I’m a tad late to the Air Fryer party. It’s not that I didn’t think they were any good, it’s just that I didn’t feel like I needed YET another gadget in my kitchen. However when Very.co.uk offered me the chance to review the Tower Vortx Dual Basket Air Fryer for this blog, I couldn’t turn it down. At last, the chance to see what the fuss is all about!

This is a sponsored post

Looks

It’s quite a hefty beast measuring in at 35cm deep, 31cm hight and 37cm wide with an 8 litre capacity, so it does command quite a bit of space, however it’s no eyesore when it’s sitting out on the counter thanks to its unfussy design. I like the silver trim and handles on the two 4 litre drawers that contrast with the smart matt black casing.

Controls

The touch control digital panel is pretty easy to get the hang of. You simply select which side you’re cooking on and what type of function you’re using. The temperature and timer are simply adjusted with up and down arrows. You then hit start and it does its thing.

Features

There are a few cooking functions to choose from…

Air Fry – Ideal for crispy chips, chicken nuggets, fish fingers etc
Roast – Ideal for meat or vegetables
Bake – Ideal for cakes, desserts or bread rolls
Dehydrate – Dried fruit, vegetables, chips etc
Defrost – Used for defrosting frozen food quickly
Reheat – For reheating food that has been cooked

You can use one draw or both drawers simultaneously. You can each drawer on a different function and use the Meal Cooking setting so they’re ready at the same time, or you can select Dual function to set both drawers to the identical time and temperature.

What have I used it for so far?

The boys were super keen to see what the air fryer could do, so Sam, who is currently studying Professional Cookery at college and totally out-cheffing me in the kitchen these days decided to make a healthy spin on Chicken Katsu. It was wonderful watching him expertly trimming the chicken breast so it was perfectly shaped before he coated it in flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs. It cooked a treat on the Roast function in the Air Fryer – crisp on the outside and juicy in the middle. He put together a simple curry sauce on the hob while it was cooking and blitzed it smooth in the blender before serving it up with fluffy basmati rice. Yum.

Arlo wanted to see how it would handle a cheese toastie. The verdict – very bloody well! He buttered the outside of the bread before filling with lashings mozzarella cheese and then popped it in the Air Fryer for about 8 minutes (turning it halfway through) and it was a golden and crispy delight with minimal mess.

As for me, well it’s been an absolute hero for cooking up super quick weeknight meals for the kids – oven chips, frozen chicken nuggets and fish fingers are all done in about 12 minutes. It’s an absolute revelation. Shop-bought oven chips end up tasting like McDonald’s fries!

I successfully cooked up a batch of veggie meatballs to go with some home-made tomato sauce and pasta for another rapid weeknight meal. These meatballs are terrible for drying out in the oven, so it was great that they kept a tender texture in the air fryer.

Cooking up crispy bacon is a cinch, plus all the fat drips through below the rack so it feels like a healthier way of cooking it. It’s the same with chicken legs. I roast a batch every week for the dogs and they come out beautifully – crispy on the outside, juicy inside. I shred the meat up to go in a pot to mix with their dry food.

What will I be cooking in it next?

I’ve been having a look my favourite food blogs to research some of their tasty air fryer recipes and have collated my top 5 to try…

1. Chicken Shish Kebabs from Fuss Free Flavours
2. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Chickpeas and Spinach from Tinned Tomatoes
3. Cauliflower Hot Wings from Pinch of Nom
4. Dehydrated Strawberries from Sandhya’s Kitchen
5. Onion Bhajis from The Curry Guy

Cleaning it

It’s very easy to clean. As soon as I’ve used it I swill it with hot water and a little fairy liquid, give it a bit of a scrub with a kitchen brush, rinse and leave to air dry. Simple. Because the cooking is all enclosed in the drawers, there’s no residue on the machine itself. The ultimate test is cooking bacon – usually a really messy thing to clear up when you cooking it under a conventional grill. However, in the air fryer you can clean it up in minutes.

Value for money

This particular model costs £149, but you can get smaller versions with one drawer for a lot less. Check out Very.co.uk to see more…

What I particularly rate with this air fryer is how energy-saving it is – you can slash your energy use by up to 50% compared to a conventional oven. It also uses rapid air circulation technology to cook food 30% faster and with 99% less fat from just one spoonful of oil.

I’ve barely switched on the oven since I started using it. We definitely must be saving on energy as you often have to wait 5 minutes for the conventional oven to reach temperature, whereas the air fryer is just full of busy straight away. And anything that even slightly reduces the electricity bill is a friend of mine!

Overall Verdict

So far it has lived up to the hype and earned its place on my kitchen counter. Despite it’s considerable size, the convenience of getting chicken nuggets and chips ready in about 12 minutes for the boys when you’re a full-time working mum is the business. The boys have always been SO impatient about waiting for their food to be ready, so this really does reduce my stress levels. I’m genuinely excited to see what else I can cook with it. I’d love to hear what you make in yours – leave a comment below!

Disclosure: I have been sent the Tower Dual Basket Air Fryer for the purpose of this review. I get to keep the air fryer, but rest assured all views expressed are my own.

The post Air Fryer Review: Tower Vortx Dual Basket 8 Litre appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

I’ve been sent a rather fancy chef’s knife to review by a brand called Katto who sell handmade knives using Japanese steel and sustainable wood.

I’ve never owned an expensive knife before and wondered what the difference would be. I really needed a new knife as mine have really seen better days. I’m absolutely rubbish at sharpening them, and they also frequently disappear to different corners of the house and garden to be employed in non-cooking related DIY tasks.

