Get the most from a ROAST CHICKEN - WRAPS & STOCK!

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR ROAST CHICKEN DINNER!
Roast chicken was always my favourite dinner growing up.  Every where we went my parents would never have to ask me what i wanted when we were out.  And to this day, it is still one of my favourite foods.

There are so many things you can do with chicken.  White breast meat is great for quick easy recipes.  But for flavour, i find it best to bake thighs or legs first.  Shredded chicken from the bone is great for curries. 

A roast chicken can go so much further than you may think.  Obviously the less people you have the further it will go.
Yeserday roast chicken was on our menu. 

***ALDI are doing 1.6kg chickens for just 3Euro!***

1. ROAST
We roasted our chicken with some flora cuisine over the bird and seasoned with salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme, with a little water in the base of the roasting dish, for about 1 hour, basting occasionaly to keep it moist.
I then use the juices from the chicken to make my gravy.
I got 6 dinners out of this bird!

2. WRAPS:
I turned the bird over and managed to shread all the leftover bits of chicken off the carcass.  Don't be fooled by the top of the chicken as all your dinner meat will leave the bird looking bare.  But flip it over and you'll be mazed how much you can get from it.
To this shreaded chicken i added mayonaise, chopped tomato, spring onion, lettuce , seasoning of salt, pepper, oregano and a little cajun spice.  Roll your yummy mix into a wrap, cut in half and enjoy for lunch with a cuppa the next day!

3.  STOCK
The carcass of the chicken can then be used to make chicken stock.  I add stock to alot of cooking.
Simply place the carcass in a saucepan and cover with water.  Season and add left over veggies if possible.
Boil and then simmer down to barely a simmer.  Simmer for a couple of hours.  Remove caracass and veggies, strain and pour into sealable containers to store or freeze.  If you want a thicker, more concentrated stock, simply simmer for longer.

Obviously there are so many more ways to make use of your chicken but this is what i used over the past few days.

Caramel biscuit bars

CARAMEL BISCUIT BARS:
So these 'no bake' bars are so so easy to make, they make perfect sweet snacks and will certainly make the perfect Xmas gift for any child (or adult alike)!

They are a quick and easy recipe wit only 3 ingredients! The best things are they take no baking; you can add whatever goodie toppings you fancy and most importantly, they are oh so yummy
You can make different types just by adding different biscuits or chocolate
e.g oreo biscuits with milk choc with a crumble of oreos on top
   or
    white chocolate with melted milk choc and broken fudge on top 
   or
   milk choc with melted dark choc and nuts & cranberries on top

They can be made well in advance.  A neat little package will make a great homemade gift for anyone, so you can make them and have them ready to hand out when visitors come over the festive period

So heres how to make them:
-In a saucepan melt 400g chocolate (milk, white, dark or a mix - i usd milk choc here) and a 400g tin conedensed milk over a low heating, stirring until chocolate has melted
-Blitz up 450g biscuits until fine crumbs (digestives or whatever you have in the cupboard - you could add oreos too to add that darkness or cookie style - i used a mix of digestives and shortbread).
-Off the heat, add your biscuit mix to your melted choc mix, mixing good and well and thouroughly until well combined.  Work fast as it will start to set fast. 
Topple it into a lined tin of choice and with a spoon push it out into edges. Smooth the top and place in the fridge.
-Next, melt a little chocolate (again, of your choice - i used dark choc here) and pour it over your biscuit base, smoothing it out to the edges.  Before it sets add your toppings and press down lighlty to make sure they set into the choc.
Here i am using a mixture of chopped fudge, crushed candy canes, chopped marsmallows and chocolate chips for different biscuits.  Again add any goodies you like.
-Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and then cut into shapes you like - squares, rectangles, cubes or just in rough chops! 

How simple could it be?

Rustic loaf

RUSTIC BREAD:
Bread is great to bake.  2 simple ingredients can go a long way.....water and flour!  I mean come on!  Flour. And water! 
Once your cupboard has some good strong flour you can make some yummy crispy breads and doughs.

Making bread doesnt just have to mean one kind of bread.  It can be so versatile and most importantly fun to experiment.

