I was going to show you my Pumpkin Fritters today with their Vanilla Caramel Sauce, but I'm afraid you are going to have to wait until tomorrow to see those.

 

I have something which is just a tiny bit more scrummy to share with you today!  (Although, the pumpkin fritters are exceptionally scrummy as well!)



I am mad for cinnamon, which you have probably guessed by now.  I just adore it.   I love the way it smells.  I love the way it tastes, both in sweet and savory goodies.  

I love crafting with it (cinnamon ornaments on the Christmas tree at Christmas are the best!).  I just plain can't get enough of cinnamon.



My mom used to make these Quick Cinnamon Rolls when we were kids as a treat.  We loved them.  I used to make them for my own children as well.   That was one way to put a smile on their faces big time!  

Then there is my infamous Cinnamon Swirl Tea Bread.   People can't get enough of that when I bake it.  It's an old recipe that I got from a very dear friend way back when and it's a keeper!  



Don't even get me started on the finer qualities of my Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake.  Just a peek at the photographs are enough to set one to drooling big time, I kid you not!  



My Cinnamon Butter Buns are to die for.  Likewise my Cinnamon Roll Pancakes.  Then there are my Cinnamon Roll Croissants, and my Cinnamon Roll Pluckit Bread . . . Cinnamon Roll Toast . . . etc.  the list goes on and on . . . You get the picture I am sure.  I am Cinnamon mad!  



If there is one thing I like as much as Cinnamon and am crazy for . . . it is scones!  I love, Love, LOVE scones!  And I don't care how you say it!! 

 I'll eat them no matter how you pronounce the word!  A scone is a beautiful thing . . . 



But when you combine the two loves . . . Cinnamon . . . and Scones, well . . . you've just died and gone to heaven.  There is no other way to put it.

Bake them.  Today.   You will be glad that you did.   And now back to your regular programming.  

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.   The scone should be well risen and crisp on the outsides, and be lightly browned.   Remove from the oven.

Whisk together the icing ingredients until you have a thick yet drizzable icing.   Drizzle this decoratively over the scones.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

60ml of milk or cream, gently heated (/4 cup)
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5.  Have ready a baking tray.  Cut a thin sliver off the tops of each of the crusty rolls.  Using your fingers remove as much of the insides of the buns as you can, without tearing the outside.  You should have a thin shell.  Place them onto the baking tray.   Divide the meat filling between each of the four rolls, Pressing it down lightly.   Divide the cooked vegetables between each bun, placing them on top of the meat filling.  Divide the mashed potatoes amongst each bun, piling it on top of the vegetables and roughing it up with a fork.  Sprinkle the cheese over top of all and then place the baking tray in the oven.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and everything is piping hot.  Serve immediately.

*White Chocolate and Ginger Curd Cheesecake*
 Serves: 8 
Printable Recipe

If you like ginger you will love this!







Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the biscuits. Press into the base of a 20 cm loose -bottomed round cake tin. Chill whilst preparing the filling 2. Place the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat gently, stirring occasionally until melted. 3. Place the mascarpone in a bowl and whisk in the ginger curd until smooth. Whisk in the melted chocolate. Spoon over the base and chill for 1- 2 hours 4. Carefully remove from the tin and decorate with grated chocolate or chocolate curls. Serve in slices



*Cocoa Meringues with Luxury Ginger Curd*
Makes about 15
Printable Recipe

 

When we lived down South we were surrounded by beautiful orchards, the bonus in the autumn being we got to forage from the drops and I had no end of lovely apples and pears to do things with. We knew we would miss that so our first year back up here in Chester we planted our own fruit trees at the back of the garden.  This year our Cox's Pippin tree gave us a bumper crop and I hear the gorgeous growing season we have just had has resulted in bumper apple crops all over the UK.

I just love cooking with and eating apples, and when you have grown them yourself it somehow makes it an even better experience!



When I was searching for a simple recipe to help to use up some of our lovely apples the other day I came across this fabulous recipe at the Jamie Oliver Magazine Recipe page.   I love Jamie's recipes.   Next to Nigel Slater, he is one of my cooking idols.  Seriously.   When he first came out with his magazine, I was one of the first to subscribe and I have been a loyal and faithful subscriber ever since.  In fact this year, I haven't been able to renew any of my magazine subscriptions because of the cost . . . except for his.  His is the only one I have kept on, which says a lot about how I feel about his ideology and his recipes.  I am saving up for his latest cookbook, fingers crossed.  Maybe Santa will be good to me this year.



Back to the recipe.  I don't think you would need to use the actual apple recipe specified.  Any good, firm eating apple would serve this purpose. A Granny Smith would probably work equally as well.



It uses simple ingredients . . . apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon . . . things most of us have in our kitchens at any given time.  And it's easy and quick to throw together, which makes it the perfect recipe for entertaining, especially at this time of year with Halloween and Bonfire night coming up over the next few weeks.  The beauty of this recipe is that it's seasonal, simple and can easily expand according to however many people you are feeding, which makes it the perfect dessert for sharing with your friends!

