Step by Step Recipe MINCE PIES

The pies are topped with frangipane a pastry filling usually made with butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds. Make a few batches to freeze so you have some to hand when visitors call. We love these pies warmed and served with custard. They're good at room temperature with a cup of tea, too.

Ingredients:

• 300g plain flour
• 75g unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into small cubes
• 75g lard, well chilled and cut into small cubes 
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 410g jar Mincemeat
• Caster sugar for dusting
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 medium egg yolk

Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the lard and butter and lightly rub into the flour using your fingertips. As you do this, lift the mixture up out of the bowl to incorporate air - this will give you a lighter textured pastry. Continue until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Check that there are no lumps of butter remaining by shaking the bowl - any lumps will come to the surface. Repeat until no more lumps appear.

Sprinkle the cold water into the rubbed-in mixture, then mix with a round bladed knife until a dough starts to form. Draw the mixture together with your hands until it makes a rough ball. If the mixture is too dry and will not form a ball, only add a few drops of extra water. Take care not to make the dough sticky - it will be difficult to handle and produce tough pastry. Place the pastry between 2 sheets of parchment and roll it out to about 3mm thickness, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Cut out 12 large pastry discs using the 8cm fluted cutter, then 12 small discs using the 6cm fluted cutter. Line the bun tin with the larger discs.

Using a teaspoon, fill the lined tin with mincemeat. Dampen the edges of the small pastry discs on one side by brushing them with a little cold water. Gently press the small discs, damp side down, on top of the filled pastry bottoms and seal the edges. Whisk the milk into the egg yolk to make a glaze. Brush this glaze on the top of each mince pie. Prick the lids with a fork to allow the steam to escape while cooking and prevent the pastry from going soggy.

Place into a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 4-5 minutes in the tray. Remove and place on a wire rack. Serve warm sprinkled with caster sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.

Sauce: Waitrose

06:24

Creamy Mini Pancakes with Smoked Salmon

The delicious creamy salmon and hot pancakes make a luxurious breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp quark
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• 25g smoked salmon
• 2 tsp chopped chives
• salt and pepper
• 50g plain white flour
• 1 medium egg
• 2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• 4–6 sprays low-cal cooking spray
• salt and white pepper

To make the pancakes, sift the flour into a bowl and season with the salt and white pepper. Make a well in the middle, crack in the egg and add the milk and 50ml water.

Whisk the ingredients together briskly until combined.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and spray with the cooking spray. Place three large spoonfuls (half the mixture), well spaced apart, in the pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and then flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side for a minute or two, until golden. Keep the pancakes warm under a piece of foil while you repeat with the rest of the batter.

Beat the quark with the lemon juice, and season to taste. Place three pancakes on each plate and top each with the quark mixture and the smoked salmon. Sprinkle with the chives.

07:55

15 Minute Desserts

Even when time is short, you can delight your friends and family with a 15-minute dessert. Chocolate is an almost universal favourite, and it stars in many of our recipes. Here are some fabulous Desserts.

Drunken Fruit Compote
This compote can be served warm with frozen yogurt, ice cream, whipped cream, or Light Crème Fraîche (see recipe, page 21). You even can spread it on toast for breakfast! Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten cold.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (120 ml) spiced rum
• 2 tablespoons (36 g) orange juice concentrate
• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) maple syrup
• 1 cup (175 g) dried apricots, chopped
• ½ cup (75 g) dried figs, stems removed, chopped
• ½ cup (75 g) dried cherries

Combine 1 cup (235 ml) of water with the rum, orange juice concentrate, and maple syrup in a saucepan; stir to combine. Add the apricots, figs, and cherries, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot, at room temperature, or even chilled.

Bananas Sublime
This quick dessert will become a favorite. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 medium banana, peeled and sliced
• 6 ounces (170 g) lowfat peach yogurt
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) pineapple juice
• ¼ cup (30 g) chopped almonds

Place half of the banana slices in each of 2 individual serving dishes. Top with equal amounts of the yogurt, pineapple juice, and almonds.

