October kitchen

I always love spending time in the kitchen, whatever the season, but autumn is a bit special. I love how the menu shifts unashamedly into warm, spicy, rich mode. I thought I would share some of the foody goings on in my kitchen this month.

Spiced banana muffins - recipe from here, except I substituted the cinnamon and nutmeg for 1 tsp of pumpkin spice. Well, it is October, after all.

These were delicious freshly baked, and lasted well too. We enjoyed them warm, with butter for breakfast next day.

We've been eating lots of soups, stews and risottos. Pumpkin risotto is our all time favourite meal.  I tried this recipe, for chicken stew with dumplings, just for a change. We did enjoy the stew very much, but the dough balls just weren't a hit. I possibly didn't cook them for long enough, but they were disappointing and stodgy. We'll just stick to potatoes and rice.

Much more success with my Caramelised Apple Turnovers. Peel and chop 5 apples - I just used a selection from whatever was sitting in the fruit bowl. Add to a pan with 2 oz brown sugar and 1 oz butter. allow the butter and sugar to melt.  Add spice if you like, but I like the pure apple taste in this recipe.

Simmer away in the carmerlised juices until the apple is soft. As these were desert apples, they stayed firm when cooked. Leave to cool. Make shortcrust pastry. I used 8oz plain flour and 4 oz butter. Allow pastry to rest in the 'fridge. While all this resting and cooling is going on, let's pop out for a wee stroll down to the pier. 

Enjoy the autumn seaside colours.

Watch the waves.

Wish you had brought a basket.

Notice the beauty everywhere. 

And now we're back and its time to make the turnovers. Roll out the pastry, and using a tea plate as a pattern, cut into rounds. There was enough for 4. 

Spoon some of the apple caramel onto one half of the pastry round and then turn the other half over and seal the edges together. I added a spoonful of cream cheese to a couple of the turnovers, just because I thought of it at the time. Brush tops with milk and bake until golden brown - about 20 - 30 minutes at 190C (375F) 

Dust with icing (confectioner's) sugar when done, then  serve with cream, ice cream, custard or whatever you fancy.

.I love that Americans call them hand pies - they are made to be held in the hand, and munched as you walk around the garden. Perfectly portable.

If you have any leftover caramel apple, which we did, it is delicious as a topping for porridge, yogurt or ice cream.

So that's what has been going on around the my table this month - good, hearty, comforting food, What's cooking in your kitchen? xxx

Seven Days

We were completely awestruck at the most incredible Aurora Borealis, viewed right from our very own front doorstep. Photographs, and adjectives can never truly capture this amazing natural wonder, so we only took a couple, and then surrendered ourselves to the moment.

I had a little potter around the garden, tidying up, getting ready for winter, and sitting dreaming and planning for next year. My sister brought me this cheery red thermal mug, and I have used it constantly.

We really enjoyed the TV show, Portrait Artist of the Year, on Sky Arts, and were sad when it finished. Now we have Landscape Artist of the Year, and it looks to be equally as good. It certainly got James inspired to follow along.

The car was in the garage for an MOT, and so I took the chance to wander in the woods nearby for a couple of hours. It was good to be among trees, and smell that autumn scent - so uplifting. 

I started cutting out the blocks for the quilts I am making to finish off James' room. I am recycling the fabric from the old window blinds. I have a plan, just need to see how it works out...

After a shopping trip to town, I stopped in at a favourite cafe, and indulged in hot chocolate, slice of cake, and a dip into my new charity shop book.

More wandering around this stunning landscape, enjoying the big skies, soaking up this golden weather, grateful for all the beauty around us.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

Seven Days

It's been a quick week - and another stormy one too, but there have been special in between moments that I want to remember.

::  A brisk walk along the beach, dodging   the hail showers.

:: A surprise gift of a hot stone massage, from a dear friend who took me there, did my shopping and came back for me, (she also gave me enough warning so that I didn't wear the baggy knickers 😶)

:: Being outside.

:: Happy that a recipe idea worked out (later)

:: Earlier sunrises 

:: Knitting at the airport 

:: Getting my husband home from hospital, and lunching outside on a gloriously warm spring day.

Wishing you all a precious seven days ahead. xx

In my kitchen

Marshmallow top hats - classic children's party food. Melt some chocolate over a pan of simmering water - this was a 100g bar of Dairy Milk. Pour a spoonful in the bottom of a paper case - push in a marshmallow and top with a chocolate bean.

Foraged mussels from the shore - bit on the small side yet, but very fresh and tasty.

