Only Good Food

Dark horse Cake

2008-06-10T18:44:00.000+01:00

This is my friends Mother’s recipe, he sent it to me after reading my “Magic Pie” recipe as this does not look very appetizing until it comes out of the oven. For us brits, any cocoa will do or a very high cocoa content chocolate can be used. I recommend just using normal cocoa and then you can decide if you need more in your next one.

This is one of the “TRUE” powers of the internet instant messaging (email) I would of have had to wait a good few days for this to be delivered by snail mail.

Dark Horse Cake
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk*
• ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING(recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together cocoa and water in small bowl until smooth. Beat shortening, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended. Add cocoa mixture; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. 8 to 10 servings.

* To Sour Milk: Use 4 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 1-1/3 cups.

ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S Dutch Processed Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter in small bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Policeman's Soup

2008-06-05T22:58:00.000+01:00

It’s the oldies that are the best one’s so this is a favourite from my childhood, Policeman Soup, ( I Arrest You! = Irish stew)

I have prepared it here in the 'authentic' way using lamb chops but I also prepared it later with chunks of lamb loin which made a very good Irish Stew. Beef is another alternative to lamb with excellent results. The vegetables used are traditionally onion, potato and carrots but almost any vegetable can be used as well
4 lamb chops (see below ingredients for more details and alternatives)
4 medium potatoes
4 medium carrots
4 medium onions
Sprig of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 pint of lamb stock (hot water and two lamb stock cubes)
2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
2 good shakes of Worcestershire Sauce (Lea & Perrins)
2 ozs butter
50g flour

I used lamb chops (rack end chops to be specific). The good thing about chops is that they have some bone on them which enhances the flavour of the Irish stew as it cooks. However, chopped up lamb is a very good alternative?
For this Irish Stew recipe you will need an oven proof dish.
METHOD

Trim some of the fat from each of the chops and put it in a medium heated frying pan. This will melt some of the lamb fat for use in the next couple of steps.
Set the oven on at 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4.

Chop up the onions into rough chunks. Peel the potatoes and cut each into 4 parts. Scrape the carrots then cut into larger than normal chunks. Click on the picture to enlarge it for an idea of how big to chop the vegetables.
Irish Stew is a rustic menu and part of it's charm is that the ingredients are kept in large chunks. Saves on preparation time as Ill!

After 5 to 10 minutes, remove the fatty pieces from the frying pan and throw them away. Fry each lamb cop in the fat for about three minutes at a medium temperature - turn half way through.
Enlarge the picture on the left for an idea of how browned the lamb chops should be. Put the lamb chops in the casserole dish and fry the vegetables in the remaining fat for two minutes - turn frequently.

Put the onions and carrots over the lamb chops in the casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Add the Worcestershire Sauce (Lea & Perrins), the pearl barley and the lamb stock.
Finally add the potatoes on top, don't mix them in with the other ingredients. The aim is to let them be steam cooked over the other ingredients. Add some more salt and pepper to season the potatoes. Put the casserole in the pre-heated oven and cook for 1¾ hours.

Roux is a mix of 50 / 50 butter and flour which will thicken the gravy in the casserole dish. It can be used to thicken all sorts of sauces as well.
Melt the butter on a medium heat in a pan, then whisk (or vigorously fork in) the flour. Cook for 2 minutes whisking all the time to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Take the casserole dish from the oven and pour off most of the gravy into the pan of roux (be careful, the casserole dish will be hot).
Quickly blend the gravy and roux together with your whisk or fork. Add the thickened gravy back into the casserole and scatter the top with the parsley. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Put the casserole dish back in the oven for ten minutes. Serve onto hot plates. No other vegetables are needed, they are all cooked and ready in the one casserole dish!
Any red wine will go Ill with Irish Stew, but a glass of Guinness is probably the best accompaniment of all!

The Bee;s Knees

2008-06-02T02:25:00.000+01:00

Honey has been used as a sweetener for thousands of years, in cultures worldwide. While its medicinal and health properties are still appreciated around the globe, modern chefs often forget that honey is also a flavor-enhancing sweetener, adding delicious texture, color, and moisture to dishes ranging from appetizers and salads to stews and (of course) desserts. It's also worth mentioning that honey, unlike processed white sugar, contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants, especially in its raw form. It is also one of the few sweeteners that can be produced in almost every part of the country.

Choosing the Right Honey for the Job
In the UK, there are over 300 types of honey, whose flavor and color vary based on the type of nectar, or blossom, used to make them. Because the right kind of honey can be the perfect addition to a sauce, glaze, or dressing, use this list of the most common varieties to select the perfect honey for your recipe.

Clover Honey: One of the most common and popular varieties, clover honey is usually white to amber in color and is a great addition to most baked goods and sauces.

Orange Blossom Honey: Light in color, this honey has a distinctively orange flavor.

Tupelo Honey: You've probably heard of this premium honey, famous for its yellow-green hue and smooth, sweet flavor. Tupelo's high fructose content means that it resists crystallization.

Avocado Honey: Dark and rich, this honey will stand out in many dishes.

Blueberry Honey: Mildly fruity in flavor, blueberry honey tastes great on toast, in dressings, or as an all-purpose sweetener.

Fireweed Honey: Pale in color and with a delicate, buttery flavor, fireweed honey lends itself to grilling meat and fish, glazes, and even baking.

Buckwheat Honey: One of the darkest and strongest tasting varieties, buckwheat honey can be almost black and is a great source of iron. It is recommended for mead production or can be used in place of molasses.

Eucalyptus Honey: The herbal and slightly menthol flavor of eucalyptus honey makes it suitable for medicinal uses or in herbal teas.

Storing and Using Honey
At room temperature, honey will keep for years. Over time it may crystallize, a natural process, which is easily remedied by heating the jar in a pan of water and stirring until it liquefies.

While honey is the star in many wonderful recipes, it is also a multi-purpose sweetener that can be used in place of sugar in a variety of baked goods. Although it may take some trial and error to adapt your favorite desserts to use honey, here are a few suggestions:
• Substitute 1/2 cup of honey for every cup of sugar in a recipe.
• For each cup of honey you use, decrease liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of honey you use.
• Decrease baking temperature by 25°F because items prepared with honey tend to brown faster than those prepared with sugar.
• Lightly coat measuring cup with oil before adding honey so it's easier to pour.

