Favourite Recipe Friday and Recipe Book Competition - Slow Cooked Shredded Barbeque Beef

Today's favourite recipe is not an old one but in the last few weeks we have had it three times after buying some brisket on offer at the local farm shop!

It is super tasty and really easy and can be served in so many ways...we had it with roasted herby new potatoes and peas one day and pittas and salad another.

In the recipe I substituted the chilli with two teaspoons of chilli flakes so I didn't have to buy chilli's just for this recipe, but if you have them great.

You don't need a slow cooker for this either, although it is perfect if you have as you just bung it all in the cooker in the morning and serve in the evening.

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/popular-dishes/slow-cooker/slow-cooked-shredded-barbecue-beef-recipe

Also on today's Favourite Recipe Friday I have a recipe book to giveaway to one lucky person, all you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter form below to win this fab book containing loads of simple, easy and classic recipes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pasta, what's your favourite type?

We normally have Penne pasta, but the other day whilst shopping with my son I asked him what he'd like and he chose Fusilli.

This got me thinking, we only ever eat Penne and yet there are so many other types of pasta out there, should we be more adventurous?

So my question to you is what other pasta do you use and how? We often have pasta with sauces or pasta bake or I have it cold with left over chicken and sweetcorn. Can you use any shape or type and do they taste any different?

A quick google of pasta and a look on Wikipedia tells me I am missing out on sooooo many different types and really, I am a pasta virgin.

So tell me about your favourite pasta or better still recipes that contain them...please :)

Which pasta is your favourite?

Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Favourite Recipe Friday - Chocolate Easter Cake

So the recipe for this cake is by the fabulous Nigella Lawson, since I saw this cake in a magazine about 5 years ago I have been making it every Easter since.

It is sweet but sooo yummy, the sour cream is a nice addition to the cake and for me the icing is one of the best I have ever made! Not only is the icing easy to make but very easy to spread too!

Other than what I adorn it with nothing has changed from this recipe which you can find here http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/old-fashioned-chocolate-cake-119

It really is a super tasty cake and if you are looking for something to bring to the table this Easter then I can highly recommend giving it a try.

It also makes a great birthday cake and is my go to cake when I need something special, I have even taken this to a pudding party and it went down a storm!

Favourite Recipe Friday - Super Easy Flapjacks

I love baking with my son and after a total fail of a flapjack recipe several months back I happened upon this one, it is super easy and the result is a scrummy flapjack. It has fast become a favourite with both my children wolfing it down as an afternoon snack.

Ingredients:

300g Porridge Oats
6 tablespoons Golden Syrup
200g Unsalted Butter

Method:

1. Grease a rectangular tin (about 20cm x 25cm) and line the base with baking parchment.

2. Place the golden syrup and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until all the butter has melted into the syrup. It is better to use heaped tablespoons of the syrup and have a little too much, they are better gooey than crumbly.

3. Tip the oats into a large mixing bowl with a pinch of salt, pour over the syrup/butter mixture and stir until all of the ingredients are combined and the oats are evenly coated.

4. Once you have mixed the oats and syrup/butter mixture together tip into the greased baking tray and flatten out with a spatula so it as evenly spread as possible.

5. Place in the oven at about 180c/Gas 4 for 25 minutes or until it is a nice golden brown colour (you can remove from the oven whilst it is still slightly soft as it will harden when it cools).

6. Take out of the oven and place on a cooling rack, cut into squares whilst they are still warm as they will be difficult to cut once cooled and they have gone hard.  Once cool remove from the tin.

7. I drizzle some melted chocolate on top but you don't have too, there are so many things you can add to flapjacks. A few ideas are dessicated coconut, raisins, mixed seeds or even cherries.

Once the chocolate has hardened you can serve with a nice cup of tea.

Favourite Recipe Friday - Merguez with Halloumi and Flame Roasted Peppers

This recipe is one of my all time favourite and super simple dishes, I first saw it on an episode of Nigella and then when I got the book I was even more determined to make it.

