HALLOWEEN "PUMPKA-PIE"

I had quite a bit of pumpkin left over from making my pumpkin spice muffins so I thought whilst I'm enjoying my new found fondness for those orange boulders that I'd give the classic pumpkin pie a whirl. Using my favourite sweet pastry recipe and topping with a layer of delicious dark chocolate this is more suited to serving as a pudding at a Halloween themed dinner party (or after Thanksgiving dinner if your one of my American chums!). It's defiantly a more grown up treat that you can enjoy whilst the little ones enjoy their candy hauls.

MATTYB'S CHRISTMAS CHILI+TOMATO CHUTNEY

My Xmas preparations continue with the batch of my lully chili and tomato chutney. I have made this chutney for the last couple of years now and last year I think I got the recipe spot on. I sat late in the evening and was in heaven spooning it onto ham and cheese and just devouring the lot. It truly is heavenly. What's great is that you can create a large batch in October, leave for the flavors to really meld together and then decant into smaller jars to hand out to your friends and family as gifts in December. It's the chutney that keeps on giving.

HALLOWEEN PUMPKA-SPICE MUFFINS

I can't remember a time when I'd actually eaten pumpkin (Pumpkas as the kiddies used to call them!) so with Halloween around the corner I

thought it would be a perfect time to give some a whirl. With the success of my Christmas muffins I thought I'd give them a trick or treaters twist and give them a more spooky slant. This time I'm frosting my muffins for a sweet treat and adding some delicious pumpkin spice to really make them pop. Your little ghosts and ghouls won't be able to resist. 

CHRISTMAS CRANBERRY MUFFINS

Yaaaaaaay! Christmas is coming. Cards and wrapping paper are creeping onto the shelves and adverts are beginning to appear on the TV. It got me in the mood to bake with some classic Christmassy flavors, cranberries and mixed spice. You have to have a little tipple at Christmas though so I've soaked my cranberries in some Amaretto overnight for an adult punch to these deceptively innocent looking breakfast muffins. After one bite, those comforty Xmas flavours and smells will transport you straight to the 25th December!

SIMPLY SODA BREAD

 

Sometimes it's good to go back to basics. With all the fancy bakes I've done over the years I realised I hadn't made a simple loaf of bread before. So that is what I have done and it's equally satisfying to watch the loaf rise in the oven and come out beautifully golden and smelling delicious. This soda bread is simple, quick to prepare and when sliced and warmed under the grill, absolutely delicious smothered in jam and butter. You'll never want to buy a shop bought loaf again!

BOOZY CHOCOLATE ORANGE SAUCE

How does one make cake even better. Why you serve it with a sauce of course. You could simply pour over a shop bought sauce of some sort but you can't really get that many flavours to suit your need down at your local supermarket. If your really out to treat yourself or impress some guests without breaking the bank why not make this delicious orange and Amaretto chocolate sauce. So decedent and boozy its defiantly one for the grown ups and once you've cracked this recipe you can change it to create an array of flavoured chocolate sauces.

MATTYB'S "3C" LOAF

I came across a recipe for chickpea and tomato bread in Jack Monroe's book "A Girl Named Jack" this

week and really liked the sound of it. I began to look into how you can add more flavours into bread dough and it lead me to experiment and create this cheese, chili and chickpea (the "3C's") tomato bread. It's a unique bread full of nutty warmth and earthy flavours and if your a fan of hummus I think you'll go crazy for a slice so why not try something new and different today! You only live once after all!

JON'S COMFY CARROT AND PARSNIP SOUP

 

The cold nights are starting to creep in. What could be greater on a chilly evening than a big bowl of homemade soup. That's what's greeted me when I came home this evening. Jon had been slow cooking parsnips, carrots and spices to create this beautiful soup that smelt amazing when I walked through the door. It doesn't get better than that really does it! I just had to share his recipe with you so you can feel all lully and toasty inside too! You can all thank him later!

