A lovely fruity cake that's quick and easy to rustle up.
225g Soft Butter
225g Golden Caster Sugar
225g Self Raising Flour
125g Fresh or frozen blueberries
3 eggs
1tsp Baking powder.
Beat everything together (except the blueberries) in a mixing bowl or electric mixer until light and fluffy and then fold in the blueberries. Line an 8inch cake tin and pour in mixture, level off and pop into a preheated oven at 180c for 25 minutes until golden and springing away from the sides if the tin. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes and then pop onto a wire rack to cool. You can make these into muffins by popping them into muffin cases.
No need to ice them as they are beautifully sweet and moist from the berries. You can swap the fruit over for any berries you like and they're lovely with frozen cherries or pieces of fresh nectarine instead.
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Chocolate & Vanilla Cupcakes
I love cake, and I mean all cake. Fruit cakes, coffee cakes, apple cakes, cheesecakes, walnut cakes, Battenberg cakes, angel cakes, marble cakes, carrot cakes, lemon cakes, choclick cakes and every cake in between! And for this I make no apology. However, the tastiest and quickest cakes to make that give you cakey satisfaction within 18 minutes from mixer to plate are cupcakes.
Mary Berry has been my cake hero, second to my Mum, way before The Great British Bake Off. I like to use her all in one tray bake recipe. Makes 24 large cupcakes and is scrum.
Ingredients
225g Softened butter
225g Golden Caster Sugar
275g Self raising flour
4 eggs
2tsp baking powder
4tbsp milk
2tsp vanilla extract
Place all the ingredients into the mixing bowl and beat for 3-4 minutes until light, pale and fluffy. Spoon mixture into the cupcake cases about 1/3 full.
Pop into the oven at 180c for 18 minutes, they are ready when they spring back to the touch and golden. Leave then to cool on a wire rack and then either eat au natural or top with some buttercream flavoured with raspberry jam or lemon curd or chocolate ganache. Ammmmazzing!
For chocolate flavoured cupcakes add 4tbsp of cocoa power to the ingredients above and mix. I like to add a tablespoon of camp coffee as well to get a really chocolatey flavour.
You can also add in 100g chocolate chips to either mix. Or some lemon zest, or desiccated coconut and lime zest. Whatever tickles your fancy.
Mary Berry has been my cake hero, second to my Mum, way before The Great British Bake Off. I like to use her all in one tray bake recipe. Makes 24 large cupcakes and is scrum.
Ingredients
225g Softened butter
225g Golden Caster Sugar
275g Self raising flour
4 eggs
2tsp baking powder
4tbsp milk
2tsp vanilla extract
Place all the ingredients into the mixing bowl and beat for 3-4 minutes until light, pale and fluffy. Spoon mixture into the cupcake cases about 1/3 full.
Pop into the oven at 180c for 18 minutes, they are ready when they spring back to the touch and golden. Leave then to cool on a wire rack and then either eat au natural or top with some buttercream flavoured with raspberry jam or lemon curd or chocolate ganache. Ammmmazzing!
For chocolate flavoured cupcakes add 4tbsp of cocoa power to the ingredients above and mix. I like to add a tablespoon of camp coffee as well to get a really chocolatey flavour.
You can also add in 100g chocolate chips to either mix. Or some lemon zest, or desiccated coconut and lime zest. Whatever tickles your fancy.
Baked Mexican Dip
My darling friend Dilly made this beautiful dip for one of my very many hen nights. I have pestered her for the recipe and promptly lost it. I will of course pester her again when she's not so crazy busy as she always is. However this is the version I have found the closest too on the website and cobbled together to get it as close as possible.
1 tin of Kidney beans drained and slightly mashed with a fork
2 large avocados roughly chopped
4 Spring onions roughly chopped
Small jar of salsa (I prefer the hot one for a kick)
Handful of Sliced black olives
Handful or two of grated cheddar cheese
A couple of tablespoons of sour cream
Place the ingredients in layers in a dish and with the sour cream on top and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Pop in the oven at 200 C for 30 minutes and serve with warmed tortilla chips
I will post the true version as soon as I wiggle the recipe from Dills xx
1 tin of Kidney beans drained and slightly mashed with a fork
2 large avocados roughly chopped
4 Spring onions roughly chopped
Small jar of salsa (I prefer the hot one for a kick)
Handful of Sliced black olives
Handful or two of grated cheddar cheese
A couple of tablespoons of sour cream
Place the ingredients in layers in a dish and with the sour cream on top and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Pop in the oven at 200 C for 30 minutes and serve with warmed tortilla chips
I will post the true version as soon as I wiggle the recipe from Dills xx
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
What I do with my Mash Potato
I know you don't need a recipe for mash potato but I do have one and so I wanted to share it and I also thought I would share Mum's variations as well. Apparently I was a good eater but went through a "don't like it" stage for all the foods I had eaten without quibble before. Mum conned me by calling them exotic names and I was fooled. But then as a little girl I was a vain little thing and Nanny and Mum used to tell me with every mouthful of cabbage, kale or brussels that my eyes sparkled and by the time I cleaned my plate they were shining like diamonds.
