Baked S'mores Bars

This was my offering for Mad Hatters a couple of weeks ago. That's how behind I am again! I make too much new food and then want to blog about it, so it all piles up. These went down a treat, they weren't exactly healthy but then that isn't what treats for 11-14 year olds are about. I aim to please!

Baked S'mores Bars (from Rachel Schultz)

113g butter, room temperature
50g brown sugar
113g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
170g self-raising flour
75g graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large milk chocolate bars
127g marshmallow fluff

Preheat oven to 180C.

Cream the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into butter mixture.

Press half of dough into a greased 23cm x 23cm pan. Put the chocolate bars on top. Spread the marshmallow fluff over the chocolate and top with remaining dough.

Bake for 30-35 mins, or until golden.

Cod with Pesto and Cheese Topping

This is a WeightWatchers recipe that I photocopied out of a friends book ages and ages ago and it's been sat in my file. I suddenly seemed to have the right ingredients all at the same time gave it a go. It was really delicious and tasty. I was a bit dubious about the mushrooms but they work in this dish. I served it over pasta.

Cod with Pesto and Cheese Topping (from WeightWatchers Member's Favourites)
(Serves 4)
(5 WW ProPoints per serving)

2 tsp  oil
1 onion, finely sliced
175g mushrooms, finely sliced
1 courgette, diced
400g chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp pesto
675g skinless cod fillet
50g half fat cheddar, grated
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 5 mins until softened.

Add the mushroom and courgette and continue to cook for another 5 mins, stirring every so often until the veg are soft.

Pour in the chopped tomatoes, add the pesto and stir into the veg. Continue to cook over a medium heat for 5 mins until the sauce has thickened.

Place the fish in a large ovenproof dish. Spoon the veg mixture over the fish making sure you cover the fish. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake in the oven for 25 mins until the fish is cooked and cheese golden and melted.

Meal Planning Monday

So last week pretty much went to plan. I have to say that the Barley Risotto Bake I had last night was really fantastic. Yesterday I spent the afternoon on a walk around Theatreland and London's West End. We started at Shakespeare's statue in Leicester Square. The tour was really interesting and I learnt a lot about the area that I didn't know before

After the tour we went to the My Old Dutch Pancake House near Holborn. We spotted it on our walk back to the tube and were intrigued! I had the Poffertjes, which were like tiny baby pancakes with a berry compote and whipped cream. The portions were huge but really tasty.

This week is pretty busy at work, outside it's kin of quiet. Tonight I'm going to zumba, Wednesday I'm off to see Another Country at Trafalgar Studios, Thursday is pilates and then on Friday I'm going to a fermenting course at Blackhorse Workshops. My Mum is coming at the weekend and we are going on a Cupcake and Macaron walking tour on Saturday afternoon and then on Sunday we are off to Audley End if the weather is nice. Ok so I take that back, it's going to be a busy week all round!

 

Monday

Roast Aubergine, Goat's Cheese and Flatbread Salad

Sea Bass with Radishes and Veg

Tuesday

Mushroom and Turkey Barley Salad

Avocado and Goat's Cheese Alfredo Pasta

Wednesday

Crab, Asparagus and Pea Giant Couscous Salad

Out before the theatre

Thursday

Avocado and Hot Smoked Salmon Wrap with Crisps

Barley and Lentils 

Friday

Goat's Cheese and Asparagus Potato Salad

Veal Burger

Saturday

Sunday

Out with my Mum

Tuna and Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Hot Smoked Salmon with Courgette and Roasted Red Pepper Rice Salad

I was watching one of the 30 Minute Meals programmes a couple of weeks ago and thought that this would make a really good salad to take to work. It was really tasty and worked really well as a cold salad. I used brown rice but feel free to use ordinary white rice.

Hot Smoked Salmon with Courgette and Roasted Red Pepper Rice Salad

(inspired by Jamie's 30 Minute Meals - Jamie Oliver)

(Serves 4)

60g Basmati Rice

1 courgette, diced

4 roasted red peppers, sliced

squeeze lemon juice

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

handful basil leaves, chopped

handful mint leaves, chopped

1 pack hot smoked salmon flakes

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the rice and cook according to the packet instructions. When cooked, drain, rinse under the cold tap and then drain again well

 

Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan and add the courgette, cook until golden, then set aside to cool.