MATTYB BAKES OFFERS - 15% OFF TICKETS TO THE BBC GOOD FOOD BAKES AND CAKE SHOW

The BBC Good Food Bakes and Cakes so is this month and I'm so excited to be going down to check it out! They have notified me of a brand new offer for discounted tickets which I'm happy to share with you now. Find out more about the show by clicking below:

 

The BBC Good Food Bakes & Cakes Show, sponsored by Lexus, launches at the beautiful Business Design Centre in Islington, London from 25-27 October 2014.   Bringing the popular BBC Good Food Bakes & Cakes title to life, the show will be packed with baking, bread-making and cake-crafting demonstrations, free master classes, and hundreds of products to get you baking like a pro.

PLUS!  Don't miss out on seeing your favourite baking stars, LIVE at the show!  Every full day adult ticket includes a seat for the Bakes & Cakes Theatre, where you can watch Mary Berry, Mich Turner, John Whaite, Paul Hollywood, and other expert bakers in LIVE 30 minute baking and technique demos.

Whether you're new to baking or a seasoned baking veteran, the BBC Good Food Bakes & Cakes Show is the perfect place to meet bakers, cake-crafters and confectioners, learn new skills, and pick up all the essentials you need to develop your home baking hobby.

 


Tickets are now on sale and by clicking this link and quoting 15PO  you can receive 15% off tickets! 

 
So what are you waiting for - get your tickets today and you could spend a whole weekend in the company of your baking heroes. I'll be going to sample the treats on offer and I hope that I'll be able to see you there!

*Offer valid on Adult and Concession standard advance tickets only.  Offer ends 24.10.14.  †Standard Bakes & Cakes Theatre seat included per advance standard ticket, subject to availability. Gold seats available for £3 extra per person. All admin and transaction fees included. Ticket terms and conditions apply. Not all celebrities appear on all days, check the website for details. Information correct at time of print. Good Food® Good Food logo© BBC Worldwide.

 

TOFU YAKI SOBA

I love Asian food and one of our guilty pleasures is to take a trip to Wagamamas for a big plate of Yaki Soba. Looking for some inspiration for a pack of tofu we had sitting in the fridge I took inspiration from our many trips there and created a tofu yaki soba so that we could enjoy this little treat from the comfort of our own home. It required a bit of work waiting for the tofu to press and marinate but your patience will yield fabulous results, creating a dish bursting to the brim with tastes of the orient.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

"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!

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? 

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!

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.

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.

"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!

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!

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!

MARVELLOUSLY MARBLED BOOZY BAKEWELL CAKE

There is always time to bake anything the fabulous flavors of the cherry bakewell. This time my inspiration came from a delicious jar of morello cherry jam I picked up from the Castle Bakery in Beaumaris whilst taking a week away in Wales. The marbling effect is so easy to achieve and as it's an all in one recipe it will take you 15 minutes tops to prepare and an hour in the oven and voila! You will have a gorgeous looking loaf cake with the most minimal of effort. It's a winner all round.

SIMPLY CIABATTA

Jon is whipping up a pasta based treat in the kitchen tonight and you can't have pasta with some dippy bread to go with it. My top choice for pasta? Ciabatta of course. Since it's just been featured on the Great British Bake Off I thought it was the perfect time to have a crack at making my own and I have to say it came out spot on and the smell in our flat of freshly baked bread is amazing that I had to share the recipe with you all. Got some time to bake some bread? These loaves should defiantly be next on your list.

CLASSIC COCONUT ICE SQUARES

I've been really inspired recently by Sweets Made Simple on BBC2. Please please check it out if you haven't watched it as Miss Hope and Mr G and their enthusiasm is infectious. It was enough to get me off my bum again to make these delightful coconut ice squares. They require no baking, just a bit of muscle, some time to cool in the fridge and with just four ingredients, they are so easy to make as a homemade treat or gift for friends and family. They are a true classic and now you can make them too!

QUORNLESS RIGATONI RIOT

I'm very much a fan of the vegetarian lifestyle. I'm not one myself but going majorly veggie has helped me to lose a few stone. I do compensate the meat in my meals with a lot of Quorn however I know that a lot of vegetarians might not like Quorn so here is a spicy tomatoy rigatoni dish with big chunks of Aubergine as the "meat" of the dish. Sprinkle two types of cheese over the top and garnish with fresh basil and its so tasty I'm sure even the carnivores out there will be asking for more!

