Well, folks, what with having an early spring and such a lovely March, quite a bit of the rhubarb in our garden is ready to begin harvesting now. Not bundles and bundles of it, but enough for me to indulge in a few rhubarb treats.



I love rhubarb season. I love rhubarb!! When I was a child, during rhubarb season, my mother used to give us each a stick of rhubarb and a small bowl of sugar. We would sit there sticking the end of the rhubarb into the sugar and biting it off on the sugared end. Oh boy. Was that ever mouth puckering good! You got the super sour tang of the rhubarb and a blast of sweet from the sugar. It was like a natural, "chemical free" pixie stick!



The other week I made a rhubarb pie and it was sooooo good. This weekend I decided to make a Rhubarb Clafoutis. Traditionally made with cherries, this is a French Dessert. It's like a batter pudding made with eggs, ground almonds, a bit of flour, sugar, fruit and cream. Technically a clafoutis made with fruit other than cherries it called a Flaugnarde, but why split hairs . . . this is a clafoutis.



Rich and sweet . . . with tender pieces of honey roasted rhubarb and lovely flecks of vanilla seeds througout, this is a fantastically scrummy dessert.



Of course Todd had to have his with some cream drizzled over top, and why not . . .


A little bit of an indulgence once in a while is a good thing. (So is the smell of your fingers after playing with the vanilla seeds. There's no calories in smell right??? Ok . . . so I did have an eensy peensy taste.)




*Rhubarb Clafoutis*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Tender Spring Rhubarb is showcased in a very tasty dessert. The pinker rhubarb looks very nice done this way.

400g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths (3/4 ld)
1 vanilla pod
25g of butter (scant 2 TBS)
1 TBS runny honey (Acacia is nice)
50g of ground almonds (generous 1/2 cup)
2 TBS plain flour (all purpose)
100g caster sugar (1/2 cup fine white sugar)
2 medium free range eggs
2 medium free range egg yolks
250ml of double cream (a generous cup of heavy cream, a scant 9 fluid ounces)
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Arrange the rhubarb in a single layer in a shallow 1 litre baking dish. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Dot the seeds over the rhubarb pieces. Dot with the butter as well and then drizzle the honey over top. Bake for 15 minutes in the heated oven, until tender.

Beat together the almonds, flour, sugar, eggs, egg yolks and cream, until you have a smooth mixture. Remove the roasted rhubarb from the oven. Pour the egg mixture over top. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes until puffed and golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. Delicious!

Today I tortured my pasta hating husband with some comfort food from my childhood, which rang all my bells, but left him feeling rather off key! haha He says he hates pasta, but he always eats it when I make it. I think it's because he knows it's cheap . . . and that part of him that grew up during the War and during rationing, likes a good bargain!



This might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is mine. I love macaroni. I love tomatoes. I love cheese. Put the three together and you have my idea of heavnly bliss.



This is a great meal to throw together to feed your hungry family on a weeknight when you know you aren't going to have a lot of time . . . and for when it's getting close to payday and you are wanting those hard earned pesos to stretch that little bit further.



I always pick up blocks of cheese when it's on special at the shops and keep it in my freezer until I need it. It is perfectly find for cooking with and to be honest that's how most of the cheese in this house gets used. Oh we will have the odd piece just with some crackers, but mostly . . . it's cooked.



I always pick up tins of tomatoes when they are on special as well. We love our tinned tomatoes in this house. If you've got a tin of tomatoes in the cupboard, you've got the makings of a tasty meal. That's my opinion at any rate!



Milk. Check! We always have milk too. Of course you could make this really decadent and use half cream and half milk. And I have done that from time to time and it is rather good, if I don't say so myself . . . but normally I just use plain old ordinary milk.



This is the kind of comfort food that your mom or gran might have cooked. You could brown off some lean minced beef and add it along with some onions, but it's not really necessary because . . .



This tastes fabulous just the way it is. Who says simple has to be boring??



*Scalloped Macaroni*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This may be simple and plain, but don't let that fool you. Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious of all.

8 ounces of uncooked macaroni (1/2 pound, 2 cups)
8 ounces of grated strong cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (2 cups)
5 ounces scalded milk (2/3 cup approx. To scald milk, put into a beaker and
heat on high in the microwave for 1 minute, or heat in a small saucepan until bubbles appear
around the edges. Don't let it boil.)
a handful of coarse breadcrumbs or crackercrumbs
1 TBS melted butter
salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Butter a 1 litre casserole dish and set aside.

