Healthy Banana Bread

This is a scrumptious yet healthy version of banana bread so you can feel less guilty when you have a slice. 

Ingredients 

* 2 cups of ground almond
* 1/4 ground flaxseed
* 2 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 2/3 chopped nuts (peanuts/walnuts work well or mixed nuts)
* 4 really ripe bananas (mashed well with a fork)
* 2 tsp of honey
* 4 eggs
* 1 tsp of vanilla extract


Method


1. preheat oven to 376 oF/ 190 
2. sift dry ingredients in a bowl - not nuts
3. mash bananas, add eggs, honey & vanilla extract (the wet stuff) & mix well

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients but dont mix in too much

5. line loaf tin with grease proof paper & pour in the mixture
6. place nuts on top for decoration
7. bake for 30-40 mins (or until skewer comes out clean)
8. leave to cool in the tin then transfer to rack.

Hannah's Kitchen

Local chef & patisserie queen Hannah Jones from Hannah's Buns stops by to share her weekly post with us. Sharing her tips, advice & her special recipes. For more of what Hannah has been up to visit her blog http://hannahsbuns.blogspot.com/ 

This week I travelled to Wash farm in Sible Heddingham. I’ve been to this farm many times with my children to pick strawberries, but today I was there to speak to one of the farmer’s Shirley Stevenson. Shirley and her husband Peter have been producing Pick your own (PYO) strawberries since the 1980’s and it is very popular. Today I was there to find out more about their autumn lamb. I decided to do my recipe using this particular meat.  Shirley was very kind and took me to see their Rams.   They were lovely and so friendly.  It was interesting speaking to Shirley she had three rams and each one would be able to impregnate fifty to sixty yew’s

Autumn lamb is different to spring lamb, it has a stronger taste and is great to use in curries and stews. However, because of its strong flavour you can use a lot of herbs and spices without it interfering with the flavour of the lamb.

The autumn lamb is hung for 7-10 days this is normal for lamb it’s not as tender as spring lamb so it does need to be cooked a bit longer.  You can buy the lamb at Wash Farm in portions or as whole.  If you buy a whole lamb it works out cheaper.  I really believe in buying local produce as much as possible especially when it comes to buying my meat. I care about how animals are treated and I believe their life should be as good as it can be before they are killed. I am supporting the campaign for buying British pork as I have seen what happens to the pigs in other countries.  Wash farm is a great place to take the children where they can see firsthand animals in their natural environment and they can pick their own strawberries in the summer.  Wash farm also sell gooseberries, cherries, blackcurrants and Asparagus.  They also have another farm in Shelford producing British pork.  Please have a look at their website for more details www.washfarm.co.uk   

Today I would like to share with you my easy lamb curry made using the lovely fresh autumn lamb from Wash Farm:

Serves 4-6 people

800g Lamb cut into small pieces

300ml plain yogurt

¾ tsp turmeric

1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

1 Garlic clove (cut very small )

1 tsp Cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

A pinch of salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large Onion (Chopped finely)

1-2 Green chillies

1tsp Garam Masala

A handful of fresh coriander.

First you need to marinate the lamb in the yoghurt, turmeric, ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt.  Leave to marinate for as long as possible.

Heat the oil in a non stick saucepan and add the onion and chillies and brown them about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the meat and the marinade and cook over a low heat for about 3 minutes. Cover and cook over a low heat for about an hour, giving a stir now and again.  Add a little hot water from the kettle if it looks like it is getting dry.

Once tender, stir in garam masala adjust seasoning if need to.  Then stir in the coriander serve with rice or couscous.  

Hannah 

Easy Peasy Ginger Beer

A refreshing drink perfect for sunny days & barbecue's. 


Ingredients


140g fresh ginger
4 tablespoons muscovado sugar
2-3 lemons
1 litre soda water or sparkling mineral
water
sprigs of fresh mint


Method


1. Grate the ginger with a cheese grater. Put the ginger into a bowl & sprinkle with muscovado sugar. 
2. remove rind from 2 of the lemons & add to bowl & slightly squash & mash up.
3. squeeze juice from all 3 lemons & add most of this to the bowl.
4. Allow to sit for 10 minutes then taste. You can add more lemon if too sweet or add more sugar if you find it too sour. 
5. Pass the ginger beer through a coarse sieve into a jug & add lots of ice & some sprigs of mint. Its now ready to serve.


              A fabulous Jamie Oliver recipe.

Crispy Mars Treats

• Ingredients
• 
  
• 200g (7 oz) cooking chocolate
• 3 x Mars bars (these will need to be chopped up)
• 90g (3 ½ oz) unsalted butter
• 260g (9 oz) Rice Krispies 
• 2 table spoons of golden syrup

Method

1

Melt the cooking chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. (not boiling) 

2

Melt the butter in a pan, add the chopped mars bars. 

