If any of you have been reading my blog for a while now, you will know that I am an absolute fan of gnocchi! It's one of my cupboard staples and something which I try to use in a variety of ways. I am always stretching the boundaries somewhat . . . seeing how far I can take it, usually with quite tasty results.
Oh yes I have been torturing the Toddster with pasta again. What's a pasta loving girl to do. We can't always eat meat and potatoes. I need a bit of variety! I need pasta!
We had the Missionary Sisters over for supper last Tuesday night and I cannot believe I am only getting to now tell you about these beautiful tarts that I made for our desserts!
I suppose half a week pretty much without internet has really made me fall behind on my posts. But I am showing them to you today and that is what counts!
The blueberries are ripening on our bushes at the moment and I took advantage of this fact to bake some lovely little blueberry tarts for us all. I have baked this before using apples and plums as a large tart, and it was gorgeous.
The blueberries are ripening on our bushes at the moment and I took advantage of this fact to bake some lovely little blueberry tarts for us all. I have baked this before using apples and plums as a large tart, and it was gorgeous.
You can find that recipe here. I decided that it would work very well as individual tarts and using blueberries.
It is a really simple recipe and always turns out. It made 5 individual tarts, but my tart tins were 4 inches across.
If you made smaller ones you would get more tarts out of the recipe. These were very filling and on the large side for delicate appetites.
The pastry is a real doddle to make. It goes together in the food processor, lickety split. And you can have it rolled out in no time and lining your tarts.
There is no need to pre-bake the pastry either. You just slap the filling in and bake them.
The filling consists of a vanilla sponge which bakes like a cake inside that sweet short crust pastry . . . puffed up and golden brown . . . clustered around those lovely sweet berries, all sweet and sunken into the delicate sponge . . .
I erred on the side of caution when adding the berries. When I make these again, and I will do just that . . . I will add even more berries. A tasty brush of warm apricot jam finished them off. We had them with clotted cream . . . of course!
*Summer Blueberry Tart(s)*
Makes8 servings as a tart
or 5 individual tarts
Makes8 servings as a tart
or 5 individual tarts
For the sponge:
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. The tart is done when the berries have sunk in a bit and looked cooked, and the sponge has risen and gotten golden brown in places. Also the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Allow to cool for several minutes before removing to a wire rack. Melt the jam in a small saucepan and push through a seive. Brush some on top of the tart (s). Serve warm or at room temperature with cream or ice cream.
If you are like me you get so busy during the week that it can sometimes be really hard to get a decent meal on the table.
Plus the weather this time of year is so hot, you don't really want to put the oven on for anything. Quick one pan suppers like this delicious Lemon and Chicken Stir Fry are just the ticket!
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Stir fries are quick and easy and are a great way to get in more than one of your five a day, especially at this time of year when the fresh veg is local and at it's very best.
This tasty stir fry contains fresh broccoli, snow peas, red onions and fresh cherry tomatoes . . . sliced chicken breasts.
They are also a very economical as they make a little bit of meat and a little bit of veg go a long way! With the cost of groceries these days, any thing that helps to stretch things a bit further is a welcome thing!
They are also a very economical as they make a little bit of meat and a little bit of veg go a long way! With the cost of groceries these days, any thing that helps to stretch things a bit further is a welcome thing!
Stir fries are just the ticket for doing this!
This one has a delicious sauce, with lovely lemon flavours . . . created by using fresh lemon zest and some lemon pepper seasoning, which also gives it a bit of a punch.
Unusually there is also a bit of an herby touch from fresh thyme, which I grow in my kitchen garden year round . . . but you can use dried if that is all you have.
The stir fry itself goes together very quickly . . . and it is served on a bed of capellini pasta, which also cooks very quickly, so the kitchen doesn't heat up overly much.
Dinner's on and it's colorfully appealing and delicious . . . and it all came together in less than half an hour. My husband enjoyed his with leftover mash. Meh! There's no accounting for some people's taste!!
