BOOZY BISCOTTI

It felt like a just the time for baking biscuits this weekend. It had been a while since I'd made some , crunchy sweet biscuit treats and even longer since I'd made some twice baked biscotti over two years ago when I gave them out as gifts at Christmas. With that in mind I took an old classic recipe and jazzed it up in the best way I could think of; by adding alcohol to the mix. These flaked toasted almond, amaretto and raisin biscotti are super crunchy and ideal for dunking into your tea on a wet Sunday afternoon.
nibbly

INSTANT COFFEE CAKE

When things are a bit hectic in your life but you still want to do something nice for friends, family or for the fantastic nursing staff at the Royal Liverpool hospital who have been looking after your poorly loved one, my instant coffee cake is the perfect recipe for you. Instant in that being an all in one recipe you can bung everything in a bowl, beat and bake and have a fantastic cake all ready in under 1 hour. Add a bit more time to make an instant coffee marscapone topping and you have a yummy treat for any girl on the go!

SUMMER SMOOTHIES: BREAKFAST ON THE GO

Next in my series of summer time smoothies comes this delicious oaty version that is brilliant for a breakfast time treat and ideal for whipping up the night before, leaving in your fridge and then grabbing in the morning if you don't have time to enjoy a proper sit down brekkie. This recipe is a simple strawberry and banana version with a smidge of honey for sweetness but you can experiment with different fruit to suit your own taste and create your very own individual and unique "Breakfast On The Go".

INGRID'S CURRY WEDGES

Our dear friend Ingrid commented on one of my posts recently suggesting I gave this a go. Curry powder, thyme and salt baked wedges! She said it was a right treat and she certainly was not lying. I've add some chili and garlic into the mix as well for extra oomph. I'm not sure if this is how she makes them but I've taking her idea, ran with it and given birth to these fluffy yet crispy bad boys and so I dedicate this recipe to her for giving me the inspiration. X 

DIRTY DEEP FRIED MAC AND CHEESE BALLS

Ladies and gentleman please feast your eyes on the most dirtiest, heaviest creation to ever grace Matty B Bakes. These balls of mac and cheese and chorizo dipped in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried are so incredibly naughty that if they didn't taste so absolutely awesome you would feel so guilty that you would be handing yourself into the police straight away for crimes against your waistline. They do take a while to prepare but trust me once you have your first, you will see they are well worth the wait.

2-4-£20 CAKE AND BAKE SHOW TICKETS

With the October Cake and Bake Shows are fast approaching here is an exclusive offer of 2-4-£20 tickets, great for those who haven't picked there's yet. What are you waiting for!

MATTYB'S GREEK SALAD

The flavors of Greece are fabulous. I've used the like of feta and halloumi in a couple of my recipes over the years but I've never attempted to give thee ultimate Greek dish a whirl. That my friends is the Greek salad. I'm jazzing my version up by baking a marinaded block of feta in the oven and then serving it on top of a fresh salad fulled of little treats all dressed in a sharp and zingy herby lemon and vinegar dressing.  It's so quick to prepare but will look an absolute delight when you bring it over to the table ready for everyone to dig in!

PRONTO PASTA SAUCE

Pasta smothered in a tomato sauce! Why that's one of our favorites over at MattyB Bakes towers. Sometimes when you don't want the heaviness of a bolognase or a lasagne, a chili, garlic and basil flavored tomato based sauce with a few mushrooms and little sweet peppers topped with soft and stringy mozzarella is all you need. The best part of a pasta sauce though is that you can knock one up in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for busy folk or when it's a day when you just need something no frills and delicious.

URBAN COOKHOUSE MANCHESTER (MATTY B RECOMMENDS)

Manchester's food scene continues to grow and grow with numerous new places to eat popping up on what almost seems to be a weekly basis. One such venue is the Urban Cookhouse which was handily close to the hotel we were staying in during our latest visit to Manchester and with an appetizing looking menu on offer we thought we would go check it out!

SUMMER SMOOTHIES: TOTALLY TROPICAL

Not all smoothies need to contain yoghurt to make them delicious. In the third of my series of

delicious summer smoothies I've used some tinned pineapples, peaches and banana along with a good swig of complimentary pineapple juice to create another refreshing concoction perfect for cooling you down on a blistering warm day. Its also great for vegans out there as well as those who are lactose intolerant, why should they miss out on all the smoothie action!

