tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66878173991375975812024-03-14T12:53:15.079+00:00BrownievilleGirlA blog for food loversBrownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.comBlogger201125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-76327333146696557182013-05-04T18:19:00.000+01:002013-05-04T18:20:02.041+01:00PARTY PLANNING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are knee deep in First Communion and Confirmation parties at the moment - it is wonderful to have a happy event to celebrate, filled with hope and promise. An excuse to dress up and meet up (with some spirituality thrown in) what can be better than than?<br />
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In the current economic climate (!) many people are catering these events themselves (although I wonder if it's cheaper, we probably way over cater when we are doing it ourselves!!) and I have been asked for advice on how to manage without tearing your hair out!!<br />
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In an ideal world you would put the rest of the family into suspended animation for a few days before the party - imagine the house staying as clean as you have left it!!!! AND being able to concentrate all your cooking attention on the party instead of the day to day meals!<br />
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When choosing your menu, first decide whether you want hot or cold or a mixture of both. I favour a cold spread, but most people prefer to have a mixture - in this post I will cater for the cold camp!<br />
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Protein - the old reliables are always acceptable, roast sliced beef, turkey and ham* are lovely. Salmon is one of my favourites, particularly when portioned and served on a platter covered in a lettuce and sugar snap salad, with a dill dressing. At the moment I'm really enthusiastic about serving tandoori chicken breasts, which are marinated for a few hours and roasted a day in advance - again these look great served on a platter strewn with green leaves. For the veggies, although I don't generally make a specific vegetarian dish, many of the salads will contain cheese and nuts, so I reckon their protein intake is taken care of, and I don't feel too guilty!<br />
*try cooking the <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/12/ham-for-night-before-christmas.html">ham in cola</a> - it tastes great<br />
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Then come the salads - these come into a few categories:<br />
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Essentials (as in I'd be in trouble if these didn't appear!!)<br />
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Potato Salad (see <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/03/happy-days-2.html">here</a>)<br />
Caesar Salad<br />
Coleslaw/Carrot Salad (see <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2011/08/virtuous-but-good.html">here</a>)<br />
Rice Salad<br />
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Popular (these disappear in no time)<br />
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Beetroot (see <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/03/happy-days.html">here</a>)<br />
Bean (see <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/03/more-party-fare.html">here</a>)<br />
Tomato<br />
Pasta<br />
Broccoli (see <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/03/happy-days-2.html">here)</a> Avoca call this their most popular salad, so perhaps it belongs in Essentials!<br />
Green (see <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/06/truely-tasty-tomatoes.html">here</a>)<br />
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Ring the changes <br />
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Tabbouleh<br />
Onion <br />
Couscous (see <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/03/happy-days.html">here</a>)<br />
Any one that takes your fancy while reading blogs/cookbooks!!!<br />
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There are plenty more salads here on Brownieville Girl - just follow your own taste.<br />
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The most important factor when deciding is that 90% of the dish must be able to be prepared in advance - there is no point in being frazzled when the guests arrive.<br />
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One of the all time favourites is the Pesto Rice Salad (pictured at the front of this photo), it is best prepared in advance and tastes delicious.<br />
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This recipe comes from Queen Delia's Summer Collection (in my opinion one of her top three). I have made it with my own pesto, but have come to the decision that if you buy a really good fresh pesto, it tastes almost as good, but the saving in effort and money make it well worth using.<br />
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<strong>Pesto Rice Salad</strong><br />
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225ml risotto rice (arborio is good) - measured like liquid<br />
tub very best fresh pesto you can find (tesco finest is quite good)<br />
450ml vegetable stock, simmering<br />
1 lemon, juiced<br />
2 tbsp best olive oil<br />
25g Parmesan cheese, shavings<br />
basil leaves to decorate<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
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Place the rice in a saucepan and stir in a quarter of the pesto, until every grain is coated.<br />
Pour the simmering stock over the rice.<br />
Place on the hob and bring to boiling point stirring with a wooden spoon.<br />
Add the salt and give a final stir.<br />
Put on a lid and bring the heat down to low, allow to cook for 20 mins.<br />
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When ready pour on the lemon juice, olive oil and remaining pesto sauce, and combine.<br />
Taste and season as required.<br />
Pour into a pretty serving dish and allow to cool.<br />
Before serving scatter the basil leaves and Parmesan shavings over the top.<br />
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Enjoy.Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-10375528131962222352013-04-14T21:15:00.000+01:002013-04-14T21:15:50.858+01:00FOR YOUR FIVE A DAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We did quite a bit of entertaining over the Easter holidays, and the most challenging aspect of choosing a menu for me, was choosing what vegetables to serve. I want veggies that complement the main dish, and that are a little bit different - side dishes that look and taste as though you have gone to some effort.<br />
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We invited my husband's family over for Saturday evening, and there were 16 of us eating - I love having a large number for dinner as it gives me a chance to try out new recipes and allows for some experimenting too (my theory being that if there are enough people present, someone will like every dish!!). On this occasion the recipe I tried was Nigella's <strong>Roast Red Onions with Basil</strong> (from Nigellissima) and I threw together this <strong>Asparagus, Peas and Sugar Snaps with Pesto </strong>and both went down really well. The onions were a useful addition to the repertoire as they can wait out of the oven happily for at least an hour - which is wonderful when there is pressure for space in the oven. They were delicious, the basil being an unexpected flavour combination (I would usually go with thyme or sage with onion dishes) that worked very well - and another bonus, they were lovely reheated the next day.<br />
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The pea dish was also a great choice for entertaining, as the asparagus stem can be cooked ahead of time, along with the peas - and then a final few minutes on a high flame will reheat them and cook the asparagus tips and the sugar snaps - easy peasy (please forgive me for the awful pun - sometimes I just can't help myself, it's an affliction!!). <br />
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The two side dishes worked well together as the mellow round flavours of the onions contrasted well with the fresh crispness of the greens. I also served <strong>Piedmont Peppers </strong>and <strong>Butternut Squash with Blue Cheese</strong>, and they all worked really nicely.<br />
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<strong>Asparagus, Peas and Sugar Snaps with Pesto</strong><br />
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All I did was, break off the woody part of the asparagus stem and discard (you could of course save them for soup).<br />
I then cut off the tips and put them aside. <br />
I chopped up the stems and allowed them to cook in a tiny amount of water for a few minutes, then I added a small packet of frozen peas and cooked until defrosted.<br />
At this stage you can put aside to cool down and then reheat later. <br />
When ready to serve add the sugar snaps and asparagus tips and steam for a minute or two.<br />
Remove from the heat and add a tablespoon of pesto.<br />
This is nice served with some Parmesan shavings (if I hadn't forgotten them!!!)<br />
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<strong>Roast Onions with Basil</strong><br />
<strong><em>based on Nigella Lawson's recipe</em></strong><br />
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1 kg Onions (I used pink - they were so pretty)<br />
100ml Olive oil<br />
Pinch Caraway seeds<br />
1 tsp Maldon Salt (or your favourite)<br />
2 tsp Good balsamic vinegar<br />
1 pkt basil leaves (fresh)<br />
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Preheat oven to 180 C<br />
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Quarter the onions and then peel them.<br />
Place them in a roasting tin, and cover with the olive oil.<br />
Scatter with the caraway seeds (Nigella uses fennel, but I'm not a fan)<br />
Roast for about 1 hour, or until totally cooked through.<br />
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.<br />
Season with the salt and vinegar.<br />
You can allow to stand for up to an hour in a warm kitchen.<br />
When you are ready to serve scatter the torn basil leaves over the onions.<br />
Enjoy.<br />
Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-51019452202829593142013-04-04T20:59:00.001+01:002013-04-04T20:59:12.592+01:00GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a recipe that just has to be shared - easy, delicious, healthy and nutritious, you can't ask for much more than that. This is my "everyday" bread recipe, and has evolved over time (a commodity I have less and less of! - good job it takes so little of it to throw together). The recipe is totally adaptable - and can be made with just four ingredients, but it is so easy to play with that you rarely go for the unadulterated version.<br />
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The revelation for me was that self raising flour (wholewheat and white) makes a great bread - with no faffing about with yeast or even bicarbonate of soda (added benefit is that sunflower seeds don't go that alarming shade of green).<br />
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Another benefit is that you can use up old milk - you know that carton in the fridge that you don't dare use in your coffee. I have used fresh milk, sour milk, goats milk, soya milk and even almond milk - all to great effect.<br />
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Then come the additions - I usually throw in a handful of seeds (linseeds, sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds) and a handful or two of oats (must be the cheapest super food around). I regularly replace the sugar with some treacle, and it is delicious when I replace some of the milk with a tub of hazelnut yogurt. The choices are many and all yours -:<br />
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<strong>Basic Bread</strong><br />
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250g self raising wholemeal flour<br />
200g plain self raising flour<br />
2 tsp sugar<br />
400ml milk (approx)<br />
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Preheat oven to 180 C<br />
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Mix the dry ingredients together and then add enough milk to make a very slightly sloppy mixture - think porridge like. <br />
