The verdict

ALWAYS remember to put the yeast in your bread. Otherwise you end up with a stogy mess!

NB putting the yeast in later after you realise your blunder and have been shouting expletives does not work either. Pants!

Bread

As much as I'd love to post a bread recipe, I don't have one. I don't seem to have much luck with other people's recipes either. A few weeks ago I attempted Jamie Oliver's recipe and while I am normally a fan, his recipe let me down. I was rather amused to follow his instructions to the letter (this was a real effort on my part as I can't normally follow recipes!). I got to the point of putting the bread in the oven and read "Bake according to the time and temperature given with your chosen recipe".  But I was following his recipe!

Today's attempt- Delia. Surely I can't go wrong with the exception of the fundamental error of forgetting to put the yeast in. I'm hoping that its still salvagable but we'll see. I suppose there's no accounting for the idiot that is reading the recipe either!

If anyone has and good bread recipes, let me know. I need one! Until I get a decent recipe for bread, I suggest the following:

Walk to shop, buy bread. Job done.

Happy Eating x

Chocolate and Vanilla Cake

My inability to follow recipes strikes again. Having promised to bake something for the girls this evening I had my mind set on making Tana Ramsey's lemon Drizzle cake. This went slightly wrong when I realised that I didn't have enough caster sugar and for some reason, in my head, soft brown sugar in a lemon drizzle cake is just a little bit too left field so the chocolate and vanilla loaf cake has been born. I'm not sure quite how the evolutionary process took place but it is a very nice experiment and I hope you enjoy it as much as the girls did.

225g soft brown sugar

225g butter

4 eggs

200g self raising flower

30g cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract.

for the frosting:

50g butter

150g chocolate

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/ 180C.

• Mix together the butter and sugar until creamy.
• Add the vanilla essence and the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after adding each egg.
• sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the mixture.
• put mixture into a greased loaf tin and place in the top of the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• once its ready, take out of the oven and turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

 To make the frosting:

Melt the butter and chocolate together.

Add the vanilla extract and the sour cream and mix well.

Spread over the top of the cake.

Happy Eating.

Pancake Day

Its pancake day and it seemed appropriate to give you a pancake recipe. Normally I am a traditionalist and opt for the good old classic sugar and lemon but I am of the persuasion that pancakes are not just for Shrove Tuesday so this evening I have opted for a savoury option.

To make the pancake mix I tend to slightly adapt Jamie Oliver's 1 cup: 1 cup: 1 egg recipe. Its really easy, he uses the simple ratio of 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of milk and 1 egg although I find this slightly thick so I always add some extra milk in mine. I wont patronise you with how to make pancakes, just make sure your frying pan is really hot and you can't go far wrong. If you want a savory filling recipe, read on.

Spinach and Goat's Cheese Stuffed Pancakes

Ingredients:
8 pancakes
1 packet of Spinach
1 packet of goat's cheese
1 small onion ( or half a large onion), diced
Half a red pepper, diced
1 table spoon creme Fraiche
Half a glass of White wine
a handful of grated cheddar to sprinkle on top. (optional)

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/ 180 degrees

• saute the onions in a little oil (or butter if you prefer)
• Once onions start to turn soft and slightly transparent, add the pepper and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add the spinach. Once the spinach starts to wilt, add the wine goats cheese and creme fraishe. Stir well and leave on the heat until the goats cheese has completely melted.
• At this stage, the filling is now done. Take it off the heat and place some of the mixture into the middle of each pancake. Roll up the pancakes and place in an oven proof dish.
• Sprinkle grated cheese on top of the pancakes in the dish and place in the top of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The pancakes are done when they start to go slightly crispy. 
• Serve straight away.

Happy Eating.

Happy Valentines Day

 I would like to wish everyone a happy valentines day. I don't normally go beyond a card on valentines day but this year I am making an exception. On this day six months ago Simon and I got married and I can't imagine where the time has gone. This evening I shall be cooking up a feast for the boy as he likes his food. On the menu is thai green curry. Today I shall give you my thai bbq prawns recipe. I know its not summer but they work just as well under the grill. I would give you a photo of them but having made the marinade I've just discovered my prawns are out of date so trip to sainsburys for me! I shall give you a picture of my valentines iced shortbread biscuits instead.

Thai BBQ prawns.

• 1 pack of prawns. (you can use more- the marinade will stretch.)
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed.
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Juice of one lime.
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley (or 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley.
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder. (optional if you don't like spice)

So easy- just place all the ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a stir and add the prawns. Make sure the prawns are all coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and leave for at least half an hour.

In the mean time, if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water otherwise they will burn under the grill.

Thread the prawns onto the sqewers and place under a hot grill turning them over regularly until cooked throughly.

Happy eating

x

cooking disaster #001

Ladies and gentlemen please note, when cooking Jerusalem artichokes make sure you scrub them thoroughly. No one likes to eat grit. I think I shall peel them in future!

Orange and Mango Muffins

I am terrible at eating fruit. My husband tends to forget to take any fruit to work with him. We've found that the result of getting a weekly fruit and veg box is that at the moment we are inundated with oranges! Hence the recipe. These are completely experimental but I think they taste OK, ( hopefully Simon will too). Feel free to adapt this as you wish- I can't follow recipes either.

250g plain flour

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

125ml vegetable oil

zest and juice of 2 oranges

1 mango cut into small chunks

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6. ( I think its 200 degrees?)
2. grease a 12 muffin tin.  You can use cases if you can't be bothered. I forgot to buy them.
3. beat the eggs with the oil in a bowl.
4. Place flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a large bowl and mix in the eggs and oil mixture.
5. Mix in the orange zest and juice into the mixture and then stir in the mango chunks.
6. Spoon into your muffin tin and place in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, allow to cool and enjoy.

Happy Eating

x