My Version of Irish Cream

1 C. organic double cream
13 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 & 2/3 c. Irish whiskey (1 35cl bottle of Morrisons Scotch Whiskey)
1 tsp. Nescafe Gold Blend instant coffee
2 Tbsp. dark chocolate syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender and set on high speed for 30 seconds. Bottle in a tightly selead container and refrigerate. Will keep for up to 2 months. Shake before using.

On my To Do list...

Gingerbread Cupcakes from http://theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=91

For the cupcakes
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup light molasses
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons soy yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

For the frosting
1/4 cup soybean margarine
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup soymilk
juice of 1 lemon


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line tins with paper cupcake liners.
Sift together flour through salt.
Whisk together wet ingredients (oil through yogurt) until well emulsified.
Fold dry ingredients into wet, wisking to combine.
Fold in lemon peel and crystalized ginger.
Pour into tins, 2/3 of the way.
Bake 17 - 22 minutes, until top springs back when touched or a toothpick comes out clean.
When fully cooled frost them with frosting below.

Prepare the frosting
In a round bottom bowl cream margarine and shortening with a strong fork. This could take 5 minutes, to make sure they are thoroughly blended and smooth. Add sugar and mix, adding splashes of soymilk as you go along to make blending easier. Add lemon juice, and keep creaming away until everything is perfectly smooth. Refrigerate until cupcakes are ready for frosting.

Chocolate Cupcake Quest

I was desperate to make Mint Filled Chocolate Cupcakes.

So I searched for a cupcake recipe that used cocoa powder rather than chocolate.
I first tried Nigella's Easy Peasy Cupcakes. They certainly were easy and they rose very well but I found them to be without character.
So I then tried the Basic Chocolate Cupcake from the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (recipe at http://www.chow.com/recipes/10794)- these weren't what I was after either. Oh well, the quest continues!

I've been bitten by cupcakes!!

I walked past a cafe the other day and as the baby was screaming for milk I decided to go in and have a coffee. What I then saw turned what had been a horrible day into a lovely one: a stand full of sparkly, colourful cupcakes!
I ordered one for my toddler, not wanting to add to the sugar I had already eaten that day but from that moment on I was hooked.
I went home and reseached which would be the best cupcake book and what materials I needed.
I decided on Hello, Cupcake! based on the reviews and the cupcake designs in the book. And then I waited impatiently for the book to arrive.
And when it did...I was transported into a wonderful, beautiful place of creativity and joy. Luckily my toddler was asleep so I could read the book peacefully and with each page I turned my smile grew wider. Every project tempted me and I set to the task as soon as possible.


I used the book's recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes but for my second batch I used the recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes found on this fantastic blog: http://howtoeatacupcake.blogspot.com/2008/04/amy-sedaris-vanilla-cupcakes-w-mint.html.

My first ones were the Slumber Party. I thought if I could make these look even half decent then I would be on to something good with this book and I wasn't disappointed! I had so much fun making them, I was in a world of frosting and candy, pure escapism.
The next day, I made cats, followed by the corn on the cob and then the face. I still had some frosting left over so I then 'freewheeled' and came up with my own designs which I was very pleased with.


The next item on my list is a cupcake bouquet, as described in The Cupcake Doctor.

Chicken Tagine

• 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs , halved if large
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger
• pinch of tumeric
• 1 tbsp honey
• 400g carrots , cut into sticks
• small bunch parsley , roughly chopped
• lemon wedges, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large, wide pan with a lid, add the chicken, then fry quickly until lightly coloured. Add the onion and ginger, then fry for a further 2 mins.
2. Add 150ml water, the saffron, honey and carrots, season, then stir well. Bring to the boil, cover tightly, then simmer for 30 mins until the chicken is tender. Uncover and increase the heat for about 5 mins to reduce the sauce a little. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Sandra's Flapjacks

Not strictly Sandra's but in fact Rose Elliott's but they remind me of my lovely friend so to us they are Sandra's.

Flapjacks

Melt 6oz of butter (must be butter, not margarine) in the microwave.

Stir in 6oz sugar and 1.5 rounded TB of golden syrup until the sugar is dissolved.