Getting Hooked on Honey: Sweeten Your Recipes
Innumerable recipes take advantage of honey's unique properties. Try some of these ideas to get started
• Combine honey with ricotta or another mild cheese on toast for a morning snack.
• Add a teaspoon of honey to tomato sauces to reduce acidity and enhance flavor.
• Use honey in marinades and glazes on poultry, meat, or fish.
• Substitute honey for sugar in any of your favorite desserts using the guidelines indicated above.
• Give stir-fried or sautéed vegetables that extra zing with a honey-lemon sauce.

If you start with high-quality honey, there's no way you can go wrong. Develop your own unique ways to use honey and you'll be hooked before you know it!

Think of the best meal your mother ever cooked you

2008-05-31T03:12:00.001+01:00

Can you remember sitting at the dining table in eager anticipation of what was to come, you had just walked in the house and the smell exploded in your nose. Close your eyes and see if you can smell it now, just take your self back for a few minutes.

“How long mum?” would have been the question. Just enough time to wash your hands and run back to the table, the whole family sitting down, battling each other to get in their seats. Fighting, arguing, talking, then comes the silence as it’s served, close your eyes and just see it being delivered to the table, how the fantastic aroma, assaults your nose, and the presentation, feeds your eyes, and now you can taste it, wow, can you taste it? Wasn’t it just THE best ever.

That is YOUR memory, as each of us will differ with the meal in question, but each and everyone of us would agree with the outcome, nobody cooks like mum did. How many different memories of that same meal, do you have, different occasions, different people at the table, but that there same meal, you can taste it just as I can taste mine as I write this.

Well now for your just reward, for thinking of that memory, which I can almost guarantee you did, I am going to give to you for FREE, a cookbook, of over 200 recipes “Mothers Original Recipe’s” all of the recipe’s have been handed down by word of mouth, so now you can recreate your own favorites time and time again.

Just visit my Only Good Food website to download your free copy, but most of all ENJOY.

Rain Stopped Play

2008-05-29T11:31:00.000+01:00

I have borrowed this recipe from a good friend, I was at her barbecue, the other night, and it poured so we cooked everything in the oven, and we all stayed indoors. That said, this chicken still tasted like it was straight off the barbecue, so I thought hey I would love to share this with everyone.

Grilled Ginger Chicken

6 Chicken legs
2 tb Worcestershire sauce
2 To 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c Rum
1 tb Brown sugar
2 ts Salt
1/2 Inch piece fresh ginger -root, finely chopped
4 tb Freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 c Vegetable oil

Rinse the chicken and dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken with the garlic and salt; place in a non-metallic dish or a heavy plastic bag. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the chicken. Marinate in a cool place for at least one hour or refrigerate for up to two days.

Turn Grill to Medium, drain the chicken and cook, turning after 10 minutes and basting them frequently with the marinade, for a total of 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Serve hot
Serves six.

Cooking Magic

2008-05-27T20:49:00.000+01:00

Want to impress your friends, this Magic recipe is fantastic for people to watch you make. It takes one hour to bake, and about 10 mins to mix. Get your friends around. mix it in front of them, prove the oven is empty, then put in your pie. Hey Presto a perfect pie.

MAGIC PIE RECIPE

4 eggs
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups milk or half and half
1 cup coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients in blender at one time and blend until mixed together. Pour into a buttered 10-inch piepan. Bake in a 180C / 350f degree oven for 1 hour.

When done, crust will be on bottom, custard in the middle, and coconut on top - right where they belong.

Bolster up your meals

2008-05-23T21:16:00.000+01:00

Up here in the North-east, we tend to eat an awful lot of chips, just about anything that is not a cooked dinner has chips with it. Well I just love croquet potatoes and tend to serve them a lot more than chips, like small bolsters on your plate, I always keep a bag of them in the freezer for emergencies, like when unexpected friends appear, or expected friends bring their friends. This time of year they are so versatile, I use them with barbecues too, as they are small but very filling, and once you have made one you can make thousands.

Once you master a simple croquet, you can then expand your repertoire, by adding simple titbits, like Bacon crumbles, texture and flavour together. Here is one of my favourite recipes for you, and remember a recipes is written to be abused and changed, it is by nature of the word just a guide until you find you way of doing it. Get in the kitchen and get experimenting.

Croquet potatoes

Ingredients:
3 boiled potatoes
4 oz cabbage
8 oz boiled chicken
Coriander leaves or parsley as required
3 green chilies
1 tspn black pepper
1 tspn white pepper
1 tspn salt
½ tspn Garlic salt
Bread crumbs
1 egg
Oil for deep frying

Procedure:
1. Mash boiled potatoes well.
2. Mix cabbage, green chilies, coriander leaves, salt, black pepper and white pepper in it.
3. In a chopper finely chopped the chicken pieces and mix in the mixture.
4. Make any shape of nuggets (ball shape or elongated), dip the nuggets in egg and then fold it in bread crumbs.
5. Heat the oil in pan for deep fry the nuggets. The nuggets are done when they become golden brown in color.

About the author: Spud Larkin is an up and coming food writer and critic, already renowned throughout the north-east of England for his honest and open reviews that come straight from the heart and tongue.
read more of his reviews at Only good food

Not Valentines Day

2008-05-22T00:01:00.001+01:00

Fudge or Candy (as it is known in the USA) is sensual, sweet and seductive which makes it the perfect gift for Valentine's Day. An even more meaningful thing to do would be to make the fudge yourself. This would show the love of your life that you truly took the time out to give them something special and you do not have to wait for Valentines Day. You can make this anytime of the year as a special treat or for Birthdays and Anniversaries

Affectionately known as "pecan candy" in New Orleans, pralines are a decadent blend of sugar, cream, butter and pecans that will excite every taste bud of your lover's mouth. Put them in a gift box along with some other presents of love and your partner will be so thankful that you will want to make them all the time. They are simple to make and it is with pleasure that I share this age old sinfully delicious recipe from the South.

This recipe makes approximately 12 pralines.
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup of light brown sugar
18 ounces of evaporated milk
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

In a sturdy saucepan or pot combine the sugar and milk and bring to a boil over a medium-high flame. Cook this mixture stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until it reaches the soft ball candy stage (about 235 degrees if you are using a candy thermometer or when mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in ice water). This will take about 30 minutes. Make sure that you don't stop stirring as the mixture will thicken too quickly and burn if left unattended. After the mixture reaches the soft ball stage add the remaining ingredients (butter, pecans and vanilla extract) and turn off the heat. Stir the mixture for approximately three additional minutes adding a little milk if it gets too thick to stir. Spoon the mixture in the portion sizes that you want onto waxed paper and let cool.

