When I was a child, one of my favourite vegetables was swede. (Or rutabaga as it is known in some parts of the world. My mom always just called it turnip.)



Mom always added it to soups and stews . . . they added a beautiful flavour and almost sweetness, which I know is hard to believe, as they can come across as being somewhat bitter at times . . .



But long slow cooking brings out their natural sweetness and that is what I love most about them.



Every Thanksgiving and Christmas my mother would cook a huge pot of Swede and Potato, which would be mashed with lots of butter and cream. Oh my but that was my favourite part of the meal . . . well, next to the turkey that is! Oh and the stuffing! It surely took third place of honour though in the meal of all meals!



In Wales there is a national dish known as Punchnep, which is a buttery, creamy mash of swede and potatoes. I love it. It is the same thing that my mother always made . . . cept we just called it Turnip Mash. We didn't know it was exotic or Welsh or anything like that . . .



We just called it good.

This soup has all the same delightful flavours, along with the addition of leeks, which add an extra special something.



I guess it's like Punchnep amped up.

Whatever . . . it's good, very . . . very good!



*Swede and Potato Soup*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

We love swede in this house, or rutabaga as it is known in other parts of the world. It makes a delicious soup when combined with leek and potato. Think of this as leek and potato soup kicked up a notch!

1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) peeled swede, cut into cubes
1/2 pounds of peeled and cubed potato
the white parts of two large leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 ounces unsalted butter
570ml of chicken stock (approx two cups)
570 ml of milk (approx two cups)
salt and pepper to taste
freshly ground nutmeg to taste

To serve:
Toasted croutons
chives
double cream

Melt the butter over low heat in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the swede, potatoes and leeks. Stir them around in the butter to coat and then cover the saucepan. Put the lid on and allow to sweat over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (You can add a TBS or two of the stock if they start to stick.) At the end of 15 minutes, add the stock and the milk. Bring up to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are all fork tender. Remove from the heat and puree with a stick blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

Ladle into hot soup bowls. Drizzle the top with a bit of double cream and float some toasted croutons on top. Garnish with some chives.

I have a special friend who is celebrating her 82 birthday today and I wanted to make her something special to help mark the day and celebrate it in a special way.



She lives pretty much on her own. She is in a lot of pain most days so no longer does any cooking for herself. Her caregiver does all it and helps to clean the house and anything else she needs, but it's a man and well . . . he just doesn't bake.



I often pop over half of whatever it is I have been getting up to in my kitchen and it is always much appreciated.



I did want to make her something extra special for today though and so I baked her a Victoria Sponge cake . . . just a small one . . .



And . . . a box of these lovely cookies. I just love Jammy Thumbprints, and I think she will love them too.



I just know she will have all sorts of people popping in off and on all day to bring her their Happy Birthday wishes and these cookies should come in really handy!



Crisp and buttery and filled with tasty, sweet jam. It goes so well with the almost shortbread texture of these lovely biscuits.



*Jammy Thumbprints*
Makes about 45
Printable Recipe

A buttery cream cheese cookie dough filled with your favourite jam and then baked until crisp and golden. The perfect teatime treat!

250g (9 ounces) unsalted butter
140g (1 cup) Icing sugar, sifted
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
90g (3 1/4 ounces) cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
350g of plain flour, sifted (2 3/4 cup flour)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
2 TBS each of three of your favourite flavours of jam

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter three baking trays. Set aside.

Using an electric whisk cream together the butter, sugar and egg yolk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture using a wooden spoon, until a soft dough forms. Let sit for about 10 minutes so that the dough can firm up.

Shape TBS of the dough into 1 inch balls. Place evenly spaced about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using your thumb make an indentation in the middle of each. Fill each indent with 1/4 tsp of jam. Bake in the heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until light golden. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for several minutes before lifting off to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Note - if desired you can dust with some icing sugar before serving. These cookies will store well up to 3 days in a tightly covered container, but are best if eaten on the day.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret this morning. A family secret. A secret recipe that I have been hoarding, baking and enjoying for about 35 yeara now . . . or maybe even longer if you count the years my ex husband and I dated before we actually got married . . .



My Ex mother in law was a fabulous cook. I learned a lot from her. Good, delicious, basic old fashioned cooking.



The very first Christmas my ex and I were married my mother in law gifted me with a little hand written notebook that had all of her best and family favourite recipes in it. What a treasure it was . . . and is.



It's pages are splattered from oodles of use and the ink in it is starting to fade now. I am in the process right now of re-copying it so that none of them are lost forever. Next to my five children, this little notebook is one of the most precious things that came out of that relationship!



If you're even in the mood for a really good bran muffin recipe with no bells and whistles, this is your muffin!



