Spiced Orange, oat and Chocolate chip cookies

December 12, 2014


I always bake a lot more at Christmas time, mainly because I make pretty much the majority of all my Christmas Presents.  I love giving edible gifts, always have done and I  always will.  It’s very personal and I think it shows a characteristic approach to whom gives you the Edible gift. 

  This recipe I came across developing today was something that I had been fancying all week and it’s strange as Im not one for liking specifically Chocolate with Orange, I feel its too powerful for me but certainly around Christmas time, my house is filled with the smell of oranges and clementines so its seems such a crime to not involve a hint in My food.
  If I am totally honest I get slightly bored with Chocolate chip cookies/biscuits so when I eat them I want something thats really going to excite me, and Boy did this today.  The recipe worked straight  off, which is always a blessing and I have to say, I think this one is going to have to go towards my Christmas edible gift list, which is getting longer and longer by the day!
  
 I love spices and in many different forms of cooking and I have experimented a few times in My baking also, but something that I do every year that I want to share with you is this:
  I make a Spiced Sugar so it’s infusing all the time and it can be used in all sorts which you will see later.

Spiced Sugar:



All you do is take a jar full of Caster sugar and I infused mine with:

*  Vanilla pod
*  Ground Nutmeg
*  Cloves-  Spice Kitchen
*  Cinnamon Bark- Spice Kitchen
*  Cardamon pods – Spice Kitchen
*  Orange Peel

You don’t need a lot as these Spices are very strong.
Once you have this another tip would be to sprinkle over Popcorn. It’s great to eat whilst watching those Christmas films.

Spiced Orange, Oat and Chocolate Chip Cookies:



Ingredients: 

(Makes approximately 36-40 small sized cookies)

–  150g Vegetable Fat spread ( I used Stork )
–  220g Plain Flour
–  75g Spiced Sugar (As above) Remember to sieve this!
–  75g Light Muscovado Sugar 
–  1 Egg
–  Zest of 1 Orange plus a little spritz of the Juice to add extra zing
–  1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
–  50g Ground almonds
–  100g Milk chocolate chips
–  50g Jumbo Rolled Oats




Method:

*  Preheat Oven to 160-170c

*  Cream together with a Wooden spoon or mixer the Spread, Sugar, egg, Zest and juice.

*  Add the Bicarb and flour and mix together well.

*  Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. I found better at this stage with a wooden spoon as the cookie dough will be quite tough.

*  Roll a Small ball of the mixture 2-3 cm wide and place onto a baking tray with greaseproof paper and make sure to leave a few cm’s space in-between like so above.

*  Place in the oven for approximately 13 minutes or until starting to brown at the edges.

*  Allow to cool on a rack before serving.


And there you go, A great tasting, frugal recipe for Christmas Presents or just eating.









Talking Leftovers on Rupal Rajani’s show for BBC Radio leicester

December 9, 2014
Back in October, I was asked by the lovely Rupal Rajani to appear on her Lunchtime show on BBC Radio Leicester. I regular already appear on BBC Radio Leicester as a Food Friday cook on Ben Jackson’s show.  However, Rupal was doing a Food Waste Challenge for a national campaign called Love Food Hate Waste. This is supported by our Leicestershire County Council. 
Matt Copley had contacted her about this.  They teach people how to make their food last longer through leftovers, storage and saving money on their food shopping Bills.  Rupal was doing really well but wanted to find out more of how herself and her listeners could make their leftovers go that bit further. So I was thoroughly pleased and honoured to help Rupal and appear on her show.

  I had heard a lady previously on the show who was on the challenge also chatting about the fact that she was throwing away bread crusts as her children didn’t like them.  Immediately my head was bouncing with ideas and I wanted to shout out above the rooftops to people on how they could use them. I decided that I would talk about Leftover Bread and give my routine of what I do at home…

You can hear Rupal and I here on this link:

   I assumed that most people acted the same way I do with saving leftovers but it appeared I had inherited the name of being a bit of a, and I quote, from Mr Ben Jackson “A Leftover Queen”!  I quite liked that title, I knew then, that maybe I was doing a bit more than others and once I had been on the show, I knew I could help people with my background, especially from being a Chef.  We are always taught to never throw things away. Of course using things in a safe and correct manner I must add though.  I suppose my knowledge of this always started from being a young child. My Grandma did it, My Mum and Dad did it and as I am a miners daughter, throughout the miners strike in the early eighties I saw my mum always trying to make meals stretch for us. 

  

I had taken in Arancini, which is leftover Risotto rolled into balls, stuffed with Mozzarella, covered in breadcrumbs (Leftover bread) and deep fried. Well, they went down so well, I didn’t have chance to even take a photo of them! The Staff at BBC Radio Leicester Woofed them down! I was thoroughly pleased.  I can always do another version again as whenever I make risotto I purposely do a little more so I can have these for lunch the next day.

