I was sent some lovely recipes this week for Christmas Baking for the holidays from Dr Oetker.   They all look so fabulous I don't know which one I want to try first.  I think the Stollen Loaf Cake is looking pretty good from where I am sitting.  I have everything I need in the house to make it and I adore Stollen anyways.  I love anything which smacks of almonds and dried fruit!  The Spiced Lemon Cookie Wreath  also looks like a strong possibility.  In any case I am sharing all the recipes with you today.  Christmas Jumper Cookies, Stollen Loaf Cake, Spiced Lemon Cookie Wreath, Mini Chocolate Gingerbread Loaves and a Winter Forest Chocolate Cake!  There's a Merry Christmas in the "Baking!"  You know if the recipes are from Dr. Oetker, that the recipes must be great.  They are the creme de la creme of bakedom!

 

My very British Husband is quite fond of telling me that eating peanut butter and jam together is completely insane.  That didn't stop him from scarfing down three of these as soon as I had them finished though!  (Me thinks he is a bit of a porkie pie teller and that he secretly LOVES the combination as much as I do!)

I know that all of my North American friends cooked  their Thanksgiving turkeys yesterday.  I also helped to cook aThanksgiving Dinner this year for all of the Missionaries in our District.  Not too many leftovers here, but I know that many of you have refrigerators bulging with leftovers, and that some of you will be scratching your heads and trying to come up with new and interesting things to do with them.  Here are some tasty ideas this morning to help you use up some of those scrummy leftovers. Of course you could just have a reheat of the leftovers, but it's also nice to dress them up in a few different ways too!

You Brits and Canucks might want to bookmark this page as Christmas is less than a month away and you 'll be wanting to figure out what to do with your Christmas Turkey leftovers then! (And yes, this is a repeat from last year.  This stuff just never gets old.)

Bacon . . . it's something I don't eat very often . . .  but when I do, I like to make sure it's a good bacon.  After all, if I am going to splurge on a bit of a calorie bonus . . .  I want to make it worth my while!  More often than not, I will opt for a good quality, dry cured and oak smoked back bacon, cut thickly, with not too much fat on it.  It's a real treat!

Controlling how much you eat can be as large a challenge as deciding what to eat can be when you are trying to control diabetes and eat smarter.  At first it can seem a bit daunting, but with time and understanding it becomes a bit easier . . .  the changes almost become  seamless part of your life.   What to put into your shopping card . . .  how to count carbs, downsizing servings, etc.   all are steps towards becoming a healthier person.

I made the most delicious open face sandwich today.   Oh, but I died and went to heaven when I tucked into this.   The "Peat" sandwich . . .  or . ..  the Pancetta, Egg, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich.  A deliciously layered open face delight that isn't really all that bad for you!

Normally after having a turkey dinner I would be treating myself to a turkey sandwich with two slices of bread,  mayo, stuffing and cranberry sauce.   And enjoying it.   My new lifestyle means that is a no no and so today I made myself something different.   A Turkey Taco Pizza.   Sounds hedonistic, but it really isn't . . .

  

Cuting out sugary foods and high fat snacks is an important way to improve your diet and help maintain good blood glucose levels.  It helps to have alternatives available when you are feeling that urge to snack on something or when your levels dip and you just don't have time to make a meal. Having alternatives at the ready and achieving a balance are really important for long term success!  It's okay to have an occasional sweet treat, but in all reality, those need to be kept at a minimum, and it's best to develop a taste for nutritionally sound snacks.

The Rugby World Cup 2015 commences today, Friday the 18th of September and will be hosted this year on home soil.  The England team need the support of home fans and whether you're watching from home or make it along to the hallowed grounds of some of ruby's most inspiring pitches, you'll need some very English sustenance to keep you going.   To that end, The English Provender Co has come up with some of the best recipes for snacks and nibbles to watch each match,  beginning with these delicious Pork and Piccalilli Pies!

 

I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil! I also love sandwiches! This is a definite win/win situation! This is Day Five!  The final day!

 I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil!  I also love sandwiches!  This is a definite win/win situation!   This is Day Four!

I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil!  I also love sandwiches!  This is a definite win/win situation!   This is Day Three!

 I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team.   As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running.  I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil! This is Day Two!

I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team.   As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running.  I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil!  Welcome to day one!

I was recently invited to use some Creamy Leerdammer Toastie & Burger slices on a Pulled Pork Burger!  I love Leedammer Cheese.  Nobody had to twist my arm!

With thicker slices and a richer, creamier recipe for better melting, LEERDAMMER® Toastie & Burger is the perfect filling for a deliciously melty toasted cheese sandwich or cheese burger.

I wanted to present to you today a simple and quick toastie sandwich that is perhaps a bit lower in fat than your usually toastie sandwich.  Not only is is quick and easy but it's quite delicious as well, but then you probably already know that because if you have been reading me for a while, you will know I never show you anything that I don't think is delicious!

