Google Analyitics, you crazy!

June 25th set a record of 1727 visits to Whimsical Cookery.  No seriously, what the glitch was going on that day?  I average < 100 per day, usually.

Most of the visitors found themselves staring at Vanilla Chai Tea cupcakes... yummy!

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Breakfast Cinnamon Twists with Icing Dip

Late night baking for a breakfast surprise!  I wanted to make cinnamon twists, but have found myself without puff pastry and without time to deal with yeast rising issues.  Therefore I have improvised this quite satisfactory recipe for no-yeast cinnamon twists!

You will need:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter (or margarine works fine) + butter for spreading
1/4 cup granulated sugar + sugar for sprinkling
Dark brown or Muscovado sugar for sprinkling
Ground cinnamon for sprinkling

For the icing:
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup icing/powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp of milk (low/fat free fine)

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder in a medium bowl.

2. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut butter/margarine into the dry mixture.

3. Add milk and stir.

4. Using your hands, mix and knead until combined (do not overdo it!).

5. Press dough into a rectangle and roll out to approximately 1/2 inch thickness.

6. Butter the surface of the rectangle.

7. Sprinkle surface heavily with cinnamon.

8. Sprinkle surface lightly, first with granulated sugar then dark brown sugar.

9. Press palms firmly over surface (to compact the sugars into the butter).

10. Cut dough into strips.

11. Gently twist each strip as pictured and place onto a greased baking tray.

12. Bake 8-9 minutes at 175 C/350 F.  Under-bake by a minute or two if you enjoy the gooey center of a cinnabon.

13. For the icing, simply combine all of the stated ingredients in a small bowl using a whisk.

Serve warm.  Yield approx: 10

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Cupcake Quandary

 I love these!  By Ashliedesire' flickr

Trying to think of new things to turn into cupcakes, besides actual cake. These are the thoughts that keep me up at night! 

Okay not really.

Okay maybe a little bit.

Fried doughnut cupcake?

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Meringue Cupcakes

 
After looking at several recipes for lemon meringue cupcakes, I decided that the whole 'cupcake' should be meringue.  I suppose this would technically be considered a cupcake-shaped meringue.  These delightful little desserts can be topped with sweetened whipped cream and drizzled with a tangy mixed berry syrup before serving.

You will need:
6 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 tsp lemon juice OR 1 tsp white vinegar
2 cups sugar (add 1/4 cup at a time to avoid deflating meringue)

1. Grease a 12-cup muffin/cupcake tray.  Be sure to grease the top of the tray, not just the cups, incase sugar bubbles over. (If sugar cooks to the tray, it is not fun to wash off.)  Line cups with 12 cupcake holders and spray with cooking spray.

2. Separate the whites of 6 eggs from the yolks.  Discard the yolks (or use in another recipe).

3. Add vanilla extract, salt, and lemon juice OR white vinegar.

5. Whip using an electric whisk (or extreme woman/man power) until mixture begins to thicken, add sugar 1/4 cup at a time to avoid deflating meringue.  Meringue is ready when you pull whisk out and the meringue stays peaked.  There's also that old trick about holding the bowl upside down....

6.  Spoon meringue into cupcake holders, even with the top.

7. Heat oven to 220 F/ 100 C and bake meringues for 3 1/2 hours.  Turn off heat and allow meringues to remain in the oven for another half an hour.

--------------

The berry sauce can be made in several ways.  If using fresh berries, it may be a good idea to give them a spin in a food processor/blender, if tinned just immediately add to saucepan.  Bring to a boil stirring constantly and add sugar to taste.  It should be noted that tinned berries may already be packaged in a sweet syrup. When syrup is of desired taste/consistency either allow to cool, or press through a sieve to remove bits.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream and berry sauce.

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Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

I have the best boyfriend ever.  Now, before you vomit, I should explain.  He totally humors the weird way I eat.  Perhaps the most romantic thing ever said to me was, "I would strain the bits out of spaghetti sauce for you."  The only other people in the world who can cook for me on a regular basis are my parents, as they understand that onion powder is a perfectly acceptable substitution for actual onions.  However, my lists of picky demands are often too long for a mere mortal to attempt, leaving my poor parents frustrated.
This leads me to my manfriend, who has not yet been beaten down by years of these peculiarities.  Therefore, he offered to make me a stir fry.  Why have I never had stir fry before?!  Answer: Because it is usually offered to me complete with onions, peppers, and those intriguing tiny pea pods.  I've always seen a stir fry as a dumping ground for all the vegetables I never want to eat.  In reality, I could have been making my own version of a stir fry for years.  Duhh.

