FOOD AND DRINK

Nigella Lawson’s Italian Chicken and Sausage Traybake

This Italian traybake recipe was really useful the other weekend. I was struggling to come up with a dish that would serve; my husband and I, 3 hungry children, 2 sets of grandparents with very different food tastes, was food budget conscious and did not require me to stand in the kitchen all day. Having recently downloaded the Nigellissima free app this recipe jumped out at me for its ease and for the fact it would probably appeal to most tastes.

This served 6 adults and 3 children

4 baking potatoes (approx 750g total) unpeeled and cut into 2 cm chunks

10 chicken thighs bone in and skin on

8 sausages (Nigella says Italian sausages but I just used Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pork Sausages)

small bunch (6 or 7 sprigs) of rosemary

zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes or ½ teaspoon pouring salt

ground pepper

Served with fresh bread and purple sprouting broccoli

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°c/gas mark 7
  2. Put the potatoes into a large, shallow baking tray and add the chicken thighs and sausages.
  3. Arrange about 4 sprigs of the rosemary among the chicken and sausages, then finely chop the needles of another 2 sprigs to give you about 2 teaspoons of finely chopped needles and sprinkle these onto the chicken pieces.
  4. Zest the lemon over everything, and season with the salt and a good grinding of pepper. Drizzle with the oil and bake for 50-60 minute, or until the chicken skin and sausages are golden and the potato pieces are cooked through. It can stand for up to 30 minutes prior to serving which is perfect for someone like me who worries about timings.
  5. I served it with green vegetables.

Italian traybake recipe

It was delicious and the smell of rosemary and lemon wafting around my home was amazing. Interested in more Italian recipes from Nigella? At the time this was published you can buy the book Nigellissima new from the The Book People for £9.99 or from Amazon for £13.

 

Thanks for reading.

Clare x

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH FREEZE DRIED RASPBERRIES RECIPE – COMIC RELIEF

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I created this recipe for white chocolate chip cookies with freeze dried raspberries with the idea that they would be great for raising some dough (groan) for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day. I wanted to create something that is easy to make, can be made in advance, and wasn’t choc (oh, I’m on a roll) full of red food colouring. These are lovely soft cookies and the recipe will make 15. That’s a quantity that would look more than enough at any bake sale. They keep very well in a sealed container for up to a week. This would allow you to make them ahead of your event without any stress, night before baking.

I bought the freeze dried raspberries from Sainsbury’s in the baking section. You can also buy them from Amazon here.

Really make sure you only put a smallish blob of the mixture on the tray as they do and will spread a lot during baking.

TIP – Once baked and freshly out of the oven push some more white chocolate chips and raspberries on to the top of the cookies. This really gives them the fresh white and red look.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH FREEZE DRIED RASPBERRY SPRINKLES

Slightly chewy cookies which keeps well in a sealed tin for up to a week. Remember to add some chocolate chips and freeze dried raspberries to the top of the cookies at the end of baking.
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Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min

INGREDIENTS

  1. 100g butter, softened
  2. 125g caster sugar
  3. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  4. 1 large egg, beaten
  5. 150g self-raising flower
  6. 80g white chocolate chips
  7. 5g freeze dried raspberries

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 190c/fan170c/gas 5. Lightly butter baking trays
  2. Measure the butter and sugar into a bowl and cream together until evenly mixed.
  3. Add the vanilla extract to the beaten egg and then add it a little at a time to the butter and sugar mixture in the blow.
  4. Beat well between each addition.
  5. Mix in the flour.
  6. Add 3/4 of the chocolate chip and 3/4 of the raspberries and give a good mix.
  7. Spoon onto baking trays, leaving room for them to spread.
  8. Bake the cookies in batches on the top shelf of your oven, for 8-10 minutes.
  9. WATCH THEM AS THEY TURN DARK BROWN VERY QUICKLY.
  10. Once out of the oven you can carefully scatter and push into the warm, soft dough the left over chocolate chips and raspberries. (SEE TIP ABOVE).
  11. Leave the cookies to cool and transfer to wire rack with a a fish slice and leave to cool.

