Cinnamon Rolls -Breakfast Rocks!

Have you seen that advert in which they say 'There's nothing like breakfast in New York'.

They're right y'know. There isn't. So the next best thing is to bring American breakfasts into my Leicester kitchen.

Do you remember my first post? Then you will know my love of American food began there & my, oh my did I LOVE breakfasts there.

Ok so I didn't eat cinnamon rolls because I couldn't go 1 day without pancakes & a malt shake. I just couldn't!

But hey, I love cinnamon & icing so much I decided to try it for myself. Don't ask about the first batch, just don't, but the second batch were yumcious!

Here's the recipe (from about.com):

Cinnamon Rolls

3 1/4 tsp dry yeast (I use dry active yeast so only need half the amount)

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup shortening (I use room temp butter)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup of milk

1 egg

4-5 cups of sifted plain flour

Very room temp butter (quite a bit)

Brown sugar (as much as you want)

Cinnamon (I love it so use plenty)

Raisins (optional, I don't use them)

Vanilla Icing

2 cups icing sugar

1 tblsp melted butter (doesn't sound like much but boy is it tasty!)

1 tsp vanilla extract (you must invest if you don't have it)

Milk 2-4 tblsp

This recipe is tricky so practice before you unleash it on your victims ..... uh, I mean punters!

Add the warm water to the yeast & soak for 10 mins.

Scald the milk (heat in a pan til bubbles appear at the sides) & add it to the shortening/butter.

Add sugar & salt & allow to cool to tepid. Add the dissolved yeast & beaten egg.

Add 4 cups of flour, 1 at a time, stirring well before the next one is added.

The recipe says the dough should be soft yet firm enough to handle. Mine however, is always sticky at this point so I add a handful of flour & make sure my board/worktop is well floured.

Knead until elastic & smooth. There is a fine line between too much flour & enough flour so be careful. I always get stressed here but try not to. Pour yourself a glass of something naughty, you deserve it!!

Turn the dough into a well oiled bowl (I use ground nut oil as it has very little flavour). Let it rise for 1 1/2 hours. Time to catch up with Sky+.

If this is your first time divide your dough in half as it's easier to work with.

Flour/icing sugar your work surface again & roll out the dough into a rectangle.

Slather it with the butter all over (I love this bit). Then layer a generous amount of brown sugar (all the way to the edges) & then a layer of cinnamon. Add the raisins if you're using them.

Roll it up. Cut into pieces depending on how big you want them (2-3 inches?)

Repeat with your other bit of dough.

Place slices in a greased pan. If using a round one, put a roll in the centre then the others around it. If using a square one just place them in rows. Don't overpack them. Preheat your oven. Let the rolls rise til they fill the pan (about an hour).

Bake in a 350F/180c/gas4 oven for 15-20 mins. Cover with foil if getting too brown. Don't overbake.

Frosting: Mix all ingredients except milk together. Add the milk very slowly, you are looking for a really(!) thick paste.

Spread the rolls with the frosting while they are hot. It will sink in & be all lovely, gooey & shiny.

Eat when you want, warm, cold whatever!

Don't worry about the calories, you've worked so hard in that kitchen of yours - you are just putting back what you've worked off!

PS See this recipe for how to become really popular at work.

I faced my fear & made ... Meatloaf!

When I was younger I wanted to eat food like I saw in films. They always looked like they were eating far better than me. So I asked my mother to make meatloaf.

She did & put it in the fridge til later. I was an inquisitive child. I couldn't resist a peak .... and a poke.

I plunged my finger into the goo & my finger was immediately engulfed in blood .......... BLOOD!!! I dry heaved. I didn't eat the meatloaf. In fact I didn't eat red meat for years after that.

So, you can imagine how nervous I was making the stuff. I mean I couldn't avoid it, it's as American as apple pie (ooooo I'll enjoy that one!!).

I waited til this weekend as the boss was away & I had time to myself. Time to prepare & definitely NOT to poke before cooking.

So here's the recipe (from allaboutmeatloaf.com):

1lb ground beef (I used lean mince)

1/2 cup of onion ( I used red)

1/2 cup of breadcrumbs

1/4 cup of stock (I used chicken)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 oz tomato puree

Mix all ingredients together. Looks good doesn't it !?!

I bought those silver takeaway trays. If you get the long ones you will get 1 -2. If you get the ones that are more square you'll probably get 3. I put 1 in the fridge the rest in the freezer.