For two servings of Ajay's stir fry, you will need:
3 small chicken breasts (par-baked and cut in pieces)
   OR Quorn chicken style pieces equivalent 
3/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 cup thin-sliced mushrooms
200g teriyaki stir fry sauce
2-3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 servings udon noodles (approx 300g)

Other possible stir fry vegetables:
Peppers/Chilies
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Carrots
Onions




1. Fry mushrooms in sesame oil on a medium-high heat until cooked.

2. Add chicken/Quorn and heat.

3. Add water chestnuts, followed by the noodles.  Brown slightly.

4. Add teriyaki sauce and soy sauce.  Stir until heated.

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Mom's Chicken Marsala

This is my mom's recipe for Chicken Marsala, which she has kindly edited for me to remove bits of shallots and onion.  Thanks Mom, you're a star!  Warning, this dish takes a moderate amount of time and effort, as well as grease flying at you out of the pan.  This is why my dear mother makes it, and not me.  I watch and nom. :)

You will need:
2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
Butter and Olive Oil for frying (approx 2 Tbsp of each)
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
2 Tbsp chopped parsley (dry or fresh)
1 lb white/buttom mushrooms
Salt/Pepper for seasoning

1. Clean and slice mushrooms.  My dad cleans mushrooms with a toothbrush to brush off anything hanging out on the shrooms.

2. You will need to flatten the chicken breasts using the smooth side of a meat tenderizer (or something you've invented that will smash the chicken flatter, be creative!).  This is so the chicken will cook evenly.

3. Season chicken with salt/pepper.

4. Add the flour to a wide bowl.  Dredge chicken in flour and set on a plate.

5. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, heat 1Tbsp butter before combining with 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Once heated, fry chicken on each side for 3 minutes until browned.  Do not worry about cooking chicken through.  

6. Remove chicken and place on a paper towel covered plate.

7. Add another Tbsp of butter and another Tbsp of olive oil to the pan and fry the mushroom slices for a few minutes until slightly-brown.

 8. Add Marsala wine and let it boil for approx 1 minute before adding the chicken broth to the pan.  Stir in parsley.

9. Set chicken on top of sauce and allow to simmer covered for 2-3 minutes or until cooked.

10. Serve with flat egg noodles (or perhaps white rice or mashed or baked potatoes).

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Cheez-It Chicken Bites

Incase it is not already obvious by the main ingredient in this recipe, I am currently in America visiting family.  I thought I'd try out a couple recipes over the next weeks using ingredients that are easier to find in America.  First up was an idea I'd been holding onto for a while, chicken using flavored crackers as the bread crumbs.  In this case, I have opted for Cheez-Its!  If you can get past their amazing glowing orange exterior, you are sure to love them as much as I did.

You will need:
3 large chicken breasts
3 cups Cheez-Its (original) crackers
1 1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp spicey brown mustard (or 2 1/2 tsp yellow mustard)
salt and pepper for seasoning
Non-sticking cooking spray or low-cal oil spray

Note: For added cheesiness add in 2-3 Tbsp of cheddar cheese powder to the sour cream/mustard mixture (you can lift this powder from a kraft mac n cheese dinner box or find it in some grocery stores)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Rinse chicken and chop into bite size pieces or into chicken strips.

3. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

4. In a food processor or a strong large kitchen bag, crush 3 cups of Cheez-Its to a fine breadcrumb.  Pour into wide bowl or plate and set aside.

5. In a wide bowl, combine 1 1/2 cup sour cream and mustard.  Mix.

6. Coat chicken pieces in sour cream/mustard mixture and dredge in the crushed Cheez-Its.

7. Place on a non-stick greased oven tray.

8. Spray the tops of the chicken with low-cal oil spray for added crispiness and crunch.

9. Bake at 375 F for 30-35 minutes, a few minutes longer if making large chicken strips.

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Tips for Picky Eaters! - Utilizing your taste buds

QUICK TIP!

If it is the taste of vegetables or certain foods you do not like (and not a problem of texture) it may be helpful to think of ways to cover up the offending food.  This is just a quick tip, as I do not have a wealth of experience with this, as my problem is almost always texture.