When we go on holidays that yummy bakery smell gets me every time.  One of the first things I pick up in a shop abroad will be some crusty rustic bread (along with fresh juicy tomatoes, olive oil and wine!)

In countries like Spain, Italy and Greece, bread is usually just part of their meal like potatoes are to Irish tables!  In Spain they call this bread "pan rustica".
This crusty rustic is so simple to make and is exactly what im talking about.
Can be enjoyed many ways from dipping in soups, smothered in butter or as my favourite.... ripped up, drizzled in olive oil and ate as a tapa with olives, cheese, tomatoes and some wine.

A starter dough should be used for the proper recipe. It ferments over 24 hours and goes as follows:
- Pour 150ml warm water into a bowl and stir in 1tsp caster sugar (the sugar is what the yeast feeds on)
-Lightly stir in 3tsp fast-action dried yeast and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes or until a beige foam floats on the surface
- Stir in 125g strongwhite flour to make a thick paste, then cover and leave at room temperature for 24hrs.  It will then have slightly fermented.           

Today however i skipped this starter step and went straight to the next step.  It will not however rise as big as if you would use the starter dough.
Here's the next step:
-pour 200ml warm water into bowl and stir in 1tsp caster sugar.  Lightly stir in 1tsp dried yeast and leave for about 10 minutes until again a beige foam floats on the top.
-In a bowl stir 225g sieved strong white flour and 1tsp salt together.  Make a well and add the water yeast mix, the starter dough and 1tbsp good olive oil.  Mix with a wooden spoon and then using your hands bring the dough together.
-Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 10minutes until smooth and elastic.....VERY IMPORTANT!  Do not add too much extra flour as it will only make the dough too dry.  Leave for about an hour in an oiled bowl covered in cling film to rise to double size.
- Next, line a baking tray with baking paper and dust with flour.  Topple the dough onto the tray, stretch it gently, fold each end in and stretch it again.  Do this 3 times.  This will achieve that holey inside texture.
-Shape the dough to shape you desire (bearing in mind it will double in size again and rise), make 3 slanted slits in the top and leave again to rise for another 45-60 minutes.
-Bake in a preheated 240 degree C oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and crusty.  You will know it's ready also when the base sounds hollow when tapped.

HEARTY BEEF STEW

HEARTY BEEF STEW:
This is the perfect answer to a cold evening for dinner.
I added a few warm spices and herbs to this to give it a bit of zing!

1. Brown some stewing beef in some olive oil and a shake of salt and pepper in a skillet over medium to high heat.  Drain the meat of excess oil. 
2. Return to pot and off the heat add 2tbsp cornflour making sure to stir and combine until no white left.  Then crumble in 1 beef stock cube and combine until it colours to a deep brown.  add about 200ml boiling water bit by bit combining well. 
3. Next is your vegetables....diced carrots, chopped celery and chopped garlic.
4. Then your spices and herbs.....in a pestle and mortar i added some dried rosemary, thyme and a little cumin seeds, a grind of salt & pepper and combine them all well until they are nearing resembling powder.  I like the little add of cumin here to give it a little kick.  Add to your stew.  Then add a dash or 2 of Worcestershire sauce.
5. Add more water to cover if needed and simmer for about 50 minutes on a low to medium heat.
Taste test your stew for more seasoning or thickening.
Serve with fluffy boiled potatoes.
And enjoy.

 

CHRISTMAS PREP - Xmas cake & pudding.

Planning ahead for Christmas

Time is flying by!  I was only preparing Halloween treats and a party and taking down decorations like ‘yesterday’.  Now I’m thinking Christmas.  And rightly so as all you foodies will know……Christmas cakes and puddings take their time but done correctly will be moist and yummy!

I pick up bits and pieces throughout the whole year for Christmas.  Whenever I see something cool or reasonable I think “who would love that for Christmas” or “wouldn’t that be nice for Christmas”.  It takes the pressure off both my pocket and my brain when Christmas comes around. 

Then once Halloween is over I then start picking up food stuff and more bits and pieces every week.  I was tempted over the Halloween in certain shops…….on one side was Halloween stuff and on the other Christmas!  But I refrained and stopped myself and told myself “after Halloween, after Halloween”!