Baby Takes All

2008-05-20T21:09:00.000+01:00

A friend popped in lately to show me her new baby, even though the baby was now 6 months old, as I get around a bit I don’t get to see my friends on a regular basis, but to get back to the story, she had been feeding him out of jars, and had forgot to put one in the bag, so I told her the best thing is a smoothie, so I done a few carrot through my juicer, and added some yoghurt and hey presto an easy baby meal. So I was discussing the benefits of having a juicer and was surprised by her lack of diet for the baby, just about everything came out of a jar or packet. So here are a few really simple baby recipes to help any newish mothers.

To make 4 portions of Haddock and Courgette you will need:

175g Haddock (or other white fish)
100g Potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 courgette, chopped
half a small onion, chopped

Instructions

Boil the potatoes with the courgette and onion until soft (approx 20 mins).
Poach, bake or steam the haddock for around 15 minutes, untill cooked through.
When cooked, flake the fish, taking care to remove all bones and skin.
Mash or puree everything together using a little of the vegetable cooking stock to bind.
The Haddock and courgette puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays or small freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow approximately 8 hours).

Suitable from 6 months, your baby will love this tasty haddock and courgette dish.

To make 6 portions of Lentil and Vegetable Puree you will need:

30g (1oz) butter
125g (4oz) leeks, finely sliced
30g (1oz) celery, chopped
30g (1oz) red pepper, cored, de-seeded and chopped
60g (2oz) red lentils
100g (4oz) 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
250g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
15 fl oz vegetable stock or water

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the leeks for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the celery, red pepper and carrot and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add the lentils, saute for one minute, then add the sweet potato and bay leaf and pour over the stock.
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
5. Remove the bay leaf and blend to a puree.

The Lentil and Vegetable Puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays or small freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow approximately 8 hours).

Suitable from 6 months, your baby will love this tasty lentil and vegetable puree.

To make 5 portions of Chicken and Vegetable Puree you will need:

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped
350g/12oz carrots, peeled and sliced
250ml/8 fl oz unsalted chicken stock or use water with a bay leaf
1 chicken breast (approx. 125g/4oz)
100g sweet potato, peeled and chopped

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until softened.
Add the sliced carrots and sweet potato, pour over the chicken stock or water and bay leaf and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the carrots and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and puree in a blender.

The Chicken and Vegetable Puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays or small freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow approximately 8 hours).

Suitable from 6 months, your baby will love this tasty Chicken and vegetable puree

To make 3 portions of Cheesy Salmon Puree you will need:

200g carrots, topped and tailed and sliced
125g salmon fillet, skinned
60ml orange juice
40g grated Cheddar cheese
a knob of butter
2 tbsp milk

Instructions

Put the carrots into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes until tender.
Alternatively, place the vegetables in a steamer and cook for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the salmon in a suitable dish, pour over the orange juice and scatter over the cheese.
Cover with microwaveable film and pierce a few holes in it, microwave on high for about 2 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork .
Alternatively, cover with foil and cook in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes.
Flake the fish with a fork, carefully removing any bones.
Drain the carrots, mix with the butter and milk and puree in a blender together with the flaked fish and its sauce.
For older babies, mash the carrots together with the butter and the milk and then mix the flaked fish with the mashed carrots.

The Cheesy Salmon Puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays or small freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow approximately 8 hours).

Suitable from 7 months, Salmon is a great source of Omega 3.

Cooked Leafy Greens
(Makes 10 food cubes)
Many of the most nutritious veggies, especially the green leafy ones, are not available in commercial baby foods. It's easy to make your own.
• 1 pound fresh greens (kale, collards, etc.)
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 3 Tablespoons fruit juice
Wash leaves thoroughly. Steam most greens 5-15 minutes, leaving the lid off for the first few minutes. Puree in blender with the water and juice.

Basic Vegetable Recipe
(Makes 8 food cubes)
Do not add salt, sugar, or fat.
• 1 cup cooked fresh or frozen vegetables without salt (use potatoes, green beans, peas, carrots, yellow squash)
• 4-8 Tablespoons cooking liquid, formula, or water
Press vegetable chunks through a sieve or baby food mill, thinning with cooking liquid or formula to eating consistency. Or, puree vegetables and liquid in blender until smooth. Serve or freeze.
Note: After trying single foods, good combinations are potatoes and carrots or carrots and peas.

Fresh Fruit
(Makes 4 food cubes)
Try different varieties of fruit in this recipe.
• 3/4 cup ripe fruit (uncooked peaches, nectarines, bananas, pears, apricots, apples)
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened fruit juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon-flavored water (1 teaspoon lemon juice to 1 cup water to prevent darkening)
Remove skin and seeds from fruit. Puree ingredients in baby food mill or blender until smooth. Serve or freeze.

Soybean Puree
(Makes 2-1/2 cups or 12 food cubes)
Serve this nutritious dish to your baby.
• 1 cup dry soybeans
• 3 cups water
• 3/4 cup unsalted tomato juice for thinning
Rinse and soak the soybeans overnight in the refrigerator. Simmer beans in 3 cups water for about 2 hours. Puree with any equipment, adding tomato juice to thin.
Fresh Orange Sherbert
(Makes 1-2 cups)
Babies will love this dish.
• 1 sweet orange, peeled, sectioned, and seeds removed
• 1 cup fruit juice
In a blender, liquefy the fruit. Add the juice and blend. Pour into loaf pan, cover, and freeze until fairly firm, about 1 hour.
Pour back into blender, and blend at low speed until smooth. Return to pan and freeze until firm.

Homemade Fruity Gel
(Serves 4)
This recipe uses fruit juice instead of sugar to add sweetness. Agar, the thickener, is derived from seaweed. It is available in natural food stores and food co-ops.
• 1/2 cup cool water
• 1 Tablespoon agar flakes
• 1-1/2 cups fruit juice
• 1 cup pureed fruit
Place water in small saucepan. Sprinkle in agar and stir to dissolve. Add juice and heat for 1 minute, stirring well. Pour into 4 small cups.
Place in refrigerator. After 1/2 hour, stir in pureed fruit.

Swedish Hard Bread
(Makes 20)
Unlike store-bought varieties, this homemade version of "hard tack" crumbles and melts in baby's mouth and is great for teething.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rye graham flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar or other sweetener
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 ounces commercial corn muffin mix
• 3 Tablespoons margarine
• 3/4 cup soy milk
Mix dry ingredients. Cut in margarine. Add soy milk. Mix well. Roll thin, cut into shapes and bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until brown.

