Archive for the Recipes category
Coconut Oil
Posted on Wed, Jun 03, 2009 at 11:45 by Michelle
Low carb eating is going very well. I've become a coconut oil addict, and it really does seem to be just melting the fat off. It's very expensive though. I can get it from the Asian Supermarket for £1.80 for 500g, but it spits like crazy in the frying pan, it's fine to make up some little treats with though.
Coconut oil chocolates
- 5 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp Cocoa
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- handful dessicated (grated, unsweetened) coconut
- Stevia to sweeten
- Mix all together, split into small cake liners and put in fridge until hard.
Katie is really enjoying eating these, although when Charlotte tried them she was gagging, "ugh, they just taste like fat". Charlotte hates the feeling she gets from fatty food when it coats her mouth and lips, she was funny to watch though.
I'm trying not to get too hung up on the weight, as I'm a strong
supporter of size acceptance and Health
at Every Size, but I feel so great, full of energy and vitality
eating very few carbs and the side effect is that I'm losing weight so
it's all good.
This afternoon is my cycling group. the weather is lovely, so I shall lather up with sun screen put on my 3/4 length gym tousers and enjoy the breeze in my hair, and hope this time I don't have to push the bike up more than one very steep hill.
| Edited on: Wed, Jun 03, 2009 11:49Posted in Recipes (RSS), Yes, I'm FAT! (RSS)
Chicken Korma, Rice and Onion Bhaji's
Posted on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 11:45 by Michelle
One of the worst areas for your pocket (as well as your health) in home economics is pre-prepared food. Thanks to my friends over at Old Style, as well as some great TV cookery programmes and the benefit of cheap cookery books from boot sales. I learnt to cook one meal at a time. I had always made some food at home, spag bol and chili, but they had sauces in from the supermarket. Now I mostly make my own. I like to know what has gone in them, they are cheaper and, for the most part, taste better than ready prepared.
I love Indian food and have been cooking it for a while. Last night we
had chicken korma, boiled rice and onion bhaji's. We were supposed to be
having cod and chips, but I'd gotten trout out of the freezer instead of
cod, so it's trout tonight.
I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and a curry always makes up really easy and as I had already made the batter for the fish I threw some curry powder into that and made onion bhaji's.
Korma Sauce
- 1 Large onion
- 1" Fresh root ginger
- 4 large cloves Garlic
- 1 large green chili - deseeded
- bunch of coriander
- 4 tblsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 4 tsp garam masala
- 1 tin chopped toms
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 284 ml pot single cream
Throw onion, ginger, chilli, and stalks from coriander into a blender with a little of the oil to get it moving.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the paste you just made for 3-5 mins.
Stir in the dried spices and cook for 2 more minutes.
Stir the tin of toms, salt and sugar into the pan.
Cook on a low heat until reduced and thickened about 5 mins.
Mix in the cream and cook for another 5 minutes.
If you want the sauce very smooth return to the blender.
Add whatever you want to your korma sauce, I added pre cooked chicken breast, but you could have salmon, prawn or chickpeas.
Cook for a few minutes until all ingredients are thoroughly heated.
Boiled Rice
- 1 cup of basmati rice (washed)
- 2 cups boiling water
- pinch of salt
- ½ tsp turmeric (for colour)
Put all ingredients into a large plastic bowl.
Microwave on high for 10 minutes.
Stir through with a fork, if almost dry cover with a tea towel until ready to serve. If still lots of water cook for 5 more minutes.
Onion Bhaji's
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| From 20081120 |
- 3 large onions, finely sliced (I use the processor for this)
- 8oz Self Rasing flour (or plain and 1 tsp baking powder)
- 10 fl oz beer (you can make it with water and drink the beer, but it makes the batter very light)
- 2 tblsp curry powder
- chilli powder to taste
- ½ tsp salt
Mix the dry ingredients.
Beat the beer (water) into the flour until you have a thick, smooth consistency, (similar to double cream).
drop the finley sliced onions into the batter and stir to make sure all evenly coated.
Take a tablespoon of coated onions and place careully into very hot oil in a deep fat fryer, you should be able to get 4 or 5 bhaji's in depending on your fryer. Cook until golden brown, you may need to turn them after about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
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|Posted in Recipes (RSS), What's for Tea (RSS)
Cupcakes
Posted on Sun, Sep 07, 2008 at 10:36 by Michelle
Cupcakes
Unsurprisingly cupcakes have become very popular.
People are choosing to have them instead of traditional wedding cake, they are great for kids parties and well, any occasion, or none.
I made these as part of the thank you present, and they are extremely light and very nice. I thought my muffin tins were large, and this was supposed to be enough for 12 but I got 18 huge cakes. I think I'd make them in a smaller bun tin next time and get lots more but daintier cakes.
The icing was a new one for me, and absolutely perfect, it piped really nicely and tasted divine. Definitely a keeper.
This is an American recipe, I've converted where it helps me.
Ingredients:
- 1¾ cups cake flour (see muffins) (235g)
- 1¼ cups plain flour (170g)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks butter (225g) cubed and at room temp
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 200C / 180C fan / gas 6.
