Tag: Cooking

Country Slice Cake

Ingredients:

215g self raising flour

22g butter

200g caster sugar

1tbsp cornflour mixed with 3tbsp of cold water

3 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

80g sultanas – soaked in hot tea for 10 minutes and drained

Sugar crystals to sprinkle with

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C (fan)
  2. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
  3. Slowly add the whisked eggs and vanilla extract.
  4. Stir in the cornflour mix.
  5. Add a handful of flour to the sultanas to coat them – this prevents them from sinking into the mix.
  6. Sift the flour into the bowl and fold together.
  7. Put into a lined cake tin and sprinkle with sugar crystals.
  8. Bake for between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
  9. Test with a wooden skewer, if clean, cake is done.
  10. Enjoy!

Ingredients in Bold are allergens

Homemade Fudge

This indulgent treat has only a few ingredients, but you need to be careful making it!

This recipe involves boiling sugar.

Ingredients:

450g Demerara sugar / soft brown sugar

115g butter

150ml milk

396g can of condensed milk

Optional:

100-150g of peanut butter

Method:

  1. Weigh off all ingredients and put in a large saucepan.
  2. Line a 20cm square tin.
  3. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly.
  4. Once boiling, boil for 10-15 minutes, making sure the mixture does not catch or burn.
  5. Take off heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
  6. Pour into tins and chill overnight.
  7. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Devilled Eggs

These are a firm favourite in our house, and there is always a plate at a family buffet or picnic. Making devilled eggs is also a fantastic way to use up your pace eggs!

Ingredients:

6 Hard boiled eggs

3 tbsp mayonnaise 

1 tsp curry powder OR 1 tsp English mustard

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

To garnish:

Pinch of sweet paprika

Method:

  1. Make your hard boiled eggs. To do this put the eggs on to boil and when they start boiling set a timer for 7 minutes.
  2. Put immediately into cold water to cool.
  3. Peel your eggs and cut them in half.
  4. Remove the yolks and place in a mixing bowl with all of your other ingredients except your garnish.
  5. Mix together well until smooth.
  6. Spoon or pipe your mixture back into the half eggs.
  7. Sprinkle with paprika and enjoy!

Marmite Cheese Twists

Cheese twist or straws are a simple and delightful snack and really easy to make! You can adapt this recipe in many ways… add finely chopped sundried tomatoes, chilli flakes, herbs or even some mustard.

Ingredients:

Plain flour to dust your surface

Premade puff pastry

2tbsp Marmite softened for spreading

75-100g Gruyere or Cheddar cheese

1 egg beaten for glazing

Method:

  1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment and preheat your oven to 180°C.
  2. Soften your marmite on a gentle heat on the stove or in short bursts in the microwave.
  3. Dust your surface with flour and unroll pastry if pre-rolled or roll out a 30-40cm square.
  4. Paint your pastry with the marmite about halfway up and sprinkle with about 3/4’s of your cheese.
  5. Fold over the bare pastry and pat down.
  6. Reroll to a little less than half a centimeter.
  7. Egg wash and sprinkle over remaining cheese.
  8. Cut into strips 1.5-2cm wide.
  9. Gently twist your strips, place on baking sheets and chill for 10 minutes.
  10.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until nice and golden brown and cool.
  11. Enjoy on their own or with your favorite dip!

*** Ingredients in Bold are allergens.

Pickled Beetroot

Beetroot is one of my favourite vegetables. Raw on salad, pickled, roasted or made into soup, it’s always delicious. Did you know beetroot is good source of vitamin C? which it great for boosting your immune system!

Pickled in this way, you can store beetroot for up to 18 months.

Ingredients:

Beetroots

White vinegar

Water

A few Bay leaves

½ – 1tsp Yellow Mustard seeds 

1tbsp peppercorns

1tsp salt

Method:

  1. Clean and trim your beetroots.
  2. Boil for around 45minutes until tender.
  3. Peel the beetroots once they have cooled a little, slice and add to sterilised jars.
  4. To make your brining solution, use 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water. Make enough to cover the beetroots you have prepared. Add your herbs and spices and bring to a boil.
  5. Pour the solution over the beetroot in the jars and seal. 
  6. They will be ready to eat in around 2 weeks.

Homemade Breakfast Sauce

Breakfast or brown sauce is a delicious accompaniment to a full English breakfast or a simple sausage sarnie, and while there are a couple of unusual ingredients, it’s really easy to make! 

