Cookery Corner - No Fry Fish & Chips

I've been promising you another Cookery Corner - I've had a ton of emails asking me when it would be posted - well, here it is! Sorry for the delay but with so much happening it can be a struggle to squeeze it in sometimes, I will make sure to do one more often in future!

Today's recipe is a popular one here at home, B loves junk food, anything fried is his favourite, personally I don't like fried food, we don't have a frier here at home and I try to encourage him to bake or grill wherever possible to try and keep him healthier! My fish and chip recipe came as a result of that, I'd rather cook a healthy baked fish and chips (no frying, no batter!) that tastes just as good as the fried shop version, and even B agrees that this is better than his junk food favourite!

No-Fry Fish & Chips (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 pieces of white fish - I tend to use Haddock or Cod
2 Potatoes
4 Pieces of Smoked Bacon
Spray Oil
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Wrap each piece of fish in 2 pieces of bacon, wrap loosely in foil and put in the oven on a medium heat
Peel the potatoes and cut into chips
Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil (2-3 sprays)
Spread the chips evenly on the baking sheet, spray again with oil (2-3 sprays) and season with sea salt and black pepper
Bake in the oven with the fish for around 30 minutes (turn halfway through) and serve!

Just a note that towards the end of cooking, I unwrap my fish from the foil and grill each side for about 2 minutes to make the bacon crispy, depends on how you prefer your bacon (I like mine just in danger of burning, lol) I also rest my fish on some kitchen towel for a few seconds each side before serving, it soaks up any excess oil from the bacon.

Simple, easy and relatively healthy - apart from the bacon - but you could use turkey bacon or a low fat version if you are more health conscious than B and I! but there isn't much of it and it's better for you than the oily fried batter! The bacon also gives the fish a fabulous taste. Baked oven chips are also much tastier than fried, for a change you could also try leaving the skins on for more fibre (just remember to scrub them thoroughly first)

Enjoy!

Thanks for dropping by today, I will be back tomorrow with a crafty project to share :o)

Sarah x

Cookery Corner - Jubilee Sausage Rolls (and free Bunting!)

Today I'm sharing the recipe for Sausage Rolls, these are B's favourite (I always keep some in the freezer for him) and perfect for the upcoming Jubilee weekend, whether you're having a street party or celebrating at home!

Jubilee Sausage Rolls

Ingredients:

1 pack pre-made puff pastry (you can make your own but it's a faff and tastes really no different!)

400grams Pork Sausage Meat (or slice open around 8-12 sausages, depending on size, and scoop the meat out of the skins)

half a teaspoon of English Mustard

a small handful of golden breadcrumbs

one egg, beaten

pinch of mixed herbs

Black Pepper

egg wash - one egg beaten with a splash of milk

Pre-heat your oven to a medium heat (in my electric oven I use 180)

Roll out your puff pastry into a big rectangle until its about a quarter of inch thick

Cut down the middle so you're left with two long, thinnish rectangles

Tip the sausage meat into a bowl, add the mustard, breadcrumbs, pepper, mixed herbs and beaten egg

If you're squeamish you can mix this in a food processor but I prefer to use my hands and smoosh (yes, its a word!) everything together until its well mixed

Split the mixture into two and add one half to each piece of pastry

Spread out down the middle lengthways so you have a long thin strip of meat down the middle of each piece of pastry

Brush a line of egg wash down one long side of the pastry and wrap over, sealing the edges (I like to bring the bottom piece up to create a little lip of pastry wrapped over the edge - it makes a more secure join to ensure they don't split in the oven)

Cut each big roll into small rolls and put on a baking tray

Brush well with egg wash over the top and sides

Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown

Enjoy!

If you're having a Jubilee Party you may find the free printable Union Jack Bunting I made for the Royal Wedding useful, just print and string together, click on the picture below to get your download!

Finally I just want to thank everyone for their lovely comments on my new digi kits, I'm so glad you're loving them!!

Have a lovely weekend :o)

Sarah x

Cookery Corner - Dreamy Apple Pie

Firstly, I want to thank everyone for the fantastic response to my first Cookery Corner post! I had such great feedback that I couldn't wait to post my next one!.

Today I'm going to be sharing my recipe for my Dreamy Apple Pie - this wasn't going to be my next one, but I made this last week and posted about it on Twitter and got so many people asking for the recipe that I rearranged my recipe schedule to move this one up!

Dreamy Apple Pie

Ingredients:

For the Pastry

220 grams plain flour
40 grams caster sugar
2 tablespoons icing sugar
150 grams butter
1 medium egg
1 tablespoon ice cold water or a melted ice cube
pinch of salt
egg wash (1 medium egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of ice cold milk) and caster sugar to dust

For the Filling

Approx half a dozen medium sized apples (you can use cooking apples but I just used a bag of small value apples - approx 8 in a bag - from Morrisons)
80 grams butter
half a teaspoon of cinnamon
50 grams caster sugar
75 grams light muscavado or brown sugar
a generous handful of sultanas
Vanilla Extract
pinch of salt
1 large egg, beaten

Firstly, the secret to good pastry is to keep everything as cold as possible. about half an hour before making pastry I open the kitchen windows and put all the ingredients, including the bags of flour and sugar in the fridge. If I can fit them in I also put my food mixer bowl and rolling board in the fridge too. For the water, I let an ice cube melt instead of using actual water (just put two in a small bowl or ramekin in the fridge at this point too. Just before I start I run my hands and rolling pin under icy water too before getting the ingredients out of the fridge and making a start.

