Basic Pancake Recipe

So, if you had not realised it is PANCAKE DAY on Tuesday 4th March 2014.

Ingredients:

110g plain flour

200ml milk combined with 75ml water

2 eggs

oil or butter to fry

Method:

1. Place flour into a bowl and break eggs into it.
2. Whisk the eggs and flour and gradually add the liquid mix until it is all mixed in and the mixture is smooth.
3. Heat the oil or butter in a frying pan until hot, and turn the heat down to medium.
4. Add a ladle of the pancake mixture to the pan. Swirl the pancake mixture around in the pan to get a good covering of the whole base of the pan.
5. Place the pan back onto the heat and after 30 seconds to a minute the pancake should be ready to turn, either use a fish slice to gently turn the pancake over or if you're feeling confident you can toss it in the pan.
6. Cook for only a few seconds and slide out of the pan onto a plate.

Serve warm pancakes with syrup, sugar, honey, lemon, treacle, jam, nutella, ice cream, chopped fruit or anything else delicious!

Adventures in Feldberg, Germany - SKIING - Day 1

Nearly a month ago now, we had the opportunity to go to Feldberg in the Black Forest in Germany to do some skiing, before travelling onwards to near Freiburg where we spent some time with my younger brother, wife and new baby niece.

We arrived in the dark very late one evening and the next day we awoke to this beauty from our hotel room...

...we didn't wait around for long before we were out there on the slopes enjoying the snow and sunshine...

Luke enjoying skiing amongst the Black Forest trees

...and we stayed out there until the sun began to set in the skies...

Omelette

I used to eat omelettes all the time when I was single, for they were really quick to make and nutritious, now I am married I rarely eat them because I only have one frying pan so have to make one at once which is annoying.

Broccoli, Pepper and Cauliflower Omelette

Ingredients:

3 eggs

Splash of milk

Black Pepper

Selection of vegetables: carrots, brocolli, peppers, olives, mushrooms, onion (or pretty much anything!)

Meat: cooked ham, bacon, cooked chicken (Optional)

Handful of grated cheese

Oil

BBQ sauce

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, once hot add the vegetables and stir fry until soft (option of pre-steaming vegetables in microwave if required).
2. Add the cooked meat and toss for a few minutes.
3. Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl and pour over the stir fried meat and vegetables.
4. Turn the heat down slightly and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
5. Sprinkle the cheese on top and if you like a bit more flavour squeeze some small blobs of BBQ sauce over the surface.
6. Finish off the omelette by placing under the grill until browned.

Enjoy with potato wedges and soured cream :)

Quick Banoffee Pie

Seen as it's Valentine's Day I have posted a recipe which you could make a special treat for all your loved ones in your life.

It is another fab recipe thanks to Carnation website, great for using up those old bananas :)

Ingredients: see Carnation website - Quick Banoffee Pie

Ingredients for Quick Banoffee Pie

Method:

For the rest of the recipe, click the links above...

...the result of my creation... DELICIOUS!

Quick Banoffee Pie

Christmas Hyacinths

My dad is a bit predictable and every year for Christmas he plants some hyacinths bulbs into nice ceramic bowls and gives them as Christmas presents.

...it's always lovely when the January blues are setting in to come home to the wonderful scent of hyacinths and the beautiful colourful flowers...

...this year it has taken a while for ours to flower but when we were away on holiday last week they came out in full bloom!!

A great idea for Christmas presents for friends and family if you are quite greenfingered  :)

Slow cooked Gammon & Pineapple

Ingredients:

1 gammon joint

1 tin of pineapple chunks in juice

2 tbsps honey

boiling water

Method:

1. Soak the gammon in cold water for 24 hours before starting to cook, as this helps some of the salt from the meat to soak out, making it less salty.
2. Place the joint in the slow cooker and rub honey into the fat.
3. Pour the pineapple & juice over the joint and add boiling hot water so that the meat is sat in approximately 1 inch of liquid.
4. Leave on a low heat in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours.

Enjoy with honey roasted parsnips and other steamed or roasted vegetables and potatoes.