Put the rice, courgette, roasted red peppers, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, oil and herbs into a large bowl and mix well to combine.

Transfer to individual bowls or lunch boxes and scatter the salmon flakes over the top. Serve.

Thai Yellow Noodle Soup

So I completely adapted this recipe to what I had in and so changed quite a lot. It's Thai instead of Malaysian because of the curry paste but it's still really tasty.

Thai Yellow Noodle Soup (adapted from Chef Mireille)
(Serves 6)

450g king prawns
750ml water
1 veg/fish stock cube

2 tbsp Thai curry paste

375ml coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp fish sauce

170g pak choi chopped

12 baby corn, chopped

2 Kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced

225g rice noodles

handful bean sprouts

bunch mint leaves, chopped

bunch coriander leaves, chopped

 

Place noodles in a large bowl of boiling water and let sit for 10 mins or whatever the packet says, until the noodles soften.

Heat a saucepan and add the thai curry paste, stir fry for 1 min. Add the water and stock cube, coconut milk and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 mins.

Add the pak choi, baby corn and Kaffir lime leaves. Bring back up to a boil. Add the prawns and bean sprouts. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 3 mins, until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through.

Turn off the heat and stir in the coriander and mint.

To serve, place some of the noodles in each bowl and spoon the soup over the noodles.

Crab Cakes

I've never tried making crab cakes before, but these were ridiculously easy and very tasty. I love the idea of baking rather than frying, not only healthier but it also reduces the risk of them falling apart!

Crab Cakes (from SkinnyTaste)
(Serves 4)

250g white crab meat, picked free of shells
13 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 egg, beaten
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and pepper
cooking spray

In a large bowl, combine the crackers, eggs, spring onion, pepper, mayo, coriander, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well, then fold in crab meat carefully. Gently shape into 8 cakes.

Put into the fridge to chill for at least 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Transfer the crab cakes to a baking tray and bake for about 8-10 mins on each side, until nicely browned. Serve with salad.

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake

My sister made me such an awesome birthday cake. It was really yummy. The cake was lovely and soft almost like a brownie texture and the icing was just scrumptious. I really wish I'd taken a picture of the whole cake as she had decorated it with chocolate stars and flakes. If you're looking for birthday cake ideas, this is definitely the one!

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake

(from Lavender and Lovage)

 

140g crème fraiche
125g unsalted butter
200g soft dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
170g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder

 

For the salted caramel buttercream icing

125g salted butter
2 drops vanilla extract
250g golden icing sugar
1/2 jar (190g) confiture de lait/dulce de leche

 

For the filling

1/2 jar (190g) confiture de lait/dulce de leche

 

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line two 20cm sandwich cake tins.

Put all of the chocolate fudge cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat well for 3 to 4 mins with an electric whisk, or for 5 to 6 mins by hand until the batter is smooth and fluffy.

Spoon the mixture into the  cake tins and level the tops with the back of a spoon, leaving a slight dip in the middle of the cakes so they rise evenly. Bake for about 25 to 30 mins, or until the cakes are well risen and are shrinking away from the sides of the cake tins. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for about 10 mins, before removing them from the tins and cooling completely on wire racks.

To make the salted caramel buttercream icing, put the icing sugar, butter and vanilla extract into a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy, for about 2 to 3 mins, Then add the confiture de lait (dulce de leche) bit by bit, whisking well after each spoonful, check the flavour and add some extra salt if you want it slightly saltier. Set to one side to firm up.

Once the cakes are cold, cut each cake into half, and then place one of the cake halves onto a serving platter or cake stand. Spread some of the confiture de lait (dulce de leche) over the cake and then add some salted caramel buttercream icing, and repeat for all the layers until the top cake has been added, Using a palette knife, swirl the remaining buttercream all over the cake, tops and sides and then decorate.

Baked Sea Bass with Ginger, Garlic and Miso Rice

This was really simple but I think I have fallen in love with sea bass. This just worked perfectly, the fish was meltingly tender and the flavours were fantastic. I loved the addition of the radishes, not only did it use up my glut but they were lovely in this dish. I think I definitely prefer cooked to raw radishes.

