Grow your own

Well here they are. The first lot of potatoes grown organically in our garden.

I roasted them in olive oil, salt & pepper and some garlic butter

There is a strange sense of pride when harvesting your own food. Myself and our little chef went out yesterday and dug up two lots. We still have loads of potatoes to come and a second harvest of spring onions coming soon. All our tomato plants (all 12) are growing strong. I grew them from seed so I'm overly impressed they are actually still alive let alone that so many survived.

On the sweet side we have strawberries, blueberries and cherries :)
Watch out for some yummy desserts when they are ready to be picked

I regret not planting carrots. I have a love of carrots and there seems to be a very poor crop available to buy. Though we grow mostly in pots so I think I may run out of deck space if I put much more on there.

I am a huge garden fan anyway but this year I'm really enjoying making random things from the garden. We have grown edible flowers (coming soon), I have made rose water from out own beautiful roses. I am hoping to do something with the sunflowers and there is lavender looking at me begging to be used creatively.

                     Here is the rose water. I will be posting a step by step how to soon

I hope it's not raining as much where ever you are in the world! Though at least I won't have to water the garden :)

R x

Rhubard Salad

This may sound like an odd mix and I wasn't totally sure until I sat down to eat it. Let me just say this is our new top salad! Really tasty and filling. I served with lamb chops and I think they really complemented each other. This needs to go top of your list for any summer BBQs this year. How great would this colourful delight look as a gift to the host?

Pretty simple to make

3 sticks of rhubarb, cut to 2cm cubes
A good drizzle of honey
Pickled beetroot (in a jar or make your own)
Fresh spinach leaves
100g goats cheese
Good handful chopped walnuts

Dressing made with Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper


Pop the rhubarb onto a baking tray and drizzle with honey. Into an oven to soften. This won't take long. Maybe 10 mins at 180C. Keep an eye on it. Allow to cool.

If not already done, quarter the beetroot

In a bowl whisk 3 tbsp of olive oil, balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Into a large salad bowl add spinach, 3/4 each of the nuts, rhubarb, beetroot, crumbled goats cheese and dressing. Toss gently with hands

Top with the remaining goats cheese, walnuts, rhubarb and beetroot

Drizzle remaining dressing on top

Christmas Foodie Gifts

This year my family decided to mainly buy for the kids in the family but I do like to give something as a token at Christmas. My newest obsession in food in jars so my husband and I put our heads together and came up with a few ideas. As usual I cam up with the sweet & the design, he came up with the flavours :)

The first thing I made were these Cookies for Santa jars
I have been so inspired by these on pinterest that I couldn't wait to make them. How cute to make with kiddies on Christmas Eve?! I've gone with my theme this year which is good old fashioned brown paper & string! I just love it.



These are made with layers of cookie ingredients (all dry) and the instructions for baking are on the back of the tag.

Layers from bottom to top
* 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup oats
* 2/4 cup m&ms (I used red & green)
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1/4 cup currents / chocolate chips

The tag instructions read
Add 1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
60g butter

Roll into balls & bake @ 180C for 10 mins



Next my husband made Basil Infused Olive Oil




This is made with 250ml olive and a handful of fresh Basil

Bring the oil to a low heat and add the basil. Allow it to INFUSE (see that :D) for 10mins. Remove from heat and allow to cool

Transfer to a bottle and give to someone lucky!



Last but not least is the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette



This is made with

1 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
80ml Vinegar
170ml Olive Oil
1 tbsp honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix in all and whack it into a pretty bottle with a pretty tag

The Tag reads; "For use with salads" on the back

Caesar Salad

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

3 baby cos lettuce heads
Croutons, homemade or using our recipe **
4 sliced of parma ham (or bacon or similar), sliced thin roasted till crispy (15min)

Dressing (or use store bought)
1 cup mayonaise
1/2 lemon, juice
2 crushed garlic cloves
3 anchovie fillets
1 tbsp Parmasan cheese
Salt & Pepper


To make the dressing;
Put garlic, anchovies & parmasan cheese into a food processor/blender and blend into a smooth paste
Add mayo and lemon
Combine well
Season to taste

Wash lettuce heads and slice using only the green part of the leaf
combine all with the dressing
Serve


** http://www.mybigredkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/garlic-croutons.html

Pear Bruschetta

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 Tomatoes, chopped w/ no seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp basil, fine chopped
Salt & Pepper
2 sml pears, very ripe or tin, sliced
1 1/2 cup raspberries
4 tbsp sugar
4 sml pickled onions, sliced
2 slices of Parma ham
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 ciabatta, halfed & lightly toasted


Combine olive oil, basil, salt & pepper to make a simple pestoMix gently with the chopped tomato and set aside

Make a coulis with the raspberries. In a pot, heat the raspberries and stir gently until it becomes a jam like consistency. Add sugar. Cook until you can draw a line across the back of a spoon that has been dipped in the coulis. Pour through a sieve to remove some seeds and lumps.

