Returning with a Giveaway

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I am back and this time I should be around a bit before going off again, at least I hope so. I have survived the camping trip ( I never doubted that I would really, apart from maybe those hours I was kept awake during one very stormy night), getting back late on Thursday night. My sister and I had a lovely time. (Thank you I. for taking me with you!) Ireland has changed quite a bit since I last went there in 1995 it is definitely a great place to go on holiday.



Because I have been gone for so long and haven't been able to blog, I thought I'd do a little something special on my return. I brought back a cookbook from Ireland to give away to one of you. It's called The Irish Spirit by Margaret M. Johnson and contains recipes inspired by Irish drinks. So, if you like cooking with booze, or just like cookbooks and would like to add this one to your collection, all you need to do for a chance to win is to leave a comment on this post before 31st August 2008.

I'll be randomly drawing one name out of a hat once the deadline is gone, to determine the winner. If you're the lucky person I will then post out the book to you wherever you are.



Good Luck!

Banana Bread Muffins

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I'm back on the net since yesterday and can't believe how disconnected I felt from the rest of the world without it. Whatever did I do before the days of the world wide web?



I christened my oven by baking Banana Bread Muffins when the bananas in my fruit bowl had gone past their 'pretty enough to eat' stage. As you can see from the pictures I'm still getting used to my new oven and the muffins turned out a little dark, but they were good nevertheless.

I used a recipe from Recipezaar, which you can find here. It was the first banana bread recipe I ever tried and at the time I loved it. Since then this Banana Bread recipe has become my favourite though. I did everything as stated, apart from making muffins rather than a loaf, so I reduced the cooking time to about 20 minutes. Oh, and I topped them with peanut butter chips.



I know I only just got back online, but I'll be off again for another few weeks as I'm going camping to Ireland on Sunday. Once I'm back I will get back to looking after this blog and reading all yours properly though. Promised!

It's done

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Just a quickie to let everyone know I'm still alive. I moved last Saturday and am now living in Box Central. I have just about unpacked all my kitchen boxes, but still got loads of other stuff do do and some bits of furniture to get.

I'll be back on the internet from home some time next week so I'll be able to properly get back into blogging and sharing recipes then!

It's all peachy - Peaches and Cream Pie

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I'm still busy packing and sorting things out with not much happening in the kitchen. I never knew I had that much stuff. It always amazes me how much things I manage to accumulate over time and I'm not even a horder, well not that much of a horder anyways.

All my baking pans and trays are already in the bottom of one of my kitchen boxes and I have got other things than baking cake on my mind, but luckily I can just say: 'Here's one that I did earlier.....'



Peaches and Cream Pie

1 pie crust (shop bought or made using a basic shortcrust pastry)
3 cups peeled and chopped peaches (fresh are best, but tinned work well, too)
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup plain flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 180C/ Gas 4.

Place the peaches into pie crust.

Mix 1 cup caster sugar, 1/3 cup flour with the salt in a bowl.

Add the beaten eggs and sour cream and mix well.

Pour the mixture over peaches.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour and the butter until you get a crumbly mixture and sprinkle it over the pie.

Bake for about one hour, until golden on top.

This can be eaten warm, but I think it's even better when it has been in the fridge for a good few hours or overnight.

Packing Boxes and Sesame Chicken Wraps

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Well, as I said things at work have gone back to normal as the term has finished and all our students have left for the summer. My life is still topsy turvy though, as I'll be moving in two weeks, which means a lot of stuff to sort out and boxes to pack, so I don't know how much I'll be around and how long I'll be without regular internet access.

For now I'll share this quick, simple and light dinner with you in the hope that I'll be able to post again soon. If not please keep bearing with me. I will be back! Promise!



Sesame Chicken Wrap (serves 4)

2 1/2 lbs, chicken breast fillets, pounded flat
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
8 tortilla or deli wraps
1 avocado, sliced
lettuce, chopped
sour cream, to serve
salsa, to serve

Mix the sesame, cayenne and salt and coat the chicken on both sides.

Grill the chicken either on your BBQ, George Foreman Grill or using the grill in your oven until cooked through.

Times will vary, but it won't take too long as you've pounded the chicken breast fillets flat.

Slice into strips and divide between the warmed tortillas/wraps.

Top with avocado, shredded lettuce, sour cream and salsa.

Krautsalat or German Coleslaw

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Things have finally settled down a bit at work, so I'm back in the kitchen rather than living on take aways and sandwiches. Thanks to all of you for bearing with me and all the well wishes.

Krautsalat has always been one of my favourites and I really can't give you a good enough reason why I have never tried to make my own before, especially as it's not available to buy here in the UK. It is so simple and really satisfied my cravings!

The difference between the German coleslaw and the one you usually get in the UK and the US is that instead of a mayonnaise based dressing, it is made with oil and vinegar and it doesn't have any carrots in it either. There are loads of slight variations, but here's the recipe I used, it can easily be doubled or trebled to feed a crowd.



Krautsalat

1/2 head white cabbage, shredded
1/2 green pepper, shredded
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
black pepper, to taste

Place the cabbage and pepper in a decent sized bowl.

In a pan, bring the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and cumin to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Pour the hot liquid over the cabbage and stir well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least twelve hours.

'Oh dear! Oh Dear! I shall be late!"

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I feel like the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland at the moment. I'm constantly checking my watch and wonder where time goes and how I am possibly gonna get everything done!

I hope it'll be better next week!

Corn on the Cob with Herby Butter

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I think the best corn on the cob is done on the BBQ. Tonight was just not the night to wait for coals to heat though. There just wasn't enough time, as D. goes to a guitar class on Monday nights. So I tried a Paul Rankin recipe, that I found on the BBC food website. The corn is done on the stove top instead of the BBQ and both D. and I really liked it.

The lemon adds a nice zing and finishing the corn of in a griddle pan still gives you the lovely charcoaled bits on the outside. I used lemon thyme as I had no fresh chives. I think I might try adding some garlic next time for even more flavour or maybe even some chili flakes. The possibilities seem to be endless, but the recipe is really good as it is....



Corn on the Cob with Herby Butter

2 corn on the cob, husks and skins removed
2tbsp butter
1/2 lemon, juice off
2tsp chopped chives
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Cook your corn on the cob in salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain.

Heat a griddle pan to a medium heat and add the corn. Griddle for another 7-10 minutes, turning regularly.

While the corn is in the griddle pan, heat the butter, lemon juice and chives in a pan until the butter has melted.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the corn is done, remove to a plate and drizzle with the herb butter.