I baked some lovely muffins at the weekend. I adapted the recipe from a recipe which I found in The Breakfast Book, by the late Marion Cunningham. She is the food writer who revised the Fanny Farmer Cookbook, and wrote many other cookbooks in her life and food articles for major publications. I trust her recipes emphatically.
I have personally worn out three copies of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, and have her Breakfast Book, her Supper Book and one entitled lost recipes. All of the recipes are solid gold. You know when you find a cooking writer you can trust, and she was always one of those.
I adapted this recipe by cutting it in half to make a smaller batch, which worked very successfully as well as converting the measurements to metric/European.
Not all recipes convert well to half measures . . . this one did. (Thank goodness!)
The muffins are lovely and moist . . . partly because of the yogurt in the batter and from the lemon syrup which gets spooned over top of the hot muffins when they come out of the oven.
The muffins themselves are not overly sweet. Not a problem. I don't want my muffins to be like cake. There is a small amount of sugar in them and a bit of honey. That's all.
Honey and lemon are beautiful partners. The lemon flavour in the muffin comes from finely grated lemon zest, a full half TBS. I think as well a bit of ground cardamom would also go beautifully in these and add a touch of warmth.
You can see that they rose beautifully. They may not be the most beautiful muffins, but they certainly make up for their lack of beauty in flavour and texture!
I did not use papers when cooking these. I sussed that they would stick to papers and so I just spritzed a non-stick muffin pan really well with low fat cooking spray. It worked perfectly.
More lemon flavour comes with that sweet lemon syrup which gets spooned over top of the muffins. You spoon it over while the muffins when they are hot, so some of it is absorbed, which helps with the moistness as well.
As you can see they have a beautiful texture. These are in short . . . perfect!
Yield: 6
Lemon Yogurt Muffins (small batch)
prep time: 10 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 25 mins
These yellow muffins with the brown pebbled tops are fine textured, not too sweet and go especially well with hot drinks. A lemon syrup is drizzled over the tops of the muffins which makes them lovely and moist and deliciously lemony!
ingredients:
- 140g plain flour (1 cup)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- pinch salt
- 2 TBS granulated sugar
- 1 TBS honey
- 1 large free range egg
- 150g full fat plain yogurt (9 1/2 TBS)
- 30g butter (2 TBS) melted
- 1/2 TBS finely grated lemon zest
For the syrup:
- 1 1/2 TBS water
- 3 TBS lemon juice
- 3 TBS sugar
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a six cup medium muffin tin really well.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a smaller bowl. Combine the sugar, honey, eggs, yogurt, melted butter and lemon zest in a larger bowl. Beat to combine together well. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together just to combine. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling them 2/3 full. (Because of the acid in the yogurt you will see that the batter is already beginning to rise so work quickly!)
- Pop into the pre-heated oven and bake for about 15 minutes until delicately browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- While the muffins are baking, make the syrup. Combine all of the ingredients in a glass measure which is heat proof. Place in the microwave. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir to dissolve sugar and then microwave until it bubbles and allow it to bubble for about 60 seconds keeping a close watch on it. You should have a thickish syrup.
- Once the muffins are cooked, remove from oven and poke holes into the tops with a toothpick or fork. Spoon the lemon syrup over top allowing it to soak in. Let cool for a few minutes the remove from the tin and serve warm.
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I don't think you can really have too many lemon recipes do you? Well, I happen to love lemon anything so any recipe . . . sweet or savoury . . . that uses lemon works for me!
I've wanted to show you my kitchen tool set for a while now. I finally got rid of all my old metal ones, and most of my wooden spoons (the ones which were cracked and not very hygienic). When you have invested quality non-stick cookware and bake ware you really want to be using utensils and tools that will prevent them from being scratched.
This is the Essential Ten Piece Cooking Utensil Set from Myktchn. Designed for a convenient cooking experience, this set of cooking utensils are FDA approved and made from food-grade, heat resistant silicone. Durable and ergonomic, they are the perfect companion for a chef of all levels. At the same time the larger utensils are quite sturdy due to what appears to be a metal core. (Smart!) These are heat resistant, easy and comfortable to use, dishwasher safe and made to last.