3

Add the golden syrup then start mixing in the cereal mixing well. Spoon into muffin tray (or cake cases).

4

 Cover with chocolate and leave to set.

Joe's Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Directions:

1. Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer, mix until pale and fluffy.

3. Beat in the egg and vanilla, add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.

4. Form dough into a 12-inch roll  on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough in plastic wrap. 

5. Chill dough until firm.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

7. Cut roll into 1/4 inch thick slices and place them on a large baking sheet (about an inch apart)

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on sheets before transfering to a wire racks.

Banana & chocolate Smoothie

• A scumptious chocolaty yet healthy smoothie drink 
• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons low calorie chocolate drink powder
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 large banana
• 300ml skimmed milk
• 
  
• method (Prep: 3 mins)
• 
  
• 1. Pop everything intoablender/smoothie maker and blend together.

2. Pour into a large glass ready to drink 

Hannah's Kitchen

Local chef & patisserie queen Hannah Jones from Hannah's Buns stops by to share her weekly post with us. Sharing her tips, advice & her special recipes. For more of what Hannah has been up to visit her blog http://hannahsbuns.blogspot.com/ 

I first heard about The Keddington Butchers whilst working at The Plough in Hundon.  One of the chefs there told me that’s where they buy most of their meat from and that I should visit them for a chat.  I went there a few times and was absolutely delighted by how friendly and helpful the staff was.  They always gave me advice on how to cook the joints and which were the best cuts to use.  I decided to take the plunge and ask them if I could do a little work experience with them.   I was training to be a chef at the time and thought it would help my career to have more knowledge about the meat I cook and the different cuts.  They said “yes“and I was thrilled.  I worked at the butchers for three days and got to make my own sausages, prepare lamb chops and joint half a pig.  It was really exciting and also helpful towards my ambitions of becoming a chef. The Keddington Butchers has been trading for over forty years.  The lovely Michael taught me on my work experience days and interestingly many years ago also taught the well known Rosemary Shrager how to make sausages.  The meat is locally sourced as much as possible and they sell both free range and non free range chickens at reasonable prices.  Their pork comes from Jo straight who is based in Helions Bumpstead.  This is the meat I will be using for my recipe this week. 

Hannah’s Pork and apple stew

Serves 4

2 tbsp Olive oil

500g lean pork (cut into bite size pieces)

1 Onion

2 Carrots

2 leeks

Small handful of sage

250ml Chicken stock

1 Bay leaf

Half tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Corn flour

100g Crème fraiche

1 Apple (cut into wedges)

1.     . Brown the pork in batches in a hot frying pan with 1tbsp of oil.

2.        Then transfer to a stewing pot on low heat with the other tbsp of oil.

3.     .  Sweat the onion off in the frying then add to the pork.

4.        Add the carrots, leeks and stock to the pork and bring to a boil.

5.      Then add your bay leaf, sage and season. Turn down the heat put the lid on the pan and cook for one and a half hours.

6.      Stir the mustard and corn flour into the crème fraiche then add to the stew with the apple wedges.

7.      Cook for a further eight minutes until the apples are cooked.

8.      Serve in a warm bowl with crusty bread. 

Ginger Bread Men

Ingredients

• 140g unsalted butter
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 350g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnaman
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 balls stem ginger from a jar, chopped

To decorate

icing, sweets, glacer cherries..whatever you fancy

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C gas mark 6. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. Melt butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Mix flour, soda, spices and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir in the butter mix and chopped ginger to make a stiff-ish dough. 
3.Roll out dough to about 5mm thick. Stamp out gingerbread men, re-rolling and pressing the trimmings back together and rolling again. 
4. Lift onto baking sheets & bake for 12 mins until golden. Cool 10 mins on the sheets, then lift onto cooling racks. 
5. To decorate, mix icing sugar with a few drops of water until thick and smooth.

                                                 (sorry about the shadowy photos)

Joe's Banana Suprise

Ingredients:

• Bananas
• chopped nuts
• hundreads & thousands sprinkles
• jelly tots or jelly beans
• crushed cookies
• maple syrup
• 8 oz chocolate chips/ cubes of chocolate 

Directions:

1. Peel the bananas and slice in half long ways.

2. Place the bananas in some kitchen foil & sprinkle over chcolate chips or small chunks of chocolate.
3. bake in the oven until choclate has melted over bananas
4. Add sprinlkles, nuts, jelly beans, crushed cookies whatever you fancy. Its also rather scrumptious topped with a little icecream.

Joseph

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:- Makes 12 cupcakes.

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners and coat with nonstick baking spray.

2. In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, powder, and salt; set aside. 

3.In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. 

