Last night, Me and my Brother Tiarnán were watching Junior MasterChef and we went to bed dreaming of desserts. This morning, Tiarnán asked my Mam if we could make Chocolate Muffins. So I searched for some Chocolate Muffins and the first one I found was this one. These muffins are simple and its something everyone loves.
Last Saturday, I went with my cousin Caoimhe to Clodagh McKenna's Cookery School. We made lots of scrummy recipes including this Strawberry Smoothie. I can't wait to go back again!
Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients
150g strawberries
2 tbsp clear honey
250ml greek yoghurt
handful ice
Method
Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until the mixture is smooth.
This is another recipe from Killachonna Cookery School. This recipe is really easy and quick to make. For this recipe, you have to have the cheese, the tomato sauce and the naan bread (or else its not a pizza naan!)
I only use a few toppings (pesto, cheese, ham and chorizo) but you can add as many ingredients as you want.
Pizza Naan
Ingredients 1 naan bread 2 tbsp Real Irish Food Co. Tomato and Basil sauce (or any pasta sauce) Grated cheese Slice of ham Tomato, sliced Onion, finely chopped Mushroom, sliced Chorizo, chopped A few teaspoons Pesto Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. 2. Spread the sauce over one side of the naan. 3. Cover with toppings of your choice. 4. Bake in the oven for 10 mins until the cheese is golden and bubbling. 5. Serve and Enjoy!
This recipe is from Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Christmas. These chocolate biscuits taste a lot like chocolate shortbread and their so easy to make. The video below is of Nigella Lawson cooking the chocolate biscuits.
For the top of the cookies you can use Nigella's festive topping but I just used melted milk chocolate.
Nigella Lawson's Christmas Chocolate Biscuits
Ingredients
250g soft butter
150g caster sugar
40g cocoa powder
300g plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
For The Festive Topping
2 x 15ml tablespoons cocoa powder
175g icing sugar
60ml boiling water, from a kettle
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Christmas Sprinkles
Smarties (optional)
Method
1.Preheat the oven to 170̊C/ gas mark 3 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2.Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl and, when you have a light, soft whipped mixture, beat in the 1/3 cup cocoa powder (sifting if it is lumpy) and, when that's mixed in, beat in the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. Or just put everything in the processor and blitz, if you prefer.
3.This mixture is very soft and sticky and I find it easiest to form the cookies wearing my disposable vinyl gloves, so pinch off pieces about 1 tablespoon in size, roll them into balls, then slightly flatten into fat discs as you place them, well spaced, on your cookies sheet. You should get about 12 on at a time.
4.Bake each batch for 15 minutes; even though the cookies won't feel as if they've had enough time, they will continue to cook as they cool. They will look slightly cracked on top, and it's this cozy, homespun look I love.
5.Move the cookie sheet to a cold surface and let it sit for 15 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack, with a sheet of newspaper under it (to catch drips while topping them).
6.To make the topping, put the cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla extract into a small saucepan and whisk over a low heat until everything is smoothly combined. Take off the heat for 10 minutes.
7.When the cookies are cool, drizzle each one with a tablespoonful of chocolate glaze—it will help "glue" the sprinkles on in a minute. Use the back of the spoon to help spread the mixture, though an uneven dribbled look is part of their charm.
8.After you've iced 6 cookies, scatter with some of the Christmas sprinkles and continue until all the cookies are topped. If you ice them all before sprinkling, you will find the cocoa "glue" has dried and the sprinkles won't stick on.
This is another recipe from The Good Mood Food Blog. This banoffee pie is really nice. The base is simple. It’s just mixing digestive biscuits and butter together! I find the flavour of the banana in the banoffee pie is a bit strong, but it’s still nice.
Donal Skehan's Crunchie Sticky Banoffee Pie
Ingredients Serves 6 1 can condensed milk (297g) 230g digestive biscuits, about 16 crushed finely 115g butter, melted 3 bananas 250ml of cream 3 crunchie bars, roughly chopped
Method
1. In a small high sided pot, cover the tin and boil the unopened can of condensed milk for 2 hours, keep an eye on it making sure the water level is always above the top of the can.
2. While the can is boiling, prepare the base of the pie. Mix together the crushed digestive biscuits with the melted butter until they are combined and then spread the mixture evenly over the base of a 18cm cake tin with a removable base.
3. Cover and chill for 2 hours in the fridge. When the can has finished boiling remove from the water and allow to cool. When the can is cool to the touch, open and spread the caramelised condensed milk over the biscuit base.
4. Slice the bananas evenly and arrange over the caramel. Whip the cream until it is just about stiff and spread on top of the bananas.
5. Sprinkle the crunchie bar over the top of the cream as artistically as you feel necessary! Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
This recipe is adapted from one of my Mam’s cookery school recipes - Killachonna Cookery School. This makes a perfect supper on a cold winter’s night. It’s as simple as a toasted sandwich but it tastes better! In this recipe you don’t need to put in the ham or chives but you can add extra ingredients (onions, salami etc.). My Mam loves brie (I love it too!!!) and my Mam always puts it in her pan-fried sandwich.
Pan-Fried Ham and Cheese Toastie
Ingredients
25g (2oz) butter
4 slices wholemeal bread
100g (3oz) cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon snipped fresh chives
100g (3oz) ham, chopped
Method
1.Butter the bread and arrange the cheese and ham over half of the slices, buttered side down.
2.Sprinkle over the chives and cover with the remaining slices, buttered side up.
