Christmas Eats 2012

On Christmas Eve we enjoyed an English fry up for dinner. Eggs, baked beans, sausages, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, and fried bread. The eggs I mixed up as if I were making scrabbled eggs... added some seasoning and then pour the mixture into buttered muffin tins. A very traditional way to start the holiday. 

On Christmas Day we started with a round of Bucks fizz and then for brunch I made scones. Classic and candied. Jam and sweet butter were on hand. All were enjoyed by everyone!

Christmas dinner was turkey with oven roasted potatoes, carrots and parsnips. A side of kale salad and the rounds of Bucks fizz were still flowing! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas as I did!  

Ginger Shortbread

I always make shortbread every year and I do try and make different variations. Using corn flour or rice flour. Currants, lavender, citrus, poppyseeds and crystallized ginger. It adds a great twist to a classic biscuit. These are the ones I made with chopped crystallized ginger. They still have that buttery shortbread taste with sweet smoldering hints of ginger. Very complimentary.  How do you dress your shortbread? - JW     

Rum Balls

I was never really fond of rum balls, probably because of the artifical rum flavouring used in the majority of the ones I tried. They tasted overly sweet and the chocolate was bland. Last year I got on with making rum balls and I haven't looked back since. They are now part of my regular Christmas baking. Running a close second to my shortbread.         

The ones I made, pictured here, have a good quality chocolate and rum. The flavour is deep and rich and as for the rum... you can never have enough rum in them. These are great to give as a gift or a festive thank you treat when dashing off to one place or another over the holiday season. - JW    

Plum Pudding Pie

This cookbook reminds me of a present. With it's shiny gold dust jacket to it's top, side and bottom edge gold gilt and even the Christmas pud evoke all the brightest and warm things of the season. It's hard not to stare in wonder of Plum Pudding Pie: a Cook's Book of Christmas and be marveled at what delicious recipes that are inside. This cookbook has over 200 classic Christmas recipes. Everything to make your holiday breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or dessert traditional for years to come.

The five chapters are simply broken down into Starters, Mains, Sides, Sauces and Stuffings, Drinks and Desserts. Each chapter offers many delights that will tantalize all the  sweet and savoury flavours of Christmas.

One recipe I have my eye on is the Chocolate Rum Mousse. I won't be making it for Christmas however I will be making this dessert for New Years Eve. Christmas will be enjoyed with my mincemeat tarts, rum balls... with real rum!, shortbread and of coarse Fortnum's King George Cake. The recipe seems very straight forward and I will share it with you now. - JW 


Chocolate Rum Mousse   
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250 g (9 oz or 1 and 2/3 cups) chopped dark chocolate
3 eggs
60 g (2 1/4 oz or 1/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar
2 teaspoons dark rum
250 ml (9 fl oz or 1 cup) cream (whipping), softly whipped

1. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and place the bowl over the pan, making sure it is not touching the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool.

2. Beat the eggs and sugar in a small bowl for 5 minutes, or until thick, pale and increased in volume.

3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Using a metal spoon, fold in the melted chocolate with the rum, leave the mixture to cool, then fold in the whipped cream until just combined.

4. Spoon into four 250 ml (9 fl oz or 1 cup) ramekins or dessert glasses.
Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until set. 

Candied Fruit Scones

Yesterday morning I made these scrumptious scones. A good scone recipe is one you can make in no time. Use whatever scone recipe you prefer. And add about 1/2 cup of candied fruit peel. Top with an icing sugar drizzle or sift the icing sugar over top of each scone. They were moist, sweet with little hints of citrus flavour. There were plenty of thumbs up and happy faces. I will be making these on Christmas Day for brunch. - JW   

Kale

This is what I have been eating a lot of these days... kale. My salad just isn't the same without it. Kale is packed with vitamins and is very rich in calcium. Just like broccoli it contains sulforaphane which has potent anti cancer properties. You can steam, boil, sauté and bake this mighty green. I prefer it as is to absorb all it benefits. 

