Give your self a treat! are we constantly telling this to ourselves?

Well in one day I counted 5 different people you said this same line to me. Well it made me think and on returning to my kitchen, I thought ‘I know just the recipe’.

So be a devil, throw caution to the wind, forget the diet and indulge in my Chocolate Cheesecake:

You will need: 225g ginger nut biscuits, crushed, 100g butter melted, 175g milk chocolate, 225g curd cheese, 100g caster sugar, 300ml greek or set natural yogurt, 300ml double cream whipped to soft peaks and 50g stem ginger finely chopped. 

Firstly mix the ginger nut crumbs and melted butter together and press into a 23cm spring-form tin or loose bottomed cake tin and chill until firm. Melt 100g of the chocolate and leave to cool.

TIP - to melt chocolate in a microwave, place in a glass or plastic bowl and heat on high setting for 1 minute. Stir and heat for a further 30 seconds if needed. Don’t forget to check out this great deal for a set of 6 loose-bottom cooking tins for the great price of £5.16p you can’t go wrong, so order one today! (shown above, left)

Coarsely grate the rest of the chocolate then beat together the cheese, sugar and melted chocolate, then beat in the yogurt until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and the ginger. Spoon this mixture over the chilled base and level the surface before chilling for up to 6 hours or overnight is even better. Before serving sprinkle the grated chocolate over the top and unmould and serve. Your guests will love it, that is if you want to share!

Whats you favourite indulgence? Tell me about your favourite recipe you cook to indulge yourself and others!

 Pineapples are one of my favourite fruits, but alot of people avoid fresh pineapple as they feel they cannot prepare this exotic fruit easily. Many opt for the tinned version which is a shame with so many available at the moment and fresh pineapple makes a great difference to your recipe.

The Pineapple is a sweet, juicy tropical fruit which Christopher Columbus tasted back in 1493 on Guadeloupe. There are many varieties of Pineapple. You should always pick a Pineapple that is slightly soft to the touch and has green leaves. Fresh Pineapple is lovely you can serve it with yogurt, cream or ice cream; add it to pork or chicken dishes like Sweet & Sour Pork. Pineapple is also suppose to soften pork so hence cooked with Gammon etc and placed in various pork recipes.

 Other Pineapple facts are that each of the round scales is actually a individual fruit which fused with other fruits as it grew to form the Pineapple. Also Pineapples do not ripen after harvesting!

Now this gadget called a Vacu Vin Pineapple Slicer and Corer is great, its quick, easy and well priced for a gadget which makes the job of preparing this fantastic exotic fruit easily and it will be one you will use over and over again as fresh pineapple tastes alot better in every recipe.  This handy gadget (shown above right) slices and cores a pineapple in one easy push-and-twist action, retaining the juice and keeping the outer husk intact.

What your favourite peeling gadget or gismo send me a message about it!

With spring now definitely in the air and the daffodils are brightening up all the hedgrows and gardens as the air temperature finally starts to warm. At last the evenings are lighter after moving the clocks forward, (did you remember?) What better to do then dust off the garden furniture and enjoy your tea or coffee alfresco!

I fell in love with this melamine Gift set, its so summery and looks fantastic on my garden table. La Cafetière is the only UK Company specialising in ‘cafe culture’ products like hot drinks makers and accessories and continuously looks at new ways of enhancing the whole hot drinks experience.
New, as featured in Elle Decoration, is the Miami Melamine Gift Set, part of the striking outdoor range of cafetières launched. Miami takes its design inspiration from the exotic hibiscus flower and the pretty floral pink and green set comprises a cafetière, tray and two matching cups.
The versatile pot, made from tough, dishwasher-proof grade A melamine, can also be used as a juice or drinks jug by simply removing the plunger.

The Miami Melamine gift set comprises of:
1 x melamine cafetiere
2 x melamine mugs
1 x tray 

And at such a fantastic price too.  All matching they look terrific, plus if you have a birthday coming up for someone who loves sitting in their garden I cannot think of a more perfect gift for them so take a look and brighten up a simple cup of coffee or tea!  Also great if your the outdoor type and you own a caravan, motorhome or camp.