So here I am now, into the 2^nd week of November and thinking about Christmas prep.  I baked some yummy BROWNIES (recipe on separate post) and as I dusted them with icing sugar I thought they looked quite festive.  That got me thinking of Christmas cooking.  I took out my cooking and prep notes and had a little read.  It seems only like yesterday I was doing it for last year!

CHRISTMAS CAKE:

So now ladies (& gents) we concentrate on PLUMPING FRUIT and getting our CHRISTMAS CAKE ready and baked so that we can feed it regularly with booze.  It can be fed for anywhere from 2 -12 weeks!  I usually tend to do it for about 3-4 weeks.

My cake recipe requires 9inch round or 8inch square tin.

Again, once you have these spices bought in and stored you will have them for the next time. 

The cake is a long slow cooking process but guarantees a yummy moist Christmas cake at the end of it.

You may not have the patience to prepare, bake and mature a Christmas cake but I promise it’s rewarding and tastes so yummy come Christmas time.  Not to mention the amazing aromas that will engulf your house. 

Memories:

When I was growing up, my father used to make dozens of these over the weeks leading up to Christmas.  I remember thinking he must have being feeding a nation with the amount he made.  Some of the cakes went to work with him, some given to relations and the remainder were left for us to devour at home!

 I remember how we were warned to be so quite coming and going because if we were to bang a door, the cake would flop.  I remember being oh so careful opening and closing the doors and sometimes  I wouldn’t dare leave a room in case I was the culprit to flop the Christmas cake!   But I also remember the amazing smell and aroma around the house.  That is Christmas memories for me.

I know it seems like a lot of reading and effort but I promise it’s not that difficult.  It’s so rewarding come Christmas time when you have a beautiful tasty and moist cake to show off.  If you would not use up all of the cake, you could cut it up, nicely decorate it, wrap it up and give it to family around the festive season. 

My advice is to read through this first and then again before making it to familiarise yourself with it. 

Also, have all your ingredients measured and ready along with the tools you will need.

And most important to have your dried fruit soaked the night before. 

You can use either sherry or brandy.  My choice is brandy.

And remember…it should be fun and exciting preparing it. 

PREPARING OUR FRUIT (For Christmas cake baking)

Don’t forget to write down your fruit ingredients you will need on your shopping list and have them bought in for when you want to prepare you fruit.  You will be baking your cake the following day. 

TIP: Write down all the ingredients from this recipe onto a sheet of paper so you will have it when you are shopping next.

The ingredients are for my version and the fruit you will need to SOAK are as follows:

• 1 ¾ - 2 lb mixed dried fruit (raisins/sultanans/currants etc)
• Place them in a bowl and mix with 3tbsp brandy.
• Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to soak overnight/12hrs to absorb the alcohol and plump up.

PREPARING TIN:

This step is also very important too.  It is important to line the tin well for a good moist cake…..it will prevent over browning and dried out edges and base.

It will protect it from the heat of the oven.

  

SQUARE TIN:

1.      Measure length and width of tin.  Add twice to its depth.  Cut parchment/greaseproof paper.  Place the tin down on the centre of the paper to measure.  Cut 4 cuts from the edge of the paper to the corners of the tin.

2.      Grease the tin base and sides with oil/butter.  Fit down your prepared parchment paper into base, folding and overlapping it at the corners. 

3.      Cut another piece of parchment paper the size of just the base and place into the base.

4.      Brown paper is then tied around the outside to the same height as your parchment to protect the cake during the long, slow cooking process.

5.      When you spoon your cake mix into tin, place a double layer of parchment on top with a 50c sized hole in the centre.  Make sure it fits on the top of the cake and NOT on the rim of the brown paper.

ROUND TIN:

1.      Grease the whole tin with oil/butter

2.      Cut a strip of parchment slightly longer than the circumference of the tin.  Make sure its 3 inches higher than tin also.  Fold it back about 1 inch along its length, then snip it at an angle at intervals up to the fold.

3.      Press paper around sides (snipped edge will overlap on the base of tin for snug fit).  Finally, cut a circle out (use tin as a template) to fit over the snipped paper over the base.

4.      Brown paper is then tied around the outside to the same height as your parchment to protect the cake during the long, slow cooking process.