Add 3 drops of vanilla essence.

Stir in 8oz of oats and 3oz of wholemeal flour.

Bake for 20min at 160C.

Cinnamon Butter - Healthier Cookies

I have just discovered that my toddler loves Cinnamon butter spread on bread and dried out a bit in the oven or toaster.

Cinnamon Butter

• Beat together:
• 
  
• 1/2 cup softened butter
  
• 2 ounces caster sugar
• 2 ounces brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Spread on bread.

Freezer Oven Chips

The variety of potato is thre most important factor of success in potato-based recipes.
In this recipe, Saxon potatoes are what are needed.

Scrub some Saxon potatoes clean.
Cut into 1.5cm thick batons.
Place 1ts of vegetable oil and 1/2ts salt in a large Ziploc bag.
Place the potato batons in the bag.
Seal the bag and shake it vigourously.

At this stage the chips can be frozen.

To cook (from fresh or frozen):
Place a lined baking tray in the oven.
Preheat oven to its highest setting.
When the oven has reached temperature, place the chips (no need to defrost)
on the baking tray.
Cook for 30min or until golden.

Magali's Lentil Chili

• 2 (400 g) cans chopped tomatoes (800g in total)
• 700 g passata
• 1/4 teaspoon chili
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups red lentil
• 1 cup water
• 2 (400 g) cans kidney beans

Combine all ingredients in a suacepan and simmer for 30min or cook on LOW in a slowcooker for 6-10 hrs.

My Wonderful Tomato Sauce

• 500 g organic tomato passata (thick sieved tomatoes)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon herbes de provence
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper

1. Combine everything in a small saucepan.
2. Heat gently for 10 minutes

Lovely Healthy Food...

1. Fried rice
2. Risotto
3. Baked macaroni
4. Ratatouillt
5. Lentil chili
6. Veggie Quiche
7. Tomato sauce penne
8. Garden veggie burgers
9. Cheese and mushroom omelette
10. Jersey spuds
11. Courgette, feta and fennel pasta
12. Roasted veg couscous
13. Lemon fromage frais
14. Berry fromage frais
15. Fried noodles
16. Tagliatelli
17. Egg, chips and mushy peas

Why eat junk food when you can eat as much of any of these as you like??

1. 
   

Twink's Hobnobs

8oz sr flour
8oz sugar
8oz porridge oats
8oz butter
1tbsp golden syrup
1tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp bic soda

mix flour, oats and sugar, melt marg, syrup and water in a pan stir in bic soda and add to dry mix, mix well, make smallish balls and put on greased tray and flatten slightly with a fork, 180oc for 15 mins, cool on the tray, you just want them golden in oven not brown

Many, many, MANY thanks to Twink who shared this recipe on Moneysavingexpert's forum.

Oven Risotto

Ingredients
25g/1oz dried mushrooms, such as porcini or a mixture of types
400ml/14fl oz boiling water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
350g/12oz risotto rice, such as carnaroli or arborio
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
750ml/1¼ pints hot vegetable
(or chicken) stock
125ml/4fl oz white wine
75g/3oz parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl, add the boiling water to the bowl and leave to soak for ten minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium sized ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish and cook the onion and garlic for a few minutes until soft and a little golden. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Drain the excess liquid from the mushrooms into a clean bowl. Chop the mushrooms, and add them to the garlic and onions along with the rice, chopped thyme and mushroom-soaking liquid. Pour the stock and the wine into the pan and bring the mixture to the boil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Cover with the mixture with a lid and place it in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has just cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Stir in 50g/2oz of the grated parmesan.
6. To serve, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and thyme leaves.

Fantastic Shortbread

Preheat oven to 150C.

In Kenwood Chef, blend together 250g butter and 125g of caster sugar. Mix in 250g of plain flour and 125g of cornflour.

Press into a tin so the depth of the dough is an inch. Bake for 50 minutes.

Very simple hummus

Whizz together:

200g chick peas, drained
1 lemon, juice only
1 clove garlic
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil

= very yummy!

Easy Meringues/Pavlova

This sounds crazy but it produces wonderful meringues. The original recipe is halved but I like to use my Kenwood Chef and therefore the quantity below is best for me. But otherwise, it's pretty amazing that you can get 8 meringues out of just one egg white!!

