First seeds sown of 2018!

First lot of seeds have been sown for this years food, they were of course Sweetcorn! Afters lasts years success with the sweetcorn we grew from seed it was a no brainer to try them again. So on the 8th of April we planted our seeds all 81 of them, there are 3 different verities which I cannot remember their names apart from Swift. 68 have germinated so far, which isn't too shabby but obviously I'd of liked them all to have germinated.

This year instead of using plain old compost I've gone for a proper seed sowing compost to see if its worth the extra pennies.So far I've found this one much better quality all round, barely any lumps and stones what you find in the cheap bags of compost. It's a richer texture and I've found that the seeds have germinated much quicker than using the old supermarket stuff.It is reasonably priced too at £2.75 for 10 litre.

We also are trying those little 6cm cardboard pots instead of our usual plastic tray with tiny compartments, sure you'll know the sort I mean. These cardboard ones can be planted straight outside into the final bed where the roots won't be disturbed. I did lose a few plants last year due to my heavy handedness trying to get the seedlings out the trays. These were £1 for a pack of 24 which is really cheap and I do like cheap!

S was in charge of holding the little pot while I filled them 

N was in charge of seed distribution 

Pots nicely covered in cling film and ready for nature to work its magic

We have one of those blow away greenhouse things inside our kitchen for a little extra protection, they are pretty good and do hold a better temperature then I'd achieve just having the trays on the window sill.Plus I can get more on there too.

So far we have sown,Sweetcorn,Sprouts,2 variety of Courgette and some sunflowers. Over the next few days more will be sown, not sure what yet?

The pots/trays and compost were purchased from Wilkinsons, the mini greenhouse was from Ebay. Will update in the next few days on how the seedlings are coming along.

Chocolate banana bread

This is a little tweaked recipe from the adorable Mary Berry,the rather nice Banana Loaf which is really nice and moist.I tweaked the recipe to make it into a chocolate banana loaf so that the kids will eat it,they sadly won't touch the normal banana loaf,weird kids! I also do not tell S that it has bananas in it or she will have a fit and refuse to eat it forever more. I tend to double the recipe so I can get away with not making it every week.

Ingredients for the plain banana loaf

100g softened butter

175g caster sugar

2 eggs

2 mashed ripe bananas 

225g sr flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

2 tablespoons of milk

For the chocolate version omit 70g of flour for coco powder.

If using plain flour use 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150g of plain flour,also add 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to the recipe.

Method

Really easy,mash banana with a fork in a large mixing bowl,add everything else and give a good mix.

Grease and line a 2LB loaf tin and put the mix in,try to get it slightly dipped in the middle so it doesn't rise too much and domes.

Bake at 180*/fan 160*/Gas mark 4 for 1 hour.

Once cooked leave in tin for 10 minutes then remove from tin onto a wire cooling rack

Not the best looking I've made but tastes good!

Sliced and ready to be wrapped for the freezer to stick into packed lunches,no need to defrost either as by lunchtime they will be perfect to eat.

Aubergine and Tomato Curry.(Vegan)

This is a curry I tend to make for the freezer as its only me who eats it and I only buy Aubergines when they are on special offer, I do eat veggie at least twice a week and this curry is ideal as it is Vegan and low in the calories and its curry so whats not to like? The heat if you're like the rest of my family who cannot handle much more than a crappy Korma,😒 I like Vindaloos so can take it.This is not Vindaloo hot more like a nice madras heat but you can adjust the heat by using less or more Chilli powder.

Ingredients

1 large aubergine
juice of 1 lemon
oil for frying about 2 tablespoons
2 onions
4 cloves of garlic
3 inch piece of ginger
2 teaspoons of black onion seeds
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
2 teaspoon of pepper
2 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons of turmeric
1 teaspoon of hot chilli powder
6 fresh tomatoes but you can use a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes but fresh are nicer
big squirt of tomato puree
1 pint of boiling water
1 teaspoon of sugar




                                                                      Method

                             Chop the Aubergine into rough chunks and add the lemon juice

                              Heat the oil in a wok,add onions and gently fry for 5 minutes

                              Add all the spices,ginger,garlic and fry for another couple of minutes

                              Add tomatoes,cook for 3 minutes,add boiling water,tomato puree
           
                              Add aubergine with the lemon juice,add sugar and mix well

                              Simmer for 20 minutes until nice and soft


                                                    Chopped aubergine with lemon

                                                       

                                                       

                                          Spices but I've used garlic,ginger puree for ease
                                          Roughly half a teaspoon of ginger and a teaspoon of garlic

                                      Thinly sliced onions and roughly chopped tomatoes
                                    White or red onion can be used doesn't make any difference

                                          Tomatoes,onions and spices gently cooking

                                              Added aubergine and lemon juice

                                             Gently simmering away,reducing down

                                            All done! Ready for the freezer

I really could of gotten at least another portion out of this but I'm greedy and like a lot of curry,these will be labeled and frozen for future meals. I just take one out the freezer on a morning and leave on the worktop to defrost,nuke in the microwave for 3 & 1/2 minutes on high and serve with rice or on its own.

