The Crazy Kitchen: April 2014

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Wednesday 30 April 2014

Middle Eastern Beef & Shallots

I've been doing the Paleo diet for 3 weeks now (give or take the odd bit of wine at weekends & a nibble of chocolate here & there) and have so far lost 6lbs, which I'm pretty pleased with. Although I have mostly been eating different meals to the rest of the family I have been trying to make many of the family meals Paleo friendly, and just add pasta, rice or potatoes for everyone else.

After trying a Middle Eastern dish recently I bought some Baharat spice and made a very simple beef dish, slowly roasted in the oven, with a sauce that's naturally thick and needs no flour to thicken. The husband had his with rice but I served mine on some sautéed chard, which a friend with an allotment kindly gave me.

Middle Eastern Beef & Shallots  - Paleo

Middle Eastern Beef & Shallots  - serves 2/3

450g shallots, peeled
olive oil
salt & pepper
400g diced beef
2 tsp Baharat spice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • Add the whole shallots, drizzle of oil and salt & pepper to an lidded ovenproof casserole dish
  • Cook in a preheated 180C oven for 30 minutes
  • Remove from the oven and stir in the beef, spice and garlic, stirring well
  • Add the tomatoes, mix well and return to the oven
  • Lower the temperature to 160C and cook for approx 1.5 hours, until the beef is tender


Middle Eastern Beef & Shallots  - Paleo Middle Eastern Beef & Shallots  - Paleo


For tips on owning an allotment please visit my friend's site here.

Sunday 27 April 2014

Choc Ices on a Stick

As we get nearer to the Summer, the days are getting warmer and the evenings are getting longer, and the chime of the ice cream van can be heard (my kids no longer believe me when I tell them that the scrap man has changed his tune). I begrudge forking out an arm and a leg for ice creams from the van when I am in my own home - especially when the kids skip back smugly with a hideous blue lolly in their hands!

Here are two simple ideas to keep smiles on the kids faces, and the money firmly in your pocket!

Choc Ices on a Stick

Choc Ices on a Stick - makes approx 6

Lolly sticks (or coffee stirrers cut to size)
Silicone mould (I used a Dariole mould)
Vanilla ice cream
150g Dr Oetker Fine Cooks' Milk Chocolate
Vegetable oil
Dr Oetker chocolate beans
  • Fill the moulds with the ice cream, compacting it into the mould, and sticking the lolly sticks into the ice cream
  • Place in the freezer for a few hours to harden
  • Remove the ice creams from the mould and place back in the freezer for 20 minutes
  • Melt the chocolate in the microwave on short bursts, stirring regularly, until melted and smooth
  • Stir in a little oil to make the consistency a little runnier
  • Coat the ice cream with the chocolate and sprinkle a few chocolate beans on the top
  • Return to the freezer for at least an hour


Choc Ices on a Stick Choc Ices on a Stick

Another idea for a frozen treat is to pop a Jaffa Cake Mini Roll onto a stick and place in the freezer for a couple of hours, making a change from the regular way of eating mini rolls!

Choc Ices on a Stick Choc Ices on a Stick Choc Ices on a Stick

I received the Mini Rolls and Dr Oetker chocolate as part of the most recent Degustabox.

degustabox april

Contents of the box :

2 x Dr Oetker Fine Cooks' Chocolate
Crabbies alcoholic Raspberry Ginger Beer
2 x Clearspring Miso soup on the go
3 x Lindt Lindor treat bars
Go Splash blackcurrant concentrate
Cawston Press Rhubarb drink
Keogh's Atlantic Sea Salt & Irish Cider Vinegar crisps
2 x Mornflake Muesli & Granola Superfast pots
2 x McVities Jaffa Cake Mini Rolls


I currently have a discount coupon code which gives you a £3.00 discount when registering. The code is: VR4DG

Degustabox are currently running a competition on their Facebook page to win one of their surprise boxes.

You can also follow them on Twitter here 


I received the Degustabox free of charge

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes

We all love baked potatoes (or jacket potatoes if you prefer to call them that), and sometimes if a little extra time permits I like to bake them twice, for something a little bit different. Personally I prefer my baked spuds not to be messed with but the rest of the family love these, although Jack would like me to leave the onion out next time!

