Archive for the category: recipes

:: Recipe: soft, American-style chocolate chip cookies

Posted by Kerry on July 21, 2008 | Permalink

Makes: loads (approx two dozen - thirty, depending on how much mixture you eat and how big you like ‘em)
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Categories: recipes
Tags: baking, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, cookies, food, recipes, sweets

5 comments

:: Food, books, nostalgia - yum!

Posted by Kirsty on July 11, 2008 | Permalink

I didn’t read traditional childrens’ books when I was wee, much to my regret nowadays. While proper kids were reading Enid Blyton and Judy Blume, I skipped straight to Point Horror and the classics. Yes, I was precocious, but I didn’t put my precociousness to very effective use. Anyways, my literary foibles don’t stop me enjoying this delicious book by Jane Brocket, of yarnstorm fame.

I don’t talk much on this blog about my career in publishing, as it doesn’t usually coincide with our mantra of craft, style, and adventure, but my two worlds have happily collided here, as my company is Jane’s publisher. The office has been whisked down memory lane to the kitchen of our childhoods as we’ve been getting ready for publication yesterday. Everything about the childrens’ literature of yesteryear was wholesome - including the breakfast, elevenses, lunches, afternoon teas, teas, suppers, and midnight feasts that they consume. I particularly loved the idea of Milly-Molly-Mandy’s fried onions - so simple yet so tasty and a little bit cheeky. I always relish the idea of eating something when you’re not supposed to - left-over curry for breakfast, yoghurt for dinner - and the wholly benign naughtiness of eating just onions is quite fun.

Although I place the utmost faith in Jane’s recipes (I haven’t tried any out yet, but her editor has and they are scrummy), this book is made by the descriptions and extracts from the literature that she draws inspiration from. Themed recipe books abound, but this is more like a compendium of childrens’ literature with the added bonus of tasty treats!

Categories: adventure, books, recipes
Tags: books, cherry cake, ginger beer, jane brocket, recipes

2 comments

:: Four Bad Corners

Posted by Kirsty on April 19, 2008 | Permalink

Well, I never claimed to be a domestic goddess in the kitchen, but even I am pretty ashamed of this poor, poor show. This is muffins, people - muffins. Banoffee muffins, to be precise. Except it’s just a big blob of mess. Read more…

Categories: adventure, recipes
Tags: bad, cups, muffins, oven, wrong

14 comments

:: Mamma mia!

Posted by Kirsty on April 6, 2008 | Permalink

I was a lucky wifey last night and was treated to homemade pizza! Simon made the dough and everything - not a packet mix to be seen.

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Categories: recipes
Tags: cooking, dough, pizza

3 comments

:: Hot cross bun pudding

Posted by Joelle on March 31, 2008 | Permalink

This picture is from last Easter’s baking first - my first attempt at hot cross buns. They turned out well, but fell squarely into the wrong effort : reward ratio for me. Lots of effort, and though they were tasty, they really weren’t that much better than shop bought ones, so I doubt I’ll bother with these again.

This Easter’s baking first recipe on the other hand is going to be a keeper. Oh yes, bread and butter pudding made with hot cross buns is where it’s at. Wonderfully easy comfort food, with an Easter twist. It was gobbled up too fast for a photo I’m afraid, but it looked magnificent, all golden and creamy.

I have my friend Peter to thank for this recipe.
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Categories: recipes
Tags: baking, easter, hot cross buns, pudding

2 comments

:: Saturday afternoon, the way I like it

Posted by Joelle on February 23, 2008 | Permalink

Since investing in some measuring cups a few weeks ago, I’ve been able to get even more enjoyment from my favourite American food blogs like the delicious Orangette. This afternoon has been made perfect by the addition of these heavenly pistachio, oat and apricot cookies to the holy trinity of sofa, newspaper and a pot of tea. Contentment itself.

Go see for yourself - the recipe is here.

Categories: recipes
Tags: cookies, saturday afternoons

7 comments

:: Dino-tastic

Posted by Kirsty on January 6, 2008 | Permalink

I did make more than three, honestly; they just all got eaten before I could take any photos! This recipe made about 30 dino cookies (T-rex, stegosaurus, diplodocus, and a really cute raptor), but it would depend on the size of your cookie cutters.

:: Ingredients ::

:: one and a half a cups of sifted flour (I used plain white this time, but I sometimes use wholemeal)
:: half a cup of sugar (I used light brown muscovado - different sugars will get different results)
:: half a cup of butter (or margarine)
:: tsp of baking powder
:: ginger and all spice - go wild!
:: the recipe calls for an egg, but I never use one - the butter binds it plenty.

It’s a fairly straight-forward recipe - mix all your ingredients together, roll the dough out to about 1.5cm thick and cut your cookies. Pre-heat your oven to about 175 C and bake for about ten minutes. I really like soft, chewy gingerbread, so I cut my cookies thick and under-cook them - mmm!

Categories: recipes
Tags: baking, dinosaurs, gingerbread, recipe

5 comments

:: Tasty treats

Posted by Kirsty on December 20, 2007 | Permalink

Mmm, mmm - I spent Monday night cooking up all sorts of treats that your dentist wouldn’t approve of. This jar contains:

:: milk chocolate and baileys truffles*
:: dark chocolate and whiskey truffles
:: decorated gingerbread christmas trees
:: gingerbread cupcakes with red and green icing
:: gingerbread holly leaves

I didn’t make the candy cane, but I thought that it was a nice finishing touch.

* these turned out a bit sloppy because I over-baileysed them and I had to encase them in tiny cupcake cases - oops!

Categories: christmas, craft, recipes
Tags:

3 comments

:: Fa la la la

Posted by Joelle on December 16, 2007 | Permalink

I’m currently sat on the sofa, stuffed full of cheese and mince pies, and feeling very Christmassy, so I think it’s a good moment to share some of my festivities, and a great chutney recipe, with you all.

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Categories: christmas, recipes
Tags: baubles, christmas trees, chutney, decorations, food, recipes

5 comments

:: My Mum’s Yorkshires

Posted by Vanessa on December 8, 2007 | Permalink

Since I’ve been going on about them quite a bit, I thought I’d stick in my mum’s tried and tested recipe for Yorkshire puds here. For anyone on this side of the Atlantic who hasn’t encountered them before, they go with your Sunday dinner and are most akin to ‘biscuits’, and are used for soaking up delicious gravy. Trust me… yum.

Use: 1/2 pint of milk
1 cup or 4oz flour
1 egg
salt and pepper

if you’re making little individual ones, put one teaspoon of fat or oil into your container and bang it in the oven to get really hot. You’ll want to bake these at 180/400. Whisk the egg and milk together until really frothy - use your blender, if you have one. Then add in the flour and seasoning until you have a smooth mix. Pour equally into 12 yorkshire pud spaces, or into one large tray. You want to cook them for about 20 minutes, but don’t open your oven door before 15 minutes has passed or you risk making them sag in the middle (more than necessary for a good gravy dip). For a nice twist, add one spoonful of dijon or English mustard into the mixture - especially good if you’re having it with sausages, toad-in-the-hole style.

Categories: recipes, tutorial
Tags: basics, cooking, yorkshire puds

1 comment