Claires Special Kitchen: November 2010

Welcome all, fill your tum with my num num nums.

Friday, 26 November 2010

things I have made this week and failed at ...

I know there are a lot of photo's that don't have the recipes - I have a big pile at home that sits there looking reproachfully at me! In my defense I am feeling absolutely awful at the moment and managing to make anything between getting home from work and going to bed is considered a win!

The two things that I have managed to make this week weren't very successful, although edible, and certainly not worthy of blogging yet! I shall add them to my list of things I shall try again!

Toad In The Hole
This was more toads lying on a quilt! It was soft but in no way the billowing airyness I was hoping for! Andrew Watson of the BBD Group has posted a recipe for yorkshire puddings so I will try again!

Porcupines (Meat balls with rice in)
They tasted pretty good and I don't think it was a recipe malfunction more a me being lazy problem - they obviously weren't all going to brown when put in together in a pan that size! They has mushed a bit into the sauce - I have some for lunch but they are very far from being meatballs now! Will do it again and take a little more time!

Monday, 22 November 2010

Mushroom Risotto

This was a 'hm what shall I do with them' thrown together supper which turned out very well and needed writing down! The measurements were basically what I had so feel free to play fast & loose with them. Serves 1, preferably on the sofa in front of the telly!

Half a cup of wild mushrooms (i had a mixed selection from the market, some of which I have no idea of the names for!)
Tsp of chopped garlic (mine comes in a jar!)
Third of tin of 'easy onion' (about half an onion)
Quarter cup of dried mushrooms
Chicken stock cube
Quarter cup of risotto rice
Olive oil
Sherry
Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
2 tbsp coconut cream

Make the stock and add the dried mushrooms to soak
In a deep frying pan, fry the fresh mushrooms with olive oil and half the garlic - tip into a bowl and set aside
In the same pan add the onion and garlic until soft
Add the rice and stir
Add salt and pepper
Add a good splash of sherry and stir til absorbed
Add about a quarter cup of stock / mushroom liquid and stir til absorbed. Repeat until the rice is nearly cooked
Add all the mushrooms and finish cooking
Add in the coconut cream and nutritional yeast flakes and allow to cook for a bit (you want the mushroom taste to overpower the coconut) stirring well
Taste for seasoning
Serve!

Monday, 8 November 2010

Jam Doughnut Cupcakes

These are very yummy and much more virtuous than I normally make - but that is coz the recipe is from Elanas Pantry and she is much more virtuous that me generally, although she does use dairy in some of her recipes. The only sugar in these is in the jam (and some careful shopping can solve that!) and I must admit that I used sugar rather than sweetener on the top!

Click on the title and it will take you to the recipe at Elanas Pantry - at the risk of losing my few readers to her!

They are a hit with people not on a special diet and are soft and light with a nice bit of jammy goo in the middle! My receptionist bit into one earlier and the filling was perfect so I took a pic:

The recipe made 11, and I suspect they won't last long! They are very easy and I might make some more for the Children In Need bake sale at work!

Chunky Stuffing ( based on a barefoot contessa recipe )

Continuing on my Xmas experimentation I tried out this stuffing making a gluten free version, its something a bit lighter and less pig focussed than most stuffings.

And now on the last day of Febuary I am finally finishing this post! It is probably a little early to be preparing for next year but I do this everytime I have roast chicken now.

recipe serves about 2 people generously, just double up etc if you want more.

4 cups gf bread cubes
1/2 cup diced onion (unsurprisingly I use Eazy Onions)
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 a Granny Smith apple, diced
1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
100g sausages (about 2 usually)
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350c
Spread the bread cubes out on a baking tray & bake to 5-10 minutes until golden. Turn the heat up to 180c & tip the bread cubes into a large bowl
Meanwhile in a large frying pan fry the vegetables until softened & add to the bread cubes
Squeeze the sausages out of the skins & fry them, breaking the meat up as they cook. Add to the bowl
Stir in the stock & cranberries, & season well
Tip into a baking dish - you can do up to this point the night before, just cover with clingfilm & pop in the fridge. Otherwise;
Bake for 30 minutes until browned on top & hot in the middle

This iv very tasty with savoury, crispy, meaty, sweet & sour bit.