There are no quantities here, as you can add as much or as little of the fillings as you like really.
   Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes 

Baking potatoes
Sweetcorn
Red onion, chopped
Ham, chopped
Butter
Boursin garlic & herb portions
Red Leicester cheese, grated
  • Bake the potatoes in a 200C oven for approx 1 hour, until the skins are crisp and the insides soft
  • Turn the oven down to 180C
  • Cut the potatoes in half lengthways
  • As soon as you are able to handle the hot potatoes, scoop out the insides into a bowl & place the skins onto a baking tray
  • Add the rest of the ingredients, apart from the grated cheese, to the potato and mix well
  • Spoon the mixture back into the potato skins and top with grated cheese
  • Bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and is bubbling

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes


Boursin 

These little individual portions of Boursin are idea to add to a baked potato, take in a packed lunch with crackers or added to a risotto.

chicken risotto

I was sent some samples of Boursin free of charge

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Fettuccine Bolognaise - #RespectThePasta

For the third #RespectThePasta challenge set by ASk Italian I have been asked to recreate a Fettuccine dish from the ASK Italian cookbook. I chose to make Fettuccine Bolognaise, as the family love a rich and meaty bolognaise.

I was provided with a box of dried Fettuccine that takes just 6-7 minutes too cook, however the bolognaise sauce takes a little longer to develop the rich flavours so make sure you start cooking it in plenty of time, or make in advance and store in the fridge.

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Fettuccine Bolognaise - serves 4-6

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
450g lean minced beef
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100ml red wine
150ml beef stock
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
500g tomato passata
5 fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
500g Fettuccine
  • Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat
  • Add the onion and cook slowly until it has softened and become translucent
  • Add the beef mince and brown gently, breaking the meat up and stirring constantly
  • When the meat has lost its raw look, add the garlic
  • Add the wine, turn up the heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until the wine has evaporated
  • Stir in the stock, tomatoes & passata
  • Season with the herbs, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and salt
  • Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often
  • Check the seasoning, adding pepper to taste
  • Lower the heat and cook the sauce very gently for 1 hour 20 minutes with the lid off
  • Stir often to prevent the sauce from sticking
  • It should be at a low simmer
  • Cook the Fettuccine according to the directions on the pack
  • Once the Fettuccine is cooked, add it to the sauce and mix well
  • Serve immediately. Enjoy!


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Monday 14 April 2014

Rich Chocolate Loaf Cake

On Saturday morning Jack was up with the lark and into our bed, fidgeting, tickling and giggling so much that I had to get up and bake a cake with him and Hanna. Nanny was paying us a visit so what better excuse did we need to bake a cake. I opted for the simplest chocolate cake recipe known to man, and one that I use for my chocolate cupcakes. It includes espresso or a strong black coffee but you don't need to add that if you don't want the subtle coffee flavour, just boiling water works well.

Rich chocolate loaf cake - a simple yet moist chocolate cakewith a cream cheese & Nutella frosting

Rich Chocolate Loaf Cake

100ml boiling water
2 tbsp Instant coffee granules 
35g Cocoa powder
190g Caster Sugar
115g Plain Flour
3/4 tsp Baking powder
3/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Egg
60ml Hazelnut oil
125ml Milk
150g Full fat Philadelphia cream cheese
150g Nutella
  • Mix the boiling water, coffee and cocoa powder together until smooth
  • Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda and salt together in a large bowl 
  • Beat the egg, oil and milk together, add the chocolate mixture & beat well
  • Beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well
  • Pour the cake batter into a lined & greased loaf tin
  • Bake in a 180 C oven for approx 40 minutes, until springy to the touch
  • Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin & cooling fully on a wire rack
  • Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese & Nutella together
  • Decorate the cake with the frosting 
  • I added Chocolate enrobed crystallised orange peel from The East India Company

Rich chocolate loaf cake - a simple yet moist chocolate cakewith a cream cheese & Nutella frosting Rich chocolate loaf cake - a simple yet moist chocolate cakewith a cream cheese & Nutella frosting Rich Chocolate Loaf Cake



I was sent some chocolate enrobed crystallised orange peel from The East India Company to use in my baking

Saturday 12 April 2014

Pork, Chestnut & Cranberry Fusilli - #RespectThePasta

After the first challenge (which was a nice easy one) it was time to get into the kitchen and start cooking some pasta, following a few rules set out by ASK  ambassador, Theo Randall.

