup) or to taste
ground cinnamon to dust over top

Place the pecans in a dry skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir, until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool and then chop them coarsely. The toasting should only take about 5 minutes.

Combine the water, oats, raisins and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce to a slow simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the oats are tender and cooked. Remove from the heat. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Divide into heated serving bowls and serve with some milk poured over top (if desired), a dusting of cinnamon and 1/4 of the toasted pecans.

Over in The Cottage this morning, a delicious Deep Dish Chicken Pie.

Plum Fudge Puddings

2012-01-18T04:00:00.005Z

I had some lovely plums that I picked up in the grocery store the other day. It's not often you get nice ones this time of year. We had our fill eating them raw and then I decided to make a pudding with them.

I found this lovely pudding recipe in a book put out by Ryland Peters that I've had for a while now, entitled "Easy British Cooking, simple recipes for traditional British food." I just love this book. It's just full of lots of easy British Comfort Food types of recipes. I have almost all of their easy series books and I can highly recommend each one! (The recipe credit for this tasty dessert goes to Louise Pickford.)

There were several things I loved about this recipe. First of all the ingredient list was simple . . . fresh bread crumbs, thinly sliced fresh plums, butter, cream, honey and a bit of brown sugar and spice.

After making a very simple fudge sauce of butter, cream and honey . . . you simply layer everything up in little ramekins . . . and then bake.

Twenty minutes later you are rewarded with some of the most delicious little puddings you have ever tasted! They went down a real treat with some cream drizzled over top. Sooooo delicious indeed! We both really enjoyed them.

They were not too sweet, just a bit tart . . . with a bit of crunch and a bit of scrum. In short . . . perfect!

I can see that they might be tasty if made with other fruits as well . . . like blackberries and apples, or pears, or even blueberries. They were very similar to what we would call a fruit "Betty" back home.

I do hope you will give them a try. You won't be sorry if you do. I just cannot imagine anyone not liking them. They would be a most impressive, simple and quick dinner party dessert as well.

SCRUMMO!!

*Plum Fudge Puddings*
Serves 4

This is kind of like an apple brown betty, except it is made with plums and has a creamy fudge sauce. Yum!!

50g unsalted butter (3 1/2 TBS)
50g of runny honey (2 1/3 TBS)
2 TBS double cream
2 TBS soft light brown sugar
1 tsp ground mixed spice (see right side column for a recipe to
make your own mixed spice)
75g fresh white bread crumbs ( 1 1/4 cup)
2 ripe plums, stoned and thinly sliced
Cream or creme fraiche to serve

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready 4 (150ml) glass ramekins. (4 ounce size)

Put the butter, honey and cream into a saucepan and heat, whisking constantly,until melted and amalgamated. Put the breadcrumbs into a bowl and mix with the sugar and spice.

Divide half of the buttery fudge mixture between the ramekins. Top with 1/2 of the plums. Top with half of the bread crumb mixture. Top with the remainder of the plums. Top with the remainder of the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle the remaining buttery fudge mixture over top of each one evenly. Place the ramekins onto a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, before carefully unmolding onto dessert plates. Serve with cream or creme fraiche for spooning. Serve warm.

Cooking in The Cottage today, Crisp Oven Fried Chicken. Deeeeelicious!!

Pork Chops Lyonnaise

2012-01-17T04:00:00.002Z

The Toddster is a real fan of pork chops, yes he is. I admit to a certain fondness for them myself. When I was much, much younger and attending Secretarial School, there was a catering school in the same school and the students at the catering school would cook lunches for everyone. One of my favourite days was always the days they did pork chops . . . They were always cooked to perfection, tender and juicy and they came with pan fries and carrots. Yummo!

My mother tried hard, bless her heart . . . but her pork chops always came out a tad bit hard and dry. I think she was afraid that she would poison us all if she didn't cook them enough. We ate them anyways and we always kinda enjoyed them, even if they weren't cooked to perfection. She used to make really good gravy with them and that more than made up for it.

This recipe here today is a bit of a French speciality. I know . . . this is the English Kitchen, but in truth we are so close to the continent and the average Brit today is so well travelled that a bit of foreign stuff always makes it's way into our cuisine. We usually put our own twist on it though . . .

Like todays recipe . . . which in France is usually made with chicken joints . . . but why not the other white meat??? Pork goes very well with onions and mustard . . . Thyme and Pork are a marriage made in heaven . . . and with the crispy bread crumbs . . . well, these are almost like breaded pork chops. Who doesn't like breaded chops!!

I served these with some roasted winter vegetables and sauteed cabbage. They went down a real treat. They were cooked to perfection in the time allotted. My chops were about 3/4 inch thick. I do hope you will give this a try. They'd go well with mashed potatoes too . . . or some herby buttered new potatoes. A nice tossed salad would also be a great addition to the meal.

And some applesauce certainly would not go amiss . . . truly divine.

*Pork Chops Lyonnaise*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This dish is normally made with chicken, but why not make it with the other white meat??? Why not indeed! I served this with some roasted winter vegetables and cabbage.

4 (7 ounce) pork chops, bone in, rind removed and trimmed of all but a very
thin edging of fat
fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
40g unsalted butter (2 3/4 TBS)
2 medium brown skinned onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
45g of soft fresh white bread crumbs (3/4 cup)

Season the chops well on both sides. Melt 15g (scant TBS) of the butter in a large skillet. Quickly brown the chops over medium heat, taking care not to burn the butter. Transfer the browned chops to a shallow oven-proof casserole dish.

Add the onions along with the remainder of the butter. Cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until really soft, taking care not to allow them to colour. Stir in the mustard and thyme leaves.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.

Spread the onion mixture over the top of the browned chops, spreading it on thickly and dividing it equally amongst the chops. Divide the bread crumbs as well, pressing an equal amount down onto the top of the onion mixture on each chop.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, until cooked through and the juices run clear. Serve hot.

Note: This recipe is very easily adjusted to serve less people or more if you wish.

Not the best picture in the world, but very easy and delicious, over in The Cottage today, Oven Beef Stew!

Pappardelle with Roasted Winter Squash, Rocket and Pistachios

2012-01-16T04:00:00.004Z

Oh my but I do love me some pasta from time to time. Todd . . . he does hate it with a passion and so . . . I only ever have it very infrequently . . . almost never really.

The other day he was going with the missionaries to have lunch at a Single Sister's house and so I decided to fulfil my flagrant need to eat some pasta and threw together this dish.

Unfortunately my Pappardelle was a bit broken up . . . which didn't affect the flavour at all . . . just the looks. It went down the same and tasted every bit as delicious.

I love butternut squash as well, especially roasted until it is almost caramelized . . . and I love the flavour of sage . . . rocket . . . je t'adore . . . and pistachios??? Well, they just happen to be my most favourite nut of all time!!

So . . . let's see now . . . roasted butternut squash all sweetly caramelized at the edges . . . toasted pistachio nuts . . . oh so scrummy . . . sage . . . all musty herby . . . the peppery bite of rocket . . . almost meaty . . . buttery al dente pasta . . . oh . . . and cheese, finely grated Parmesan Reggiano . . . all together in my bowl, on my fork and in my tummy.

Bliss. Pure and utter bliss . . .

*Pappardelle with Roasted Winter Squash, Rocket and Pistachios*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Easy to cook and relatively low in fat. Low fat doesn't have to mean dissatisfied. This pleases on many levels! It's peppery, sweet and quite filling!

4 cups of butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
(about 1 medium sized squash)
2 TBS of good quality Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp of good quality extra virgin olive oil
fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
low fat cooking spray
8 ounces uncooked pappardelle or fettuccine
1 TBS butter
4 TBS coarsely chopped raw shelled pistachio nuts
1 TBS chopped fresh Sage leaves
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 of a 70g bag of washed rocket (2 cups)
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)
corasely ground black pepper to garnish

Preheat the oven to 230*C/475*F/ gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with foil wrap. Spray lightly with cooking spray.

Toss the squash cubes together in a bowl with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and some pepper. Spread out on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 25 minutes or so, until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

About halfway through the baking time for the squash cook the pasta, according to the package directions, omitting any salt or fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 TBS of the cooking liquid.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pistachio nuts, sage and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes until the nuts begin to toast and the mixture becomes very fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and toss in the drained pasta, cooking liquid, roasted squash and rocket, tossing all together gently to combine. Add a pinch of salt, some freshly ground black pepper and the cheese. Toss gently again to combine. Serve immediately.

Baking in The Cottage today, a delicious Golden Jubilee Cake.

Apples In Custard

2012-01-15T04:00:00.004Z

This looks plain and simple . . . and in truth it is. But don't let the simplicity of it fool you into thinking that it is not totally scrumdiddlyumptious!!

If you like baked apples and if you like custard . . . then you are going to love the two of them together!!

It's very easy to charge up the flavours as well . . . you know . . . add some cinnamon or nutmeg, or cardamom or all three!!

We love this . . . plain, or with a bit of cream poured over top.

You can cook all four servings in a square casserole dish, or do like I did and cook individual ones. Mine got a little bit close to the grill and got somewhat dark in spots, but that's ok . . . I like a little char . . . burnt toast, burnt cheese, burnt marshmallows.

Yes . . . I am wierd. But in kind of a delicious way, don't you think??

*Apples in Custard*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Proof positve that simple can be wonderfully delicious. Apples baked in a scrummy custard.

4 medium cooking apples, cored and peeled
(I like Granny Smiths)
8 TBS of sugar, plus 1 to 2 TBS for sprinkling at the end
(I use cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on at the end)

For the Custard:
96g of caster sugar (1/2 cup)
500ml of whole milk (2 cups)
1 tsp pure vanilla
3 large free range eggs
2 1/2 TBS plain flour
pinch of salt

To serve: (optional)
Cream and Maple Syrup

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Place the peeled and cored apples in a square baking dish (or into 4 individual casseroles). Put two tablespoons of sugar into the center cavity of each apple. Whisk together the custard ingredients until smooth. Pour over the apples, dividing it equally amongst the casseroles if making 4 individual ones. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the custard is completely set.

To finish off, at the end of the baking time sprinkle the 1 to 2 TBS of sugar (cinnamon sugar) over top of the apples and custard. Place under the grill (broiler) and grill (broil) until lightly brown. You may put a small amount of cream and maple syrup over the top for additional flavour.

Over in The Cottage today, Rumbledethumps . . . a delicious mix of potato, swede, cabbage and cheese. (Not a great picture I know!!)

Pumpkin Spice Cake

2012-01-14T04:00:00.004Z

The food I cook on here is not always uber loaded in calories and fat. In truth, we try to eat heathily much of the time . . . but I normally only show you the bad stuff.

I am wanting to make a change for 2012 though. In an effort to eat a lot healthier and in a bid to drag you all along with me, I plan on cooking fairly healthily for the most part, but with a few naughty treats scattered here and there from time to time . . . and I'm actually going to show you the healthy stuff for a change. I hope you don't mind. Who knows . . . we both might take off a few pounds in the process!

Food doesn't have to be heavily laden in fat and calories to be delicious you know. Point in fact, this tasty cake recipe here today. Not only is it flavourful and moist, but it's delicious and very low in fat and cholesterol. Low fat buttermilk and pumpkin puree take the plase of fat in this dark, spicy raisin studded cake.

It also uses a combination of plain and whole wheat flours as well . . . making it even healthier. It keeps for up to two days stored in an airtight container or frozen for up to one month.

I don't think anyone would recommend eating cake every day of the week, but if you are going to indulge . . . you can't get much tastier or healthier than this!

*Pumpkin Spice Cake*
Makes 16 servings
Printable Recipe

Moist, flavourful and low in fat. Delicious without being naughty! If you don 't have a bundt pan you can bake this in two loaf tins.

335g of granulated sugar (1 3/4 cups)
2 ounces soft margarine or butter (1/4 cup)
1 large free range egg
125ml of buttermilk (1/2 cup)
1 tin of pumpkin puree (14 ounces)
the grated zest of one orange
1 tsp vanilla
150g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
195g of whole wheat flour (1 1/2 cups)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
150g of raisins (1 cup)

Glaze:
32g of sifted icing sugar (1/3 cup)
1 1/2 tsp orange juice

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan. (or two medium loaf pans)

Beat the sugar together with the margarine (butter.) Beat in the egg until light. Beat in the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, orange rind and vanilla.

Whisk together the flours, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, and raisins. Stir in to the pumpkin mixture just to combine.

Spoon into the pan, smoothing over the top. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then tip out of the pan and allow to cool completely.

Blend the icing sugar with the orange juice. Drizzle over the cooled cake. Cut into slices to serve.

Baking in The Cottage today, Angel Buttermilk Biscuits.

Gingerbread Blondies

2012-01-13T04:00:00.006Z

OH MY GOODNESS! If you don't want to be severely tempted by something that is so dangerously delicious that any diet plans you had for 2012 will immediately be thrown out the window . . . LOOK AWAY NOW!

OOOPS! Too late eh? Sorry about that folks. We were having guests for lunch today and I wanted to bake something that was unusual and delicious and I came across this recipe in a cookbook of mine entitled Gingerbread ( by Jennifer Lindner McGlinn) for Gingerbread Blondies and I was instantly ~~spellbound~~ intrigued.

Who doesn't love Gingerbread????? It's just not human not to love Gingerbread is it??? Being unable to resist nibbling on a gingerbread house is what got Hansel and Gretel into trouble isn't it? And I am pretty darned sure that that apple in the Garden of Eden . . . yep . . . it was made of Gingerbread, absolutely.

So I baked them. The smell when they were baking . . . decadently gorgeously divinely gingerbready. The consistency of them when they were baked, and still warm . . . wonderfully moist and scrummy.

The taste of them cut into small bite sized cubes, warmed and then layered in a dessert dish, topped with vanilla bean ice cream and then drizzled with a Maple/Ginger preserved Ginger syrup drizzle . . . insanely decadently moreishly fabulously TO DIE FOR!

Seriously . . . I didn't get a picture of that last conconction folks, but trust me . . . it really was fabulously irresistable. My guests quite simply thought they had died and gone to heaven.

You must bake them now . . . and please . . . do try not to hate me too much for having introduced you to them!

The Devil made me do it. Think "Gingerbread Brownie" here folks . . . sigh . . .

*Gingerbread Blondies*
Makes one 9 inch square pan
Printable Recipe

Super moist, gently spiced and rich with butterscotch and caramel flavours. In other words, incredibly scrummy yummy.

275g plain flour (2 3/4 cups)
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
230g of butter, melted and cooled (1 cup)
200g of dark soft brown sugar (1 cup packed)
177ml of mild molasses ((3/4 cup) can use equal measures of
golden syrup and dark treacle to make up the whooe amount)
1 tsp vanilla
1 large free range egg
2 TBS double cream
Sifted icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. But a 9 inch square baking pan. Line with baking paper, leaving an overhang for lifting out. Butter the paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.

Stir the brown sugar, molasses, egg, vanilla, and cream into the melted butter, until are incorporated evenly. Stir in the dry mixture, a little bit at a time, until the mixture is smooth, making sure you scrape everything up from the bottom. (I use a wooden spoon to do this.) Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing over the top.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until chestnut brown in colour, lightly puffed and slightly cracked on top. A toothpick inserted into the centre should come out with a few soft or gooey crumbs.

Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool, remove from the pan and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar if desired. Store in an airtight container.

Note : The timings in the original recipe called for 20 to 25 minutes. Mine were not even near done by then. I added 15 minutes at a time to the baking time until they were done, which was more like 55 minutes. I'd start checking them at 45 though.

Cooking in The Cottage today, Inside out Chicken Cordon Bleu!

