strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream

the last couple weeks i was pregnant, i was on a cupcake kick. while other soon to be moms are sitting with their feet up (or is that an illusion, and we're all still working like crazy?!), i was baking cupcakes each week. and these definitely didn't disappoint. i love how the fresh berries cooked down and turned almost jam-like in the middle of the cakes, so each bite had some jammy goodness. they're a great way to use up some overly ripe berries.

and i found the perfect finish. ever since i made this white layer cake with blackberry buttercream - which is still one of my all time favorites - two summers ago, i've been looking for an excuse to make the buttercream with different berries. and this strawberry version is just as good - if not better - than the blackberry.

strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream
cupcakes adapted from martha stewart & buttercream adapted from blackberry buttercream
makes 18 cupcakes

for the cupcakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

for the buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pureed strawberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. preheat your oven to 350F and line standard size muffin tins with cupcakes liners and set aside.
2. in a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. add in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
3. on low speed, add half of the flour and all of the baking powder and salt. add the milk and mix until almost incorporated. add the other half of the flour. mix in the strawberries by hand.
4. divide the mixture evenly among the 18 cupcake cups. bake about 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. let cool in the pan about 15 minutes, remove, and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
5. while the cupcakes cool, make the buttercream. beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
6. slowly add 1 cup sugar and beat until smooth.
7. add strawberry puree and vanilla and mix until blended.
8. add remaining sugar half a cup at a time, blending after each addition.
9. when all the sugar is added, beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
10. when the cupcakes are cool, top with a hearty dollop of buttercream. 

strawberry greek frozen yogurt

a couple months ago i got the bright idea of making frozen greek yogurt. coincidentally, this was the same time ben & jerry got this same bright idea. the first time i made it, i literally froze a container of vanilla greek yogurt in my ice cream machine. yes, it worked, but because greek yogurt is so thick, the frozen version was almost too much for me. too thick and creamy. so i assumed cutting the richness with fruit would be the perfect fix.

and it was. perfectly silky and creamy, you would never know that this isn't ice cream. and considering it doesn't have all the fuss of dealing with egg yolks and cooking anything over the stove, i'll take this frozen yogurt version and last year's sour cream ice cream version over classic custard most days.

strawberry greek frozen yogurt
adapted from the perfect scoop
makes 1 quart

1 quart fresh strawberries
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vodka
1 cup greek yogurt (vanilla or plain)

1. toss the berries with the sugar and vodka in a large bowl. cover and let steep about an hour, mixing a few times.
2. in a blender or food processor, combine the berries and the greek yogurt. blend until smooth.
3. process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. enjoy soft serve frozen yogurt straight out of your ice cream machine or transfer to a container and freeze until firm.

Pea and Pesto Soup

Award winning recipe from consultant Jo Favero

Serves 4

500g frozen peas
1 onion, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 litre vegetable stock or light chicken stock
3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Artichoke Pesto
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Smoked Rapeseed Oil
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt
My Secret Kitchen Balsamic Reduction
chorizo to garnish (optional)

Saute the onion in the smoked oil in a large saucepan. Add the peas and potatoes and pour in stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Remove ⅓ of the peas and potatoes and set aside. Add the pesto to the remainder and blend until smooth.

Stir in the peas and potatoes that set aside and season to taste with the Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt.

Serve garnished with fried chorizo slices and a drizzle of Balsamic Reduction.

Raspberry Cranachan

A creamy and crunchy dessert!

Serves 4

For the oat praline:
75g rolled outs
100g caster sugar
1 tbsp runny honey

For the raspberry cream:
600 ml double cream (or greek yogurt)
2 tbsp whiskey
1/2 packet My Secret Kitchen Chocaberry Cheese Ball Mix

First make the oat praline – place the oats on greaseproof paper on a baking sheet and lightly toast in a hot oven. Add the sugar to a saucepan and allow to melt over a medium heat, increase the heat until just golden brown in colour. Remove from the heat and add the oats, stirring to combine. Pour the praline mixture back onto the greaseproof paper lined baking sheet and put to one side to harden.

Next make the raspberry cream. In a large bowl empty the double cream and whisk until starting to thicken but not fully whipped. Stir in the whiskey and the Chocaberry Cheese Mall Mix.  Continue to whisk until thick and creamy. When the praline has cooled and hardened, place into a bag and using a rolling pin, crush until crumbly.

To serve, place some of the raspberry cream in the bottom of a glass dish and sprinkle some of the crushed oat praline on top. Add another layer of the raspberry cream and sprinkle some more praline on top.

Wild Garlic Beer Bread

Serves 6

1 tsp My Secret Kitchen Wild Garlic Secret Spices
50g low fat spread suitable for cooking
225g My Secret Kitchen Beer Bread Mix - original or whoelgrain
165ml soda water or reduced calorie tonic water

At least an hour before required mix the Secret Spice Wild Garlic into the low fat spread.
Add the Beer Bead Mix to a bowl, pour in the fizzy drink then quickly but gently mix to combine.

Place half the bread mix onto a baking tray/stone. Put the garlic mix onto the bread mix and spread leaving about 1cm clear around the edge. Top with the other half of the bread mix, then spread to cover.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Serve warm!

