Rob and I made these Halloween Cakes for Halloween. We enjoyed decorating them with icing :o)


Here's how I made them step by step, aided by photos that Rob took :o)





Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups caster sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 2 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup veg oil
- 2 tsps vanilla





Method:
1- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2- Add water, oil and vanilla.
3- Beat with electric mixer until blended.
4- Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full (I did both).
5- Bake at 180C (350F) for 15 to 18 minutes.
6- Remove from pan and cool on wire.
7- Frost and decorate as desired.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Halloween Cup Cakes

Rob and I made these Halloween Cup Cakes and Decorated them for Halloween. It was good fun :o)

Recipe:
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Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups caster sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 2 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup veg oil
- 2 tsps vanilla



Method:
1- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2- Add water, oil and vanilla.
3- Beat with electric mixer until blended.
4- Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full (I did both).
5- Bake at 180C (350F) for 15 to 18 minutes.
6- Remove from pan and cool on wire.
7- Frost and decorate as desired.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Syrian Sfeha (Mini Lamb Pies)

This is a Syrian meal...
Homemade Sfeha (mini lamb pies).

Preperation Time 30 mins (plus standing time)
Cooking Time 10 mins

Dough Ingredients:
- 150g plain flower
- 7g dry yeast
- half teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 125ml warm water
- olive-oil spray.

Lamb topping Ingredients:
- 100g lamb mince
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- half teaspoon pepper
- quarter teaspoon chilli powder
- half an onion cut finely
- pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses



Cooking Method:
1- Make dough by mixing flour, yeast, salt, oil and enough warm water until mixture forms a ball. Place ball of dough in oiled medium bowl, spray with oil. Cover and stand in warm place about 1 hour until dough doubles in size.
2- Meanwhile, make lamb topping by combining the ingredients in a small bowl.
3- Pr-heat oven to moderately hot. 200C (400F) Gas Mark 6
4-Knead dough on lightly floured surface 5 minutes, roll dough to 2cm thickness. Using 7cm cutter, cut 20 rounds from dough, place rounds on oiled tray.
5- Divide topping among rounds, press a little to ensure it sticks.
6- Bake uncovered in oven about 10 to 12 minutes.
7- You could also make other shapes such as boat shaped with the edges up etc.
8- Enjoy with yoghurt, salad and Syrian dips such as hummos and aubergine dips (I will add recipes for them soon).

My Fun Homemade Cupcakes for Charity

I organised a fund raising 'BAKING DAY' for charity at work yesterday to raise money for 'Children In Need'.
It was a brilliant day, so many people brought in home-baked goodies, cakes, muffins, cookies, biscuits, brownies, fudge etc and we sold them ALL. We raised quite a lot of money and had a fun day :o)

This is a chocolate cake I baked. The following pictures are of things I and other colleagus made... please take a look :o)

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Who We Are Helping:
Children In Need is an annual event that raises money and gives it to charities and projects that work to improve the lives of children and young people throughout the UK.

The donated money goes towards many things including helping children with severe physical disabilities, helping underprivileged children while their mother receives treatment for a life-threatening medical condition,
looking after children with cancer, paying for therapy sessions for sexually-abused children, paying for counselling sessions for children affected by violence at home etc

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Recipe:
-----------

Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups caster sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 2 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup veg oil
- 2 tsps vanilla

Method:
1- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2- Add water, oil and vanilla.
3- Beat with electric mixer until blended.
4- Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.
5- Bake at 180C (350F) for 15 to 18 minutes.
6- Remove from pan and cool on wire.
7- Frost and decorate as desired.

Fruit Salad

Once again.... who said healthy is boring?? Check out how gorgeous and yummy my fruit salad looks :o)

Here's how to make it:
You can whichever fruit you like, I cut up some:
- Apples
- Clementines
- Oranges
- Mango
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Grapes
- A tin of Pineapple in natural juice.
- Add the pineapple juice too and some orange or apple juice to keep the fruit fresh and stop it going brown.
- Just before serving I added a banana as well (but always add at the end as Bananas go brown quickly if left out).

Who Said Healthy is Boring?!

Mmmmm who said healthy is boring? My lunch was so yummy!! Shame our canteen at work isn't as good!!

From Left to Right:
1- Halloumi cheese and green olives
2- Baby Carrots
3- Mint and Garlic Yoghurt
4- Sundried tomato pasta
5- A big Arabic Salad (Lettuce, cucumber, tomato, green and red peppers, dried mint, salt, lemon juice and olive oil)

My Bolongese Stir Fry !!

I made up my own pasta sauce by stir frying mushrooms, onions, red and green peppers and carrots, then adding tomato paste, a tin of tomatoes and lots of herbs and spices (thyme, basil, parsley, salt, pepper and chili).
Just add to pasta.... yummy!!

Glazed Lemon Cake

Ingredients:

*** Cake ***
4oz butter
4oz sugar
2 eggs
2 pots lemon flavour yoghurt
grated lemon zest
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla
8oz flour
baking powder and soda
*** Lemon Glaze ***
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup icing sugar



Method:

1- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in yoghurt, zest, juice and vanilla.
2- Mix flour, baking powder and soda. Add to the butter mixture. Scrape into an oiled baking pan and spread level.
3- Bake in 350F 180C oven until edges pull from pan 45-60 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.
4- To Glaze: Blend glaze ingrediants. Pierce cake all over, and pour glaze over cake. Cool for 1 hour.
Turn onto a platter and garnish with lemon slices.