All Dressed Tortilla Chips

2012-01-12T04:00:00.005Z

It wasn't until a visit to my sister's in London, Ontario back in the early 1990's that I had ever considered that you could make your own nachos at home! (I know, how incredibly naive was I!!) We (my whole family) were there for a weekend and she threw these together for an evening snack. Oh my goodness, but they were some delicious!

They became a firm favourite in my own home after that and we often had them on game nights, or other celebrations. Everyone always loved them and we often varied the toppings to whatever it was we had in the cupboard and fridge at the time.

Alas . . . my waist line can no longer contemplate evening snacks such as these, game night or no! So now we have them for supper as an occasional treat. I'll often serve a bit of salad on the side.

I like to bake and serve them in individual small gratin dishes. That way they seem that little bit more special . . .

Sometimes I add chopped leftover cooked chicken, meat or even shrimps. Sometimes we add bell peppers, other times pickled jalapenos . . . it all depends on what's in the cupboards and refrigerator at the time.

I've never had anyone complain. That says it all. Thanks sis!! This has always been a real winner!

*All Dressed Tortilla Chips*
(Ultimate Nachos)
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

1 (450g) bag of lightly salted Tortilla Chips
(4 serving size)
1 (435g) tin of refried beans (about 2 cups)
Use low fat ones if you can
2 (226g) jars of spicy salsa (about 2 cups)
8 ounces medium to strong cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
Can use a Mexican blend if desired or Pepper Jack
Optional extras:
chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
chopped sweet bell peppers
chopped green and black olives
chopped cooked chicken, beef, pork or even baby shrimps, as desired
To finish:
chopped spring onions
sour cream

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with foil, or have ready 4 single serving gratin dishes. (My preference is the gratin dishes)

Divide the tortilla chips between the gratin dishes, or spread them out on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the refried beans over top, dabbing them here and there. (They will be impossible to spread evenly. Just do your best) Spoon the salsa over top of the refried beans. Sprinkle the cheese over top of the salsa.

Add your desired optional extras. Bang the gratin dishes, or the tray into the oven and allow to cook until the beans and salsa are heated through and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped spring over all. If desired, dollop with sour cream and serve immediately.

Cooking in the Cottage today, Classic Pavlova!

Pizza Puffs

2012-01-11T04:00:00.003Z

I've never made any secret of my love for pizza on here. I. LOVE. PIZZA. End of. I could eat it every day, all day . . . for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Over the holidays I was food blog browsing and I found these tasty looking Pepperoni Pizza Puffs over on Lick The Bowl Clean. (Which is a very tasty blog I might add.) She, in turn, had adapted the recipe from one by Rachel Ray, who is an American cook who likes to create scrummy things for every day cooking. I have a few of her books in my library, but haven't tried any of her recipes yet . . . I wonder why? After baking these, I clearly need to take a second look at them!

These were incredibly easy to make. I didn't want to use meat in mine and so I substituted scrummy things like black and green olives, sun dried tomatoes and chopped red onion. I also pimped the cheese mixture by adding some strong cheddar and I made my own Italian spice mixture with basil, oregano, garlic and marjoram.

They are not muffins, even though they are baked in mini muffin tins. They are not quiches or frittatas. They are more like little mini yorkshire puddings . . . all crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, with full on pizza flavour. They puff up really nicely in the oven. The resting time is a big clue . . . the best yorkshire puddings, that puff up the most, always require a resting time.

Your kitchen will smell like a pizzaria big time when you bake these, which will only make your pizza loving guests even hungrier. I was so surprised at how delicious they smelled when they were baking. Pleasantly surprised!

I like to make my own pizza sauce. The recipe is the result of years of testing and trialing, a recipe which you can find here. I do think it's the best . . . but then it was created by me and I am a bit biased. It makes enough for two full pizzas, but freezes well. Do feel free to use a store bought sauce if you would prefer, or even a tasty jar of really good prepared marinara sauce!

Pizza Puffs. Do try them. They rock.

*Pizza Puffs*
Makes 24 bite sized puffs
Printable Recipe

A tasty little appetizer that most people love. I have chosen to keep mine meatless, but you can add chopped pepperoni, or chorizo or cooked and crumbledbacon if you wish.

75g of plain flour (3/4 cup)
3/4 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of chilli flakes
4 fluid ounces of milk (1/2 cup)
2 fluid ounces cream (1/4 cup)
1 large free range egg, beaten
120g of grated mozarella cheese (1 cup)
30g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1/4 cup)
45g of finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)
85g of chopped mixed olives (I used green and black, the dry cured with herbs) (1/2 cup)
1/2 of a small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
a small handful of chopped sunblush dried tomatoes

To serve:
your favourite pizza sauce recipe, 1/2 cup
(reserve the rest for another use in the freezer)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a 24 hold mini muffin pan. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and cheeses. Beat together the egg, milk and cream. Stir this into the dry mixture. Fold in the chopped olives, onions and tomatoes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Spoon into the muffin tin, dividing it equally amongst them. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Warm the pizza sauce through.

Serve the puffs warm along with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Over in The Cottage today, some Tortilla Veggie Melts for two.

Chunky Puy Lentil and Veggie Soup

2012-01-10T04:00:00.005Z

Puy lentils, grown in France are just wonderful in soups. They thicken without turning to sludge. They don't break down like other lentils and keep their lovely little shape, giving any soup which is made with them a bit of a bite, a very delicious bite!

I love them in this soup, where they are a beautiful contrast against the soft, buttery vegetables. The oregano adds a heady tang which also adds some taste pleasure to the mix.

Todd usually only likes his soups pureed . . . I like a bit of texture in my soups. This soup pleases on both levels because you do get that pureed texture from the meltingly tender vegetables and a lovely bit of texture from the lentils.

It makes a lovely, filling, bone warming and hearty lunch for these cold winter days . . . something which I need as I am not battling the third cold and chest infection that I've had in as many months . . . getting a bit tired of this I say . . . more than a bit tired!

Soup . . . the ultimate comfort food. Really. I like to think that when I choose a bowl of soup . . . I am making a healthy choice.

Chunky Puy Lentil and Veggie Soup*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Delicious, warming and filling. Perfect January food!

2 TBS butter
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp dried oregano
400g tin of chopped plum tomatoes plus juice (2 cups0
200g Puy lentils (approximately 1 cup)
1 litre vegetable stock (about 4 1/4 cups)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese to serve
crusty bread, toasted and butter, to serve

Melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the carrots, leeks, onion and garlic, stirring to coat with the butter. Add a healthy pinch of salt, cover and allow to cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.

Add the chilli flakes, oregano, lentils and stock. Cover and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes or so, until the lentils are cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Ladle into heated bowls. Serve with buttered toast on the side, and grated cheese on top.

Something oh so tasty and yet oh so bad over at The Cottage Today, Easy Cheesy Burgers.

Golden Rice and Chicken Pilaf

2012-01-09T04:00:00.004Z

You can pick up some tasty little goodies in the grocery store, and I'm not just talking about food. For years now I have been collecting little recipe cards, pamphlets and booklets that I thought had tasty recipes in or on them.

I have quite a collection as you can imagine. The recipes are normally quite, quite tasty. My favourites have always been the Waitrose Cards, but I have found little gems in most of the shops.

I even have some very old Robin Hood baking pamplets that I had collected when I was a girl. They're just lovely. This recipe here today came from a magazine clipping advertising chicken tenders.

I have adapted it somewhat and it is a recipe we both really enjoy. It gives us a tasty dinner on the day and then leftovers to stick in the freezer for another time. It has just enough spice to suit our tastes, with middle eastern flavours. The frozen peas are my addition . . . because they add colour and texture and we like them.

Quick, easy and a great way to stretch a pound of chicken, this recipe pleases on many levels. I forgot to sprinkle the chopped nuts on top today . . . so you'll just have to imagine how pretty it is with them added!

*Golden Rice and Chicken Pilaf*Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a quickie dish that I adapted some years ago from one of those booklets you pick up in the grocery store. It's delicious and always more than welcome.

2 tsp oil
1 pound fresh chicken tenders (or the equivalent of boneless, skinless chicken breast,
cut into strips, crossways)
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
210g of uncooked regular long grain rice (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
a handful of sultana raisins
a handful of chopped dried apricots
1 heaped tsp of curry powder (I use a medium strength)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt
500ml of chicken broth
white pepper to taste
a handful of frozen petit pois
to garnish:
chopped toasted almonds or pistachio nuts

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and the onion is softened. Stir in the spices and the carrot and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until very fragrant. Stir in the fruit and broth, mixing all together well. Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Take off the heat, stir in the petit pois and set aside, covered, for about 5 minutes. Fluffy up the rice and serve immediately, garnished with some toasted nuts if desired.

Over in The Cottage today, Aunt Fern's Coconut Cookies.

Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-01-08T04:00:00.004Z

I just love to take recipes that are familiar and well known, and then adding a little twist to them, just to make them that little bit scrummier. (Are you tired of that word yet? How about moreish???)

Anyways, peanut butter cookies. Nothing out of the ordinary there. I mean how can you improve upon perfection??? Crisp peanut butter cookies, stogged full of peanut butter flavour . . . a crisp sugar coating . . .

How two of those perfect little babies, sandwiched together with melted chocolate???? mmmm . . . oh so good. Especially with a nice cold glass of milk.

Perfect. Lunch box goodies. You can't get much better than this!

Well . . . you could spread single cookies with melted chocolate and then sprinkle them with chopped peanuts . . .

But, I didn't show you this did I??? shhhh . . . mum's the word. I didn't do this. I didn't eat them all up either. uh uh . . . wasn't me.

*Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookies*
Makes about 18 double cookies
Printable Recipe

Classic cookie with a delicious twist! Bet you can't eat just one! Perfect with an ice cold glass of milk!

175g of plain flour (1 1/4 cups)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBS unsalted butter, softened
200g peanut butter (3/4 cup)
(don't use natural peanut butter)
125g of dark soft brown sugar (3/4 cup packed)
1 large free range egg
1 tsp vanilla
Demerara sugar for rolling (turbinado)
6 ounces chocolate chips (1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and peanut butter, until well mixed. Add the brown sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, soda and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture until all the ingredients are well mixed, making sure you scrape up from the bottom of the bowl.

Put the demerara sugar in a small bowl. Scoop out the dough and shape into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll each ball into the demerara sugar and then place onto the baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Using a fork press the balls flat, first pressing one way and then again diagonally from the first marks. It will or should look like little squares. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Place the chocolate chips in a bowl and melt in the microwave, following package directions. Sandwich two cookies together with a bit of the melted chocolate in the middle. Allow to set before eating. Store in an airtight container.

Over in The Cottage today, an amazing Chocolate Mint Snacking Cake . . . another tasty treat from my Big Blue Binder.

Fat Rascals

2012-01-07T04:00:00.003Z

I was laying in bed last night, looking through this little cookery book of mine. (Doesn't everyone go to bed with a cookbook???) I love the National Trust Cookbooks because they are filled with lovely traditional recipes and that is what I adore most about the food over here in the UK . . . the traditional recipes.

I thought it had been a while since I cooked something really traditional and the name Fat Rascal just jumped out at me. How could I resist??? Who wouldn't want to bake and eat something called a Fat Rascal???

The description on the recipe page said that they were fruity buns, with brown crusts, originally hailing from the Cleveland area between County Durham and Yorkshire, thought to date back to the mid 19th century. I was hooked, and so this morning as soon as I got my morning chores out of the way . . . I dug out my scales and ingredients.

Very easy to make they were . . . and it wasn't long before I had a pan of them baking in the oven. They are delicious as well, being oh so scrummy.

I would call them a cross between a scone/pastry/biscuit . . . as they were a little bit like each of those things, but not entirely any one of them, if that makes any sense. I only know they went down really well for our "Elevenses" today and I would deffo make them again . . .

I am in a bit of a quandry though . . . as when I went online to look up a bit of their history to see if I could find out anything else about them . . . this is what I came up with . . .

Oodles and oodles of cakes and recipes which looked pretty much like this! (This is an image from Betty's Tearoom where they sell them at 4 for £7 . . . Pricey I know!) They look nothing at all like what I baked . . .

And the recipes that I found including this one by James Martin (which looks very scrummy indeed, I might add) are nothing at all like the one I found in my National Trust "Good Old Fashioned Teatime Treats" cookbook. (by Jane Pettigrew). The others had baking powder, self raising flour, lard, spices, eggs . . . etc. in theirs. The one I made is a bit of a plain Jane.

So which is the real Fat Rascal???? I don't really know!!

I only know for sure that if you ate enough of these tasty cakes that I did bake this morning . . . you would end up as a bit of a Fat Rascal yourself . . . coz they are quite, quite tasty indeed, and went down a real treat!

If you are looking for the bejeweled version, with cherries and the like . . . go for James Martin's . . . but if you are happy with something that is buttery, simple, short (almost like a shorbread biscuit) and stogged full of sweet currants, then go for this one which I baked here today.

Either way, I doubt you'll be disappointed. It all depends on what you are looking for . . . simple wins with me everytime.

*Fat Rascals*
Makes 7 to 8 buns

Delicious fruity buns from the North East. Perfect with a hot cuppa!

225g of plain flour sifted (2 cups)
pinch of salt
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
40g of caster sugar (3 1/2 TBS)
50g dried currants (1/3 cup)
50 - 75ml (2 to 3 fluid ounces) milk and water mixed
more caster sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a baking sheet and set it aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt. Drop in the butter, cut into bits. Rub it into the flour until it is all rubbed in and the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in enough milk/water with a fork to give you a firm dough. Pat out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch rounds with a sharp round cutter. Place on the prepared baking tray. Dust lightly with caster sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until pale golden.

Remove from the oven and carefully lift onto a wrire rack to cool completely before serving.

In The Cottage today Caramel Apple Cake. Bad picture I know . . . but one VERY delicious cake!

Chocolate Chip Tray bake

2012-01-06T04:00:00.003Z

I'm feeding the missionaries again tonight and you know how much I love to spoilt them! They're great lads who work really hard and they deserve a little extra TLC and some lovin from the oven.

They're out pouding the pavement on the Lord's errand every day, and at this time of year that is sometimes most unpleasant, what with wind and cold and rain . . . but they never complain. I admire them for that. (You can't even get me to walk the dog on a day like today. I am such a lazy cow . . . and I just hate cold wind!)

Today I thought I'd make them a tasty little treat that they could all enjoy, and at the same time get rid of a few Christmas bits and bobs . . . like chocolate and stuff . . . and biscuits. I mean . . . you can't have those types of things hanging around in January can you? January is supposed to be about casting off the old and putting on the new . . . about eating a bit healthier after all the excess of December . . .

Anyways, these tasty bars are the ideal way of using up some chocolate bits and bobs, and those last few biscuits in the tin, and whatever else you may want to throw in . . . just so long as it's scrummy and the flavours don't clash.

Sweet and buttery with little bites of crunch and then creaminess . . . the recipe doesn't call for the frosting . . . but I had some that I wanted to use up and I thought . . . why not throw a few smarties on top as well for even more colour and crunch.

Did you know that the orange ones taste like oranges??? I know! Genius! (Is it just me or are Smarties not as brightly coloured as they used to be when I was a kid???)

*Chocolate Chip Tray Bake*
Makes 12 large pieces
Printable Recipe

This is perfect for elevenses or after school!

250g of butter at room temperature (1 cup)
250g of golden caster sugar ( 1 cup plus 2 tsp)
4 large free range eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
250g of self raising flour (2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
75g of milk chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
75g of white chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
100g of sugar coated chocolate drops (ie smarties, M&M's etc., 1/2 cup)
5 biscuits, crushed (digestives, malted milk, oreo's, etc. whatever you want to use)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and line the bottom of a shallow baking tray, about 13 by 9 inches in size. Set aside.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Cream in the sugar, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift together the flour and baking powder and then gently fold into the creamed mixture, taking care not to over work it. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared tin, leveling off the surface.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown. Leave to cool in the tray. Cut into squares to serve.

