Cranberry Cookies

Sometimes (ok, most of the time) I feel like baking a batch of cookies. Rather than just add chocolate chips,  I wanted to bring an element of healthiness to the recipe - so that's where the cranberries come into the equation!

It is definitely worth using golden granulated sugar in this recipe. Granulated gives a nice sugary sweet crunch in the cookie.

Makes 8-10

Ingredients:

250g butter, softened 

140g golden granulated (or caster) sugar 

1 egg yolk 

300g plain flour

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

1tsp baking powder

50g dried cranberries 

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180/160fan/gas mark 4. Grease 4 baking trays with butter.

1) Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth.

2) Add the egg yolk and combine.

3) Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and add to the mix gradually.

4) Beat in the cranberries.

5) Using an ice cream scoop preferably, spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking trays allowing 3 cookies on each tray.

6) Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.

7) Take tray out of the oven and bang firmly on the worktop several times, allowing the mixture to crack on the top (sounds odd but it definitely works!). 

8) Return to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes until the cookies are starting to brown. It's very important to not over-bake cookies. They may look like they're not cooked but once cooled, they firm up and become a delicious, sweet treat!

9) ............................. ENJOY!

My Warming Spicy Chicken Casserole

This is a delicious, modern take on a chicken casserole. I find in life, you have to take risks, and this is what I did with this recipe. I had doubts on whether it would be really tasty or the flavour combinations wouldnt go well together at all. But it pulled off. This is going to be a firm family favourite in our household. One that we can cook on a cold night to warm ourselves up with a deliciously satisfying spicy casserole. I served it with long grain rice and petit pois as these compliment the dish greatly.

Ingredients

Olive oil

10 chicken thighs, skin and bones removed, cubed

4 spring onions, chopped

3 carrots, chopped into cubes then halved

Large bunch of tarragon

1tbsp five spice powder

150g green lentils, pre-soaked that just need boiling

500ml chicken stock, I used Kallo organic cubes

½ lime, zest of

1 fresh bay leaf

Method

1)      Preheat the oven to 190 degrees/180 fan/gas mark 5.

2)      Fry the cubed chicken in a glug of olive oil in a ovenproof casserole dish until slightly sealed. Remove from the pan.

3)      Fry the spring onions with another glug of oil along with the carrots and tarragon for 1-2 minutes. Then return the chicken to the pan, alongside the five spice. Give everything a good stir.

4)      Whilst the casserole ingredients are frying, put the lentils in a medium saucepan and fill the pan with cold water until it just reaches the top of the lentils. Don’t add salt it impairs the flavour. Bring to the boil, then once boiling, reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes until slightly soft, with a tiny bit of chew to them. It sounds strange not cooking them until very soft, but if they cook completely before stewing, they go to mush in the casserole.

5)      Go back to the casserole dish and add the hot chicken stock to the pan along with the lime zest and bay leaf. Simmer for 5 minutes.

6)      Put the lid on the casserole dish and place in the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

7)      Whilst the casserole is in the oven, stir the lentils. Once cooked, drain, and remove from the heat.

8)      After 30 minutes of the casserole in the oven, take the pan out of the oven, and put the lentils in. Stir well and season with sea salt and black pepper. Then place back in the oven for 1 hour.

This recipe is one to cook over and over again. Beautiful salmon with the freshness of asparagus. I couldn’t fault this recipe of Jamie’s and I hope you all like it too!

ASPARAGUS & SMOKED SALMON QUICHE

INGREDIENTS

• 250g shortcrust pastry
• 50g smoked salmon, chopped
• 200g cooked asparagus, halved
• 1 tsp chopped capers
• 1 tbsp chopped dill
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 100ml single cream

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Line an 18cm tart tin with the pastry and blind bake with greaseproof paper and baking beans for 10 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is golden. Allow to cool.
2. Turn the oven down to 170C/gas 3. Scatter the salmon, asparagus, capers and dill over the pastry. Mix the eggs and cream with black pepper. Pour over the pastry and bake for 20 minutes or until set.

THIS IS A RECIPE FROM JAMIE OLIVER MAGAZINE ISSUE 19

Creamy Guacamole Pasta

This is another of my favourite mid-week dinner recipes. I hate avocados but I once went to an italian cafe in my hometown, Leamington Spa and had the most amazing panini that had Guacamole in. So I went home and created this dish, that is quick, easy and simple. 

Creamy Guacamole Pasta

Ingredients (serves 4):

260g pancetta cubes

350g cooked, peeled prawns

2tsp hot chilli powder

400g tinned plum tomatoes

Or

A large handful, fresh cherry tomatoes

200g guacamole

600g fresh spaghetti

Method:

1)      Fry the pancetta cubes in olive oil, preferably extra-virgin or garlic flavoured.

2)      After the pancetta is browning slightly, add the prawns and wait until all of the liquid evaporates.

3)      Whilst the pancetta and prawns are frying, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions.

4)      Once all of the liquid has been absorbed from the pancetta and prawns, add the chilli powder and tomatoes and stir thoroughly.

5)      Cook for a further 2 minutes then turn the heat off and add the cooked spaghetti to the pan.

6)      Stir through the guacamole, and serve with freshly ground sea salt and black pepper.

7)      ENJOY!

My Ferrero Rocher Cake

This is one of my favourite cakes. The nutty flavours are heavenly, and the texture is beautiful with the added crunch of the praline.

