Mango and Lime Fool

400g / 14oz tin sliced mango / fresh
Grated rind of 1 line
Plus juice of 1/2 lime
150ml/ 1/4 pint / 2/3 cup double (heavy) cream
90ml / 6tblsp Greek yogurt

1. Drain the canned mango and put in food processor and purée. Add grated lime and juice and process till smooth.

2. If you dont have processor mash then pass through sieve and stir in lime zest and juice.

3. Pour cream into a bowl and add yogurt. Whisk until thick and then whisk in mango purée.

4. Spoon the fool into 4 tall cups or glasses / however you would like to serve. You can decorate with mango slices / other fruit. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy x

Bev's Outstanding Milk Tart

Like all the recipes I like to use, requirements are that they are quick, simple and super tasty. Maximum flavour minimum effort.

Sugar is granulated. Oil can be vegetable / sunflower / rape seed.

Base

1/4 cup sugar, 65g butter, 1/2 Tblsp oil, 1 small egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla essence, pinch salt, 250g self raising flour, 1/2 Tblsp custard powder (optional)

Preheat oven 160oC Fan / 180oC. Cream butter & sugar. Add egg, vanilla essence, salt and oil. Beat well. Add dry ingredients. Knead together and press into base & sides of pie plate / tin. Prick randomly with fork and bake for 15 mins

Filling

500ml milk, 1 Tblsp butter, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cornflour, 1tsp vanilla essence, cinnamon to sprinkle

Mix together eggs, sugar, cornflour. Melt butter in milk. Add sugar mix to hot mill and stir with whisk till thick. Remove from heat and add vanilla essence, mix well. Pour into base, sprinkle cinnamon and leave to cool.

Bon Appetite x

Italian Fried Eggs

I am always looking for new / different ideas for breakfast. I recently acquired a great book by Silvana Franco called Family Food. I got this recipe from there. Its quick, easy and really tasty too. You can adjust the quantities to make more than 1 serving.

Serves 1

1 plum tomato, thickly sliced
1 thick slice of ciabbata / other rustic bread1
2 tblsp olive oil
1 large egg
1 smal clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 small red chilli, thinly sliced (optional) but it gives a lovely colour and flavour
large hanful of snipped chives
1/2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
sea salt and black pepper

1. Heat a ridged cast iron griddle pan. Lightly the tomato slices and the bread with a little olive oil. Cook the tomato for at least 5 minutes. When they are nearly ready, toast the bread in the same pan until nicely bar marked.

2. In the meantime, pour a little olive oil into a small non stick frying pan and crack in the egg. After a minute or so add the garlic, and chilli if using. Cook for a further couple of minutes spooning hot oil over the egg until it is cooked to your liking.

3. Place griddled bread on a plate and quickly spoon the tomatoes on top.

4. Throw the chives into the egg pan and splash in balsamic vinegar. Season generously, the slide egg onto the tomatoes and drizzle over the pan juices. Serve straight away, with a good cup of tea..

Note from Cook Book : A fried egg is a very personal thing. For Silvana the key is a good crispy base, but feel free to cook yours the way you like it.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie

Ingredients

185g (6 1/2 oz) butter, melted

1/4 cup (30g/1oz) cocoa powder, sifted

1 cup (220g/7 3/4 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (150g/5 1/4 oz) Plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

cheesecake

285g (10oz) cream cheese, softened and chopped

4 1/2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 1060oC (320oF). Place the butter, cocoa, sugar, eggs and flour in a bowl and mix well until smooth. Spoon into a 20cm (8in) square slice tin lined with non -stick baking paper. 

To make cheesecake, process cream cheese, sugar and eggs in food processor until smooth. Place large spoonfuls of the cheesecake mixture on top of chocolate mixture and swirl with a butter knife. Bake for 45 - 50 min or until set. Cool in the tin. Cut into 16 slices. 

Delish....

Dutch Apple Cake with Cinnamon Sugar

This is a great way to use up apples. This recipe I make all the time when I need a nice dessert or tray bake for tea. I got it from my Easy Entertaining Cook Book by Darina Allen.

Ingredients
2 free range organic eggs
225g (8oz) caster sugar
110g (4oz) butter + extra for greasing
150ml (5fl oz) creamy milk
185g (6 1/2oz) plain flour + extra for sprinkling
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 - 4 Bramley (or other) Apples
25g (1oz) sugar
lightly whipped cream, to serve
Cinnamon Sugar
25g (1oz) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon




Preheat oven to 200oC/400oF/gas mark 6. Grease and flour 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 in) roasting tin / lasgane dish. 


Whisk the eggs and caster sugar together in a bowl until the mixture is really thick and fluffy. 


Put the butter and milk in a saucepan, bring to the boil and stir, still boiling, into egg and sugar mixture. Sift the flour and baking powder and fold into the batter carefully, so that there are no lumps of flour. Pour the mixture into the roasting tin or lasagne dish. 


Peel and core apples, cut them into thin slices and arrange them overlapping each other, on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180oC/350oF/gas mark 4 and continue baking for a further 20 - 25 minutes or until the apple cake is risen and golden brown. Mix the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top. Cut into slices and serve with lightly whipped cream. 

Banana Nut Brownies

When ever I have any bananas that are over ripe I usually make an American Banana Loaf which is so quick and easy. All the ingredients are put into a food processor and then into the baking tin and baked. I always make that and decided to look into my other cook books to see what else I could make. The Banana Loaf usually uses 2 bananas. This is such an easy recipe and if you dont know how to make brownies its a no brainer. It uses one saute pan to do everything.