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions in lightly salted water, just to al dente. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again.

Layer the macaroni, cheese and tomatoes in the prepared casserole dish, as follows: a third of the macaroni, a layer of cheese, half of the tomatoes, a third of the macaroni, a third of the cheese,the remaining tomatoes, the remaining macaroni and ending with the remaining cheese. You will want to lightly season each layer of macaroni, remembering that the cheese will be salty so heavy on the pepper, and salting judiciously! (Love that word, don't you?) Pour the scaled milk over top of the casserole, running a knife down through it here and there so that you make sure it goes well to the bottom. Mix the bread or cracker crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the milk is bubbling up and the top is nicely browned. Serve hot.

Note: you can add some finely chopped raw onion with the tomatoes if you wish. I sometimes do.

I ended up with a few bananas today that needed using up pronto, and as I am a person who doesn't like to waste anything I decided to make some muffins with them. That way we could keep some for ourselves and I could take a few over to our elderly friend Doreen . . .



These aren't just any banana muffin though. These are Banana and Sticky Date Muffins! Scrummo!!



Yep, delicious banana muffins stogged full of lovely sticky dates . . . that get all scrummy and sticky toffee like . . .



Buttery and wonderfully moist from the banana, and topped with a bit of crunch from a tasty brown sugar drizzle.



You could add chopped toasted walnuts or pecans if you wanted to, which would be a lovely addition and give some meaty crunch to go along with all the sticky datedness!



These went down a real treat with a hot cuppa about 11 am. Oh, I do so love the tradition of Elevensies, don't YOU?



* Banana and Sticky Date Muffins*
Makes 12 large muffins
Printable Recipe

Moist and sticky delicious, crammed full of dates and topped with a brown sugar glaze! What's not to like!

200g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups) sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
172g of butter, softened (3/4 cup)
132g of soft light brown sugar (2/3 cup packed)
2 large free range eggs
3 really ripe bananas, peeled and mashed well
1 tsp rum extract
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
75g chopped dates (1/2 cup)

For the glaze:
100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS hot water

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a large sized muffin tins with paper liners, or butter well and dust with flour. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Place the butter and brown sugar into a bowl. Cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the flour mixture. Stir the run and vanilla into the bananas and stir this into the batter, until well incorporated. Stir in the dates. Drop by heaped spoonfuls into the lined muffin cups filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until risen, lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean!

Stir together the brown sugar, vanilla and hot water until smooth. Drizzle over top of the warm muffins, allowing it to soak in. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

We had some people over for dinner tonight, and I cooked a pretty nice meal I guess. Nothing too out of the ordinary. We had grilled chicken breasts that I had marinated all day in a Ranch type of marinade. Then I had made a hot German Potato Salad, and cooked some green beans, which we had with the grilled chicken along with a tossed salad and some crusty rolls.



The piece de resistance though was this fabulous cake. One of the guests said it was the best dessert he had ever eaten . . . and well, not to brag or anything . . . it is pretty good, if I don't say so myself.



A moist and tender cake, which is stogged full of lovely warm spices and chunks of apple . . .
Baked in a pie dish so that it is shaped like an apple pie. Oh , it smells like heaven when it is baking . . . all comforting and spicy and scrummy.



But that's not all . . . no . . . that's not all . . .



While it is baking you make this totally scrumdiddlyumptious brown sugar rum sauce to spoon over top of baked cake. You can serve it warm, or at room temperature. It's decadently delicious either way.



OF course a dollop of whipped cream, is it's crowning glory.



Go ahead . . . dig in. You won't be sorry. It may not look like much, but this is one case where looks are quite, quite deceiving. This is a true winner.



*Apple Pie Cake with a Brown Sugar and Rum Sauce*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

It's a cake, shaped like a pie and stogged full of apples and spice, with a delicious brown sugar and rum flavoured sauce to spoon over top. Yummy!

