We don't do Valentines in this house but if we did....

Me and Paul have never celebrated Valentine's day, apart from the cheesiness of it all, the anniversary of our first meeting is the week after so in true cheapskate fashion we love to buy cut priced flowers, eat in crowd free restaurants, and get to choose from all the leftover bargains! 

Yesterday, Paul had a raging hangover thanks to Mr Gaze and spent the day on the sofa. Not one to miss an opportunity to do nothing I thought I'd waste a day in the kitchen making something different.  Now my baking is usually fast, filling and not too expensive, a habit that started when I worked full time and had 4 lunch boxes to fill and the girl's friends to feed. But I'd been looking through Ruth Clemens Valentine baking recommendations and decided to try my hand as some of them.  She's a self confessed girly glam rebel, I'm not... so I thought it would be a bit of a challenge... my attention span isn't all that good!!!!

I decided to made a batch of these Vanilla Sugar Cookies They were quite time consuming, what with chill time and rolling them between greaseproof paper etc... but I stuck with it, cut them into heart shapes, pricked them all round with a fork, and they turned out quite well!

They are a bit sweet for my liking but looked pretty, had a lovely vanilla flavour (Thanks Caroline!) and a great crunch. So, what to do with all these cookies?  I decided to give some away to friends at church who make my working life that little bit easier. They've all been so supportive over the last couple of months. Working in a parish is definitely a team job, lots of people give their time to make it all run smoothly, this in turn makes my job easier... so thank you... I think they turned out lovely!  I made little boxes made out of old copies of Good Food Magazines and lined them with pink tissue!

After I'd completed these I thought I'd do a few for Paul... as I said we're not your regular romantic couple!!!

His tasty Valentine treat!!

Noodle Bowl Salad

I love this recipe, its quick and simple to make. Its great anytime of the day but works really well in the lunchbox, so we had it for a light supper then packed the rest up to take to work tomorrow!
I use the recipe from an old BBC good food mag but you can find it by clicking here

The day I went to see the Pope...

 A camera shy Jo before boarding the bus!

 Waiting for Pope Benedict XVI to arrive at Hyde Park

 Not the best photograph in the world,

but this was the cookies we baked to take with us as part of our picnic

 Part of base camp for Our Lady's Parish, it was so nice getting to spend time with other parishioners from Our Lady's. Thanks for sharing it with me!

It was a truly amazing day. The atmosphere was wonderful and I feel really blessed that I was able to go.  I loved every minute of it! 
A HUGE thank you has to go to our parish priest, Fr. Kevin for making it possible  for us to be part of such a fabulous day - YOU'RE THE BEST - 57 people, one coach, 4 tube trains a walking bus and two wheelchairs all the way to Hyde park without any mishaps or lost persons.... AMAZING... me thinks he's done it before!!! ;-)

Mexican Chicken Pie

WOW-WEE!!! This has been my most requested Pampered Chef recipe this month...its a great dish, ideal for lunch, great with tortilla chips and served with the salsa, or cold served in a lunch box! Adjust the chili to suit your taste.

350g/12oz cooked chicken
25g/1oz pitted black olives
1 garlic clove
115g/4oz mature cheddar cheese
2 tsp chili or green pepper sauce
4 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Tex Mex chili seasoning
2 fresh tomatoes
1 lime
55g/2oz tortilla chips
2 packets (240g each) chilled fresh dough for croissants

1) Cook chicken in 20cm Saute Pan. Preheat oven to 190°C/Gas 5.
2) Coarsely chop chicken using Food Chopper, place in Classic Batter Bowl. Slice olives using Egg Slicer Plus and add to bowl. Press garlic through Garlic Press, add to mixture. Grate cheese using Rotary Cheese Grater into bowl. Measure chili/pepper sauce and seasoning using Adjustable Measuring Spoons and add to bowl. Using Mini Measure-All Cup, measure mayonnaise and add to bowl. Mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper.
3) Seed and remove core from 1 tomato with Core & More and chop tomato using 13 cm Santoku Knife, add to bowl. Slice lime in half and juice one half of lime using Citrus Press and add 1 tsp juice.
4) Place tortilla chips in plastic bag and crush with Baker’s Roller. Sprinkle crushed chips over Large Grooved Cutting Board. Unroll croissant dough; separate into 12 triangles and press each one into chips so they adhere to one side. Arrange triangles in a circle on Medium Round Stone with Handles with chip side down and wide ends of triangle overlapping in centre and pointed ends towards the outside (there should be about 13 cm diameter opening in centre of Stone). Gently press edges of triangles where they meet together to seal.
5) Using Large Stainless Steel Scoop place chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each dough triangle. Bring outside points of triangles up over filling. Tuck point under wide ends of dough at centre of ring (filling will not be completely covered).
6) Bake 20-25minutes or until golden brown. Cut remaining tomato and lime half into wedges and decorate in pastry gaps. Cut into portions using Pizza Cutter. Serve warm using Mini-Serving Spatula.