This recipe requires a food processor, smoothie maker or stick blender.

Ingredients:

1tbsp oil

200g chopped onion

200g dates or prunes halved

600g cooking apples, cored and chopped, there’s no need to peel them!

500ml balsamic vinegar

200g muscovado or dark soft brown sugar

3tbsp tamarind paste

40g root ginger peel and chopped

4 cloves

1tsp grated nutmeg

2tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Add a couple of chillies or a good dash of tabasco to add a kick to your sauce.

Method:

  1. Heat the oil and gently cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes.
  2. Add all the other ingredients, mix well and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Blend together. Be careful transferring the mixture, it will be very hot!
  4. Put into sterilised jars and leave for a week or two to mature. This can be stored for up to 6 months.

Quesadilla’s

This is a fantastic and easy lunch time snack! Quesadillas are a mexican street food and you can adapt them to your own taste. You could make them spicy, serve with salsa, guacamole or sour cream, or just enjoy them as they are. Substitute cheese for lactose free and these snack can be vegan as well!

Ingredients:


This is to make 1 quesadilla.
x2 Soft tortilla wraps
50g grated cheddar cheese – about a handful
1 spring onion chopped
2-3 cherry tomatoes quartered
1 baby corn sliced
1-2 mushrooms sliced
1⁄4 pepper sliced
You can add any veg you like really. If you’d like to make it spicy, add chilli or chipotle paste, you could switch the cheese for feta, add some cooked sweet potato, chorizo, chicken or even left over chilli con . These are a great versatile snack to use what’s in your fridge!

Method:

  1. Using a heavy bottomed frying pan on a medium heat, add one of your wraps. You don’t need oil!
  2. Add half of your cheese.
  3. Add your fillings.
  4. Add the rest of your cheese on top.
  5. Add the second wrap and gently press down.
  6. Allow the tortilla to toast to a deep golden brown then flip and
    allow the other side to toast as well.
  7. Serve by quartering your quesadilla and enjoy!

Burns Night

*** We forgot to post this. Apologies.

On Monday the 25th January this year [2021] it will be Burns night here in the UK. But what is Burns night?

The first Burns Night was celebrated over 200 years ago, but its popularity has only grown over the years, with traditions passed down from generation to generation. Burns Night is considered to be Scotland’s “other national day”, alongside St Andrew’s Day in November. Celebrated on the same date each year, the night gives a nod to the life and work of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.

Traditional festivities generally include a Burns Supper, which features readings of his poetry throughout the meal.

To celebrate we thought we would share how to make a tradition Burn’s night supper – haggis, neeps and tatties, that’s haggis, swede and potatoes!

Ingredients:

x1 shop bought haggis 3 large potatoes
1 swede
Butter
Milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Cook your haggis according to the packets instructions.
  2. Peel and chop your swede into rough cm cubes and boil
    for 40-45 minutes. Mash with butter, salt and pepper.
  3. Peel and roughly chop your potatoes. Mash with a big
    splash of milk, butter, salt and pepper.
  4. Serve as is or with onion gravy and enjoy.

Tartiflette

I only recently discovered this truly delicious dish, thanks to my Brother in Law. I won’t lie, it is indulgent, but very much worth it.

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion

4 cloves of garlic

200g bacon lardons

1kg waxy potatoes

2 half rounds of reblochon cheese or a whole camembert or two pieces of brie

200ml white wine

200-300ml double cream

A little butter

Salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C.
  2. Finely dice you onion.
  3. Gently fry your onion and bacon.
  4. Peel and halve your potatoes and put them onto part boil for 10 minutes.
  5. Add wine to onion and bacon and reduce.
  6. Add cream to onions and bacon.
  7. Drain your potatoes, put in a large casserole dish and stir in bacon and onion mixture.
  8. Fine chop your garlic and stir in.
  9. Remove the bottom off your cheese, chap up and stir in.
  10. Add your cheese with the cut side down onto the top and cover.
  11. Bake for 45minutes check occasionally and add extra cream if you think it needs it. Uncover for the last 10-15 minutes.
  12. Serve with a salad and enjoy!

Ingredients in bold are allergens.

Christmas Sausage Rolls!

Now it’s well known that we love a sausage roll at Heathlands. So we thought we’d put a festive spin on them and make Christmas sausage rolls! How you might ask? Well with stuffing of course and chestnuts. Yum.