Over in The Cottage today, I'm cooking Braised Kale, oh so delicious! (And healthy!)

Ham and Split Pea Soup

2012-01-05T04:00:00.002Z

One thing that I love most about the Holiday Leftovers is that deliciously meaty ham bone left from the New Year's ham. In these days of austerity, it only makes sense to get as much bang as we can out of the money we spend on our food budget.

I had a mom who could make a delicious soup out of anything, and often did. We never ever minded having soup for supper. It was one of our most looked forward to meals and even now when we go home to visit . . . a visit isn't complete without having a feast on one of her homemade soups at least once. One of our favourite soups that she would make was her Pea Soup. She always used the whole dried yellow peas . . .

I can't get them over here, but I can get the split yellow peas and they taste pretty similar. Mom would simmer the hambone in her special mixture of boiled water, herbs, and peas all afternoon until it was soooo deliciously comforting and filling.

She always put some carrot into it along with some peeled potato. The carrot gave it a bit of colour and an extra depth of flavour . . . she claimed that the potato absorbed any excess salt from the hambone.

We used to love it if we got a piece of the carrot and the potato in our bowl. We saw them as a real treasure. I always made sure that when I made this delicious soup for my family that there was a piece of carrot and potato for each person's bowl.

Coz I'm like that. Fair. This is delicious. Most recipes that are handed down from our mom's are. That's coz there is love attached and a beautiful history.

*Ham and Split Pea Soup*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

This was always my favourite soup when I was growing up. My mother always used whole dried peas, but I haven't been able to find them over here. I just use the split and it always tastes pretty good regardless. It requires very little effort and more or less makes itself really.

1 ham hock, or leftover bone from a roasted ham
(make sure there are lots of meaty bits still clinging to the bone)
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
and then cut in half again so that you have four pieces
1 large potato, peeled and cut into four large chunks
(my mom always said that the potato absorbed any excess salt from the ham)
1 bay leaf, broken in half
1 tsp of summer savoury (if you cannot find savoury,
use a combination of marjoram and thyme)
freshly ground black pepper
8 cups of boiling water
2 cups split peas (I prefer the yellow ones myself,
but you could also use green ones if you like)

Put all the ingredients into a large pot on top of the stove and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and then skim off any scum that may float to the top, and discard. Partially cover and simmer for an hour and a half or so, until the peas are quite soft and the meat is falling off the bone.

Remove the ham hock from the pot. Discard the skin, any fat and the bone. Cut the meat into large shinks and put it back into the pot. Skim any fat off of the top of the soup that you can and discard. Fish out the bay leaf and discard as well. Taste and adjust seasoning as required, adding salt and pepper to taste. I normally find it doesn't need any salt, but a healthy grinding of black pepper goes down well.

Spoon the hot soup into heated bowls, trying to give each person a piece of potato, carrot and some meat. Enjoy!!!

Note - If you find your soup is too thick, you can add some boiling water to it, adjusting the seasoning as required.

Over in The Cottage today some delicious Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies!

Meat Loaf Pie

2012-01-04T04:00:00.005Z

Time for another recipe that I have had kicking around in my Big Blue Binder for years and years. Meat Loaf Pie!

When I was a child I did not like meatloaf at all. I didn't like minced meat at all! My mom always bought the really cheap stuff that was full of grease, gristle and bits of bone. I hated it. Everytime we had it I wanted to gag . . . it was not my favourite thing at all.

I could never understand the false economy of buying cheap mince . . . half of it gets drained away in fat . . . I'd rather pay more and get my money's worth. I always buy extra lean minced steak and it is worth every extra penny.

We do like meatloaf in this house, but sometimes I want the flavour of a good meatloaf, but in a lot less time than it takes to cook a regular meatloaf! This tasty recipe fits the bill on all counts.

You press the meatloaf mixture into a pie tin so it cooks in about 1/3 of the time. I still use the traditional toppings of a tasty ketchup and brown sugar glaze, some cheddar cheese and streaky bacon.

It is some delicious. I serve it in wedges along with some fluffy homemade mash and green beans or cabbage. It always goes down a real treat. This is a doddle really.

Family Food = Comfort Food. It's a real favourite with the missionaries too!

*Meat Loaf Pie*
Serves 4

A lot quicker to make than a regular meatloaf and delicious as can be! A real family favourite!

1 tin (5 ounces) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
2 ounces dried fine bread crumbs (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 single serving envelope of cup of soup (I like to use the cream of
mushroom or the onion)
1 pound of extra lean minced beef

To top:
2 ounces tomato ketchup (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
1 dessert spoon of brown sugar
4 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated ( 1 cup)
6 slices of streaky bacon, partially cooked and cut in half lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie tin and set aside.

Whisk together the evaporated milk, bread crumbs, garlic salt, pepper and soup mix in a bowl. Crumble the meat over top and then mix it in, combining everything together well. Spread into the prepared pie tin, pressing it onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Whisk together the ketchup, oregano, mustard powder and brown sugar. Remove the pie tin from the oven. Spread this on top of the meatloaf. Top with the grated cheese and the bacon. Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until cooked completely through and the bacon has crisped somewhat and the cheese has melted.

Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. We like to have mashed potatoes and a green vegetable with this.

Note : This is also very easy to double. You can bake one and put the other, minus the toppings, in the freezer so that you have a delicious meal ready at your fingertips whenever you need one! You can cook from frozen, but of course it will take a bit longer.

Baking in The Cottage today, Not Quite Jammy Dodgers!

Brown Sugar Cream Pie

2012-01-03T04:00:00.005Z

I can't believe that I almost forgot to showcase this fabulous recipe! It was something that I baked for a dessert during our Christmas festivities.

Totally hedonistic and totally delicious. Totally N-A-U-G-H-T-Y, but in a totally scrummy way.

Something that you would not hesitate to serve to a guest . . . or some hungry missionaries who are not bothered about calories . . . because, well . . . they walk them all off during the day anyways, and what your guests don't know don't hurt!! What the eye don't see the heart don't grieve!

It's rich. It's so easy as to be considered almost TOOO easy to be true. It's quick. It's simple. It uses things we almost all have in our homes at any given time.

It's blatantly scrumdiddlyumptiously glorious. (Again, back to the easiness of it . . . it's so seriously easy that literally all you have to do is to whisk together a few simple ingredients and pour them into an unbaked pie shell, and then wait for it to bake and cool down.)

What it's not is something that you want to eat too often, as the calorie and fat count must be so well off the Richter Scale of what's good for you that you don't really wanna know.

But as a once in a blue moon treat, forgetting all else . . . it deeply satisfies any craving you might ever ever have. Truly.

*Brown Sugar Cream Pie*
Makes one 9 inch pie
Printable Recipe

Creamy and delicious and not for the faint of heart!

one 9 inch unbaked pie crust
2.5 ounces flour (1/3 cup)
4 ounces butter, melted
7.5 ounces soft light brown sugar (1 cup, packed)
1 pint of double cream (2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, flour and cream until well blended. Pour into the crust. Bake in the heated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. The centre should be still jiggly, but not liquid. Allow to cool completely before cutting into wedges to serve, with or without a dollop of whipped cream on top!

Over in The Cottage today, some delicious Swede and Bacon Pies.

Flat Meatballs & Gravy

2012-01-02T04:00:00.004Z

There are purists out there that would call foul at anyone who stoops so low as to use a tin of creamed soup in a recipe. If you are one of those people . . . then look away now.

While I never ever would eat a tin of cream soup as, well . . . a bowl of soup, they do have their uses. Having been brought up on the odd tin of Campbell's myself, I am not so much of a culinary snob that I am adverse to using a tin here and there in a recipe.

There are some recipes where nothing else will do. And I embrace those from time to time. I don't see it as cheating, or being lazy. It's a part of my heritage. I don't apologize for it.

Especially when it comes to making these delicious meatballs! Ok, so they are more like tiny beef patties, but . . . we'll just call them flat meatballs and give them the respect that they are due!

These are wonderful. After all the turkey and ham and fruitcake and Christmas Cake and mince pies of the past few weeks . . . they were also a very welcome respite!

Cream of crud soup or no. They spell comfort. C-O-M-F-O-R-T

Yes . . . I did have a Campbell's Soup Doll when I was a kid. I saved up soup labels and pennies for months to get one and I cherished it. That's what you do to things you really have to work hard to acquire . . . you cherish them. And I cherish the memory of Campbell's soup on a cold winter's day. Especially Tomato with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich on the side. I can't help myself.

So back to the meatballs. They are deliciously, dare I say it again . . . S-C-R-U-M-M-Y!

Another winner from my Big Blue Binder. Perfect for these early days of January when you want to get as far away from Christmas food as possible.

*Flat Meatballs & Gravy*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a recipe I have had kicking around in my big blue binder for a long time. Simple ingredients, easy to make but fabulous flavours!

1 pound extra lean minced steak
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 cup whole milk
1 heaped dessertspoon of flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 small onion, peeled and grated

Also:
a bit of butter and oil for frying
1 tin of condensed cream of mushroom soup
125 ml of milk (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp summer savoury
the other half of the onion, grated
1 tsp worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a bowl, mixing it together with your hands.

Melt a bit of butter together with some oil in a skillet over medium heat, until the butter starts to foam. Scoop out the meat mixture using a dessertspoon and shaping it into balls. Flatten the balls slightly and then brown them on each side in the heated pan. Repeat to brown all meatballs. Keep warm.

Whisk together the soup, milk, summer savoury, grated onion and worcestershire sauce. Pour into a shallow casserole dish. Add the browned meat balls, turning them to coat. Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes, turning them once during the baking period. Serve hot with some cooked rice and a vegetable on the side. Delicious!

Over in The Cottage today, Spicy Cheese Fries.

Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings

2012-01-01T04:00:00.004Z

All week I have been pondering what will be the first recipe I post on here for 2012. Ohh . . . so many recipes to choose from . . . I could drive myself mad with choice you know! I have that many cook books.

My favourite cook books though are not the ones that come with the fancy covers, filled with pretty and delicious looking pictures . . . written by this month's flavour of the month celebrity chef or otherwise . . .

They are my Big Blue Binder and a couple of notebooks where, throughout the years, I have laboriously copied out the creme de la creme of recipes . . . recipes gifted to me by friends and family. Recipes developed and tweaked through years of trial and error, until I have gotten them just so . . so . . . perfect. Well, perfect for me at any rate.

This is simple food using simple ingredients with wowsa wowsa flavours. Tried and true. Family and husband tested . . . our absolute favourites. I did write a book with some of the best ones in it a few years back. You can find it here. I'm quite proud of it as I did it all myself . . . I know a publisher would have done a better job probably, but I did my best, and that's what counts.

Anyways, so back to the recipe. I decided to make these apple dumplings for several reasons. One . . . they aren't something that I make very often, like maybe only ever 5 or 6 years. (They are good artery cloggers and hip expanders!!!)

Two, I wanted to spoil my husband with one of his favourite things for the New Year. He loves anything with apple in it.

Three . . . the crunch is on to get ready for two family weddings in June/July . . . so . . . diet time starts today . . . I have to really cut back on the goodies now. I thought . . . why not go out with a real humdinger!

And so . . . I did. I don't regret even one mouthful. So there.

*Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

I don't know anyone who doesn't love these. They're fantastic, and they're not as difficult to make as one would suppose.

6 medium sized firm cooking apples (I used granny smiths)
2 TBS lemon juice
3.5 ounces granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
soft light brown sugar
2 TBS butter
enough pastry for 2 10-inch pie crusts

For the sauce:
500ml of water (2 cups)
5 ounces granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup)
2 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Cream for serving

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Have ready a 9 by 13 by 2 inch baking pan, which you have lightly buttered.

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle measuring 14 by 21 inches. Cut into six even squares. Whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Peel and core the apples, leaving whole. Put the lemon juice in a bowl and roll the apples in this, then roll them into the bowl of cinnamon sugar to coat. Place each apple into the centre of one pastry square. Fill the cavity of each apple with 2 TBS soft light brown sugar and 1 tsp of butter. Pull up the sides of the pastry squares to cover each apple, crimping the edges tightly shut. Place into the prepared pan.

Bake for 1/2 hour.

In the meantime, combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to the boil and cook rapidly for 1 minute. After the dumplings have been cooking for 1/2 hour, pour the sauce over top and then return to the oven, continuing to bake for a further 1/2 hour, basting occasionally.

Serve warm with cream for pouring. Delicious.

Over in The Cottage today, the extreme opposite from such decadence . . . Green Beans Almondine!

The Deliciousness That Was 2011

2011-12-31T04:00:00.003Z

Source: google.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Well, here we are at the end of another year! I don't know how it happened. This year has just flown by with amazing speed! It's been a wonderful year though . . . with lots of good cooking and happy times shared with loved ones, friends and YOU!

Food shared with friends is the best food ever and I have really enjoyed sharing my culinary repasts with each of you over the past twelve months. I thought it would be a fun exercise today to go back over some of the most popular recipes posted in 2011, and so . . . without further adieu I bring you the deliciousness that was 2011!!

January . . .

One of my favourite posts in the month of January was the one where I did a proper English High Tea for the Toddster . . . just to break the monotony of a boring month! Oh we did have a very tasty repast with Finger Sandwiches, Jam Tarts, little Cake Fancies, Florentines and a glorious Victorian Sponge. It was great fun and something we both really enjoyed. I may do it again this year. It sure pepped up what is usually a pretty dull month!!

February . . .

Aside from the usual Valentines treats in February, I treated us to a delicious Lamb Stew with Feather Dumplings. We're both big stew nuts in this house, and this lamb stew was most delicious with it's rich gravy, tender lamb and those feather dumplings which are to die for! You can never go wrong with a delicious stew. It's my husband's favourite dish . . . next to a hearty meat pie that is!

March . . .

March brought with it the tease of spring on the horizon and with it some sunnier and brighter days. My favourite recipe that I made that month, hands down had to be the Apple and Blackberry Crumble Pavlova! Oh my but it was scrumdiddlyumptious and oh so pretty! Apple and Blackberries together, plus Crumble has to be one of my favourite combinations and to have them all together in a delicious Pavlova, well that was pure genius, if I don't say so myself!

April . . .

April brought with it some very mild temperatures and a fabulous Royal Wedding. I don't know who wasn't glued to the telly on the day that Prince William and Kate got married! It was a great day of celebration the world over and I think they are just the sweetest couple ever . . . and the sweetest recipe that month had to be The World's Best Gingerbread Cake with a Spiced Lemon Sauce. In fact I do believe that it is one of the most popular recipes on my site, getting the most hits on average. And to tell the truth, it is indeed very scrummy!! I am not in the habit of calling something the World's Best unless I actually think it is the world's best!!

May . . .

Spring had truly arrived and we were in the midst of busily planting the garden out and enjoying the warmer sunnier days. I do believe spring is one of my favourite seasons and we celebrated it deliciously with these scrummy Cranberry, Pecan and White Chocolate Flapjacks. Flapjacks are not something I had ever run across before moving over to the UK, but I have to say that I have totally embraced them with all of my heart. They are indeed such a wonderful treat, and these Cranberry, Pecan and White chocolate ones are the best!

June . . .

The warm days of June brought with it more light foods, salads and the like. We were enjoying harvesting young beans and peas from the garden. I created this deliciously delightful Summer Pea, New Potato and Pesto Tart which was one of my absolute favourites, because not only was it different, but it was beautiful to behold and oh so delicious as well!

July . . .