DO
  • Use lots of boiling, well salted water
  • Cook for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions and finish cooking in the sauce with a spoonful of cooking water
  • Enjoy immediately in small portions in warm bowls or plates - "pasta waits for no man"

DO NOT
  • Tip pasta into a colander to drain it - use tongs or slotted spoon to take pasta out of the water
  • Test 'done-ness' by throwing pasta onto the walls
  • Use too much sauce - coat the pasta, don't drown it

 photo porkchestnutcranberrypasta2jpg_zps19cb602a.jpg

I decided to make a sauce using some dried cranberries and chestnuts that I had kicking around after Christmas - yes I know it's April, but I had them hidden away and forgot all about them!

Pork, Chestnut & Cranberry Fusilli - serves 4/5

4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp herbs (I used thyme & rosemary), finely chopped
200g cooked chestnuts, chopped
500g pork mince
100g dried cranberries
400g tinned tomatoes
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
150ml red wine
pinch salt & pepper
500g dried fusilli
  • Heat the oil in a large pan
  • Add the onion and garlic and fry gently for 1 minute
  • Add the herbs, chestnuts, pork mince and cranberries, and fry gently until the mince is browned
  • Add the tomatoes, worcestershire sauce and red wine
  • Stir well, place a lid on and simmer for approx 30 minutes
  • Cook the pasta as per the rules above and add to the sauce with some of the cooking water as needed, and stir
  • Serve with some chopped herbs on top


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Friday 11 April 2014

Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests

It's almost Easter, and Easter means chocolate, right? I've already made some Easter cupcakes so I thought I should make some obligatory nests too.

I absolutely love chocolate covered pretzels and I thought that breaking some pretzels up and mixing them with melted chocolate would make the nests look like messy bird nests. Of course, doing this whole paleo diet thing I can't eat the damn things can I, so the job of eating them has been given to the husband and kids, and a few for a friend's little boy who hasn't got a lot of appetite at the moment due to chemotherapy treatment.


Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests


Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests - makes 12

250g milk chocolate or chocolate cake covering (sets more quickly than chocolate)
150g pretzels, broken up (the salted ones - DO NOT use the sour cream ones!)
Mini eggs

  • Melt the chocolate in a microwaveable bowl, in short bursts, stirring regularly
  • Stir the pretzels in, mixing well
  • Line a cupcake pan with cupcake cases
  • Divide the mixture between the cases & pop some mini eggs into the centre of the nests
  • Refrigerate until set

Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests

This is my entry to the Center Parcs and Tots 100 April challenge. If I’m chosen, I would like to visit Sherwood Forest. I was inspired to make these nests after reading the tips from Center Parcs Chief Creative Chef : "Mix some cereal, such as bran or broken up wheat, together with some melted chocolate and form the mixture in to nest-like shapes, leaving to cool for a finished nest"


Roasted Lemon Chicken & Potatoes

When you have a family to feed and you don't fancy spending a lot of time in the kitchen preparing a meal, this one is ideal. It's great for all seasons as it's just as good with salad as it is with steamed veg - it takes very little preparation and is cooked within the hour.....simple!

Roasted Lemon Chicken & Potatoes


Roasted Lemon Chicken & Potatoes - serves 4/5

1kg chicken pieces  (legs, thighs, drumsticks)
1kg potatoes
2 lemons, halved
Fresh herbs - I used rosemary
Olive oil
salt & pepper (optional)
  • Clean & halve or quarter the potatoes, depending on how large they are
  • Place the potatoes, chicken pieces & herbs into a large roasting tin
  • Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken & then add the lemon halves into the roasting tin
  • Drizzle with olive oil & season as required
  • Place into a preheated 180C oven for around 1 hour, turning once, until the juiced from the chicken run clear

Serve immediately - you see, I told you it was simple!

Roasted Lemon Chicken & Potatoes Roasted Lemon Chicken & Potatoes

Thursday 10 April 2014

New Chocolates from Cadbury

So, just when I'm getting myself into this Paleo diet business (of a sorts - cavemen ate fruit, grapes are a fruit, grapes make wine, therefore wine is Paleo friendly, right?), I receive chocolate in the post, how is that for timing! I didn't just receive one package though, I received two! I shouldn't really complain, it makes my kids happy and happy kids make for a happy Mum.

 photo CadburyEasterjpg_zps8ead4434.jpg

Products in the Cadbury Easter range this year include one of my favourite chocolate bars - Freddo. Freddo's are great, just a small amount of chocolate which is perfect for a little treat. The little Freddo Easter egg contains Freddo faces which are like mini Freddo bars and great for the younger chocolate lover.