Some options you have include:

• Spices
• Sugar, Salt, or Pepper
• Sauces
• Other stronger-tasting foods (By stronger-tasting foods I am referring to things such as cheese and chocolate).
• Combining with similar foods
  Example: I hate strawberries, but do not notice them blitzed with other berries in a coulis

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The Diner: Soho

The Diner website

I should have posted this a while ago, but anyways, Manfriend and I went to The Diner in Soho to celebrate his birthday (before heading to the observatory in Hampstead to stargaze).  I have been to The Diner in Camden many times, but never the Soho one.  I must admit, I enjoy the checking out the hipster employee's outfits.  However, I can understand where some people might find this a bit off-putting.

Anyways, I'm always curious as to how the Brits decide to prepare/present American-style food. For this reason, I shunned the usual diner breakfast items and went with corn dogs and sweet potato fries.  The corn dogs were quite a disappointment, as its cornbread jacket was paper-thin.  This left my corn dog tasting of nothing more than a hot dog on a stick.  Not nice.  However, the sweet potato fries were somehow the best I've ever had?!  They stayed crispy through to the end of my meal, even when cold.  AND the portion was out of control (in a good way).  Manfriend had a burger, which he didn't seem to have any complaints about.  He also had 'diner fries'.  The diner fries were steak-cut chips tossed in slightly-hot cajun spices (and also came in an obscenely large portion).  I can confirm that these were quite tasty!

I guess my overall impression of The Diner is, while quite stylish, the food isn't amazing.  However, the prices are pretty reasonable for London standards, so I shall keep returning and, perhaps, make a jump back to the all-day breakfast menu.

Seriously, these fries guys.... seriously.

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Truffle Swirl Cake

I've come up with another short-cut way to an impressive cake.  Although it almost seems a shame to cover the swirls of the mixed yellow/chocolate cake, if ever there was a topping fit to do so, it would be this cold-set ganache.

As far as I can tell, ganache recipes are fairly standard.  This is mine, tailored to the amount necessary for a double layer cake (with a layer of ganache within to hold the two pieces together).  This is done simply because I do not have a lovely springform pan.  I would encourage you to bake the cake this way if you are lucky enough to have a springform pan, as to not interrupt the swirls of the cake.  Additionally, it will make topping the cake easier.

Side note: Why is Firefox telling me ganache is not a word?!  Clearly Firefox has never tasted my friend Cassady's truffles.



For the cake you will need:
1 box chocolate/yellow swirl cake mix (and its ingredient requirements)

For the ganache you will need:
315g (approx 11 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
295ml (approx 1 1/4 cups) double cream (heavy cream)

1. Prepare and bake the cake mix according to the mix's own directions/tailored to your pan choice.

2. Allow cake to cool completely.  If your kitchen is warm, it may be useful to chill the cake after it has reached room temperature.

3. Prepare the ganache by slowly bringing the double cream to a gentle boil.  Remove from heat immediately (do not allow it to scorch or bubble over!) and pour over the chopped dark chocolate in a medium bowl.

4. Set cake on a wire rack over a large backing tray, this will allow excess ganache to drip off when preparing.

5. Allow ganache to cool slightly before spreading a thin layer over the cake to lock-in any stray crumbs. If making a double-layer cake, spread first on the top of the bottom layer, place second layer on and cover all surfaces with thin layer.

6. Allow this thin layer of ganache to set (place in fridge to speed up process) before pouring the remaining ganache over the cake.

7. If ganache has started to thicken, use a flat knife/spatuala to drag the ganache from the center to the side of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

8. I prefer to allow the ganache to set in the fridge before serving.  There is something about cold dark chocolate that I adore, though this quick tempterature change may affect the way the ganache sets so if you're looking for a glisteningly smooth ganache, skip this step.

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Easy Black Forest (of sorts) Cupcakes

Basically, I enjoyed this cake so much that I felt the need to turn it into a cupcake.  So I present an incredibly simple short-cut-filled route to Black Forest Cupcakes.

