Monday, October 31, 2011

Give your Mo some HP oomph


HP launches new look, limited edition bottle to raise awareness for Movember

HP is giving Movember 2011 some of its famous ‘oomph.’ The nation’s favourite brown sauce is launching 1 million limited edition bottles to raise much needed awareness and funds for men’s health with Movember. The new label will be without Britain’s famous Houses of Parliament, making way instead for a top-hat clad British gent with an inspirational moustache.

In conjunction with the release of their new look bottle, HP is giving Mo Bros across the UK the chance to celebrate and share their top Mo-moments on Facebook www.facebook.com/hpsauceuk - the most enthusiastic Mo Bro stands the chance of becoming the Gentlemanly Face of HP Movember, claiming £5,000 towards their Movember fund and a VIP trip for themselves and three friends to London.

Throughout the month of Movember the HP Facebook page will also host a series of competitions and challenges aimed to Mo’tivate men and bring the Movember spirit to life. HP teams and individuals can have fun and embrace the experience, from bacon buttie adventures to celebrity inspired Mos, and then upload their most Mo-tastic photos to HP’s Facebook page – the best images will receive contributions towards their Mo funds.

Mo Sistas can also get involved and support their Mo Bros – The People’s Choice Award for the best HP Mo Bro will be presented to the Bro who has receives the most ‘likes’ over the course of the month’s challenges.
Movember, the month formerly known as November, challenges men to change their appearance, and the face of men’s health, by growing a moustache for the 30 days of November.


Registered Mo Bros & Sistas can get involved by visiting the HP Facebook page on www.facebook.com/hpsauceuk and find out more about Movember at www.movember.com

WINTER WARMERS Withe DUKAN DIET


WINTER WARMERS
As autumn approaches our thoughts turn to keeping warm, dry and healthy this season … Warm up this winter with rich treats and seasonal inspired dishes by Dr. Dukan!
Hailing an “eat as much as you want” policy with an extensive list of over 100 approved foods, there’s no holding back with Dukan, making it every Dieter’s Dream. Forget cabbage soup, Dr. Dukan has developed a range of delicious menu ideas to keep food interesting, colourful and to solve all your dinner party dilemmas.
Why not enjoy healthy comfort food this winter - Stews and spices will get those senses tingling and keep those colds (and pounds) at bay!



Halloween Soup

For 4 or 6 persons - preparation time: 15 minutes - cooking time: 1 hour Cruise Phase (PV days)
Ingredients

250g of pumpkin flesh
1 onion
500 millilitres of skimmed milk
2 carrots
Pinch of cinnamon
Salt, pepper to taste


Cut the pumpkin into little squares. Peel the onion and carrots and cut them into small slices. Place all vegetables with the skimmed milk into a sauce pan and a pinch of cinnamon. Then bake them until the pumpkin flesh is soft and smooth (this will take about half an hour). Stir this mixture to make it smooth and heat it again, adding some water. Depending on the consistency you want, leave this for about another half an hour. Add salt and pepper and enjoy!


Pumpkin & Courgette Puree
Preparation Time: 10 minutes, Cooking Time: 15 minutes, Serves 4. Cruise Phase (PV days)
Ingredients500g of Fresh Pumpkin
1kg Courgettes
1 Beef Stock cube
¼ bunch of fresh Parsley-chopped
Salt & pepper



Cut the Pumpkin & Courgettes into equal sized pieces. Place them in a large saucepan, season with salt & pepper; add the Beef Stock cube & 1L of water. Let it cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes. Add the chopped Parsley, mix well until a smooth consistency and serve hot.


Sweet nutmeg squash flan with caramel coulis

Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking: 80 minutes For 6 people Attack phase (PP days)



Ingredients500g of squash
2 table spoons of oat bran
500 mililitres of skimmed milk
4 table spoons of powdered sweetener
1/2 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
1 generous pinch of nutmeg
1 generous pinch of powdered ginger
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of cornflour

For the caramel coulis:8 table spoons of powdered sweetener
4 table spoons of water
1 teaspoon of caramel
flavouring
1 sheet of gelatine

Preheat your oven to gas mark 6. Cut the flesh of the squash into cubes with 5 centimetre sides. Put the squash and milk into a saucepan and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove the zest from ¼ of the orange and put into boiling water. Drain after 3 minutes, and chop. Beat the eggs ‘omelette style’. Pass the squash through a vegetable mill, add the sweetener, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornflour, oat bran, eggs and a pinch of salt. Lightly grease your moulds using kitchen towel and pour in the Mixture. Cook in a bain-marie for 1 hour. Leave to cool before removing from the moulds and adding the caramel coulis.

www.dukandiet.co.uk is the UK portal of France’s most successful, and famous, dieting organisation – the Dukan Diet. The method of Dr Pierre Dukan has been helping people lose weight, and maintain their new “real” weight for 35 years. The Dukan Diet book, first published in 2000, is still France’s best selling diet book, has been translated into 10 languages and is available in more than 20 countries world-wide.

