Saffron Gin Martini

This crisp cocktail has a subtle saffron flavour, due to the gin. A refreshing change from the standard martini.  

Saffron Gin Martini

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makes 2 martinis

5 oz Indian Summer Saffron Infused Gin

2 oz Dry Vermouth

crushed ice

Add crushed ice to a cocktail shaker. Pour the ingredients over the ice. Shake and pour into chilled martini glasses. 

Have a lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Easy Eggplant

This is one of my favourites not only because in a matter of minutes you can have an effortless tasty dish but for it's sheer simplicity and carefree recipe.  

Easy Eggplant

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1 medium eggplant, sliced into rounds

mushrooms, roughly chopped

olive oil

fresh or dried herbs

spice seasoning mix

grated parmesan cheese

Panko bread crumbs

chopped fresh parsley, optional 

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frypan over medium high heat. Add the sliced eggplant. Stir and sauté for a few moments. Add the chopped mushrooms and stir to combine. Continue to sauté while stirring to prevent the eggplant and mushrooms from sticking. When the eggplant and mushrooms are starting to soften add some herbs, dried or fresh whichever one you prefer, and some spice seasoning mix... I added a pepper and garlic combo mix, stir and sauté further allowing the vegetables to absorb some of the herbs. Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese and Panko crumbs over the now seasoned eggplant and mushrooms. Toss to coat and sauté for about 1 minute; gently stirring to prevent sticking. Remove from frypan and place in a serving dish. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan cheese and Panko bread crumbs and fresh chopped parsley. Serve.   

Hope everyone is having a nice week. - JD 

Carrot Cake Loaf

Carrot cake loaf somehow seems like a guilty free way of enjoying a slice of cake; with or without the icing, however it still comes with all the sweet spicy indulgence. The maple glaze icing alleviates some heaviness that a cream cheese icing has; making it an acceptable sweet touch and the crushed pecans heighten the maple flavour.         

Carrot Cake Loaf

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1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon chai seeds

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon British mixed spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons maple flavouring

2 cups grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 9x5' loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds, cinnamon, British mixed spice and salt. 

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, milk, both sugars, maple flavouring and grated carrot; then stir into the flour mixture until just combined.

Scape the batter into the prepared tin and bake until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Cool the baking tin for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool the loaf may be iced with an icing of your choice, or the maple glaze provided below and sprinkled with crushed pecans.  

Maple Glaze

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1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups powdered icing sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon maple flavouring

Melt the butter and add the icing sugar, milk and maple flavouring. Mix until creamy. 

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Hot temperatures are here for a couple of days. - JD 

Love On The Rocks

A refreshing bitter sweet summer sipper.  

Love On The Rocks

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz gin

3/4 oz Campari

2.5 oz Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rossa

Fill a glass with crushed ice add the gin; then add the Campari and fill with the Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rossa. Stir with a cocktail spoon.

Notes: if you can not find the Sanpellegrino then use 1.5 oz of carbonated water and 1 oz grapefruit juice. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Leftovers #46 ~ Rice Noodle Salad

A great way to get inspired and infuse and use those leftover ingredients. Just tossed leftover rice noodles, some lettuce, carrots, cucumber, green onion and cashews with a homemade sesame soy dressing and you will have a very satisfying and filling one bowl lunch or dinner. 

Plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures. Hope everyone is having a good week. -JD 

   

Pear Ginger Cheesecake

This baked pear ginger cheesecake is absolutely divine. A subtle sweet pear smoothness with a slight gingery crunch crust.       

Pear Ginger Cheesecake

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1 1/4 cups crushed ginger cookies

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1 can pear halves, drained and patted dry

3 packages (250g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon rum flavouring 

3 eggs

3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of the spring form pan with baking parchment paper. Set aside. 

Mix the cookie crumbs and butter together; press into the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Arrange the pear halves over the crust.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together using an electric mixer, until well blended. Add the rum flavouring and eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each other, until just blended. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the pears.

Bake in the preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes or until the centre is almost set. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake; allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top before serving.      

Notes: the recipe asked for Christie Pantry Ginger Cookies; I could not find those particular ones so I used  whatever ginger snap cookies were available instead. 

