Golden Bourbon Pecan Custard Pie

Golden Bourbon Pecan Custard Pie - Tea With Bea

I love this book - my wonderful boyfriend got it for me for valentines day as a suprise and I love him for it! I toasted the pecans before adding them and was 50g short so added chopped dark chocolate and swapped the bourbon for spiced rum. I overfilled the pastra slightly so the filling caramelised around the outside of the pastry which turned out to be quite nice rather than a disaster. It was a tiny bit over cooked, I cooked it for 24 mins on 150 C but my fan oven is very fiesty, 8.5 out of 10.

25th Feb 2012

Paella

I cooked some sliced chorizo in olive oil, added diced chicken, then some spanish paprika, salt and pepper and a glass of white wine. I added 2 diced onions and 500g paella rice and a glass of warm water with 2 pinches of saffron in. I gradually added 1 litre of chicken stock along with 2 diced tomatoes and some frozen peas. I added some lemon juice, 2 drops of tobasco, 1 tsp of sugar, a bag of raw king prawns and finally some chopped parsley.

24th Feb 2012

Venison Goulash - Wolfgang Puck - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/wolfgang-puck/wolfgangs-beef-goulash-recipe2/index.html

I swapped the beef for venison sholder as this is what I had in, I skipped the Thyme as I had none and used dried oregano instead of fresh, I added 2 tsp of sugar and some sour cream at the end after cooking for about 4 hours. It was amazing, so rich and full of flavour, 9 out of 10! 

White Chocolate Cupcakes With Strawberry Whipped Cream Icing & Strawberry Cheesecake Frosting

White Chocolate Cupcakes - http://traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2011/06/white-chocolate-raspberry-cupcakes.html

The cakes were lovely, really moist and you could really taste the white chocolate.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Icing - http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2009/02/strawberry-whipped-cream-recipe.html

I ran out of the whipped cream so used the rest of the strawberries with red food colouring, cream cheese, unsalted butter and icing sugar and made the Strawberry Cheesecake Frosting

23rd Feb 2012

Garlic & Olive Bread - testadoprovadoeaprovado.blogspot.com

This didn't go to plan! I didn't have bread flour so used Tipo 00 instead but it didn't seem to knead into the required smooth elastic texture. It worked out ok but I found it stayed nearly uncooked in the middle and crusty on the edges.

To serve with the bread:

Honey-Mustard Salmon With Roasted Asparagus -  www.recipes.menshealth.com
I didn't do the roasted asparagus, I did Roasted Parmesan Green Beans - www.skinnytaste.com

22nd Feb 2012

Contents of the fridge salad

I shredded half a romanie lettice, chopped 1 red papper and sliced some cherry tomatoes and put in a large bowl. I added half a tin of tuna in olive oil flaked, some pine nuts, salt and pepper, lemon juice and some basil leaves. I heated a small frying pan with olive oil; and butter and added sliced chestnut mushroom and salt and pepper. I mixed in some green pesto, olive oil and balsamic vinager and dressed the salad and put onto a plate then topped with the hot mushrooms.  

21st Feb 2012

Sweet Potato Soup

I fried some chorizo chunks in a large pan, added 4 sticks of celery diced and 1 onion diced and cooked till soft with some sweet smoked paprika. I peeled and diced 3 sweet potates and added them to the pan for a few minutes then added a litre of chicken stock, salt and pepper, brought to the boil then covered and let simmer for 30 mins. I then blended the soup off the heat and then put back onto to simmer. I fied some diced pancetta and grated some cheese and chopped some chives. Served with a tablespoon of sour cream, some grated cheese, crispy pancetta, chives and a drizzle of chilli oil.

20th Feb 2012

Carbonara - Jamie Oliver's Jamie At Home (less the courgettes and thyme)

I fried 4 slices of pancetta in a large pan until crispy, in a seperate bowl I mixed 4 egg yolks, 100ml single cream and two handfulls of grated parmesan with lots of black pepper whilst cooking the pasta. I added some of the pasta water to the bacon and then turned off the heat and added the sauce. Drained the pasta and added it. Served with salad, garlic bread and cold white wine, perfect.

Orange & Macadamia Shortbread Cookies

Recipe Taken From: Pecan Shortbread - www.foodnetwork.com


Instead of the 1tsp of almond extract, I added 1tsp of orange extract and thye zest of one orange. I swapped the pecans for macadamia nuts which I toasted first. Really nice. I did try to use a cookie stamp on them as well but it didn't really work with shortbread.

18th February 2012

Nutella Crunch Bars 2

This time I added toasted hazlenuts and chocolate cake chunks, lined a deeper pan with cling film first and once pressed into the pan added melted white chocolate. I preferred them this time round I think, they were crunchier and the white chocolate was really nice ontop.

17th February 2012

Sour Cream Cheese Bread - Blogs.babble.com

This was really easy and tasty, next time I think I might try to add in some onion. 8 out of 10. I served this with Chilli Con Carne, Salad, Corriander Rice, sour Cream, Salsa, guacamole and grated cheese, it was a mexican feast.

16th February 2012

Black Forest Sundae

The top of the Choclate Buttermilk Cake was taken off to have a flat surfact for frosting and candles but I was definately not going to bin it! So I put cake chunks in a nice glass, followed by cherry jam, followed by leftover Mocha Frosting from the same cake, followed by whipped cream. Repeat the layers again and sprinkle cocoa on top. Was lovely but even I couldn't finish it, I had to have help.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Mocha Frosting

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake - Tea With Bea

Kellys 30th Birthday cake - I stuck to the recipe with the cake and I'm glad I did, it was dense but very tasty. I made the Mocha Frosting up at the time, philadelphie, espresso, cocoa, butter and icing sugar. I decorated the edge with coffee beans and the top with cake crumbs. Yum!

