We are great lovers of Gingerbread in this house. There is something about a gingerbread baking in the oven that just gets my tastebuds to tingling.
If we were Hansel and Gretel we would be gonners, because we'd be nibble-nibble-nibbling at that old witches house non-stop!
I have quite a few recipes for gingerbread that I really like. All are my favourites for a variety of reasons.
Some because they are super gingery . . . some because they are super easy . . . some because they are super moist . . . I love this one for ALL of those reasons!
There is nothing fancy about it. It's just a simple recipe. You beat together some butter and sugar, beat in an egg and molasses.
The original recipe didn't call for it, but I have added vanilla and lemon extracts because I have found through the years that they enhance the warm spice flavours of a good gingerbread.
You stir dry ingredients into wet and then you beat in a cup of hot water that you have dissolved some baking soda in and pour it into the pan.
Older recipes like this usually called for dissolving the soda in hot water. I am not sure why that is.
My guess is so that the activation, or bubbling action starts sooner.
But I am not an expert on these things.
Another guess would be that it
helps the baking soda to really get mixed into the batter evenly, and if
you have ever bitten into a cookie or a cake and bitten into a lump of
soda, you know that is a yukky yukky thing to have happen to you!
This cake cooks in a very short period of time. It takes about half an hour and
makes a lovely large cake.
The smell when it is baking is amazing.
Warm and spicy and home sweet homeish.
No frosting is needed . . . its fabulous just as it is, but we can never resist splitting warm slabs of the cake and buttering them.
SOOOOOOOOO delicious that way! (I know we are very naughty!) Of course a scoop of vanilla ice cream sitting on top of a warm slab is also a very tasty way to enjoy!
*Grandmother's Gingerbread*
Makes one 9 by 13 inch cake
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 13 inch non-stick baking tin really well. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, salt, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Beat in the egg. Beat the egg, molasses and extracts together. Stir this into the dry ingredients. Stir the soda into the hot water to dissolve and stir this into the batter, mixing in until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until risen and the top springs back when lightly touched. The top will look sticky and shiny. Leave to cool in the pan. Serve warm with butter, if desired.
Whisk together the flour, salt, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Beat in the egg. Beat the egg, molasses and extracts together. Stir this into the dry ingredients. Stir the soda into the hot water to dissolve and stir this into the batter, mixing in until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until risen and the top springs back when lightly touched. The top will look sticky and shiny. Leave to cool in the pan. Serve warm with butter, if desired.
There is no time like the present to bake this simple and easy cake. You will thank me for it afterwards. And your family will be thanking you. Thanks Grandmother! Bon Appetit!
NOTE - Don't be tempted to use dark treacle in this. It is a lot stronger than molasses. If you must because you cannot get molasses use a mix of dark treacle and golden syrup.
NOTE - Don't be tempted to use dark treacle in this. It is a lot stronger than molasses. If you must because you cannot get molasses use a mix of dark treacle and golden syrup.
We had the best news ever yesterday about my husband's cancer. The radiation did its job and it has been eradicated.
We celebrated after seeing the specialist by enjoying an egg custard tart a piece in the hospital cafe, and then we came home and I made my husband one of his favourite dinners. Chicken and Dumplings!
You will need cooked chicken to make these. I had actually roasted a chicken the day before so that I would have plenty to make this dish, just in case!
You could also poach some chicken breasts, use a rotisserie chicken, whatever works for you!
My husband is not a hard man to please. He is a simple man with simple tastes and he was in heaven when I set a bowl of this in front of him.
Literal heaven. He just loves chicken and dumplings!
I love them too, and not just because they are delicious. I also love them because they are a really simple supper to make.
You just make a simple chicken stock gravy and drop in the cooked chicken, and then drop buttery dumplings on top, cover and steam. Easy peasy.
The hardest part really IS keeping yourself from peeking while the dumplings are cooking. Trust me when I tell you that is the quickest and easiest way to ruin a good dumpling.
Just throw caution to the wind, pop that lid on and have patience and faith that they will turn out!
Remember . . . If you be looking the dumplings ain't cooking! Its a total truth. DON'T look, not even for a second.
Your patience and self control will be rewarded by light and fluffy dumplings . . . so tasty nestled in a bowl of that delicious chicken stew. Dig in! Supper is served!
*Chicken & Dumplings*
Serves 4 Stir in the flour
and cook for a few minutes to cook out the flour taste. Slowly whisk
in the warm stock, and cook, stirring until the mixture bubbles and
thickens. Let cook on a slow simmer for about 15 minutes at which time
the vegetables should have softened nicely. Taste and adjust seasoning
with salt and black pepper.
I can't think of a better reason to celebrate than the good news we got from the hospital, can you? We were both well over the moon.
This was the perfect celebratory meal. Much nicer than anything we could have found in a restaurant and a heck of a lot cheaper! Bon Appetit!
