Jan 24 2017

Best Valentine’s Day Recipes

Best recipes for Valentines Day

Creamy Pesto Shrimp

Creamy Pesto Shrimp

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
  2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
  3. Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened.
  4. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine
Whats for Pudding? Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
Top these gooey-center, intense chocolate desserts with powdered sugar.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS
  1. Using the 2 tablespoons butter, grease six 8- to 10-ounce ramekins, souffle dishes or custard cups. Place ramekins in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside.
  2. In a heavy small saucepan, combine chocolate and the 3/4 cup butter. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove pan from heat; set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Fold one-third of the chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Fold remaining chocolate mixture and flour into egg mixture. Spoon about 2/3 cup batter into each prepared ramekin, dividing evenly.
  4. Bake in a 425 degree F oven about 12 minutes or until cake edges feel firm. Cool in ramekins on a wire rack for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a knife, loosen cake from sides of ramekins. Invert onto dessert plates. Sift with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
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Mar 16 2016

Easter baking treats

Easter baking recipe by Jamie Oliver celebrity chef,  restaurateur, and media personality known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his global campaign for better food education.

Jamie has created loads of easy Easter recipes such as bath buns, chocolate and raspberry tart and hot cross buns, celebrate this special family occasion with some scrumptious baking.

  

I had a go at making these delicious hot cross buns which were so easy and only took 35 mins to bake

QUICK AND EASY HOT CROSS BUN RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 225 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 200 g light muscovado sugar
  • 150 g ground almonds
  • 100 g buckwheat flour (see tip)
  • 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
  • 1½ teaspoons gluten-free baking pow
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large orange
  • 3 large free-range eggs (at room temperature)
  • 175 g mixed dried fruit (ideally with candied orange in it)
  • 50 g dried cranberries
  • 1 eating apple (125g)
  • 100 g icing sugar , plus extra for dusitng
Method
Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Line two muffin trays with paper cases or squares of baking paper. In large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric beater until pale and fluffy.

Combine the almonds, flour, mixed spice, baking powder and salt in
a bowl, then sift it on top of the creamed butter and sugar. Add the orange zest, 3 tablespoons of the juice and the eggs to the bowl as well. Beat everything together until you have a thick batter, then stir in the dried fruit, cranberries and apple.

Dollop the mixture into the muffin cases so they’re three-quarters full. Bake for 35 minutes, then turn down the heat to 160C/gas 3 and bake for
a further 20–25 minutes, until the muffins are well risen and golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Gradually mix the icing sugar with 4–5 teaspoons of the orange juice to make a thick icing. Spoon into a piping bag with a round nozzle, or into a sandwich bag, snipping off one corner. Pipe crosses onto each muffin, dust with extra icing sugar and leave to set.Tips

Buckwheat, despite its name, is not related to wheat at all and is totally gluten-free. The flour has a light nuttiness. You’ll find it in most supermarkets and health food shops.

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Mar 13 2015

Healthy easy and affordable lunch options

Are you struggling to find healthy school lunch ideas? Having a 15 year old and 13 year old I have spent the past 10 years wracking my brain what to give them for school lunches, the options are limited to sandwiches, fruit, snacks, crisps etc. As they have grown older they eat far more resulting in school lunches becoming an expensive meal of the day. Its easy to give them tuck money and hope like hell they buy something substantial however, it usually consists of junk food which plays havoc with their sugar levels the rest of the day.

With childhood obesity and diabetes on the rise, it’s clear our kids need healthier eating habits. Establishing these behaviors early in life can lead to healthier eating as an adult. And what better place to start learning good habits than in school?

Experts find that many school lunches are too high in cholesterol and saturated fat, and too low in dietary fiber, whole grains and vegetables. However, the days of soggy tater tots and rubbery hot dogs may be numbered. Schools nationwide are working to make more nutritional lunches available to all students. From vegetarian lunch options to using local produce, school lunches are transforming.

I found some great nutritional school lunch ideas I decided were worth sharing, these easy lunch recipes will make your life easier:

3. Turkey Salad Rolls

CHICKEN SALAD ROLLS

Combine diced smoked chicken, toasted almonds, halved seedless red grapes, thinly sliced celery and mayonnaise. Transfer to an airtight container; pack with a whole wheat hot dog bun for your talented kid to assemble.

4. Corn and Zucchini Fritters

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

Prepare a batch of whole wheat pancake batter, using about 1/2 the liquid. Stir in a cup thawed frozen corn, one small grated zucchini and a handful of Parmesan, and a sliced scallion. The zucchini will add moisture; add more liquid if the batter is too stiff. Cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pack with Greek yogurt for dipping.
10. Chips and Dips

Chips and Dips

Combine chopped fresh tomatoes, lime juice, finely chopped white onion and chopped fresh cilantro. Pack flaxseed tortilla chips with small containers of the salsa, avocados mashed with lemon juice, and Greek yogurt.

11. Mini-Bagel Breakfast Sandwich

Mini-Bagel Breakfast Sandwich

Spread the bottom of a split, toasted mini-bagel with cream cheese, Canadian bacon or pancetta, a scrambled egg and a tomato slice. Spread more cream cheese on the bagel’s top slice before setting into place.
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