Slow Cooker Curry Goat

It has long been my ambition to make this, and make it as tasty as I've tasted.  My husband's boss is Jamaican and hers is absolutely divine.   I'm aware that the recipe differs across Caribbean islands, and I'm certainly not trying to compete, just to be able to pull together a version I can throw in the slow cooker, and look forward to coming home to,

This one has come together beautifully.   I did it without the Scotch Bonnet (I had one, I chickened out).  It still had a great heat and taste, but will try it with next time and update.

I also used goat meat from our local butcher, which came some on the bone and some off.  I chose to use the meat off the bone.  Again, this is personal preference, but will do some on the bone as well to taste test it.   In the meantime however, this will be my go to.

3.5L Slow Cooker.
Serves 3-4

650g goat meat - off the bone (see comments above)

2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

1-2 tbs medium curry powder

1 small onion diced

3 sprigs thyme

3 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp ginger paste

3 tsp allspice

1 tomato diced

Salt and pepper to taste, can check and adjust later

2 spring onions, sliced

2 tbs water

1 tbs Caribbean Green Seasoning, if you cannot buy, you can make your own (see below).

Throw it all in, mix it up, then cook for around 5-7hrs low.

Caribbean Green Seasoning:

Blend  handful of coriander, stalk of celery, whole head of garlic, 4 spring onions, handful of thyme, 60ml water, 2 shallots, 2 tsp allspice, salt.  Once blended, you can freeze in ice cube trays and  pop one straight into the slow cooker next time.

We served with rice and black beans, but you can mix it up how you like.

Enjoy! 

Annie x

Chocolate Cookies, basic recipe, bung it all in! #isolationbaking

A bung it all in recipe that needs minimal ingredients, but tastes great, and perfect for kids to
do, and enjoy the fruits of their labour.  The dough itself can also be frozen, so we baked half and froze the other for a rainy day).

Whole lot makes around 12 cookies, dependant on what size you are looking to make.

Ingredients
225g butter softened 
(I put ours in the microwave for a bit too long, but still worked, despite the initial stage looking runny, it came together with the flour)
110g caster sugar (I only had golden, which worked great)
275g plain flour 
Around 100g chocolate, we smashed up 2 twirl bars

Method
Preheat oven to 190.
Cream together the butter and sugar (as above, don't worry if it looks too runny).
Add the flour and chocolate, and bring it all together to form a dough.
Take balls of the dough, then put on a greased baking tray, and flatten with your palm onto your preferred cookie size.
Place with enough space between them as they will expand.
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Cool down and eat!
Enjoy!
Annie x

Mint Choc Chip Ice cream - no churn! No ice cream maker, no problem!

Ok, so it's April 2020 and we are in self isolation enduring this awful experience that is Covid-19.  Normally I'd be getting excited about going to Crete, but flights have been cancelled, and we are just doing our best to stay safe, and save the NHS! 

With that in mind, the one thing about Crete that I find frustrating, is the lack of mint choc chip ice cream.  You can get all sorts of exotic flavours, and delicious as they maybe, I can't remember how many times I thought I'd spotted it, only to be told it's pistachio.   So, with time on our hands, we set about trying to make our own, without owning an ice cream maker (it's on the list).  AND we nailed it, thumbs up from my sous chef Scarlett.

Ingredients
500ml double (whipping) cream
397g can Condensed milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract (dependent on taste, Scarlett wants to put more in next time)
3 drops green food colouring - optional, again Scarlett would have preferred more
100g choc chips (minimum), or bash up your favourite bar

Method
Whip up the cream until it forms soft peaks (we used the food mixer)
In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients.
Take time to fold in the cream to the other ingredients, this will ensure that it remains light and the choc chips won't all fall to the bottom during freezing.
Freeze, for at least 6 hours.
EAT!

Enjoy!
Annie x

Grenglish - Slow Cooker "Roast" Lamb with Tesco Cypriot New Potatoes, tomatoes, feta and tsatziki............Raki Optional!