Carrot/Apple Mix
(Serves 2)
This is a delicious dish.
• 1/2 medium apple, cored and peeled 1/2 carrot, washed and peeled
• 2 Tablespoons fruit juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Puree all ingredients in blender. Or, grate apples and carrot and mix with juice before serving.

Totally Stuffed

2008-05-18T02:55:00.001+01:00

It’s a pity we think of stuffing mainly as accompaniments to the Christmas turkey. They’re a great way to turn plain roasts into something special, and the most inexperienced of cooks can make them. These recipes give you enough to stuff a 2kg (4lb) chicken or boned leg of lamb.

All of these should be stuffed into the cavity of a bird or inside a boned leg of lamb before cooking. If you prefer not to stuff poultry, bake the stuffing alongside the meat, covered with foil for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.

Chorizo, Red Pepper & Potato
Sauté 150g (5 ½ oz) sliced chorizo (pull the papery skin off first) with a chopped and deseeded red pepper and tbsp olive oil. Add 200g (7oz) finely cubed waxy potatoes (don’t worry about peeling them) and cook for another couple of minutes, until the potato is pale gold and the pepper is quite soft. Season and add some chopped parsley or fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Let the stuffing cool. Good for chicken

Potato, Olive, Fennel & Pancetta
Remove any tough outer leaves from 2 fennel bulbs. Trim at the top and base, quarter the bulbs and remove the core. Discard these bits but keep any little fronds of fennel to add to the final stuffing. Chop the fennel flesh then sauté it in 3 tbsp olive oil with 200g (7oz) finely cubed waxy potatoes (no need to peel them), ½ finely shopped small onion, 55g (2oz) chopped black olives flesh and 100g(3 ½ oz) finely cubed pancetta. Add the grated rind of ½ lemon, season and leave to cool. Use to stuff chicken or boned leg of lamb.

Watercress, Apricot and Hazelnut
An idea shapelessly stolen – and little changed – from the wonderful chef, Shaun Hill. Sauté a finely chopped onion in 25g (1oz) butter. Mix with 75g (2 ¾) finely chopped dried apricots (he kind that don’t need soaking), 100g (3 ½oz) wholemeal breadcrumbs, 55g (1oz) butter, cut into little chunks, and 1 beaten egg. Combine everything well. Use to stuff chicken

Fruited Couscous
Pour 125ml (4fl oz) boiling water or stock over 125g (4 ½ oz) couscous and leave for 15 minutes. Fork through the grains to separate them, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and season well. Stir in 100g (3 ½ oz) shopped dried fruit (soaked and drained raisins, apricots, cherries and cranberries are all god) and the zest and juice of ½ lemon is good, too, and you can add chopped pistachios or almonds as ell, plus chopped parsley, mint or coriander. For chicken, or a boned leg of lamb.

Polish Stuffing
Melt 45g (1½oz) butter in a frying pan and cook a small, finely chopped onion until soft but not coloured. Add 100g (3½oz) finely chopped chicken livers and cook for a few more minutes. Put into a bowl with 100g (3½oz) good cooked ham, chopped (get stuff cut from a whole ham at the butcher’s or deli counter), 300g (10½ oz) white breadcrumbs, 4 tbsp chopped dill, 1 small beaten egg and seasoning. Mix everything together.

Prune, Sausage & Brandy
Put 150g (5 ½ oz) pitted and chopped prunes in a small saucepan and pour over enough brandy just to cover. Simmer over a very low heat for 15 minutes. The fruit will plump up. Sauté a finely chopped onion in 35g (1 ¼ oz) breadcrumbs, a good handful of chopped parsley or some thyme leaves and season. Mix and add the prunes and their soaking liquid. Leave to cool. For chicken.

Aliza’s Chestnut, Cranberry & Oat
Don’t just use this at Christmas or Thanksgiving (it’s my friend’s Thanksgiving stuffing) – it’s to good. Sauté 1 roughly chopped small onion in 75g (2 ¾ oz) butter until soft but not coloured. (You can also sauté finely cubed pancetta or bacon, or chunks of sausage meat with the onion.) Add 75g (2 ¾ oz) fresh cranberries and cook until they have softened, then add 75g (2 ¾ oz) dried cranberries and 4 heaped tbsp cranberry sauce or jelly. Stir until the jelly or sauce has melted, then add 150g (5 ½oz) oatmeal, 150g (5 ½ oz) cooked vacuum-packed chestnuts (roughly chopped) and season really well. Stir. The mixture should be quite moist and shinny – add more butter if it isn’t. Leave to cool. Use to stuff chicken.

Cherry & Dill
Scandinavian-inspired and lovely with chicken in the spring. Sauté a finely chopped medium onion in 55g (2oz) butter until soft but not coloured. Mix this into 150g (5½oz) white breadcrumbs, 85g (3oz) chopped watercress (leaves and fine stems only) and 115g (4oz) dried pitted sour cherries that have been soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes and drained. Add a beaten egg, a small bunch of shopped dill leaves, salt and pepper. Eat your stuffed chicken with a bowl of sour cream mixed with chopped cucumber and a crushed clove of garlic.

Aubergine & Date
One for using to stuff boned lamb. Cut and aubergine into small cubes and sauté in a frying pan in 3 tbsp olive oil until golden on all sides. Season and put into a bowl. Using another 2 tbsp olive oil, sauté ½ finely chopped onion until soft but not coloured. Add a crushed garlic clove and 1 tsp ground cinnamon and cook for another minute. Stir into the aubergine along with 200g (7oz) chopped stoned dates, the juice of ½ lemon, salt and pepper and 12 torn mint leaves.

Georgian Stuffing
Gorgeous and exotic. You can use dried sour cherries – soaked and drained – in place of the pomegranate seeds. Just mix 75g (2 ¾ oz) walnut pieces with 200g (7oz) crumbled feta cheese, 3 crushed garlic cloves. The seeds from ½ ripe pomegranate, a handful of chopped fresh coriander, 4 tbsp olive oil and seasoning. Stuff a chicken with this, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter on salt, pepper and ½ tbsp ground cayenne. Roast and serve with wedges of lemon, a green salad and a big bowl of bulgur wheat.

Breakfast is a Bun

2008-05-17T00:41:00.000+01:00

One of my biggest weakness’s is a muffin with my latte, but there great. There is not a time of day you cannot eat a muffin, breakfast lunch, dinner, supper. A lazy Sunday morning lazing in bed reading the papers with a coffee and a muffin. That’s the stuff dreams are made of. There are so many different kinds too, Blueberry or caramel, must be my favourites.