Super simple ingredients that be in your store cupboard

It was the one meal I had all prepared for after my son was born as it could all be kept in the fridge or freezer for weeks and it was simple enough that my husband could put it in the oven.

The tastes are amazing and I had never heard of Merguez let alone had them before this recipe, now it is one of our staple sausages for pasta dishes, BBQs and this dish.

I don't feel I need to write the recipe up as I haven't changed it from Nigella's and the whole point of  Favourite Recipe Friday is sharing recipes you have tried and tested not necessary that you created.

Merguez sausgaes are very tasty but chorizo style would do also.

You can find the recipe here http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-express/merguez-with-halloumi-and-flame-roasted-peppers-recipe/index.html

 

Please feel free to add your favourite recipe below and if you want to use our badge above then you can find the details on our Favourite Recipe Friday page.

Meal Planning Monday

Today I am having a go at Meal Planning Monday, a fab idea from At Home with Mrs M.

I am just trying to use up what meat and veg we have in the house so we don't spend any money this week.

Monday - Beef Stew (already in the slow cooker)
Tuesday - Chicken and Mushroom Pie
Wednesday - Merguez Sausage with Pasta (in a sauce obviously)
Thursday - Whatever my mum feeds me as hubby isn't back till late!
Friday - Home-made Chicken Nuggets and Wedges
Saturday - Marmalade & Sage Pork with Sautéed Potatoes

Sunday - Mmm Mothers Day, not sure what we are doing yet!

Well that wasn't too bad in fact I think this might save me a lot of hassle with what I need to get out of the freezer every night ;)

It's a great idea and hopefully will get me thinking about what we are having in the week!

The recipe for the Marmalade & Sage Pork is as follows:

Ingredients: Serves 4
4 x 200g pork steaks
2 teaspoons olive/vegetable oil
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon whole sage leaves
3 heaped tablespoons of orange marmalade

Method:
Heat a frying pan over high heat. Brush pork with oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Add the pork and sage to the pan and cook for a few minutes each side or until well browned. Add the marmalade to the pan and cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until cooked. We have with asparagus & green beans and spoon over the marmalade glaze.

Favourite Recipe Friday - Meringues

We often have a spaghetti carbonara and with the left over egg whites I always make meringues.

I remember my mum trying to make them when I was younger but she never quite seemed to get them right and home made ones are just so much yummier than the overly white ones you get in a supermarket.

I always use golden caster sugar as they turn out a gorgeous golden colour and super sticky in the middle, they are then perfect for making into Eton Mess.

Ingredients:

I use one egg white to 2oz of sugar so in this recipe I used:
2 medium egg whites
4oz golden caster sugar

Method:

1. If you have kept the egg whites in the fridge then take out and leave to warm to room temperature, they always fluff up more if they are warm.

If you are keeping them in the fridge then take out to warm to room temp

2. Whisk the egg whites with a hand whisk until they are fluffy like cotton wool.

3. Add the sugar a bit at a time and keep whisking until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

When you lift the whisks up it should form stiff peaks

4. I always add a little meringue to the baking tray before placing the paper on top as it stops the paper from lifting up.

Dab a little meringue on the tray before placing the paper on

5. Spoon the meringue mix onto the tray and pop in the oven on 110c for 2 hours

6. Once cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool and voila, gorgeous sticky in the middle meringues.

Like I said before you can serve as part of an eton mess or my favourite just with cream!

Favourite Recipe Friday - Vanilla Biscuits

I love these biscuits they are super easy, tasty and my son loves to help make them!

Ingredients:

150g unsalted butter cut into small pieces
225g plain flour
125g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
3-5 tablespoons of milk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Lightly grease a large baking sheet (or if you'd prefer you can line a tray with baking parchment).

2. Sieve the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (if you want to save time you can blitz together in a food processor).

