Project Food Blog

Easter Eggs Benedict

There is nothing more lovely than sitting in the garden on a warm day, with great friends, kids playing, a couple of bottles of Fizz on the go, and a plate full of Eggs Benedict. This dish has to be my all time favourite breakfast, I don't have it often, but boy do I enjoy it when I do. This morning was no exception. A fantastic opening gambit for Easter, which will be spent between friends' houses, in a whirl of good food and good company.
Our blog this year has been punctuated,sadly, by a few, what I can only term, 'Big' Life events, yet every time I sit at my computer (still the useless, dodgy battery, no memory laptop...although this is all set to change VERY soon) to write, I feel so fulfilled, as I am recollecting special times.
There are a few close friends at the moment who are in recovery (from illness, they are not alcoholics!) and so we will both be looking into more wholesome ways to enjoy food and drink, as well, of course, as the occasional indulgence. I haven't quite gone to the extreme of buying my kids carrots for Easter rather than chocolate, but there is a first time for everything! Happy Easter everyone.

St Patricks Day Fadge (potato scones) - gluten free


My husband's half Irish, so our daughters are quarter Irish, and although we don't celebrate St Patrick's Day at home, I've offered to go into Jasmine's Year Two class and do a cookery demonstration. One of her friends cannot tolerate gluten, hence this recipe being gluten free.

If you ever need to do a cookery demo to 30 kids, with minimal equipment, in a state primary school with no kitchen (yes really), but one small oven in the staffroom, here is it! Happy St Patrick's Day.

Ingredients for fadge cakes

• 1/2 pound mashed potatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 oz gluten free flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 medium egg, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)

• Extra gluten-free flour blend for rolling dough

• Extra olive oil to brush tops before baking

Instructions

1. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper cut to the size of the try

In a mixing bowl blend mashed potatoes, olive oil and egg.

3. Measure and blend the flour and baking powder in a bowl.

4. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Turn fadge dough out onto a lightly gluten-free floured cutting board. Roll or press the fadge dough with hands to 1/2-inch thickness.

Use a round biscuit cutter to shape the fadge cakes or cut them with a knife in any shape you like. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Brush with olive oil OR melted butter and bake in preheated oven at 200/400 for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for a further 5 mins.

Serve warm spread with Irish butter and a pot of strong tea.

Norberto de Freitas Stubbs' Day Goes Pie

Since I joined Facebook a couple of years ago, I have been back in touch with old friends whose paths probably would not have crossed again with mine, and for that reason, Mark Zuckerberg, I thank you.
In my twenties, I was lucky enough to be involved in the exciting Hardcore punk music scene... it was a great time, full of youthful optimism and self expression..... I had a vintage clothes shop selling all sorts of eccentric attire, eat your heart out Lily Allen we was there first!!
Anyway, when I hit my mid twenties,I had to grow up, get a job, pay off debts, and look after my daughter....
Fast forward more years than I care to count, and here I am swapping pie recipes with the very wonderful Mr Frankie Stubbs, of Leatherface infamy. It tickles me, as one of their songs was (and still is!) entitled 'Not a Day Goes By' to which I always used to sing 'Not a Day Goes Pie...' (different spelling of Day Goes, which at the time I found funny, but not at all PC so we're not going to go there...)
So here we are, Mr. Stubbs' Day Goes Pie recipe, ENJOY!

Onwards and Upwards

Our blogposts have been a little sporadic this year; a culmination of a brand new business venture (Kath), an impending divorce (me), and other time and energy sapping things such as working very hard (both of us), and making ourselves make time for our friends and family (both of us.) Something had to give.....So the blogging became the casualty, for a little while at least.
To top this off, the final straw for me was my ex taking the pc; no hard feelings, he needed it; but I was left with a clonky old laptop which had been forgotten in some dusty box in the loft until very recently....
We'd been invited to guest blog for another site, and I'm afraid we (I ) may have (definitely) over stretched our committments....
Sorry Ape to Gentleman, we hope you will be Gents and forgive us... (Didn't really feel the love on Valentines' Day this year, hope you understand? x)
Anyway, Spring is here, and it's National Pie Week this week. I have my trusty (crappy) HP laptop, there's gorgeous produce coming into season, time to get back in the saddle.... in more ways then one I hope....
And if the worst comes to the worst, I can always make kebabs and cook them à la Microsoft!

New Year Superfood Salad - warm and delicious

Even though my head's saying 'carry on with the wine and chocolates at every opportunity', it has to be said that my body's crying out for entirely different substances after the excesses of Christmas. And this warm, zingy, springy winter salad has proved a really satisfying January stalwart.

I'd never tried curly kale in a salad before, but after cutting it into small pieces and lightly steaming it, I tossed it in a little sesame oil and white balsamic vinegar. I then added:

chopped beetroot (again slightly warm, as I'd just finished boiling up and keeping a batch to keep in the fridge)
chopped feta
chopped plum tomatoes

I've continued with these base ingredients and have also added any of these that happen to be around in the storecupboard or fridge:

capers or caperberries
olives
fresh anchovies
croutons
chopped hard boiled egg
flaked hot smoked salmon

My aim this month is not to deprive myself or starve my body, but to get maximum nutrition from every meal by eating unprocessed, quality ingredients. Followed, of course, by some decent quality chocolate - a storecupboard essential as far as I'm concerned!

Glad It's All Over

I have a confession to make. Christmas for me has not always been the joyous fa la la la la affair as portrayed in the Coca Cola adverts. Life happens, and sometimes this can deeply affect our feelings towards such calendar dates as Christmas, Anniversaries,Valentine's Day, etc. Christmas has been a bit of a grin and bear it event in the past, followed by loud broadcasting of Captain Sensible's 'Glad it's all over', while preparing to really celebrate on New Year's Eve.
This year, and I know this to be the case for a number of our friends, the certainty of Christmas being different, and possibly difficult, has been a little daunting to say the least. Newly divorced, separated, bereaved... all highly emotional places to be at Christmas time.
My attitude was to break with the past, and create new family traditions. The midnight walk will certainly be one to uphold, as well as Christmas Morning Hide and Seek, and the exchanging of joke presents. This year, a rubber, beautifully wrapped, causing much hilarity.  It's been a great Christmas. And I'm pleasantly surprised.
We have had 2 lovely Japanese girls staying with us, and Boxing Day Sushi will also be something we'll continue. Regular readers will know we are big fans of Japanese food, but to have it made for you in your own home was quite something.
As 2011 fast approaches, we are currently deciding what to eat and drink with our friends at New Year. It has been good to revisit our blog posts from the previous 12 months, and reflect on how many opportunities we have had to spend time with the people who really matter in our lives.
Here's to a very Happy New Year.  L&K x