I love the bright red colour and as you can see the set contains just about every tool utensil you need in the kitchen with both a slotted and normal spoon, a ladle, spaghetti spoon, decent sized egg turner spatula, two sizes of of other spatulas, a set of kitchen tongs, a whisk and a pastry brush. At the moment they are on a discount offer. If you would like to learn more about them feel free to click through here.
They ship world wide with free shipping on all US orders and only a small charge for world wide shipping. I have always been more than happy with everything I have gotten from them. Everything always arrives well packaged and in good time.
My husband really loves a good curry. He likes them really spicy, but I like them moderately spicy.
I like to taste my food rather than be distracted from the taste by a mouth that feels as if its on fire! I am not overly fond of food that bites back!
I really love chicken casseroles. All in one meals. No fuss, no muss.
Very little clean up. I love it when that happens.
This tasty dish combines all of my loves. It is a delicious chicken casserole, with a moderately spiced East Indian flavour.
I love all in one, no fuss, and again no muss!
You begin by making a quick and easy sauce to help temper any spiciness from the curry. Its simply yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, some chopped fresh coriander or mint and some seasoning.
Yogurt has a lovely cooking effect on most things and goes especially nice with curries. Easy peasy.
I like to make the sauce first and bang it into the refrigerator to chill and develop the flavours while I cook the casserole.
Easy peasy. And it leaves you with one less thing to do when it comes to actually getting supper ready.
Once that is done you simply measure some rice, chopped carrot, coconut milk and boiling water into a casserole dish, cover tightly and then pop it into a hot oven to partially cook the rice.
It only takes 25 to 30 minutes to cook it.
While the rice is cooking, you cook some garlic, oil and curry powder in the microwave for a short and then stir in some cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast meat . . .
At the end of 25 to 30 minutes, stir this mixture into the almost cooked rice along with some frozen peas.
Cover it tightly and bang it back into the oven for a further 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken cooked through, perfectly.
Let it sit for 10 minutes and then stir . . .
Voila! Dinner is served. A drizzle of yogurt sauce and a sprinkling of spring onions along with some toasted flaked almonds complete the picture!
This is beautiful. Both the chicken and rice are cooked perfectly . . . the rice tender, the chicken still juicy and not dried out . . .
Not too spicy, not too bland . . . beautiful textures, flavours and colours. Todd squirted some Sriracha sauce on his because he wanted some heat. I enjoyed it just as it was.
Yield: 2
Curried Chicken & Coconut Rice
A fabulously different and delicious rice and chicken casserole with an East Indian Flavour! All in one dish that is built for two, but can easily be multiplied to served more!
ingredients:
For the yogurt sauce:
- 125g plain whole milk yogurt (1/2 cup)
- 1 TBS minced fresh coriander or mint leaves
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
- 1/2 TBS lime juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
For the casserole:
- 140g long grain rice, uncooked (2/3 cup)
- 90ml full fat coconut milk (1/3 cup + 1/2 TBS)
- 240ml boiling water (1 cup)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch bits
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 TBS curry powder
- 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut in half lengthwise and then cut into thin slices)
- 75g frozen petit pois (1/2 cup)
- couple TBS toasted flaked almonds
- 1 spring onion, trimmed, washed and sliced thin
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 230*C, 450*C/gas mark 7. Have ready a 9-inch square glass casserole dish.
- Make the yogurt sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients until smooth. Cover and chill until needed.
- Measure the rice into the casserole dish along with the coconut milk, carrots, and boiling water. Stir in 1/4 tsp salt. Cover tightly with foil and bang into the oven. (Middle rack) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Measure the oil into a large glass bowl. Add the garlic and curry powder, along with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook on high in the microwave until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so. Let cool slightly and then stir in the chicken pieces.
- Remove the rice from the oven and uncover. Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the chicken pieces and frozen peas. Recover tightly and bang back into the oven. Continue to bake for a further 15 minutes until the chicken and is cooked through and the rice is tender.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before fluffing up with a fork. Serve drizzled with some of the yogurt sauce, sliced spring onions, and a sprinkling of toasted almonds.