Every now and again I toy with the idea of becoming a vegetarian. Every now and again.
Then I think of eating a nice piece of tender beef, or some perfectly roasted chicken, some succulent pork with crackling . . . bacon . . . tender slices of ham with that glazed and crispy fat on the edges . . . and I change my mind.
I just couldn't give them up completely. Not. At. All.
I think brisket has to be one of my favourite cuts of beef. I know it is one of the tougher cuts, but when it is properly cooked, it is delicate and delicious.
It has just the right amount of marbeling as to render it quite succulent once cooked. Long and slow. Its the best.
More often than not I will use it in a pot roast. Sometimes I will cut it up and stew it for a meat pie or some such.
Today I decided to give it a kind of a short rib treatment. Beef Shortribs are very hard to come by here in the UK.
You will want to cut your meat into smaller pieces. Pat it dry with some paper towels so all your herbs and spices will stick to it.
Once I had done that, I rubbed the meat all over with some spices. I then browned it slowly all over in a knob of butter . . . you can never go wrong with a knob of butter. That's my motto. Its about 2 TBS.
Once you have done that you can add a bit of beef stock. You then simmer it tightly covered until that beef was fork tender and succulent . . .
But that's not all I did . . . no, that's not all!
I then used some of the pan drippings, some shallots, brandy, green peppercorns and . . . *Gulp* . . . double cream . . .
I know, very wicked is double cream. You might know that as thick cream or whipping cream in North America.
These helped me to get all saucy with it. You cannot beat serving a good sauce with a piece of good meat.
This sauce is the perfect sauce to spoon over that beautifully flavoured and perfectly cooked beef . . .
Then I served it up with some delicious twice cooked chips and a bit of veg on the side because you need a bit of veg don't you?
Its what keeps you healthy-like. And we all need some of that!
*Braised Beef with a Peppercorn Sauce*
Serves 4
knob of butter
beef stock
1 banana shallot, peeled and chopped
2 TBS of green peppercorns in brine, drained
salt and black pepper to taste
If I had to make one complaint about this it would be that it doesn't photograph near as nice as it tastes and if it weren't for the cream, I could quite easily have eaten twice the amount of that delicious sauce . . . . sigh . . .
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This is a vegetarian take on a Spanish classic. I don't want any Spanish Purists having a go at me. Its a recipe which I adapted from a small cookery book I have had a while called Easy One-Pot, published by ryland peters publishers.
Its a compendium of one pan recipes attributed to a number of chefs and cooks. This recipe in particular is one that is credited to Ross Dobson.
I thought it was really colourful and would make the best of some of the early fresh vegetables we are finding in the market at the moment, and if you aren't then you soon will be.
Baby courgettes (that's Zucchini to you North Americans). The young ones are so tender and sweet . . . cherry tomatoes, also nice and sweet, and the short sautéing these gets really helps to enhance this.
Fine green beans . . . cooked just until crispy tender. Baby peas. Frozen are fine. In fact, having grown peas myself, frozen petit pois are the only ones I buy.
You would have to grow stacks of peas to make it worth your while and you would have to buy stacks of fresh peas also to make it worth your while. Frozen baby peas work very well.
Garlic and rosemary . . . fresh is great. I have a rosemary bush. I remember being very surprised when I moved over here and saw it growing in the hedges. Amazing.
Also you will need paella rice, which is a short grained rice and some saffron, which gives the rice that beautiful golden colour.
Saffron can be a somewhat expensive ingredient, but it really is necessary. You might balk when you see how much you get and at what price, but trust me when I say that a little bit goes a very long way.
Altogether this is a really great recipe that goes together in a flash. Especially if you have all of your ingredients assembled ahead of time and ready to go. A sprinkle of toasted almonds and some chopped parsley are the final garnish.
Mine got a little bit browner than I would have liked them as I got distracted, but they did lend a lovely nutty crunch to the dish. I think you will really like this!
*Vegetarian Paella*
Serves 4
5 TBS olive oil
200g red or yellow cherry tomatoes (1/2 pound)
Put the saffron in a cup with the hot water and set aside to infuse. Place half the olive oil in a large skillet (with a lid) and then add the cherry tomatoes. Cook, shaking occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until the skins just begin to split. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Add the courgettes, beans and peas. Cook, stirring frequently
over medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop out into the bowl with
the tomatoes. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the garlic and the
rosemary. Cook for about a minute to flavour the oil.
Add the paella
rice and stir to coat, then pour in the stock and saffron water. Bring
to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook gently over low heat,
stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid
has been absorbed.
Scatter the vegetables over top and cover tightly.
Cook for five minutes longer. Season to taste. Scatter the almonds and
some chopped parsley over top and serve.
This would also make a really delicious side dish for more people if you wanted to use it that way with some grilled fish or chicken, or even red meats. I reckon it would serve 6 - 8 as a side dish. Bon Appetit!