I found this brownie recipe in my Darina Allens - Ballymaloe Cookery Course

Ingredients

• 175g/6oz butter, cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing
• 300g/10oz light muscovado sugar
• 175g/6 oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 100g/4oz hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
• 3 organic eggs, beaten
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 100g/4 oz self raising flour, sieved
• 1 teaspoon baking powder, sieved
• 20x30cm/ 8 x 12 inch Swiss roll tin, lined with silicone paper

Steps

Preheat the oven to 350oF / 180oC

Melt the butter in a sauté pan on a gentle heat and add the sugar and chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir in the nuts, beaten eggs and mashed banana. Mix well, then add the sieved flour and baking powder. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 30 minutes until firm in the centre. Cool in the tin and then turn out and cut into squares. 

Cheats Caramel Ice-cream

This is a lovely recipe that can be put together in a few minutes. The only thing is that it needs 3 - 4 hours in the freezer. I got this recipe from one of my favorite cook books. Fresh, Fast, Simple by Donna Hay. Truly scrumptious.

600ml pouring cream
1 x 340g can dulce de leche / caramel condenced milk

Place the cream in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks have almost formed. Mix the caramel until smooth and fold into the cream. Place in a metal container and cover. Freeze for 3 - 4 hours or until firm and serve in scoops.

Serves 4 - 6

Caribbean Lamb and Lentil Curry

I got some diced lamb from the butchers and was going to make some lamb kebabs with couscous. However I made a Mango chicken with couscous for lunch so then decided to change what to make with the lamb for dinner. I have made this recipe many times and it is a never fail, delicious dish. Great for any ocassion, its spicy and flavorsome but not hot.  Serve 4 - 6 people. Depending on accompaniments.

1 tblsp flour
1 tblsp curry powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder (can add more if you want it hotter)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
50g butter
1kg trimmed diced lamb
1 large brown onion chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium red pepper cut into 1cm squares
400g tinned tomatoes chopped coarsely (I usually get whole plum and cut then with a knife in the tin - they have more flavor)
2 cups/500ml lamb stock
250g brown lentils rinsed and drained
1/2 cup coconut milk

1. Combine flour,powders,ginger,salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Melt Butter in large heavy based saucepan, cook lamb in batches until brown. Set aside.
3. Add onion, garlic and red pepper to same pan and cook until onion is soft and just beginning to brown.
    Add curry mix, stir well and cook stirring for 1 min.
4. Add indrained tomatoes and stock, stir well. Add lamb, lentils and coconut milk, simmer gently, covered, stirring occasionally approx 1 hour or until lamb and lentils are cooked.
5. Serve.

Accompaniments - Boiled rice, Mango Chutney, chopped banana, chopped tomato, coconut, plain yoghurt.

Bon Appetite x x x

Bev's Milk Tart - South African Recipe

I was given this recipe by a lovely lady Bev. I used a 24cm Tart Tin.

BASE
1/4 cup sugar
65g butter
1/2 tblsp oil
1 small egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of Salt
250g self raising flour
1/2 tblsp custard powder (optional)

Preheat oven to 180oC / 160oC Fan. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, extract and salt and beat well. Add
dry ingredients. Knead together. Press into base and sides of pie dish. Prick randomly. Bake for 15 mins.

FILLING
500ml milk
1 tblsp butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornflour
1 tsp vanilla essence
Cinnamon

Mix together eggs, sugar and cornflour. Melt butter in milk. Add sugar mixture to very hot milk and sugar. Cook and stir with whisk till thick. Remove from stove. Add extract and stir well. Pour into base. Sprinkle with cinnamon and cool.

Food Magazines as Inspiration - Mango Chicken with Coucous

I love my monthly fix of my favorite Food Magazines. Olive, Delicious and BBC Good Food. I also love Jamie Oliver and Food and Wine Magazine. I would love to get my hands on Donna Hays Magazine as well.

Anyway sometimes these mags come with little booklets slimmer dinner, healthy recipes etc... I decided to try out one of the recipes from one the booklets today 25 Quick Fixes, Meals in 20 minutes or less from Olive magazine May 2012 issue.

I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and wanted to use those. The recipe I chose was Mango Chicken with Couscous and it only took 15 minutes to make... Super fast and it was really delish...

You will need: 

olive oil

Chicken fillets x 2 / 350g cut into strips

ground cumin 2tsp

chicken stock hot - 300ml

couscous 150g

mango chutney 3 tbsp (they recommend Geetas but any will do)

spring onions 4 , sliced into 3cm pieces

coriander a small handful, roughly chopped

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok / large frying pan. Sprinkle chicken with ground cumin and cook for a couple of minutes till lightly browned.

Pour 200ml of the stock over the couscous and leave to soak for 5 mins. 

Add mango chutney to the chicken, stir well and leave to bubble for 2 mins then add the remaining chicken stock and spring onions and cook for 5 mins or until chicken is cooked through. 

Fluff up the couscous with a fork amd stir in half coriander and the other half into the chicken and serve. 

Enjoy...

Heavenly Pecan Squares

I promised to bake for the church fund raising coffee evening so these are some of the goodies I baked. To add an extra special touch you can dip or drizzle with melted chocolate. Yum..

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 cup good honey
• 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup heavy cream / double cream
• 2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomedsaucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.