Good boiling spuds like Maris Piper or King Edward etc.
Milk,
Butter,
Salt & pepper
I make my mash using a potato ricer and I can't tell you how amazing it makes your mash. I don't peel my potatoes at all. Just slice them in half and boil them until cooked through Then pop them in the ricer and squeeze into a bowl. The skins stay in the ricer and I just flick it out with a spoon as I go. Add butter, milk and seasoning. Voila.
I also like to add crème fraiche instead of butter for a lovely creamy mash. Great with Sausages or stew or a nice steak.
For a blue cheese mash I add St Angur cheese - fantastic with roasted chicken legs and a salad for a speedy supper.
Sunshine mash - Add cooked carrots / swede to the potatoes and rice as above.
Shamrock mash - Add cooked mashed broccoli to the potatoes for a bright green mash.
Mustard mash - Add a dessert spoon of mustard, Wholegrain or Dijon. Really good with grilled lamb or chicken.
Cheesy melting middles. Cube some cheese - cheddar or mozzarella (the mozzarella pearls are good) work well. Chop up some herbs parsley or basil are good. mix the herbs in the mash and then roll into slightly bigger than golf balls. Push the cheese into the middle and build up so it covered in the mash and them flatten slightly into patties. Chill and then cook as above in the frying pan or you can brush them with a little butter and cook them in the oven until golden brown and serve with a nice salad.
Corned beef potato cakes/croquettes - mash corned beef in with some chopped spring onions and mash potato and form into little patties and chill in the fridge to firm up. Then shallow fry them until golden and heated through. Serve with brown sauce and a tomato salad.
Tuna fish cakes - mash a tin of tuna, a finely chopped red chilli, spring onion and add to the mash potato mix well and form into sausage shapes or patties. Chill and cook as above.
Cheese Potato Pie - Add a nice strong cheddar to your mash and pop in an oven proof dish - sprinkle with cheese and wait until its golden. Mum used to also put baked beans on the bottom of the dish to make it go further and be a more filling meal. - See Cowboy Pie for variation.
Good boiling spuds like Maris Piper or King Edward etc.
Milk,
Butter,
Salt & pepper
I make my mash using a potato ricer and I can't tell you how amazing it makes your mash. I don't peel my potatoes at all. Just slice them in half and boil them until cooked through Then pop them in the ricer and squeeze into a bowl. The skins stay in the ricer and I just flick it out with a spoon as I go. Add butter, milk and seasoning. Voila.
I also like to add crème fraiche instead of butter for a lovely creamy mash. Great with Sausages or stew or a nice steak.
For a blue cheese mash I add St Angur cheese - fantastic with roasted chicken legs and a salad for a speedy supper.
Sunshine mash - Add cooked carrots / swede to the potatoes and rice as above.
Shamrock mash - Add cooked mashed broccoli to the potatoes for a bright green mash.
Mustard mash - Add a dessert spoon of mustard, Wholegrain or Dijon. Really good with grilled lamb or chicken.
Cheesy melting middles. Cube some cheese - cheddar or mozzarella (the mozzarella pearls are good) work well. Chop up some herbs parsley or basil are good. mix the herbs in the mash and then roll into slightly bigger than golf balls. Push the cheese into the middle and build up so it covered in the mash and them flatten slightly into patties. Chill and then cook as above in the frying pan or you can brush them with a little butter and cook them in the oven until golden brown and serve with a nice salad.
Corned beef potato cakes/croquettes - mash corned beef in with some chopped spring onions and mash potato and form into little patties and chill in the fridge to firm up. Then shallow fry them until golden and heated through. Serve with brown sauce and a tomato salad.
Tuna fish cakes - mash a tin of tuna, a finely chopped red chilli, spring onion and add to the mash potato mix well and form into sausage shapes or patties. Chill and cook as above.
Cheese Potato Pie - Add a nice strong cheddar to your mash and pop in an oven proof dish - sprinkle with cheese and wait until its golden. Mum used to also put baked beans on the bottom of the dish to make it go further and be a more filling meal. - See Cowboy Pie for variation.
Cowboy Pie
A simple quick child friendly dinner. Mum was very inventive with her dinners when I was little. I had two friends who were very fussy eaters (I wasn't allowed to be) and she was very creative with her dinners.