Another thing I talk about is making your own tortilla chips which is so unbelievably easy! So I thought I’d share this with you:

*  If you have any Tortilla wraps leftover from such as making fajitas, cut them into triangles, pop onto a baking tray like so:


*  Drizzle with Rapeseed/olive oil and pop what ever seasoning you want, I.E Chilli, Garlic, Paprika or even just sea salt and cracked black pepper! I used a moroccan spice named Ras el hanout on mine. You could even do 5 spice, jerk and even a cinnamon sweet one with Christmas round the corner!

*  Pop in an oven that has been heated to 190c and cook for about 5-8 minutes.  You can deep fry them, but this is healthier alternative.


There you have it… A Homemade snack for film night! 

 Rupal did really well on her challenge, I think overall she saved about £5-6 a week and continues to do it now. If you need any help, tips or advice on this just let me know? as I’d Love to hear from you.  You will also see other leftover recipes appearing soon on here as usual and I will be including lots of Christmas leftover recipes also which I will be sharing some of my personal recipes of which I have been doing for years.



I shall finish off with showing you this Bread Loaf which I haven’t used so it is going in my freezer as if friends/family are coming round for a tipple and I like to put out some nibbles, then this is great to slice into Crostini’s / Bruschetta’s , pop on whatever you have in the fridge in terms of Meats, chutneys and cheese and there you have a cheap and easy Canapé.











Rich Beef Casserole (East Meets West)

October 30, 2014

Normally, at this time of year, this is this food I am always wanting and cooking, but as I begin to write this post apparently here in the Uk tomorrow for Halloween, it is going to be 20c! Well, I am going to post this anyway as soon enough, it will turn chilly! 

 
I still cannot believe, in some tiny way that this Casserole that I came up with months ago was the best I had ever made.  Yes, it was! I am hesitant to admit it as it involves the contents of Chinese sauces. But by the by, it still was the best I had ever made. 

   It was one of the first recipes I thought about doing when I was first produced with this Recipe development project for Lee Kum Kee.  I suppose it is because I remember Chef’s pairing Oysters with fillet steak and creating rich sauces with those oysters.  It was an acquired taste, but one that was around for a while.  Shockingly, years ago I worked with a chef who still thought he was in that era and was trying to recreate a recipe by using tinned Oysters to create a sauce for steak! Yak! 

    Anyway, I set to making this Beef Casserole and am pleased to say that it worked the first time. The lovely flavour of the Oyster sauce pairs beautifully with the Beef and along with that earthy taste of the Chestnut mushrooms and Soy bouncing off that, this was a delightful, rich Bowl of Beef casserole which I will always make now. It’s my little “rule breaking” dish that Im quite fond of! Sometimes maybe rules have to be broken, well… just a little.




Rich Beef Casserole:



Ingredients:

(Serves 4) Takes Approximately 3 hours

–  2 Tbsp of Rapeseed or Olive oil
–  Knob of Unsalted Butter–  400g Shin Beef/Casserole steak cut to 1 1/2 inch cubes
–  2 Tbsp of Plain flour to coat the Beef
–  Salt and cracked black pepper to season
–  1 onion sliced
–  2 Garlic Cloves bashed not chopped
–  1 Celery stick diced fine
–  2 Carrots Chopped Roughly into 1/2 inch pieces
–  1/2 Swede Chopped Roughly into 1/2 inch pieces
–  1 Beef stock cube (may need 2 depending on how intense your stock is) 
–  Small sprig of Thyme taken off stalks and chopped finely
–  2 Bay Leaves
– 1 Tbsp of Tomato Puree
–  250ml of  Chianti Red Wine
–  2-3 Tbsp of Lee Kum Kee Oyster Sauce
–  2 Tbsp of Lee Kum Kee Deluxe Soy Sauce

Method:

–  Preheat your Oven to 160c

–  Place your Chopped Beef onto a chopping board or plate and dry off all moisture with a Kitchen Towel.

–  Season the Beef and also coat with the flour.

–  In a Heavy Bottomed Casserole Pot heat 1 tbsp of oil until sizzling and start to add the Beef. Do not overcrowd as it will not Brown properly.

–  Once all Beef has browned, take out and place onto a plate. Heat the remanding oil into the same Pot and a knob of butter. When Sizzling add the Onions, Celery, carrots and swede and allow to brown also.

–  At this stage add the Beef back into the Pot, stir and add the Red wine. Pop in the Beef stock, Tomato Puree and herbs and Cover with Water. Bring to a simmer on the hob.

–  Place into the Hot Oven for 2 hours.

–  After the 2 Hours Add the Oyster Sauce and Soy Sauce, Stir and place back into the oven for another hour or until Meat and Vegetables are tender.

– At this stage, you may need to balance flavours, i.e if needs a little sugar or more Soy Sauce.

–  This dish is great served with Mashed potato or Boiled Rice.




Pork and Apple Burgers with Oozing Mozzarella for Food Friday on BBC Radio Leicester

October 29, 2014

For “Food Friday” On BBC Radio Leicester Last Friday, I decided that I would do a recipe that people could get their children involved with.  As you are all aware of by now I do this with Ben Jackson on his show and Seeing as it was Half term and also with Halloween just around the corner,  I began to think about what children would like to make and eat around this time of the year.  Ben has Children also, so I was hoping that they could have a go at this with Ben over the weekend.