Muffins are so simple to make, have a go with these breakfast Muffins.

Banana Bran Muffins

3 ripe medium bananas
75 g / 3 oz unsalted butter
2 medium eggs
240 mls / 8 fl oz semi-skimmed milk
200 g / 7 oz plain flour
2 tsps baking powder
75 g / 3 oz Light SoftBrown Sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
25 g / 1 oz bran (cereal bran)

The addition of Light Brown Sugar enhances the flavour of the bananas. These muffins are great for those that can’t resist muffins from coffee shops. Just see how quick and easy it is to make your own.

1Preheat oven to 190º C / 375º F / Gas 5.
Line a twelve-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Melt the butter in a small pan over a moderate heat or in a microwave. In a medium bowl mash the bananas using a fork and add the eggs, semi-skimmed milk and melted butter and stir in together.

2 Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and cinnamon together into another bowl and stir in the bran. Tip the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold together.

3 Spoon the mixture into the cases, filling them three-quarters full. Bake in the middle of the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until they have turned golden brown in colour. Remove the muffins from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.

About the author: Spud Larkin is an up and coming food writer and critic, already renowned throughout the north-east of England for his honest and open reviews that come straight from the heart and tongue.
read more of his reviews at Only good food

Burnt at the Steak

2008-05-16T00:10:00.003+01:00

People are forever asking me, how to cook the perfect steak, steaks are real easy, as you don’t touch them as the cooking, if you start messing about, they will become tough, and chewy, just put them in the pan and leave them.

How do you grill steaks so they are pink but not chewy? The best way to cook a steak at home is to add some fat to it. I recommend cooking them in butter in a sauté pan, spooning the butter over it every few minutes. Also I suggest spending the extra money to purchase better-quality meats.

1. Prepare the steaks

Before cooking remove the defrosted meat from its vacuum packaging and pat dry with kitchen paper. Spread the steaks out on a board in a single layer. Allow the meat to 'bloom' and come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking.

2. Preheat your pan

Make sure that your griddle or frying pan is preheated to the highest temperature before you cook your steaks. When you place the meat into the pan you should hear a sizzle. Using a pan which is not hot enough can cause toughness. Add a little olive oil to the pan, or brush the oil directly onto the steaks to avoid using too much.

3. Cook to your liking

Cook the meat for the recommended time (see table below) on one side without touching, then turn very gently and cook on the other side for the remaining time. Don't turn your steaks more than necessary - every turn lets precious juices escape and dries out the meat. Be careful not to overcook, as this will make the meat dry and tough. You can test for doneness by pressing your steak gently with the tip of your finger.

4. Rest your steaks

Once the steaks are cooked to your liking they must be rested. During resting, the temperatures within the meat fuse, the juices in the middle move to the outside and it becomes warm, moist and tender all the way through. To rest your steaks, place them on a rack so they don't lie in their own juices. Cover with foil and leave in a warm place for up to 10 minutes. Remember, it is always better to over-rest your steaks than to under-rest them.

5. Use a good steak knife

Finally, use the right knife to cut your steak. A serrated edge encourages diners to 'saw', which gives the impression of toughness on even the tenderest meat. A sharp un-serrated blade slices cleanly through the steak and enhances the whole eating experience for you and your guests.

Steak Cooking Time Guide
The times given here are a guide only and refer to a steak that is approximately 2½cm or 1" thick. Thicker steaks may require a longer cooking time, and vice versa for thinner steaks.

Cooking Time
Time (per side) Resting Time Total
Rare 1 - 2 minutes 6 - 8 minutes 10 minutes
Medium 3 minutes 4 minutes 10 minutes
Well Done 4½ minutes 1 minute 10 minutes

Female Desires

2008-05-13T22:27:00.000+01:00

From a very old cookbook, these were called sweetmeats, today it plain old fudge, but with the addition of Chocolate, every woman will flock for miles as soon as this is ready to eat. Women love Chocolate and women love fudge, so if you want to be the top dog in your circle of friends or family this is for you. Just imagine taking this into your workspace, you will have everyone volunteering to do your work for you.

It’s simple to make and extremely good for the ego….

Chocolate Fudge.

This is often spoiled by over-stirring, slow cooking and a minimum of stirring, should be used.

1 lb Sugar
4oz Dark chocolate, (the higher the chocolate content the better)
6 fl oz Milk
2 oz Best Butter
Vanilla Essence

Stir together milk and sugar, until sugar is dissolved, then cook gently add the chocolate; allow the temperature to rise gradually, to the degree known as thread.
( a small amount dropped into cold water will result in a thread). Stir only if there is a chance of the sugar burning. Remove from the heat and add the butter still do not stir. When nearly cold add the vanilla, and then beat well with a wooden spoon.
Pour onto a greased tray and mark with a knife, break up when cold.

Imagine Eating Rainbows

2008-05-11T22:49:00.000+01:00

Does food have to be attractively presented before you can eat it, or if it looked like something the cat threw up would it put you off even if you knew it was nourishing and tasty?

Here are some opinions…
1) I do think we eat with our eyes first, but if I really knew something was yummy etc and it smelled OK (another big factor) I would probably dig in.
2) ummm... presentation is key, but I’ve made a few "cat sick" looking meals that were just fab! and I never cast aspersions on other people's cooking, mine can go just as bad!
In a restaurant, you expect it to taste as good as it looks. in a ready meal, you expect it to taste better than it looks. in my cooking, you hope that although it looks ok, it doesn't poison people!
3) No, it's got to be right and presentation is important, not as important but it should look appetising. I enjoy cooking and I have the time to do it, which suits me.
Never have ready made meals, total carnivore and eat meat from the butchers every day.
4) Its got to look nice or or I wont go near it full stop.......Like snails I just wouldn’t entertain them ughhhh! My sister has tried to get me to try them but well....Na!!
So to myself i have to like the look of the food in front of me or its a no go.

Chefs simply know how to compose, assemble and garnish a plate of food so it looks really, really good.

Cooks aren’t just cooks, they are designers and, to use that overworked term, artists. They engineer every plate so that the components are visually harmonious, hopefully triggering a positive response even before the first bite enters your mouth.

The process actually starts with the original recipe. More than a list of ingredients, a quality recipe factors in textures and colors.

I know, for instance, that chicken breast will taste great in a white wine sauce with white asparagus. But because the physical appearance of the dish is too pale and uninspiring, I’ll add a pinch of capers, parsley and roasted sweet peppers to give the dish more life.