Ferrero Rocher Cake

Ingredients

Praline

100g golden caster sugar

Pinch of salt

Knob of butter

100g chopped hazelnuts

Cake

150g good quality butter, softened, cubed

175g golden caster sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1tsp vanilla extract, not essence

25g cocoa, if using dark cocoa, reduce to 15g

150g plain flour, sifted

1tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

Icing

750g jar, Nutella

24 Ferrero Rocher

Method

1)      Firstly make the praline. Put the sugar, salt and butter in a sauce on a medium heat until very slightly melted.

2)      Once slightly melted, add the hazelnuts and leave on a medium heat until caramelised.

3)      Once caramelised, transfer the mixture onto a greased baking tray and leave until hard and set.

4)      Once set, preheat the oven to 180 degrees/160 fan.

5)      Cut up the previously made praline into your desired size. If you’d prefer a crunch in the cake, leave them bigger, if you’d rather a smooth cake, cut them up to smaller pieces.

6)      Now, to make the cake. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

7)      Once well combined, add the eggs with the vanilla. Mix, then add the cocoa to the mix.

8)      Once the egg and cocoa are combined with the mixture fold in the chopped praline to the mix.

9)      Once the praline is folded in, fold in the sifted flour and baking powder.

10)  After the flour is folded in, spoon the mixture evenly between two pre-greased 20cm sandwich tin.

11)  Bake in the top shelf of the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. You’re looking for a springy surface (poke the top of the cake and it should rise back up) but gooey parts should show, as this is the praline pieces.

12)  To make the icing, beat the Nutella and a few drops of lukewarm water. Spoon some Nutella mix onto the bottom layer of the cake, then place the top layer on top.

13)  Once you’ve placed the top player on top of the filling, spread the remaining Nutella mix on the top of the cake with a palette knife, but do not put any Nutella on the sides.

14)  Next, place the Ferrero Rocher’s on top in whichever pattern you like. (I did mine all over).

15)  ENJOY!

Monkfish and Prawn Risotto (my own recipe)

Risotto with Haddock

This is a gorgeous, fresh risotto that has the most beautiful zesty flavours. My dad makes the most amazing risotto of his own too, and I'm one of those people that wants to beat someone at something! I really fancied some fish in the risotto that I planned, and as it was a 'treat' dinner we went to the expense of buying Monkfish. However, when I made it secondly I wanted to create a more affordable dish, so I swapped the Monkfish for Haddock. If you are using Haddock I would add pancetta for the salty kick. However if using Monkfish omit the pancetta because you don't want to disturb the flavours of the fish. Serve alongside Garlic Ciabatta, and a glass of white wine, and there you have it, a fabulous risotto, that involves no stirring!

Monkfish and Prawn Risotto

Ingredients

4 leeks, chopped

3 red peppers, sliced into strips

1 red chilli, chopped, seeds in or out

200g sundried tomatoes in oil, drained

400g risotto rice, Arborio or carnaroli

1.5 litres fish stock

300ml white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

1-2 monkfish tails, cubed or 2 dyed smoked haddock fillets

Freshly ground black pepper

Dash of olive oil

Knob of butter

400g raw king prawns
130g pancetta cubes (if using haddock)

1 lemon, zest and juice (optional)

Handful of basil, chopped

Method

1)      Fry the leeks in a dash of olive oil until brown, turn the heat down and add the peppers and chillies and the sundried tomatoes.

2)      After the juices appear, add the risotto rice with a quarter of the fish stock and a glug of white wine, then leave to simmer with the lid on. Do not stir the risotto at all.

3)      Once the stock and wine has been mostly absorbed, add another quarter of fish stock and glug of white wine.

4)      Then, fry the monkfish cubes (in a separate pan) in a glug of olive oil and knob of butter with black pepper for ten minutes. Whilst this is frying keep adding the stock and wine once the second batch has been absorbed, and repeat until all stock and wine is used.

5)      After 10 minutes of frying the monkfish, add the prawns, pancetta cubes, half of the lemon zest, and half of the basil and fry for a further 5 minutes with the monkfish.

6)      After adding the prawns take the lid off the risotto pan.

7)      After 5 minutes of frying the prawns, add the monkfish and prawns into the risotto pan with the lemon juice, along with the other half of the basil and lemon zest.

8)      Stir through, then serve.

ENJOY!

Maple Black Pepper Pork Chops (my favourite!)

Maple Black Pepper Pork Chops

Ingredients

4-6tbsp olive oil

4 pork chops

2 red onions, finely chopped

2tbsp chopped thyme leaves

100ml cider vinegar

150ml maple syrup

Method

1)      Pour 4 tbsp olive oil into a large frying pan (preferably not a non-stick pan as it won’t catch the browned pieces of pork, which are essential for this sauce) over a medium heat. Season the pork chops all over with 2tsp salt and, when the oil is hot, add these to the pan.

2)      Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on how thick the are; they should be nicely browned on each side and cooked all the way through. Transfer from the pan onto a warmed plate, then cover with foil and place somewhere warm.

3)      If there isn’t much oil left in the pan, add an extra tbsp, then tip in the onions and thyme leaves. Season with more salt, then stir-fry for about 3 mins or until the onions have softened but not browned. Pour in the vinegar, using a wooden spoon to scrape off and stir in the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for a further 2 mins, then stir in the maple syrup and 1tsp pepper.

4)      Bring to a simmer once again and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced to a sticky glaze. Taste for seasoning, then pour the sauce over the pork chops and serve with mashed potato and greens.

This recipe is from BBC Good Food Magazine, November 2011