Creamy Pumpkin Soup

This soup is so delicious!  In Scotland we like to dunk about 4 slices of bread in the biggest bowl of soup you can get and slam it down quick without even tasting it!  Its kinda a tradition! lol .  With this soup – too much can be too filling because of the cream. We like a medium sized portion with a nice warm crusty roll or baguette – go ahead and add to the richness by putting butter on your roll and watch it melt with the heat – its DEVINE!

• 1 kg pumpkin – deseeded, peeled and cubed – or you could use butternut squash
• 2 onions chopped finely – I used 3 because they were really small
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 700 mls Vegetable stock (or chicken) – I used 2 knorr vegetable cubes
• 6 dashes of tabasco sauce
• level teaspoon of chilli flakes
• 150 mls double cream
• salt and pepper

1. Fry the onions in the oil in your soup pot until soft but not brown
2. Add the pumpkin and fry until it changes colour – like almost golden (lighter)
3. Add the stock, tabasco and chilli, bring to the boil and simmer for about ten minutes – the pumpkin should be soft by then
4. Add the cream, bring back to the boil then blitz with a handblender – then serve – I however like to let it cool and put it in the fridge for a while to let all the flavours intensify, then take out and reheat what I need.

Enjoy x

Jubilee Celebrations! Spicy Smoked Sausage And Garlic (of course) Frittata

 

Aw so tasty – heres the recipe I posted before – https://kscookinginthekitchen.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/frittata/  I added some cheddar and mixed it through then put mozarella on top!  Mmmmmmmmm  Me lovvas a wee frittata – thinking about making another with the leftover potatoes from yesterday – GREAT for using up leftovers!

 

Enjoy x

 

 

Jubilee Celebrations! – Mini Toad In The Hole (with onion gravy of course!)

As you all know from my previous post I am soooo proud that I managed to make top notch yorkies!  So I decided to make some mini toad in the holes for my Jubilee Celebration.  Here is the recipe for my yorkies – https://kscookinginthekitchen.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/yorkshire-puddings/ and then simply add one or two chunks of cooked sausage (I made some links the night before) before putting in the oven.  I served with some buttered baby potatoes and I made some onion gravy – but to be honest – its too complicated to post the method for making the gravy cos I ‘steal’  it when I am making stewed sausage – so when I make my legendary stewed sausage I will post the recipe then – I plan to within the next week or two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jubilee Celebrations! – Spicy Chicken drummers

You can see the spicy drummers next to the Union flag paper plates! lol.  This was too easy to make…

• 4 tablespoons of ketchup
• 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons of honey
• 5 teaspoons of  hot chilli powder
• 12 chicken drumsticks
• lots of crushed garlic

Simply mix in a bowl and them toss the chicken in them then roast til ready – I like them blackened and crispy.  My guests remarked on the hottness of the chicken so use the chilli wisely.  Me? – I like to scare my guests…

 

 

 

 

Jubilee Sarnies!

Jubilee weekend is here but I wont make jubilee themed cupcakes like everyone else will – I do not enjoy baking but I like the idea of pretty things sitting on a cake stand.  Cake stands look wonderful!  So – I decided to to put some beautiful sandwiches on a union flag patterned cake stand. 

On the top tier I got some flour wraps and put garlic cream cheese and french garlic sausage, rolled them up, put in the fridge overnight and then cut at angles – delish!  I have to admit we ate a few – the smell was too tempting! lol

On the middle tier are some cucumber sandwiches – not just cucumber cos that would be mega boring now wouldnt it? lol – So I got a slice of white bread, spread it with cheese n chive spread, brown sliced bread on top, buttered it and added 9 thin slices of cucumber before putting another white slice of bread on top.   Then on top of these 3 tiered sandwiches I put another layer of 9 thin slices of cucumber on top, cut the crusts off and then cut into 9 squares and secured with a wee union flag stick!

On the bottom tier are rolls halved with the expected coronation chicken on them!  Cheats coronation chicken of course cos its me! lol.  3 chicken fillets oven baked, cooled then cut into small chunks.  Then about 200 grams of mayo, 150 grams of mango chutney – I used Asdas special mango, apple and ginger chutney – I dare you to smell it without allowing your saliva to form in your mouth – IMPOSSIBLE!  And then about 4 or 5 teaspoons of medium curry powder.  Mix together and hey presto!

Jubilee Celebrations!

Ok so yesterday I had a wee celebration to mark the Queens Diamond Jubilee.  Any excuse for some lovely food and fine alcohol!  My only wish was to have the sun shining so we could all sit in the garden – but no – not in Scotland!

I apologise for the bad photography and poor presentation – I was running late – as usual – and I just threw the food on the table! 😦

First up – some sarnies!

Next up mini toad in the holes with onion gravy and buttered potatoes.  Chicken was on the menu too – plain drumsticks and also some spicy drumsticks

 

Frittata!

 

Potato salad

 

Trifle 

 

I set my niece a challenge – asked her to make a traditional Victoria sponge – the recipe she followed was not so traditional and for some apparent reason when she added pink colouring to the icing- it turned orange…go figure! lol.  It tasted great though – so a big well done to her!

 

I will soon post details of recipes/techniques used – but for now I am going to enjoy some sausage sarnies and watch the 1st of 3 days of Jubilee celebrations on TV whilst I ‘recover’ from my indoor street party!

