SUPER GREEN SOUP

I've got another super duper soup recipe for you and this one is for those who love their greens. Kale and spinach are the stars of the show today and whilst they can be notoriously bland and uninteresting when handled incorrectly this soup shows you how they can be turned into something magnificent. All you need are some chilli, garlic and chorizo to give your soup oomph and onions and potato to give it body and you have all you need for a brilliantly simple and delicious broth.

£3 OFF CAKE AND BAKE SHOW TICKETS (MATTYB OFFERS)

I'm very excited to offer all my readers an exclusive offer of £3 off tickets for any of the "Cake and Bake Shows 2015" All you need to do is quote the following code when booking tickets online:

CAKE313

I went to the show last year and really enjoyed my day which included watching a live demonstration by Paul Hollywood. Click read more below for more information on this fabulous foodie day out!

EPICURED LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

It's great to see Liverpool's food scene expanding especially those small independent eateries choosing to open their doors away from the crowds of Liverpool One. Strolling to work the other day I saw a sign urging me to walk up Gradwell street to Epicured. Describing themselves as an "independent, pocket sized and unique destination" for lunch I thought it would be a fabulous place to take breather from work and treat myself to a little me time. So off I popped. Literally a stones throw away from Hanover street I walked in to a warm and friendly welcome.

PATTERSONS LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Anyone who loves meat has to love fried chicken. Well I know I do that's for sure! So when I heard Patterson's Chicken and Tunes bar had recently opened close to my work in Liverpool city centre, I knew I had to give them a try. So armed with an empty stomach, a friend and I headed off to see if the chicken described as "crispy, tender and so tasty" on their website stuck to its word.

LAMPLIGHTER DINING ROOMS, WINDERMERE (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

I've just returned from a rather delightful Hen weekend away at the Lakes. Saturday evening included dinner at the Lamplighter Dining Rooms in Windermere and what a treat it was. Having taken a look online after the meal it was repeatedly referred to as the "best meal in Windermere" and going by my experience, I can wholeheartedly agree.

"AMARETTIETTO" CAKE

Anyone that has been following my recipes for a while will know that I love the taste of Amaretto and I'll find any way to shoehorn it into any recipe I can. This cake is a double pronged attack. Not only is the sponge laced with boozy Amaretto but the centre of the cake is also lined with Amaretti biscuits across the centre which go deliciously chewy during baking as well as being crumbled over the top of some very naughty cream cheese frosting to give a crunchy finish to my most naughtiest cake to date!

VOTE FOR MATTYB BAKES TO BE "FLAVOUR OF THE NEIGHBOUR HOOD"

Exciting times at MattyB Bakes! I've been shortlisted for Hotel Indigo's "Flavors Of The Neighborhood" competition. They are searching for the nation's favorite local food hero and I really need all my readers support to help me become a finalist were the blog could receive a lot of regional and national press coverage. I'm always wanted to reach out the more people so please click on any of the links on this post or on the picture of one of the judges, Jimmy Doherty above to be taken to the "Flavors Of The Neighborhood" app and place your vote for my little blog (I'm on page nine I believe!). 

Voting closes on the 23rd February so there is only less than a week to vote but it will only take you a minute and I would really be over the moon if you take the time to read this or any of my blog posts and enjoy what you read to please support the blog and help me become a finalist.

Thank you, my wonderful, beautiful readers. We can do it!

HEALTHY DIGESTIVE BISCUITS (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

 

My good friend Sarah James, creator of the fantastic blog "Tales From The Kitchen Shed" has done it again. Not only content with creating the best bread roll recipe I have ever made (Ted's Rolls - check them out if you haven't already!) but she has only gone and gone one better with these "Healthy Digestive Biscuits". I loved the sound of them so I took advantage of a Monday day off to give them a whirl. Were they as good as they looked? By jolly they were and then some!