Rum-Sautéed Bananas with Mango Sorbet and Almonds
This scrumptious dessert is special enough to finish off an elegant dinner party, especially if the menu has taken your guests to Mexico, the Caribbean, or the Southwest.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
• 2 large bananas, slightly underripe
• ¼ cup (60 ml) spiced rum
• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) maple syrup
• 1 pint (300 g) mango sorbet
• 2 tablespoons (12 g) sliced almonds

Melt the butter in a seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet. Peel the bananas and cut them in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. When the butter is melted and barely sizzling but not yet browning, add the bananas and sauté for 3 minutes, then turn them over and sauté for 3 more minutes. Transfer the bananas to individual dessert plates and set aside.Add the rum and maple syrup to the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 1 minute. Spoon the rum sauce over the bananas, then top each serving with a scoop of sorbet and a sprinkling of almonds.

Healthy Banana Splits
Is this a fun breakfast, a wholesome after-school snack, or a delightful dessert? Whatever you call it, it’s a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get some meaningful nourishment in the process. You may substitute other preserves, fresh fruit, and nuts to suit your own taste.

Ingredients

• 2 medium bananas
• 1 cup (245 g) plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons (40 g) apricot preserves
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• ⅓ cup (50 g) fresh blueberries
• ⅓ cup (85 g) canned crushed pineapple, undrained
• ¼ cup (18 g) unsweetened shredded coconut

Peel the bananas and cut them in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Arrange 2 pieces side by side on each of 4 dessert plates.In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, preserves, and maple syrup. Spoon equal portions of the yogurt mixture over each serving of banana. Top with blueberries and pineapple, then sprinkle with the coconut.

Peach-Coco-Mint Sauce
The flavor of this sauce is light, bright, and refreshing. It’s great on frozen yogurt, as described here, but you can also serve it on ice cream, or try it on sponge cake, garnished with fresh peach slices.

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 ounces, or 420 g) sliced cling peaches in light syrup, drained
• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon (18 g) frozen orange juice concentrate
• 6 large fresh mint leaves
• 1 ½ pints (525 g) French vanilla frozen yogurt

Place the peaches in the blender and add the coconut milk and orange juice concentrate. Tear the mint leaves into pieces as you add them to the blender. Puree until smooth.Scoop equal amounts of the frozen yogurt into 6 individual dessert dishes. Pour an equal amount of the sauce over each serving.

Pineapple and Red Grape Parfaits with Granola
This dessert looks terrific built in a parfait glass or wine goblet. Make sure the granola you use is crunchy and fresh.

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup (160 ml) whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
• ½ pound (225 g) seedless red grapes
• 1 can (20 ounces, or 560 g) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
• 1 cup (125 g) granola

Place the cream in a bowl and use an electric hand mixer or egg beater to whip it until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons (28 ml) pineapple juice and beat for a few more strokes.Cut the red grapes in half lengthwise and place them in a medium bowl, reserving 3 whole grapes. Add the pineapple to the grapes and toss to combine well.Alternatively layer the fruit, whipped cream, and granola into six parfait glasses. Repeat the layers, ending with a sprinkling of granola. Cut the 3 reserved grapes in half and top each parfait with a grape half.

Ricotta Cheese "Fluff" with Raspberry Sauce and Chocolate Shavings
This rich and creamy concoction is not too sweet, but it’s wonderfully satisfying. If you don’t have a thick hunk of chocolate on hand, feel free to use chocolate chips or even cocoa powder in its place.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (155 g) frozen raspberries
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (18 g) frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 ½ cups (375 g) lowfat ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup (60 g) lowfat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons (60 g) honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 1 ounce (28 g) semisweet or bittersweet bakers' chocolate

Combine the frozen raspberries with the sugar and orange juice concentrate in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 8 minutes.Meanwhile, whisk together the ricotta, sour cream, honey, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium bowl. Mound portions of the cheese mixture into 6 individual dessert dishes and top with equal amounts of raspberry sauce.Use a sharp vegetable peeler to shave the chocolate, and top the desserts with equal amounts of chocolate shavings.

Raspberry Chocolate Fool

This is a pretty dessert, with the bright red berries standing out against the snowy whipped cream. Use homemade cookies or purchase your favorite variety from the store. You can whip the cream in advance; refrigerate it until you're ready to assemble the dessert. (“Fool,” by the way, is an old English name for this style of dessert, not a comment on the cook!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (235 ml) whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 chocolate chip cookies, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter, crumbled
• ½ pint (125 g) fresh raspberries
• 4 sprigs fresh mint

Place the cream in a bowl, and use an electric hand mixer or egg beater to whip it until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat a few more strokes. Gently fold in the cookies and raspberries, reserving a few raspberries for garnish. Place equal amounts in 4 stemmed glasses and garnish with the reserved berries and mint.