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Spoon into a prepared loaf tin and bake for about 80 minutes.<br />
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It's ready when you tap the bottom and get a hollow sound.Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-8825367566612144252012-12-22T13:28:00.001+00:002012-12-22T13:29:39.544+00:00HAPPY CHRISTMAS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am such a Christmas traditionalist, I make the same <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2011/12/chocolate-really-does-work-in-this.html">Christmas cake</a>, and <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2011/12/anyone-have-cure-for-toomuchtodoitis.html">puddings</a> year in, year out. This keeps the family happy, but isn't great for blogging purposes!<br />
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This year I tried a new mince meat recipe (I know - how daring of me!!!), I think I got the original idea from a Lotte Duncan T.V. show, but have tweaked it quite a bit - and I think it's good. It tastes great (pretty essential) but also, it is easy to put together and it is low fat (we won't mention the pastry that's going to be wrapped around it!!).<br />
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<strong>Mince Meat </strong><br />
<strong>(most popular eaten from the jar!!)</strong><br />
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500g sultanas (I used golden)<br />
500g raisins<br />
100g candied peel<br />
250g dark brown sugar<br />
250g light brown sugar<br />
4 tbsp orange marmalade<br />
1 tsp mixed spice<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg<br />
150 ml dark rum<br />
150 ml brandy<br />
Juice and zest of two oranges<br />
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Sterilise a large jar (or a few smaller ones)<br />
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Chop up the mixed peel, and add to a bowl with the other fruits.<br />
Add the rum, brandy and orange juice, and allow to absorb for an hour or 10.<br />
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.<br />
Place in the sterilised jars and HIDE.*<br />
Use in mince pies, cakes and ice-creams.<br />
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*My first batch mysteriously disappeared!!<br />
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Happy Christmas to you all - thanks a million for sticking with me, it's much appreciated.<br />
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<br />Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-72278581927362675142012-12-12T07:15:00.001+00:002012-12-12T07:15:04.415+00:00VIRTUOUS AND DELICIOUS - REALLY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I first made this cake back in September, when I was full of the "new school year, time for fresh copy books and fresh starts" vibe. By now the copies are tatty the diet has died but this cake is still delicious, and I must admit it still feels good to grab a second (or third) slice, without any diet qualms.<br />
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We tried the cake with and without the icing, and there was a unanimous decision that without was better - not often you can say that! The cake is moist and has a rich chocolate taste - no need to add to that. The recipe comes from Ellie Krieger's "The Food You Crave".<br />
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<strong>Ellie's Mocha Cake</strong><br />
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3/4 cup wholewheat flour<br />
1/2 cup white flour<br />
1/2 cup cocoa<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp bicarbonate of (bread) soda<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
2 tbsp flavourless oil (I used groundnut)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2 large egg whites<br />
1 1/2 cups fat free yogurt<br />
2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1 tbsp instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water<br />
60g/2oz 70% (or higher) chocolate - melted<br />
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Preheat oven to 180 C<br />
Line a 9x13 in cake tin with baking parchment<br />
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Combine the flours, cocoa, salt, bread soda and baking powder together.<br />
Whisk the melted butter and oil in a (separate) large bowl.<br />
Add the eggs (whole and whites) to the butter and whisk.<br />
Fold in the yogurt, sugar, coffee and melted chocolate.<br />
Gradually add the flour mixture, and stir until just incorporated being careful not to over beat.<br />
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin.<br />
Bake until a skewer comes out clean - about 25 - 35 minutes.<br />
Allow to cool on a baking rack.<br />
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Enjoy without a trace of guilt!!<br />
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<br />Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-17418482559500865152012-12-12T07:12:00.001+00:002012-12-12T07:12:30.050+00:00Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-49024514427879448862012-12-05T02:35:00.001+00:002012-12-05T04:10:06.277+00:00EASY BUT SPECIAL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These days I have so little time to potter in the kitchen, I want to get maximum bang for a minimum time buck (I have a feeling I'm sounding a bit like Jamie Oliver here!!!). This french toast gives me bang (well great taste really) by the bucketload - it's a Nigella recipe, from Express, and I can't understand why it has taken me so long to try it - I suppose it looked just a bit too easy to bother with.<br />
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It is hard to imagine how the addition of just one ingredient can transform an old regular - but man oh man, one teaspoon of vanilla paste (or extract) makes all the difference, this is a "special treat breakfast", a "cheer me up supper", a "I don't have the energy to make a proper meal, but still want to serve something healthy meal", and this time of the year, it really is the perfect "I am so tired of heavy meals and chocolates option".<br />
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I love to serve the toast with berries, fresh or frozen depending on budget and time of year, but I always serve it with Glenisk Greek Yogurt (and I should admit much more than I used in the photo, I thought I shouldn't look like too much of a piggie!!). I know I've mentioned this product <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.ie/2010/06/can-it-be-this-easy.html">before</a> (and I'm not on their payroll) but it is so worth a try - it is thick, creamy and utterly delicious.<br />
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<br />
<strong>French Toast To Be Proud Of</strong><br />
<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 tbsp whole milk<br />
2 slices of bread, it's best to use thickly sliced bread which is slightly stale<br />
2 tsp vanilla paste (I love this stuff, but 4 tsp vanilla extract would be excellent too)<br />
1 tbsp caster sugar<br />
butter and oil for frying<br />
<br />
Beat the eggs with the vanilla.<br />
Soak the bread in the egg mixture, allow to absorb it all.<br />
Heat a knob of butter with some flavourless oil.<br />
Fry until golden.<br />
Sprinkle with the sugar (Nigella dredges the toast in sugar at this stage, but that would be too sweet for me)<br />
<br />
The perfect treat for two people.<br />
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Enjoy.<br />
<br />Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-54662929663776957852012-08-13T12:06:00.000+01:002012-08-13T12:10:11.565+01:00WHY RANDOM IS WONDERFUL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Queen Delia comes up trumps again! The wonderful Dom has challenged us to randomly choose a recipe from the gazillion recipes we all have, and just give it a go. This dish is one of the reasons that Dom's <a href="http://belleaukitchen.blogspot.ie/2012/08/random-recipes-19-lets-start-at-very.html">Random Recipe Challenge</a> is so wonderful. This month Delia Smith's "Summer Collection" came to hand when I randomly chose my book, this is a book that I used alot when I first bought it, and I would still refer to it from time to time - well the book popped open at page 38/39, so my choices were the Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad (which I have made time and time again) and to Marinated Mozzarella with Avocado (which I have skipped over time and time again!!). The reason I skipped over the recipe? I just couldn't get a marinated avocado salad to work in my head - I imagined horrible black pieces of slimy avocado ruining the beautiful cheese. I should, of course, have trusted Delia, I think in all my time cooking, she has only let me down once (and maybe that was just my wonky taste!!!).<br />
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The salad was a beautiful smooth texture, which works well with a selection of salads, many of which will be crunchy. The fruit and cheese melded in together, helped by the kick of the dressing. I always remember Nigella's comments about avocados moisturising from within, whenever I eat them, and find myself glowing with health and smugness (for a few moments anyway!!). Try this salad, it's a little bit different, totally delicious and will do wonders for your skin and hair - happy days!!<br />
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<strong>Marinated Mozzarella with Avocado</strong><br />
<br />
110g (4oz) Mozzarella Cheese - the best you can get.<br />
1 Avocado - nicely ripe (I used two)<br />
1/4 Red Pepper - cut into fine slices<br />
1 Handful of basil leaves - Delia says to use 18!!<br />
2 scallions (spring onions) finely chopped<br />
<br />
Dressing<br />
<br />
1 small clove of garlic<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
1 rounded tsp of dry mustard powder<br />
1 dessert spoon white wine vinegar<br />
5 dessert spoons of extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 dessert spoon snipped chives<br />
salt and pepper<br />
<br />
<br />
Prepare the salad about 2 hours in advance. <br />
Slice the mozzarella into 5mm (1/4 inch) slices.<br />
Peel, destone and slice the avocado into thin slices.<br />
Arrange the cheese and avocado in alternate overlapping slices on a pretty plate.<br />
Now scatter the finely sliced pepper and basil over the salad.<br />
Make up the dressing by either grating the garlic or pureeing it with the salt.<br />
Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a jar.<br />
Pour over the mozzarella and avocado.<br />
Cover and allow the flavours to combine for two hours.<br />
Serve and enjoy!<br />
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Thank you very much for the links and suggestions for my son's culinary adventure - unfortunately the stove in his apartment broke, pretty much immediately after I posted the recipes - and they haven't been able to persuade the landlord to replace it yet!! Sod's (or Murphy's) Law!!Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-90055925986162645712012-07-27T12:11:00.000+01:002012-07-27T13:03:50.121+01:00BACK TO BASICS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have just received a request for a blog post from my eldest baby who is off in Chicago on a J1 visa for the summer - learning to appreciate what a good time he has of things at home!!!!!!<br />
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He needs some familiar, easy, everyday type recipes - that use very little in the line of kitchen equipment (and dare I say skill - sorry son!!!). I would appreciate any links for suitable recipes in the comment section - he'll be able to access them - thanks a million in advance.<br />
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Pasta dishes spring to mind - and I suppose the most basic of them all is a cheese sauce/mushroom sauce - here goes:<br />
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<strong>Cheese Sauce</strong><br />
<br />
You use equal amounts of butter and plain flour (say a tablespoon of each), melt the butter in a pan (medium heat) add the flour and stir until smooth (you need to do this for at least a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste).<br />
Now (a whisk is good for this but a spoon will do) stirring all the time add milk - hard to give a quantity - just keep stirring it in until you have the right consistency - slightly thinner that you would think as the cheese will thicken it up again (don't worry you can always add more milk)<br />