For a completely fat-free garlic bread simply stir 1-2 tsp Secret Spice Wild Garlic into the Beer Bread Mix before adding the fizzy drink, then just bake!

Banoffee Malt Loaf Pudding

Award winning recipe from consultant Jane McGovern. Move over sticky toffee pudding!

For the malt loaf:
225g My Secret Kitchen Beer Bread Mix: Original
200ml Coca Cola
250g mixed dried fruit
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp Ovaltine

For the banoffee:
4 bananas
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Maple Caramel Sauce
150ml double cream

To make the malt loaf:
Preheat the oven to 175ºC (Gas Mark 3). Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl, stir in the diet cola and combine thoroughly. Pour into a greased 2lb loaf tin. Bake for 25-35 minutes. When cool the bread can be sliced and frozen at this point.

To make the banoffee:
Cut the bananas into slices. Pour the Maple Caramel Sauce into a saucepan. Add the bananas and heat gently until bubbling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the cream.

Pour a small amount of the caramel cream mixture into the bottom of the dish that you are using to cook your Banoffee Malt Loaf. Hold back the banana at this point. Place thin slices of the malt loaf on top of this mixture and spoon over the banana and caramel cream mixture. Add more slices of malt loaf and repeat.

If time permits leave the pudding to absorb the cream mixture before baking in a preheated oven 180ºC for approx 20 minutes until bubbling.

Serve with a good quality vanilla ice-cream and if you wish a drizzle of Maple Caramel Sauce!

Chilli Maple and Mustard Glazed Ham

Perfect for Christmas ham or turkey

3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Jumping Jack Chilli Jam
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Maple Caramel Sauce
2 tsp English mustard
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 whole ham 5.0–5.5kgs, presoaked

Preheat oven to 160ºC (Gas Mark 3), place the ham in a roasting tray and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 20 minutes per 450g but remove from the oven with 30 minutes remaining.

Mix all of the glaze ingredients together apart from the brown sugar. Remove the skin from the ham and then spread the glaze all over the fatty surface of the ham. Next, press the sugar all over using your hands.

Increase the oven temperature to 220ºC (Gas Mark 7) and roast the ham for the final 30 minutes.

This glaze recipe can also be used for a stuffed turkey crown – simply adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Jumping Jack Sausage Bake

A quick and easy family meal.

Serves 4

6-8 good quality butcher’s sausages
1 tsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Spices: Wild Garlic
2 packs of cherry tomatoes (approx 500g)
1 tbsp of your favourite herbs (eg rosemary, thyme or oregano)
3 tbsp of My Secret Kitchen Secret Jumping Jack Chilli Jam
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Balsamic Reduction
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat oven to 190^oC (Gas Mark 5).  

Place the tomatoes, herbs and garlic on a large baking tray or dish. Place sausages in a bowl and coat with Jumping Jack Chilli Jam, Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil and Balsamic Reduction. Place the sausages and sauce on top of tomatoes,  then season.

Bake for about 40 minutes, turning or shaking once halfway through. (If you use quality sausages, you will find there is very little fat)

The sauce can be mopped up with a chunky slice of freshly baked Beer Bread or serve with mashed potato or pasta.

You can also add any additional vegetables you want to roast in the dish.

Midsummer's Dream Salad

Serves 4

3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Mango Mojito Dessert Sauce
1 tbsp light oil
1 small ripe mango, carved into balls
½  honeydew melon, carved into balls
½  gala melon, carved into balls
200g strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half
½ cucumber, thinly sliced and quartered
Fresh mint to garnish
Freshly ground black pepper

Mix the Mango Mojito Dessert Sauce with the oil and put to one side.

Arrange all the salad ingredients on a plate or large bowl and drizzle over the Mango dressing.

Garnish with the fresh mint and freshly ground black pepper. 

Chicken and Mushroom Tray Bake

A quick and simple one-pot supper solution.

Serves 6

6-8 chicken thighs
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
600g bag of ready prepared mixed roasting vegetables
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce
Chives to garnish

Preheat oven 190ºC (Gas Mark 5).

Place the chicken thighs in a large oven proof dish and rub with the Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil. Add in the vegetables and scatter over the thyme and mix to combine. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is starting to brown.

Remove from the oven and drizzle over the White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce and cover with foil before returning to the oven for a further 10 minutes. 

Serve with a simple green salad.

Plaice stuffed with brown shrimp

Bring back family Friday fish day

Serves 6

For the brown shrimp stuffing:
50g fresh breadcrumbs
90g brown shrimps, ready to eat
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ tsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Spices: Wild Garlic
Salt and pepper to season
3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce

6 plaice fillets, skinned and cut in half lengthways
250 ml milk
3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce
50g butter

Preheat oven 180ºC (Gas Mark 4). 

Mix together the breadcrumbs, brown shrimp, parsley, Secret Spices Wild Garlic and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 

Butter an oven proof dish with 25g of the butter and put to one side.

Take each plaice fillet and spread with approximately 2 tsp of the brown shrimp stuffing. Roll up from the thin tail end first and place in the buttered dish. Continue for the remaining filets (if there is any stuffing left over, sprinkle over all the fillets). 

Mix together the milk with the White Wine & Porcini Finshing Sauce and pour around the fish. Top with knobs of the remaining 25g butter and place in the oven for 20 minutes. 

