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

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!

I love bread for breakfast . . . muffins, tea breads, pancakes, waffles and tasty little gems like this recipe here today.

Delicious Cherry Granola Breakfast Buns.



A drop type of scone, all short and buttery . . . each crumbly buttery mound filled with delicious cherry preserves and topped with some crunchy granola. Baked until golden brown and then glazed with a delicious vanilla icing drizzle.




Oh so good! Sweet and savoury at the same time, with some crunch and meltingly buttery goodness.



What's not to like??



Oh, and did I remember to tell you that they are quick as a wink to make, easy and you can have them on the table in about 20 minutes???



Well . . . You can! Go on . . . what you waiting for??? Your family will thank you for them!



*Cherry Granola Breakfast Buns*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Buttery drop scones, filled with cherry preserves and granola crumbles, and then glazed with a delicious vanilla drizzle. Yummo!

8.5 ounces plain flour (2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 TBS caster sugar
3/4 tsp salt
8 TBS butter, melted
250ml of cold buttermilk (1 cup)
cherry fruit preserves
1 crisp granola bar crumbled (I used Nature's Valley honey and oat)
to glaze:
2 heaped dessertspoons of icing sugar
milk
vanilla



Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar. Stir together the melted butter and cold buttermilk. Stir this into the flour mixture. You should have a somewhat sticky dough of dropping consistency. Drop this mixture by heaped tablespoonful's onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space inbetween for spreading. You should get 12 mounds.

Using the back of a wet teaspoon, make a shallow hollow in the centre of each. Drop a scant teaspoon of cherry preserves into each hollow. Sprinkle some of the crumbled granola bar over each.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until browned on the bottoms and golden on the tops. Remove from the oven. Allow them to cool for a few minutes.

Whisk together the icing sugar along with a few drops of milk and vanilla, to make a drizzable consistency glaze. Drizzle over top of the breakfast buns. Serve while still warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat briefly in the microwave before serving. (Not too long as you don't want the jam to get too hot, about 15 to 20 seconds should do the trick.)

I managed to pick up a rotisserie chicken at the shops today that was marked half price. Did you know that they are only allowed to keep them in the cabinet for a certain amount of time and after that they have to mark them down and get rid of them? I discovered this little bit of information a while back and haven't paid full price for one since.



There is nothing wrong with them. They are still perfectly good. I just bring them home, strip them and then use the meat for casseroles or sandwiches.



Today I wanted to treat Todd to a Chicken Pot Pie . . . sort of as an apology for having fed him pasta that I tried to pass off as flat potatoes yesterday, he he he. I may torture him from time to time with things he is not overly fond of, but I always more than make up for it.



This recipe is quite simple and easy to do. It makes a nice sized casserole pot pie that is very family friendly. I used carrots and peas today, but you can also add some corn if you want to. You can also very easily double the recipe to feed more than four.



Instead of a traditional crust, I made some cheddar dumplings to drop on top . . . I was feeling rather lazy and didn't want to go to all the faff of rolling out a dough. Todd didn't mind. He loves dumplings even more than pie crust.



Stogged full of cheddar cheese and all crispy on the outsides they were just beautiful with that delicious filling. You could use cream, but I always just use skim evaporated milk. It saves somewhat on the calories and fat, and you can't really taste that it is tinned milk. The sauce is luxuriously rich tasting and lucious indeed!



We had it with a salad. Rabbit food as Todd calls it. He wasn't too happy about that. He doesn't like salad and I had given him some salad along side of his sandwich at lunch time. He figured once a day was enough, without me trying to palm it off on him twice in one day! Men!!



*Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Dumplings*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A delicious pot pie which makes good use of leftover chicken, or you can pick up a small rotisserie bird at the shops and use the meat from that. Scrumdiddlyumptious!

250ml of chicken broth (1 cup)
250ml of tinned evaporated milk (1 cup)
3 TBS butter
1 large leek, dark green leaves trimmed away, washed and then the light green and white parts chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and chopped
1 mug full of frozen petit pois
1 small rotisserie chicken, shredded ( 2 1/2 to 3 cups of meat)
2 heaped dessertspoons of flour
1 fluid ounces of cream sherry (1/8 cup)
1 tsp dried sage
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

For the dumplings:
4 1/4 ounces plain flour (1 cup)
1 tsp baking powder
generous pinch of baking soda
generous pinch of salt
2 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
4 TBS cold butter, cut into bits
125ml of buttermilk (1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready a shallow baking dish.

Strip all the chicken from it's bones, discarding any skin or bones. Cut into small bits or shred. Place in a bowl.

Heat 1 TBS of butter in a skillet. Add the leeks, celery and carrots. Cook and stir over medium low heat until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the sage. Add the remaining butter and then sprinkle the flour over top and give it good stir to coat everything. Pour in the chicken stock, milk and sherry. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about a minute. Stir in the parsley, frozen peas, chicken and season to taste with some salt and pepper. Pour this mixture into the baking dish.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Whisk in the baking powder, soda and salt. Drop in the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the cheese and then enough of the buttermilk to make a soft dough. Drop by tablespoons onto the hot chicken mixture.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling and the dumplings are crusty. Serve hot.