For anyone with a stocked kitchen, it is really nice to add some English mustard powder (1/2 tsp) and a few grates of nutmeg before adding the milk.<br />
Add your cheese (plenty), grated or chopped up small, and there you have it.<br />
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<strong>Mac and cheese</strong><br />
<br />
Pasta<br />
Cheese Sauce<br />
Bacon (optional)<br />
Mushrooms (optional)<br />
Broccoli (optional, and because you need your greens!!)<br />
<br />
Cook your pasta of choice - I usually use penne.<br />
Drain the pasta and add the cheese sauce to it.<br />
Fry up some rashers of bacon/bacon bits.<br />
Saute mushrooms.<br />
Steam some broccoli (getting the healthy theme here???)<br />
Add all together and place into an ovenproof dish.<br />
Scatter a bit more cheese on top and put in the oven at a medium heat.<br />
Check after about 15/20 minutes - if it's bubbling on top, it's done.<br />
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Mind your hands taking it out of the oven - don't burn yourself!!!<br />
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<strong>Mushroom Sauce</strong><br />
<br />
Instead of adding cheese to your (slightly thicker) white sauce, add your slow cooked mushroom - this is good on freshly cooked pasta (no faffing about with ovens!!!)<br />
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<strong>Fried Fish</strong><br />
<br />
Buy some nice flat white fish.<br />
Heat up a frying pan - should be nice and hot before the fish goes in.<br />
Put some flour on a plate and mix in some salt (1/4 tsp to about 2 tbsp flour)<br />
Place the fish on the flour - both sides. Brush off any excess.<br />
Put some oil in the pan (olive is good but don't stress, whatever is there)<br />
Fry the fish - skin side down first, you want this crispy.<br />
Turn down the heat to cook the other side - won't take long, depending on the thickness of the fillet.<br />
You can of course cook some prawns to go with it - or wait for your Mammy to do that when you get home!!!<br />
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<strong>Our Usual Salmon</strong><br />
<br />
Very easy, and very good for you.<br />
Get a darn/fillet of salmon (you could use trout, any pink fish)<br />
Sprinkle some Cajun spice on top and then bake in the oven for about 10/15 minutes.<br />
Simples!<br />
<br />
<strong>Fish Pie</strong><br />
<br />
Buy an assortment of fish - some smoked, and whatever else is cheap (better not to use oily fish here)<br />
Poach in milk - place the fish in a saucepan and cover with milk, heat up gently until the fish is just slightly underdone.<br />
Now take out the fish and place in an oven proof dish.<br />
You can add some frozen peas at this stage (those greens again!!)<br />
Make some white sauce, using the leftover milk.<br />
Pour the sauce over the fish.<br />
You can put mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs even some mashed up crisps on top.<br />
Bake until bubbling.<br />
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I hope this is enough to get you going - and not too boring for everyone else!!!<br />
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I want to apologise for not being around for the past few months - the enormity of losing my sister just struck me with a hammer blow, and I needed all my energy to just do the day to day stuff ..... but I'm back!!!<br />
<br />Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-26811117072648491422012-02-28T03:44:00.000+00:002012-02-28T03:44:49.430+00:00RANDOM AND THRIFTY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7WlrhxTkOE5j5M_D4AXHpzqjf1hufKHhL-Rx-fQxG1YgV-7Do0qu0aq6j4nR7VbYPJDNWB8AGsAtjJq-rf09SGPgdPIXOuR2vKbhYUxrmb0p0iufsPeJWRIS7nTeoy5u34o2TSomnrgl/s1600/food+only+10.2.12+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7WlrhxTkOE5j5M_D4AXHpzqjf1hufKHhL-Rx-fQxG1YgV-7Do0qu0aq6j4nR7VbYPJDNWB8AGsAtjJq-rf09SGPgdPIXOuR2vKbhYUxrmb0p0iufsPeJWRIS7nTeoy5u34o2TSomnrgl/s400/food+only+10.2.12+015.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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For this month's <a href="http://belleaukitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/random-recipes-1st-birthday.html">Random Recipes</a> Dom has invited us to return to the first book we chose for his challenge and to once again randomly choose a recipe from it. I have to admit that I had a bit of a job locating <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Bake-Rachel-Allen/9780007259700">Bake by Rachel Allen</a> (another resolution - sort out my cookery books!!), and I did feel some trepidation, as I have had both <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2011/09/brownies-19.html">successes</a> and a <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2010/03/red-for-danger.html">failure</a> from this book - I needn't have worried, they went down a bomb!<br />
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My book opened at "St. Stephen's Day Muffins" (St. Stephen's day is on 26th December) and called for left over Christmas Pudding. Regular readers will know that the Christmas pudding fiends in this house wouldn't leave as much as a crumb (and if there were any left I wouldn't be allowed to "waste" it on muffins!!!), but this year I have been given a gift of a (bought) pudding, which had been tasted and rejected, so I was delighted to have a use for it.<br />
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These muffins were well liked, the extra brandy gave them a proper Christmassy flavour that goes down well all year round.<br />
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<strong>Christmas Pudding Muffins</strong><br />
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<br />
1 egg<br />
75ml/3 fl oz milk<br />
25g/1oz butter, melted<br />
2 tbsp brandy<br />
125g/4.5oz Christmas pudding (chopped up)<br />
125g/4.5oz plain flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp mixed spice<br />
75g/3oz caster sugar<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 180 C<br />
Line a muffin tray with 9 paper cases<br />
<br />
Whisk the egg in a bowl.<br />
Add the milk, melted butter, brandy and pudding.<br />
Sift in the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into another bowl.<br />
Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients and mix together to a soft lumpy batter.<br />
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases (I use an ice-cream scoop).<br />
Bake for 20-25 minutes.<br />
When a skewer comes out clean remove from the oven.<br />
Allow to cool on a wire rack.<br />
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Enjoy<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZPEMZPjye1_RS3eTCrnTGCVENGHDrrG3s30xPTzyiPIbs-l7P5EUrVkCsiK-mBISYxBLv429avUeU8qT9lVer9VpdNnGhvsrZndGKoSUVwqL8HpvVla44qys9GvX1dYZ4khk8EXIaUom/s1600/randomrecipes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZPEMZPjye1_RS3eTCrnTGCVENGHDrrG3s30xPTzyiPIbs-l7P5EUrVkCsiK-mBISYxBLv429avUeU8qT9lVer9VpdNnGhvsrZndGKoSUVwqL8HpvVla44qys9GvX1dYZ4khk8EXIaUom/s1600/randomrecipes2.jpg" /></a></div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-51495410051608920332012-02-14T07:12:00.001+00:002012-02-15T13:42:10.578+00:00ALL LOVED UP!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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It's that time of year again - and I was trying to remember my most romantic meal. Hands down it has to be breakfast in bed, the fact that your loved one is willing to leave the warm nest extra early to make you feel cherished - what can be better??<br />
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What foods do I associate with romance? Chocolate, berries, cream and for some strange reason lavender (go figure!!) all come to mind. I decided to stick with the first three on my list (and actually replaced the cream (not so good first thing) with some luscious greek yogurt. So how do I get my chocolate fix at breakfast time? Well I'm perfectly capable of diving into a chocolate cake at any time of the day or night, but I imagine that there are more normal people than me out there (?), so I decided to experiment with my <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-breakfasts.html">favourite pancakes</a>; I added some cocoa powder to the batter (yuk!), then some chocolate chips went in (see the hardships I go through?!) but the texture wasn't wonderful, then the trusty Nutella came out - and yummmmmm, perhaps not the prettiest thing to come out of the kitchen, but man oh man were they delicious! And how romantic to delicately nibble (yeah right) some chocolate pancakes, oozing with creamy yogurt and tangy raspberries - just a pity you have to get up and bring the kids to school!<br />
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I am of course linking this with the lovely Kate and Karen's <a href="http://whatkatebaked.blogspot.com/2012/01/february-tea-time-treats.html">Tea Time Treats Challenge</a> because pancakes aren't just for breakfast!!<br />
<br />
<strong>Loved Up Pancakes</strong><br />
<br />
Make up one batch of this <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-breakfasts.html">pancake batter</a><br />
Add one large tbsp of Nutella (I had to heat mine, the kitchen was very chilly that early in the morning!)<br />
Fry in butter.<br />
Cut into heart shapes, if you are so inclined.<br />
Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt and your favourite berries.<br />
If it's not a driving day throw a bottle of fizz in there too :-)))<br />
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Happy St. Valentine's Day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-58339622235272528982012-02-11T14:11:00.000+00:002012-02-11T14:11:02.964+00:00"NEW YEAR. NEW YOU?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2rgp5YnP4fryJEzREF2Vp3KLsnQWO2R-Md9JotGEmDlQ44Bo4ml0P2YpDjaCcqspHJygC4tqryTblVQ6vWHspSGhIPbDUG_XaZem0L4K7PTJ4QLUhqFZsjqE6uexhjnX5l_whD0VMcQT/s1600/food+only+10.2.12+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2rgp5YnP4fryJEzREF2Vp3KLsnQWO2R-Md9JotGEmDlQ44Bo4ml0P2YpDjaCcqspHJygC4tqryTblVQ6vWHspSGhIPbDUG_XaZem0L4K7PTJ4QLUhqFZsjqE6uexhjnX5l_whD0VMcQT/s400/food+only+10.2.12+009.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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Don't you just love a gift that you can benefit from for ages after your birthday/Christmas/any special occasion? Well, I've already told you about the fantastic gift my boys gave me for my birthday last year - <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2011/11/masterclass-with-master.html">masterclasses with Michelin chef Oliver Dunne</a>, and January brought the next class I'd chosen - "New Year, New You?" - just up my alley at the moment! <br />
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It should be said at this stage that Olivers main concession to healthy eating was managing without his usual use of pounds of butter and replacing them with a whole bottle of olive oil!!! That said the food was utterly delicious, if I could eat like this all the time I'd happily swear off sugar for life.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEh5ivKIMQzrKDLSFSPTN57tzU6MspfkSj4G5Fl9fEolyaFLTcBpoF4Jg25rxlkSuxRVsOzk7ii_8tUQNLZcq6P9Xanl9GqrS4JSMMFyuuMiIKrQQkyyICnTYGeI3coA7hrIYa5MSqvYnr/s1600/food+only+10.2.12+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEh5ivKIMQzrKDLSFSPTN57tzU6MspfkSj4G5Fl9fEolyaFLTcBpoF4Jg25rxlkSuxRVsOzk7ii_8tUQNLZcq6P9Xanl9GqrS4JSMMFyuuMiIKrQQkyyICnTYGeI3coA7hrIYa5MSqvYnr/s320/food+only+10.2.12+008.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin and Ginger Soup<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This soup tasted so good, that I went out and bought the ingredients the next day and made up a batch (my attempt and the recipe are at the end of this post)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCjIg5I7sLT4-c08AKDYqP1stYWb949YcZ4lMCTDnkiu2mVqIhIKP9pOYqYl7gJ1NiX85d2wxkyRq0ZaaYexZylJKbsNvo0SN6a9If7w7y-SpF1z6q1ak-odhXnHZvy5m_VDHunXmt6xI/s1600/food+only+10.2.12+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCjIg5I7sLT4-c08AKDYqP1stYWb949YcZ4lMCTDnkiu2mVqIhIKP9pOYqYl7gJ1NiX85d2wxkyRq0ZaaYexZylJKbsNvo0SN6a9If7w7y-SpF1z6q1ak-odhXnHZvy5m_VDHunXmt6xI/s320/food+only+10.2.12+007.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stir-Fried Duck with Carrots, Sugar Snaps and Orange<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This dish also works well with pork and would be perfect to throw together after work - although I can't imagine being able to chop the carrots as well as this!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjpEdn1mStsf0p2KpxtTzKIgNuCJ0WuyAy0RffSmoWNUXX7KzgussTsVw8o2RsIkbAUOHgwIy5SrpxIsYTOi8z9_O7RqWtegNLPFx0Cwzv14oZcy9Iz7KFL7CfMIshrM1AVwtzdResH0M/s1600/food+only+10.2.12+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjpEdn1mStsf0p2KpxtTzKIgNuCJ0WuyAy0RffSmoWNUXX7KzgussTsVw8o2RsIkbAUOHgwIy5SrpxIsYTOi8z9_O7RqWtegNLPFx0Cwzv14oZcy9Iz7KFL7CfMIshrM1AVwtzdResH0M/s320/food+only+10.2.12+009.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salmon with Sweet & Sour Peppers, Olive & Basil Crushed Potatoes<br />
