Friday 9 March 2012

Coconut Naan Bread Recipe

Silly Old me forgot to write the coconut naan bread recipe in yesterdays blog!


Just as well I can do it for tonights as I don't have time to do a long post today.


My 6 year old nephew is here for a sleepover with my 4 year old son. One word... Chaos! ha but fun laugh out loud chaos! These two boys are hilarious together!


So Back to the Naan!




You will need:

2 - 4 Naan Breads
40-50g(1 1/2oz) Butter, Softened
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
2-3 Tablespoons Dessicated coconut
2-3 Tablespoons Flaked Almonds

Method:

  1. Toast the nann breads to warm and slighty crisp them.
  2. Mix Together the butter, garam masala, coconut and flaked almonds.
  3. Spread mixture on the toasted naans and grill them gently for a few minutes until they brown lightly.
  4. Keep a close eye they don't burn.
  5. Serve hot and enjoy!



So these go really well with the chicken recipe from yesterday.

Enjoy this twist on the original naan.

Love Ems.x



Thursday 8 March 2012

Chicken Dinner Dishes - One of My New Favorites!

Well this is now one of my new favorite chicken dinner recipes.... Drum roll please! 

Nigella Lawson's Chicken Muglai.

I was looking for recipes that contained ground almonds to use up the packet I bought to make the Spanish Orange and Almond Cake (my 2012 promise to myself is to use up ingredients and not let food go off) and came across this recipe. Of course I wanted to try it straight away and as Jack (the small boy i keep talking about a.k.a my son) loves curries and stews and anything with a sauce I thought it would be a great one to try out. 


So got my ingredients together and set about to make dinner!

Oh and just wanted to add this recipe was surprisingly quick and easy! Thumbs up as any mammy knows with a small child these two things are important when getting dinner ready!

This recipe serves 8 - Takes 30 mins to prep and 20 mins to cook.

You will need:

1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled 
  • cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
  • 4 tablespoons ground almonds
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 5 cardamom pods, bruised
  • cinnamon stick, broken in half
  • bay leaves
  • 4 cloves
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 pounds boned chicken thighs, each cut into 2 
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted, to garnish


  • Method:

  • Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili into a food prossesor, or into a mortar and pestle, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water and then blend again, set aside.







































Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces - in batches so they fry rather than stew - and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.
Add the spices and turn them in the oil. Add the onions and cook them until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently, to avoid sticking.
 Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour.


 Add the yogurt, half a cup at a time stirring it in to make a sauce, then stir in the stock, cream, and sultanas.


Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar, and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the meat is cooked through.

My mum used to do this trick! Can't find
 the right lid just use a plate ha!


It's at this stage, that I like to take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool before reheating the next day.
So either now, or when you've reheated it, pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.

I made a few small changes to this. I used diced chicken breast and I added a small bit of cornflour at the end to thicken it up a bit!
This dish was sooo good! Served with a bit of rice and your ready to go!
Definately one to try,
Love Ems.x

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Twitter and Foodies!

I am now offically on Twitter...Joy! and by officially I mean I have followers! Amazing how something so simply makes me happy. It's the simply things eh!


And I must say it's been a very welcoming start from everyone! Thank you to all!!!


So no time to blog about a recipe for tonight unfortunately as I was in work all day then straight to a very interesting Blogging course! but i'm drooling over Nigella Lawsons recipe for Mughlai Chicken... Thinking it could be a winner for dinner tomorrow!


Oh Yes! How Good does this look!


I'm Thinking with some Coconut Naan?!?! Right so Recipes for both to come tomorrow! 

Night to all,
Love Ems.x





Tuesday 6 March 2012

Why gluten free?



After all my thinking about which recipe to choose, it all got blown out the window when I came across a recipe online last night for a spanish orange and almond cake! It looked so fluffy and light that I couldn't resist! Best of all it's GLUTEN FREE! YAY! 


I've had irritable bowl syndrome since i was about 10 so i'm well used to spotting the food that sets it off and the food that soothes it! Two things I know for definate are wheat and yeast! however I LOVE  bread and cake and basically all the delicous stuff I shouldnt be eating! Boooooo to dodgy tummies!


So even though this recipe has sugar in it, it is made on ground almonds instead of flour which makes my stomach very happy! 








The recipe is so simple :

  • 2 oranges, about 280 g (10 oz) in total, scrubbed and roughly chopped (with skin)
  • 5 eggs, separated
  • 200 g (7 oz) caster sugar
  • 225 g (8 oz) ground almonds
  • 2 tbsp flaked almonds
  • sifted icing sugar to decorate



My little boy trying to steal an orange!


The lovely spanish oranges I purchased!










