I made myself a promise when I was diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic that I was going to try to bake something diabetic friendly at least once a week that I could share with others, that we would all find delicious and appealing. I confess that some of my experiments have been pretty blah, but occasionally I have come up with something that is really pleasing and that I feel pretty excited to share with you! And that is the case with this delicious Berry and Apple Crumble!
This was always a really busy time of year for me when the children were growing up. This was the time I began all of my Christmas baking preparations each year.
Baking cookies and cakes and tarts for the holidays and freezing them as I went along.
.jpg "Cut Glass Cinnamon Crisps")
We always did a lot of entertaining during the holidays having get-togethers with family and friends, so doing things ahead always just made sense.
I also liked to make up cookie trays to gift my friends and family with. I can tell you nobody ever turned one down.
Most years we didn't have a lot of money to spend on gifts and food for the holiday so it worked out a lot better for me if I did a little of it at a time.
In all truth, I don't know of anyone . . . friend or family . . . who didn't welcome the gift of a tray of baking during the holidays! They always went down a real treat.
These "Cut Glass Cinnamon Crisps" were always a really tasty addition to my baking. They didn't ask for unusual ingredients.
Just simple things that were always in the house. Butter, sugar, egg, flour and cinnamon. Yep . . . that's all.
They really look much more complicated than they are. Their beauty belies their simplicity.
They really look much more complicated than they are. Their beauty belies their simplicity.
It's just a simple butter cookie dough, rolled into balls. They are then pressed down onto lined or buttered baking sheets using the bottom of a drinking glass which has a base with a textured design.
Easy peazy and oh so pretty! I use the base of one of my crystal candle sticks. When I was younger, my mother used to give my sister and I each a piece of crystal each year for Christmas.
Easy peazy and oh so pretty! I use the base of one of my crystal candle sticks. When I was younger, my mother used to give my sister and I each a piece of crystal each year for Christmas.
I love that not only do they grace my holiday table each year reminding me of my mother's love for me, but also that they can play such an important part in my holiday baking!
I love the impression the candlestick makes on these cookies . . . a star . . . like the star which led the wise men to the baby Jesus.
I love the impression the candlestick makes on these cookies . . . a star . . . like the star which led the wise men to the baby Jesus.
It's just perfect for the holidays. These are actually perfect any time of the year.
These cookies are crisp and buttery and so easy to make. Plus they are delicious with a subtle hint of cinnamon in the batter and a full on cinnamon sugar coating on the outside.
These cookies are crisp and buttery and so easy to make. Plus they are delicious with a subtle hint of cinnamon in the batter and a full on cinnamon sugar coating on the outside.
Perfect for dunking in your holiday hot cocoa when you come in from a cold evening of caroling!
Some other Christmas Cookies you might enjoy are:
EVERYDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES - These are the shortbread cookies my mother baked for us every Christmas. Simple and decorated only with colored sugar, we looked forward to these delicious cookies every year!
EGGNOG THUMBPRINT COOKIES - Delicious crisp shortbread type of cookies, with a dimple in the middle that you fill with a delicious Eggnog Buttercream icing! They look really pretty on a cookie plate!
Cut Glass Cinnamon Crisps
Yield: 36 cookies
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Beautiful cookies with lots of cinnamon flavour. I gave them the name Cut Glass Cinnamon Cookies because you press them down with the bottom of any drinking glass that has a textured design on it.
Ingredients
- 190g caster sugar (1 cup)
- 225g butter, softened (1 cup)
- 1 medium free range egg
- 325g of plain flour (2 1/4 cup)
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 TBS caster sugar
Instructions
- Mix together 2 tsp of the ground cinnamon along with the 3 TBS of caster sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well incorporated. Beat in the 1 tsp cinnamon. Stir in the flour, mixing it in until well blended. Chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Line a couple of baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
- Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls using your hands. Drop the balls into the cinnamon sugar and roll them around to coat evenly. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. With the bottom of a decoratively cut glass press each ball of dough down to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, until firm to the touch. Immediately remove from the baking sheets to cool on wire racks.
- Pack the cookies in airtight containers with some wax paper in between the layers. You can also freeze these ahead of time. To maintain their crisp texture, unwrap the cookies before thawing them at room temperature.
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.
Where we live in Blacon, a suburb of Chester City, we are surrounded by Leek fields. You can smell them in the air this time of year and it's a gorgeous smell. It makes your taste buds tingle and your mouth water.
Leeks are a real autumn and winter favourite in our house and November 1st marks the beginning of the British Leek Season. I have to say with all honesty . . . there is no leek tastier than a fresh British Leek, grown in British soil and harvested and sold within days of being harvested.