14:18

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chicken

Need to whip up something quick!? Grab this Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chicken recipe and have lunch or dinner in no time! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon, plus 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more for pot
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 3 cups sliced carrots (1/4-inch thick)
• 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
• ⅔ cup sliced dates
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
• ¼ cup chopped toasted pistachio nuts, for garnish

1) Quarter the lemon lengthwise, removing any seeds. Thinly slice crosswise into small wedges and add to small pot of boiling, salted water. Blanch for 2 minutes and drain. Reserve slices.

2) In a saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, orange juice, oil, mustard, honey, salt, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool.

3) Put chicken in a bowl and add honey mixture. Add carrots, onion, dates, thyme and blanched lemon slices. Turn mixture several times to coat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

4) Heat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer all ingredients, including marinade, to a sheet pan with a rim. Chicken should be skin side up. Roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes for breasts and 30 to 40 for legs and wings (remove the pieces as they are done cooking). When the chicken is done, give the carrot mixture in the pan a stir; if the pan looks dry add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Continue roasting the carrots until they are tender, about 7 to 12 minutes longer.

5) Spoon carrots over chicken and top with cilantro, scallions and pistachio nuts.

07:08

Woman Makes Sourdough Using Her Vaginal Yeast

I've heard about most worst things happening over the internet but this is really disgusting how a blogger Zoe Stavri recently used a yeast infection to make sourdough.

She said in her blog, "It's caused quite a lot of visceral horror, because I bunged something a little bit unconventional in the starter: yeast from my vagina."

If you're interested in seeing the final product, she's been documenting her whole process on Twitter using the hashtag #cuntsourdough.

sauce: wordpress

09:44

10 Delicious Indian Biryani Recipes

Here are the best 10 delicious Biryani recipes that will make you feel so good.

Recipe: Chicken Biryani

Recipe: Shrimp Biryani

Recipe: Chana Biryani

Recipe: Mushroom Soya Biryani

Recipe: Kaadai Biryani

Recipe: Fish Biryani

Recipe: Hyderabadi Biryani

Recipe: Vegetable Biryani

Recipe: Khuska Biriyani

Recipe: Egg Biryani

08:55

I attempted a recipe I saw on Imgur!...with less than stellar results

Trying out Garlic knots I saw on the front page a few weeks back. Start with seasoning saute.

Tied little knots in strips of pizza dough.

Spread saute over knots in cast iron pan and let the dough rise.

Almost done, just need to add cheese topping, and finally

GROSS, This looks nothing like the original recipe! I'm certainly not going to eat it!

20:53

Dunkaroo Dip Recipe

90 kids, hold on to your dialup internet, frosted tips, and Nickelodeon slime!

Ingredients:

• 1 box funfetti cake mix (DO NOT add the ingredients that you usually would to actually make the cake - you need just the mix)
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/2 container of cool whip.

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, plain yogurt and Cool Whip until completely combined and you see no more lumps. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill for about 4 hours.

Garnish with additional sprinkles if desired and serve with animal crackers or Teddy Grahams.

Sauce: imgur

20:40

Oreo Fudge Recipe

Oreo fudge = foodgasm!

 These are absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

• 6,75 dl sugar
• 175 g unsalted butter
• 1,75 dl condensed milk (not sweetened)
• 200 g marshmallow fluff
• 350 g white chocolate
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 14 Oreo crackers
• Mini Oreo's

Melt the butter in a saucepan (I recommend to use a teflon-coated saucepan). Add the sugar and the condensed milk and boil. Let the mixture boil, while you're stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Take the pan from the heat. Mix in marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract and white chocolate that's chopped up. Stir until both the marshmallow fluff and the white chocolate has melted. 

Crush 8 Oreo crackers into crumbs, by using a food processor (use both cookies and the cream filling). Mix this into the batter. Notch so the remaining 6 Oreo crackers up rough, and flip the pieces into the batter. 

Dress a roasting pan (I prefer 20 x 20 cm) with baking paper, and pour the batter into it. Smooth the surface, and garnish with Mini Oreo's.

Let it cool down in the fridge for some hours, preferably over the night.

Butter, condensed milk and sugar

Marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract and white chocolate is mixed into the batter.