A make your own pizza party! Lots of good food, fizzy drink and chat. They seemed so grown up, suddenly - such a nice wee bunch they are too.

Little cups of roasted beetroot and fennel soup for a lunch party starter. Peel and thinly slice 3 or 4 medium size beets, a medium onion or 4 shallots and a garlic clove Sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until beetroot is tender - about 30 - 40 minutes at 180 C. Blend the mixture and the juices until smooth and add 500 ml chicken or veg stock. Bring almost to boil and serve with a drizzle of cream.

Sausage rolls chips and beans with a good red - why not?

Oh yes - and  salted caramel sauce - supposed to be for ice cream, but was mostly spooned straight out of the jar.

A few of the things happening in my kitchen in November. Roll on December :)

Summer Eating

  

Welcome to my kitchen on this bright morning. Sit down and have a cup of tea - smoked salmon and crowdie (cream cheese) on the menu today. I've been breakfasting alone lately. Well, its the summer holidays, so boys sometimes like a long lie, and morning isn't the best time of day for John at the moment, so he tends to get up a bit later too. I'm always too hungry to wait for them, so have come to relish  these few moments of calm before the busy-ness of the day starts.

I've been making up these concoctions too - which we jokingly refer to it as the "chemo-therapy". Its a blend of coconut oil, fermented cod liver oil, matcha powder, turmeric, kelp and shitake powder, surprisingly pleasant and full of good cancer-fighting stuff. I have absolutely no idea if it will have any effect, but it feels like a positive thing to do, while we wait for the actual treatment to start.

But, still - there is some elderflower liqueur on the go. No-one really likes the cordial in this house, and I had great success with the fennel liqueur I made last year, so I thought I would give this a go too. I'll let you know around New Year :)
(Put 20 heads elderflower and zest of an unwaxed lemon in a litre kilner jar and fill with vodka. Make sure the flowers are submerged.  Seal jar and store in a cool dark place for 3 months. Strain out elderflowers and return liquor to the cleaned jar. Add 300 grams caster sugar and stir well. Re-seal and return jar to storage place for another 2 months, give it a shake every now and then to help dissolve the sugar. The same recipe can be used forthe fennel liquer - except use a couple of handfuls of fennel instead of elderflowers.)

We planted a wild cherry tree a couple of years ago, but not much seems to be happening with it yet, so it's always nice to see cherries at the crofter's market.  This batch disappeared quite quickly...

There are lots of salads too - straight from the polytunnel. Its such a relief, after all our unexpected travels to be able to pop out and pick a bowlful for dinner. I'll do a garden update sometime soon.

But the main ingredient just now is garlic. I have a great crop this year and I am just picking it and using it fresh, rather than dried. To be honest I lost a lot of my garlic harvest last year because I didn't have a cool dry place to store it - this year it can stay in the ground until I need it.

Although that is not going to be for long, as it is so sweet and mild that I am using lots of it in every savoury dish that I make. Two bulbs went into this kale and bacon tortilla, which was extremely delicious indeed.

Cloves from 2 bulbs fresh garlic, some pancetta, gently fried together - add a couple of good handfuls of chopped kale and allow to wilt into the garlic/bacon mix. Whisk 8 eggs with a splash of cream, add a good handful of a strong cheese, salt and pepper and add this to the pan. cook until still soft on top then add another handful of cheese - finish cooking under the grill.

Hungry boys love it.

Still picking the garlic scapes too. I use them in many dishes - salads, stuffed into chicken or fish, roasted in olive oil like asparagus spears, in soup... the possibilities are endless. But at some point, pesto has to be made. I think it is the law...
I cup basil, 1 cup scapes, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup olive oil. Whizz together until nicely pulverised. Add more Parmesan or oil to get consistency you prefer, and season to taste. And it does.. taste.. delicious.

I made a batch today and it fair pepped up a summer salad soup (just chicken stock with leeks, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and some leftover salad leaves from yesterday)

For dinner, I covered some salmon fillets with a good layer before baking them, in a hot oven for 15 minutes. What a fantastic meal.  I'll need to make another couple of batches before the scape season is over once more.

And then James discovered, after many years of never eating them, that he actually like mushrooms! In fact - he loves them! It was like Green Eggs and Ham... they are so good - so good you see!
Hope you are enjoying good appetites this season xxx

Five Good Things

Finding a new normal as we ease ourselves back in. Trying to find the joy in the everyday.

A warm breeze to dry the laundry.

A bowl of nourishing broth.

A pretty dish to inspire.

Realising Summer is here!

Harvesting.

Have a wonderful week xxx