With Spring loitering around the corner, and looking out at the drizzle on a lazy Sunday morning, thoughts turn to Summers spent hopping around Greek islands, and a recipe to capture all that is great about Greece, keeping it simple, but totally tasty......

Last year we went to Mykonos, Paros, Anti-Paros, Naxos, Tinos and Crete.....and yet so many more islands to explore.

Chris and I got engaged in Cyprus in 2001, it's a beautiful country, with an amazing though sad history. With two very different sides to the island, we only saw the South, where these Cypriot potatoes are grown, but would love to go back and experience the North Turkish side of the island.

Available in Tesco Stores Nationwide

So, to go with my Cyprus potatoes it had to be lamb, and it had to have oregano.   The potatoes had to be roasted with Paprika, and it had to be served with feta, tomatoes and home made tsatziki.  In Crete we've seen Lamb on the menu as Lamp regularly - this is because in the Greek alphabet there is no letter "b"!

I guess roast potatoes aren't particularly Greek, so using Cypriot potatoes roasted, kind of makes it Grenglish!   I was also going to use the more Cypriot Haloumi cheese, but it doesn't crumble as Feta does, so that's an experiment for another day.

Perfect Cypriot New Potato Roasties
1 pack Tesco Cypriot New Potatoes 750g
Paprika
Oregano
Olive Oil
Salt

Cut potatoes in half and par boil in a large saucepan for around 10 minutes.   When draining swirl them around so that they "bash up" a little, as this helps the roasting process.

Sprinkle with paprika and oregano, and move around to make sure covered (doesn't have to be precise).  Add a little salt - this helps to draw the moisture out and gets them to crisp up.

Pre heat the oil in a roasting pan until hot.  Add the potatoes and move the potatoes around to ensure covered in oil.  Roast for around 40 mins.

Slow Cooker "Roast Lamb"
Half leg of lamb -
bring to room temperature before cooking.
Rosemary (I have some in my garden)
Garlic - sliced, as much or as little as you want
Olive Oil
Seasoning: oregano, rosemary, white pepper

I have used the slow cooker regularly for roasts, and lamb works beautifully.  Make little slits in the lamb joint, and fill with sprigs of rosemary and slices of garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil and cover with seasoning.

Put into the slow cooker, and cook slow for 8-10 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the tsatziki.
1/2 a cucumber
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbs of good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
500g Greek Yoghurt - I use 0% fat
Snall bunch of fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp dried mint
squeeze of lemon

Peel and grate the cucumber, drain and combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Crete last Summer *sighs*

Serve the slow cooker lamb with the Cypriot New Potatoes, tomatoes with feta and oregano, together with fresh crusty bread, and maybe a glass of Raki if you like.  Memories of that blue sky and ocean.....beautiful!

Enjoy
Annie


Disclaimer, Tesco paid for the ingredients for this post.

Domino's Carnivale Pizza Party

As I write this, we have of course been eliminated from the World Cup 2014, after the worst performance in over 50 years.  Having read the title of my blog however, you can probably work out that I am a huge QPR fan, and having gained promotion to the Premiership last Month, via the play-offs, I shall continue to smile this Summer!

We have however been enjoying the Brazil World Cup for other reasons.  Experimenting with International fayre, and the odd Brazilian tipple.  I was therefore delighted to be asked to host a Domino Carnivale Pizza party, to coincide with the England game.

So, friends invited, house decorated, Caipirinha's mixed and Domino's ordered - I love their website where you can track your order through prep to delivery status, the kids were sat watching it progress too and getting very excited!

The new additions to the menu, as part of the Carnivale range include:

Fiesta Pizza - chicken breast strips, red onions, green and red peppers, seasoned with a fajita spice, with a drizzle of Mojito style dressing.

Rio Pizza - Pulled Barbacoa Beef, punched up with a kick of chipotle sauce, red onoins, green and red peppers.

Nachos - with Domino's secret recipe tomato sauce, topped with mozzerella cheese, with or without jalapenos, served with a tangy salsa dip.

Fajita Wedges - the favourite potato wedges baked with fajita seasoning, served with a tangy salsa dip.