The stuffing works equally well with cod or haddock and flaky pastry to make a fish wellington.

Turkey Stroganoff with Flageolet Beans

Family friendly using lean turkey and flageolet beans

Serves 6

500g turkey breast filet, diced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, diced
25g butter
200g field mushrooms, sliced
100 ml brandy (or apple juice)
300 ml sour cream
3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce
200g can flageolet beans, drained and rinsed

In a heavy based saucepan, brown the turkey in the oil until golden brown, remove and put to one side. Add the butter to the pan and fry the onions until softened and starting to caramelise. Add in the mushrooms and continue to cook for 2 minutes. 

Add the meat back to the pan and over a high heat, add the brandy. Cook until the brandy has reduced or light with a match to flambée. 

Add the sour cream and simmer gently for 20 minutes before adding the White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce and the flageolet beans. 

Serve with fluffy rice or rosti potatoes.

Belly Pork with Cumberland Confit

A dish where the long slow cooking creates the magic – along with some My Secret Kitchen Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce!

Serves 4-6

½ bottle My Secret Kitchen Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce
1kg rindless pork belly, patted dry and seasoned
2 large red onions, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
1 orange juice and ½ the zest
1 tsp English mustard
500ml pork or beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven 190ºC (Gas Mark 5). Saute the onions in the oil until soft but not brown. Continue to sweat until caramelized and golden, about 15 minutes. Add the redcurrant jelly, orange zest, orange juice and mustard. Stir to combine, then add the Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce and the stock, and bring to a boil.

Place the pork belly in a roasting tray and pour over the onions and sauce. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven for 1 hour. Baste the meat after 30 minutes. After the first hour, remove the foil. Roast for another hour, basting after 30 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 170ºC (Gas Mark 3) and cook for the final hour, basting again after 30 minutes. Cover in foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes or so before cutting in slices.

Serve with the sauce on the side or poured over – season to taste and reduce if necessary. Serve with seasonal vegetables and My Secret Kitchen Wholegrain Beer Bread.

For an Asian twist, use Hoisin sauce instead of the redcurrant jelly and season with My Secret Kitchen Szechuan Pepper Pot.

Pea Guacamole

Don’t let the absence of an avocado prevent you from making this Mexican classic!


⅓ pack My Secret Kitchen Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix
300g frozen peas
2 spring onions, chopped (optional)
15 ml lemon or lime juice or mix of both
1 tbsp sour cream
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt to taste


Cook the peas in boiling water. Drain and process until very smooth in a food processor. Stir in the remaining ingredients and leave to cool.

For a lighter, dairy free option you can omit the sour cream.

Serve with tortilla chips, with fajitas or with Nacho Fiesta crusted salmon.

Nacho Fiesta Steak Salad

Serves 4

⅓ packet My Secret Kitchen Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix
4 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
4 rib eye steaks
Mixed salad leaves
Cherry tomatoes
Lght sour cream and My Secret Kitchen Secret Spices: Wild Garlic to serve

In a bowl, mix the Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix with the Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil to make a paste.

Add the steak, then marinate in a sealed bag or covered bowl for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge – the longer the better.

BBQ until cooked as desired.

Serve with the salad, tomatoes and light sour cream sprinkled with the Secret Spices Wild Garlic.

The nacho paste works equally well with chunky vegetables such as courgette or corn on the cob.

strawberry jam bars

i spent my last few pregnant saturday mornings at the rochester public market, looking for the best local strawberries. every week i found them sparsely hiding behind the boxes and boxes of driscolls. perfectly dark red, the biggest berries the size of my thumb, and perfectly sweet. every week i was surprised by how many people stuck their noses up at the real berries and headed instead for the imposters. 

which brings me to some of my favorite strawberry recipes. while a majority of those quarts of berries were sliced and mixed with greek yogurt for breakfast, a couple quarts made it to some perfectly sweet treats. and although these bars are made with jam instead of fresh fruit, they're perfect. and if you have a quart or two of perfectly sweet berries hanging around, spend an hour and make some jam. you'll thank me in december when you can add these bars to your holiday spread.

looking for more strawberry treats? stay tuned over the next two weeks & check out last year's strawberry week: strawberry mojitos, strawberry sorbet, strawberry vanilla summer cake, strawberry lemon bars, white chocolate strawberry jam cookies, strawberry sour cream ice cream, & strawberry rolls

strawberry jam bars
adapted from baking illustrated
makes one 9x13" pan

2 1/4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons oats
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cup strawberry jam

1. preheat your oven to 350F and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. in a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, sugars, baking soda, salt, and nuts until combined.
3. turn the mixer onto low and add the butter. mix until the mixture looks like coarse sand.
4. transfer about two thirds of the mixture to the prepared pan. using your hands, press the mixture in an even layer in the pan. bake until the crust starts to brown, about 20 minutes.
5. spread the jam over the baked crust and sprinkle the rest of the oat mixture evenly on top.
6. bake until the jam bubbles around the edges and the top is brown, about 30 minutes.
7. cool in the pan on a wire rack. using the parchment paper, remove bars from the pan and cut into squares.