FABULOUS FRESH GREENS FRITTATA

Remember when there was a time when me having a frittata was a rare thing. Well when I did get around having one and created my fabulously fiery frittata I vowed that I wouldn't leave it so long until I made another. Nearly on year later and it was about time I stuck that promise and so long along came this equally scrummy fabulous spring green frittata. This time using peas, asparagus, potatoes and chili jam, a final sprinkling of feta cheese makes this one pan dish great for tucking into on a warm summers evening.

CAKE AND BAKE SHOW TICKET GIVEAWAY

The October Cake and Bake Shows (in association with NEFF) are nearly upon on us and it's my privilege to be able to offer you all two chances to win a pair of tickets to the show of your choice. The October shows are taking place at London, (2nd – 4th October) Manchester (16th – 18th October) and Edinburgh (30th October – 1st November) and (judging my the events at the last show in Harrogate in June) promise to be incredible with a host of celebrity chefs, demonstrations and of course, oodles of cake and other yummy treats all for you to come and watch and sample!

SPICY BEAN BURGER BONANZA

We eat a lot of veggie burgers down at Matty B Bakes towers and we can honestly say we have never been fussed on bean burgers. They just never really feel like your eating a burger in the same way that the like of Quorn burgers do, especially for myself being a carnivore. Of course though I have a mantra and that is that everything always tastes better when it's homemade and when it comes to these beautiful bean burgers that is defiantly 100% true. All you need is a tin of beans, an onion and some herbs and spices and your ready to roll!

CHEEKY CHERRY CAKE

Cherry flavors in cakes and bakes is always going to be a winner in my kitchen. My Bakewell tart and boozy marbled Bakewell loaf cake are testament to this fact. For the ultimate in cherry bursting flavor and for those you aren't a fan of that almond frangipane taste you can't go wrong with plopping some actual cherries into your bake. It saves on having to resort to using jam or flavoring which is also a plus. This cheeky boozy little number is super easy to make and can be whipped up in no time or an impromptu adult only cakey feast!

ROZAFA MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

I spend quite a bit of time in Manchester going to concerts and gigs and several times I had walked past Greek restaurant Rozafa and thought "you know what, we should really give them a go one day". Today that day finally arrived and we finally took a walk down to see if the food could take us back to our holiday in Rhodes a few years ago. The weather certainly was doing that as it was in the centre of a Great British heatwave so all Rozafa needed to do was provide the authentic Greek dishes to send us back to that fabulous island!

SUMMER SMOOTHIES: MIXED BERRY

My next installment of summer smoothie madness is this delicious mixed fruit version. What's great about this recipe is that it shows how you can boost the goodness of your smoothies using a mixture of both fresh and frozen mixed berries. The joint pleasure of this is that you get the fresh fruity burst of the fresh berries as well as the cold hit of frozen berries which gives an instant chill to the smoothie without the need for having ice cubes around which you may not always have in your freezer. From ingredients to glass in less than 5 minutes! Perfect!

"DIRTY" REFRIED BEAN BAKE

Now when I say dirty I don't mean that in an actual filthy kind of way. That would just be wrong now wouldn't it! What I mean it is that this refried bean bake is just so wrong that it is just oh so right, one of those guilty pleasures that you know you shouldn't be in love with but you could eat by the bucket load. What's great about this too is that although you can make it from scratch if you so please, it's the perfect quick dish to knock together when your pressed for time using simple store cupboard ingredients.

WIMBELDON "GRASSHOPPER" PIE

Nigella Lawson's Grassshopper pie is one of my most favorite things to make. That creamy, minty and most importantly boozy filling on a chocolate biscuit base is a dessert that is so easy to make and delicious in these warm summer evenings. With Wimbledon now in full swing I decided I to put my own spin on this classic dish by using a strawberry and cream liquor instead of the usual creme de menthe to create a pretty pink pie packed with those traditional Wimbledon flavors. Place it centre court on your dinner table and it's game, set and match.

SUMMER SMOOTHIES: STRAWBERRY, LIME AND BANANA

You might find this bizarre what with me being a total foodie but I have a proper aversion to eating

raw fruit. It's a texture thing more than a flavor thing. I just can't handle it! Blend it into a smoothie though and I'm sorted. With summer here and a beach body needed to be achieved before October and the super warm days now upon us here in the UK, here is my first summer smoothie recipe. a simple strawberry, lime and banana connection that's great to get down you at breakfast time or as a refreshing afternoon treat!

"BLOW YOUR SOCKS OFF" CHILI JAM

Having been getting my preserving groove on this week with my Deli Dilly Chili Pickles I'm proper on the no waste train. Faced with a bag of mini red chili's with no chance of using them before the use by date there was only one road to go down; make a batch of chili jam. It's so simple to do, prevents you wasting chili's and the end product is a chili jam that certainly does pack a punch. When I first tasted it, it really did blow my socks off! Be warned, this is not a jam for the faint hearted so spice averse folk stay well clear!