Chicken Croquettes with Roasted Pepper Sauce

This recipe combines finely chopped chicken with seasonings which is then shaped into croquettes and fried or baked. I use thighs as they have more flavour, and tend to be more moist than chicken breasts, but you could use either. I like to top these tender tidbits with roasted pepper sauce given here.

Ingredients:
4 Large Boneless Chicken Thighs
1 Slice Bread
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Egg
2 Green Onions, Chopped Into Pieces
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Oil For Frying (I baked them)
1 Cup Bread Crumbs

Roasted Pepper Sauce:

Ingredients:
One Large Red Pepper
One Large Yellow Pepper
Salt & Pepper
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
Dash Of Balsamic Vinegar



To Make The Croquettes: Either finely chop the chicken pieces, parsley and onions, or place in a food processor and pulse. Tear the slice of bread into pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the milk over the bread, and let sit a minute or two. Squeeze the bread of excess milk and place the bread in with the chicken mixture. Add the remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs, and using your hands mix very well. If the mixture is too soft to form into croquettes, refrigerate one hour.

Shape the croquettes into 3 inch discs or tubes, and roll in the bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan to a depth of 2 inches until it reaches 375 degrees F. Carefully drop the croquettes into the pan, and cook, turning as each side browns until they are a deep golden brown and cooked through.

Lighter Version: To decrease the fat, simply bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F. for about 20 to 30 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden brown in color.

To Make The Sauce: Roast the peppers in the oven or microwave. Place all the sauce ingredients including the peppers, except the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse a few times until you have a finely chopped mixture. Add half the olive oil and pulse. Check the consistancy of the sauce. It should be thick, but still be loose. Add the rest of the oil if needed.

Serve the croquettes with rissoto or rice or pasta.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

I was going to visit my sister for weekend, so I made her some chocolate chip muffins.
Check out the little chocolate chips on top :o)





Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
- 90g butter, melted
- 2 & 1/2 cups (375g) self-raising flower
- 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder, sifted ( I prefer cadbury's)
- 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
- 1 egg, beaten lightly
- 1 & 1/3 cups (330ml) milk
- 1 & 1/4 cups (225g) chocolate chips

Method:
- Grease 12-hole muffin pan, or use paper cups
- Combine all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix. Add other ingredients and mix well. Save some chocolate chips to add ontop of the muffins.
- Spoon mixture into prepared pan, and add extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin.
- Bake in moderately hot oven (200C - 400F) for about 25 minutes.
- Turn onto wire rack to cool before serving.
- You can change the recipe by adding white or dark chocolate chips, or by cutting up a chocolate bar into chunks.

Enjoy :o)

Italian Gnocchi

Ingredients:
4 Medium Sized Potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 Large Egg Yolk
1-2 Cups Of Flour
Salt

Gorgonzola Sauce:
Ingredients:
4 oz. Gorgonzola Cheese (Room Temperature)
1 oz. Butter
8 oz. Heavy Cream

Garnish:

Fresh Chopped Parsley
Grated Parmesan



Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Wash & dry the potatoes. Bake the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 45 minutes or boil them if you are in a rush.
While the potatoes are baking prepare the sauce by cooking the cheese, butter and cream over low heat until the cheese has completely melted into the cream and the sauce has slightly thickened. Set aside. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and put through a potato ricer.

While still warm, place the prepared potatoes on a large board forming a mound with a hole in the center. add the yolk and the salt into the center. Slowly start adding the flour a little at a time, mixing well with your hands and continue until you have created a soft workable dough. Knead gently only briefly until you have achieved a smooth, pliable if slightly sticky dough.

To shape the gnocchi, first break the dough into fist sized pieces, and roll each piece into a log about the thickness of your thumb. Cut into 1 inch pieces. To finish, take a fork and place it against your work board. With it's back towards you, press each piece of dough with your index finger firmly up the length of the fork tines. Let the gnocchi fall back onto the board and continue with the remaining pieces in this manner. Place the prepared gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet and either cook immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to use, preferably not more than 3 hours. To cook, drop carefully into salted boiling water and remove immediately as they have all floated to the surface. Drain and top with the gorgonzola sauce. Serve sprinkled with the fresh, chopped parsley. Offer grated parmesan at the table.

Home-Marinated Roast Chicken

I made up my own marinade recipe after looking at a few recipes and combining the ideas.
I added salt, pepper, basil, chilli, cumin, olive oil, yoghurt and honey to the chicken and left it in the fridge for a few hours.
Then I roasted the chicken in the Oven at 180 degrees C for ONE hour.



Meanwhile I boiled the potatoes, covered them with mixed herbs and olive oil, and roasted them in the oven for 30 minutes.

I added the onions and red peppers to the chicken about 15 minutes before the chicken was ready.

The carotts, broccoli and sweetcorn were boiled in water and a little salt for 9 minutes........ ENJOY :o)

First Recipe Blog

Hello,

This is my first Cooking Blog. I plan to add many recipes here... from Arabic cooking, to English, Italian and Chinese cooking, to cakes, muffins, cookies, flapjacks and anything with CHOCOLATE.
I will try to add as many pictures as I can, and describe the ingredients and method of cooking each meal....... ENJOY :o)