Lemonade, Pancakes and Presents...

...what more could a girl want?

I know I promised this awhile back and then things caught up with me and it's just been a bit mad here. I will now deliver with an amazingly simple, yet delightfully refreshing lemonade recipe.Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 12 fl oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 7 additional cups water
• LOTS of ice!
• Lemon to garnish

In a small pot combine the initial cup of water with the sugar. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and allow to cool.

Stir into the lemon juice. Pour over ice and add the rest of the water. Mix and serve cold!

Hint: mixes really well with Absolut Limon or Bacardi Limon! ;-)

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I had a dream last night that I was on TopChef and Tom asked me what I loved to cook and I said breakfast and brunch and he said "ok, then go on." I ended up having an hour to cook brunch for a bunch of culinary experts. Talk about nerve wracking. I was making Lobster Eggs Benedict, Irish Pancakes and a Crab Puff. How weird is that?

So on the breakfast note, we are admittedly on a bit of a pancake kick of late. I was all set to make Irish pancakes for breakfast this past weekend when the husband suggested making American ones again, but with apples. I was intrigued and agreed. It's basically the same recipe as my Blueberry Pancakes, just with apples and cinnamon instead. I actually preferred these to the Blueberry ones quite a bit. I felt they also worked better with the maple syrup.


Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups peeled diced apples
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 heaped tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups butter milk*

Mix the eggs, cinnamon and butter milk, add in the flour and baking soda bit by bit and whisk to make a smooth batter. Add in the melted butter and apples.

Preheat a large pan or skillet and ladle the batter in to make pancakes the sizes you prefer. When they start to bubble, flip them over and cook the other side.

Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup. YUM!

*If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 2.5 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to your jug. Add regular milk to make up the three cups and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.

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FINALLY! Guess what came in the post today??? Well... I am involved in two blog swaps at the moment, one for foodie blogs and one for all blogs. When I saw the package came from France I hoped to God it was the food one and it was - and WOW!

The Passionate Cook is hosting the seventh round of Euro Blogging by Post and I am thrilled to participate. Admittedly I was a little nervous as many of the European food blogs are very sophisticated and I am extremely casual. I don't write beautiful essays about my recipes... I just slop them on a plate! I just hope the lady who got my package doesn't cringe! ;-)


Anne from A Foodie Froggy in Paris (lucky lady) sent me an incredible package. The theme was sweets from your childhood. Just LOOK at all these goodies!

She sent artificial strawberries and chocolate teddy bear sweets, which were her favourite as a child. She sent the most amazing Sable cookies from Brittany. I swear there is at least a pound of butter in them... they are incredibly divine. She also included rose lady fingers from Reims which she suggests using to make Tiramisu or Charlotte cakes! There are beautiful butter biscuits (biscuit bruns) that she recommends eating with a good espresso. Can I do tea Anne? ;-)

And last but certainly not least she included incredible "chocolate rocks" which are absolutely divine. They seem to be filled with rice crunch and a subtle hazelnut ganache. To die for. I've already hidden the last two from the husband.

And as you can see... the caramel lollipops are being thoroughly enjoyed by all!


I can't wait to taste everything and sincerely thank you Anne! What a wonderful package. Thank you also to The Passionate Cook for hosting such a fun event!

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Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni

Apologies for not being online all week. It's been a hectic week and I haven't been home much at all. This is a simple vegetarian recipe that I made some time ago. My friend Amy and I also tried to make it more kid friendly by making Ella's cannelloni look like sleeping children, see photo below. It didn't work. Some people just hate spinach!!!! You can make this with a bechamel sauce to keep it white, or use a tomato sauce if you want to add more flavour and colour.

Ingredients:

• 1 box cannelloni
• +- 9oz fresh/frozen spinach *
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1`tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 large white onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 1 90z/250g tub ricotta
• Salt and pepper to season
• Grating nutmeg
  
• 16 fl. oz Bechamel Sauce or Basic Red Sauce
• 4 oz grated parmesan
  

* If using frozen, thaw and drain completely and chop. If using fresh, saute in a little butter until wilted. Drain and chop.

Saute the onion in the butter and garlic over a medium heat until soft. Add in the ricotta and chopped spinach. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. This is your filling.

Using a small spoon or knife, stuff the cannelloni with the filling. Place in an oven proof dish and top with your sauce of choice. Top with parmesan and bake for 30-40 minutes until cannelloni are cooked through. Enjoy!

To make the sleeping girls, grate parmesan for the hair. Use a sauteed mushroom for the head. Cut out peppers or olives for the feet, faces and bows. Use tomato sauce to make the sheet. This is in Annabel Karmel's book Feeding Your Baby & Toddler. Her recipe is a bit different and her sleeping girls look a lot better than ours! The book has some other wonderful ideas on how to make ordinary food more appealing to kids. Enjoy! ;-)




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Housekeeping and Shameless Campaigning

First of all an update on the competition. Due to several requests I have extended the due date until July 1. Several of the ladies who would like to enter will be on holidays, and it seems many others are busy around this time with school ending and the like. I have also given up with the Google spreadsheet, due to some technical issues. So if you are participating, just email me your blog post link when you have the recipe posted, which should be before July 1. Click here for additional rules, prizes, details and the initial post.

