Author: Caitríona

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Slow Cooker Beef Ragout Recipe

stewing beef, onion and peppers

Serves 6

Ingredients

450g stewing beef, chopped into chunks
1 chopped large onion
2 chopped peppers
3 chopped & peeled carrots
1 tin of chopped tomatoes OR 300g cherry tomatoes
4-5 cloves of crushed garlic (more or less if you prefer)
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 teaspoon each of salt, white pepper, onion salt, paprika, and dried oregano
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

Method

Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker pot and stir well. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or until the beef is fall-apart tender. If cooking in a pressure cooker this dish will take about 1 hour.

To serve, break up the meat with a spoon and stir in some freshly cooked pasta. Garnish with chopped basil.

To make this meal stretch further add a drained can of chickpeas at the start.

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Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe

cake with a lemon drizzle

Make a large batter for twice the joy.
Ingredients
* 227g unsalted butter *
* 350g caster sugar *
* 6 free range eggs *
* 400g self raising flour *
* 3-4 organic lemons *
* 250g icing sugar for the drizzle *

~ Method ~
Preheat a fan oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, one-by-one, until combined. Add half the flour, beat and then add the second half. Grate the rind of 2 lemons, add to the batter and mix. Squeeze in the juice of 2 lemons (that you grated the rind off). Mix well. Pour your batter into 2 baking tins. This is the perfect amount for 2 large loaf tins. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until a skewer test comes out clean. Allow to cool before icing. To make the icing combine 250g of icing sugar with lemon juice until you get a dropping consistency – see the video for how this should look. Ice and slice

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Baked Chicken & Rice Recipe

Serves 6 hungry adults

Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
700g chicken thigh fillets (boned and skinless)
Salt & Pepper
1 large onion, diced
1 pint vegetable or chicken stock
2 large peppers, diced
2 tablespoons Tikka Masala Spice Paste
300g basmati rice
1 tin coconut milk
Flaked Almonds to serve


Method
Take a heavy bottomed pan (with a lid) and heat to medium with oil in the bottom. Sear off the chicken in the pan until coloured then remove the chicken and put to one side on a plate.
Cook the onions until a little softened in the pan juices, add a little vegetable stock to help loosen the caramelised pieces. Then add the peppers and tikka masala paste. Stir well so that the paste begins to cook out on the heat.

Pour the dry rice directly into the pot and cook dry ( this is important) so that the rice begins to toast slightly in the heat. Turn off the hob. Pour stock into the pot and stir, make sure that the liquid is not boiling or simmering. Add the coconut milk and stir slowly until combined. If the liquid is too hot the milk will split.

Add the par-cooked chicken to the saucepan and stir one last time. Put the lid on and cook in the oven at 170 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Toast the flaked almonds on a dry pan until golden.
Serve the rice dish with the flaked almonds on top. Fresh coriander if you have any as well.
I like to stir in some frozen peas for the last 3 minutes of the cooking process but you might prefer spinach or eating it plain as it is!

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Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe

chocolate fudge with vanilla

Ingredients
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
500g chocolate, chopped (I prefer milk chocolate only, but dark is also fine and gives a richer flavour)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
I recommend placing a heatproof dish or jug inside your slow cooker to make this recipe. Simply because it makes it easier to lift out the contents when the ingredients are melted together, you can make this recipe by placing the ingredients directly into the cooker.

Pour the condensed milk and chopped chocolate into the cooker/container and stir.

Put the slow cooker on low. Stir the contents every 15 minutes or so, making sure to scrape down the sides of the container.

After 1 hour, all your ingredients should be melted together and combined. If not, allow for a further 15 minutes.

Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid, allowing any steam to escape. Line a 20cm square baking tin with non-stick baking parchment. Pour the fudge mixture into the tin and leave to cool on the counter, uncovered (this prevents condensation on top).

Once cold, cover the tin and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before tipping out the contents and slicing them into fudge cubes. Allow the fudge to come to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes: This fudge will keep in a sealed tin in a cool, dark space for up to 3 months. It may crystalise a little if stored for over a month. I prefer to make it about a week in advance of gifting. Place in a pretty glass jar decorated with ribbon to give as a Christmas gift, and expect loads of oohs and aahs at how clever you are to make your handmade fudge!

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Honey Buns Recipe

Makes 18 Buns or 12 Muffins

Ingredients

140g self-raising flour
80g wholemeal flour
40g oats
150ml milk
100ml runny honey
75ml sunflower oil
3 medium eggs (or 4 small eggs)
2 ripe bananas

Method
Preheat a fan oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a muffin tin with bun cases.

In a large bowl combine the self-raising and wholemeal flour, along with the oats then stir. Take a second bowl and combine the milk, honey, sunflower oil, and eggs. Stir with a fork so that they are combined before pouring into the first bowl with the dry ingredients.

Whisk so that the wet ingredients are mixed with the dry ingredients. Once you have a batter, break in the 2 ripe bananas and stir. Spoon the mixture into the bun cases. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and allow to cool before serving.

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Chocolate & Caramel Banana Bread (Cake)

banana bread with vanilla extract and chocolate chips

This is a decadant recipe that is incredibly moreish!

Ingredients
* 150g butter.
* 150g muscavado or soft brown sugar.
* 3 large eggs.
* 3 ripe bananas.
* 200g plain flour.
* 150g wholemeal flour.
* 1 teaspoon baking powder.
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
* 100g chocolate chips.
* 30g brown sugar for the crisp caramel topping.