*Lemon and Chicken Stir Fry*
Serves 4
1 TBS chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
225ml of chicken stock (1 cup)
Set a pot of lightly salted water on to boil for the pasta.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, broccoli stems and onion wedges. Stir fry until the chicken is beginning to brown, about five to six minutes. Add the broccoli and sugar snaps. Cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are all crispy tender. 
Whisk together the chicken stock, corn flour, lemon zest and lemon pepper in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken mixture and toss together and cook until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables and chicken are coated. Stir in the tomatoes and heat through. Keep warm while you cook the capellini.
I am happy to announce that I have finished my latest cookbooklet entitled Just Desserts! I think this is my best one yet. It is certainly one of my largest ones with a total of 42 pages filled to overflowing with lovely dessert recipes, and handy hints and tips from my kitchen to yours.
It's broken down into no less than EIGHT delicious chapters, including . . . "It's only Fruit" . . . (Hot Buttered Cherries, and Stuffed Figs plus more) . . . "Indulgently Creamy" . . . (Chilled Rose Souffle's, Rhubarb Fool and more) . . . "Trifles" . . . ( three very different versions) . . . "Let Them Eat Cake" . . . (Sour Cherry Cake, Pineapple and Macadamia Cake, to name just two) . . . "Pies, Tarts and Crumbles" . . . (Bramble Pie, Plum and Almond Crumble plus more) . . . "Meringues and Clafoutis" . . . (Strawberry Meringue Cake, Chocolate Vacherin, Blackberry Clafoutis and yes, more) . . . "Cookies, Brownies and Bars" . . . (Spicy Aztec Brownies anyone?) . . . "Bits and Bites" . . . (all those finishing recipes for sauces, pastry, curd, etc.) All in all, there are FORTY THREE delicious recipes that are some of my family favourites and are destined to become yours.
Interspersed amongst the recipes are little snippets of art, hints and tips and delightful quotes. Have you always wondered what the secrets are to baking really good cakes? Wonder no more. All of my secrets to success are right here, and it's available to you now for the same low price as all of my others at only £5.
This will be delivered to your e-mail as a downloadable PDF file, ready to print or store on your computer as you desire within 24 hours of your payment clearing. If ordering please make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Reader enabled, and that my e-mail address is in your safe folder! Also as the file is rather large make sure you have enough room to receive it!
Also at this time I would like to offer you the option of buying four out of my cookbooklet collection for the low price of £15. You can choose any four titles you wish. Just be sure to message me on the payment invoice which four you want to purchase! This is a real bargain, giving you one title for free!
Available Titles include . . .
A Very Royal Tea Party
The Great British Picnic
Christmas in the English Kitchen
Recipes to Keep
Spring Into Summer
Any four titles including the latest one for the low price of £15. Please note that all booklets come with my same no quibble refund guarantee if you are not satisfied with your purchase.
Thanks so much for looking and have a super day!
We've been suffering with a "Heat Wave" here in the UK over the past week. The temperatures have been downright almost unbearable. I am not a person that copes well with heat, especially when you combine it with high humidity. It just saps all of my energy and I don't feel like doing much of anything at all. On top of that we have had a really poor telephone connection these past couple of weeks and really bad internet connection all this week, which meant about two days ago it stopped working pretty much completely, only allowing us to get online for about 2 minutes at a time. Just long enough to tease you. Very frustrating to say the least. Happy to say an engineer was here for most of this morning and we are now back to snuff, telephone and internet.
The upshot of this is I was able to finish a commissioned piece of artwork, a new cook-booklet (Just Desserts) and I made no less than three different ice creams to tempt you with! Yes when the temperatures rise, I want ice cream! I never seem to crave it any other time of year . . . but during the dog days of summer, ice cream is my friend.
My ice cream maker never gets used near enough. Probably because it's one of those type that you have to freeze the churning bowl first. Half the time I never have room enough in the freezer to use it. This week I made room.
