Duffle or waffnut?

I just checked my email, and King Arthur flour announced tomorrow is National waffle day. I love waffles. Some days however, like today when wisdom teeth are causing me hassles, I don't have the drive to leap out into the kitchen and make them.  I was reminded about these though.  I made these back in May when I saw them done online.  Not sure where but thought I would share. They were sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good.

To start you need as many plain glazed donuts as your heart desires.  Krispy Kremes were mentioned, I chose 4 for a £1 at my local supermarket though. 

A preheated waffle machine, This is mine, it is about 20 years old and it's looking it, she however works beautifully for our needs.

When your waffle machine is ready and heated around medium on mine, simply place suitable amount of donuts in machine and squish down.  Follow your machines guidelines, these took around a minute or 2 until the green light let me know they were ready

They came out smelling and looking fantastic, the glaze had caramelised leaving sugar strands as I pulled them off the hot plates. Insides were warm, soft, compact  and densely fluffy with classic donut flavour.  The outsides had a light crunchy caramel coating. 

I've also in the past used my waffle machine to bake cookies and toast sandwiches,  I have also seen people make french toast in them too.  If you have a waffle machine in your cupboard collecting dust, why not drag it out and show it some love.  And remember why you bought one in the first place

Roasted mushrooms

I am the biggest mushroom lover I know and that is saying something as my OH loves them almost as much. Anything with the word mushroom in the recipe title and you usually get my full attention.  I was cruising the internet last week looking for not a lot really but found a version of roasted mushrooms.  Then I googled Roasted mushrooms, all good things popped up.  Being I have been doing slimming world plan since May I then adapted what I read and was very happy with the results. For this I used 

Button mushrooms ( chestnut or white)

Frylight ( 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil if preferred)

and seasoning 

Preheat oven to gas mark 6-7. Start by trimming the stalks off the mushrooms so they are level with the cap and place in a bowl. I found a double one and had to show you the cuteness.  Spray a baking tray with frylight and put to one side

spray the mushrooms in the bowl with frylight/olive oil, toss around and season and toss around again, then when each one has a coating place them cut side down on the baking tray.  Place in oven for 25-30 minutes, then take them out turn them over and place back in oven for another 10 minutes.

Although the look leathery and shriveled they should still have moisture in them and taste concentrated. You could of course play with the flavouring using herbs, spices, garlic or garlic frylight perhaps? The possibilities are endless.  

Cheese soufflé

Cheese souffle used to scare me, or rather souffle in general did. why? I don't know. But I gave it a go and you know what? Apart from trashing the kitchen it went to plan and tasted brilliant.  

Going in they looked ok

Came out looking monsterous.  Although a little dark on top they tasted great, One flowed like a volcano but still tasted ok 

Insides were light and fluffly.  my recipe to come I just wanted to share my excitement of beating my fear of souffles.

Fakeaway craze in slowcooker

Oh boy when people started talking about fakeaway being as good as a doner kebab done in a slowcooker I actually rolled my eyes. no way was this going to be anywhere near as good right? wrong!!!! it took 2 attempts but I was praised highly and it's been requested again for our home made take away family film nights.  A lot of people have shown interest so I thought I would share.  The first attempt I made was to dry so was pleased when this worked. 

Start with

• 500grams lamb mince
  1 teaspoon salt
  1.5 teaspoon onion powder or granules
  1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
  0.5 teaspoon pepper
• (I added in 0.5 tsp of smoked paprika and 0.25 teaspoon of chilli powder as my lot are heat wimps and wouldn't of liked 1.5 teaspoons of cayenne but feel free to adapt.
• 1 teaspoon oregano or
  1 teaspoon mixed herbs

Put the whole lot in a food processor or mixer or squidge lots with hands until you have a sticky mass that holds together really well.  Shape into a log or lump and wrap in foil,  put a few foil balls in bottom of slowcooker and add a splash of water.  

poke 3 or 4 holes in bottom of foil meat package and put it holes down on top of foil balls.  

mine cooked on high for 3 hours but your slow cooker may cook differently. left to rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly and serving

