Baked Strawberry Oatmeal...

Baked Strawberry Oatmeal

There had been grumblings in weather reports over the past week that more snow was on the way. I chose to ignore the warnings and looked optimistically toward spring. It wasn’t unreasonable, I mean the sun did make a brief appearance a few days ago and crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths were beginning to poke their heads up in my garden. So imagine my surprise (aka horror) when I looked out of the bedroom window yesterday morning only to be greeted by several inches of snow. My husband was ecstatic as he had a ‘snow day’ (I could almost hear the sound of teachers and students all around the UK jumping up and down with joy – parents and spouses….not so much).

It seemed appropriate then that I make a warming breakfast we could eat leisurely while watching daytime T.V. Bring on Homes Under the Hammer, Judge Judy and an unseen Columbo starring Robert Conrad  (that definitely made me jump up and down with joy)!

This recipe for Baked Strawberry Oatmeal on the GE Healthahead website caught my eye awhile back. A snow day in March seemed liked the perfect time to try it out. Not only was it really easy to make but it tasted fantastic. I will be making this again! We had some leftover which we had this morning for breakfast with warm milk. Yummy!

Baked Strawberry Oatmeal (serves 4)

 Ingredients

250ml semi-skimmed (2%) milk

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

175g old fashioned oats

40g loosely packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

11/2 Tablespoons powdered flax seed (I used Linwoods milled flaxseed, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts and Q10)

100g chopped strawberries

100g dried fruit (I used a luxury dried fruit mix with sultanas,currents, dried apricots, dried pineapple, raisins and cherries)

Garnish: sliced strawberries, sliced bananas or other fresh fruit and semi-skimmed milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 190°C / gas mark 5

Lightly spray an 11- x 7-inch baking dish with nonstick spray (I used butter)

In a large bowl, whisk together first 4 ingredients until well blended

Stir in remaining ingredients and pour into prepared dish.

Bake at 190°C / gas mark 5 for 25 to 30 minutes or until top just starts to turn golden brown

Garnish with fresh fruit and add a splash of milk

Enjoy!

Sautéed Chicken with Tarragon Sauce and Skinny Fr...

I usually work on Saturday but fortunately I don’t start until the afternoon. That means I have just enough time to watch Saturday Morning Kitchen and the lovely James Martin. A few weeks ago he prepared this dish. Instantly I knew what we would be having for dinner that night. In fact we love this so much we have had it every week since. It is warm and comforting – perfect for these cold, blustery winter nights. It also has a few of my favourite ingredients in it: Mushrooms, Chicken, Cream, and Tarragon! What’s not to like?

It’s probably for the best that we are not in possession of a deep fat fryer. The combination of my desire to attempt to deep fry every chocolate bar known to mankind and my accident-proneness make the idea of owning such a device more than a little scary. Using oven chips makes this an even easier, but no less tasty, dish to prepare.

In fact this is exactly what I am making for dinner tonight – my mouth is already watering! Oh, while watching the show the addition of the egg yolks was explained as adding richness to the dish and helping to slightly thicken the sauce. In fact the sauce is so good I guarantee you’ll be tempted to lick the plate!

Sautéed Chicken with Tarragon Sauce and Skinny Fries courtesy of James Martin and the BBC Food website

Ingredients

For the chicken

1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

50g butter

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into chunks

2 shallots, finely sliced

125g pearl or baby onions

125g baby button mushrooms (I used chestnut mushrooms which I cut into thirds)

200ml white wine (plus an extra glass to drink while cooking )

300ml chicken stock

150ml double cream

2 free-range egg yolks

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tsp fresh tarragon finely chopped (I used dried tarragon and kept the measurements about the same – but taste as you add it as it does have a strong flavour)

For the Fries

4 large chipping potatoes, peeled and cut into fine chips

vegetable oil, for deep frying

sea salt to taste

OR

you can used oven ready chips and just pop them in the oven and cook according to package directions

Directions

For the chicken: heat a frying pan until medium-hot. Add the oil, half the butter and the chicken and fry until golden-brown and nearly cooked through (approx 3-4 minutes)

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the shallots to the pan and gently fry for 2-3 minutes until translucent

Increase the heat and add the remaining butter, pearl/baby onions and mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden-brown

Add the white wine and cook until reduced in volume by half, then add the chicken stock and bring to the boil

Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken and return to the boil

Cook for 2 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through

In a bowl, whisk the cream and egg yolks together. Add to the pan and stir through. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Finally, stir the tarragon through the sauce and keep warm until ready to serve

For the skinny fries:

Heat a deep fat fryer to 180C / 350F (Caution: hot oil can be dangerous. Don’t leave unattended)

Add the chips amd fry for 4-5 minutes until golden-brown and cooked through

Drain on kitchen paper then sprinkle with sea salt

To serve: spoon the chicken onto the plate then pile the fries alongside

Enjoy!