In a food processor pulse the flour, caster sugar, salt and icing sugar together
Cut the butter into cubes and add to the mixture along with the beaten egg and ice cold water - mix together in the processor (don't overmix, you should still be able to see flecks of butter in the mix)
Dust your board with plain flour and tip the mixture out of your bowl, knead gently for a minute or two until the mixture is smooth and firm
Make two balls from the pastry, one large and one small, set the small one aside and roll the large one out using it to line a baking or pie dish (I use a pyrex dish my Mother in Law gave me as I like a nice deep filled apple pie)
The small ball will be used to make the lid of your pie so just set it inside your dish for now and put the dish in the fridge for at least half an hour

For the Filling, peel and core the apples
Dice half the apples into small cubes
Put half of the butter into a saucepan and melt over a low heat, add the small cubes of apple and keep them moving gently over the heat with a wooden spoon until they become soft and are coated in butter.
Add half the caster sugar and brown sugar to the mixture along with the cinnamon and a drip of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and leave to simmer for a minute or two
Tip the mixture into your food processor and pulse until the mixture is like a lumpy sauce - set aside
Using the same pan, add the other half of the butter, and sugars and melt together
Slice or largely dice the other half of your apples and add to the pan, stir until they just begin to go soft and are coated in the butter and sugar mixture - this should only take a couple of minutes, don't overheat or your pie filling will be too mushy
Remove from the heat and set to one side to cool
Stor the beaten egg and your sultanas into the first bowl of filling you set aside earlier, this should be cool by now (don't put it in while hot or your egg will start to cook and scramble - ick!)
Layer the sauce and the chunkier filling together in your pie case making sure to combine well
Roll out the lid of your pie and add to the top
brush with egg wash and sprinkle with caster sugar
bake for around 40 minutes on a medium heat (with my electric fan over I use 150) in a preheated oven until the pastry turns golden
Serve with ice cream, cream or simply on its own - pure heaven!

My top tips!

* with pies I always pierce around four tiny holes with a cocktail stick around the edge of my pie, its not noticeable but it allows the steam to escape through the filling keeping your filling hot and tender and your pastry top crispy and light without becoming soggy
* Don't be tempted to use too much cinnamon, it's only lovely if you use it quite sparingly otherwise it overpowers everything!
* if you don't like cinnamon try nutmeg instead
* Keep your pastry as cold as possible right up until its time to put it in the oven
* Adding a pinch of salt to your pastry may seem strange but it helps to enhance the sweet flavours, you won't actually taste it!
* a lot of pastry making is by eye, the basic rule is to use twice as much dry ingredient as wet ingredient but judge by eye and if it looks too wet add some flour and sugar, if it looks too dry add a touch more water or a splash of milk. Your pastry should be firm to touch, dry and easily kneadable without breaking apart.

I hope you love this as much as we do! Let me know what you think :o)

Thanks for popping by!
Sarah x

Cookery Corner - Mushroom Risotto

Werlcome to my first 'Cookery Corner' blog post!

I was a bit nervous about starting this little blog series, I've never been an expert chef, but I've always enjoyed making things, whether they are from paper, fabric or food! I was determined to be good at cooking, it was something I always enjoyed, even when the results weeren't quite what I'd hoped, and when I want to do something I never give up until I achieve it, however slow the progress!

Well after much practice, quite recently, something clicked, at first I thought it was fluke, had I really made something *that* delicious? could it be?! well, it seems it did and it wasn't just a fluke, after practice, determination, studying and refining (all self taught, no classes) I've finally cracked it! I decided to spend a few months practicing some more, making sure I could do it, before I started this feature and sharing my dishes with all of you, but I finally feel ready to share my first recipe with you.

I don't cook fancy food, there will be very little swirly plate stuff and no fancy ingredients that cost a squillion pounds per ounce, but I can promise you it will all be good, delicious, home cooked food that you will love and can whip up quickly (I don't have hours for cooking one meal and I'm sure you don't either!)and relatively easily and thats what's important!

My first recipe is one of my favourites, one of the first things I perfected, my delicious Mushroom Risotto...

 Mushroom Risotto (serves 2)

Ingredients:

200 grams of Risotto Rice
1 pint of chicken stock (or vegetable for the vegetarian version)
4 chestnut mushrooms (you can use regular mushrooms but the flavour of these is exquisite - trust me!)
1 1/2 teaspoons of butter
a splash of white wine (and a glass for the chef ;o) )

Melt the butter in a large non stick frying pan over a medium heat
Slice the mushrooms and stir in, allow the mushrooms to absorb most of the butter
Add the Risotto Rice and fold into the butter so the rice becomes coated in butter
Slowly start to add the stock, a little at the time (about a ladleful at a time is perfect) continually stirring, as the stock absorbs slowly add more (don't be tempted to chuck the whole lot in and leave it - this really needs to be done slowly!)
after about 15 minutes the rice should start to look glossy and there should be very little liquid, add the splash of white wine and the last tiny bit of stock and a knob of butter, cover the pan and leave to simmer for a few minutes - the rice should be soft with a slight bite to it and deliciously rich and creamy.
Serve immediately - great with chicken (or Quorn), prawns, crusty bread or just on its own!

I hope you love this as much as we do! Let me know what you think :o)

Thanks for popping by!
Sarah x

p.s. if you're looking for the giveaway, please see the post below