So yes, the chance to review a super-sharp handmade chef’s knife was a very welcome opportunity. Katto believe that “handmade knives are stronger, more balanced and more unique, because no two knives will be the same. But they assure customers that they’ll be made and tested to the same exacting standards; but they’ll also come infused with character, individuality and personality.” Sounds like a winning combo to me…. But how did it translate in real life?

LOOKS

Quite simply, it’s stunning. It was all packaged up in a beautiful box – so it really felt like a luxury experience from the minute it arrives. I opted for the Olivia Rosewood handle – a beautiful rich and dark wood. The 8.5 inch blade is Japanese steel with a really interesting dimple pattern.

PERFORMANCE

This knife is frighteningly sharp – I was a little afraid of it at first as I’m clumsy at the best of times. However, it’s far easier to use than some of my other smaller kitchen knives. Its length gives it a more stable chopping experience and the rounded wooden handle is really comfortable to grip.

It’s sharpness also means that it’s way more effortless to use. I’m building up to getting much quicker at using it, while trying to balance not cutting myself!

WHAT HAVE I USED IT FOR SO FAR?

Well, what haven’t I used it for?! It’s so good I’m using it to chop everything…

• Dicing vegetables
• Cutting raw meat
• Carving the Sunday roast
• Prepping melon
• Halving bagels

And the ultimate test for any knife… BUTTERNUT SQUASH!!!!! It glides through it no problem. I eat loads of BNS as I roast them in the oven with plenty of seasoning and frylight as a healthier alternative to chips.

What it WON’T be used for is anything in the garden/DIY related where some of my other knives have gone to die…

HOW TO CARE FOR IT

It’s super easy to clean – I just (very carefully) wash it in warm soapy water and dry it with a cloth and put it straight back in my knife block. Katto also recommends that from time-to-time you apply a little oil to the blade to prevent any oxidisation.
When it comes to sharpening the knife, they recommend using a Japanese Whetstone or they offer a free sharpening service too. More info on their website.

VALUE FOR MONEY

I was sent the Olivia style knife with the Rosewood handle which is £160, but you can get the Nala style with a paler looking Beech wood handle for £125. This fancypants knife is obviously not great if you’re on a budget, but for those with cash to spend it’s an investment piece. I get the impression that if you look after it, it will last a lifetime.

OVERALL VERDICT

It’s flipping gorgeous, it slices effortlessly through everything it touches, it’s super comfortable to hold and it makes you feel all cheffy.

This would make a wonderful gift for any serious cooks in your life – especially as you can get the knife monogrammed with their initials. It could also make a fantastic Father’s Day gift if you’re stuck for ideas – they’re doing free monogramming at the moment.

Disclosure: I have been sent the Katto Chef’s Knife for the purpose of this review. I get to keep the knife, but rest assured all views expressed are my own.

The post Review: Katto Chef’s Knife appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

Super easy, super tasty, super slimming world friendly samosas made with crispy filo pastry and packed with a gently spiced sweet potato filling with tender sweetcorn and a pop of peas. Then there’s that little pot of minted yoghurt on the side for dipping… I DO love a dip.

Where have I been?!

It’s February half term and I’ve finally got some room to breathe and write my first blog post in a VERY long time! Where have I been? Well, working full time in charity comms – currently at an amazing organisation called IMIX who provide communications support and training to the refugee sector. It’s incredibly rewarding but all-consuming, hence coupled with feeding my now GIANT boys I’ve rather let my food blog slip.

BUT I’ve really missed it! Plus, I’m back on the Slimming World wagon – having rather spectacularly fallen off it since starting work full time, and then, lockdown – obvs.

Sooooo I’ve decided to get back into my recipe developing during my time off and share the results here with you lovelies.

Back to class

So yes, back to Gina’s Slimming World class with me and last weekend it was a taster session. We were tasked with bringing something along for the group to try with the chance of winning a tea towel. That was it, the challenge was thrown down and I couldn’t resist.

I had some filo pastry knocking around, leftover from making this divine PON Fish Pie, and thought, I know, Samosas! Easy for people to grab in a group setting and you can pack them with the tastiest things. I’d never made them before so watched a few YouTube tutorials to get the hang of the folding and that was that. They really are pretty easy.

What makes these Slimming World Friendly Samosas?

I’ve used filo pastry which is very low in syn value, I’ve used egg wash and fry light to crisp them up instead of butter and oil, and I used an egg yolk to make the sweet potato a bit creamier rather than butter. As ever with my Slimming World journey, I always focus on making my meals as tasty as possible, so I’ve spiked the filling with some gentle spice and topped the pastry with aromatic black onion seeds. And as for that Minted Yoghurt Dip – it’s just two ingredients and one of my absolute fave things – zero fat!!!!!

What else could I put in them?

I’m already thinking about different combinations for next time I make these. I was also thinking of doing the same recipe but adding  my healthy extra ‘a’ of feta cheese with some fresh ginger and chopped coriander. I also thought it would be a great way to use up some leftover roast chicken.

Here are some more samosa ideas from other blogs if you’re feeling inspired…

Spinach and Ricotta Samosas – Pinch of Nom

Baked Rice Samosas – Fuss Free Flavours

Air Fryer Vegan Samosas – Nadia’s Healthy Kitchen

How do I make them Vegan?

