Last weekend I thought I would take advantage of the last of our blueberries to bake some delicious muffins to take to the Missionary street display in town. It ended up being cancelled, and so I gave half to my elderly friend Doreen and then we enjoyed the rest of them here at home.
I am awfully fond of scones. Even if I don't always know how to pronounce the word. Is it Sc-OWN or is it Sc-ON? I am not sure . . . about the only thing I AM sure of is, scones are delicious!
scone
skɒn,skəʊn/
noun noun: scone;
plural noun: scones a small unsweetened or lightly sweetened cake made from flour, fat, and milk and sometimes having added fruit.
That's the dictionary explanation of a scone . . . but what is a scone? Really?
One of the best things about being a food blogger is getting to review cookery books from time to time and I was recently sent a really nice one entitled My Family Kitchen, favourite recipes from four generations . . .
This is the debut cookbook from Celebrity Masterchef 2014 Winner, Sophie Thompson!
Sophie Thompson is a much celebrated, award-winning actress and the winner of Celebrity MasterChef, 2014. My Family Kitchen combines four generations of favourite family recipes, from Granny Annie's Orange and Ginger Chicken to Mum's Spare Ribs.
Sophie Thompson is a much celebrated, award-winning actress and the winner of Celebrity MasterChef, 2014. My Family Kitchen combines four generations of favourite family recipes, from Granny Annie's Orange and Ginger Chicken to Mum's Spare Ribs.
From Uncle James's Pineapple Tarts to Salted Caramel Cookies for her sons. As well as recipes from friends, such as chocolate truffles from the legendary actress Penelope Keith.
The recipes were photographed in Sophie's own kitchen - each one is relayed with her trademark humour, warmth and vivaciousness. They are fuss- free, easy-to-follow and delicious.
Beginning with it's introduction and Larder essentials, there are a further seven chapters and a full index, all accompanied with gorgeous photographs.
Soups Starters and Morsels, containing such delicious recipes as Emma London's Onion Soup with Blue Cheese Toasts, Portobello Mushrooms with Cheese and Pine Nuts, Corn Cheese and Chilli Bread, Richard's Guacamole and Ma's Deviled Cheese, plus a whole lot more.
Fish From the Briney Deep . . . with curries and Salmon and Dill Fishcakes, Salmon Steaks with Scotch Whisky and Brown Shrimp Sauce, Anu and Seve's Quick Fish Curry, and others . . .
Chick, Chick, Chick, Chick, Chicken . . . with delicious entrees such as Orange and Ginger Chicken, Speedy Super Paella, Saucy BBQ Chicken, and a killer Garlic, Coconut and Chicken Korma to name but a few.
Lambs, Beefs, Pigs and Game brings some old familiars such as Slow Roast Sunday Lamb, a Fabulous Meat Loaf and a very interesting Lamb and Beetroot Curry, and that's only the tip of this meaty iceberg!
Vegetable Things . . . Melanzane (A delicious dish with aubergines, cheese and tomatoes), a fabulous looking Wild Mushroom and Pea Risotto, Martha and Dan's Napoli Peppers, Herby Boulangere Potatoes, Clapshot, etc.
Who's 4 Pud? ME ME ME!! and who can blame me when there are such offerings as State Skool Mess, Passion Pots, Malteser Chocolate Pots, Megsies Whim Whams, and Uncle James's Bavarian Orange Pie . . .
Cakes, Biscuits and Bites . . . James's Epic Walnut Slice, Anne's Irish Brack Bread, Toffee Apple Cake, HOney Hazelnut cake, Birchover Bakewell Tart, Granny Megsie's Millionaire Shortbread, Ern's Cinnamon Toast, Megsie's Dates . . . . and a lotta lotta more delights, such as this delicous Lemony Almond and Polenta Cake which I am showing you here today.
Coz the proof of any pudding is in the eating and I would never talk about a cookerybook without trying the recipes out.
I love lemon cakes . . . and this intrigued me . . . it's flourless, being only composed of polenta (fine cornmeal) and ground almonds, eggs, lemons, butter, sugar . . .
Baked and then topped with a sweet sticky lemon glaze which seeps into the warm cake . . .
With lashings of toasted almonds thrown on top . . . they stick to the glaze . . . I like to dust these types of cakes with icing sugar to show off the toppings . . .
Simple to make, well instructed . . . moreishly lemony unctuously buttery delish! What more could you want?
This is moist and very lemony. Adapted from My Family Kitchen by Sophie Thompson.
150g of polenta (14 TBS fine cornmeal, not self rising)
150g of ground almonds (1 3/4 cup, almond meal or flour)
200g butter, softened, plus extra for buttering the pan (3/4 cup plus 2 TBS)
3 large free range eggs
the zest and juice of 3 large lemonds
100g of icing sugar, sifted (3/4 cup, confectioners sugar)
20g of flaked almonds, toasted (2 TBS)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease and base line a 20cm/8 inch springform cake tin. Set aside.