AFTER EIGHT DELIGHT

Check this bad boy out! I'm not normally one for going mad with cake decorations but my creative juices were really flowing yesterday when I created this delicious mint chocolate cake filled with delicious mint and lime curd and smothered with "After Eight" icing. Then by simply decorating with some left over mints and a few chocolate buttons you have yourself a masterpiece that is going to wow at any party or dinner table. If you a fan of chocolate (who isn't!) and mint then this is the celebration cake for you.

CLASSICS REVISITED: EASY PEASY BOLOGNASY

Yes, the recipe with the most cringy name is getting a revamp. My original recipe makes for a super fast, lower calorie version of the humble spaghetti bolognase. This new jazzed up version is still super simple to make but adds a few bits and bobs that might not be as kind to your waistline but you won't be thinking of that when your tucking into this Italian comfort food classic. If your looking for something that is going to take you right back to your mama's home cooking then this is going to become your go too recipe.

CAKE AND BAKE SHOW 2015 COMPETITION!

I had a great time visiting the BBC Cake and Bake Show in London last year and therefore I'm very pleased to help announce that the show will be back for 2015 along with a brand new competition! 

V-PUD, SAUSAGE AND CUMIN SQUEAK!

Veggies behold! Welcome to the wonderful world of the V-Pud, vegetarian black pudding. Created by "The Real Lancashire Black Pudding Company Ltd", this fabulous vegan friendly black pudding is (in my eyes) an absolute revelation and means that you can now make delicious veggie friendly meals which can traditionally use this British delicacy such as  "Bubble and Squeak". Potatoes, greens, veggie sausage and V-Pud fried up with cumin seeds and served with grated cheese and soy bacony bits - you are in for a right old treat!

RICE BOWL MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

To have over 700 reviews on TripAdvisor and still be in the top thirty restaurants in a major city is no mean feat and The Rice Bowl in Manchester is currently rocking those statistics. I'd heard great things about this Chinese stalwart of the Manchester food scene however when a friend and I rocked up here just before Christmas to be turned away due to being too busy I knew I had to come back armed with a reservation. Somewhere this packed has to be doing something right!

HOORAY FOR HOMEMADE HUMMUS

I love hummus! Dipping in a warm pitta bread, spreading on a butty or scooping it up with tortilla chips, it makes for a more healthier snack compared to shoving a whole bar of chocolate down your throat. When I made my own at home I was blown away by the sheer volume that I produced, how simple it was to make, how much more delicious it tastes than shop bought and finally how much cheaper it is to make your own than buy those little tubs in supermarkets. When you factor all that in, whats not to love about homemade hummus.

MATTYB'S BARA B

With St David's day just over a month away it's time to get my welsh inspired bake on. When I went on holiday to North Wales last year I saw Bara Brith being sold in many of the bakeries and tea shops around the area and it really caught my eye. A yummy mixed spice fruit loaf made either with yeast (for the super traditional) or without, the dried fruit and candied peel used in the dough/batter is soaked in tea overnight before being added to really make this bake a great afternoon treat. Why not give my yeast free version a go this coming 1st March.

HAIRY BIKERS CHILI SALAD BOWLS (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Check these bad boys out! Don't they look incredible! They are crispy tortillas filled with lettuce, chili, fresh tomatoes, spring onion and grated cheese. They are one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. I cannot take credit for creation of the idea though. That goes to the Hairy Bikers. If you have never seen any of their Hairy Dieters books then this is my public service announcement to tell you that you need to go and buy them immediately. Trust me, it'll be one of the best things you ever do with your life!

FABULOUS MEXICAN FRITTER

I do love Mexican food. That more subtle chili heat that you get compared to those blow your mouth off spicy curries you get in Indian cuisine and the use of all those fresh tomatoes, pepper etc that create in my eyes some of the best dishes in the world. However, as much as I have all this love for Mexican treats there is only so much chili con carne and tortilla based dishes a boy can take. So I've created this new Mexican inspired dish. A chili sweetcorn fritter topped with a fresh Mexican salsa topped with grated cheese. Simple, yet oh so scrummy!

MATTYB IS OFF TO BRUSSELS... AND NEEDS YOUR HELP

We are off on our holidays! I'm so excited to be going on my travels abroad for the first time in over two years and we are heading to the land of chocolate and waffles: Brussels!

