Here comes Rudolf....

I picked up the Morrison's magazine last time I was in and came across a recipe for these cute little Rudolf Cupcakes. Now we've got a Christmas themed cake sale planned on the 19th for Jo's World Youth Day funds, so I thought these would be of great interest to the children and would be worth their parents parting with a £1 a piece!  I stored the recipe away with the intention of making them in a week or two but I had to go to the dentist today! He told me my gums have a cold... no seriously, that's what he said.... I have to stay out of the cold and eat warm scrambled eggs all week :-( but hey, enough about my teeth.... back to the cupcakes! 

The nursing and reception staff at my surgery are fundraising this week by selling homemade Christmas cakes and biscuits. My tooth was hurting so much I made a bargain with my dentist, if he made the pain go away I would make them a tray of cakes to sell... deal? Not exactly, I'm still in pain but the tray of cakes are done!

These are so cute, the cake is fluffy and flavoured with orange zest the topping is a homemade chocolate frosting. The recipe calls for the shop bought stuff but you know me, I don't do that so I used this Chocolate Frosting recipe - it was delicious, light not overly sweet and oh so chocolate-y. I have the leftovers in the freezer waiting for our cake sale now!!!
Would you pay £1 for a Rudolf Cupcake?

First mince pies of the Season!

Homemade mincemeat, with fresh all butter pastry made in the deluxe mini muffin pan... no pastry rolling for me, I just 'dib' them out with the tart shaper and just like magic the tin is lined with pastry.

These are the first batch of many that will be made during Advent and the Christmas season... don't you just love them?

What I love about these ones are they are just one bite big! The lid which I cut with my Pampered Chef creative cutter set, comes off with ease so you can fill it with brandy cream and then replace... oozing slightly when you bite into it... delicious!!!

Topped with a heart for the one you love!

Here's to a cooking 2010

With a house full of teenager on New Years Eve, I don't think there is a better choice than a tin full of brownies to keep them smiling! These one looked like they had been sprayed with confetti, or colours from the New Year fireworks that filled our sky at midnight!

This is an old recipezaars recipe I like to use. I first reviewed it in June '09, but have been using it for years! Karen who posted the recipe, says they are absolutely the chewiest, moistest, fudgiest brownies ever! And I agree!

It’s great for awkward family members who love different brownie flavourings, like my lot! You can do what I do and keep half the pan plain and the other half with flavourings of your choice. See what is in your store cupboard that needs using up and add them. Cherry’s, nuts, smarties, a couple of pieces of fudge cut small, M&M’s and sprinkles as I have done here…the variations are only limited by your imagination… do stop when it gets to marmite or dog biscuits tho…lol

The kids love them, its very and quick easy to put together, and because it uses cocoa rather than melting chocolate [I know how some of you hate doing that job!!!] they are cheap enough to do every day.

Christmas 2009

Looks like a guinness, but is infact a  big headed floater coffee with Whisky!!!

Homemade Christmas pudding

Click for Printable Recipe

He's Been!

Flowers from my lovely Boss!!

The Napkin & Ring - a gift from Claire & Alex

Last Detail sent me some lovely Chrismtassy goodies too.

Christmas Crackers which were displayed on the tree [fabby charms inside that Jo has made into a great braclet - photos will follow] 

and Table Number holders which I put to good use on my buffet table advertising sandwich fillings and quiche flavours!

Mini Mincepies with orange and cinnamon crumble topping

Made using a Pampered Chef deluxe mini muffin pan and homemade pastry

Ozzy the Angel. Poor pooch puts up with so much!

Merry Christmas - need a turkey leftover recipe?

Try this...Turkey & Cranberry Wreath

Ingredients:

6 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp ground black pepper
225g skinless, boneless cooked turkey
1 stick celery (optional)
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
85g sweetened dried cranberries
85g Gruyere cheese
2 packets (240g each) chilled, fresh ready-to-bake croissant dough
1 egg white
20g walnuts

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 190C / fan 180C / Gas 5. Using Mini Measure-all-Cup measure out mayonnaise, using Adjustable Measuring Spoons measure out mustard and black pepper and put into Classic Batter Bowl. Chop turkey on Cutting Board using Food Chopper. Thinly slice celery using Forged Cutlery Knife and finely chop parsley using Food Chopper. Add turkey, parsley and cranberries to Classic Batter Bowl. Grate cheese into bowl using Rotary Grater; mix well using Small Mix 'n' Scraper.

