As you know I am a big fan of potatoes! I love them in any way shape or form. A day without eating a potato is a day in which something is missing for me. No Carb or low carb doesn't work for me!



The other day I saw these pretty Apache potatoes in the grocery store, and the bag was only a pound in price, so I gave in and bought them to give them a try. They're very striking in appearance don't you think? Kind of like an Native American pony. (I forget what they are called.) Half of the bag we used simply steamed . . . oh but they were lovely with a bit of melted butter and mint . . . they had a slightly waxy texture (great for salads) and a buttery almost chestnut flavour. Mmmmmm . . .



The rest I used to make a potato salad yesterday. I do so love a nice potato salad in the summer time. I am not fussy about mayonnaisy ones . . . not unless it's my mom's. She makes the best potato salad, with a mayonnaise base. I like it because it's not swimming in mayo. I am not fond of potato salad, swimming in mayo. Ugh . . .



I chose to make a delicious vinaigrette dressing for my salad this time . . . flavoured with some sherry vinegar and Dijon mustard . . . some shallot and spring onion, and of course seasalt and black pepper.



I cut up the potatoes and dropped them into the vinaigrette while they were still warm. That way the potato is able to absorb some of that lovely flavour from the dressing . . . just the way I like it.



I then added some pancetta lardons, which I had cooked until crisp . . . and some crumbled blue cheese. Oh my . . . to die for.



I garnished with some additional spring onion, blue cheese and I added a bit of the packaged bacon bits . . . but I should have actually saved out some of the pancetta lardons to use instead of the packaged ones, as the packaged bits looked a bit too pink. Thank goodness it was just for us!



Oh well . . . live and learn. I do hope you'll try this recipe out. Pink bacon bits aside . . . it was really quite, quite delicious! Oh how, I do so love Potato Salad!!



*Potato Salad with Blue Cheese and Bacon*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I love a potato salad with a vinaigrette dressing far more than a mayonnaise based one. They just taste lighter somehow. This one is fab with the addition of a snappy dressing and so blue cheese and bacon lardons!

For the dressing:
2 fluid ounces of Sherry Vinegar (1/4 cup)
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 fluid ounces of olive oil (1/2 cup)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:
1 pound of salad potatoes (I used navaho ones here, a mixture of red and brown skinned)
3 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1 small package of pancetta lardons, fried until crisp (about 1/2 cup)
120g of danish blue cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

Put the potatoes into a pot of lightly salted boiling water. Bring back to the boil, then turn the heat down a bit and simmer rapidly for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Drain well.

Whisk together the vinegar, oil, shallots and mustard for the dressing. Cut the potatoes into quarters while they are still warm and drop them into the dressing. Allow them to cool to room temperature in the dressing. Add the chopped spring onions, pancetta and crumbled blue cheese. Toss lightly to mix all together. Serve at room temperature.

Note: If you like you can reserve some of the bacon, spring onions and cheese to sprinkle on the top of the salad in the bowl for a pretty garnish.

I was recently sent me some baking goodies to try out from Tala. I was really happy to get them. I have quite a few Tala items in my baking cupboard already, and from my experience, I have always felt that their products are reasonably priced, easy to use, and typically pretty good quality!

Tala is a home cooking brand that has been a part of kitchens nationwide since 1899, well known and loved for it's innovative baking, icing tools and gadgets. One of my favourite tools which I use frequently is their retro cooks measure and I just adore their icing bag set. They stand for quality. I do hope you'll take the time to watch the short film above as it's really quite interesting and informative.



The first item I was sent was their Twelve cup Bun Tray, or muffin tin as it is called in North America. Measuring 35cm X 26.5cm X 3 cm, it is of a pretty standard size, and just perfect for baking buns, fairy cakes, muffins and Yorkshire puddings. It is of a pretty hefty weight as well. It's not flimsy at all, which means that anything baked in it will bake pretty evenly, and there won't be hot spots. It has a double layered non-stick coating and is oven proof to 240*C/464*F. It's also fridge, freezer and dishwasher safe. It usually retails at most quality cook shops for around £10.00, although you can sometimes find it at a cheaper price.



The other item was their 3 Tier Card Cupcake Stand. These Card Cupcake Stands are becoming very popular these days. Not only are they quite easy to store, but they are lightweight, very easily put together and normally wipe clean with a damp cloth without too much trouble. I like this Tala one because it is not too *frou*frou*, if you know what I mean. I like it's simplicity, both in colour and style. I found it very easy to clean up after use and of course, it's super easy to store, which is a real plus from my way of thinking. This retails at a very reasonable £6.99, making it very affordable and perfect for small get-together's etc. You might think that being made of card, it would be flimsy, but it's really very sturdy. I do recommend putting it together in the exact spot that you want to serve the cupcakes from . . . as it is a bit cumbersome to move. Also I put my cupcakes on evenly working with two at a time, placed directly across from each other. If you do it any other way, the flat surfaces have a tendancy to tilt. All in all though, I was very pleased with it's performance.