TASTY TATER TOTS

In my continuing quest to find exciting ways to jazz up dinner time potatoes I think I may of hit upon the finest potato based creation yet. Ladies and gentleman I bring you my totally tasty tater tots. Deep fried potato which has been seasoned with a hint of spice, these golden and crispy bad boys with there little fluffy insides will be a hit on any dinner table up and down the land. They require a tad more work than lobbing a jacket potato in the oven for your tea but effort is totally worth it once you take that first delicious bite!

TOTALLY TROPICAL OATY BARS

Oat and cereal bars have really taken off in the UK over recent years. Supermarket shelved are now packed with an array of different brands and varieties but they can sometimes be a bit pricey especially if you are trying to be good. This is where my Totally Tropical Oaty Bars come in. Packed full of pineapple flavored amazingness these bars are easy to rustle up in large family sized batches and even better, they are mega tasty. You will never want to fork out for shop bought versions ever again.

CLASSICS REVISITED: MY THAI!

One of my most earliest recipes and one of the most popular is my Thai green curry. Super simple and easy to whip up after a day in work I would just highly recommend you give it a whirl. But what if you have a bit of time to really make your green curry pop? How could you achieve that? Simples! Make your own Thai green curry paste of course! You can really taste the difference between a homemade paste and shop bought. Trust me, that extra effort you put is going to blow your mind!

COOL AND SPICY TOMATO SALSA

This is a delightfully simple recipe for rustling up a cold tomato salsa which is weirdly cooling yet has a yummy spicy aftertaste that just works! Its an old Mauritian favorite called "Satchini Pomme D'Amour" and is great for serving alongside a curry dish or for dipping in roti and tortilla chips. Whats more, it's super fresh and so quick to make that there will be no need for you ever buy a ready made tomato dip ever again. All you need are tomatoes, chili, onion, garlic, coriander, oil and a good old blender and in five minutes you can in salsa heaven!

NUTTY MUSHROOM TOPPED COURGETTE

Every time that a new vegetarian product comes out I do get most giddy with excitement. Yes, the products on sale in shops today are tonnes better than what they used to be around 10 years ago but it's always great to try something new. When Quorn brought out their "lardons" recently I thought they would be perfect mixed through a stuffing and so my nutty mushroom topped courgettes were born! Its great served on it's own or as a side dish and will go down a storm with all the veggies in your life!

RAPID ROTI

I love baking my own bread but even I have to admit that sometimes I really can't be bothered with that slog of making the dough then proofing then knocking it out and proofing again and so on and so on. When you are too busy in the kitchen but still want to enjoy fresh bread why not try these roti. Great with curry dishes, all you need to do is make the dough, let it rest whilst you prepare your mail meal and then roll out and fry the roti. It may be simple, but the taste of that deliciously charred flat bread is up there with the best of them!

PRETTY LITTLE CHOC CHIP SHORTBREAD

Even when I'm feeling a little bit under the weather I can't resist the temptation to get into the kitchen on a day off and whip up some little homemade baked goods. They need to be simple little treats when your feeling a bit blue and these chocolate chip shortbread's are ideal. It takes no time at all to whip up your dough, shape into little discs of deliciousness and bake and you can feel your home with the comforting smell of freshly baked biscuits in less than an hour! If that doesn't perk you up then I don't know what will.

WHOPPIN' WHOLEMEAL LOAF

Days off were made for baking bread. When you have the whole day to take your time working that dough and proofing it slowly and precisely you can end with a beautiful lully loaf coming out of your oven. This is exactly what I did yesterday to create this monster of a loaf using just wholemeal flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water. Then with a simple egg white wash and some steam in your oven  you can give your loaf a crispy crust to compliment its soft crumb centre. Total bread perfection!

ALCHEMIST NEW YORK STREET MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Everyone loves a cocktail! Boy I know that I do and having stumbled across the Alchemist New York Street smack bang in the centre of Manchester online and seeing the fabulous concoctions they serve I knew I had to give them a go. With a menu of delicious sounding food also on offer would it be a case of too much style of substance. It was time to find out!

QUICKIDY QUICK APPLE SAUCE

Sometimes you buy in your fruit for the fruit bowl with all the best intentions of tucking in and getting your five a day but when that doesn't happen and you end up some poor little apples sadly about to go on the turn then do not take the easy root and lash them in your compost bin. Take them to the kitchen and with a bit of lemon juice,  sugar and nutmeg you can have a bowl of homemade apple sauce made in no time all ready to go next time you serve up pork for your Sunday roast.