Unroll the 2 packets of croissant dough and separate into 12 triangles. Arrange 6 triangles in a circle on Classic Round Stone with wide ends 6cm from from edge of baking stone and points towards the outside. (the points will extend off the edge of the stone.) Arrange remaining triangles in centre of baking stone, matching wide ends with triangles already in place. (Points will overlap in centre.) Roll over seams of triangles where wide ends meet, creating a smooth surface for filling. Do not seal centre triangles.

Using Large Scoop, scoop filling evenly over dough in a continuous circle.

Beginning with the last triangle placed in centre of baking stone, bring point of triangle straight across the filling. Next, bring point of opposite outside triangle diagonally across filling, covering point of previous triangle. (Some filling will show.) Repeat, overlapping points of inside and outside triangles to form a wreath. Tuck last end under first.

Lightly beat egg white in Prep Bowl using Stainless Whisk. Brush egg white over dough; sprinkle chopped walnuts over top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cooked and deep golden brown. Slice with Pizza Cutter; serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.

Serves 16 as an appetiser or 8 as a main course.

To make this IPD friendly, put the filling [sans cranberrys] into a small round stoneware baker sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 15mins. This is delicious hot or cold...I have been known to eat it raw like a chopped turkey salad...very nice!

The best Roast Potatoes Ever!!!

Maris Piper Potatoes are the best for Roasting

Olive Oil
4 cloves of garlic.
salt

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/Gas 5
2. Peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into quarters and leave them in a bowl of water for 15 minutes, (this gets rid of the starch)
3. Bring a pan of salted water (10g salt per litre of water) to the boil, add the potatoes
Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft: take them as far as you can without ending up with potato mush.
5. Once the potatoes are soft, drain them in a colander . Give them a gentle shake to roughen the edges and dry off any remaining drops of water.
6. Tip the potatoes and garlic into a large Pampered Chef Stoneware Dish making sure they are all in one layer, then give a generous spritz with sunflower oil,
7. Roast for 45minutes or so, until crisp and a lovely golden brown, because you are using Pampered Chef Stoneware there is no need to turn them.

It's all in the preparation....

Looks can be deceiving!

until it comes to homemade mince pies! 

I'd much prefer a homemade ones to a shop bought one any day. First I can make sure the pastry is organic, the mincemeat has NO peel, no currants just the ingredients we like! Sultanas, raisins, cherries nuts, suet, brandy and spices! These little beauties were made in the deluxe mini muffin pan and instead of being topped with another layer of pastry; I made a crumble mixture adding the zest of an orange and a teaspoon of mix spice. They were delicious! Soft buttery pastry with a ‘just right’ mincemeat filling and the topping, when cooked was light, crunchy with a citrus aftertaste. Delicious!

A big thank you goes to Sheila who say the recipe in a newspaper, made them and told me to give them a try. I love it when friends share recipes, don’t you?

This is just wonderful....

Interflora Christmas Hamper

I was so excited when Victoria contacted me and asked if I’d like to review a Christmas hamper from Interflora. I had recently stayed at a local hotel with my brother and his wife and they had prepared a picnic lunch for us and both me and Lin were a tad disappointed to find we had to give the picnic baskets back!!

It was just like this one, not too big to use for two people but big enough to hold all those essentials when packing a picnic. Don’t you just love the little leather buckles?

Enough about the basket, although I thought that would be the exciting bit for me. I love the thought of being able to re-use it again and again.

But unusually my enthusiasm continued…

The smell was some how Christmassy...with all the luxury goodies cushioned by green tissue paper!

Now my regular readers know I’m a homemade girlie. I don’t buy packets of anything…so I was a bit sceptical, especially as I was thinking of buying this as a gift! (I know, I know just for the basket – silly huh?) but I need not worry, it was all lovely.

In the run up to Christmas this hamper as been brilliant, it’s made advent taste just a little bit nicer. It was all top of the range luxury items. Having a selection of twinning teas to choose from was a luxury before running round the shops! From mince pies to shortbread biscuits all were of excellent quality with brand names I recognised.

I’m not sure it was a wise decision to mention on here what I was thinking of getting Bryan & Lin for Christmas…this might have spoilt the surprise!!!!

The Village Bakery Organic Christmas Treats!

I got sent some fabby organic Christmas Goodies the other day.

 A lovely Christmas pud

...and 4 deep filled mince pies.

I was really surprised by the quality of these mince pies; I don't usually buy them as I’m a homemade girlie but seen as these were among other things, wheat free I was interested!