And now for something completely different. I've been nominated for the Bloggers Choice award for Best Food Blog (by a friend no less... erm yes!). I didn't think anything of it, as many of the food blogs I read are so much more deserving, but then I went to look at the current leaders and they're all vegan! As much as I respect vegans (How can you live without pork fat??? Ok, don't answer that! ;-)), we just can't have this! So vote for me, or nominate your favourite food blogs. I plan on going over there later tonight and nominating a few much more deserving than this one! I have already nominated Laura of Eat Drink Live, who is my all time favourite Irish food blogger. Her recipes are incredible and the photography... well... delectable, as I said in my description. If you haven't checked out her beautiful baking and plethora of other goodies, I highly recommend you do! There are so many other bloggers out there... just check out my links for a few ideas, though if you are here you probably have a few of your own! I want to nominate Kav for hottest Daddy blogger, but apparently Mrs. Kav reads this blog... so now I'm scared! ;-)

Anyways, that's all for now. I made homemade lemonade today for the first time ever. Will post a simple recipe tomorrow... but go buy a bottle of Absolut Limon! I think it will make a lovely cocktail! :-)

Lemon Meringue Tart in Honour of my Mom!

My Mom is a great cook, but she never really did the whole baking thing. Perhaps my trepidation towards baking stems from hers, but I've always preferred actual cooking to baking any day. My brother and I used to give Mom such a hard time that all the other kids came home to home made cookies and brownies - we were joking of course - but I hope she didn't ever feel guilty! She was one of the few working Moms in our ex-pat community and was often abroad on business.

About thirteen years ago Mom got it into her head that she was going to make a lemon meringue pie. I can't remember what the event was, but I know I was having some friends over. Being the smug teenager I was, I laughed at her, thinking it would never happen and was almost embarrassed that she was even going to try it! Well try it she did and succeed did she ever! It was amazing. It became her party piece and she made it many times after that and then one day just as fast as it came, it was gone. I'd say the last time she made it was in 1995, which is such a shame, as they were truly divine.

So in honour of American mothers day (we celebrated ours back in March) I made this yummy Barefoot Contessa recipe for Lemon Meringue Tart. Of course Mom was three hours away and never got a bite. In fact, the husband pretty much ate the entire tart, but that's besides the point! Next time I'm up Mom I'll make one for you! ;-) I was so proud of it, because I just don't really bake, and when I do, if it tastes good I'm lucky, but if it looks good... well, it never really does! This exceeded all my expectations both in taste and looks. It's a fabulous recipe, one that will definitely be added to my repertoire.

I will post the entire recipe here, but to be honest I used leftover pastry from the chicken pot pie. Given my last pastry disaster there is no way I will be making pastry from scratch again! I rolled it out using powdered sugar instead of flour to give it a hint of sweetness. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• Kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening (recommended: Crisco)
• 1/4 cup ice water
• 4 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Lemon Filling, recipe follows

Combine the flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 times until the butter is in small bits. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out the dough and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in the pan or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of the pan. Line the tart shell with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill it with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork to allow the steam to escape. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

For the meringue, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until frothy. With the mixer still running, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the meringue is thick and shiny, about 2 minutes.

Immediately spread the lemon filling in the cooled tart shell and pipe the meringue over it with a large star tip. Be sure the meringue covers the entire top and touches the edges of the shell, to prevent it from shrinking. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned. Cool to room temperature.

Lemon Filling:

• 1/4-pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 3 extra-large egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
• 1/4 cup finely grated lemon zest (6 to 8 lemons)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 1 minute. On low speed, add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, and then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Don't worry; it will look curdled.

Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Whisk briskly when it starts to thicken and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Don't allow it to boil! It will be 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.

Yield: 3 cups

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Chicken Pot Pie: The quick way and the long way!

Chicken pot pie is really one of the ultimate comfort foods. Creamy and tasty full of vegetables and goodness and something that almost everyone in the family will enjoy in one way or another. We make ours with mushrooms, but the flexibility of this dish allows you to add or remove whatever your family may like or dislike. Some people put potatoes in it, I feel the pastry is starchy enough, I have however been known to chop up sweet potatoes and put them in it. I've also used big chunks of ham with some apple. Really whatever takes your fancy can be done. I make my white wine sauce from scratch, but if you are in a hurry, use a half cup of milk and a can of Campbell's Chicken and White Wine condensed soup. Not as healthy and certainly not as tasty, but cuts down on your time at the stove. Normally I would use puff pastry, but I didn't have any so used shortcrust. Either way is fine, I just happen to prefer the way puff pastry soaks up the sauce.


Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff/shortcrust pastry, defrosted
  
• 4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 100g bacon lardons (about 5 streaky rashers/bacon slices cut up)
• 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 8 oz mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 glass white wine
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup single cream
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
  

Preheat oven to 200C/400F

Fry up the bacon in a large skillet. When fat begins to render add onions and carrots and cook for a few minutes. Toss chicken in the flour and add to the skillet with 2 tbsp of the butter. Cook until almost cooked through and browning. Add the remaining butter, peas and mushrooms. Cook for about two minutes. Toss in the white wine and stir around to get any fond stuck on the bottom. The sauce should start to thicken quickly.