5.      When you spoon your cake mix into tin, place a double layer of parchment on top with a 50c sized hole in the centre.  Make sure it fits on the top of the cake and NOT on the rim of the brown paper.

CHRISTMAS CAKE RECIPE:

1.      Preheat oven to 140°’C.

2.      Sieve 12oz flour with ½ - 1 tsp mixed spice in a bowl.

3.      In your mixer, cream together 8oz butter; 8oz moist brown sugar and 1 level tbsp golden syrup. 

4.      In a separate bowl whisk 4 eggs with 4 tbsp brandy.  Gradually beat this into your butter mix.  If curdling appears, add a little of the sieved flour.

5.      Fold in the flour mix with a METAL SPOON and then add the prepared soaked fruit mix along with 2-4oz chopped glace cherries; 2-4oz chopped mixed peel; 2-4oz chopped blanched almonds (optional) and the zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange.  Make sure everything is well and truly combined.  You may need to transfer to a larger mixing bowl for more room to work.

6.      Put your mixture into your prepared tin; flatten the top and tie the brown paper around the outside of the tin with some twine.

7.      Fix your prepared ‘50c’ parchment now as outlined above.

8.      Paying attention to the temperature of the oven is also another extremely important step.  Bake your cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4 HOURS until it feels springy in the centre.  DO NOT LOOK AT IT FOR 4 HOURS…DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR AT ALL! If it needs a further 30-40 mins after the 4 hours then so be it.

9.      Cool the cake for 30 mins in the tin then transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling.

10.  When it’s cooled make small holes in the top and bottom of the cake with a cocktail stick and spoon in a couple of tablespoons of brandy. 

11.  Wrap the cake firstly with parchment paper and then in tin foil.  Remember you will be feeding this cake with Brandy so make it easy to get at and open.  But you must store it in an airtight tin or make sure it is thoroughly sealed. 

12.  Continue to feed your cake with brandy at intervals until you are ready to eat or ice it. 

ICING your Christmas cake is a really festive and lovely touch.  It is simple to do and is great to show off to family and friends. 

You can buy ready made icing to roll out which is perfectly acceptable and probably the easiest option.   You can also opt for MARZIPAN if you prefer.

Getting the consistency of your icing takes patience but when done it looks and tastes great. 

So, you’ve made your cake and fed it for a couple of weeks now.  Now it’s ready to be iced.

The Christmas cake is lined firstly with an ALMOND ICING and then with ROYAL ICING.

First step: ALMOND ICING:

1.      Mix together:

·        11lb Ground almonds

·        10oz caster sugar

·        10oz icing sugar

2.      Mix together:

·        3 whole eggs

·        2 drops almond essence

·        1 tbsp sherry

3.      Add enough liquid to the dry ingredients to get a firm paste.

4.      Knead well together to make a smooth paste.

5.      Apply to top and sides of your cake and allow to set before covering with royal icing.

Second step: ROYAL ICING:

1.      Sieve 1lb icing sugar

2.      Put 3-4 egg whites in a bowl; add the icing sugar slowly, beating well with a wooden spoon or in a mixer.

3.      Beat in 2tsp lemon juice.

4.      Using a pallet knife layer the cake, peaking it at the ends for a snowy iced effect.  Alternatively you can smooth it down for a nice smooth effect.  And leave to set.

5.      You may then decorate your cake with whatever ribbons and toppers you fancy.

Now for our beautiful juicy CHRISTMAS PUDDING:

Again, you will need to start the night before with soaking.

Your pudding does not need as long as your Christmas cake to mature.  However, it will take around 6 hours to slowly cook.  The smells in your kitchen and house will be amazing though and definitely set the Christmas spirit.

Again, I would advise you to write all your ingredients down for your shopping list and read through the method first to familiarise yourself.

1.      Mix 100g melted butter & 175g fresh breadcrumbs together.  Add to this the following ingredients, mix thoroughly and allow to stand overnight:

• 75g self raising flour
• 225g raisins
• 225g sultanas
• 50g chopped mixed peel
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 50g chopped almonds
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 1 small carrot grated
• 3 beaten eggs
• ¼ pt Guinness
• Grated rind of 1 orange

2.      Grease a 2 ½ pt pudding bowl and place the mix into this.  Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper, leaving a pleated fold in the centre to ensure pudding can expand slightly.