Pour the batter into the pan when you have added the crushed Oreos, and put mini Oreos on top. Put it into the fridge.

Sauce: imgur

20:33

General Tsos Chicken Recipe

This is really really really good! (serves about 8)

Ingredients:

--------------------------

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

2 cups green onions, sliced

8 small dried chilies, seeds removed (bird pepper or thai chilies are good)

--------------------------

Cornstarch slurry

1⁄4 cup soy sauce, low sodium preferred

1 egg, beaten

1 cup cornstarch

--------------------------

Sauce

1⁄2 cup cornstarch

1⁄4 cup water

1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced

3⁄4 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup soy sauce

1⁄4 cup white vinegar

1⁄4 cup sherry wine or 1⁄4 cup white wine

14 1⁄2 ounces chicken broth (a can)

Directions:

Place sauce ingredients in a quart jar with a lid and shake to mix. If you make this ahead of time just refrigerate until needed, shaking it again when you are ready to use it. This also keeps your dirty dishes down.

Mix cornstarch slurry in a large bowl- the mixture will be strange but trust me it works. It will be VERY thick almost paste like. Add ALL the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Using a fork remove ONE chicken piece at a time and let the excess mixture drip off. YES even though the mixture has a weird consistency it will not stick like paste and the excess will drip off. Add chicken to the hot (350 degree) oil and fry until crispy. Only cook 7 or 8 chicken pieces at a time. You do not want to lower the temp of the oil by cooking too many at a time. You can use a simple cooking or candy thermometer to judge the temp of the oil.

Drain on paper towels. Want them extra crispy? Put them on a rack over a sheet pan. Keep warm- I just put them in the oven with the oven off. Repeating until all chicken is fried.

In a separate wok or large skillet add a small amount of oil and heat to 400 degrees. Again, a candy thermometer works great. (Want less dishes? You can just drain the oil after you fry all the chicken, leave a small amount (about a tsp) in the pan and use the same pan if you like.)

Add green onions and hot peppers and stir fry about 30 seconds.

Stir (or shake jar) sauce mixture, and then add to pan with onions and peppers, cook until thick. Some reviews didn't kniw what "thick" meant. Thick like the same sauce you get at a restaurant.you want it to just coat the chicken. If it gets too thick, add a little water or other liquid. The thickness of the sauce should be similar to what you get when ordering this at a restaurant.

Add chicken to sauce in wok and heat just until the chicken is hot enough for you. It may not even need a minute if you kept the chicken warm. The quicker you serve it the crispier the chicken stays.

21:28

Easy Chinese Chicken Fried Rice

Skip the takeout with this easy homemade version of your favorite Chinese side!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups white rice (cold or leftover)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3/4 pound chicken tenders
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 sweet onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 2 tablespoons diced green onions

Directions:

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss with ginger, salt, and pepper. Add to skillet and cook, stirring often, until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove chicken to plate and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan and stir in diced onion, garlic, and peas and carrots. Cook until onions are translucent and vegetables are warm, about 7 minutes. Remove vegetables to plate with chicken and set aside.
4. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to pan over medium heat. Add rice and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes until rice is warmed through. Push rice to the side of the pan.
5. Crack eggs into the empty section of the pan and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Scramble the eggs until done.
6. Stir eggs into the rice mixture, return chicken and vegetables to pan, top with remaining soy sauce and sriracha. Stir well, cooking for 5 more minutes.
7. Remove from heat and sprinkle with green onions before serving.

sauce: tablespoon

21:59

Great Puttanesca Recipe To Convince Your Date You Are a True Chef!

No piece on puttanesca is complete without a knowing wink to the literal translation of the name: "tart's spaghetti", as Delia rather coyly has it, or whore's pasta, as it is more commonly known.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (455 grams) dried spaghetti, the best you can get
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 handful capers, soaked in water and drained
• 2 handfuls big black olives, pitted
• 12 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
• 3 small dried red chiles, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 (14 ounce/400gram) cans tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 good handful fresh basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook the spaghetti in salted, boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile fry the garlic, capers, olives, anchovies, chiles, and oregano in a little olive oil for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and continue to cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until you have a lovely tomato sauce consistency. Remove from the heat, plunge the drained spaghetti into it, toss it over, and cover with the sauce. Rip all the basil over it, correct the seasoning, and drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil.

21:37