July brought a delightful trip down to Ipswich and Jimmy's Farm along with my friend Julie. What a fabulous couple of days we had together, touring the farm, meeting Jimmy, taking a lovely butcher class and eating some fab food. I was ever so impressed with his animal husbandry and farm and restaurant. It was just a wonderful experience altogether, and of course we all were able to bring home some fabulous meat. The Toddster is a real pork chop afficionado and he absolutely delighted in these wonderful Grilled Chops with a Hoisin Marinade and Glaze that I made with some of that lovely pork I brought back from the farm.

August . . .

We really didn't have much of a summer weather wise really. It was cold and wet and gloomy. I think we actually had our summer back in April . . . but shhhh . . . I'm not complaining. If it wasn't for the bad weather we'd never be able to truly appreciate the good! One of the favourite things I cooked in August had to be this Apple and Blackberry In and Out dessert that I got from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's mom's cookery book, The Great Granny Cookbook. It's one of my favourite cookbooks, and for good reason . . . it's filled with a lot of fantastically tasty recipes! This was the perfect dessert in which to make good use of the early season apples and those blackberries which ripened early due to having had such an early spring!

September . . .

We were away to Cumbria on our holidays with Mitzie in September . . . a holiday which just happened to co-incide with Katrina the hurricanes visit to our beautiful Sceptred Isle. It was a holiday filled to overflowing with rain, wind, rain, wind and ever more rain and wind. We still managed to enjoy ourselves anyways, even if we did arrive back home here a few days earlier than planned. (There is only so much you can occupy yourself with in a cottage in the middle of nowhere when you have an antsy cocker spaniel with you and you have left your warm coat and boots back home!) In any case we did enjoy some fab food, which is always a plus. Something that I did cook that we really enjoyed back home though was this delicious Gratin of Chard, created with some fabulous Rainbow Swiss Chard I received in my bi-weekly Vegetable box at the end of the month. My but it was some good!

October . . .

October brought us lots of deliciousness with Blue Cheese and Cheddar Stovies and the like. My favourite recipe of the month though had to be the Apple Pie Roll Ups with Custard! It was so easy and soooooo delicious! I always welcome the cooler months and the heartier recipes that come with them, don't you? I like salads too . . . but I am a glutton for autumn and winter food!

Oh please, I must show you two . . . as these were real winners as well . . .

Baked Hot Dogs Cooked one week for some hungry missionaries who really enjoyed!!

November . . .

November was full of delicious things as well, not the least of which was this fabulous Chocolate Cola Cake. The Toddster is not a real fan of chocolate cakes, but I tortured him anways because I just adore Chocolate Cake and I had some cola that I needed to road test. Oh my but this has to be the creme de la creme of chocolate cakes. SOOOOO fabulous!

It wasn't all about cake and chocolate though . . .

This Pan Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagne also went down really well . . . ahem . . . rich, delicious and very, very addictive!

Which brings us to

December . . .

There was plenty of deliciousness in December too, with all of the holiday foods and treats, but I think the Rumpled Pizza Buns deserve an honorable mention . . . coz . . . one, I love Pizza . . . two, they were easy to make . . . and three, most important of all . . . THEY WERE DELICIOUS!

So that was 2011 . . . 372 recipes . . . each one delicious in it's own right. I do hope that you enjoyed the journey through the year right along with me. Here's to 2012 and even more deliciousness!!

Happy New Year one and all!

Over in The Cottage today, the Perfect Lemon Tart!

Cranberry Swirl Breakfast Cake

2011-12-30T06:18:00.005Z

If you are like me you always get in more than you need for Christmas food. I can never calculate it just right. I always end up with far more veg than I really need, lots of leftover turkey, stuffing and ham . . . and more mincemeat and cranberry sauce than I could ever realistically use.

I suppose that it is my "better to have too much, than not to have enough" mentality that does it. I'm sure I am not alone in that way of thinking.

It does give me a great excuse and reason to come up with ways to use the leftovers after the holidays though, which is something I really enjoy!

I do so love to invent new ways to use ordinary ingredients in extraordinary ways. It's like a game to me . . . some people enjoy doing Sudoko . . . I enjoy creating new recipes.

Like this delicious cranberry swirled breakfast cake, which I threw together to help use up some of the leftover cranberry sauce . . .

Dense and rich, with a delightful swirl of cranberry running through the middle, and a layer of crunchy toasted walnuts on the bottom. Top that with a delicious almond sugar glaze and you have something that is quite, quite scrummy . . . if I don't say so myself!

You could also use mincemeat as the swirl layer if you wanted to, or even your favourite type of fruity jam . . . which would be equally as delicious . . . but today I used cranberry sauce, and it was quite simply . . . wonderful!

*Cranberry Swirl Breakfast Cake*makes 1 9-inch cake
Printable Recipe

This is a beautiful cake to make for a special breakfast or brunch. Dense and rich with a ribbon of cranberry throughout, drizzled with an almond glaze. Delicious!

5 ounces of butter, softened (1/2 cup)
7 ounces white sugar (1 cup)
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp baking powder
8 ounces of plain flour (2 cups)
1/2 tsp salt
250ml of sour cream (1 cup)
1 tsp almond extract
8 ounces of whole berry cranberry sauce (1 cup)
2 ounces chopped toasted walnuts (1/3 cup)

For the Glaze:
4.5 ounces icing sugar (1 cup)
3 TBS milk
1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan, tapping out any excess flour. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir together the milk and almond extract. Stir in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture, mixing only just to combine.

Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with 1/2 of the cranberry sauce, taking care not to let it touch the sides of the pan. Swirl it into the batter using a round bladed knife. Top with a further 1/3 of the batter. Repeat layering in the remainder of the cranberry sauce, again swirling it in with a round bladed knife. Top with the remainder of the batter, Smoothing it over all. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over all.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until firm to the touch and the top springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the warm cake and serve warm.

Over in The Cottage today I'm cooking a Festive Spiced Ham!

Parsnip Patties

2011-12-29T04:00:00.004Z

Parsnips were not a vegetable we had very often if at all when I was growing up. My mother did not like them at all. In fact she tells a story of her father trying to tempt her to eat just a tiny piece of one in exchange for a piece of candy (when she was a child) and she hated them so much that she couldn't even be tempted with something that was only a very rare treat.

I remember her cooking them once when I was in my teen years. She pared and sliced them into coins and then fried them in butter until they were golden brown on both sides. Oh my but there were lovely. She had been wanting to see if her tastes had changed. Alas . . . they hadn't and so that was the only time we ever had the opportunity to taste them.

As an adult I have cooked them frequently for I love them. They are delicious in stews and soups . . . mashed with butter and cream, roasted, glazed . . . any way you cook or cut them, I find them most delicious. They are well one of my favourite vegetables.

With the holidays I had quite a few of them in the vegetable bin . . . parsnips love nothing more than to be roasted and glazed and served with a roast turkey or beef . . . or ham and pork. I always get in lots because they are my favourite side dish of the holidays.

I did get in rather a lot this year though . . . but no worries for today I had enough left to make these delicious Parsnip Patties. Oh my but they are some good.

Crispy and buttery on the outsides . . . creamy and mildly spiced with a delicate flavour and sweetness on the insides . . . such a pleasure to eat.

I like to make a Cranberry Mustard to eat with them. I just whisk together equal parts of a wild cranberry sauce and Dijon mustard. It is the perfect accompaniment.

Of course you can make them a lot smaller for appetizer sized servings, about the size of a one pound coin or silver dollar will do. You'd get quite a few of these and of course would need extra oil for frying.

They are easy to make ahead of time and then just reheat in the oven when you want them. If you like parsnips, you're going to love these!

*Parsnip Patties*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Creamy and sweet on the insides, crunchy on the outsides. Delicious! I like to serve them with a Dijon Cranberry Mustard which I make by whisking together equal parts of a whole berry cranberry sauce and Dijon mustard.

8 to 10 parsnips, peeled and sliced into coins
1/2 tsp salt
boiling water
to finish:
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
a dash of cayenne pepper
1 medium free range egg, beaten
1 1/2 ounces fine dried bread crumbs (about 1/3 cup)

more dried bread crumbs for rolling
oil and butter for frying
snipped parsley for garnish

Cook the parsnips in the boiling water with the 1/2 tsp of salt until tender. Drain and mash well. Allow to cool. Stir in the first lot of bread crumbs and all of the seasonings, along with the beaten egg. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill well.

Scoop the well chilled mixture out using a small handful and shape into patties. Coat with the additional bread crumbs.

Heat a few TBS of butter along with an equal amount of oil over medium heat until the butter begins to foam. Add the parsnip patties and cook until golden brown on both sides. Drain and then serve hot along with some cranberry mustard. Delicious! Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Baking in The Cottage today, some delicious Celebrations Brownies!

Little Gems with Blue Cheese Dressing

2011-12-28T04:00:00.001Z

After all the gluttony and rich food of the past few days my soul was craving something green and good for me today. I do so love a good salad . . . the Toddster . . . not so much. But I torture him with one once in a while! I'm such a bad puddy tat and I am so mean to him!!

I just adore Baby Gem Lettuces. I am not sure what the equivalent would be in North America. They are tiny lettuces, almost like miniature Romaine or Cos lettuces, about 4 inches long and compact . . . with a great colour and almost bitter flavour. They come in green and red. I suppose you could use Romaine hearts instead if that is all you can get.

I love this salad with it's simple flavours, textures and colours. You get the crisp, slightly bitter lettuce quarters . . . the creamy bite of blue cheese crumbles, the sharpness of the chopped spring onions . . . combined with the tanginess of that lovely apple cider and blue cheese dressing. Oh, it is just my favourite salad of all time. Truly. And just perfect for a light lunch after all the heavyness of the past week.

*Little Gems With a Blue Cheese Dressing*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is one of my favourite salads. Simple ingredients, complex flavours. It all adds up to a truly delicious salad. Just perfect for these warmer days.

2 TBS cider vinegar
2 TBS heavy cream
3 1/2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces blue cheese
(I like to use either Cashel Blue or Stilton)
2 fat little gem lettuces
2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 TBS sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Whisk the vinegar and cream together with a little seasoning. Whisk in the sugar until it dissolves. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Fold in the cheese.

Wash the lettuces and dry them really well. Cut the lettuces into wedges lengthwise and fan them out on 4 chilled salad plates. Drizzle over the dressing, dividing it equally amongst the salads. Sprinkle evenly with the spring onions. Serve immediately.

In the Cottage today, Tomato & Herb Crusted Haddock.

Maraschino Cherry Cake

2011-12-27T04:00:00.004Z

Source: heartwarmingvintage.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

We're having the missionaries over for a Boxing Day supper tonight. I'm baking a ham that I bought from Piper's Farm (and it looks mighty good too!) and I have a Pork Pie from Piper's Farm as well, and am doing an assortment of side dishes . . .

Potato Scallop, Green Bean Casserole, carrots, swede and parsnips (leftover from yesterday), Pineapple Slaw, some great homemade biscuits and cornbread and then for dessert, the piece de resistance . . .

A delicious Maraschino Cherry Cake!

Oh sure we also have the resident mince pies, leftover Christmas pud and Christmas Cake . . . but I know that these things are not really a favourite of North Americans, although I also know the lads would eat them to be polite . . . I wanted to make them something special though that they would enjoy.

This is an oldie but a goodie . . . once again a recipe from my Big Blue Binder.

It's a deliciously light and moist cake, stogged full of pretty red maraschino cherries and toasted pecans!

Slathered and filled with oodles of scrummy Vanilla buttercream icing!

I think . . . it just may go down a real treat! (I used the Opie's Maraschino Cherries that you can get over here. The syrup on them is not as thick as the one from back home, but it will do!)

I hope the lads enjoy! I do sooooo love to spoil them. Hmmm . . . I wonder what they'll think about the missing piece??? Cook's treat!

*Maraschino Cherry Cake*
Makes one 8-inch round layer cake
Printable Recipe

Two delicately pink layers of cake flecked with bits of red maraschino cherry and toasted pecans. What's not to like?

12 ounces (weight) of plain flour ( 2 1/2 cups)
7 ounces (weight) caster sugar (1 cup)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 fluid ounces of maraschino cherry juice from the jar (1/4 cup)
6 fluid ounces of milk (3/4 cup)
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
1/2 tsp pour almond essence
4 TBS unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces (weight) of white vegetable shortening (1/4 cup)
4 large free range egg whites
18 maraschino cherries, quartered and dried with some kitchen toweling
2 ounces (weight) of chopped toasted pecans (1/2 cup)

To frost:
your favourite vanilla buttercream of cream cheese frosting

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter two 8 inch cake tins. Line the bottoms with baking parchment and butter the paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Whisk together the milk, cherry juice and essences.

Put the flour mixture into a bowl along with the butter, shortening, and milk mixture. Beat together until smooth. Add the egg whites and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed until light and fluffy. Fold in the quartered cherries and pecans.

Divide the mixture equally amongst the cake tins. Smooth the tops over and give them a tap on the counter to settle out any air bubbles. Bake in the centre of the heated oven for 30 minutes until wthe tops spring back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Peel off baking paper.

Once completely cooled fill and frost with your favourite icing. Delicious and pretty!

*Perfect Vanilla Buttercream Icing*
Makes enough to fill and frost a layer cake
Printable Recipe

8 ounces (weight) butter, softened (1 cup)
12 ounces icing sugar, sifted (3 cups)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 to 2 TBS double cream

Beat the butter and sugar together on low until well blended and then continue to beat on mdeium for another few minutes until it begins to become fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and 1 TBS cream, only adding the second one if needed until you have a frosting of spreading consistency.

Cooking in The Cottage today, some delicious Haricots Verts with Pancetta and Pinenuts!

Amazing Leftovers

2011-12-26T04:00:00.004Z

So here you are. It's boxing day and you have a whole fridge filled with leftovers. What to do . . . what to do . . .

I thought I would give you some tasty ideas this morning to help you use up some of those scrummy leftovers. Of course you could just have a reheat of the leftovers, but it's also nice to dress them up in a few different ways too!

Ham Leftovers:

We like to have ham, cut into thick slices and fried in butter along side of our fried eggs for a special boxing day breakfast. Just melt some butter and add the ham once it begins to sizzle. Cook until it begins to get crisp on the edges, flip over and repeat on the other side.

You can chop it up and add it to your favourite macaroni and cheese recipe, or to a pan of scallopped potatoes.

Combine it with some of the leftover turkey, and some of that Stilton in a tasty salad!

*Boxing Day Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

100g bag of baby leaf salad greens (about 4 cups)
1 head of red chicory
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
100g of cooked turkey (1/4 pound)
100g of cooked ham (1/4 pound)
50g chopped toasted walnut pieces (1/4 cup)
2 ounces stilton cheese, crumbled
4 TBS reduced fat caesar salad dressing

Place the salad greens in a large shallow bowl. Break up the red chicory leaves and toss into the bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil Tear the turkey and ham into bits with two forks. combine in a bowl along with the walnut pieces and stilton cheese. Add the salad dressing and mix to combine. Pile this mixture on top of the salad leaves and serve.

It's delicious chopped and mixed with grated cheese and then stuffed into a nice big fluffy baked potato.

Turkey Leftovers:

Of course you can have a plain old turkey sandwich, but why not dress it up a bit and serve it open faced on a rustic piece of bread, topped with some leftover cranberry sauce, some of the leftover stuffing heated and crumbled on top of the cranberry, then the heated sliced turkey and some heated leftover gravy ladled over top. Delicious with a few sliced pickles and some potato crisps on the side!

My mom always made Turkey Pot pies, or Beef Pot pies. We loved them! You can follow the roughly outlined recipe below, which is only a rough guideline of what to do. You can adapt it to whatever it is you have in your fridge. If you are using beef, then use the leftover beef gravy of course!

