Alcoholic & Non Alcoholic Slushy Cocktails

It's been so hot recently and I thought the perfect way to cool us down would be with some slushy cocktails - alcoholic for myself and non alcoholic for the kids. I used my Nutribullet to make them but they can be made in any blender that's powerful enough to crush ice.

I used one bottle of Citrus Crush Zeo sparkling drink from my July Degustabox, which would be enough for 2 large or 4 small cocktails.

Alcoholic & Non Alcoholic Slushy Cocktails 

1 bottle Zeo Citrus Crush

2 large handfuls of ice cubes

100ml gin (omit this for non alcoholic)

juice of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lime

• Add all the ingredients to the blender 
• Blend until slushy
• Serve immediately

This month the contents in the Degustabox were a little different as there was a box containing alcohol and also one without. Both boxes contained the following :

• Zeo drinks x 3 - peach & grapefruit burst, citrus crush, lime zest
• Portlebay Popcorn x 3 - sweet & salty, bacon & maple syrup, chilli & lime
• Maggi So Baked & So Juicy x 6
• Dr Oetker Sprinkles x 2 - Eton Mess & Violet crystals
• Green & Black's Lemon bar

The alcoholic box also contained

• Hornsby's Blueberry Cider x 2

The non alcoholic box contained

• Frank snack bar
• The Berry Company juice or flavoured tea

I have a discount code which will entitle readers to a £3.00 discount off their box when registering - regular price £12.99 including p&p.

code : RVQDV

You can follow Degustabox on Facebook and Twitter or check out their website here.

I was provided with a Degustabox free of charge

Vanilla Cupcakes

A couple of weekends ago I made almost 150 cupcakes for the village fete. It was all part of something that I was working on with Halifax, which I will elaborate more on another time, but you can find out more about the Halifax Pledge and how you can help your community here.

Since then I have caught the cupcake making bug again and last week I whipped up a batch of vanilla cupcakes to take with me to a picnic in the forest, where myself and friends watched Jessie J. I can't say that Jessie J is particularly my cup of tea but it was a great night out with friends and the cupcakes went down a storm, along with our picnic of cheese, crackers and strawberries.

I used the Madagascan Vanilla Grinder that came in the June Desgustabox, which is a small grinder of dried Madagascan vanilla pods that can be finely or coarsely ground and used in baking or to top hot drinks. I love this as a simple way to add real vanilla to cakes and icing without the hassle of vanilla pods. It may seem quite pricey at £4.99 for such a small post, but I can see it lasting a long while.

Vanilla Cupcakes - makes approx 18

225g Butter, softened

225g Caster Sugar

4 Eggs

Few twists of Dr Oetker Vanilla Grinder

225g Self Raising flour, sifted

For the Icing

150g Butter, softened

300g Icing sugar, sifted

Few twists of Dr Oetker Vanilla Grinder

• Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time
• Add a few twists of the vanilla grinder
• Fold in the flour
• Spoon into cupcake cases in a muffin pan, approx 2/3 full
• Bake in a preheated 180C oven for approx 18 minutes
• Allow to cool on a wire rack whilst making the icing
• Beat together the butter and half of the icing sugar until light and creamy
• Add the rest of icing sugar and a few twists of the vanilla grinder
• Beat well until smooth and creamy - if it's a little stiff, add a teaspoon or two of room temperature water - you could add room temperature milk but come on, who has room temperature milk?
• Pipe icing onto the cakes and top with decorations of your choice

This month the contents were as follows :

• Estrella Damm Spanish lager (alc 4.6%)
• Urban Fruit snack pack
• Dr Oetker Madagascan Vanilla grinder
• Bear Alpha Bites alphabet cereal
• Veetee Microwaveable rice
• Cawston Press sparkling rhubarb drink
• Lambrini Strawberry (alc 5%)
• Be Fast Breakfast on the go x 2
• Elizabeth Shaw Amaretto flutes

totalling over £22

I have a discount code which will entitle readers to a £3.00 discount off their box when registering - regular price £12.99 including p&p.

code : 2N4MJ

You can follow Degustabox on Facebook and Twitter or check out their website here.

