Saturday 24 October 2009

Afternoon Tea

I was totally inspired to bake last week but didn't really get much time. I managed to make a batch of white chocolate chip cookies but not just any cookies, cookies that taste like Millies Cookies. There's something about a half baked, sweet, cookie that makes you just feel complete inside and for me, this is the cookie. They were so flipping good that I've even baked off half the dough that I froze! You have to make these....
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I found this recipe online and I'm so glad that I did!




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Chocolate Chip Recipe:
Source:
Laurens Recipe Book
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125g butter, softened
100g light brown soft sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
½ tsp salt
200g chocolate chips
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1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
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2. Cream butter and sugars, once creamed, combine in the egg and vanilla.
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3. Sift in the flour and salt, then the chocolate chips.
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4. Roll into walnut size balls, for a more homemade look, or roll into a long, thick sausage shape and slice to make neater looking cookies.
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5. Place on ungreased baking paper. If you want to have the real Millies experience then bake for just 7 minutes, till the cookies are just setting - the cookies will be really doughy and delicious. Otherwise cook for 10 minutes until just golden round the edges.
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6. Take out of the oven and leave to harden for a minute before transferring to a wire cooling rack. These are great warm, and they also store well, if they don't all get eaten straight away!
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
*You can either ad din one flavour of chocolate chips or you can divide the batch in half and create 2 different types.
*They freeze well. Roll the dough into a sausage and cut into rounds. Freeze them in tupperware between sheets of grease proof paper then just pop them in the oven as required - they just need about 4 extra minutes! Remember to put a piece of paper in the tupperware box with the required oven temp and how long you need to need to bake them for in total as you may have forgotten by the time you come to bake them off. Although they are so good I don't think they'll last long in the freezer...
* I used the chocolate chips that Ena sent me.
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I decided to make afternoon tea on Sunday for Sharon, Dee and Suey. I made a selection of finger sandwiches, banana bread, cookies and scones. It was great to catch up with the girlies.
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Sandwiches:
Cheese & Onion
Tuna, Cucumber and Mayo
Egg Mayo
Cream cheese & Cucumber
Cucumber – you have to have some of these! If they’re good enough for the queen…

Don't forget to cut the crusts off the sandwiches. It's the law!
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I made Nigella banana Bread Recipe. I managed to get a huge bunch of bananas for £1 – you can’t say fairer than that!
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Banana Bread
Source: Nigella Lawson
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100g sultanas
75ml bourbon or dark rum
175g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
125g unsalted butter, melted
150g sugar
2 large eggs
4 small, very ripe bananas (about 300g weighed without skin), mashed
60g chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
23 x 13 x 7cm loaf tin, buttered and floured or with a paper insert
Serving Size : Makes 8–10 slices
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1. Put the sultanas and rum or bourbon in a smallish saucepan and bring to the boil.
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2. Remove from the heat, cover and leave for an hour if you can, or until the sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain.
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3. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3 and get started on the rest. Put the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a medium-sized bowl and, using your hands or a wooden spoon, combine well.
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4. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas. Then, with your wooden spoon, stir in the walnuts, drained sultanas and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, stirring well after each bit. Scrape into the loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 1–11/4 hours. When it’s ready, an inserted toothpick or fine skewer should come out cleanish. Leave in the tin on a rack to cool, and eat thickly or thinly sliced, as you prefer.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
* I used my mini cake pan tray that my mum got me last Christmas. I filled up 4 holes and then added chopped walnuts and sultanas to the remaining batter to fill another 2 holes.
* Suey was in charge of mashing these bananas! This would also be a great job for any kids to do if you have any! Not that I’m saying Suey is a kid. Well….
* Use really good ripened bananas for this.
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I used Rachel Allens recipe for the scones and they were really light and lovely. This will definitely be my go to recipe for scones from now on.
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Light Sweet Scones Recipe
Source: Rachel Allen Bake
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500g light Italian or plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 heaped tsp
Bicarbonate of soda
2 heaped tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp
sea salt
125g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
25g caster sugar
1
Egg, beaten
275ml buttermilk or
Milk, plus extra for the egg wash
50g caster or granulated sugar, (optional)
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1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7.

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2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix well.
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3. Set aside about a third of the beaten egg and combine the rest with the buttermilk, then add to the flour mixture and mix briefly to combine into a moist dough. Place on a lightly floured work surface and knead ever so slightly to bring together, then press or roll out to a thickness of 2cm.
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4. Using a 6cm round cutter, cut out approximately 12 scones and place on a floured baking tray.
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5. Add about a teaspoon or so of buttermilk to the remainder of the beaten egg to make an egg wash. Brush the scones with the egg wash (and dip the tops in sugar if you wish) and bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve while hot.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
*I used a heart shaped scone cutter. Try not to handle the dough too much otherwise they get overworked and are not as light.
*I used milk for the recipe, not buttermilk.
I added a splash of milk into the remaining egg so that the scones didn’t go too brown on top.

