Blueberry Honeycomb Loaf

Makes 1 x 1lb loaf

1 packet My Secret Kitchen Original Beer Bread Mix
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Honeycomb Spices
25ml vegetable oil
100g fresh blueberries, cut in half if very large
150ml tonic water

Preheat oven 180C and line a 1lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
Empty the Original Beer Bread Mix into a bowl and add the sugar and Secret Honeycomb Spices; mix together.  Add the blueberries and mix so that they are coated in the dry ingredients.  Make a well in the centre of the mix and add the oil and tonic water.  Mix together quickly until thoroughly combined and pour into the tin.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden. Serve with butter and honey.

4/23/13 ChefElla's Mom's After School Banana Bread

CHEFELLA'S MOM'S AFTER SCHOOL BANANA BREAD.

My sister and I are busy and all of our friends are busy too.  If we are not playing or doing homework after school, we are going somewhere like basketball, swimming, science club, volleyball, soccer, tennis, diving, karate or any of the other things we all do.  While all of these activities are fun, they are right after school, and I do not know about you, but I am always hungry after school.  I am lucky though, because when my Mom picks me up from school, she always has a snack waiting.  My favorite snack is my Mom's banana bread.  She says it will help give me energy for my activities, but honestly I am to busy eating to listen.  So since my Mom cannot make banana bread for all of my friends and you, I asked her to share her recipe so that you can have banana bread after school too.

For this recipe you will need to use the oven or cake ball maker and the mixer.  If you are not allowed to use the oven or mixer by yourself you can have a grown up help.

1.  Wash your hands.

2.  For this recipe you will need measuring spoons and cups, a rubber spatula, a small bowl, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and two loaf pans or a cupcake ball maker.

Ingredients: (This recipe will make 2 loaves or more muffin balls than I can count)

DRY INGREDIENTS
1 2/3 Cups     AP Flour
                     -AP stands for All Purpose flour.  This means that you can use the flour for most cooking
                     or baking recipes.  There are flours for specific recipes like cake flour for cakes and bread
                     flour for breads.
1 tsp             Baking Soda
1/4 tsp          Baking Powder
1/2 tsp          Salt
2 tsp             Cinnamon
3/4 Cup        Dark Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup        Chopped Walnuts
                     -If you or your friend are allergic to nuts you can just leave them out.  The recipe will taste
                     just as good without them.

3.  Measure flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt into the small bowl.  With the whisk
     blend the ingredients slowly.  If you mix too fast you will get your dry ingredients all over the
     counter.

WET INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup     Low Fat Organic Vanilla Yogurt
4 Tbl.        Organic Applesauce (This is the same amount as one 3.9oz snack pack cup)
1 tsp          Vanilla
2 ea           Large Organic Eggs
2/3 Cup     Light Brown Sugar
3 ea           Organic Bananas, medium sized

4.  Pre-heat oven to 350F, or turn on your cake ball maker.
5.  Add yogurt, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla to your mixing bowl.

6.  Mix on a low speed (1or 2) until all of the ingredients are blended well.

7.  Add your eggs and brown sugar to the bowl.  Take your bananas, break them into pieces and add
     them to the mixing bowl.  Blend the mixture on a low speed until all of the ingredients are blended
     and there are no large pieces of banana left.

8.  Turn your mixer off and add half of your dry ingredients.  Mix on low until the batter looks like
     mud.

9.  Add the rest of your dry ingredient, dark chocolate chips and walnuts, and mix again until the batter
     looks like mud.  Take care not to over mix the batter or it will be chewy like bread when you bake
     it.

10.  Spray your loaf pans with pan spray.  Using your rubber spatula, divide the batter equally between
       the loaf pans.

11.  Bake the loaves for 20-25 minutes.  Test the loaves by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the
       loaf.  If the toothpick comes out clean the loaf is done.  If it is coated with batter it needs more time.
       Try adding 2-3 minutes at a time until the loaves are done.  Remove from the oven and let the
       loaves cool, cut and enjoy.

   

If you are making muffin balls, spray your cake ball maker with pan spray.  Using your scoop, scoop batter into each divot.  We cook our muffin balls for 3 minutes, but you will have to test your cake ball maker for the proper time.  When the muffin balls are done, take them out, let them cool and enjoy.

I like to take my cake balls and cut them in half.  Then I put some peanut butter in the center and eat it like a mini sandwich.  You can try different ingredients with you banana bread or just enjoy it plain.