This first ice cream is Rocky Road. Not Rocky Road as it is known in North America, but Rocky Road as it is known over here in the UK, a delicious square made from chocolate, marshmallows, biscuit bits, cherries etc. (If you click on that link it will take you to my rocky road recipe)
This delicious chocolate ice cream incorporates all of those flavours. I have to say chocolate ice cream is not my favourites, but this went down a real treat! Probably because it has been so flippin' hot!
*Rocky Road Ice Cream*
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Where do I start, marshmallow, chocolate, coconut, candied cherries and peanuts. What's not to like!
450ml of double cream (2 cups)
450ml of milk (2 cups)
250g of bittersweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (70% cacao, 8 ounces or 1/2 pound)
4 large free range egg yolks
100g sugar (1 cup)
30g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (1/4 cup)
40g roasted peanuts (1/4 cup)
45g candied cherries (1/4 cup
a handful of mini marshmallows (about 1/4 cup)
2 TBS shredded coconut
Heat the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour in half of the hot cream. Stir until it is melted and combined. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and cocoa together in a medium bowl, until pale and creamy. Gradually pour in the remaining hot cream and the chocolate mixture, whisking to combine well together.
Return the custard to the saucepan and simmer over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until it coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool, about 30 minutes.
Pour the custard mixture into an ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions as per your machine, until almost frozen. Add the peanuts, cherries, marshmallows and coconut. Churn for a further 3 minutes. Transfer to a freezer container, cover with baking paper and freeze until you are ready to serve.
Next I made coconut ice cream. I do love the flavour of coconut. Mounds bars are one of my favourite chocolate bars. If you drizzle chocolate sauce on this delicious coconut ice cream . . . well, it be just like a Mounds Bar! It's a very simple recipe which doesn't involve making a custard.
*Coconut Ice Cream*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
If you love the flavour of coconut, this delicious ice cream is for you. It uses coconut milk and palm sugar for a real depth coconut taste! Coconut Palm sugar can be purchased via Amazon, or at health food shops.
100g of granulated sugar ( 1/2 cup)
100g of grated Palm sugar (1/2 cup)
180ml of water (3/4 cup)
400ml of coconut milk (1 1/3 cups)
225ml of heavy cream (1 cup)
shredded coconut or coconut curls to garnish (toasted)
Combine the sugar, palm sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Bring to the boil. Remove and stir in the coconut milk and cream. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturers directions for your particular machine. Transfer to a freezer container, cover with cling film and freeze until you are ready to serve it.
I have to say that one of my all time favourite desserts has always been Rice Pudding. So when I found this recipe for a Rice Pudding Ice Cream, years and years ago in our local newspaper I had to clip it out and save it. I can't believe it took me this long to make it! This was my absolute favourite of the three ice creams. Do make the chocolate sauce. It's just wonderful!
*Rice Pudding Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce*
Serves 4
One of your favourite pudding flavours in a delicious ice cream. Don't skip the chocolate sauce! It's great!
450ml of milk ( 2 cups)
150g of short grain or pudding rice (3/4 cup)
1 vanilla pod, slit open lengthwise
50g of sultana raisins (a generous 1/4 cup)
pinch salt
the finely grated zest of one orange
the finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
2 TBS honey
For the sauce:
250g of bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped (8 ounces)
374ml of milk (1 1/2cups)
2 scant tsp of corn flour (cornstarch)
50g of sugar (1/2 cup)
Combine
the milk, rice, vanilla pod, and raisins in a heavy bottomed saucepan
over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat. Stir in the
salt. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the rice is tender and has
absorbed most of the liquid, about 15 minutes. Take off the heat and
discard the vanilla pod. (I rinse these off, dry them really well and
stick them in my sugar canister.) Let cool, stirring it from time to
time.
Stir in the orange zest, lemon zest,
lemon juice and honey. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and
churn according to the manufacturers instructions.
To
prepare the sauce the sauce, combine the chocolate and half of the milk
in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to the boil. Dissolve the
corn flour in the remaining milk and whisk this into the hot mixture
along with the sugar. Stir constantly over low heat until smooth and
thickened. Keep warm.
