Eyes bigger than our bellies.....again!

Eyes bigger than our bellies.....again!, originally uploaded by moclaydon.

And this wasn't even all of it.....now I think I need a bit of a lie-down.....

Frankenstein's lab

I got a chance to view the mysterious 'Molecular Beams' lab under the stairs at work today, long defunct and being cleared out to make room for yet more building work and renovations. There were lots of strange, dusty bits of kit destined for the skip, puddles of water and and signs saying 'Beware LASERS' in BIG letters.....it was a bit spooky to be honest, quite glad I wasn't down there on my own!

So I've been making Imp's delicious soup tonight.....but of course I had to make some changes (partly due to not having some of the ingredients, and partly because I just can't stick to a recipe no matter how hard I try!) So the leek and the red onion was replaced with a large onion roughly chopped, the chick peas replaced with red kidney beans, and the chilli replaced with a heaped teaspoonful of smoked paprika, oh and I added a tablespoon or so of smoked sesame oil at the end.....otherwise it was exactly the same! AND it was/is delicious!

The boy-in-the-attic tells me he needs to reboot the router thingie, I'll post this now just in case it all goes pear-shaped!

LATER....it went slightly pear-shaped......

Seeing as its now December 1st I thought I'd try posting a daily 'seasonal' link.....ah yes, famous last words, don't hold me to it!
Background listening might be a good place to start....

Xmas cafe society

Xmas cafe society, originally uploaded by moclaydon.

Hooray it's Friday! In fact, not a lot to say except for 'Hooray it's Friday'!

No....can't leave it there, doesn't feel right.....here's some popcorn recipes......
popcorn recipes

 Have a great one!

Think I might try this.....

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day - More DIY How To Projects

Still here.....

wor::site has been disgracefully neglected recently....apologies....promise I'll try to do better! Coming up...Eat! NewcastleGateshead
"EAT! NewcastleGateshead 2nd May to 17th May 2009 - a festival which passionately advocates to all the pleasures of creating and sharing good food and drink in the North East." There's a downloadable programme of events here

A few bread recipes

Granny Whites Bread Recipes

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Do-it-yourself Nutrition easy recipes

A small kitchen-related disaster averted

I had a moment of panic at the weekend, couldn't find my trusty BeRo recipe book when I had a sudden fancy for making some biscuits. But then I found that all the old favourites are online here.....I'm still looking for that sticky, greasy, dog-eared paper version though!

Sprouts with bells on....

750g Brussels sprouts , trimmed
1 garlic clove , crushed
70g sliced chorizo , cut into strips
olive oil
3 tbsp flaked almonds , toasted until golden

Steam the sprouts until just tender, about 5 minutes. Fry the garlic and chorizo in 2 tbsp oil for a few minutes until crisp.
Stir through the sprouts then put in a warm dish and sprinkle with the almonds.

From BBC Good Food

Kamikaze Cookery

Take three geeks, blend with assorted foodstuffs and kitchen utensils, simmer well and serve. Enjoy! Kamikaze Cookery

A`taster from YouTube (more episodes on their website) NSFW language

"Can geek Johnnie cook Gordon f—-ing Ramsay’s Brussel f—-ing sprout souffle? We put the sweariest of all celeb chefs to the test."

Part 1



Part 2 no longer available, you'll just have to visit their website for the cliffhanger conclusion!

Halloween cocktail.....

....just so you can buy in the essentials in advance!

Brain Hemorrhage
1/2 - 3/4 oz. Peach Schnapps
Float 1-2 Tbl. of Baileys on top
Drop 1 tsp of grenadine through the Baileys.

Apparently it tastes like peaches and cream

Link

Vintage recipe books

Just a sample, "Sandwiches" circa 1905 (full-book scan)....and if you get the taste there's loads more here at the Iowa Digital Library, Szathmary Collection..... "The University’s collection includes more than 4,000 promotional recipe pamphlets, published mainly by food and appliance manufacturers and trade associations (the majority are listed in this index). Dating from the late 19th century to the present, this advertising ephemera reflects the evolution of the modern American diet."