* Serve with raspberry preserve and whipped cream. Yum.
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The girls were stuffed afterwards :-)

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Enjoy :-)

Monday 19 October 2009

Wooooo Hoooooo Presents from my New Mum in Law!!

How exciting! I received a box of goodies from my lovely mum in law, Ena, today! Woo Hoo!
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What a treat, there's cookie cutters, edible decorations, cupcake cases, chocolate, marshmallows..... What a way to start national baking week!
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Thanks so much, I love them! :-)
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I still haven't decided what I'll bake this week. Sue and Steve are staying at the hotel so I've got no-one to eat anything! Emma never eats anything sweet when she's trying to be healthy and Kenny keeps telling me off for trying to 'fatten him up for the pot!
My greenhouse arrived today. It was really easy to put together and looks great at the bottom of the balcony. I hope it's warm enough in there for the plants.


I've booked a ticket to go home for 4 days. I'm going on Wednesday 28th and don't get in until midnight so I wonder who might pick me up?! I'm looking forward to seeing little baby Elliot and also the party. I've been looking for fancy dress outfits but can't decide. I think I'm going to try and go as something totally random!

Friday 16 October 2009

Beef & Ale Pie, Panna Cotta and a Spot of Gardening!

I'm so happy it’s the weekend! It means a tasty food and X Factor...
I decided to make a steak and ale pie with mashed taters for dinner followed by panna cotta for dessert for Friday nights dinner.
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I used Rachel Allen’s flaky pastry recipe as it always turns put perfectly and is nice and buttery, yet golden and crispy on the top. It takes a good 2 and half hours to make because you need to let it rest in the fridge for 30 mins after adding each portion of butter. It’s definitely worth the wait though so give it a try!
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Flaky Pastry Recipe
Source: Rachel Allen Bake
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500g / 1 lb 2oz Plain Flour
Pinch of Salt
325g / 11 ½ oz Cold Butter
175 ml (6 fl oz) Cold Water
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1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
2. Divide the butter into 4 equal parts.
3. Rub one of the portions of butter into the flour mix. Put the other 3 portions back into the fridge to keep cold.
4. Add in the water and mix to a dough.
5. Cover in cling film and put it in the fridge for 30 mins.
6. After the 30 minutes, roll out the dough into a rectangle.
7. Cut up the 2nd portion of butter into tiny cubes and dot on the lower two thirds of the dough. (see my pics below)
8. Fold the top over and the bottom over the top. Roll back into a rectangle and turn it at a 90 degree angle and repeat the folds (but without the butter). Wrap in cling film and put it in the fridge to rest for 30 mins.
9. Repeat step 7 and 8 for the last 2 lots of butter.
10. When all the butter has been rolled into the dough, put it back in the fridge for another 30 mins to relax again or until ready to use.
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I used the following recipe for the filling...
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Mrs Hackneys Beef & Ale Pie Recipe:
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Ingredients:
2 x Packs of stewing Beef or Braising Beef
Flour with salt and pepper added
Butter to brown the beef
1 x Bottle of Ale (500ml)
Onions x 2
Carrots – approx 6 - 8
Mushrooms – a pack, chopped into thirds
Fresh Thyme – 3 or 4 strands
Bay Leaf x 1
2 -3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
500ml beef stock (2 x stock cubes)
Red currant jelly x 2 tsp
Good splash of balsamic
Salt & Pepper
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1. Pre-heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F
2. Dust the beef in the seasoned flour.
3. Brown the beef in a good knob of butter and a splash of oil. Do this in batches. If you overcrowd the pan, the beef won’t brown properly. Remove when browned and put in a bowl. You may need to keep adding more oil and butter as you do each batch.
4. Once all the beef is done, add the onions and carrots to the pan.
5. Add in the garlic and herbs. Cook for 5 – 10 mins on a medium high heat until the onions have softened.
6. Add in the bottle of ale, the stock and a good splash of Worcestershire sauce.
7. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for approx 1 hour.
8. After it’s simmered for around an hour, add in 2 tsp of the redcurrant jelly and a good splash of balsamic vinegar to taste. This sweetens it slightly.
9. Cook for a further hour and then spoon into a pie dish.
10. Top with the pastry. Make sure you brush the edge of the pie dish with a bit of beaten egg so that the pastry sticks to the side.
11. Brush the top with the beaten egg. Bake for approx 30 – 40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
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For the mash...
For the potatoes, boil them until tender. Drain when ready and then put them back in the pan. Mash them and add a good splash of double cream, a huge knob of butter, lots of white pepper, salt and around 2 – 3 tbs of grated Parmesan cheese. Spoon into an oven proof dish, sprinkle some extra Parmesan on top and put in the oven until a bit crispy and golden.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
(I use one pack of each meat, which comes to 900 grams but you can put in 800g – 1,000g if you want)
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Panna Cotta Recipe
Source: Simon Rimmer
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For the panna cotta
3 gelatine leaves
250ml/9fl oz milk
250ml/9fl oz double cream
1 vanilla pod, split length ways, seeds scraped out
25g/1oz sugar
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1. For the panna cotta, soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water until soft.
2. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds and sugar into a pan and bring to a simmer. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
3. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, then add to the pan and take off the heat. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.
4. Divide the mixture among four ramekins and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, until set.
5. To serve, turn each panna cotta out onto a serving plate. Tumble some fruit around.
Mrs Hackneys Notes:
* I didn't have any gelatine leaves so used 3 tsp of powdered geletine. I put it in a cup and added on 2tsp of cold water to get it nice and soft. I actually think they could have been more softly set so I'd use 2 tsp instead next time.