Baked Sea Bass with Ginger, Garlic and Miso Rice
(from Bangers and Mash)
(Serves 4)

2 tsp sesame oil
4 sea bass fillets
thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 radishes, trimmed and finely sliced
5 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
2 tbsp fish sauce
juice 2 limes
1 tbsp light soy sauce
large handful coriander, roughly chopped
miso soup paste
250g Basmati rice

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Tear off sheets of foil, large enough for the fillets.

Drizzle a little sesame oil onto the foil before placing the fish on it, skin side down. Pull up the sides of the foil around the fish and toss in the ginger, garlic, radish and spring onion. Pour in the fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce and finally sprinkle with the fresh coriander.

Close up the foil parcel and scrunch so that there are no gaps. Place on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 mins.

Cook your rice in your usual way, but instead of using plain water, make up a cup of miso soup according to the packet instructions, and cook the rice in this. Serve the fish on top of the rice.

Peach Crumble Cake

I think it's time for some cake! This is the cake I made for my birthday party. I used a Greek recipe which I then used Google to translate, with rather hilarious results! However, the ingredients list was fine and I know how to make a cake so I went for it.  What came out what a delicious moist and tasty cake. I did cheat a bit and used tinned rather than fresh peaches, but it was still delicious. It is best eaten on the day you make it as the crumble starts to soften.
















Peach Crumble Cake (from Gourmelita)

For the crumble:
125g plain flour
100g brown sugar
70g butter, cold, cubed
1 tsp cinnamon

For the cake:
150 g butter
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
125g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 vanilla
2-3 large peaches or 1 400g tin peach slices

Put the flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon in a large bowl.Rub in the butter with your fingers until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together until it is light fluffy. The add the eggs in two lots, beating between each addition. Add the vanilla.

Sieve in the flour, salt and baking powder and using a metal spoon, fold it into the wet mixture.

With a spatula, spread the mixture into the prepared tin.

Cut the peaches into thin slices, and place in a circle over the cake mixture, so that the slices are touching.

Sprinkle the crumble over the peaches. Put the tin onto a baking tray and bake for 50 mins.

Remove from the oven and leave for about 10 mins. Invert the cake on a large plate and then again onto a platter.  Serve.

Meal Planning Monday

Wow, so I had a really fantastic weekend. On Saturday I went on a Foodie Tour of East London, which encompassed 5 stops around the Shoredish/Aldgate area. It was really good fun and the food was delicious. I didn't take many pictures other than this one

of an Argentinian sausage, which is in a little pop up food area near Shoreditch High Street. I can't annoyingly remember the name of the place but the sausage was delicious. We also had Fougrasse from Albion, amazing brownie, a Italian stuffed flatbread and we got some Indian Sweets to take home.

Sunday was my birthday and we had afternoon tea in my flat. I again, annoyingly, didn't take any pictures. I did go round with my camera at the end and snap a few things

This is just a little selection of what we made and includes; meringues with cream, mars bar cake, a little bit of my birthday cake, made by my sister, and cupcakes made by my niece. We also had a couple of bigger cakes; a peach crumble cake and a lemon cake, which a friend brought and of course sandwiches! I had a really lovely afternoon and got to talk to everyone. The weather was also beautiful and sunny. I'll post the birthday cake and peach crumble cake recipes over the next few days.

This week is busy busy. On Tuesday I am going to a talk at the V&A, Wednesday I'm going to the theatre, pilates on Thursday and then on Sunday I'm going on a Theatreland walking tour. All very exciting! My meal planning was done in a bit of a hurry, so it's pretty much all Internet based and subject to change!

Monday
Smoked Salmon, Watercress and New Potato Salad
Quinoa and Prawn Curry

Tuesday
Aubergine Kibbeh Salad (A Salad for All Seasons)
Out after a talk

Wednesday
Potato and Sausage Casserole with Salad
Creamy Crab and Asparagus Pasta Salad

Thursday
Pan Bagnat Wrap with Crisps
Palatschinken with Salad

Friday
Mushroom Barley Salad
Avocado and Goat's Cheese Pizza

Saturday
Mexican Mackerel Nachos
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Sunday
Sausage Fritatta Sandwich
Barley Casserole with Sundried Tomatoes and Artichokes