We all had a bit of everything and everyone agreed that the spices were just right!  I particularly loved the nachos with jalapenos, and both pizzas were fantastic - it's a shame they may be only appearing for the World Cup?

The kids also had a bit of everything which was a turn up, but I also got them some little choccy bits for afters.

Shame about the result, but we still had a great party, with great company, food and drink :)

For more information you can read the Dominos Blog or follow them on twitter @dominos_uk - a proper account with real people yayyy!

So to France 2016 for the Euros then, Go Engerland and
Come on You Super Hoopserssssssssssssssssssssssss
Annie x

Portuguese Piri Piri Pork Burger with Aioli

I was very excited to be asked to put together a football themed burger for Waitrose.com, and having been given a choice, I chose Portugal as my country to represent.  There are some fab recipes on the page, and I will certainly be having a go at some of the others!

When you think of tastes for Portugal, Piri Piri chilli springs to mind, along with other herbs and spices, and definitely pork over beef,  Also, my lasting memory of Portugal was a garlicky mayonnaise they served with bread with each meal.  So I settled on a Portuguese Piri Piri Pork Burger with Aioli.

Armed with my shopping list I popped down to Waitrose to get said ingredients.  My first problem was that I couldn’t find any Piri Piri chillis.  However, I did find a pre-prepared rub in the Waitrose Cooks’ ingredients” section, which saved me from buying all the spices individually.  I did consider one of the many sauces you can get, but settled on the rub as it had the perfect blend I was looking for. 

I was also going to make my own Aioli, but again Waitrose already produce a garlic mayonnaise, so didn’t feel the need to re-invent the wheel.

Ingredients – makes 4 good size burgers

500g Waitrose lean, minced free range pork

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 free range egg yolk (we have our own chicken)

2 tsp Piri Piri Rub

(salt and pepper is already incorporated in the rub, so didn’t add any further)

Iceburg lettuce leaves

Vine tomatoes

Crusty rolls

Waitrose Garlic Mayonnaise

Small Portuguese flag – optional!

Method

With your hands, combine the free range pork with the onion, free range egg yolk and Piri Piri rub.  If you’ve time to marinade then I would, but will still taste delicious if not.

When you are ready to cook, pre-heat your grill, or fire up the BBQ, and cook for around 6 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your burger.

Load your roll with the burger, lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo, and serve with some spicy wedges and salad.

Will of course be cheering on England, but will also look out for my new second team Portugal.  Força Portugal!!!!!

Thanks for reading.

Annie

Mushroom burger to die for............

I am entering the Betta Living Vegetarian Recipe Competition, with my super Mushroom Burger.

My husband introduced meat free Monday to me.  He often complains since that he would prefer a lamb chop with it, but rules are rules.

If you've never tried the mushroom burger I would urge you to do so, it is so tasty and meaty - ironically - and its a healthy twist on a favourite dish!

Mushroom Burger

Ingredients
Olive oil
Portobella Mushroom
Cream Cheese - I use Philadelphia Light
1 Garlic clove chopped
Roll of choice
Lettuce, tomato etc. or whatever you wish to load it with!

Brush the mushroom all over, lightly, with the oil, and place under a medium grill for 6 minutes each side.   Mix the garlic into 2 tbsp of cream cheese then place the mixture around the stem.   Put mushroom back under the grill for a further 6 minutes and its done.  Load it into a roll, with whatever you like, and enjoy! :)

Thanks for reading
Annie x

Schwartz Chicken Curry Recipe Mix for Slow Cookers

I was asked to review a Recipe Mix for Slow Cookers.  In my head I heard "packet sauce" which is not really my thing, but was willing to give it a try.  It was a real eye opener, as the "sachet" contained all the spices etc. required for a beautiful chicken curry.  Although I have a lot of spices to hand in my cupboard, it was simple, and a great idea to have in reserve.  For 80p (at my local supermarket) Schwarz has saved you the faff of buying in all the spices individually, and requires a lot less storage space too!  It also says mild, but it had enough of a kick to it to satisfy our taste.