I was provided with a Degustabox free of charge

Blackberry and Elderflower Cupcakes

I haven't made cupcakes for a little while, but when I opened up my latest Degustabox and spotted the Blackberry and Elderflower teabags they were crying out to be used in a cake, so off I popped to the supermarket and picked up some lovely juicy blackberries. This year I intend to find some blackberry bushes and take the kids blackberry picking, just as I used to when I was a child.

Blackberry and Elderflower Cupcakes - makes 12

6 Blackberry & Elderflower teabags

200ml boiling water

1 large egg

4 tbsp sunflower oil

4 tbsp milk

225g plain flour

200g caster sugar

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Frosting

200g White chocolate spread

200g Philadelphia cream cheese

Fresh blackberries

• Pour the boiling water onto the teabags and leave until cold
• Discard the teabags and you should be left with approx 150ml liquid
• Beat in the egg, oil and milk
• In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarb
• Mix the wet ingredients into the dry
• Divide the batter between 12 cupcake cases in a muffin tin
• Bake in a preheated 180C oven for approx 15-20 minutes, until springy to the touch
• Allow to cool on a wire rack before icing
• Beat the chocolate spread and cream cheese together until smooth and use to decorate the cooled cupcakes

I could have left this post at that, with pictures of nice pretty cupcakes. 

However, in the world of food blogging things don't always go to plan.

In my head the deep pink of the tea made these cakes a lovely pretty pink colour.

In reality they were a kind of khaki green on the outside and a pinky brown on the inside......

Now don't laugh.....

but this is what can happen if you overfill your cases, so make sure you only fill them two thirds full!

I did tell you not to laugh!

Despite the slightly khaki colour they were delicious, so if you are going to make these, just make sure you serve them after dark and nobody will be none the wiser.

Anyway, back to the Degustabox....

This month the contents were as follows :

• Taylors of Harrogate Blackberry & Elderflower teabags
• Finn Crisp crispbread
• Dr Oetker cake release spray
• Raw sugar free chewing gum
• Kettle Chips sweet potato crisps
• Cawston Press sparkling cloudy apple
• Cirio Passata & tomato puree
• Garofalo pasta
• Hornsby's crisp apple cider and strawberry & lime cider
• Elizabeth Shaw cocoa crunch flutes

totalling over £21

I have a discount code which will entitle readers to a £3.00 discount off their box when registering - regular price £12.99 including p&p.

code : HFVNR

You can follow Degustabox on Facebook and Twitter or check out their website here.

I was provided with a Degustabox free of charge

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 - 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

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!

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

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

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!)

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

 

Pasta with Broccoli & Peas

I've been trying out the Degustabox surprise boxes now for a few months and have generally been pleased with their contents (apart from a blip in January's box). This month was another pleasing month with many useful items.

The box included the following :

Drink Me Chai Latte Chocolate & Tea Latte

Moma! porridge pots

Mexican Dave's Cheese Nachos

Organico Durum wheat pasta

Tyrells Popcorn sweet & salty

Shaken Udder milkshakes

Schwartz flavour shots

Organico tomato & basil sauce

The kids loved both the porridge pots and milkshakes, I loved the popcorn and wished there was more and we all loved sharing the bag of nachos. I don't normally like cheese nachos as they can sometimes be a bit too cheesy, but these weren't overpowering and were just right. I used the tomato sauce stirred through spaghetti for a quick midweek dinner and the pasta and schwartz flavour shot in the recipe below.

   

This recipe is an adaptation of a delicious sounding (and so much more visually appealing) recipe on Gourmet Mum's blog for Broccoli & Pancetta Pasta.