Chili Salsa [just mix all together!]
500 g vine-ripened tomatoes, skinned, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 small fresh red or green chili, seeded and finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons snipped fresh coriander
1 clove garlic, pressed
2-3 teaspoons olive oil
Few drops of hot red pepper sauce (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

If you wish to order any of the products used in this recipe please use the contact link at the top of this page or go directly to my Pampered Chef website.

In Car Picnic

Today I am off to Birmingham for our Pampered Chef National Conference. Last year I had only been with the company for two months so was very wet behind the ears, but I found it all amazing. The training was second to none, the networking was invaluable and the social side wasn't to be missed either. This year I have 14 months experience, a leadership conference under my belt and a mini team to nurture. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

There will be four of us travelling up together, Helen is driving us in Gladys [lovely new car that she bought from her pampered Chef earnings!!!] and I have offered to pack us all an 'in car' picnic as if my memory serves me right, last year the tuna club sandwich purhcased in the hotel lounge bar cost a whopping £12.00!!!!

This is what I've made:

• Chicken Garlic Bites
• Spinach Pinwheel appetiser's - [sans spinach avec sun dried tomatoes]
• BLT Bites
• Salmon & Dill Mini Quiche
• Blueberry picnic bars

Edited to say:

The food travelled quite well, we had our picnic in our hotel room, which was much more civilised than eating it in the car - they all loved it! The chicken was probably nicer straight out of the oven rather than refrigerated but hey it was still tasty and it all went! No photos unfortunately as we were pushed for time and our tummies were rumbling - sorry!

Dottoressa Moist Muffins

Following the thread in the IPD forum, I took a fancy at making these. They are the chocolate and courgette moist muffins and they were just that! Moist with a great sponge cake like texture. The only thing I really didn't like was the after taste of the sweetener. I used splenda and its really not nice, I'm going to try a different brand. Does anyone have any good recommendations?

I made them in my pampered chef floral silicone pan which is great, they popped out with no trouble and looked so cute. I served these with whipped double cream but I could still taste the sweetener!! I'm not put off though, the texture was spot on, just need to sort out that aftertaste.

Moist Chocolate Muffins

Makes 12 at 1.2 grams carbohydrate and 119 calories

Ingredients:

• 100 grams ground almonds
• 100 grams courgettes (zucchini), peeled and grated
• 6 eggs, separated
• 30 grams cocoa
• sweetener*
• vanilla (optional)
• cinnamon (optional)
• 12.5 grams butter, melted

Method:

The secret ingredient in these muffins is courgette, but don't worry, you can't taste it. (Make you sure you squeeze excess moisture from them before using in the recipe.)

Mix the almonds, courgette (zucchini), egg yolks, cocoa, sweetener* and optional vanilla and cinnamon together in a bowl. Whisk the egg whites in a very clean glass bowl until they are stiff. Fold the whisked egg whites into the almond and egg yolk mixture. Brush 12 silicon muffin cases with melted butter. Divide the mixture evenly between them and bake at 175ºC until risen and firm.

(Try 24 Splenda tablets dissolved in a little warm water, but adjust to your taste.)

Weekend family food...no good for us IPD'rs

Spagetti carbonara...Jo's favourite!

Mini rolo tartlets

Sultana sponge with a crunchy sugar topping

Lunch Box Goodies

This basic recipe is a must for any busy Mum. I make huge batches of these, freezing most of them uncooked until I need them. I then pop them into a 180 Fan oven for 14 minutes allowing to cool on the pan before transfering to a cooling rack.

Basic Recipe

24oz Butter

24oz Sugar (white, light brown, demerara)

6 tablespoons Golden Syrup (original flavour or new maple flavour)

36oz Self Raising Flour

Flavour of your choice * see below

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar,
2. Add golden syrup and mix well
3. Add flour and mix to bind adding flavour as you go.
4. Roll into small balls, place on a greased baking sheet and either bake at 180c for 12 minutes or open freeze,* then bag & label once frozen
5. Allow to cool on baking sheet allowing to firm up slightly.
6. Transfer to cooling rack until cold.

* To cook from frozen place on baking sheet, (allow for spreading), cook for 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Flavour choices are endless but here are a few of our favourites!

• Chocolate chips, white, milk or plain
• White chocolate and raspberry
• Dried cranberry & white chocolate
• Orange zest & Plain chocolate (tastes like jaffa cakes)
• Ginger (either ground or candied)
• Orange zest and sultana
• Lemon zest
• Nuts & Raisin (various combinations on this one)
• Brazil & Plain chocolate chips made with maple golden syrup is out of this world

The flavours are endless, do tell me if you make this recipe with any different ones.

Courgette Bake

A little too brown on top???

This wasn't a successful as I thought it was going to be. My dish was too big, my oven too high and I baked it for too long. If there's nothing else I've learnt in cooking Bee's recipes, its that my oven is hotter than hers. I know that! You probably know that! but still I forget to adjust my cooking times!!! I have a fan oven, I should turn it down 10 degrees or reduce my cooking time by 10 minutes, that's what I usually do with other recipes, but somehow, with Bee's I always forget and end up having to adjust it the next time I make it. Oh well, it was still nice if a little lacking in depth and moisture.