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</tbody></table>This was probably my favourite dish of the evening - those peppers are to die for, and the potatoes are beyond delicious, there are olives, shallots, basil and lemon juice in there - my mouth is watering at the memory!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgF3OJB8WLSXwLedH63On8l1EQ23X6AgYkxNoc86biXiP6ruLShT1_E2NRjvpOxiv01FXr1F39Y0ZfWNU-H0693xT8zQ7tkHZOBH1UTaWKtatRLrOF0rqOG_fPt8i20zrJU0aC8tC11okb/s1600/food+only+10.2.12+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgF3OJB8WLSXwLedH63On8l1EQ23X6AgYkxNoc86biXiP6ruLShT1_E2NRjvpOxiv01FXr1F39Y0ZfWNU-H0693xT8zQ7tkHZOBH1UTaWKtatRLrOF0rqOG_fPt8i20zrJU0aC8tC11okb/s320/food+only+10.2.12+010.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fillet of Pork, Crushed Carrot and Swede, Chilli Wedge</td></tr>
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I learned something new when Oliver was making this dish - what are generally called turnips in Ireland are swedes to the rest of the world! - you live and you learn!! I felt this dish needed a sauce (maybe I'm not totally getting into the New Year New You vibe!!!!). See how pink the pork is? Delicious!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qKNxhyphenhyphenZaHauxFU8jZ5x8RRok-Eyflq5SY9ZPus9_g3HbqUTLFpsKUDDDmRzT0txV2gZkO_ZwDm6YVMjA7M6LxC8wo1Hq3_q_NcQnjmmNdUacV_miuWIv71sLOfPLAy7rnQyHhHUqez3E/s1600/food+only+10.2.12+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qKNxhyphenhyphenZaHauxFU8jZ5x8RRok-Eyflq5SY9ZPus9_g3HbqUTLFpsKUDDDmRzT0txV2gZkO_ZwDm6YVMjA7M6LxC8wo1Hq3_q_NcQnjmmNdUacV_miuWIv71sLOfPLAy7rnQyHhHUqez3E/s320/food+only+10.2.12+011.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Fillet with Potato Fondant, Tomato & Tarragon Dressing<br />
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</tbody></table>These fondant potatoes were a total revelation - instead of frying them up to their oxters (technical term!!) in butter, these were cooked in a frying pan of water with a knob of butter and a splash of olive oil, and they actually taste just as good (well very nearly) as the real thing.<br />
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Now for my offering - I substituted the pumpkin with butternut squash and the soup went down a treat!<br />
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<strong>Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup</strong><br />
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1kg butternut squash, peeled and diced into small pieces<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 knob ginger - about the size of your thumb<br />
4 tbsp white wine<br />
750ml chicken stock (from a cube is fine)<br />
100ml milk<br />
pinch sugar<br />
salt to taste<br />
1 tsp Greek yogurt (per bowl)<br />
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Put the oil in a heavy based saucepan and add the squash, ginger and season.<br />
Cook on a low heat with the lid on until the squash is soft<br />
When it is soft, remove the lid and reduce until the liquid has evaporated.<br />
Add the white wine and simmer, then add the stock and milk.<br />
Bring back to the boil and then simmer for five minutes.<br />
Blend until smooth - this takes longer than you expect to get a really silkey texture.<br />
Serve with a spoon of Greek yogurt.<br />
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Enjoy.Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-5403983675695832642012-01-28T18:29:00.001+00:002012-02-04T23:50:59.713+00:00LIGHT AND RANDOM CHOCOLATE CAKE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV_2a3RvsOwjwFqmsc_BHCYSQdvhLO7-IMRj8qYPXAmE339hksrRoeU875p3idXul872Cj5I8nYThaMS3MyDRVfSVcQ-EIyz5cT5H9rUqTm1v2cGJxiVugUqOTNBML-An8_-E0A1mmrhx/s1600/food+only+14.01.12+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV_2a3RvsOwjwFqmsc_BHCYSQdvhLO7-IMRj8qYPXAmE339hksrRoeU875p3idXul872Cj5I8nYThaMS3MyDRVfSVcQ-EIyz5cT5H9rUqTm1v2cGJxiVugUqOTNBML-An8_-E0A1mmrhx/s400/food+only+14.01.12+005.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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Remember back in school, there was always a "cool" gang? They always had the coolest shoes, their socks were always casually half mast and they had boys signatures on their school bags (I went to an all girl school with a strict uniform code - it was hard to be individual!!!!) - well recently all the "cool" bloggers have been baking up a storm from Dan Lepard's new book Short and Sweet, and I have to admit that I was feeling a bit left out (tragic I know!!!!). Well, all is right with the world and I can still aspire to the "cool" club, my son bought me his book for Christmas :-)).<br />
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Dom over at <a href="http://belleaukitchen.blogspot.com/">Belleau Kitchen</a> challenged us to randomly choose a recipe from one of our new Christmas books and blog about it - nice one! Then I thought my luck was really in when the book opened at The alchemist's chocolate cake which has half the fat and quarter of the carbs of a normal uniced chocolate cake, relying on blended tinned pears to provide the moisture and texture, and therefore being perfect for <a href="http://thechocolatepot.blogspot.com/">Chele's We Should Cocoa Challenge</a> which this month involved chocolate bakes and healthy in the same sentence! I think I'm a bit late on Chele's challenge but am going to chance my arm!!!<br />
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The link to Dan's recipe is <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jun/28/recipe.foodanddrink1">here</a>, but I have to say that unless I were under doctor's orders I'd just have a small slice of a normal cake instead.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRO_0cQE0wjFebHlPVaKfFUuqxArsNd2h9OWYXaQHS-lHbCho5dXiHPnsf8V-6HqgSS91GxTAxMMa1RpFHAxbpwx04kvVDDAB-DUZ_JIt9NAMgC-eolKowdD7oecTz5ORnLMHmtUAcig4/s1600/We_Should_Cocoa_V3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRO_0cQE0wjFebHlPVaKfFUuqxArsNd2h9OWYXaQHS-lHbCho5dXiHPnsf8V-6HqgSS91GxTAxMMa1RpFHAxbpwx04kvVDDAB-DUZ_JIt9NAMgC-eolKowdD7oecTz5ORnLMHmtUAcig4/s200/We_Should_Cocoa_V3.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAN40UVqPlf3N0qfbl6PTLCYnTbzwiYX9n2WQwvazVyXD2StzWIoIBzFGh0b5i_tUsvoOxrmUYbY_3KaYkTPa52zTJwR44xhvuD6tYIe82rYLdNSvql36uDp95tYu81rOnIj7gF7NQKWIJ/s1600/randomrecipes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAN40UVqPlf3N0qfbl6PTLCYnTbzwiYX9n2WQwvazVyXD2StzWIoIBzFGh0b5i_tUsvoOxrmUYbY_3KaYkTPa52zTJwR44xhvuD6tYIe82rYLdNSvql36uDp95tYu81rOnIj7gF7NQKWIJ/s200/randomrecipes2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-53622253426726065742012-01-14T11:13:00.000+00:002012-01-14T11:13:46.500+00:00LOVELY AND LIGHT LUNCH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVWVYE1_jG-q24IB3MgN2vwZsAxuEWhTDS7lU4SelKwjHa6vz5OZ0n_AOYAcbqpT9LaL9LTZuLGK9WdmPlakGPzCE2uHQV-MSZZXVJkEoj1P_n7GwSJsxeiYC1F0BxnDM_v1eV7bBq0Ce/s1600/food+only+14.01.12+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVWVYE1_jG-q24IB3MgN2vwZsAxuEWhTDS7lU4SelKwjHa6vz5OZ0n_AOYAcbqpT9LaL9LTZuLGK9WdmPlakGPzCE2uHQV-MSZZXVJkEoj1P_n7GwSJsxeiYC1F0BxnDM_v1eV7bBq0Ce/s400/food+only+14.01.12+004.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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As you know I am one of the millions who start every new year with the intention of ending it weighing alot less - some years it happens, more years not! This year is no exception, and I felt it was a sign that this might be "the year" when the people at <a href="http://www.kerrylowlow.com/">Low Low</a> challenged me to give a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_Dine_with_Me">Come Dine With Me</a> meal to some friends and ask them to score the experience. (Although there is a flaw in their plan - who's friends wouldn't score them 10!!).<br />
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I invited some of my reducing friends (they'll be delighted with that title!) to lunch and set out to plan my menu. I wanted to try out the Low Low products, as I have been a fan of their packets of grated cheddar cheese for ages and have been known to devour a tub of the Cracked Black Pepper Cheddar Spread with a packet of crisps (but those days are gone - I promise!!!). They had sent me some recipe ideas and I opted to try out their Carrot, Courgette, Pecan and Cheese muffins to go with a starter of Carrot, Cardamon and Cumin Soup (I made <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2010/05/exciting-carrots.html">these carrots</a> (using less butter) and then added stock and blitzed). The muffins were great with the soup, although next time I make them I'll omit the nuts and add some grilled (or fried depending on the will power) bacon or ham.<br />
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For the main course I served monkfish baked with some home made sunblushed tomatoes and preserved lemons and served that with Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice, I got this recipe from a Slimming World leaflet, toyed with it a bit and it is excellent - the highlight of the meal in my opinion. The fact that you soak the rice in the tomato juices for such a long time gives you a lovely soft textured result. This will be a regular visitor to our dinner table from now on - maybe with some olive oil drizzled over (when I'm skinny and can do such things!!).<br />
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The other vegetable I served was a Low Low recipe for Cheesy Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms - now if this had been the real deal and I were serving them to strangers who would rate my meal, I might have left these out, they weren't a huge success, they tasted fine but laked severely in the looks department.<br />
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</div><div align="left">For dessert I served these <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/search/label/Random%20Bakes%20of%20Kindness">cupcakes</a> which were popular, and I think it was O.K. that after such a virtuous meal we indulged in some Baileys in our coffee.</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="left"><strong>Stuffed Tomatoes With Rice</strong></div><div align="left"><em>adapted from a Slimming World Recipe</em></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">4 large firm tomatoes (I used beef tomatoes)</div><div align="left">2 garlic cloves - grated</div><div align="left">50g/2oz risotto rice (uncooked)</div><div align="left">6 tbsp finely chopped basil (keep some to decorate)</div><div align="left">3 tbsp grated cheddar cheese (I used Low Low)</div><div align="left">salt and black pepper</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="left">Cut the top off the tomatoes and set aside to use as lids.</div><div align="left">Scoop out the pulp from the tomatoes and chop finely, put in a bowl.</div><div align="left">Stir the rice, garlic, basil into the tomato pulp and leave aside at room temperature for one hour.</div><div align="left">Preheat the oven to 180 C.</div><div align="left">Add the basil and cheese to the rice mixture and stuff the tomatoes.</div><div align="left">Transfer to a baking dish and top with the lids.</div><div align="left">Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and the rice is cooked through.</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="left">P.S. They scored me 10 (surprise, surprise) but refused a chance of international stardom citing bad hair days when I wanted to take their picture for the blog! </div><div align="left"><br />