Just lose the egg wash and use Fry Light to glaze and leave out the egg yolk in the filling.

Print

Slimming World Friendly Sweet Potato Samosas

Easy to make veggie samosas using filo pastry that are perfect for a party or packed lunch

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword low fat, party food, picnic, samosas, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 17

Author Katie Bryson

Ingredients

For the filling

• 500 g sweet potato
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 spring onions chopped
• 150 g tinned sweetcorn drained
• 150 g frozen peas

For the pastry

• 275 g pack of filo pastry sheets
• Fry Light butter flavour
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tbsp black onion seeds

For the dip

• 1 small pot of fat free natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp mint sauce

Instructions

To make the filling

• Peel the sweet potato and chop into chunks, then pop into a pan of salted boiling water and cook until tender. This should take 8-10 mins
• Removed from heat and drain thoroughly then return to pan and mash until smooth.
• Stir in the spices, then beat in the egg yolk, then add in the chopped spring onion, sweetcorn and peas - mixing until well combined. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the samosas

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C Fan and line a large baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
• On a clean surface carefully unfold two sheets of filo pastry and put the rest back in the packet so it doesn't dry out.
• Using your Fry Light, spray one sheet of pastry all over, place another sheet of pastry on top and then spray all over again.
• Using a pizza cutter, cut your double-layered sheet into five equal strips.
• Dollop a tablespoon of samosa filling at the far end of each strip. Fold over into a triangle, and again, and again until you reach the end of the strip and you have something that looks like a samosa with all sides sealed!
• Repeat with all the strips, placing each samosa onto your prepared baking sheet. And again with the next two sheets of filo pastry in the packet. If you have an odd number in your packet as I did, simply spray the sheet and fold it in half instead, so you don't waste any!
• Brush the top of each samosa with beaten egg, then scatter liberally with black onion seeds.
• Pop into the over to bake for around 10 minutes, take the sheet out and turn the samosas all over and give them a quick egg wash and further sprinkling of black onion seeds and bake for a further 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring onto a serving platter with the minted yoghurt dip

To make the dip

• While the samosas are cooking, mix the natural yoghurt with the mint sauce in a pretty little bowl, ready for dipping!

Notes

Make ahead and keep in an airtight container in the fridge, then when you're ready to go pre-heat the oven to 180'C fan, pop them on a baking sheet with some foil over the top so they don't burn and cook them for about 10 minutes until heated through and crisped up.

Samosa folding in pictures

The tea towel of glory!

I took the entire batch to the taster session and they went down really well – result! There was some stiff competition as the group had brought in all kinds of delicious healthy treats including oat biscuits with chocolate, an amazing trifle and some cherry bakewells. It was a proper feast – especially welcome as I don’t eat anything before I step on the scales!

I’m very happy to say that the group voted my Slimming World Friendly Samosas the winning recipe, so I bagged the Tea Towel of culinary glory – yessssssss! Gina says it’s too good to use on the washing up though so I might have to just hang it up on the wall instead.

See you soon everyone – I’ll try not to leave it so long next time!!!!

The post Slimming World Friendly Sweet Potato Samosas appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

We were visiting the in-laws along the coast in Seahouses, so when I heard about Box.Pizza I knew we’d be driving past – and as pizza is an easy win with the kids it felt like the planets had aligned for us to stop by and see what the fuss is all about.

Restaurant story

Box.Pizza started life a couple of years ago as a seasonal pop-up outfit, feeding the summer crowds from the plentiful campsites and holiday lets nearby. Clearly emboldened by their success and with the trend for shipping container restaurants still at full steam, they opened as a permanent fixture in March 2019 with their website talking of big plans for the future to expand into more locations offering pizza to a wider audience. I like their confidence.

The Box.Pizza sell is traditional artisan wood-fired pizzas using fresh, local organic toppings with dough hand-made on-site from Antico Molino Caputo 00’ flour from Naples, Italy proved for 24 hours then baked in a hand-built oven at 600 °C for around 60 seconds; these combine to make ‘a truly authentic pizza experience’.

The Vibe

The sturdy charcoal grey shipping container complete with transformative glass wall and instagram-tastic interior, is nestled in a beautiful rural spot, boasting rolling green views right down to the coast at Beadnell. It feels very current, but not pretentious. You can’t get any more down to earth than being in a field in the middle of nowhere!

We showed up on the dot of 5pm as they were opening for the evening service, they also open for breakfast and lunch from 9am until 3pm.

Family Friendliness

If you are taking children I’d recommend going on a dry day so you can take up residence outside at one of the picnic benches. There’s loads of space for them to run around and even an old World War 2 bunker to explore! The boys had it scoped out immediately…

However it was raining when we showed up at the micro restaurant so we ended up sitting inside. It’s a beautifully designed interior that makes the absolute most of the views with it’s plentiful glazing, however if it’s busy it’s best to keep your elbows tucked in – which for those of us with shuffle-bottomed children is not ideal.

Saying that though, the beauty of this operation is that pizza is cooked in a matter of minutes so you’re not having to wait long!

The Menu

The children were as adventurous as ever. Ahem. Sam went for the Napolitana (£8) – the standard cheese and tomato, while Arlo opted for a garlic pizza bread with mozzarella cheese on (£6). I was torn between the ‘Shroom and the Hot ‘Duja, but decided on the Goatee (£11) in a last-minute panic.

We didn’t have to wait long to be rewarded with three generously sized and topped pizzas. The base was crisp without being too charred, and I really loved the sweet n salty combo of goats cheese with caramelised red onions.