4. With mixer on a low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour.

5. Spoon batter into cupcake pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full.  Bake until it comes out clean 20-25 minutes

 Still working on perfecting the icing!!!

Feature Friday With Hannah Jones

                                                  Hannah's Buns Show Piece
Hey peeps, This cake I've been wanting to make for ages but I just didn't have the time. So this Sunday I gave myself the day to get it done. I wanted a show piece for "Hannah's Buns" I wanted it to show me in the Kitchen doing what I do best "Cook" :) I made a 2 tier cake the bottom is sky blue with clouds and birds. I wanted it to represent Hannah's Buns up in the sky miles above the rest. This is my dream for my cakes to be out standing and the best around, from the taste to the finish look. I made a long plated loaf to go around the cake to show my love for baking bread. Then the top tier is bright pink to show my girlie side and having fun. The crown is to show my ambition to be the Queen of cakes and pastries. I have also made a kitchen on the top layer and me sitting down for a well deserved rest :) I hope you love it, I think this is my best cake yet. Thanks for reading x

Hannah Jones

http://hannahsbunsblog.blogspot.com/

Joe's Favourite Carrot Cake

                    Ingredients

               300g plain flour

               2 tsp cinnamon  

               1 tsp baking powder    

               ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
               200g soft brown sugar

               4 medium eggs    

               250ml oil

               1 orange (zested)

               1 lemon (zested)

               200g finely grated carrots

               150g walnuts chopped

Method

1. Heat the oven to gas mark 2/ 130C. Line a 20cm, 10cm deep cake tin.
2. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together and stir in the sugar. Beat the eggs with the oil and citrus zests. Stir in the carrots and fold everything into the flour mixture then fold in the walnuts.
3. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Then allow to cool.
4. For the frosting, beat the butter and icing sugar together until soft and then beat in the cream cheese.

5. Chill the mixture until it's thick but spreadable. Spread a thick layer on top of the cake, making sure the side of the icing is flat and continues upwards from the side of the cake.

      Hope you like it as much as me its my favourite cake!
                      Joseph

Easy Ham Linguine

Ingredients

400g linguine or spaghetti

90g pack prosciutto

2 egg yolks

3 tbsp crème fraîche

1 tbsp olive oil
juice of a lemon

handful of basil leaves

handful of grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Cook the linguine. Meanwhile, tear the ham into small pieces and fry in the olive oil until golden and crisp.
2. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, then return to the pan. Tip in the cooked ham.
3. Mix together the lemon juice, egg yolks and crème fraîche, then add this to the pan along with the basil and Parmesan.
4. Mix in with tongs, adding a little of the cooking water, if needed, to make a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Serve with extra Parmesan grated over the top..

(This is a low fat, delicious & easy recipe you can do with the kids, we certainly enjoyed trying it out
                         - recipe sourced from Good Food Magazine)

Feature Friday With Hannah Jones

Welcome our Friday Guest blogger & top Pattesirie Chef Hannah Jones from

http://www.hannahsbuns.co.uk/

A 60th Birthday Cake for a gentleman who still loved to ride his bike. Sadly this sugar paste man didn't see the big steep hill and came to sticky situation on this vertical drop. Lucky he walked away with just a small cut on his knee.  This cake was so much fun to design and make. Hope you like the pictures and thank you for reading

Hannah x

Simple Sausage Casserole

Ingredients:-

14 oz package sliced smoked sausage
1 tin of salsa
1 tin of BBQ sauce or even brown sauce
1 tin of corn
15 1/2 oz can kidney beans, drained
3 lb 5 oz can pork and beans, drained
1 medium chopped onion

Directions:

Basically just combine all the ingredients into a large  pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Simple

Sarah & Joseph xx

Joe's Easy Bake Pizza

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoons Baking powder
1 dash Salt
1 teaspoons Margarine
2 1/4 teaspoons Milk
1 tablespoons Pizza sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons cheese
handful of sliced up ham

Directions:

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and margarine until dough looks like medium-sized crumbs.

2. Add the milk in slowly while stirring.

3. Shape the dough into a ball and place into a greased pan. Use your fingers to pat the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan, then up the sides.

4.Pour the sauce evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the cheese & ham. (you can add other ingrediants if you like, mushrooms, pineapple etc)

5. Bake 20 mins.

6. ENJOY!

Joseph

Big Chocolate cake

What you need 

185g self- raising flour, sifted

40g cocoa powder, sifted

225g golden caster sugar

225g unsalted butter (cut into pieces & softened)

4 large eggs

Icing:-

200g milk chocolate, broken into squares

50g plain chocolate, broken into squares

200ml double cream

(sprinkles or chocolate buttons to decorate)

1. Preheat the oven. Put the flour, cocoa, caster sugar and eggs into a large bowl & whisk together until smooth and creamy.
2. Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 cake tins and smooth the tops with the spoon.