These are the best! The vanilla and spice are my own addition coz well . . . you know . . . I've never been able to leave well enough alone!




*Mother In Law Bran Muffins*
makes 12 medium muffins
Printable Recipe

So called because I got the basic recipe from my mother in law. I have made some adaptions to the basic recipe and they're quite lovely. Low in fat, high in fibre and loaded with lovely sultanas!

200g all bran cereal (2 cups)
2 fluid ounces golden syrup
2 fluid ounces dark treacle
(can use 1/2 cup of molasses instead)
12 fluid ounces milk
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 fluid ounces oil
120g of plain flour (1 cup)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mixed spice
3 handfuls of sultana raisins



Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin very well, or line with paper liners.

Warm the milk along with the molasses in the microwave on high for one minute. Measure the all bran into a bowl and pour the warm milk mixture over all. Mix together and then allow to sit for 15 minutes before proceeding. At the end of that time, beat in the egg, oil and vanilla. Whisk together the flour, salt, soda and mixed spice. Add all at once to the wet mixture and mix together just to combine. Lumps are ok. Stir in the raisins.

Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Serve warm with butter for spreading.



Note - These freeze really well! Just reheat from frozen for about 30 seconds in the microwave.

I had a rather lazy culinary day the other day . . .



The kind of day where I just couldn't get my act together, and make up my mind what I wanted to cook for our supper. I spent a while looking through my cookbooks, but nothing was tempting me at all. I wanted something quick and easy, but at the same time filling, and let's not forget . . . tasty!!



I hadn't gone grocery shopping yet, and in all honesty fresh ingredients were rather low on the ground.



I had potatoes and eggs, some onions and a few red peppers. I had picked up a nice tin of chunky corned beef the last time I was in Marks and Spencers.



In the end I decided to make us a nice Corned Beef Hash for our supper. It went down a real treat with my meat and potatoes loving husband, and, in all honesty, I rather enjoyed it myself!!!



*Baked Corned Beef Hash*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Store cupboard favourite. Quick, easy, cheap and cheerful! Perfect for those nights when you are lacking in inspiration and ingredients. You can serve this topped with either a poached or fried egg if you wish. Delicious!

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 large tin of corned beef, chopped
1 to 2 TBS creamed horseradish
142 ml of double cream (a scant 1/2 cup)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish

Boil the potatoes in a pot of lightly salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain well and allow to dry slightly before proceeding.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Tip in the dried potatoes. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes until they start to turn golden brown. Stir through the corned beef. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk the cream and horseradish together. Fold into the hash.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/ 400*F/ gas mark 6. Tip the hash into a lightly buttered casserole dish, leaving it a bit craggy. Place into the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbling and beginning to brown.

Note - If desired you can top the hash with some grated strong cheddar cheese and pop it under the grill to toast.

  

What do you call a tasty little brownie type of square that is oh so buttery, rich . . . and moist.



Sweetly moreish with the lovely taste of light muscovado sugar . . .



Studded with scrummy chunks of oozing dark chocolate . . .



Sweet creamy hunks of delicious white chocolate . . .



Crunchy bits of toasted walnuts . . .



Decadently moreishly scrummily ADDICTIVE!!! That's what!!!



Bet you can't eat just one! And if you can . . . you're a much better woman than I am!



These little babies have been my undoing . . . but what a way to go . . .




*Double Chocolate Chunk Blondies*
Makes 48
Printable Recipe

Butterscotch flavoured brownies, moist, delicious and stogged full of white and dark chocolate chunks, and toasted walnuts. Moreishly delightful!

140g of butter, melted (1/2 cup, plus 1 1/2 TBS)
400g light brown muscovado sugar (3/4 cup, plus 1 TBS lightly packed)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
300g plain flour (2 1/2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
50g of toasted walnuts, coarsely broken (1/3 cup)
50g of good quality white chocolate, coarsely broken (1/2 medium sized bar. I use Green and Blacks)
50g of good quality dark chocolate, coarsely broken (1/2 of a medium sized bar. I use Fair trade dark chocolate with 72% cocoa solids)



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. gas mark 4. Line an 8 by 12 inch baking pan with foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place the butter into a large saucepan and melt over low heat. Once melted stir in the muscovado sugar and stir in completely. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for several minutes to lukewarm. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold into the wet ingredients, mixing only until thoroughly blended. Do not beat or overmix. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the nuts and chocolates evenly over top.

Bake for 25 minutes, until just firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Lift out by the foil and allow to finish cooling on a wire rack. Cool completely before removing the foil and then cutting into squares. Store in a tightly covered container for up to 4 days.