*Turkey Pot Pie*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

2 mugs full of leftover turkey, chopped
2 mugs full of leftover cooked vegetables, chopped
(peas, carrots, corn) If you haven't got any, then you can
use 2 mugs of frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
a handful of roasted potatoes, chopped
1 mug full of leftover turkey gravy
1 mug full of milk
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp summer savoury
salt and black pepper to taste
Pastry to cover
milk and beaten egg yolk

Mix together all the ingredients except for the pastry in a large bowl, seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper. Spread into a large round, or oval shallow casserole dish. Roll out your pastry to cover and place over top, venting to allow steam to escape. Brush with a bit of milk and beaten egg yolk. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes in an oven which has been preheated to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Serve warm.

I think one of the most popular things to do over here in the UK with the leftover turkey is to make a Turkey Curry, but how about Coronation Turkey Salad! Yummo!!

*Coronation Turkey*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and ground turmeric
125ml of coconut milk (1/2 cup)
125ml of chicken stock (1/2 cup)
200g of mayonnaise (about 1 cup)
425g of leftover turkey (1 pound)
2 TBS dessicated coconut, toasted in a dry pan until golden brown, then cooled
fresh coriander leaves to garnisn (optional)

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil, until lightly browned. Mix in the spices and let them sizzle for about a minute. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock. Let simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat until the mixture has reduced and you have a thick, creamy, spicy onion mixture in the pan. Allow to cool completely. Whisk in the mayonnaise. Cut the leftover turkey into cubes and place in a large bowl. Pour the curry mayonnaise over top and toss to mix. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut, and garnish with a few torn coriander leaves.

Serve with warmed Chapattis, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion and torn lettuce.

Leftover Vegetables:

We can't be forgetting the leftover Christmas Veg!! I know we all buy in far more than we need, and then end up with it hanging about the fridge. Here's a few different recipes for some dishes using some of that leftover veg so it doesn't get all wilted and go to waste!

*Spicy Parsnip and Sprout Hash*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

800g of parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks (1 1/2 pounds)
300g of brussels sprouts, peeled and finely shredded (1/2 pound)
a large handful of frozen peas
the juice of 1/2 lemon
50g of butter (1/4 cup)
1 TBS cumin seeds
1 TBS garam masala
1 red chili, deseeded and chopped
1 bunch of coriander, chopped (reserve a few leaves to garnish)
salt

Place the parsnips in a pan of cold water to cover. Add a pinch of turmeric and salt and bring to the boil. cook for 12 minutes. While the parsnips are cooking, blanch the sprouts in another pan of boiling water for about 3 minutes, until tender, adding the peas for the final minute. Drain all the vegetables well. Tip the drained parsnips back into the pan along with the lemon juice and half the butter. Mash roughly. Beat in the cooked sprouts, peas, cumin, garam masala, chili and coriander. Season to taste with some salt.

Heat the remaining butter in a medium sized non-stick skillet. When it begins to sizzle, tip in the parsnip mixture, pressing it down to form a flat cake. Cook, until it is browned underneat. Turn over carefully with a fish slice. (It may break up but that's ok) Continue cooking until crisp on this side as well. Keep flipping and turning until you have a nicely crisped cake. Slice out onto a heated plate. Garnish with the coriander leaves. Cut into wedges to serve.

*Roast Vegetables with Stilton and Chestnuts*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

3 TBS French Walnut oil
4 large parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise
4 large red potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
4 large carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 large onions, peeled and cut into wedges
200g pack of peeled and ready to use chestnuts (1 cup)
(roughly chop)
the juice of one lime
sea sald and freshly ground black pepper
200g Creamy Blue Stilton cheese, crumbled (1/4 pound)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark6. Place 2 TBS of the oil in a large roasting tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. Toss iin the prepared vegetables, giving them a stir to coat with the oil. Roast for one hour until tender, turning occasionally.Mix in the chopped chestnuts and cook for a further 10 minutes. Whisk together the lime juice, remaining TBS of oil and a bit of seasoning. Divide the roasted vegetables between 4 heated serving plates. Scatter with the crumbled stilton and drizzle with the lime dressing. Serve immediately.

Leftover mincemeat and cranberries??? Why not a delicious Spicy Cranberry, Mincemeat and Almond Eve's Pudding!

Spicy Cranberry, Mincemeat and Almond Eve's Pudding*
Serves 4 to 6 depending on appetites
Printable Recipe

The perfect way to use up that half eaten jar of mincemeat lanquishing in the back of your refrigerator!

1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 TBS water
200g of mincemeat (a generous cup)
100g of cranberries, frozen or fresh (1 cup)
100g of butter (7/8 cup)
100g of golden caster sugar (1/2 cup)
2 large eggs, beaten
75g of self raising flour (2/3 cup)
25g of ground almonds (1/3 cup)
a small handful of flaked toasted almonds

Cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a shallow 11 by 7 baking dish. Set aside.

Place the apple in a pot with the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the mincemeat and cranberries. Pour into the baking dish, leveling out.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift in the flour and stir in along with the almonds. Spread this mixture over top of the fruit in the baking dish. Level off and then sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is well risen and golden brown, and the fruit is bubbling beneath. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then, serve warm with some pouring cream. Delicious!

Chicken and Stuffing pie with a sauce of creamed peas and carrots, equally as scrummy when made with leftover Turkey!

*Chicken and Stuffing Pie*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This may not look like much, but this is absolutly delicious!

2 celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 TBS butter
8 ounces stuffing crumbs, or crushed croutons (2 cups)
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp marjoram
pinch ground nutmeg
1 TBS parsley flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
1 large free range egg, beaten
375ml of warm chicken broth (1 1/2 cups)
2 cups of chopped cooked chicken
To serve:
Creamed peas and carrots (optional)

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and celery. Saute without colouring until soft, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch pie dish. Set aside.

Tip the bread crumbs into a bowl along with the sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and parsley flakes. Mix together well. Stir in the broth, beaten egg and sauteed vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chicken. Mix well. Spread this mixture into the buttered pie dish.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and lightly browned.

Serve cut into wedges along with some creamed peas and carrots spooned over top if desired. A tossed salad goes very well with this.

*Creamed Peas and Carrots*
Serves 4
Printable recipe

Delicous served over crackers, biscuits, toast, fish cakes or my tasty Chicken Stuffing Pie.

2 TBS butter
2 TBS plain flour
1 pint of milk
salt and pepper to taste
cooked peas and carrots to taste
(I like a larger ratio of sauce to veg, but some people like more veg than sauce)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the vegetables and heat through.

Leftover Ham??? How about a delicious Ham and Mac Bake!

*Ham and Mac Bake*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

This is a wonderful casserole that is not only very tasty, but also very easy on the budget as well. My children always loved it when they were growing up and it was something different to do with the ham that was leftover from Easter. I often buy a slap of ham at the shops so that I can make this as well.

1/2 pound of macaroni (1 2/3 cups)
1/4 cup butter (2 ounces)
1/4 cup flour (1.5 ounces)
2 TBS Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk (5ooml)
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
2 cups cubed, fully cooked ham (about half a pound)
2 medium eating apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1 1/4 slices)
2 TBS butter melted

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water until done, according to the packet directions. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until needed.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ Gas mark 4. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute over low heat. Blend in the mustard, salt, pepper and sugar. In the meantime bring the milk just to the boil. (Just until bubbles appear around the edges) Slowly whisk the heated milk into the flour mixture, cooking and stirring it until thickened, smooth and bubbly. Stir in the cooked macaroni, ham and apple slices. Turn into a greased 2 litre casserole dish.

Toss the bread crumbs with the 2 TBS butter and sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Deliciously different Barbequed Turkey Pizza, with a tangy barbeque cranberry sauced base!

*Barbequed Turkey Pizza*
Makes 1 (12 inch) pizza
Printable Recipe

A delicious pizza that is perfect for using up some more of that leftover Christmas Turkey!

For the dough:
250ml warm water ( 1 cup)
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp active dry yeast
13 ounced white bread flour ( 3 cups)

For the caramelized onions:
2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
a glug of olive oil
seasalt and freshly ground black pepper
1 TBS balsamic vinegar

For the sauce:
4 fluid ounces of barbeque sauce
a dessertspoon of whole berry cranberry sauce

To Top:
8 ounces cubed cooked turkey breast (1/2 pound)
8 ounces mixed grated cheeses (mozzarella, gouda and cheddar)
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Put the dough ingredients into your automatic breadmaker according to the directions for your particular breadmaker, following the dough cycle. In the meantime heat a bit of oil in a frying pan. Add the onions. Cook and stir over medium heat until they begin to wilt. Add some seasoning and the balsamic vinegar. Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally until golden and caramelized. Set aside to cool.

Once the dough cycle has completed on your machine, remove the dogh and punch down. Let rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough out to fit into your pizza pan leaving a bit of an overhang. Butter the pan with some white vegetable shortening. Sprinkle with some fine polenta or cornmeal if desired. Place the crust in the pan, and fold the edge over to make a lip. Stir together the barbecue sauce and cranberry sauce. Spread over the top of the crust. Top with the caramelized onions and chopped turkey breast. Sprinkle with the cheeses and Parmesan.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for about 15 minutes, then move it to the top rack and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

Optional Topping additions:
Slivered green peppers
sweetcorn kernels
sliced mushrooms
chopped roasted green chillies

Leftover Christmas Pudding? How about a Christmas Pudding Trifle!

*Christmas Pudding Trifle*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A delicious trifle which consists of a lovely rich custard baked over top of some crumbled Christmas pudding until wobbly. Chilled and then covered with amaretti biscuits, brandy cream, flaked almonds and silver balls, this is probably one of the nicest trifles I've ever eaten . . .

300ml of milk (1 1/4 cups)
200ml of double cream (3/4 cup whipping cream)
freshly grated nutmeg
6 large free range egg yolks
70g caster sugar (about 1/3 cup)
Leftover Christmas pudding (It's up to you how much)
12 crisp amaretti biscuits
150ml of double cream (about 2/3 cup), whipped lightly with a dash of brandy
1 TBS Toasted Flaked almonds
Silver balls

Preheat the oven to 110*C/225*F/ gas mark 1/4. Place 6 200ml containers on a baking tray. Crumble some Christmas Pudding into the bottom of each. You can use as much as you want. I crumbled about 1 TBS of the stuff into each container, so that it was about 1/2 inch deep. Set aside.

Heat the milk and double cream together, along with a grating of nutmeg, just to the boil. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Whisk in the heated milk mixture, whisking constantly. Strain this mixture into the prepared pots, dividing it equally amongst them. Grate a little more nutmeg on top. Bake in the heatred oven for 30 to 40 minutes, just until set. The centre should still have a slight wobble. Remove from the oven. Cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Just before serving, whip the cream softly along with a dash of brandy, or brandy flavouring. Crumble 2 amaretti biscuits over top of each pudding, then top with some whipped brandy cream. Sprinkle some toasted almonds and silver balls over top of each and serve.

Leftover Roast Beef?? A tasty Cottage Pie with a Potato and Parsnip Mash Topping fits the bill perfectly!

*Cottage Pie with Potato and Parsnip Mash Topping*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a delicious way of using up some of the leftovers from your Sunday Lunch. You can make this with fresh ground beef of course, but we love it made with chopped leftover roast beef. I also like to use any leftover cooked vegetables in the filling as well. Usually it's just peas and carrots, but sometimes there is some swede as well. Just make sure you chop your cooked carrots and or swede into roughly the same size as the peas. French beans chopped are also nice. You can use leftover gravy if you wish, but I normally don't have any leftover so have made my own sauce.

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into coins
1 spring of thyme
a knob of butter and a splash of milk
salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
2 cups chopped leftover cooked roast beef
1 cup leftover cooked vegetables, chopped into small bits
2 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 TBS plain flour
4 cups boiling water
3 to 4 beef bouillion cubes
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 heaped dessert spoon of tomato ketchup
1 TBS horseradish sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes, parsnips and thyme into a saucepan of slightly salted water. Bring to the boil. Cook until the potatoes are soft, then drain well, discarding the stem from the thyme. Mash well, adding a knob of butter and some milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place the leftover roast and onions in a large skillet, with any beef drippings that you may have. If not you may need to use a bit of oil. Cook and stir until the onions are softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute or so until fragrant. Sprinkle with the flour and stir it in. Stir in the boiling water until the sauce thickens. Crumble the bouillion cubes in, stirring until they are completely melted. You may need the full 4 depending on how much of a beefy flavour you want. Stir in the worcestershire sauce, ketchup and horseradish sauce. Mix all in well. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Pour this mixture into a shallow baking dish.

Spoon the parsnip mash over top in a rustic manner.

Bang into a pre-heated 200*C/400*F oven and bake until the filling is bubbling and the mash is beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes or so before serving. Delicious!

I'll be back tomorrow with something new. In the meantime Happy Holidays!

In The Cottage today a delicious Gratin of Root Vegetables with Blue Cheese!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T04:00:00.002Z

Source: sugarpiefarmhouse.com via Mary Beth on Pinterest

MERRY CHRISTMAS
from
The English Kitchen
Marie, the Toddster and Mitzie

Ginger Cutouts on a Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T04:00:00.004Z

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the abode
Only one creature was stirring & she was cleaning the commode.
The children were finally sleeping, all snug in their beds,
while visions of Nintendo & Barbie flipped through their heads.

Yes, and dad was snoring in front of the TV,
with a half constructed bicycle propped on his knee.
So only the mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter,
which made her sigh, "Now what is the matter?"

With toilet bowl brush still clutched in her hand,
She descended the stairs, and saw the old man.
He was covered with ashes & soot, which fell with a shrug,
"Oh great," muttered the mom, "Now I have to clean the rug."

"Ho Ho Ho!" cried Santa, I'm glad you're awake."
"your gift was especially difficult to make."
"Thanks, Santa, but all I want is time alone."
"Exactly!" he chuckled, "So, I've made you a clone."

"A clone?" she muttered, "What good is that?"
"Run along, Santa, I've no time for chit chat."
Then out walked the clone - The mother's twin,
Same hair, same eyes, same double chin.

"She'll cook, she'll dust, she'll mop every mess.
You'll relax, take it easy, watch TV and rest.
"Fantastic!" the mom cheered. "My dream has come true!"
"I'll shop, I'll read, I'll sleep a night through!"

From the room above, the youngest did fret.
"Mommy?! Come quickly, I'm scared and I'm wet."
The clone replied, "I'm coming, sweetheart."
"Hey," the mom smiled, "She sure knows her part."

The clone changed the child and hummed her a tune,
as she bundled the small one in a blanket cocoon.
"You're the best mommy ever. I really love you."
The clone smiled and sighed, "And I love you too."

The mom frowned and said, "Sorry, Santa, no deal.
That's my child's LOVE she is going to steal."
Smiling wisely, Santa said: "To me it is clear,
Only one loving mother is needed here."

The mom kissed her child and tucked her in bed.
"Thank You, Santa, for clearing my head.
Sometimes I forget, it won't be very long,
before they'll be too old for my cradle and song."

The clock on the mantle began to chime.
Santa whispered to the clone, "It works every time."
With the clone by his side, Santa said: "Goodnight.
Merry Christmas, dear Mom, you'll be all right."

Sometimes we need reminding of what life is all about.
Especially at times when the Holiday season shouts,
and all we do is clean, bake, and procure.
You get the picture -- I'm sure.

So stop for a moment and hug that little one so dear,
whether he/she is 2 or 22, or even older this year.
For they are the gift that God gave us from Heaven above,
and what a special gift to be treasured, with endless LOVE!
~Author Unknown

Merry Christmas Everyone! May your holiday be truly blessed, and filled with an abundance of love and joy. Catch you on the flip side!

*Old Fashioned Ginger Cut Outs*
Printable Recipe

These deliciously crisp and spicy cookies are a wonderful addition to any holiday tray.

