Marry me chicken penne pasta with basil in background.

Marry Me Chicken

A recipe that is so good that it will make your diners want to marry you. It really is that good. My version feeds four. I feel that having company may reduce the risk of a marriage proposal ensuing dinner. However, if that be your aim and it’s an intimate dinner for two let me tell you that the leftovers are wonderful even cold. All joking aside this is an incredibly delicious chicken pasta dish that is well worth a go.

My version is slightly lighter than the original recipe that it’s adapted from in that it reduces the double cream significantly, you can add an extra splash of double cream should you desire.

Happy cooking folks! Don’t forget to give me your thoughts on the dish in the comments below.

Winter Comfort Food

If like me at this time of year you are craving bolstering, comforting even soul soothing dishes then I’ve got you covered. I joke that you can tell the season by what is on my kitchen counter and the biggest give away is the slow cooker it never see the light of day in the summer but it makes up for it in the colder wintery months. It gets so much use, I use it for casserole and stews all the time like my oxtail stew and my Irish stew but also for puddings like my slow cooker sticky toffee pudding and jam pudding. Although, like with any dish that is cooked in the slow cooker there is a lot of waiting about but it can be extremely useful on days when the oven is in use like Sunday lunch time.

As always Happy Cooking!!

Below is a video of my favourite winter foods and below that even more of my go to winter comforts.

Daniel Diver Recipes

Happy New Year 2022

Firstly, Happy New Year! I wish you good health and happiness in 2022. It has been another tough year lockdowns and restrictions and just when you think that it’s over the news breaks that comedy legend Betty White passed away on New Year’s Eve. Rest in Peace Betty.

New Year at least for me always feels like a time of change. I don’t really make resolutions or plans of diets. This year, however, I am going to or at least do my best to approach life more positively. The past couple of years have been trying for lots but as we move into a new year let’s do so with optimism and love.

Here are some recipes I am looking forward to in the coming days and weeks.

Turmeric, Ginger & Butternut Squash Soup

Turmeric, Ginger & Butternut Squash Soup

Harissa Prawns, Spinach & Spaghetti

Harissa prawns spaghetti

Tandoori Chicken

 Take care, stay safe & Happy eating in 2022.

barmbrack

Traditional Irish Barmbrack │ Happy Halloween

Barmbrack is a traditional Irish fruit cake that is eaten in the lead up to Halloween. It consists of dried fruits that are soaked in tea until plump and juicy. Barmbrack come in two varietys one is a yeasted bread the other a rich tea loaf. An item is traditionally baked into the Barmbrack. Traditionally this was a ring, a coin, and a piece of cloth. Whom ever got the ring was to be wed within the year, the coin would come into money and the cloth would have bad luck. These days it usually come with only one item the ring.

Check out my recipe below…

Happy Halloween

Chocolate Chip & Pecan Banana Bread

I may be a little late with my banana bread recipe. During lockdown one everybody seemed to be making banana bread, and why not? For one it is a great way of using up bananas and two its delicious. There are very few foods I’m picky about eating, and bananas and avocados are two of them. I can’t stand eating a banana or avocado that has black spots, I do know they are perfectly fine, but I just can’t. So banana bread is just the way of using up those bananas. This particular recipe has a long time in the oven because I want it to get a deep coloured chewy crust. This is purposely cooked this way as it enhances the taste and texture.

CHOCOLATE CHIP & PECAN BANANA BREAD

This banana bread will keep for 3 days if stored in an air tight container or up to 1 week if stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator. To breathe fresh life in the banana bread pop it into the toaster and eat warm.

Salted chocolate tart

Recipe of the Day; Salted Chocolate Tart

One for the chocolate lovers. This tart is very easy to make due to using oaty biscuits in the base rather than having to make pastry. I use a combo of chocolates a little dark and a little milk. I used to make it simply with dark, but some found it too rich. The milk brings a balance to the filling that everyone loves. Check out the recipe below.

Happy Easter

Hey there,

Happy Easter!

I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend. The celebrations again may be dampened once again due to restrictions. It is at times like these that I feel that food and traditions are more important than ever to mark and celebrate these occasions and save us from the everyday mundane. For those that follow me on Instagram you may have noticed I started on the hot cross buns several weeks ago. Easter Sunday there will be herb stuffed leg of lamb and all the trimmings. For pudding there will be a couple of options my Eton mess roulade and chocolate fudge cake. Below are a few recipes that may be of use over the long weekend.

However you celebrate I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend. Stay safe & well friends

Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are enriched buns studded with dried fruit and marked with a cross to represent the crucifixion of Christ. They are usually made and consumed at the end of Lent. I don’t restrain myself to Easter alone to enjoy these gorgeous buns. My recipe is an all inclusive recipe in that I know that a lot of people in particular children are not fond of the sultanas that are traditional in the buns. However, I do not completely stray from tradition instead I split the dough and to one half I add the tradtitonal sultanas and to the other half I add chocolate chips. The recipe produces twelve buns, giving you six of each. I must warn, that you will want, no need lots of good butter to go with.

Please Enjoy!