Note: If you prefer, you can core your cupcakes and fill with the cherry jam instead of having it float on top.  However, that jam WILL leech into the cupcakes, so you'll have to force everyone around you to eat a cupcake before they go bad (I'd give them about 24 hours max). :P  But you'll probably make a lot of friends, so that's fine then! :)

For the cupcakes you will need:
1 recipe Devil's Food cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared
1 jar of black cherry jam/preserves


1. Simply bake the cupcakes as directed.

2. Spread a generous amount of cherry jam in the center of the cupcake's top.

3. Frost (recipe below) using an icing bag, as you will need to start from the outside and swirl in, otherwise the frosting will slip around in the jam.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

You will need:

1 cup butter (two sticks) - room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 tsp clear vanilla
1/4 cup skim milk


1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter.

2. Add milk and vanilla.

3. Add powdered sugar and beat, one cup at a time, until smooth.

4. Frost cupcakes.


Note: Serve same day as cupcakes are topped, as jam will seep into the cake and/or the frosting.  If making in advance, store un-frosted until day of serving.

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Happy Easter! (Cereal box basket)

Less money than ever this Easter.  Therefore I turned a box of Golden Grahams cereal into a basket, lined it with paper colored/cut like grass, and filled it with sweets.  Let the Easter celebrations commence!

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Sweet n Sour Chicken Puff Pastry Roll

I'm not really sure what possessed me to do this initially, but I believe I have now perfected my Sweet n Sour Chicken Puff Pastry Roll.  They are certainly unique, although maybe not to everyone's tastes.  I am not completely mad though, as my mostly-sane manfriend is a fan as well.  The savory crunch of the puff pastry goes quite nicely with the sweet and savory taste of the chicken within.  I've found it best served on a bed of sticky rice topped with  more sweet n sour sauce.  However, it may also be at home with some mashed potatoes.

You will need:
Ready-rolled puff pastry (Approx 12 x 10 inches)
2 large chicken breasts, partially cooked
1 egg
1 500g jar of sweet n sour sauce
2 servings of rice (prepared)

Yield: 4 large rolls

1. Partially bake your chicken breasts until you are able to shred the chicken (or simply cut into very thin pieces).

2. Place shredded chicken into a bowl and add sweet n sour sauce (strained of vegetables if undesired) a little bit at a time until the chicken is completely covered, but not so saturated that the sauce will burst out of the pastry when cooked.

3. Lay out puff pastry sheet and roll slightly thinner.

4. Mark off approximately every 3.5-4 inches (depending on how thin you've rolled it) and line up filling as shown in the photo below.

5. Pull bottom of pastry over the top and press the sides together using a fork.  Trim excess dough.

6. Cut lines in top of pastry to allow venting.  (See second photo below).

7. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg and brush eggwash onto rolls to give it an appetizing shine.

8. Bake at approx 350 F/175 C for 15-20 minutes (unless this varies greatly from the instructions on your puff pastry packaging).

9. Serve on a bed of white rice, drizzled in the remaining sweet n sour sauce.

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Easy Cookies n Cream Cupcakes

These cupcakes are perfect for when you are low on time but want to make something a little different.  The only extra step is crushing the oreos.  Simple!

You will need:
1 sleeve (approx 150g) oreo cookies/chocolate and cream sandwich biscuits
1 recipe vanilla cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared
500ml whipping cream (whipped)
4 Tbsp icing sugar

1. Take 3-4 sandwich cookies and remove the cream from the center.  Crush the cookie halves into a fine dust and set aside.

2. Crush the remaining cookies into medium sized pieces.  Mix these pieces into the prepared cake batter.

3. Finish preparing cupcakes according to recipe instructions.

4. For the topping, combine whipping cream and icing sugar in a bowl, using an electric mixer (or impressive arm muscles and a whisk) to whip the whipping cream until light and fluffy.  ALTERNATIVE: Top with Cool Whip.

5. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with finely-crushed oreos.

Note: Be sure to store cupcakes in refrigerator once 'frosted' with the cream.  Alternatively, store cupcakes and add topping before serving.

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I heart hearts?

I just realised my last three recipes contained heart shapes.  When did this site become so girly?  Oops!  I promise, no hearts in my next recipe.

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Pepperoni and Bacon Pizza

Sooo sick of cardboard frozen pizzas with tomato paste sauce, yet can't afford Pizza Hut!  Time to make my own pizza... This was made for Valentines dinner, it just took me THAT long to post. Awesome dedication to my blog, I know.