This is where you come in - I love hunting out great new foodie hangouts in the UK but I can honestly say I have zero knowledge of the Belgian food scene.

Therefore I reach out to all the lovely people who take the time to read my blog and I ask for you hints and tips on great places to eat, drink and visit (food markets etc) in Brussels and the surrounding areas. Please leave your suggestions in a comment below and hopefully I'll be able to get to visit as many of your top haunts as possible and share my experiences here in the near future.

Thank you to you all!

LEFTOVER SPAG BOL PIZZAS

Remember those little frozen bread pizzas you can get that your mum used to give to you when you were little for dinner when she couldn't be bothered cooking. Boy they were delicious in a dirty kind of way weren't they. I loved them so when my eyes stumbled across a nice loaf we had bought and some left over spag bol from the previous night there was only one thing that crossed my mind: lets recreate these little guilty pleasures with fabulous fresh ingredients and mighty fine leftovers and see if you can lift them to the next level. 

KRAZEE KRANSEKAGE

I love everything Scandinavian. Not that I have ever been their (although it's on the bucket list!) but having watched many shows about the culture, beautiful natural landscape and their fabulous cuisine I was keen to try and bake my own little tribute to my Scandi neighbors. That was when I came across the Kransekage. A traditional ringed tower of spectacular looking sugary marzipan treats served by the Danish and Norwegians at special occasion, I've down sized them to little bite sized treats that will be perfect to serve at afternoon tea.

MATTYB BAKES IS BLOG OF THE DAY!

I'm please to announce that I will be the Onvation's "Blog Of The Day" on their "Blog Of The Day App" on the 22nd January 2015.

This fabulous app dedicates a whole 24hrs to a different blog each day and is a brilliant way to discover new and exciting blogs that you may not have come across before. Best of all it is completely free!

 I would like to thank them for helping me reach out to more people. I'm always looking to share this little hobby that's becoming a real passion of mine with as many people of possible.

Why not give it whirl and download the app here. Who knows who you will discover next!

MINTY SMASHED POTATOES

Earlier in the month I showed you how to show your spuds a bit of love with my salt crust baked potato recipe. They are amazing but what if one doesn't have the time or ingredients to make a salt dough? Well you still don't have to neglect your taters. Try this super easy alternative, smashed potatoes which you can cover in any delicious filling you like. I'm going to show you a delicious topping using my homemade mint sauce and a tub of creme fraiche. Incredibly simple but they will look irresistible when you present them at your table.

QUICKIDY QUICK MINT SAUCE

  I know I like to harp on about it but making your own sauces, dips and relish is so easy and they always taste so much better than shop bought versions. Today is Sunday which can only mean one thing. It's Sunday roast time! Whilst I may not be serving it with a big fat lamb shank, this super simple recipe for a fresh and fabulous mint sauce will work wonders when trickled over your roast potatoes. Try it next Sunday and see for yourself! I promise you will fall in love with this tangy treat.

CLASSICS REVISITED: PERFECT PEPPERY PICO DE GALLO

One of my early recipes was part of my Mexican trilogy, a delicious and fresh tomato and jalapeno salsa. It still holds it's own today and is much better than any shop bought version you could buy. Having educated myself over the last year of blogging and kitchen adventures I have learnt that the Mexicans would refer to this type of raw salsa as a "pico de gallo" and that there are many ways you can jazz up that basic pico base that made up my original recipe to give it an extra flavor punch. In my second revisited classic I have just done this that.

MATTYB'S CITRUS BURST CAKE

It had been so long since I last baked that I was getting withdrawal symptoms. Then along came a day off work and it was time to get back in that kitchen and do what I love best; bake a loaf cake. I love to experiment with my loaf cakes and this time I have gone for one packed full of citrus zing inspired by some oranges I had in my fridge. Be warned, if your not a fan of lemons or oranges then stay clear of this recipe but if you do love that citrus zing your going to love cutting into it and letting the lemon curd filling burst all over the place.