Lemon Shortbread Squares

A delicious zingy recipe from consultant Sian O'Brien

Makes 15 Squares

For the shortbread:
1 pack My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Bergamot Shortbread Mix
100g butter
1 tbsp cold water

For the Topping:
Zest of 3 lemons plus 200ml lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
3 large eggs
200g caster sugar
25g plain flour
Icing sugar to dust

Make and cook the Lemon & Bergamot Shortbread Mix as directed on the pack (you may find it useful to line the tin with greaseproof paper). Remmove the tin from oven once golden, and turn oven to 180ºC (Gas Mark 4).

Combine the sugar, flour and zest in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice and eggs. Using a sieve strain the egg and juice mixture into the dry ingredients, then whisk to combine.

Pour the topping mix over the shortbread base and bake for 12-15 minutes until top is just set.

Cool in tin, dust with icing sugar, slice and enjoy!

Nacho Fiesta Wraps

Serves 6

1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
4-6 chicken breast fillets (approx 500g), sliced into thin strips (approx 1cm)
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
1-2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix (according to taste)
1 red pepper, cut into strips
125g baby corn, cut into quarters lengthways
150g mushrooms, sliced
2 small courgettes, cut into strips
6 seeded or multigrain tortilla wraps

Optional additions: salsa, sour cream, avocado, grated cheese, lime wedges

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the chicken and onion, then cook for about 5 minutes until the onion begins to soften and the chicken browns.

Add in the Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix, stir through to coat the chicken, then add the vegetables and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.

Cut the wraps in half and put some of the stir-fry mix in each (with optional additions if desired). Roll up, then serve with a salad and a squeeze of lime juice.

Asian Barbecue Sauce

Serves 6 as an accompaniment

150ml tomato ketchup
50ml My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
100ml My Secret Kitchen Miso Dressing with Ginger
2 tsp My Secret Kitchen Balsamic Reduction
1 tsp My Secret Kitchen Szechuan Pepper Pot

Mix all of the ingredients together. 

Great for serving with burgers or for dipping breaded chicken or battered onion rings.

Indian Mango Dip

Serves 4 as a dipping sauce

50ml My Secret Kitchen Mango Mojito Dessert Sauce
150ml natural yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp garam masala
mint leaves to garnish

Mix all of the ingredients together and serve chilled with poppadoms, or mixed Indian starters.

Green Goddess Dressing

Serves 8

For the dressing:
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Artichoke Pesto
1 tsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Spices: Wild Garlic
100ml buttermilk
200ml mayonnaise

8 Little Gem lettuces
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt to garnish
Fresh basil leaves to garnish


Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing, then refrigerate. 

Quarter the Little Gem lettuces and arrange on a platter. 

When ready to serve, pour the dressing across the lettuces and garnish with the seasoned salt and basil leaves.

For an added touch, scatter crumbled crispy bacon over the top.

Speedy Cheese and Caraway Scones

Makes 10 scones

225g My Secret Kitchen Beer Bread Mix: Original
½ tsp My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt

75g grated cheeses (try a mixture of Cheddar and Red Leicester)
1 egg
25g butter, melted
50ml milk
Caraway seeds

Preheat oven 190ºC (Gas Mark 5). Empty the Beer Bread Mix into a bowl and stir in the Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt and grated cheeses.

In a jug, whisk together the wet ingredients. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients,  add the liquid ingredients and mix together until it forms a dough – but do not over work.

Pat the dough into a round shape about 2cm thick. Using a 6cm cutter, cut into 10 scones.

Place on a baking sheet, brush with milk and top with a few caraway seeds. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

For variation, add 50g of cooked bacon or chorizo.

Ultimate Chocolate Brownies with Peppermint Button

A simple but stunning dessert

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix

100g butter

3 medium eggs

1 jar My Secret Kitchen Chocolate Peppermint Sauce

Mint leaves to garnish

White chocolate cigarillos to garnish

Prepare the Ultimate Chocolate Brownie as directed, then leave to cool completely before cutting into 16 squares (or 9 squares for jumbo brownies or for a dessert to share). 

Make sure the Chocolate Peppermint Sauce is refrigerated so that you can take 1-2 tsp of it, roll into balls and squash slightly to make a button shape. 

Top each brownie with the chocolate peppermint button, then garnish with a mint leaf and chocolate cigarillo.

Petit Peppermint Pots

These little pots are devilishly good. Serve in shot glasses as an after-dinner delight

Makes 4 x 50ml pots

½ jar My Secret Kitchen Chocolate Peppermint Sauce
100ml double cream

Empty the Chocolate Peppermint Sauce into a heatproof jug.

Bring the cream to boiling point in a saucepan and pour over the Chocolate Peppermint Sauce. Whisk together until smooth.

Pour into individual ramekins or shot glasses and chill for 2-4 hours until set to a thick smooth cream.

Mochaccino Biscotti

Makes 24 biscotti

1 pack My Secret Kitchen Mochaccino Cookie Mix
50g butter, melted
2 medium eggs, whisked together
plain flour for dusting
caster sugar, to decorate


Preheat oven 190°C (gas mark 5). Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Empty the Mochaccino mix into a large bowl and stir in the melted butter using a blunt knife. Add the majority of the whisked eggs to the mix but reserving approximately a tablespoon for later. Mix until a dough comes together and using your hands, shape into a ball.