Did you also know that Tala has a wonderful new website?? www.talacooking.com is a wonderful site which is totally interactive, along with a discussion community where you can add photos and recipes. I quite like it!!



In trying out the bun tin I decided to bake these lovely Praline Topped Coffee and Pecan Cupcakes. It's a little bit of a fiddly recipe, meaning only that there are a lot of different parts to it, but if you take each part on it's own, and spread it out over a day, they really aren't that difficult at all.



The cake batter is stogged full of toasted chopped pecan nuts, and flavoured with a coffee syrup you make yourself. It just gives a subtle hint of coffee flavour . . . the real special touch comes when you pour more of the coffee syrup over the hot cakes when they come out of the oven. It soaks into the baked cake, making them moist and very flavourful.

They baked up beautifully in the Tala bun tin. I was well impressed with it's performance. The cakes baked evenly and were done in the exact time recommended in the recipe. I liked this tin much better than my other ones that I have. It also cleaned up really well with no difficulty!



Topping them is a deliciously tangy and buttery Creme Fraiche buttercream icing. Oh, my but it is some good.



But the real piece de resistance is that delectable pecan praline that you make, crush and sprinkle over the top, which makes these very special cupcakes indeed. It's very easy to make really, just so long as you keep an eye on it and don't overcook it . . . and spreading it out is super easy if you use two forks to pull it apart.



All in all these are fabulous cupcakes from top to bottom. I highly recommend. (Adapted from a recipe out of the book Weekend Baking by Sarah Randall)



*Praline Topped Coffee and Pecan Cupcakes*
Makes 12 large cupcakes
Printable Recipe

Best made and eaten on the day, but the unfrosted cupcakes freeze very well, if you want to bake a batch and then just decorate and eat as needed.

For the coffee syrup:
3 TBS instant coffee granules
6 TBS boiling water
2 TBS caster sugar

For the cakes:
175g of butter, softened (3/4 cup)
175g of caster sugar (9/10 of a cup)
3 large free range eggs
175g of self raising flour (a generous 1 1/2 cups)
50 chopped toasted pecan nuts (1/2 cup)

For the Praline:
100g of caster sugar (generous half cup)
50g of chopped toasted pecan nuts (1/2 cup)

For the frosting:
200g of icing sugar, sifted (a generous 1 1/2 cups)
2 TBS creme Fraiche
150g of unsalted butter, softened (2/3 cup)



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a muffin tin with medium to large holes with paper liners. Set aside.
Line a baking sheet (for the praline) with some baking paper. Set aside.

To make the coffee syrup, whisk all of the ingredients together until the sugar is melted. Set aside to cool.

Cream the butter and sugar for the cakes together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift in the flour, drizzle with 3 TBS of the coffee syrup and then whisk together for a few minutes. Fold in the pecans. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes, until risen and lightly golden. (The tops should spring back when lightly touched.) Remove from the oven. Prick the tops of the hot cupcakes with a fork and then spoon over the remaining coffee syrup allowing it to soak in. Remove the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the praline. Tip the sugar into a medium sized frying pan. Cook gently over low heat, without stirring, until the sugar is melted. Increase the heat slightly and let the sugar simmer until it turns a deep golden caramel colour. (This literally only takes a few minutes, so be on your guard.) Remove from the heat immediately. Stir in the toasted chopped pecans. Stir quickly and pour out onto the lined baking sheet. Spread out thin using two forks. Allow to cool completely until set. Bash with the end of a rolling pin to break it up.

To make the frosting, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Tip in the creme fraiche and the butter. Beat together until smooth.

Spread a portion of the frosting on top of each cold cupcake and sprinkle with a little bit of the crushed pecan praline. Serve on the day. Delicious!

Many thanks to Tala Bakeware and Sophie for affording me this fabulous (and delicious) opportunity.

Website: www.talacooking.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalaRetro

 

One of my favourite cookery books is this one by America's Test Kitchen, entitled . . . Simple Recipes, more than 200 flavourful, foolproof recipes that cook in 30 minutes or less. I love cooking as you know . . . but if I can combine my love of cooking with great tasting recipes that are quick to prepare and deliciously interesting to eat . . . then I am a very happy cook.


I love this book because, although these are simple recipes . . . they are also extraordinary recipes, filled with flavour, colour and texture. You get maximum flavour and impressive results . . . with minimum effort.




