I saw some Irish Pancakes (of the Paul Rankin variety) in the shops the other day and I found myself wondering what was the difference between them and Scotch Pancakes or even the buttermilk pancakes from back home.



I decided to find out myself what it was, if any, and so I set out to do some research. What I discovered was quite, quite delicious!



These tasty buttermilk pancakes are a lot fluffier than the American version, but very similar to the Scotch. I don't know why, or how it works, but only that it works. Perhaps it could be that our buttermilk over here is a bit different than the buttermilk from back home. Ours is a lot thicker.



The idea of eating pancakes merely with some butter and jam was never something that I ever considered before moving over here. It seemed that they always tasted fab with butter and Maple Syrup, and I was never tempted to have them any other way, and in truth that is probably the best way of eating American style pancakes.



These however just beg to be spread with softened butter and dolloped with preserves a-la-scone like! Golden, light and fluffy they have a beautiful texture and flavour.



Do be sure to cook as soon as possible after mixing them together. The Soda reacts immediately to the buttermilk and if you delay you won't get the right lift!



Enjoy! (A hot cuppa is a must!)



*Irish Pancakes*
Amount is variable on how large you make them,
but generally speaking makes 4 to 6 servings
Printable Recipe

Better than the American kind I think. Golden, light and fluffy. Serve hot with some softened butter, preserves (or syrup) and a nice hot mug of whatever floats your boat.

8 ounces plain flour (2 cups)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 large free range egg
1/2 pint (1 cup) buttermilk

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Whisk well together and then make a well in the middle with a wooden spoon and add the egg. Break the yolk and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly to a thick batter. Do not beat, as this would develop the gluten in the flour and prevent the pancakes from rising. Fry in large dollops on a lightly-greased, hot griddle or heavy frying-pan. These delights are best served hot for tea, thickly spread with softened butter and preserves or golden syrup.



There's a delicious Califlower and Cashew Nut Pilau Rice dish over at A Year From Oak Cottage this morning!

I hate to admit it, but one thing I really do miss over here is good corn on the cob . . . especially in August when all my loved ones back home are digging into feasts of crispy tender corn on the cob, slathered in butter . . . Oh-so-sweet and crisp and delicious!



They do not have good corn over here. Oh, it's ok, but . . . it's not at all near as tasty as what we have back home. We even had some corn seeds sent over to us which we planted a few years back . . . it didn't grow well. We ended up with a few stunted ears, which while quite delicious, were not near enough to satisfy my craving!



Anyways, I do make do with what I can find . . . coz the North American in me just can't pass a summer by without having some corn on the cob. I have a tendancy to herb it up with tasty butters and such though, which more than make up for any lack of flavour in the corn.



They just don't "get" corn over here, I don't think. Corn should be cooked as soon as possible after picking. Every hour it waits it gets starchier and tougher. Most of the corn we have in the shops is old . . . or already husked. (DO NOT HUSK your corn until just before cooking it!!!)



I did manage to find some today that was not already husked and I snapped it up. It wasn't as good as the corn from back home . . . but I did it justice I think . . .as best as I could. It wasn't half bad actually!



*Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob with Herbs*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Corn on the cob, slathered with butter, seasoned, sprinkled with herbs and then rolled up in parchment paper and baked in the oven until buttery tender crisp and herby!

4 fresh ears of corn
softened butter (about 4 TBS)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
fresh herb sprigs (basil, rosemary, thyme, dill, marjoram or sage)

Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 8. Husk the corn and remove any silk clinging to the ears.

Get four large squaares of baking parchment (greaseproof paper). Spread each ear of corn with some softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a square of parchment. Lay 5 or 6 sprigs of fresh herbs around each ear. Wrap up and seal on the ends by twisting tightly.

Place the sealed ears of corn directly on the oven rack. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tender crisp. Unwrap to serve.



For the best flavours combine herbs in duos, such as thyme and dill, basil and rosemary, or thyme and sage. Delicious!

Flavoured Butters are a really easy and delicious way to get some flavour into your corn, especially when it's not the best quality of corn that it should or could be.
Here are some tasty suggestions:

Dill Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 1 TBS chopped fresh chives, 1 TBS chopped fresh dill, 1 tsp lemon juice.

Italian Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 1/4 tsp garlic salt, 1 TBS chopped fresh basil, 1 TBS chopped fresh oregano leaves.

Horseradish and Parsley Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley, 2 tsp prepared horseradish, salt and black pepper to taste.

Caesar Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 2 TBS grated Parmesan Cheese, 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley, 2 TBS Caesar Salad dressing, fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Curry Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 1 TBS good quality curry powder

Basil Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 1 tsp chopped fresh basil, 1 tsp chopped fresh chives, salt and black pepper to taste.

Onion Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 2 finely chopped spring onions, 1/4 tsp ground paprika, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Chili Butter - 2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter, 2 TBS sweet chili sauce.

Just combine the ingredients for each flavour together and spread on the cobs of corn before wrapping and roasting.


Over in Oak Cottage today, there's a delicious Chocolate Chunk Pie!

One of my favourite vegetables from the garden has always been Beetroot. We grow them every year and right about now they are just perfect for eating.