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This recipe serves two people but can quite easily be doubled or tripled to serve more. For the really hearty eater you could warm up some Naan breads to serve on the side and of course Papadums always go well! Quick, easy and delicious. Enjoy!
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 adore Pizza, in any way shape or form. Generally speaking, I like to make my own. Of course when I was younger, that usually involved using a pizza kit/mix from the shops, either Chef Boy Ar Dee or Kraft and we always enjoyed them. In fact that was the first kind of pizza I ever had. I had a boyfriend when I was 16 who introduced our family to it and we all really enjoyed it.
Those mixes are not something you find readily available over here in the UK, so I now make everything from scratch. I have a favourite pizza dough that I like to use. A few years ago I tried a Deep Dish Pizza recipe that I also enjoyed. Todd also enjoyed it and he is not a pizza lover!
I discovered a Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza Dough on Pinterest the other day from Cafe Sucre, which I thought I would like to try and so I printed it out, and yesterday was the day I finally got around to trying it!
I have to say that this was one of the easiest pizza doughs and pizzas I have ever made. The dough went together really quickly and rose beautifully. I did use my Iron Skillet, but you can also use a heavy based round cake tin of a comparable size. (10 inch skillet, 9 inch cake tin)
It was lovely and thick and beautifully flavoured. I kept the toppings simple. Cirio Passata Rustica crushed tomatoes . . .
Italian garlic herbs spice . . . and some crushed fennel seed. I do love fennel seed on a pizza.
I sprinkled the top of the sauce with some grated Parmesan cheese and then torn Mozzarella . . .
Finally I tore up some fresh basil leaves and scattered them on top . . . I kept it all very simple.
It was beautiful. I could easily have eaten two pieces . . . but I promise you I didn't! (I wanted to though!)
This is now going to be my "Go-To" deep dish pizza dough! Its amazing! (And I don't say that lightly!)
Yield: 6 servings
Easy Deep Dish Pizza Dough
This is not only quick to make but delicious. If you are a fan of deep dish pizza, this is sure to become your go-to dough!
ingredients:
- 3 TBS light olive oil
- 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
- 180ml hot tap water (3/4 cup)
- 2 TBS caster sugar
- 280g strong flour (2 cups, bread flour)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- Toppings as desired
instructions:
- Have ready a heavy duty 9 inch round cake tin, or a 10 inch iron skillet. Pour 2 TBS of the olive oil into the skillet or pan and set aside.
- Warm a clean bowl with some hot tap water. Let it sit for a bit and then pour it away. Add the 180ml hot tap water, sugar and yeast. Give it a stir and then let it sit for five minutes. At that point it should be bubbling and active. Add the remaining TBS of olive oil, stirring to combine. Stir in the flour an salt with a wooden spoon, stirring until all of the flour has been incorporated and you have a shaggy dough.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so until you have a smooth dough. Shape into a ball. Drop it into the pan/skillet and turn to coat with oil. Cover the pan tightly with cling film and set aside in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes.
- At the end of that time, uncover and press the dough out to cover the base of the pan, making little dimples with your finger-tips. Spoon on the sauce and whatever toppings you are using. (I used rustic passata crushed tomatoes, Italian garlic spice, fennel seed, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella Cheese and torn basil leaves.) Cover again and set aside for a further 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 8. (220*c/425*F gas mark 7 if using a cake tin.) Cover the pan tightly with aluminium foil. Pop into the oven on the lowest oven rack and bake covered for 15 minutes, uncover and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges of the pizza are golden brown and crusty.
- Lift out of the pan onto a wooden board with a large spatula and cut into wedges to enjoy!
Of course any pizza is only as good as the crust you use and the toppings you choose. The Ciro Passata Rustico was perfect to use as a sauce for this purpose!
Cirio’s unique experience and expertise has resulted in the finest Italian Passata. Perfectly smooth and velvety with a sweet, delicate flavour, round Italian tomatoes are peeled and passed through a fine sieve to produce a creamy Passata that will enhance the taste of any dish. I know my tomatoes, and I am a huge fan of the Cirio products as you know. Their Passata Rustica comes in several sizes and packaging, including tetrabriks and handy glass bottles. It has a beautiful flavour and texture that I really enjoy and worked very well as a pizza topping.