I love to buy local and buy fresh. Leeks are a seasonal treat we start to enjoy every autumn, and they figure heavily in our diet throughout the season.
Interestingly enough, Leeks have been cultivated since the time of the Ancient Egyptians and were probably, in all liklihood, a fundamental part of the diet of those who built the pyramids. Hippocrates the ancient Greek physician and ‘father of medicine’ prescribed the leek as a cure for nosebleeds.
Phoenician traders are said to have introduced the leek to Wales when they were trading for tin in the British Isles – an act that would unexpectedly elevate this humble veg to national status thousands of years later, for today the Leek is indeed the Welsh National Symbol!
Like garlic and onions, leeks are a member of the allium family. They have their own distinct flavour however, being quite harsh when raw (only very young leeks are eaten this way.)
Once cooked, they develop a very delicate flavour, similar to a mild onion but with a extra hint of sweetness. Two thirds of their length is white and firm, and this is the part that is mainly eaten.
The rest of the third is made up of the leaves (flags), most of which are discarded. I find them quite useful when making flavourful stocks. I find them to be a very versatile ingredient which works well both in hearthy main dishes, delicious side dishes, and of course in toothsome soups!
I recently used some to create a delicious pie . . . Ham Hock, Leek and Cheese Pie.
Rich, buttery and flaky puff pastry, encasing a fabulous filling, perfectly showcases this delicious autumn/winter vegetable.
You get the smokiness of the ham hock . . . which goes wonderfully with the sweetness of leeks . . . leeks which have been sauteed in butter . . . long and slow to help bring out their very best . . .
Add to that the richess of double cream . . . and gruyere cheese, which has a nutty sweet flavour . . . and you have a beautiful combination of flavours that is at once sublime and yet quite outstanding in every way.
From the moment your fork breaks down through that buttery flakiness into that rich filling you know you are in for a real treat. And it does not disappoint . . . NOT in the least.
This is magnificent. End of. All you really need on the side is a mixed salad to complete your meal.
*Ham Hock, Leek and Cheese Pie*
Serves 6
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
250g of gruyere cheese, grated (1/2 pound)
100g of cooked ham hock, shredded
750g puff pastry (1 1/2 pounds)
Heat
the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Once it melts and begins
to foam, add the leeks. Cook, stirring frequently, until they are very
softened, without allowing them to colour. Stir in the flour Add the
cream to the leeks, along with the nutmeg and some seasoning.
Increase
the heat to high, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat as soon as
it begins to boil. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
Stir in the ham hock and the cheese. Set aside.
Divide the pastry in half. Roll out each piece to a 10 inch in diameter circle on a lightly floured board. Place one disc onto the paper lined baking tray. Brush the surface lightly with some of the beaten egg mixture.
Spoon the leek cheese filling into the middle of the pastry
disc and spread it out, leaving a 1 inch border free all the way around
the edge of the disc. Top with the other disc of pastry. Crimp the
edges all the way around to seal. Brush the top with more of the beaten
egg mixture. Make a few slits in top to vent.
For more information on this lovely British Vegetable do check out British Leeks. You will find more fun facts, nutritional information, growing information and a whole host of other recipes which showcase this very delicious and versatile vegetable!
We had a Missionary Meeting in Manchester on Monday for all of the Senior Couples. We were asked to bring pot luck. I thought about making something hot to take, but was concerned that I wouldn't be able to keep it warm until we got there. I also thought about making Deviled Eggs, but then I was concerned that they wouldn't travel well, so in the end I decided to make my Spaghetti Salad!
One of my favourite salads is Tabouleh. I first ate it at a party my brother was having. I fell in love with it . . . it's that beautiful colaberation of flavours . . . lemon, mint, parsley, spring onions, tomatoes . . cucumbers . . . and then the bulgar wheat. It's a perfect combination of flavours and textures! Chewy, crunchy, tart, herby. I love it all!
In my quest to cook things diabetic friendly, I cooked this Banana Coconut Bread the other day and was very pleased with how it turned out! High in fibre and low in both fat and sugar. Yay! That makes me happy. Although you still wouldn't want to binge on something like this of course. All baked goods should be occasional treats (which I am now saving for weekends) and not daily thing.
I can remember making this easy casserole back in the 1970's when I was a very young new bride and thinking it was the penultimate in sophistication.
First there was the name, which sounds exotic. Then there was the broccoli. I don't know about you, but growing up in the 60's, in Nova Scotia, Canada . . . in a small town . . . broccoli wasn't something we ever saw.