Thick crumbly 'pasty' with a sugared topping. I didn't think this would go down well, I’m not a sugar topping type person, but it really helped with the overall pastryness (yes, that is a word!!!...well it is now!) It was crispy with a melt in the mouth deliciousness just like regular pastry. I was very very surprised as in my experience of wheat free pastry is like cardboard. Not this one...yummo!

My first bite revealed a centre packed to the brim with moist tasty filling! Rich, spicy and moreish...:-( I am ashamed to say that I ate the whole packet of 4 in one day!

The only downside to these is they are not real pastry, they lack that buttery crumbly pasty texture but with a wheat intolerance that gives me jip if I scoff down the real ones these are (IMHO) the best on the market! If you’re a mince pie lover but have to follow a gluten free, wheat free, dairy free or vegetarian diet you will love these!

I’ll be placing my order with Able and Cole before Christmas, you can too by clicking here

As for the Christmas pudding, I'll pop back and tell you about that later. With Paul working away I haven't had chance to try it. After eating ALL 4 mince pies, I'm sure I'm going to love the pudding too...don't really think I should eat it all to myself, so will wait until he gets home and share it. I'm sure you'll appreciate two reviews instead of the one...now where's that white sauce recipe???

Look at my Christmas Tree!

Mini Cinnamon Christmas Tree Rolls


Makes 24

375g ready rolled puff pastry or 2 packets chilled fresh ready to bake croissant dough (to make 12 croissants in total – sometimes there are only 4 in a packet!)
25g butter, melted

55g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

170g mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants etc as you like)

To Decorate:
1 small tub of red/yellow/green glace cherries

Icing:
115g icing sugar mixed with 2-3 tsp boiling water

Method:

1. Oven 200C/400F/gas mark 6.

2. Unroll the pastry or croissant dough and lay it out in a long strip or sheet .

3. Brush with melted butter. Mix cinnamon with sugar and sprinkle evenly over pastry,

4. Add mixed fruit in an even layer then roll up the pastry

4. Cut evenly into 24 mini logs. Arrange them on their sides on a flat stone like a Christmas Tree, but do not arrange them too close together:

5. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, lowering the oven temperature near the end if need be. Cook until golden brown. When the ‘tree’ is cooked and cooled, arrange the glace cherries over the branches and drizzle over the icing as you like.

Boxing Day - Turkey Rolls

First he baked the rolls....then....he filled them!

Now he's not one for spending much time in the kitchen....that's mainly coz I don't let him, but Paul made the supper tonight. He filled them with leftover turkey for Jo,

and salami and brie for himself.

They look ok and they both assured me that they all tasted better than ok! Positively scrummy! So that's him making supper again!

My Homemade Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce

My Christmas Puddings

150g self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

50g butter, softened

2 medium size eggs

75ml black treacle

110ml Irish stout

2 tablespoons brandy

75g Bramley cooking apple, peeled, cored & finely diced

25g chopped roasted hazelnuts

175g sultanas

411g jar luxury mincemeat

grated zest of 1 orange & 1 lemon

8 prep bowls or foil pudding basins, well buttered

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, baking powder & mixed spice into a large bowl. Add the butter & eggs.
2. Place the treacle in a measuring jug, add the stout & brandy. Pour into the flour mixture & mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.
3. Add the apple, nuts, sultanas, mincemeat & grated orange & lemon zest. Mix together with a spoon, then divide the mixture equally between the 8 pudding basins.
4. Cover each basin with a small circle of buttered greaseproof paper, following with a square of foil, large enough to fold under the edges of the basins, using a 'pleating' motion to seal. Place the basins into a shallow roasting tin & pour 1cm of boiling water into the roasting tin.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes, allow to cool in the basins for 10 minutes, then carefully run a knife around the edge of the puddings & turn out on to a serving plate.
6. Delicious served hot or cold with brandy cream or a brandy sauce.
7. I heat leftovers in the microwave and they turn out just fine!

A Great Christmas Salad

I always make this over the Christmas period and definately during January as it goes really well with all that left over Turkey you stuffed in the freezer on Boxing day!!! Wild Rice Salad With Raisins In this photograph i used only plain rice as I was right out of wild rice, but it made little difference to the overall taste....its still good in a lunch box with chopped turkey on the side.

Christmas Cake

Tulip-Fairy's Family Christmas Cake

Now I'm cheating a little bit here, as this is a photo of last years Christmas cake. It's the same recipe and the same shape...this year however it is still sat in it's tin waiting to be iced! :-( It won't be done this year now. Its a lovely cake and the family like it with or without the trimmings so it will be chopped up and used in their lunch boxes instead.