Add the cream slowly, adding a little more if necessary to lighten the sauce, but remember the mushrooms will release some liquid during baking which will thin the sauce as well. Add herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place filling in a pie dish and roll out pastry to cover the dish. Brush the edges of the dish with egg and cut a thin strip of pastry to place around the dish. Press down to make sure this is sealed onto the dish. Brush it with egg and apply the crust on top of it. Use your thumb or a fork to make a decorative edge. If you have any leftover pastry, feel free to make a design for the top. Don't forget to poke a couple of air vents with a sharp knife. Brush with the egg and pop in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a nice salad! Enjoy!


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Beef, Bacon and Blueberries

I haven't posted since Monday and I apologize. I know you have all been just waiting... salivating not being able to breathe until fabulous moi posts my next recipe! ;-) JUST KIDDING!!! We've been very busy here. I have finally decided to get my act together and get this house under control!!! I have been cooking up a storm, including actually mastering a pastry recipe... ok, well not quite (more soon), but aesthetically I have never been in better form! Here are two recipes that we all enjoyed this week.

The beef recipe is a simple recipe for steak with a red wine sauce served with bacon and onion infused mashed potatoes and asparagus. Very easy, but quite classy too. A good dish for visitors! The mashed potatoes are really special tying in some of the sauce flavouring without being too intense, this is a really simple idea for mash that keep s a flavour of the meal going throughout. Would work anytime you are sauteing something to go with the mash. This serves four.

Ingredients:

• 1kg (2lb) maris piper potatoes
  
• 4 fillet (fillet Mignon) steaks, cut to your preferred thickness
• 4 tbsp butter
• 24 chipolini/pearl onions, peeled, but kept whole
  
• 100g smoked bacon lardons
  
• 1/3 bottle red wine
• 1 bunch asparagus
• salt, pepper to season

Peel the potatoes and boil in lightly salted water until cooked. Mash thoroughly using a little cream only if necessary, we will come back to these later.

Saute the lardons in a hot skillet until fat begins to render. Turn heat down to medium and toss in the onions. Saute until tender. Set aside

Add 2 tbsp of butter to a separate skillet and saute the steaks about two minutes on each side until caramelised. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil asparagus gently until just tender.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Tip the onions and bacon, reserving some of the fat, into the skillet you fried the steak in. Bring up to a medium-high heat and add the wine. Allow to reduce by half. Season.

Tip the mashed potatoes into the pan you fried the bacon and onions in. Add the remaining butter, bring up to a medium heat and stir the butter into the mash, adding more if necessary. Season.

To plate, make a tower of the mashed potatoes, tilt the steak onto it, adding asparagus on the other side. Spoon the sauce around the plate and enjoy!

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I've spoken before about my distaste for American style pancakes, and my preference of Irish ones, however it has been years since I actually tried American pancakes. In fact after my initial taste back in 1989 I doubt I ever tasted them again! So I really don't have a lot of experience here! I went to make pancakes for breakfast this morning and just on a whim asked my husband if he'd prefer American style with blueberries. Having both been feeling a bit homesick lately he readily agreed and off I went! The verdict? Amazing! Delicious! The first time I've seen my 15 month old voluntarily eat fruit! Now would I prefer them to Irish? No, I don't, but I also don't think they are comparable. These will definitely be added to our menu, and surprisingly enough, the recipe isn't even that different! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1 heaped tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups butter milk*

Mix the eggs and butter milk, add in the flour bit by bit and whisk to make a smooth batter. Add in the melted butter and blueberries.

Preheat a large pan or skillet and ladle the batter in to make pancakes the sizes you prefer. When they start to bubble, flip them over and cook the other side.

Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup. YUM!

*If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 2.5 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to your jug. Add regular milk to make up the three cups and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.


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Menu Planning Monday

Well, my third week of menu planning and so far so good. I've really been able to keep costs down as I'm not constantly running to the store picking up more than I need. I also felt I didn't take into account leftovers last week, so lunch time this week will consist of more leftovers. I hit the farmers market on Saturday for the weeks produce and I have my monthly meat coming tomorrow. Tonight is going to be an interesting meal with a Gordon Ramsay recipe up for the test. I've had some venison haunch in the freezer for awhile and the weather has been so dismal I thought a nice winter pastry pie would be lovely. Watch this space for the verdict and recipe! Also looking forward to making Jambalaya this week, it's been awhile and I love that I actually found crayfish in this town!

Monday-
Breakfast: Cereal, Fruit
Lunch: Leftover Pasta from Sunday night
Dinner: Venison Winter Pie (feels like Winter today!)

Tuesday-
Breakfast: Porridge w/ honey
Lunch: Grilled Cheese
Dinner: Crayfish and Chorizo Jambalaya

Wednesday-
Breakfast: Eggy Bread
Lunch: Leftover Jambalaya
Dinner: Beef Stroganoff

Thursday-
Breakfast: Cereal with Fruit
Lunch: Leftover Stroganoff
Dinner: Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Friday-
Breakfast: Irish Pancakes
Lunch: Quesedillas
Dinner: Quiche

Saturday-
Brunch: Blueberry Muffins and Eggs Benedict
Dinner: BBQ - steak, chicken kebabs

Sunday-
Breakfast: Porridge and honey
Lunch: Sandwiches
Dinner: Going to a First Holy Communion party... day off!