So I had mine with some warm custard and it was scrummy! Although it was a lovely cake i found the skin a bit bitter! Next time I make it I would peel the oranges before cooking them! 


So enjoy whichever way you decided to go with it and whatever you put with it (some ice-cream with a warm slice of cake of this cake definitely wouldn't last long on my plate)!


Happy baking,
Love ems.x

Monday 5 March 2012

Rachel Allen or Donal Skehan... Decisions, Decisions!!!

So had a few very busy days with lots of very quick boring food that wouldn't been very interesting to show ye!  


Plans for tomorrow... Bake a yummy dessert ! Now which to choose! I'm torn between a Cherry Chocolate Cake from Rachel Allen's 'Bake' or Donal Skehan's Strawberry and Rhubarb Oaty Crumble from his book 'Kitchen Hero'.


I am getting serious food photography envy from all the books I have. However it's not just the photography, it's the beautiful, quirky and vintage dishes, cutlery and whatnot they have to display there heavenly creations in.


I have very little of these so i decided to start a collection, little by little.


This search took me to two of my favorite sites for things like this. Ebay and Etsy!


My purchase of the week was a gorgeous:


Vintage Look Blue China Cake Plate by Bombay Duck.



and also because i have a small problem when it comes to drinking tea and coffee i bought a

KEEP CALM AND DRINK TEA MUG! I LOVE IT!



Which is also available in KEEP CALM AND DRINK COFFEE!


Both can be purchased on Ebay!

My wish list also includes:


Love these mugs from etsy!


Great vintage 70's Soup bowl with saucer from ebay


and who wouldn't love these measuring cups.


So the decision now is should I bake the cherry chocolate cake or strawberry and rhubarb crumble!?!

Love Ems.x







Wednesday 29 February 2012

Love Irish!

I love being Irish! It's just something about it I love! So considering this is my first proper post I decided to go with a cookbook from one of Ireland's famous chefs - Rachel Allen. The book is her latest 'Easy Meals' and I'm big into it at the moment for one reason and one reason only... it does exactly what it says on the tin! All the recipes are so easy and quick and  not to mention DELICIOUS! From 'Spiced Baked Eggs' to, one of my all time favorites,  'Chocolate Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding'. Yum!





Tonight I decided to go with her 'Bacon and Potato Gratin'.




This turned out great... however I did half the recipe because there was only three of us eating it. Oh and I love food so we also had chargrilled chicken breast and buttered chantenay carrots. Extra Yum!


So it went a little something like this:


2 tbsp olive oil
375g (13oz) bacon - diced (I used rashers) - Was also thinking would chorizo be good as a subsitute??
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1kg(2lb 3oz) potatoes, peeled and sliced 5mm thick
300ml(1/2 pint) single or regular cream
50g(2oz) gruyere or chedder cheese, grated


You will need a 2 litre(31/2 pint) gratin or ovenproof dish - and please note the recipe here service 6 - 8 people.


  • Preheat oven to 200degrees C, 400 degrees F, gas mark 6
  • Heat olive oil  in frying pan, when hot add the bacon and fry for 5 minutes or until crispy. Stir in onions, garlic and thyme then season. ( I only used the black pepper as the bacon was pretty salty). Cook for a further 6 -8 mins or until the onion is soft and slightly golden.

  • Take off the heat and leave to the side while preparing the potatoes in the dish. Arrange half the spuds in the dish, season, then spread the cooked bacon and onion. Add the remaining potatoes and season again. (I added a bit of cheese in the middle with the bacon/onion mix which turned out very tasty).
  • Pour over the cream. Add the grated cheese and cover with foil. Put into oven. 





  • Bake for 45 mins, remove foil and return to oven for about 30 - 35 mins or until lightly browned and crispy on top



Ok so that's all for today ... any tips or ideas are more than welcome because i am a newbie at this!!! And would love the feedback!

Happy cooking everyone,
Love em.x

Tuesday 28 February 2012

My Addiction!

Just a quick little intro to let you know what this blog is all about!
Well as it says in the title I have too many cookbooks... it is an addiction! It's the only way to describe it!
My kitchen looks a little something like this...




I will get a picture of my actual collect posted!


 Hold on let me get back to the start. My name is Emma and i have no training in cooking or baking but I LOVE cookbooks and basically any type of recipe i can find. These can come from anywhere! My latest find was a delicious Butternut Squash soup which i found a recipe for in a magazine in my doctors waiting room... of course i pulled it out and brought it home...sshhh!


So my mission for this blog is to try at least one recipe a day and tell ye all about, however good, bad or ugly it turns out!


So watch this space... if all goes as plan i will have my first recipe with pics up tomorrow! Yay!


Love Em.x