The Crazy Kitchen: 2017

Popular Recipes

Strawberry Cheesecake Sundae Strawberry Cheesecake Pimms Pavlova Ciabatta Ice Cream Cupcakes Raspberry Tarts

Thursday 7 December 2017

Cocktail Glass Christmas Trifles with Splenda®

There's less than 3 weeks left now until the big day, and I'm feeling rather pleased with my organisational skills at the moment. The tree is up and most of the presents have been bought and wrapped. Inspired by Nigella and her year round twinkly lights, I've also put some fairy lights up in the kitchen this year, however, in my enthusiasm, I appear to have achieved the look of Santa's Grotto rather than Nigella's cosy kitchen. The husband is none too chuffed by my efforts to be super festive as I'm yet to introduce smart plugs into the kitchen, and there are a grand total of 7 sockets to turn off at the end of the night!

I've not yet dug out my spreadsheet for the Christmas food, but that part of the planning will hopefully get underway over the weekend. I'm not catering for as many guests on the big day this year but I'm sure that won't stop me making plenty of desserts, resulting in me inadvertently consuming far too many calories.

According to Consultant Dietician Helen Bond, on average people gain  between 1 and 5lbs over Christmas, and I've definitely been closer to the latter in previous years. This year I'm aiming for zero weight gain, so I need to be a little bit clever, as I don't want to miss out on all of the treats.

Reducing your sugar intake over Christmas can be a little tricky but by substituting sugar in desserts and drinks with Splenda® granulated low calorie sweetener means that you can still enjoy a few sweet treats, without the extra calories. As Splenda® is made with sucralose it's heat stable up to 232 degrees C, making it an ideal replacement for sugar in cakes and bakes.

Cocktail Glass Christmas Trifles with Splenda®

There are lots of recipes and ideas on the Splenda website, including Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake, Mince Pies, Mulled Wine Jelly and Christmas Trifle, which would all be perfect for Christmas entertaining.

I decided to make the Christmas Trifle, and instead of making one large trifle I made smaller ones in cocktail glasses. Making individual desserts is a not only a more attractive way to serve trifle, it's also a great way to ensure that you don't eat one spoonful too many!


Cocktail Glass Christmas Trifles with Splenda®

My version of the trifle also includes Amaretto in place of Sherry, Madeira or Masala, as I absolutely love Amaretto, and the almond flavour goes really well with the spiced plums. I must admit that despite making trifle every Christmas I can take it or leave it really. I certainly don't like trifle with jelly in, and many trifles are really heavy, however this version, without the layer of cream on top, was much lighter, and the spiced plum layer was quite tart and paired well with the sweet custard.




Cocktail Glass Christmas Trifles with Splenda®


Helen Bond’s top 10 tips for negotiating festive feasting; from daily treats to New Year’s toast.
Top Tips:
1.     Always start the day with a healthy breakfast. It’s easy to miss this important meal, or give in and indulge in fatty croissants to ease that Christmas party hangover. But eating a good breakfast will help kick-start your metabolism and keep you feeling full, making it easier to ignore the inevitable chocolates lying around.  

2.     Get creative with your advent calendar. Even big kids love opening those little advent calendar doors – but, enjoying 25 days of chocolaty goodness will do your waistline no favours! A little chocolate Xmas character provides around 26 kcals, 1.5g fat, 2.8g sugar - even more if they are truffle or alcoholic filled – that’s an extra 650 kcals, 37.5g fat and 70g sugar over 25 days. Why not get creative with your countdown to Christmas, so you’ve got a daily treat, without the daily guilt. 

3.     Love seasonal fruit and veg. With the abundance of festive food, it can be easy to forget the basics of eating healthily and achieving the (at least) 5-a-day recommendation. I like to pile the veg on my plate first, rather than last.

4.     Make time for exercise. However well you plan, life is going to get hectic over the festive period, so schedule your 2.5 hours of moderate intensity exercise into your week now. Exercise is also a fabulous stress buster, as it releases endorphins, making you feel happier and calmer. 