3.      Then cover with a layer of tin foil and tie securely with a sting to prevent any water or steam from entering the pudding.

4.      Half fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.  On a very low heat place the pudding into the water, cover and steam for about 6 hours.  I steam mine over the range stove.  Check your water level frequently so it never boils dry.  When cooked the pudding will have a beautiful deep brown colour.

5.      Remove the pudding and allow to cool completely in its tin foil and paper. Then insert a skewer in the pudding and pour in a little brandy if you like for an extra hit!  Cover again with Fresh greaseproof and retie.   Store in a cool dry place until Christmas day.

NOTE: The pudding must sit and mature otherwise it will collapse if eaten straight away.  Allow to sit for a couple of weeks, perhaps 2 or 3 for the flavours to mature. 

It needs to be reheated then on Christmas day. 

6.      To reheat the pudding steam again for about an hour.

AND of course presenting your pud with a flaming top is a show stopper:

·        Pour 2-3tbsp brandy into a long handled metal ladle and heat over a flame or heat in a small saucepan first then transfer to the ladle.  Get it nice and hot.

·        Tilt the ladle into the flame or light it with a match for the spirit to catch flame.  Immediately pour over the pudding and bring to the table.

(wait for the flames to go out before serving!)

Last year my pudding went down a storm with my BRANDY BUTTER.

It’s Easy Peasy:

1.      Cream together 50g butter with 100g sieved icing sugar. 

2.      Bit by bit blend in 2tbsp boiling water & 3tbsp brandy until smooth.

3.      Chill until needed.  This can be made a couple of days in advance and stored in the fridge.

So, there you have it.  Christmas baking in a nutshell. 

I hope you all have fun preparing for Christmas.

If you have any tips or ideas please share with us. 

I would love to see all your pics also.

Keep up to date with all your Christmas baking and cooking tips and recipes here on my blog over the coming weeks.  Lots more to come!

HAVE FUN EASY PEASERS !

Why i bought RICE WINE VINEGAR & ALMOND OIL!

I bought some buys over the weekend.

I went to a great Asian market shop in Dublin.  I could have spent hours in there reading jars and packets and tins of great produce!  I settled for now with some Almond oil; rice wine vinegar and some yummy Thai curry paste. 

ALMOND OIL:

Not only is this oil great for cooking, it’s great for hair, skin and all round great health.

Here are some benefits:

1.      Healthy skin:

·        Vitamins A, B and E

·        Reduces dark circles

·        Renews skin cells

·        Prevents skin cracking and other skin irritations

·        Great for shiny hair; split ends and can reduce scalp inflammation

2.      General health:

·        CARDIAC health benefit: by adding a tablespoon to your cooking everyday

·        BLOOD PRESSURE/CHOLESTROL: It’s high in potassium, low in sodium which helps to regulate blood pressure and maintain cholesterol levels

·        BLOOD CIRCULATION: As a massage oil it can enhance the body’s blood circulation or ease pain and stress from strained muscles.  You can massage into babies skin to help with bone development and soft skin.

·        HEALTHY NAILS: Can help with stronger healthier nails as it contains potassium and zinc.

You can search on the internet for some great ideas for adding this amazing oil to your diet or beauty and health treatments.

RICE WINE VINEGAR:

Wine vinegars are milder and less acidic so they make great sauces or salad dressings.
It's a sweeter more delicate version of a vinegar.

Great for

• Vinegarettes 
• Sweet and sour dishes
• Marinades
• Pickles
• Chutneys
• Butter sauces
• Salad dressings

CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1. Preheat oven to 175°C/325°F/Gas 3.
2. Melt 125g margarine and allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl combine 250g self raising flour; 125g caster sugar; 12g cocoa; 50g chocolate chips and 1 tsp baking powder.
4. Mix 1 large egg, 150ml milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla essence into the cooled margarine.
5. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix to make a very soft mixture.
6. Spoon into bun cases, making each case about two thirds full.
7. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

Halloween baking time

Halloween is just around the corner.  I love getting the house ready for decorations and finding new ideas for them.  And i love baking novelty things and coming up with ideas for them also. 