Well I have to say I stumbled on this product a while ago. But one of my mums friends Anne was telling me how she too loves to have a boiled egg for breakfast, especially fresh farm eggs. However, she has been having trouble with her hands and has recently burnt herself chasing her boiled egg around in a suacepan of boiling water.  So I told her about the Wahl ZX642 Egg Boiler which I got for mum.

With the Wahl ZX642 Egg Boiler you can choose between ‘hard’ and ’soft’ boiled eggs with this handy electric egg boiler which is so quick and simple to use. Heats up in just 2 minutes and eggs can be left unattended to cook leaving you free to get on with other things. You’ll know when your eggs are done as the egg boiler even emits an audible tone to signal the cooking time is complete. (This was something my mother loved as she would forget things so the sound element always reminded her.)  It can also cook up to 7 eggs at a time - enough to feed the whole family, which is great if you have the grand children over for tea.

Also with safety in mind the egg boiler is designed with a heat resistant lid and thermal safety cut out feature. It has dishwasher safe parts and a none stick cooking plate, which make it easy to keep clean and it’s compact size allows it to be stored away neatly when not in use. An essential addition to any well equipped kitchen.

So it features include a hard and soft boiled options, cooks up to 7 eggs, egg ready audible signal, non-stick cook plate, LED Lighted on/off switch, transparent heat resistant lid, thermal safety cut out and a measuring cup with piercer.

You can also get a egg topper and a perfect soldier maker (also great for if you have problems with your hands or just want to make easy work of it),  for that perfect breakfast boiled egg experience.  Also don’t forget with Easter now only 3 weeks away this is great for the kids breakfast too. Make sure you have a selection of great egg cups to hand to serve your boiled eggs in and you can always get the kids to paint them which is something my own children loved doing for Easter.

Do you enjoyed a simple boiled egg? whats your favourite boiled, poached, scrambled or fried? Let me know.

March is great for purple sprouting broccoli. You can use this in tarts, stir frys or simply steam. Purple sprouting broccoli can be served with a range of meat and fish dishes, you can simply boil, steam or stir fry it, as it was very versatile.

Broccoli is from the Italian word brocco which means arm or branch. We have been eatting broccoli in the united kingdom since it was introduced to us by the Romans. It is packed with vitamin C, iron, calcium, fibre and vitamin A .

Why not try this puff pastry purple sprouting broccoli quiche - you will need-500g pack puff pastry,
250g  purple sprouting broccoli, trimmed & steamed for 3 minutes & refreshed, 3 medium size eggs, 150ml full fat milk,
142ml carton double cream, 100g pack Welsh goats cheese, crumbled and freshly ground black pepper & nutmeg to taste.

First preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6, then on a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to a 5mm thickness then use to line a 30cm metal flan dish. Prick the base with a metal fork. Line with parchment paper & baking beans then cook for 10 minutes. Remove the paper & baking beans, return to the oven for a further 5-8 minutes or until the base looks golden & dry. Line the base with the prepared broccoli. Then in a jug combine the eggs, milk, cream & cheese, season with freshly ground black peper & nutmeg. Place the flan dish on a baking tray, then pour over the egg mixture, place in the oven & cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the quiche is set & golden brown.

You can serve your tasty Quiche with a jacket potato, potato wedges and a mixed salad or vegetables, also a great addition to the lunch box whether for the kids or you. Watch the kids faces when their mates see them all eatting purple pies it’s brilliant and before you know it they will all be tasting it!

Churchill China Sanderson Maia Flan Dish has a great pattern which you can collect aswell as being a great kitchen piece as you can add other items like storage jars, roasting dishes, even place mats all in the same design so if you like to match everything check this range out.
 

Cold pressed oils retain most of their health and taste benefits of the raw nuts and seeds from which they are made. This is not the case with most agrochemical oils which are extracted at high temperatures. In this process natural antioxidants, minerals and other vitamins in the oils are further processed which in turn apparently lessen the colour and taste of the final oil produced.

Olive oil is a firm favourite which is versatile. It can be eaten alone with bread, added to salads or used for cooking. This is the most digestible of the oils and is said to be effective against heart disease and liver disorders. Nut oils make delicious salad dressings when simply whisked together with vinegar or lemon jiuce. Sunflower oil is rich in polyunsaturates and can be used in dishes that require a lighter oil than olive oil and can be used in cake baking too.

