I am a lover of quick breads . . . scones, tea loaves, baking powder biscuits, muffins, corn bread, etc. I just love them. One of the reasons I love them is because they are quick to put together and they freeze really well. If you are making a pot of soup, it really isn't much extra work to put together a savoury muffin or quick bread to go along with it, and they realy turn a simple meal into something very special.
It's hard to believe that Easter is just two weeks away. This year just seems to be evaporating.
I thought over these next few days I would share a few Easter Treats with you that your family will enjoy over the holidays. First up is this delicious Easter Bark!
Not only is it delicious and pretty to look at, but it's very easy to do. And . . . you only need a microwave in order to make it.
Not only is it delicious and pretty to look at, but it's very easy to do. And . . . you only need a microwave in order to make it.
You could of course also do the chocolate melting on top of the stove, but do be careful not to burn the chocolate and only melt it over either simmering water (don't let the water touch the bottom of the bowl) or a very, very low heat.
You could use jelly beans if you wished, but I like to use those little candy covered milk chocolate Easter eggs . . you know the ones I mean.
You could use jelly beans if you wished, but I like to use those little candy covered milk chocolate Easter eggs . . you know the ones I mean.
They are coloured and speckled and kind of look like psychedelic robin's eggs.
I love the delicious mix of salty and sweet . . . creamy and crunchy . . .
I like to add more eggs to the top after I spread it out . . . just to add some additional scrum, and of course a few more broken pretzels.
I'm a big fan of the salty/sweet thing. I know . . . and as Dorcas Lane would say . . .
I love the delicious mix of salty and sweet . . . creamy and crunchy . . .
I like to add more eggs to the top after I spread it out . . . just to add some additional scrum, and of course a few more broken pretzels.
I'm a big fan of the salty/sweet thing. I know . . . and as Dorcas Lane would say . . .
it's my only weakness. ☺
*Easter Bark*
Makes about 1 pound
Printable Recipe
Sweetly scrummy. Easy and quick to make too! I like to add broken pretzels to mine. It's that sweet/salty thing!
12 ounces (weight) of white chocolate chips or candy melts (2 cups)
2 tsp white vegetable shortening
2 (100g) bags of small candy covered chocolate easter eggs such as the Cadbury's ones (about 1 heaped cupful)
a good handful of small pretzel hoops, broken (optional)
Have a baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready. Spray the paper lightly with non cooking spray. Set aside.
Place the white chocolate and vegetable shortening into a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Blitz on the 80% setting (medium high) for about 1 minute. Stir. If the chocolate still doesn't melt, blitz at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Give one packet of the candy eggs a good bash with the bottom of a jar or a rolling pin. You want them broken up coarsely.
Stir the broken candy and pretzels (if using) into the melted chocolate. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out thinly. Sprinkle with the remaining pack of chocolate eggs. Allow to set until firm. Once firm, break into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Note: You don't have to use the chocolate eggs. You can also use jelly beans, or coloured smarties if you would rather.
*Easter Bark*
Makes about 1 pound
Printable Recipe
Sweetly scrummy. Easy and quick to make too! I like to add broken pretzels to mine. It's that sweet/salty thing!
12 ounces (weight) of white chocolate chips or candy melts (2 cups)
2 tsp white vegetable shortening
2 (100g) bags of small candy covered chocolate easter eggs such as the Cadbury's ones (about 1 heaped cupful)
a good handful of small pretzel hoops, broken (optional)
Have a baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready. Spray the paper lightly with non cooking spray. Set aside.
Place the white chocolate and vegetable shortening into a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Blitz on the 80% setting (medium high) for about 1 minute. Stir. If the chocolate still doesn't melt, blitz at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Give one packet of the candy eggs a good bash with the bottom of a jar or a rolling pin. You want them broken up coarsely.
Stir the broken candy and pretzels (if using) into the melted chocolate. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out thinly. Sprinkle with the remaining pack of chocolate eggs. Allow to set until firm. Once firm, break into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Note: You don't have to use the chocolate eggs. You can also use jelly beans, or coloured smarties if you would rather.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I had not baked a pie in a very long time. It was different when I had a large family to feed . . .
I often baked pies and tarts then, but with there only being two of us now, I don't often bake pies and tarts because I love them so very much and they are far too tempting for me.
I can't control my appetite when it comes to pie! And my favourite pie of all has to be . . . yep, you guessed it, Lemon Meringue!