  

 Here's some things i've done in preperation for the scary holiday!

Saucy Sauces!

Sauces don’t always have to be ones you buy in a tin or a pack.  When making your own, you know every last ingredient that goes in.  Once you got a stocked up cupboard of spices; herbs and stocks, you can create anything. 

Tinned tomatoes are great to have also.  You can bung them in on top of a pot of meat, add them to your Bolognese or use them to create dips.  I think they are a great store and you will always find them in our cupboard. 

However, not everybody likes tomato based sauces or perhaps there might be an allergy issue where you cannot eat them.

Here i give you some of my favourite sauce recipes and ideas:

Spooky Cookie spiders!

Trying out some treats for this years Halloween. 

How about these Halloween spider cookies for treats for the family or a party?

Made with peanut butter, they are chewy and delicious. 

They are simple to make…a little lengthy and a bit of organising but very easy!

(they are also a great basic peanut butter cookie recipe to have)

*Truffles: You can use chocolate truffles like Lindt or similar here.  I used my own truffle bite mix that I have previously posted up.  These will need to be made in advance to have them ready.

Here’s how to do them:

SMOOTHIES & JUICES:

What’s the difference?:

Juice: To juice a hard fruit, you need a juicer/juice extractor.  It will separate the juice from the pulp by cutting or pressing the fruit leaving you with just the juice. 

Examples of fruits to be juiced are apples; kiwis; pears

Examples of veg to be juiced are beetroot; broccoli; cucumber

Smoothie: This is when you process a juice/yogurt/milk/water and cored fruit into a puree.

These will be thicker and more filling than juices as they will have all the pulp and fibrous cellulose removed.

Read on for lots more information.

Quick & simple lunch idea - FRITTERS

FRIDAY 10^TH

CAJUN FRITTERS:

If you haven’t already tried or made and tasted fritters……do it!

You don’t know what you’re missing J 

They are so tasty, so quick to whip up for lunch snack and….yes…you guessed it…. EASY PEASY!

I found before I was lazy with lunches and snacks.  But everything included bread…… a sandwich; a toastie; a wrap; a painini……..

And I find it difficult when out and about too.  If you go for a coffee all I can seem to see on offer are cakes and buns or sandwiches and paninis. 

If we can just make that little extra effort to prepare something, you’ll find actually, “it’s not that difficult” or “that’s easy” and “it took no time at all”.  The best thing is it will be healthier for us too.

This is a great little snack and you can use gluten free flour.  

The kids will love them too.  You can make simple plain ones for them which will be similar tasting to waffles!  You can let them pick out things for themselves from the press or the fridge and they can help in preparing their own fritters. 

Sweetcorn; ham; cheese; tuna; pepperoni; salami…….these are just a few ideas. 

PORK MEATBALLS CREAMY BASIL:

Here’s a simple dinner to whip up.  It’s yummy, creamy and so tasty.

1.      Sauté ½ diced onion in some flora cuisine over medium heat in skillet until soft and translucent.  Add 1 chopped garlic clove and cook for a further few minutes.

2.      Add * pork meatballs and a good splash of white wine.  Cook to reduce the wine.  In a jug add 400ml boiling water; 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon; 1 tbsp pepper sauce powder; 1 tbsp cornflour (make sure to add this to the water gradually, stirring/whisking so to avoid it from going lumpy) and 1tbsp tomato puree paste and combine.  Add this to your pot.

3.      Season with paprika; salt; pepper & 4 freshly chopped basil leaves.  To the pot then add 2tbsp crème fraiche and stir to combine.  Simmer for few about 10minutes.  Everything is cooked just need a simmer through.

4.      Serve over a bowl of yummy pasta! 

*For this I have used a pack of ready to eat Pork meatballs made for ALDI called “Alpenmark” mini Frikadellen meatballs.  I have previously posted a blog about them as I find them great to have in the fridge.  You can eat them cold in salads or on their own or hot with meals.  They’re great value with 20 meatballs in each pack. 

Of course, you can also make meatballs from scratch if you wish.   

COOKING APPLES – STEWED & HEALTHY ENERGY BARS:

I have posted quite a bit on apples.  I had some cooking apples lately, some given to me and some I bought.  They are great.  