Pasta with Broccoli & Peas - serves 4/5

500g dried pasta (I used Organico Durum Wheat Penne Pasta)

1 head of broccoli, cut into small pieces

Schwartz Flavour shot - Italian Creamy herb

150g frozen peas, defrosted

Extra Virgin olive oil

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the pack, adding the broccoli into the pan too
• Drain the pasta & broccoli, reserving some of the cooking water, and fish out the broccoli
• Heat a large pan and add the flavour shot along with a couple of tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, fry gently for a couple of minutes
• Add the broccoli and mash with a potato masher, adding more water & olive oil as required
• Add the peas and cooked pasta and stir through the sauce

If you fancy trying out the Degustabox you can get a £3 discount at the checkout by using the code : EI6QH

Degustabox website

Degustabox Facebook
Degustabox Twitter

I was provided with a Degustabox for the purpose of this review

Chorizo and Pepper Fried Rice

Last month I reviewed Degustabox, the monthly subscription surprise food box, but I was a little disappointed with it as not many of the contents were suited to us. However, as with all things like this, it's swings and roundabouts and what one person likes might not be suited to another and I saw lots of positive comments on the Degustabox Facebook page from very happy customers.

This month the box was very much more suited to us, filled with crisps, crackers, chutney, malt loaf and chocolate biscuits there was plenty to like.

 

Contents of the box

Ryvita chilli thin bites
Ryvita cheddar & cracked pepper thin bites
English Provender Co damson & port chutney
English Provender Co redcurrant & rosemary sauce
Soreen toastie loaf
Soreen banana lunchbox loaves
Scheckter's natural energy drinks x 2
Bahlsen Pick Up!
Bahlsen Waffeletten
Tyrell's apple crisps
Tyrell's cinnamon apple crisps
Peppadew peppers

I particularly enjoyed the Bahlsen biscuits and Tyrell's cinnamon apple crisps, which were so light and crispy, nothing like the dried apple that I was expecting. You can find more details on the products and previous boxes here.

I decided to use the jar of Peppadew sweet peppers in a rice dish for the family. It's a really quick recipe using pre-cooked basmati rice.

Chorizo and Pepper Fried Rice - serves 4/5

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

225g Chroizo, sliced

800g cooked Basmati rice

400g Peppadew Piquanté peppers

Heat the oil in a large pan

Add the onion, garlic and chorizo and fry gently for approx 10 minutes, until the onion has softened

Stir in the cooked rice and mix well and continue to fry gently until the rice is heated through

Stir in the peppers and heat for a minute or 2 longer before serving

I was sent the Degustabox for the purpose of this review - if you want to try out Degustabox for yourself you can 
use the code 84WZB to receive £3 discount when you register.

Chocolate Chai Cheesecake

Degustabox is a new to the UK subscription surprise tasting box. Each month they send out a box filled with surprise food from well known brands for a fee of £12.99 per month (including shipping). There is no fixed contract and you can cancel at any time.

For a limited time you can receive the December box for just £4.99  (inc shipping) which is a bit of a bargain, considering the 2 boxes of Belvita Breakfast are priced at £2 each. Just visit their Facebook page to find the code.

If this offer has expired then fear not, I have another code that can be used to get a box for £9.99 (inc shipping), just enter 'crazykitchen' when you checkout.

You can see the full list of the box here.

I decided to use a couple of the ingredients from the box in a cheesecake.

Chocolate Chai Cheesecake

200g Belvita Breakfast chocolate chip, crushed

80g butter, melted

400g Full fat cream cheese

400ml double cream

50g caster sugar

75g Drink Me Chai Latte powder

• Mix to the crushed biscuits with the melted butter
• Press into the base of a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin
• Place in the fridge whilst the filling is made
• Beat together the cream cheese, cream, caster sugar and chai latte powder until smooth
• Spread the filling over the base and smooth the top
• Place in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight
• Remove the cheesecake from the tin and sprinkle with cocoa powder & chai latte powder

I was sent the Degustabox for the purpose of this review