Whats your favourite oil to use? have you tried to make your own fusion oils by placing herbs, chillis, peppers, spices etc into a bottle of oil to use in your cookery. I have always got bottles of different  fusion oils on the go to use in my receipes so have a go. There are some great oil bottles here.

I love this Master Class Glass Oil Fusion Bottle- gift boxed a fantastic price for you to start doing oil fusions for your recipes with flavoured oil recipes printed on the outside, a black soft touch stopper and stainless steel pourer spout and it comes gift boxed. So it also makes a great gift for the cook in your family too!

As the days start to get a little longer and the weather (hopefully) gets warmer we turn to seasonal ingredients like young tender vegetables and of course new season Lamb. The new season vegetables require little cooking like asparagus, young carrots, leeks & other spring vegetables.

Fish dishes are also popular with all of us this time of year when we are looking for a lighter dish, away from the dark winter nights, such as salmon and don’t forget to finish of your meal with some seasonal Rhubarb too!.

I have a superb recipe for Rhubard Meringue Pie, its fantastic a sweet meringue with the tartness of new spring rhubard is delicious.

You will need: 200g SR Flour, 25g ground walnuts, 115g butter, 275g caster sugar, 4 egg yolks, 675g rhubard, grated rind and juice of 3 oranges, 75ml cornflour, 3 egg whites and whipped cream.

Sift your flour and add your walnuts, rub in your butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. stir in 2 tblsp sugar with 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tblsp water. Mix to a firm dough and turn out on to a floured surface and knead. Wrap your pastry in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes in a refridgerator.  Preheat your oven to 190 c/375 f/ gas 5 then roll out your pastry and use this to line a 23cm fluted flan tin. Prick the base with a fork line with foil which you need to fill with baking beans and bake for 15 minutes.  Put your rhubard which has been cut into small pieces with 75g of the remaing sugar, orange rind in to a saucepan. Cover and cook gently until the rhubard is tender.  Remove foil from your pastry case, brush with a little egg yolk and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the pastry is crisp. Now blend together the cornflour, orange juice in a bowl. Remove rhubard from the heat and stir in the cornflour mix and bring back to the boil until thickened. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and beat in the remaing egg yolks then pour into the pastry case and spread out. Whisk together the egg whites until you have soft peaks then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar 1 tblsp at a time. Spoon the meringue over the top of the rhubard and bake for 25 minutes until golden.

You can serve this delicious dessert warm or cold. We like ours served with whipped cream.

Let me know you favourite Rhubard recipe?

Our bodies have developed over generations to live on healthy, natural foods. We are without doubt at our most alert and productive when fed with the right balance of certain food types. Balance is typically achieved through a variety of foods including seasonal ingredients.

If we buy our ingredients locally then we will have to change our weekly or even monthly menus as the supplies change with the seasons. Believe it or not strawberries should not be available in December! If we actually did our food shopping in this way food miles would decrease, we would also support the local economy and also ensure a need to better quality ingredients which is fresh from the field to the table. Seasonal foods as I mentioned before in other blogs grow during that season to fulfil a food chain purpose. Actual vegetables and fruits which grow in each season actually contain something within them which our bodies also need within that season. Seasonal shopping and growing is something that my grandmother taught me about and something we all need to get back too.

Only listening to my friend Claire she was complaining about cooking the same things week after week. What I have managed to explain to her is if she cooks seasonally she not only saves money buying when the produce is at its cheapest and freshest too. This is turn means she will have to change her menu accordingly. This has made a huge difference to Claire and her family and it could do for you too.

For an impressive seasonal dish why not try a Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb:You will need: 2 - 6 bone rack of lamb, 50g wholewheat breadcrumbs, 2 large garlic cloves, 90ml chopped mixed herbs, 50g melted butter, sea salt and ground black pepper. Preheat your oven to 220 c/425 f/gas 7 and trim any excess fat from your lamb and season with salt and pepper. Mix together the breadcrumbs and crushed garlic cloves, herbs and butter, and press this onto the fat sides of the lamb. Place in a roasting pan and roast for at least 25 minutes. Then cover with foil and allow to stand for 5 minutes before carving .

Well out of over 700 cheese’s (yes I said 700 varieties), all of which we produce here in the UK Cheddar is officially the UK’s favourite cheese according to research carried out by the British Cheese Board.