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My onion sets, garlic and pea seeds have arrived! I planted some of the onions and some of the garlic out. I've also ordered my mini greenhouse for the balcony so that they can all sit on a shelf and be covered over winter but it won’t get here until Monday.
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Also, I checked my salad leaves on Thursday night and was so excited because they've started to sprout in just 4 days!!

My little gardening tools have also arrived! They were only £3.00 off Ebay including postage, which I thought was a real bargain!!



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Before I forget to tell you, it's National Baking Week next week - 19th Oct - 25th Oct so I have lost of things lined up that I want to bake. Danish parties, white chocolate chip cookies, pies....
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I think you should all bake something next week and send me a picture. I'll pick my favourite and will send a little prize!
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Sue and I went for a little jog this morning. We found an amazing shop up the road that sells everything for the kitchen. It’s amazing! I got a metal fish slice and lime green salt pig. It’s so cute! I also found Emma Bridgewaters shop on Fulham Road and got a new spoon rest, a veggie peeler and tea strainer.
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We also found a place called Pottery Cafe where you can paint a piece of pottery! It’s quite expensive though but Sure and I are going to go one day and paint something. I want to paint a teapot.
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We are very excited that Whitney Houston is on the X Factor! I made more homemade pizzas for Saturday night. I did the usual chorizo and chilli but also caramelised some onions so did one half spicy and the other half with the onions and some mushrooms on. Both flavours were delicious.
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It’s now Sunday today so Sue and went for another mini run. We managed about 1 and a half laps which is better than no laps at all. I also made a delicious roast dinner – pork with crackling, cabbage & bacon, roasted potatoes, carrots, cauliflower cheese for me and sue, yorkshires and cider and apple gravy.
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I forgot to take a photo sorry!

Monday 12 October 2009

Midweek Update & Fresh Herbs!

We didn't have any meetings on Monday so I decided to re-pot my herbs.
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I planted basil, sage and thyme into a plastic trough and it's sitting on a little table inside next to the balcony as they need a sunny spot and it's too cold to leave them outside.

I also planted some salad leaves. I filled my new long trough (only £2.99 from my favourite junk shop on the high street) with multi purpose compost (also £2.99 from the same junk shop). Because I don't want an abundance of leaves all at the same time, I've planted only half the trough. I patted down the soil and watered it well. I then sprinkled the seeds all over onto the soil and covered them with approx 2 cms of more soil. I'll probably plant the other side in about 2-3 weeks time before the end of October.

Next time, I'll take step by step pictures in case any of you want to give it a go. I think everyone with a small outdoor space should attempt to grow their own fruit and vegetables! If you fancy giving it a go, let me know as I have spare seeds left over and am more than happy to pass them on to anyone willing to give it a try. All you need is a plant pot/container/trough and a bag of compost. If you cook with herbs a lot then maybe start with a mini herb garden. I can't believe it's taken me so long to start mine as I use herbs in cooking nearly ever day.
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I ordered some pea seeds, a garlic bulb and some onion sets from Ebay. The reason I ordered a bulb of garlic and didn't just use one you can buy in the supermarket is because the garlic in supermarkets might not have been grown in the UK. The last thing i want is to attempt to grow garlic for the first time to find the type I've chosen is usually grown in China and won't grow well in our climate!
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Onion sets are mini onions at the start of the growing stage. I read up on them and apparently it's best to plant them at this stage due to the time of year. It saves trying to grow them from seeds and it being to cold for them to propagate. (Ohhhh check me out and my fancy gardening terms!)
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I'm looking forward to the peas the most out of all the things I plan on growing. Can you imagine a lovely little pea plant in the summer full of lovely little vibrant pods full of sweetness. Yum!!
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My Balcony Area


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It' now Wednesday and I've just got a chance to bake off the second fruit cake - it's been soaking up the juices for 4 days now! It's in the oven as I type, which means my oven is out of use for the next 3.5 hours :-( Looks like it's micro chips for my dinner!
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I cooked the most delicious Bangers & Mash I've ever had last night! Seriously, it was lush.
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I made the onion gravy from the Sausage & Mash Bake recipe I posted last month. I mashed the potatoes with lots of butter and white pepper and put it in a bowl in the oven so the top was nice and golden. I then pan fried some sausages on low heat for approx 30 mins so that they were nice and sticky. It was so flipping good. I could eat it again for dinner tonight but Kenny is at Sams house watching the footie so I'm not sure what to have yet.
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The best part was that I added in some fresh thyme into the gravy and chopped up 2 fresh sage leaves and fried it with the sausages. I knew my herb garden was going to come in handy!
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Yum Yum, this was delish!