Click on this Link to Hear me on the show with Ben making them! 

  I realise it doesn’t look spooky or comical for Halloween (the oozing-ness maybe?) But this recipe will go down a storm if you have children and Adults coming round. I am definitely making more of these possibly again this weekend. I loved the alternative of using Pork and Apple. I might even try different cheeses inside, but it can’t be too strong as it will just overpower the meat. 
   This recipe has been a winner with my Fiancé too and he normally loves a big fat juicy Beef burger, so If he likes it, that’s good enough for me! 



Pork and Apple Burgers with Oozing Mozzarella:


Ingredients:

(Makes Approximately 5-6 burgers)


–  Approximately 500g of Pork Mince
–  2 Tbsp of Rapeseed Oil
–  1 large onion diced finely 
–  1 Clove of Garlic finely chopped 
– Half of one side of an Apple Grated ( I used English Gala )
–  1 Level Tbsp of Sage 
– 1 Level Tbsp of Fresh Parsley
–  Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to season
–  1 Tsp of Dijon Mustard
–  1 Tbsp of Tomato Puree
–  1 1/2 slice of White bread into Breadcrumbs
–  1 Ball of Mozzarella
– BreadBuns
– Salad= I used Iceberg lettuce, Round lettuce, tomato, onion and cucumber


Method:

–  Preheat Oven at 190c,

–  Fry off your chopped Onion and Garlic in a splash of Rapeseed oil in a Frying Pan until Golden brown,

–  Mix all ingredients together (minus oil) into a mixing bowl with your Hands,

–  Roll a small handful of the mixture into a ball, Press an inch sized ball of the Mozzarella into the middle, roll back into a ball and flatten into a burger.

– Repeat process for how many burgers you need.

–  Fry off Burgers into a separate frying pan 3-4 minutes each side and then place onto a baking tray for about 12 minutes.

–  In the meantime Prepare your Salad and Buns and a minute or two before the burgers are done, Place Buns open on a tray to toast slightly.

–  Assemble and tuck in! 





French Onion Soup (East meets West) style

October 16, 2014



When I was given the details for this Development Project for Lee Kum Kee, I thought of this recipe first, not sure how? Just I suppose I think that way and wanted to start with something fairly simple.  I believe I thought of a way in which the earthiness of the Oyster sauce and soy would work together well in which a traditional French soup has that strong  flavour.  I wanted this to be Sweet, yet powerful. 
   I would like to add that this Soup may look like you can eat tonnes of it, but do believe me, with all the flavours and Croutons, it is very filling!  This is why I feel this recipe goes to 4 people. 
  I imagine coming home from a cold hard day, need to use up an old, slightly crusty baguette and a bit of cheese in the fridge…Get that bubbling away while you’re in the bath and Bloody great stuff!  You’ve got yourself a filling, slightly different soup/meal.




French Onion Soup with Giant Garlic Cheese Croutons:



Ingredients:

(Serves 4) 

Soup:

–  3 onions sliced
–  1 Tbsp of Rapeseed or Olive oil
–  A good Knob of Unsalted Butter (40g)
–  Pinch of Caster Sugar
–  1 Heaped Tbsp of Plain Flour
–  150 ml of dry white wine
–  0.75 litres of Beef stock (1 1/2 cubes)
–  1 Bay Leaf
–  A very Small Sprig of Fresh Thyme
–  Cracked Black Pepper
–  2 heaped Tbsp of Lee Kum Kee Oyster sauce 
–  1 Tbsp of Lee Kum Kee Double deluxe Soy Sauce
–  Fresh Parsley chopped to serve

Giant Croutons:

–  A day old Baguette
–  2 Garlic Cloves
–  Grated Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese Or Gruyere 


Method:

–  In a Large Saucepan, (Heavy bottomed if possible) fry off the sliced onions in butter 
and add the glug of oil to Soften over a low to medium heat.

–  Once the Onions have softened, Add the Sugar to help the onions Caramelise.

–  When the Onions are more Sticky and golden in colour then add your flour and coat.

–  Then add the White Wine, Beef Stock, Bay Leaf, Sprig of Thyme and some Cracked Black Pepper. Partially Cover and Simmer for about 20 minutes. Checking in between if you need to top up with a little extra water.

–  After 20 minutes add the Oyster Sauce and Soy sauce and repeat for a further 20 minutes.

– Just before the Soup is ready, preheat your Oven to 180c. Place some sliced Baguettes into the hot oven for about 3 minutes. Take out. Rub some fresh garlic clove onto the bread. Cover with grated cheese and cook for a further 3 mins or until melted.

– Serve the soup with chopped fresh parsley and the Giant Croutons.

*Note* –  This Soup should Taste Sweet yet Earthy and deep from the Oyster sauce, beef stock and Soy sauce.  If it needs Salt, add extra Soy sauce. You can always add a little more   sugar also if you want it sweeter.