Breakfast Idea Number 2 - Porridge.

It has to be porridge when, to get to work, you have to carry all your stuff up the track wading through thigh deep snow then spend half an hour digging before you can get the car going.  Or, you are at home with the kids and you have to drag the two of them up the hill on their sledge several times.  They just don't understand that Mummy feels old!

Obviously you can do anything you like with porridge.  These are what I have had in the last few days.

Sprinkled with demerara sugar.  The sugar melds together in the moisture to give a lovely caramelised topping.

Chopped apple, sultanas and cinnamon. Mmmm.

Honey and almond.

Banana and chocolate.

Although, my favourite is just plain simple porridge made with honey and salt - the way my Granda used to make it.  Although I very rarely make it properly anymore - a quick blast in the microwave is much more convenient.

Here's another picture of the kids out on the sledge.  Yes the one that the above porridges have fuelled.  Can't wait til they are old enough to pull their poor old mother on the sledge!

Snow Day Bake Off - Parsnip Cake.

This is my post for the Snow Day Bake Off on A Slice Of Cherry Pie.

We have loads of snow here but are quite used to it.  Steve is managing to get to work in Aberdeen.  I have managed to get to my work too but I only work two days a week so the rest of the time the kids and I have stayed at home to keep cosy.  Some cooking and baking and making cosy dens out of chairs, duvets and loads of cushions has kept us busy.

So, I decided to make Parsnip Cake from the Riverford Farm Cook Book.

Recipe - 

Ingredients - 

250g unsalted butter, softened

250g caster sugar

4 medium eggs

250g self-raising flour, sifted

1 tsp ground mixed spice

175g toasted hazlenuts, finely chopped

250g peeled and finely grated parsnips

4 tbsp milk

For the topping - 

125g cream cheese

60g unsalted butter

250g icing sugar, sifted

60g toasted hazlenuts, roughly chopped

Method - 

1. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each one.

2. Fold in the remaining flour, plus the spice, nuts, parsnips and milk.

3. Use baking parchment to line a rectangular tin, roughly 28 X 18 cm.  Spoon in the mixture and place in the centre of an oven preheated to 180C/ GM 4.

4. Bake for 40-50 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. To make the topping, place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and beat until soft.

7. Beat in enough icing sugar to give a thick consistency.

8. Spread the icing over the cake and scatter on the chopped hazlenuts.

9. Cut into squares or triangles to serve.

A nice, moist cake with a subtle but distinct flavour of parsnip.  A cake for Autumn really with the lovely nuttiness and officially it is still Autumn but really it is winter.  I like this cake and would probably make it again especially if I had parsnips to use up but I don't think it is quite as good as a sweet carrot cake.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup.

The cold weather needs hot, comforting soup, doesn't it?

Well, this month I got Jamie's Ministry Of Food out of the library.  I seem to have missed the whole TV series and campaign.  I quite like the book - lots of different variations on easy dishes. As you will see below, the recipes are very clear and suitable for complete beginners so this would be a great book for a student leaving home for the first time or other beginner. 

So, cauliflower cheese soup - yum.

Recipe - 

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients - 

2 carrots

2 sticks of celery

2 medium onions

2 cloves garlic

800g cauliflower

olive oil

200g cheddar cheese

2 veg stock cubes

salt and pepper

1 tsp English mustard

Nutmeg

Method - 

1. Peel and roughly slice the carrots.

2. Slice the celery.

3. Peel and roughly chop the onions.

4. Cut cauliflower into 1.5cm slices.

5. Put a large pan on a medium heat and add 2tbsp olive oil.

6. Add all your chopped and sliced ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.

7. Cook for around 10 mins with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is lightly golden.

8. Grate the cheddar into a bowl and put aside.

9. Put the stock cubes into a jug and pour in 1.8L of boiling water.  Stir until the stock cubes are dissolved, then add to the vegetables.

10. Give the soup a good stir then bring to the boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins with the lid on.

11. Remove the pan from the heat.  Season with salt and pepper and add the cheese and mustard.  Using a hand blender or liquidiser, pulse the soup until silky smooth.

12. Divide between your serving bowls and grate over some nutmeg.

13. Lovely topped with crispy bacon.