Recipe
1 packet of Schwartz  Slow Cookers Chicken Curry Recipe Mix
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
450g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
450g chicken, diced - I used thigh
400g tin chopped tomatoes
175g fresh spinach (I actually used a 200g pack)

Method
1) Place onion, pepper, potatoes and chicken into the slow cooker pot.
2) Mix sachet contents with the chopped tomatoes and add to the slow cooker pot.   Stir through.
3) Cover and cook for up to 4 hours on High, or up to 8 hours on Low, or until meat and potatoes are tender and cooked through.
4) Remove lid, stir spinach through and stand for 5 minutes before serving.

They do say you can brown off the meat first if you like, but I was happy to put mine in knowing that it will be well cooked after 8 hours, and using chicken thigh works perfectly for a slow cooker curry.

Chris and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and obviously made too big a deal of it as the kids, who had already eaten, decided to come and steal some of ours too!

My eyes have been duly opened.   I have also bought a Hot Chilli Con Carne recipe mix to try too - it wasn't required for this post, but after the success of the curry, I'm going to try a few more (it was fab by the way)!

Have also discovered a great new recipe website - you can never have enough right?

Thanks for reading!
Annie x

Disclosure:  This is a featured post, but written by myself after cooking the recipe up yesterday.

Slowcooker Vietnamese Yellow Coconut Chicken Curry.............

I've adapted this from an original recipe, to our taste, and it is so yummy.  As I write this has been cooking for 6 hours and the smells are amazing.............

Ingredients
2 tbsp Groundnut or Sunflower Oil
1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Around 500g chicken thigh cut into pieces
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 thin green chillies (seeded if preferred), finely chopped
200ml Coconut Milk (I use reduced fat)
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tbsp Yoghurt (I use Greek 0% fat total)
More yoghurt and chilli powder to serve (optional)
Handful of coriander leaves

I'm going to throw some cauliflower in in a minute too, last time I added 100g of spinach towards the end.....

Method
1) Heat the oil in a pan, add the spring onions, garlic and chicken, and fry, stirring, for 3 minutes.  Tip into the slowcooker.
2) Add the chillies, spices and coconut milk to the pan, and bring to the boil.  Top over the chicken and season to taste.
3) Cover and cook on High for 2-3 Hours or low for 4-6 Hours.
4) Stir in the yoghurt, taste and re-season if necessary.  Serve over rice, with a dollop more of yoghurt and some chilli powder (optional), and coriander leaves - if you remember to buy them!!!!

Just beautiful, we are off to Vietnam in August, and if I find curries like this I will be a happy bunny!
Thanks for reading!
Annie x

Vegetable Lasagne and Face Painting, what's not to love........

My daughter went to her friends house for a playdate after school, and came back raging about what they had to eat.

So I duly texted Hannah - our multi-talented face painting artist of Glitterbox fame - to find out what they'd had.  Turns out it was a vegetable lasagne, and Scarlett had 3 helpings of it!!!  I asked for the recipe, and Hannah, being a recipe phobe, texted me what was in it.

I've since made it for all of us, the kids devoured it, and Chris loved it too, compliments indeed from my carnivore husband!   So, with permission from Hannah, here it is, just as I received it.

<---------------------------------------------------------------------

Having then nosed around at what Hannah has been up to - as you do (I blame my new obsession with Facebook), I discovered some photo shoots Hannah has been involved with, and she said she was happy to share too, so have a look see below!  Puts my England flag on my blogger header to shame ha!

This was for a Valentines Day shoot Hannah did recently, photography by Jeanette Lendon (who took some fantastics pictures of my kids yesterday), and make up by Karen Snook.  

Maybe, when QPR get promoted back to the Premier League, then Hannah can paint me a nice logo - no worries Hannah, it could be a while yet!

#bringsitbacktofootball

Thanks for reading, now go make the lasagne and let me know how you go!

Annie x

The Real Greek - We Are Dining in W12!