BRAVO FOR PATATAS BRAVAS

A few years ago if you asked me what Patatas Bravas were I wouldn't of had a clue. Then, all of a sudden with the growth spurt of the tapas restaurant in Liverpool they became all the rage, so much so that I was actually beginning to get board of them and started giving them a right swerve. Time has passed and I thought I should try and rekindle my initial love for this Spanish tapas favorite and and came up with this delicious recipe for a delicious bowl of tomato and herb goodness poured over crispy little potato cubes of joy.

NATIONAL BBQ WEEK HALLOUMI

It can be so hard to find BBQ alternatives for vegetarians when you want to step away from a boring burger or hot dog. This national BBQ week why not try my char grilled blackened halloumi fingers. Marinated in a spicy herby dressing, these bad boys really benefit from that authentic smoky flavor being pumped in from your grill. Grill them on kebab sticks for that true campsite BBQ experience and your going to have everyone fighting to grab one of these tasty treats, not just the vegetarians at your shindig!

"GIN FIZZ" CAKE

Gin and tonic, G&T, whatever you want to call it is a Great British summertime tipple. Me personally, I tend to stay well clear of the stuff for fear of the dreaded "Gin Tears". However one way to enjoy your gin without worrying about crying into your glass by the end of he night is to whip up my "Gin Fizz" loaf cake. Packed with zingy fresh lime juice and zest flavors and with a laced with shots of your favorite Gin and fizzy drink, this is defiantly one just for the grown ups! As the old saying goes; "Lets get busy with the fizzy!"

MOWGLI LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECCOMMENDS)

I had been dying to come to Mowgli for months! I love Indian food and ever since I first saw the menu online and listened to the high praise I had heard from friends and family it was time to see if this street food restaurant could live up to the hype.

"TROTTERS" CHILI CHOCOLATE CAKE

Chili and chocolate is a flavor combination that I had read about over and over again in magazines and seen done many times on TV cookery shows but for some reason it just didn't appeal to me. That all changed with the arrival of a jar of "Trotters" hot pepper jelly in this months Flavourly box. I bit the bullet and added some into a chocolate cake and wow! This brownie like chocolate sensation melts in your mouth leaving a unique sweet taste in your mouth from the chili which needs to be tried to be understood.

CAKE AND BAKE SHOW HARROGATE CLASSROOM SESSIONS

The first Cake and Bake Show in Harrogate is nearly upon us. On the 19th - 21st June the HIC Centre will be hosting the first show and there are still tickets remaining for the exciting interactive classroom sessions.

"THE FORAGING FOX" BEETROOT BURGER BAPS

A yummy bake for you now inspired by another addition from my Flavoury box this month. "The Foraging Fox" are an independent company making a fabulous beetroot ketchup and on their website they advise adding a dollop into bread dough for added flavor. So that's what did with these burger buns I made for some veggie burgers I was making and they worked a treat. The sweetness the beetroot ketchup brings to the buns is a nice twist and a simple way to jazz up the humble burger bap. You'll be baking batches of these bad boys all the time!

CHETNA'S "DRINK ME" SPICED CHAI LATTE CAKE

This months Flavourly box was delivered to my door and it was one of the best yet. One of the many treats in there was a tub of "Drink Me" Spice Chai Latte powder along with this fantastic recipe from GBBO contestant Chetna Makan for using your powder to create this delicious cake. The mixed spices in the Chai Latte powder are wonderful and give this cake a beautiful sweet flavor. I would describe it as cinnamon on steroids! Jon described it as one of the best tasting I'd ever made so I knew I had to share the recipe with you!

DINKY RASPBERRY AND LIMONCELLO CAKES

Having stumbled across some old Lakeland vouchers last week I thought it was time to use them and bought myself a 12 hole mini loaf tin. As soon as I got home put it straight to good use and got baking these scrummy little limoncello cakes with a raspberry and poppy seed sponge and mascarpone and lemon pie topping. All individually wrapped in baking paper, they are perfect little portions to nibble on after a meal. Defiantly a most delicious and dinky delight!

BOOZY BATTERED HALLOUMI

My obsession with beer battering random food items continues with this recipe inspired by one of my favorite restaurant dishes. I've spoken before about my love of Bistro 1847's beer battered halloumi and it was about time that I took the bull by the horns and tried to recreate this fabulous meal at home. It might not of been the same but this is certainly up there in close second place. Great for veggies, it's simply a couple of slabs of halloumi soaked in buttermilk and then fired in a beer batter. Simple yes. but sometimes the simple things in life are the best!