3. Stir in the caster sugar and vanilla essence and then add a tablespoon of milk at a time and mix together until it forms a firm dough (if you need a little more milk just add a bit at a time or if you add too much add a little more flour).

4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 2.5cm/1inch. Stamp out with your desired shape, this would be perfect for valentines day if you had a heart shape but we used a new dinosaur cookie cutter we got for Christmas and stars.

5. Arrange the shapes onto the prepared baking tray.

6. Put in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they are a light golden brown. Once cooked transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool. Add decoration or just simply sprinkle with sugar before serving.

Perfect with a cuppa on a cold afternoon!

Chicken, Chorizo and Mozzarella Recipe

I made this last night and I can safely say it is easy and super tasty, which is why it has quickly become one of my favourite recipes (since we bought nearly a kilo of chorizo that was going cheap in Sainsbury's just before Christmas anyway).

Ingredients: Serves 4

• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 12 slices chorizo (you could use ham instead)
• 125g mozzarella, sliced into 4
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 50g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil

 Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200c, gas mark 6.
2. Make a cut down one side of each chicken breast and open out. Cover with clingfilm and beat with a rolling pin to flatten out.
3. Lay 3 slices of chorizo on each breast then top with a slice of mozzarella. Season with pepper and fold over to cover the filling. Secure with a few cocktail sticks or small metal skewer.

4. Season the egg and dip each chicken breast into the egg, or as I tend to do just get your hands in and smother the egg over the chicken (stops it falling apart), then coat with the breadcrumbs.

5. Place the coated breasts on a baking tray, sprinkle with the oil and cook in the oven for 25–30 minutes until golden and cooked through, turning once during cooking.

6. I usually serve with some wedges or a green salad.

This recipe is really simple to make for 1 or 2 people you just need to quarter/half the ingredients, it's not one of the cheaper meals you could make but it looks impressive. If you are making a pizza any time and you have some left over chorizo and mozzarella this is perfect for using them up.

Birthday Cupcakes

It is my daughters first birthday in a few weeks and I all I have ready is the church hall we are having it in.

So at the weekend I gave making some birthday cupcakes a go, they came out looking pretty good! Not as good as a professional by any stretch of the imagination but still for an amateur I think they look OK.

The recipes I used to make these masterpieces are:

For the cakes I use the basic Be-Ro Victoria Sponge recipe, super simple and usually works every time. I use the all in one method of just bunging everything in the food mixer.

For the icing I used a simple buttercream recipe, it needs to be a good piping consistency, too dry and it will crack too wet and it won't pipe and just run!

I then used a Wilton 1M nozzle and pipe to make a swirl, starting from the outside and working inwards, a demo of this can be found on the Wilton website.

I have found some sprinkles on a few websites but have been looking for some that don't contain any E numbers, last thing I need is loads of hyperactive children running about!

Anyway the result is this...

Favourite Recipe Friday - Simple Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

Being a busy mum sometimes I just need something quick and easy to make that the whole family will enjoy whilst incorporating at least one veg ;)

This recipe is a simple one, the ingredients can be kept in the freezer or store cupboard so it is perfect as an emergency tea, it's also pretty cheap.

Ingredients:

350g Pasta (I use penne but if you have shapes for the kids thats great)
450g Sausages (you can replace with vegetarian sausages)
175g Broccoli (I always have a pack of frozen broccoli in the freezer)
6 tablespoons of Cream
2 tablespoons Wholegrain Mustard
1 Red Onion peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
15g Butter

Method:

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta accoding to the instructions. Add in the broccoli 5 minutes before the end.
2. Meanwhile, grill (or fry if you prefer not to get your grill dirty) until cooked through.
3. Melt the butter and oil and fry the onions until golden and soft.
4. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the pan. Cut the sausages into slices and add to the pan along with the onions and season.
5. Over a low heat add the cream and mustard and stir through until everything is nice and hot.

If you don't think your children will like the cream and mustard then what you can do is split the sausage, broccoli and pasta mixture before you add it and then halve the amount of cream and mustard you add.