Method.
Line a loaf tin and preheat a fan oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
Cream the butter and sugar together until soft, then crack in the three eggs and beat into a batter. Next, beat in the soft bananas.
In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, wholemeal flour, and the baking powder. Then add into the batter in the mixing bowl until combined.
Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and the chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into your lined loaf tin. Then sprinkle a line of the brown sugar down the centre of the loaf tin for the caramel topping.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until cooked through. Use the skewer test to make sure your cake is baked. If it has some batter still stuck to it, increase your baking time by a further 10 minutes before testing again.
Wait until the cake is fully cool before slicing and enjoying. Otherwise it’ll crumble and while it tastes delicious it won’t slice as well!

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Chocolate Swiss Roll


*Note this is probably the only recipe where I use imperial measurements as this is a legacy recipe from both my grandmothers.
The ratio for making fatless sponge is 1 egg:
1 oz caster sugar: 1 oz self raising flour and a tiny amount of vanilla extract at the end. You increase the quantities to get more sponge.
This makes it very adaptable to whatever you are baking.
For the sponge you see today this is what I used…

Ingredients
5 medium eggs
5 oz caster sugar
5 oz self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling: 200g of raspberry jam Additional caster sugar for rolling the sponge

Method
Preheat your oven to 170 degrees celcius. Line your tin with baking parchment, ensuring that there is plenty of overlap.
Put the eggs and sugar into the mixer and using the whisk attachment whisk until pale, light and fluffy. Its volume should at least double in size. Turn off the mixer and sieve the flour/baking powder directly onto the baking parchment.
Now gently pour half the flour into the egg/sugar mixture and fold with the metal spoon. Taking care not to knock the air out. Repeat with the remaining flour.
Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray. Bake in the oven for approximately 22 mins or until golden.
Remove from the oven when baked and leave to cool for 5 mins on a cooling rack.
Sprinkle a piece of baking parchment with caster sugar and tip the sponge upside down on top of the sugar. Next peel off the baking parchment gently.
Taking the edge of the baking parchment together in your hands, tightly roll together until you reach the short edge of the sponge.
This part is not unlike rolling sushi. Use the teatowel/parchment to force the sponge to roll onto itself tightly.
Keep on rolling until you reach the end of the sponge. Now cover the sponge with the parchment, then the damp teatowel and twist like a Christmas Cracker.
Leave the roll to cool for approximately 15 mins before filling with nutella and buttercream or even cream, serve and eat on the day that it is baked for best results

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Celebration Chicken Curry


This is an extremely simple curry recipe that is deliberately low in salt. This makes it suitable for diners of all ages and perfect for large family occasions or you can portion it off and freeze this meal for another day. This recipe makes 2 family meals for under €10.


Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 800g boneless skinless chicken thighs (you can totally use fillets if you choose)
• 300g each of the following… chopped peppers, chopped onions, chopped carrots, and frozen or fresh peas
• 1 large tablespoon of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of ground garlic powder or garlic flakes
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 500ml of water
• 25-50 of potato starch to thicken at the end (optional)
• Chopped Chives to decorate


Method
Heat a heavy casserole on a medium heat. Start with oil in the pan and saute off the chicken until it takes some colour. Remove the chicken and pour in the vegetables. Saute in the juices from cooking the chicken for a few minutes. Add ¼ of the water and put the lid on the casserole to accelerate the cooking process.

After 5 minutes lift the lid, sprinkle in the curry powder, garlic flakes and tomato puree. Stir well so that these ingredients begin to cook. You will be able to notice a change in the scent from the pan as the tomato puree heats through.

Add the remaining water, stir well, then return the chicken to the casserole pan. Put the lid back on and put the entire casserole dish into the oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 1 hour.

After 1 hour in the oven, remove the casserole. Stir in potato starch to thicken the sauce or use a cornflour slurry alternatively. Serve with steamed rice or crusty bread.

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Raspberry Almond Bake


Ingredients
• 75g unsalted butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 300g ground almonds
• 75g rolled oats
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large piece of shortcrust pastry
• 200g raspberry jam (but measure with your heart here, I won’t set you limits)
• 75g sliced almonds


Method
Preheat a fan oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

Melt the butter and sugar together in a large saucepan on a medium/low heat until you have a syrup. Stir in the ground almonds and oats first. Then the eggs until you get a loose paste (add them last to stop them scrambling).

Line a thick baking tray with baking parchment, cover the bottom of the tray with shortcrust pastry. Slather the top of the pastry with raspberry jam. Spoon the paste mixture on top of the raspberry jam and then gently spread it to cover up the jam. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and press lightly to make them stick to the paste.

Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes. Once baked to golden, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray before turning out and slicing

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Rocky Road (to Dublin)



Ingredients
75g unsalted butter
3 tablespoons golden syrup
220g milk chocolate
150g rich tea biscuits
120g mixed mini marshmallows
75 dark chocolate chips (optional)

Method
Melt the butter, golden syrup and chocolate together on a very low heat until completely melted and combined.
Bash the biscuits into tiny pieces. Mix the biscuits and marshmallows into the chocolate mixture.

Press the biscuity marshmallowy chocolatey goo into a lined baking tin. Press chocolate chips on top.

Chill for at least 2 hours before slicing and enjoying