BOOZY BBQ SAUCE (VEGGIE HOT DOGS ABC PART 2)

So you've got you hot dog buns proofing away so what's next? Well you can't have hot dogs with out a sauce. Now there a ketchup/mustard debate about this but if you want to try something different (and a bit more grown up) then give this recipe for a delicious BBQ sauce a go. Sticky, sweet and ever so boozy it's perfect for slathering between your buns. You should be able to have a big batch already in an hour, ready to carry on working your bread.

MATTY'S MILKY BUNS ( VEGGIE HOT DOGS ABC PART 1)

Today is the last day of our holidays so it's time for one last blow out meal and what better way to

treat ourselves than creating one of our favourite meals form scratch. That's right, it's a hot dogs on buns day! Lets start with the buns. These buns are so simple to make - not quick as you have to proof of course but you can get them on the go first and prepare the rest of your meal whilst you wait. Just remember to smooth your buns or you'll end up like knobbly ones like I made to the right (Whoops!)

ONE SHOT SUNDAY ROAST ("TASTE OF THE MED" STYLE)

Another One Shot Sunday Roast now and this one comes inspired from some left over halloumi I had in my fridge from a BBQ we had during our week away in Wales. Using the halloumi as a base, I pooled together other ingredients I had in my cupboards; cannelloni beans, red peppers, tomatoes and basil to create a roast that is a great reminder of holidays around the Mediterranean islands. Throw in some potatoes and you once again have a Sunday roast ready to delight friends and family a-like.

DAMSON DELIGHTS

Damsons are a fruit I'd not even heard of until two weeks ago. Now that I'm more immersed in foodiness I like to see what's in season and they are apparently due to be. Then by a strange coincidence when in the Llanberis slate museum gift shop this week (random I know!) I spied a jar of damson jam and thought it was sign. I snapped up a jar and used it in this recipe for some sweet puff pastry treats that are so quick to make you can have them in your gob in just over 1 hour.

FREDS 50 FOR 50 (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

I have to admit that there is an ulterior motive for this recommendation. This special book containing 50 fab recipes to commemorate Fred the Homepride mans 50th birthday contains two of my very own recipes, the butternut squash quiche with Ashley's twist and my walnut brownies. This is the first time any of my creations will be in print and for me it's a very special occasion and one of my proudest moments. I've pre-ordered my copy and now so can you too!

"TRULY TROPICAL" CAKE

Recently we discovered a fabulous Liverpool business, Childwall Food and Drink. They deliver fantastic fruit and veg boxes straight to your door at, what has to be said fantastic prices. Not one to turn down a bargain we bought ourselves a box and inside was a beautifully ripe pineapple. It's not something I would usually buy so I took the opportunity to bake this mouth wateringly moist banana and pineapple cake slathered with buttery caramel cream cheese frosting. I call it my "Totally Tropical" cake.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHOCOLATE DREAMS

This weekend, inspired by Sweets Made Simple and armed with my new baking thermometer I thought I would try my hand at making some homemade chocolates filled with a soft strawberry cream. Having read up on tempering chocolate I was ready to go and I have to say I think I did a good job. You can see from the main picture that the chocolate isn't 100% smooth however I think that is down to my execution of the technique rather than the recipe itself. I give myself an A* for effort.

BAKEWELL BICCIES

 

My signature bake is my Bakewell tart. It always gets requested by my friends and family and has won me prizes in many a competition. So inspired by week two of the Great British Bake Off 2014 I've gone all biscuity on myself and transformed my fabulous tart into some equally delicious biscuits. All the great taste of that tart but with less fuss and in bite sized pieces. What's not to like!