Honey-Glazed Baby Onions...

Roasted onions are the best! Whenever we have a roast dinner I always chuck a handful into the pan. I love it when they go all sticky, sweet and oozy.  However I started wondering what rule had been set in place determining that these little gems could only be served with a roast dinner. I soon concluded that it was a nonsense and decided then and there that roast onions should be enjoyed whenever possible. Fortunately I am not alone in this belief.

All I will say about this recipe on the GE Healthahead website is that we have enjoyed it on a weekly basis since discovering it. It is simply that good! It is best to use smaller onions such as pickling, baby, pearl or shallots. These are delicious with roast meats, mashed potatoes, cheeses, in sandwiches and on their own. Seriously give these onions a try -they are amazing!

Honey-Glazed Pearl Onions

Ingredients

450g baby or pickling onions

250ml vegetable broth (I have also used chicken stock)

113g runny honey

2 Tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon dried sage (I have also used fresh thyme, fresh sage and bay leaves)

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 180°C / Gas mark 4

Cut the root end and remove the papery outer layers from the onions, leaving them whole.

Place in a 9-inch square-baking dish sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. (I haven’t greased the baking dish at all while making this and so far haven’t had any issues)

Stir together remaining ingredients and pour over onions.

Bake at 180°C, stirring occasionally, for 50 to 60 minutes or until onions can be easily pierced with a knife.

Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Ready for the oven

Rice Krispie Treats For Santa...

Every Christmas Eve I am haunted by the memory of a certain ‘treat’ my sister and I left out for Santa.

Our father was pretty insistent that, after travelling around the world, the perfect culinary pick me up for Santa would be a large plate of smoked oysters and a glass of scotch. As a 9-year old (me!) and 5-year old (my sis) we agreed in principle but also felt that lavishing large amounts of Heinz tomato ketchup over the oysters would make the whole thing better.

I have vague memories of our dad quietly sobbing in the corner. He did prevent us from adding Coke to Santa’s glass of Chivas Regal though. Apparently fizzy drinks don’t agree with Santa.

Anyway, I wish to offer my apologies to my Dad and Santa and offer up these treats instead. There is no Heinz ketchup in sight – I promise!

Decadent Rice Krispie Squares

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10oz – about 40) regular marshmallows -OR- 4 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups Kellog’s Rice Krispies cereal
Plain M&M’s about 1/2 a cup
Roasted, salted cashew nuts about 1/2 a cup

Directions

In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat
Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted
Remove from heat
Stir in peanut butter until melted
Add Kellog’s Rice Krispies cereal
Add M&M’s and cashew nuts
Stir until well coated
Using a buttered spatula or parchment paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan coated with cooking spray (or greased with butter)
Cool
Cut into 2 inch squares

Enjoy with a glass of milk or Chivas Regal

Nutmeg and I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and all the best for the year ahead.

Photo by my lovely hubby, Paul. xxx

Polenta with Peas, Pancetta and Parmesan...

This is a tough time of year. Here in the UK we have a tiresome combination of cold, dark, blustery and wet. Despite a real passion for cooking the seasonal blues take hold and drain my motivation, especially when it comes to midweek meals.

This recipe from Rachel Ray via the Food Network provides the perfect solution. It’s easy to make, absolutely delicious and ticks all the comfort food boxes. As a one-pot meal it also saves on the washing up – BONUS!

Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Polenta with Peas, Pancetta and Parmesan

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2-3 slices of pancetta cut as thick as bacon, chopped (I have successfully used the following: thin pancetta, thick smoked back bacon and leftover roast honey-glazed gammon)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup quick cooking polenta

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen peas (thawed)

a couple handfuls of grated Parmesan / Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used Grana Padano)

Directions

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat

Add pancetta and cook until crisp (about 5-minutes) then remove to a plate

Add the chicken stock and milk to the sauce pan and bring to a boil

Whisk polenta into the liquid and continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes to thicken

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stir through peas to heat through (about 1-2 minutes)

Remove from heat

Stir in cheese and adjust seasoning

Garnish with pancetta

Optional: garnish with a few slivers of the cheese as well (I have also started adding a knob of butter at the same time I add the cheese. For me it adds richness and makes it even creamier)

Enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Pecans...

Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Pecans

Ode To The Sprout

Loud and clear you’ll hear me shout

about my love of the Brussel sprout.

So this day I will give thanks

for a veggie that tops the ranks.