I use them:

·        to add to bun mixtures (by stewing them in orange juice first)

·        to make apple sauce for Pork (not just for side sauce but rub some on top of your pork before roasting for a wonderful flavour)

·        for pies/tarts (add some juicy blackberries/pears also)

·        to make stewed apple with cinnamon (yummy warm in a bowl, with a dollop of warm custard)

·        to stew them to sweeten healthy home baked treats

·        to make yummy chutney

·        for making jam (blackberry & apple is fab)

The list really is endless.  Most things made fresh can be popped in the freezer so you can make a lot of things in advance. 

Yesterday I posted a yummy tasty APPLE PIE.  Previously I posted recipe for APPLE BUNS. 

Today……….It’s STEWED CINNAMON APPLE & HEALTHY ENERGY BARS

Leftover-shortcrust-rolls!

Any leftover pastry I had when making apple pies, I just rolled into long stick shaped rolls, sprinkled with caster sugar and cocoa powder and baked in the oven at 190°C.  Perfect for dipping in chocolate sauce or served on the side with a coffee.  SIMPLES !!

APPLES – APPLE PIE:

I got some yummy cooking apples lately.  They are so versatile.  You can make stewed apples and serve with warm custard as a sweet treat or make apple sauce for roast pork.  They can be added to Madeira buns or some yummy chutney or jam.  The list is endless.  

For now I’ve made an apple pie with shortcrust pastry.  It really is easy to make. 

You can buy ready to roll pastry but have a look at how to make it from scratch and then decide for yourself!

The recipe is lengthy but it’s really not difficult to make. 

My advice would be to read through it first and familiarise yourself with it before starting.

And here’s how I did it:

BANANA PANCAKES

BANANA PANCAKES:

If you want a healthy start to your day why not try some guilt free yumminess in banana pancakes with fresh fruit.

1.     Blend/blitz 1 banana with 2 eggs (this will give you 4 nice thin pancakes)

2.     Heat on med heat, a knob of butter.  Add a quarter of the mix and cook for about 2 mins.  Flip the pancake over to cook on other side.  Continue with the next 3 pancakes the same way.

3.     Serve warm with what you fancy.  

     My toppings here are fresh berries; natural yogurt; sunflower, hemp & pumpkin seeds.

For a sweet treat, you could add some chopped bananas; nutella and nuts.  (maybe some vanilla ice cream too? !!)

FRUIT & NUT BITES

I’m always looking for ways to make healthy treats as I love sweet things. 

I managed to come up with this combination:

Dates; walnuts; raisins; cocoa powder and a little rice flour.

My first attempt is good but still a bit too sticky.  I moulded it and added more cocoa powder.  It was a little better but still a bit sticky. 

They are still very tasty and am happy to have these as a treat for a cup of coffee.

Anyone any ideas? 

PORK MEAT BALLS IN CREAMY COCUNUT SAUCE:

I like to buy these German Pork meatballs "Alpenmark" from ALDI.  They are ready to eat and are made with onion, breadcrumbs, herbs and spices. I find them great to keep in the fridge for a quick dinner, lunch or a cold snack with salad.  They are very versatile and very scrummy!

Here's a sauce I made for them for dinner with mash potatoes. 

This dinner was made with all store ingredients (things I will always have in the fridge or cupboard)

1.     First I gently softened sliced onion in some 1 cal fry spray.  Once softened (about 10mins) I added chopped garlic, frozen peas, the meatballs, about 2 tbsp of pepper sauce powder and a small glug of white wine.  Make sure to mix to combine the pepper sauce powder.

2.     Once the wine has cooked off, add a tin of coconut milk and combine.  Then to this add about a cup of boiling water and a seasoning of salt & pepper.  You just need to simmer it for a few mins to make sure the meat balls are cooked through.

Voila, a quick and simple answer to a busy day dinner! 

Went down a treat in our house and no body need know how quick it is to do!

Pineapples

PINEAPPLES:

Pineapples are not that scary!  They don’t have to be a hassle to prepare.  Don’t be fooled by their fussy exterior.  Go on…..admit it…..they intimidate you too!