You will need:
1 packet quick rise-dry yeast
1 cup water
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 package large pepperoni

1. Combine dry ingredients: salt, sugar, flour, and yeast in a medium bowl.

2. Heat water to 130 F, immediately add water (once heated) and oil.  Stir until thick.

3. Turn dough onto floured surface, kneading for 5 minutes.

4. Return dough to bowl and cover with kitchen towel, let sit for 5 minutes.

5. Roll out dough, keeping in mind it will rise to nearly twice its height (I prefer thick-crust).

7. Grease pan and place pizza crust in center.

8. Use fork to poke holes in dough.

9. Cover with kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 F.

10. Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 10 minutes.  Be sure to have toppings ready.  In this case, I strained some pizza sauce to remove onion bits, grated the mozzarella cheese, and sliced up the bacon.

11. Remove pizza crusts from oven, and cover with toppings.

12. Replace in oven, generally 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted or slightly browned.

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Tips for Picky Eaters! - Sauces

 

 Photo by Ladybug Carnage flickr

I love sauces.  I have a small collection that takes up far too much space in our fridge. Now when I say 'collection' I am not actually kidding. 

List of sauces currently in my flat:
Ketchup
American-Style Mustard
Sweet n Sour Sauce
Soy Sauce
Marinara Sauce
Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
Honey-Chili Sauce
Honey
BBQ Sauce
Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Mayonnaise
Piri Piri Mayonnaise
Worcestershire Sauce
Sweet Chili and Ginger Relish
Salsa
Nacho cheese
French Dressing (American style)
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
and various gravys can be whipped up at a moment's notice

Sometimes when you're a picky eater like myself, you end up eating the same thing over and over and over again in order to avoid aversive tastes.  Especially if you are unable to spend time cooking a grand dinner. Sometimes it IS better to just stick with what you know, especially if you have one food you like that is actually healthy for you.  Sauces are one of the best ways of changing things up.  My love affair with sauces started after sampling the array of british and indian sauces at my boyfriend's parent's house while eating chip shop chips.
But let us take lean chicken breast as an example.  I have invented many different ways of jazzing this up.  One of my favorites is by making Orange Chicken.  I'm also a fan of Sweet n Sour Lime Chicken.

It may also be useful to peruse the sauce isle(s) of your own supermarket and try something new.  

If you're in America, I'm aware that many large supermarkets offer a huge array of BBQ sauces and chinese/japanese cooking sauces. YUM.

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Sweet Potato (American) Biscuits

 

These biscuits are soft and savory.  I found them to taste great with butter (and maybe sprinkled with a bit of sugar!) or with honey.  They are also ideal for sneaking sweet potato into your diet!

You will need:
1 large sweet potato
2 cups flour
5 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
2/4 cup milk




1. Wash and cook sweet potato (either bake or microwave for 6-7 minutes, poke with fork to vent)

2. Allow potato to cool and scoop out and mash insides.  Measure out about 3/4 cup.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl.

4. Using a pastry blender (or two knives/forks), cut butter into dry mixture.

5. Mix in sweet potato and milk, careful not to overmix.

6. Roll dough out to about 1 inch height and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.  The tops of glasses work well for this if you don't have any cookie cutters!

7. Bake at 400°F/200°C on a non-stick surface, greasing if necessary for around 10-12 minutes.

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Triple Layer Black Forest Jam Cake

 Here is the recipe for the Black Forest cake from my Valentines post.  I've always been a sucker for the taste of chocolate and cherry together...... but not so much a fan of actual cherries.  For this reason, I have modified the typical Black Forest cake recipe accordingly.  I've also used a fluffier frosting than usual, the recipe for which can be found below.  It includes more milk and uses flour as a thickener in addition to the icing sugar.  However I'm sure a normal vanilla buttercream would be yummy as well!

You will need:
1 recipe dark chocolate cake batter yielding 3 9x.5-inch cakes, prepared (about the same as 24 cupcakes)

1. Prepare and bake the cake, distributing the mix amongst 3 cake pans.  Reduce baking time accordingly (as smaller cakes will cook faster).



For the frosting you will need:
1/2 cup milk
5-6 Tbsp flour
3-4 cups powdered icing sugar
1 cup (220g) slightly-softened unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Cherry or Black Cherry Jam/Preserves (approx 1 cup)

1. Prepare frosting by creaming butter, sugar, milk, vanilla, and sugar.

2. Continue beating mixture, and add in flour 1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency.

3. Spread jam on the bottoms of the top 2 cake layers.

4. Spread frosting on the top of bottom two cake layers and stack cake.

5. Frost the remaining surfaces and decorate however you see fit!  Mine is (quite obviously) a valentines cake, the decoration frosting has been colored using extra jam.