TOP TIPS.....keep crisps....er....crisp

Bramble glut

For the last 3 weeks I've been picking the blighters at the rate of half a pound a day (that's an absolute daily minimum, sometimes it's been a pound and a half). I've eaten them raw, added them to yoghurt, made them into jams, jellies and crumbles, frozen them, pickled them in alcohol and vinegar, given them away....I'm running out of ideas. Would a bramble curry work?

Sunday dinner

Before you ask....not my picture, it's just gone in the oven. I've got one of those 'google gadgets' on my iGoogle homepage courtesy BBC Good Food Recipes ...and this one looks like it might hit the spot.

Rosemary and balsamic chicken with roasted onions

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Starting at the neck, carefully loosen the breast skin away from the flesh, trying not to tear it, then place a branch of rosemary down the side of each one. Put the rest of the rosemary in the cavity. Season the chicken inside and out, place in a roasting tin, then sit an onion in each corner of the tin. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and onions, then roast everything for 1 hr 20 mins.

Meanwhile, stir the vinegar and honey together until the honey has dissolved. When the chicken has had about 40 mins, whip it out of the oven, drizzle the chicken and onions with the vinegar mix, then continue to roast until the time is up. Remove the chicken to rest, turn the onions over and continue to roast them in the oven while the chicken rests, about 20 mins. Serve each person a portion of chicken, a roasted onion and some of the sticky pan juices.

(I added a quartered lemon to the cavity stuffing, just because I had one, and basted a couple of times towards the end of the cooking time) Update when it's cooked and scoffed!

LATER....highly recommended, and what little that was left of the carcase also made some yummy soup.....maybe not very seasonal, but then neither is the weather!

Polish supermarket plug

Well worth a visit. Entrances on Newgate St and inside the Newgate Shopping Centre in Newcastle....there's a wide range of goods at VERY reasonable prices, so prepare for gorilla arms if you're shopping on foot! There's also a cafe in the shopping centre that sells a range of fresh-baked bread, sliced on demand.....which is fast proving a disaster for my waistline!

From The Journal

Cake-related....

...and an unsubtle reminder to John to post the recipe for that sticky Moroccan confection from the book he bought this week!

A blog about cake disasters....Cake Wrecks


And.....Design your own Battenberg with the Battenberg Simulator Pro (ver 1.0)

Cheesy

Did you know that collecting camembert cheese box labels is known as Tyrosemiophily? Put some quality time aside to check out some collections here and here.....maybe make yourself some yummy Baked Camembert with Garlic Ciabatta Toasts to get yourself in the mood first. Then when you're done you're going to need some ideas for things to do with the empty box(es)...fear not, Agence Eureka to the rescue........

Tomorrow's tea is "Whitley Goose"

No picture....haven't made it yet!

450ml (¾ pint) Single Cream
110g (4oz) Cheddar Cheese, grated
4 Onions, whole, peeled
Butter
Black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 200°C; 400°F: Gas 6. Place the onions in a saucepan, cover with lightly salted water. Bring to the boil, simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Roughly chop the onions, mix with half the cheese, season to taste. Butter an ovenproof dish, add the cream. Add the onion mixture, stir gently. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with crusty bread.

......and as you can see from the ingredients list, not the slightest hint of anything feathery. Something very similar to this was a 'regular' on the family menu in my youth....Ma insists that it was called "Welsh Rarebit", I tend more towards the more prosaic "Cheese and Onion Pie" No matter, it was very tasty.....hope this recipe lives up to expectations!

Timewaster for the taste buds

I suspect I'll become a regular visitor at TasteSpotting.....who can resist (because I know I can't!) gallery after gallery of pictures of delicious food? Find something you like the look of and click on the picture to link to the recipe.....couldn't be simpler.

Mash Van Update

So it was true then! An Aunt Bessie's Mash Van was spotted in Northumberland St this lunchtime.....and despite the warmer weather there was a queue to give them a try.