You can spice up the dish with some sweet chilli sausages and if like the last time I made this don't have broccoli my other freezer staple peas are also great.

It really is a homely and warming lunch or tea and is super quick and easy, the best thing about it is you can play around with the ingredients until you know what works best for you.

Favourite Recipe Friday - Chilli Con Turkey

I mentioned this in a recent blog post and I just had to share it again in case anyone has any left over turkey still hidden in the freezer or in case you spot any on offer.

Turkey goes a long way, especially if there is only a few of you! You can make a roast dinner, pie, have it in sandwiches and then this frankly splendiferous and most yummy of dishes.

From the culinary talents of Jamie Oliver this is one of the brightest and tastiest meals ever and was loved by my three year old and 11 month old too.

 Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 leek, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 fresh green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• a bunch of fresh coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves picked
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
• optional: 1 heaped teaspoon runny honey
• optional: 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 600g leftover turkey, shredded
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin butter beans or chickpeas, drained ( I use butter beans as personally prefer them)
• juice of 2 limes
soured cream, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Heat a few lugs of olive oil in a large casserole-type pan on a medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, leek, peppers and chillies, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the coriander stalks, cumin and paprika, and cook for another 10 minutes or so, stirring frequently until soft and delicious. Sometimes I like to add some honey and white wine vinegar at this point and let it cook for a couple of minutes. I find this adds a wonderful sheen and enhances the natural sweetness of the vegetables. 

While that’s happening, shred the turkey meat off your carcass and roughly chop it. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper to the pan of vegetables, then add the turkey and take the pan off the heat. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas or butter beans and stir everything together. Pop it in the hot oven to blip away for 2 hours. Check on it after an hour, and add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry.

Take the chilli out of the oven and scrape all the gnarly bits from the edge of the pan back into the chilli for added flavour. Squeeze in some lime juice, and stir through most of the coriander leaves. Have a taste to check the seasoning then serve with steamed basmati rice or tortillas, and a good dollop of sour cream and guacamole on top. Scatter over your remaining coriander leaves and some finely sliced fresh chilli if you fancy then get everyone to tuck in. 

I love this recipe because you can use whatever you have in the fridge/cupboard really and flavour it however you want. The colours are amazing with all of the fresh vegetables, we had this for three days running and it never got boring. 

The fact that my children like it just goes to show how nice it really is and that it doesn't have to be too spicy.

BBC Good Food Show with Belling UK

I was lucky enough to go to the BBC Good Food Show Winter with Belling UK on Sunday, it was the first time I had been and I had a great time.

I didn't get to see many of the stands because I had a pushchair, and it was just a bit too difficult on my own to try and get past so many people waiting to test the samples.

I did however get to visit the stands I wanted too and buy a few bits of yummy deliciousness (keep an eye out for a follow up post on these).

The show is split out into several area's. Produce, from drinks to jams, fudge and cheeses are in one section. Drinks are in another section and then you have all of the product stands in the other section.

I first visited the Belling Stand, staring back at me in all of it's pink glory was this fabulous range cooker! I have to admit if I had the room I would love on of these, I am not normally a girly girl but this is just so divine.

On the other side of the stand was the Facebook cooker, pretty sure it's obvious what this is but if not it is a cooker with lots of little Facebook profile pictures on it.



I missed the first few minutes of the morning session with Brian Turner so went over to the Magimix stand to watch the lovely Holly Bell of Recipes of a Normal Mum (you may recognise her from The Great British Bake Off).

She made some Christmas Scones which I shall definitely be making, so watch out for a post on these some time before Christmas. Plus I learnt some useful tips and probably the reason my scones normally don't look brilliant ;)

After spotting a couple of other faces from The Great British Bake off, I went off in search of a bag to put my bits in and got a couple of magazines too.

A quick trip to the Parent Room (which was a saviour, please keep for next year), brilliantly laid out with toys, free nappies, high chairs and an area to feed quietly in.