8 TBS softened butter
1/2 cup packed light soft brown sugar (3.75 ounces)
1/2 cup molasses (250ml, can use equal measures of golden and dark treacle)
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (10.6 ounces)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cardamon

Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/350*F. Cream together butter and sugar. Then beat in the molasses and egg.

Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add to the creamed mixture and mix until well blended. Put into a plastic bag and refrigerate for one hour.

Roll out onto a lightly floured surface, 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 3 inch squares or use your choice of cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place on baking sheets and bake for 7 to 9 minutes until set and lightly browned. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

To Decorate:

2 cups icing sugar (8 ounces)
3 to 4 TBS water or milk
Food colouring (if desires)
assorted small candy sprinkles, edible glitter and or decorator sugar

Whisk the icing sugar and enough water or milk together to give you a thick, but easily spreadable glaze. You can tint it different colours, using food colouring. For a neat finish dip the cookies into it on the flat and then lift them straight up allowing any excess to drip off. You can spoon it on as well, but it won't give you as neat a finish. (My stars were dipped, my men were drizzled.)

Over in The Cottage today, some delicious White Chocolate and Cherry Fudge.

A Gorgeously Scrummy Assortment of Christmas Lunch Sides

2011-12-23T04:00:00.004Z

Source: veryvintageimages.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

As promised here is a delicious assortment of fabulous side dishes that go very nicely with your Christmas turkey, ham or roast beast! None are hard and with careful planning most can be done ahead of time and warmed up on the day once the main dish comes out of the oven and is resting.

There is still time to get in any ingredients that you are lacking! Two more sleeps! Enjoy!

*Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Chestnuts*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Another delicious way of preparing your sprouts.

350g of brussels sprouts, trimmed (3/4 of a pound)
3 TBS butter
100g of tinned whole chestnuts (3 1/2 ounces)
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g flaked almonds to garnish, toasted lightly ( about 1/4 cup)

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the sprouts and cook for 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly.

Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the drained sprouts and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes or so, then add the chestnuts and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring all together well. Cook and heat through for a further 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Transfer to a warm serving dish, sprinkle with the almonds and serve.

*Sugar Glazed Parsnips*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

One of our favourite side dishes!

24 small parsnips, peeled
scant tsp of fine seasalt
4 ounces butter (1/2 cup)
115g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup)

Place the parsnips in a saucepan with lightly salted water just to cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Drain well.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add the parsnips and toss together well. Sprinkle with the sugar. Cook, stirring frequently to help prevent the sugar from sticking to the pan or burning. Cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden and glazed. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.

*Spring Onions and Baby Peas*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A delicious and easy way to prepare and serve peas that is most impressive.

60g of unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
12 small bulbed spring onions (green or salad onions, or scallions as they are sometimes called)
trimmed (cut the bulbs off and discard the green bits or save for another use)
1 large bag of frozen petit pois (about 4 cups)
1 TBS caster sugar
4 sprigs of mint
3 or 4 large iceberg lettuce leaves

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion bulbs and cook for about 2 minutes or so. Stir in the peas and season to taste with some seasalt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle on the sugar and mint. cover with the lettuce leaves and 2 fluid ounces of water (1/4 cup). Place a tight fitting lid over all, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the peas are tender. Discard the lettuce and mint. Place into a heated serving dish and serve immediately.

*Braised Red Cabbage*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

Wonderful with pork, goose, turkey. Spicy and slightly sweet.

2 TBS olive oil
500g (1 pound 2 ounces) red cabbage, sliced
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp sea salt
1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
100ml (3.5 fluid ounces) red wine vinegar
60g (1/3 cup packed) soft light brown sugar
250ml of dry white wine (1 cup)
250ml chicken stock (1 cup)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage, onion, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring for several minutes, then stir in the apple, vinegar and brown sugar. Cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and stock. Allow to simmer over low heat for a further 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is quite tender and the liquid reduced. Serve warm.

*Spiced and Roasted Winter Vegetables*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

These are perfect for Christmas lunch because they offer a nice variety of vegetables without taking up most of the hob and dirtying a bunch of saucepans!

4 parsnips, scrubbed and trimmed, but unpeeled
4 carrots, scrummed and trimmed, but unpeeled
2 brown onions, peeled and quartered
1 red onion, peeled and quartered
3 leeks, trimmed and cut into 2 1/2 inch slices
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled and left whole
6 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
pinch of sweet paprika
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

Cut the parsnips and carrots into wedges of similar size. Add them to the boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain well and place into an ovenproof dish along with the onions, leeks and garlic. Pour over the oil, sprinkle with the spices and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together to coat the vegetables.

Roast in the preheated oven for about an hour, stirring occasionally from time to time, until they are tender and starting to colour.

Remove to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.

*Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

One of our favourite stuffings. You may either use to stuff the bird, or shape into balls and baked separately. This is a delicious stuffing which goes very well with the richness of turkey or goose. It smells fabulous when baking.

225g of pork sausage meat (1/2 pound)
225g of unsweetened chestnut puree (1/2 pound)
85g of toasted walnuts, chopped (a scant 1/4 pound
115g of ready to eat dried apricots, chopped (1/4 pound)
2 TBs chopped fresh parsley
2 TBS snipped fresh chives
2 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves
4 to 5 TBS double cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the sausage meat and chestnut puree in a bowl. Stir in the walnuts, apricots, parsley, chives and sage. Stir in enough cream to make a firm, but not dry mixture. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper. (I cook a tiny bit in a frying pan to have a taste.) If you are planning on stuffing a turkey or a goose, fill the neck cavity only to ensure that the bird cooks all the way through. It is safer and more reliable to cook the stuffing separately, either rolled into small balls and places on a baking sheet, or spooned into an ovenproof dish.

Cook the separate stuffing in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. If you are cooking a bird at a lower temperature in the same oven, then it may take longer.

*Sprouts with Chestnuts and Pancetta*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

One of my favourite ways to have sprouts!! Everyone seems to like these!

1 pound roasted chestnuts, peeled ( 2 cups)
300g of brussels sprouts (about 3/4 pound)
100g piece of pancetta, finely diced (about 1/4 poud)
50g of butter (3 TBS)
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove and discard the tough outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Trim the bases and peel the leaves away, one at a time, continuing to peel and trim until all the leaves have been removed. Set aside.

Saute the pancetta in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, until the fat has been rendered and the pancetta is crisp. Scoop the pancetta out of the pan with a slotted spoon to a plate. Melt half of the butter in with the fat from the pancetta. Add the onion and saute until softened, but not browned. Add the chestnuts and toss to warm through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Toss in the brussels sprout leaves, thyme and garlic. Cook, tossing together, until the leaves are crispy tender and bright green. Season to taste with seasalt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the pancetta, onion and chestnuts to the pan and heat through gently. Place into a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.

*Cranberry Sauce*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

The flavour of citrus and cranberry go very well together. Delicious with roasted turkey, game, duck or chicken. This can be made ahead.

the thinly pared zest and juice of one unwaxed lemon
the thinly pared zest and juice of 1 large orange
350g (about 3/4 pound) of cranberries, thawed if frozen
140g of caster sugar (1 cup)
2 TBS cornflour mixed with 3 TBS cold water

Cut the peels of the lemon and orange rind into thin shreds and place in a heavy based saucepan. If you are using fresh cranberries, rinse well and remove any bits of leaf and stem. Add the berries, citrus juices and sugar to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the berries begin to burst. Strain the juice into a clean saucepan. Reserve the cranberries. Stir the cornflour mixture into the juice and then bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved cranberries. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely before covering with some plastic cling film and refrigerating.

Cooking in The Cottage today, some scrumdiddlyumptious Portugese Custard Tarts!

Best Banana Loaf - cremated

2011-12-22T04:00:00.006Z

I had some bananas sitting in my fruit basket today that were almost overripe to the point where if I had let them go just one day longer I'd have had to throw them away and so I thought I would do a banana loaf. You can never have enough banana loaves in my estimation.

I also found a really scrummy looking recipe in the cookery book, Lotte's Country Kitchen, by Lotte Duncan, which included sultanas, and ginger and oh my . . . it just sounded scrumptious indeed.

I threw it together and popped it into the oven and then went upstairs to do a few things, putting the timer on and asking the Toddster if he would let me know when it buzzed. I then proceeded to lose myself in my chores and it was not until someone came to the door and I heard them say that something smelled delicious that I remembered my loaf. OH NO!!

And it did smell delicious . . . but I dashed downstairs in fear . . . to find that it was only slightly cremated. Well . . . one end worse than the other, but I can salvage most of it thankfully. It'd not that pretty though . . . but . . .

It's nice to know that everyone has baking mishaps like this isn't it? It is a lot more well done than I normally like . . . which is a pity as I was really looking forward to it. It's a bit different than the usual banana loaves you find in recipe books. This one has spice and sultanas and ginger bits throughout . . .

I shall give you the recipe anyways, shall I?? You really will enjoy and hopefully you won't burn yours! Don't let these pictures of my cremated loaf turn you off! Even cremated it is rather scrummy . . . I can only imagine how gloriously deliciously scrummy it would have been had I been a bit more attentive and the Toddster hadn't had his nose buried in a cowboy film!

(This is the picture from Lotte's book and how it should look, just to tempt you . . . )

*Best Banana Loaf*
Makes one 2 pound loaf
Printable Recipe

Moist and deliciously spiced and filled with lovely sultanas, and scrummy bits of preserved ginger. Keeps well, wrapped in foil for up to three days.

2 medium over-ripe bananas
the juice of 1/2 lemon
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
4 ounces soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
2 large free range eggs, beaten
8 ounces self rising flour (2 cups)
2 ounces of sultana raisins (1/3 cup)
1 piece of preserved stem ginger in syrup, drained and finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp of baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 2 pound non-stick loaf tin and dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Alternately line with greaseproof paper.

Mash the bananas together in a bowl, along with the lemon juice. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together, using a wooden spoon, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed banana mixture, mixing it in well.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger and baking powder. Fold in to the creamed mixture gently, along with the sultanas and ginger, mixing just to combine. Spread evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top over.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown, risen and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Serve sliced, with or without softened butter for spreading. Delicious!

It's nice to have a few different quick breads in the larder over the holidays. They are always a welcome tidbit to serve with a hot cup of whatever to those unexpected people who drop by . . . at least that's what I think at any rate!

Tomorrow, I promise . . . scrummy side dishes to round out your Festive Feast!!!

Over in The Cottage today, a delicious Ginger Syrup, which is the perfect cure all for what ails you!

Marzipan & Mincemeat Tea Loaf

2011-12-21T04:00:00.004Z

You probably recall that the people at Dr Oetker sent me a few things to do some Christmas Baking with. One of them was a packet of their 36% Almond Marzipan, premium recipe. We love marzipan in this house, so trying it was not a hardship in any way!

Foil wrapped, their 36% Almond Marzipan uses a premium recipe to give it a superb distinctive almond flavour. The almonds are carefully ground and mixed to create a beautifully smooth, soft textured marzipan to help you mould easily and achieve a smooth surface on your cakes. It has the natural pale almond nut colour of almonds and contains no added colouring. Natural is always a big bonus in my books. I'm a natural gal all the way.

I decided to bake our all time favourite Mincemeat & Marzipan Tea Loaf. This is a recipe that I have adapted from one of those little BBC Good Food Books, "101 Cakes and Bakes." It is a cake I make fairly often because it contains two of my absolute favourite ingredients . . . Mincemeat and Marzipan!

The end result is a deliciously moist tea loaf, filled with spice and fruit and fudgy little pockets of scrummy marzipan! Oh so good . . . and we love the toasted flaked almonds on the top too.

Just perfect for tucking into with a nice hot cuppa in the afternoon! And whilst I am talking about hot cuppa's . . . here's a wonderful idea for a last minute Christmas Gift for that Britophile of yours!

The people from Eddingtons sent me a lovely Aerolatte Union Jack Milk Frother to try out. This small, lightweight frother prepares foamed milk for cappucinos, lattes, hot chocolate and milkshakes in less than half a minute. Plus it's really cute. I love the look of it's Union Jack exterior! It's easy to clean with a removeable frother attachment which you can wash by hand, and also comes with it's own sturdy slim line carry case. I know a few people on my Christmas List who would appreciate one of these. Available at most kitchen stockists in the UK and also John Lewis (£20). It worked a charm . . . most impressive.

It helped to make the hot chocolate that I enjoyed with my afternoon slice of cake a real frothy pleasure indeed.

Bake the cake. You won't be sorry you did. Scrumdiddlyumptious! Many thanks to Dr Oetker and to Eddingtons!

*Mincemeat and Marzipan Tea Loaf*
Makes one 2 pound loaf, serving 12
Printable Recipe

A deliciously moist, spiced and fruity teabread, filled with little pockets of Marzipan and topped with flaked almonds. Delicious for munching with a hot cuppa in the afternoon.

200g self raising flour (2 cups0
4 ounces cold butter, cut into pieces (1/2 cup)
85g of light muscovado sugar (Scant half cup packed)
85g marzipan, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (a scant 1/4 pound, about 3/4 cup, loose)
300g of prepared mincemeat (1 1/4 cups)
2 large free range eggs
2 TBS flaked almonds
sifted icing sugar for dusting once baked and cooled

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 2 pound loaf tin and line it with baking paper. Set aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Drop in the butter pieces and rub them into the flour using your fingertips, until you have a mixture resembling fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar and the marzipan cubes, trying to keep the cubes separated.

Beat together the eggs and the mincemeat. Stir this into the flour mixture until evenly combined. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing over the top. Sprinkle the almonds over all.

Bake for about 1 hour until the loaf is risen and golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar once cooled if desired.

Cut into slices to serve at room temperature, buttered or not.

Over in the Cottage today, some scrummy Butterscotch Mallow Squares!

Porkie Pies

2011-12-20T04:00:00.006Z

These little tasty treats have been somewhat of a Christmas Tradition in my home. It's a very old recipe that I have had kicking around in my Big Blue Binder for yonks and yonks . . . so long that I no longer know where it came from.

The page that is is written on is tattered and torn from years of use . . . and splattered too. I don't know what's up with that because I generally don't see myself as a messy cook! I'm not sure how that happens!

The title is underlined in red, denoting that it is a "Christmas" recipe . . . a recipe saved to be made only at that special time of year . . . which somehow makes these "Christmas" recipes taste even better, because they are a once-in-a-year treat!

They are very impressive to look at, and yet . . . so very simple to make. (This is a real bonus at Christmas when our days are busy and hectic!)

They are also incredibly delicious, with a crispy buttery cookie crust that you simply press into mini muffin tins and bake . . . a sweet date filling and a topping of a dab of delicious buttercream icing, which you can either make yourself or purchase ready made.

I always make my own, as it's very simple and quick and completely natural. (2 TBS softened butter and 280g of icing sugar (2 cups) beaten together with just enough milk to create a fluffy creamy mixture. You can also add a few drops of vanilla extract if you want.)

I believe the original name was Cape Breton Pork Pies, but . . . a lot of our Nova Scotian recipes come from over here in the UK, so I am just calling them porkie pies . . . the term porkie pie being Cockney rhyming slang for telling lies . . . and what are these but a delightful little lie and surprise for your guests as they are not pork pies at all, but delicious little date tarts!

Enjoy!

*Porkie Pies*
Makes 24
Printable Recipe

"Porkie Pies" is Cockney Rhyming slang for "telling lies." These are a sweet little lie as they are not pork pies at all, but tasty little tartlettes with a crisp cookie crust, a sweet date filling and a creamy buttercream topping!

For the shells:
8 ounces butter, softened (1 cup)
4 TBS icing sugar
280g flour (2 cups)

For the filling:
375g chopped dates (2 cups)
255g of soft light brown sugar (1 1/2 cups)
250ml of water (1 cup)
1 TBS lemon juice

White butter cream icing(your own recipe or premade)

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Have ready two mini muffin pans, each holding 12.