How do you go green? - JW   

My Rose Water Cake

I bought a bottle of rosewater and was inspired to make a rosewater cake. It turned out well however I still feel that the recipe needs to be tweaked here and there. I started with a standard one egg cake recipe. Added some red food colouring, to give the cake a pale pink colour and some rosewater flavouring. The flavour was, I think, right on. A light delicate flavour like a fine turkish delight. The texture was dense but airy. And the basic icing sugar drizzle added just the right amount of sweetness. Until I feel that the recipe is just right I won't post it. Hope you all had a good weekend. - JW 

Mincemeat Tarts

If you are like me you have probably already started your holiday baking. The other night I made these mincemeat tarts. The pastry I made myself however as for the mincemeat filling well... I had a little help from Robertson's. The marmalade and jam people. It's their classic mincemeat in a 29 oz or 822g jar. It's vegetarian and why mix with perfection! 
I made two batches. The first batch I made using cake and pastry flour. They turned out alright however the pastry was very soft and crumbly. Not only did it melt in your mouth, it melted in your hands. The tarts collapsed into themselves. Really not such a bad thing considering they were headed straight to your stomach. The second batch I use unbleached flour and they turned out better. More sturdier. Which was great and the melt in your mouth texture was still there. Mincemeat is dense and a thicker sturdier pastry is definitely needed. If tarts or pies are on your list of bake goods I recommend trying this oil pastry recipe.  

Oil Pastry

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this recipe is good for 8 or 9 inch Two-crust pie

1 3/4 cups flour 

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons cold water

Heat oven to 425º

Mix flour and salt.

Add the oil; mix with fork until it looks like meal.

Sprinkle with the water; mix with fork.

Gather dough together. 

If too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more oil.

Press into a ball.

Immediately roll dough out.

For a two crust pie divide the dough and roll on a generous floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Or roll the dough out in-between two sheets of wax paper. Form in pie plates. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

For tarts, again roll out crust on a generous floured surface. Using a glass that is turned upside down and bigger than the tart/muffin pan you are using. Cut out circles. Place each cut out into tart/muffin pan. Fill with the desired filling and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JW    

Recipes For Health ~ Asthma and Eczema

This is the other book I found at the University Book Sale. Asthma and eczema seem to be a running theme throughout my household so I guess I felt compelled to add this to my cookbook collection. The subtitle states that there are "Over 150 easy and delicious recipes for those allergic to cow's milk". What is the correlation between asthma, eczema and cow's milk? Or all diary products for that matter. And what about being lactose intolerant? Perhaps these are questions I should ask my doctor. I guess I just wish the book went into more detail about what links cow's milk to asthma and eczema. My son has asthma and isn't allergic to cow's milk. My daughter has eczema and isn't allergic to cow's milk. And I am lactose intolerant and do not suffer from asthma or eczema. 

The main focus of this cookbook is to serve delicious food milk free. There are 11 chapters which cover everyday recipes from appetizers, soups, fish and main courses, meat and main courses, vegetarian main courses, vegetables, salads, desserts and cakes, biscuits and snacks. Recipes are marked with and "E" for free range eggs and a "W" for wheat-free recipes. The majority of these recipes can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. Seeing how we are headed into the Christmas season. And turkey leftovers will be bountiful, I will leave you with a recipe that I am going to try. - JW

Turkey and Broccoli Bake  

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285g / 10 oz broccoli

225g / 9 oz cooked turkey

85g / 3 oz feta cheese

115g / 4 oz / 1 and 1/3 cups mushrooms, sliced

oil for frying

55g / 2 oz / 1/4 cup margarine

55g / 2 oz / 1/2 cup flour

3 ml / 1/2 tsp dry mustard

710 ml / 1 1/4 pints / 3 1/4 cups goat's or sheep's milk or unsweetened soy milk

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

85g / 3 oz / 3/4 cup  homemade dried breadcrumbs 

1) Preheat oven to 375ºF/ 190ºC / Gas mark 5 and lightly grease a 9 x 12 x 2 inch / 23x31x5cm shallow casserole.

2) Cut broccoli into florets and slice the stems into pieces of similar size. Cook it until it is barely tender.

3) Shred the turkey into strips, grate the cheese in a handgrater. Reserve.

4) Sauté the sliced mushrooms in a little oil.