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</div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-90300621122525528892011-12-31T13:28:00.001+00:002011-12-31T13:29:29.596+00:00GET AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS 2012!!!!!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aLlQFo5fFrM/Tv7zCZE-TQI/AAAAAAAABGw/uW54R_JnHG0/s1600/food+only+22.12.11+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aLlQFo5fFrM/Tv7zCZE-TQI/AAAAAAAABGw/uW54R_JnHG0/s320/food+only+22.12.11+009.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
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I'm afraid that I'm going to use the "R" word - I know I won't be popular, but it's for your own good!!! Most of us make resolutions (there I've said it!!) about being more organised - and I'm giving you an easy way to get the warm fuzzy feeling - prepare the fruit for next year's Christmas cake this week, imagine how organised and "Suzie Homemakerish" you'll feel - so what if you don't keep to the healthy eating regime or if you don't manage to hit the gym every day - you still know that your Christmas cake is getting more delicious by the day!<br />
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Why am I so evangelical about this year long soak for the fruits - once again I managed to forget about the fruit that I had left to soak for a whole year (my last find was a jar of raisins that had been soaking in dark rum for a very, very long time - scrumptious) - and I have to say that the result was the richest moistest cake ever (well equal place with Nigella's chocolate Christmas cake).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I urge you to pop over to <a href="http://www.thepinkwhisk.co.uk/2011/09/boozy-fruit-for-your-christmas-cake.html">The Pink Whisk's recipe for boozy fruit for your Christmas Cake</a> where you will find the directions for this cake elixir. It makes so much sense to prepare the fruits at this time - you probably have many of the fruits and the booze in the cupboard, what better way could you have to use them up?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <em>I want to thank you all for your support during 2011 and to wish you the very best for 2012.</em>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-74502872455347735832011-12-23T05:58:00.000+00:002011-12-23T05:58:25.917+00:00CHOCOLATE REALLY DOES WORK IN THIS CHRISTMAS CAKE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyBzvmt24mk/TvL6aD0WYOI/AAAAAAAABGM/P9LdWgutFKA/s1600/29.12.10+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyBzvmt24mk/TvL6aD0WYOI/AAAAAAAABGM/P9LdWgutFKA/s400/29.12.10+031.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How long does it take to make a tradition? Some Christmas traditions come to us through our parents and grandparents, some probably from the idealised versions we see on T.V. (do families really decorate the tree together while humming carols and sipping hot chocolate - or is the general experience more like mine, where I whine about doing it, hint for help but get told that I'm the "artistic one"!!!!!! Baah Humbug) but what about the traditions we make ourselves? I reckon that Nigella's Chocolate Christmas Cake is fast becoming a tradition here in Brownieville - Christmas wouldn't be quite the same without it sitting under the dome on the cake stand. Regular Christmas visitors have been known to ask for it (they don't know about the puddings!!!!!!).</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lXk0gjeLRCo/TvL3QA_LRjI/AAAAAAAABGA/za_QNVvhmxA/s1600/food+only+22.12.11+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lXk0gjeLRCo/TvL3QA_LRjI/AAAAAAAABGA/za_QNVvhmxA/s400/food+only+22.12.11+012.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">It is really easy to throw together, being what my mother would call a boiled cake - most of the ingredients are heated together in a pot (which means there is no need to soak the fruit) then you add a few more and bake. I will admit that there is all the faffing about having to line the tin, but other that that is's "wham bam thank you mam"</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The cake has a beautifully moist texture, the chocolate and orange flavours are subtle and actually add to the Christmassyness (!) of the cake. It should be eaten within 2 weeks (no problem I promise!!) so is prefect for the last minute merchants amongst us!! Please don't worry about all the prunes in there, nobody will notice, and think of all the good it will be doing to their tummies after the Christmas stodge!!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">When I saw that Choclette has challenged us to include orange to a chocolate bake for this month's <a href="http://choclogblog.blogspot.com/p/we-should-cocoa.html">We Should Cocoa</a>, it was a shoe in for this cake!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Chocolate Christmas Cake</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><em>adapted from Nigella Lawson's recipe</em></strong> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">350g stoned prunes, chopped</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">250g raising</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">175g currants</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">175g butter</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">175g dark sugar</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">225g honey</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">75ml coffee liqueur</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">50ml hazelnut liqueur</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1 orange, juiced and zested</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3 mandarin orange, juiced and zested (if large just use 2)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp mixed spice</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tbsp cocoa powder (sifted)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">3 eggs, beaten</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">150g flour</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">75g ground hazelnuts (or almonds)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 tsp baking powder</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 tsp bread (bicarbonate of) soda</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Double line and butter a 20cm x 9cm deep round cake tin. When filled I also tie a couple of layers of newspapers around the outside - belt and braces!! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Put the flour, ground nuts, baking powder and bread (bicarbonate of) soda in a bowl and set aside.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Put the remaining ingredients (except the eggs) in a large saucepan and gently bring to boiling point, stirring regularly.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Allow to simmer for 10 minutes and set aside for 30 (or longer if it's handier)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">While it's cooling I prepare the tin.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Add the beaten egg and the dry ingredients, combine well.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for approx 2 hours.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">You want a texture less gooey than a brownie but more so than a normal cake.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Put the cake tin on a wire rack and allow to cool.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Eat immediately if you wish, but it will keep for about 2 weeks, depending on your will power!!!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-33975787351599695792011-12-10T07:50:00.001+00:002011-12-10T08:18:55.340+00:00ANYONE HAVE A CURE FOR "TOOMUCHTODOITIS"?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLcWE57oqQX0s59rfg5aNZc4Qr6nN3-slPrYD5PQ2IaRO5c09deK4fk0gFAkwf9cqTX_mlWWSntU0NedQQuAo7N3heH8fjbWqRU9wmIXjFagOqWdIbc9whXAPpxAvqDv9BHboNJEU30Aj/s1600/food+only+24.11.11+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLcWE57oqQX0s59rfg5aNZc4Qr6nN3-slPrYD5PQ2IaRO5c09deK4fk0gFAkwf9cqTX_mlWWSntU0NedQQuAo7N3heH8fjbWqRU9wmIXjFagOqWdIbc9whXAPpxAvqDv9BHboNJEU30Aj/s400/food+only+24.11.11+017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I have been missing in action - sorry guys, I'm suffering from a very bad case of "waywaywaytoomuchtodoitis" which along with a chest infection has kinda floored me. Luckily I managed to make the Christmas puddings before the malaise hit!<br />
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I have mentioned the importance of Christmas Puddings in Brownieville on a previous post - every year I make an obscene number (getting larger each year), every year I plan to pass on a couple as presents, and every year a certain person manages to demolish the lot (you are soooo mean - it's NOT me!!!).<br />
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Brownieville Man (for it is he!!) is probably the most generous person I know, he is always up first to pay the bill when we go to restaurants with friends, ditto when we go out for drinks (although we don't do that very often any more - old age?) BUT when it comes to my Christmas Puddings, he is just short of weighing them before he heads out, in case I offer some to visitors during the day!!!!!! It is the truest demonstration of his abiding love for his sons that he allows them (almost) free access to the pudding tin!!!<br />
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This pudding recipe comes from my paternal grandmother, via my mother, with many changes en route. It is very, very easy - all it needs is time steaming away, and if you have a good sized steamer that holds plenty of water, you can just leave it without a thought! Actually the shopping is the hardest part - just make sure that you use good fruit and that you don't use the tub of prechopped candied peel - it does make a difference to cut it yourself.<br />
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By the way, our resident pudding expert says that all the stuff about puddings maturing is codswallop, and the fresher the better - just in case you have some time to throw this lot together.<br />
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Finally, on Christmas day, just reheat by steaming for a couple of hours (do NOT use the micro, my Mum learned that one to her cost!!) then pour some Vodka over and set alight - enjoy the "oohs and aaaghs" - you deserve them! (Vodka gives a longer burning time than Brandy).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqZB0a1mFu7D5_92ZCfl29UpqC8lyhn73vxfdQ3dOXILA54f2-lNH7MOUciK6XxpyTbBGMtl5IrmwaysraJxPDmfKq90rDy3Ujzw_bSs47ZQA1TYsi5Pt41BaHAw4-bhNlmWDMEhr4vHB/s1600/food+only+24.11.11+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqZB0a1mFu7D5_92ZCfl29UpqC8lyhn73vxfdQ3dOXILA54f2-lNH7MOUciK6XxpyTbBGMtl5IrmwaysraJxPDmfKq90rDy3Ujzw_bSs47ZQA1TYsi5Pt41BaHAw4-bhNlmWDMEhr4vHB/s400/food+only+24.11.11+007.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It tastes unbeliveably good at this stage - use good eggs and <br />
then pick to your hearts content!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<strong>Granny's Christmas Pudding</strong><br />
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1 lb bread crumbs - preferably made from a stale batch (or any good) loaf<br />
1 lb sultanas<br />
1 lb raisins<br />
1/2 lb currants<br />
1 lb brown sugar<br />
1/4 lb freshly chopped mixed peel<br />
1/4 lb chopped glace cherries<br />
1/2 lb melted butter<br />
1/2 lb sifted plain flour<br />
2 tbsp mixed spice<br />
2 tbsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 nutmeg - grated<br />
5 eggs<br />
200 ml Guinness (more as needed)<br />
100ml Whiskey<br />
100ml Brandy<br />
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Combine all the dry ingredients in a very large bowl, and mix.<br />
Add the eggs, butter and alcohol and mix well - get all family members to help. They can stir clockwise 3 times and on each turn wish for "Health" then "Wealth" and finally "Happiness"<br />
Cover with cling film (touching the mixture) and leave to absorb the flavours for at least 24 hours.<br />
Spoon into your pudding basins - I just use plastic ones with lids, I put some greaseproof paper on top of the mixture and then pop on the lid.<br />
Steam (in a steamer, or in a large pot with an upturned saucer in the bottom) for 7 hours.<br />
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This recipe makes one 3lb and one 2lb pudding.<br />
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I've made 10 puddings so far - I think that there are 6 left!! But this year I have one aside to give to a wonderful friend - and "himself" will help me wrap it (metaphorically that is!!!)<br />
