We had two sets of missionaries over for tea last week.  The girls got the Magic Custard Cake, which has proved really popular on here, and the lads got Nan's Butter Cake.

It went down a real treat with the lads!  They gobbled it up!  I was glad.  Even Todd (who says he doesn't like Lemon) had two slices!  But then again  . . . what's not to like???  Rich moist butter cake with two fillings and that tart glaze???  Absolutely nothing.  Winner winner, chicken dinner!



*Nan's Butter Cake*

I'm having a really busy week this week, so quick and easy has been the order of the day when it comes to meal planning.  Dishes that I can just throw together without a lot of effort and that don't take a lot of time.  



I just adore broccoli.  It isn't something we had very often when I was growing up.  I can't ever recall seeing it until my own children were born and quite young.   They used to refer to it as baby trees.  I didn't mind because they loved eating baby trees and it was good for them.   It's a lot more fun to eat a baby tree than it is to eat broccoli!



Chicken, broccoli and rice are a beautiful combination . . .  the flavours and textures complement each other so very well, and in a quick to put together and cook stove top simmer like this one here today, they all shine.



Everything gets cooked in one pan on top of the stove . . . first the chicken . . .  sautéed just until it is almost cooked through, then you add the rice and some seasoning . . .  a bit of stock, garlic, lime juice  . . .



Some curry powder, some cream of coconut . . . and then near the end, (so that it doesn't get over cooked,) lots of lovely chopped broccoli!  Quick to make.  Easy to do.  Simple ingredients.  Put together quickly and on the table in less time than it took me to write this post.  I love easy meals like that, don't you?   They're just perfect for mid-week when I have a lot on and not a lot of time to spare!  I do so hope that you will give this delicious stove top supper casserole a go!    I think you'll really like it!  It may not win any beauty contests for looks, but I am pretty darned sure it would being home Miss Congeniality!



Note:  If you want your broccoli to have a nice fresh green colour.  Steam it separately and just stir it into the rice when you are ready to serve.  If you aren't bothered about the colour, then do as above..

Dip two three four, dip two three four . . .  that's the sound of these adorable toast soldier boots marching across your breakfast plates getting ready to dive into the battle pool of a soft boiled egg!  Are they not A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!!  I know . . . soooooo cute!

The nations's bakers have created a set of limited edition "breakast boots" in a bit to put toast at the centre stage of a healthy and nutritious breakfast!  



Each pair of boots is designed to hold a simple, well toasted soldier . . .  allowing it to stand at attention with it's comrades in arms, waiting for you and your family to get dipping!  What a brilliantly fun way to start the day!

Did you know that one slice of toast provides (at least) 10% of the adult daily intake of protein, fibre, calcium, iron, copper, zinc and manganese, and teamed with a ‘dippy egg’, makes it a healthy breakfast option to start the day.  I love soldiers made from artisanal breads myself . . . with lots of lovely fibre and seeds, but I know kiddies aren't overly fond of that type of bread.  These lovely little soldiers might help though!


(source)

Made from food safe polypropylene these cute boots are ready to be enjoyed by children aged three years and older.   I can say with authority that BIG kids enjoy them too!  Nicely polished and ready to go they bring a sense of fun to the breakfast table.  You can also decorate and accessorize them in any variety of ways.  They make breakfast fun!



WE had great fun with them at any rate!  If you would like to know more do check out the Federation of Baker's site where you can learn everything you need to know about the British Bread Baking Industry.   It's all a very fascinating read!

Many thanks to the Federation of Bakers PR team for sending us these cute little boots to play with!

 Six minutes.  Six steps to perfection!  How to soft boil an egg that is perfect for dipping:

1.  Fill a pot with about 1/2 inch of water. Yes, that’s all you need. Use the smallest pot you have that will house the number of eggs you’re making. I usually only do one or two eggs at a time, but this same technique can be used for any number of eggs.

