Tuesday 30 September 2014

QUALITY QUESADILLAS



 
Having recently enjoyed some cracking Quesadilla at Revolction De Cuba I thought it was time to
expand my Mexican repertoire and try and recreate these little bad boys at home. I didn't realise how simple they were to make. Simply load up tortilla with some flash fried onions and peppers and smother with cheese. Give them a little griddle to make them all toasty good and you have a great snack to serve as a meal or as part of a lully spread at your next fiesta!


Monday 29 September 2014

RED HOT QUICHE



You know when you wake up sometimes and just go "oooh I really fancy that for tea tonight". Well
that's the feeling I got this morning and my craving was for a good homemade quiche. Sitting in my fridge was some cooking chorizo, roasted red peppers, red chili and cherry tomatoes. All beautifully glowing ruby ingredients that I thought would work amazingly together hence the birth of my "Red Hot Quiche". A spicy, smoky and sweet dish that was exactly what I wanted!

Sunday 28 September 2014

MATTY'S CHILI AND MINT HALLOUMI KEBABS



Sometimes it's hard to come up with tasty things to do with veggie products. I think I over think things now and then tho, sometimes the simplest creations can be the most tasty. Take these chili and mint kebabs for instance. All you need to do is marinate some Halloumi and veg for an hour, skewer and grill and voila! What's even better is that it's a great way to again use up those odds and ends of veg in your kitchen. The veg below is a suggestion based on flavours and textures I enjoy but feel free to swap or add veg in for what you have or enjoy.

Friday 26 September 2014

WHITE CHOCOLATE "KYLIE TARTLETS"



I prepared these cute little tartlets as dessert for a meal I made for a friend of mine who was staying over whilst we went to see Kylie open her tour in Liverpool this week. They are my little homage to Ms Minouge, tiny little tartlets (we all know good things come in small packages) filled with a luscious creamy white chocolate filling and I decorated the top with some pink sprinkles for that little camp flourish fit for any Kylie fan. The only real work comes in making the pastry, the filling is super simple to make but is delicious, perfect for any princess of pop!

PUNCHY POTATO WEDGES



I had a friend over for dinner the other night. Normally I make dinner when people visit but I have a habit of making thing far too complicated and stressing myself out. This time however I went with southern fried chicken and wedges. Not the hardest thing to make but that doesn't mean they have to be boring. Here is my little recipe for turning the humble wedge into crispy, punchy chunks of potatoy perfection, great for prepping before hand and whacking in the oven when needed so you can spend time with your guests rather than chained to the kitchen.



Monday 22 September 2014

CHEESY CHILI CORNBREAD



When Jon said he would be making slow cooked chili this weekend I still had to find some way to
contribute to the menu. That was when I stumbled across this cheesy chili cornbread. A polenta "dough" packed full of corn, jalapenos and cheese It was an amazingly complimentary side to the chili and something really different rather than just whacking some store bought bread or fajitas on a plate. Best of all it's super simple to make, in fact it couldn't get any simpler even if I tried!

Sunday 21 September 2014

"JAMAICAN ME CRAZY" CAKE



When I adapted this Jamie Oliver recipe for Jamaican Spiced cake I was overwhelmed by the response the pictures got on Facebook and Twitter. I do have to blow my own trumpet though and say this is one of the finest cakes I've  ever made so if your a fan of ginger and Amaretto, you need to run into the kitchen as quick as you can and make this pronto! Whats great about the recipe is that it's so so simple but the result is his phenomenally moist and fluffy cake. I promise you will not be disappointed!

Saturday 20 September 2014

POSH POTATO SALAD



Making a potato salad is a rather simple affair. Potatoes, mayo and some chopped herbs. Done! What you may not know is that by adding a few more ingredients you can really lift up this simple side dish into something really special. All you need is a red onion, caster sugar and red wine vinegar and there you have it! It's ever so fancy and everyone will think it's well posh but they won't know how quick and easy it was for you to make. Don't worry though. I won't tell anyone if you don't? 