Spoon the frozen ice cream into serving dishes and drizzle with hot chocolate sauce to serve.
I hate to be a party pooper, but they say the heat wave will come to an end tomorrow, and I for one am welcoming the prospect of being able to sleep without feeling too uncomfortable!
(source)
Everybody
wants to eat healthy, and even websites that aren't related to food will try to
give you advice about
how to get rid of that bingo belly. However, those recipes aren't
necessarily really healthy. Here, we will give you a truly healthy recipe that
includes the four food groups and is also tasty.
Swap the Pan for a Grill
A
key factor in eating healthy is to start using the grill instead of rushing to
your frying pans. Frying pans cook food by simmering the contents in fat. And
where does that fat go? Your food absorbs it and forces you to consume much
more saturated fat than you should. But that’s where your grill comes in!
Required Ingredients
·
1 diced plum tomato
·
1 cup of rinsed black beans
·
1 cup of fresh corn kernels (two ears)
·
2 tablespoons of cornmeal
·
1 pound of prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
·
1/3 cup of barbecue sauce
·
1 cup of shredded mozzarella
For
the black beans, you can purchase a can. They will still taste great, and will also
make the cooking process that little bit easier – but don’t forget to rinse
them first. Otherwise you risk exposing your pizza to unpleasant dark goo,
which will surely put off any kids from sampling what is a delicious dish.
Another
recommendation is to use
smoked mozzarella to help contribute to the overall smoky vibe of the
pizza. However, you can just make to do with regular mozzarella if you find the
smokier kind difficult to source.
A
final piece of advice for the ingredients is to stick to the prepared
whole-wheat pizza dough, as preparing your own from scratch is an incredibly
difficult task. Do yourself a favour and just buy the premade. There will be no
battling against the stickiness of the dough.
Advanced Preparation
Simply
the cooking process by undertaking some advanced preparation of your
ingredients. The sure-fire to not delivering the best possible dish is by
leaving yourself too much work to do during the cooking process. Instead, why
not have all of your ingredients ready to go? You can toss those black beans
and diced tomatoes with salad greens and healthy vinaigrette in advance.
Core Cooking Process
Preheat
your grill to a medium temperature, taking care to leave the door open. The
oven and then your kitchen will only fill with smoke if you leave the door
closed.
Take
all of the pre-prepared ingredients – the tomato, beans and corn – and mix them
together in a bowl. Let those wonderful flavours combine while you sprinkle the
two tablespoons of cornmeal over a large baking sheet.
Position
the pound of dough on the baking sheet and start to knead it into a circle,
taking care to leave the cornmeal in position underneath. The aim is to coat
the entire underside of the dough so that it can later be removed seamlessly
from the sheet.
The
time to remove the pizza base comes when you are ready to place it on your
grill tray. The next stage is to cook the base for four to five minutes and
without any of the other ingredients. Cook the dough until the crust rises and
the bottom is lightly browned.
Take
the base out of the oven once it has been browned and the crust has risen.
Spread the barbeque sauce on the base, then following by adding the mixture of
tomatoes, corn, and black beans, closely followed by the smoky mozzarella
cheese.
Return
the pizza to the grill and let cook for another four to five minutes, by which
point the cheese will have melted and the crust browned further. Finish by
letting the pizza stand for a minute before cutting it into six scrumptious
slices.
Alternative Ingredients
The
original recipe gives you protein, grains, fruit, and vegetables from the
beans, whole-wheat dough, tomatoes, and corn. However, you can make simple
tweaks to add or replace ingredients, as you so desire.
For
instance, people that don’t like barbeque sauce can replace this ingredient
with salsa. A different option is to increase
the lean protein consumption by adding chicken or Quorn and taking away the
mozzarella. The beauty of cooking is that you can explore the possibilities
with your friends and family.
Here we are with day three of the Crispy Chicken recipes. This is the second recipe using the leftovers from that delicious Crispy Chicken with Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce.