Place
the polenta, ground almonds, caster sugar, baking powder and butter in
the bowl of a food processor. Blitz together for about 30 seconds to
combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, whizzing after each addition to
combine well. Add the lemon zest and blizt again for about 20 seconds.
(If you don't have a food processor you can do this by hand with a
wooden spoon in a large bowl.)
Spoon the mixture into the
prepared tin and smooth the top over. Bake in the centre of the
preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until golden and coming away
from the edge of the tin slightly.
Whisk together the icing
sugar and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. (You should have about
100ml of juice, or a scant half cup) When the cake comes out of the
oven use a skewer to make holes all over the top of the cake and, whilst
still warm, pour the lemony syrup over the top. Scatter the flaked
almonds over top while the cake is still tacky and leave to cool in the
tin completely.
Remove from the tin when cold and serve on it's own or with a big dollop of cream on the side.
About the Author:
Sophie Thompson was the winner of Celebrity Masterchef 2014. Born in London and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, she is an Olivier Award-winning actress and has landed roles across film, television, theatre and radio. Her film work includes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Gosford Park, Emma, Persuasion and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Her theatre credits include Guys and Dolls and her television roles have included The Detectorists and Eastenders, for which she won the Inside Soap Best Bitch Award.
My Family Kitchen, by Sophie Thompson
Published by Faber & FAber
ISBN 978-0-571-32417-0
Hard back, full colour, 216 pages, full index
£22.00 UK
The book is also available on Amazon.uk for a lower price than the RRP.
Beginning with it's introduction and Larder essentials, there are a further seven chapters and a full index, all accompanied with gorgeous photographs.
Soups Starters and Morsels, containing such delicious recipes as Emma London's Onion Soup with Blue Cheese Toasts, Portobello Mushrooms with Cheese and Pine Nuts, Corn Cheese and Chilli Bread, Richard's Guacamole and Ma's Deviled Cheese, plus a whole lot more.
Fish From the Briney Deep . . . with curries and Salmon and Dill Fishcakes, Salmon Steaks with Scotch Whisky and Brown Shrimp Sauce, Anu and Seve's Quick Fish Curry, and others . . .
Chick, Chick, Chick, Chick, Chicken . . . with delicious entrees such as Orange and Ginger Chicken, Speedy Super Paella, Saucy BBQ Chicken, and a killer Garlic, Coconut and Chicken Korma to name but a few.
Lambs, Beefs, Pigs and Game brings some old familiars such as Slow Roast Sunday Lamb, a Fabulous Meat Loaf and a very interesting Lamb and Beetroot Curry, and that's only the tip of this meaty iceberg!
Vegetable Things . . . Melanzane (A delicious dish with aubergines, cheese and tomatoes), a fabulous looking Wild Mushroom and Pea Risotto, Martha and Dan's Napoli Peppers, Herby Boulangere Potatoes, Clapshot, etc.
Who's 4 Pud? ME ME ME!! and who can blame me when there are such offerings as State Skool Mess, Passion Pots, Malteser Chocolate Pots, Megsies Whim Whams, and Uncle James's Bavarian Orange Pie . . .
Cakes, Biscuits and Bites . . . James's Epic Walnut Slice, Anne's Irish Brack Bread, Toffee Apple Cake, HOney Hazelnut cake, Birchover Bakewell Tart, Granny Megsie's Millionaire Shortbread, Ern's Cinnamon Toast, Megsie's Dates . . . . and a lotta lotta more delights, such as this delicous Lemony Almond and Polenta Cake which I am showing you here today.
Coz the proof of any pudding is in the eating and I would never talk about a cookerybook without trying the recipes out.
I love lemon cakes . . . and this intrigued me . . . it's flourless, being only composed of polenta (fine cornmeal) and ground almonds, eggs, lemons, butter, sugar . . .
Baked and then topped with a sweet sticky lemon glaze which seeps into the warm cake . . .
With lashings of toasted almonds thrown on top . . . they stick to the glaze . . . I like to dust these types of cakes with icing sugar to show off the toppings . . .
Simple to make, well instructed . . . moreishly lemony unctuously buttery delish! What more could you want?
*Lemony Almond and Polenta Cake*
Makes 8 to 10 servings
150g of caster sugar (3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp baking powder About the Author:
Sophie Thompson was the winner of Celebrity Masterchef 2014. Born in London and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, she is an Olivier Award-winning actress and has landed roles across film, television, theatre and radio. Her film work includes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Gosford Park, Emma, Persuasion and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Her theatre credits include Guys and Dolls and her television roles have included The Detectorists and Eastenders, for which she won the Inside Soap Best Bitch Award.