Monday 15 September 2014

LIBERTY TAVERN (MATTY B RECOMMENDS)



The Bubble Rooms in Woolton Village was always a fab place to eat and drink so we were sad to see that it had closed this year. However, when we heard it was getting a revamp by top chef Simon Rimmer we were excited to see what changes would be made. There was only one way to see if his changes would still make this venue a top place to visit, go and check it out for ourselves!

Sunday 14 September 2014

REVOLUCION DE CUBA MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)



Revolution bars have always been something that I associate with shot roulette and horrendous hangovers. It's certainly not the first place I would think of going too to enjoy a great meal. That was until we stumbled across Revolucion De Cuba in Manchester's thriving Deansgate area. Their fantastic South American spin off not only has the party vibe of your standard Revolution but has the eats that make it a great and affordable place to bring friends for tasty treats before tearing up the dance floor.

Monday 8 September 2014

SPRUCE UP YOUR SIDES PART 1 (ASIAN-ESQE C+C)



 
 Sometimes we spend too much time focusing on the protein on our meals that the poor old veg can get neglected. This Sunday rather than just knocking out another one shot roast I took the time to spruce up the sides to really make them the star of the show. My first little guide for adding some Asian-esqe sparkle to your cabbage and courgettes is so simple you'll have no excuse for dull lifeless veg every again.

Sunday 7 September 2014

"JAM JAR EMPTYING" BISCUITS



I'm a bit of a jam hoarder. I'll buy a nice looking conserve to use in a bake and then end up with about 3-4 jars in the fridge with tbsp of jam in the bottom which would never be enough to fill a whole cake. This recipe for jammy biscuits is brilliant for using up these bits and bobs as you only need a small about of jam for them and keen bakers should have the rest of the ingredients knocking around for a spontaneous bake. Lets be honest; you would well rather have a biscuit over a slice of toast wouldn't you? Thought So!

Wednesday 3 September 2014

CHEESY CHILI STUFFED SPUDS




I'm British, therefore I love potatoes. Fact!  But even for me there is only so many times you can have mash, chips or roast potatoes until it starts to get just a little bit tiring. Here is a great recipe for jazzing up a roast potato using ricotta, onion, jalapeño and chili jam. So simple to make that you'll never look at a potato the same way again and trust me when I tell you this, these are one of the most delicious things I've ever made. Fact!

OOZY OATY CHOCONANA CAKE



 

My cherry jam filled Bakewell cake seems to be going down a storm online. Thank you all! But what if your not a fan of Bakewell flavours. Well I've switched up the recipe for chocolate lovers out there to make this delicious banana loaf filled with oats and pecans filled with a gooey chocolate sauce in the middle which will ooze out of ever slice. Top that with an oaty, sugary topping well; who could resist that really! 

FABULOUSLY FIERY FRITTATA



Many moons ago I said to Jon that I fancied a frittata. At the time Jon did not."Oh well!" I thought, "maybe some other time". This turned into some kind of in joke between us both that any time we saw a frittata being made on TV or in a magazine that we'd say that some day maybe I'll get my frittata. Well today is the day folks. This is my garlic and chili jam frittata stuffed to the brim with asparagus, mushrooms and (for that spicy kick) jalapeno pepper, all topped off with salty feta. My dream has finally come true!

Monday 1 September 2014

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT VIRTUAL BAKE SALE 2014



Macmillan Cancer Support Virtual Bake Sale 2014 My previous blog post for my
Marvellously Marbled Boozy Bakewell Cake
has now been dedicated to the Macmillian Cancer Support Virtual Bake Sale 2014. It seems to be going down a storm with all you readers and so what better recipe to drum up support so this fantastic initiative.

Click the link below to read more information on this fantastic fund raising idea and if you can take part or simply want to donate then you'll be making me most super happy!