Sam hoovered up his gloriously cheesy Napolitana before I’d even eaten a slice of mine. Standard.

They forgot to put the cheese on Arlo’s garlic bread pizza, but the staff brilliantly stuck another one in for him at no extra cost and boxed the other one up for us to take home for Matthew. It’s great when a simple mistake gets swiftly dealt with like that, especially when you’ve got hungry kids.

Liquid Offerings

You can help yourself to water, there was a variety of San Pelegreno fizzies up for grabs and they serve hot drinks including coffee from Luckie Beans roasted up in Berwick Upon Tweed.
If you fancy a beer or a glass of red with your meal, it’s BYO with a charge of £4 per table.

Overall Experience

Ambience: A slice of hip pizza heaven in a field – it feels like THE place to be.
Best place to sit: Perch yourself on one of the high stools and munch on your lunch while daydreaming at those amazing views – there are even binoculars so you can get a closer look! The boys took full advantage which was a good distraction while waiting for our pizzas to come.
Value for money: It’s not cheap, it was £30 for three pizzas and three drinks, but the quality of the food and the stunning setting certainly justified the spend.
Would I go back? On a sunny day I really would, but then half of Northumberland will probably be there so we’d definitely get there early!!!!

Find it

Box.Pizza
Swinhoe, Chathill NE67 5AB
07518 433555
http://box-social.co.uk
Open daily 9am-3pm & 5pm-10pm

Win a luxury faux fur beanbag!

I’ve got this beautiful Arctic Wolf Faux Fur beanbag worth £89.99 to giveaway… 

Click here to enter>>>

The post Box.Pizza Swinhoe Review appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

Here’s a week’s worth of meal ideas for busy working family cooks in my handy meal planner for the week ahead.

***Here for the beanbag giveaway? Scroll on down!!!***

I may not have blogged properly in months, but if you follow me on instagram and facebook you’ll know that I’ve still been faithfully meal planning my way through these past six months since I started my new full time job with Children North East. Seriously it’s one of the best things I do to keep things descending into mayhem. There’s really nothing finer than coming in from work and having all the ingredients in and knowing what we’re going to have for tea.

It might take an hour out of my weekend to plan the meals and do the online shopping, but it really is worth doing. I tend to leave the weekends free of planned meals so we can be a bit more spontaneous and just come and go as we please.

More Meal Planning Tips

So what are we eating this week?

• Chicken Escalopes with Minted New Potatoes and Greens – Mary Berry Recipe
• Frittata with Salad – recipe
• Tofu & Egg Fried Rice – recipe
• Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers – Pinch of Nom Recipe
• Herb Crusted Salmon & Sweet Potato Fries – recipe

After pigging out quite a lot, I’m hoping this lighter menu might give us a bit more energy this week rather than ramming ourselves with comfort food like we have been doing.

Mary Berry comes up trumps

I’ve spent a good few weeks road testing Mary Berry’s latest recipe book, Quick Cooking from her latest BBC TV series. I have to confess I’ve not watched any of it, but I can say that I’ve cooked a lot of the recipes and they are DELICIOUS. Like properly gorgeous.

We’ve had:

• Tagliatelle with Mushrooms & Stilton
• Romano Pepper and Herb Penne
• Glazed Coriander Chilli Chicken
• Chicken Escalopes with Crispy Bacon

And then last night I made a puff pastry version of the Chicken & Mushroom Pie. Oh my flipping goodness, it was unbelievable. The sauce has got Marsala wine in, so it has that divine richness that makes it feel really indulgent and luxurious.  I wasn’t sure if I could be bothered to make a pie from scratch on a Friday night, but I just cranked up the tunes in the kitchen, poured a glass of wine and just enjoyed the process.

If you feel like you need a new book to change up your meals, or you like cooking for other people, this is a great place to start because it’ll impress anyone you might be cooking for. Mary knows all about her flavours and how to make something just that extra bit special.

Pinch of Nom

I’ve also got the much-talked-about Pinch of Nom cookbook which I’ve been looking at too. The Honey Chilli Chicken is my favourite thing so far, and this week we’ll be trying the Sloppy Joe stuffed peppers, but using veggie mince instead of meat.

Have any of you tried the recipes out of it yet? I’m trying to work the Slimming World way of eating back into my life in a more disciplined way, so this is a useful place to start.

Giveaway!

And to finish off I’ve got a little giveaway for you. I’ve been sent this beautiful Arctic Wolf Faux Fur beanbag from BeanBagBazaar that you can see Pixie modelling above.

I love supporting local businesses so I was delighted to hear about this Northumberland based company who design, make and sell bean bags for grownups and children. Ahem. I’m aware that the dog is on ours… but if you’re not quick in this house, that’s just what happens!

It’s beautifully soft, and while some faux fur can look a bit naff and fake, I think you can see from the picture that this is pretty convincing. It’s well filled and looks like it will withstand the boys and dogs chilling out in the TV room!

Would you like to win one? Well, here’s your chance.