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Best.Banana.Bread.Ever.

I always find myself stuck with "yucky" (courtesy of Ella) brown bananas. I hate to throw them away so I end up making banana bread ever couple of weeks. The girls love it and Daddy and I certainly don't say no either. I have tried many recipes including Tamasin Day Lewis' recipe (Thanks Sarah) the Kona Inn Banana Bread recipe from The Bakers Dozen Cookbook and my own concoction and none have compared to this simple recipe courtesy of Ruth. This is a recipe from Ruth's incredible book Every Kitchen Tells it's Stories, which I wholeheartedly recommend. I have tried this once with white chocolate chips and many times with walnuts, which we all love! For any of you counting fat grams you will be pleased to know that there are no eggs and a meagre 2 tablespoons of butter! Amazing! I must admit I had my doubts, being the butter skank that I am, but this is truly a simple yet amazingly delicious recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 2 tbsp soft butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips and /or coarsely chopped nuts – pecans or walnuts work well (optional)
  

1.Preheat oven to 375°/190°C

2.Mash bananas in a bowl and add rest of the ingredients. Stir just until blended.

3.Pour into greased 9"x5" loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry.

4.Cool for 10 minutes on a cake rack before removing from pan.

5.To bake muffins, prepare the batter as above and bake for 20-25 minutes at 400°F/200°C, in center of oven

Ruth's Tips & Variations

-This is a great breakfast or mid day snack.
-Instead of chocolate chips (or with them, if you prefer) try chopped walnuts or pecans, dried cranberries or cherries
-Just make sure these ingredients add up to one cup. More than that will lose the bread/cake texture.

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Never deal with unidentified chillies!

I love spicy food, always have, always will. I love to go to an Indian restaurant and when asked how spicy I like it, to request "Indian hot!" I always get a spiel from the dubious waiter that Western folks tend to prefer just hot, but I stick to my guns. What usually happens is the waiter brings the food and then retires somewhere that he can see my face, sometimes even bringing kitchen staff out to watch the reaction. There never is one. I hate to be such a disappointment to these guys who so much want to see steam come out of my ears, but alas I can't help it! There was only one time it was too much for me and that was when I was in London with some Indian friends and they were eating these raw chillies I had never seen before. Of course I decided to try one too - bad idea, very bad idea. The restaurant didn't have enough Cobra in house to try and cool me down. Two days later my tongue was still burning. You'd think I'd have learnt my lesson.

Yesterday I set out to make Singapore Noodles. This is a wonderful rice vermicelli dish that really has nothing to do with Singapore. There are many theories about where they come from, the main one being that they were invented in the late seventies by Chinese restaurants in Europe. They combine Malaysian, Indian and Chinese aspects, making them a bomb to the palate and an overall fiery exotic dish. We really enjoy them and I have had good success with this modified version of The Joy of Cooking's (my kitchen bible) recipe. I had to modify it last night on two accounts. First of all I couldn't find my rice vermicelli, so I had to go with the thicker kind of noodle and second of all I didn't have jalapeños. What I did have I had gotten as a gift, a little bag of fresh red chillies that were maybe an inch in length. I chopped maybe four or five of them up. I didn't de-vein them as they were so small and naively left most of the seeds in. What followed was perhaps one of the spiciest of dishes I have ever made. It was still delicious, but the husband couldn't handle it and to be honest I found it too hot as well. It overpowered the flavour. The lesson here... no more unidentified chillies! ;-) But go ahead and give the recipe a try, you won't be disappointed. It looks like a lot of work, but once you get the wok going dinner will be on the table in minutes.

This is my Presto Pasta submission for this week. Make sure you head over to Ruth at Once Upon a Feast tomorrow to see all the great recipes on offer.

Ingredients
(serves 4-6)

• 8 oz thin rice vermicelli*
• 4 oz pork loin**
  
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red jalapeno, thinly sliced into rounds
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 cup bean sprouts (fresh if you can, but canned is fine too)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 8 oz cooked deveined prawns
  
• juice 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp peanut / stir-fry oil
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, sliced diagonally
  

Soak the noodles in boiling water until softened. Set aside

Slice the pork into very thin strips and marinade in the soy sauce while you prepare the ingredients

Slice the onions and chili and place on one side of a plate. Place the chopped peanuts, red pepper flakes and dried shrimp, if using, on the other side.

Warm the coconut milk in a small saucepan and add the curry powder, sugar and 1 tsp salt. Cook for about a minute and remove from heat.

In a small bowl stir together the oyster sauce, chicken stock and another teaspoon of salt.

In another small bowl combine the beansprouts, basil and lemon juice.

In a small frying pan heat a little oil and cook the eggs until set on the bottom. Flip them over and cook until set. Slice into strips.

Now let's get ready to wok! :-) Make sure the table is set, as this will go very quickly!

Heat your seasoned*** wok and add in 1/4 cup of the peanut oil. Constantly stirring, fry the pork until no longer pink. Remove to a plate.