 I was set a challenge, to take on a Westfield London restaurant's signature dish head to head. Had lots to choose from, and was torn between Mexican Wahaca, Brasilian Cabana and The Real Greek.................I settled on The Real Greek in the end, as I am more familiar to Greek food, (we have a Villa Annie in Crete that we frequent).

We headed to Shepherds Bush for the day (home to the mighty Super Hoops), and picked up my mum on the way.  The signature dish here was the Souvlaki, a popular dish across Greece, and served slightly differently depending on where you are.

In Crete the Souvlaki would simply be skewers of BBQ's meats, and if in a wrap it would be known as Gyros - which translates as "plate" i.e. it is a meal in one.

Souvlaki

Here the Souvlaki was served in a flatbread wrap, with their own home-made tstatsiki, red onion, tomatoes, sweet paprika, and a choice of meats, haloumi or falafel.  I opted for the chicken.   It was truly scrummy, the flavours transported me straight back to the little shop in Kalyves where we often stop for lunch..........I must go back to W12 and try the other fillings too, I love haloumi/squeaky cheese as we call it  (though I would say this is more a Cypriot ingredient).

Anyhoo, I digress.  I have since produced my own version of this dish.   It was every bit as yummy, and I enjoyed making it, as much as I enjoyed watching the kids devour it.  We are off to Crete in April, and this has just served to make my heart pine for my little piece of Greece.........bring on the sunshine!


Annie's Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki, red onion and tomatoes in a flatbread wrap!

2tbs olive oil

2tbs lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of salt
500g chicken thighs (skinned & boned) and cut into squares.

Combine all the ingredients and marinade for a minimum of 2hrs, but longer if you have time.

For the tsatziki (this makes plenty)!

170g plain Greek Yoghurt (I use the Total 0% fat)
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 glove garlic, crushed
Pinch of salt

Again, combine all the ingredients and put in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

You will also need flatbreads, skewers, tomatoes and red onion, or whatever other fillings you like.  I also added grilled sweet peppers.

When you are ready to go, thread the marinated chicken onto skewers - if using wooden ones, make sure you have pre-soaked in water for at least 15 minutes.  Put under a medium grill for around 8 minutes a side, until no longer pink in the middle.

Load the flat bread with the chicken, a couple of spoons of Tzatziki (to taste), tomatoes, onion etc. wrap and eat.

In Crete, when you order the Gyros, they put chips in it too, the kids and Chris like it, but I always take mine out - a carb too far in my mind, but hey as you like it!

Thanks for reading!
Annie x

Slow Cooker Roast Pork with Crackling........YES Crackling!

No I'm not going mad, I was sceptical too, but you know what, it works and was bleeping delicious!  The picture speaks for itself...................

The idea is that you let the pork cook slowly in the slowcooker, then finish off in the oven for 45 minutes, around the same time it takes to make your roast potatoes.

Found this recipe at slowcookerqueen.com it's a fab website...... *goes off to search for more little gems*.

UPDATE: I have since used this method for my slowcooker "roast" chicken and it works a dream too :)

Thanks for reading!

Annie x

Slow Cooker Fish Curry, delicious for the kids :)

I know this recipe could probably take about 5 minutes if you fried the fish, but I find it easier to prep around lunchtime, when little ones sleep, and then put in the slow cooker a few hours before the school run.

Chris and I had this for our dinner and the kids ate most of it, so the next night I did it for them, and again they devoured it!

For 2 - easily doubled!
250g firm white fish, cut into strips
3 tbs natural yoghurt (I use fat free Greek)
1/2 tbs Tandoori Masala Powder (found in the ethnic section in Sainsburys)

Combine the yoghurt and the Masala powder.  Coat the fish and chill for 20-30mins.
Put into the slow cooker and cook on low for around 3 hrs.

Served with rice for the kids, to ours I added mushrooms to the fish, and accompanied with sliced red onion, tomato and coriander (as per pic).

