Desserts made simple.

Having fussy children means that I am always looking for something different to get them to eat. I am  surrounded by sweet lovers from my husband to my children and my children will be ever so upset should hey be informed that there is no dessert after dinner. I have become an expert in devising simple desserts, ones that can be prepared just before dinner goes on the table and be ready as soon as I clear the last dinner plate.

Raspberry clafoutis is one of those desserts that look like one spent s lot of time and effort in the kitchen but it's quite simple to make but tastes soo good.

YOU WILL NEED

Round pie dish or loose bottom cake tin or gratin dish if you have one
1/2 cup all purpos flour
3tbs unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar plus extra
3 large eggs
1/4 cup double cream
200g raspberries
Zest of 1 lemon
Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat oven to 180deg Celcius
Butter the dish and set aside
In a bowl; sieve flour, sugar and salt, add in eggs, buttered lemon zest and whisk until smooth.
Add the cream and whisk until light and very smooth
Pour the batter into the dish and the add the raspberries (the raspberries will sink to the bottom).

Bake for @ least 20 to 25minutes until golden brown and the clafoutis is set and golden
Allow to cool slightly then dust with icing sugar

You can serve with a dollop of whippe cream or vanilla ice-cream. My children are ultimate haargendaz fans so I give them theirs with that as a treat but mine comes plain

Home alone

Lunch for mommy: barbecued chicken wings fresh herb salad, figs and sautéed potato crisp. Just for mommy


6chicken wings
6 drumsticks

Marinade
2 tbs clear honey
Small piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
1clove garlic crushed
1 tsp Chinese five spice
2 tsp soy sauce
1tbs Orange marmalade
1/2tsp Orange zest
1tbs olive oil or sesame oil


Slash drumsticks three times with a shrp knife, add the wings and place in a metallic bowl. Mix together all the marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken. Leave to rest for 2hours or overnight.
Heat oven at 180deg Celsius and cook for 25minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Allow to cool completely.

Sautéed potatoes
2 potatoes thinly sliced
Pinch salt
 2 tbs oil

Par boil the potatoes in salted water for 2 minutes tops
Drain and dry
Drizzle oil in the pan and heat, add the potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes
Set aside

Herb salad
2figs
Some extra virgin oil

Wash the salad, cut the figs in quarters mix together drizzle extra Virgin olive oil and season to taste.

Serve and enjoy.

desserts made simple

Oh so delicate yet so simple to make.

Meringues recipe
ingredients:

4 egg whites at room temp
175g caster sugar
50g icing sugar

Preheat oven to 100C

Method
Whisk the egg whites on medium for about 2 minutes until whites for soft peaks
Increase speed to high
Gradually add the sugar (1tbs at a time) while whisking all the time ensure about 10-15 seconds between each sugar addition
Meringue is ready when firm peaks are formed and mixture stays on the whisk (without dropping into the bowl) when whisk is lifted
Add the sifted icing sugar and whisk briskly (5seconds) or gently fold in

Pipe onto baking parchment in small individual nests or use a spoon to scoop and spread out meringue or scoop out the whole mixture and spread into a bigger nest
Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes (individual nests) or 1hour for bigger single nest.

Do not be tempted to open oven during cooking.
Decorate with whipped cream and soft fruits.

Desserts made simple

White chocolate and strawberry mousse with chocolate dipped strawberries

Midweek meals take 3: beef lasagna

Midweek meals Take 3: 45minutes from start to finish.

I got home at 1730hours, half hour late than usual. Dinner tonight is Lasagna which takes me about 15minutes to cook the minced meat, make the White sauce and blend tomatoes, garlic and parsley for the base sauce. I can't be bothered with steaming veg so I am going to use herb salad as an accompaniment together with bread rolls. Easy, delicious and it looks like I have slaved myself in the kitchen.

Midweek meals take 2: hearty beef casserole
For those busy evenings after work when one has to juggle homeworks, children's showers, dinners and bed-time stories while also leaving an hour's respite before your head hits the pillow. This meal is ideal in that it allows you time to bung everything together while summoning the little ones to the table for homework and then upstairs to supervise showers. All in ninety minutes and the whole family is eating, kids go to bed and you have ample time to tidy up and put your feet up up for some catch-up TV.

I spent a lot of time thinking about what to have for dessert tonight to match with the weather. This is what I came up with: White chocolate and Amarula Bread Pudding.

Easy chicken pasta

Pasta dishes are one of the easiest meals to prepare out there but sometimes we run out of ideas on how to make them different. Besides the usual bolognaise sauce, I try to create my own sauces giving them a personal touch which my family will enjoy.

We can also make White sauce or shortcut with creme fraiche (useful when weight watching) or the usual double cream for rich taste lovers. Which ever way you mKe it, it definitely makes it one of the number one mid week no fuss meals loved by everyone.

Cooking with children

this young man woke me up early today because he wanted scones and not pancakes for breakfast (Sunday is usually pancakes and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for breakfast). So I decided to turn this into a momy and son bonding session and I just stood there watching him read the recipe, mix ingredients an finally cut the scones and bake them.

we did not have strawberry jam so decided to use up the figs we had in the basket to make our very own fig jam which was rather delicious, not sweet; just right. They could not stop talking about how delicious breakfast was and how they enjoyed making it.

Simple foods

Simple rack of lamb served with mash, vine tomatoes and blanched asparagus. One of my all time mid-week dinners ready in thirty minutes and no fuss cooking.

Good food does not need to be complicated you just need passion and have fun making it.

Simple foods

So I have decided to start sharing my experiences and love for simple homemade meals that are not only amazingly delicious, but healthy, big treats and yet economical too.

I am no Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson or Lorraine Pascale, what I am is a young mother with a passion for good food and the need to feed her family healthy meals and have fun making them. I am hoping to share my passion with the world and also learn from the world on what works.

I know I am very fussy about my food, how it's prepared, who's cooked it where it came from etc. however I am not obsessed with organics, I go for quality not shapes of tomatoes and bananas so I don't mind picking wonky looking vegetables from the essential section in Waitrose which most people would pass by. I am more than happy to compare and contrast items, feel the melon and smell the pineapples before buying them. If I have a choice I would rather visit the local farmers in Sevenoaks and pick my own vegetables and fruits and these always beat shop bought Vegas hands down every time. Now that winter is nearing to an end, I am looking forward to growing my vegetables again in the back garden and tending to my strawberry and raspberry bushes.