- Line tins with paper cases.
- Combine all dry ingredients
- Add butter and mix until coated and crumbly.
- Whisk eggs, add milk and vanilla.
- Add wet ingredients in 3 parts, beat until incorporated, but DO NOT overbeat. Lumps are fine.
- Dived among tims, fill ¾ full.
- Bake for 17 -20 mins rotating after 10 minutes.
- Leave in tins for 5 mins than transfer to wire rack to cool completley before icing.
Cupcake Icing:
Ingredients:
- 1 stick of butter (115g)
- 2 cups icing sugar (sieved)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup double cream (milk will substitute)
Directions:
- Cream butter until soft and pale.
- Add sugar and beat slowly.
- When all sugar is in add the other ingredients.
- Beat for 5 mins
I used my food processor to mix the icing, and it gave a lovely smooth, easily pipeable icing.
I tried these cakes straight out of the oven and wasn't impressed, they tasted heavily off egg. After they had cooled and were decorated they taste perfect.
It is the nicest cupcake receipe I have tried, the recipe for that and the icing were from Billy Reece's Bakery in New York, he shared the recipe with Martha Stewart
|Posted in Cupcakes (RSS), Food (RSS), Recipes (RSS)
Blueberry Muffins
Posted on Sun, Sep 07, 2008 at 8:23 by Michelle
My neighbours very kindly give us tickets to the theatre that they couldn’t use. It was a Horrible History production of the Vile Victorians and my 12 year old loved it.
To thank them I made up some cakes. I usually make cakes as presents as I think it says thank you without going over the top. They cost pennies to make, but a lot of thought and time go into them.
I made these Blueberry Muffins. It was an English recipe, so easier to follow than American I doubled the quantities to make 12 and changed the plain flour to my substitute of cake flour.
I don’t know where to buy cake flour in the UK, (I’m going to have a look in Makro). To make my own for every 135g of flour I remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons cornflour then sieve.
Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients:
- 300g cake flour
- 100g sugar (golden caster), I didn’t have so used granulated
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 150g blueberries
- 150g white chocolate, chopped into chunks
- 2 beaten eggs
- 100g butter, melted and cooled
- 200ml milk
Heat the oven to 200C / 180C Fan / Gas 6.
Put paper cases into a 12 hole deep muffin tin.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
Add the blueberries and chocolate and coat well with the dry ingredients. This stops the blueberries sinking.
Combine the wet ingredients.
Add the wet to the dry and quickly incorporate.
DO NOT overmix or beat, it should be lumpy. As soon as the ingredients
are incorporated divide into your tin.
I use a 1/3 cup measure to spoon them out but an ice cream server also works.
Cook for 25 mins on the middle shelf and turn half way. (check after 20 mins).
When a toothpick/skewer or bona fide cake tester comes out clean they’re done.
Leave in the tins for 5 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
These weren't sweet enough for me, and as I often reduce the sugar in a recipe I can only think i forgot to double that quantity when I made them, only putting 50g instead of 100g. They are very filling.
|Posted in Family (RSS), Recipes (RSS)
Italian Pizza Base
Posted on Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 8:11 by Michelle
I always make our own pizzas, the bases are very straight forward to make.
I either make a sauce from a tin of tomatoes, oregano, vinegar and tomato paste, or I bung on some cheap ragu.
Then whatever toppings you want, favourites in our family are;
- mushrooms
- spinach
- egg!
- red pepper
- sweetcorn
- mince
- red onion
and I always sprinkle a fair amount of chili seed over my tomato sauce.
Pizza Base recipe
- 1lb flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tblsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried yeast
- 2 tblsp olive oil
- 1 cup water
Mix together all the dry ingredients.
Add the oil and mix.
Make a well in the center and pour in the cup of water.
Using a knife, incorporate the water into the flour.
Then get your hands in and bring it all together.
Knead it in the bowl or on your worktop until it changes texture and feels more elastic. (10 mins)
Put a little olive oil on your palms and smooth it over the dough.
Put the dough back into the bowl, and cover with teatowel, cling film, or plastic bag.
Set aside for 2 hours. (use this time to make up your pasta sauce, and slice all your toppings)
~~~~~ 2 hours later
Pre heat the oven to 190, 180 fan oven.
Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured bench.
Knock back gently. (Just take the air out of it with a little kneading.)
Divide into 2, roll out into large rounds.
Place onto pizza trays or any thin baking sheet.
Cover with tomato base, the toppings you like and sprinkle over some mozzarella cheese.
Put into the oven for 15 mins.
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Daily Bread
Posted on Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 7:55 by Michelle
This is the recipe for our everyday bread. With the cost of bread rocketing, I throw this in the breadmaker most days. It is a straightforward easy sandwich loaf, which also makes great toast.
1lb Loaf
- 1 cup water
- 3¼ cups strong white bread flour
- 1tsp salt
- 1 tblsp sugar
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp dried yeast
2lb Loaf
- 1¾ cups water
- 6 cups flour
- 1tsp salt
- 1 tblsp sugar
- 3 tblsp butter
- 2 tsp yeast