Add another tbsp of oil and stir-fry the onions and chillies until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on top of the pork.

Add the curry mixture to the wok and cook very briefly. Add in the oyster sauce mixture and heat through stirring constantly.

Add the noodles, pork and onion mixture and the cooked prawns, stirring constantly until heated through.

Add the peanuts, pepper flakes and dried shrimp, if using and stir thoroughly. Add the beansprout mixture and egg strips and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Toss in the scallions, give it a quick stir and serve immediately.

* If you can't find rice vermicelli, any wok noodle will do, but the thinner the better. You can buy pre-seasoned Singapore "straight to wok" noodles, but if you do cut down on the curry powder and salt.

** If you prefer chicken works well here too. I usually use one breast thinly sliced. For the best option though find some Char Siu (Chinese barbecued pork), as it really makes a world of difference.

*** To season your wok, heat about a tablespoon of peanut oil in it and add a heaping teaspoon of salt. Rub the salt and oil all around the wok and then wipe off.

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American Lasagna

As I've mentioned before the lasagna you get in America is very different from European lasagne. In Europe the white layers consist of bechamel sauce and sometimes mozzarella, where in the states it is usually a ricotta cheese and egg mixture. I like both versions equally. The European version is much easier to make an can be on the table in forty minutes. This version however is quite time consuming, but it makes a wonderful hearty meal for a large group. It doesn't have to be, it's just I like to make the sauce from scratch. This is a recipe that I don the aul' chefs coat for as I know I'm going to be in the kitchen for awhile, but that's what I love. I either get up early or wait until the kids are in bed at night and cook to my hearts content. It's so rewarding and fun. I know it's not always possible, but if you do enjoy to cook and like spending time in your kitchen, this is the recipe for you. Enjoy!

Basic Tomato Sauce

• 6 cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 large Spanish/vidalia onion, diced
• glug olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
  
• pinch dried thyme
• good glug red wine
• salt and black pepper to season
• 2 cups chicken stock/water

Saute the onion and garlic in a big stock pot over a medium heat until soft. Add red wine and stir for a minute. Add tomatoes and turn up the heat. Add spices, seasonings and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for at least an hour, the longer the better.
Lasagna
(serves 8-10)

• A box of uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 lb ground beef or 1lb beef/ 1lb ground pork/veal
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 lb grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 2-3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• pinch dried basil
• Cajun seasoning
• salt
• pepper

Season the beef with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Brown the beef in a little olive oil and drain. Add to the red sauce and allow to cool as you prep the cheese.

Whisk the three eggs together and add in the ricotta. Mix until well combined then add half a cup of mozzarella, half a cup of Parmesan, the parsley, basil, and season with a little salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Mix until well combined.

Ladle enough of the sauce to cover the bottom of your baking dish. Layer uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce so that they slightly overlap. Spread a third of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles. Sprinkle a good handful of mozzarella on top of the ricotta mix then add another layer of meat sauce. Continue until you are out of the cheese mixture. On the top layer cover with remaining sauce then add remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake at 200C/400F for one hour. After the hour remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is slightly browned. Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the lasagna to settle and ensures the slices come out whole and stand up on the plate.

Serve with a nice green salad and garlic bread for a great meal!

Some additional information on lasagne on wikipedia.

P.S. I am WAY behind on answering comments - I do apologize, I hope to get some time this evening to respond. So I'm not ignoring you! ;-)


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Ella's Meatballs

Below is a recipe for the most incredible moist meatballs. My three year old loves these, hence the name. The secret is a grated apple, it ensures the meatballs stay moist and gives a subtle sweetness to the overall dish. I don't do a regular tomato sauce with these, but rather a creamy one made with fresh tomatoes. It seems to work better with the taste and texture of the meatballs. Make sure you use fresh parsley though as it really gives them the edge. Why people even use the dried stuff other than for garnish is beyond me, as it has no flavour at all.

Meatball Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 Spanish/Vidalia onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves/dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp concentrated chicken stock (or bouillon cube dissolved in hot water)
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• cracked black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl until combined. Form into meatballs. I make mine about an inch and a half in diameter, but do whatever you prefer.

At this point you can take the healthy option or not so healthy option. Frankly I can't tell the difference in taste, so I go the healthier option as it allows me to go and make the sauce and rice. I thought they would dry out, but they don't at all and still get a nice crispy outside.

You can either roll the meatballs in a bit of flour and fry in olive oil until done, or you can bake for half an hour in a 200C/400F oven.

Sauce Ingredients

• 6 medium vine tomatoes, diced
• glug olive oil
  
• the other half of the onion, diced
• 1 crushed clove garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• salt and pepper to season

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Add in the fresh tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. Add the vinegar and honey and cook for about a minute. Add in the can of tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer until meatballs are ready.

Puree the sauce using an immersion blender. Add the meatballs to the sauce and allow to sit at a low heat for a minute or two.

Goes really well with rice or pasta (Really good with orzo). I've used Ruth's Garlicky rice in the photo. YUM!

