Chocolate & Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

This is a combination I have never had before but it is really delicious.  The cookies are chewy and the flavours are not over sweet.  When I told everyone about my new cookie recipe they were very excited to try such a delightful combination.

This recipe was adapted from Grandma’s Best Recipes (Parragon Books Ltd, 2012).

Ingredients:

175g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 125g soft margarine, 85g muscavado sugar, 55g caster sugar, a pinch of seeds from a vanilla pod, 1 egg, 3 tbsps cocoa powder, 70g glace cherries (chopped).

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 190 degrees C.
2. Lightly grease a baking tray.
3. Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined.
4. Place tbsps of the mixture into the prepared baking trays.  Remember to separate.
5. Bake in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until browned.
6. Using a palette knife, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mixed Spice Rice Pudding

Rice Pudding

In the semi – finals of masterchef someone made fancy rice pudding and the judges were so excited .  Rice pudding is definitely a comfort food and makes me feel all warm and happy inside.  Mummy and I love rice pudding,  I discovered it tastes even better with some spice.

This was adapted from Grandma’s Best Recipes (Parragon Books Ltd, 2012).

Ingredients:

100g pudding rice, 50g sugar, 200ml semi skinned milk, pinch of grated nutmeg, 2 tsps mixed spice, 3 tsps cinnamon, 1 bay leaf.

Method:

1. Heat oven to 160 degrees C.
2. Wash the rice and drain well.
3. Tip in the rice and sugar into a heat proof dish and then stir in the milk.
4. Mix in the spice and then add the bay leaf on top.
5. Bake for 2 hours until the pudding wobbles and remove the bay leaf before serving.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

No Rum!

I was craving pineapple so I decided to buy a large tin and use the rest to make a pineapple upside down cake.  On trying a new recipe I realised there was no rum.  A pineapple upside down cake without rum… Well I never.  It actually worked out quite well.  I had to share the recipe as it turned out well and was actually quite delicious.

This recipe was taken from Grandma’s Best Recipes (Parragon Books Ltd, 2012).

Ingredients:

40g unsalted butter, 4tbsps golden syrup, 425g pineapple rings (drained), a handful of glace cherries (halved), 4 eggs beaten, 200g caster sugar, a pinch of vanilla seeds, 200g plain flour, 2 tsps baking powder, 125g melted butter.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.
2. Place the solid butter and golden syrup into a heavy based saucepan.
3. Keep stirring until the butter has melted.
4. Bring to the boil and stir for 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Pour the syrup into the base of a 22 inch tin.
6. Arrange the pineapple rings and place the cherries around them.
7. Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla into a large bowl.
8. Beat well then sift in the flour and baking powder.
9. Mix in the melted butter with a metal spoon.
10. When mixed well spoon into the tin and bake for an hour.
11. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before serving out onto a serving plate.

Cocoa Vanilla Banana Shake

Vanilla Ice Cream

As cold as it is I usually get during the winter I eat ice cream around this time to remember my grandmother.  She loved vanilla ice cream so it just makes me feel happy when I eat.  It is not my favourite dessert but it’s very nice.  Vanilla ice cream is delicious as an addition to great foods too.  I used vanilla ice cream for this milkshake and it was one of the best protein milkshakes I have ever made.

Ingredients:

2 scoops of vanilla ice cream, 10ml milk, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 large banana (chopped).

Method:

Blend all of the ingredients together before serving.

Banana Strawberry Megashake

Health Kick

I’m on this new health kick to get into the best shape I’ve ever been in my life.  I am a year older and have a few projects coming up where I want to ensure I am looking great.  I am usually fit and healthy but I want to push myself to see how far I can go.  Feeling great on the inside will keep me positive and I really want a good year.  He is my milkshake which was seriously yummy.

Ingredients:

7 large strawberrys, 1 medium banana, 10ml orange juice, 1 cup of milk, 2 tbsps strawberry flavoured whey protein.

Method:

Mix all of the ingredients into a blender.

Lentil Tomato Soup

A Proper Treat

To most people food treats would suggest sweet things or high calorie delights, the sort of stuff you would find in cheat days.  I like to think however that treats can also mean nutritionally charged food that does wonders for your health.  Feel free to redefine what treats mean, especially for those of you who are dieting and looking to lead into the new year feeling healthy.

This recipe was adapted from Grandmas’s Best Recipe’s (Parragon Books Ltd, 2012).