5.     Don’t skip meals. If you’re going to the office party straight after work, or you’ve got a dinner date with friends, don’t ditch lunch for fear of overdoing your daily calorie intake. You’ll be famished and hungry people tend to make bad food decisions.

6.     Try not to burn the candle at both ends. Burning the festive candle at both ends, with parties during the week and weekend hosting duties, can also affect your waistline. Too little sleep can reduce the level of the appetite-controlling hormone leptin and increase the hormone ghrelin, telling the brain you need to eat – and not always the right healthy food choices.

7.     Rethink your tea breaks. Cut cutting down on the ‘white stuff’ is a tall order, especially around Christmas. It appears in so many of the traditional festive favourites, that it’s near impossible to keep track of how much you’re eating.  An easy win is to rethink your tea breaks; instead of adding sugar to your tea, swap to a low-calorie sweetener, like SPLENDA®. If you drink four cups of tea a day with two teaspoons (8g) of sugar in each cup - that adds up to 128 kcals. Your sweet tea also tots up to nearly one 1kg bag of sugar over the 25 days of December and 3,200 kcals! You, and your Xmas shopping could be a whole lot lighter for a simple sweet swap!

8.     Treat sweets as treats. The constant supply of treats from guests and salty savoury snacks at work can be too tempting to avoid. Keep healthier seasonal snacks, like clementines, to hand; a medium clementine has just 25 kcals and will provide you 31% of your daily needs for immune boosting vitamin C and 1g of gut healthy fibre.

9.     Wise-up to the buffet. Faced with a buffet, resist the temptation to start filling your plate at one end of the table and continuing to add to it until you reach the other. Before you pick up the plate (and always take the smallest one!), pause for a moment and then prioritise healthy choices; smoked salmon, slices of lean ham and vegetable crudités. Now, step away.

10.  Keep in mind portion size. Most of us are over-generous with serving sizes at Christmas and it’s a fact that the bigger your tableware, the more you’ll fill it. Research shows that simply downsizing from a 12 to 10-inch plate could help you eat roughly 22% fewer calories, and you’ll not feel like you are missing out. 

Visit www.splenda.co.uk/recipes for more delicious recipe inspiration & baking tips.


Commissioned post for SPLENDA®

Saturday 2 December 2017

Earn Giftcards Online with Swagbucks December Swago Bonus

I've written previously (here and here) how I've earned giftcards online to help cover the cost of Christmas, and now the digital rewards site Swagbucks is offering big payouts during their December "Swago" promotion starting on Monday 4th December and running until the following Monday. Swago is just like bingo, but in this case you're filling out squares as you earn points on their site for doing things you already do online. If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it, meaning you can get more gift cards faster.

 

Here are a few tips:  

  • Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, completing a survey, or just visiting one of our popular stores!  
  • Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.  
  • You have until Monday 11th December to mark off as many squares as possible, so use your time wisely.  
  • Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value. Once you’ve achieved a pattern, the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.  

  • Each activity you successfully complete on your Swago Board will give you anywhere from 1-20 spins on the Spin & Win Wheel. PLUS, when you submit your board for a bonus you'll get additional spins. The number of spins will depend on the pattern you complete. The wheel has all sorts of great prizes that you can win, and each spin is a winner!

The Spin & Win Wheel will be available all throughout Swago and you have until Monday 11th December to use all your spins.  

Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 300 SB bonus.

Click here right now and click "Join" to get started! If you don't already have a Swagbucks account, you'll be able to quickly sign up; PLUS, if you earn 300 SB before the first of January, you'll get a bonus 300 SB!

Friday 24 November 2017

Cranberry Sausage Roll Garland

Sick of Black Friday deals yet? I actually thought it was last week because there were so many offers around, but then today morning my inbox has been rammed full of 'deals' to remind me that it is indeed today. Then, just as we think it's all over, then come the 'don't worry we've extended our Black Friday offers' and then Cyber Monday follows swiftly after. It's never ending. Who wishes we could go back to the time of January sales, when sales were in January and only in January.

