I put my hand up! I adore salads, and it doesn't have to be summer for me to enjoy them. I am the salad Queen! Todd, on the other hand, is not so fond of them. One, he's a man, and two, prior to marrying me, he had been served far too many mediocre salads. It happens. I have to confess, that for such a simple concept, I have never (in 18 years) had a good salad in a restaurant over here. They charge an arm and a leg, but you get literally no bang for your buck. I don't understand this as we have some of the most beautiful fresh ingredients available to us in the world. How can they get it so wrong!
All of my children love to cook. I can't claim total responsability for that, as their father used to love to cook as well. He made great Spaghetti sauce and baked beautiful bread. He used to make our kitchen table dance across the floor when he was kneading his bread. As you can imagine we went through a lot of bread with five hungry children to feed, three of them being boys! I was talking to my oldest daughter the other day and she asked me if I knew how to make curry. She liked curried chicken and she was wanting to make one.
My oldest daughter is developmentally challenged, but whatever challenges she faces, cooking is not one of them. She loves to cook and is a really good cook. So long as a recipe is fairly straight forward, she does really well. I created a delicious, yet simple chicken curry recipe just for her that I thought she would enjoy.
Its a very straight forward make and doesn't require any unsual or even a lot of ingredients. You just cook some spring onions and garlic in a bit of oil, add some tinned tomatoes and curry powder and ginger. Nothing unsual there. Once that gets going you add in chicken thighs that you have cut into bits and you brown them in the curry paste/mixture for a while, just until they start to brown a bit.
Then you add some hot water, bring it to a boil and let it simmer for a while, until the sauce thickens up a bit and the chicken is tender. That's it. Simple.
At the very end you stir in a bit of natural Greek yogurt which gives it a lovely creaminess and that is it. Its ready to serve.
With some simple steamed basmati rice and a smattering of spring onion sprinkled over top, that's it. Dinner is served. We like to have a dollop of Greek yogurt on top as well when we eat it.
This is just spicy enough, not too spicy and not too mild. Todd really loved it. I think he had two servings himself.
The North American in me likes to add a bit of mango chutney as well, when it is cooking. It just adds a hint of sweetness which I find very appealing. I always use Geeta's Chutney because we like the flavour of it. It has lots of lovely bits in it and a bit of a bite. Its very nice.
But you can leave that out entirely if you wish. It will still be very good without it . . . I just like that little bit of something extra that it adds.
I can't wait for my daughter to make it. I just know she is going to love it and I have every bit of confidence in her ability to do so. Her husband won't eat it, but by making this whole recipe, she has one portion she can eat on the day and three more that she can freeze for the future when her husband is having something she doesn't like! Everybody wins!
*Eileen's Curry*
Serves 4
250ml hot water (9 fluid ounces)
2 TBS good mango chutney (optional)
100ml Greek-style naturaal yogurt (3 1/2 fluid ounces)
salt and black pepper to taste
Like I said Todd really enjoyed this. I think I am getting the hang of this curry lark. For a person who didn't have a lot of experience with making curries before I moved over here to the UK, I think I am doing really well. Bon Appetit!
Following the huge success of the first and second editions, the people at Go Outdoors have decided to take things up yet another notch with the third instalment of their ever-popular GO Outdoors Camping Cookbook.
For the third successive year, they have teamed up with leading outdoors and foodie bloggers (Including myself) to bring you a host of delicious and easy-to-make campfire recipes - and this time we’ve made things even more convenient for you!
Our one-pot recipe special features a range of super-convenient and unbelievably tasty meals that you can prepare and eat on your next camping trip. What’s more, it’s completely free.
From gluten-free and diet-friendly options to vegan and vegetarian recipes, you’ll find everything you need for breakfast, lunch, dinner and all-day snacks across our three volumes.
Download the new edition of The Camping Cookbook now so you can print it out and take it with you on your next outdoor adventure or browse through their new recipe hub to find and print your favourite recipe. Just follow this link to go to the page where you can download this latest cookbook, plus their past versions, all for free! I am so pleased and honored to be a part of this project and I can tell you from the outset that I am in very good company! Many thanks to the people at Go Outdoors for including me in this project!