I might layer the ingredients, contrasting the ovals of golden chicken with the tubular asparagus and the round capers. Make sure to overlap the slices of chicken so they give the composition a little bit of height.

Save the parsley for the end, and sprinkle it not only on the chicken, but on the exposed rim of the plate. Not only will the parsley taste fresher this way, but it’s leafy, green look will be more prominent.

Does this sound a bit too fussy for you? Maybe so, but it’s a well-known fact that food that looks great will probably taste great.

Shriveled is Best

2008-05-09T00:00:00.000+01:00

With summer time and tomato season just around the corner, now is the time to plan for making enough sun dried tomatoes to last the entire year. Nothing perks up a meal like the taste of sun dried tomatoes. What many people do not realize is just how easy it is to make your own sun dried tomatoes in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Go to your local market or supermarket and look for big plum tomatoes. You can buy them by the bucket and then, you decide just how many you would like to dry. Make sure you get the plum tomatoes since they produce the best end result. Keep in mind that they will shrivel into almost nothing, so the more you use the more you have in the future. What looks like a lot of tomatoes will fit into a quart-size zip top bag! This is why they are so expensive in the super market.

Start by pre-heating your oven to 95 degree C, remember to lower the temperature if you use a fan oven. Wash the tomatoes, and slice them about 1/4 inch thick. You don't even have to peel them. Lay the slices out on the baking tray, making sure not to touch sides. Place in the oven, and WAIT! This can take anywhere from 6 to 10 hours, but baking them faster will ruin the consistency and the flavor. Periodically check the tomatoes, as sometimes the tomatoes around the edges of the baking sheet will bake faster than the ones in the center of the baking sheet. Rotate positions, if necessary, to keep appearances uniform.

You will be able to tell when your tomatoes have completely baked they will have the consistency of fresh raisins. If they are undercooked they will be too wet and sticky; if they are overcooked they will be dark brown and dried out. Sometimes certain slices will be done before the rest, simply remove them to a plate and continue baking the rest. Keep your eye on them.

Bring the tomatoes to room temperature on the baking sheets. Transfer them to quart-size zip top bags, and place in the refrigerator. They will last indefinitely. They also taste wonderful right out of the bag! Be careful, though you can consume about 4 tomatoes without even thinking about it, and you'll need to buy more tomatoes to "sun dry" before you know it!

For the real I am, put your baking tray in the garden on a really hot summers day with just a bit of light muslin to cover the tomatoes, (just to keep the flies off), leave out all day and bring indoors as late as possible, if they are not baked put them out again the next day. This method will give a stronger flavour.

Check, Check and Check Again

2008-05-08T00:14:00.000+01:00

You're standing in a supermarket aisle looking at two similar products, trying to decide which to choose. You want to make the healthier choice but, as usual, you're in a hurry. Well, help is at hand.

A growing number of supermarkets and food manufacturers are using traffic light colours on the labels of some products to help you make your choice.

Food labeling is now compulsory here in the UK, mainly brought to bear, by the public with heightening amounts of allergies, so all food must be labels for nut traces, gluten etc.

As a member of the public you must be able to trust this labeling, but in the U.S. recently, Tyson Meats, one of the largest meat companies in the U.S., was caught in a truth-in-labeling violation.

Responding to the demand for fewer additives in food, Tyson introduced a chicken product labeled "raised without antibiotics." Except it's not true.

How can we hope to make informed food choices if we can't trust or believe the information provided on the package label?

Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is an ingredient many of us have known to avoid for 15 years. We assume that if not specifically mentioned among the ingredients, MSG is not present. Not true. It is very often included in prepared foods under a different name, as glutamate, "natural flavors" or other code words. Those among the growing segment of the population with MSG, corn and/or soy allergies must be skilled detectives and inveterate label readers. Corn and soy do not have to be listed among the ingredients if they are derivatives of corn or soy, such as citric acid, guar gum, lecithin or "enriched" flour.

The Best Solution, grow your own, and then make your own, and you will know exactly what you are using, lets get back to the “Market Garden” culture.
One of the best solutions is to purchase locally produced food. When you can look the farmer in the eye, ask how the food is produced (chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides), what the animals are fed and how they are raised (hormones and antibiotics), plus other questions in alignment with your values, you can make choices with confidence.

And while we're asking, ask our legislators to promote accuracy in labeling with regard to foods in particular, and everything in general. We do not deserve to be misled in any way about the foods we choose to support our families.

2008-05-07T00:45:00.000+01:00

Back to Basics
With the ever rising prices in all our supermarkets and shops, Mince, (Ground Beef to our friends across the pond) has become back into fashion. Versatility is now the name of the game. It makes sense to let mince become a major part of the weekly menu.

Cottage pie, Shepherd’s pie, savoury mince, mince pie, Lasagna, and of course the infamous Spaghetti Bolognese, just to name a few. The possibilities are nearly endless as you can also use lamb mince, and pork mince.

Cooking tips

• Before cooking, thaw frozen Mince in the refrigerator (never on the Bench) so that its natural juices have time to melt back into the meat.
• Pat excess moisture from Mince with paper towels so beef will brown, not steam.
• Mince broken into tiny pieces dries out when it's cooked, especially if the heat is higher than medium. Instead, break beef gently into chunks or cut it into 1-inch squares before browning.
• Never press on hamburger patties with a spatula. That squeezes out juices and flavor.
• Salt draws out moisture from foods, so season Mince at the end of cooking, not the beginning.

Kickin' Cajun Dirty Rice
From National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

1 pound Mince, 75 percent to 80 percent lean
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 package (6- to 8-ounce) Cajun-style dirty rice mix
1 can (14½-ounce) diced tomatoes, drained

Brown Mince with bell pepper in large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef up into ¾-inch crumbles. Pour off drippings. Stir in rice mix and water as needed (check package directions, but omit any oil or margarine called for). Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; cover skillet and cook according to time indicated in package directions, or until rice is tender. Stir in tomatoes. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 servings.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat Mince dry. Preheat frying pan, add oil and drop in Mince. Break up with wooden spoon. Cook over medium-high heat until brown all through.

Drain beef on paper towels, then return it to frying pan. Add tomato paste, Parmesan, onions, olives and seasonings. Place French bread halves on large baking sheet lined with foil. Spread beef mixture evenly across both halves. Top with sliced cheese, tomatoes and bell pepper. Bake approximately 10 minutes, until cheese melts and turns golden brown. Makes 4 servings.