If you're looking for a Black Friday deal here then I'm sorry to disappoint, but if you've come here looking for quick & easy home cooked food then you've come to the right place! 

Ta-da.

Cranberry Sausage Roll Garland

Ready made puff pastry with ready made sausages and cranberry sauce, all bundled together to make this sausage roll wreath which will be devoured in minutes at the family Boxing Day buffet or festive get together with friends.

Cranberry Sausage Roll Garland

I have a little confession to make about sausages. I buy a bag of 20 frozen sausages every week for 99p, and the family love them! My husband has never commented on a sausage as much as he's commented on these so now they get them every week in one of their favourite meals - bangers and mash, and I use frozen ready made mashed potato too!  Winning!

Yeah the sausages might not have a very high pork content, but they are a lot lower in fat than many other sausages, and they work perfectly in sausage rolls, so as long as everyone is happy and they enjoy eating them I'll continue to buy them. I'll still buy the lovely flavoured sausages for the bbq in the Summer, but when they all want 4 or 5 sausages (and more) for a meal, it's a lot more cost effective to buy these.

Cranberry Sausage Roll Garland

Cranberry Sausage Roll Garland

Cranberry Sausage Roll Garland

4 good reasons why you should deep clean a commercial kitchen

Cleanliness is next to godliness, the saying goes, and nowhere is this more important than in commercial catering. Whether you are running an office canteen, a café, pub, restaurant or hotel, maintaining a clean and hygienic environment at all times is the foundation upon which the business operates.

It goes without saying that every aspect of the kitchen facility should be properly cleaned on a daily basis to ensure safe food preparation and handling. While daily and weekly cleaning schedules are an important part of your regular maintenance regime, this should be supplemented by periodic deep cleans carried out by commercial cleaning specialists to tackle dirt, grime and germs that can easily accumulate in commercial kitchens.

Here are 4 excellent reasons why.

1.     Unbeatable Levels of Cleanliness
No doubt your kitchen staff will have been trained to deliver the highest standards of everyday cleanliness as part of the general maintenance regime in the kitchen. What they won’t have, however, is access to specialist cleaning equipment nor training in specialist cleaning techniques that only professional cleaning operatives will be able to carry out.
A regular professional kitchen deep clean is performed by a team of highly skilled operatives for whom no cleaning challenge is too tough. This includes extractor fans, canopies and filters; ovens, grills and deep fat fryers; tiles and floors. It’s an operation that involves intense steam cleaning and meticulous attention to all those hard-to-reach places in order to eliminate dirt and germs and achieve unrivalled hygiene for your commercial kitchen.

2.     Health & Safety Compliance
The production, processing and distribution of food and drink is subject to a wealth of legislation that every food business must comply with. The Food Standards Agency addresses food safety issues at every stage of the food industry chain and it has a statutory role to play in protecting both public health and consumer interests.
When it comes to cleaning, specifically, it is a legal requirement that commercial kitchens must be professionally deep cleaned every 6 months. According to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, all outlets must have a cleaning protocol in place to prove that the required levels of cleanliness have been met.

3.     Caring for your Staff and Customers
In addition to fulfilling the legal requirements, investing in regular commercial deep cleans also means that you are doing everything possible to protect your customers and staff from any potential health issues that can arise from lack of hygiene or cross contamination.

It shouldn’t be underestimated that commercial kitchens are exposed to a wide variety of possible contaminants, with many staff members having access to the kitchen and able to potentially contaminate food. Uncooked foods in particular pose a health risk if kitchen surfaces are not sufficiently clean. Whether it’s washing dishes, food storage or disinfecting kitchen surfaces, a thoroughly clean environment is key to protecting people from harmful bacterial that can quickly thrive.

