Did someone say summer is coming....

The weather here in Jersey is sunny, in fact it has been for the last week or so, so this morning I thought it was about time to see what I have in my wardrobe from last summer, picture several pairs of jeans, cropped trousers and slightly worn out t-shirts, piled on the bed, accompanied by   a couple of pairs of sandals and a pair of flip flops, and I'm ashamed to say all that fits me are the flip flops and  sandals!  hence the photo above of a healthy salad and Omelette. Healthy eating here I come....again.

Pea and Tomato Omelette

2 eggs

handful of peas

3 or 4 cherry tomato's chopped

a pinch of paprika 

about a table spoon of milk

salt and pepper.

Mix all ingredients together, pour into a pan and heat through until the top 

starts to bubble, then put under the grill and brown the top,

pile a mixed salad onto a plate, sprinkle with balsamic vinagar

and a little olive oil, cut the omelette into quarters and

place on top of the salad.

Enjoy! 

Winter Warmer.

Photos credit, Roland Persson/IKEA Livet Hemma

Are you feeling the cold where you are?  I know am, even though we don't have snow, the temperature is hovering just above freezing and the wind chill is making it feel a little colder, so  how about some lovely warming soup to warm as all up.  Today's offering comes courtesy  of  IKEA's Livet Hemma blog, a colourful tomato soup, don't you just love that colour combination, makes me feel warmer just looking at it.

If you intend to make the most of the winter snow this weekend why not take a flask of soup with you to keep out the chill.

Tomato soup with lemon creme fraiche (4 people)

10 medium sized tomatoes 

1 large onion 

3 cloves garlic 

olive oil, 

about 6 cups water 

1 liter chicken stock 

fresh thyme, 

a little sugar, 

black pepper and salt

1 can of creme fraiche 

zest and juice of one lemon 

honey 

salt and pepper

Click here for instructions and Table ware all from Ikea.

Fig and Parma ham salad

Well it might be early Autumn but there are still a few salad days left before I start wanting winter soups and stews, and how about a fig and Parma ham salad with buffalo mozzarella  cheese?   This one is inspired by one of the Jamie Oliver  books that I have, so easy to make, just toss  some salad leaves onto a plate, nick the top of the figs then squish them a little to open up the lovely insides, tear up some mozzarella cheese, and lay the Parma ham around the plate, drizzle with a little herb olive oil then enjoy, and personally I find that this dish is enjoyed more if you get stuck in and just use your fingers..yum.  

PS, don't forget you can still use the discount here, and there is a give away here.

Cheats tart.

Oh my goodness I'm in the Kitchen again!  This time its simple sweet treats in the form of cheats custard and raspberry tarts. I blame Heart Home Magazine for today's littler creation though, as I spotted some lovely summer berry tarts in the first edition of the on-line magazine and decided to have a go at something similar.

These ones, like I have already mentioned are a bit of a cheat as I bought most to the ingredients practically ready to assemble, so not much effort at all, I used instant custard, added some extra vanilla essence, spooned into ready made tart cases, and just plonked the fresh raspberries on top then glazed with a little warm jam, dead easy.  Cool them in the fridge a little after just to help set the custard.

Photography Samantha Stansbridge

To be honest, you can't fail to impress with these, the colours just look so great together, but next time I'll give the proper  vanilla pastry cream a go, check out Heart Home Magazine for instructions, issue one.

Kitchen gadgets

What is the one kitchen gadget above all others that you just can't live without? Well a few weeks ago I realised that above all the other gadgets collecting dust in my kitchen cupboard, the one thing I really miss is my normally trusty (had it for years) Braun multimix hand blender, used regularly for blitzing up soups, cake creaming, and blending together the contents for my fish cakes. Well it no longer blends the contents for my fish cakes, this part of the blender has given up on me, and I miss it, the last time I tried to make fish cakes all I got from the blender was a rather strange farting noise, and un-blender fish cake mix, though it seems happy with the other gadget parts for blitzing up soups, and cake creaming! So I am now on the lookout for a new one, and I'm wondering.....should I stick with what I know or should I be brave and see whats out there in the big old world of blenders and blitzers.

Do you have a favourite make that you use time and again or do you like to shop around and see whats new, whats the worst or best kitchen gadget you have ever had?

Light Lunch

Well this lovely sunshine has gotten me in the mood for some summer lovein light lunches!

For this one you will need:

* Mixed salad leaves of you choice.

* Tomatoes.

* Any other salad item you care to add, spring onions, cucumber, etc etc

* Chicken pieces in bread crumbs, mine came from the co-op. You can have these either cooked, or let them go cold, both ways are just as tasty.

And my sort of home made dressing, which there is no really measured quantity for, just go with what you like, sweeter? add more honey, want it a bit sharper? add

more lemon, and so on.

I use:

* Low calorie mayonnaise, a couple of tea spoons.

* whole grain mustard, one tea spoon

* runny honey, one tea spoon.

* a bit of juice from a fresh lemon.

* Mix up and drizzle over the chicken and salad.

And there yo have it, simple summer lovin light lunch, sometimes I add a few new potato's, well living in Jersey it would be a crime not to have a couple of Jersey royal potatoes!