The Prize

ICON Kenai Faux Fur Bean Bag, Arctic Wolf

Luxury Faux Fur Fabric

Soft Faux Suede Bottom

Worth £89.99

Dimensions: H 70cm W 84cm D 84cm

How To Enter My Beanbag Giveaway

• Fill in the Rafflecopter widget to verify your entries Entries are via a mandatory blog comment, with bonus entries via Facebook, Twitter etc
• Please read the rules below
• Closing date midnight Sunday 16th June 2019.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HOW RAFFLECOPTER WORKS

• • If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear
  • If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript
  • You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment
  • Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!
  • Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries via Twitter

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• This giveaway is open to all readers with a postal address in the UK.
• The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter using an online randomiser and announced in a subsequent post.
• I am running this competition on behalf of BeanBagBazaar who will be organising the prize. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type/value if the prize above is not available.
• The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not reply within 48 hours another winner may be chosen.
• This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with any third parties.
• Instructions form part of the terms and conditions.
• Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified. No cheating please! I will check the winning entry to see that you have commented/tweeted/subscribed etc.
• There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above, but please you MUST leave a comment on the competition blog page for any of your entries to count.
• If you already like/follow comment in the rafflecopter widget then let me know to get your entries.

Disclosure: With thanks to BeanBagBazaar for providing me with the prize for this giveaway and for a sample for me to keep.

The post Meal planner week beginning May 20th & beanbag giveaway! appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

It’s absolutely the time of year for crazy Creme Egg recipes, so here’s my Creme Egg Nutella Pizza to add to the throng of super sweet confections sweeping the web. It’s a super fun and easy recipe to make with the children this Easter, especially if the weather’s taken a turn for the worst and you need something manageable to do to keep them from driving you insane. I reckon it’d also be a fun dessert to serve up as part of a party buffet table.

The Pizza Base

When it comes to the pizza base you have a few options. You can be extremely lazy and just buy a plain ready-to-cook one from the supermarket or you can make it yourself from scratch. Here’s the Pizza Base recipe I often follow, or if you have a bread maker I’d strongly recommend doing your dough in that, as you just put your ingredients in and let it get on with the job. It doesn’t need to be sweetened with sugar as there’s enough of that stuff going on top once it’s cooked! It all balances out.

The Toppings

I selected the cute miniature Cadbury’s Creme Eggs for this pizza as they’re a bit less sickly than the bigger ones as a pizza topping! I also used Aldi’s bargain version of Nutella – Nutoka. If you’re concerned about using anything with Palm Oil in then here’s a recipe to make your own Chocolate Hazelnut Spread from Nadia’s Healthy Kitchen

I chose fruits that would really brighten up my pizza and give it a vaguely healthy image. I love how HUGE these strawberries are, so I only had to use one to make an eye-popping centre piece to the whole creation. Basically just choose your family’s favourite fruits and you’ll be onto a winner. I topped the whole thing off with grated white chocolate because it reminds me of mozzarella… a little trick I used when I made Sam’s Pizza Birthday Cake one year.

So there you have it. Easy or what? Creme Egg Nutella Pizza with added fruit to make you feel less guilty about it. Well you shouldn’t feel guilty about eating chocolate at Easter really should you?!

The recipe

Print

Creme Egg Nutella Pizza

Super fun and easy Easter Dessert idea to make with the kids

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Katie Bryson

Ingredients

• 250 g pizza dough
• 4 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread
• 1 packet mini cadbury's creme eggs
• fresh fruit - mango, blueberries, strawberries etc
• 25 g white chocolate

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll out and stretch the pizza dough to form a rough circle and place on a floured baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork and bake for around 10 minutes on the top shelf until crisp and golden. Allow to cool
• Spread the top with chocolate hazelnut spread. Slice the mini creme eggs in half lengthways through the middle seam, then dot around the pizza sunny side up!
• Cut up your favourite fresh fruit and arrange around the halved eggs. Then grate some white chocolate over the top of everything. Carve it up with a pizza wheel and serve!

Pin this recipe to make later

More Creme Egg recipes

If this has sparked a full-on creme egg recipe craving, here’s a little round-up of some of my blogging friends’ creations….

• Easy No Churn Creme Egg Ice Creme – Fuss Free Flavours
• Creme Egg Chocolate Fudge – Fab Food 4 All
• Creme Egg Pancakes – Foodie Quine
• Scotch Creme Eggs – Amuse Your Bouche
• Creme Egg Cheesecake – Taming Twins
• Creme Egg Macarons – Recipes & Reviews

The post Easter Baking: Creme Egg Nutella Pizza appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

So there’s a new kid on the pizza block in the toon, Pizza Punks Newcastle sprung up on iconic Grey Street a few weeks ago, and has been doing a roaring trade ever since.

We were lucky enough to score an invite for a family lunch to try out this funky new venue for ourselves. Maybe you’re one of those families that can have a meal out with your kids in tow without it feeling like a slow form of torture, if I’m totally honest we don’t do it that often these days as it often ends up being a total disaster.  So we took a deep breath and got on the Metro into town.

It was a positive start from the boys when I told them we were going to a cool new pizza restaurant, and even more encouraging when I informed them that they could have whatever they wanted on top of their pizzas!

The Vibe

Think neon lights, graffiti, unfussy decor – it’s not too hectic and over-done like some concept restaurants tend to be, it just feels like a light and relaxed space with a backdrop of fun.

We got a warm welcome from the friendly staff and attentive service from our waitress Rachel, who immediately explained how the whole thing works.

Restaurant Philosophy

“Inspired by our love of proper pizza and motivated by our drive to do something different, something unique. What would happen if customers could choose exactly what they want on a pizza without charging more” ponders the Pizza Punks website.