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I am entering my Pudding recipe for Vanessa's <a href="http://writingacookerybook.blogspot.com/2011/10/lets-make-christmas.html">Let's Make Christmas Challenge</a> (her book is at the top of my Christmas List!)Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-60460234730208694862011-11-29T20:01:00.002+00:002011-11-29T20:07:04.483+00:00RANDOM NO CROUTON RECIPE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXxozfrL15pQ6_vMqlnNk0hGrNE2KCdgeZZnBwZqrX34wRX2JwBKNgl8rYGh4CrCYolqiFXrpxutdAZ26MgEWXQLUXPWNHjxIcrYbSMAv0XgWI2PqxSFgos2KMIJQuhEAz_s5JXJd7JM4/s1600/food+only+24.11.11+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXxozfrL15pQ6_vMqlnNk0hGrNE2KCdgeZZnBwZqrX34wRX2JwBKNgl8rYGh4CrCYolqiFXrpxutdAZ26MgEWXQLUXPWNHjxIcrYbSMAv0XgWI2PqxSFgos2KMIJQuhEAz_s5JXJd7JM4/s400/food+only+24.11.11+004.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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This month <a href="http://belleaukitchen.blogspot.com/">Dom</a> and <a href="http://www.tinnedtomatoes.com/">Jac</a> * have teamed up to challenge us to pick a random veggie soup recipe and prepare it for your enjoyment (and ours of course!). Dom has allowed us to choose our own method of randomising (?) our recipe, so I decided I would choose the first book to hand and cook the first soup recipe for which I had all the ingredients in stock.<br />
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I have been using Catherine Fulvio's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Catherines-Family-Kitchen-Catherine-Fulvio/dp/0717150577/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322595486&sr=1-1">Family Kitchen</a> alot recently and her Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Tomato Soup looked delicious but there are pepper allergies in this house so I made her Tomato soup all on it's own, and combined it with her Soda Focaccia, and all I can say is it was the easiest, tastiest lunch I have had in ages. The sundried tomatoes in the soup really intensify the flavour - skrummy stuff.<br />
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*Dom and Jac - don't present a children's TV show!! They write two excellent blogs - really worth visiting if you haven't already done so.<br />
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<strong>Tomato Soup</strong><br />
<em>from Catherine Fulvio</em><br />
<br />
extra virgin olive oil<br />
2 garlic cloves, sliced<br />
2 sundried tomatoes, chopped<br />
1 potato, peeled and chopped<br />
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes<br />
300ml vegetable stock<br />
2 tsp chopped fresh basil<br />
salt and pepper<br />
<br />
Fry the garlic and sundried tomatoes in some olive oil for a minute.<br />
Stir in the potato, tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.<br />
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the potato is cooked through.<br />
Add the basil and remove from the heat.<br />
Puree the soup and taste for seasoning.<br />
Add more stock if needed.<br />
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Serve and enjoy.<br />
<img class="CSS_LIGHTBOX_SCALED_IMAGE_IMG" closure_uid_i5o0yc="41" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQhhfz_arXC8al-Oo6UyvTHImc861V1PGSnqqPMph2PcOYba6xDcGwv7ljgrRqxPJzQeUIsrDNWVq-nvqihdtZqJ71XjO3kTcyE6y2Z1zMaqEaJGKg4Ca4-1_5DbH5k4z32tcKYoLFD3L/s1600/random+recipes+does.jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 200px;" width="200" />Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-20700705647946782011-11-26T09:38:00.000+00:002011-11-26T09:38:57.416+00:00TIME FOR A TEA TIME TREAT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOE2wDV24wc04LgAonCNdOktTmT-qP_NG7N7yV-lHQqCZJRYgtuqSXHA8pMipdCDFSW2TVGyOX4iFzOIvRtmOFHpIGU5Wu7YHesU5dZ94hxyFsqzmcYgLbdkMGUrhmym3xoboqncRmV-AC/s1600/food+only+24.11.11+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOE2wDV24wc04LgAonCNdOktTmT-qP_NG7N7yV-lHQqCZJRYgtuqSXHA8pMipdCDFSW2TVGyOX4iFzOIvRtmOFHpIGU5Wu7YHesU5dZ94hxyFsqzmcYgLbdkMGUrhmym3xoboqncRmV-AC/s400/food+only+24.11.11+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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There's a new challenge on the blogging block, and I love a good challenge, so I was delighted when two exceptional bloggers came together to invite us to tea .... well to <a href="http://lavenderandlovage.blogspot.com/2011/10/invitation-to-tea-tea-time-treats-new.html">Tea Time Treats</a>, and this month <a href="http://lavenderandlovage.blogspot.com/">Karen</a> has invited us to prepare something delicious using ginger, happy days - my all time favourite ingredient (along with all my other favourite ingredients!!!), not so happy days - I am really trying to cut down on the goodies so I can really pig out in December!!!!<br />
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So now my challenge was to make something delicious containing ginger BUT also something that I wouldn't devour (yes, that is the state of my will power these days) ........... it had to be dried fruit, loved by all the family but not by me!!!<br />
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I turned to Lilly Higgins' <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Bake-Love-Lilly-Higgins/dp/0717150429/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322298280&sr=8-1">Make Bake Love</a> (it's just so pretty) and decided to play around with her Tea Brack recipe, obviously adding some ginger in there, but I also simplified it by using a luxury fruit mix rather than the individual fruits she suggested - it went down a treat, and was just the stop gap needed before the Christmas Pudding Season started (the consumption of Christmas puddings in this house is a story for another day!).<br />
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<strong>Tea Brack</strong><br />
<em>adapted from Lilly Higgins' Make Bake Love</em><br />
<br />
300ml hot strong tea<br />
360g luxury fruit mix<br />
100g chopped stoned dried dates<br />
1 egg<br />
225g self raising flour<br />
150g brown sugar<br />
3 tbsp Cointreau or your favourite alcohol<br />
1 1/2 tsp mixed spice<br />
1 tsp ginger<br />
2 knobs of crystallised ginger<br />
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Preferably the day before, but for as long as possible - soak the fruit in the tea.<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 180 C<br />
Line a loaf tin with parchment paper or butter it.<br />
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Add the ginger, beaten egg, flour and sugar to the fruit and mix well.<br />
Add the Cointreau and spices and mix again.<br />
Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours - until a skewer (or stick of dry spaghetti) comes out clean.<br />
When perfect remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.<br />
Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.<br />
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Enjoy<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://whatkatebaked.blogspot.com/p/tea-time-treats-blogging-challenge.html">Kate</a> and <a href="http://lavenderandlovage.blogspot.com/">Karen</a> for this fun idea.<br />
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For my Irish readers - I was invited to this years <a href="http://www.tasteofchristmas.ie/">Taste of Christmas</a>, a huge improvement on last year's event, plenty of stalls, delicious food from some excellent restaurants, including the wonderful Bon Appetite (where I did the <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2011/11/masterclass-with-master.html">masterclass</a>!!). I went to the first of the Masterchef shows and although it had a few glitches, and a bit of nervousness it was quite good. It would have been very good had the audience been given copies of the recipes being cooked and if Nick had lightened up on plugging his book and restaurant!!<br />
Well worth a visit, to get you in the Christmas mood.Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-14858300633418136652011-11-23T22:43:00.000+00:002011-11-23T22:43:11.017+00:00WITH APPLE OR WITHOUT??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IGFSOzepnsmYoNXtPd7kXxFb0x7iZE8M4gVt0noTP-sTRqk90QUlL7CieMXhWFQnnSCTuqKyFdxq7WOuZzTpuM8ODQ3aSQZvaPKoHFmHrJKObopAifo12hz0LEKe6o7prnk6f6exXp-2/s1600/food+only+24.11.11+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IGFSOzepnsmYoNXtPd7kXxFb0x7iZE8M4gVt0noTP-sTRqk90QUlL7CieMXhWFQnnSCTuqKyFdxq7WOuZzTpuM8ODQ3aSQZvaPKoHFmHrJKObopAifo12hz0LEKe6o7prnk6f6exXp-2/s320/food+only+24.11.11+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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It looks burned, doesn't it? Actually it didn't taste burned .... maybe it is the dark chocolate - very, very dark chocolate!!<br />
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I was watching a re-run of Nigella's kitchen, and her Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding just called to me, then I thought that it would be a good idea to incorporate it with <a href="http://thechocolatepot.blogspot.com/2011/11/we-should-cocoa-november-challenge.html">Chele's </a> ingredient for this month's <a href="http://thechocolatepot.blogspot.com/2011/11/we-should-cocoa-november-challenge.html">We Should Cocoa</a> challenge. Like many fellow bloggers, I had fretted as to how I could add apple to a chocolate recipe, but I thought that some apple through this pudding would be delicious. Unfortunately Brownieville Boy #2 spotted me adding the apple, and wasn't too enthusiastic! So I compromised and added apple to just half of the pudding - and I have to say that the non-apple half was just a fraction nicer.<br />
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The pudding was light and fluffy, and deliciously creamy (despite containing only 125ml of cream) I would recommend that you give it a try. <br />
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<strong>Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding</strong><br />
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250g stale bread, cut into 3cm cubes<br />
100g chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate<br />
3 eggs<br />
40g light brown sugar<br />
30ml dark rum <br />
125ml cream<br />
500ml full fat milk<br />
4 tsp demerara sugar<br />
1 apple (optional)<br />
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butter a pie dish (about 1.5 lt)<br />
preheat oven to 170 C<br />
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Place the bread cubes, chopped chocolate and chopped apple in the dish, toss but make sure there aren't too many chocolate pieces on the top (to prevent the burned look!!)<br />
Whisk the eggs, light brown sugar, rum, cream and milk together.<br />
Pour over the bread and press the cubes down to make sure they are well soaked.<br />
Leave to soak for at least 20 minutes.<br />
When ready to cook, sprinkle with the demerara sugar and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes.<br />
Allow the pudding to cool slightly before serving.<br />
Enjoy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_8sDng6i3Da_qq8DTPqLFbHLoqqBYASK57XvJjyLa9RRtyGdhAtCy-XkD9U2q58yXT36P8MSCyXeyndok1ANIdXP44UBaaR_6HrxZZGSMVj4gV8gJIs4iGRW3BOez5kOkIRdp4lzjcxZ/s1600/We_Should_Cocoa_V3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_8sDng6i3Da_qq8DTPqLFbHLoqqBYASK57XvJjyLa9RRtyGdhAtCy-XkD9U2q58yXT36P8MSCyXeyndok1ANIdXP44UBaaR_6HrxZZGSMVj4gV8gJIs4iGRW3BOez5kOkIRdp4lzjcxZ/s1600/We_Should_Cocoa_V3.jpg" /></a></div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-57283396357389907762011-11-11T22:35:00.000+00:002011-11-11T22:35:58.042+00:00PAINT IT PURPLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2anlRfPsDePqAhKV7cUhDv25ly99j1g62605chVKPrXPSk9vZB0ID3TwqtmTmwS0ngj5wOeTKXF5IxKfPFpxlv9IkvkmiwPaDKbZ3CbWYLCH5Uc6Ax39KX-crtS3V9gXUUDy88tvuUQ1l/s1600/Sept+2010+part+2+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2anlRfPsDePqAhKV7cUhDv25ly99j1g62605chVKPrXPSk9vZB0ID3TwqtmTmwS0ngj5wOeTKXF5IxKfPFpxlv9IkvkmiwPaDKbZ3CbWYLCH5Uc6Ax39KX-crtS3V9gXUUDy88tvuUQ1l/s320/Sept+2010+part+2+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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A number of years ago, a good friend told me that she had been the victim of domestic violence - she had suffered for years in silence, I think that the worst part for her was the isolation, being unable to talk about her experience. I am so proud of her that she had the courage to leave the awful situation she was in, and was and am delighted to help in any way I possibly can (although truth be told since my sister's death she has been the one doing all the helping!).<br />
