Cherry torte with a crumble topping

So I have 2 lovely cherry trees in my garden, one is for eating!! nomm nomm and one for cooking (if you accidentally eat a cooking one you realise why, just a bit bitter!)

This year is a bumper crop, in one picking I gathered (see am a hunter gatherer type) a colander full of cooking cherries.

 What to cook, don't fancy a cherry pie nor a cake! hmmm lets try a torte

Cherry torte with a crumble topping

Ingredients:

• 140g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp milk
• 85g butter, melted
• 350g juicy, ripe cherries

Topping:

• 25g plain flour
• ¼ tsp mixed spice
• 25g golden caster sugar
• 25g butter, at room temperature, diced

Method:

Preheat oven (I have an electric fan) 160 (conventional 180C/gas 4), grease and line your tin, go with what ever tin you have, cook longer if deeper, less if wider.

 I had to hull my cherries.

Bung (yup a very technical term) self raising flour, caster sugar, egg, mixed spice, (cooled) melted butter into the mixer and whisk, adding the milk spoon by spoon, if mixture is non-batter like add extra milk.

 Spread batter into the lined cake tin.

 Then layer cherries on top.

 In a food mixer, blitz the topping ingredients into a breadcrumb like mixture (or do it by hand if you don't have a blender)

 Then spread the "crumb" on top of the batter/cherry base.

Cook in the oven (middle is best) for 25-35 mins (depending on thickness of cake/oven type) until that darn skewer come clean.

Serve warm with ice cream or cooled with cream xxx

Puff, puff, puff and more puff (pastry and all things sausage)

Sausage rolls

Now why?, when they can be bought in the shop (pretty much all shops at that)

a) these taste better

b) not difficult to do

c) really!

Soooo ingredients (be prepared to write this mammoth list down!)

• Packet of puff pastry (pre rolled, lighter fat one available if desired)
• 6 sausages (I go for premium, minimum of 75% meat content, check those ingredients peeps)
• 1 egg beaten (thrashed, whisked what ever one prefers)

Method:

Strip the skin off the sausages

  

Roll pastry out of the packet and split horizontally in half, lay 3 on each half in a line up to the front, leaving enough to roll. Egg the back and roll back wards.

Cut into desired size.

Spray a tray with cooking spray (saves the faff of greaseproof/baking paper) and align rolls and egg wash.

Now I have a fan assisted electric oven and find 170 plenty hot enough and place the tray in the bottom 3rd so pastry cooks but does not burn, for 30 mins.

Now you can get as creative as you like, I have added stuffing, grated apple, cranberry sauce, cooked chopped bacon, fried onion and so on with the sausage meat. You can roll them smaller and use chipolata sausages for a finer roll. You can use flavoured sausages, made some cracking ones using pork and chili sausages.

Enjoy xxxx

(oh and a quick by line costings, 12 pack sausages £2.55, pack of puff pastry £1, 1 egg 35p = makes 12 rolls approx 0.22p per roll!!) 

Follow me here 

 www.facebook.com/samsfoodyblogg

Liebster Award I was nominated!

agh agh agh free fall panic the lovely Martha Mother  has nominated me for this, agh agh agh!

I am simples - I have a simples blog (and a very very very new one at that), erm just recipes (unless you find my work blog, but that is no way a massive literary addition to the blogerty world!)

sooooooooo

Being lazy I will quote Martha Mother " had nominated me to take part in this fun set of questions, so people can get to know us bloggers a little bit better and just spread the love a bit"

and just to plagiarise some more!

Here are the rules for all those taking part:

1. Acknowledge and thank the person that nominated you.
2. Use an award image to add to the post.
3. Answer 11 questions given to you
4. Nominate up to 11 blogs
5. Don't forget to let them know!
6. Give them 11 questions to answer.

1. Why did you start blogging?

I have always had a work blog, this is a fun/playful way of keeping my mindees families updated, giving access to family members in far flung corners. My food blog is totally different. I am an avid cook (not chef) and fairly accomplished (i.e. I can read and work an oven!), a few friends (don't have that many tbh) often ask me what I am doing for tea etc. One day a couple of them (well maybe my 2 only friends) suggested I blog what I do, so hence the incarnation of this very brand new blog.