What do you think would happen? Well macaroni cheese on top of a pizza that’s what! It was a festival of carbs…

Family Friendliness

Given kids tend to be fussy critters who know exactly what they want and how they want it, or think they do, this place is a win-win. Arlo wanted sausage on his pizza, but the resulting pizza was too spicy for his taste. The staff were amazing and dealt with the issue with a smile, immediately exchanging his pizza for one the same as his brother’s mac ‘n’ cheese version. It didn’t take long for the replacement pizza to arrive given it was a busy Sunday lunchtime service.

If you’ve got younger children, there’s a good value kids menu for £7 which gives them a pizza (with more normal toppings), drink and a dessert. But my boys almost always opt for the adult menu these days – Sam is very nearly the same height as me, and Arlo isn’t far behind.

The pizza menu

It’s a simple concept so don’t expect a gazillion options. For a fixed price of £10 you choose a pizza base – sourdough or gluten free. You pick a sauce – Red, White or BBQ. Opt for your favourite cheese or combo of cheeses and then go wild in the aisles of unlimited toppings.

They’ve sorted them into categories of Protein, Veggies and then the fun-sounding Rogue options which includes Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Irn-Bru Pulled Pork, Lamb Donner, Tortilla Chips & Newcastle Brown Ale Beef Brisket. You can then finish with a final flourish to top it off with Rocket, Basil, Chilli Flakes and Oregano.

We asked the waitress if anyone had ever had ALL the toppings on one pizza… apparently someone has but we get the impression they might have regretted it!

If you can’t be bothered to come up with your own punk pizza creation, or just fancy a bit of inspiration there’s also a list of nine ready-created combos that you can choose from. I went for the Messy Mexican which was loaded with Applewood Cheddar, Fajita Chicken, Caramelised Red Onion, Red Peppers, Jalapeños, Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream and Guacamole. Looks-wise my pizza certainly subscribed to the chaotic punk theme – loaded with toppings, it was colossal so I only got half way through it and had to box the rest up to bring home. It was so tasty but even more delicious cold!

Matthew went for the Philly Cheesesteak Calzone, but was a bit disappointed with the quality of the steak. What he loved though was his side order of candied bacon (£4) and Sourdough Cheeseburger Bites (£5). His years of vegetarianism are firmly behind him, but if you’re purer of heart then dietary preferences are well represented here among the topping options for Veggie Sausage and Haggis and Vegan Cheese, as well as three meat-free options on the named combos.

Desserts at Pizza Punks

Presuming you’ve got the room for a dessert after gorging yourself on unlimited pizza toppings, or maybe you’ve developed an extra stomach, you can go for ice-cream punked up your own way (£4), opt for a Nutella & Banana Pizza with Butterscotch Ice-Cream (£6) or have a crack at one of their rather outrageous Freakshakes (also £6). Matthew and I watched in disbelief as the boys launched into Chocolate Brownie and Strawberry Cheesecake Freakshakes respectively. Not for the faint hearted.

Pudding King Sam devoured the entire creation, but Arlo had some help from his Dad with his. I sipped on my glass of wine in awe of their pudding prowess. I may have pinched a chocolate button.

There’s also a Vegan Chocolate Brownie Freakshake too if that’s your thing.

Liquid offerings

Drinks wise it’s a delight, with a creative selection of cocktails (£7), gins, craft beers, wine and prosecco on tap (well it was frizzante actually, but very lovely with a dash of Elderflower). Don’t be put off by the wine being on tap either, they get it direct from their supplier in recyclable barrels to cut out the bottling charge to help keep the cost low. I had a large and beautifully smooth glass of red (£5) which is great value given the city centre location.

Matthew and I both agreed it’d be a fab place to kick off a night on the toon with cocktails and pizza before hitting some bars or going to a gig. You’d need to have a very energetic dancing session to burn off some of the calories from your time there though! Slimming World friendly it ain’t!

Overall experience

Ambience: Funky and fun vibe, this is a brilliantly informal setting perfect for families or groups of mates.

Best place to sit: Get a window seat and watch the world go by on Grey Street

Value For money: We loved the one flat price of £10 for all pizzas – no need for starters or desserts given how filling they are!

Would I go back? The boys immediately demanded to know when we could go back, so that’s a yes from the Feeding Boys clan. The whole experience gave us a whole new confidence about eating out as a family!

Pizza Punks
34-40 Grey Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8AE
http://pizzapunks.co.uk/newcastle/

Disclosure: We were guests of Pizza Punks. All views are my own, I was not required to write a positive review

Picture Credits: I’m very proud to say that Arlo snapped most of these pictures for this review… he got RIGHT into being behind the lens, plus it stopped him from getting fidgety and bored during the meal.

The post Pizza Punks Newcastle Review appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

Edible Christmas Gifts

It’s never too soon to be thinking about getting ahead with your edible Christmas Gifts… and I reckon this chutney is the perfect place to start as it takes six weeks to mature.

You can easily get hold of super pretty jars these days, which I think make your gifts look more classy. If you wanted the same look as mine, I used the Kilner Vintage Jar range in the 0.25l size.

You could try packaging a jar of Pear Chutney up with a wedge of Blue Cheese and some posh crackers in a little basket. Can’t believe I’m already dreaming about Christmas – what a nutter!

Stress Relieving Chutney

Making chutney is so therapeutic. You’ve got the soothing task of peeling and chopping, followed by the comforting process of slowly simmering the fruit which fills the kitchen with the most wonderful scents.

