Easy Cooking

Something for the children to start the day off today , these are really quick and easy to make and great way to get fruit into the little ones also, These are great to munch on straight out of the freezer as a healthy snack or dessert, or for a fresh idea for breakfast you could throw a few into a bowl of granola or cereal, I would recommend and stick to 2 types of fruit as their going into cupcake cases. Get the kids involved with this one and they can be used on their own or on their cereal in the morning or even with a fruit salad for lunch. 😊

Ingredients

• 200g of Yogurt of your choice.
• 100g of raspberries
• 100g blueberries

Method

1. Lay out approximately 12 cupcake cases or silicone muffin cups on a small baking sheet or tray (this will need to fit in your freezer, so it may be worth checking it for size before you start).
2. Using a spoon, dollop some yoghurt into the bottom of each cake case until all the yoghurt has gone
3. Pop a few pieces of fruit into each cup, pressing them down into the yoghurt with the tip of your finger
4. Place the cups (still on the baking tray) into the freezer and leave to freeze for a couple of hours until set solid

Who does not love crispy chicken? This is the recipe to go to and if you are a fan of Asian cooking this is most certainly the recipe for you. It is a Japanese recipe extremely popular in their country also but certainly worth trying. This recipe was given to me by a particularly good friend of mine. Two things about this recipe mirin is an essential condiment used in Japanese cuisine. It is a type of rice wine like sake, but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content you can find it in any Asian food market. Also, we are batch frying the chicken which mean you only fry 5-6 pieces at a time do not over crowd the pot. This is nothing to complicated but certainly worth a try,

Ingredients
• 4 skin on chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces.
• 1 tsp of grated garlic
• 1 tsp of grated ginger
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp black pepper.
• ½ cup of corn flour.

Method.

1. In a bowl place the chicken, garlic, ginger. Soy sauce, vinegar, and mirin. Toss the chicken with clean hands cover and leave to marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Coat the chicken in corn flour, shaking off any excess flour.
3. Batch fry the chicken pieces in a large pot with oil, the oil needs to get to 180 degrees before you place the chicken in, be very careful use a kitchen thongs to place them in and out of the pot.
4. Place on a sheet tray with some parchment paper or kitchen towel to dry of the excess oil.
5. Serve with some green salad or rice and enjoy.

Something quick and simple for you here. It actually stems from Asian cuisine and of course healthy for you and takes minutes to make so get those woks out.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs beaten
• 3 large tomatoes cut into wedges
• 2 scallions
• 2 tsp of sesame oil
• 1 tsp tomato ketchup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• In a large bowl whisk the eggs add some salt and pepper for seasoning
• In a wok over medium heat with some oil cook the eggs running your spoon over and back on the eggs so they don’t over cook. Once cooked put on plate and set aside
• Cook half the scallions leaving the other half for garnish.
• Place your tomatoes into the wok and season with some salt ,cook until they become soft.
• Add the eggs back into the wok and cook with tomatoes for another minute.
• Add sesame oil and ketchup cook for another minute.
• Finish with the rest of the scallions and serve with some rice

Its Friday night once again , a nice fruity cocktail this week and very easy to make . Happy Friday

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and/or sliced strawberries)
• 3 fresh basil leaves
• 1 1/2 ounces Absolut vodka
• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
• ice, crushed or cubes
• club soda
• additional berries for garnish, (optional)

Instructions

• Muddle the berries and basil in a tall glass.
• Pour in the lemon juice and vodka.
• Add as much ice as desired.
• Top off the glass with club soda.
• Stir and garnish with additional fresh berries, if desired. Enjoy!

A very refreshing ice tea, for everyone to enjoy just a few simple ingredients and all the better that the fruit is in season that’s the most important part. Give it a go also for non coffee lovers.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup of fresh mint
• 6 tea bags
• 6 cups of boiling water
• Ice for serving

Method

• Place peaches and mint in the bottom of a large heatproof and shatterproof pitcher. Muddle with a wooden spoon until the peaches are pulpy and broken down. Hang tea bags in the pitcher and pour in boiling water. Let steep for at least 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags. Refrigerate the tea until cold. Fill glasses generously with ice. Strain the tea and pour over the ice. Garnish with mint if desired

Weather is very heavy and I think we are all in the same boat when comes to not wanting to eat something really heavy for dinner. Well this recipe has got you covered. There is a few ingredients involved but believe me it’s worth it.

Ingredients

• 200g chorizo sausage
• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil, for cooking
• 300g oyster mushrooms or flat field mushrooms
• 2 spring onions
• ½ cup flat leaf parsley
• ½ cup rocket
• juice of ½ a lemon

dressing

• 2 green chillies
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon of sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C

1.Wash the sweet potatoes and cut in half, length ways. Cut into rough chunks, about 3cm cubes. 

2.Mix in a bowl with one tablespoon of olive oil, a good pinch of salt and black pepper. 