A staggering 300,000 tonnes of Cheddar are consumed in the UK each year. The top 10 consisted of:

1. Cheddar
2. Blue Cheese (including Stilton)
3. Cheshire
4. Wensleydale
5. Red Leicester
6. Lancashire
7. Brie
8. Double Gloucester
9. Cornish Yarg
10. Goats Cheese

Have you spotted your favourite in there? There are quite a few of which I am personally partial too.

But to celebrate I thought I would pass on a terrific family recipe for cheese & onion cornbread for you to make, its great for lunch boxes and picnics, but also a great accompaniment with soups, stews and casseroles too.

You will need: 1 tblsp rapeseed oil, 1 onion thinly sliced, 175g corn meal, 75g rice flour, 25g soya flour, 1 tbsp baking powder. 1 tsp caster sugar, 1 tsp sea salt, 115g mature cheddar grated, 200ml soya milk, 2 eggs and 40g margarine of your choice.

Grease a 2lb loaf tin, and put your oven on at 190 c/ 375 f/ gas 5. Heat your oil in a frying pan and add your onion gently cooking until softened for about 10 minutes, then remove from the pan on one side. Place cornmeal, rice flour, soya flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix together adding the grated cheese. In a jug beat together the eggs, milk and melted margarine. Add this to the mixing bowl and mix together well, then stir in your onions. Spoon the mix into the loaf tin and level off , then bake in your oven for about 30 minutes until colden brown. Turn your loaf out onto a wire rack to cool and you can serve still warm or cold. Store your loaf in a sealed container, or foil.

If Ed’s in the kitchen with his friends when I make this loaf, its not around long at all and its one of those tasty simple things which his friends always ask if I’m making, when they are around!

Make sure you have a loaf tin in your collection of bake ware for your kitchen. They are not only used for baking a loaf, but come in handy for making cakes & meatloafs too. So make sure you have a range, or why not go for something like this Kaiser Adjustable Loaf Tin , (pictured left), which is a great idea. This tin allows you to adjust the tin for the size of cake or loaf you are making, rather than you having 2 separate tins. So if space in your kitchen is a issue this is a great addition for you to have.

My daughter, Emma. has been trying to make some homemade soups of late, but she has some intolerances one of which is yeast. Yeast is present in many stock cubes etc which we all take for granted in our daily cooking. So I have come up with a homemade vegetable stock recipe for her to use and she thought it was a good idea that I share this with you too.  For there are many more of you out there, whom are also intolerant to yeast, or maybe your just looking to cook for yourself from scratch, so you know whats in your food. Either way this recipe is simple, easy and can be used in numerous other recipes.

So for a great Homemade stock which is a healthier option to the supermarket version and it is easy to make too. You can store a homemade stock in the refridgerator for up to 4 days or better still prepare and freeze for your own convenience.

For a great flavoursome vegetable stock your going to need: 1 chopped potato, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped stalk of celery, 1 tblsp olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic peeled, sprig fo thyme, 1 bay leaf, some parsley, 600ml water and salt and pepper.

Heat your oil in a large pan and add the vegetables then cook covered for 10 minutes or until softened stirring, then add in your garlic and herbs. Pour on the water and bring to the boil then continue to simmer for around 40 minutes partially covered over. Then strain, season with salt and pepper as required for a great tasting vegetable stock. Some people choose to blend rather than strain if your adding to soup for instance.

This Littala 3.0 Litres/22cm  saucepan which is part of the ‘tools’ range is great, made from a compound multilayer construction that distributes and retains heat evenly, it has generously proportioned handles and is also suitable for use on induction hobs. This useful saucepan is dishwasher safe. The “Tools” is a range of pots and pans with a dual purpose - not only are they high quality cooking vessels, but their stunning design and sturdy, oversized handles make them ideal for bringing your culinary creations directly to the table. Designer Bjorn Dahlstrom worked in collaboration with world-class chefs and materials specialists to create attractive yet highly functional cookware whose features and construction lend themselves to a variety of cooking techniques. “Tools” are big. Everything about them is larger than life, which makes them ideal for large dinner parties as well as for everyday use. This is definitely something that every good cook should have in their kitchen.