Like wee, tiny cabbages green and bright

every mouthful a sheer delight.

Those who hate them don’t know ‘owt’

about the lovely Brussel sprout.

©2012 Luna Raye

As much as I would like to say I was a perfect child, I wasn’t. I was naughty, had tantrums and caused my parents all sorts of grief. However, I always ate my Brussel sprouts. That probably isn’t much of a consolation but that’s all I’ve got.

For years I was content having sprouts boiled and served up with butter, salt and lots of pepper. Now I have discovered there are other ways to prepare these magical veggies. This particular dish has come my way via the GE Healthahead website which has a huge range of delicious and healthy recipes. I think even those who aren’t keen on Brussel sprouts will be converted once they give this a try!

One new thing I have learned about Brussel sprouts is that they are also known as ‘Brussels sprouts‘. Apparently spelling them either way is fine – they still taste wonderful.

Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Pecans

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

400g fresh Brussel sprouts

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

Prepare the Brussel sprouts by cutting them in half and then into shreds

Set sprouts to one side

Melt butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat

Add the onion and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until onions have softened

Stir in brown sugar and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring frequently

Add the shredded sprouts to the pan and 3 Tablespoons of water to the pan

Saute with the onions for approximately 10 minutes or until tender

Add pecans and serve immediately

Enjoy!

Baked Grapefruit...

Baked Grapefruit

My memories of grapefruit involve a whole lot of fuss over something bitter and unpleasant. There were of course the special spoons needed in order to separate the tart flesh from the rind. Then there was the necessary addition of sugar (and lots of it) in order to make it palatable. A few years ago, after reading about it’s many health benefits, I decided it was time to give it a second chance. Sticking my special spoon in, I was promptly treated to a large of squirt of juice directly into my eye.

In that moment I gave up on having anything to do with this citrus beast ever again. Well that’s what I thought until I watched Sunny Anderson make this incredible dessert. O.K O.K – there was peeling and segmenting and cutting involved but this time I wore goggles.

Luna 1 – Grapefruit 0

Of course this dessert doesn’t shy away from the fact that grapefruit does need a bit of sweetening up. The brown sugar, ice cream and meringue are (in my mind anyway) cancelled out through the healthful benefits of the grapefruit – so this is a perfectly healthy and delicious treat. It is also unbelievably easy to make. I whipped this up last night at 8pm. When I say whipped – I mean it. I don’t have an electric whisk so the meringue was all done by hand. This (also in my mind) makes it ‘cardio friendly’.

Sunny Anderson’s Baked Grapefruit

Ingredients

3 grapefruits

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

Special equipment 6 (4-ounce) ramekins

Directions

Heat oven to 450F / 230C / Gas Mark 4

Remove the ends of the grapefruit to stabilize them on the cutting board

Using a sharp knife, remove the skin and bitter pith from the flesh

Over a small bowl, hold grapefruit in 1 hand and carefully remove the segments by sliding the knife between the flesh and the membrane

Toss grapefruit pieces with brown sugar and vanilla and divide among 6 ramekins

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until light and fluffy

Add sugar and beat until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks

Top each ramekin with 1/4 cup of ice cream

Cover with meringue and bake until golden brown, about 7 minutes

Enjoy!

Simple Tomato Chutney...

I always knew my summer holidays were coming to a sad end when my grandparents began their laborious preparations for making chutneys, relishes, jams and pickles. The process always seemed so complicated with sterilizing jars, tongs, gloves, large pots of boiling water, copious amounts of paper towel, cling film, gauze and of course the occasional swear word.

The end results were always fantastic but for many years I suffered from ‘preserve angst‘.

This year we had a huge glut of tomatoes from the garden. Bored of using them in salads and pasta sauces I decided it was time to face my fears. Fortunately I found a simple tomato chutney recipe by Christina McCloskey courtesy of Jamie Magazine. It was so easy I didn’t even have to use tongs or swear words. Now that’s my kind of chutney!

Easy Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

250g red onions, finely sliced

500g mixed tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 red chili, deseeded and sliced (I used a green chili)

75ml red wine vinegar

140g brown sugar

Directions

Put everything in a pan and season to taste (I used lots of freshly ground black pepper and about 1 teaspoon of specially seasoned salt)

Stir well to combine

Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until ‘jammy’ (I needed approximately 25 minutes more)

Pour into a sterilized jar and leave to cool before transferring to the fridge

The chutney will keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks

Enjoy!

It is especially delicious with vintage cheddar and oat cakes.

Strawberry, Feta and Bacon Salad...