To me Broccoli was an exotic vegetable.
To me, back then . . . this was dinner party or date night fare! You had meat, a vegetable and a scrummy sauce, all blanketed beneath cheese and buttered cracker crumbs.
To me, back then . . . this was dinner party or date night fare! You had meat, a vegetable and a scrummy sauce, all blanketed beneath cheese and buttered cracker crumbs.
What was not to like! It was easy and delicious! And I thought, quite impressive!
Nobody thought anything much about using condensed tinned soups back then. They were ineverybody's most people's cupboards.
Nobody thought anything much about using condensed tinned soups back then. They were in
My kids used to love this. (It was a great way to get them to eat their broccoli . . . well this and then there was melting cheeze whiz and pouring it over top, but we won't go there.)
I still make this from time to time and we still enjoy it. Only difference is now I am more than likely to make my sauce from scratch.
I still make this from time to time and we still enjoy it. Only difference is now I am more than likely to make my sauce from scratch.
It's healthier and there are no chemicals or preservatives.
I am also more than likely to use Purple Sprouting Broccoli or Tender Stem Broccoli because I am lucky enough to live in a time and age when those types of things are readily available.
It tastes rich and it is delicious and it provides just enough nostalgia to make me feel all warm and comfy inside.
It tastes rich and it is delicious and it provides just enough nostalgia to make me feel all warm and comfy inside.
I like to serve this with small baked jacket potatoes (for the fibre) and a vegetable. Yesterday it was green beans.
This
hearkens back to the early days of my cooking life, when I thought this
was the ultimate in sophistication. Maybe it was pretty sophisticated
in comparison to my mother's cooking, but it is rather dated now. That
doesn't mean it doesn't still taste delicious. Only difference now is
I make my own sauce instead of using tinned soup. Super simple and
super tasty.
You will need:
2 cups of cooked chicken, cut into chunks
4 cups of broccoli florets, cooked
2 ounces grated cheddar cheese (I like to use strong)
a couple handfuls of crushed cracker crumbs
*Back to the 70's Chicken Divan*
Serves 4
butter to dot
For the Sauce:
180ml of chicken broth (3/4 cup)
pinch dried thyme
pinch dried sage
pinch dried parsley
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch paprika
salt and black pepper to taste
180ml of milk (3/4 cup)
35g of plain flour (1/4 cup)
First
make the sauce. Blitze all of the ingredients together in a blender
until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, in a saucepan over medium heat
until the mixture boils and begins to thicken. Cook for several minutes
over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Set aside
until needed.
Preheat the oven to 420*C/425*F/gas mark
7. Butter a 10 inch glass pie dish. Stir together the broccoli and
the chicken pieces. Place into the pie dish. Spread the sauce over top
evenly. Top with the cheese and then the cracker crumbs. Dot with
butter.
Bake for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbling,
heated through, the cheese melts and the top is golden brown. Let
stand for five minutes, then spoon out to serve. Baked potatoes and a
vegetable go very well with this.
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@aol.com
There is a possibility that I might be a coeliac. At least that is what the specialist said the other day. I have all of the symptoms, but have been treated for having IBS for about 5 years now. The symptoms are very similar.
I did a reckie around the grocery store today and there is not a heck of a lot for coeliac's. There's a bit, but what is there is very expensive.
I picked up some gluten free self rising flour and a box of cereal, but seriously . . . they wanted almost £3 for a loaf of bread. (That's like almost $4.51 American or $6.01 Canadian.) I don't know how people cope. It's outrageous! I really hope I am not.
I thought I might try baking a Gluten Free cake or some such. I looked at one recipe and it would have cost me a virtual fortune by the time I baked the one I was looking at.
I would have spend almost £6 on ground almonds alone, not to mention half a dozen large eggs and all the other bits in it. I can't afford that . . . as lovely as it looked. Then there is the sugar . . .
I found this recipe in a gluten free baking book by Hannah Miles. (Remember she was first runner up in Master Chef 2007 and her cakes are lovely. It's called The Gluten-Free Baker.
It has a lot of sugar in it (1 1/2 cups altogether plus 1 TBS), so I was only able to have a tiny taste, but I can tell you from the tiny taste I had . . . they are totally gorgeous!!
She baked hers in tiny loaf tins. I chose to bake mine in muffin tins because I was too lazy to cut out baking paper to fit into the loaf tins . . . and if I did muffin cakes then I could use my cupcake papers.
The cakes are really moist and lemony flavoured.
