The Crazy Kitchen: November 2011

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Monday 28 November 2011

This is The Crazy Kitchen

Over three years ago (whilst I was pregnant with Jack) I starting researching Conservatories. I knew it was our best option of increasing space in the house to cater for our new addition, along with my expanding business. I had (in my mind and on paper) knocked almost every wall down in the house to work out possible options. Although these were good ideas that would give us more usable space it didn't help with giving us more overall space so we decided that a conservatory was our only option. both cost and time wise.


More than a year later we still hadn't decided what to do, I was still busily drawing plans and researching Conservatory prices. There were so many decisions to make, design, size, colour, how many opening windows, glass or polycarbonate roof, it was mind boggling and a decision that I didn't want to get wrong.


In the end we opted for a Gable ended square (almost) Conservatory in white UPVC with almost all of the top windows opening and a glass roof, and it was completed just in time for Jack's first birthday.


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Our conservatory is now the heart of our home where we have enjoyed many parties (for both the kids and adults) as it forms part of our kitchen, hence the name of my blog The Crazy Kitchen.


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If you're thinking of having a conservatory I would definitely recommend shopping around and comparing prices as they do vary a lot. I would also recommend that you go for the best that you can afford, after all it's a longterm investment and something that can often give your home the wow factor.

You can also compare double glazing prices and orangeries prices.




This is a sponsored post.

Sunday 27 November 2011

How to Wrap a Gift Basket in Cellophane

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Over the years that I've been wrapping gift baskets I've found this way to be the best for wrapping large baskets in cellophane. It doesn't use too much cellophane and there is no waste.


You can buy large rolls of cellophane off the internet or craft stores or florists but if you just want a single length your local florist may be able to sell that to you too.


To calculate how much you will need measure all around the widest part of the basket or container and then add approx 5cm to this measurement.


Cut your cellophane to this length.


Lay your cellophane flat on a large flat surface - preferably not a carpeted or dusty surface as the cellophane attracts dust & bits.


Fold each side into the middle and overlap by 2cm and secure with small pieces of tape at intervals along the join.


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Make a gusset at each side by folding inwards and press down - make sure the gusset on each side is similar in size.


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Fold the bottom of the cellophane over twice and secure with tape.


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You should now have a large bag that you can insert your basket or container into. If you have a particularly large or heavy basket it will be easier to have an extra pair of hands - one to keep the bag open and one to lower the basket inside.


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If you want to wrap the gift in cellophane but you don't want the recipient to see the contents you can insert a sheet or 2 of tissue paper before inserting the gift.

Friday 25 November 2011

Cooking With Your Toddler - Christmas Tree Biscuits

Last week we made Pudsey Bear Biscuits for Children In Need. As the recipe made quite a large amount I cheated slightly for this week and saved half of the dough and kept it in the fridge to make Christmas Tree Biscuits this week.


Here is the recipe that we used :

Christmas Tree Cookies

225g Butter, softened
225g Caster Sugar
500g Plain Flour
4 Large Eggs
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 - 2 tsp mixed spice (optional)

To decorate

Coloured mini chocolate beans (or coloured icing)
Christmas sprinkles
Gold & silver balls
Icing sugar mixed up to a paste with a small amount of water(or melted white chocolate)


  • Cream the butter and sugar together until pale & fluffy
  • Add the eggs & vanilla
  • Sift the flour & baking powder together and add to the wet ingredients
  • Mix until well combined
  • Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour
  • Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C
  • Roll out the dough on a floured surface to approx 5mm thick and cut out Star shapes - of varying sizes. We used a set a star cutters that we reviewed previously from Procook.
  • Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden. 
  • Allow to cool on a wire rack.
  • Use the icing or melted chocolate to stack the stars starting with the largest at the bottom.
  • Decorate with icing and sprinkles/silver & gold balls.
These biscuits rise quite a bit and are quite thick, I think next time we will use a shortbread recipe, like the one we previously used with the star cutters. They looked great anyway and went down well with the whole family. 

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Jack decided he wanted to make some biscuits of his own with some spare dough - what do you think? I can see a pig, a duck & macka packa in there!


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    Please come and look at other bloggers great recipes in the Linky below and feel free to add your own. The linky is ongoing.


    The Crazy Kitchen






    Friday 18 November 2011

    Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling

    For this months I love Cake on Mummy Mishaps blog the theme is vegetables. Jenny herself made a delicious looking Carrot, Courgette & Orange cake but I decided to go down the chocolate route & use beetroot.


    I've made beetroot cupcakes once before, following a recipe by Vanessa Kimbell that was tried out by Ren Bahan on her blog Fabulicious Food. I made them with Sam and he gave them to his girlfriend for Valentines Day.
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    Valentine Cupcakes
    The only difference in my recipe is that I don't bother grating the beetroot, that sounded too messy for my liking, so I just whizzed the cooked beetroot up to a puree in my blender. I bought the ready cooked beetroot and used that, you just have to make sure it's not the pickled stuff - although I did use beetroot that had vinegar on it last time (not the stuff in the jars) as I ordered the wrong one on my online shop. This time I went into the store and made sure I picked the one that is just in natural juices.

    I love salted caramel so I decided to use this as a filling - just to add a few extra calories that I certainly don't need!