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Enjoy :-)

Sunday 11 October 2009

Lazy Sunday

Today Kenny and I had a walk to The Chelsea Gardner, which is a garden centre just off the Kings Road. I got some sage and some thyme to re-plant and also the cutest watering can ever!! We then went to Henry J Beans and had a plate of voodoo wings and curly fries and they were lovely.

I'm planning to plant the following on the balcony - Broad Beans, Peas, Onions, Garlic, Salad Leaves and Herbs.
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I really wish it was spring so I could plant whatever I like but those are the only options for now. I really want a raised bed but you can't move them whilst things are growing in it and we are planning to move in February so I'll have to use pots and containers for now.
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I've just taken the first of the fruit cakes out of the oven. It smells so lovely. Kenny is so cheeky, he walked into the kitchen, picked up a cocktail stick and stabbed it into the cake before I could stop him! He said he wanted to check if it was ready. I told him I'm quite capable of checking if it's ready thank you very much! He cracks me up - seriously, keep your cocktail stick to yourself!
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Saturday 10 October 2009

Spaghetti Bolognaise for Rainy Days

It’s been raining here in London all week so I decided that we all needed a nice big plate of comforting spaghetti bolognaise.
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The pasta was so easy to make. Plus it gave me the chance to use my dusty pasta machine!
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Pasta Recipe
Source: Rachel Allen
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Ingredients:
200g strong white flour or 00 pasta flour, plus extra for dusting
Salt
2 Eggs
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1. For the fresh pasta sift the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt into a bowl. Whisk the eggs together in separate bowl, then make a well in the centre of the flour and add half of the egg. Mix into a dough using your hands, adding the remainder of the egg if you need it.
2. The pasta should just come together but shouldn’t stick to your hands – if it does, add a little more flour. Knead in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth and then cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes – 1 hour to relax. (It will keep for about two days in the fridge.)
3. The dough can also be made in an electric food mixer or food processor, again being careful not to make it too wet.
4. Divide the dough into quarters and, using a rolling pin, roll out one piece at a time on a floured work surface into a very thin sheet. You can use a pasta machine, working a piece of dough at a time through the machine, starting with the widest setting and ending with the narrowest. You should be able to read the headline print on a newspaper through the pasta.
5. To shape by hand, roll each strip into a tube and, using a sharp knife, cut into slices 5mm wide for tagliatelle, 3mm for fettucine or 1.5cm for pappardelle or feed through a pasta machine at the correct setting.
6. Once cut, unroll the strip and let it run through your fingers to separate the strands. Use immediately or allow to dry – when the pasta is completely dry (anything from an hour to a day depending on room temperature) store in an airtight box or plastic bag for up to 3 days.
7. When you are ready to cook the pasta, fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a fast, rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and drop in the pasta, stirring well. Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook for 1–2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.
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Mrs Hackneys Recipe for Bolognaise Sauce
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1 x Large Pack of minced beef (or use 2 smaller packs)
1 Pack of Bacon Lardons (or you could use 6 rashers of smoked bacon, chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil or sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 ½ large onions, chopped1 cup of red wine
1 x carton of tomato pastasa
2 x cans chopped tomatoes
A splash of balsamic vinegar
Button Mushrooms, cut into thick slices
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme drizzle balsamic vinegar
1 pack of sun-dried tomato halves, in oil, chopped
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Parmesan cheese, to serve
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1. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic, until starting to soften. Turn up the heat and add in the minced beef.
2. Pour in the cup of wine and boil until it has reduced in volume by about half. Reduce the temperature to medium / low and stir in the tomatoes, pasata, mushrooms, bay leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, thyme and balsamic vinegar.
3. Cover with a lid and simmer over a gentle heat for 2 hours until it's rich and thickened.
4. Add freshly torn basil 2 mins before serving and sprinkle with Parmesan.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
* Sun-dried tomatoes can be found with the olives, dips, hummus etc in Sainsburys. You can also get them in jars but they tend to be more expensive.
* I freeze leftover wine so that I can add it to sauces etc without having to open a bottle.
* The dough is really hard to knead so I only kneaded it for 5 minutes and it turned out fine!
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Enjoy :-)

Saturday 24 October 2009

Afternoon Tea

I was totally inspired to bake last week but didn't really get much time. I managed to make a batch of white chocolate chip cookies but not just any cookies, cookies that taste like Millies Cookies. There's something about a half baked, sweet, cookie that makes you just feel complete inside and for me, this is the cookie. They were so flipping good that I've even baked off half the dough that I froze! You have to make these....
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I found this recipe online and I'm so glad that I did!




