Chicken Stir-Fried with Pak Choi

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

2 tbsp. Groundnut Oil

2 Skinless Free-Range Chicken Breast (Cut into stripes)

1 Garlic Clove (Crushed)

1 tsp. Grated fresh Ginger

1 Star Anise

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh Red Chilli

Handful Mangetout

2 Pak Choi (Stems Separated)

4 Spring Onions (Sliced)

100g Wild Mushrooms (Trimmed and cut)

4 tbsp. Soy Sauce

2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

Parsley

1 tbsp. Chopped fresh Tarragon

1 tbsp. Chopped fresh Chives

 

Method

 

In a large frying pan or wok, heat the groundnut oil over a medium high heat

Add the chicken and cook, lightly tossing for 3-4 minutes until the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through

Add the garlic, ginger, star anise and chilli, and cook for a further 30 seconds

Ass the Mangetout, pak choi, spring onions and mushrooms and stir fry for another 3-4 minutes until they are all lightly cooked.

Finish with the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs. Stir together briefly and serve immediately

Christmas Mini-Muffins

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 - 30 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

200g Self Raising Flour

100g Caster Sugar

100ml Sunflower Oil

75ml Milk

1 Large Egg

50g Dark Chocolate (Chopped)

1 tbsp Mincemeat

50g White Chocolate (Chopped)

50g Dried Cranberries

 

To Decorate.

 

White, Red and Green Fondant Icing

Warm Water

 

Method

 

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F or Gas Mark 5 and put 24 mini muffin cases inside a mini muffin tray.

Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl, then make a well in the centre. Whisk together the oil, milk and egg and slowly pour into the bowl, stirring gently.

Divide this mixture between two bowls. In one bowl add the dark chocolate and mincemeat. Add the white chocolate and cranberries to the other bowl. Stir very gently.

Divide the two mixtures among the 24 muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and risen. Remove the muffins to a wire race and allow to cool.

 

To decorate roll out the white icing and cut in to circles with a spoon go around the outside of the icing to create curves, with warm water brush one side of the icing and place on top of the muffin.

Create little balls with the red icing to look like berries for Holly. With the green icing use a holly leaf cutter and create little leaves attach these to the white icing using water.

 

 

 

 

Chunky Vegetable Soup

Serves 4-6

Prep Time - 15mins

Cooking Time - 30mins

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion (Chopped)

2 Medium Carrots (Peeled and Diced)

2 Medium Parsnips (Peeled and Diced)

2 Small Leeks (Trimmed and Sliced)

50g Red Lentils

400ml Vegetable Stock

100g Green Beans (Trimmed and Cut into short pieces)

1 tbsp Corn Flour

750ml Dariy Free Milk

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, carrots, parsnips and leeks and cook gently for 5minutes.

Add the lentails, stock and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the green beans

Bleand the corn flour with a little of the milk then add to the soup with the remaining milk and simmer gently for 5 minutes

Season to taste and serve with crusty bread

Asparagus Soup

Make the most of the short asparagus season with this simple yet delicious soup

 

Prep Time : 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10-30 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Onion (Finely Chopped)

400g Asparagus (Finely Chopped)

500ml Hot Chicken Stock

Salt and Pepper

4 tbsp. Double Cream

 

 

Method

 

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.

Add the onion and fry for four minutes until softened

Add the asparagus and cook for two minutes

Add the stock and bring to the boil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to simmer for  5-7 minutes

Add the cream and blend with a hand blender until smooth

 

Reindeer Christmas Cupcakes

These super-cute Christmas Cupcakes are perfect for baking with children.

 

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10-30minutes

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

125g Butter (Softened)

175g Caster Sugar

2 Eggs

200g Self Raising Flour

2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

100ml Milk

100g 70% Cocoa Chocolate (Melted)

 

For the Chocolate Icing

 

50g Dark Chocolate

3 tbsp Double Cream

 

To Decorate

 

Giant Chocolate Buttons

M&M's or Smarties

Mini Pretzels

Black Writing Icing

Mini Marshmallows (Sliced)

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3.

Line a 12 Hole Muffin Tray with paper cases

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.

Gradually beat in the eggs until well combined.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder and mix until combined.

Fold in the milk, and melted chocolate.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for 20-25minutes, or until well risen and lightly firm to touch.

Remove the cakes from the tin and set aside to cool slightly.

For the icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate has melted.

Whisk the mixture until smooth and set aside to cool slightly

To decorate the cupcakes, spread the icing over the top of the cupcakes.

Spoon the remaining icing into a bag fitted with a small nozzle

Press the chocolate button onto the cake as a nose,

Then stick a crisp coated chocolate on top using a little icing.

Stick on two slices of marshmallows as the eyes and use the black icing for the pupils

Stick on the pretzals as the ears.

 

 

Gooey Chocolate Cherry Cookies

If you like American Style Cookies, you'll love these pale, chewy delights, plus they can be baked from frozen.

 

Prep Time: 15minutes

Cook Time: 14minutes

 

Ingredients

 

200g Unsalted Butter (At room temperature)

85g Light Muscovado Sugar

85g Golden Caster Sugar

1 Egg

225g Self Raising Flour

50g Plain Chocolate (50-70% Cocoa Roughly Chopped)

50g White Chocolate  (Roughly Chopped)

85g Natural Colour Glace Cherries (Roughly Chopped)

1/2 tsp Salt

 

Method

 

Heat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C or Gas Mark 5.

Beat the butter, Sugars and Egg until smooth, then mix in the flour, chocolates and cherry pieces and 1/2 tsp salt.

Spoon onto non-stick baking sheets in large rough blobs - you'll get about 20 out of this mix.

Make sure they are well spaced as the cookies grow substantially as they bake.

The raw dough can be frozen at this time if needed.

Bake for 12 - 14 minutes until just golden, but still quite pale and soft in the middle.

If baking from frozen, give them a dew more minutes to be able to defrost.

Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then lift them on to racks and leave to completely cool.

 



Snowman Biscuits

Prep Time: 30 minutes to 1 Hour

Cooking Time: 10-30 minutes

Ingredients

 

200g Self Raising Flour

100g Caster Sugar

100g Butter

1 Large Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

 

For Decorations

 

White and Blue Fondant Icing

White and Black Writing Icing

Sprinkles

48 Small Chocolate Balls

 

Method

 

Pre Heat the oven to 180C/350F or Gas Mark 4

Mix the flour and sugar together in a bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

Add the egg and vanilla essence and mix to form a soft dough

Roll out onto a well floured work surface and cut into rounds.

Place on greased baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack. When completely cool decorate.

 

Roll out the white fondant icing and cut out circles the same size as the biscuits, brush the backs of the circles with a little cooled boiled water and stick them to the biscuits smoothing down the icing as you stick it on.

Roll out the blue icing and cut out more circles, then cut these in half and using a little more water and stick on top of the white icing for the hats.

Brush the hats with water in places where you want the sprinkles to stick and then sprinkle!!

Pipe decorations on the hat with white writing icing, then pipe a small blob for the hat boble and another for the nose.

Stick on the Chocolate balls, pipe balck eyes and a mouth then leave to set.