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Menu Planning Monday and Dutch Apple Puff

Well this should be a busy week. I've ached over what to make for the wee birthday party tomorrow and I think I will sort of go with my Mom's advice and sort of go a bit more out there and make my big ol' American style lasagna. It's a lot of work, but so so worth it and my brother who can be picky loves it. My European style one is also good, but doesn't have as much depth. We gave Ella her beautiful pink hand crafted hobby horse this morning before the husband left and she has been riding around the house ever since! Dad named it Mustang Sally, but Ella not being impressed decided to call "him" princess! ;-) So here's the menu this week and a scrummy breakfast/brunch recipe! ;-)

Monday:
Breakfast: Dutch Apple Puff (see below)
Lunch: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Dinner: Meatballs and Rice

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Cereal, milk and fruit
Lunch: Beans and toast
Dinner: Lasagna and Birthday cake!

Wednesday:
Breakfast: Porridge and honey
Lunch: Quesadillas
Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday:
Breakfast: Eggy Bread
Lunch: Vegetable Soup and homemade rustic white bread
Dinner: Sicilian Bonata

Friday:
Breakfast: Cereal, milk and fruit
Lunch: PB&J sandwiches
Dinner: Gumbotto

Saturday:
Breakfast: Porridge with Honey
Lunch: Chicken Noodle Soup
Dinner: Pizza

Sunday:
Breakfast: Chorizo Hash
Lunch: Dad's in charge! ;-) I'm off at another scrap booking crop!
Dinner: Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding



This is a recipe I've made a few times when we've had visitors. It's really easy as most of the work is done the night before. It's called a Dutch apple puff, but I never came across anything like it in Holland, so I'm thinking it might be more Pennsylvania Dutch than Netherlands Dutch! It's basically a big Yorkshire pudding with apples. Simple yet delicious!


Ingredients:

• 4 organic free range eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 2 granny smith apples
• 2 oz butter
  
• grating nutmeg (optional)
• pinch cinnamon (optional)

The night before make the batter by mixing the eggs, flour, vanilla and milk together.

The next morning, turn your oven as high as it will go and let it pre-heat. Peel and thinly slice the apples. Add to the batter

Once the oven is heated, add the butter to a square baking dish and put in the oven until the butter melts.

Add the batter to the pan and cook for about twenty minutes until it is puffed up, golden and cooked through. It will slightly deflate when you bring it to the table.

Cut into slices and serve with honey or golden syrup or maple syrup or a big dollop of cream. Whatever takes your fancy! Enjoy!


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I didn't realise there were traditions in place!

Apparently you are supposed to write 100 things people don't know (and probably don't care to know) about you on your hundredth post. Well sorry, thanks for letting me know! ;-) So here you go for my 101st post... 101 things you probably don't know or care about me!