Get Covered Up

2008-05-06T00:47:00.000+01:00

We all take notice of the chefs in our favorite restaurants or on TV, at one point or another. We recognize them by their signature hats and chef aprons. Chefs have used cooking aprons for a countless number of years. Not only is it the attire-of-choice at many high-end restaurants, chef aprons are a functional accessory to their wardrobe.

Chefs wear cooking aprons for several reasons. One reason is that they are dealing with a variety of food ingredients for many hours each day. They have to have a means of keeping their clothing free from dirt, stains and odors. They also need pockets to carry utensils from one part of the kitchen to another. Chef aprons serve a variety of purposes and most of us will admit that chefs wearing cooking aprons have a more professional look.

Men and women have worn kitchen aprons for centuries. Traditionally, women have been the primary homemakers in a family. Although times have certainly changed and things are not as cut-and-dry as they were before, the same tends to hold true. Kitchen aprons have been an important piece of attire in women's history. The use of cooking aprons likely precedes that of written history with several scholars noting the use of aprons even in the time of Adam and Eve. My favourite memory of my grandma, is wearing an apron, she always wore whether cooking or not.

Kitchen aprons, or cooking aprons, have been worn to protect clothing from dirt, grime and smelly odors. They serve as a towel to dry freshly scrubbed hands. The pockets of kitchen aprons have been a wonderful tool for carrying utensils, kindling wood or even an occasional treat for a child. It is simply amazing to consider the long and rich history of cooking aprons and how they have changed along with societal standards. Todays kitchen aprons still serve the same functional purposes but tend to come in a larger variety of styles, colors and with catchy one-liners.

SALAD AND SALAD DRESSINGS

2008-05-04T22:03:00.000+01:00

To Appeal To The Appetite

Chill ingredients before mixing - except for molded salads.
Provide tartness in the body of salad or dressing.

Use salad greens other than lettuce sometimes. Have you tried
chicory, escarole, endive, kale, spinach, dandelion greens,
romaine, watercress, and Chinese cabbage?

Sprinkle orange, lemon, lime, or pineapple juice on fruits that
may turn dark - apples, peaches, and bananas, for instance.

For tossed green salads, tear greens in fairly large pieces or cut
with scissors. Larger pieces give more body to the salad.

Prevent wilting and sogginess by drying the greens used in
salads, draining canned foods well before adding to salad, using
just enough salad dressing to moisten. For raw vegetable salads,
add dressing at the last minute.

Fruit Combinations

1. Sliced pineapple, apricot halves, sweet red cherries.
2. Watermelon balls, peach slices, orange slices.
3. Grapefruit sections, banana slices, berries or cherries.
4. Grapefruit sections, pared apple slices.
5. Peach slices, pear slices, halves of red plums.
6. Pineapple wedges, banana slices, strawberries.
7. Cooked dried fruit, white cherries, red raspberries
.
Fruit and Vegetable Combinations

1. Shredded raw carrots, diced apples, raisins.
2. Sliced or ground cranberries, diced celery and apples,
orange sections.
3. Thin cucumber slices, pineapple cubes.
4. Avocado and grapefruit sections, tomato slices.
5. Shredded cabbage, orange sections, crushed pineapple.

Vegetable Combinations

1. Grated carrots, diced celery, cucumber slices.
2. Spinach, endive, or lettuce, with tomato wedges.
3. Sliced raw cauliflower florets, chopped green pepper, celery,
pimento.
4. Shredded cabbage, cucumber cubes, slivers of celery.
5. Cubed cooked beets, thinly sliced celery, sweet onions.
6. Cooked whole-kernel corn and shredded snap beans, sweet
pickles, onion rings.

Ingredient "X"

2008-05-03T22:08:00.000+01:00

Hidden delights.

Sensational Salads. "I add a bit of chicken bouillon granules and horseradish to my dressing for Pasta salad. This is
one flavorful dish."

To give tuna pasta salad zip,
pour on a splash of Italian-dressing.

"Tuna salad becomes lively with a couple tablespoons of
salsa," "The salsa complements the flavor of the tuna."

To perk up her coleslaw,
include chopped celery, green pepper,
apple, banana, pineapple, and black walnuts.

Best Burgers and Meat Loaf. We like the flavor of bacon
in burgers and meat loaf, To save time, I mix packaged bacon bits into the meat before grilling or baking.

Heavenly Hash. "When making hash from leftover roast
and potatoes, I sprinkle on a teaspoon or two of vinegar 5
minutes before the end of cooking," "It sparks the flavor."

Super Sandwiches. Cold meat sandwiches get crunch
with thinly sliced radishes. "It's a fun alternative to onion slices,"

Better Baked Beans. "To any canned baked beans, stir in
about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1/4 teaspoon each garlic
powder and pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil,"

"My niece recommended adding a dash of cinnamon and ginger to her favorite baked beans. They get a new zing, and
everyone wonders what my secret ingredient is."
Very Fine Vegetables. "I cook peas in the juice from a
can of pineapple along with margarine and onion powder,"
Before serving, I stir in the pineapple chunks."

"I shake steamed brussel sprouts in a mixture of 3/4 cup flour,1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and pepper to taste.
Then I dunk them in beaten egg, then back into the flour
mixture.
After refrigerating them for about an hour, I fry them in oil until golden.

When boiling carrots, I also add a chopped apple or pear and a bit of brown sugar. Kids love these carrots."

"To give corn a boost, I stir in butter, garlic salt, a dash
of cayenne pepper, and chopped fresh parsley,"

Terrific Treats.
apple slices topped with a spread made from two parts peanut butter to one part honey.

About the author: Spud Larkin is an up and coming food writer and critic, already renowned throughout the north-east of England for his honest and open reviews that come straight from the heart and tongue.read more of his reviews at Only good food

Making a Horlicks in the Kitchen

2008-05-01T00:43:00.000+01:00

Remember your childhood bedtime treat!, well it was a treat for me, most nights we had Cocoa, but once in a while, we had Horlicks. So now you can rekindle your childhood with this lovely recipe, well at least I can.

Chocolate Malt Pudding
2 tablespoons cornflour
1/3 cup Horlicks powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Combine the cornflour, Horlicks powder, half of the sugar with 1/2 cup of the milk. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the egg and egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
2. In a heavy saucepan, cook the remaining 2 cups of milk and the remaining sugar until it boils for several minutes.
3. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot milk while whisking the mixture to keep it smooth. Cook until bubbles rise through the liquid but not to a boil. Remove from the heat.
4. Melt the chocolate chips and the butter in the microwave. Stir the melted chocolate into the hot pudding.
5. Pour the pudding into serving dishes or a casserole dish. Cover the pudding surface with waxed paper placed directly on the pudding. Let cool for one hour and then place in the refrigerator to chill.