Ingredients:

500g tinned ready to cook lentils, 1tbsp sunflower oil, 1 large onion (peeled and finely chopped), 2 large carrots (peeled and chopped), 1 can of chopped tomatoes, 1 litre of vegetable stock, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp dried marjoram 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in the saucepan oven a medium heat.
2. Add the onion,carrots and cook for 4 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Add the lentils, stock and tomatoes.
4. Bring to the boil and stir.
5. Add the thyme, marjoram and bay leaf.
6. Reduce the heat then cover and cook gently for an hour.
7. Remove the bay leaf.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Coconut Milk

I went to a Thai restaurant for my birthday and the food was absolutely delicious.  Thai food incorporates a lot of my favourite foods which to some would seem exotic like lemongrass and coconut milk.  Chicken Tikka masala is not Thai food but this dish is a classic and uses the coconut milk really well.  It’s super tasty.

This recipe was adapted from just five ingredients (BBC Books, 2009).

Ingredients:

1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 heaped tsps sweet smoked paprika, 2 heaped tsps garam masala, 3 lemons, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, 6 heaped tsps natural yoghurt, 800g chicken breasts, 3 green chillies, 2 red chillies, 2 onions, 30g fresh coriander, olive oil, 1 tsp ground coriander, 2 level tsps tumeric, 6 tbsps ground almonds, 2 x 400g plum tomatoes, 1 x chicken stock cube, 2 x 400g light coconut milk.

Method:

1. Put the cloves, cumin and 1 heaped teaspoon each of paprika and garam masala into a small pan and toast for 1 minute then tip into a large bowl.
2. Finely grate in the zest of 1 lemon, squeeze in all its juice, crush in the garlic, peel and finely grate in the ginger, and add the yoghurt and 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
3. Cut the chicken breasts into  chunks, then massage all that flavour into the meat.
4. Marinate the chicken overnight with the lemon wedges and green chillies.
5. Peel the onions and garlic, then finely slice with the red chillies and coriander stalks.
6. Put it all into a large casserole pan on a medium-high heat with 4tbsps oil and cook for around 20 minutes, stir regularly.
7. Add the ground coriander, turmeric and remaining 1 heaped teaspoon each of paprika and garam masala.
8. Cook for 2 minutes, then add and toast the almonds.
9. Pour in the tomatoes, crumble in the stock cube and add 300ml of boiling water.
10. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk.
11. Simmer for a final 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then season to perfection.

Anchovy Pizza

Pizza Base

Pizza bases are really easy to make.  When I ask people what kind of pizza they would like I usually ask what kind of dough they would like too.  Extra Herby?  Stuffed Crust?  I always think it is necessary to push yourself in the kitchen to add an extra beautiful touch, once you have got the basics right first of course.

This recipe was adapted from Ainsley Harriott’s just five ingredients (BBC Books, 2009).

Ingredients:

250ml tepid water, 1 tsp caster sugar, 1 x7g dried yeast, 300g strong white bread flour, 1 heaped tsp salt, 2 tbsps olive oil (for greasing), 425g ripe tomatoes, 3 tbsps olive oil, 1 red chilli seeds removed (finely chopped), 1/2 red pepper (de seeded and chopped), 1/2 yellow pepper (deseeded and chopped), 4 garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped), 1/2 tsp caster sugar, 12 anchovy fillets, 2 large pinches of dried oregano.

Method:

1. For the pizza dough, pour the water into a large bowl then gently stir in the sugar and yeast.
2. Set aside for 10 minute.
3. Add half of the flour and stir gently with a wooden spoon until incorporated into the water.
4. Gradually add the rest of the flour and the salt then mix with hands to form a soft dough.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
6. Grease a large bowl with oil and place the dough into the bowl.
7. Brush a sheet of cling film lightly with oil and cover the bowl.
8. Set the dough aside for 50 minutes in a warm place.
9. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
10. Knead the dough for 2 minutes.
11. Place the pizza on a lightly oiled baking tray.
12.  Brush the pizza bases with a little more oil and cover loosely with another piece of lightly oiled cling film.
13. In a medium frying pan (lightly oiled), fry the tomatoes, garlic, chilli, salt, sugar and peppers.
14. Spread everything onto the base of the dough.
15. Place the anchovies over the top.
16. Bake the pizza for 20 – 30 minutes until completely baked.