Although, there may not be any Christmas parties this year it doesn’t mean that a cocktail or two can’t be enjoyed over the festive period. The red or white options can get a little boring at times, with these cocktails it will certainly liven things up.
As an alternative to mulled wine check out my simple mulled cider recipe:
If mulled cider isn’t your thing then check out my other festive recipes.
My ruby & gold rocky road consists of chocolate, and lots of it. Studded, and made rocky with crunchy rich tea biscuits, mini marshmallows, and then my ruby and gold element in the form of milk chocolate coated honeycomb bars and glace cherries. What make this a great treat to have on hand is that you can stash it in a tin or in the fridge for times when something sweet is needed, plus it make a great edible gift. I always make a few batches post Christmas as well to use up any left over chocolates. Although, made with chocolates that nobody claims to like but when chopped up and put into a rocky road everyone devours them.
It’s a very straight forward recipe no more difficult that melting chocolate, butter and golden syrup together then stirring through the rest of the ingredients and tipping it into a tin to set for a couple of hours before cutting into delicious crunchy chocolate bars.
It has been a long and dark year. One which most of us will be glad to see over and look forward to a brighter 2021. I feel it is the lack of celebrations through 2020 that are making me feel so strongly that this years Christmas celebrations will be more important than ever. Christmas has always been an important event, at least to me, anyways. It breaks up and brings brightness to the bleak mid winter, something which I feel we all need amped up this year. There is a Danish and Norwegian word that sums up the feeling of the seasonal period perfectly and that hygge. It is a word used to express feelings of comfort, coziness and contentness. These are all the feelings that these cold dark nights bestow upon me. I love the coziness of a cold dark night, the house illuminated with fairy lights and the flicker of tea light candles as wind, rain, snow or sometimes even a combination of all three pelt the windows and of course a bowl of something soul soothing and comforting to eat from a bowl on the couch.
This year from today the 11/12/2020 the recipe of the day will be a festive recipe on the countdown to Christmas. These recipes will look at side dishes to accompany the main feast, cozy recipes on the lead up to the big day, sweet treats and snacks and of course all those other eating opportunities in between.
Below are just a few of the recipes available in the Christmas recipes section.
These I boldly boast are the best pancakes ever! Light, fluffy and sponge like absolutely ideal for mopping up syrup or any of the butter pat that may have melted and run down the stack pooling at the bottom. I have posted pancake recipes before and I do at times still make those pancakes, but it is usually with kefir these days. It isn’t just because of this fabulous elixirs numerous health benefits but simply because I always have some in the fridge and it really makes the best pancakes ever.
Kefir for anyone not in the know is a fermented milk drink , it’s similar to a thin yoghurt. It originates in Russia and dates back to 1884. It is usually fermented over night with kefir grains giving the drink a sour, tangy slightly carbonated drink. I now use it in place of buttermilk in almost all my recipes as well as drinking every morning. one of my favourite recipes including kefir are my pancakes. I make them almost every weekend.
Hey guys! I felt compelled to write a post about my favourite recipes at this time of year. I always feel at this time of year my eating habits change rapidly from the lightness of summer to the comfort and cosiness of autumnal eating. Again, we find ourselves in solitary isolation which was difficult in the brighter airy months and feels increasingly tougher in these dark grey and wet weeks. This has impacted on my eating as well I feel I want food that is bolstering, hearty, and soul comforting but, with also with a lightness. Food that feels good to make, eat, and after too.
My slow cooker has been brought out and is working overtime at the moment. It really makes some of the long slow cook meals I’m currently eating very easy. I find I really never us the slow cooker in the summer months. Here are some of my favourite recipes that can be made either in the slow cooker or the oven.
A recipe that I certainly can’t stop making at the moment is my chicken pot au feu it gives me the comfort of a stew whilst offering the lightness and freshness of a good chicken broth. A rare combination, but a welcome combo.
For simple solo indulgence I find myself making my mushroom barley risotto. It is a risotto made with pearl barley. Using the barley instead of rice means that it doesn’t require constant stirring. Although, I feel that at time perhaps that the mind numbing of standing stirring a traditional risotto might not bad thing either, a welcome distraction at the moment.
During these challenging times I feel comfort and pleasure must be taken wherever possible and these are the recipes that give me immense joy and pleasure.
If like me you are craving hearty comfort food then have I ever got a recipe for you this slow cook sensation creates a large vat of stew that can make several dinners and only gets better the longer it sits. It also can be frozen making it extremely useful for weeknights. Simply thaw and reheat.
Oxtail is a cheap old fashioned cut, like most cheaper cuts it benefits from a long slow cook to make it tender. My recipe takes 5 hours in the oven so that the meat becomes so tender that it comes away from the bone with the slightest nudge with a wooden spoon. If it makes things easier you can pop it into a slow cooker rather than the oven, especially handy when your working.
