Recovering from the Good Food Show

The summer GFS was so much fun, so many free samples, so little time and because there was the gardner's world show there as well I could look at all the pretty flowers while I recovered from all the food. I booked tickets to see Gennaro Contaldo at the show 

 Not the best picture but he runs across the stage so quick, it was a shock that all the pictures didn't come out as a blur (I did feel sorry for the cameraman that had to run across the stage following him though). I was able to get a book signed by him as well from the series he just finished with Antonio Carluccio- Two Greedy Italians. So that can join the multitude of other signed cookbooks I own. Just as a note for anyone who watched the series Gennaro said that there will be a Two Greedy Italians Christmas special this year and a season two of the show.
As an added bonus I got Paul Rankin's autograph as well, he was there promoting his range of food- his stand is there every year but this is the first time I've seen him there.
Also I bought some ultra delicious macarons from a new company called macarons & more. It's being run by Tim Kinnaird who was a finalist in masterchef 2010. I'll be heartbroken when the macarons run out though. 
All in all it was an excellent day yay!

B is for Banana Bread

And so the alphabet challenge continues, I actually make this quite a lot as its a good way to use up bananas when the skins start to bruise but the bananas are ripe inside. Anyway you will need a standard loaf tin (900g I believe) lightly greased with butter and the bottom lined with baking paper.

Ingredients

1. 250g Self-raising flour
2. 150g caster sugar
3. A pinch of salt
4. 100g butter melted and cooled
5. 2 medium eggs, beaten
6. 2/3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
7. 70g milk chocolate chopped (or dark if you prefer)- you could also use chocolate chips
8. 80g pecans or walnuts (optional- I enjoy this with pecans best but often leave them out as I have friends who are allergic to nuts)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
2. Mix the flour, salt, sugar, butter and eggs together in a bowl. Then add in the bananas, chocolate and nuts (if using) and mix until combined.
3. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 45-55 mins. When you test the mixture with a skewer it should come out clean
4. Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for about 10 mins before turning out.

This is really good served warm with chocolate sauce and ice cream. but is just as good plain. Keeps for about 2 days. It doesn't usually last as long as that in my house, normally if you don't move fast enough its gone within minutes.  

Way overdue post

I have returned! Not that I really went anywhere but I have been very busy. Short version of it is: exam revision/exam, essays, work. But then I did go on holiday to see the kittens in Norway, I tried to smuggle one back it my rucksack but got caught at the front door by my cousin ( I couldn't think of a valid reason for why my rucksack could be meowing).
Anywho I will be making an attempt to update more regularly. Foodie news: its the taste of London festival and the summer good food show in Birmingham this weekend yay!. I will be at the good food show (GFS), but not sure if I will be at the taste festival. Best part of the GFS is the free samples, I can't help it my inner scotswoman can't turn down freebies. Any information about the show is available at: www.bbcgoodfoodshowsummer.com

Also someone asked for the apple pie recipe I used so here it is- but to note I made a mini pie version (I used a 6" springform cake tin) so thats the recipe I will give it is easy to scale up though. (This is my version of the original from the Delia Smith cookbook). You will need a pie/cake tin and a baking sheet.



Ingredients

• 125g shortcrust pastry (ready-made is fine its about 1/4 of a pack)
•  200g bramley apples/or seasonal apples
• 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 25g sultannas
•  1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• Butter. margarine for greasing
• Milk/egg and caster sugar for a glaze (optional)

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 200C (180C if a fan oven) or 400F and lightly grease your pie dish.
2. Peel and core the apples, and then cut them into slices and place in a saucepan along with the sugar, spices and sultannas.
3. Add in the water and mix slightly before cooking gently with the lid on for about 10 mins- or until the apples are soft. Put aside until the mixture is cooled slightly.
4. Roll out the pastry so that it is just bigger than the dish you are using. Spoon in  the filling (if you want to use a pie bird to allow the steam to escape put it in now).
5. Gently lay the pastry over the filling and press it firmly down at the edges, and trim off any excess (you can use these to make decorations for the top of the pie if you want). Make a few holes in the pastry for the steam to escape or for the pie bird to come through. If you want you can glaze the pie with milk and caster sugar or with egg to give a nice crust.
6. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 mins. When done you can serve the pie warm with cream or ice cream. Best eaten on the same day.

There you have it, picture of the finished pie is in an older post so bake and have fun!.

A is for Apple Pie

 1 down 25 to go. The basic recipe for this came from Delia Smith's complete cookery course (a nice change from the Great British Book of Baking). Apple pie is one of the easiest recipes ever- no excuses for not trying it. I can't publish the recipe on here, copyright and all that, but there are plenty of free recipes online. The Good Food magazine website is excellent for recipes, and they're all rated and tell you how difficult they are too. 

Also the kitten pictues have arrive (YAY).

There are plenty more but these are some of the best. From top to bottom is Spots, Spraggles, Kiba Jr and Sweetness (having a nice cuddle).
 Anyway time for a cup of tea and some more pie (yum).

challenge

Seeing as I spent so much money on my new mixer (I still think it's shiny), I intend to get my moneys worth out of it. So I decided to set myself an alphabet bake-off challenge. I'm going to try and find a cake/dessert/biscuit/cookie whatever type recipe for each letter of the alphabet, I'm looking forward to starting.

In other news the Norway kittens now have names (still awaiting pictures). They are Sweetness, Kiba Jr, Spots and Spraggles (I'm told this is norwegian for multi-coloured, I'll have to take their word for it). Also the new Cravendale milk advert is out, and it has cats in it! (Cats with thumbs) Tim Curry does the narration, what other possible reason would you need to watch it. Check it out at:

http://www.milkmatters.co.uk/cats/

Go watch it now!

Shiny!!

I've been thinking about buying about buying a new mixer for a while, and I finally saved up and got one of the Kitchenaid artisan mixers- in red. It's so pretty and I LOVE it.

This is the one I bought and its so shiny and amazing, and if you hadn't understood already I really like it. The first cake I made in it was lemon drizzle cake and took me about 5 minutes of mixing compared to my usual 15. Recipe from the great british book of baking again. I do have other cookbooks (honest) but this has got such full proof recipes. 
Anywho thats all for now gonna go admire my new mixer some more.

completion

I've been away in Paris for a few days. It was a Disney related trip rather than a city trip so no time to try the mutitude of delicious french desserts, maybe next time. So to compensate I made croque monsieur's and macaroons when I got home (yummy).
In other news, in my quest to avoid starting my next essay I completed Fable 3 finally. I enjoyed it much more than Fable 2- a vast improventment in graphics, shortened loading times and the hero has a voice (instead of the usual nondescript noises). However it still has the open ended finish, where you can still play after the main storyline is completed- rawr! so annoying, why can't it just have a definitive ending! 
Anywho, my next essay avoidance technique is to go back and complete Final Fantasy XIII before the next part comes out in the winter. 
Procratinators of the world unite!....tomorrow.