BEER BATTERED ONION RINGS

This weekend I've been making a veritable feast of deep fried goodies. Well it is the bank holiday

after all and quite frankly I deserve a little treat. First on the menu are these fabulous herby beer battered red onion rings. A delicious accompaniment for a steak or fish, chips and mushy peas these herb and breadcrumb circles of joy are super crispy and more importantly super tasty and when they are this simple to make then you really don't have any excuse not to treat yourself! Go on you know you want to!

SPEEDY SUB PIZZAS

Hey, we're all very busy people now-a-days and we don't always have hours to spend in the kitchen making lunches for families and you might not always have left over chili in your fridge to make my leftover chili pizza's. This is where my speedy sub pizzas come in! All you need to make these yummy little treats from scratch are basic store cupboard/fridge items and a couple of sub rolls and in less than half an hour you can have four little pizza's perfect for mum, dad and the two kids (or one very hungry baker!). 

MATTYS MINTY MUSHY PEAS

Mushy peas! In my opinion there is something wrong with you if you don't like mushy peas. Either with you your Sunday roast or with fish and chips, it's a classic great British side dish. Most people just crack open a tin but not little old me, I'm weird and like to make them from scratch but then this way I can add a little butter, mint and lemon to give those little green pearls a super tasty boost. Perfect with some roasted lamb and potatoes or dolloped alongside some  battered fish and chips. Yummers!

ASALIAN STIR FRY

That's right folks, we're going fusion on MattyB Bakes today with this Italian inspired stir fry that

uses fresh basil to really give this quick evening meal some real pizazz! I got the idea from Ching Le Huang's new book (buy it! Its brill!) and whilst basil might not be something you would expect in an Asian dish but it does work really well. Add in the stir fry holy trinity of garlic, ginger and chili and you are onto a winner. Whats better is that once you have prepped all the veg, you can this this done from wok to plate in less than 30 minutes!

HELP KICKSTART BISTRO 1847 LIVERPOOL

Bistro 1847 is one of my favorite restaurants in the UK. My review from last year gives you many reasons why. So when I heard they were trying to raise funds to open a new branch on my door step in Liverpool I had to help the only way I could by letting everyone know about their Kickstarter campaign to achieve their goal.

EASY PEASEY CAULIFLOWER CHEESY

Cauliflower cheese! Where would we be without it. A duller place that's for sure. For me it's

something you have for your Sunday roast when you really just want to spoil yourself! Don't be afraid of it tho and don't be getting yourself a ready made cheese sauce. It's so easy to make a fresh version with creme fraiche, mustard and of course the cheese of your choice. Cover that with a beautifully crispy rosemary and soy "bacon bits" topping and you'll be spoiling yourself every chance you get.

VEGGIE BOOZY BUFFALO BITES

My favorite hangover food is chicken, especially that of the battered variety. I can easily polish off mountains of the stuff in no time. I'm always trying to recreate my favorites so that I can enjoy them at home with the veggie. This inspired me to create these delicious beer battered "chicken" pieces covered and baked in spicy buffalo sauce.  I've had to rush this post out super quick today the response I've had online to these and I'm not surprised at all! They are brilliant hangover fodder but quite frankly just blatantly brilliant in general!

VEGGIE "CHICKEN" AND LEEK BAKE

I'm always striving to think of new ways to make delicious and healthy veggie meals and this week I hit on this little beauty. Here we have Quorn chicken pieces and leeks cooked in a oregano based vegetable stock made deliciously creamy with the less calorific choice of adding creme fraiche. We all need a little bit of naughtiness in our life so a little bit of cheese and soy "bacon pieces" tops the dish to give a crispy topping to add texture and some zing to the bake. It's quick and simple to make and great for the busy veggie looking for something new!

"THE CAKE AND BAKE SHOW 2015" BAKE COMPETITION

The Cake & Bake Show is introducing a bakes competition for enthusiastic

home bakers. It can be anything from Eric Lanlard's profiteroles, Paul Hollywood's bloomer to Gregg Wallace's Sticky toffee pud 

PERFECT ROAST POTATOES

 

Yesterday making our roast dinner I achieved something is been unable to do before! Create the ultimate roast potato! Crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, these bad boys were the best I had ever done so it only seemed appropriate that I should share the technique with you so you can enjoy them at home. Crack these out next time your doing the weekly roast and everyone is going to be calling you be a Sunday roast superstar.