I quite simply adore Lemon Pie . . . and so having one of these in the house is even more tempting than having any other kind.
This recipe here today is not your normal regular lemon meringue pie . . . no, no, no . . . This one is a tad bit more special.
It's my ex mother in law Elizabeth's recipe and I have been baking it for almost 40 years now.
So just what is it that makes this one special and that different than other Lemon Meringue pies? Well . . . this one has milk in it.
It's also a tad bit sweeter than other recipes. The filling is opague, not translucent.
Silky . . . creamy . . . rich. With lots of lemon flavour and then just a hint of vanilla.
I can hear your eyebrows raising. Vanilla? you say?? Yes, vanilla. Believe it or not Vanilla really enhances the flavour of lemon and vice versa.
You end up with an almost unctuosity . . . it's lemon, but not as you know it. It's ultra lemon, but not smack in the face lemon.
It's subtle and yet . . . at the same time bold. You will just have to try it and see what I am talking about. Nothing artificial here.
It's all natural. And it's just plain good. I think you will agree . . . this could be your new favourite pie too.
*Elizabeth's Lemon Meringue Pie*
Serves 6 to 8
This
delicious lemon pie has a different filling to what most people are
used to seeing in a Lemon Pie. This filling is more opague and not as
bright yellow or as tart. It is somewhat sweeter than the regular
filling and quite delicious!
For the filling:
190g of granulated sugar (1 cup)
70g of sifted cake flour (1/2 cup)
1 TBS cornflour (corn starch)
120ml of milk (1/2 cup)
225ml of boiling water (1 cup)
1 TBS butter
60ml of fresh lemon juice (1/4 cup)
3 large free range egg yolks
a dash of fresh lemon zest (optional)
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the meringue:
3 free range egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
48g of caster sugar (1/4 cup)
You will also need one already baked pie shell
First
make the filling. Whisk the sugar and flour together in the top of a
double boiler, along with the corn flour. Whisk in the milk until
smooth, then whisk in the boiling water. Add the butter.
Place the top
of the double boiler over a pan of simmering water and cook, whisking
frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture has begun to
thicken and bubble around the edges.
Whisk together the lemon juice
and egg yolks. Temper with a bit of the hot mixture and then slowly
whisk the egg mixture back into the hot mixture. Cook for a further 5
minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest, and both
extracts. Allow to cool. If you think the filling is too thick, you
may whisk in boiling water, 1 TBS at a time, until you get the
consistency that you want to have.
Pour the filling into your prepared pie crust. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.
Whisk
together the egg whites and cream of tarter until the eggs become
foamy. Keep whisking, adding the sugar a bit at a time until the
mixture forms thick glossy peaks.
Pile this mixture on top of the lemon
filling, spreading it completely to the edges and sealing in the
filling. I like to pile it higher in the centre.
Brown in the hot
oven for about 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely before
cutting into wedges with a wet knife. (This keeps the meringue from
sticking to the knife.)
This recipe has been floating around for years. Chocolate Sheet Cake. Texas Sheet Cake, etc.
Call it what you will, it is all the same cake. Like they say, there is nothing new under the sun, just new ways of doing things.
This particular recipe was adapted from a book I have entitled "The Best of Cooking Light."
This particular recipe was adapted from a book I have entitled "The Best of Cooking Light."
I don't always eat hedonistically and from time to time I like to shave calories off if I can, or try a lighter version of a recipe.
This recipe differed a bit from the usual choclate sheet cake I make . . . first it has buttermilk in the batter, which usually makes for a really moist cake . . . second it is put together rather differently.
This recipe differed a bit from the usual choclate sheet cake I make . . . first it has buttermilk in the batter, which usually makes for a really moist cake . . . second it is put together rather differently.
You boil milk, cocoa and butter together and then beat that into the dry ingredients . . . then beat in the buttermilk and eggs.
The icing is also a tiny bit different.
The icing is also a tiny bit different.
I found it all to be very sweet, which is not entirely a bad thing . . . it means you can't eat as large a piece, which is probably good.
It's also very dense . . . I don't remember my regular recipe ending up quite as dense as this one is . . . but it was quite pleasant to eat nonetheless.
It's also very dense . . . I don't remember my regular recipe ending up quite as dense as this one is . . . but it was quite pleasant to eat nonetheless.
For a cake that is lower in fat and calories, it was not half bad at all. Mind you it does say that it makes 20 servings.
Hmmm . . . I think not. At least not in my house at any rate!