For the older ones, including chocolate loving adults, there is the Marvellous Creations egg, which contains 2 bars of Marvellous Creations, in cookie nut crunch and jelly popping candy varieties.

Another Easter treat that I was excited to see was the Daim eggs - Cadbury milk chocolate with Daim bar bits. I cut one of these open and could smell the Daim straight away, although I couldn't see any visible bits in it - I'm looking forward to Easter when I am going to allow myself a couple (or few) of these little beauties!

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A few weeks ago I saw the new Cadbury chocolate with Ritz crackers and I got very very excited - I love Ritz and I love the combination of chocolate with a salty cracker - chocolate covered pretzels being one of my favourite combinations. When I first tried this bar I was a little disappointed though, for me I felt that there could have been a little more cracker - crazy huh? I sometimes have to question my own sanity, who in their right mind wants more cracker with their chocolate! I am willing to give it a second opinion though and am saving this for a weekend treat.

 photo cadburyritzjpg_zps565405f8.jpg

The kids on the other hand absolutely loved the Cadbury Lu bar - Lu Prince biscuits are always the biscuits that we buy when on holiday overseas, a light biscuit sandwich with a chocolate cream in the middle, yum! It's a bit like a rich tea biscuit but better, and the kids assured me that it was a great combination with the Cadbury milk chocolate.


 photo cadburyritz2jpg_zpsc79790f3.jpg  


I received the Cadbury chocolate for the purpose of this review

Chocolate Chai Latte Flapjacks

Flapjacks are a great go-to recipe when I need to make a sweet treat, and whatever I add to them usually depends on what I have in my kitchen cupboards - whether it be dried fruit or chocolate. When I received some Chocolate Chai Latte in the latest Degustabox I thought it would be a great way to add a subtle spice flavour to the flapjacks. Once again the kids loved these - there's not actually a lot that my kids don't like, although Jack doesn't seem to like the school puddings as they just don't taste like the puddings Mummy makes (that's ma boy!)

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Chocolate Chai Latte Flapjacks
175g butter or margarine
150g caster sugar
50g Drink Me Chai Chocolate Chai Latte powder
175g golden syrup
350g oats
  • Add the butter, sugar, chai latte powder & syrup to a saucepan
  • Heat gently until the butter has melted & sugar dissolved & the mixture starts to bubble around the edge, mixing well
  • Remove from the heat & stir in the oats
  • Divide the mixture between two square 8" baking tins lined with baking paper & press down
  • Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes
  • Allow to cool in the tin before cutting into bars or squares

   photo chaiflapjacks1jpg_zps5f42a300.jpg photo chaiflapjack6jpg_zps0d001444.jpg  photo chaiflapjacks4jpg_zpsb22cf444.jpg

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Curried Chicken Risotto

When the end of the week comes and there's not a lot left in the fridge and cupboards, a hamper full of fresh fruit, veg and new Knorr Flavour Pots is a welcome arrival.

I love the Knorr Herb Infusion Pots and use them regularly but I was keen to try out the Curry Flavour Pot and decided to make a risotto.

This dish serves 4-5 and I just used one flavour pot and it gave a mild curry flavour which was perfect for my non spicy loving kids. For a stronger flavour I would recommend using 2 pots for this quantity.

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Curried Chicken Risotto - serves 4/5

1 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
500g chicken breast, cut into bit sized pieces
350g Arborio rice
1 Knorr Curry Flavour Pot
150g Okra, sliced (or you could use green beans)
approx 1 litre chicken stock
200g fresh or tinned pineapple
thinly sliced peppers or chilli
  • Heat the oil in a large pan
  • Fry the onion gently for 1 minute
  • Add the chicken and fry for 5-10 minutes
  • Stir in the rice, flavour pot, Okra and approx 1/4 of the stock
  • Place a lid on and simmer gently, adding more stock as required, until the rice is tender
  • Stir in the pineapple just before the end of the cooking 
  • Serve with thin slices of fresh chilli or red pepper on top



 photo curryrisotto2jpg_zpsfa0d89be.jpg  photo curryrisotto3jpg_zps7892a6bf.jpg


I was sent a hamper of products for the purpose of this review - the Knorr Flavour Pots come in Mixed Herb, Garlic, Chilli, 3 Peppercorn and Curry flavours

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Caramel Chocolate Easter Cupcakes

I was up in the loft locating the plastic eggs ready for an Easter egg hunt when I came across a box of Easter cake decorations that I had completely forgotten about. It was the perfect excuse to make some cakes and decorate them for Easter (obviously they will be eaten long before Easter though!)