I loved this deep dish pizza so much, I am already thinking of making it again. This crust was so easy and quick to make and really no trouble at all. I give it the English Kitchen two thumbs up sigh of approval! 👍👍
I went to bake these cookies the other day and couldn't believe that I hadn't already shared them with you. This recipe is one of my all-time favourite cookies to bake, and for several reasons.
Back in the mid 1980's after moving into a new home, I became friends with a wonderful lady who lived next door, named Mabel. Mabel's husband was in the Canadian Military, the same as mine, and we both had children of similar ages. We both loved to craft and to cook.
Oh we had some really good times together. Every night after supper, once the dishes were done (in the warmer months anyways) we would both sit out on our front door steps, enjoying a coffee together and reliving our days with each other.
Several times a month we would share a dinner evening, with a theme actually . . . one time at hers, another at mine. We had German nights, and Italian nights, Mexican nights, etc. We used to play Cribbage with she and her husband and we also enjoyed going to Ball room dance classes and square dancing together, and Mabel and I enjoyed going to the same church guild. I remember being truly gutted when she and her husband were posted away. I thought my heart would break.
Happily we have stayed in touch all these years and so have our children. Two of our sons were best men at each others weddings. We have shared so many things together, our faith, happy times, good food and tasty recipes. This recipe is a refrigerator, slice and bake, cookie recipe I got from Mabel all those years ago. (At least 35 now!)
It is a cookie which I just love, not the least because of my dear friend, but also because they are pretty darned delicious. I would call these the best oatmeal cookie I bake and my favourite!
They are simple to make. Just stir everything together, shape into logs, wrap and chill. (At least 2 hours.)
Once chilled you are ready to cut them into slices ready to bake . . .
You will want a good, sharp knife to cut them into slices, especially if you have used chocolate chips. They can be quite hard to cut through, becoming brittle, so a sharp knife is a must. I can't recommend the MyKtchn Premium Black Ceramic Kitchen Knife Set enough! Made of Zirconia ceramic, this six piece set of knives feature longer durability than regular steel while leaving your food free of chemical and metal taste. They are sleek, easy to handle and perfect for your slicing and dicing needs. I use mine every day!
Once baked and cooled you are rewarded with a beautiful, well flavoured and crisp oatmeal cookie which is perfect for dunking . . . serving to the children with cold glasses of milk, or generally just munching on when you are craving something moreishly tasty!
The dough is easy to make and shape, the cookies are easy to cut and bake, and they are incredibly tasty. You can also freeze the dough, ready to take out and bake at will. Just another one of their positive qualities.
Yield: Makes about 4 dozen
Dad's Cookies
prep time: cook time: total time:
A fabulous slice and bake oat cookie that you can adapt to your own family's tastes with the addition of raisins, nuts, dried cranberries, white or semi-sweet chocolate chips, etc. The dough needs to chill for at least two hours prior to baking.
ingredients:
- 240g butter (1 cup)
- 200g soft light brown sugar (1 cup)
- 190g granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 2 medium free range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp salt
- 240g oatmeal (not quick) (3 cups)
- 210g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
For variations:
- add 1 cup coconut, chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, nuts, etc.
instructions:
- Cream the butter and both sugars together until light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla and both eggs. Stir in the oats to combine well. Sift together the flour, salt and soda. Stir into the creamed mixture, again to combine well. Add in any fruit, chocolate chips, or nuts you wish to use, again combining well.
- Divide the dough and shape into 4 equal logs. (about 2 inches in diameter) Roll and wrap tightly in plastic cling film, or greaseproof paper, twisting the ends to seal. Place in the refrigerator to chill for several hours or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line several baking sheets with baking paper.
- Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into 12 equal slices, about 1/3 inch thick. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Let sit on the baking sheets for a few minutes before scooping off onto wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
NOTES:
You can freeze the unbaked rolls, wrapped well, for several months. You can also freeze the baked cookies.
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Please be warned however, that you will never ever be able to eat just one. Its impossible. They are just that darned tasty! Thanks Mabel for all the goodness you have shared with me through the years, and especially for your friendship. Happy weekend everyone! Bake someone you care about some lovin' from the oven today!
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