SCRUMPTIOUS SCRUMPY CHASSEUR

The cold winter evenings drive on and so does the need for a good warm meal in the evening. We can't spend all January eating soups though so what this calls for is a little cheeky chasseur but with my little twist. This veggie friendly stew is perfect for throwing in your favorite winter veg and contains oodles of a good strong scrumpy instead of the traditional wine (well they are both made from fruit at the end of the day so who's bothered). It's a yummy winter warmer that will have you all roasty toasty in no time!

"SORT YOURSELF OUT" BROTH

There is a lot of illness around at the moment I've never known anything like. I hate feeling under the weather, I think the term "man flu" was invented with me in mind. There is only one things for it! Its time to rustle up a huge pan of rustic homemade chicken and vegetable broth with a good old glug of red wine (for medicinal purposes of course). Packed full of carrots, kale, celery, mushrooms and beans, all you need is a couple of bowls of this pasta filled broth and you'll be back on your feet before you know it.

CLASSICS REVISITED: JALFREZI FRENZY

Having blogged for nearly a year now, I'm always pushing myself to try new things and I think my abilities at both writing and cooking have improved so much since then which always goes to show that practice makes perfect. I've been looking over past recipes and started thinking "I could really make some improvements on these". My original recipes will be great for kitchen novices but here is the first of my revisited classic recipes which add that little extra for more experienced foodies wanted to push themselves; my veggie jalfrezi.

SALT BAKED POTATO PARCELS

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the main part of a meal we often forget to lavish the same amount of attention on your sides. Spare a thought then for the humble jacket potato, thrown in the oven and told to get on with it. Well, give them a bit of attention by baking them in a salt dough and you'll have the finest potato ever to grace your plate. Not much to talk about here really, the recipe below will be enough to cover 2 medium sized jackets. Scale up the measurements as required and prepare to be amazed;

ROASTY SMOKEY CHORIZO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

So Christmas is over and those chilly winter nights are getting colder. What this calls for is this delicious soup made with chorizo and butternut squash, roasted in the oven in an array of delicious herbs and spices and then garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche and onion chutney for a final little flourish. It's such a deep and warmly smoky tasting soup you will feel the worries of the day wash right away right after your first spoonful. I can't think of anything better to tuck into on a cold January evening.

SUPER SPECIAL SPICY SHAKSHOUKA

Some of my adventures in the kitchen come from wanted to making something delicious with a particular ingredient that I have lying in the kitchen. I take this one ingredient, research dishes which use them and then try and put my little twist on them. This recipe for Shakshouka came from wanting to use up some cooking chorizo that I had left over and I'm glad I found out about it as it was defiantly a super special spicy tomato treat. Its fabulously easy to make too and great for dishing up for breakfast, brunch or dinner.

MY DEAR MADEIRA CAKE

Spare a thought for the poor Madeira cake. Consigned to the selves of supermarkets in dense little tasteless prepackaged blocks and derived by many there must surely be a way to make this forgotten tea time treat something special again. My answer? Booze of course! As it's just after Christmas this is the perfect time to use those last little bits of leftover Madeira wine in your cupboards to breath some life into this classic British bake. It's super easy to make that you won't need to buy those nasty shop bought versions ever again.

LEFTOVER SPROUT CHEESY BAKE

So it's Boxing day and your rolling around your house full to the brim with turkey, potatoes and miscellaneous cake and chocolate based treats. Not only that but your fridge and cupboards are also probably still bursting with the copious amounts of food that you bought. That's right folks! Its time to start getting rid of the leftovers and this cheesy vegetable bake is a scrumptious way to get rid of the most divisive Christmas veg of them all; the Brussels sprout.

"DIET STARTS MONDAY" MAC AND CHEESE

I'm well aware that there is a recipe on this blog for a lully low cal alternative to your regular Mac and Cheese. However recently, now that the cold is biting and the darkness descends over Liverpool earlier and earlier each day you just need to have something that just makes you feel all warm and cosy inside. So forget that diet and tuck into this truly satisfying mac and cheese,peppered with crunchy onions and mushrooms and then covered in a beautifully crisp and golden brown bacony breadcrumb blanket.