Strawberry, Feta and Bacon Salad

The other day my Aunt Ellen sent me photos of some beautiful strawberry tarts she had made. Just seeing pictures of them was enough to get my taste buds going. Sadly the distance between Kent and Toronto is too great and I was denied a taste. She mentioned having an abundance of leftover strawberries and was unsure as to what to do with them. Immediate thoughts turned to smoothies, ice cream and jam – but surely there are other ways to use strawberries? A quick search uncovered this recipe for Strawberry and Arugala Salad.

I happened to have some spare strawberries so thought I’d give this salad a try myself. I wasn’t able to get a hold of prosciutto so used smoked, back bacon from the local butchers. For the salad leaves I opted for baby spinach, lamb’s lettuce and red chard with slivers of beetroot. It was amazing and definitely my kind of salad. The combination of sweet, juicy strawberries with salty bacon and creamy feta is to die for. This is the perfect summertime dish.

Here is the original recipe with my changes in paranthesis.

Strawberry And Arugula Salad With Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons honey (I used Canadian maple syrup)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/3 cup sliced red onion (I used shallots)

Olive oil cooking spray (I don’t use cooking spray)

4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces) (I used 4 slices of smoked back bacon)

6 cups baby arugula (about 5 ounces) (I used about half this amount of salad)

2 ounces goat cheese or feta, crumbled (I used feta)

Directions

Whisk together first 5 ingredients (through to the black pepper) in a large serving bowl.

Add berries and red onion; let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly coat a seasoned cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan with cooking spray, and heat over moderately high heat.

Add prosciutto in one layer, and cook, turning, about 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate to cool; crumble and reserve.

(What I did for the above step was to cook the back bacon, removing it from the heat once it was cooked through. I then trimmed the rind off the side in one long strip, putting it back into the pan, on a high heat, to help crisp it up – it curls up nicely too! I sliced the back bacon into bite-sized pieces and returned in to the pan for a further 5 minutes once the rind had crisped up slightly.)

Place the baby arugula in a large serving bowl with the cheese; add the strawberries, red onion, and balsamic dressing, and toss gently until just coated. (I added the bacon pieces at this stage and tossed everything together. I reserved the curly rind for a garnish at the end.)

Divide the salad among 4 serving plates, and top evenly with the cooked prosciutto.

(This made enough salad for my husband and I to have a lovely dinner with NO leftovers!)

Enjoy!

It wants brains….....

Nemesis....

Obviously not content with having eaten half my garden, the snails want in! I can say with some authority that it is more than a little disturbing to see snails gradually covering all the windows of your home. Of course I don’t mind snails per se and I certainly wouldn’t kill them, but some sort of action needs to be taken. In a previous blog post about Natural Ways To Control Slugs And Snails I listed a few ‘Gastropod Friendly’ solutions. None of them has worked. Not even the fancy snail tape I bought from The Green Gardener. Not that it’s the Green Gardener’s fault – in fact for a few of my friends it has been extremely helpful. I think the snails in my garden are made of sterner stuff.

In my efforts to lesson the damage done to my plants I tried:

Coffee Grounds – the snails, hyped up on copious amounts caffeine, ate double the amount of plants. It was a bad idea.

Porridge Oats – the slow release of complex carbohydrates meant that the snails had more energy and therefore ate more of my garden. I also discovered that oats are good for the libido – maybe that’s why I kept finding so many snails laying eggs in my pots. Ugh!

Beer – I would rather drink it myself.

Dried Egg Shells – I have a feeling they enjoy the irony of ‘walking on eggshells’ around me. I can appreciate that.

Snail Tape – aside from the fact that I cut my fingers on it and it kept sticking to my hands, shoes, trousers and face (don’t ask) this tape had some sort of magnetic draw which resulted in large clusters of snails congregating for impromptu ‘mollusk parties’. Although I provided the nibbles I was not invited.

At the moment I am still picking them off the pots, plants, walls and ground and chucking them into the far hedge. Eventually they make their way back. A few weeks ago I bought 19 marigolds which were completely decimated in 2 days. One marigold seems to have survived but I am not sure for how long. They say April showers bring May flowers, but in this case all the April showers have done is bring snails. We have had an enormous amount of rainfall in the UK over the past few months. My garden is behaving differently as a result – my sweetpeas have barely grown and my pepper plants aren’t doing anything either. Of course the snails haven’t helped.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions on how to humanely get rid of snails I would be eternally grateful. Otherwise I may scrap the garden and just open a snail safari instead.

WARNING! The images below are not for the faint hearted.

The gallery of sadness

Marigold Sadness

Another Sad Marigold

It makes me weep

It hurts....It huuuuurts!

The one that got away