It had been an extremely stressful morning trying to coax Arlo into Day Two of Middle School, so this was the absolute perfect antidote. Cooking always has been and always will be a huge comfort. You can just focus on the task at hand, blast out some chilled tunes and create something delicious. I can tell you I felt a whole lot better afterwards!

I haven’t made any preserves for ages, so chutney is the perfect way back in because there’s no stress around setting points and it’s a lot less messy. Don’t get me wrong, I adore making jam, but this really did fit the mood.

Serving up your Chutney

To photograph this beauty of a preserve, I nipped into Boda Home for some posh crackers and cheese to set the scene. It’s a fabulous gourmet deli, boozery (well it sells organic wines, beers and gin) and homewares shop here in Whitley Bay that you can spend far too long mooching around, but in the end I opted for a box of Miller’s Toast in Cranberry & Raisin and a wedge of delicious Smoked Blue Stilton from the Northumbrian Smokehouse.

I smothered the little toasts with a dollop of Pear Chutney and topped with some crumbled blue cheese – simple but completely delicious. A few of these loaded toasts would go down a treat on the side of a steaming bowl of Leek & Potato soup. I’m feeling proper autumnal just thinking about it.

Print

Toasted Walnut and Spiced Pear Chutney

A gloriously chunky pear chutney full of spice and delicious toasted walnuts - easy to make and perfect for edible gifts

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 jars

Author Katie Bryson

Ingredients

• 5 pears
• 1 large cooking apple
• 1 medium white onion
• 350 ml cider vinegar
• 75 g dried cranberries
• 75 g sultanas
• 1 large orange
• 250 g soft dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground all spice
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 100 g walnut pieces

Instructions

• Peel, core and chop the pears and apple into 2cm dice squares and peel and chop the onion.
• Place in a large saucepan with the cider vinegar, give it a good stir and then simmer for about 40 minutes until softened. Keep an eye on it, giving it the occasional stir as you don't want it to catch.
• Meanwhile pop the dried cranberries and sultanas into a small bowl, then zest the orange on top, then cut in half and squeeze the juice in too. Stir and allow to sit while the other fruit is cooking.
• Once the pear and apple has cooked, add the soaked dried fruit along with the juice, sugar and spices to the pan, give it a good stir and continue to simmer gently on the lowest possible heat for another 40 minutes - again with the occasional stir and taking care it doesn't burn. Remove from heat.
• Toast the walnut pieces in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for a few minutes, then stir into the chutney.
• Spoon the chutney into warm, sterilised jars and seal immediately. Label and then store for six weeks before using to allow the flavours to mature.

Notes

To sterilise jars you can either run them through the dishwasher, or just wash them up in hot soapy water, giving them a good rinse. You can then air dry them in a warm oven.

 Pin this recipe to make later

The post Toasted Walnut and Spiced Pear Chutney appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

So I’m celebrating Organic September here on the blog, the annual campaign led by the Soil Association encouraging people to make small changes to their shopping habits and aims to raise buyer’s awareness of buying organic products.

I’m part of the Organix No Junk Journey, so I wanted to share just how easy it is to make Organic produce part of your everyday life, as well as sharing a deliciously simple recipe for Roasted Plum Crumble while I’m at it!

Going Organic is achievable

This simple graphic Organix have put together clearly shows how achievable going Organic can be by making just small changes to the way you think about food shopping.

When you’re at the shops it’s always worth checking the price of Organic alternatives, they’re not as expensive as you might think and shops like Aldi stock them too. Like the graphic below points out, switching to Organic apples, cucumber and bagged salad will keep nasty pesticides out of your family’s diet. That’s got to be a positive thing, right?!

Also, why not just start small and choose a handful of products that you’re going to commit to switching to Organic – it all makes a positive difference.

Why bother going Organic?

Do you sometimes wonder why it’s worth the effort of buying Organic produce rather than just sticking with what you usually get? Well it means you’re getting a higher quality product, there’s less junk in it and if it’s an animal product then there will be a higher standard of welfare involved.

I think those are pretty compelling reasons, enough to make me reach for a few extra Organic products when I’m at the shops next time! And of course if you’re looking for Organic snacks for your little ones, choosing the Organix Goodies range is a fantastic place to start.

Roasted Plum Crumble Recipe

So as promised, I’m including this deliciously autumnal Roasted Plum Crumble recipe to tempt you into popping out and buying some juicy Organic plums.

A delicious spin on the comfort food classic, roasted plums are paired with a crunchy almond and oat crumble and wonderful mascarpone cream. I reckon if you served it layered up in pretty jam jars it’d be a dinner party hit.

However if you’re like me and not really on the dinner party scene and just planning a roast with the family this Sunday, I reckon this would make for a dreamy dessert that’s suitable for littlies and oldies alike. My Sam ADORES crumble, so I know he’ll be super keen for me to make this ASAP. Arlo will probably dodge the plums altogether and just demand the crumble topping. What can you do?!

Print

Roasted Plum With Oat Crumble

A delicious spin on the comfort food classic, roasted plums are paired with an almond and oat crumble and mascarpone cream

Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Organix

Ingredients

For the Roasted Plums

• 3 large plums
• coconut oil or melted butter to brush

For the Crumble

• 3 tbsp porridge oats
• 1 tbsp ground almonds or desiccated coconut if nut allergies
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil or butter
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey for children over 12 months

For the Mascarpone Cream

• 150 g mascarpone
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp maple syrup or honey for children over 12 months
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• mint leaves to serve

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Prepare the crumble by mixing the oats, ground almonds and cinnamon powder together in a small bowl. Add melted coconut oil (or butter) and maple syrup. Stir until you get a crumble texture.
• Put the grill on to 275°C. Cut plums in half and remove stones carefully. Brush each plum all over with some melted coconut oil (or butter) and arrange in an oven proof dish, cut side up.
• Place until the grill for around 5 mins or until the plums soften.
• While the plums are in the oven, mix mascarpone with lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
• To serve, dollop the mascarpone cream on a plate. Add 2 halves plum per adult or 1 half plum per child on top of mascarpone cream. Sprinkle with crumble. Add a couple of mint leaves on top if using.