5) melt the margarine in a saucepan, stir in the flour and mustard, and whisk in the milk. Cook over medium low heat, stirring all the time, until the sauce boils and thickens.

6) Add the seasoning and grated cheese to the sauce. Stir.

7) Distribute the cooked broccoli all over the base of the casserole.

8) Spread the turkey and mushrooms over the broccoli.

9) Cover with the cheese sauce.

10) Top with the dried breadcrumbs.

11) Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden and the sauce is bubbling.  

   

Apple Pear Filo Roll

I was getting quite tired of seeing the box of filo pastry make it's way around the refrigerator. So I decided to make a fruit roll. After all the Asian pear and three apples in the fruit bowl were just begging for attention. The recipe is super easy. This filo roll, I think, is fairly simple and a great way to use up any fruit that may be hanging around. For my recipe you will need the following:

Apple Pear Filo Roll 

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2 tea bags, any flavour, I used Twinings Cherry Cinnamon that I bought in England

1 Asian pear, peeled, cored and chopped

3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1/2 cup of roughly chopped dried cranberries

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

9 filo pastry sheets

melted butter

1 baking pan, lined with parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare the baking pan with a piece of parchment paper.

Take a medium sized pot add about 1 1/2 cups of water. Place the two tea bags in the pot. Then place the pot on the stove and set to high heat. Bringing the pot to a boil.

In the meantime you can peel and chop all the apples and pears. Set aside. Then chop the dried cranberries. Set those aside too.   

When the water has boiled reduce heat and let simmer. Letting the tea steep. When all the flavours have come out and the water is a nice rich colour from the tea, remove the tea bags. Toss them out.

Add the apples and pears to the tea infused water and continue to simmer over medium high heat. Letting the fruit absorb the liquid. When the fruit is tender remove from heat. and let cool. If you find the fruit mixture is a bit runny take about 1 1/2 teaspoons of corn starch in a small bowl and mix with water until smooth. Pour into the fruit mixture and stir. This will help thicken the filling. 

Add the cinnamon and stir. Letting cool further.

Take the filo pastry sheets, unroll and lay one sheet on a flat work surface. Take the melted butter and brush the top of the sheet. Place another filo pastry sheet on top, brush again with the melted butter and repeat until all the nine filo pastry sheets are on top of one another. Then take your slightly cooled mixture and spoon it about an inch or two from the edge. Roll once and fold in the sides and continue to roll and fold in the sides until you have something that resembles a swiss roll.

Place the roll onto the prepared baking pan. Brush with melted butter and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with a side of vanilla ice cream.

This dessert is a simple way to finish any meal. - JW  

       

Pasta! Pasta!

A couple of weeks ago the University was having a book sale. I went to browse and see if anything caught my eye. Many of the boxes clearly were full of academic books. Still I browsed some more and found two cookery books and a few poetry books. Aside from the popular pasta dishes this cookbook caught my eye purely on the illustrations. 

Pasta! Pasta! is only 64 pages however to me pasta is one of the quintessential comfort foods. With an Introduction and How to Please Your Pasta (a basic guide to the do's and don'ts of pasta cooking). You will be singing That's Amore in no time. The section on the Cooking of Pasta should be most helpful. Nobody likes over cooked mushy pasta! Cheeses for Pasta... well there are only three mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta. 

Some of the most popular pasta recipes are featured in this book. You have Fettucce Alfredo, Ravioli, Linguine alla Marinara, Manicotti, Vermicelli e Pollo, Penne alla Carbonara and let's not forget Spaghetti Bolognese. The last page features six classic sauces. I will share the most simplest of them all Marinara Sauce. It can virtually be served over any pasta you wish and can also be used as a pizza sauce.

Marinara Sauce - 3 tablespoons oil, 1 large onion chopped, 1 small carrot chopped, 1-2 cloves garlic crushed, one 2 - pound can of tomatoes or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil and salt and pepper to taste.

   

Sauté in oil the onion, carrot and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Add the oregano and basil and simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, pushing down hard on the vegetables. Reheat if necessary. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down, uncovered over medium heat until it has reduced to the desired consistency. Season with a salt and pepper to taste. 

