Sabbatical & Stuff

Well it would seem I'm on a sort of unannounced sabbatical from blogging. I do apologise for the inconvenience. Things have been manic here trying to get everything ready for the business launch which keeps getting pushed out. I know some of you have requested samples, but I am waiting on the printing to go with them. As soon as I have that I will contact you for your address.

There's also a contest to announce the winner of! I ended up choosing a name that was not entered into the competition, but I did promise that there would be a winner one way or another! The winner is Darragh with uMix! I loved the name and wish the dot com wasn't taken! :( But Darragh, as soon as everything is up and running I will be in touch to get you your prize of a lovely hamper with all the products! ;-)

EDIT: As much as I love uMix, it's not the name we've gone with, as the dot com is unavailable. The real name will be kept under wraps until the launch, which HOPEFULLY should be May 1! Sorry for the confusion!

Ciara seems to have had it out with the camera cable and I have not been able to upload pictures, also contributing to my lack of blogging. More importantly my ability to report on the fabulous package I received from Blogging by Mail! I just figured out today that my new laptop has a universal card reader, which means I could have been posting since last week. I thought it was just for SD cards, but I'm an eejit as we say here in Ireland! ;-)

I received all the fabulous goodies above from Chef Barbie in California! It was such an awesome package and everything was so me! There was an adorable pink heart ice cube tray, which the kids just love, lots of handy chip clips, mini-cupcake cases, a little bottle of tequila, a Cocktails for Dummies book, lots of wonderful artisan chocolate, the cutest Easter tea towel, a dish cloth, a pretty heart silicon spatula, some delicious organic honey sticks and some useful recipe cards! I was bowled over - such fabulous stuff - all so tasty and practical! Thank you so so much Barbie! Absolutely wonderful. My husband enjoyed lots of the dark chocolate and the tequila (I had planned on making a margarita, but he beat me too it!) and the kids adore the honey sticks! I used the cake cases to make mini-vanilla cupcakes last week and have been using the ice-tray religiously. Heart shaped ice cubes are just too cute! You have excellent taste and I can't thank you enough! Thanks also to The Happy Sorceress for organizing this fun event and putting up with my idiocy! My package should have arrived in, ironically enough, my husband's hometown in Missouri by now. I hope!

Now onto a recipe!

Carrot Soup with Mustard and Leek Welsh RarebitI saw this delightful recipe in the March issue of Delicious and knew I had to make it. Up until maybe two years ago I thought I hated carrots. They were the staple vegetable in our household growing up and I could not stand them cooked (or overcooked as it were) or raw! Since I discovered how sweet and tasty they are I am hooked. I'm making up for all the years carrots were on my black list somewhere between courgette and lamb.

This recipe is really very good. The soup uses a handful or rice to thicken it. This gives it the most aromatic silky background and is a trick I will use again. The soup is sweet and velvety and it scored big with the whole family. The Welsh rarebit was a first for my American hubby, but as it featured beer he was suitably impressed. Welsh rarebit is basically a fancy grilled cheese sandwich. Even the kids ate it, which I didn't expect due to the leeks. All in all this is a wonderfuly flavourful, inexpensive and healthy lunch that impressed all. I was really tempted to add some toasted cumin seeds to the soup, but I restrained myself and am glad I did.

For the Soup (serves 4)

• 50g butter
• 500g carrots, sliced
  
• 300g sweet potato, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2tbsp uncooked rice (I used basmati)
• Grating nutmeg
• 1.2 litres begetable stock or water, hot
• 4 bay leaves

Melt butter in large pot. Toss in vegetables and toss until coated in butter. Cover and cook for ten minutes, adding a little water if necessary. Add rice nutmeg and stock and cover and simmer for another 20-30 minutes. Use a stick blender to blend to desired consistency or whizz in batches in a food processor or blender.

For the Welsh Rarebit

• 25g butter
• 2 leeks, washed and finely sliced
• 150g strong/mature cheddar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg yolk
• 1-2tsp English mustard (I used Dijon)
• 2 tbsp beer
• Pinch cayenne pepper or tobasco sauce
• 2 slices square cut bread, lightly toasted

Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the leeks. Cook for about five minutes until soft and wilted.

Combine cheese, Worcestershire sauce, egg yolk, mustard and cayenne in a small bowl, mashing well. Add the leeks and mix well. Add the beer and mix into a spreadable paste, adding more if neccessary.

Spread the cheese mixture over the toast and put under your grill until bubbling. Slice into triangles. Serve with the soup and place a bay leaf on each bowl for a simple but flavoursome garnish.

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