Strawberry and Ginger with Toasted Almonds

Strawberries and Ginger with Toasted Almonds

250g Strawberries
10 whole almonds

50ml Fresh Orange Juice
1tbsp Crystallised Ginger

1 tbsp Caster Sugar


Cut strawberries into slices

Roughly chop the almonds and dry fry over a medium heat for 2-4 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown

Combine strawberries, fresh orange juice and caster sugar in a large bowl. Stir together and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Divide strawberries between bowls and sprinkle with almonds.

Whiskey and Coke Cupcakes

Whiskey and Coke Cupcakes

1 cup cola
2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
at room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream at room temperature

Ganache Filling

8 ½ ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons whiskey

Whiskey buttercream frosting

6 cups confections sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
6 tbsp Jack Daniels, or other whiskey

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. 

Bring 1 cup cola and 2 sticks butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. 

Allow to cool for at least fifteen minutes.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. 

Using electric mixer, whisk eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. 

Add the sugar and whisk to combine.  

With the mixer on, pour in the cola-chocolate mixture and beat just to combine. 

Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. 

Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.

Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. 

Be really careful about not overfilling them – this cake rises and will spill over.  

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. 

Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. 

Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate.  Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth.  

Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.
Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Meanwhile, using a 1-inch round cookie cutter, an apple corer, or a paring knife, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes.
Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Frosting Method
Whisk the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. 

Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.  It does make a difference.  The frosting will be less grainy, and require less sugar to thicken them up.

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the whiskey and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin, beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar.  Don’t worry about trying to use all 6 cups, just use your intuition and stop when it seems thick enough.

Ice and decorate the cupcakes.

Honey and Mustard Cocktail Sausages

Honey and Mustard Glazed Cocktail Sausages

1 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Dijion Mustard 

Combine ingredients in a bowl, add the cocktail sausages and toss.

Cook in the oven for 5 minutes to warm.

Serve.

Crispy Bacon and Mushroom Salad

Crispy Bacon and Mushroom Salad

2 Red peppers
60g Lean back bacon
4 Hard boiled eggs
Large bag mixed lettuce leaves
4 Tomatoes, sliced
60g Croutons
Mushrooms

Dressing:
4 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt and black pepper


Cut peppers
Grill Bacon until crispy
Remove shell from hard boiled eggs and cut in half
Fry mushrooms and leave to cool
Arrange lettuce in bowl and add tomatoes, peppers, bacon, egg, mushrooms, and scatter with croutons

Mix together parsley, yogurt and lemon zest and season
Drizzle over salad and serve

Homemade Coleslaw

Homemade Coleslaw

• 3 tbsp reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar

Carrot, Shredded

White cabbage, shredded

Red Onion, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve

Vegetable Lasagne

Vegetable Lasagne

2 large onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
120g mushrooms
225g courgettes, sliced
225g broccoli, small florets
1 bay leaf
Thyme leaves, chopped
270g Lasagne sheets
4 tsp grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Black Pepper

Cheese Topping:
2 Eggs
4 tbsp skimmed milk
300ml low-fat plain yoghurt
100g low-fat soft cheese

Tomato Sauce:
2 onions, chopped finely
1 garlic clove
300g canned tomatoes
1 tsp honey
A large handful basil/parsley



Heat oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.  Gently fry the onions and garlic until softened  add the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper and honey.

Cook for 20 minutes and then stir in the basil and parsley.

Preheat oven to gas mark 6/200c

Heat oil in a frying pan.  Saute onions and garlic for 4 minutes, adding 2 tbsp water if they stick.

Add the mushrooms, courgettes, broccoli, herbs and seasoning.

Cook for 4 minutes with the lid on, then stir in the tomato sauce.

To make the cheese sauce

Beat the eggs, milk, yogurt and soft cheese.
Season and pour over the top of the lasagne
Sprinkle with parmesan and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until golden

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars Adapted from DomesticFits.com

For the Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
½ tsp baking powder
¾ cup golden brown sugar
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
½ cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Jam for filling

Combine the flour and baking powder in a small bowl or jug, set aside.

Add the peanut butter, butter and sugar in a bowl, mix until well combined. 
Add the egg and vanilla, mix well until combined.
Sprinkle with flour mixture, stir to combine.

Split the dough roughly in two, leaving more for the bottom crust.
Put one half in the freezer to chill whilst pressing the other half into a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

Cover the dough with the jam (I put the jam in the microwave to soften slightly for easier spreading)

Retrieve the remaining crust from the freezer, break into pea-sized pieces and layer over the jam filling. 