Mashed Potato
Large tin of baked beans
Pack of good sausages
Cup of frozen sweetcorn
Cup of frozen peas
Cup of grated cheese
Skin the sausages and cut each into three, like little nuggets of sausage. If you want too you can roll them into balls, place them in the bottom of an oven proof dish. Pour baked beans over the sausage. Make the Mash and stir in the frozen sweetcorn and peas and top the sausage and beans. Sprinkle over grated cheddar and chuck it into the oven at 200C for 30 mins until brown on top and piping hot!
The sausages are buried treasure and the sweetcorn and peas are the gold hidden in the mash and under the cheese. Mmmmmm yum yum in my tum.
Slow Cooker Beef in Red Wine Stew
I love my slow cooker and at this time of year when the heating is turned up and the frost covering the garden makes a nice crunch, when I go to let the chickens out and give them their breakfast, I know its time to dust off the slow cooker and get it on! Last night I made a sumptuous beef and red wine casserole which I left on over night, so when we woke up this morning the kitchen smelled amazing. You could also prepare this the night before and put the cooker on before you leave for work so you come home to a hot meal.
500g Beef Stewing Steak
3 carrots grated
2 large onions chopped
2 leeks chopped
Half head of celery chopped
2 Stock cubes or bovril
4 fat cloves of garlic sliced
Seasoning
1tsp Tumeric
1 whole chilli. Slit down the middle but keeping the top intact.
1/2 bottle good red wine
1 Bottle of passata
Water
1tsp Oregano
Throw everything in together, layering the veg and the meat and giving everything a really good stir before turning it on. It will be fairly watery but as its going to be cooking for a long period it means it wont dry out and all the flavours will be in this yummy liquor. I placed it on setting 1 for approx 8 hours overnight, but you could do all the prep the night before and switch it on in the morning on your way out of the door.
I am serving it tonight with wholegrain mustard mash as all the veg is in it but if you wanted to do a complete dinner you could add peeled potatoes to the pot and these will cook along with everything else and have a complete meal ready and waiting for you.
You can add or detract whatever you wish from the above. Swap beef for lamb or chicken thighs (the chicken won't take as long to cook) red for white wine, whatever veg you like and herbs you fancy. The chillies give the stew a nice warmth without the full on heat but if you prefer more punch then chop the chillies and add them or if you prefer omit them completely.
I don't brown my meat as I would if I was making a stove top/oven casserole, for no good reason other than I am lazy and it tastes just as good in my opinion.
The reason I grate the carrot is Feyez and I loath cooked carrot and this means the carrot melts into the stew and gives the dish a lovely rounded flavour whilst being hidden. Turmeric is a super food and has so many health benefits I won't bore you with them all but fabulous for arthritis and colds and chest complaints.
500g Beef Stewing Steak
3 carrots grated
2 large onions chopped
2 leeks chopped
Half head of celery chopped
2 Stock cubes or bovril
4 fat cloves of garlic sliced
Seasoning
1tsp Tumeric
1 whole chilli. Slit down the middle but keeping the top intact.
1/2 bottle good red wine
1 Bottle of passata
Water
1tsp Oregano
Throw everything in together, layering the veg and the meat and giving everything a really good stir before turning it on. It will be fairly watery but as its going to be cooking for a long period it means it wont dry out and all the flavours will be in this yummy liquor. I placed it on setting 1 for approx 8 hours overnight, but you could do all the prep the night before and switch it on in the morning on your way out of the door.
I am serving it tonight with wholegrain mustard mash as all the veg is in it but if you wanted to do a complete dinner you could add peeled potatoes to the pot and these will cook along with everything else and have a complete meal ready and waiting for you.
You can add or detract whatever you wish from the above. Swap beef for lamb or chicken thighs (the chicken won't take as long to cook) red for white wine, whatever veg you like and herbs you fancy. The chillies give the stew a nice warmth without the full on heat but if you prefer more punch then chop the chillies and add them or if you prefer omit them completely.
I don't brown my meat as I would if I was making a stove top/oven casserole, for no good reason other than I am lazy and it tastes just as good in my opinion.
The reason I grate the carrot is Feyez and I loath cooked carrot and this means the carrot melts into the stew and gives the dish a lovely rounded flavour whilst being hidden. Turmeric is a super food and has so many health benefits I won't bore you with them all but fabulous for arthritis and colds and chest complaints.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Sugar craft
For those that know me well, know that cakes and all thing cakey are truly a great passion of mine and one that stems from my darling Mum. She was a fantastic baker, but more than that she was a superb cake decorator. And let me assure you these are two totally separate skills. I love to bake cakes and the fact that my husbands not a cake or sweet lover is a hard pill to swallow. Although he shocked the hell out of me tonight and asked if we had any cake. Typically this weekend is the one weekend in the last few months that I haven't actually baked! Anyway what I have been doing is making the sugar craft decorations for the birthday cupcakes I'm making for a friends, daughters 18th and here is a little peek of what I've made so far. I know I'm no where near mum's standard, but I love to make pretty decorations for my cake projects whilst watching the telly. 
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