Grubby Little Faces https://www.grubbylittlefaces.com/

Happy Red Nose Day Baking everyone. Let’s raise some dough 🙂

Clare

x

CURRIED RICE SALAD

With warmer weather hopefully approaching my thoughts turn to enjoying eating outside. Family picnics and BBQs with friends. When we get together this summer I will probably make this recipe for Curried Rice Salad. It is easy to prepare ahead of time, it’s a great side dish, and has a mild, spicy tang to it. I have adapted the recipe to suit me but the original recipe came from a talented catering friend of my Mums. She used to create mouthwatering summer Wedding buffets in large marquees and I was one of her waitresses. Once the wedding guests had been well fed, tables cleared and everyone was settled for the speeches with a glass of champagne, we were allowed to eat whatever food had been left. Oh what a delicious feast we would have of the finest poached salmon and fresh salads. I loved that job.

CURRIED RICE SALAD
CURRIED RICE SALAD

INGREDIENTS

  1. 175g Basmati rice
  2. 1 eating apple, peeled and diced
  3. a handful of sultanas
  4. 1 medium sized white onion
  5. half a lemon, juiced
  6. 2 tablespoons of mango chutney
  7. 2 rounded teaspoons of mild curry powder
  8. Your favourite french dressing
  9. A handful of flaked almonds.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cook the rice according to the packet’s instructions and remove the rice just before it becomes fluffy. Separated grains of cooked rice are what we are aiming for.
  2. Rinse rice in cold running water. Drain and once most of the water is out put into a bowl. Add the French dressing so that the rice is lightly covered.
  3. Fry the chopped onions until transparent. Add curry powder and stir over medium heat for a few minutes.
  4. Peel and dice the apples into little cubes. Squeeze lemon juice over them to stop them going brown. Mix apple into the rice, together with the onions, sultanas and mango chutney.
  5. The rice can then be stored in a container in the fridge until needed that day.
  6. In a frying pan toast the flaked almonds until the begin to go brown. Put to one side.
  7. When ready to serve sprinkle the nuts over the rice salad.

Grubby Little Faces https://www.grubbylittlefaces.com/

Does this sound like something you would try? What do you like to serve for Summer get togethers? I’d love to know.

Thanks for reading.

Clare

x

Mincemeat Cookies Recipe

CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT COOKIES

CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT COOKIES

Serve these for a seasonal afternoon treat with a cold glass of milk. They combine the warm Christmas sweet spice flavours with a soft oaty cookie texture. Makes approximately 20.

CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT COOKIES

INGREDIENTS
125g butter, softened
85g soft brown sugar
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
150g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
110g porridge oats
350g mincemeat
Granulated brown sugar for sprinkling on top

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 180c (fan 160c)
  2. Line a baking sheet
  3. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue beating until incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
  4. In a separate bowl measure flour, baking powder and porridge oats together. Fold these dry ingredients into the butter bowl.
  5. Finally fold in the mincemeat
  6. Using spoons drop even sized spoonfuls of mixture onto the tray. Press down with fingers.
  7. Sprinkle with granulated brown sugar
  8. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove and cool on cooling rack.

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Korma

When you want a mild, fragrant curry that the younger members of your family can enjoy this slow cooker chicken korma curry hits the spot.

Enriched with coconut milk, and aromatic spices, this super creamy curry is a deliciously comforting meal.

Ground almonds help to thicken the Korma but should you still find it a little too juicy then cornflour could be added.

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Korma

Serves: 4

Time to prepare: 10mins

Time to cook: 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high

 

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp butter
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into bitesize pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
½ tsp of chilli powder
50g ground almonds
250ml coconut milk
120ml boiling chicken stock
½ tbsp tomato puree
75ml single cream
1-2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tsp grated rind of a lime or lemon
1 tbsp garam masala
salt and ground black pepper
Rice and/or Poppadums to serve.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • If necessary grease the slow cooker pot with butter.
  • Switch the slow cooker to high
  • In a bowl mix together cumin, coriander, ground almonds, chilli powder, coconut milk, stock, and tomato pureé. Give it a good stir.
  • In the pot place the onions, garlic and chicken.
  • Pour the coconut, spice mixture and cinnamon stick over the chicken.
  • Cover with the lid and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. When chicken is cooked and tender stir the cream, garam masala, citrus juice, and rind into the curry and cook on high for 30 minutes
  • Check curry is cooked through. Add salt & pepper to taste. Remove the cinnamon stick.
  • Serve immediately with rice and poppadums.

Slow Cooker Chicken Korma

If you liked this slow cooker recipe you may like to have a look at the collection of other recipes, tips, and advice here.

Thanks for reading and happy cooking.

Clare