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees (gasmark 4) for 30 minutes, until the top crust starts to turn golden brown.  


Allow to cool before serving.

Brie and Sundried Tomato Dip

Brie and Sundried Tomato Dip

16oz Brie cheese
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic
1 tbsp thyme
1/4 tsp coarse black pepper

Remove the rind from the brie and cut into chunks
Combine the garlic, thyme and tomatoes in a large bowl.
Add the black pepper and stir to combine
Add the tomato mixture over the chunks of cheese in an oven safe dish.
Bake until Brie is all melted and bubbly (20-25 mins) 
Stirring half way through

Serve with crackers or French bread.

Savoury Shortbreads

Savoury Shortbreads From raspberricupcakes

50g crispy bacon
150g plain flour
1/4 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
140g butter
2 tbsp white sugar
1 small egg

Sift flour, bicarb and salt.
Mix in pepper and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy
Add egg yolk and beat to combine
Beat in the dry ingredients, then fold in chopped bacon.

Turn mixture out onto a dry worktop.  Pat dough to bring it together.

Split into two and roll into logs, about 4cm in diameter.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Unwrap the dough on prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 mins, or until the edges turn golden brown.

Leave to cool.

Meatloaf Cupcakes

Meatloaf Cupcakes From FirstLookThenCook


1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray


4 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Add chopped onion, carrot, oregano and minced garlic to a large nonstick pan with the oil.
Sauté 2 minutes and leave to cool

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.
Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. 
Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup. 

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

While the meatloaf is cooking, make the mashed potatoes. 
Boil potatoes and mash with a ricer for best results.
Add milk and remaining ingredients, stir until desired consistency.

Put the potatoes into a pastry bag with a wide star tip and pipe the mashed potatoes on top of the meatloaf. 

Shortbread Biscuits

Shortbread Biscuits

4oz butter
2oz caster sugar
6oz flour

Beat butter and sugar together until smooth
Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste.

Roll out on a work surface until 1cm thick
Cut into rounds or fingers and place onto a baking tray.
Sprinkle with icing sugar, chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Bake for 15-20 minutes on Gas Mark 5 (190C)

Add chocolate chips or coconut to your shortbreads.

Tartlets

Tartlets From Aninas

Quiche Pastry
2 cups of flour
3 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
125g soft margarine
20ml cold water

Add together all the dry ingredients and mix. 
Add the wet ingredients and work with your fingers until a manageable dough is formed.

Line the tart tin with dough.

 






I used both a cupcake tin and silicon muffin tin, as I wanted to try different depths for the tarlets.

Now you can fill your tartlets with your favourite fillings. 

Spinach and Bacon
Onion, Garlic, Chilli, Streaky bacon, Spinach, White Sauce

Chicken and Cheddar

Chicken breast fillet, White Sauce, Cheddar Cheese

Mini Victoria Sponges

Mini Victoria Sponges

6oz caster sugar
6oz butter
3 eggs
6oz self-raising flour
Jam
Chopped coconut (Optional)
Icing sugar

Cream the butter and sugar together
Add the egg, a little at a time
Fold in half the flour, then the remaining half

Separate the mixture between two sandwich tins
Level out the mixture in the tin

Bake at gas mark 5 for 20 minutes

Once the cakes have cooled, cut into small circles.

Layer with Jam and chopped coconut, add another circle on top and sprinkle with icing sugar.

 

Leek and Potato Soup

Leek and Potato Soup From BBC Food

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, sliced

225g/8oz potatoes, cubed

2 medium leeks, sliced

1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable stock

150ml/5 fl oz double cream or Crème fraîche 

salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan

Add onions, potatoes and leeks

Cook for 3-4 minutes, until vegetables start to soften

Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil

Season well and simmer until the vegetables soften

Whizz with a hand blender until smooth

Reheat in a clean pan, stir in the cream, heat thoroughly and serve.

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bake

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bake Adapted from MyBakingAddiction

192g digestive biscuit crumbs
5 tbsp butter, melted

5 tbsp unsalted butter
43g light brown sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
96g flour
152g chocolate chips

10 oz cream cheese
50g sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 F. 

Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. 

Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. 

Remove pan to a cooling rack, but do not turn the oven off.

While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. 

Beat the butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.

Mix in the flour until just incorporated.

Mix in the chocolate chips and set aside.

Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Mix in the egg and vanilla

Pour the cheesecake batter over the prepared crust.

Make dough balls from the cookie dough and flatten slightly with the palm of your hands.

Place the dough on the top of the cheesecake batter, covering the surface.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the cookie dough becomes fry and firm.

Cool on a cooling rack.