Great for boosting one's stamina and increasing muscle efficiency, beetroot are a great source of folic acid and contain potassium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C. £ small beetroot count as one of your daily five portions of fruit and veg a day!



Alot of people here in the UK seem to think that all you can do with a beetroot is pickle it, and I do confess, I love me some picked beetroot!

They are also wonderful when roasted in or out of the skins. They are beautiful shredded and used raw in a salad, or even grated and used like carrots would be in a cake!



*Pretty In Pink Polkadot Cake*
Serves 9
Printable Recipe

Moist and spicy with intriguing pink speckles throughout. Your guests will be quite surprised when they find out where all that pretty colour comes from! I like to think this is quite healthy and a good way to have your vegetables and eat your cake too!

CAKE:
150g raw beetroot, peeled and grated (about 4 medium beetroot)
200ml sunflower oil (2/3 cup)
250g golden caster sugar (1 1/4 cup)
3 large eggs, separated
3 TBS milk
100g chopped walnuts, toasted (scant cup)
200g plain flour (scant 1 1/2 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg (I like to grate my nutmeg fresh)
1/2 cup really good quality strawberry jam for filling
FROSTING:
180g butter, softened (about 3/4 cup)
150g icing sugar, sifted (1 generous cupful)
450g low fat cream cheese (2 cups, or 16 ounces)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pink sugar flowers and pink glitter to decorate



Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.. Grease two nine inch cake tins really well and dust with flour. Set aside. (alternately you can line with baking paper and grease it as well)

Remove about 1 tsp of the grated beetroot into a small bowl and cover with 2 teaspoons of boiling water and set this aside. (You will use this to colour the icing)

Whisk the sugar and the oil together in a bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the milk. Fold in the remaining beetroot and the nuts. It will look quite revoltingly red but don't let this alarm you in the least! (trust me!)

Sift together the flour, baking powder and the spices. Stir this mixture into the beaten mixture. Whip the egg whites until stiff with an egg beater and then fold them into the cake mixture in three additions, being careful not to over fold. Fold only to incorporate fully. Divide the batter evenly amongst the two prepared pans.

Bake in the heated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, only until the cake tests done and shrinks away a bit from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Run a knife around the edges and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting by beating the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Blend in the cream cheese until smooth and then work in the vanilla. Add some of the reserved beetroot liquor a little at a time to help tint the icing a pretty pink.

Remove the cake from the pans and place one layer in the middle of a pretty plate. Spread about 1/4 of the frosting on top of this layer. Spread the strawberry jam over top leaving about half an inch border around the edges with just icing. Carefully sandwich the other layer on top. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides, spreading it evenly and swirling it somewhat on the top. Decorate with the sugar flowers and sprinkle on some pink glitter to finish.

Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to set. If not serving straight away, cover with cling film and chill. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you want to serve it.



I also love to cook the tops of the beetroot, the leaves. These are fabulous sauteed or steamed like you would any leafy green. Just make sure you wash them really well, as they can be quite sandy. (Grit in the teeth=nasty!!) I have a fab recipe HERE for sauteed ones. Steamed you can just season with a bit of salt, pepper and some vinegar and butter. Delicious! (We've had precious little of those this year as the slugs seem to enjoy them almost as much as we do!!)

Of course one of our absolute favourite ways of preparing them is what is called Harvard Beets in North America. Deliciously tender beetroot in a sweet, tangy and buttery sauce!

Oh, I do adore beetroot in any way shape or form!




*Sweet and Tangy Beetroot*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Delicious tender beetroot in a sweet and tangy sauce. Fabulous side dish and a great way to use up some of the beetroot from the garden!

3.5 ounces sugar (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2 fluid ounces cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
2 fluid ounces cooking water from the beets (1/4 cup)
6 medium sized beetroot, cooked until tender, peeled and then sliced
(about 3 cups)
2 TBS butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste



Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan. Add the vinegar and water, whisking well to blend. Bring to the boil over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the beets, tossing together well. Take off the heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Just before serving, add the butter and reheat to boiling point. Serve hot.



I'm cooking Courgettes (Zucchini) over in Oak Cottage today.

I still had some leftover chicken that I needed to use up and so I decided to make a tasty stuffing pie for our tea tonight.



I love chicken. I love stuffing. I love pie.



The three together is, well . . . quite exceptionally good!



There is no crust. The stuffing is the crust. You can use stuffing crumbs, dry bread crumbs, crushed croutons . . . whatever.



It may not look like much . . . but trust me when I say, looks are very deceiving here. This is fabulous.



Especially when you top if with some creamed peas and carrots. This was just like a pot pie, except a LOT easier.



Delicious. Purely and simply delicious.



*Chicken and Stuffing Pie*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This may not look like much, but this is absolutly delicious!

2 celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 TBS butter
8 ounces stuffing crumbs, or crushed croutons (2 cups)
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp marjoram
pinch ground nutmeg
1 TBS parsley flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
1 large free range egg, beaten
375ml of warm chicken broth (1 1/2 cups)
2 cups of chopped cooked chicken
To serve:
Creamed peas and carrots (optional)

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and celery. Saute without colouring until soft, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch pie dish. Set aside.