"THYMEY WINEY" BOLOGNASE

This recipe (I hope Whovians may appreciate the title) is something I rustled up last night using up the ingredients in our kitchen before we head off on holiday. I've made an easy peasy bolognasy before which was packed with chili heat. This bolognase is more fragrant and herby so is much more suited for those who are not a fan of spice. It's so simple and quick and can be knocked up in less than an hour. Perfect if you don't want to spend the whole evening in the kitchen.

CRUNCHY CRISPY CHORIZO PASTA

 Believe it or not summer is still upon us and some days a nice cold pasta salad is the perfect thing for a warm summers dinner. This recipe uses crispy fried chorizo, a sprinkling of pine nuts, some freshly chopped avocado (and a secret ingredient) to create a delicious dish full of flavour punch and different textures to create something that will both stimulate the eyes as well as the taste buds. Its a fabulous quick and simple dish which you can serve as a main or as a side at a BBQ.

ZINGY MELTY MIDDLE MUFFINS

 

I'm not really one for cracking out a cupcake/muffin. For one they can be a bit of a disaster for me taste why and secondly I've never been any good at fancy decoration. However with a new passion fruit and lemon curd I needed to try out and some recipe I thought I'd give these bad boys a go and you know what? They turned out to be quite the yummy both in taste and on the eye.

"3-3-2" PIE

Whats the name all about? Well it's quite simple. This delicious pie has 3 types of cheese, 3 types of mushrooms contained within two types of pastry. I maintain that a true pie should always have a pastry base and lid and I've covered my puff pastry lid with Parmesan whilst the filling is rich full of Cheddar and mozzarella which melts to go all beautifully gooey and stringy. Its such a comforting evening meal ideal for a rainy weekend when you just need something to warm your up from your head to your toes.

CHEESIMATO TART

I love tarts! No don't be smutty, of course I mean a scrummy pastry base filled with a delicious filling. Of course I've made many a sweet tart like my famous bakewell tart but one of my favourite bakes has to be a cheesy tart. Now we all know about Lorraine and her quiche but it's not very original or veggie friendly. Here is my "Cheesimato" tart. Herby pastry lined with tomato chutney, filled with a cheese and onion savoury mix and topped with breadcrumbs and cherry tomatoes. Great for a summer meal!

JON'S TOFFEE "APPLE-BERRY" CRUMBLE

There are some great berries in season at the moment and we are always told that we should eat the seasons. The problem I have is that I'm not a fan of raw fruit so I can only stomach fruit when it's bake. Jon knows this so when we had some fruit in the kitchen about to turn he did the best thing possible and made this beautifully sticky and sweet crumble which I call Toffee "Apple-Berry" flavor. Its so quick to make, uses up all your fresh berries and is so quick to make. Whats not to like?

HOLY STROMBOLI

I'm always looking for different and exciting bakes and not just the sweet variety. Sometimes savoury bakes can be equally delicious. Ive been dabbling with homemade pizzas recently so when I came across the Stromboli it looked like something that would not only challenge me as a home baker but would also be amazing as part of a weekend picnic tea. A scrummy pizza dough lined with basil, mozzarella and cured meat all rolled up into a beautiful parcel that once sliced really does have the "wow factor".

ROCKIN' CRUNCHIE (ICE CREAM SUNDAY PT 3)

I hadn't made any ice cream for a while so I though it was time to crack out another "Ice Cream Sunday" recipe. This time I'm going for a true weekend treat. This is a beautifully creamy, smooth and rich Crunchie ice cream which big and little kids a like will really enjoy. The recipe uses Crunchie rocks which you can find in most supermarkets but you can use bash some Crunchie bars with a rolling pin instead if you can't find them. 

Whip some up today to serve with your Sunday pud. You know you want to!

"WINEY" CHICKEN

The weekend is her and it's start to think about this weeks Sunday Roast. It's also been a very long week in work so it's time to crack open the wine and relax for the weekend. White wine and chicken is a classic combination but I only really see it in stews and casseroles but never really on a whole roast bird. Here I've created a fantastic marinade that really pumps that wine flavor into your roast, complimented with some garlic, lemon and fresh herbs for a delightfully fragrant and oh so adult Sunday Roast. Prepare and marinade the night before and
you certainly won't be a "winey" diner!