If you didn't cook extra you are going to regret that decision now!
Imagine a deliciously simple hot chicken sandwich composed of a brioche bun, split and toasted and slathered with a spicy garlic mayo . . .
Imagine a deliciously simple hot chicken sandwich composed of a brioche bun, split and toasted and slathered with a spicy garlic mayo . . .
topped with a crispy coated and tender well flavoured chicken breast . . .
Now top that crispy coated and tender well-flavoured chicken breast, sitting on that spicy garlic mayo, sitting on that toasted brioche bun . . .
with a delicious pile of sweet and tangy coleslaw vinaigrette! Then of course the toasted top of the bun.
If THIS is not the best hot chicken sandwich you have ever eaten . . . I'll eat my hat.
'Nuff said. Try it. You will love it. I guarantee.
*Crispy Chicken Sandwiches*
Serves 4
These are delicious. I need say no more. If you don't make these, you are missing out on something really special. Serves 4
and pounded to an even thickness
salt and black pepper
oil for frying
For the coleslaw:
(Use a knife so you get strands)
1 medium carrot, peeled and shreddedsalt and black pepper to taste
You will also need 4 toasted buns (I used brioche buns, lovely)
Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet. Once it is hot, add the chicken pieces one or two at a time. Cook on one side until golden brown, about 4 minutes, flip over and cook until golden on the other side. Repeat until they are all done. Drain on paper towelling.
Note - If you have saved chicken from cooking the other day you will not need to bread and fry the chicken, as it will already be done. Simply reheat in a medium oven until hot through.
You remember those delicious crispy fried chicken breasts I showed you yesterday? Well I hope you cooked extras because today I am going to show you something delicious to do with the leftovers!
I told you I always cook extras and today and tomorrow I am going to show you just why I do that!
.jpg "Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette")
This is a delicious salad with crisp fresh salad greens . . . I used baby rocket (arugula), baby gems and baby spinach . . .
crisp French radishes, fresh cucumbers from the garden, crispy salad onions, toasted pecans, and crumbled feta cheese . . . and yes, fresh sweet blueberries that are coming into season now!
.jpg "Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette")
You top all of that with some sliced crispy chicken . . . of course you can use frozen crispy chicken that you buy at the shops.
I am really hoping you have saved some from yesterday because that's the best. But that's not all . . . I have created a delicious blueberry dressing to drizzle over the salad . . .
.jpg "Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette")
Sweet and tangy with a bit of heat from the Dijon mustard, it goes so well with all of the elements of this salad.
he sweet berries . . . bitter greens . . . hot little radishes . . . the salty creaminess of feta cheese . . . those crunchy toasty roasted pecans . . . crisp fried chicken chunks . . . the bland almost melon-like coolness of those crisp edged cucumbers.
.jpg "Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette")
There is nothing about this salad that isn't pleasing. Easy and quick to make. Pretty to look at with all of those colours and textures . . . delicious to eat.
Plus the added bonus of being a tasty way to use up leftovers. And pretty darned healthy if I don't say so myself.
BON APPETITE! (As Julia would say!)
.jpg "Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette")
*Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette*
Serves 4
You can either make your own breaded chicken breasts for this or use frozen breaded chicken breasts that you cook at home from frozen. Either way it is delicious. Serves 4
and handful of radishes, trimmed and quartered
.jpg "Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette")
For the dressing:
1/4 tsp garlic powder
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Whisk all of the salad dressing ingredients together to combine. Set aside.
.jpg "Crispy Chicken Salad with a Blueberry Vinaigrette")
Place your salad greens into a shallow salad bowl. Add the cucumber, radishes and blueberries, toss to combine. Top with the toasted nuts, the chicken, the onions and the feta cheese. Drizzle with the dressing and toss together to combine. Serve immediately.
Alternately the ingredients can be layered into individual salad bowls and the dressing passed at the table.
Alternately the ingredients can be layered into individual salad bowls and the dressing passed at the table.
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