   

Here is a photo of the illustrations that accompany the recipes through this cookbook. They just scream 1970's! Not to confuse you the steps are numbered and the illustrations are there as a quick visual reference. Buon Appetito! - JW   

Blue and Black Bow Tie Pasta

When I was out and about I found this package of colourful pasta. Don't let the intense colours fool you. At first my kids were a bit apprehensive until they tasted it. I don't know what they thought it would taste like. The pasta tastes like any other pasta and it certainly is a fun way to liven up a classic dish. The amount of dye in this pasta makes it a once in a while dish. The water turned a deep blue when boiling it! My first idea was to serve it tossed in olive oil with some garlic and parmesan. Instead I served it with a classic homemade tomato sauce. A cheese sauce would have been great too! 

Have a good weekend! - JW 

© copyright photo by Jacqueline Williams 

     

Cranberry Honey Orange Cookies

I made these cookies for the first time about 2 years ago. And why I haven't made them until now, I don't know. I do remember that they were met with many happy faces and that they didn't last long. I made batch after batch only to watch them disappear. If you are looking for a different cookie to add to your usual run of holiday baking this is the one I urge you to try. The ingredients are simple and sweet. For an empty plate and smiling faces follow my recipe below.    

Cranberry Honey Orange Cookies 

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1 cup of butter 

1 cup of dark brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/3 cup amber honey - if you can't find amber honey then golden honey will do

1 teaspoon vanilla

grated orange rind of one orange

3 1/2 cups of unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup chopped dried cranberries - I added a bit more than 1 cup 

Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl.

Add the eggs and mix throughly.

Stir in the honey and vanilla. 

Add the grated orange rind and stir throughly. 

In smaller separate bowl mix the flour and baking soda together. Then add it to the mixture in the larger bowl. Add the cranberries. Chill the dough for a few hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350ºF, 180ºC or gas mark 4. Roll into balls the size of a large walnut. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and with the bottom of a glass dipped in flour gently press down on each ball of dough. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool  on wire racks.

With these cookies I can also see adding walnuts or almonds. You can dress them up by taking a sieve and sprinkling a bit of icing sugar over the cookies. Which gives the appearance of fallen snow. A nice decorative touch when serving them to the snacking  masses. However they are perfect as they are. 

Chicken Apple Salad Sandwich

On the weekend I made this sandwich. I know I have featured before. It was so yummy I just had to feature it again. I chopped up left over roasted chicken, one apple, I used a gala apple but feel free to add any apple that you like. Core and cut the apple into pieces with the skin on. I then added a tablespoon of mayonnaise and a couple of squirts of salad cream. Some freshly ground pepper, a pinch of salt and freshly dried parsley. You can also add bacon. I didn't have any bacon on hand so I used some soy bacon bits I found in the pantry. It added these little tasty crunchy nuggets. Walnuts and dried cranberries can be added as well.     

This is how I served my sandwich on rye bread with a low sodium garlic pickle! - JW 

Nanny Ogg's Cookbook

Terry Pratchett fans will know exactly whom this cookbook is centered around and for those who have never heard of Nanny Ogg... well it's never too late. I have watched the Discworld movie, The Colour of Magic, however I have not read any Terry Pratchett  books. My son has read some of his books. Including The World of Poo. Anyone can appreciate this cookbook that is filled with food and laughter.  

Nanny Ogg's cookbook has recipes that border between sensible and hilarious. It's small, only 175 pages, however charming and worth a chuckle or two! The illustrations let your mind wander into the realm of Discworld. There is a preface by the author, character Nanny Ogg, and then a note from the editors, Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs. Another chapter is Nanny Ogg's Philosophy on Cookery. Where she shares her thoughts on cookery, housewifery, housework, cooks and ingredients. From there we move on to the recipe chapter that includes Dwarf cookery. Some recipes get you thinking while others can barely be called a recipe. At times the measurements are non-existent - just a bit of this and a dash of that. But then that is probably just the character of Nanny Ogg or the fact that she is a good cook! The last chapter is an interesting one on Etiquette. Supposedly everything you wanted to know about Notes about Other Species, Rules of Precedence, Modes of Address, Etiquette at the Table, Smoking, Some Notes on Gardening, Births, Courtship, Balls, The Language of Flowers, Marriage, Death, Royal Occasions, and finally Etiquette in the Bedroom! As serious as some of these topics are they certainly will get a laugh or two! The Afterword is a short word to the wise with a smile. Nanny Ogg's advice and I quote... "try a nice open smile. I do find it gets me out of trouble with people nine times out of ten, and even if it does get me into trouble it's generally int'resting trouble and leads to warm memories. You couldn't buy them for money." 