Soft bread buns

I have finally found a nice recipe for really soft bread buns (baps,barms,teacakes,cobs or any other terms) to me its the good old bread bun!

This recipe also can be made as a nice soft loaf.

450g Plain flour

1/2 cup of luke warm milk

1/2 cup of luke warm water

1 egg

2 Tablespoons of oil

1 teaspoon of salt

3 teaspoons of sugar 

1 sachet of dried yeast or two heaped teaspoons of fresh yeast

Mix the sugar,warm milk and fresh yeast in a cup until it activates and starts to froth,if you are using dried yeast ignore this part.

In your mixing bowl place the water,milk,yeast,sugar,egg,oil and give a little stir.

Add the flour and then the salt.

If using a machine knead for 6 minutes,by hand knead for 10 minutes.This is a damp dough so don't be tempted to add too much flour if your hand kneading.

Place the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with lightly oiled cling film for about 45 mins-1 hour.

Once the dough has risen turn out onto a floured work surface and give another knead for 2 minutes.

Shape into equalish balls and put on a baking tray,I use foil cos I'm lazy and it saves me extra washing up,just chuck the foil out at the end.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 170* gas mark 3.Bake until nice brown colour,large buns take roughly 20 minutes small ones 15 minutes and a 2lb loaf takes roughly 30 mins.

Once out the oven put on a cooling rack to cool,don't leave on the tray as they go soggy on the bottom and nobody likes a soggy bottom!

These need to be stored in an air tight container,remember fresh bread does Not last as long as shop bought bread. These freeze well,I usually make a double batch for the week and freeze individually for packed lunches.

Italian Doughnuts

• 4 cups of Plain Flour
• 1/4 cup of Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup of Milk, warmed up to about 110 degrees
• 2-1/4 tsp of Active Dry Yeast or 5 heaped teaspoons of fresh yeast
• 1/4 cup of Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 Eggs
•  2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

• Granulated Sugar
• Nutella
• Tin of Carnation caramel
• Teaspoon of salt.

Preparation

1) Sprinkle the yeast and one teaspoon of sugar over the warm milk, give it a gentle stir and set aside to activate.,I used fresh yeast but I don't weigh I just use heaped teaspoons.

2) Add the flour, sugar, salt and vanilla to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, once the yeast is ready, add it to the flour mixture along with the butter and eggs and knead on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until your dough comes together.

3) Roll out the dough onto a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick, cut out your donuts using a 3” biscuit cutter then place them on a lightly floured baking sheet keep them a couple of inches apart from each other) sprinkle a little flour on top, cover with a lint free kitchen towel and place them somewhere warm to rise for about an hour and a half.  

4) Preheat some vegetable oil in a heavy duty pan fill the pan only half way up the side with the oil) to 350 degrees, fry the donuts until golden brown on both sides, then drain them on a paper towel lined plate,quickly cover them in granulated sugar and finally fill them with nutella/salted caramel/jam using a piping bag fitted with a star tip or a new children medicine syringe.

If you don't like filled doughnuts there is always the good old ring.

For the salted caramel I heated up the caramel in a pan and added roughly 1\2 a teaspoon of Pink Salt,tasted it then added some more,repeated,1 teaspoon was ideal for our palate but its wise to gradually add the salt.You can add but you can't take it way!

This make LOTS! Ideal for school cake/biscuit sales if you want to show off a little.

    I used the lid from my Vanilla Extract bottle as I didn't have anything small enough.

Lovely Rings 

Half nutella and the rest salted caramel

Ginger cake

Really easy Ginger cake but beware it makes loads and its the type of cake where you need a good chunk rather than a modest slice. I ended up with 2 trays as the first tray I used wouldn't hold all the mix. This also freezes fine,I quartered one of the trays to bag individually tor picnics and Leigh's bait.

I did double the amount of ground ginger as I like it really gingery but what is typed is the exact recipe,which is from the Delightful Mary Berry.This cake certainly improves with age and the next day had a sticky top like the McVitites Jamaican Ginger Cakes.

Next time I will try it without the wholemeal flour and just use Plain flour with baking powder as thats generally the flour I keep,if its not as good then I will bite the bullet and buy the wholemeal.

• 4 tsp Ginger, ground

  2 Eggs

• 225 g Golden syrup

• 225 g Treacle, black

• 225 g Muscovado sugar, light
• 225 g Self-raising flour
• 225 g Wholemeal self-raising flour

• 225 g Margarine or butter
• 300 ml Milk

  
  

  
  

160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

For 50 minutes