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Chocolate Chip Recipe:
Source:
Laurens Recipe Book
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125g butter, softened
100g light brown soft sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
½ tsp salt
200g chocolate chips
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1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
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2. Cream butter and sugars, once creamed, combine in the egg and vanilla.
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3. Sift in the flour and salt, then the chocolate chips.
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4. Roll into walnut size balls, for a more homemade look, or roll into a long, thick sausage shape and slice to make neater looking cookies.
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5. Place on ungreased baking paper. If you want to have the real Millies experience then bake for just 7 minutes, till the cookies are just setting - the cookies will be really doughy and delicious. Otherwise cook for 10 minutes until just golden round the edges.
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6. Take out of the oven and leave to harden for a minute before transferring to a wire cooling rack. These are great warm, and they also store well, if they don't all get eaten straight away!
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
*You can either ad din one flavour of chocolate chips or you can divide the batch in half and create 2 different types.
*They freeze well. Roll the dough into a sausage and cut into rounds. Freeze them in tupperware between sheets of grease proof paper then just pop them in the oven as required - they just need about 4 extra minutes! Remember to put a piece of paper in the tupperware box with the required oven temp and how long you need to need to bake them for in total as you may have forgotten by the time you come to bake them off. Although they are so good I don't think they'll last long in the freezer...
* I used the chocolate chips that Ena sent me.
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I decided to make afternoon tea on Sunday for Sharon, Dee and Suey. I made a selection of finger sandwiches, banana bread, cookies and scones. It was great to catch up with the girlies.
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Sandwiches:
Cheese & Onion
Tuna, Cucumber and Mayo
Egg Mayo
Cream cheese & Cucumber
Cucumber – you have to have some of these! If they’re good enough for the queen…

Don't forget to cut the crusts off the sandwiches. It's the law!
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I made Nigella banana Bread Recipe. I managed to get a huge bunch of bananas for £1 – you can’t say fairer than that!
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Banana Bread
Source: Nigella Lawson
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100g sultanas
75ml bourbon or dark rum
175g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
125g unsalted butter, melted
150g sugar
2 large eggs
4 small, very ripe bananas (about 300g weighed without skin), mashed
60g chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
23 x 13 x 7cm loaf tin, buttered and floured or with a paper insert
Serving Size : Makes 8–10 slices
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1. Put the sultanas and rum or bourbon in a smallish saucepan and bring to the boil.
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2. Remove from the heat, cover and leave for an hour if you can, or until the sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain.
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3. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3 and get started on the rest. Put the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a medium-sized bowl and, using your hands or a wooden spoon, combine well.
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4. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas. Then, with your wooden spoon, stir in the walnuts, drained sultanas and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, stirring well after each bit. Scrape into the loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 1–11/4 hours. When it’s ready, an inserted toothpick or fine skewer should come out cleanish. Leave in the tin on a rack to cool, and eat thickly or thinly sliced, as you prefer.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
* I used my mini cake pan tray that my mum got me last Christmas. I filled up 4 holes and then added chopped walnuts and sultanas to the remaining batter to fill another 2 holes.
* Suey was in charge of mashing these bananas! This would also be a great job for any kids to do if you have any! Not that I’m saying Suey is a kid. Well….
* Use really good ripened bananas for this.
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I used Rachel Allens recipe for the scones and they were really light and lovely. This will definitely be my go to recipe for scones from now on.
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Light Sweet Scones Recipe
Source: Rachel Allen Bake
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500g light Italian or plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 heaped tsp
Bicarbonate of soda
2 heaped tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp
sea salt
125g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
25g caster sugar
1
Egg, beaten
275ml buttermilk or
Milk, plus extra for the egg wash
50g caster or granulated sugar, (optional)
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1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7.

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2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix well.
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3. Set aside about a third of the beaten egg and combine the rest with the buttermilk, then add to the flour mixture and mix briefly to combine into a moist dough. Place on a lightly floured work surface and knead ever so slightly to bring together, then press or roll out to a thickness of 2cm.
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4. Using a 6cm round cutter, cut out approximately 12 scones and place on a floured baking tray.
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5. Add about a teaspoon or so of buttermilk to the remainder of the beaten egg to make an egg wash. Brush the scones with the egg wash (and dip the tops in sugar if you wish) and bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve while hot.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
*I used a heart shaped scone cutter. Try not to handle the dough too much otherwise they get overworked and are not as light.
*I used milk for the recipe, not buttermilk.
I added a splash of milk into the remaining egg so that the scones didn’t go too brown on top.