Although I have heard that the Wow - Wow Sauce is exceptional! I will share the recipe for Jammy Devils with you.

Jammy Devils

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100g unsalted butter 

75 g caster sugar

1 egg beaten

200g plain flour

3 - 4 large tablespoons jam

Preheat the oven to 180ºC / Gas 4. Grease an individual tart / bun baking tray. 

Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Gradually stir in the flour until a soft dough is formed. Stir in a generous tablespoon of the jam until you get a ripple effect.

Using about a dessertspoonful of the mixture for each devil, spoon the mixture into the bun tin. Gently pat down and place a dollop - about half a teaspoon - of jam on the centre of each one.

Bake in the top part of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. 

Enjoy and have a good weekend everyone! - JW 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I bought a package of oatmeal for a reason and could not remember what recipe I needed it for. That rarely happens with me. As I was trying to remember I noticed a cookie recipe on the back of the package and thought why don't I make these that instead. Last night I was feverishly working away making these sweet but tasty morsels to share. I hope my photo will not tease but tempt you into making these delicious cookies because I am sharing the recipe with you. 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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3/4 cup (175 ml) butter, softened

3/4 cup (175 ml) brown sugar, packed 

1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar 

1 egg

2 tablespoons (30 ml) water

2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract 

3/4 cup (175 ml) All purpose flour 

1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon  

3/4 teaspoon (4 ml) baking soda 

3 cups (750 ml) oats 

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) semi-sweet chocolate chips 

*You can replace the chocolate chips with raisins or dried cranberries. 

My Notes: For the brown sugar I used a dark brown sugar, the granulated sugar was organic, the vanilla extract I used was pure vanilla extract, the all purpose flour was unbleached, I do tend to add a bit more cinnamon than suggested and as it just stated 'Oats' and the package I bought was 'quick oats' that is what I used. Being able to try a cookie while hot and fresh from the oven I found them very sweet. Almost too sweet. Next time I would cut down the amount of brown sugar by adding a 1/2 cup instead of the 3/4 cup that was suggested. What I really like about this recipe is that there is loads of oatmeal. Usually recipes have a cup to a cup and a half of oatmeal and that is just not enough for me. 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

Grease or line baking trays with parchment paper. I used parchment paper.

Cream butter, sugars, egg, water and vanilla together on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. I decided to do it the old fashion way, by hand. 

Combine flour, cinnamon and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture. Beating on low speed until blended, stir in oats and chocolate chip. Again I did this by hand.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls (15 ml) onto prepared baking sheets.  

Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. 

Do not over bake.

Happy baking! -JW   

Veggie Hummus Roll

I know when the weather gets cold we all tend to reach for the stodgy comfort food. This is my comfort food, a veggie hummus roll. 

First I added a generous amount of hummus to the bottom portion of the roll. Then I added a heap of lettuce, slices of orange peppers, thinly sliced old cheddar cheese, a full circle of red onion, a juicy tomato, a handful of hand picked parsley and a dollop hot English mustard. It's like a burger without the meat or meatless patty. Full on veg! Filled with protein and lovely veggies this hit the spot after a long walk. - JW    

Need Some Green?

Say hello to our current house plant... parsley! I have been chopping the parsley up into salads, adding it to my cooking, and using it as a garnish. Parsley is a good source of antioxidants, folic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It certainly has been handy having this at arms length. During the winter a little green can go a long way! - JW  

The other night I made chili. Turkey chili and served it over a bed of saffron rice. I had to ask myself why haven't I done this sooner. Very tasty and I highly recommend serving chili this way. - JW 

The Best of Mrs. Beeton's

Maybe most of you haven't heard of Mrs. Beeton. I heard about her 2 years ago on another visit to England when I picked up this cookbook. To Britain she is a national treasure. She is one of the most famous cookery writers. Her biography is small, dying in 1865 when she was just 28 years old, however she has left a mark on household management that has proceeded throughout many decades.

