Christmas Cookies & Festive Cheer!

Hello, hello, hello and sincerest apologies for my deafening silence in the blog-osphere! I am back again with Christmassy treats and a few seasonal photos to sweeten you up with! I love a nice, crisp, spiced cookie at Christmas time - they are such a good combo with hot tea, or even a hot port or mulled wine, if you feel so inclined. To me, citrus fruits, always have a deep connection to Christmas and the addition of orange zest and an orange flavoured icing really works well in these cookies. They are simple to bake and last very well in a tin or airtight container. The decorating part can be as effortless and insignificant as you choose, or even, wildly imaginative, if you feel like going all out! Let's just say, you'll be sure to win over your guests, when one too many USA biscuit tins have been thrust their way over the festive season!
This recipe makes about 40 star shaped Christmas cookies.

I couldn't resist adding some Christmassy swirling stars to the photo!

Red Velvet Cupcakes and the Heavenly Hummingbird Bakery

It’s taken me a while to blog about this but at the start of the summer, on a warm and sunny weekend visit to London, my husband and I took a jaunt out to the famed Notting Hill area in search of...

1. That blue door – don’t pretend you don’t know it ;-) and ...
2.  The Hummingbird Bakery

Alas, the former was not found, but we did get to visit and purchase a splendiferous cupcake each from the Hummingbird Bakery! Their cupcakes are perfectly formed, just the right size, with a delicious melt in your mouth texture and the most moreish icing toppings. I felt it my duty to go for the red velvet, which the polite and friendly shop assistant told me is their biggest seller. It was cupcake heaven! We sat on a pretty street bench, staring enviously across at one of those seriously appealing private gardens in beautiful Notting Hill, while happily and silently munching away. I have still kept the cute wine coloured box with the little hummingbird motif on it since then! And I have also tried out their recipe, which, though more complicated than a good old queen cake, is certainly delicious and well worth it for a treat. Oh and yes, of course, if you’re a cupcake aficionado, do pay a visit to one of their bakeries when in London!

Pad Thai

So, it has certainly been a while since I posted. My apologies. We're well into October and that autumnal/fall feeling sure is setting in, truth be told, I quite like it! Autumn for me has brought two outings to cookery classes, both Thai classes. My last post was Thai red curry and so the Thai theme continues! At the end of September, I visited the inimitable Saba Thai in Dublin for a day long cookery class. What a day! It was interactive, informative, fun and very filling too! I would highly recommend it and intend to devote a full blog post to it in the near future.

Red Thai Chicken Curry

During our visit last month to the amazing MacNean House and Restaurant in County Cavan, we were very fortunate to meet the main man, Neven Maguire, who kindly chatted to us and gave us a gift of a signed copy of his book, "Neven's Country Living Volume 2". You can read more about our fantastic experience here.
I sat down recently and went through his book, ear-marking various recipes I'd like to try, of which there were many. This is the first one I tried and I thought it was so delicious, simple to cook and so satisfying, I had to blog about it. Neven calls this his Curried Chicken in Coconut Milk. I have slightly adapted the recipe and it serves 4 people.

Double Chocolate Party Cake

Hands up who's addicted to The Great British Bake Off these days?! Me, me, me! Honestly, it's the first season I've really watched and I am thoroughly enjoying it. This cake is adapted from one of the baking queen, Mary Berry's, recipes. She calls it Celebration Chocolate Cake. It is a very simple and quick cake to prepare, it's delicious and light, and on top of all that, it's a bit of a showstopper really! I have baked it twice for two special birthday's; My sister's 25th and my husband's 30th, and both times, it went down a treat. I will forever be indebted to you Mary!
I have boldly changed the icing from Mary's version and I would advise that it's best to use a food mixer or a hand held whisk if at all possible.

Green Veg & Chicken Pesto Pasta

We're well into September now, the evenings are getting shorter and time seems more fleeting as the "busy-ness" of our routines returns after the glorious summer of 2013! This kind of situation demands quick plate to table meals. This recipe combines some of my very favourite, and easily accessible ingredients - fresh green vegetables, chicken, pasta and pesto. It is a perfect evening dinner for two, but could very easily be prepared for one person, or equally a family, without having too much or too little.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies (and back to school!)

Brownies...the ideal form of chocolate courage as summer draws to a close and the school year approaches! This recipe comes from my tried and tested food guru, Nigella Lawson. It is taken from her cookbook, "Nigella Express", and the recipe is entitled flourless chocolate brownies. For me, brownies are not fool proof and quite a few recipes I've tried, just didn't deliver, whether it be on appearance, texture or flavour. This recipe works - producing rich, dark, chocolaty brownies with just the right amount of gooeyness! They are also gluten free and so they are suitable for coeliacs or anyone suffering with an intolerance to gluten or wheat. Ground almonds are the secret ingredient and they really help to create that lovely dense and luscious consistency. Give them a go, I'm quite sure you won't be disappointed!

On the left from top: pre-oven, cooked, cut into squares. Main photo: the taste test!

Curried Couscous Salad

This is a quick Monday blog post for a handy, tasty and slightly different take on a salad. It goes well with many main courses; such as chilli con carne, BBQ ribs, Asian style marinated fish or meat, even with the lasagne on the blog. And yes, I know that it may seem odd (or even wrong!) to mix these two distinct flavours, but then cooking and eating is very personal, so why not is what I say!

Baked Vanilla and Berry Cheesecake

Since I discovered the wonder that is the baked cheesecake a few years back, thanks to one of my sisters, I have been meaning to try bake one for myself. I went with a typical New York vanilla style but decided to add a little a little touch of summer by incorporating some fresh summer berries. My favourite berries are raspberries, but you could certainly go with blueberries or blackberries instead, even halved strawberries would work nicely. This recipe is incredibly easy. The texture is great, more dense than a fridge-chilled cheesecake, but nonetheless, delicious and it also looks pretty, so it's a bit of a knock out dessert for a dinner party! Plus, cheesecake is best prepared the day before, giving you plenty of time to focus on more pressing issues while hosting a dinner party - such as popping open and enjoying a glass of sparkling wine - just as an example!

Neven Maguire’s MacNean House and Restaurant

Some images from the stunning MacNean House and on top, with Neven!

If you are a true lover of quality Irish food, excellently prepared and executed, served in an elegant setting by the friendliest, most welcoming staff, you will want to be putting MacNean House and Restaurant in Blacklion, County Cavan, on your foodie bucket list.

The man behind the Cavan phenomenon is Neven Maguire – an inspired chef, a friendly and engaging person, a true gentleman.