* Serve with raspberry preserve and whipped cream. Yum.
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The girls were stuffed afterwards :-)

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Enjoy :-)

Monday 19 October 2009

Wooooo Hoooooo Presents from my New Mum in Law!!

How exciting! I received a box of goodies from my lovely mum in law, Ena, today! Woo Hoo!
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What a treat, there's cookie cutters, edible decorations, cupcake cases, chocolate, marshmallows..... What a way to start national baking week!
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Thanks so much, I love them! :-)
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I still haven't decided what I'll bake this week. Sue and Steve are staying at the hotel so I've got no-one to eat anything! Emma never eats anything sweet when she's trying to be healthy and Kenny keeps telling me off for trying to 'fatten him up for the pot!
My greenhouse arrived today. It was really easy to put together and looks great at the bottom of the balcony. I hope it's warm enough in there for the plants.


I've booked a ticket to go home for 4 days. I'm going on Wednesday 28th and don't get in until midnight so I wonder who might pick me up?! I'm looking forward to seeing little baby Elliot and also the party. I've been looking for fancy dress outfits but can't decide. I think I'm going to try and go as something totally random!

Friday 16 October 2009

Beef & Ale Pie, Panna Cotta and a Spot of Gardening!

I'm so happy it’s the weekend! It means a tasty food and X Factor...
I decided to make a steak and ale pie with mashed taters for dinner followed by panna cotta for dessert for Friday nights dinner.
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I used Rachel Allen’s flaky pastry recipe as it always turns put perfectly and is nice and buttery, yet golden and crispy on the top. It takes a good 2 and half hours to make because you need to let it rest in the fridge for 30 mins after adding each portion of butter. It’s definitely worth the wait though so give it a try!
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Flaky Pastry Recipe
Source: Rachel Allen Bake
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500g / 1 lb 2oz Plain Flour
Pinch of Salt
325g / 11 ½ oz Cold Butter
175 ml (6 fl oz) Cold Water
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1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
2. Divide the butter into 4 equal parts.
3. Rub one of the portions of butter into the flour mix. Put the other 3 portions back into the fridge to keep cold.
4. Add in the water and mix to a dough.
5. Cover in cling film and put it in the fridge for 30 mins.
6. After the 30 minutes, roll out the dough into a rectangle.
7. Cut up the 2nd portion of butter into tiny cubes and dot on the lower two thirds of the dough. (see my pics below)
8. Fold the top over and the bottom over the top. Roll back into a rectangle and turn it at a 90 degree angle and repeat the folds (but without the butter). Wrap in cling film and put it in the fridge to rest for 30 mins.
9. Repeat step 7 and 8 for the last 2 lots of butter.
10. When all the butter has been rolled into the dough, put it back in the fridge for another 30 mins to relax again or until ready to use.
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I used the following recipe for the filling...
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Mrs Hackneys Beef & Ale Pie Recipe:
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Ingredients:
2 x Packs of stewing Beef or Braising Beef
Flour with salt and pepper added
Butter to brown the beef
1 x Bottle of Ale (500ml)
Onions x 2
Carrots – approx 6 - 8
Mushrooms – a pack, chopped into thirds
Fresh Thyme – 3 or 4 strands
Bay Leaf x 1
2 -3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
500ml beef stock (2 x stock cubes)
Red currant jelly x 2 tsp
Good splash of balsamic
Salt & Pepper
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1. Pre-heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F
2. Dust the beef in the seasoned flour.
3. Brown the beef in a good knob of butter and a splash of oil. Do this in batches. If you overcrowd the pan, the beef won’t brown properly. Remove when browned and put in a bowl. You may need to keep adding more oil and butter as you do each batch.
4. Once all the beef is done, add the onions and carrots to the pan.
5. Add in the garlic and herbs. Cook for 5 – 10 mins on a medium high heat until the onions have softened.
6. Add in the bottle of ale, the stock and a good splash of Worcestershire sauce.
7. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for approx 1 hour.
8. After it’s simmered for around an hour, add in 2 tsp of the redcurrant jelly and a good splash of balsamic vinegar to taste. This sweetens it slightly.
9. Cook for a further hour and then spoon into a pie dish.
10. Top with the pastry. Make sure you brush the edge of the pie dish with a bit of beaten egg so that the pastry sticks to the side.
11. Brush the top with the beaten egg. Bake for approx 30 – 40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
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For the mash...
For the potatoes, boil them until tender. Drain when ready and then put them back in the pan. Mash them and add a good splash of double cream, a huge knob of butter, lots of white pepper, salt and around 2 – 3 tbs of grated Parmesan cheese. Spoon into an oven proof dish, sprinkle some extra Parmesan on top and put in the oven until a bit crispy and golden.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
(I use one pack of each meat, which comes to 900 grams but you can put in 800g – 1,000g if you want)
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Panna Cotta Recipe
Source: Simon Rimmer
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For the panna cotta
3 gelatine leaves
250ml/9fl oz milk
250ml/9fl oz double cream
1 vanilla pod, split length ways, seeds scraped out
25g/1oz sugar
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1. For the panna cotta, soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water until soft.
2. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds and sugar into a pan and bring to a simmer. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
3. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, then add to the pan and take off the heat. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.
4. Divide the mixture among four ramekins and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, until set.
5. To serve, turn each panna cotta out onto a serving plate. Tumble some fruit around.
Mrs Hackneys Notes:
* I didn't have any gelatine leaves so used 3 tsp of powdered geletine. I put it in a cup and added on 2tsp of cold water to get it nice and soft. I actually think they could have been more softly set so I'd use 2 tsp instead next time.