But………. Here’s a very simple 4 step process for you:

1.      Cut the top/crown off

2.      Cut straight down the centre, in half then into quarters

3.      Cut the fruit from the shell

4.      Cut into chunks

Simples!

CHELSEA BUNS:

Here’s my version with chopped pear and chocolate.  They are so versatile though and you can add whatever filling you fancy.  Nuts and chocolate work great together here too.

I cheated here and used ready roll puff pastry I had in the fridge.  Ready rolls are great to have for easy peasy quick yummy recipes.

1.      Preheat oven to 190°C. 

2.      Roll out the pastry.  Brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

3.      Scatter peeled & chopped pears and roughly chopped dark chocolate all over the pastry leaving a border on the edges.

4.      From the long edge, start rolling the dough in tightly and then cut into slices.

5.      Bake for 30 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.  If the filling starts to brown too much, cover with tin foil.

6.      When finished cooking, remove them from oven and brush each one with maple syrup and leave for 10 minutes to cool.  Then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool.  

BLACKBERRY JAM

Blackberries are in array around our house.  I went out the other evening and picked a big basin full.  There were some juicy ones out there.  And some not so ripe.  I will go and collect more over the next while. 

For now though, I used this basin full to make some yummy jam. 

Once collected, I soaked the blackberries overnight in water and salt.  The salt will kill off any unwanted habitants that may be!

It is pretty simple to make and is a very yummy thick jam…..This amount made 4 small jars for me.......

CHOCOLATE FUDGE:

If ever there was an Easy Peasy fudge recipe…..this is it!

They are quite sweet but very nice. 

Keep in the fridge in an airtight container and that way they will keep for a while. 

BANANA CAPPUCCINO SMOOTHIE

Perfect for cooling down on a warm day.  Or just a cool coffee delight.
This is my favourite ever smoothie.  I love the cold coffee flavour....like a Frappe or Frappuccino.
(this makes one big smoothie glass)

In a blender combine:

• 1 banana 
• squeeze of honey (for sweetnes)
• 1 shot espresso
• 2-3 tbsp vanilla ice cream
• 200ml milk

Add ice at the end and pulse to crushed ice.  

Experience ITALY (through my sister!)

My sister sent me some pictures from a trip to Italy.  They visited Milan, Parma (home of Parma ham and Parmigiano cheese) and Bologna and many places in between. 

WHITE DINNER ROLLS

White bread rolls freshly made last night.  The boys in this house love them!  Great for lunch boxes too.

I use a white dinner roll recipe.  You can shape them into little rolls or one big bread pan.  However, for the bread pan you will need to make a slit in the top of the pan and cook a little longer. 

It is a long process as you will have to let the dough sit to rise and let the yeast do its work.  But the preparation and cooking is simple.

1.      Gently heat 50g butter, 1tbsp caster sugar & 225ml milk until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

2.      Sift 550g strong white flour & 1 ½ tsp salt into a large basin.  Stir in 2tsp dried yeast.  (This can be easily got….I bought a box of individual sachets in Tesco and it is inexpensive.) Make a well in the centre and add the milk mix along with 2 medium eggs beaten.  (Reserve about 1 tbsp of the eggs for later.)  Bring the mix together with your hands softly and topple out onto floured board. 

3.      Knead the dough for 10 minutes.  Just form the dough roughly into a round dough. Oil the basin and place the dough into it.  Cover basin with cling film and leave the dough in a warm place for 1 hour to rise to double the size. 

4.      Then, knead the dough again for a minute or two, then divide and shape into whatever shapes you like.  Place them on oiled baking sheets, cover again with clingfilm and leave to rise to double the size for 30 minutes.

5.      With 15 minutes to go, preheat oven to 220°C.  Mix the reserved egg with 2tbsp milk and brush over the dough.  If you like, here, you could add sea salt or poppy seeds or just leave them plain.  Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes (longer for bread pan) until golden brown.  I put a skewer through to see if baked; if it comes out clean, it’s ready.  Cool on wire rack and cover with clean tea towel while cooling to keep the bread soft.

FRESHLY MADE PESTO AND BROWN BREAD.

Just made a batch of Basil garlic pesto and brown bread.  

The smells in the kitchen are divine! 

Some of the best smells on the planet……baking….garlic…..basil!