2.  Bring that 1/2 inch of water to a rolling boil over high heat (with a lid on top). This happens very fast because it’s only a 1/2 inch of water, after all. That’s one reason this is so much faster than boiling an egg. Gently place the egg(s) into the pot. Tongs make this easier to do without burning your finger tips. Make sure to not drop the egg or else it can crack and the whole process will be ruined. Just gently set it on the bottom of the pot.

3.  So, now your eggs are sitting in a little bit of rapidly boiling water. It’s not actually the water that cooks the eggs, but the surrounding STEAM. So, we’ll need to put a lid on top to trap the steam and create a steam bath.

4.  After adding the eggs, place a lid on the pot and set your timer for SIX MINUTES (for large eggs).

5.  After exactly six minutes, turn off the burner and carefully pour out the hot water. Fill the pot with cool water to stop the eggs from cooking. After about 30 seconds to a minute in the water, they’ll be cool enough to handle.

6.  Place into your egg cup, shear off the top and get ready to dip away.  You have a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg!

Hooray for June!  Strawberry Season is officially upon us!  I just adore strawberries, and especially home grown British berries!  In fact I only eat British berries and refuse to eat strawberries out of season.  There is nothing more gorgeous to eat then British berries and in all truth once you have feasted on them, no other strawberry comes close.  I don't want flavourless strawberries from Peru in January.  I want fresh Berries from Kent or my back garden here in Chester, in June and July!  End of.



Hold on to your socks because over the next few weeks I will be sharing as many delicious ways of eating these lovely berries with you that I can!  As I eat my fill of them I am going to be sharing with you all that I do with them, beginning here today with these delicious Fresh Strawberry Waffles served with Caramel and Strawberry Dips!



There is a delightfully rich caramel dip . . . made with cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and topped with sweet bits of fudge . . .  pretty to look at and oh so wonderful to dip these delicious crisp on the outside, soft on the inside stogged full of lovely bits of strawberry Finger waffles into!



And then there is a fresh and fruity strawberry dip, made with fresh berries . . .  try double dipping, for double the pleasure . . .



Served up with more fresh berries, also for dipping into both dips for a sensational breakfast or brunch!  Oh, this is so wonderful it would also make a fabulous dessert at one of your early summer barbecues!



I had actually planned on making heart shaped waffles, but somebody accidentally took my heart shaped waffle baker to the charity shop a few months back, but we won't mention any names.  I spent hours searching for it on Saturday to no avail.  I then checked to see if I could get another one and found this brilliant finger waffle maker at Argos for a pretty good price.



They went down a real treat with the Toddster, and I do confess, I had a difficult time keeping my passions in control and made a bit of a pig of myself with them too!



But what's a gal to do!  It's strawberry season, and I am very weak . . .  and these dang waffles were just so very tasty!  And the dips . . . wowsa!  I have made the caramel dip before to go with fruit . . . but with these waffles . . .  it made them positively irresistible!  I do hope you'll give them a go!  Yes, I did eat some fruit on the side as well . . . fruit is good for you.  ☺



*Fresh Strawberry Waffles with Caramel and Strawberry Dips*

I have entered this recipe into the Rix Seasonal Recipe Competition for June.  This months ingredient was strawberries.

I think fish fingers have to be most kiddies favourite meal.   Kids just love bits of food that they can pick up with their hands and dip.  My children were no different.  Fish fingers, chicken nuggets, chicken wings . . .  kids just love to eat with their hands!



The long and short of it is . . . fish fingers are very budget and family friendly.   Today I wanted to show you how you can create something delicious with them you probably would have never thought of.  Polynesian Fish Fingers.  



Maybe calling them Polynesian is a bit of a stretch, but it does encompass some tropical flavours . . . such as soy and pineapple . . .  and rice.  I can see you rolling your eyes, but hear me out.  This is not so strange a mix as one might think.   Mild flavoured fish actually goes very well with fruity flavours . . .  and sweet and sour is also a great flavour to add.