HALLOUMI PIZZAS IN A HURRY

I do love a good pizza, particularly my homemade ones. Homemade is always best in my eyes. Proofing pizza dough is all well and good when you have a the time to prepare it but what if you come in after a hard days work and need pizza NOW!!!! Well no need to shout. Grab yourself a packet of puff pastry from out of the freezer and it's simple; defrost said pastry, roll it out, spread over tomato sauce, add toppings of your choice and your done! A yummy twist on pizza in no time at all!

"FOR MY NAN" PICKLED RED CABBAGE

My Nan used to love pickled red cabbage. With a big bowl of Scouse, shepherds pie or any kind of stew she would spoon in mounds of it and I have to say it's a taste that I have definatly inherited from her. I've not had any for ages so as I was on a bit of a pickling spree for Christmas I thought it would be the perfect time to make a nice big batch in honour of my Nan. Mine uses red wine and balsamic vinegars with mustard seeds and bay leaves to give it really sweet edge. Hopefully when I give this out as gifts this year, I'll pass on that love to my friends too.

CHRISTMAS OILS PART 2: CHILI

So you have had a go at my garlic and rosemary oil (hopefully cloudless!). Hope your enjoying it on your roasties! Next up is my second one, a fabulous spicy chili oil. Chili oil is great for using as a base for a curry, stir fry or just for simply dipping in bread in an anti-pasti kind of way. It so simple to make and can be done on a lazy afternoon. All you need is a large pan, lot of oil and an array of chili's and you can create a second oil which you can give out on it's own or as a duo with your garlic and rosemary oil.

CHRISTMAS OILS PART 1: GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Homemade Christmas gifts are the best. Just by putting in a little bit of time and effort to prepare your own little prezzies can sometimes mean a lot more to most than a thoughtless last minutes present grab from the shop. Here is my first flavoured oil, garlic and rosemary and you can make enough for around 6 people just by taking an afternoon out to get your infusing on. Decant it into little fancy bottles which you can find cheap online, decorate with ribbon and labels and your recipients are going to adore it.

APPLE STRUDEL SNAKE

My apple turnovers went down a treat last weekend. Well with me anyway I must of eaten about 6. Proper little pig me! What is a boy to do when he doesn't have any puff pastry to hand. I ain't making any (ain't nobody got time for that!). Lucky for me I had some filo pastry sheets to hand so I thought it would be perfect to use the same filling but create a stunning strudel instead. So this time you get that warm cinnamon spiced apple, apricot and raisin filling but this time wrapped in a beautiful crispy filo snake. Another wonderful winter treat!

LEFTOVER NUT ROAST PIE

 

So I've shared my perfect nut roast recipe earlier in the month and let me tell you something, it's well lush. However sometimes, try as you might you can't always eat wants in front of you especially if you have issues with portion control like I do. This recipe uses all your left over nut roast and the trimmings from your Sunday roast and transforms it into a fabulous next day meal. A delicious dinner and no waste. It's a win/win situation all round really!

MATTY'S RED HOT MEAT FEAST PIZZA

When you come in on a Saturday after a hard week in work there is only one thing you need and that is to stuff yourself with a big fattening greasy takeaway that you clearly know is bad for you but hey, you deserve it, you've worked hard. Don't waste your hard earned pennies on pizza shop prices though and get on my new pizza recipe for a cheesy, meaty, chili feast with delicious cheesy stuffed crust. Yes, you need to wait a bit for the dough to proof but it's well worth the wait when your shoving those slices in your mouth!

AA TURNOVERS

It doesn't get more comforty than an apple pie does it? But what does one do when you don't have or can't be bothered making a shortcrust. Bring out our old friend, the frozen pack of puff pastry and you can whip up some apple turnovers instead. For added flavor I have added apricots and raisins into these triangular treats and stewed them in sugar and a good spoon full of cinnamon to really make them pop. The perfect winter pudding to warm you up on a chilly evening! 

