Sunday, 24 July 2011

What to do with lots of left over Potato Salad!

We had a lovely couple get married here last weekend - they gave us a huge bowl of delicious potato Salad. I thought of making a cottage pie, but I forgot to take the mince out the freezer! So this is what I made instead and incredibly even my very carnivorous husband loved it!

Shepherdless Pie with left over potato salad

Lots of sweet vegetables, such as peppers, carrots, swede and other vegetables you fancy!
Local cold pressed rapeseed oil
Onion
Garlic
Good quality Vegetable Bouillon stock & fresh herbs if you fancy
Left over potato salad
Cheese

Use a couple of pieces of veg per person. Pop them into a food processor with the S blade and whizz them up. Start with the onions, whizz and then pop them into a large frying pan with a good drizzle of rapeseed oil. Once softened add the rest of the whizzed up vegetables and garlic and gently stir fry for 5 - 10 minutes until softened.

Pour in the stock until the veg is just covered and then let it bubble away for 20 mins until the stock has mostly evaporated.

Pop into an oven proof dish, mash gently the potato salad until the whole potatoes are broken up. Spread across the top of the vegetable mixture and then grate lots of cheese ontop.

Put into a preheated oven about 180C for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbling.

Thursday, 14 July 2011

Magic Quiche


I am a huge fan of Cyndi O'Meara, she is all about just natural foods & is quite inspiring!! This is one of her recipes.
I have always loved a beautifully homemade quiche with wonderful local ingredients - but let's face it - who really has time to make pastry, part bake it and everything else involved!!!!
Well - see what you think of this - I thought it was fab & you can choose any filling that you fancy! Not only is it quick but it magically creates a crust.
Magic Quiche
3 organic free-range eggs
1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
1 cup of rice milk or milk
1/2 cup gluten free flour (Dove's is great or Brown Rice flour)
1 tsp of gluten free baking powder
1 tbsp local cold pressed rapeseed oil
1/2 tsp of pink himalayan salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Filling
Smoked back bacon (cut into pieces & grilled)
Cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
Preheat oven to 180 C
Combine all ingredients and mix well
Pour into a glass dish and bake for 30-40 mins until cooked through. Let it cool for atleast 5-10 mins to make easier to remove from dish.

Saturday, 9 July 2011

Death by Chocolate - delicious, easy & quick!

This is the easiest cake & the kids can help too - no whisk needed so less cake mix to remove from the ceiling! This is from Mary Berry with a few ingredient alterations!!

Death by Chocolate
275g Brown Rice Flour (or plain flour)
1 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
1 1/1 tsp gluten free baking powder
215g of Xylitol or raw cane caster sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup or Golden syrup
3 eggs, beaten
225ml cold pressed rapeseed oil
225ml rice milk (or milk)

Icing
450g of good quality plain chocolate
200g butter

Grease two 8inch loose-bottomed sandwich tins

Preheat oven to 160C.

Sift into a bowl all dry ingredients and then add the sugar. Make a well in the middle and then add all the liquid ingredients.

With a wooden spoon, beat until well combined. Pour into the cake tins and pop into the oven for 35 mins. They are ready when they are well risen and jump back when pressed.

After 5 mins, remove from tins and cool in wire rack. Then with a bread knife cut both in half horizontally - so you have 4 thin round cakes.

Make the icing by breaking up the chocolate and cutting up the butter into chunks and pop into a bowl over boiling water - ensure you keep stirring.

Put a tray under the first thin round cake - pour some icing over and spread with a spatula. Lay on the next cake, pour some more icing and spread again. Keep repeating until all four are covered in icing - ensure you let it dribble all down the sides too.

If you can stop yourself from eating the run off in the tray, then pour that back over the cake! If it is really hope - it is an idea to leave this cake in the fridge!!!

Then with lots of red berries such as strawberries and raspberries - cover and eat - this is such a treat for a birthday cake or just a delicious afternoon treat!


Friday, 8 July 2011

Cheats Cauliflowers Cheese!!


As much as we love Cauliflower cheese, we do not always have the time to make a lump free delicious cheese sauce. So here is a very quick alternative that my kids love - I also take advantage of adding in vegetables that they like to this too!

Cheats Cauliflower Cheese (& Broccoli)
6 Cauliflower florets
6 Broccoli florets
250g tub of ricotta cheese
2 eggs
grated cheese
Pink Himalayan salt
Pepper

Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into florets and pop into boiling water for 5 mins. Pop into a baking tray, I am a huge fan of stone ware so I used the Pampered chef square baker.

Mix together the ricotta and eggs, beat with a hand whisk and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Drain the veg pop into the square baker and pour over the ricotta egg mix, toss until all veg is covered. Then grate cheese over the top, use as much as you want - I cover nice and thickly as kids really love it and makes it more cheesy!

Pop into a hot open for 15 mins or until bubbling and brown.

Serve immediately....yummy!