Winning dish of The Great British Menu.

There's a bit of a culinary stir going on around this little Island of Jersey of late, and its all to do with Shaun Rankins winning Treacle Tart. Jersey Chef, Shaun Rankin who is head chef at jerseys Bohemia Bar and Restaurant, recently appeared on the BBC2s programme, The Great British Menu and went on to win with his Treacle tart for the south west. Its now being produced by local patisserie Gaudins and is available island wide, and Mr Rankin has been out and about promoting it. (I had intended to get a shot of him doing a food demo at one of the supper markets but missed it..... caught up at the next one, and then chickened out)

Anyways, I thought I better give it a little taste to see what all the fuss was about, so at the rick of my waist line I bought a packet of the said little tart and went about my research.....that sounds so funny, I just got an image in my head of myself in a white jacket specs and a clip board...(giggle giggle giggle) OK back to the tart, first impressions, as you slide it out of the box....well its not the best looking cake I have ever seen if I am really honest, but the Prof is in the pudding as they say, so first bite, and well its...umm...you must remember I'm no food critic just you average housewife....so, first bite.... hang on need another bite to decide here.....pastry is quite crunchy....the filling it soft and sweet, but not sickly..... I could eat another slice... and the verdict? on the whole a nice Treacle Tart really... I wonder what it would be like warm....oops will have to get another one for that part of my research.....

You can have a go at making it your self if you are unable to get your hands on one, just follow the recipe here and do let me know what you think.

Mr Rankin on Facebook

Do you have a favourite cook book?

Having just been to see the Julie & Julia film, at the weekend, and liked it (its the kind of film that you just smile through the whole way) it got me thinking.... do you have a cook book that you always refer to when needing a recipe? Mine ,it turn out is The Dairy Book of Home Cookery , first published in 1968 by Sonia Allison and was a book that my mum had on her shelf... up until I got married and then it some how found its way into my kitchen, strangely all the recipes I use seem to be puddings and cakes, my most used being Tea scones and Bread and Butter Pudding, its not fancy cooking like in Julie and Julia, but honest to goodness stuff.

Its still available on amazon today along with more from the Author Sonia Allison. So whats your favourite, is it someone like Jamie Oliver or do you prefer the old favourites like Mrs. Beeton

Cook with Gwyneth

I'm off for a few days holiday to France on Sunday, but before I go I thought I would post this lovely recipe that I spotted over at Goop, Gwyneth Paltrows blog/website. Now I know she has had a lot of stick about this site, but I really like the salad she makes in this video, and yes the way she makes her crispy roast potatoes is bang on, I always do mine that way. So while I'm away why not have a go your selves!

Cheats sea food Paella.

a box of ready made paella mix, I like this one (above) from Vesta, but you might have a favourite of your own.

Here's what I did.

1. Steam your muscles in a pan for a few minutes until the shells open, discard any that do not open these where dead before cooking and not good for eating. I like to add a clove of bruised garlic while steaming. Set to one side when done.

2. Heat up a little oil in a wok, and add the paella mix, pour over water (follow instructions on packet) turn down heat and simmer. For extra fishiness I added about 1/4 of a fish stock cube.

3. Cut the salmon into bite size chunks, add to wok when the water has reduced down. and is just covering the rice, gently cover the fish with the rice to help it cook through.

4. Once the salmon is cooked through, add the muscles, and at the last minute throw in the prawns just to heat through.

And that's it. Now get messy using your finger to eat the sweet juicy prawns, umm so so good really so so good.

On the menu is my cheats paella, I love sea food paella, but hate cooking, so this quick version is right up my street. I picked up some fresh muscles, salmon and large prawns from my local fish market in St. Helier, which cost just over £6.oo, and would serve two. Here comes the cheat bit,

Little pots of yumminess

Some more home comfort food for you, this time little individual pots of bread and butter puddings, but with a twist. I added some summer fruits that I had in the freezer, before pouring over the egg mixture, and backing. Very satisfying.

Cold weather and comfort food.

The temperature has dropped outside, my washing froze on the line, and my stomach is crying out for comfort food. Its time for soups and stews with crusty bread, and home made scones. There is nothing like good old traditional food to warm you up when its cold. Making scones always reminds me of baking with my Mum on a Sunday afternoon when I was small, roast chicken at lunch, then chicken sandwich's in the evening and freshly baked scones jam and cream . Yum. So this afternoon out came the scales and the cook book with my favourite scone recipe, and strawberry jam.

Here's my scone recipe

• 200g/8oz self-raising flour
• 50g/2oz butter
• 23g/1oz sugar
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• milk 4 table spoons of milk.

Sift the flour into a bowl, add salt

Rug in butter to make bread crumbs

Add sugar, mix

Make a well in the mixture and add egg, and and milk.

Bring this together to form a dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead until smooth..

Press out or roll out to about half inch thick.

Cut out as many scone rounds as you can get.

I can get up to 13 with small size cutter, but it depends on how big you like your scones.

Brush with a little milk.

Place on a baking tray and bake until golden, in my oven I bake at about 180c

Best eaten warm with butter jam and cream.

Hope you enjoy! here's one I ate earlier