Beat the butter, flour and icing sugar for the shells together until you have a smooth mixture. Divide into 25 evenly sized balls and drop each into the muffin tin holes. Use a wooden dowel or something similar to tamp the centres down and force the edges up into a crust shape. Bake in the heated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and let cool before popping out of the tin completely.

To make the filling combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

To assemble spoon a portion of the date filling into each cookie cup and top with a bit of butter cream. You can pipe the buttercream on if you wish, but I am lazy and just spoon it on. These are fabulous!

These would also be great artistically plated up and taken over to the neighbours during the holidays as a gesture of love and friendship. Why not put on your apron and baking shoes and go on a bake-a-thon of neighbourly love. I know it's not really British to do that, but I bet your neighbours would be pleasantly surprised and really pleased! They may even put their own baking shoes on and return the favour!

Over in The Cottage today a delicious Sour Cream Cake!

Morphy Innovators for December and some Scrummy Whipped Shortbread Cookies

2011-12-19T04:00:00.004Z

As you know I am a member of the Morphy Richards House Proud Innovators. All year I have been treated to the priviledge of getting to test different Morphy Richards Appliances and it's been great. I am a big fan of the Morphy Richards products and have enjoyed every single one.

In October Morphy Richards teamed up with Age UK and unveiled a brand new range of stylish kitchen and household products specifically designed to help make daily household tasks that little bit easier for the elderly.

A dedicated team of British designers developed the range especially with people in later life in mind and a portion of the proceeds from all sales will also be donated to provide vital funds to Age UK to help older people.

Age UK is a brilliant organization over here in the UK which works to improve later life for everyone by providing life-enhancing services and vital support.

I think it's a brilliant combination!

As a member of the Innovators and to help promote their alliance with Age UK, I was offered the chance in December to receive a product from this fantastic range to give to an elderly friend/ family member or neighbour. I was very pleased to do so.

Doreen has always been like a second mom to me. I've known her since I first moved over here to the UK and I just love her to bits. She's quite elderly now at 83 and has not enjoyed very good health over these past few years. She got the shingles several winters ago and has not really been the same since. She's always in a lot of pain and her mobility has been severely compromised. When I was asked to think of someone I could do this for, Doreen immediately came to mind.

Doreen spends a lot of time sitting in her chair now and I know that she gets very cold in the winter and so I chose for her to receive the Morphy Richards Luxury Heated Throw. It would have been no good to get her a kettle or hoover, because, well . . . she just doesn't use those things and her carers would have felt the benefit of having those type of things far more than she would have done. I thought this heated throw would be just the ticket.

The Luxury Heated Reversible Throw is ideal for draping over a bed, or for snuggling into on the sofa, or for a lap cover whilst sitting in a chair. With its reversible cream and brown colour in a soft fleece material it offers flexibility and comfort. It feels just like a warm teddy bear. (Doreen loves teddy bears!) It has ultra thin nano wires created specifically to ensure a good night's rest. When we get older our skin thins and becomes so much more sensitive to things like wires and such. There are 6 heat levels which enables whomever is using it to be able to choose just the right temperature for themselves.

It is also completely machine washable so that it's very easy to keep it fresh and clean. The electric attachment removes very easily so that you can put it into the wash. (Elderly people often struggle with things like this, so that is a big bonus.) It's also BEAB approved which means that a person is able to enjoy their heated throw with complete piece of mind, it has been comprehensively tested for all known safety situations. You can relax in the knowledge it conforms to the highest European safety standards. It also has a built in protection system which automatically shut off the power if it reaches a temperature that is higher than considered comfortable. It will also shut off if an unsafe situation should arise. Another bonus!

It arrived last week and I was so happy to be able to bring it over to Doreen, just as happy as she was to receive it. We spoke a few days later and she was really enjoying it, especially as we have gone into a cold snap over here. She is ever so grateful to Morphy Richards and the AgeUK people for this lovely gift. I also feel very grateful as I know that Doreen will be as snug as a bug in a rug this winter! Many thanks to Morphy Richards and AgeUK , and Chris from Finn PR for this most generous gift, and for making my friend Doreen a little bit more comfortable this winter!!! You are all stars! (This is the spirit of Christmas and Giving in action!)

Of course you just know that when I visited her the other night, I also brought her over some Christmas treats . . . I always bring her a goodie or two when I visit and this time I brought her a box of my whipped shortbreads, which are something that I make every Christmas.

I have been making these lovely Christmas Cookies for years. It's an old recipe from my Big Blue Binder and one that I got from my old friend Leona, a very long time ago. I just love them, and for more than a few reasons!

One, they are very easy to make and we all know I can be rather lazy from time to time. A short bread cookie that can be made without the hassle of chilling and rolling is a big bonus to me!

Two, they turn out perfect every time . . . no fails . . . ever. You can dress them up or down with a variety of sugar sprinkles, or candied cherries or even icing drizzles.

Short and buttery, they are perfect in every way. Everyone always loves them.

Trust me on this.

*Whipped Shortbreads*
Makes about 2 dozen
Printable Recipe

All the yumminess of shortbread cookies without any of the hassle of having to roll them out, etc.

8 ounces of butter (1 cup) room temperature
210g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
70g icing sugar (1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment. Set aside.

Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 10 minutes until light and fluffy. Drop by the teaspoon onto the baking sheets. (Leave about 2 inches of space in between each to allow for spreading.) Sprinkle the tops with a varieity or sprinkles or coloured sugars, or chopped green and red cherries.

Bake for about 17 minutes until the bottoms are coloured light brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container.

And over in The Cottage today, some delicious White Chocolate Dipped Gingernuts!

Rumpled Pizza Buns

2011-12-18T04:00:00.003Z

I am a HUGE fan of pizza. I could eat it every day and never get tired of it . . . breakfast, lunch dinner . . ., anytime at all. When you consider that I had never tasted pizza until I was about 15 years old that is amazing to me. How did I ever get that far in life without it! It's just so good . . . it's pity I live with a pizza/pasta hating man. It's just not natural . . . I keep telling him that, but he refuses to budge. Oh well, all the more for me!

I have this guy to thank for my love of pizza. He alone is responsible for introducing me to it . . . don't laugh. It was all we had in them there days. A cardboard box containing a tin of pizza sauce and a packet of pizza dough . . . oh . . . and a small packet of crummy tasting Parmesan Cheese . . . but what did we know??? We were so innocent and ignorant of the culinary delights which actually existed in the rest of the world. Life in a small town . . .

Anyways, once I got out into the real world, I discovered the delights of take out pizza and never looked back. In Winnipeg we used to buy pizza's from a place called RJ's Pizza . . . and that was pretty bad too, but strangely addictive. The crust was only ever half cooked, but for some reason we always went back for more.

In Calgary we discovered great pizza's made by a Greek fella that were fabulous! Light and fluffy crust and that sauce . . . . mwha!!! Perfecto!

I pretty much make my own pizza's from scratch these days . . . and I know there are Italian purists out there would argue and say that what counts for pizza in my kitchen isn't really pizza . . . that's ok. But . . . it is MY kitchen and I decide what or what doesn't pass for pizza in it. umm . . . so there!

Yesterday I decided to make some pizza buns. They were supposed to come out looking all ruffely, like the edges of a clam and well . . . they didn't, but they were some good, even if I don't say so myself. Kind of like a loosely constructed calzone . . . but without any runny sauce . . . the rich tomato flavour comes from sun roasted tomatoes with a few herbs and spices.

You can vary the filling according to whatever you have to hand. Cooked ground beef, mushrooms, chorizo, bacon . . . whatever floats your boat!

Me . . . I like olives and cheese . . . and lots of them. These were fab, and so easy to make. I used the breadmaker for the dough part, because . . . well, basically I am not that good at doing yeast doughs. It worked fabulously and the rest was easy peasy, lemon squeasy!

I hope you'll give them a try! If you like pizza, you'll LOVE these!

*Rumpled Pizza Buns*
Makes 8 buns
Printable Recipe

A deliciously different way to have your pizza! You can vary the filling ingredients as you wish. They work well in either tiny loaf tins or custard cups/ramekins.

For the dough:
450g of strong bread flour (a generous 4 1/2 cups)
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
1 sachet of easy blend dried yeast ( 7g or a heaped teaspoon)
3/4 fluid ounces extra virgin olive oil (about 2 TBS)
9 fluid ounces of warm water
1 tsp of tomato puree (tomato paste)

For the filling
1 small red pepper, trimmed, seeded and chopped
1 small gree pepper, trimmed, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
a handful of black pitted olives, chopped (I like to use the dried spanish ones. They have
lots of flavour)
a handful of green pitted olives, chopped (I used Greek Haduki in oil)
100g of sun dried tomatoes chopped (about 1/2 cup packed) (I used Merchant Gourmet, oven roasted, 1 pack)
a bit of olive oil to moisten (about 1 TBS)
1 heaped tsp of dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white or black pepper
1/2 pound of grated Mozzarella or mature Cheddar Cheese
about 4 TBS grated Parmesan Cheese
some olive oil for brushing

Place all the dough ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine with the dough hook on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until you have a soft dough that doesn't smear the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add a bit more flour or warm water to get the right consistency.

Mix on speed for 2 to 10 minutes, making sure that the dough stays at the right consistency. Add a bit more flour if necessary.

Remove the dough from the mixer and kead a few times. Shape into a ball and place into a clean mixing bowl which you have oiled, turning to coat the dough. cover with a teatowel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Mix together the filling ingredients with the exception of the cheese. Allow to sit and marinate until you are ready to use them.

Uncover the dough, punch down and mould it back into a ball. Cover and allow to rise for another 30 minutes, until doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 8 3-oz portions. Shape each into a round ball and then let rest for about 5 minutes. While the dough is resting butter and flour 8 mini loaf pans or ramekins.

Roll each the dough balls out on a floured surface to a flat 6 inch rounds. Mix the cheese into the filling and then place an equal portion onto each round, keeping it fairly central. Fold all the rounds in half, witout sealing them. Brush the tops with some oil. Carefully Pick up one of the folded rou8nds and keeping all the edges of the folded round to the top, gently place it into a mini loaf tin. You want them to gape open and have rumpled edges, the more folds and bits of filling showing the better! Repeat with all of the rounds.

Place the mini loaf tins onto a baking tray and lightly cover with some plastic cling film. Allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Bake the pizza buns for 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown and crisp on the bottoms and outsides. Transfer to a wire rack for them to cool somewhat before eating. Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or you can freeze them for another time.

Note: You can make the dough in your bread machine according to your bread machine instructions.

I only have 6 mini bread pans and so I cooked two in ramekins and they turned out cutely round and every bit as delicious. I don't know which ones I liked the looks of more. They both looked incredibly scrummy!!

Over in The Cottage today, some delicious Ham and Egg Buns.

Christmas Muffins

2011-12-17T04:00:00.005Z

Well, the big day is just a little over a week away. Is everyone all ready? Are all your gifts bought and wrapped? Cards written and sent?? Food ordered, puddings, cakes and pies baked?

I know!!! Hasn't it crept up on us quickly???? I am just amazed at how fast it has come upon us! I'm pretty much all prepared now, with only a few more cards to get out. Sorry folks . . . my Christmas Card may be a bit late arriving this year, but then again better late than never, right?

I bought up lots of cranberries over the past month, picking up a bag or two whenever I hit the shops. It's really the best time of the year to buy them here, because there are lots in the shops at a really good price, and you just can't find them any other time of the year, or only very rarely if you do. I just throw them, right in the unopened bag, into the freezer and that way I have them whenever I want some throughout the winter months. They come in ever so handy, seriously.

Today I made these delicious Christmas Muffins . . . just perfect to stog into the Christmas morning breakfast bread basket! (Or perhaps even gift a neighbour or close friend with.)

Lovely sweet muffins, with the tartness of fresh cranberries baked up all ruby pretty . . . stogged along with some sweet and creamy white chocolate chunks . . . in a batter redolent of Grand Marnier . . . sweetly orange, and topped with crunchy flaked almonds and demerera sugar.

Of course you could use orange juice and a bit of fresh orange zest if you didn't want to use the Grand Marnier, but it is a lovely touch.

Moist, pleasing and special. These have it all! (Sorry for the awful photos. The light was sooooo poor today, but then again we did get an odd flake or two of snow! Yes, very exciting, even if it didn't last.)

*Christmas Muffins*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Picture it . . . Grand Marnier, the savoury delicate crunch of flaked almonds and demerara sugar, stogged full of fresh cranberries and white chocolate chunks. Perfect fot the Christmas morning bread basket!

For the Batter:
310g plain flour (generous 3 cups)
170g caster sugar (generous 3/4 cup)
15g baking powder (scant 4 tsp)
generous pinch salt
50g ground almonds (generous half cup)
3.5 fluid ounces Grand Marnier
3.5 fluid ounces milk
3/5 fluid ounces oil
1 tsp almond extract
2 large free range eggs

For the filling:
200g fresh or frozen cranberried (2 cups)
5 ounces white chocolate, chopped

For the topping:
a handful of flaked almonds
2 TBS demerara sugar (turbinado)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter and flour a 12 section muffin tin or line with paper liners.

Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in the ground almonds. Beat together the wet ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the wet, just to moisten. Gently fold in the cranberries and chocolate bits. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle evenly with the flaked almonds and demerara sugar.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the muffins are well risen, golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm.

Over in The Cottage today, some delicious Cherry Dream Cookies!

Some tasty Casseroles and a few Vegetarian Options for Christmas Day

2011-12-16T04:00:00.003Z

As you all know I'm a really big fan of Piper's Farm, so much so that I have entrusted my entire Christmas Feast to them this year. I know! That takes a lot of faith . . . but I have a lot of faith in Piper's Farm. I've never had a dud from them yet!

As you may recall they recently sent me a lovely assortment of things to test from their Christmas Range, including a delicious Haunch of Venison and their tasty Goose Breast. I also reviewed their ready meal Daube of Beef. So delicious.

In the past few days I've been able to cook and taste three more of their ready meal range, a very delicious enterprise indeed!

First up Pork with Orange & Juniper

We both really enjoyed this. Rolled Shoulder of Pork, seared and then casseroled in a delicious sauce using warmed Brandy, milk, lemon juice & our their homemade Chicken stock. It's finished with fresh bay leaves, crushed juniper berries and slices and segments of fresh oranges. The pork was fork tender and the sauce rich and beautifully flavoured. We both gave it 9 out of 10 and would be very comfortable serving it to a guest.

Next was their Coq au Vin.

I am no stranger to Coq au Vin. This was a dish I prepared regularly when I worked as a personal Chef down South. It was a dinner party favourite. How would this ready meal compare to what I used to make . . .

Tender pieces of chicken . . . legs and thighs . . . simmered in chicken stock (again their own) until fork tender . . . with the addition of smoky bacon lardons (their own bacon), sweet shallots, scrummy mushrooms and a deliciously rich sauce of reduced red wine, homemade chicken stock, jus, bay leaves & rosemary. This was hand's down my favourite. We loved this. I would absolutely buy this and serve it to a guest. I give this a whopping 10 out of 10! Great praise indeed coming from someone who knows great Coq au Vin when I taste it.

Finally we tested the Chicken Cacciatore.

Once again chicken drumsticks and bonless thighs, browned in butter and simmered until fork tender in chicken stock (their own). Next a delicious sauce which is made by sauteeing onions & garlic in a little butter until soft, before adding white wine, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, more homemade chicken stock & sugar. We both enjoyed, although I have to say I was not really fond of the chicken skin in this, so that was discarded. The sauce however was rich and wonderfully flavoured. I could have eaten the sauce alone on buttered pasta and been very, very happy!

We gave this a 7 out of 10, but only because of the skin on the chicken, in every other way it was perfect.