When I was growing up my mother never bought mayonnaise as such.  I don't know why, only that she didn't.  There were only type such things that she did buy.  One was Miracle Whip and the other was Salad Dressing.   Both were very mayonnaise like, but couldn't be considered mayonnaise per se because they contained ingredients which were not considered proper in a mayonnaise.  A proper mayonnaise should only contain egg yolks, mustard, some vinegar and oil and perhaps some seasoning.

One thing that the British do really well are biscuits, or cookies as they are known in North America.   There are whole aisles in the grocery shops devoted to the British Biscuit containing every indulgence under the sun!  I was quite amazed when I first moved over here and saw the variety available!  It's quite mind boggling, really . . .  but after 15 years I have come to have favourites amongst the lot!

One thing my Todd has always wanted to do is to go to a diner to eat. You know . . . just like the ones on the telly that you see in all those American movies.

All chrome and formica . . . and juke boxes, waitresses named Sally, and a coffee cup that has no bottom.

Club sandwiches, gravy fries and mile high pies.





I thought I would try to recreate a Diner meal for him here at home tonight, but in as low fat as possible. One of my favourites back home use to be the Hot Hamburger Sandwich Platter.



A big oval platter, loaded up with hot fries, a huge hamburger pattie on a toasted bun, with oodles of gravy slathered over top and a small bucket of coleslaw on the side. Washed down with an ice cold soda pop. It can't be beat!



It might not be much to look at, but what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in flavour. I used extra lean ground steak, which I flavoured with onion powder, garlic, seasoning salt and black pepper . . . lots of onion and garlic. I then divided the meat into four equal shapes and then flattened them as thin as I could into a huge flat irregular sized burgers, so they had lots of little nooks and crannies on the edges.


Because they were really thin, they cooked in quick time and all the moisture stayed inside the burger, so they were moist as well as flavourful, with a nice sear on the outside. The chips . . . why oven baked of course, and cut so thin that they also turned out nicely browned with crisp golden edges.



You can make your own pan gravy if you wish. (I tell you how) or you can just open a tin of beef gravy. Me, I opted for Bisto, coz there is not much fat in it., and it's as easy as boiling the kettle.



Even the coleslaw, my own homemade, was low in fat . . . as I used a fat free mayo and low fat creme fraiche. The only thing I didn't do was to put on a short dress and ask him to "kiss ma grits!" (I also didn't ask for a tip!) Oh, and there was no pie . . . sigh . . .




*Hot Hamburger Platter Dinner*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe 



It's diner food for the UK! A delicious well flavoured hot hamburger patty on a toasted bun half, topped with gravy and served with crispy fries and coleslaw!



1 pound extra lean minced steak
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
5 TBS flour
1 litre of beef broth
4 large baking potatoes
oil
seasonings for the fries (I like the smoked paprika, sweet red pepper and thyme mix from M&S)
salt and black pepper
Toasted Bun halves
Coleslaw, your own or purchased (See my recipe below)



Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Have ready a large baking sheet.


Wash the potatoes and dry well. Cut into thin chips. Toss them onto the baking sheet. Pour about 1 TBS of oil over top along with some of your chosen seasoning and some salt and black pepper. Toss together with your hands. Place into the heated oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.



Mix together the minced steak, garlic, onion powder, seasoned salt and a bit of salt and lots of black pepper to taste. (You can pinch off a little bit and fry it in a pan to see if you have the seasoning correct if you wish.) Shape into large flat irregular shaped patties.



Place a large skillet over mediium high heat. Add a bit of oil and fry the patties until well browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Reserve any drippings in the pan. There probably won't be much. You will need about 4 TBS. You can add some butter to the pan drippings to make this up. Once the fat is melted and hot, stir in the flour, whisking it in well. Slowly whisk in the broth a bit at a time, whisking until the gravy thickens. Simmer for several minutes then taste and adjust seasoning as required.



Divide the fries between 4 heated plates. Place a toasted bun half on each and top with a burger. Spoon over some of the gravy, making sure it covers the burger and some of the chips. Serve with coleslaw on the side. Enjoy!


This isn't the greatest photograph, but it is a coleslaw recipe that I use often.  This is how my mom always made it.



*Creamy Coleslaw*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe



A delciously cream coleslaw that has just the right amount of crunch and flavour!  There is no sogginess here!!



10 ounces of white cabbage, trimmed, cored and very thinly cut
(about 1/2 of a medium cabbage)
5 ounces of carrots, peeled, trimmed and julienned
(1 medium carrot)
4 inches of an English Cucumber, trimmed, seeded and cut into small dice
(Do not peel)
2 - 3 large dessertspoons of good quality mayonnaise
1 TBS of Dijon mustard
2 TBS white wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp celery salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder



Place the vegetables into a large bowl.  Whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, sugar, celery salt, black pepper and onion powder.  Mix well.  Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat.  Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving.


Note - the amount of mayonnaise you use depends on the cabbage, some cabbages take more mayonnaise than others.  It also depends on how creamy you like your coleslaw!