What is the Organix No Junk Journey?

Organix is committed to setting standards in its foods, never adding anything unnecessary, and providing parents with peace of mind through the Organix No Junk Promise. From paying close attention to food labelling, to making sure that children have a clear understanding about the food they eat, and of course minimising the amount of junk in their diets. Organix makes weaning and finger foods to help little ones discover new shapes, textures and tastes in the early stages of their development, and a range of Goodies toddler foods that help make exploring all kinds of food fun, safe and enjoyable as children grow up.

You can find out more about why I joined the campaign in my blog post – Why I’ve Joined the Organix No Junk Journey

Disclosure: This is part of a series of partnered posts I’m working on with Organix to promote their No Junk Journey campaign. It’s an issue I feel strongly about and want to share with you here on my blog.

The post Roasted Plum Crumble for Organic September appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.

Easy Millionaire’s Shortbread has to be one of my all time favourite sweet treats, something my mum can throw together with her eyes closed after years of providing the WI market stall with it, but I found daunting the first time I tried making it a few years ago. But once I’d attempted the recipe, I realised it was actually not difficult at all!

Edible Christmas Gifting

When I made it the first time around in 2011, Christmas fair duties were calling for Arlo’s playgroup so I decided to bake this moreish and ridiculously calorific treat. Despite my nerves at messing it up, it turned out really well. So well it was incredibly hard to package it up and not cave in to scoffing the lot.

It sold out very quickly… I reckon it’s one of those classic bakes that will always go down a storm as an afternoon tea treat or packaged up as a gift.

Parcels of deliciousness

Cookery Class Bakes

Fast forward seven years and this time I wanted to use it as part of a cookery class for my best friend’s daughter Iona, who was visiting us over the summer holidays. When I asked her what she’d like for her birthday back in June, she told her mum she’d like a one-to-one cookery lesson with me – I couldn’t have been more chuffed!

I thought showing her how to make Easy Millionaire’s Shortbread would be great to demonstrate three different skills – shortbread, caramel and working with chocolate.

I wanted to show Iona that these processes needn’t be difficult – especially with the use of gadgets to cut a few corners. We used a food processor to blitz the shortbread dough together and a microwave to melt the chocolate.

Young apprentice baker

Iona was a brilliant student and only needed a small amount of guidance, I think it’s important to let kids try things for themselves so they can see how it’s done first hand. She’s lucky enough to have cookery classes at her school, so is already pretty adept at making quite a repertoire of dishes, but she hadn’t made Millionaire’s Shortbread before.

The resulting bakes were heavy on the caramel – we decided this was a VERY good thing indeed!

I also showed Iona the ropes with a spot of food styling before the light faded for the day – the main lessons learnt here were:

• You need natural light for the best results
• The picture ended up looking far better with some crumbs and roughly sliced squares of caramel shortbread in the foreground
• How hard it can be trying to fend off the rest of the hungry kids who were eagerly circling to sample the goodies!

Print

Easy Millionaire’s Shortbread

An indulgent bake perfect for packaging up for gifts for friends and family

Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 15

Author Katie Bryson

Ingredients

For the shortbread

• 250 g plain flour
• 75 g golden caster sugar
• 175 g butter

For the caramel

• 2 x 397g cans condensed milk
• 100 g soft brown sugar
• 100 g butter
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the topping

• 200 g milk or dark cooking chocolate

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the flour and sugar together and then rub in the butter with your fingertips - or blitz in food processor if you have one. Bring together into a dough and then press into a prepared swiss roll tin. Prick all over with a fork. Bake in the oven for 20 mins until golden. Leave to cool.
• Gently heat the ingredients for the caramel in a pan on the hob for 15-20 mins on a low heat until it thickens. Cool for 10 minutes and then pour over the shortbread. Leave to cool completely.
• Melt the dark/milk chocolate in a bowl in the microwave, or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Pour over the cooled caramel and spread out to form an even layer.
• Leave to set for at least 30 minutes or until it's dry to touch then cut into even squares.

Notes

I didn't put it in the fridge at any point during the process until I'd sliced it up at the end. I'd read that the chocolate tends to harden too much, so cracks excessively when you try and slice it.

When you make the caramel, be sure to let it cook long enough to thicken adequately - I've read lots of messageboards where people can't get theirs to set.

Also make sure you stir it lots so it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan and spoil.

Cooking with kids

I’ve done a lot of cooking with kids over the years,  it can be so rewarding watching them learn new skills and grow in confidence to the point where they just start doing things themselves without even needing to ask for help.

Sam and Arlo might only be 9 and 12, but they know their way around the kitchen, and I’m pretty certain that they’ll be able to happily cook for themselves when they’re out in the world.

Read my article: Tips for Cooking With Kids for loads of useful advice and recipe ideas.

Pin this recipe for later

The post Easy Millionaire’s Shortbread appeared first on Feeding Boys & a FireFighter.