Divide the ball in half and on a floured surface form each half into a log shape 18cm x 6cm x 3cm.

Place the logs onto the lined baking sheet at least 5cm apart. Brush with the reserved egg and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Leave to cool and reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (gas mark 4).

When completely cool, use a serrated knife to cut each log diagonally to make 12 biscuits approximately 1.5cm thick. Put the biscuits on a rack on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Store the prepared biscotti in an airtight container.

Optional extra: dip the ends in dark or white chocolate or add almonds or hazelnuts to the dough.

Sausages with Chestnuts and Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce

Serves 4

8 good quanlity pork sausages
button mushrooms
chestnuts
My Secret Kitchen Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce


Cook the sausages in a frying pan and place in a low oven to keep warm.  Add the mushrooms to the pan in which the sausages were cooked and saute until soft (adding more oil or butter as necessary).  Add in the chestnuts and cook until warmed through.  Add the Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce and cook until slightly reduced.  Serve with the sausages, steamed carrots and buttered swede and carrot mash.

Chai Baklava

Irresistibly good - our twist on this middle eastern classic pastry

Makes 16 large triangles or 32 mini triangles.

1 pack filo pastry

½ jar My Secret Kitchen Maple Caramel Sauce

50g toasted mixed nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios)
2 tsp cinnamon

100g melted butter
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 175^oC (gas mark 4).Mix together the Maple Caramel Sauce with the mixed nuts and the cinnamon.

Spread out one sheet of the filo (keep the remaining sheets under a damp tablecloth) and brush with some of the melted butter.  Spread the buttered filo with some of the caramel nut mixture and cover with another sheet of filo. 

Repeat this process for 6 layers and brush the top with melted butter only.

With a large sharp knive cut the filo into rectangles (approx. 4cm by 7cm) then again into triangles and carefully transfer to a buttered baking tray.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden, leave to cool slightly before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Sundae

A great recipe for younger members of the fmaily to make

Serves 6

1 jar My Secret Kitchen Chocolate Peppermint Sauce
1 litre mint chocolate chip ice cream
Candy canes, cocoa nibs, mint leaves and mint chocolate sticks to garnish


In a martini glass, place 3 scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream (or good quality vanilla that you have swirled with Chocolate Peppermint Sauce). Warm the My Secret Kitchen Chocolate Peppermint Sauce and use to top the ice cream.  Garnish with cocoa nibs, mint leaves, a candy cane and mint chocolate sticks.  Serve immediately.

white bean & chicken chowder

yes, it's june. yes, it's warm out. but every year, there's always a week or two about now where summer sneaks away and we're left with cool, rainy days, and even cooler nights. filled with fresh vegetables, chicken, and cannillini beans, this chowder is perfect for one of those cool summer nights.

you aren't still buying your beans canned, are you? a couple years ago our good foodie friend chris picked up a small pressure cooker on clearance for us. ever since then, i ditched the cans and make beans in my pressure cooker. it's insanely simple and works well for black, cannellini, and kidney beans.

rinse the beans and pick out any rocks or beans that don't look so good. add the beans and four times as much water (ie. 1 cup beans and 4 cups water) to the pressure cooker. lock the pressure cooker, place over the stove, and heat until it comes up to pressure. cook for 25 minutes, remove from heat, and let the pressure go down on its own. once the pressure is released, remove the lid and let cool to room temperature. all in all, it takes about 2 hours for the beans to cool. i then portion the beans & cooking liquid into freezer bags for future use. a one pound bag of beans is equivalent to three 15 ounce cans of beans. works like a charm every time. and i think the beans taste better than canned. bonus that home cooked beans aren't packed in BPA lined cans.

white bean & chicken chowder
adapted from an edible mosaic
45 minutes, serves 4 

3 slices bacon, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/4 of a medium bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 small tomato, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups (one 15 ounce can) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoon minced parsley

1. coat the bottom of a dutch oven with olive oil and place over medium heat. add the bacon and cook until the fat starts to render and the bacon is soft. 
2. add the onion, celery, carrot, and pepper and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. stir in the garlic, thyme, and flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
3. add the stock, tomato, tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano, and beans. season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. add the chicken and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
4. remove from heat and stir in the cream and parsley.

Saffron Tagine Houmous with Smoked Oil

Serves 8-10

1 can (240g) of chick peas drained and rinsed
3 tbsp tahini
½ tsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Spices: Wild Garlic
juice of 1 large lemon
2 tbsp light olive oil
50ml cold water, more as required
¼ red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Saffron Tagine Paste
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
1 tbsp tomato puree
handful fresh coriander, chopped
salt & pepper to taste


First, make the chick pea topping, take 2 tbsp of the chick peas, mix together in a small bowl with the red onion, tomato puree, chopped coriander, the Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil and 1 tbsp of the Saffron Tagine Paste and put to one side.

To make the houmous, mix all the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor, adding more water as required.

Check the seasoning to taste and serve in a bowl with the seasoned chick peas scattered over the top.

Moroccan Spiced Banana Soup

A little bit crazy but a lot good!