Enjoy

- ChefElla

Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

This is one of our favorite soups and the one I've been making the longest.  I first had it when I lived in Austria, my host brother made it and it was so good!  My husband was skeptical the first time I made it for him (about 6 years ago when we were dating), but he's become extremely fond of it as well.  Usually I make him chicken noodle soup if he's sick, but he said next time he has a cold, he wants this one!  It's also just perfect for a cold day, and sad to say it but halfway through April we still have a thick blanket of snow on the ground.  The original version has caraway and I'm not a big fan of it usually, but it is perfect in this soup.  It's also pretty perfect without the caraway so you can't go wrong either way! 

 

In the past I always made it on the stove, but it occurred to me that it should be just fine in the slow cooker, and I was right!  It's hardly difficult to make on the stove, but you have to stir it a lot as the potatoes cook so it doesn't burn, and the slow cooker makes that unnecessary.  If you do want to make it on the stove, just simmer everything but the sour cream in a big pot for about 2 hours, stirring every few minutes, especially towards the end.  You might need to add a bit more water or broth if some cooks off.  When it's finished, you may or may not need to use a potato masher (the stirring action tends to break down the potatoes).  Remove the soup from the stove and add the sour cream like the recipe says, then serve.

Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

 

1 large leek, quartered and sliced (white and beginning of green part only)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced

8 C chicken broth

1/4 t black pepper

salt to taste, I ended up using a full tablespoon

optional: 1/4 t caraway seeds

2 C sour cream

Mix together everything but sour cream in a 6 quart slow cooker.  Cook on low about 8 hours or until potatoes are very tender and breaking apart.  Mash slightly with potato masher so only some chunks remain.  Stir in sour cream until completely incorporated, being careful not to allow the soup to boil.  Remove from heat and serve.  Soup reheats very well in the microwave, too!

Yield: about 10 servings

My Thai Prawn & Avocado Salad

Serves 2

 

Small bag of mixed salad leaves

½ red pepper
1 small ripe avocado
150g cooked king prawns
2tbsp mayonnaise
2tbsp sour cream
2tsp My Secret Kitchen Thai Dressing with Kaffir Lime
Sprinkle of My Secret Kitchen Firecracker Chilli Secret Spices to garnish

In a bowl mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream & Thai Dressing with Kaffir Lime stir in the prawns.

Put the salad leaves, red pepper & avocado onto plates & top with the dressed prawns. Sprinkle with some Firecracker Chilli for a spicy garnish & serve.

 

 

Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Stir Fry

- from Laura Virgoe

 

Serves 2

 

1 small red onion finely chopped

1tbsp My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
2 chicken breast fillets cut into small strips
½ tsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Wild Garlic Spices
125g mushrooms sliced
150g baby corn quartered lengthways
100ml double cream
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt to taste
3tbsp My Secret Kitchen White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce

 

In a large frying pan or wok soften the onion in the Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil then add in the chicken & Wild Garlic Secret Spices cook until the chicken has browned all over.  Add in the vegetables & stir fry for 4-5mins.  Stir in the double cream & season with Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt.  Allow the sauce to reduce for a few mins before stirring in the White Wine & Porcini Finishing Sauce.

Serve with sauté potatoes (fry in Oak smoked rapeseed oil for extra flavour) and green beans.

 

 

Normandy Pork with Jumping Jack Chilli Jam

Serves 6

1 tbsp olive oil
75g pancetta or bacon, cubed
6 pork shoulder steaks (approx 1kg)
50g butter
5 escallon shallots, peeled and sliced in half horizontally
1 large Bramley apple, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
3 sticks celery, cut into thin batons
1 tbsp French mustard
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Jumping Jack Chilli Jam
330ml cider or apple juice
150ml single cream
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt to taste
Fresh sage leaves to garnish

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or casserole and fry the pancetta or bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and put to one side. Brown the pork shoulder steaks on both sides and remove from the pan.  Add the butter to the pan and place the shallots face down along with the apples and celery. Brown well for at least 15 to 20 mins until caramelised. Remove from the pan. Add the mustard and Jumping Jack Chilli Jam to the pan and scrape down the sides and bottom before adding the flour and mixing well.  Cook the flour mixture for 1 minute before adding the cider or apple juice and whisking until smooth. Add the pancetta, pork steaks and vegetables back to the pan making sure all juices are added too.  Cook gently for 25 - 30 minutes before adding the cream and seasoning with Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and serve with mashed potatoes.

Jumping Jack Ploughman's Loaf

(taken from recipe leaflet inside our box of Beer Bread Mixes)

Makes a 1lb loaf

1 pkt My Secret Kitchen Wholegrain Beer Bread Mix
150ml tonic, sparking water (or any fizzy beverage)
1 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Jumping Jack Chilli Jam
75g strong cheddar cheese cubed or grated

Preheat oven to 175C (gas mark 5). Empty the Beer Bread Mix into a bowl and add the cheese. Stir in the Jumping Jack Chilli Jam before adding the tonic or fizzy beverage and stir quickly to combine. Pour into a greased 1 lb loaf tin (or into a pizza stone and score the surface into quarters). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden.