That is the type of cooking I love. Good tasty ingredients, put together in innovative and delicious ways . . . cooked and prepared with simplicity. Fresh and tasty food really should speak for itself don't you think??? Me too!!!! Good food doesn't need gimmicks to make it taste better.



This is one of my favourite salad recipes from the book . . . and I'm happy to say that the Toddster loves it too. This is a salad which would easily please any man . . .



I call it the holy trinity of steakdom! Steak, mushrooms and tangy blue cheese . . . the three combined in a simple salad which tastes anything but simple. It has a deliciously tangy and rich vinaigrette dressing . . .



I did make a few changes here. The original recipe called for red wine vinegar in the dressing . . . I used sherry vinegar and I added 1 TBS of liquid acacia honey . . . just for a slight hint of sweetness, as that is the way we like our salad dressings . . .



The steak is simply seasoned and then cooked until golden brown on the outside, yet meltingly tender and slightly rare on the insides.



The mushrooms are sauteed in drippings along with a touch of the vinaigrette, giving them a lovely colour and moreish flavour.



You get the green rich and meaty crunch of fresh baby spinach leaves . . . the lovely flavour of the steak, the tang of capers and blue cheese . . . rich mushrooms and a lovely vinaigrette, which when combined together create a fabulous salad that I would even serve to company.



If I could think of anything that might tip it over the edge and make it even better . . . it might be the addition of some crispy salad onions . . . for crunch, but really . . . it's quite wonderful just the way it is.



Who says salads have to be boring???



*Steak, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

The flavour trinity of fabulous steak tastiness . . . a good piece of meat, some meaty mushrooms and blue cheese. What's not to like!

2 strip loin steaks, 8 to 10 ounces each in weight, and each about 1 inch thick
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 fluid ounces of extra virgin olive oil (1/2 cup), divided
2 fluid ounces of sherry vinegar (1/4 cup)
1 TBS liquid Acacia honey
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 TBS Dijon mustard
3/4 pound of white closed cap mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
1/2 pound of baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
2 TBS non-pariel capers, drained and rinsed
235g of blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

Measure 2 TBS of the olive oil out into a large skillet. Set aside.

Whisk the remaining olive oil together with the minced shallot, vinegar, honey and Dijon mustard. Season to taste with fine sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Pat the steaks dry and wipe with some paper toweling. Season with some salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers and begins to smoke. Add the steaks and cook, turning over only once, until nicely browned and cooked medium rare, about 4 minutes per side. (If medium rare is not to your taste, you can cook them a bit longer if you wish.) Remove to a plate and tent loosely to keep warm.

Add the mushrooms to the hot pan along with 3 TBS of the dressing. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium high heat until the mushrooms are golden brown. This will take about 8 minutes or so. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

Toss the spinach leaves in a large bowl along with the capers and mushrooms. Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing. Cut the steaks thinly across the grain in thin slices. Arrange over top of the spinach. Crumble the blue cheese over top and serve. Pass any remaining dressing at the table.

I had some asparagus in the fridge that needed using up yesterday and was looking for a nice light lunch. Something not too high in calories, but that would be really tasty as well.

English asparagus is really lovely and something that I just can't get enough of during the asparagus season. We are getting to the end of it now, the asparagus season that is. The rest of the year you can always find asparagus in the shops here, but it comes from Peru, Kenya, or some other faraway place, and is pretty tasteless . . . it's been picked ages before it gets to the shops and so you can imagine the blah-ness of it all . . .



I much prefer the fresh stuff that's been just picked. The taste is amazing. Why settle for less.

Asparagus can be a bit sandy so make sure you wash it really well in several changes of cold water. To trim hold the stem between the forefinger and thumb of each hand and bend it just until it snaps. It will naturally snap off just where the tough part ends and the tender part begins. Discard the tough ends. (or save them in the freezer to make a tasty vegetable stock at a future date) I always like to trim the little tags off around the stem as well, as they can be quite bitter.

Even Todd liked this and he is not really a pasta lover. The tastes were fresh and light and we both really enjoyed it.



*Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Peas*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Delicious pasta with a light sauce with vegetables. The vegetables are cooked until just crispy tender and the whole thing is a wonderful symphony of textures and flavours that really please. Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine.

8 ounces of uncooked fusilli pasta
1/2 pound of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices
1 cup frozen green peas
1 TBS butter
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup organic vegetable broth
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 TBS fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
the finely grated zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
lemon wedges to serve



Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the asparagus cuts during the last minute of cooking. Place the peas in a colander. Drain the pasta mixture over top of the peas when done. Set aside.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant and slightly softened, about one minute. Combine the broth and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring to blend well and then stir this into the garlic in the skillet. Bring to the boil, stirring. Cook until thick, stirring constantly for about one minute. Whisk in the cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook and stir for about one minute to heat through. Toss in the pasta and vegetables, stirring to coat well. Garnish with some more freshly ground black pepper if desired and serve with some lemon wedges on the side.