Valentines Day 2012

Nigella Feast - Sake Steak & Rice

My only changes were a bit of honey added to the sauce and chopped corriander mixed into the rice instead of sprinkled on the dish at the end - 9 out of 10 Nigella, it was good!

Key Lime Pie With Hazlenut Crust

I used the hazlenut crust recipe from the Maple Buttermilk Tarts from and then the Key Lime Pie (VII)filling from a recipe from  allrecipes.com

Oatmeal Spiced Muffins with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting with Walnuts

Oatmeal Spiced Muffins - www.food.com

I added saffron to the oats and buttercream when they were soaking and I added vanilla extract to the sugar. In my cup of choice I added diced dried dates, diced crystalised ginger and sultanas. I made some from fosting with some butter, philadelphia, orange extract and icing sugar and whipped till blended. I had some extra mini loat tins and cooked the muffins in these them once cooled I added the frosting and walnuts.

12th Feb 2012

Winer Soup With Bacon, Lentils & Pasta - Waitrose

I followed the recipe exactly appart from using mixed lentils and I'm glad because it was wonderful, so warming and tasty, 9 out of 10.

Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup/Stew - Pinterest

I doubled the recipe and added some sour cream for my lunches for the week - 7 out of 10 yummy!

Nutella Crunch Bars

Nutella Crunch Bars - Family Kitchen

I reduced the dark chocolate to 6 oz and made the extra 2oz up with nutella, I used digestives (don't even know what a graham cracker is!) and I used about 10, I added some vanilla extract and used golen syrup which I think is the same as corn syrup.  My problem was my pan was a bit too big so they were a bit flat but still tasted good.

11th Feb 2012

Seasoned Ribeye Steak with Sweet Potato Wedges & Beans

I seasoned the steaks with salt, pepper, dried thyme and paprika and rubed it all in with olive and left it for an hour. In a bowl I miked a touch of cinamon and paprike with lots of salt and pepper and some olive oil. I peeled and cut the sweet potatoes into wedges and miked them in the bowl with the oil and spices and put them on a baking tray in a hot oven (180c) for 20 mins. Once they went in I turned the heat on the griddle and put some Hinze baked beans in a saucepan on the heat. Put the steaks on the griddle. I added chipotle tobasco, cumin and paprika to the beans and stired it in. Chopped some chives and miked in with the sour cream. Turned the steaks. Plated up some salad leaves and the sour cream and put the steaks on the plate to rest. then a few minutes later the beans then the wedges.

The wedges weren't crispy but I suppose they would have needed to be fried for that, the beans and steak were good though. Much better than when I used a shop bought steak seasoning, well done me!   

8th Feb 2012

Leftovers Pasta (again)

You think you haven't got anything in and can't afford a takeaway, there is always a hidden pasta in the cupboard! Sauted red onion, red pepper, garlic and red chilli with diced streaky bacon and dried thyme mixed with some cream cheese and cooked pasta, sprinkeld with parmesan.

7th Feb 2012

Blondies (with Cherries, Chocolate and Macadamia Nuts)  - www.smittenkitchen.com

Really easy recipe, just add what you want and lovely blondies appear! I made my in a cake tin and cut into wedges for a change. 8.5 out of 10.

6th Feb 2012

Hearty Chicken Stew With Butternut Squash & Quinoa - www.cookincanuk.com

I added some tobasco and a tiny drizzle of honey but apart from that the recipe was perfect, great for winter lunches 8 out of 10.

4th Feb 2012

Sparkly Red Velvet Brownie Bites

They were from pinterest but I can't remember where they originated from - oops! Really easy to make and simple but tasty.

3rd Feb 2012

Chilli Con Carne with Rice, Sour Cream & Chives, Grated Red Leicester & Salad

I made the chilli recipe up as I went - Mince in pan + lardons, followed by 2 diced green chillis, one green pepper, 2 red onions and cooked through with some olive oil. added a small glass white wine, malt vinager about two table spoons, a tablespoon of sugar, one of worcestershire and a teaspoon of tobasco. A table spoon of dried thyme, cumin and paprika a teaspoon of cayenne pepper salt and pepper. Then added a tin of black beans, a tin of chopped tomatoes and two tins of water and cooked for an hour. This recipe is constantly elvoving. 

1st Feb 2012

Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals - Green Curry, Crispy Chicken, Kimchee Slaw and Rice Noodles

I am a devoted Jamie fan but BAD JAMIE!!!!

There is a mistake in this recipe and it is badly written, it instructed me to cook the slaw. Regardless of the bad writing, we did actually enjoy the meal though not the hot slaw. If I was to make it again I would make it spicier and use chicken breasts no thighs. 4 out of 10.

The Urban spork's Lemon Yoghurt Cake (www.theurbanspork.com)

Where the cake told me to add lemon juice I added mango juice instead and lemon extract and on the glaze I did the same. It was good but very solid. 6 out of 10.  I also put minim orange and lemo sweets under the icing.

27th Jan 2012

BBC Good Food Recipe - Stir-Fried Chicken With Cashew & Corriander Rice

1. Toast the cashews in a frying pan until lightly golden.
2. Stir-fry the chicken in a non-stick pan or wok with the honey and soy sauce for 5-6 minutes. Add the spring onion and red pepper and cook for a couple more minutes, then add the lime juice.
3. Meanwhile, microwave the rice according to packet instructions, stir through the cashew nuts and coriander and serve with the chicken.

Really good and still really low fat for chinese new year, much better option than a takeaway not gready at all 8 out of 10.