4.     Business Reputation
In the hospitality industry, your business reputation depends crucially on providing a first class customer experience. Happy customers are more likely to come back, and they’ll tell all their friends too. You need to be seen to show your customers that you care deeply about their wellbeing when they’re visiting your premises. Deep cleaning your kitchen (and the rest of the establishment) is an essential part of maintaining a welcoming environment for your clientele.

Of course, every customer wants to be reassured that they are eating and drinking in the safest and cleanest possible space, which is why cleanliness really is next to godliness in the hotel, pub and restaurant business.


image credit : Unsplash


featured post

Monday 20 November 2017

Triple Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

It's been a bit quiet on the blogging front recently, and I seem to have lost my baking mojo a bit. I just hope it returns very soon as I have mincemeat slices, chilli cheese scones and cookies that I want to make in the run up to Christmas. 

Last week my mojo returned for just one day and I made the most of it but rustling up a quick dessert when Jack had a friend round for tea. I know ice cream is generally reserved for the Summer months, but my kids like ice cream all year round so we usually have a tub of vanilla in the freezer for weekends. Last week I treated them to a tub of triple chocolate, which worked perfectly sandwiched in between homemade chocolate waffles, and then dipped in yet more chocolate.

Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

I saw the idea for Ice Cream Tacos on Facebook recently, and shared the video recipe on my page, whilst thinking 'y'know, I reckon I could give those a go, they look super simple' . Well, like most of those food videos by Tasty & the like, it's not always as easy as it first looks. Firstly, my waffle maker isn't a waffle cone maker (adds waffle cone maker to Christmas wish list), and secondly, unless you have some super duper industrial super fast freezing freezer, you may end up with a drippy mess, much like myself, as the heat of the waffle not only burns your fingers as you try & fold it, but it also melts the ice cream and keeps melting it even when it's in the freezer. So, after the first waffle failed, I decided I would slice the hot waffle in half and once cool I would then add the frozen ice cream slice. If you want to try it the other way then be warned!

Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

Also, make sure you remove them from the freezer approx 10-15 minutes before you want to eat them, unless you want to have dentures for the rest of your life. Again, you have been warned!
Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich


Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich



Hijacked By Twins

Monday 6 November 2017

Raspberry Chambord and Gin Sour

Well, that's it, Halloween is done & dusted and we're now on the countdown for Christmas. Every year seems to be passing more quickly than the previous, even my 8 year old is saying it (how is he even 8, he was only born 5 minutes ago!) My eldest is 17 next week and starting driving lessons, which is just crazy. How can babies born in 2000 be almost adults! I don't want to think about how old that makes me, so we'll just get back to the subject of Christmas. Unless you're a food blogger it really is too early to start talking about Christmas, but as I was sampling Christmas food back in July it's not too soon for me to be sharing a festive cocktail. Obviously you don't have to wait until Christmas to drink it - hell, I was tasting it at 10am on Tuesday morning!

Raspberry Chambord and Gin sour

I discovered Chambord just a few years ago, via the power of social media, and a Chambord Royale has been my festive drink of choice ever since - drop of Chambord, topped up with Champagne, or Prosecco or even Cava if you're a cheapskate like me, and topped off with a frozen raspberry if you dare. Have you ever tried sucking a raspberry up through a straw? Loads of fun but be warned that it is also a very easy way to get very drunk, as you tend to drink your drink very quickly whilst attempting to suck the raspberry. It doesn't work the same with a strawberry, but don't let me stop you trying! Anyway, I digress again. Back to cocktails. I had my very first 'sour' in Portugal on holiday a few years ago. It was an almond sour, made from the local almond liquor (my that stuff is good), lemon juice, sugar, and lots of ice. A couple of years later I went to a cocktail making class in a local bar/restaurant, and learned how to make an Amaretto sour, which I was disgusted to know contained raw egg white. Wow, that cocktail was amazing though, with a lovely foamy top, almost like a meringue. I make myself one once in a while but drank the last drop of Amaretto on New Year's Eve and it hasn't yet been replaced (husband, if you're reading this please add Amaretto (or Aldi cheaper equivalent) to my Christmas list!)