All of these dishes were very easy to reheat. Packed in single portion sizes and vacumn sealed, you simply pop however many portions you are wanting to heat into a pot of water which is at a rolling simmer, then heat at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes. The hardest part is cutting the bags open when you are ready to serve, but with a good pair of tongs and some fine kitchen shears we were "in-like-Flyn!"

Another thing we like about Piper's Farm is their provenance and rearing of all their own meats and poultry in the most natural of ways to their use of pure and natural ingredients without preservatives, enhancers, or artificial flavours. These meals are frozen within minutes of their preparation and delivered quickly to your door so that you can pop them into your own freezer and then reheat to your own requirements. They are as fresh as if you had made them yourself. And I can vouch for the delivery service. It's excellent. Everything comes in quality packaging and then packed again in ice packs, shredded papers etc. so that everything arrives still frozen and intact. Very impressive indeed. Pipers Farm . . . meat the natural way. Check them out. You won't be sorry you did. Thanks Piper's Farm for all this lovely tastiness!!

And now on to my Vegetarian Options for your Christmas Feast. Which I agree, seems a little strange where I've just been talking about beautiful meat, but there ya go! I've never been boring or predictable!

First up we have a delicious Nut Roast, which is easy and comes with a scrummy Cranberry Sauce!

*Mixed Nut Roast with Cranberry Sauce*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

It's worth buying fresh nuts for the vegetarian festive treat!

For the cranberry sauce:
175g fresh cranberries (6 ounces)
100g of caster sugar (1/2 cup)
300ml of red wine (1 1/4 cups)
1 cinnamon stick

For the roast:
2 TBS butter, plus extra for greasing
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
50g of pine nuts, toasted (1 3/4 ounce)
75g of hazelnuts, toasted (2 3/4 ounce)
50g of walnuts, ground (1 3/4 ounce)
50g cashew nuts, ground (1 3/4 ounce)
100g of fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (3 1/2 ounces)
1 large free range egg, beaten
2 TBS chopped fresh thyme
250ml of vegetable stock (8 fluid ounces)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh thyme springs to garnish

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Butter a loaf tin and line it with greaseproof paper. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium head. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Remove from the heat. Grind the pinenuts and hazelnuts. Stir all of the nuts into the saucepan and add the breadcrumbs, egg, thyme and stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix all together well.

Spoon the mixture into the buttered loaf tin, smoothing over the top. Cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. The loaf is cooked when a skewer inserted in the centrre comes out clean.

Halfway through the cooking time make the cranberry sauce. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.

To serve, remove the sauce from the heat, discarding the cinnamon stick. Remove the nut roast from the oven and turn out onto a warmed serving dish. Garnish with thyme sprigs. Cut into slices to serve along with the sauce.

How about some scrummy crisp Mushroom Filo Parcels? Delicious with a crisp filo pastry and a lovely Madeira and Creme Fraich Sauce.

*Wild Mushroom Filo Parcels*
Makes 6
Printable Recipe

Tasty little vegetarian pies filled with mushrooms and rice and served with a delicious creamy sauce.

30g dried porcini mushrooms (1 ounce)
70g butter (2 1/2 ounces a generous 1/4 cup)
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced (3 1/2 ounces)
100g white cap mushrooms, sliced (3 1/2 ounces)
200g of wile mushrooms, roughly chopped (about 1/2 pound)
150g basamati rice, cooked and cooled (5 1/2 ounces)
2 TBS dry sherry
1 TBS of soy sauce
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
18 sheets of filo pastry, thawed if frozen
vegetable oil for brushing
350ml of creme fraiche (1 1/2 cups)
50ml of Madeira (1/4 cup)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl and just cover with some boiling water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Melt half the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes until they are softened without colouring. Add all the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Roughly chop and add to the frying pan along with the rice, sherry, soysauce and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. lay 1 sheet of the filo pastry on a work surface and brush with melted butter. Put another sheet on top and brush with more butter. Top with third sheet.. Spoon 1/6 of the mushroom mixture into the centre and then fold in the edges to form a parcel, using a little more of the butter to help the edges to stick together. Repeat to make six parcels.

Place the parcels onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush with the remaining butter. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

While they are baking make a sauce by heating the reserved soaking liquid in a saucepan. Whisk in the creme fraiche and Madeira. Stir over low heat until heated through. Season to taste with some salt and pepper.

Serve the parcels on heated plates with a portion of sauce spooned over top.

Finally a delicious Vegetarian Crumble of Mushrooms and Cheese with a nutty crumble topping!

*Taleggio, Tarragon and Mushroom Crumble*
Serves 6 to 9
Printable Recipe

A delicious Vegetarian Crumble to please all the veggies in your home!

For the Crumble Topping:
280g fresh breadcrumbs (3 1/4 cups) use a sturdy bread such as a hearty
sourdough loaf
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
180g of unsalted butter, melted (2/3 cup)
50g freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup)
50g flaked almonds (1/2 cup)

For the filling:
12g of unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
4 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped
700g field mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (1 3/4 pound)
2 TBS finely chopped tarragon
6 TBS creme fraiche
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g taleggio cheese, rind removed (7 ounces)

First make the crumble topping. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for two minutes, just until softened, without browning. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer, just until the mushrooms are slightly wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the tarragon and creme fraiche. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Spread the mushroom mixture in a single layer in two 1 litre (4 cup) casserole dishes. Dot small pieces of the tal;eggio cheese over top. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over both casseroles.

Bake for 20 minutes until the topping is crisp and golden brown and the casseroles are heated through.

Next up . . . Tasty Side Dishes guaranteed to make every taste bud tingle with anticipation! (Sounds good eh?) Stay tuned!

Over at The Cottage today, a delicious Lemon Meringue Cake!

Turkey Carving Master Class

2011-12-15T15:36:00.002Z

SAM FAIERS CARVES THE ULIMATE CHRISTMAS BIRD

Essex beauty learns festive tips from the top

With Christmas just around the corner, Essex beauty Sam Faiers is taking the gravy bull by the horns and putting an end to dodgy Christmas Carving. After receiving the ultimate lesson from two expert Colman’s Butchers, Sam uncovers the secrets behind the perfect Christmas bird, ensuring roast dinner disasters are a thing of Christmas past.

Despite 72%* of UK mums slogging away for up to six hours (87%*) in the kitchen on Christmas Day, carving the turkey is firmly dad’s domain - with 63%* self-appointing themselves as the carving master. It’s therefore not surprising that dodgy carving skills are high on the list of Christmas arguments with nearly half of dads (44%*) admitting they actually don’t have a clue what they are doing.

Sam says: “Carving the Christmas turkey is one of those jobs everyone wants to have a go at do but nobody really knows how. I know my mum gets annoyed when her beautiful cooking is ruined by bad carving - this has definitely caused more than a couple of arguments in our house over the years! I must admit I didn’t have a clue how to do it properly until Colman’s showed me how. I hope the video helps Brits avoid at least one Christmas bust up!”

To give men a helping hand this year, top butchers, James and Mike Rutland, members of the official Colman’s Butchers Board, have compiled the ultimate top 10 tips to carving the perfect Christmas bird. To prove just how easy it can be, watch saucy Sam learn how it’s done in the Colman’s Christmas Carving Masterclass

Colman’s top 10 tips for carving the perfect Christmas turkey

1. Once you’ve carefully prepared your turkey, leave it to stand for 20 minutes before you carve

2. Put the turkey on a solid, clean chopping board and make sure you have a sharp carving knife and meat fork

3. Cut the kitchen twine off the legs and discard – try not to get your Christmas best’s dirty as the twine can often spring off when cut!

4. Remove each leg by cutting through the joint where the leg attaches to the body

5. Separate the drumstick and thigh by cutting each leg through the joint (wiggle the leg to locate the joint)

6. Don’t rush to remove the wings just yet - this will make the turkey very unstable for the rest of the caving – the wings act as stabilisers!

7. Run your fingers along the thigh and shred the meat from the bone – look our for the ultimate turkey gem – the Oyster, this is usually the butchers favourite

8. Using a knife and your fingers, loosen and remove the wishbone (this makes it easier to cut off the breast meat), and to make your wishes come true this Christmas pull the wishbone with your friends and family!

9. Carve the breasts across the grain. Cut only what you think you’ll need for the initial round of servings, leaving the rest of the meat on the carcass. The meat loses moisture once it’s sliced

10. Serve with lashings of Colman’s Instant Gravy!

“Carving the Christmas turkey can often be daunting, but hopefully with the help from the Colman’s top ten tips we can ensure dads remain on top and that the only thing they need to worry about this Christmas is what presents to buy everyone!” said James Rutland, of Rutland's Butchers of North Norfolk and the Colman’s Butchers Board.

The poll also reveals that ‘dad’s dodgy carving’ is in the top five causes for Christmas arguments, with families also squabbling over who has the biggest gravy serving. Dodgy carving proves to be a top niggle for mums, with one in ten (9%) citing it as their biggest Christmas bugbear –proving even more annoying than the kids squabbling (6%).

Top festive arguments

1. When nobody helps with the clearing up

2. When nobody can agree what to watch on TV

3. Who has the biggest portion at the dinner table

4. Who gets the most gravy

5. When dad ruins the dinner with his dodgy carving skills

Delicious Mains for Your Christmas Lunch part Deux

2011-12-15T04:00:00.003Z

Source: flickr.com via Sally on Pinterest

With only 10 days left beforethe big day it's down to crunch time for most of us. I wanted to share the second part of my delicious alternate mains with you today.

These are somewhat traditional but each has a bit of an interesting twist added . . . all are, once again, simple and easy to execute, oh . . . and quite, quite delicious!

*Herb Crusted Rib of Beef*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

In my opinion the rib of beef is the tastiest cut. This recipe provides for a tasty herbed crust and a delicious red wine sauce for serving.

For the herb crust:
4 slices of sturdy bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
2 large handfuls of flat leaf parsley
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
2 TBS olive oil

For the beef and sauce:
a six bone standing rib beef roast (3.5 kg or 7 lb. 14 ounces) trimmed of any excess fat
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 1/4 inch pieces
1 leek, white part only, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 celery stalk, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 TBS olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
60g Dijon mustard (1/4 cup)
2 bay leaves, torn
250ml red wine (1 cup. Always use a wine that you would enjoy drinking!)
500ml of chicken stock ( 2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.

Remove the beef from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. Cut narrow slits with a sharp knife in between the rib bones and slice the garlic slivers into these.

To make the herb crust, place all the crust ingredients into a food processor and blend until finely chopped and well combines. Set aside.

Scatter the carrot, leek, onion, celery and peeled garlic on the bottom of a roasting tin. Place the roast beef on top. Drizzle with the oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread the fat surface with the mustard. Press the herb crust onto this. Reduce the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Return the beef to the oven and roast for a further 1 1/2 to 2 hours for medium doneness, based on cooking for 20 minutes per 500g (1 lb 2 ounces) of meat. Transfer to a place, cover loosely with foil and let rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes.

To prepare the red wine sauce,lace the roasting tin on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the bayleaves and wine, scraping any residue up from the bottom along with any caramelized vegetables. Bring to a simmer and then reduce to 80ml or 1/3 cup. Add the stock and any meat juices which have collected on the plate where your meat is resting. Bring to the simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until reduced in half. Strain into a serving jug, discarding any solids. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Slice the beef into six ribs and serve on heated plates along with your desired vegetables and the red wine sauce.

*Mustard and Orange Glazed Ham*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

I don't know anyone who is not fond of glazed ham. It's pretty and tastes fabulous. It's also really easy to do, and the leftovers are great served cold as well as in sandwiches and casseroles.

6 kg cooked ham (13 1/2 pounds)
250ml of freshly squeezed orange juice (1 cup)
140g of soft light brown sugar (3/4 cup packed)
1 TBS Dijon mustard
175g honey (1/2 cup)
2 tsp soy sauce
2 TBS Grand Marnier
whole cloves

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.

Combine the orange juice, sugar, mustard, honey, soy sauce and Grand Marnier in a bowl, mixing all together well.

Using a small sharp knife, cut through the rind around the shank end of the ham. Remove by running your thumb around the edge of the cut under the rind, and then easing your hand in between the rind and the fat. Carefully lift the rind from the fat in one piece. Score diagonal cuts into the fat at 1 1/2 inch intervals, forming a diamond pattern. (Try not to cut all the way though to the ham.) Spread half of the glaze over the ham with a palette knife and press a whole clove into the centre of each diamond.

Place the ham, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting tin and pour the water into the roasting tin. Cover securely with a layer of foil (make sure it doesn't touch the ham). Roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 201*C/415*F/ gas mark 6 -7. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes longer, or until the surface is lightly caramelized and the ham is golden brown. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

*Roast Loin of Pork with a Gingered Fruit Compote*
serves 6
Printable Recipe

Succulent pork with crisp crackling and a delicious fig and ginger compote on the side.

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp sea salt
2 kg pork loin (4 1/2 pounds)
500ml chicken stock (2 cups)

For the compote:
1 TBS olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 TBS fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
125ml of medium dry sherry (1/2 cup)
8 dried figs, finely diced
80g soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
1 tsp ground allspice
125ml of water (1/2 cup)
1 TBS balsamic vinegar.

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.

Lightly crush the cumin, fennel and coriander seeds with a pestal and mortar or the back of a knife. Rub them all over the pork. and put the pork onto a rack in a roasting tin. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Cook for a further 1 3/4 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the thickest portion of the roast produces clear juices. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.

To make the fig and ginger compote, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and ginger and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened without browning. Pour in the sherry and cook for about 5 minutes, until reduced. Add the figs, sugar, allspice and the water. Cook and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and simmer for a further 5 minutes, or until reduced and syrupy.

Slice the pork to serve and pass the compote.

*Roast Turkey with Sage and Onion Butter*
Serves 8 with leftovers
Printable Recipe

Moist and delicious turkey with traditional flavours.

15 1/2 pound fresh turkey
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 lemon quartered
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 ounces soft butter (a generous 1/4 cup)
3 TBS finely chopped fresh sage
2 TBS plain flour
200ml (7 fluid ounces) Marsala wine
(can use Madiera)
14 to 18 fluid ounces of hot chicken stock (a generous 2 cups)
1 dessertspoon of cranberry jelly

Heat the oven to 170*C/325*F/gas mark 304. Place the turkey in a large roasting tin. Tuck 3 of the onion halves and the lemon into the cavity. Season inside well with salt and pepper. Cover the roasting tin tightly with foil, making sure you leave plenty of space for the air to circulate around the turkey, but making sure the foil is tightly placed so that no steam can escape. Roast for 4 hours.

While the turkey is roasting, finely chop the remaining onion half and mix it with the butter and sage. Remove the turkey at the end of the 4 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Brush the turkey all over with the sage and onion butter. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 45 minutes, uncovered, until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter and loosely tent with foil to keep warm. Allow to rest for half an hour while you make the gravy.

Tip the juices out of the pan into a bowl. Allow to settle. Skim any fat off the top, reserving 2 TBS of it. Place the 2 TBS of fat back in the roasting tin. Place the tin over medium low heat. Cook and stir to scrap up the solids from the bottom. Stir in the flour, continuing to scrape the bottom of the pan for about 2 minutes. Add the marsala or Madiera and bring to the boil. Measure the reserved turkey juices. You should have about 500ml (about 2 cups). Make up with hot chicken stock to give you the required amount. Pour into the tin with the cooked flour. Cook and stir, bringing it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes, then whisk in the cranberry jelly. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Tommorrow, we'll do Vegetarian Alternatives!

✿•*¨`*•.☆ Stay Tuned! ☆.•*¨`*•✿

Over in The Cottage today a delicious Portugese Gumdrop Cake, a real Christmas tradition in our home and family.