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My onion sets, garlic and pea seeds have arrived! I planted some of the onions and some of the garlic out. I've also ordered my mini greenhouse for the balcony so that they can all sit on a shelf and be covered over winter but it won’t get here until Monday.
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Also, I checked my salad leaves on Thursday night and was so excited because they've started to sprout in just 4 days!!

My little gardening tools have also arrived! They were only £3.00 off Ebay including postage, which I thought was a real bargain!!



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Before I forget to tell you, it's National Baking Week next week - 19th Oct - 25th Oct so I have lost of things lined up that I want to bake. Danish parties, white chocolate chip cookies, pies....
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I think you should all bake something next week and send me a picture. I'll pick my favourite and will send a little prize!
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Sue and I went for a little jog this morning. We found an amazing shop up the road that sells everything for the kitchen. It’s amazing! I got a metal fish slice and lime green salt pig. It’s so cute! I also found Emma Bridgewaters shop on Fulham Road and got a new spoon rest, a veggie peeler and tea strainer.
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We also found a place called Pottery Cafe where you can paint a piece of pottery! It’s quite expensive though but Sure and I are going to go one day and paint something. I want to paint a teapot.
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We are very excited that Whitney Houston is on the X Factor! I made more homemade pizzas for Saturday night. I did the usual chorizo and chilli but also caramelised some onions so did one half spicy and the other half with the onions and some mushrooms on. Both flavours were delicious.
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It’s now Sunday today so Sue and went for another mini run. We managed about 1 and a half laps which is better than no laps at all. I also made a delicious roast dinner – pork with crackling, cabbage & bacon, roasted potatoes, carrots, cauliflower cheese for me and sue, yorkshires and cider and apple gravy.
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I forgot to take a photo sorry!

Monday 12 October 2009

Midweek Update & Fresh Herbs!

We didn't have any meetings on Monday so I decided to re-pot my herbs.
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I planted basil, sage and thyme into a plastic trough and it's sitting on a little table inside next to the balcony as they need a sunny spot and it's too cold to leave them outside.

I also planted some salad leaves. I filled my new long trough (only £2.99 from my favourite junk shop on the high street) with multi purpose compost (also £2.99 from the same junk shop). Because I don't want an abundance of leaves all at the same time, I've planted only half the trough. I patted down the soil and watered it well. I then sprinkled the seeds all over onto the soil and covered them with approx 2 cms of more soil. I'll probably plant the other side in about 2-3 weeks time before the end of October.

Next time, I'll take step by step pictures in case any of you want to give it a go. I think everyone with a small outdoor space should attempt to grow their own fruit and vegetables! If you fancy giving it a go, let me know as I have spare seeds left over and am more than happy to pass them on to anyone willing to give it a try. All you need is a plant pot/container/trough and a bag of compost. If you cook with herbs a lot then maybe start with a mini herb garden. I can't believe it's taken me so long to start mine as I use herbs in cooking nearly ever day.
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I ordered some pea seeds, a garlic bulb and some onion sets from Ebay. The reason I ordered a bulb of garlic and didn't just use one you can buy in the supermarket is because the garlic in supermarkets might not have been grown in the UK. The last thing i want is to attempt to grow garlic for the first time to find the type I've chosen is usually grown in China and won't grow well in our climate!
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Onion sets are mini onions at the start of the growing stage. I read up on them and apparently it's best to plant them at this stage due to the time of year. It saves trying to grow them from seeds and it being to cold for them to propagate. (Ohhhh check me out and my fancy gardening terms!)
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I'm looking forward to the peas the most out of all the things I plan on growing. Can you imagine a lovely little pea plant in the summer full of lovely little vibrant pods full of sweetness. Yum!!
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My Balcony Area


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It' now Wednesday and I've just got a chance to bake off the second fruit cake - it's been soaking up the juices for 4 days now! It's in the oven as I type, which means my oven is out of use for the next 3.5 hours :-( Looks like it's micro chips for my dinner!
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I cooked the most delicious Bangers & Mash I've ever had last night! Seriously, it was lush.
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I made the onion gravy from the Sausage & Mash Bake recipe I posted last month. I mashed the potatoes with lots of butter and white pepper and put it in a bowl in the oven so the top was nice and golden. I then pan fried some sausages on low heat for approx 30 mins so that they were nice and sticky. It was so flipping good. I could eat it again for dinner tonight but Kenny is at Sams house watching the footie so I'm not sure what to have yet.
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The best part was that I added in some fresh thyme into the gravy and chopped up 2 fresh sage leaves and fried it with the sausages. I knew my herb garden was going to come in handy!
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Yum Yum, this was delish!