Ingredients:

1 pack of premade puff pastry

500g pack of sausage meat

1 pack of your favourite stuffing

½ a pack of precooked chestnuts – these are optional

1 egg

Flour for dusting

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 190°C.
  2. Remember; you should ALWAYS wash your hands before and after cooking. This is very important as you are handling raw meat.
  3. Make your stuffing to the packets instructions, remembering to half the water as we are only making half the packet. Allow this to cool.
  4. Roughly chop your chestnuts if you are using them.
  5. Combine your sausage meat, stuffing and chestnuts.
  6. Roll out your pastry sheet onto a dusted surface to stop it sticking. Add your sausage meat in a line, leaving enough space to fold over the pastry and egg wash next to it.
  7. “Crimp” the edges of the pastry with a fork and cut to desired length. Slit the tops, egg wash and decorate with seeds if you want to.
  8. Place on a non-stick baking sheet or line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Bake at 190°C for 20 minutes, allow to cool a little and enjoy! 

Spiced Winter Biscuits

These lovely warming biscuits are perfect for after a lovely winter walk with a cup of tea.

You will need a mixer or electric whisk for this recipe.

Ingredients:

200g unsalted butter

200g caster sugar

1 medium egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

400g plain flour

Method:

  1. Cream the butter and sugar together.
  2. Add your egg & vanilla and mix well.
  3. Sieve your flour & spices into the mixture and mix well. If your dough is a little crumbly add a few drops of water at a time until it holds together.
  4. Wrap in clingfilm of baking parchment and rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
  5. Roll out to desired thickness and cut out.
  6. Chill again for 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and bake for 8-10 minutes. They should only be a very light golden colour.
  8. Cool on a rack and enjoy!
  9. To store, place in an airtight container.
  • Ingredients in bold are allergens

Easy Christmas Cake!

This easy recipe is for a delicious Christmas cake and is based on a Borrowdale tea bread! Make it a couple of weeks in advance and it will mature beautifully. If you would like your cake to be gluten free, simply swap the flour for plain gluten free flour!

Ingredients:

450g mixed fruit – we used raisins, sultanas, currents, glace cherries and mixed peel

100ml strong tea

100ml rum – you can leave this out and double your tea

250g plain flour

175g dark brown sugar

25g melted butter

1 egg whisked

Zest of a large orange

1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

1tsp mixed spice

1tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

*** Optional – nuts and glace cherries to decorate

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C.
  2. Weigh out all the ingredients.
  3. Put fruit and tea mixture into a bowl and allow to soak for at least 3 hours, overnight is better.
  4. Quickly melt your butter in the microwave. 30-40 seconds should be enough.
  5. Stir sugar into the fruit mixture.
  6. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt into the mixture and combine.
  7. Stir in beaten egg and melted butter.
  8. Put into an 8inch round cake tin, decorate if wanted and bake for between 1hour & 15minutes and 1 hour & 30minutes. Check the cake with a temperature probe or a skewer. Skewer should come out clean, temp should be 92 degrees C. 
  9. Enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is a delicious dip from the Middle East, traditionally it is eaten as part of a “meze” or selection of dishes to make a whole meal. You could eat this with carrot sticks as a great snack, with bread sticks or even in a wrap with olives, tomatoes and rocket.

This recipe is also vegan, gluten and lactose free!

We’ve also included some idea’s for how you can flavour your hummus.

*** You will need a food processor, smoothie maker [nutribullet] or stick blender with tub and blade attachment to make this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas

4tbsp tahini OR 3tbsp smooth peanut butter

Juice 1 lemon

1 large glove of garlic

2tbsp olive oil

1/tsp salt

65ml lukewarm water

Method:

  1. Juice your lemon and peal the garlic.
  2. Add of of your ingredient into the machine you are using.
  3. Blend together until smooth. If your hummus is a little think, add 1tbsp of water and a time.
  4. Enjoy!

You add lots of lovely flavours to hummus. We tried dill with extra lemon, sweet chilli sauce and olives.

Rats Tails!

Yes, you read that right! Rats tails. This is a delicious snack for bonfire night, to accompany, in our house at least, jacket potatoes and chilli!

If you don’t like spicy food you can substitute the chillies for sweet baby peppers.

Ingredients: 

Large green chillies

Cream cheese

Streaky smoked bacon

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celsius or gas mark 5.
  2. Half your chillies or peppers and clean out the seeds and pith.
  3. Fill with cream cheese.
  4. Wrap filled chillies or peppers with bacon.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes and enjoy!