We are having a set of the Missionaries over for supper tonight, so you know what that means. I am pulling out all the stops. We have three sets of missionaries here in Chester at the moment, including a Senior couple.
I do always like to spoil them a tiny bit by making something for them that is a tad bit special and maybe even a bit naughty. Today it is my Hot Italian Hoagies, Mac and Cheese, Coleslaw and for dessert, this fabulous Toffee Almond Cake. I think they are in for a treat. I hope they enjoy it all!
This is a fabulous cake. Its very moist and filled with flavour, both from the use of ground almonds in the batter along with toffee sauce which not only flavours the cake, but helps to keep it moist.
This is the toffee sauce I use in it. Plain old ice cream toffee sauce. The recipe is an old one I have had copied out in my big blue binder now for many, many years.
I suspect I copied it from an ad for prepared ice cream toffee sauce once upon a time, but sadly back in those days when I was handwriting out these things, I didn't really take note of the source, never dreaming that one day we would have the internet to share these things on. Sorry about that chief!
This really is a fabulous cake . . . truly. Like I said there is toffee sauce in the batter and then after you take it out of the oven you spoon warmed toffee sauce over top.
You then let the sauce soak down into the cake, which adds even more flavour and moistness.
Don't try using that dark caramel sauce/dulce de leche type of thing. It isn't the right consistency, and the batter will curdle and be too thick.
It also doesn't warm up very well and won't soak into the top properly. You want a thinner toffee sauce, the type you pour over ice cream.
I used Dulce de Leche once . . . thinking it was going to be a good thing, but instantly regretted it.
Total F A I L U R E
So just don't . . . don't . . . don't. No matter how good you think it will be. It won't.
I use flaked almonds on top, but you can use slivered if that is all you can get. You can't get slivered over here, just flaked.
See how lovely and moist that is? Its incredible. C'est incroyable!
I like to drizzle a bit more toffee sauce over top when I go to serve it . . . because, it's just plain good . . .
And is there ever such a thing as TOO much toffee sauce???? I think not! But that's not all . . . I also like to add a dollop of squirty cream . . . just like on an ice cream sundae.
Its pretty wonderful if I don't say so myself. I think the guys are going to love it.
*Toffee Almond Cake*
Serves 8
To Serve: (optional)
Additional Toffee Sauce
Whipped Cream
Whisk together the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the toffee sauce and then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, beat in a couple of TBS of the flour mixture each time. Stir in the flour mixture in thirds, mixing in well after each addition. Spread into the prepared baking tin. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Gently heat the remaining toffee sauce. Using a toothpick, carefully poke holes all over the top of the hot cake. Spoon the warm toffee sauce over the cake to cover, allowing it to soak in as you go. Lift out onto a wire rack and cool completely before cutting into wedges to serve.
Today mine took a tiny bit longer in the oven, about 8 or 9 minutes. Not sure what was up with that. But never mind. Start checking it at 25 and then judge accordingly. I really hope you will give it a go. I think your family will be sure to love it.
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!
We have had the loveliest May Bank Holiday this past weekend with beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures. We have had to dig out fans out of storage and have been cranking them up all weekend. Its almost been too hot to do much in the kitchen.
There is no denying it. I am having a long-standing love affair with potatoes. In any way, shape or form, this love affair has been going on for all of my life. My mom always made the best mashed potatoes on the planet. Her secret was to grate a bit of raw onion into them. Talk about small addition that packs a walloping flavour punch. They were fabulous. Love my mom's mash!
And don't get me started on her pan fries. Occasionally she would boil extra potatoes (in the skins) just so she could make us pan fries for supper the next night. I can remember watching her peel them and then she would methodically cut them into thin slices and pan fry them . . . in butter . . . a few slices at a time, until they were golden brown all over. I think they were everyone's favourite!!! There were never enough of them to satisfy our appetites! Just enough to keep us wanting more!