After walking around bagging a few more bargains and some lunch, I went back to the belling stand to see the brilliant Brian Turner doing his thing.

He cooked up some fabulous dishes in a Ready Steady Cook style, I can't tell you exactly what he made or point you to any recipes. But what he cooked did sound yummy!

Finally and here is the good bit (well I say good, I guess it depends on whether you like free stuff). I did manage to get a handful of freebies. Including a Tweet Pie Recipe Book (worth £4,99), which were being sold by the brilliant Food Cycle guys on the Belling stand, a copy of the show magazine with some fab recipes in it. Some samples from the Bonne Maman stand and Lizi's Granola as well as some other discount coupons, a pen and some other random bits of um....useful stuff!

All you need to do is fill in the form below and I will pick a winner using random.org on the 6th December at 8pm.

The competition has now closed and the winner has been informed, thank you to all those that entered  :)

Favourite Recipe Friday - Quick-mix Chocolate Fudge

I had written a brilliant recipe yesterday but it seemed blogger was having a bad day too and didn't save it.

Good news for you though as it got me thinking about another recipe I could use and I'm going with a Christmas theme until Christmas, so yay!

This recipe is one I found in a Good Food magazine a few years ago and it has been my favourite for making for friends ever since.

Also makes a great treat for visitors and to give as a gift, wrapped up in a pretty box or bag.

Ingredients:

350g/ 12oz caster sugar
170g can evaporated milk
140g/ 5oz butter, cut into large cubes
100g/ 4oz white marshmallows
175g/ 6oz plain chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
25g/1oz pistachios (you can leave these out if giving to children or people who don't like nuts or alternatively add some sour dried cherries)

Method

1. Line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking paper. Put the sugar, evaporated milk, butter and marshmallows in a medium saucepan. Warm on a low heat, stirring once or twice, until everything has melted together and you have no grainy sugar left. Increase the heat and boil for 9 mins, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, until thick and a toasty brown colour. Remove from the heat.

2. Add the chocolate and vanilla extract to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon for 1-2 mins until the chocolate has melted and the mixture begins to thicken. Stir through the pistachios, if you like.

3. Working quickly, spread the mixture into the prepared tin. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until set. Cut into squares to serve.

Will keep in an airtight container for up to a month.

I gave this to someone who doesn't normally like fudge and he loved it!

It really is so quick and simple and like normal fudge recipes doesn't require a thermometer. I make a batch up just before Christmas eve to give to any guests that pop over as a treat or for hubby to take to work.

Favourite Recipe Friday - Chicken, Leek and Bacon Bake

I have decided to post my favourite recipe every Friday in a section called Favourite Recipe Friday.

Today is one of my new favourites, it is perfect for winter and is so simple. It takes virtually no time at all and could be turned into a vegetarian dish quite simply. It was originally a recipe from Good to Know but I have adapted it a little to fit the tastes of my family.

Chicken, Bacon and Leek Bake - Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1tbsp oil
• 4 chicken breasts, diced (could use potato, pasta or veg instead of chicken)
• 2 leeks, washed and sliced
• 4 slices of bacon (leave out if vegetarian)
• 25g butter
• 2tbsp plain flour
• 300ml milk (I use full fat but you could use semi-skimmed for less calories)
• 125g Cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken for 5 minutes. Add the leeks and bacon and fry, covered for 10-15 minutes (until the chicken is cooked through).
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute . Take off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk, bring to the boil until thickened, keep stirring (I use a wonder whisk if you haven't seen these they are great). Season with a little salt and pepper and add half the cheese, stir until melted.
3. Place the chicken in a heatproof serving dish and pour over the cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and place under a preheated grill for 2-3 mins until golden and bubbling.
4. The great thing about this dish is that it can be kept in the oven for 5 minutes whilst you set the table and get the children ready. You can then take the dish to the table and serve straight from the dish.

Serve with a salad or as I usually do some roast potatoes and veg.