 

Enjoy x

K’s Garlic & Rosemary Chicken Casserole

This is a warm and hearty stew.  It will probably be the last time I cook it until Winter because Summer is defo here!  The smells that come from this dish are amazing!  I like to make the casserole a day in advance because the garlic and rosemary really fuse together with the flavour from the chicken and vegetables.  So I made this on Thursday and we had it last night for dinner!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 uncooked chicken fillets, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 carrot chopped into thick rounds
• 1 onion sliced thickly
• 3 cloves garlic chopped small
• sprig of rosemary  – take off the sprig and chop
• stock/gravy – I use 5 heaped teaspoons of bisto beef powder
• 600mls cold water
• have a thickener for the gravy on standby incase lots of juice from the chicken thins the gravy – eg cornflour – I use Bisto chicken granules

METHOD

1)  Pre heat oven to 180* fan. 

2)   Put carrot, onion, garlic, rosemary and chicken into a big casserole dish

3)  Add the bisto powder to 100mls of water and mix until dissolved, then add to dish

4)   Add remaining water and mix through

5)   Place lid on dish and put in oven for about 1hr 10 mins stir half way.  Judge for yourself – its really until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft.

As usual I forgot to take a photo once plated up – we had it with creamy mashed potatoes and mashed turnip – it is really an ideal winter warmer!  So no more for my family until it is nearly Santa Claus time! lol

Enjoy x

Happy Birthday To Me!

 

I havent posted for a while due to camera issues, but all sorted now and…its my birthday today!  YAY!  Was supposed to be going with friends to Edinburgh eating some fine foods and drinking some fine/any alcohol!  But it had to be rescheduled – so – I chose to stay at home and have some fine foods of my own instead!  Am having a bbq!  Just me, my hubby and my son – no-one else is ivited!  Well when I say bbq – I am making most foods indoors and cooking up some burgers on my George Foreman! lol

Menu

Malcolm Allen Burgers on seeded buns toasted on the Foreman first!

Garlic & Rosemary Chicken and Potato Bake

Basically its the same as this recipe – https://kscookinginthekitchen.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/easter-dish-number-3-garlic-rosemary-chicken-drumsticks/ but only you add in potatoes in their skins all the same size to ensure even cooking!

Leftover spicy sausage pasta

Batchelors Golden Rice

Corn on the cobs

Mixed paprika salad

Wine – dont forget the wine!

The sun has been shining all day – just perfect – am off to polish off the rest of the wine!  🙂

Spinach & Pancetta Chicken Roulade

Tonights dinner was Spinach & Pancetta Chicken Roulade.  I have only made this once before and was supposed to add some kind of cheese to it – I cant remember what cheese, but my husband couldnt find it in the supermarket so I just added cheddar.  Personally it was so tasty I couldnt see any reason for adding cheese in the first place – the garlic was AMAZING!  So this time I decided to omit the cheese!  I also should have bought baby spinach but didnt – but it was still FANTASTIC!

INGREDIENTS

• Skinless chicken breast – I used 3 medium sized
• 4 slices of pancetta per chicken breast
• Spinach – try and use baby spinach
• garlic – to your taste – I used LOADS and I actually used pureed garlic from a tube!  48 hours and all I have done is chop bloomin garlic – I wanted a rest! lol

METHOD

1)  Batter your chicken breast between sheets of clingfilm until thin and layer with 4 slices of pancetta, leaving the far outer side with non filling to allow for movement of the filling when rolling

2)  Add a layer of spinach and scatter/dot garlic on top – I actually did it this way with my first breast but for the other 2 breasts I added garlic puree first – THEN the spinach because when rolling my hands got covered in garlic – but the spinach on top protects – you want as much garlic in there!

3)   Roll the chicken breast up with the join at the bottom and if there are any spinach or pancetta sticking out at the sides – tuck it under

4)  Wrap the chicken up tightly in tin foil and seal.  Place in fridge so that the chicken can take shape – I prepared this in the morning which is fine.

5)  Place chicken in oven – preheated to 180* fan for 45 minutes

I served mines with roast potatoes, mashed carrot with cinnamon and a little honey, and cauliflower and onion cream DELISH!  Unfortunately my photos of the end product didnt turn out too good as you can see from the photo at the very top, but  here is a photo of my sons dinner – halfway through eating! lol

Pancetta & Spinach ‘cupcakes’

Hellooooo!  Well its been a while!  I keep taking photos of my food in preparation and then forget to take a photo once its cooked!  So not too many blogs from me. 

Anyways I have been busy all morning – I have made K’s Carrot and Onion Soup – https://kscookinginthekitchen.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/ks-carrot-onion-soup/  and prepared my dinner for tonight Pancetta and Spinach Chicken Roulade – which I will post later, and I made these superb cupcakes with my leftover ingredients.  (I also had spinach frittata on Friday and STILL have spinach leftover!).

I see these savoury cupcakes all the time but I visited Memoirs Of An Amateur Cook’s blog – and found this beautiful recipe – http://sarahsfoodieblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/chorizo-asparagus-and-cheddar-cupcakes/

These grabbed my attention because most savoury cupcakes have flour added but not these.  The recipe is on Sarahs blog – so go visit – the only difference was that I added leftover pancetta x 6 strips and leftover spinach 3 big handfuls and a third of a large onion instead of chorizo and asparagus.  I also omitted one egg so only added 5 – I dropped  my last egg! lol  Heres a photo once prepped!

And heres a close up so you can see the ingredients better

And here they are straight out the oven

And heres another close up – I now realise that I should have used large eggs and 6 of them!  Sarahs recipe did say fill to almost the top – but I didnt do that – When I took them out the oven I could see them deflating before my eyes! lol

These were the most tastiest savoury cupcakes ever and a pleasant change in texture.  I will defo make again and this was just using leftovers!  The minute they came out the oven myself and my family devoured them!  I would make them again and use in a summer picnic or banquet when having friends and family over. 

Thank you Sarah! x