Dense and chocolatey. I have adapted this recipe from one I found in a Cooking Light Book entitled"The Best Of Cooking Light."
For the cake:
2 tsp plain flour
280g of plain flour (2 cups)
383g of granulated sugar (2 cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda_
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
180ml of water (3/4 cup)
125g of butter (1/2 cup)
30g of cocoa powder, sifted (1/4 cup)
120ml of low fat buttermilk (1/2 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large free range eggs
For the icing:
6 TBS butter
78ml of skim milk (1/3 cup)
30g of cocoa powder, sifted (1/4 cup)
390g of icing sugar, sifted ( confectioners sugar, 3 cups)
2 tsp vanilla extract
30g of chopped pecans, toasted (1/4 cup)
Preheat
the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Spray a 15 by 10 inch baking tray
with sides with some cooking spray. (cake release spray) Dust with
the 2 tsp flour. Set aside.
Sift the flour into a bowl
along with the cinnamon and soda. Whisk in the salt and sugar. Bring
the water, butter and cocoa powder to the boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and pout into the flour mixture. Beat with an
electric whisk until smooth. Beat i nthe eggs, buttermilk and
vanilla. Pour this batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 17
minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean and
the top springs back when lightly touched.
To make the
icing, combine the butter, milk and cocoa powder in a saucepan. Bring
to the boil stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and beat in the
icing sugar, vanilla and pecans. Spread over the hot cake. Cool
completely before cutting into squares to serve.
Note - You may also bake this in a 12 by 9 inch baking pan In crease the baking time to 22 minutes.
*Chocolate Sheet Cake*
Makes 20 servings30g of cocoa powder, sifted (1/4 cup)
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
I was recently sent this cutting edge cookery book on grains to review. Entitled Grains as Mains and written by Laura Agar Wilson, it features a comprehensive collection of modern recipes using ancient grains.
Ancient grains first cooked thousands of years ago are now back in vogue, as more and more people become more health conscious and actively seek out food that is nourishing as well as being delicious.
I was really wanting something light today. We eat chicken a lot in our house. We only ever very rarely have another form of protein. Pork or beef are a rare treat. Eating chicken as often as we do, it can be somewhat of a challenge to keep it interesting. Chicken breasts are so very adaptable and mild in flavour. They make a pretty decent canvas for other flavours.
I like to think that one of the most wonderful things about blogging is the fabulous people you meet via this medium. Like minded people . . . good people . . . invisible friends.
One of my favourite fabulous blogger invisible like minded friends is Monique from La Table De Nana. I think we have belonged to a mutual admiration society for at least five or six years now.
You know how it goes . . . you follow a link, to a link, to a link . . . and before you know it you have discovered something very special and hearts and souls touch and it is as if you have always known these people.
You become kindred spirit friends and you share things like e-mails, and snail mails, and . . . little pretties . . . and sometimes cakes.
As soon as I saw this cake on Monique's page the other day I knew I HAD to make it. Not only was it a really simple cake to make, but it was filled with Quebecoise sucre à la crème.
As soon as I saw this cake on Monique's page the other day I knew I HAD to make it. Not only was it a really simple cake to make, but it was filled with Quebecoise sucre à la crème.
Unless you have experienced this delight, you won't know what I am talking about. It's like a thick brown sugar caramel sauce that they love to eat in the Province of Quebec, and I am thinking it is even more prevalent in the Northern part of the province . . . but I could be wrong.
My father . . . mon pere, is from the Saguenay region of Quebec and I have very fond memories of visits to his home and sitting around my grandmaman's kitchen table eating flaky pastries dolloped with sucre à la crème and a thick thick spooning cream.
My father . . . mon pere, is from the Saguenay region of Quebec and I have very fond memories of visits to his home and sitting around my grandmaman's kitchen table eating flaky pastries dolloped with sucre à la crème and a thick thick spooning cream.
The combination is the most delicious one on earth . . . trust me on this. Not so good for the heart or the waistline, but oh so good for the soul.
As soon as I saw Moniques Cake (and her's is much, MUCH prettier than mine) . . . I knew I had to have it and so within just a couple of days I had one made. In my eagerness I did managed to crack the cake a bit, but it still tasted heavenly.
As soon as I saw Moniques Cake (and her's is much, MUCH prettier than mine) . . . I knew I had to have it and so within just a couple of days I had one made. In my eagerness I did managed to crack the cake a bit, but it still tasted heavenly.