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Valentines Feast!

I made a heart-themed dinner! :D

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Orion's Lounge: Quick Dishes for the Woman in a Hurry

Tavis over at Orion's Lounge has found a vintage cookbook that is far more amusing than my own 1969 Betty Crocker cookbook.  Read about it here!

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Soft Chocolate Cappucino Cookie Sandwiches

Yet another incarnation of this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook! In this version, I retained almost the same recipe for the base, but changed a few of the amounts/substituted heavy cream for yoghurt.  (Okay, not as healthy as what they were going for, but it's all I had).  The cookies turn out cake-like, a bit like the cookies in a chocolate whoopie pie.  But perhaps even more chocolatey.  Yum!


You will need:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/3 cup heavy cream cream
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Approx 1 1/2 cups sweet whipped cream topping (prepared)


Yield: Approx 14 cookies/7 cookie sandwiches


Paraphrased and modified recipe:  Bake at 350 °F (approx 175 °C)

1. Beat butter or margarine for 30 secs.

2. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa, coffee, baking soda, and cinnamon and beat until combined.

3. Beat in egg whites and heavy cream until combined.

4. Beat in flour.  If mixer stalls, finish mixing by hand, as dough becomes quite stiff.

5. Drop dough, about 2 Tbsp worth, about 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

6. Bake at 350 °F for 8-10 min.

7. Allow to cool, and spread whipped cream on one cookie and top with the second cookie.  Voila!

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Turkey Burgers

For a healthier alternative to red meat burgers, you might want to try making your own turkey burgers.  This was my own first attempt, but they turned out quite yummy!  Here is the recipe I used...

You will need:

1 small/medium egg
4 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1.5lbs/380g turkey breast mince

Yield: Approx 4 large burgers

1. Combine 1 egg, breadcrumbs, onion power, pepper, salt, with the turkey mince.

2. Divide mixture by 4 and roll each into a ball before pressing flat to desired width.

3. Fry burgers on a medium-low heat in a covered frying pan, flipping occasionally, until cooked through.

4. Serve on a toasted bun and your preferred burger toppings.

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Continental Breakfast Cupcake

Okay, so I've clearly been unemployed too long.  Also I've been making too many cupcakes and full English breakfasts.  At which point I must have stared at the two, cross-eyed, and thought 'You know what this cupcake needs?  More toast and bacon.'

Per cupcake, you will need:
1 piece half-cooked bacon
1 slice of bread
1 egg

1. Cut a circular center out of your slice of bread, making it as large as possible.

2. Flatten slightly and press gently into a muffin tin to form a cup.

3. Line the cup with BACON!!!

4. Crack an egg into a liquid measuring cup before guiding the yolk to the front with a spoon.  Spoon yolk into the cupcake first, then fill with the egg whites, careful not to overflow.

5. Bake at 350 F/175 C for 15-20 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Extra BACON?  Or maybe some toast with jam?
If you fancy a full English breakfast cupcake, perhaps it would be a good idea to 'frost' your cupcakes with some baked beans.  Or balance some mushrooms on top? 
Alternative method: Replace toast with PANCAKES.  Though I have not tried this yet.  If you attempt this, I'd suggest greasing the muffin tins.


Apologies for the excitable capslocking :D

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Cranberry Cupcakes w/ Cranberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Yes, I've made a second version of cranberry cupcakes.  For the record, this one is totally superior to the other, at least in taste!  For a more intense frosting/filling, do not use a 'smooth' version of cranberry sauce.  However, a smooth cranberry jam or sauce should go down a treat for picky eaters.

You will need:
1 recipe vanilla cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared
100g smooth cranberry sauce
100g (full fat) cream cheese (room temperature)
150g butter (room temperature)

3-4 Cups powdered (icing) sugar

1. Prepare vanilla cake and pour into lined cupcake tins.

2. Gently add 3-4 1/8 tsp drops of cranberry sauce to different areas of each cupcake (see photo).  Alternatively, you can put a layer of cake batter, then a big ole plop of the cranberry sauce, and cover with more cake batter.

3. Bake cupcakes as directed.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and cranberry sauce.

2. Slowly beat in powdered sugar.


I also suggest topping with anything orange you may have (zest, orange flavored buttons, etc)

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