 

Speaking of which, have you checked out the Halloween/Bonfire night pages on Jamie Oliver   There are all sorts of ideas there and I have bookmarked more than a few.  Tasty offerings such as Toffee Apple Tart, Neeps & Tatties, frosted Butternut Squash Muffins. A lotta, lotta scrumminess there.



These tasty apples went down a real treat today . . . and I know this is a recipe I will make again and again.   I love the simplicity of it.  You get a lot of wonderful flavour for very little effort.  I do hope you will give it a go and that you'll check out some of the other recipes too.

 

Oh, I do so love autumn and the wonderful food and tastes that it brings to our table!  It's small wonder that it is my favourite time of year, taste wise . . . but then again . . . I say that about all the seasons!  I am just a glutton I guess!




Peel, core and slice each apple into eight wedges, tossing them with lemon juice to help prevent them from turning colour.  Heat some of your clarified butter in a heavy based skillet.  (The size will depend on how many you are doing.  Two apples fit just nicely into my 8 inch pan.)  Once the butter begins to foam lightly add the apple wedges in a single layer.  When the undersides of the apples just begin to turn golden, flip them over and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.  They will begin to caramlize quite quickly.   Lift them into a dish and then pour some of the liquid of your choice into the pan.  It will bubble up and deglaze the pan.  For two apples I used about 60ml or 1/4 cup.  Pour this over the apples and serve warm with some creme fraiche.  Delicious!

Preheat the  oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5.  Have ready a large shallow casserole dish.

Heat  the oil and butter in a large skillet until the butter begins to foam.  Season the chicken breasts on both sides with some salt and black pepper.  Brown the chicken lightly on both sides and then place it into the prepared baking dish.  Add the onions and peppers to the skillet.  Cook, stirring until they begin to wilt.  Scoop out and layer them in the casserole with the chicken, placing half beneath the chicken breasts and half over top.  Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds.  Dump in the tin of tomatoes.  Add the herbs, stock cube,  balsamic vinegar, sugar, nutmeg and cream.   Heat to the boil, then whisk in the boursin cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat and then pour this mixture over the chicken and peppers.

Cover tightly with foil and then bake in the oven for 30 minutes. At the end of the 30 minutes, mix together the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Sprinkle this over top of the casserole and return to the oven, baking for an additional 15 minutes.   Serve hot with rice or pasta, and crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.

Note - There are some of you who have requested a newsletter, but haven't given me an e-mail address to send it to you.  If you have asked for one but not received it, that would be why!

 


There are some recipes that are just great.  You can try to play around with them,  or look for something better . . . but you always find yourself coming back to the original because you just can't get any better than that which was great to begin with.




That's what this recipe for peanut butter and chocolate sauce is like.  Good, better, best.  This is a solid recipe which works every time, always tastes delicious and is very versatile . . .
As a sauce for on top of fudge cakes, or brownies . . . ice cream, etc.



Heck . . . I've been known to just sit down and eat the sauce with nothing else, it's that good.  Seriously.  Solid, don't fool with it, basic . . . good.  You can't do much better than that.



Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, over simmering water. (Or a bowl that will fit over a saucepan without the bottom touching the simmering water underneath)  Melt slowly, stirring occasionally.  Once the chocolate has melted place the top of the double boiler directly on the burner, over low heat, and whisk in the sugar, butter, salt and single cream.  Cook and whisk to combine and melt the butter.  Increase the heat to medium and cook for a further 4 minutes or so (without allowing the mixture to boil) until the sauce thickens.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

It's the same as my basic chocolate sauce recipe, except I have substituted peanut butter for the butter.  No fooling.  Good stuff for those who don't like peanut butter with their chocolate.  I know . . . hard to believe, but . . . it does happen.



Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, over simmering water. (Or a bowl that will fit over a saucepan without the bottom touching the simmering water underneath)  Melt slowly, stirring occasionally.  Once the chocolate has melted place the top of the double boiler directly on the burner, over low heat, and whisk in the sugar, butter, salt and single cream.  Cook and whisk to combine and melt the butter.  Increase the heat to medium and cook for a further 4 minutes or so (without allowing the mixture to boil) until the sauce thickens.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Oh, and if you wanted to cut down on the calories a bit you can use non fat evaporated milk, undiluted instead of the cream.  Just saying is all.  I like to use Lindt dark chocolate for this or Valhrona if I can get it.



I like to use pure vanilla for all of my baking.  I happen to be one of those people who think it is worth the extra expense of using the real thing.  There is just no comparison.  Yes . . . I am a vanilla snob.  That's why I was really pleased recently to receive some vanilla products from Taylor &Colledge!  I received a lovely box containing some Vanilla Bean Dusting Sugar, Vanilla Bean Paste, Vanilla Beans, Pur Vanilla Bean Extract and their newest innovation a Vanilla Bean Grinder.