Raspberry Chambord and Gin sour

I'm not sure if a Chambord or Gin sour is even a thing, but I do love to try new things out, and love it even more when a plan works, and this one really, really worked. I don't like to blow my own trumpet, but it was amazing. In fact it was just as amazing as that Amaretto sour that the mixologist made at that cocktail night a couple of years ago. 

Raspberry Chambord and Gin sour

How gorgeous are these glasses too? I was gifted them from Root 7 and as soon as I clapped eyes on them I just knew that they were made for cocktails - either that or a succulent! They are inspired by the Terrarium and you can get them in either black or gold.  I chose the gold and I'm glad I did as they match my Chambord bottle perfectly. Such a lovely glass that would make a fab gift this Christmas.

Raspberry Chambord and Gin sour

Raspberry Chambord and Gin sour



Raspberry Chambord and Gin sour

Earn £££'s for Christmas with Swagbucks and SWAGO

I recently wrote about how I'd earned £300 giftcards by collecting SB on the Swagbucks site and then converting them at Park for Sainsbury's gift vouchers to use at Christmas. During the past year I've also claimed £250 of Amazon vouchers in the same way, and starting at 4.30pm today Swagbucks have a sale on their Amazon and M&S vouchers, meaning that you don't need to redeem as many SB to get the gift cards. By answering a few surveys, watching a few videos and completing a few tasks it's pretty easy to build up enough SB for a gift card every few days, and with their 'Swago' that's currently running you can collect enough SB in no time.

Earn gift cards by completing surveys 

The digital rewards site Swagbucks is celebrating November with another big "Swago" promotion starting Monday 6th November. Swago is just like bingo, but in this case you're filling out squares as you earn points on their site for doing things you already do online. If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it, meaning you can get more gift cards faster. Here are a few tips:

  • Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, completing a survey, or just visiting one of our popular stores! 
  • Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete. 
  • You have until Monday 13th November to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely. 
  • Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value. Once you’ve achieved a pattern, the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely. 

  • Each activity you successfully complete on your Swago Board will give you anywhere from 1-20 spins on the Spin & Win Wheel. PLUS, when you submit your board for a bonus you'll get additional spins. The number of spins will depend on the pattern you complete. The wheel has all sorts of great prizes that you can win, and each spin is a winner!

The Spin & Win Wheel will be available all throughout Swago and you have until Monday 13th November to use all your spins.

Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 300 SB bonus, which goes a long way towards your first gift card from the retailer of your choice. 

Click here right now and click "Join" to get started! If you don't already have a Swagbucks account, you'll be able to quickly sign up; PLUS, if you earn 300 SB before the first of next month, you'll get a bonus 300 SB!

Tuesday 31 October 2017

Sweet & Salty Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Happy Halloween!

Many of us have been getting creative and carving up a pumpkin or two with the kids. We did ours yesterday as it was inset day, and decided to go quite simple this year with a scary pumpkin face with plastic glow in the dark teeth, and a simple 'Boo!'. 

This year I downloaded my template from The Pumpkin Lady, where you can find over 700 free templates, from simple ones (like my Boo!) to the more complicated for the creative ones among us. In the past I've definitely spent more time on my creations, including these Hello Kitty and Trick or Treat pumpkins, but this year we left it quite late to get the pumpkins and only managed to find some relatively small ones.

One thing that I always find time for is roasting the seeds from the pumpkins, as they make a great snack. In the past I've made spicy ones, as well as simple salted ones, but this year I tried sweet & salty, and they turned out just as I'd hoped. Instead of turning the oven on to roast a few seeds I cooked them in the Actifry this time, which seemed to work better than the oven, as they toasted evenly without the need for turning (especially useful if you have an oven like mine that bakes unevenly).