A lot of the moistness comes from the amaretto syrup drizzle you spoon over the hot cakes when they come out of the oven. It soaks all down into the cakes . . .
Once totally cooled you spoon a lemon drizzle icing over top and scatter on toasted flaked almonds. Altogether very scrumptious indeed.
I would think these would please any coeliac . . . at least any coeliac who wasn't diabetic at any rate!
*Lemon Amaretto Cakes*
Gluten Free
Makes six individual cakesthe juice of one lemon
For the icing drizzle:
160g of icing sugar, sifted into a bowl (1 cup confectioner's sugar)
the juice of one lemon
toasted flaked almonds to top
Grease
a six cup muffin tin and line with paper liners. Preheat the oven to
180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Place the muffin tin on a tray.
Cream
the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat
in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk together the flour and almonds. Fold
this into the creamed mixture along with the yogurt and lemon zest.
Divide the cake batter amongst the prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cakes are firm to the touch and golden brown.
Whisk
together the ingredients for the amaretto drizzle until the sugar is
dissolved. Spoon this over the hot cakes, a bit at a time, when they
come out of the oven. It will be completely absorbed.
Allow them to
cool in the pan. Once they are completely cooled, whisk together the
icing sugar and lemon juice to make a spoonable drizzle icing. If you
need to add a bit of water you can. Spoon this over the top of each
cake and scatter with some flaked toasted almonds while the icing is
still wet. Allow to set.
Did you make mud pies when you were a little girl? I did. I can remember sitting by the ditch at the end of our garden with my little bowl and spoon and making mud pies.
I still make mud pies, but these days they are quite edible, delicious. In fact, they are stogged full of lovely chunks of milk chocolate, sweet sticky sultanas and crunchy toasted walnuts!
Very
reminiscent of the mud pies of childhood. These are not made of mud
but are delicious drop scones, stogged full of milk chocolate, toasted
walnuts and sultana raisins! Break out the cold milk, these are
scrumptious!
280g of plain flour (2 cups)
90g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup, firmly packed)
40g sifted cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
86g of unsalted butter, chilled (6 TBS)
120ml of milk (1/2 cup)
1 large free range egg
1 tsp vanilla
10 ounces of milk chocolate, broken into bits
75g of sultana raisins (1/2 cup)
55g toasted walnut pieces (1/2 cup)
Icing sugar to dust (optional)
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. LIine a large baking sheet with baking paper and butter the paper. Set aside.
Sift
the flour into a bowl along with the cocoa powder and baking powder.
Stir in the salt and brown sugar. Drop in the butter and rub it in
with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat
together the milk, egg and vanilla. Add all at once to the dry
mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in the chocolate bits, raisins and
nuts. Drop by 1/3 cups, leaving 3 inches in between, onto the prepared
baking sheet.
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or
until a skewer inserted into the centre of a scone comes out clean.
Remove to a wire rack and allwo to cool on the baking sheet for five
minutes, before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or
cool, dusted with icing sugar if desired. Tasty tasty!
Little unappealing lumps of mud and twigs . . . grass and gravel . . . inedible of course to anyone but my imaginary family who really loved them!
I still make mud pies, but these days they are quite edible, delicious. In fact, they are stogged full of lovely chunks of milk chocolate, sweet sticky sultanas and crunchy toasted walnuts!
Deliciousness personified!
They aren't pies really, but a lovely drop scone! So lovely to make and to eat.
I adore scones, and when they are as easy as these are, I love them even more.
Dusted with a sweet drift of icing sugar . . . covering all of their tasty lumps and bumps.
I don't know anything that a light dusting of icing sugar doesn't pretty up. Well, baked goods that it. I doubt it would do much for mac and cheese.
I really wanted to bake something today that wasn't low fat or low sugar. I knew I wouldn't be able eat them myself.
But, then again, I often don't eat what I bake. My husband does or I give it away. I simply get a pleasure out of baking things for others. I do have a tiny taste, but that's all basically.
And my husband . . . well, he is not overly fond of chocolate things. But I really wanted to bake these today.
They were begging me to be baked and so I did. He had one and said it was pretty good as far as chocolate things go . . . I took it as a compliment.
But you know how these things work out. The two Buckley Elders, Singsam and Judd . . . they happened by this afternoon, checking up on me after my experience from yesterday,
So I was able to sit them down with cold glasses of milk and one each of these. And they REALLY enjoyed them.
So much so that they took the remainder of them home with them. I love it when that happens.
*Mud Pies*
Makes 8 or 9
I don't know why, but chocolate things are really difficult to photograph and come out looking tasty, but I did try my best. I hope you'll give them a go!
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.
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