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Enjoy :-)

Sunday 11 October 2009

Lazy Sunday

Today Kenny and I had a walk to The Chelsea Gardner, which is a garden centre just off the Kings Road. I got some sage and some thyme to re-plant and also the cutest watering can ever!! We then went to Henry J Beans and had a plate of voodoo wings and curly fries and they were lovely.

I'm planning to plant the following on the balcony - Broad Beans, Peas, Onions, Garlic, Salad Leaves and Herbs.
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I really wish it was spring so I could plant whatever I like but those are the only options for now. I really want a raised bed but you can't move them whilst things are growing in it and we are planning to move in February so I'll have to use pots and containers for now.
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I've just taken the first of the fruit cakes out of the oven. It smells so lovely. Kenny is so cheeky, he walked into the kitchen, picked up a cocktail stick and stabbed it into the cake before I could stop him! He said he wanted to check if it was ready. I told him I'm quite capable of checking if it's ready thank you very much! He cracks me up - seriously, keep your cocktail stick to yourself!
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Saturday 10 October 2009

Spaghetti Bolognaise for Rainy Days

It’s been raining here in London all week so I decided that we all needed a nice big plate of comforting spaghetti bolognaise.
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The pasta was so easy to make. Plus it gave me the chance to use my dusty pasta machine!
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Pasta Recipe
Source: Rachel Allen
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Ingredients:
200g strong white flour or 00 pasta flour, plus extra for dusting
Salt
2 Eggs
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1. For the fresh pasta sift the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt into a bowl. Whisk the eggs together in separate bowl, then make a well in the centre of the flour and add half of the egg. Mix into a dough using your hands, adding the remainder of the egg if you need it.
2. The pasta should just come together but shouldn’t stick to your hands – if it does, add a little more flour. Knead in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth and then cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes – 1 hour to relax. (It will keep for about two days in the fridge.)
3. The dough can also be made in an electric food mixer or food processor, again being careful not to make it too wet.
4. Divide the dough into quarters and, using a rolling pin, roll out one piece at a time on a floured work surface into a very thin sheet. You can use a pasta machine, working a piece of dough at a time through the machine, starting with the widest setting and ending with the narrowest. You should be able to read the headline print on a newspaper through the pasta.
5. To shape by hand, roll each strip into a tube and, using a sharp knife, cut into slices 5mm wide for tagliatelle, 3mm for fettucine or 1.5cm for pappardelle or feed through a pasta machine at the correct setting.
6. Once cut, unroll the strip and let it run through your fingers to separate the strands. Use immediately or allow to dry – when the pasta is completely dry (anything from an hour to a day depending on room temperature) store in an airtight box or plastic bag for up to 3 days.
7. When you are ready to cook the pasta, fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a fast, rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and drop in the pasta, stirring well. Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook for 1–2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.
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Mrs Hackneys Recipe for Bolognaise Sauce
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1 x Large Pack of minced beef (or use 2 smaller packs)
1 Pack of Bacon Lardons (or you could use 6 rashers of smoked bacon, chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil or sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 ½ large onions, chopped1 cup of red wine
1 x carton of tomato pastasa
2 x cans chopped tomatoes
A splash of balsamic vinegar
Button Mushrooms, cut into thick slices
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme drizzle balsamic vinegar
1 pack of sun-dried tomato halves, in oil, chopped
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Parmesan cheese, to serve
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1. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic, until starting to soften. Turn up the heat and add in the minced beef.
2. Pour in the cup of wine and boil until it has reduced in volume by about half. Reduce the temperature to medium / low and stir in the tomatoes, pasata, mushrooms, bay leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, thyme and balsamic vinegar.
3. Cover with a lid and simmer over a gentle heat for 2 hours until it's rich and thickened.
4. Add freshly torn basil 2 mins before serving and sprinkle with Parmesan.
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Mrs Hackneys Notes:
* Sun-dried tomatoes can be found with the olives, dips, hummus etc in Sainsburys. You can also get them in jars but they tend to be more expensive.
* I freeze leftover wine so that I can add it to sauces etc without having to open a bottle.
* The dough is really hard to knead so I only kneaded it for 5 minutes and it turned out fine!
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Enjoy :-)