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<a href="http://paintitpurple.thepixelproject.net/the-paint-it-purple-cupcake-recipe-gallery/">The Pixel Project</a> were in contact with me recently, I am delighted to be able to participate in their <strong>"Paint It Purple" Cupcake Online Recipe Gallery</strong> which is a campaign to to raise awareness and funds for the cause to end violence against women (VAW) in communities worldwide. They do this work using social media and new technologies. We can help by baking and photographing a cupcake for their website and writing a bit about their wonderful work. <br />
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Coincidentally I had recently baked Lavender Cupcakes from the wonderful "Red Velvet, Chocolate Heartache" by Harry Eastwood - talk about predestined!! They were absolutely delicious, the lavender flavour was present but subtle (I had feared a soapy taste, nothing could be further from the reality). The courgette on the other hand was completely unrecognisable! The nicest possible way to get one of your "five a day"!!!<br />
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<strong>Lavender Cupcakes</strong><br />
<em>adapted from Red Velvet, Chocolate Heartache</em><br />
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<em>For the cupcakes</em><br />
<br />
2 eggs<br />
160g lavender sugar<br />
220g grated peeled courgette<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
100g rice flour<br />
120g ground almonds<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
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<em>For the icing</em><br />
<br />
140g icing sugar sifted<br />
3 tbsp blueberry juice<br />
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Preheat oven to 180 C<br />
Line a 12 hole muffin tray with papers<br />
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Using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and frothy (this will take about 5 minutes) <br />
Add the grated courgette and the vanilla extract and whisk again.<br />
Fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt, and combine.<br />
Using an ice cream scoop divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cases.<br />
Bake for 20 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean.<br />
Remove to a wire rack to cool.<br />
Prepare the icing by adding the juice to the icing sugar - stir well to combine.<br />
When the cupcakes are cold spread the icing over the top.<br />
You can decorate with some lavender flowers if you have some available.<br />
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Enjoy.Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-56594055593189791102011-11-05T12:16:00.000+00:002011-11-05T12:16:26.728+00:00BROWNIES 20 AND A REVIEW.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxdOREdd-dP0BRpGxHToHPKAT2o4jWSKNs214_7N81F19atv-l7jev2UqGhHsrK-u18RD6XUaj9QBLafj7Bd6ng6zcidTxXre8ndowAee_y2_z40L51N-zm2I9BlG9lhTmZirTrTOMP3-/s1600/food+only+20.10.11+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxdOREdd-dP0BRpGxHToHPKAT2o4jWSKNs214_7N81F19atv-l7jev2UqGhHsrK-u18RD6XUaj9QBLafj7Bd6ng6zcidTxXre8ndowAee_y2_z40L51N-zm2I9BlG9lhTmZirTrTOMP3-/s320/food+only+20.10.11+001.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
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I have mentioned Lilly Higgins new book <a href="http://www.gillmacmillan.ie/food--drink/food--drink/make-bake-love">Make Bake Love</a> on a recent <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2011/10/good-morning.html">post</a> and promised to do a review - over at her blog <a href="http://www.lillyhiggins.blogspot.com/">Stuff I Make, Bake, Love</a> Lilly was saying that her book is sold out on Amazon, I'm not at all surprised! It is an excellent book, packed full of doable (is that a word??) delicious recipes - with a few aspirational ones in there for good measure. I was absolutely delighted to recieve a review copy. The photography is wonderful, you just want to reach in and grab a bite, there is an excellent balance of unusual flavours (Plum and Cardamom Cupcakes -delicious!) and old favourites. The recipes seem to be well tested (I'm pretty sure I read that Lilly worked as an instructor at Ballymaloe Cookery School) and thought out. <br />
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I think that you can often judge a baking book by it's bread section and having made most of the breads from this book (I left out a couple of the yeast ones!!) I have to say that it really stands up - the Health Loaf being a particular favourite here. If I have any criticism of the book, and it is very slight, it is that there are a couple of recipes in there that are just variations of a previous recipe - the Blueberry muffins are very like the Red Berry and White Chocolate Muffins, but that really is nitpicking. All in all, I loved this book (I really enjoy when fellow bloggers make the step over to writing cookery books successfully) and I can't wait for her next one!<br />
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I've been having a great time over the past couple of weeks baking up a storm trying out loads of the recipes, one has already become a firm family favourite and I've made it several times!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBCTEbWN7xyHkFRww0Kx81ZT9Kw0KfAUg1WklEV678n0OwTXIOGUdGLdGeleN-aivcS1_-Dj6W0GnHEls0HYoLk4co2YEAWn0Cd3Foko6u0yVbgrd8qpimfNSRTG7WpXSXYarW2aa8HN6/s1600/food+only+25.10.11+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBCTEbWN7xyHkFRww0Kx81ZT9Kw0KfAUg1WklEV678n0OwTXIOGUdGLdGeleN-aivcS1_-Dj6W0GnHEls0HYoLk4co2YEAWn0Cd3Foko6u0yVbgrd8qpimfNSRTG7WpXSXYarW2aa8HN6/s400/food+only+25.10.11+003.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>These are the Rum and Raisin Cupcakes - totally addictive! I have a confession to make here - the deliciousness of these cupcakes might be helped by the fact that I used raisins that have been soaking in rum for 2 years - yes, you did read that correctly!!! I bought a bottle of dark rum especially to make Rum Raisin ice cream, left the raisins to soak in the rum in a big jar, and promptly forgot all about them - for two years! I recommend you do the same!<br />
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Even as a non-lover of dried fruit, I'm a huge fan of these cupcakes - I very generously give my raisins away (!) but the sponge retains the sweet, mellow flavour from the fruit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Health Loaf - it's great to feel virtuous eating bread this delicious!<br />
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The Spiced Sultana Bread was a doddle to throw together, and scored really high on the taste to effort ratio!<br />
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I played around with Lilly's Honey Oat Bread, and used bicarbonate of soda as a raising agent instead of yeast (how lazy am I??). Tasted great though!<br />
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I'm going to have to try the Seed Loaf again, as I don't think I did the recipe justice - the yeast thing is still my problem area!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Ao1y50S9qh_hOrGouGPb57d8SxkE6JsMhgshFUN0UelesKL97v3teTXgfpw3BkdiNGDdcYw69zkFAoaNI-hwwOseu31XBXUnFQ6IdLC1l6Jdfg2ysSXuplkqc2VAPSZVrROaRymvI1A4/s1600/food+only+20.10.11+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Ao1y50S9qh_hOrGouGPb57d8SxkE6JsMhgshFUN0UelesKL97v3teTXgfpw3BkdiNGDdcYw69zkFAoaNI-hwwOseu31XBXUnFQ6IdLC1l6Jdfg2ysSXuplkqc2VAPSZVrROaRymvI1A4/s320/food+only+20.10.11+011.jpg" width="239" /></a>I have blogged about the Blueberry (Blackberry) Muffins <a href="http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/2011/10/good-morning.html">here</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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Rocky Road Brownies - oh my!!! Scrumptious stuff!!<br />
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Plum and Cardamom Cupcakes had to be at the top of the "to try" list - I just love anything containing cardamom! I tried making these as Lilly did with the plums just halved, but found them to have a better texture when I chopped up the fruit. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxdOREdd-dP0BRpGxHToHPKAT2o4jWSKNs214_7N81F19atv-l7jev2UqGhHsrK-u18RD6XUaj9QBLafj7Bd6ng6zcidTxXre8ndowAee_y2_z40L51N-zm2I9BlG9lhTmZirTrTOMP3-/s1600/food+only+20.10.11+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxdOREdd-dP0BRpGxHToHPKAT2o4jWSKNs214_7N81F19atv-l7jev2UqGhHsrK-u18RD6XUaj9QBLafj7Bd6ng6zcidTxXre8ndowAee_y2_z40L51N-zm2I9BlG9lhTmZirTrTOMP3-/s320/food+only+20.10.11+001.jpg" width="239" /></a>I added some chocolate chips to Lilly's Hazelnut Shortbread and they were devoured in no time!</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From all the recipes I have tried I most want to share the Rocky Road Brownie one - I have been neglecting my brownie section of late, and these belong well up on the list! Lilly says that you have to have both pink and white marshmallows in a Rocky Road - I beg to disagree!!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Rocky Road Brownies</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>adapted from Lilly Higgins, Make Bake Love</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>For the Brownies</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">200g dark chocolate (I used 50%)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">250g icing sugar, sieved*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">200g softened butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 eggs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">110g plain flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>For the Topping</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">200g chocolate, chopped - just use your favourite</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">100g toasted nuts - I used hazelnuts and almonds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">70g digestive biscuits**, broken up</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">80g marshmallows</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 170 C</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Line a 23cm x 33cm baking pan with parchment paper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>For the Brownies</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over simmering water.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Beat the icing sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. (* I think that the icing sugar is too messy to work with - flies all over the place if you are not very careful, so I would use caster sugar in future)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Beat in the flour until just combined.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Slowly pour the melted chocolate into this mixture and combine well, without over mixing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, but start checking at 20 - over cooked brownies are so disappointing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>For the Topping</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mix the nuts, biscuit rubble(**I used less than Lilly recommended) and marshmallows together, next time I'll add some broken up Maltesers or Chrunchie Bars to the mix. Keep the chopped chocolate to one side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When about 5 minutes away from being cooked, remove the brownies from the oven. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Scatter the biscuit mixture over the brownies, and then scatter the chocolate over this.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Return the brownies to the oven for 3 - 5 minutes, until the chocolate has melted sligthly and melded into the topping ingredients.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 20 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Best enjoyed while still slightly warm.....mmmmmmm!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pop over to <a href="http://sporadiccook.blogspot.com/2011/11/seven-sporadic-questions.html">The Sporadic Cook</a>, Julie's wonderful blog - you might find it interesting!</div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-86769836875743363532011-11-03T20:55:00.000+00:002011-11-03T20:55:37.613+00:00MASTERCLASS WITH A MASTER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjALKW6HloGZksI-eCWBsufJL3SSycLNYhwW2GP_2AmTc9IYIeSKCOVFQ0d0Nmd7T4iutg08bOu630MLLDfqOB2k8XbXrDe6GarTrIWYDCMZtFq5qxnteuwoeu2dlh8JD1SyrXtmRxmXf/s1600/food+only+20.10.11+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjALKW6HloGZksI-eCWBsufJL3SSycLNYhwW2GP_2AmTc9IYIeSKCOVFQ0d0Nmd7T4iutg08bOu630MLLDfqOB2k8XbXrDe6GarTrIWYDCMZtFq5qxnteuwoeu2dlh8JD1SyrXtmRxmXf/s400/food+only+20.10.11+008.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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This year I recieved one of the best and most thoughtful birthday gifts ever from my boys - I have to admit that I might not be the easiest person in the world to buy for! But this year they excelled themselves - they bought me four masterclasses in <a href="http://bonappetit.ie/">Bon Appetit Restaurant</a> with the talented Michelin starred chef Oliver Dunne. The first of these was titled "Dinner Party Dazzlers", and it was a fantastic evening - full of doable tips and ideas, Oliver's main aim was to teach us that entertaining at home need not be stressful - just about everything can be prepared in advance, he didn't want us slaving away in the kitchen while our guests were enjoying drinks without us!!!<br />