A real treat would be on Saturday evenings when she would occasionally make us weiners and chips. Hand cut, home fried chipped potatoes, with hot dogs added to the fat for the last few minutes . . . the chips all golden brown and delicious, the hot dogs, gilded and crisp. Just the thought makes me salivate.
Rich and creamy scalloped potatoes . . . she didn't make any fancy sauces . . . they were simply sliced potatoes and onions, layered in a dish with salt, pepper, a bit of flour, and some dobs of butter between the layers and rich creamy milk pour over top. Baked until the potatoes were meltingly tender . . . the milk would scald, and a rich sauce would form from the flour and butter between the layers, seriously tasty. Always a treat.
My Todd is a MASH fiend. He quite simply adores mash. Today I amped it up a bit by using some additional flavours . . . with the addition of parsnips and swede (rutabaga to you North Americans) in a mash that gives you a triple whammy of deliciousness!
Mashed together into a fabulous meld of loveliness along with some butter, milk and cream . . .
Mmmm . . . so good, so easy, so tasty, but that is not all, no . . . that is not all . . .
I have added some interest and additional flavours by creating a delicious horseradish bread crumb to sprinkle over top of the potatoes. Oh so scrummy!
These were . . . there is no other word to describe them . . . FANTABULOUS!!!
So fantabulous that I am surprised as much made it to the table as did . . . my fork kept accidentally dipping into them for just one more taste test . . . oh, yes . . . I can be that naughty.
*Triple Mash with Horseradish Crumbs*
Serves 6
Place all of the vegetables into a pot of lightly salted water
to cover. Bring to the boil, then cook at a quick simmer until all of
the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, melt 2 TBS of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it begins to foam, add the bread crumbs. Cook, stirring, until the crumbs start to toast and brown. Add the horseradish and stir it in, cooking for about a minute longer. Set aside and keep warm.
Once the vegetables are tender, drain well. Return to the pot and shake over the residual heat from the burner until they have dried out. Mash well with the remaining butter, stirring in the milk and cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt as requried and the pepper. Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle the crumbs over top. Serve immediately.
Next time you are doing a roast dinner, or simply grilling chicken, chops or steaks, do yourself a favour and try out this most delicious mash. You won't be sorry. I promise. Bon Appetit!
Later this month, on the 19th May we are all going to be glued to the television screens watching the making of a Fairy Tale come true as we watch Miss Meghan Markle walk down the aisle to her waiting Prince, Prince Harry. What little girl does't dream about one day marrying a Prince?
I am so pleased that today, in thse modern times, this can be a reality, and that our Princes are now allowed to marry for love rather than obligation and duty. Hooray!
With that in mind, I have written a little tongue-in-cheek bit here this morning as the residents of Downton Abbey receive the news of the impending nuptials . . . and yes, there will be scones . . . every fairy tale deserves a happy ending.
Hello? 36410, Downton Abbey, Earle of Grantham speaking. (psst . . . Cora, where the hell is Carson? I shouldn't be answering the phone. Ugh.) What's that you say? Oh golly gosh!
Everyone, heads up! Great news! Dust off the silver Carson and check the wine cellar!!!
There's going to be a Royal Wedding! And soooooon!! More sooner than soon!!
Oh goodie, goodie!!! I do so love a Royal Wedding! Such an occasion! Oh joy, oh joy! Break out the family jewels! Prancing here. Prancing here. I'm a pony, I'm a pony!!
Ummm . . . . but, will there be scones? Please tell me there won't be scones. I am no good at scones. No good at all. They make me all flustered, you hear . . . all flustered. Mine always come out flat.
That's because you don't pay attention Daisy! You never do. Straight up and down. You cut them straight up and down, and you use a light hand.
There will be no heavy handedness when we are talking about scones. Not in MY kitchen! Pull yourself together girl!