2. Which one of your posts is your favourite and why?

Erm not one, but all so far, as they are food related, unless I pop a wine related post up, until then!

3. Sweet or Savoury?

Savoury!

4. Tea or coffee?

Duh Tea! 

5. If you could meet one person past or present who would it be?

I am a deep, thoughtful and intellectual person, I procrastinated over this for hours (hahahaha maybe not), I have no idea, never ever given it any thought tbh. So erm no one really.

7. Are you a working parent or a stay at home mum?

I am both, I am a childminder, I work with children at home (awesome!), my PITA's are now 21, 18, 13. However I am living my Lego dreams vicariously though others offspring now! love it x

8. If there was one piece of advice you could give your 18 year old self, what would it be?

Not a lot (as really don't know that much). However the advice I would give anyone is life is too short at that age, we live longer and longer, will be working till much later, go and have some fun.

9. Do you have any regrets?

Nope

10. 'When I grow up I want to be...' What did you want to be?

An Olympic swimmer! or an Olympic equestrienne 

11. Do you have a secret talent? 

Erm no I have no talents :) 

Gee now time to nominate (ARRRRRRRRGH)
 
Talya at motherhoodtherealdeal
Becky at cuddlefairy
Lucy at occupationmother
Trista at domesticatedmomster
Tim at slouchingtowardsthatcham
Deardads at deardadsblog
Steph at  diaryofamidlifemummy
Martyn at insidemartynsthoughts

MWAHAHAHA HAAR (evil laff!)

Strawberry torte cake

Its June and the great British strawberry comes into its own, yesterday due to my work (its really hard you know ;) ) we went strawberry picking (hunter gatherer types can also find some in their local supermarket/grocer) at the most brilliant Secretts PYO, so what do you do with gorgeous fresh strawberries that's quick and easy? well try this simple but effective cake, 7 ingredients!

Strawberry torte cake

Ingredients:

• 400g or so of strawberries hulled and halved
• 150g of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 115g of softened salted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 125g plain flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170/gas 4-5, and grease a shallow cake dish, I used a flan dish.
2. In a bowl (I use a stand mixer, effort and time saving) Cream the butter till light and fluffy, the add the sugar, again beat till fluffy
3. Then add one egg at a time, beating thoroughly in, then add the vanilla.
4. Then slowly fold in the flour and baking powder.
5. Spread the mixture in and then arrange the strawberries, right way up, either in a pattern or scattered with want and abandon.
6. Sprinkle some granulated sugar on the top and bake for 35-40 mins. or until a toothpick placed in the centre comes out clean.

Serve with cream, or warm with ice cream, or whipped cream with lemon juice and rind included xxx

Cheesecake (AKA food of the gods!) the easiest recipe ever.......

The ultimate kitchen cheesecake recipe soooooo simples and yummy.....

So the basic recipe is this

Biscuits (any crumbly kind, will offer suggestions for different styles) 300g

Butter 100g

Cream cheese (plain) 250g

Double cream 250g

Method:

Crush biscuits and melt butter, mix melted butter to biscuit crumb, until combined (more butter might be needed as some different types of biscuit absorb the butter differently), gently press down into a flan/quiche dish, I line mine with foil helps to remove the cheesecake with ease. Chill until firm.

Pop the cream and cheese in a bowl, and whisk until combined and thick enough so it stays in the bowl. 

Now add your flavour, 1 tbsp of Lemon and rind for lemon, melt the same quantity of chocolate as cream/cheese allow to cool slightly then whisk in, any fruit, fresh is better as not too liquid, a tsp of vanilla extract for vanilla and sooooooo on xxx

Spread on top of the base and chill, can be done and ready in just over 1hr.

This week I did a nice biscuit base, with dark chocolate and raspberry, last week a two tiered malteaser flavoured one, I did the above cream/cheese mixture x2 one layer had milk chocolate and 4tbsp of malted drink powder, the other was just white chocolate and I used malted milk biscuits for the base xxx 

Deep filled lunch rolls.

I hate making lunches, I find it tedious and repetitive. I also get fed up with the moaning about what I have made them, so I now do this........