• 
  

looks not to lovely right

looks bit bigger than regular slices but texture and taste are great

I stir fried with very little heat a pack of mushrooms, 2 chunky cut peppers and a red onion sprinkled with lots of oregano

salad is mostly just fresh cut but the softer red or white cabbage is achieved I discovered is finely cut with red onion and carrot, then salt and lots of lemon juice sprinkled over and stirred through thoroughly.  Left in the fridge for an hour or so and then sprinkled with parsley.  Was spot on.  All I was missing was garlic mayo and jalapeno chillis.  next time maybe ;o) 

slowcooker sausage with onion gravy

I was pondering on some sausages I bought last week.  So I went a searching the internet for a recipe and decided on one from netmums  I changed it a little but not to much 

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tbsp olive oil

8 sausages ( we had 9 lamb and meat butchers sausages)

3 onions (in half then in thick, half moon slices), sliced

2.5 tbsp plain flour

500ml beef stock (or chicken)

3 tbsp chutney (or pickle - any type we used Christmas chutney leftover from Christmas)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp black pepper ( I used much less but to taste)

250g of small potatoes or cut into bitesize chunks 

250g chestnut or button mushrooms halved or sliced chunky

Set the slow cooker to HIGH

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the sausages and quickly brown on all sides, then transfer to the slow cooker

Add the onions to the frying pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown - stir in the flour and cook gently for 1-2 minutes

Make sure you scrape all the flour from the bottom of the pan

Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the stock - bring to the boil, stirring continuously, until thickened

Stir in the chutney, Worcestershire sauce and pepper

Transfer to the slow cooker with potatoes 

Turn the slow cooker down to LOW, put the lid on and cook on LOW for 5-8 hours I cooked on high for 4 hours  adding the mushrooms around an hour before serving 

Serve with vegetables and mash

it's not the prettiest dish but it was a great everyday good tasting dish :o) Next time I will brown the sausages more and maybe add some more vegetables in the slowcooker.

Deliberating

2015 already.  I sit here typing at just gone midnight on January 1st.  I have my 2 beautiful granddaughters here on a sleepover and am thinking about new years resolutions as you do. 

 Yes I want to lose a shed load of weight, get fit, be prepared for Christmas next year, learn new skills and become amazing. All sound wonderful things don't they? But it got me thinking as to why our resolutions go out the window by mid January? I think we are all to hard on ourselves.

 My resolution is to be easier on myself and enjoy life more.  I don't spend half as much time on myself as I should. I have some lovely make up, hardly wear it.  I love to cook and create food that makes people smile, but find myself only cooking for the rushed evening meal, or not bothering to take photos and sharing. I love to read, I struggled to read 52 books this year.  I love to learn new arts and crafts but hardly dabble in new areas.  Love to papercut but I am to busy doing things for others.  Love to knit and am so out of the habit. 

So I hereby announce my new years resolution as I am going to take more time for me and enjoy more in life. I am no longer going to complain about things I don't do I am going to do them :o) I might need a kick up the rear now and again but let us hope this doesn't happen. 

When I started this blog I did say it wasn't just going to be for baking/cooking so lets see if I can blog more because I do enjoy it. But I think I do limit myself thinking I must come up for a new recipe before I blog.  Maybe I can share what other things I have gotten up to as well. 

But for now I will sign off and wish you a happy, safe and healthy new year.  Remember to be kind to others and yourselves 

Jules xx

Chinese style pork

This may not be the healthiest or best looking plate but oh my it was melt in the mouth and delicious.  I cooked it in the afternoon and reheated when I cooked the veg and noodles later in the evening.  Worked a treat and although the ingredients are a little vague I think you could use your own tastes to adjust them. I don't see why you couldn't use spare rib chops  or shoulder of pork.  You need a fatty cut for the melt in the mouth quality. Only other thing I would add is your pan needs to be big enough to have the meat in one layer and have a lid. Or you could cover tightly with foil maybe?

4 slices pork belly cubed

3 garlic cloves sliced

Knob ginger shredded

Cinnamon stick ( 3 inch bit)

Star anise 2 small

2 slices orange peel

Shasong wine big big slug

Dark soy sauce ( around 3 tablespoons  think)

one pack of chestnut mushrooms 250g smallish cut in half or if big quarters 

Heat oil and put in pork ginger and garlic. Stir briefly until coloured. Pour in wine and few tablespoons of soy sauce. Add in all apart from mushrooms. Put on lowest heat and leave to simmer for 40 minutes. Turn over and lay mushrooms on top. Lid on 20 minutes then lid off and simmer until liquids reduce to saucy consistency.