I recommend eating with a large bowl of buttery mash or champ potatoes. To change things up for the next meal cook some pappardelle pasta, reheat and stir through the meat sauce, and sprinkle with a generous amount of parmesan for a rich and delicious ragu, or top with puff pastry for a delicious and simple pie to take care of the leftovers.
Summer may be coming to a rapid end. The weather has changed, the evening began to draw in. Whilst I do welcome the thought of cosy and comforting meals that will ensue, I am not quite ready to give up on the brightness and freshness that summer eats provide. Below are a few of the latest recipe editions to the site during August. You may notice that some of that cold grey skied weather has prompted a few dishes that help bolster and warm the soul. I do hope they can bring a little summery brightness to your eating.
Pasta Bolognese
I can be a bit apprehensive about posting recipes for some of the classic recipes, as purist can often be negative of any alteration to the classics. It is something which I don’t understand. There may be many reasons for altering classic recipes ingredient availability, cost, time, or above all and most importantly taste and flavour. I never feel that I have done something wrong when I play with classic recipes, I think that is the essence of cooking itself. Having said that I sometimes may take this concept a little too far and some of the classic dish may not be recognised as a classic dish anymore by the time I’m done.
I think often that we now a days forget that the core essence of food obviously it is fuel for our bodies, but it brings so much more to our lives than just being a fuel source. Good food enriches our lives with pleasure and joy. Family style meals are the most comforting and enjoyable. I like to strew the table with bowls, plate, canisters of cutlery, lots of bowls and pans of food on the table so that everyone can take what they like and as much as they like. The hustle and bustle around a table as everyone grabs their bowls and pass the food about bring me immense joy. I do find that this always helps conversation if guests aren’t familiar with each other as well. This leads me to my Bolognese ever since I was a child this was a favourite meal in the Diver household. There is no dish that screams family dinner more so to me than a large vat of meat sauce, pasta and fresh parmesan to grate over at the table is a must.
My version may not be 100% authentic, but I can reassure you that it tastes delicious. I have added it into my everyday easy category on my website it does take a little longer than most dishes in there, although it doesn’t need much attention whilst it cooks away and besides I think I would be sacked as the cook in our house if it was on the menu at least one night a week. It is also worth noting that this sauce is great reheated and gains flavour if made a day in advance, plus it also freezes well. I always due to the reasons make a much larger portion that I want usually doubling the recipe below and freezing the leftovers.
I hope you enjoy the recipe.
I love recipes like this. It is easy on the washing up, quick and easy to make, and really the cake part itself requires no cooking a bit of mixing and chopping that’s it. The texture is that of a creamy delicious vanilla gelato which is great as is, but what really makes this extra special is that it is loaded with delicious rocky bits giving it a nubbly texture. Almost every time I make this I add different bits and pieces. I always use shop-bought meringues and mini marshmallows as these never freeze solid and really give it a magnificent texture. You could add crushed crunchy bars, chocolate-coated peanuts or raisins, finely chopped up a brownie, really almost anything you like, within reason.
So after the quick initial mix together and adding your favourite ingredients it’s just a matter of dumping into a lined loaf tin smoothing the base. Pop it into the freezer for about 4 -6 hours, although I usually get on with this a day ahead, making it a great make-ahead dessert.
The warm chocolate sauce is really only a matter of meting chocolate together, nothing difficult there. The chocolate sauce itself isn’t terribly sweet as the ice cream cake is sweet enough and it brings balance. I have used a combo of milk and dark chocolate so that you don’t need to get out sugar or any other sweeteners at the last minute. Who wants that extra work? If you are making for kids you may want to increase the milk chocolate or entirely milk chocolate or failing that just a couple of squeezes of golden syrup whilst it’s melting.
I hop you enjoy the recipe and for anyone who prefers to watch a recipe check out my You Tube channel where you can view all my recipes. Please leave a comment, give it a thumbs up, subscribe, and switch on the bell notification if you haven’t already.
World Chocolate Day
It seems only fitting that chocolate has its own day 7th July, I will remember this date as it is also my birthday to. Chocolate in fact has several celebration days and rightfully so. National Chocolate Day October 28th and International Chocolate Day September 13th. Although, I certainly don’t need an excuse to eat chocolate and it is a coincidence that it has been a tradition for me on my birthday for many years to make my favourite chocolate indulgent treat and that is my salted chocolate tart. I have been making it for years long before I ever knew that my birthday shared the same day as world chocolate day.
To celebrate this day, I am posting my favourite chocolate recipes below. I hope you chocolate lovers out there will enjoy these recipes and celebrate the day with one of them.