1. I hate zucchini/courgette
2. I once recorded a CD
3. I used to be a classically trained singer
4. I love gospel music
5. My favourite movie is The Big Lebowski
6. My favourite movie as a child, and still up there is/was Mary Poppins
7. I am a Deadhead
8. I am addicted to Top Chef, Boston Legal and Grey's Anatomy
9. I would like to live in continental Europe again someday
10. Just once I would love to live it up in Vegas
11. I have an IQ that qualifies me for MENSA, but don't want to pay the fee!
12. As a teenager I was very interested in the occult
13. I would like to retire to St. Maarten
14. I love crime novels
15. My Aunt and Godmother is a bestselling author (think Maeve Binchy style)
16. I had both my children naturally and drug free, wish I could say pain free!
17. I had no idea being a parent was so hard!
18. My Dad is my hero
19. I am one of the lucky few who have a really cool mother-in-law!
20. My husband used to be a classical pianist
21. His sister still is!
22. I used to weigh more than 300lb!
23. I am obsessed with The Titanic, or indeed anytime a vessel sinks!
24. I am a big pessimist, but trying to be better
25. I will not eat lamb
26. I sponsor a little boy in Ghana
27. I used to speak fluent Dutch, now I'm rusty
28. I think Antwerp is one of the most underrated cities in Europe
29. I can't stand Paris
30. or New York... just too much for me!
31. I would like to sky dive someday
32. I couldn't think of a middle name for my first daughter so suggested May, as she was born in May!
33. I can't grasp the whole iPod thing, but the husband makes up for my lack of enthusiasm
34. I hate the way American cartoons here are dubbed with British voices... ugh! Like Brits would really go to Mt. Rushmore or Texas on an adventure... and it's the same language... why do they have to dub them?
35. Nick Jr. is ruining my life
36. I am terrible at gardening, I look at a plant and it starts to wilt
37. I would love to run a marathon some day
38. I like to mullet spot! Mullets truly fascinate me...
39. I am very lucky in that my husband doesn't watch sports!!! Well, the Tour De France, but I can live with that!
40. I refuse to wear a bicycle helmet... stupid I know, but I don't actually cycle very much
41. I used to work in banks and think they've got to be the worst place to work ever!
42. My favourite non-food magazine is Prima
43. I really like Martha Stewart!
44. I have issues with laundry, not doing it, just folding and hanging it afterwards!
45. I would like to learn how to take good photographs someday
46. I am fairly conservative politically, with the exception of capital punishment
47. I think Ireland is way too socialist
48. I get to vote for the very first time in a few weeks and I am super excited! Couldn't vote in the states and haven't lived in Ireland since I was of age
49. When I drink I only drink white wine. In the states I would drink Rolling Rock, but they make it taste different here... same with other American beers, they make them more bitter. Not sure why?
50. I would like to take a wine course someday
51. I LOVE Thanksgiving and I'm not even American! ;-)
52. Christmas is my favourite holiday without doubt
53. If I could get away with it I would still dress up every Halloween!
54. I recently discovered Benefit make-up and am hooked! Thanks beaut.ie!
55. I think it sucks that we still have to file American taxes when we don't live there anymore
56. I like Irish weather... sounds crazy but I do! ;-)
57. I used to be vegetarian... yes really... but I saw the pork fat, I mean light!
58. I used to want to be a doctor, I still do in a way
59. I can't stand cell phones... but needless to say I have one!
60. It makes me mad that anytime you fill a form out online it requires a zip code. SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ZIPCODES!!!!!!!! GRRR! ;-)
61. I swear too much
62. Like Annie, I am a fan of the banana sandwich. I make mine with butter and salt. Mmmm...
63. I have a younger brother and he's pretty cool... wasn't always, but is now! ;-)
64. I wish I were a better Catholic
65. I wish I were a better Mom... but friends remind me... who doesn't?
66. I love Barbra Streisand... yes I am officially that lame!
67. I think Capital Punishment is abhorrent
68. Once upon a time (circa 1998) I was technically advanced!
69. I like George Bush... sorry, but I do. I think he has issues as a leader, but as a person I sorta like him!
70. Bill O'Reilly too... love him!!!
71. Medjugorje really fascinates me and makes me re-evaluate life.
72. I used to have my tongue pierced
73. I also used to have my nose pierced. I really liked that one, a little diamond, but I lost it once and didn't notice until it closed up!
74. I am fluent in Spanish thank to Dora the Explorer... ok not really!
75. I hate goats cheese, but can tolerate it if well disguised
76. I hate blue cheese, but can't tolerate it... ever!
77. I have never had a filling... did I already do that one?
78. One of my cousins-in-law (?) is a missionary and all around great guy!!! And I've never even met him!!!
79. My Dad has seen a banshee... really... according to him!
80. I can sing in perfect Italian, but have no clue what I am saying!
81. I can't stand Bono of U2
82. I have two tattoos, a fairy and a Grateful Dead dancing bear
83. My Grandad was in WWII and just barely escaped a plane destined for a concentration camp.
84. My Grandad, same one as above, is the coolest guy ever. He volunteered in an old folks center when he was 78! ;-)
85. I love and truly respect my Mom, even though I probably don't show her or tell her. She is my inspiration and showed me I could do anything I ever wanted.
86. I miss Michigan... sunbathe in the summer, ski in the winter... why live anywhere else? Oh the cars? ok! ;-)
87. My husband's car fetish rubs off on me... I pretend I care not, but really I want a Touareg!
88. My daughter will be three tomorrow. This time last year I was in labour! LOL!
89. My youngest daughter started walking last week... *SIGH* I can't believe my baby is a toddler
90. Although I really miss the workforce, I am proud to be a housewife!
91. I am thanking my blessings there is only ten left! ;-)
92. I would love to write a crime thriller someday
93. Once upon a time I loved classical literature, now I crave entertaining literature
94. Gordon Ramsey with John Travolta's looks is my perfect man, other than hubby of course!
95. My husband is truly my best friend.
96. I have an overwhelming respect for my parents since becoming a parent myself.
97. I like Enda Kenny... and I'll probably vote Fine Gael... unless it turns out they've been hording cash too! ;-)
98. My Irish (maiden) name is Gobinet O' Phaolain (pronounced gub-neth oh fway-lawn)
99. I love the eighties
100. I once had a mullet... not intentionally... bad stylist!
101. I have just posted 101 blog posts!

PHEW! Ok... there you have it... recipes tomorrow. Birthday party Tuesday. Mom says I should go easy and make a Spaghetti Bolognaise, but you know me... not going to happen!!! ;-) Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend!

Make My Kid Eat! 100th Post Blog Event

I get several emails each week asking for recipes that will appeal to kids. As a mother of two picky toddlers I know that this is a constant challenge for many of us. So why not pool our knowledge? So to celebrate my 100th blog post I am hosting a competition to find the best recipe for kids. How does it work?

• You submit a recipe that your kids love and post the recipe and a photo on your blog. If you don't have a blog, you may also participate, just email me the information.
• Recipes should have a carb, protein and at least one vegetable component
  
• Recipes should be prepared fresh (i.e. no pre-made or processed food in them, use your discretion, obviously some things are fine like frozen veg or bouillon, just avoid things like Velveeta or canned soup)
• Recipes should be kid friendly
• Recipes should be for a main meal, but can include sides
  
• You may submit up to two recipes, but should make them separate posts.
• This is open to anyone worldwide, parent or non parent!
  

Sounds cool - how do I sign up?

• Comment here to let people know who you are and that you plan on participating
  
• Post your choice of the badges below on your blog linking back here to let people know you are participating.
• Sometime before July 1st you must post your recipe and email me to let me know the link.
  
