Bailey's Biscotti Review

I'm not much of an alcohol drinker, though I do like a drink on the odd occasion, usually around Autumn/Christmas as a warmer-uper.

I jumped at the chance to try this though! It's delicious, it's so creamy and tastes like biscuits. It's amazing!

If I were to see some in my stocking this Christmas I'd be very happy, actually any Baileys this brand kicks ass.

Weekend Overview #5

My pie!

Hello my dears! With saying that I think I just turned into a Grandma.

This weeks cooking has been rather exciting! I've experimented with pastry, started keeping a food journal (but not in the obsessive anorexic way) which helps me remember what I've cooked, how I've cooked it and what can be done to improve it. I've also cooked steak for the first time!

Wednesday 9th November 2011

Today I thought I'd experiment with tomato based pasta sauce. I have cooked a pasta sauce before but it was my Uncle's recipe, and honestly it didn't work so well for me. It's a secret recipe though, so I can't divulge. I do remember not liking it years ago, so maybe that's one thing that stuck, as I like most things I used to hate the taste of. I'm not saying it's a bad sauce, because it's not, it just wasn't quite right.

So tonight I decided to make my own.

I raided the fridge for onion and leek, then raided the cupboard for tinned tomato's and penne pasta. That's the base of the sauce. I cooked the onion in olive oil and added mixed herbs, black pepper and paprika to the sauce, that's all that it is.
Probably took 15mins in total to cook, and it was so delicious and I was full before I'd finished the bowl, though that could be that I haven't gotten portions perfect yet.

After that, well I'm not sure what came over me, but I decided I'd make a pie. Pastry... from scratch. The last time I did this, my mom made me and I moaned the whole time about it being underneath my fingernails, but I found out some shortcrust pastry tips and went for it!

Went for it I did, anyone who follows me on Twitter will have seen my valiant journey through the pastry making world. I misjudged my measurements though, and my pie casing was too thin, I think I was out by 50 grams though, so not too bad. Now, onto the filling.

I wanted to use black cherries only, yet when I emptied the tin and drained them they were bloated and most of the tin's weight was the very watery syrup. Let's say I'm not using that brand again. Even halved these cherries wouldn't even fill a pie, they barely covered the base, I had to open a tin of pear quarters in the cupboard to fill it up. Though I did arrange them in a very pretty manor.

I even had enough left over pastry for the epic little pie leaves. The top of the pie is my favourite, milk glaze, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Delicious. It smelled amazing in the oven. Those damn cherries ruined it though, their bloated corpses leaked in the oven and caused the base of the pie to be soggy. It tasted good though.

Friday 11th November 2011

Tonight's meal was completely for my fiance, beef in orange from my Chinese Food Made Easy book. The marinade/sauce was my favourite part, sweet and fresh, made the medallion steaks I used so juicy. I'd never cooked beef, and I had no idea how much a proper frying steak cost, hence why I substituted for the uber thick medallion cut. I had mine well done and Craig's was medium.

Cooking steak for the first time is scary. When I started this cooking lark I was terrified of raw meat and wouldn't touch it, but I soon had my hands on these bloody cuts.

Everything about this dish smelt delicious. Oh I haven't even mentioned the shiitake mushrooms! I was so excited about these, I didn't think I'd be able to find them in Tesco, I thought I'd have to substitute for chestnut. Yet there they were, bold as brass, and they were wonderful, slightly sweeter than regular old mushrooms.

I served it with simple microwavable Thai rice, I guess you could call it cheating, but I had my mind on steak! Plus I couldn't be arsed with all the faffing about at that point, I was bloody hungry.

Saturday 12th November 2011

This time I cooked chicken braised with cider & bacon, again with rice but mostly because I never think of the side dishes, personally I think courgette or parsnips would be brilliant roasted, perhaps honey roasted, oooooooh!

I changed a couple of bits to the recipe, using breast instead of leg and Oak Smoked bacon lardons. I added a sprinkle of ginger and a pinch of coriander, my own little touch to give it a lift.

I loved this, the chicken fell apart at the slighted tug, beautifully soft and succulent.

Sunday 13th November 2011

I decided to do my pasta sauce (see top) again, but this time I added a red chilli, deseeded as I'm not insane, mangetout and baby corn.

Now this, this was good. It's amazing how small a varient can make a big difference.

So that's all for this weekend, next week I shall be cooking the steak again, but this time I'll be trying it with turkey. Honestly I think that's all I shall be cooking because it's my friends engagement party on friday night, so there'll be no time to cook.

Simple Cold/Sore Throat Remedy

It's that time a year again when we all catch colds and end up with sore throats, so I decided to share my remedy with you, this helps me alot more than those little lozenges.

You Will Need
Water
Milk (full fat if possible)
Honey (runny is best)
Powdered ginger

Method

Boil your kettle, then fill a mug half-way with water. Stir in a teaspoon of honey, stir until disolved. Then add milk til full and sprinkle some ginger in and stir.
Enjoy at your leisure.

I got the idea from watching the behind the scenes on The Lord of the Rings, as Andy Serkis would have to drink and hot water, lemon and ginger concoction all day so he could do the Gollum voice.

Ginger is a natural antiseptic which helps treat your throat, so is the honey, though it also soothes your throat the way phlem is supposed to.

I consider this a comfort drink too, warm and milky without caffine makes it great for resting.

I hope this helps your sore throats!

Weekend Overview #4

On Friday night I made something up, including my own sauce, to go with some roasted vegetables, aubegine, mushroom, pepper etc. It was served up with turkey steaks and pancetta.

I made another batch of stew on Saturday, experimenting with the sauce by adding marmite and worcestershire sauce. It was a sucesss.

I didn't cook after that but I did buy a notebook for a kind of food diary.

So that's all for now.

Weekend Overview #3

I tried not to cook too much this weekend as I have a cold and didn't want to pass it on to my family.

Friday

We had a sort of cottage/shepards pie thing. Beef mince carrots, onion in a sauce topped with mash sweet potatoe. I really enjoyed this meal, was heart and warmed us up but the best thing is it was on the healthy side.

Saturday

I didn't cook, but I did use my baking knowledge to invent a cake. I'll write up the recipe and post it mid-week I think. I made this for Craig to cheer him up, well he did most the work, I didn't want to embed germs into the mix. It turned out well and would make a great layer cake!

Cyber Candy!

If there was ever a reason for me to head into the bustling city of Birmingham, it'd be Cyber Candy.

I've loved this store since it opened, such great choice, some amusing sweets in there!
So, Craig and I went in there, not sure what we really wanted, though I was dying for some Reese's Pieces.

Here's my stash:



Vanilla Coke (how I've missed thee) Reece's Pieces and a Reece's Pumpkin! So peanut buttery, I love it.

I didn't photograph it but Craig had Mountain Dew Adrenaline, 2 packs of Twix Pods (bogof) and the pumpkin shaped Reese's.

They have so many things to choose from, I usually have Pocky. I love this store, perfect for a treat.

Crusha Milkshake Pudding

Vanilla
Strawberry
Banana

Do you remember when Crusha first appeared a few years ago? The cats, that advert was brilliant. I still sing it in the style every now and again, it's one of their jingles that stick in your head.

I saw these in Tesco (3 for £1) and couldn't resist trying them. As a lover of the milkshake mix I couldn't wait to try these.

I can say that these didn't disapoint. I am a lover of milkshakes, and these are just like milkshake.

Actually, if you like the Crusha milkshake mix, then you'll love these.

I am yet to try the chocolate one, and there's jelly too, Crusha even have their own form of Angel Delight.