Stuffed. Not mushroom inside….

2008-04-29T23:27:00.000+01:00

I love stuffed mushrooms, and they work wonderfully well as a starter. This recipe can be made slightly more difficult if you want to work a little harder, but to be honest whether you use fresh garlic, herbs and cream cheese, or a ready mixed garlic and herb cream cheese makes very little difference; in fact the pre-prepared cheese has slightly more flavour I would say, as the flavours have had a chance to infuse into the cheese.

If you don't have any stale bread or breadcrumbs, simply rip a slice of bread into pieces and place it in the oven while it is warming, once the bread is dried you can make breadcrumbs by crumbling the pieces. The quantities shown in this recipe serve 4 as a starter when served with bread.

Maybe I am greedy but I find the bigger the mushroom, the better.

Ingredients
* 4 Flat (open) mushrooms
* 200g Cream cheese with garlic and herbs
* 40g Breadcrumbs

Method
1. Wipe or peel the mushrooms as necessary, and remove the stalk.
2. Spread the cheese evenly in the open cups of the mushrooms (cheese on the gill (black) side).
3. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
4. Place the mushrooms cheese-side uppermost onto a baking tray and place in an oven at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden and the mushrooms are cooked.
5. Serve immediately.

The Hidden Triangle

2008-04-27T22:22:00.000+01:00

Another childhood favourite of mine was cheese triangles, these were great alone or better on bread and butter. Some of them were made with processed cheese, and really strong in flavour. Now most are mild by comparison, but still tasty. Even better now you can buy a tub, instead of the triangles, and the shelves are now full of different flavours and additives, like chives and prawns etc.

Here is a lovely cottage pie recipe with the hidden triangles…

Ingredients
500g extra lean minced beef
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
400g can of chopped tomatoes
250g can chilli kidney beans, drained
150ml beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the potato topping

625g old floury potatoes, peeled
200g tub Dairylea cheese spread
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives or parsley

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°, gas mark 6.

2. In a large pan, brown the mince without added fat for a few minutes.

3. Add the onion, tomatoes, kidney beans, stock and seasoning and cook for a further 3 - 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until tender.

6. Drain the potatoes, add the Dairylea a little at a time and mash until smooth. I use an egg whisk to get a really smooth texture, and it brings the potato together better

Season with the salt and pepper and stir in half the herbs.

7. Spoon the mince into an ovenproof dish and top with the potato. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Serve garnished with the remaining herbs.

Green Cheese Soup!?

2008-04-26T17:21:00.002+01:00

OK so last night you had, Spag Boll, Plain simply Italian food, but what do you do with the left over garlic bread??

Put it in the fridge to keep it ready for the best, tastiest, easiest soup ever….
.....which uses only 4 ingredients!

This is probably the simplest broccoli soup recipe you will ever come across!

Broccoli and Stilton soup makes an excellent first course for a dinner party, or a perfect supper on a cold night. Curled up in front of a roaring fire it will warm the cockles of your heart.

It can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and kept refrigerated until it is needed.

Broccoli and Stilton Soup
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4

2lb (1 kg) FRESH broccoli
1/2 cup (1 glass) dry white wine
3oz (75g) Stilton cheese
2oz (50g) flaked, toasted almonds
heavy (double) cream to finish (optional)

TIPThis broccoli soup recipe calls for the brightest, freshest, greenest broccoli that you can find. PLEASE, don't use frozen broccoli!

METHOD
Cut the broccoli into florets discarding only the base of the main stem.

Bring 2pts (1 litre) of salted water and the white wine to the boil, pop the florets in and bring back to the boil. Simmer for about 4 minutes or until just tender. Drain reserving the liquid.....this makes your pure and natural stock.

Put half of the hot broccoli into a blender and add enough of the cooking liquid to just cover it. Whiz on high speed till creamy and velvety in texture. Pour into a saucepan, and then repeat the process for the other half of the broccoli.

Add the crumbled Stilton cheese to the broccoli soup. Gently bring it back to simmer, stirring occasional to blend in the cheese.

Add a little more of the cooking liquid if the soup is too thick.

Finally, taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and freshly milled black pepper.
To serve, pour into warmed soup bowls, swirl in a little of the heavy (double) cream, and sprinkle over a few of the toasted almonds.

I like to serve this Broccoli and Stilton soup accompanied by crusty garlic bread.

About the author: Spud Larkin is an up and coming food writer and critic, already renowned throughout the north-east of England for his honest and open reviews that come straight from the heart and tongue.read more of his reviews at Only good food feel free to use this recipe as long as this paragraph is included

Kedgeree

2008-04-25T00:45:00.000+01:00

This was a typical breakfast dish, in the days when grand Victorian breakfast dishes were spread out on handsome Victorian sideboards. Nowadays it is a very good lunch or late supper dish.

Kedgeree is one of those curious dishes to come out of colonial India, with European ingredients (in this case smoked fish, usually haddock) alongside Indian spices and rice. There's an Indian dish called Khichri which is a close cousin of our kedgeree, made from rice, lentils, onions and spices.Here in the UK it's a (now rather uncommon) breakfast dish.

When I was a kid, our neighbours used to invite the whole street round for a New Year's breakfast, in which kedgeree played a starring role. Kedgeree is a good idea if you've a lot of people staying in the house; you can prepare it the day before and microwave it for a very rich and delicious brunch.It's important that the rice is chilled before you cook; if it is warm or hot, the grains are prone to break up and become mushy in cooking.

"At the thought of a kedgeree made with smoked haddock and plenty of hard-boiled eggs, English eyes grow dreamy and the smell of an English country house dining room at breakfast time...comes back to tease and tantalise."

6oz rice
6oz cooked fish, flaked and free from skin and bone
1 small onion very finely chopped
2-3oz best butter
2 hard boiled eggs finely chopped
Seasoning
1-2 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Boil the rice, in plenty of salted boiling water, Drain thoroughly, meantime , chop the onion, soften the butter, without browning, add the fish and hard boiled eggs, mix and heat thoroughly, season well, add the very cold rice, and stir with a fork till very hot. At the last moment stir in the cream, turn into a hot dish at once and then sprinkle the parsley.

This can be made the day before and reheated before served.