Before I cooked the meatloaf I made holes in the bottom of the tray for the fat to run away. I placed it on a rack on top of a baking tray & cooked it for 30 mins on a preheated 180c/350f oven - no lid!!

Guess what ............ it was lovely! I ate half of it last night with braised red cabbage & green beans & just polished the rest of for my lunch.

So don't be scared .... give meatloaf a go!!

What D'You Know .. Chilli Joe's!

Chilli Joe's. Like Sloppy Joe's .... but with chilli!!

Can you see the advert? Just looking at the picture is making me slobber (or should that be drool?).

The Boss makes awesome chilli - that's just the way it is. I would love to give you the recipe but it changes each time. It has all the components of a regular chilli (beef, tom puree, tin chopped toms, cumin, chilli powder, ginger, onion, garlic, veg etc) but I think it's the slug of balsamic vinegar & the length of cooking time (as long as you can stand) that makes it special.

And it tastes even better the next day.

So all you need is really fresh, tasty bread & enjoy the mess!! NB Kitchen roll is a must!

BTW have you noticed that bread rolls are called different names across the UK? In Wales it's a roll. Up North = barmcakes. Midlands = cob. I'm sure the list is endless. Fascinating!

Peanut butter and White Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I wish I could tell you that this recipe was handed down through generations, handed to me by my Mam, given to her by her Mam and so on. But that would be a lie. My Mam makes plate pasty and my Nan made rock cakes which were quite honestly ....... rock hard.

I became interested in baking a couple of years ago when watching Ace Of Cakes (TV show). I was so impressed I decided to make my mate Mark a birthday cake. 5 hours and a few vodka and lemonades later, there was a pretty rainbow cake complete with coloured smarties sitting on my kitchen table. An obsession was born. Maybe I'll do a special cake entry for you ... if you want it?!

So cookies. What I've learnt is that American cookies are the best, crisp round the edges but chewy inside. Delightful! What I've also learnt is that it takes faith, you have to believe in those little buggers. Believe they will spread out and create the perfect shape and believe that however floppy they seem, they will become firm enough to eat ..... if you leave them alone to cool!!!!!!

The recipe (makes 24):

225g Unsalted Butter (room temp)

200g Caster Sugar

200g Light Soft Brown Sugar

2 Med Eggs (room temp)

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

240g Peanut Butter (crunchy adds texture, smooth adds .. well, smoothness)

340g Plain Flour

2 1/2 tsp Bicarb of Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

White Chocolate Chips (as many as you like)

Preheat oven 170c/325f/gas 3.

Cream the sugar and butter by whisking together. If it's not room temp you'll struggle. Stop when it is pale and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and peanut butter, mix in slowly.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well. You now have a dough. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand (you'll get muscles by doing this).

I always use a baking tray with greaseproof paper on it (use butter/marg to stick the paper to the tray) because it is much easier to remove the cookies from paper than it is from the tray. If like me you only have a small baking tray you'll need to do a few batches. Trust me, it will be easier with greaseproof paper!

Blob mixture (1 heaped tbl spoon) around the tray leaving room for spreading. Just blob it - have faith.

Bake for 10 mins or until golden brown round the edges (they will be light but cracked on top). Don't poke the top of the cookie you will leave a finger print in it!

Lift the cookies carefully by the greaseproof paper and place them on a cooling rack - paper and all. Yes, they are floppy so be careful and keep them level. Then bake your next batch. When (and only when) your cookies are cool just twist them off the paper. Voila!

Enjoy with a glass of milk if you want the American experience. If not, they are awesome with a nice cup of tea.

My gigglyexcitedannoyinghandclapping visit to Selfridges!

I went to Selfridges in Birmingham a few weeks ago. The food court is amazeballs!! They sell LOADS of American food stuff, the boss was quite embarrassed as I kept taking pictures of things I had no intention of buying but I didn't care - I was in heaven!

So we got there and parked in Selfridges car park - it was a treat! The excitement started as soon as we got out of the car, I had a big grin plastered across my face. Sad, moi!?!

Anyway we got on the escalator and as we were going down to the food court, this sight awaits me .........

Boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes of Lucky Charms! I wanted to run and dive into them but I resisted.

I also saw what I was planning to buy .... FLUFF!!! The flavours are original, strawberry and raspberry. I bought an original.