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Probably the best part of the evening were the tips and the foodie gossip - I don't think he could be described as his ex-boss Gordon Ramsey's biggest fan!!!!! <br />
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A few of the pointers:<br />
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For really excellent balsamic vinegar without the huge price - buy a cheap bottle, reduce it by 3/4 in a large saucepan, and you have deep, sweet, delicious stuff, which makes a perfect dressing combined with olive oil, dijon mustard and salt. The reduced balsamic vinegar is great for presentation, a few dots on a plate really dresses it up.<br />
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Always cut chicken to check if it is done - pressing it will never give a difinitive answer and you are far better off having a little nick in the bird than having poisoned guests!!<br />
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Always have your pan good and hot before you add butter/oil.<br />
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When melting butter, chop it into small cubes - otherwise the outside will have burned before the center is melted.<br />
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Speaking of butter - use about four times more than you usually do to have proper restaurant tasting food!<br />
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Use icing sugar when making chantilli cream - much better texture.<br />
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Oliver seasons with salt at every step - he said that he rarely uses pepper.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Quail with Chorizo, Red Onion and Balsamic Dressing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm Goats Cheese and Caramelised Shallot Tart<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breast of Chicken, Tart Fine of Onions and Creamed Wild Mushrooms<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYBU517j7xfoBc1NP6YMYnb8_jYyoRmINbPtil1MPC2-eFZkRxYZwIjp3NHmMO9NluOE2IfTP0lKV2s_RqIYTTrakGWU2_y_iYpuCuT5WH7938r4FrmgYH_2dSiyoAcJsyFy6wizu9QEA/s1600/food+only+20.10.11+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYBU517j7xfoBc1NP6YMYnb8_jYyoRmINbPtil1MPC2-eFZkRxYZwIjp3NHmMO9NluOE2IfTP0lKV2s_RqIYTTrakGWU2_y_iYpuCuT5WH7938r4FrmgYH_2dSiyoAcJsyFy6wizu9QEA/s320/food+only+20.10.11+007.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoked Haddock, New Potato, Soft Poached Egg & Mustard Beurre Blanc<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjri9V4QtoHUP7zawRFegtr4WdK1SttURN4Wax9e0vda2ZCQh4l9GoNjEcDR8FoauKPEgStQ_iA8ZajHYRtehxB05T2IH-ovt6Gc76KbzNYBjfZoW4cW7KHHXO_YjaW_JYMeg47MLRmC1/s1600/food+only+20.10.11+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjri9V4QtoHUP7zawRFegtr4WdK1SttURN4Wax9e0vda2ZCQh4l9GoNjEcDR8FoauKPEgStQ_iA8ZajHYRtehxB05T2IH-ovt6Gc76KbzNYBjfZoW4cW7KHHXO_YjaW_JYMeg47MLRmC1/s320/food+only+20.10.11+004.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple Tart Fine with Chantilly Cream & Butterscotch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaT69nUtG1mtB4kxm7zDcGmDmrliHzyxDchUmT8Iblrquuif2GzqmrrKOvWBDYqOTRNQvmnQtNzgCAkGt1uCedcyTx6ZgRwlYHc3SsnpYWwxgWCKo9l9hhLpwi-DhkVS-ImLiHrKzQHXU/s1600/food+only+20.10.11+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaT69nUtG1mtB4kxm7zDcGmDmrliHzyxDchUmT8Iblrquuif2GzqmrrKOvWBDYqOTRNQvmnQtNzgCAkGt1uCedcyTx6ZgRwlYHc3SsnpYWwxgWCKo9l9hhLpwi-DhkVS-ImLiHrKzQHXU/s320/food+only+20.10.11+005.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Chocolate Fondant with Vanilla Cream<br />
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<div align="left">The kitchen prepared samples of most of the dishes Oliver showed us and they tasted just as good as they look!! I'm really looking forward to the next lesson.</div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-11167915915213976012011-11-01T15:39:00.001+00:002011-11-03T20:07:44.786+00:00FANTASTICLY FIZZY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxLmvXgI1GpjaexEMMRoUigikGcyzakXyXtzfNvM6y7khL0YPLplAeSmijaU7qGb4OHL8H0MjJsbhnP9LMOM-SGXVOdKK0N4dvi3ICHz7mBk8Mp9O0tyZz9E_NMWTBr2pBvByLM_XmhUU/s400/food+only+31.10.11+007.jpg" width="298" /></div><br />
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Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween, and that there aren't too many sugar hangovers out there!!! I have to admit to an addiction to sugary, fizzy children's sweeties - so you can imagine that I just love this time of year :-)<br />
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You can imagine with this addiction of mine (!) that I was delighted when Swizzels Matlow contacted me about a new range of sweets they are introducing to the market - the highlight being (for me anyway) some Scooby Doo (like Love Heart sherbet ) sweets - yahoo!! The kids (Brownieville Boy #4 and the Princess) were beside themselves when a box filled with these fizzy sweets, Scooby Doo jellys and some fizzy chewy bars as well as a really cute Scooby Doo toy arrived in the post. They were so anxious to dive in that they took the photos for the blog themselves!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVjtLt-OqNNPc54hV16hogRst5A6GsZVgwH7hy8_9_52jqHOKmEVTd38dDP5fKraDQX12R4cNpR4vAOxg4B6QLT2V8zUtlMylaMeFGl4F5pWL-kycwtXoua_wsCIUzMaCpmKv9NFQ3JgS/s1600/food+only+30.10.11+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVjtLt-OqNNPc54hV16hogRst5A6GsZVgwH7hy8_9_52jqHOKmEVTd38dDP5fKraDQX12R4cNpR4vAOxg4B6QLT2V8zUtlMylaMeFGl4F5pWL-kycwtXoua_wsCIUzMaCpmKv9NFQ3JgS/s320/food+only+30.10.11+001.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEikNIRDqh7YyE2Q_iSxtCmbkJHiP2uzhPJ-WqMDm8advqy2TqGEjIo_aNv1NVL-DArfFHJV_nLLXU1ZKvfz2vZDiBkzsWqXx6SZr3KEbMkhUPHxraTwY-H8wkshqvglk-lI51nVm_X6Em/s1600/food+only+30.10.11+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEikNIRDqh7YyE2Q_iSxtCmbkJHiP2uzhPJ-WqMDm8advqy2TqGEjIo_aNv1NVL-DArfFHJV_nLLXU1ZKvfz2vZDiBkzsWqXx6SZr3KEbMkhUPHxraTwY-H8wkshqvglk-lI51nVm_X6Em/s320/food+only+30.10.11+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I managed to save the packet of jellys and used them to decorate this year's Halloween Treat - we live in the country so unfortunately don't have any trick or treaters - but this lime traybake went down well with all the family, some of whom nabbed the jellys from other people's slices when they weren't looking!!! The sponge was lovely and light but with that gorgeous lime tang combined with the buttery softness - and then the sweet/sour topping made the perfect combination.<br />
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The recipe is from Mary Berry and you can find it over at <a href="http://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/traybakes/mary-berrys-iced-lime-tray-bake">Baking Mad</a> a site full of <a href="http://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/cupcakes">cake recipes</a> that I'm really enjoying at the moment. The only change I made was to add 1/2 tsp of lime essence to the batter. I used a 8"x8" brownie tin but actually think a bigger tin would be better, for a flatter sponge and therefore a higher sponge to glaze ratio - I just love a lime glaze, almost reminds me of sherbets (yummm!).Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687817399137597581.post-90268064809394656932011-10-30T23:32:00.000+00:002011-10-30T23:32:15.269+00:00HAGGIS?? REALLY?? HAGGIS??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdmjMAvnq6LdqB06-gzwWGitjHXcANEs0ix-qTrwBHf-J80UnRYgpl4XaKy3XulAZhzUWfW8rF16IsAZ88BU1agajeS2bpwREMgXWOjFuREBTF8ieYqLR8HG3YzZ_8-ZRQnA_00h40qC7/s1600/food+only+30.10.11+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdmjMAvnq6LdqB06-gzwWGitjHXcANEs0ix-qTrwBHf-J80UnRYgpl4XaKy3XulAZhzUWfW8rF16IsAZ88BU1agajeS2bpwREMgXWOjFuREBTF8ieYqLR8HG3YzZ_8-ZRQnA_00h40qC7/s400/food+only+30.10.11+016.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
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This month's <a href="http://belleaukitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/belleau-kitchen-random-recipe-challenge.html">Random Recipe Challenge</a> was "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours", whereby Dom paired us up and another blogger gets to choose the recipe we'll cook (have a look at Dom's instructions, it's too difficult to explain!!!).<br />
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I was incredibly lucky to be allocated Lou, from <a href="http://pleasedonotfeedtheanimals.blogspot.com/">Please Do Not Feed the Animals</a>, a seriously wonderful blog. Lou is the sort of person that I think I shouldn't like (she has a highly satisfying career, is an outstanding baker, has a husband who cooks up a storm, her kids could grace any add campaign, they are beyond gorgeous) but jealousy aside, she is a pure pet! On top of all those wonderful attributes Lou is also Physic - well how else do you explain a woman from Scotland choosing what I'm sure is the only haggis recipe in my whole collection - yes you read correctly - Haggis!!!!!<br />
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Lou did offer to post me over some haggis (see what I mean, such a nice person) but I thought I'd seen some in M&S and reckoned I'd have no problem - ha, it's impossible to source haggis in Ireland. I decided to go ahead with the recipe anyway and I reckoned that black pudding would make a good substitute (with deepest apologies to all the haggis fans out there!!), so I went ahead and cooked "Haggis, potato, bacon and apple fry-up" without the haggis.<br />
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I should have mentioned before now that my chosen book was <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Really-Helpful-Cookbook-Ruth-Watson/dp/0091885388/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320015852&sr=1-1">The Really Helpful Cookbook</a> by Ruth Watson, this is actually an excellent book - but this recipe is obviously a filler - I'd guess that she made a dinner from left-overs the night before she submitted the book and had to throw an extra recipe in there, and in it went! If some evening you have some left over haggis (or black pudding) and potatoes in the fridge, with some bacon in there too and some apples in the fruit bowl - you could try this, otherwise I wouldn't bother.<br />
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There is no point in giving you the recipe - you just fry up some onions, garlic, potatoes (black pudding if using) in some olive oil and add some crisp apple for the last two minutes - serve with some haggis (if you have some) - easy as that. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZpbXy5SKhuaEJXWtFAZkRiRQ7CzQFrTEKaFHPZNCAXBcTdi4KM0lufQfNj0PZR2e0iNKr9YGLqhmP_M7JjllxmYte_N4jdapwVJO7NLDSIE_zY_xlYtH5QVP7UHj3ttP6jK6meavv_dl/s1600/randomrecipes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZpbXy5SKhuaEJXWtFAZkRiRQ7CzQFrTEKaFHPZNCAXBcTdi4KM0lufQfNj0PZR2e0iNKr9YGLqhmP_M7JjllxmYte_N4jdapwVJO7NLDSIE_zY_xlYtH5QVP7UHj3ttP6jK6meavv_dl/s1600/randomrecipes2.jpg" /></a></div>Brownieville Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02492647486930989408noreply@blogger.com15