Warming temperatures call for skillet suppers! You know the kind I mean. Suppers that you can cook all in one skillet on top of the stove. Suppers that don't heat up the whole kitchen, but will still satisfy hungry appetites! This dish today fits the bill perfectly.
Not only is everything cooked in the one skillet on top of the stove, but it is also done in about half an hour, which makes it a perfect weeknight supper, for those evenings when you have a lot going on, but not a lot of time to cook.
Colourful and delicious, this goes together in a flash and uses simple and uncomplicated ingredients. Chicken thighs . . . sure you could use breasts instead, they would work fine, but the thighs have so much more flavour . . .
Bacon lardons . . . chunk of smoked dry cured bacon. You could also use chopped streaky bacon if you wanted to, but I like the lardons . . . less fat.
Sliced baby leeks . . . frozen peas, tarragon . . . parsley. A bit of chicken stock and some seasoning. You can also use a bit of white wine if you have it, but if you don't that's okay, just use additional stock in it's place . . .
A touch of grainy mustard almost makes the sauce creamy . . . and a secret ingredient . . . finely shredded baby gem lettuce. Colour, colour, colour . . . I would call this green chicken, but that doesn't really sound as appealing as Skillet Chicken with Peas, Leeks and Bacon.
Quick. Easy. Colourful. Delicous. Well . . . what are you waiting for? Get cooking!
*Skillet Chicken with Peas, Leeks and Bacon*
Serves 4 generously
fine seasalt and coarse black pepper to taste
100g smoked bacon lardons (3 1/2 ounces)
60ml white wine (1/4 cup)
300g frozen baby peas (2 1/4 cups)
1/2 TBS grainy Dijon mustard
1 baby gem lettuce, shredded
a large handful of fresh tarragon, chopped
a large handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a large flame proof casserole dish, or a skillet with a
lid over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and black
pepper. Add to the pan in batches and brown all over, removing the
pieces as they brown. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Lower the
heat and add the leeks and cook until they begin to soften. Return the
chicken to the pan. Pour over the warm chicken stock and white wine.
Stir together and bring to a simmer. Cover and leave to simmer for
about 10 minutes, stirring after five minutes.
Uncover and add the frozen peas. Stir and cover. Leave to simmer
for a further 5 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through by now.
Stir in the mustard, lettuce, tarragon and parsley. Adjust seasoning
as required. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for several
minutes to wilt the lettuce and then serve immediately.
Note - you could also use other vegetables if you prefer, or if you have them. Asparagus cuts, green beans, sliced courgettes (zucchini), all will work very well. Its a very forgiving dish, and a great way to get in several of your five a day! Bon Appetit!
The recipe I am showing you here today is one of my favourite of all the quick breads that I make. It is no secret that I am a huge fan of cornbread. I also happen to love quick breads with dried fruit in them, especially raisins and cranberries . . . and add fennel seed to anything and I am so on it! I just adore that slight anise like flavour of fennel seed! This lovely bread incorporates those three loves of mine in a most delicious way!
The recipe comes from a cookery book that I have had for a long time. Entitled "The Best American Recipes, 2002-2003," it was the years top picks from books, magazines, newspapers and the internet. Its a wonderful source of all things delicious!
The original recipe appeared in Gourmet magazine, cook Gina Marie Miraglia, so I am guessing just from her name alone that it has Italian roots. The Italians like to use fennel seed and I, myself, always add some to my tomato sauces. I have even been known to just sit and chew on fennel seed. Like I said, I love it's flavour.
The batter is a pretty basic buttermilk cornbread batter, using fine cornmeal (like polenta) and just a hint of sweetness. The buttermilk makes is nice and moist . . . the combination of dried sultana raisins and dried cranberries, add another dimension of texture and some sweetness.
This is a bread that is wonderful for picnics and is not entirely out of place on a cheese board. Cheese goes beautifully with this. Especially a nice creamy blue . . . or a good cheddar. Try slices put together with cream cheese, as sandwiches. Yum! Cut into fingers they would be a wonderful addition to a Tea Party table!
The recipe makes two loaves, which is not really a problem, as I can't think of anyone who wouldn't love to receive the gift of one of these in a basket along with some conserve and a block of cream cheese, or even just a jar of honey butter. It also freezes well. Another quality I like about this is the fact that you can bake it up to three days ahead of when you want to use it!
You can also bake it as individual small loaves, which make for a beautiful presentation for luncheons, etc. However you choose to bake it or enjoy it, I think you will agree with me when I say that this is truly a winning quick bread recipe!
*Corn Bread with Fennel Seed, Cranberries & Sultanas*
Makes 2 loaves
(8 X 4 X 3 inch)
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes (20 - 25 minutes or small loaf tins), or until the tops are golden brown and a skewe inserted in the centre of a loaf comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before tipping out onto the wire rack to cool completely.
Bon Appetit!
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