Add cubed ham or bacon for a lunch in a loaf.

4/9/2013 Clean Up: A Note From ChefElla's Dad

CLEAN UP:  A NOTE FROM CHEFELLA'S DAD

As ChefElla learns more about cooking and baking she continues to ask for more responsibility in the kitchen.  I think this is great, but one of the biggest jobs in the kitchen, is clean up.  Now it would be easy to just tell her, if you cook, you clean, and those are just the rules, but I have learned over the years that this kind of logic can have the opposite effect on a child.  When ChefElla was 4 she wanted to help in the kitchen.  We made lasagna and she had the best time.  When we were done I told her the rules of cooking.  You have to eat everything you make.  She did not cook with me again for 6 months.  After that we changed the rule to, you must try everything you make.

Now admit it.  We all hate cleaning, and because we cook 2-3 times per day it seems as if we are always cleaning.  Add child size cups and plates, school lunch boxes, snacks and the blender from ChefElla's Mom's Secret Strawberry Smoothie, and it is a wonder we ever make it out of the kitchen.

So what do you do?  Start small.  Start with one job.  We have talked in the past about your little ones helping set the table, and hopefully all of the little ChefEllas are helping with that.  Think of this as the the same thing.
Start with one job:
Clearing your place setting.
Putting your dishes in the sink or dishwasher.
Putting clean silverware away.
Drying dishes (dependent on age).
Putting unused ingredients away.
Helping pack up leftovers.
And any of the other one million small chores we do to clean up before or after a meal.

Start with single job.  When your little one gets good at that job, and remembers to do it on their own, it is time to give them another job ( I know that this can take a while and I cannot promise your little one will ever master their first job, but you have to start somewhere).

Do not get discouraged if you get some resistance at first, but if you do, offer two cleaning choices and let your little ones pick.  Again start small and increase the difficulty as they get more accustomed to kitchen chores.

Believe me I am not an expert and some days ChefElla says NO when I ask her to do things, but we cannot give up.  Keep at it, and on the days you do not hear a no, or when dirty dishes magically make it into the dishwasher without you asking, it will be worth it.

Enjoy

-ChefElla's Dad

secret recipe club: pig out cookies

for this month's secret recipe club, i didn't follow my normal process when choosing a recipe on lisa's blog, cook lisa cook. instead, i clicked around somewhat haphazardly, reading through her list of recipe tags and clicking on the ones that sounded good. i didn't make it very far down the list, as cookies sucked me in! as soon as i saw these "piggy out cookies" i knew i was going to make them as soon as i saw bacon. i didn't read the rest of the ingredients list until i was making my grocery list later in the week!

these cookies are everything they promise to be: smooth creamy peanut butter, sweet milk chocolate, and salty bacon all in one bite. i dare you to eat just one. or two. while lisa mentioned the flavor of the cookies were better the second day, after spending a night in the refrigerator, i totally disagree. there's nothing like warm cookies out of the oven, and these are no different. but it's nothing that a few seconds in the microwave can't fix. we nuked ours about 15 seconds, just long enough to take the chill off and start to melt the chocolate. delicious!

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!
 
check out my previous secret recipe club posts: pasta with blistered tomatoes & arugula and iced grapefruit cookies, mushroom barley soup, scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.

pig out cookies
adapted from cook lisa cook
1 hour, makes 2 dozen

i always use thick cut bacon - for breakfast and baking - and cooked six slices for these cookies. i diced the bacon when it was raw, making it easier for me to cook six slices worth in one pan without overcrowding and making a huge grease mess. the bacon can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

about 1/3 of a pound bacon, cooked and diced/crumbled
2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat drippings, cooled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup milk chocolate chips
sea salt for topping (optional)

1. preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. in a large bowl, beat the bacon fat, butter, and peanut butter until smooth. add the sugars and beat until light and creamy, about three minutes. add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. with the mixer on low, add about half of the flour, then the baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and end with the rest of the flour. mix until combined.
4. fold in the chocolate and bacon by hand with a spoon.
5. portion about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet (i used my oxo medium cookie scoop), at least an inch apart. the cookies don't spread too much, so they can be pretty close together. lightly flatten the cookies with your fingers. top with a little sea salt, if you like.
6. bake for 10-12 minutes, or until light brown. let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. store in the refrigerator.