Hallowe’en Pumpkin Soup

This warming soup is spooktacular for hallowe’en night. It’s also lactose and gluten free! If you can’t get a pumpkin, you can substitute with butternut squash.

Ingredients:

1 medium or large pumpkin depending on how many you are cooking for

1 white onion

2 carrots

1tsp salt

1tsp ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

Vegetable stock cube

1 tbsp  olive oil

200ml coconut milk / lactose free cream

Method:

  1. Finely dice the onion and start to gently fry with your olive oil in a large soup pan.
  2. Prepare your pumpkin by removing seeds, ect and skin, dice and add to the pan.
  3. Peel and dice the carrots and add to the pan. Keep stirring as you fry and add your spice, cook for around 5 minutes.
  4. Boil a kettle and add water to the pan, so that the vegetables are covered by 1-2 inches of water. Simmer for 1/2 an hour.
  5. Blend your soup using a food processor or stick blender.
  6. You can add coconut milk or cream for a little luxury and if you’re feeling fancy, why not try a spiders web like in the picture!

Gluten / Lactose Free Plum and Rhubarb Crumble

This delicious classic dessert is warming and seasonal. Plums are perfect this time of year and rhubarb is still plentiful. We served with ice cream, but custard would be awesome too!

We’ve made this recipe using the cup quantity method, just like our Easy Peasy Chocolate Cake!

Ingredients for filling:

2 cups plums halved and de-stoned

2 cups rhubarb roughly chopped

⅓ cup of gluten free flour

⅓ cup of brown sugar

Ingredients for crumble topping:

⅔ cup of gluten free oats

½ cup of dark brown sugar

¼ cup of gluten free flour

3tbsp set coconut oil

1tbsp vegetable oil

1tbsp cinnamon powder

½ tsp sea salt

Flaked almonds to decorate if wanted

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees C
  2. In a medium pyrex dish or deep oven pan, gently combine the filling ingredients.
  3. For the crumble topping. Combine all the ingredients, rubbing together until it is crumbly!
  4. Sprinkle it over the filling and bake until the crumble topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Around 40-45 minutes.
  5. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes before serving and enjoy!
  • Ingredients in bold are allergens.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

This delicious take on a Sunday dinner classic is vegetarian and gluten free! You can garnish as you see fit, we served with croutons [not gluten free!], but you could add some chucks of cheese or even some crispy fried onions.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion finely chopped

½ cauliflower roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 gluten free stock cube

150g of mature cheddar cheese

Method:

  1. Add a little oil to a large saucepan and gentle fry the onions for a minute.
  2. Add the cauliflower and garlic and gently fry for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Cover with boiling water and add the stock cube. Simmer until the cauliflower is soft.
  4. Blend with a sick blender or in a food processor.
  5. Stir in your cheese until melted and serve!

Gluten Free Ginger Cookies

These gluten free biscuits are a delicious sweet spicy treat. The recipe will also work perfectly well with normal plain flour.

Ingredients:

350grs Self-raising flour [gluten free]

Pinch Salt

200grs Caster Sugar

1tsp Ground Ginger

1tsp Bicarb of Soda.

115grs Margarine

90grs Golden Syrup

1large Egg beaten and warm

150grs Crystallised ginger coarsely chopped

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
  2. Line a baking sheet with silicon paper or bakers parchment.
  3. Sift flour with salt, sugar, ground ginger and Bicarb of Soda.
  4. Melt margarine gently with syrup. Cool gently.
  5. Pour butter and syrup over the dry ingredients. Add the egg and 2/3 of crystallised ginger. Mix thoroughly.
  6. Divide into 30 small balls, place well apart on trays and gently flatten.
  7. Press remaining crystallised ginger into flattened balls.
  8. Bake 12-15 minutes until light golden in colour.
  9. Cool for one minute to allow cookies to firm up. Remove to cooling wire and leave to chill completely.
  10. Enjoy!

Ingredients in BOLD are allergens.

Gluten Free Rosemary Crackers

These simple crackers are a tasty treat with all cheeses and gluten free!!!

This recipe will also work with standard plain flour.