2 ounces butter softened (1/4 cup)
190g of caster sugar (1 cup)
1 large free range egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
150g of plain flour, sifted (1 cup)
2 TBS hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 3 cups)

For the Sauce:
100g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup firmly packed)
85g of caster sugar (1/2 cup)
5 TBS butter, softened
125ml of heavy cream (1/2 cup)
1 tsp rum flavouring (You can use 1 TBS of real rum if you wish)

Whipped Cream to serve

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

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the caster sugar and the egg. Combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and grated nutmeg. Stir into the creamed mixture, along with the water and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Stir in the chopped apple. Spoon the batter into the prepared pie dish. Smooth the top over and then bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

For the sauce, combine the sugars, cream and butter in a small saucepan. Heat and stir over medium low heat until the butter is melted. Bring to the boil and allow to boil for one minute only. Remove from the heat, stir in the rum flavouring. Serve warm or at room temperature with the cake.

Cut the cake into wedges to serve. Top each wedge with some sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

 

Since my kitchen is still not quite in working order, I thought it would be fun today to talk about some of the more traditional Savoury Dishes that I have cooked here in The English Kitchen. In some cases I have taken the traditional and added a slight twist, which I love to do. The essence remains the same and all are quite delicious, if I don't say so myself!



Toad in the Hole

This is my meat and potatoes loving husband's favourite meal, and who wouldn't like it. With it's delicious Yorkshire Batter Pudding Base and Thick English Bangers, it is a family pleaser all round. Especially when served up with mash and lots of onion gravy!




Lancashire Hot Pot. Lancashire hotpot is a culinary dish consisting essentially of meat, onion and potatoes left to bake in the oven all day in a heavy pot and on a low heat. Originating in the days of heavy industrialisation in Lancashire in the north west of England, it requires a minimum of effort to prepare.



Beer Battered Fish and Chips Moist and flakey fish encased in a traditional crisp beer batter, fried until golden brown. Oh so delicious, especially when served up with fat chips and mushy peas, or minted peas if you have no mushy peas to hand! (I love it both ways!)



Perfect Egg and Chips A perfectly fried egg, served with crisp chips and slices of buttered bread in the traditional way. All the better to make a hot chip buttie with! (Yes that's hot chips wrapped up in a buttered slice of white bread. The butter melts and the whole thing is just fabulously tasty.) Simple and filling and oh so wonderfully comforting.



Welsh Cheese Pudding A bread and butter pudding of sorts filled with lovely leeks, welsh cheese, eggs and milk. A simple and comfortingly filling dish.



Bangers and Mash
and not just any Bangers and Mash, but Sticky Bangers with a Chive and Buttermilk Mash! Scrummo!!



Spam Fritters, surprisingly tasty! Don 't knock them or turn your nose up til you try them. They are oddly addictive!


Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder. Oh, this is a gorgeous Sunday Lunch Treat! With lovely crisp roast potatoes, and vegetables, lotsa gravy. Oh yum...



The Great Cornish Pasty. A beautiful thing, filled with steak, potatoes, onions and swede. Oh, and that pastry. So delectable!



Posh Beans on Toast. Dressed up tinned beans served on cheese and onion toasties.



Lamb Stew with Feather Dumplings. So called feather dumpling because they are made with potato and light as a feather!



Cauliflower and Cheese. The ultimate in comfort and tradition, and not boring in the least.



Cottage Pie with Potato Cobbles. Oh so delicious with the surprise of a sliced potato and cheese topping over a rich beef, vegetable and gravy base.



Macaroni Shepherds Pie. A delicious Shepherds Pie with a twise . . . delicious lamb filling, topped with a scrummy Macaroni and Cheese topping!



Baked Corned Beef Hash. The traditional with a little twist, baked and topped with cheese. Delicious!



Beef Stew with Herbed Dumplings. We are great stew lovers in this house, and dumplings make a fabulous dish every fabulous-er! (yes, I know, not a real word.)



Perfect Roast Chicken. Deliciously flavoured with carrot, leek, onion and butter. Moistly delectable.



A Mild Lamb Curry. Creamy and mild, with tender chunks of lamb in a well flavoured curry sauce. In short, delicious.



Chicken and Mushroom Casserole with Crusty Dumplings. Tender bites of chicken, with savoury mushrooms in a rich sauce, topped with crusty dumplings. Need I say more???

Of course there are many, many more traditional recipes on my site, but I've made myself rather hungry now. I think I'll have to go and make myself some bread and marmite and dream about a day in the not too soon future when my kitchen is again workable. Buttered Bread and Marmite . . . another tasty tradition, which you either loathe or love, or both.



Don't lose faith in me, there will be some new scrumminess soon, I promise!!