The best bit- licking out the bowl)
3. Bake for 25 minutes until risen. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

4. to make the icing put both the types of chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan containing 2.5cm of water but make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water.
5. Bring the water to a simmer and melt the chocolate, stirring occassionaly. Be careful when removing the bowl from the pan as will be hot. Pour cream into the chocolate and leave to cool and thicken.
6. Sandwich the two cakes together with some of the icing, then spread the rest over the top, smoothing with a knife. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles, buttons or maltesers.

Bit of a spillage accurring with the icing but who am I to interfere with my son's handywork hey & it tasted delicious.

Thanks for stopping by
Sarah & Joe xx

Chocolate Brownies

What you need


125g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
100g plain chocolate, broken into squares
2 large eggs
275g golden caster sugar
85g plain flour
1 tbsp of cocoa powder


1. Preheat oven. Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan containing 2.5cm of water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water)
2. Bring the water to a simmer and melt the butter and chocolate, stirring once or twice. Carefully remove from the heat and leave to cool.

3. Whisk the eggs and caster sugar in a mixing bowl for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture.
4. Sift the flower, baking powder and cocoa into the bowl and fold in until mixed together.

5. Pour into the cake tin and level the top using the back of the spoon.

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until risen but still a bit soft in the center. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin a little, then turn out and cut into squares.


They tasted scrumscious. Scrowl down the page for last weeks big chocolate cake recipe & dont forget to pop in next week for our blueberry muffin recipe.
Thanks for stopping by
Sarah & Joseph xxxxxx

Chicken Curry

Charlie's Chunky Chicken Curry - From The Kids Cooking Company

Serves 8

Preparation Time 25 mins

Cooking Time 20 mins

Equipment

Chopping Board

Knife

Tablespoon

Teaspoon

Vegetable peeler

Can opener

Deep frying pan or wok

Mixing spoon

Measuring jug

Ingredients

1 Tbsp sunflower oil

2 Tsp mild curry paste or mild curry powder

1 Clove of garlic crushed

2 Tbsp Mango Chutney

1 tbsp Ginger (grated) optional

2 Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into cubes)

2 Medium-size sweet potatoes (chopped)

4 Tbsp red spilt lentils

300ml Chicken stock

1 x 400ml Can coconut milk

175g/6oz Frozen peas

Method
1 Heat your sunflower oil in your pan and stir in the curry paste & mango chutney for about 3minutes
2 Put in your chicken, sweet potatoes and lentils and stir well.
3 Add the chicken stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil then immediately reduce heat, let it simmer (just a few little bubbles!) for 15 minutes.
4 Add the peas. Simmer for a further 5 minutes and its all ready to go!
Tip – Get your grown up helper to check that the chicken is cooked throrougly.

Blueberry Muffins

top tip:- for best blueberry muffins dont over mix the ingrediants a lumpy batter is perfect so this is a great recipe to make with the kids.

You will need:-
150g(5oz) fresh bluberries
100g(4oz) caster sugar
100g(40z) self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
2 large eggs, beaten
1tsp vanilla extract
140ml(1/4 pint) milk


1. Cream the butter & sugar until fluffy then add in the eggs, one at a time
2. Add the milk & vanilla extract then fold in the flour & baking powder to make a thick batter.

3. Add the bluberries & spoon the mixture into the silicon bun tray (or muffin cases if you dont have a bun tray). Bake for 30 mins at 1600oC (32foF or gas mark 5)
4. Leave the blueberry muffins to cool for 10 mins before turning out.

As you can see we used our heart & star shaped silicon bun trays. The results are yummy scrummy.
Thank you for stopping by once again pop in next week for another great recipe.
Sarah & Joseph xx

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

What you need:-

* 4oz/100g self raising flower

*4oz/100g caster sugar

*4oz/100g butter or margarine

*2 beaten eggs

*1 large tin of pineapple hoops

*handul of glace cherries

*3tbsp brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 190oC/gas mark 5. Grease the inside edges & base of your cake tin with butter & sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom of the cake tin.

2. arrange the pineapple hoops to cover the bottom of your tin then pop a cherry in the middle of each one so they look pretty!

3. Sieve the flour into the bowl. add the caster sugar, margarine & eggs & whisk until smooth & creamy.

4. spoon the cake mixture on top of the pineapple rings & spread out evenly. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes.

 5. Place the serving plate over the top of your tin then turn upside down so it is the right way up. tap the bottom & sides & gently remove the tin & base to reveal the cake. serve with custard or clotted cream.

This yummy recipe is one of the scrumptious delights from Kids Cookery book

TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS!

This recipe book is available on my online boutique for £8.99 but http://www.finishingtouchinteriorsboutique.co.uk/

Thank you for joining us again. 

Sarah & Joseph

xxxxxx