Blackberry muffins recipe

Hi All

I know I have been out of action for a while, but I will try to get more recipes up on the blog. Yesterday my new husband and I went out for a walk and picked some lovely juicy blackberries. Rather than letting them rot away on our counter top I thought the best thing to do would be to add them to something sweet and delicious. I considered tarts, ice cream, cakes and finally stumbled upon a most wonderful blackberry muffin recipe. Just click on the link to go directly to the recipe. Obviously it is not mine and I would like to give the woman credit who added this recipe to her website. I hope you enjoy it as much as we are. I've already had three... burp!
Blackberry muffins

Roast Partridge Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Partridges
4 sprigs fresh thyme plua few leaves
12 juniper berries
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 slices streaky bacon
mix of butter and olive oil
chestnut mushrooms

Method

Pre heat the oven to 200c/400c Gas Mark 6

Place 1 sprig of thyme and 3 juniper berries in the cavity of each bird and season with salt and pepper. tie the legs together with some string before cooking.
Spread softened butter and oil over the birds and place a rasher of bacon on each breast. Put in a roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes. To check the bird is cooked, place a skewer in between the leg and breast and the birds are cooked when the juices run clear.

Pour some of the juice into a small saucepan and keep on a low heat. In the meantime heat a little olive oil and saute the mushrooms and season.

Place the mushrooms on the plate together with the partridge and crispy bacon. Serve with a little of the heated juice.

Serve with roast potatoes and cabbage.

Courtesy of Game to Eat

Caribbean Curry Rice with Butternut Squash Recipe

If you like more heat add another chili!

Ingredients

2 tsp oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno or other hot chili, (optional) seeded and minced
2 cup peeled and diced butternut squash
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
3 1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup long-grain brown or white rice
15 oz canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4 green onions, trimmed and chopped

Method

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion, garlic and chili if using. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in squash and seasonings; cook for 1 minute more.Stir in water, rice and beans. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 35 to 40 minutes (if using white rice, 15 to 20 minutes).Fluff rice; fold in scallions. Let stand covered for 8 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with plain yogurt.
Makes 6 servings.
HELPFUL HINT: Soaking the brown rice at least an hour will reduce the overall cooking time by 8 to 10 minutes.

HOME MADE WHITE DINNER ROLLS RECIPE

250ml warm water, one part boiling to two parts cold
1 tsp dried yeast
200g strong white flour
175g plain flour
1 tsp salt
oil, for kneading

RInse your mixing bowl with boiling water to take the chill off it, then pour in the 250ml warm water, add the yest and stir in the strong white flour. Cover and wrap the bowl in a towel and leave for an hour.
Add the plain flour and salt to the bowl, mix by hand all the ingredients. Again, wrap the bowl in the towel and set aside for 10 minutes.
Rub a tablespoon of oil over the top of the dough. Rub more oil over your work surface, so it covers a plate-sized area, and hands. Put the dough down on the surface and knead gently for 10 seconds - the aim is to mix it evenly and break up any lumpy bits. Return the dough to the bowl, cover again and leave for another 10 minutes. Repeat the kneading and resting twice more, then leave, covered for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough on the oiled surface to roughly 15 cm square, and cut into 12 4 cm x 3 cm pieces. Place on a tray, cover with a towel and leave for 45 minutes to an hour, until puffed and doubled.
Preheat the oven to 200c/400F/gas mark 6, then bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden.

From
The Guardian Weekend
30 September 2006

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER RECIPE

New England Clam Chowder

1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine
4 tins of clams, drained
1/8 cup sliced bacon
1 1/2 medium onions, chopped
1 pd potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup of heavy cream
1 bouquet garni

Instructions

Cook the bacon until it begins to crisp. Remove the pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook over a low heat until they are soft. Do not allow them to brown.
Add the water, wine, bouquet garni and potatoes to a pot and boil until the potatoes are cooked through. Five minutes before you're ready to serve out, add the clams, bacon, onion and cream to the soup. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper, a bit of salt and tarragon.
Serve with homemade dinner rolls.( look at my next blog for this recipe)

Enjoy!

Slow Cooked Lamb Stew Recipe

Sorry for such a long absence. I think I got distracted with other things over the past several months but now I am happy to say that I am back blogging my recipes!

Slow cooked lamb stew recipe

1 shoulder of lamb
half a pack of mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots peeled and sliced
2 parsnips peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
1 leek, cleaned and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
2 glasses of red wine
plenty of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
a few stalks of thyme, rosemary and sage leaves

Mix everything together in an electric slow cooker. Cook on high for a few hours and turn to low for several hours. The meat should fall of the bone when the stew is ready.
Enjoy!

Fish and Chips Recipe

Fish and Chips and Potato Scallops by our next door neighbours Frank and Alison Midgely who used to run Jack's Fish and Chip shop on Clay Street in Burnley, Lancashire, UK

Ingredients:

Haddock fish (skinned and boned)
Maris Piper potatoes
Batter mix
Salt
Vinegar
Bicarbonate of soda
Beef dripping(for frying)

Method:

To the batter mix add a pinch of salt, bicarbonate of soda and 1/2 egg cup full of vinegar. Mix with the water until batter is airy and is of a treacle like consistency.

heat the beef dripping to 170c. Batter fish and cook for approximately 7-10 minutes.

For the potatoes, cut slices to half inch thickness and fry in the beef dripping at 140c until nicely browned.

French Onion Soup Recipe

French Onion Soup Recipe

Ingredients
4 large onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp flour
4 cups water
3 vegetable cubes (or beef cubes)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 slices toasted french bread
1 cup grated parmesan or gruyere

Method
Melt 3 Tbsps butter in a large pan. Add the onions and saute. Cover and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes. Add the salt, sugar and pepper and raise the heat to a moderate temperature and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions are a golden brown. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Add the water, vegetable or beef bouillion and remaining seasonings. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add the sherry. Transfer to a large casserole dish and spread toast with remaining butter and sprinkle with cheese. Place the toast on top of the soup and heat in oven at 400F for 6-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is brown.