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    Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling - Makes approx 18 cupcakes

    225g Self Raising Flour
    75g Cocoa powder
    280g Caster Sugar
    1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
    3 eggs
    150ml vegetable oil
    280g Cooked beetroot, blended to a puree 

    Filling
    1/2 can of Carnation Caramel*
    Sea salt
    *You can make the Caramel yourself if you prefer - I posted a recipe here a while ago, but if you don't have the time or inclination just use Carnation or similar.

    Topping
    284ml Double Cream
    200g Dark Chocolate (76% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces
    2 tsp Dark Rum
    Sea Salt


    • Beat the eggs, oil and beetroot together
    • Sieve the flour, sugar, cocoa powder & bicarb. of soda together and stir into the wet ingredients.
    • Spoon into the cupcake cases
    • Bake in 180 degree C preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until they have risen and spring back when touched.
    • Leave to cool on a wire rack
    • When cakes are cool cut a hole approx 1cm diameter in the top, reserving the cut-out piece of cake.
    • Mix the caramel until smooth and add approx 1/2 tsp of salt (to taste)
    • Spoon into the holes in the cakes & replace the cut-out pieces of cake.
    • Warm the double cream in a pan over low heat, turn off before it comes to the boil and add the chocolate
    • Stir the chocolate/cream until all the chocolate has melted, then add the rum
    • As the chocolate cools down it thickens, when it is thick enough to stay in place but still thin enough to pour off a spoon it is ready to be used on the cakes.
    • Spoon onto the cupcakes and allow to cool
    • When ready to serve sprinkle a few grains of salt on the top


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      Blended beetroot
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    Yummy chocolate batter
       
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    Fresh out the oven
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    Filled with caramel
       
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    calorie laden heaven!





      I Love Cake

      Cooking With Your Toddler - Pudsey Bear Biscuits

      Today is Children in Need day and all week at Pre-School Jack has been making biscuits with his friends and then selling them at the end of the day to raise money for this great cause.

      We have also made some Pudsey biscuits at home, using a recipe from the Baking Mad website. They have recipes for Children in Need as well as some great Cupcake recipes. Also, if you use Allinsons Nature Friendly flour in your baking they will donate 20p to Children In Need for each bag purchased.

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      You can also donate to Children in Need here.


      Pudsey Bear Cookies

      225g Butter, softened
      225g Caster Sugar
      500g Plain Flour
      4 Large Eggs
      1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
      1 tsp baking powder
      1 - 2 tsp mixed spice (optional)

      To decorate

      Coloured mini chocolate beans (or coloured icing)
      Black writing icing
      While chocolate, melted


      • Cream the butter and sugar together until pale & fluffy
      • Add the eggs & vanilla
      • Sift the flour & baking powder together and add to the wet ingredients
      • Mix until well combined
      • Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour
      • Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C
      • Roll out the dough on a floured surface to approx 5mm thick and cut out Pudsey shapes - we used a Pudsey bear cutter that we had previously bought from Asda, you could use a bear or Gingerbread man cutter if you don't have Pudsey.
      • Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden. 
      • Allow to cool on a wire rack.
      • Decorate the biscuits with the writing icing, melted chocolate and coloured chocolate beans. (Jack got bored so I was left to decorate them on my own...boooo yaaay!)

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        Please come and look at other bloggers great recipes in the Linky below and feel free to add your own. The linky is ongoing.


        The Crazy Kitchen






        Friday 11 November 2011

        Cooking With Your Toddler - Homemade Pizza

        There are a few pizza recipes in the Linky and I've been meaning to make it for a while now but just never got round to it. As I've dragged the breadmaker out of the garage I decided to use it to make some pizza dough ready for pizza making once Jack was home from pre-school. I used to use this recipe a lot, every week in fact...until I got lazy!



        You will need (makes 2 large pizzas)
        1 1/4 cups water
        2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
        4 cups strong white bread flour
         1.5 tsp salt
        1/2 tsp granulated sugar
        1 tsp dried yeast



        • Pour the water & olive oil into the bradmaker pan
        • sprinkle over the flour, covering all the liquid
        • add the salt to one corner and the sugar to the other
        • make a well in the centre and add the yeast
        • turn the breadmaker to the 'dough' setting and turn on



        Toppings - we used :
        1 pot Tideford Organics Ragu a la Bolgnese (you can use tomato puree, a ready made pasta sauce or make your own)
        Grated cheese (we used mature cheddar,you can use a mix of cheddar & mozzarella if you like)
        sliced pepper
        sliced onion
        sliced mushrooms
        sweetcorn
        olives
        sliced mini sausages
        cooked chicken
        ham
        mixed herbs

        or anything else you fancy



        • Roll the base out either using a rolling pin or your hand on a very well floured surface - I have somewhere a nifty little pizza dough roller but it seems to have disappeared from my ridiculously full utensil drawer.
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        • Flour a baking sheet or pizza stone and lay the base on it.
        • Spread the ragu over the base
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        • Cover evenly with cheese
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        • Add your toppings
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        • Sprinkle on some mixed herbs or Oregano
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        • Bake in a 200 degree oven for around 15-20 minutes until golden & sizzling.
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        Please come and look at other bloggers great recipes in the Linky below and feel free to add your own. The linky is ongoing.


        The Crazy Kitchen







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