Caramel Chocolate Easter Cupcakes


I popped a caramel egg in the middle of the cakes as a nice surprise, although they could be left out, or replaced with a mini creme egg. I topped them with my all time favourite cream cheese & Nutella frosting, making these very indulgent and best eaten with a spoon!

Caramel Chocolate Easter Cupcakes

Caramel Chocolate Easter Cupcakes

Caramel Chocolate Easter Cupcakes - makes 10/12

cupcakes
100ml boiling water
5-10g Instant coffee granules (depending on how much coffee flavour you want them to have) - I used Beanies Caramel Coffee
35g Cocoa powder
190g Caster Sugar
115g Plain Flour
3/4 tsp Baking powder
3/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Egg
60ml Hazelnut oil
125ml Milk
Galaxy caramel mini eggs

Nutella frosting
300g Full fat cream cheese
150g Nutella
  • Mix the boiling water, coffee and cocoa powder together until smooth
  • Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda and salt together in a large bowl or jug
  • Beat the egg, oil and milk together, add the chocolate mixture & beat well
  • Beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well
  • Pour the cake batter into the cupcake cups until just over half full
  • Push a caramel egg gently into the centre of batter, making sure that it is covered by the mixture
  • Bake in a 180 C oven for approx 18-20 minutes, until springy to the touch
  • Allow the cakes to cool fully on a wire rack
  • Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese & Nutella together
  • Decorate the cupcakes with the frosting
This is my entry into the Beanies Easter Baking Challenge - to see other entries just follow the hashtag #BeaniesBakeOff on Twitter.

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Beanies Coffee comes in a variety of flavours - our personal favourite is the French Vanilla and I look forward to trying the Cinnamon & Hazelnut.

I was sent jars of coffee for the purpose of this challenge

Monday 7 April 2014

Caffe Cagliari Espresso in your own home

I do love a good cup of coffee in the morning, and I feel ready to take on the day once I've had a freshly brewed cup - whether it be a cappuccino or latte. On holiday I always have an espresso as they seem to taste so much better whilst sat at a café table with a pastry, in the sunshine, watching the world go by.

Caffe Cagliari is a 100 year old family company which started after Ambrogio Cagliari spent many years in Brazil and then went on to open his first coffee roasting and tasting shop in Modena, Italy, in 1909. The Cagliari family have passed on their knowledge of the origins of coffee and their production secrets and experience down four generations, and Alessandra Cagliari, the great great grand daughter of the founder handles the marketing and packaging today.

 photo Cagliari100yearspng_zpsd744e907.png

Every single cup is an exquisite masterpiece, the result of more than 100 years of knowledge and tradition. The qualitative and sensory standards of Espresso have been certified by the Italian Espresso National Institute (I.N.E.I.), which protects and promotes Italian Espresso

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To make a good cup of espresso more freely available to everyone Caffe Cagliari now make coffee capsules which are compatible with Nespresso machines, available to buy online here.

Once you have some freshly brewed espresso you may want to just enjoy it as it is, or make some Hazelnut Mocha Cupcakes as per my recipe below.

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Hazelnut Mocha Cupcakes - makes approx 11-12

cupcakes
100ml freshly brewed Espresso 
35g Cocoa powder
190g Caster Sugar
115g Plain Flour
3/4 tsp Baking powder
3/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Egg
60ml Sunflower oil
125ml Milk

Nutella frosting
300g Full fat cream cheese
150g Nutella

Decorations & espresso drizzle
Chocolate coffee beans
Nutella
Freshly brewed espresso

  • Mix the espresso and cocoa powder together until smooth
  • Stir the remaining dry ingredients together in a large bowl
  • Beat in the egg, sunflower oil, milk & chocolate espresso mix for 2 minutes until smooth
  • The batter will be quite thin but that's ok
  • Ladle into the cupcake cases until 2/3 full
  • Bake in a 180 C oven for approx 18-20 minutes, until springy to the touch
  • Allow the cakes to cool fully on a wire rack
  • Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese & Nutella together
  • Make the drizzle by adding espresso to a spoonful of Nutella a little at a time until the required consistency is reached
  • decorate the cupcakes with the frosting, chocolate coffee beans and espresso drizzle

 photo mochacupcakes2_zps935e2c92.jpg


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