I am sure she will forgive me for showing and sharing with you. This is one of those things you can't help sharing.
Do pop on over and tell her I sent you and thank her for this latest indulgence . . . because you know you are going to make it. It would be tres impossible to resist! C'est vraie!
This
is a recipe I got on my friend Monique's page
(http:latabledenana.blogspot.com) Converting it into British
measurements for you all. It's a delicious sponge roll cake filled with
Quebecoise sucre à la crème. Fabulous!
For the cake roll:
4 large free range eggs
200g plus 2 TBS sugar (1 cup, plus 2 TBS)
140g of plain flour (1 cup)
1 tsp baking powder
icing sugar
For the filling:
210g of soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
115g of butter (1/2 cup)
60ml of milk (1/4 cup)
Beat
the eggs and 200g (1 cup) sugar together in a bowl until the mixture is
thick and pale. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Blend
this into the beaten egg/sugar mixture to combine well. Spread the
batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 8
minutes. (It took mine more like 12 or so minutes.) You want the cake
to be set and golden brown.
Have ready a large clean tea
towel that you have sprinkled with the 2TBS of sugar. Unmold the warm
cake onto this dishtowel. Pull off any paper. Roll up, along with the
towel. Allow to cool completely.
Bring the ingredients
for the filling to the boil in a heavy based saucepan. Boil for
exactly one minute without stirring. Remove from the heat and beat
with an electric whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Unroll
the cake. Trim off the edges and then spread with the warm Sucre a la
creme. Reroll to enclose the filling (without the tea towel.) Place
onto a serving plate and sift icing sugar over top. Cut into slices to
serve.
*Moniques Cake*
Makes one cake roll
Butter
a 15 by 17 inch jelly roll pan. Line the bottom with baking paper.
Butter the paper. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Rice wasn't something we ate a lot of when I was growing up. My brother wouldn't eat it at all, my mother didn't like it either and when she did cook it, it was always minute rice, which is a sort of instant rice product they have in North America. Not exactly nutritionally sound . . . but we did not know that then. She always made it taste good when she did make it. She would chop up celery and onion and add some herbs . . . usually oregano. That was her favourite add in . . .
I was recently sent a lovely Hamper from the people at Baking Mad and challenged to bake myself a loaf of bread! I have a real fear of baking with yeast. Most of the time (even when I use the bread machine) my bread turns out lousy! I kid you not! My ex husband was a beautiful bread baker. He baked all of our bread when he was home. It was lovely. Me . . . I have always only ever made great door stops.
I've been very lucky in my life to have been inspired and taught by remarkable women and cooks. One of them was my good friend Leona.
I was in my mid twenties when we met and Leona was probably a good 16 years or so older than myself. She was and is a remarkably great home cook and this is one of her recipes which she shared with me all those years ago.
It's not much to look at, but it's really a very simple dish and uses things we all probably have in our kitchens all the time, with the exception of maybe the onion soup mix.
I do always have a packet or two of that on hand . . . for dishes just such as this, but I know not everyone will.
It does not photograph very well . . . but don't judge this book by it's cover . . . it's really far, far more delicious than it looks!
Trust me on this. Would I lie to you? I think not!
You can use any combination of chicken pieces that you wish to use . . . legs, thighs, breasts, etc. Today I used boneless chicken breasts.
You will obviously not need to cook them as long as you would the bone in pieces.
You simply whisk together simple ingredients . . . tomato ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, water, lemon juice . . . and pour them over the chicken in a baking dish.
The dry onion soup mix is sprinkled evenly over top afterwards and then the whole thing is popped into the oven to bake.
I like to baste it every 15 minutes or so. The end result is tender chicken with a delicious sauce. Your family will think you have slaved all day, but that's okay . . . you don't need to tell anyone that you haven't!
I have always said that it is the simple things in life that are the most delious of all.
*Leona's Lazy Chicken*
Serves 4
I am somewhat ashamed to say that there were not a lot of homemade . . . made from scratch . . . cakes that didn't come from a mix in my life prior to coming over here to the UK. I did some psuedo homemade cakes . . . you know the kind I mean. You use a cake mix and a few other ingredients to make a type of cake . . . but there's not really any science or skill involved in that is there. I did make my mom's hot milk cake from time to time and the odd gumdrop cake, and maybe a fruit cake now and again, but mostly . . . my cakes came from a mix. They were quick, easy, convenient and didn't taste all that bad.
(source)
This Sunday is
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!
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