Served with bacon and the re-heated fennel bake from the day before!

I served the leftovers cold in a lunch box with some coronation chicken and chopped tomatoes...it was a lot like a quiche.

Bee, true to form caters for all tastes, this was a very plain and uncomplicated dish. The last piece was served with a dollop of Bubby's salsa on top of a salad, just to give it that WOW factor!

So note to self: Next time....

• Smaller, deeper dish


• 10 degrees cooler oven or


• 10 minutes less in the oven

Remember these are just my adjustments, you and your oven may be different!

Scotch Egg with Luxurious Coleslaw

Didn't have cashew nuts so threw in some flaked almonds instead which did the trick but cashsews would have given it more cruncy. Flavours were great! This is a keeper, i'll be making this again and again and again, it was great in Paul's lunch box next day too! Served it with the cold scotch eggs....wonderful!

I can't wait for Bee's other books to be published...its not going to take me long to get through this one now!

Roasted Vegetable and Pinenut Salad

(Will take a better photo next time!)

Well this is a first...

This dish didn't go down too well at first! Paul never complains, he eats what is put in front of him and ruddy well likes it or else....but not this time! I was of the same mind.

Now don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with the dish, it was hearty, filling with a great taste, the pine nuts gave a good buttery crunch and the Cajun spice was just right! But for a lunch time salad on its own, it just didn't do it for us. Paul's first comment was, where's the meat...and that's what it needed for us! We used the leftovers (I made double) as a side dish to a roast chicken and it was fab... heating it up made it a little over cooked but the flavours had all gelled and it was very very good....I will serve this again as part of a main meal and use the leftovers in the lunch box with leftover turkey sizzlers. At room temperature, its great!

Leave me a comment and tell me if you have made this dish and what you thought....

PS - I didn't use the aubergine as I don't like them

Chicken & Bacon

At the beginning of the week I fry up a batch of diced smoked lardons and small pieces of chicken breast, then if I'm pushed for time I can simply add them to lettuce leaves and Caesar dressing for a great lunch time salad.
(No photo of the finished salad - Paul took it to work before I could snap it! )

Red Onion, Courgette & Tomato Frittata

Saute red onion, courgette & sliced tomato with garlic

Place in round stone add 8 beaten eggs and sprinkle with parmasan cheese

Voila!

Delicious hot, room temperature or served cold with a salad and french mayonnaise.

Edited to say...

Just remembered, I added a few sliced mushrooms, which added to the flavour but not to the look of the dish...things went a little dark and wasn't as nice once cold!

Did you know you can use your egg slicer to evenly cut button mushrooms...I just love my kitchen gadgets.

Blue Cheese Dressing...

Add the dressing above the salad but under the meat,

this way it doesn't make a gooey mess on the lid of your lunchbox!

Left over rare cooked steak made a great topping for my blue cheese dressing.

All packed up and ready to take to work!

My lunch time salad

Roast beef, tomatoes, onions, lettuce (from my garden) and mixed olives with a mustard mayonnaise made the perfect salad

Stoneware Oopsie Rolls...

Oopsie Rolls cooked on my new stoneware


Ready for the oven in the stone muffin pan

Done!

Very Successful Oopsies

Cheese, Cucumber & Mayo Oopsies

These were better than the ones I normally cook on my regular baking tray as they were a little drier, without the crumble and dare I say it....less eggy / meringue like!

Aubergine & Red Pepper Muffins

As simple to make as the others, but its official I DON'T LIKE AUBERGINES!!!! I have tried them in lots of dishes, cooked in different ways and I still don't like the texture or the flavour. I offered these to my visiting twiggers on Saturday and they all thought they were great...and they were cold straight from the fridge. Well Dido did heat one up in the microwave and she said it heated up well, so it must be me....me and aubergines will never be friends!

Chicken Tikka Salad for Lunch

My Lunch

Paul's lunch packed up in a lunch box

Salad leaves, spring onions, tomatoes, cucumber and cooked and cooled chicken tikka with a sour cream and corriander dressing. Don't forget to pack a fork and a napkin!

Ricotta Muffins

Spinach & chives from the garden.

Mixed these up so quickly, bunged them in the oven, quick shower and they had cooked!! Two for today and I will save the other two for tomorrow...I'm going to see if they heat up ok in the microwave. (Will pop back and edit it 2moro)

Heated up beautifully in the microwave. A great grab 'n' go breakfast.

Edited to say that they heated up a treat 45 secs in a 850 watt microwave

Smoky Frittata

Smoked Sardines (I thought it was mackerel)

Eggs, cream & fresh chives

Hot pan, foaming butter

Golden brown on top

Perfectly cooked frittata

A slice served with a green salad would be perfect for lunch

It would even sit well in your lunchbox