Tip the bread crumbs into a bowl along with the sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and parsley flakes. Mix together well. Stir in the broth, beaten egg and sauteed vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chicken. Mix well. Spread this mixture into the buttered pie dish.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and lightly browned.

Serve cut into wedges along with some creamed peas and carrots spooned over top if desired. A tossed salad goes very well with this.



*Creamed Peas and Carrots*
Serves 4
Printable recipe

Delicous served over crackers, biscuits, toast, fish cakes or my tasty Chicken Stuffing Pie.

2 TBS butter
2 TBS plain flour
1 pint of milk
salt and pepper to taste
cooked peas and carrots to taste
(I like a larger ratio of sauce to veg, but some people like more veg than sauce)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the vegetables and heat through.



I've another tasty offering over in Oak Cottage today, Grandma's Fruit Cobbler!

  

One of my favourite things about late summer is the abundance of summer berries . . .
There's still the odd strawberry hanging about, but in truth they're mostly gone by now, but the shop shelves are now filled with beautiful Scottish and British Raspberries . . .



Lovely Blackberries from Kent . . . the hedgerows are beginning to fill up with them as well . . .
Beautiful plump Blueberries from Devon . . .



Oh such a lovely lot of berries . . . sweet and delicious and perfect for light desserts and sauces.
Beautiful desserts such as this spiced berry compote. Delicious in it's own right . . .



but equally as scrummy spooned warm over vanilla ice cream . . . the warm juices trickling down the cool vanilla mountain and mingling with it's sweet milkyness . . .



Or served cold in a bowl and topped with a dollop of softly whipped cream . . . perfect foil for it's heady richness and beautiful colours . . .
or . . . and this is the creme de la creme . . . spooned onto the bottom of a buttery fruit scone and topped with tasty dollop of Clotted Cream a la creme tea!



And . . . why not! mmm . . . mmm . . . mmm . . .



*Spiced Summer Berry Compote*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Rich and heady. Beautifully coloured. Simple. Perfect with some cold ice cream, vanilla of course!

400g of fruit (a generous pound) blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, tayberries etc.
(I use about half blueberries)
4 TBS caster sugar
3 TBS spiced berry squash drink mix, undiluted (can use a fruit flavoured liqueur such as framboise)

Put half of the berries (blueberries) into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Sprinkle with the sugar and the berry squash drink mix. Slowly bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer just to the point where the berries seem about to burst. Remove from the heat. Stir in the raspberries, blackberries and any other fruit you are using.

Serve warm in glasses or small bowls, or spooned over ice cream.

Delicious also spooned between fruited scones along with a nice dollop of clotted cream. The ultimate in a cream tea!

A birthday comes but once a year and deserves to be celebrated . . . even if you are on the downslide towards 60. Yes, today I turn 56. I am now officially closer to 60 than I am 50 . . .

As sad as that might be . . . I still gotta celebrate! And that means cake. In the past I have made delicious creations such as . . .



Raspberry Celebration Cake
A beautiful victorian style sponge, chock full of fresh raspberries and filled with buttercream and raspberry jam . . . and a drizzle icing on top



Lemon Pound Cake with a Blueberry Sauce
A lovely buttery cake with full on lemon flavour a scrummy icing and then a beautiful blueberry compote.



Chocolate Lamington Cake

Oy!! Chocolate and Cream! Need I say more???



This year I decided to treat myself to a beautiful ginger cake. This is my friend Carolyn's recipe which she so generously gave to me. She served it at the Relief Society lunch we had the other weekend and I fell in love with it.



You know how much I love, Love, LOVE ginger!!! (So does Todd, so it's win/win!)



This is moist and spicy, with a lot of ginger heat and then the sweet spiced flavour of mixed spice. (There is a recipe for mixed spice in the right hand side column of this page).



But not only that . . . it is stogged full of candied cherries and ginger pieces . . . such a delightful surprise.



Topped with a runny drizzle and more candied ginger it's just a lovely cake. Moist. Spicy. Rich.



Dig out your prettiest pan for this one! It's a keeper. I have an idea this is one that will taste even better tomorrow, that's if there's any left! Anyhooo . . . Happy Birthday to me!



*Ginger Ring Cake*
makes one ring shaped cake
(or one small bundt cake)
Printable Recipe

This is lovely and moist and just spicy enough! I love that it has cherries and candied ginger in it. That makes it all the scrummier!

100g of butter, softened (7 TBS)
125g of golden caster sugar (2/3 cup)
100g treacle (1/3 cup molasses)
1 large free range egg
225g self raising flour (a generous 1 1/2 cups)
3 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp mixed spice (see recipe for mixed spice in the right hand column of my page)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175ml of milk (2/3 cup)
100g chopped candied cherries (1/2 cup)
100g chopped candied ginger (1/2 cup)
Runny Icing to top as well as more chopped candied Ginger

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease and flour a ring shaped cake tin, or a medium sized bundt pan. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar and treacle until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with dry. Fold in the cherries and ginger. Spoon into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Once completely cold, place onto a plate and ice with a drizzeable icing and decorate with some more candied ginger.