Deep filled lunch rolls

So to start with you need some rolls, any will do however I have found that the plumper the roll the easier it is to fill, crusty rolls are the best, however any will do the job.

Slice the top of the roll off, thickly enough to use as a lit, but not so that you loose most of the roll.

Then carefully strip the inside of the roll out, making a well in the middle (save the bread removed for a later use (will blog that later))

Then start to layer in your fillings.

 Now I cant stand a dry sandwich, so mayonnaise or salad cream is a must, so I always put in a filling such as, tuna mayonnaise, egg and mayonnaise, cream cheese. you can be as inventive as you like. Below is mini cooked sausage sliced, with grated cheddar and 1 tbsp of mayonnaise.

Layer this in.

Then, pop the lid back on, wrap quite firmly in clingfilm, I add labels, just to save the complaints of the sandwich roulette! 

A few hints and tips:

• Ensure you buy/use things that will not go out of date in the week the rolls will be used
• Wrap entirely to ensure the bread does not dry out
• Thin slicing of ingredients mean you can get more in
• Use up stuff in the fridge, you know that rouge courgette, thinly slice and fry gently in oil and drain, then use as a sandwich layer
• Make several different ones, so 3 of one, 3 of another etc
• Make as many as you need, or go over so that if you fancy a quick lunch you can grab one yourself
• Perfect for those impromptu picnic!

Why this blog, essentials and the basics..........Part 1!

My Foody Bloggy 

Why?

Okay this blog is a demand blog from some friends of mine (Lucinda and Jube!)

Due to financial reasons I have to food plan, I have always done it and have some cracking recipes, of which most look like the most complicated thing ever yet are really simple things to make with the simplest of ingredients.

My essentials

  Kitchen equipment:

• Slow cooker
• Scales/measuring cups (handy if using American recipes)
• Electric mixer with whisk attachment
• Cheese grater
• measuring spoons
• plastic and ceramic mixing bowls (several as I am a messy cook and can have several things on the go at any one time)

Cupboard essentials:

To be fair I don't stock pile things, I tend to buy whats required if I don't have it or have run out, but like most things, they last a while and if you only use a pinch of this and that......!

however a a rough guide

• Worcester sauce
• Tabasco/hot sauce
• light/dark soy
• mustard powder
• mustard English/wholegrain/Dijon
• Vinegar, red wine,white wine, cider, balsamic
• all herbs
• all spices
• All types of stock cube
• breadcrumbs
• Flour plain/self raising
• Baking poweder
• Arrowroot
• cornflour
• cocoa powder
• all sugars
• all pasta types
• chopped tomatoes
• passata
• canned beans
• canned veg

Fridge essentials:

• Butter (salted/unsalted)
• Pasty any kind
• milk
• dounble cream
• cheese 
• fromage frais
• cream cheese 

The essentials .................... part 2

Time to get..........

Organised!!

 

Cook books, recipes, food apps and other such things. 

To start with you need to meal plan, to do this you will need a selection of recipes for inspiration, to make life easier in the beginning, get a selection of cook books and start to sift through them, later on you can use apps and websites to source out possibilities, then just make note of ones that you like etc

Apps

Some are good, I like free apps (who does not!). Some are okay and will offer up free stuff but then require finances to access more (my opinion on this, meh, ambiguous). Some require a fee or subscription, Why? dont get this bit, as 99.999999 % of recipes are available online, in a blog etc anyway, so why????

I like Yummly 
Just as an example ........

Websites

 

There are loads, loads and more loads!

Sooooooo

oooooooo there are 7 days in a week (feels like 12 sometimes!), plan your meals around when you like to go shopping, mine tends to be on a Friday when its my day off, so Friday morning I sit down look through the cookbooks and decide what I fancy cooking. 

Make things easier by mixing in a slow cooker recipe with a 30 min meal, with a 2 hr preparation meal, then I can cherry pick what suits me best on the day.

So an example this is this weeks menu :-

Beef and Bean hotpot bake

Pork and Garlic bread bake

Fish and leek grills

Bacon and tomato risotto

Sausage and butter bean bake

Turkey and macaroni

BBQ pulled pork

As I said I don't specify a day as this allows flexibility as sometimes you don't know how your day will go xxx