This edition was published in 2009 by Orion. The 15 chapters offer regional specialities, comforting home traditions and British treats. Last night I leafed through it's 250 pages. Searching for any recipe that I could whip up in no time. I found one that was very fitting considering, November 5th is Guy Fawkes Night. Last year I made a feast of roast jacket potatoes, fried sausages, roasted marshmallows, burnt sparkles and even had a meager homemade paper and popsicle stick Guy Fawkes, which we burnt. This year we are celebrating Guy Fawkes Night with a Gingerbread recipe. Even though it has to sit for a week after baking I may just have to sneak a piece tonight. I will share Mrs. Beeton's recipe with you and the photo of the one I made.

           

        

GUY FAWKES GINGERBREAD

Make this gingerbread at least a week before eating and store in an airtight tin. It is best sliced and spread lightly with butter. An excellent treat for November 5th!

butter for greasing

200 g / 7 oz plain flour

1.25 ml / 1/4 teaspoon of salt

15 ml / 1 teaspoon ground ginger

50 g / 2 oz soft light brown sugar

50 g / 2 oz butter or margarine

100 g / 4 oz black treacle

75 ml / 5 tablespoons milk

5 ml / 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 egg, beaten

  

Line and grease an 18 cm / 7 inch square tin or a 23 x 13 x 7.5 cm / 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf tin. Set the oven 180ºC / 350ºF / gas 4.

Sift the flour, salt and ginger into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar. Heat the butter or margarine, treacle and most of the milk gently in a saucepan until the fat has melted. 

In a second saucepan, warm the remaining milk and stir in the bicarbonate of soda until dissolved. Pour the melted mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the beaten egg with the milk and soda mixture and beat well.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 150ºC / 300ºF / gas 2 and bake for a further 30 - 40 minutes until cooked through and firm to the touch. 

Makes one 18 cm / 7 inch SQUARE CAKE or One 23 x 13 x 7.5 cm / 9 x 5x 3 inch LOAF

Blackcurrant and Shallot Pork Tenderloin

I had some Blackcurrant and Shallot compote for brie cheese in the fridge that desparately wanted to be used or should I say that I wanted to use. Knowing that pork tenderloin was on the dinner menu I decided that this is where it shall go. As much as I like using the oven having a slow cooker can be just as effective in having delicious tasting meals as long as you are able to plan ahead.  

I place about a 1/2 cup of low sodium organic chicken stalk in a slow cooker. Added some veggies like carrots, potatoes, onions and leeks. Then place the pork tenerdloin on top and add the remaining veggies around the pork tenderloin. Then drizzled some olive oil on top.  Adding a pinch of salt and some pepper. Then placed the blackcurrant and shallot compote on top of the pork and cooked on high for about 6 hours. 

The house smelt wonderful. I served the pork with a bit of hot English mustard with red chili on the side which complemented the sweetness of the pork. The veggies were tender and had a hint of sweetness to them thanks to the compote. It was simply a delicious robust meal. - JW   

Butter Chicken Pizza

Saturday nights I usually make pizza. This time I was inspired to make a butter chicken pizza. Fairly simple considering I used a pre-made low sodium butter chicken sauce. Roll out your pizza dough. Spread the butter chicken sauce all over, being generous. Then add pieces of pre-cooked chicken, orange peppers, onions and whatever other veggies you like. Place mozzarella cheese, grated or thinly sliced, on top. Bake until cheese has melted and bubbly and crust is slightly golden. With a pizza cutter slice into wedges and let this mouthwatering pizza leave you wanting more. Trust me it will! - JW

Dill Pickle Dip

Knowing that the tub of sour cream was about to expire I decided to quickly whip up a little something... a dip! This dip was so easy to make. I am sure you won't want to buy another ready made one again. My recipe is as follows:

Dill Pickle Dip
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1 cup light sour cream
2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 low sodium garlic dill pickles, chopped and diced
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried herbs, consisting of chives, parsley, shallots, onions and leeks 
or add
1 shallot chopped and diced
2-3 sprigs of fresh chives, chopped
some peeled and chopped onion
some parsley finely chopped

Mix all together and let mellow for about an hour in the fridge or overnight. Can also be spread on crackers or bread. Enjoy your weekend everyone! - JW 

Lavender Scones

These are the scones I made from the Jamie's Great Britain cookbook. Although the recipe didn't ask for it, I dressed the top of them with lavender. They were so delicious and devoured in no time flat! I would use this recipe again. It was easy and I am sure the next time I make them they will turn out even better. I was a bit off on my conversion of the flour. Should have added more. 500 grams of flour translates to about 3 3/4 cups of flour. I was under that. When trying to find the appropriate shape cutter I had a small-medium sized one. What can one do other then to just go with it and make smaller scones. They were being eaten so quickly nobody seemed to notice. Another plus was that there were a few left over so the kidlets got to take them to school in their lunch. - JW  

Jamie's Great Britain

You knew I wasn't going to leave England, this summer, without bringing this cookbook back with me. When I ordered my copy back in February it wasn't available in Canada. Not knowing the official North American release date or even if it was going to be released in Canada I placed my order and had to wait until my visit in August. I could have had the cookbook delivered to me however I can only imagine what the postage would have been! As of September 21 it has become available at Chapters. 

Jamie's Great Britain, first edition, 2011; pp.[15]407; Penguin, London, delivers another delicious book. Between the matte photos, the family photos, the local photos and British fanfare this has Rule Britannia written all over it! Apart from their history, Great Britons are food enthusiasts... foodies... a melting pot with a wonderful blend of past, present and future. This book was inspired by, at the time, the up and coming 2012 Olympics, him being a father of four kids and the country he calls "The Magpie" nation. He isn't overly patriotic just passionate about what his country has. The cookbook is also dedicated to Rose Gray, a former boss of his, who passed away in 2010. I find this cookbook a celebration of heritage - mine and could be yours, identity - our taste in food is not defined by where we live and people - locals, immigrants and visitors. We are all alike and in search of good food! 

Because I had ordered the cookbook directly from the UK all recipes offer UK measurements. This means I get to do some referencing, guess work, cross referencing to create the recipes. I don't mind, I enjoy it. The recipes range from traditional, classic to modern up-to-date British flair. The chapters are: Breakfasts, Soups, Salads, Pub Grub, New British Classics, Afternoon Tea, Seaside, Pies and Puddings, Sunday Lunch, Wild Food, Vegetables, Puddings and Condiments. I did try the scone recipe because I am always in search of the perfect scone. Either here at home, in the kitchen or when I am out and about. I like to try different scone recipes. My grandmother always made scones which were very delicious and I can taste them to this very day! I will post about the scones I made tomorrow. There are introduction stories to almost every recipe which are entertaining. Even when Jamie Oliver is describing the most simplest of things his passion and personality come through loud and clear.   

Was this cookbook worth the wait? For me, yes! Do I find it inspiring? Yes! and you may find it inspiring too. -JW 

Potato and Veggie Cakes

Remember the veggie strudel I posted about the other day. The lovely filling of onions, potatoes, carrots, peas, cheddar cheese and curry powder. There was enough filling left over for me to make these potato and veggie cakes. In a blender I added the filling and some chicken stock. I added enough stock just to smooth the consistency a bit. Making sure not to add too much stock. Stopping the blender every now and again and with a spoon scrapping the sides of the blender. Not worrying if the filling wasn't completely smooth. I then transfered the blended filling into a large bowl. Added some cornmeal until the consistency thicken up and held well together. I didn't measure exactly how much cornmeal. I just eyeballed it. You want it so that the filling doesn't fall off a spoon. Then I fried in a pan with olive oil over medium high heat. Until they have browned on both sides.

This was a great way to use up leftovers. I dressed them with chives and sour cream and served them with sausages and steamed string green beans. -JW