Serves 6

1 onion, diced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp red chili flakes
1 potato or sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Saffron Tagine Paste
2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
2 large ripe bananas
salt to taste
My Secret Kitchen Szechuan Pepper Pot to taste
My Secret Kitchen Balsamic Reduction to garnish
fresh coriander to garnish


In a large saucepan, fry the onion in the vegetable oil until translucent but not browned. Add the spices, carrot and potato and stir together and fry gently for a further minute. Add the tagine paste and the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the vegetable are soft. Slice the bananas into the soup and simmer for a further 5 minutes with the lid on.

Process with a hand blender or liquidiser until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and Szechuan Pepper Pot.

Serve garnished with a swirl of Balsamic Reduction and roughly chopped fresh coriander and the duck and fig rolls.

Sunflower Seeded Honey Beer Bread Crackers

A gorgeous chunky loaf or create your own gourmet crispbread crackers.
Makes 1 loaf or 24 crackers

1 x My Secret Kitchen Beer Bread Mix: Wholegrain
50g sunflower seeds
1 tbsp honey
150ml fizzy beverage


Preheat oven 175°C (gas mark 4). Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin.

Empty the Beer Bread Mix into a bowl, add the sunflower seeds and mix together. Make a well in the centre and add the fizzy beverage and then the honey. Mix quickly and thoroughly until all the ingredients are combined. Spoon the dough into the loaf tin and roughly smooth over.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. For an added touch you can top the loaf with more sunflower seeds and a drizzle of Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil as it goes in the oven.

Leave to cool completely before cutting into this slices.

Arrange on a rack and bake again in a low oven (or under a medium grill) turning halfway through cooking until golden brown and crisp.

tin roof ice cream

as a kid, i almost always had black raspberry ice cream when we went out for cones in the summer. i loved the smoothness of it - i despised chunks as a kid and all those weird kid flavors, like bubble gum and cotton candy - and it was exotic enough at the time that the only place to get it (or so i thought) was when we went out for ice cream. in other words, it wasn't a usual treat.

as i've gotten older, while i still love a good black raspberry every once in a while, my ice cream cravings are dominated by "stuff." chocolate fudge swirls. peanut butter chunks. chocolate covered peanuts. the more stuff mixed into ice cream, the better.

which is why i love this ice cream: a rich, vanilla base, with swirls of chocolate and chunks of chocolate covered peanuts. it's one of my new favorites.

and since i made a whole batch of chocolate swirl and only used half in the ice cream (crazy, i know), it's essentially homemade chocolate syrup - only it tastes way better than the bottled stuff. i used it to top mint chocolate frozen yogurt and to make chocolate milk. it worked perfectly and can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or two.

tin roof ice cream
adapted from the perfect scoop
makes 1 quart

for the ice cream base:
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean
4 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the fudge ripple & peanuts:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate covered peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. make the ice cream base. heat the milk in a sauce pan just until it simmers. split the vanilla bean and scrap the seeds into the milk. remove from heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. pour the heavy cream into a bowl (preferably a bowl with a pour spout). set a fine mesh strainer over the bowl and set aside.
3. remove the vanilla bean from the milk and reheat the milk just until it simmers.
4. in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. while whisking the eggs, slowly add a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture. continue to add the hot milk to the eggs, whisking continuously, until at least half of the milk has been added. pour the egg milk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.
5. cook the mixture over low heat and stir continuously with a rubber spatula until it coats the back of the spatula. (when you feel the mixture start to thicken, it's done. my first attempt at this resulted in scrambled eggs, so be sure to watch them carefully. it took about 5 minutes for the mixture to thicken.) remove from heat and pour through the strainer into the heavy cream. add the vanilla extract, stir, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
6. while the base is chilling, make the fudge ripple. whisk the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa in a medium saucepan. heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils. boil for one minute, remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. chill in the refrigerator before using.
7. when the ice cream base is chilled, process according to the directions of your ice cream maker. add the chopped chocolate covered peanuts in the last 30 seconds of churning, so they get mixed in.
8. once the ice cream is churned, add about 1/4 to the bottom of your container and roughly smooth out the top. drizzle with about 1/3 of the fudge ripple. continue layering the ice cream and fudge ripple, ending with ice cream.
9. cover and freeze until firm. 

samoa cookies [12in2012]

most people don't realize i was a girl scout for a good chunk of my elementary school years. we had meetings at school in the evenings where we made candles out of wax and crayons and pencil holders for father's day out of popsicle sticks - all while my husband was learning how to start a fire from sticks and camping every weekend with boy scouts 1,500 miles away. don't get me wrong, i don't mean to knock girl scouts, i just hope they're focusing more on life skills rather than sleepovers and arts & crafts.