Ingredients:

200g Gluten free plain flour
3tbsp  Extra virgin olive oil
1 Handful of fresh rosemary, de-stalked & chopped
50g Sesame seeds
1tbsp Garlic power
2  Free range eggs
1tbsp  Water
+ Good quality rock salt or sea salt to sprinkle

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 190° and line baking sheet with silicone paper or bakers parchment.
  2. Whisk eggs and olive oil together in bowl.
  3. Prepare and weigh off all dry ingredients [except salt] and combine in food processor.
  4. Slowly add egg and oil mixture, then water until a ball of dough forms within the food processor.
  5. Turn out dough and knead well.
  6. Split in half and roll out dough onto a liberally flour dusted surface very thin. Perhaps 1/8inch thick if you can manage. Sprinkle on salt and lightly press it into dough.
  7. Cut out with desired shape and place on baking tray.
  8. Bake for approximately 20 minutes depending on oven, crackers should be bubbling and slightly coloured.
  9. Cool on racks.

Ingredients in BOLD are allergens.

Pretty Coleslaw

Here’s a very simple recipe for a colourful coleslaw that makes an excellent side dish or add your favourite grated cheese for a fab sandwich filling!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp apple cider or white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp English mustard
  • 1/3 of a red cabbage shredded
  • 2 carrots shredded or grated
  • 1 small red onion finely sliced

Method:

Whisk together your wet ingredients, then add your prepared vegetables, mix together and enjoy! This will keep in the fridge in an air tight container for up to three days.

Gluten Free Cheese Biscuits

Ingredients

  • 185g Gluten free plain flour
  • 85g Vegetable margarine
  • 225g Grated strong cheddar
  • 1tsp Salt
  • 1tbsp Garlic power
  • 2 Free range egg yolks
  • 1tbsp Water

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 160° and line baking sheet with silicone paper or bakers parchment.
  2. Weigh off all dry ingredients and marg. to processor and combine.
  3. Add cheese and combine.
  4. Slowly add egg yolk first and then water until mixture forms a ball within the
    food processor.
  5. Turn out dough and knead well.
  6. Split in half and roll out dough onto a liberally flour dusted surface very thin.
    Perhaps 1/8inch thick if you can manage.
  7. Cut out with desired shape and place on baking tray. Chill in fridge for 1/2hr.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes or longer depending on oven and cool on racks.
  9. Eat with more cheese!
    1tbsp 1tbsp 1tsp 1tbsp
    Cayenne pepper Smoked paprika Chilli flakes
    Dried Parsley

Why not spice things up and add a table spoon of chilli flakes!

Cum

Strawberry Layered Milk Jelly

This is a super easy treat and English strawberries are in season!

Ingredients

  • x2 blocks of strawberry jelly
  • boiling and cold water
  • x6 strawberries
  • 135 ml whole milk
  • tsp sugar

Method

Cut up half a block of jelly and place in a heatproof measuring jug. Add the sugar and top up with boiling water to 150ml. Stir until completely dissolved. Place in the fridge to cool. Put your spare jelly block in tuppaware and save for another day!

While first mixture is cooling, slice your strawberries and place in the bottom of six small glasses or ramekins.

Once the jelly mix is cool add milk 135ml of milk. This makes a total of 285ml of milk jelly.

Split the mixture between the glasses and place in the fridge to set. This takes about an hour.

Next cut up a whole block of strawberry jelly and add boiling water to 285ml line. Stir until completely dissolved. Add a further 285ml of cold water.

Add jelly mixture on top of milk jelly and place in the fridge to set. This should take around an hour to an hour and a half.

Enjoy!

Variations

Why not try making orange milk jelly with tinned peace slices? Or if your feeling adventurous, use gelatin powder and coconut milk and add mango puree to pineapple jelly for your second layer.

Cheese Scones

Ingredients:

  • 225g Self Raising Flour
  • 1tsp Baking Powder
  • 55g Butter
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 25g Mature Ceddar
  • 150ml Milk
  • 1 Egg

Method:

  1. Serve the flour and baking powder into a bowl and rub the butter in with your finger tips.
  2. Add the milk gently with a wooden spoon to get a soft dough.
  3. Bring the dough together with floury hands. Yup, this can be messy!
  4. Turn out onto a floury surface and press down to about 3cm thick.
  5. Cut out with a scone cutter and place on a baking tray with parchment.
  6. Whisk egg and wash the top of scones.
  7. Bake at 210 degrees for 12-15 minutes

For a delicious alternative, melt a tablespoon of marmite into the milk on the hob, then cool in the fridge before making you scones.