In a bowl mix the pear and pickled onion

To assemble

Spread each half of the ciabatta with the raspberry coulis
Add the pesto/tomato mix
Add a layer of the pear & pickled onion mix
Top with parma ham

Pop under a grill for 5 mins to crisps the parma ham. While warm sprinkle with parmesan cheese

Waldorf Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 sweet red apples, cored & chopped
2 celery sticks, washed & chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 1/2 Low fat Mayo
Salt & Pepper


Add chopped celery and apple to a large bowl




Add walnuts, mayo and gently mix

Sweet Potato Fries

Really simple to make Sweet potato fries


Pre heat oven to 200C

Peel and slice sweet potatoes into long fingers

Place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive & season with salt and pepper.

Pop into the oven for at least 20mins/until soft and crispy on the edges.

Pumpkin Fries

*Healthy option ALERT*

Ingredients

1 pumpkin (butternut squash) Skin removed & cut into sticks
Olive oil, Drizzled over each stick or brushed on
Salt & Pepper


Pumpkin (butternut squash) cut into sticks and roasted in olive oil, salt and pepper at 180C/350F for around 45mins.

Very simple

Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce

This is the sauce I used for the Gnocchi


Tablespoon of butter, melted
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, crushed or chopped fine
250g Mascarpone Cheese
Ground Black pepper
1 tbsp Tomato paste


Add butter, parmesan, milk, crushed garlic and mascarpone to a pot. Slowly heat and stir until smooth. Season with black pepper.

Add a small amount of tomato paste (for colour)and stir until you are happy with the colour. A light pinky colour.

DO NOT BOIL. You want to heat and stir until it forms a nice thick sauce.

Mint Sauce

Ingredients

Bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
4 tbsp boiling water
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar

Clean jar with lid for storage


Place finely chopped leaves into a jug and add sugar and boiling water. Stir and allow to cool. Add white wine vinegar a little at a time and taste to ensure you have the right amount of tang.

Guinness Bread

Makes 1 2lb Loaf

Ingredients

350g Coarse Wholemeal Flour
100g Strong Bread Flour
2 tsp Bread Soda
4 tbsp Demerara Sugar (Brown Sugar)
20g Porridge Oats (Optional if flour is not coarse)
1 tbsp Treacle (Optional)
80ml Buttermilk
400ml Guinness


Preheat oven to 190C (375F)

Grease 2lb loaf tin and set aside

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Insure all are mixed well. Add in the buttermilk and Guinness. If you decide to use treacle add it now. It will make the bread sweater and darker in colour. Personally I'm not a huge fan of super sweat but my husband and father are :)

Mix together with your hands. Just like a real Irish Mammy!

You will end up with a wet mixture almost like cake batter. Don't worry! It's meant to look like this. Pour into the greased tin.

Place in the hot oven for an average of 50 - 60 mins. BE AWARE that cooking times for breads really depend on the oven. This is just an average! It may take 40mins or it may take 65mins. You can see it's done when it has risen and the top is crisp. Also when you tap the bottom of the tin it will make a hollow sound.
You can also check by piercing the centre. When it comes out clean it's done!


I want to remind that the cooking times are based on my own oven. This cooks in 50mins for me. There is a fast prep time of maybe 15mins. Plus the house will smell amazing!

Roasted Veg Couscous

Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients

1 box couscous
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, deseeded, chopped
1 tbsp dried basil
Juice of 1/2 lemon


This can be eaten hot or cold.


Make couscous as instructed. There is a chart on the back of the box that tells you what proportion of couscous to water you will need. I would make no more than 1 cup (measured dried) but it all depends on weather you are using it as a side of as a main. Set aside when done.

Place all the chopped veg on a roasting tray with a dash of olive. Place into a hot oven for 15 - 20 mins. You want the veg to wilt slightly. If you chop the veg small remember to leave it in the oven for a shorter amount of time.

When roasted, mix in with couscous and add basil and lemon juice. This can be eaten now! Or you can heat briefly in the microwave.


I've served it with the Mediterranean Fish below

http://mybigredkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/mediterranean-style-fish.html

Garlic Croutons

These are great served with the minestrone soup or a garnish for anything you can squeeze them into! Yum! (Not overly calorie friendly)

Ingredients

Fresh white bread (4 slices)
1 heaped tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup butter/margarine
pinch salt & pepper
Pre-heated oven 180C


Remove crusts from bread (feed to begging dog or moaning toddler)

In a bowl mix garlic, parsley, butter, salt & pepper. Cream together until smooth.

Butter both sides of bread (without making huge mess)

Cube each slice. 1cm x 1cm (roughly)

Scatter onto a greased oven tray. You can use olive oil to grease or use baking paper. Pop into the oven for around 10 mins. Keep and eye they don't burn and move them around the tray often for even cooking.

Nom nom nom....

A Must Have Side Dish

Green Beans

You need;
Green Beans (portion depending on who you're feeding)
Unsalted butter
Bacon strips
A deep sided baking dish. I use an oven safe glass dish.

This is SO simple and SO good.

First give your bacon a quick fry to get them started. I think they are easier to chop once they've cooked a little. Then, chop each piece into small cubes. Put aside.

You can use fresh or frozen green beans in this dish. Pop the beans into your dish, add a few chunks of butter. Say one chunk for every serving. Add your bacon. Mix it about with your hands. You can add more butter later if you feel it looks dry. Season with rock salt and ground mixed pepper.

That's it! Pop it in the oven at 180C. Check after 10 - 15 mins and give it a mix. You may want to add some more butter. Once the butter is melted and the beans are soft it's done.