Delicious!
Annie x

Slow Cooker Nepalese Lamb Curry

Kauli Matar Ra Masu

(Lamb Curry with Cauliflower and Peas)

In 2001 Chris and I travelled to Nepal.  It was a fantastic place, we did some great trekking, and throughly enjoyed their local fayre.   Unfortunately our holiday was cut shot by the killing of the Nepalese Royal family.   As the news spread, all the men shaved their heads and we even saw the funeral pyre, as it is custom to burn the bodies immediately.   We basically got the last flight out of the country!   I feel for them as tourism has been majorly effected, but I would definitely be back in a heartbeat!
Whilst there I picked up a Nepalese cookbook.   I hadn't looked at it in years, but decided to have a thumb through recently.  I thought I'd have a go at converting one for the slow cooker, and this is the result :)

Ingredients
Tbsp Oil                                                                                           4 garlic cloves chopped
1 cinnamon stick                                                                               Pinch of black pepper
2 bay leaves                                                                                     150g peas, fresh if possible
4 cardamom pods, bruised                                                                1 tbsp ground coriander
1kg lamb                                                                                         1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh ginger sliced                                                                  1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste                                                                                     2 red chillies (to taste)
1 tsp turmeric                                                                                  Fresh chopped coriander to garnish
1 small cauliflower

Preheat the slow cooker to low.  Heat oil in a large frying pan, add all the ingredients - APART FROM CAULIFLOWER AND PEAS - and ensure lamb is sealed and coated well in all the other ingredients.   Add to the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours.   As you can see from my pic I added the cauliflower from the start too, but although it tasted lovely, it was mush having cooked too long, so I would now add the cauliflower and peas after the 6-8 hrs, stir well to coat, and then cook for a further 45 mins to an hour.

I will also add a further chilli next time - but then I do have a cold so it might have affected my taste buds :)

Enjoy!
Annie x

Mushroom Burger to die for...........

My husband introduced meat free Monday to me.  He often complains since that he would prefer a lamb chop with it, but rules are rules.

If you've never tried the mushroom burger I would urge you to do so, it is so tasty and meaty - ironically - and its a healthy twist on a favourite dish!

Mushroom Burger

Ingredients
Olive oil
Portobella Mushroom
Cream Cheese - I use Philadelphia Light
1 Garlic clove chopped
Roll of choice
Lettuce, tomato etc. or whatever you wish to load it with!

Brush the mushroom all over, lightly, with the oil, and place under a medium grill for 6 minutes each side.   Mix the garlic into 2 tbsp of cream cheese then place the mixture around the stem.   Put mushroom back under the grill for a further 6 minutes and its done.  Load it into a roll, with whatever you like, and enjoy! :)

Annie x

Have A Berry-Tastic Summer

We were lucky enough to be invited to Tesco in Hatfield recently, to sample some of their in season Berries. We learnt some interesting facts about strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in particular, and given suggestions on how to make the most out of them.  I had no idea that so much went into picking the best strawbs, but I must say they were delicious - you must try them with balsamic vinegar - who knew?

They sent us away with a smile, and a hamper packed with goodies, including the ingredients to make a Summer Berry Tart with lemon cream - see picture "ta-da"!!!!!

If you would like some recipe suggestions, take a look at the Tesco Real Food sight in general, or go straight to the Strawberry Recipe page.

Enjoy
Annie x

Disclosure: Sponsored post.

Hungry to Happy Challenge :)

I was happy to take part in the Hungry to Happy Challenge, and was given a voucher to buy some of the new Richmond Mini Meatballs.  They are super fast to prepare, you could actually put them in the microwave, but I decided to add some bolognese sauce and bung them in the oven.

So, basically, around 2 minutes prep - opened meatballs, covered in a bolly sauce I found in the larder, then into the oven for around 8-10 minutes, whilst cooking spaghetti to serve it with.

Simple and quick and the kids loved it :)

This post is an entry for BritMums' Hungry to Happy Challenge, sponsored by Richmond Mini Meatballs.

Enjoy!
Annie x

Slow Cooker Nepali Mutton Curry with Spinach and Cauliflower

Nepali Mutton Curry with Spinach and Cauliflower

In 2001 Chris and I travelled to Nepal.  It was a fantastic place, we did some great trekking, and thoroughly enjoyed their local fayre.   Unfortunately our holiday was cut shot by the killing of the Nepalese Royal family.   As the news spread, all the men shaved their heads and we even saw the funeral pyre, as it is custom to burn the bodies immediately.   We basically got the last flight out of the country!   I feel for them as tourism has been majorley effected, but I would definitely be back in a heartbeat!