OMG MAC AND CHEESE!! Going to try and cook my own at some point.

At this point the boss has wandered off to the chocolate section but I cannot contain myself any longer. I promptly thrust the jar into the air and scream 'LOOK ... IT'S BACONNAISE!!!' I get a few funny looks. I was tempted to buy it but it was £6. I quietly returned it to the shelf.

I'll defo get some Skippy next time!

GRITS! Again £6....

There she is, my girl Aunt Jemima. I don't buy any as I'm slightly concerned about the racial stereotyping.

Yeah baby, Reese's. Mmmmm.

Hershey's is an all American favourite. Unfortunately, I can't stand it.

So wrong, yet so right!!

The jellybean bull.

So there you have it - my trip to Selfridges food court. I amazed myself by not getting any Krispy Kreme either although the boss bought me a KK keyring and mug. There's less calories.

Don't worry I'm still cooking American food, in fact there are some peanut butter cookies in the kitchen as we speak. Will post the recipe soon!!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Reece's Peanut Butter Frosting!!!

So I've got this pot of Reece's Peanut Butter & I'm thinking - what can I do with it? Our friends were coming round for a Chinese & I couldn't not cook anything?!!! The Boss had the perfect idea!

So heres the recipe (makes 8):

Cakes

100g Plain Flour

20g Cocoa Powder

140g Cater Sugar

1.5 tsp Baking Powder

40g Unsalted Butter (room temp)

120ml Whole Milk

1 egg (room temp)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting

1 cup Icing sugar

1 cup Peanut Butter

5 tblsp unsalted butter (room temp)

Few drops of vanilla extract

Whole Milk (add til you get consistency desired)

*note - I thought the frosting wasn't sweet enough so I'd add more icing sugar next time*

preheat oven 170c/325F/gas3.

Mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and butter together (you can add a pinch of salt if you want). What you are looking for is a sandy consistency - you can do this by hand or electric whisk.

Combine milk, egg & vanilla in a jug. Add half of it to the sandy mixture & beat til combined. Add the rest of the milk mixture & whisk til smooth (don't overdo it - you want them to rise!)

Spoon into english muffin or american cupcake cases 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 20 mins (check with s skewer if not sure, poke it in, it should come out clean). Allow to cool completely (be patient!)

Combine the frosting ingredients except the milk together. Whisk like mad, don't worry about overdoing it! Then add the milk drop by drop til you have a paste that is spreadable but wont run all over the place. Kind of like grouting tiles but if you have wallpaper paste, add more sugar.

You can pipe the frosting on to make it look pretty but I don't have the discipline because I usually want to eat one ASAP - so I use a palette knife. I scrape a dollop into the centre then spread it round so it's all covered.

Chicken Pot Pie!

Think of the most comforting, feel good, gloriously smooth, velvety, warm-the-cockles-of-your-heart type of food. Now put a pastry lid on top & you have chicken pot pie my friends!

The easiest, tastiest recipe I have ever come across & that is why it is the boss' new favourite! Who knew flour, stock, milk & thyme could taste like that??!! America is sitting on some culinary gems people, but don't worry, I will bring them all to you, I will spread the word ..... kind of like a Welsh Jesus but without the beard.

Ok, so not the most attractive pie ever made but believe me - it tasted gooood!

So here's the recipe. Serves 2:

Pastry (I used left over shortcrust but puff would be really nice)

2 cups of cubed chicken (left over) or 2 chicken breasts (diced & browned over a high heat).

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1/2 cup of milk

1 white onion

2 tbsp plain flour

1/4 tsp thyme

salt & pepper

1 to 2 large carrot rounds cooked

handful of frozen peas

Cook onions in oil & butter (if your naughty) until golden. Add the thyme, some salt & pepper & flour. Cook for 1 minute (med heat).

Stir in stock & milk. It will thicken in about 1 minute, remove from the heat. Smell it - it smells good!

Stir in chicken & veg.

Looking delish!

Put the mixture into a pie dish. I only use pastry on top of the pie to limit the calories so I would allow the mixture to cool. Then I put my pastry lid on top, then pop it into the fridge. The reason for this is the pastry needs to be cold to avoid it shrinking in the oven.

Bake in the centre of an oven 220c/425f/gas 7 for 30-40 minutes. Watch the pastry & put some tin foil if it is browning more than you'd like.

Eat it with your favourite veg & ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!