• On July 1st I will post a roundup of all the posts with photos and links to your blog and recipe(s)
• On July 2nd I will pick my three favourite recipes and cook them for the kids. This will take a couple of days, but the winner is the recipe that the kids eat the best!
  

So what do I win?

• First Prize - A HHW Apron, An Avoca Cookbook* and a €50 (or dollar equivalent for US/AUS/etc. entrants) Amazon gift certificate
  
• Second Prize - An Avoca cookbook
• Third Prize - A giant HHW Coffee Mug

*Avoca is an Irish shop that has an incredible cafe. The book is a selection of their best recipes. It's a must have and one of my favourites!

The graphics, courtesy of GoofyGirl, are as follows. Pick your favourite and link it back here. If you need instructions, let me know!

So get cooking people! You have over a month to come up with something!!! Have fun and enjoy and hopefully we will all have a plethora of wonderful recipes that our kids might actually eat at the end of all this! Feel free to let people know about this event. The more recipes we get the more fun it will be and the better our kids will be fed! Eat up!

Challenge Me!

Is there something you would like to see me cook? If so, why not challenge me to try something.

This page will be added to the top of the site and I will post details of my challenges. I will try and post one challenge a week. If you would like to challenge me, please leave a comment here or email me!

Challenge Number 1
Mary T has challenged me to make a recipe using celeriac. I will be going to the farmers market on Saturday to pick some up and then the fun will begin!

Challenge Number 2
Goofy Girl has challenged me to make biscotti, a challenge which we are all looking forward to, as who doesn't love some biscotti. Hopefully I will be doing this today or tomorrow and will post the results here.

More Chicken... Lemon and Thyme Roasted Chicken

And who can resist a delicious roast chicken? I must admit I don't make roast chicken very often, in fact usually only when I run out of chicken stock, which was the case with this recipe. Usually I stuff my roasts, but I didn't feel like making stuffing the day I made this, so I improvised and stuffed the cavity with lemon and thyme sprigs. It was delicious and gave the gravy a lovely tang!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound cold butter, cut into thin slices
  
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• pinch chili flakes
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 large organic roasting chicken
• 1 lemon
• 3-4 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Clean and wash chicken, removing any giblets or parts you won't use. Pat dry.

Mix the herbs, zest and seasonings in a small bowl. Dip the butter slices into them to coat each slice.

Slide your fingers between the breast of the chicken and the skin. Go as deep as you can without tearing the skin. Slip all but two of the butter slices into the space you created. This will ensure lovely moist breast meat. Rub the remaining two butter slices on top of the skin and legs.

Stuff the cavity with a lemon cut in half and the sprigs of thyme. Bake for 50 minutes and then baste every five minutes until done. Use a probe thermometer or prick the drumstick and if the juices run clear, it is done. Usually about 1 hour 15 minutes depending upon the size of the chicken.

Remove chicken from oven and place on a plate to rest. Collect any juice that runs off for the gravy.

Lemon and Thyme Chicken Gravy

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• pinch dried thyme
• juices from rested chicken
• squeeze of the lemon in the cavity
• dash cream

Heat the butter in a small saucepan and add the flour. Mix for a minute or two and then slowly add in the stock. Add enough stock until your gravy has a good consistency. Add in the thyme, juices and lemon and bring to a boil. Once all combined, remove from heat and stir in a dash of cream to bind the gravy. Serve over your chicken.

Suitable side dishes include Ruth's Garlicky Rice, Boursin Creamed Spinach, Deborah's Divine Dinner Biscuits, Glazed Carrots, Perfect Roast Potatoes, Red Skin Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Easy 5 Ingredient Mac and Cheese. Enjoy!

Use the carcass and any remaining bones to make chicken stock. If you like a dark stock, toss them into a hot oven in a pan with some olive oil and roast for about 40 minutes before adding to the pot. If you prefer a lighter stock just toss right into a pot with two roughly chopped carrots, leeks, celery stalks and a halved onion, bay leaf, sprig of thyme, a few peppercorns and a sprig of parsley. Simmer for several hours topping up with boiling water if necessary. Drain and freeze to use as needed.


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Two wonderful recipes, two wonderful women!

Let's be honest, who doesn't love some good ol' fried chicken now and again. I know we do. Barbara pointed me towards this recipe from Tammy's Recipes in her menu plan last week and thank goodness she did as it is truly scrumptious! I must admit that like Barbara, I was a little skeptical about adding water, but this turned out incredible!

I also made the rice, but I just used the drippings to make some of Ruth's incredible garlicky rice. This is a recipe from her wonderful cookbook Every Kitchen Tells It's Stories, which I highly recommend! My only regret is that I didn't get a picture of the rice before we devoured it! This rice is unbelievable, I've made it three times now and everyone loves it. Garlic is so good for you too, keeping away colds and what not. The rice doesn't seem garlicky at all, just moist and fluffy and melt in your mouth!

I hope I have given these recipes due credit, as they are truly delicious and perfect for an easy home-cooked family meal!

Ingredients:

• Chicken leg quarters or drumsticks and/or thighs, enough to cover the bottom of your (large) skillet
• 3-4 tablespoons vegetable shortening or oil, for frying
• Lawry's seasoned salt
• salt
• gro