This is a variation to the original recipe I did here but with peas and cauliflower.

Ingredients
tbsp Oil - tho I use 1 Cal

1kg mutton
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves                                                        
4 cardamom pods, bruised
1 tbsp sliced ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
3 green birdseye chillies (to taste)
4 garlic cloves chopped                                           Frozen peas (optional)                                  
1 small cauliflower
160g spinach

Put the mutton in a bowl, combine all the other ingredients, except the cauliflower and spinach. then add to the mutton and mix with your hands.  Leave to marinade from 4 to 24hrs.

Preheat the slow cooker to low.  Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the marinated mutton and seal.  Add to the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours.   Add the spinach and cauliflower and peas (if using), stir well to coat, and then cook for a further 45 mins to an hour.

Enjoy!
Annie x

Baked Courgettes Stuffed with Lamb and Tomatoes

I've been a subscriber to Easycook Magazine for as long as I remember, I love it dropping through the letterbox, then everything stops as I have a leaf through.  I generally find something there and then to cook for that night's dinner, and the last edition was no exception.

I immediately liked the look of the Baked Courgettes Stuffed with Lamb and Tomatoes.  It was for 4 people, but I easily halved it for Chris and I, and added a birds eye chilli to the tomato sauce to give is some zing.  It was WOW!  And only 200 cals per portion!  Had it twice since.

@EasyCookMag have given me permission to blog it, so here goes.

For 2
2 large courgettes, halved lengthways (mine were not that big unfortunately, out of season)
1 tbsp olive oil
small handful coriander leaves

For the Tomato Sauce
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
half tbsp olive oil
half tsp each ground cayenne pepper, cinnamon, coriander and cumin
1 x 400g chopped tomatoes
1 green birdseye chilli (straight from frozen, I keep them there now)

For the Stuffing
250g lean minced lamb
1 tsp each ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon
half tsp cayenne pepper

1. Make the tomato sauce
Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/Gas 7
Fry the garlic in the oil for 2-3 minutes until soft, add the spices and fry for 1 min more.  Add the tomatoes, 1/4 can of water (use the tomato can), birdseye chilli, and simmer for 20 mins, until thickened.  Season.

2. Bake the courgettes
Scoop out a little flesh from the courgettes with a teaspoon to make a shallow cavity.  Lay them in a baking dish, drizzle with oil and bake for 15 minutes, until golden.

3. Make the stuffing
Lightly mix the lamb with the spices and some salt, with your hands, until just combined.  When the courgettes are ready, pile the lamb into the cavities and drizzle on the sauce.  I found it easier to form long sausage shapes with the lamb to fit the length of the courgette cavity.  Bake for 15-20 mins, until the sauce is bubbling.  Top with coriander and serve.

We served ours with a Greek Salad and it was divine.  Perfect for the Summer evenings that lie ahead - we hope!

Annie x

Slow Cooker Chocolate and Hazlenut Cake by Scarlett Age 5

Our first dessert in the slow cooker.  It called for a 5L which I guess not everyone has, but if you do it was wicked, and lasted from Sunday through to the following Saturday.


Ingredients

250g plain flour
250g caster sugar
1 tbs baking powder
50g cocoa powder
500ml milk
180g melted butter
4 eggs lightly beaten
150g chopped dark chocolate
75g chopped hazelnuts

Topping

200g brown sugar
30g cocoa powder
400ml hot water

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl.   Add milk, butter and eggs and stir until smooth.  Fold the chocolate and hazlenuts through, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker.

Combine the topping ingredients in a bowl then sprinkle over the pudding mixture.  Pour 400ml hot water over the top.  It looked a mess, but it's self saucing and ended up being fab.  Cook on high for around 2hrs.

Serve with ice-cream.


Enjoy!
Annie x