VEGGIE "COTTSHEP" PIE

I was just going to call this a veggie shepherds pie but then I realised that as its meat free you could call it a cottage pie too. Either way you look at it, this winter classic of an array of vegetables simmered in a herby vegetable stock and covered with lashings of cheesy mash is the perfect comfort food meal now that the chilly evenings are drawing in. Best of all, finish it off with a flash grill to create those fantastic cheesy crispy bits of mash that you will all be fighting for come dinner time.

"COMFORT DAY" BUTTIES

Got a hangover? It's never pleasant is it? It's time to give yourself a comfort day. When I'm a little
worse for wear there is nothing I love more than a good stack of egg butties laced with spicy pickles and lashings of mayonnaise. This little guide below my secret to the perfect egg sarnie that will sort anyone out, plus they're simple to make so you don't have to spend too much time standing up which is always traumarific with a banging head.

All you need is the following:

DAUPHIN' "PHWOAR" POTATOES

Potatoes can be ever so boring can't they. There is only so many times you can roast, boil or make

jackets out of them. In the past I've made boulangere with them and stuffed potato skins but if that still doesn't tickle your fancy why not do dauphinoise. Traditionally there are no onions in dauphinoise but I like the added layer of sweetness and texture that they add. Leave them out of you wish but give it a go, it's a tasty addition I promise you. Cheesy, creamy and packed with nutmeg and pepper, these bad boys will perk up any Sunday roast.

LULLY LEMON AND POPPYSEED RICOTTA CAKE

Its a lemon fest this weekend at MattyB Bakes. You have had a try at the Classic Lemon Tart but what about if you really fancy having a scrummy lemon cake instead. Well with the left over ricotta cheese from the 3C Pasta bake you can whip up this amazingly moist sponge cake dotted with crunchy poppy seeds and covered in a beautifully sticky icing. Its a different take on the traditional lemon sponge cake but one that I think you will agree really sits alongside those classic recipes it in terms of both texture and taste!

"EMPTY YOUR FRIDGE" FRIED RICE

It's the day before your holidays and you still have a lot of veg and eggs in your fridge that are going to go to waste if you can't use them pronto. What do you do? Whip up an egg fried rice! So simple to do, all you need are some eggs and cold rice and whatever bits and bobs you have in your fridge and hey presto you have turned your miscellaneous veg and dairy that was destined for the bin into a great meal that not only prevents waste but tastes so much more better and fresher than something you would get in your local chippy!

3C STUFFED PASTA BAKE

For some reason we didn't think we liked Ricotta. Don't ask me why I have no idea it's just one of those things we had got into our heads until one day we realised we hadn't actually eaten it (like ever!) and my philosophy is to always try everything once. So we did and I'm pleased we did otherwise we wouldn't have made this fabulous herby ricotta stuffed pasta bake. It's so cheesy and scrumptious, another fab dish to warm your cockles on these cold, dark November evenings. It's what the winter was made for!

MATTYB'S MANGO CHUTNEY

The Christmas jam and chutney marathon continues but this time with something new. Having stumbled across Nigella seeds whilst perusing around Spice Mountain's stall at Borough Market I snapped them up with thought of trying out a mango chutney this year. Great on a cheese board or with that turkey curry you make with your leftovers, it's another fab homemade gift you can dish out this Christmas time that will really put a smile on the face of your friends and family.

BISTRO 1847 MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

I'm not a vegetarian, however having lived with a pretend one for nearly nine years I've become accustomed to eating many a meat free meal and a lot of my blog recipes are veggie friendly. I do get frustrated that some eateries are off limits due to a lack of veggie options that Jon actually likes (risotto and goats cheese are a no no) so Bistro 1847 is a godsend. Whenever we have visited in the past there has always been top notch meat free farye that is so beautifully presented and delicious that it makes you wonder why you ever need a slab of meat on your plate. With the arrival of their new Autumn menu we decided it would be a great time to see if their new dishes excelled as much as those we had enjoyed so much in the past. Sure enough, it was once again an absolute treat!