 

one thing i don't particularly remember is selling cookies. which is strange, since i'm sure both my sister and i did, since i remember eating them. back when peanut butter sandwiches were do-si-dos, shortbreads were trefoils, peanut butter patties were tagalongs, and caramel delites were samoas. so it's no surprise that every year, when someone's daughter is selling them, i stock up with four or five boxes. which is why it was such a disappointment last week when i opened my freezer and dug around for what i thought was one last box of samoas, to come up empty handed. so i did what any other person would do: made my own.

and while these don't have exactly the same nostalgia as a cookie from the box, they taste just as great.

samoa cookies
cookie & caramel adapted from ina garten
1 hour, makes about 24 cookies

for the shortbread bottom:
3/4 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

for the caramel top:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fleur de sel or maldon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1. make the shortbread bottom. cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. mix in the vanilla.
2. in a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour and salt.
3. add the flour & salt to the butter mixture. mix on low speed until it comes together into a dough. it will take a minute, but it will come together.
4. roll into a log about 3 inches in diameter (roll it wider or skinnier depending on how big you want your cookies). roll the log in some wax paper.
5. chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
6. preheat the oven to 350F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
7. slice the log into 1/4 inch slices. place the slices on the sheet pan. they don't spread much, so they can be pretty close together.
8. bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to brown.
9. remove from the pan and cool to room temp.
10. make the caramel while the shortbread cools. in a deep saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup. bring to a boil over medium high heat. boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. the darker the sugar at this stage, the darker your finished caramel will be.
11. while the sugar mixture is coming to a boil, heat the cream and fleur de sel over medium heat until it simmers. turn off the heat and set aside.
12. once the sugar mixture is golden brown, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture. the mixture will boil very vigorously when the cream is added, so be careful.
13. stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium low heat until the mixture reaches about 240F on a candy thermometer.
14. mix in the shredded coconut.
15. top each cookie with a generous tablespoon of the caramel coconut mixture. let cool completely before serving and store in an airtight container.

Baked Red Pepper and Leek Dip

Great to share with hungry friends!

⅓ pack My Secret Kitchen Red Pepper Cheese Ball Mix
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 leeks sliced thinly and cooked in butter until soft
3 tbsp sour cream or natural yoghurt
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
100g parmesan cheese, grated
2 sprigs thyme, leaves finely chopped


Preheat oven 200^oC (gas mark 6).

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Place in a buttered oven proof dish and top with the breadcrumbs from the Red Pepper Cheese Ball Mix.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly.

Serve hot with toasted crostini, pitta bread or bagel chips.

butterscotch pudding

royal: i'd like to order some ice cream for my daughter, please. what would you like margot?
margot: nothing. i told you i have to go in five minutes.
royal: oh.
margot: i'll have a butterscotch sundae, i guess.

back about nine years in college, a good friend of mine turned me on to wes anderson and his movies. i was instantly hooked. the royal tenenbaums had come out a year or so before and i can't tell you how many times i watched that movie in the next couple years. by the time i graduated a couple years later, i had it memorized - tenenbaums and most of the scenes from rushmore and bottle rocket, anderson's first two movies. to this day, i still watch it four or five times a year. and each and every time i hear or think about butterscotch, the scene when royal and margot are in the ice cream shop is always the first thought in my head.

butterscotch pudding
adapted from dessert for two
20 minutes, serves 4

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. in a medium saucepan, whisk the brown sugar, cornstarch, and a hefty pinch of salt. while whisking, slowly add the heavy cream and then the milk. whisk until the dry ingredients are dissolved.
2. place the saucepan over medium heat. while stirring, bring to a simmer. reduce heat to low and cook one minute.
3. remove from heat and mix in the vanilla and butter.
4. pour the pudding into serving cups, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. 

Quick Garlic Aioli

Yes, yes.  I am aware that real aioli is made with raw egg yolks instead of mayonnaise.  I would have made a more authentic recipe, too, if the idea of raw eggs didn't skeeve me out.  Food poisoning is something I have happily avoided for the past 27 years (though my parents did get terrible food poisoning after eating celebratory soft serve ice cream when they found out my mom was pregnant with me) and I don't care to experience it any time soon.  I also don't care to experience purchasing super expensive pasteurized eggs.  So mayo it is.  I honestly just threw the ingredients together (measured everything though!) and it isn't based on any recipe, but after I made it I looked on AllRecipes and this one is pretty similar.  The garlic aioli was originally made to go along with my awesome portobello mushroom burgers, but I decided it deserved its own post because it's SO good and SO versatile!  It was perfect on the burgers, but also great on the fries I baked to go along with the burgers, would be good on sandwiches, and odd as it sounds, it's really good on steamed broccoli.  Just put a little bitty puddle of it on your plate, fork a broccoli floret, and dunk it (just a little bit!) in the aioli.  A little goes a long way!  I think it would also be great on artichokes or salmon cakes or pretty much anything else.

Quick Garlic Aioli

1/3 C mayonnaise
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 t lemon juice (can do more if you want it lemony, I held back for once in my life)
1/8 t pepper
1/8 t salt

Mix together all the ingredients in a little bitty bowl.  It's fine if served immediately, but even better if you let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.  It keeps for several days in the refrigerator.

Simple Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger

Prepare for more less than mediocre photos, my friends!  I recently found out about yet another cooking group that I really want to join.  It's called, you can read about it at that link.  They only let you join if your blog has 100 recipes with photos.  I have more than 100 recipes, but not all of them have photos.  Added 'em up and about 75 have photos.  That means everything I post for the next while will be accompanied by a photograph unless I absolutely cannot stand to post one.  I'll also go back and add photos to some posts that don't have one.  You may want to shield your eyes, don't let my pictures deter you from trying the recipes :)  Oh and of COURSE I will not just be posting random recipes to get a photo up.  My standards are always that I only post recipes that I love, turn out great, and are ready for you to successfully whip up in your own kitchen!