Sweet & Salty Pumpkin Seeds

The seeds had the flavours of sweet & salty popcorn (which we love here), and didn't last long!


Sweet & Salty Pumpkin SeedsSweet & Salty Pumpkin Seeds

Monday 30 October 2017

Crispy Pork & Broccoli Stir Fry

Last week I shared a quick and easy recipe for Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Black Pepper Sauce, which went down really well with the family. Another cut of pork that I buy quite often is the shoulder, which I either slow cook and use for pulled pork or a roast dinner, or I buy the pork shoulder steaks for the barbecue. This time of the year when it's getting a bit chilly for outdoor cooking I usually opt for a stir fry, and this Crispy Pork and Broccoli Stir Fry is full of flavour, and definitely hits the stir fry spot. If I was making it just for myself and the husband I would also add lots of fresh chilli, but the kids don't like it too spicy so I leave the chilli out and add a few chilli flakes afterwards to ours.


The pork in this dish has such a rich flavour and look, that it could easily be mistaken for beef, but it costs less than half the price of rump steak, or stir fry beef strips.


Stir fries are a great midweek meal for the family as they are so quick to make, and having the addition of broccoli and mushrooms also adds those valuable vegetables to the kids diets. Throw a handful of peas into the rice and you get an extra portion of your 5 a day!









Crispy Pork & Broccoli Stir Fry









Commissioned post for Love Pork










Sunday 22 October 2017

Vegetarian Sweet & Savoury Mince Clanger

Another week of Bake Off is over, and last week there was only one bake that I wanted to make, and it definitely wasn't the Cumberland Rum Nicky or the Victorian Savoy Cake, as I knew that the kids wouldn't touch the Rum Nicky, and I had neither the time or the inclination to make the Savoy cake.

I knew that if I got the fillings in a Clanger right the kids would love them, as they love my pies and pasties, and I wouldn't be left having to eat them all. As I had some vegetarian mince in the freezer, and a couple of jars of home made mincemeat from two years ago in the cupboard, I knew that this could be the winning combination I needed, as everyone in the family loves both savoury mince and mince pies.

Instead of making the Clangers with suet pastry, as they're traditionally made, I decided to opt for my usual favourite pastry, which always turns out well, and works perfectly in pasties.

Vegetarian Sweet & Savoury Mince Clanger

Well, what can I say. They turned out better than expected, and barely lasted any time at all once the husband and kids walked through the door on Friday. I used the pastry scraps to make a few mince pies, and they were also inhaled.

The pastry was light and crispy, yet substantial enough to hold the filling, and the size was just right, and with just the right amount of filling. I love making pies and pasties, and am now thinking of other sweet and savoury combinations that would work, and be perfect in a lunchbox or to take on a picnic or day out.

Vegetarian Sweet & Savoury Mince Clanger



Vegetarian Sweet & Savoury Mince Clanger

Vegetarian Sweet & Savoury Mince Clanger

Mummy Mishaps

Friday 20 October 2017

Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Black Pepper Sauce

When it comes to feeding the family during the week meals can sometimes be a bit hit and miss. Some weeks we may have the luxury of a few meat based dinners, and other weeks they consist mostly of some kind of pasta dish, depending on how organised I've been with my meal planning. There are a few basics that I buy on a weekly basis so we're never short of enough food to cook a meal, but the meals can sometimes get a bit repetitive.

Pork of some sort is always added to my online shopping trolley, whether it's in the meal plan or not - either pork mince, pork loin steaks or pork shoulder steaks. Pork is such a versatile meat and it can be used to replace chicken or beef in many dishes, and one of the reasons I buy it so much, is that it's such good value. I use lean pork mince in bolognese and chilli, pork loin in a roast dinner or casserole, or wherever you may use chicken breast, and pork shoulder for pulled pork, roasts or wherever you may use beef, such as steaks on the bbq or in a stir fry.

Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Easy Black Pepper SauceAlthough I use loin steaks regularly I've never used medallions for a family meal, but when I was challenged to use them in a meal for the family I knew the best way to enjoy a quality meat such as these Pork fillet medallions was to cook them simply.


Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Easy Black Pepper Sauce

With a little olive oil rubbed onto each side, along with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, they're ready for cooking. They can either be pan fried in a medium hot pan, or cooked in a George Foreman (no, these things aren't just for making toasties!), and only take a few minutes.

Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Easy Black Pepper Sauce

This dish has a bit of a luxury feel to it, which we're not used to in our midweek meals, and despite being really quick to cook, it tastes a little bit special - the kind of meal you might enjoy on a Saturday night with a bottle of wine, but my lot loved it on a Wednesday, with a bottle of water, right before swimming and football.

The pork medallions are lean, making them a healthy option, and 2 portions (3 medallions each) come with a lean price tag of just £3.00 too, making them a great alternative to steak. The black pepper sauce also tastes a little indulgent, but because the pork is so lean I didn't want to add unnecessary fat by adding cream, so instead I like to make my pepper sauce with light Philadelphia soft cheese with garlic and herbs. The sauce is extremely easy to make, and as you can make it with or without meat juices from the pan, it's ideal to serve with vegetables  or even as a topping for jacket potatoes.

Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Easy Black Pepper Sauce

Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Easy Black Pepper Sauce


Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Black Pepper Sauce



Hijacked By Twins

Monday 16 October 2017

Classic Thin & Crispy Margarita Pizza

This week has been a bit of a hectic one, with two trips to the physio (one for me and one for the accident prone eldest child) , a trip to the opticians to try and convince them that my new glasses are no good despite the number of adjustments to the arms they made, as I still couldn't see my computer screen clearly - a sure sign that I'm getting old!

Then I spent far too many hours working in front of my computer wearing my old scratched glasses with hazy sections in the middle of each lens whilst I wait for my new (hopefully improved) specs.

Fast forward to the weekend and I finally got around to making pizza for this week's Bake Off challenge. Some of those on the show turned out to be a bit of a dogs dinner, and I'm not sure where they went wrong, but it makes for good tv, and makes be feel better about my own rustic efforts.

Classic Thin & Crispy Margarita Pizza

Home made pizza is so much better than store bought, in my opinion, but sometimes needs must, and the kids don't seem to have the same palate as me, and don't mind where it comes from, although if you mention Domino's their grumpy little faces soon light up.

I'm not a fan of stuffed crusts or deep pan, as there's just way too much bread for my liking. Thin and crispy authentic pizza bases are definitely the way to go, and simple toppings are usually all that's needed. I used Paul Hollywood's pizza base recipe from his 'Bread' book, which is a nice and simple basic recipe. It makes enough dough for 3 decent sized single person pizzas, and it's easy to roll out or shape into a thin base.

Classic Thin & Crispy Margarita Pizza

I happen to have a pizza stone, which I've had for years, and it's perfect for cooking crispy bases, as you heat it up in the oven first, and it starts to cook the base before it even gets into the oven, which seems to make it easier to remove too. I also happened to have an unopened box of semolina in the cupboard with an expiry date of sometime during 2015, but it was still perfectly fine, and gave the base that authentic finish.

For the topping I stuck to the classic margarita style, with passata, mozzarella and fresh basil. I would've preferred more basil on top but Asda let me down that morning with my online shop and delivered a manky basil plant with barely any decent leaves on, which I only noticed as I went to pluck a handful of leaves once the pizza was cooked. The pizza still tasted great though, despite the lack of greenery, and it was thin and crispy, just the way I like it.

Classic Thin & Crispy Margarita Pizza
one of the few decent basil leaves (insert all the eye rolls)
Classic Thin & Crispy Margarita Pizza

If you're following a low carb diet & a bread base isn't really your thing then you could try making the base from a protein powder, such as pea protein. See more here for the best pea protein powders.

Classic Thin & Crispy Margarita Pizza




Search This Blog