3.Roast sweet potato in oven until soft and caramelised. Move them around the oven tray while cooking, so they brown on all sides. 

4.Tear the oyster mushrooms in to equal sized pieces. Cut the field mushrooms (if using) in to thin equal sized slices. 

5.Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.

6.When the pan is smoking hot, add the mushrooms and cook quickly on a high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the mushrooms to brown and caramelise, not sweat in their own watery liquid

7.Season with salt, pepper and the juice of half a lemon. When cooked, place in a large mixing bowl. 

8.Cut the chorizo sausage into 2cm chunks and add to the used mushroom pan. (No extra oil is needed because the sausage contains fat). Fry until golden brown and cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes.

9.Add the cooked sausage to the mushrooms in the bowl; do not add the orange coloured oil from the chorizo.

10.Roughly chop the parsley and rocket, leave about 1/3 as a garnish for the salad. 
Add the rest to the bowl with the mushrooms. 

11.Finely chop the spring onions, add to the bowl.

12.To make the dressing; cut the two green chillies in half, deseed and finely chop. Add lemon zest and juice. Mix all ingredients with salt, sugar, freshly ground black pepper and olive oil.

13.Add cooked sweet potato to the bowl and mix all the ingredients together with the dressing and serve. Garnish salad with the remaining chopped herbs. 

Final coffee recipe of the day and this is quite simple to make, of course with excellent coffee which we have been using all day from Ariosa. Coffee and cookies are a perfect combination. Now you are more than welcome to use any biscuits you like in this recipe. They all work fine. Yesterday we showed you the vanilla custard well vanilla sugar is basically a jar of caster sugar with the skin of 2 vanilla pods and they will infuse the vanilla flavour into the sugar. Enjoy

Ingredients

• 100 ml coffee
• 100 ml heavy cream
• 100 g yogurt
• 8 tsp sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla sugar
• 150 g cookies
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method

• Make a pot of strong coffee and set aside to cool. Whip heavy cream in a bowl until stiff, then chill in the refrigerator. Now beat together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Taste as you go and adjust sugar volume to preference.
• Gently fold the beaten cream into the yogurt-mixture until smooth and creamy
• Choose cookies of your choice, then dip in cold coffee, crush them and distribute among the glasses so that each has a thin layer. Now spoon one or two tablespoons of the cream on top, followed by some sifted cocoa powder. Add more layers in this order, making sure you end with a layer of cream on top and garnish with more crushed cookies. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hr. or until the cookies are softened and intensely coffee-flavored. Enjoy

We are taking coffee to the next level in this one and this is nod to all those skill full coffee masters. The bon bons is a Spanish-style café drink that layers coffee over dulce de leche, also known as sweetened condensed milk. The visual contrast of these two ingredient—the espresso and condensed milk is a sight to behold. The end result is excellent.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 4 cups hot strong brewed coffee
• Ground cinnamon

Method

• Place milk in a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave, uncovered, on high until milk is hot and small bubbles form around edge of cup, 1-2 minutes.
• Divide condensed milk among 2 glass mugs; carefully pour coffee over milk.
• Place a metal whisk in warm milk; whisk vigorously by holding whisk handle loosely between palms and quickly rubbing hands back and forth to create foam. Remove foam to another 2-cup measuring cup as it forms. Continue whisking milk until foam measures 2 cups. Spoon foam over coffee. Discard any remaining milk. Sprinkle foam with cinnamon; serve with a spoon.

Coffee 3 ways first way ,You read that correctly, this is an absolute treat and it doesn’t have to used for a grill up on the weekends. You can use this in salads or a good old fashioned bacon sandwich. I recommend you use good coffee to intensify the flavour I’m using Ariosa roasted coffee in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup freshly brewed coffee (Ariosa)
• 2 tbsp of maple syrup
• 12 slices of bacon
• 2 tbsp of brown sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180° and line a baking sheet with foil. Place bacon in a single layer on pan. In a small bowl, whisk together coffee and maple syrup. Brush bacon all over with mixture and season generously with brown sugar and pepper.
2. Bake until bacon is caramelized, 25 minutes.

You can not beat fresh Vanilla. Its one of my favourite ingredients from Vanilla pods to essence. You can do so much with the pods but the main thing here is the custard. When making this there is no substitute for fresh Vanilla and the smell and taste will prove my point. You can use this custard on fruit ice cream or just good old apple tart.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups whole milk
• 8 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Vanilla Pods

PREPARATION

1. Heat milk in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not boiling.
2. While milk heats, whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heatproof bowl until smooth. The cornstarch is their to protect the eggs from scrambling
3. Add 1 cup hot milk to yolk mixture in a stream, whisking, then add remaining milk, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and registers 170°F on thermometer, 6 to 10 minutes (do not boil).
4. Immediately force custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and stir in butter and vanilla. Chill custard, its surface covered with cling film, until cold and thickened, at least 3 hours.