Our little princess celebrated her Birthday today with a tasty Beef Cake. She wasn't too happy about the party hat, but she sure enjoyed her cake! She wasn't bothered about the balloons either. I thought she might be afraid of them . . . but one whiff of the beef and she could think of nothing else! (That would be like me and good chocolate. You could sit anything on my head and cover me with balloons, just so long as I got the chocolate in the end!) Happy Birthday Mitzie!

I do admit to a certain fondness for pasta . . . it is somewhat of a passion with me . . . and every once in a while, I just can't help myself. I just have to have some.
Not a problem if you are married to most men, as most men don't mind a bit of pasta now and again either.



But . . . if you are married to the Toddster, it becomes a bit of a problem, because . . . as you already know . . . the Toddster HATES pasta with as much passion as I love pasta!!!!



I think the problem really lies in us having come from two completely different generations. His being old fashioned . . . wartime . . . traditionally British . . . school dinners . . . boiled cabbage and spuds . . . tinned corned beef . . . stodgy fare . . . And then there is mine . . . post War, baby boomer . . . spoilt for choice . . . a multi cultural palate . . . foodie in the extreme!



What it really boils down to this . . . I don't cook pasta very often, but once in a while I just have to have some and so I cook it. And he eats it . . . under protest of course. Mind you . . . I have noticed that he always clears his plate.



I baked a delicious pasta casserole yesterday . . . stogged full of meat and tomatoes, two kinds of cheese, chopped spring onions, sour cream . . . flat noodles.
I told him to think of the noodles simply as being flat potatoes, kind of squished out into long strips . . . um . . . and boiled.



He just wasn't going to buy into that idea . . . but he ate it and appeared to be enjoying it. Me-thinks he doth protest a tiny bit toooooo much, don't you think??? Normally I'd consider this to be "Man Food," and maybe in your house it will be. In this house however . . . it was considered torture.

But what's a pasta loving gal to do?



*Beef and Noodle Bake*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Kind of like a deconstructed lasagna. Family food. Stick to the ribs and mightly tasty!

450g of extra lean ground steak (1 pound)
390g pouch chopped tomatoes in tomato juice with basil and onions
(about 2 cups)
1 tsp sugar
garlic powder to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
125ml of sour cream (1/2 cup)
300g tub of cottage cheese (about 1 1/4 cups)
8 ounces of wide flat noodles (parpadelle)
1/2 bunch of spring onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
4 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a square glass baking dish. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet and lightly spray with some non stick cooking spray. Add the beef and scramble fry over medium high heat until nicely browned. Add the tomatoes and sugar. Season to taste with garlic powder, salt and lots of frreshly ground black pepper. Allow to simmer while you cook the noodles.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Once cooked drain well and rinse with cold water. Drain again.

Stir together the sour cream, cottage cheese, spring onions, some salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir this mixture into the noodles.

Layer half the noodles in the baking dish. top with half the meat, and half the cheddar. Top with the remaining noodles, meat and cheddar. Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes until bubbling and all the cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot. Delicious!!

I know, it's highly unusual that you see chocolate baked goods in my kitchen and rarely to never that you would see them two days in a row! With a chocolate hating husband and an ever expanding waistline, it's not something that I bake very often.



I wanted to bake some cookies though, for a friend and her three daughters . . . and . . . as anyone with a speck of intelligence knows . . . chocolate speaks to a woman's heart in a very special way!



I found a recipe in one of my Pillsbury cookery books for a chocolate strip cookie. I love strip cookies. They are so easy to make. I've made vanilla ones with strawberry jam in the middles before and some delicious Mincemeat crumble ones . . . they're all very good, and easy to make as well.



These chocolate ones looked really scrummy, with a rich chocolate batter . . . stogged full of chocolate chips and white and dark chocolate drizzles over all. There was no scrummy jam filling the middle though . . .

I like jam. Especially on, in or around biscuits! (cookies)



And so, even though these cookies were not going to be with me, I decided to fill the middles with Morello Cherry Preserves. Coz . . . you know . . . I would never feed anyone else anything that I didn't totally think was incredibly scrummy myself!



I think the end result was quite, quite pleasing. They went down a bomb.



*Chocolate Strip Cookies*
Makes 4 dozen
Printable Recipe

Scrummy chocolate cookies, stogged full of chocolate chips, cherry preserves and a drizzle of white chocolate. Very quick and easy to make!

8.5 ounces plain flour (2 cups)
2 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix) (1/2 cup), sifted
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
150g of caster sugar (3/4 cup)
85g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
6 ounces butter, softened (3/4 cup)
2 large free range eggs
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
about 6 TBS morello cherry preserves
To drizzle:
4 ounces white chocolate, cut into bits

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line two large baking sheets with baking parchent. Butter the parchment lightly. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, and soda. Stir this into the creamed mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Shape the dough into 4 (12 inch) long logs on the baking sheets, leaving lots of space in between them for spreading. Using your thumb, make a shallow trough down the middle of each. Spoon the cherry preserves into the troughs.

Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in the heated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the centre of one of the logs comes out clean.

Remove the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.

Carefully melt the white chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. (Don't allow the water to touch the bottom of the bowl, not to get into the chocolate or it will seize.) Drizzle this over the cooked cookie logs. Allow to set completely before proceeding.

Once completely cooled and the white chocolate has set, cut the logs diagonally into 1 inch wide strips. Store in an airtight container.

I've been doing the happy dance these past couple of weeks because it is strawberry season over here. It's been a bit early this year, due to the warm and sunny April we had, and right about now the shops are absolutely bursting with oodles and oodles of those lovely gorgeously sweet English berries!!!



English Strawberries and Asparagus are the BEST in the world. I know . . . I've not really tasted strawberries ALL over the world, but when I take into consideration all the ones I have tasted . . . I'm putting my money on English Berries . . . so sweet and juicy and . . . well . . . strawberry-ee!!



You cannot beat a fresh English berry, ripe and still warm from the sun, with straw still clinging to it . . . no sugar needed, the fruit tastes fabulous just as it is. We are so blessed to have some in our garden, and whilst there are not enough to satisfy my total indulgences at this time of year . . . there are certainly enough there for Todd and I to enjoy a handful or two, fresh from their canes and warm from the sun.



I thought I would make some delicious Strawberry Shortcake Rock Cakes with some that I picked up yesterday at the shops, for only 99p a punnet!

What is a rock cake??? It is like a cross between a cookie and a scone. Crisp on the edges, softly indulgent and rich on the insides, they are Harry Potter's favourite thing. Ordinary ones, stogged full of raisins, cherries and dried fruit are really scrummy, but I thought I would try some filled with chopped berries.



Oh my, what a tasty idea that was! These are wonderfully fruity and soft and crunchy from the sugar sprinkled on top before baking. Two of these, warm from the oven with a nice cold glass of milk went down a real treat.



Only one thing you need to know. Rock Cakes always taste best on the day they are baked . . . so you'll need to eat them up quickly.

So NOT a problem!



*Strawberry Shortcake Rock Cakes*
Makes about 3 dozen
Printable Recipe

Tender, sweet and chock full of sweet strawberries! As with any rock cake, they are best eaten on the day, but will keep in an airtight container for up to one day.

12 ounces fresh strawberries cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 2 cups)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
9 TBS granulated sugar, divided
280g plain flour (2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine seasalt
6 TBS cold butter, cut into small bits
140ml double cream (about 2/3 cup)
demerara sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Stir together the diced berries, lemon juice and 2 TBS of the sugar. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Drop in the butter and then rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cream just until the dough begins to come together and then fold in the berry mixture until combined.

Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets by heaped tablespoons, leaving some space between each one. Sprinkle with some demerara sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before eating. Your family will love you.

If you are looking for a quick and easy dessert that is very impressive, look no further! Have I got the perfect dessert for you!



Generally a fruit charlotte is shaped in a mold, lined with buttered bread, layered with a thick fruit puree and topped with more buttered bread. The whole thing is then baked until the bread shell is crisp. They are served up all buttery and warm with custard or cream.



This dessert I am showing you here today doesn't depart very far from that idea, but disposes of all the faff of having to line a mold. It is quick and easy and oh so very delicious! (You know how I love easy!! It brings out the sloth in me!)



It's as simple as mixing the fruit with some sugar and flour, pouring it into a casserole dish and then topping the fruit with buttered triangles of white bread.



Easy peasy, lemon squeazy! You have a delicious dessert that will have everyone oohing and ahhing in almost no time at all. In fact if you pop this into the oven just as you are about to serve the first course . . . by the time everyone has finished their mains it will be ready . . .



The fruit sweetly tart . . . the bread all buttery and crisp on the top, and soaked in lucious fruit juices on the bottom. Each mouthful is a delightful bite of delicious tastes and textures . . . especially when you dollop some clotted cream on top . . . or creme fraiche if you wish.



Or custard . . . or pouring cream. Even Ice Cream is fab! It will seem as if you have been slaving all day, but you know you didn't. It can be our little secret!



I only meant to have a tiny taste . . . but as you can see . . . this was so good, I couldn't stop myself from finishing the whole bowl.



Meh!! I've had worse lunches . . . ☺ (I know, I am sooooo bad!)



*Easy Berry Charlotte*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Don't let the ease of this fool you into thinking it's nondescript. This pudding is fabulous! I'd even serve it to company! Be sure to pass the clotted cream!

1 kg of mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, black and red currants, raspberries, about 2.2 pounds)
1 heaped TBS of plain flour
150g of caster sugar (about 3/4 cup)
6 thin slices of white bread
softened unsalted butter



Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.

Place the berries in a bowl. Gently toss together with the flour and sugar. Tip the mixture into a 12 by 8 inch baking dish.

Trim the crusts from the bread. Spread each slice on both sides with the softened butter. Cut each slice into quarters, giving you 4 triangles. Lay these in three overlapping rows on top of the berries.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or so before serving. Pass some clotted cream, creme fraiche or custard for pouring over top. Ice cream would also be very nice.