3.Preheat a frying pan and cook the sandwiches for 2 mins on each side, until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
Whenever my Mam sometimes brings me to a coffee shop and I always order a hot chocolate. When I make my own hot chocolate, I always use this recipe, This is the nicest hot chocolate I've ever tasted. It’s really chocolaty, sweet and delicious.
Extra Chocolaty Hot Chocolate
Ingredients Serves 3
15 mini marshmallows
80g milk chocolate
2 tablespoons drinking chocolate powder
600ml milk
To Serve
whipped cream
a few mini marshmallows
cocoa powder for dusting
Method
1.Put all the ingredients into a small saucepan over a low heat.
2.Keep stirring until all the ingredients are well combined. Pour into a mug.
3.Top with a spoonful of whipped cream, a few mini marshmallows and a dusting of cocoa powder.
This recipe is from Neven Maguire's Neven Cook's 2. This would be one of my favourite chicken dishes.
Neven Maguire's Chicken Korma
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teasp finely grated root ginger
1 green chilli,seeded and finely chopped
1 teasp garam marsala
1 teasp ground turmeric
1/4 teasp chilli powder
14oz/ 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 teasp tomatoe puree
4 chicken breasts
1/4 pint/ 150mls cream
To Serve
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooked basmati rice
warmed naan bread
Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions and garlic for about 10 mins until golden brown. Stir in the ginger and chillli and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
2. Add the garam masala to the pan with turmeric, chilli powder and a pinch of salt and cook for another minute, stirring.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and 1/4 pint / 150ml of water, stir well to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins until the sauce is so well reduced that it is almost sticking to the bottom of the pan and the oil has separated out on the surface, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the chicken to the pan with a few tbsp of water to the reduced sauce.
5. Slowly bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 20 mins or until the chicken is completely cooked.
6. Stir in the cream and simmer gently for a couple of mins. Season to taste.
Serve with a scattering of fresh coriander, boiled basmati rie and warmed naan bread.
I love smoothies. I have tried out many different combinations of fruit and yogurts and this one is lovely.
Tropical Super Smoothie
Ingredients
1 Banana
1 Small Mango
1 Frozen Yoplait Melon and Orange Yogurt (125g)
1 teaspoon honey
500ml orange juice (freshly squeezed if possible) Method
1. Peel and chop the banana and mango. Put into the blender and add the yogurt honey and the Orange Juice.
2. Whiz in the blender until the mixture is smooth, thick and smooth. Taste a little, add some more honey if it isn't sweet enough or a squeeze of lemon if too sweet.
3. Enjoy Straight Away!
I found this recipe off Donal Skehan's Blog. I was lucky enough to meet Donal at the Taste of Dublin Festival. These taste really nice and are easy to make. Donal Skehan's Cookies and Cream Chocolate Chip Oreo Cupcakes Ingredients 175g of self raising flour 110g of soft margarine or butter 110g of caster sugar 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder 1 teaspoon of baking powder 2 large eggs 50g of good quality chocolate chips 50ml of water/milk For the Oreo Cream frosting 250ml of fresh cream. 25g of icing sugar. 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. 8 oreo cookies, crushed. Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 ̊ C/350 ̊ F/gas mark 4. Line a cupcake tray with paper cases. In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips. 2. Make a well in the center of the bowl and break in the 2 eggs. Using an electric hand mixer beat all the ingedients together until combined. Add in half the milk/water and beat again until combined. You are looking for the batter to be light and creamy. 3. Add the rest of the liquid if you need it you may not. Divide the batter evenly into the paper cases and place in an oven for 15-20 minutes or until firm and light brown on top. Allow to cool on a wire rack before applying the oreo cream. 4. For the Oreo frosting, simply beat the cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar until it becomes thick. Gently fold in the oreo cookie crumbles and spoon the mixture into an icing bag with a large round nozzle. 5. Squeeze the oreo cream onto the cupcakes and top with broken cookies.
Rachel Allen's Baked Eggs with Chorizo and Cheese This recipe is from Rachel Allen's Food for Living. This is definitely my favourite recipe with eggs. Ingredients 2 tsp tomato purée, 4 tbsp double cream freshly ground pepper and sugar 16 thin slices Chorizo 8 eggs 2 tbsp grated Cheese, such as gruyere or cheddar Method 1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas mark 8. Mix the tomato puree (if using) with the cream and season with pepper and a pinch of sugar. 2. Spoon half of the cream mixture into the base of four ovenproof cups, bowls or ramekins. Add two slices of chorizo to each dish, then crack two eggs into each, season with a little more pepper, and top the cups with the remaining two slices of chorizo. 3. Spoon over the remaining tomato cream, then sprinkle each portion with the grated cheese. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the whites are set and the cheese is bubbling. Serve the eggs on their own or with fingers of buttered toast.
For a lazy evening in front of the telly, jacket potatoes are a great meal. Stuff them with your favourite fillings and eat them piping hot. I found these easy enough to make and they really fill you up.
Jacket Potatoes
Ingredients
4 large potatoes (about 250g each)
55g butter
115g ham
115g cheddar cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200 ̊̊C/400 ̊̊F/gas mark 6. Wash and wipe the potatoes. Prick with a fork and place on a baking tray.
2. Cook the potatoes in the oven for 60-75 minutes until they are soft inside and the skins are crisp. Remove them from the oven.
3. Cut each potato in half and scoop out the soft insides into a mixing bowl. Take care not to damage the skins.
4. Mash the potato well with a fork. Add the butter and the salt and pepper.
5. Place the skins on a baking tray. Chop the ham and put some into each shell. Spoon in the potato.
6. Grate the cheese and sprinkle on potatoes. Put them back in the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
Ingredients