High winds made it hard to get into the garden this long weekend however what the wind brought the sunshine made up for. Hope everyone had a lovely one. - JD  

Pompano Martini

One might think this cocktail has a fruit flavour however it does not. Slightly citrus with a straight up classic dry martini taste.  

Pompano

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makes 2 cocktails

5 oz Gin

1 oz Dry Vermouth

2 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit juice

1 oz Bitters

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange twist if you wish.

Have a lovely long weekend everyone! - JD 

Hari's Lime & Green Chilli Pickle

When the jar states "award winning producer" one has to raise an eyebrow however when one tastes said award winning producer lime pickle, like Hari's, both eyebrows will be raised. Flavours unite in this exceptionally made lime pickle and fabulous with a cheese board. I am so glad we brought a jar back with us. I only wish we had brought back more from Ouse Valley. A lovely treat to remember and reminisce our summer vacation.

To find out more about Ouse Valley visit their website... www.ousevalleyfoods.com

Hope everyone is having a good week. - JD 

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Classic recipes always have a honourable rotation in my baking. That is why sprinkling additions here and there breaks the familiar expectation one often has when baking a classic recipe. Pecans give a slight maple flavour, complimenting the semi sweet chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

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3/4 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened 
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 bag (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips


Heat oven to 375ºF.

In a large bowl beat together the sugars, butter, vanilla and egg with an electric mixer on medium speed, or you can mix with a wooden spoon.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and pecans. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. The dough may be stiff. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto to an uncreased baking tray.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Not to worry the centres will be soft. Cool 1 to 2 minutes then remove from baking tray to wire racks.  



Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Plenty of sunshine with a easy spring breeze to be shared. - JD 

Imperial Martini

Strong however a little bit bitter. Certainly a slow sipping cocktail. 

Imperial Martini

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makes 2 cocktail 

6 oz Gin

2 oz Dry Vermouth

1 oz Maraschino liqueur

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses.. Garnish with a lemon twist, if you wish.  

Plenty of bright sunshine to go around. Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Curry Vegetable Strudel

Maybe one would think that curried vegetables and sharp cheddar cheese would not go together however, to me, it does. Roll it up in filo pastry to create the perfect main or side dish, that is absolutely flavourful. An easy delicious savoury meal worth every bite. 

Curry Vegetable Strudel

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1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

1 courgette (zucchini), chopped

350g/12oz potatoes, chopped
1 can of corn, drained

5 tablespoons/2 1/2oz/65g, butter

2 teaspoons/10ml mild Curry paste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2/3 cup/150ml/1/4 pint, water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons/30ml single cream

2 oz/50g Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated

8 sheets of filo pastry

sesame seeds, for sprinkling

1. Fry the onion, carrots, courgette and potatoes in half the butter for 5 minutes until they are soft; add the corn, then add the curry paste and cook for a further minute.

2. Add the thyme, water and seasoning. Continue to cook gently, uncovered for another 10 minutes.

3. Allow the mixture to cool and mix in the egg, cream and cheese. Chill until ready to fill and roll.

4. Melt the remaining butter and lay out four sheets of filo pastry, slightly overlapping them to form a large rectangle. Brush with butter and fit the other sheets on top. Brush again.

5. Spoon the filling along one long edge, then roll up the pastry. Form it into a circle and brush again with the last of the butter. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and set on a baking sheet.

6. Heat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC/Gas 5 then bake the strudel for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Allow to stand for 5 minutes or so before cutting.

Hope everyone has been having a lovely week. - JD 

Clear-Coin Martini

This unique tasting cocktail is smooth and mellow. Perfect when you want something different. 

Clear-Coin Martini

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Vodka

1 oz Campari

2 oz Orange juice

Rinse chilled martini glasses with Campari. Pour remaining ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange twist, if you wish. 

Have a lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Greek Salad

We have had a run of warm weather and bright sunshine only to be handed overcast skies and snow however that doesn't mean we can enjoy a crisp salad. I crave salads year round and like to make easy additions to a classic one such as this. Romaine lettuce is a great way to add to the abundance of a Greek salad. Keeping it crisp and fresh!