On to the recipe!  I actually have a backlog of recipes (AND photos) to post, but for some reason I prefer waiting a couple days between posts.  Don't want to bury my recipes too quickly, you know?  I will probably pick up the pace though as I have like 10 recipes waiting in the wings and the pile will only keep growing. 

I am still loving my new grill and today's recipe is for grilled portobello mushroom burgers.  You may look at the ingredients and not be very impressed, since the actual burger is just a big ol' mushroom, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then it's topped with a bit of garlic aioli.  But sometimes simpler is better, and this burger is for people who really love mushrooms.  I have tried other portobello burgers where the mushroom flavor was completely covered up with a marinade or glaze or something.  They were good, but we LIKE the flavor of mushrooms and do not feel it needs to be covered up.  Cooked this way, they still taste like mushrooms, and the garlic aioli accentuates the flavor instead of obliterates it.  Plus, if you're paying $6.99 a pound for these overgrown button mushrooms (really) like we are, where's the sense in making it taste like something else?  In any case, we really, really liked these burgers and will definitely make them again!  Next time I am thinking of adding a slice of swiss cheese and making the mother of all mushroom swiss burgers.

Simple Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger

portobello mushrooms, 1 for each person
olive oil
salt
pepper
buns (make sure they are vegan if you're serving someone who is vegan)
garlic aioli (leave off if you want the burgers vegan!)
any other toppings you want, like lettuce, tomato, or grilled red onion slices (yum!)

Let your grill preheat.  While that happens, wash and thoroughly dry your mushrooms, then cut off the stems of all the mushrooms so the stems are flush with the rest of the cap.   Brush olive oil all over the mushrooms (I used oil on a paper towel), then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  When grill is ready, stick the mushrooms on the grill, gill side up, and grill for 5 minutes over medium-high heat with the cover down.  You may want to check to make sure they aren't burning (though a little bit of black is tasty).  Before flipping them, one at a time pick the mushrooms up with tongs and pour out any accumulated oil and juices in the gills.  They will cause flare ups if you don't.  Cook the burgers on the other side for the same amount of time.  Flip again and cook a couple minutes on the first side, then flip once more.  By this time, the mushroom should feel soft when you poke it with your tongs.  Lower the heat and toss your buns, cut side down, on the grill and grill until toasted.  Drain the mushrooms briefly on paper towels, then serve on the buns with the garlic aioli and any vegetabley toppings you want.

Herb Bundles with Creamy Asian Dip

This dish always proves popular as it’s elegant, simple to make and full of fresh flavours.

Serves 10-12

for the dip:
½ bottle My Secret Kitchen Miso Dressing with Ginger
2 tbsp mayonnaise
½ tsp toasted sesame oil

for the herb bundles:
Half a cucumber
Basil leaves
Flat leaf parsley
Coriander
Chives

Whisk all the ingredients together. Cut the cucumber into thin batons approximately 5cm long, removing the fleshy middle bit.

Using the basil leaf like a little boat, fill with sprigs of the parsley and coriander and place a cucumber baton on top.

Wilt the chives in the microwave for 10 seconds to enable you to tie each one around a bundle of herbs without it breaking. Repeat until you have as many bundles as required (allow at least two per person).

Recipe variations: Use the dip as a creamy dressing for shredded chicken. Serve with baby spinach leaves, and sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds. Use your favourite combination of herbs instead of parsley and coriander.

Planning ahead: The herb bundles can be made the night before. Splash with a little water and cover with cling film to stop them from drying out in the fridge. The sauce can also be made ahead of time and will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Mushrooms with Chorizo and Balsamic Reduction

These look – and taste – totally gorgeous. For a vegetarian version use whole waterchestnuts instead of chorizo.

Serves 8-10

350g small closed cap mushrooms (washed)
200g chorizo (cut into cubes)
5 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Balsamic Reduction
3 tbsp olive oil
handful of baby spinach leaves
1 tbsp parsley (chopped)

Preheat oven 190^oC. Remove the stalk from each mushroom cap, pop a chunk of the chorizo inside and place on a greased baking tray.

Drizzle with the olive oil and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, drizzle liberally with the Balsamic Reduction.

Place on a plate and surround with the spinach leaves. Drizzle again with the Balsamic Reduction before sprinkling the parsley over the top.

Recipe variations: If chorizo is not your thing, use slices of pre-cooked sausage – your local butcher or deli will probably have a good range of different flavours. Try using pre-cooked potato skins instead of mushrooms.

Planning ahead: The mushrooms can be prepared in advance, ready to pop in the oven at
party time.

Baby Bakers

A super staple for an al fresco feast!

Serves 4-6

750g baby potatoes, washed but not peeled
3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spice Sea Salt - whole


Boil the potatoes until tender and mix with the Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil and the Spiced Sea Salt then barbecue in tin foil parcels.

Roasted Spiced Nuts

A seriously simple – and simply delicious – addition to your buffet.

Serves 10-12

300g blanched almonds
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp My Secret Kitchen Chipotle & Lemon Spiced Sea Salt (ground)
½ tbsp My Secret Kitchen Chipotle & Lemon Spiced Sea Salt (whole)

Preheat oven to 200^oC (gas mark 6), place the almonds on a baking tray and toast for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Put the almonds in a bowl, add the oil, mix, add the salt and mix again.