Sweet chilli beef stir fry

Quick, tasty and healthy too, dinner in a flash. It has been very hot today and there is no room for stodgy heavy potato dishes. Tonight I decided to go lazy and have time to spend with the children and made the beef stir fry. Here we go:

1pkt Amoy wholewheat noodles
400g sirloin steak cut into thin strips
1 cubes sweet chilli melts
1tsp sesame seeds
1tsp sesame oil
12 basil leaves
1tbs vegetable oil
Mixed vegetables

Put the sesame oil in the pan and heat, add the basil leaves and fry for one minute
Remove basil leaves from pan
Add vegetable oil and beef and fry for three minutes
Add the vegetables and cook for two minutes then add the sesame seeds
Add the sweet chilli melts and cook for a further two minutes.

Cook noodles according to pack instructions
Drain the water, add the stir fry and toss the basil leaves.
Serve and enjoy

Toad in the hole (twist)

As a busy mother I always have to juggle multiples of chores and still like to give my children the best I can in terms of food. I also hate spending too much time in the kitchen so will always try to come up with quick and easy meals that my family will enjoy. I also try bring a twist to the usual recipes every time so the children don't know what to expect from the same dinners.

We decided on having Toad in the hole (sausages cooked in Yorkshire pudding) but instead of making  cooking this the traditional way I decided to add mustard, horseradish, and some strips of smoked cured bacon. I also removed the skin from the sausages resulting in beautifully cooked, soft and delicious sausages. This was a success.

125g plain flour
125ml milk mixed with 125ml water
 1tsp grainy mustard
6sausages skin removed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp horseradish salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and whisk until thoroughly mixed

Heat oven at  220 Celsius
Add the dripping to the tray and leave to melt and heat up for five minutes
Pour in the butter (it should sizzle as you pour it in the tray
Quickly arrange the sausages and bake for 25-30 minutes
Serve with mash or baby potatoes with seasonal veg.

Tenderstem broccoli, baby potatoes and the Toady.

Make do with what you have

I struggled to come with dinner ideas today, I was so tired from cleaning, ironing homework, all the usual malarkey we as mothers go through everyday. I had quail eggs, plum tomatoes and asparagus, did not want the hassle of scotch quail eggs as I usually prepare them and did not want the stress of poaching and trimming the tiny little things. So this is what I came up with in the end. I mad the hollandaise sauce at last minute. If you need recipe you can scroll down my previous posts there is one.

I made aero peppermint ice cream with dessert in mind but also utilised the whites by making meringue boats. Ice cream did not set on time which was just as well I had a second option of my meringue which I loaded with vanilla cream and threw in on raspberries. Ah, genius me 😊

Boiled quail eggs on blanched asparagus and gem lettuce leaf 

Meringue boats with vanilla cream, fresh raspberries and raspberry coulis

Sticky soy chicken wings

400g chicken wings
2tbs soy sauce
2tbs kicap manis
4 cloves garlic crushed
50g fresh ginger grated
1/2cup honey
Juice of one lemon
Zest of one lemon
Small bunch fresh thyme chopped

Add all ingredients together, mix and cover with cling film and chill overnight (if you are like me, then 2hours will do the trick)

Heat oven at 180C and cook for 25-30minutesor until the chicken juices run clear.
Garnish with some chopped spring onion.
EASY!!!

Profiteroles with chambord laced cream

These easy to make profiteroles will see you hailed kitchen goddess leaving your guests looking for more.

Ready to be filled and decorated

Ready to enjoy

Choux Pastry
110g butter at room temp
240ml water
Pinch salt
4 eggs

Filling
300mls double cream
1tsp vanilla extract
5mls chambord (optional)
(Whip the above ingredients till thickened, do not over whip or cream will split)

Ganache
200g dark chocolate
50ml water
1tbs caster sugar
(Add water and sugar together and heat to boiling point, melt chocolate then add the syrup/sugar mixture and mix thoroughly until you achieve a glossy consistency)

Method
Prep: 30min - Cook 22min -
1. Preheat oven to 200C

Bring water and butter to a boil
Stir in flour and salt and mix vigorously till dough forms a ball and leave sides of the pan
Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and allow to cool for 2/3minutes
Beat in one egg at a time using wooden spoon or stand mixer making sure each egg is thoroughly mixed before adding the next.
Place mixture into a piping bag or use a tablespoon to scoop and drop dollops onto lined baking tray.

Bake profiteroles for 20-25minutes till golden brown
Pierce the middle of the profiteroles to allow the inside to dry
Leave to cool completely and dry out on a wire rack

When profiteroles are completely cool, pipe in some cream into each and arrange onto a serving dish
Drizzle with the chocolate ganache and serve or refrigerate till ready to use.

Layered chocolate mousse

Me and the kids enjoyed making dessert tonight well the boys were more interested in tasting and licking bowls and the girl in giving instructions. It was a family effort, which rare for a midweek dinner preparation.

175g dark chocolate
175g milk chocolate
8 egg whites
2 egg yolks
50g castor sugar
2 tbs milk

175g white chocolate
175mls double cream whisked to stiff peaks
1 egg white

Break all chocolates separately to small pieces
Get 3 heat proof bowls and place the chocolates in each

Melt the dark chocolate over a pan of simmering water (ensuring that the bowl does not touch the bottom of the pan of water)
When chocolate has melted, add 1tbs milk and mix
Remove from heat, add egg yolk and mix quickly
Set aside

Repeat same with the milk chocolate and set bowl aside

Whisk the egg whites till they form soft peaks, then gradually add the castor sugar and whisk till you get firmer peaks.
Divide the egg white mixture between the dark no milk chocolates and gently fold until well incorporated.
Set aside

Melt the white chocolate as above allow to cool (remember there is no egg yolk in this one)
Add the whisked egg white and fold lightly
Add the double cream and fold gently

Scoop some white chocolate mousse into the glasses and chill for 30minutes (if pushed for time like me, freeze for 5-10minutes before layering the next chocolate and repeat the process. Chill the mousse for about one hour to allow them to set or as long as you are prepared to wait (if you can resist the temptation.
Easy Peasy (no not really but worth it).

Mine

His

Pan fried sea bass with creamy red wine sauce.

Fish is one of my favourite foods in fact anything seafood is a winner when it comes to me and my children. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said by my husband as he is not a seafood lover meaning I always have to think twice before cooking fish. Tonight the kids voted for fish and fish it was, I had to put back the minced meat I had taken out and defrosted the sea bass.

When it came to the table, I watched my children enjoy their food and was thrilled as a mother when all three of them asked for seconds. My husband ate quietly, drained his glass of wine, lifted his head and said "I enjoyed that, shame the kids have finished the food or I could have had some more" you should have seen me SMILE (secretly). 

The whole meal is self explanatory really uncomplicated, perfect for a midweek dinner.

Pan fried sea bass on creamy red wine sauce served with sautéed potatoes, steamed spinach and cherry tomatoes.

Perfect meringue

This is how you can tell that you have a perfect meringue, no dribbles and wavy trails that stay on as you whisk. Do not waste the leftover yolks please, make ice cream for the kids, IT IS SUMMER AFTER ALL!

No dribbles, meringue stay on when whisk is lifted off the bowl

Meringue tray for later

Leftover yolks, made mint chocolate ice cream, pistachios will be added later.