Who cares about scones. Will there be dogs? Bracing young courtiers to flutter my eyelashes at??? A whiff of scandalous secrets I can, ahem . . . use to my own advantage??? Cheap black market goods to flog????
I simply must double Cora's "oh goodies". I do so love an occasion, and I hear she is a commoner, and an American at that!
What a cause for celebration!!!! I just love it when the underdog rises to the top! Hooo - ray! Pip pip and all that!
Oh dear me, a Commoner you say? And an American? I suppose that next you will be telling me that she is also divorced. This just isn't done. What is the world coming to . . . this just isn't done. How will they live down the scandal. Dear . . . dear . . . tut . . . tut . . .
Hmmmm . . . . I'm not sure you really want to be doing all of that tut-tutting Violet . . . me-thinks you are forgetting the regrettable Mr. Pamook . . . ahem . . .
Oh yes . . . giggle, giggle . . . the dear Mr. Pamook, let's not forget Mr. Pamook . . . Pamouk . . . PAMOUCK!!!!!
Edith . . . do you really want me to start rattling some skeletons in closets here. Do you? Do you?
Ummm . . . no. Will there be scones?
What??? Scones???? Skeletons in closets you say? Like when our Miss Sybil married the chauffeur????
I was wondering when that was going to come up . . . . lets just let sleeping dogs lie . . . lay . . . lye . . . oh forget it!!
Again with the dog . . . I know nothing about a missing dog . . . honest . . . does this look like a face that would lie tell untruths?
Thomas . . . don't do anything I wouldn't do . . . when in doubt deny everything . . . some things are just best left unsaid. Follow my lead . . .
But . . . um . . . . really . . . all I wanted to know is . . . will there be scones???
Forget the scones!!! Will there be new dresses involved??? Jewels!! Parties??? Dancing perhaps???? Clubbing??? Fun! Fun! Fun!
Just let me check with my friends . . . one minute . . . one minute . . .
Consensus is yes! There WILL be dancing . . . there is nothing like dancing and new dresses and parties. I do love a good party. PAR TAY!
Scandle . . . dogs . . . Pamouk . . . dancing . . . scones. Par . . . tay!!! If they are lucky there won't be any soup.
Ladies . . . pull yourselves together. You must remember who you are. You are the daughters and servants of an Earle . . .
Quite . . .
Am I too late???
Indoubitably . . . somewhat . . .ahem . . .
What about the scones????
There will be scones Carson . . . big fluffy soft scones, preferably filled with something lovely, what do they call it . . . . that fruity stuff . . . and the white stuff that goes with it.
Jam and clotted cream . . . yummy . . . scones and jam and clotted cream.
Yummy indeed . . .
There WILL be scones . . .
Oh goody . . . scones . . .
I also love a good scone and these scones are very befitting of a Royal Wedding Teatime Celebration!
They are delightfully light and flaky, with just the right amount of dried cranberrys and a hint of orange zest.
The best way to cut up the cranberries for these is to put them in a plastic cup and snip them with the kitchen scissors, not to fine, you want some chunks.
I think Meghan would like this, and Harry too . . . in between the Kale shakes. (I know she is a health food nut and these are definitely not health food!)
In any case they went down well here today with some berry jam and clotted cream . . .
I even dug out my best cloth and crystal . . . they were totally worth it.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar, cranberries and orange zest. Make a well in the centre and pour in the cream. Stir in with a fork until you have a soft dough that comes together, adding more cream if necessary. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently two or 3 times Press out to a disc which is about 1 1/2 inches thick. Stamp out into rounds with a 3 inch fluted cutter, using a straight up and down motion without twisting the cutter, trying to cut as many out of the first cut as you can. (Subsequent cuts will not be as tender when baked.) Bring the scraps together and pat out again, cutting more until you have used all the dough.
Place well spaced apart on the baking sheet. Bake in the heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Scoop onto a wire rack to cool.
Note - You can add an optional glaze if you wish. Just wisk together 65g (1/2 cup) sifted icing sugar with enough milk to make a thin drizzle and flick it over top.
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