My Family Kitchen, by Sophie Thompson
Published by Faber & FAber
ISBN 978-0-571-32417-0
Hard back, full colour, 216 pages, full index
£22.00 UK
The book is also available on Amazon.uk for a lower price than the RRP.
Last week we had the Elders over for supper one night. I wanted to do them a real treat and so I decided that I would do them a BBQ Supper. I had just gotten a lovely BBQ pack from Chadwick's Butchers and so it was the perfect opportunity to try out some different meats and to treat the lads. I only did hot dogs and burgers and so I also created some delicious toppings to have with them.
I confess we eat a lot of chicken in this house and if you have been reading my blog for any appreciable of time that won't be news to you. Sorry about that. It's affordable protein, adaptable to lots of flavours and techniques and we like it. It was a lot more expensive when I was a child. I don't think we had it very often then. It was a real treat and usually came in the form of a roast chicken . . .
I really love hummus. Shop bought hummus is really convenient, readily available and really convenient to use. But how much better is homemade . . . I adore homemade hummus. It's quite easy to make nd not very time consuming and boy, is it ever delicious. I enjoy serving and eating it with raw vegetable sticks and toasted pita's for a really healthy snack.
I am no stranger to Zeo lightly carbonated drinks. I had the opportunity to review them a couple of years ago, and so when I was given the opportunity to review some of their newer flavours I jumped at the chance! I loved their old flavours and I have fallen in love with these new ones. Made from natural ingredients, ZEO is an eclectic gathering of bold botanicals, fruits and fantastical flavours from nature.
In my box was: Peach and Grapefruit, Zesty Lime and Blood Orange and Citrus.
I popped them into the fridge right away.
Zeo's exciting crisp tastes are created by blending 32 fruits and botanicals gathered from around the world with cold, clear, refreshing, mineral-rich spring water from the heart of England. Even the deliciously colours are extracted from nature. Lightly sweetened the sweetness is gathered from natural Stevia plants from South America, which are 400 times sweeter than sugar, but have absolutely zip calories. The rest of the sweetness comes from a touch of sugar beets and natural sugar cane.
I have been enjoying the bottles I was sent over the past few nights and when I say enjoying, I really mean enjoying. They are light, refreshing and only slightly carbonated. If I had to pick a favourite amongst these three . . . I think the Blood Orange and Citrus might be it, but in all honesty I have enjoyed all three.
Crafted in small batches and distilled and blended to make each recipe from its naturally sourced ingredients, these drinks are pleasant and quite satisfying. I don't drink tea or coffee and I don't like to drink caffeinated cold drinks, and these made a really nice and refreshing drink to sit and relax with while I've been watching the telly evenings.
If you would like to know more about them and where to buy them, do heck out their page! Release your brighter side!
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Many thanks to Zeo for sending me these to try. If you are looking for a refreshing drink which is low in sugar and filled with natural ingredients you really can't go wrong with Zeo. I really did enjoy them and was not required to write a positive review.
We really love chicken in this house. It's quite an affordable meat and very adaptable, which is why I was really happy to receive the latest cookery book by Paul Gayler to review, entitled . . . "Chicken & Other Birds, from the perfect roast chicken to Asian-style duck breasts. Photography by Kevin Summers. This is a book that will get a lot of use.
I have always wanted to bake Madeleines. I have had a silicone Madeleine pan for quite a while now and had never used it. Today was the day.
Ahhh . . . . Madeleines. That little French butter cake that most (non-French) people think of more as a cookie.
I have always wished that I lived in a place where you could get really good fresh peaches . . . grown locally . . . and sweetly delicious. To be able to walk out your door and pick a fresh peach sounds like a dream. It's just never been my reality, and the peach is one of my favourite fruits. I have always just had to do with tinned peaches or peaches which have been shipped in from much warmer climes. I happen to love tinned peaches. A favourite dessert when I was growing up was a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with some tinned peaches. I still love it.
I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil! I also love sandwiches! This is a definite win/win situation! This is Day Five! The final day!
Prior to moving back to Chester in 2010, I was employed as a person chef at a Manor house down in Kent. I got to stretch my abilities and skills cooking for large silver service dinner parties and cocktail parties . . . and scrummy lady's luncheons . . . beautiful food and presentations . . .
I never ever got to partake of any of it, I was always the cook, and never the guest . . . kind of like always being the bridesmaid, but never the bride!
I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil! I also love sandwiches! This is a definite win/win situation! This is Day Four!
We've had a really busy day here today running about here and there. We had to go all the way up to Manchester to have the Toddster's iPad fixed and then back again, amongst all of our other duties and so today for eats . . . easy is the order of the day.
I was recently invited to become part of the 2015 Better with Leerdammer Blogger team. As a member of the team I would be challenged to create a sandwich with the ingredients provided for five days running. I am a big fan of Leerdammer and so for me, this is a delicious challenge to fulfil! I also love sandwiches! This is a definite win/win situation! This is Day Three!
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