2 egg whites
1 1/2 c. caster sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. cornflour
1/4 cup boiling water

Place all ingredients in the order given (so that the egg whites aren't cooked by the boiling water!) into a medium-sized bowl and beat with electric whisk until mixture is thick and satiny, about 12 minutes. It'll look like whipped cream (and taste heavenly although I know a lot of people wouldn't dream of eating uncooked eggs).

Spoon 16 blobs of mixture onto a tray (I use those washable baking papers).

Bake in middle of oven at 180 degreesC (350 degreesF) for
10 minutes; reduce heat to 150 degreesC (300 degreesF) and bake a further 45
minutes.

Allow to cool in oven.

Risi e Bisi

400g frozen peas
1.5l veg stock
60g pancetta, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cinnamon stick
225g carnaroli or arborio rice
flatleaf parsley leaves
5T grated parmesan

1. Fry the pancetta and onion for about 10min over medium heat until the onion is golden.

2. Add the peas, cinnamon, and 125ml broth/stock.

3. Cover and cook for about 5min until the peas are tender.

4. Increase to high heat and uncover to cook off any remaining liquid.

5. Add the rice, stirring well to coat.

6. Add 150ml broth and cook, stirring constantly.

7. Repeat step 6 until all the stock is used up and the rice is tender.

8. Stir in parsley and parmesan just before serving.

Italian bean casserole

3 tbsp olive oil
4 celery sticks, roughly diced
4 medium carrots, roughly diced
3 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100ml white wine
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
About 700ml vegetable stock, hot
410g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
410g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Small handful fresh oregano or fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped, plus extra whole leaves to garnish


1. Heat the oil in a large casserole or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring, for 7-8 minutes. Add the leeks, cook for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the garlic and wine. Let the wine cook out and reduce for a few minutes.

2. Tip in the tomatoes and lemon zest and season well. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer fairly rapidly for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the vegetables are just tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened.

3. Stir in the beans (add a dash of hot water, if necessary) and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the oregano or thyme and the lemon juice. It’s worth re-checking the seasoning now. Spoon the casserole into bowls and garnish with fresh oregano or thyme leaves.

Source: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/Italian_bean_casserole_1111

Gorgeous Chorizo Pasta

Fry some mushrooms and peppers in a spray of oil mister.
Add some thinly sliced chorizo.
Add some good quality passata (or make your own by sweating 2 chopped celery sticks, 1 chopped carrot and 1 red onion. Add 2 tins of chopped tomatoes. Simmer for 30mins. Puree in blender)
Once all is heated up mix into some pasta quills cooked al dente.

Pork and Sage Meatloaf - FREE on Red

1 kg pork mince

1 small onion , finely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic

1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves OR 1ts dried sage

2 eggs

28g fresh breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon salt

to taste fresh ground black pepper

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl-I find this easier with clean hands.

2. Place in a greased loaf tin and bake in a moderate (180c/350f) oven for 1 1/2 hours.
3. Cover for first 1 1/4 hours with aluminum foil, then remove foil for final 15 minutes.
4. Drain away any liquid at this time too.
5. Allow to rest in the tin for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Chicken and Leek Casserole - FREE on RED DAYS

1lb frozen diced chicken thigh meat
1lb frozen sliced leeks
1lb sliced carrots
1/2ts thyme
1TB chicken Bovril


Put everything except the Bovril in the slocooker and cook on HIGH for 6hrs or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender. Stir in the Bovril. Serve over 190g boiled potatoes.

Very yummy

Slimming World Menu Plan

GREEN DAY

Breakfast: beans on toast (HEa)

Lunch: Oven risotto

Snacks: Souperfree Soup



Oven Risotto

300g risotto rice
700ml chicken bovril
dried mushrooms
onions
garlic
thyme
basil

Preheat oven at 200C.
Rehydrate mushrooms.
Place all ingredients in an ovenproof saucepan.
Bring to the boil.
Place the saucepan in the oven and bake for 30min.

Serve with 28g grated parmesan (HEa).