The missionaries are coming over for supper tonight and I wanted to cook something that was not only delicious and easy, but quick and comforting. I had in mind to buy a chicken and then make a chicken pot pie with it . . .



But then I got to the store, they had cooked Rotisserie Chickens on special at 2 for £7, and so I bought two already cooked chickens. I know . . . me<---Bad.



Nevermind . . . you can never have too much cooked chicken in the house. It comes in handy for all sorts . . . things like sandwiches, casseroles, wraps, enchiladas, etc. After much thought, I decided to make them this delicious Crispy Chicken Casserole. It's a recipe that is a conglomeration . . . a put-together of all the best bits of different chicken casseroles I have tried through the years.



For instance, I loved the use of a wild rice mix in one casserole I tried once upon a time. I love the flavours of summer savoury and the sweetness of dried cranberries . . . almost a stuffing type of taste combination.



I like the crunchiness of celery and flaked almonds which I experienced in another one . . . but I have never been overly fond of tinned soups, as handy to use as they may be from time to time. And so I made a chicken flavoured bechamel sauce to use instead.



Topped with some buttery crushed rice crispies and more flaked almonds, I think you'll find this casserole to be quite delightful. Ok . . . with all the butter in it, you might not want to eat it often . . . but when you want something that's just that little bit special and over the top, this fits the bill quite nicely.



*Crispy Chicken Casserole*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

This is my favourite Chicken casserole. It's a combination of all of the best bits of different chicken casseroles I have liked through the years, and it doesn't use tinned soup.

3 stalks of celery, washed trimmed and chopped (about 1 cup)
1 TBS butter
2 cups of cubed cooked chicken (about 4 single breasts cooked)
1 pouch cooked basamati and wild rice mix (2 serving sized pouch)
4 spring onions, chopped
a further 2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 chicken stock sachet
500ml of milk (2 cups)
1 tsp dried summer savoury crumpled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 heaped dessertspoons of low fat mayonnaise (about 3/4 cup)
two small handfuls of dried cranberries (about half a cup)
2 small handfuls of flaked almonds (about half a cup)

For the topping:
1 TBS butter, melted
a mug of rice crispies, crushed coarsely
a generous handful of flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a 2 litre gratin dish, lightly buttered. Place the first amount of butter and the celery into a microwaveable bowl. Cover and cook on high for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Melt the second amount of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in the summer savoury, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix all together well. Gently mix together the celery mixture, chicken, chopped spring onions, cranberries, flaked almonds and rice in a bowl. Add the milk mixture and stir gently to coat. Scrape into the prepared baking dish.

Mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle over top of the casserole. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

One thing that I love most about summer is the profusion of locally grown fresh vegetables. Nothing tastes better than vegetables you have either grown yourself, or that have been grown very close to home and eaten very soon after picking!!



I like to think that eating fresh and local also helps to lower my carbon footprint . . . especially with things like courgettes and peppers that I have grown myself.



The courgette glut is starting and I am loving inventing new ways to imbibe . . . cakes, muffins . . . casseroles . . .



and deliciously roasted in dishes such as this easy one here today. A delightful mix of vegetables, fresh from the garden, tossed with olive oil and herbs and then roasted . . .



until they are crispy tender . . . the edges all caramelized and sweet . . .
with just a hint of spice from the smoked paprika . . .



Tossed with some coarsely grated Parmesan cheese, they went down a real treat!! I think I'll have the leftovers tossed into a tasty salad for lunch tomorrow!



*Roasted Summer Garden Veggies*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A lovely summer side dish to go with those grilled meats, chicken or fish. Easy and a bit spicy!

2 pounds of assorted vegetables (peppers, courgettes (both yellow and green) onions)
1 tsp salt
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp smoked spanish paprika, or a smoked paprika mix (I like the one from M&S which has smoked paprika, thyme and crushed chilies in it)
130g of coarsely grated Parmesan Cheese

Trim your courgettes and cut into large chunks. Peel and cut the onions into wedges. Seed and cut the peppers into chunks. Place the courgettes into a colander along with the salt. Let stand and drain for 15 t0 20 minutes. Drain well. Toss in a bowl along with the olive oil, peppers, onions and paprika.

Preheat your oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Pour the vegetables out onto a rimmed baking tray. Spread out into a single layer. Roast for about 20 minutes. Flip over and roast for another 20 minutes or until golden and tender. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with the cheese. Toss together gently and serve.