Hodge Podge Made with love
January felt like a long month to me. We’ve had lots of storms here and lots of nasty weather. It’s so dark again this morning, not even a star in the sky.
The wind is cutting like a knife and I’m thinking it’s time for hot pots and sumptuous soups that simmer and bubble waiting to be dived into.
Of slow cookers and crock pots quietly and cheaply cooking your dinner whilst you’re out at work or doing your shopping. It’s nice to come home and not have to worry about what to cook for your evening meal because it’s done, all you have to do is serve it up, marvellous.
Like everyone else these days, I’m really busy and have to feed a lot of mouths in the evening.
Some nights I feel so exhausted it’s a real struggle and I’m so tired I do t really want my food I would gladly forgo my meal and just crawl into bed. These two recipes are using the oven, but are quick and very easy. They scream, “made with love”.
Squidgy chocolate pud
300g Caster sugar
4. Large eggs
74g All purpose flour
200g Butter
50g. Cocoa powder
410g. Tinned pears in juice, drained 100g. Dark chocolate
25g. Flaked Almonds
Cream or ice-cream or even custard to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 190c/170c gas5 Grease a shallow ovenproof dish or use a tin foil tray.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, remove from the heat, stir in the sugar until well combined.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then gradually add to the butter and sugar, beating well with a wooden spoon. Sift the flour and the cocoa powder together then add this to the mix a little at a time, beat well again with the spoon.
Pour this mixture into your prepared dish or container. Now, float the pears on this chocolate lake. Chop your dark chocolate and sprinkle this over the top of the pears.
If you like almonds and wish to include them, mows the time to sprinkle them over the top aswell.
Bake in the centre of your oven for approx. 30 mins or until the mixture is crusty on the outside and cooked lightly on the inside. (Don’t overlook).
Serve with the topping of your choice.
Next up recipe wise is a hearty beef stew with a twist.
In this recipe I’ve used tinned meat and veg for speed, you can use fresh veg and meat but it will require a pre cooking of both before placing the pastry on lid to cook.
Muffin topped beef stew
500g strewing beef or chuck steak tinned (or fresh)
1-2 teaspoons of onion powder (of 1 chopped onion) 450g tinned carrots drained 400g tin of mixed veg, also drained 2 tablespoons of tomato purée
1 Bay leaf
2 beef oxo cubes
750ml of stock approx.
Topping
225g of all purpose flour 3 teaspoons of baking powder 140g grated cheese, cheddars nice 2 teaspoons of olive oil 150ml milk
Place beef, vegetables, stock cubes into a casserole or ovenproof dish, pour over enough stock to cover. Stir in the tomato paste, set aside for a moment whilst you make the topping.
Combine the flour, baking powder and half the cheese. Next add the olive oil to the milk and use this to make a slightly sticky dough, spoonable anyway. Spoon this over the top of the vegetables, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and pop it into the oven, cooks for about 15 mins or until golden and cooked through. If your using fresh ingredients then cook your meat and veg in the oven first, with no muffin top, then, once out of the oven spoon the topping on then bake off.
Two tasty recipes for winter warming, (I often use gluten free flour and find that it adapts well to the muffin topped beef stew, I just make the mix a tiny bit drier).
They are pretty quick and are tasty. The beef stew filling could be cooked in a slow cooker and you put the topping on afterwards and finish in the oven for a different approach, same destination. Either way I hope you enjoy it. Serve with crusty bread if desired.