Add to that the convenience of using already cooked basamati rice and frozen peas, mixed together in a pineapple sweet and sour sauce, and sweet pineapple chunks and you have a winning combination all round.  It's really quick to make as well, which makes it the perfect meal for a week night supper when everybody has plans and not a lot of time to throw a meal together or sit and eat it.  A salad on the side goes very well.



This is a great store cupboard meal that you can have on the table in not much more than half an hour.   I always have packets of cooked basamati rice in my cupboard, pineapple chunks in the larder and frozen fish fingers in the freezer, not to mention frozen peas.  I think you will find that this meal is not only very tasty and pretty to look at, but very economical, quick to make and deliciously different to boot!  I hope you will give it the old college try!



*Polynesian Fish Fingers*

NOTE:  I reserved some of the thawed frozen peas to garnish the casserole for photography purposes.  Normally they will be kind of blah looking, but it still tastes gorgeous even with blah looking peas.  I like to use Frozen Petit Pois.  They are the only kind I like.  Yes, I am spoiled and a bit picky sometimes, although you wouldn't think it if I'm eating fish fingers would you?  I guess I'm one big enigma!

One of my local  shops had punnets of home ripening plums on special last weekend for 69p a punnet. Normally I don't buy things like that. Mostly because it takes too long for them to ripen and most of the time they don't ripen at all but go bad anyways . . .



I had in mind this plum cake that I wanted to make though and for that I needed really firm plums.



This is a very unusual cake. You make a crumble mixture in the food processor that you use in the base, filling and topping.



Some of the crumbs get pressed into a baking tin and baked into a lovely buttery crust.



Then you make a frangipane mixture with more of the crumb mixture by beating in some eggs and stuff. This you spread over the buttery baked base. Top with some sliced plums and you bake it some more.



The plums get all soft and sweet and the frangipane mixture bakes up around them. Then you add a final topping of the last of the crumbs which you have mixed with some flaked almonds and you bake it a little longer til golden brown.



It's all you can do to wait until it cools to dig in . . . but wait. It's worth it. Trust me on this. It tastes so much better lukewarm than it does hot. (And it tastes pretty good hot!!)



It is kind of like a tart, but also a cake, and a crumble.



It's all three rolled into one scrummy, moreish bake! Oh my but this is some good!



*Plum and Almond Crumble Cake*
Makes 16 servings
Printable Recipe

It's a Crumble!  It's a Cake!  It's a Crumble Cake!  (Pretty scrummy too!)

250g COLD butter ( 1 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS)
227g castor sugar, plus a bit extra for sprinkling (1 cup plus 3 TBS)
284g ground almonds (3 cups plus 6 TBS)
210g plain flour, plus 4 1/2 TBS extra flour (1 1/2 cups plus 4 1/2 TBS)
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 tsp baking powder
6 firm plums, stone and cut into sixths
60g flaked almonds (2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4.  Butter an 8 by 12 inch baking tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Place the butter, sugar and ground almonds in a food processor.  Pulse them together until the mixture resembles a rough crumble.  Remove half of this mixture to a bowl and set aside.  To the remaining mixture in the processor, add the 210g (1 1/2 cups) ounces of flour and whiz this together until it forms a dough.  Tip this into the prepared baking tin and press it out evenly, pressing it down well.  Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

To make the filling, tip the remaining crumble mixture back into the food processor, reserving 2 TBS aside for the topping.  Add the remaining 4 1/2 TBS of flour, the baking powder, the eggs, and the cinnamon.  Whiz until it forms a soft batter.  Spread this batter over the cooled base.

Top the batter with the prepared plums and sprinkle with a little extra sugar and cinnamon.  Bake for 20 minutes. 

Mix the remaining crumbs with the flaked almonds.  Sprinkle this over top of the baked plums and return to the oven to bake for a further 20 minutes, until golden brown and the batter and plums are thoroughly cooked.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into slices to serve.

Somehow my post for this morning actually posted yesterday.   (I hate it when that happens!)