Irish soda bread

Irish soda bread

Today Chris made this bread using his aunty Bredas long used recipe.

Pancakes.

Pancakes.

I Have not had time to update this blog regularly and now find myself posting a few blogs in as many days.

I seem to be going through a bit of a cooking phase. I am not quite sure what to attribute this too.

Last week I made some chocolate cupcakes which Chris's work mates said were lovely. (Or was Chris being nice) I thought they tasted pretty good.

I should be careful Chris will start to believe I enjoyed myself and expect a little more input on the cooking front.

I then had a cooking disaster when trying to make some cheese stuffed courgettes using my home grown veg.

Honestly they were awful the stuffing was tasteless . I could not taste cheese garlic or basil or any of the ingredients I used. I don't know what I did wrong.?

Tonight I found myself looking for a recipe to make honeycomb as I had some golden syrup left over from a project which I will quickly deviate and tell you about before getting back to this blog post....

I followed a recipe for a diy coddling moth trap to put on some fruit trees down at Dave and Lisa's place.

So far so good. We had some left over liquid from the diy recipe which I suggested to Lisa we keep to top up the traps with.

I placed the liquid in a thermos flask. A week or so later the traps worked caught the moths did the job. I removed the moths and went to top up the liquid with the remainder I had saved in the flask.

My home made bomb!

I tried to open the flask it was stuck solid, would not budge. Martin was around and Dave so I asked both of them big strong strapping guys and no they could not open the flask eventually Dave managed to loosen the lid slightly and the noise coming out made us aware something was not right. I then stated what was in the concoction vinegar bicarbonate of soda or maybe it was baking powder cant quite remember now treacle yeast and a few other thing. I could tell from the look on their faces that the lid wasn't just stuck.

Long story short there was yeast in the concoction fermenting away in a sealed vacuum. Chris called me all sorts couldn't believe I was so stupid. I never did like Science at School.

Well I mean how was I meant to know! It wasn't funny. No, it really wasn't.

Really it was not funnnnnnny. Just thinking about it now brings a tear to my eye. oh dear.

Back to my original post.

I fancied some chocolate, we had none I fancied a crunchy. Hence the honeycomb.

Honeycomb only took a few moments to make and is now bagged up and in the fridge. I am thinking to crush it and have with ice cream. Then I got to thinking pancakes, see where I am going with this.

I would of liked to photograph the pancake with ice cream honeycomb crumbled and a bit of currant sauce but hey its nearly 3 in the morning.

The pancakes are not your regular crepe thin type of pancake but more of an American fluffy type of pancake. I have layered in greaseproof paper and will freeze and surprise Chris tomorrow.

I will also post recipe.

Blackberry and apple pie

Blackberry and apple pie

On posting this I remember I've been here before.
Click on recipe link for earlier post.

One of the first posts I made on this blog was of the same dish.

I'll try and suggest Chris gets a bit more imaginative with his cooking but then again you really cant beat a traditional pudding.

Beetroot and Orange Chutney

Beetroot and orange chutney

Today I made beetroot and orange chutney from a recipe found on the Internet. Those who know me will find this strange as although I am able to cook and appreciate good food and ingredients, All the cooking cooking is done by Chris, he insists on it and enjoys it. Why would i argue. (who would)

This recipe appealed to me and seemed a good way to use the beetroot.

In the first photo I diced raw beetroot, onion and garlic. Then added nutmeg and cinnamon. On reading through the recipe now, I realise I should of only used 1/2 teaspoon of each of the spices, I added 1 teaspoon. why did I do that ? (it is quite spicy) Add the diced apple and the grated rind and juice of the oranges.





Gently heat red wine vinegar with sugar until the sugar has dissolved. All the other ingredients are added to this and simmered for 40 Min's.

Boil for 10 Min's until thick with no remaining liquid on the surface.

I made two medium sized jars.

The jars were washed rinsed and dried then placed in the oven to sterilise for 20 Min's. I was worried about adding the hot chutney to the jars.

You must make sure the jars are still warm when you do this.

Store the chutney in a cool dark place for two weeks before using to allow the flavours to mature.

MY TASTE TEST: Quite spicy (my error) also quite sweet but very nice.




Beetroot and orange chutney

See the link below for information on preserving.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0820/is_334/ai_n14924232/

I am unable to post the original recipe link as I cannot seem to find it online.


Ingredients.

350 g raw beetroot washed and scrubbed. cut into 1 cm dice
350 g eating apples peeled cored and diced
225 g onion finely chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
grated rind and juice of 2 oranges
1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp each cinnamon and ground nutmeg.

300 ml red wine vinegar

200 g sugar

Footnote: Digital photographs 2009 Beetroot and orange chutney beetroot pronto

Blackberry and apple pie

Digby and I went to Plemont Point on Saturday. I managed to pick a small amount of blackberries. It was a shame, as it was windy and was just starting to rain. I Could of spent more time there collecting blackberries. Unfortunately they were sparse in the area I parked the car.

I'm on a mission to find, some undiscovered as yet,,,,,,,,,, blackberry den. Once we got back Chris took over and made apple and blackberry pie for sunday lunch. I wanted to take a photograph with the top on the pie but at that stage we were having words. Meaning I was sticking my nose in. The pie was lovely.

Roast courgette recipe

My courgettes
Chopped courgette, onion and tomatoes provided by Paul x and mange tout. lemon and basil oil roast in the oven till crispy