Win WORLDFOODS sauces, video camera and chance to be a reviewer

As you know I'm a member of the WorldFoods Fusion Taste Team and as such I've been cooking with their fab sauces and pastes on a journey around East Asian Cuisine.

Well they have just added a simple entry competition to their Facebook page and you can win a great prize.

For four lucky entrants they will win a selection of WHOLEFOOD'S sauces and a video camera to become our next review star?
To enter, like them on Facebook and comment under the competition post with the words “I want to get saucy with WHOLEFOOD'S!”
You can also tweet them on Twitter with the following:
“I want to #getsaucy with #WORLDFOODS & become their next star. RT my tweet to enter the #competition.


The competition runs until 9th November and the 4 winners will then be picked at random from all entries. Terms and conditions can be found on the WORLDFOODS website

Sunday, October 30, 2011

New York Bakery Co Halloween Pumpkin Seeded Bagel.

These yummy soundy bagels will be on my breakfast plate on Halloween, they may also make a few more snack times piled high with cream cheese. I love the sound of them and will feed my savoury addiction. Don't hesitate as they are only about for a short while!

Make your Halloween extra spooky with the new pumpkin-seeded bagel from the New York Bakery Co
This Halloween the bagel experts at New York Bakery Co have conjured up a spellbinding new recipe to celebrate New Yorkers’ favourite holiday. Treat yourself to a delicious limited edition pumpkin-seeded bagel, available exclusively through the New York Bakery Co
If you’re tired of sweets at Halloween, New York Bakery Co’s pumpkin inspired bagel is the perfect savoury alternative. Bursting with crunchy pumpkin seeds, this bewitching bagel can be enjoyed as a meal or spooky snack at any time of the day. Trick or Treat? It’s entirely your choice. Enjoy with lashings of blood red jam as a terrifying treat or if a trick is more your style, add toppings such as guacamole to create a ghoulish green goo to scare your friends!

This spine-tingling limited edition bagel is available absolutely free from the New York Bakery Co. Facebook page – make sure you get yours before they go at

Friday, October 28, 2011

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure - Half Term in a Box




Its half term and the Autumn one because of weather can mean that a lot of activities take place indoors.
The lovely people at Activision offered our family the Half Term in a Box with Skylanders Spyro's Adventure.
Without needing to be asked again my family young to old all got very excited, me as much as anybody else.

Spyro has always been a popular character and a favourite game from the very beginning on our old Playstation, 1, through PS2 and now we are back with him again on the Nintendo Wii!!
Our Half Term in a box became even more special as we opened the box to find the game complete with the action figures from the game. A tshirt, stickers a kids newspaper First News, bag, poster and most exciting a Nintendo Wii to play it on!!

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure is a spin off from the beloved Spyro adventure, its upped a notch as the game also is interactive with playing figures and a portal, I find this ideal, I can't remember how many times I've said to my children, "Get off the console and play with real toys for a while!"
This new game gives the best of both. A video game crossed with action figures!

The game comes in a big box with a really exciting selection of figures, trading cards. 

The figures are Spyro who looks rather fierce, Trigger Happy with a pair of gold weapons who we remember from other games, Gill Grunt with an amazing harpoon. The figures are very well made and part of a range of 30 action figures to collect.

There is a portal for the characters to stand on and this is synced with the game. Batteries included for the portal, way to go Activision, this attention to detail stops that disappointment when opening this and wanting to play straight away, then arrrgggghhh, no batteries in the box or house!

Set up is relatively easy, you need to have the portal near the wii. The usb from inside the portal is inserted into the wii first, the online guide is simple. You have to add your chosen figure onto the portal and Spyro just had to be first.


The memories come flooding back as Spyro arrives on the screen, he looks meaner at first glance both in figure and on the TV, but then as play gets under way we realise he is just the same lovable dragon, he is introduced to the villagers who are locked behind gates and Spyro has to find the keys to unlock the gates and release them, then King and Queen.

As usual you learn all the moves, funny charging at turtles to remove them from bridges then positioning them to use as stepping stones.

At certain points during the game you are introduced to different places, one is water where you have to replace Spyro with Gill Grunt. Then another area where a more powerful Trigger Happy and his golden guns are needed.

What I like is that though the game is for seven years up, the humour in the dialogue is clearly aimed at adults too. Some funny satire and sarcasm kept us entertained.


What made us laugh out loud was the familiar daft sheep are about but leap of cliffs at given moments and warnings are given that the sheep area actually more sinister.

The baddies that attack in the first level are chompies with big bad teeth, the characters as with original Spyro games are great. The added dimension of the portal, with character changeovers make this so enjoyable.

A massive family thumbs up. I can see the figures becoming very collectible, they are very well made. This is so playable, the whole family has been entertained.


Thursday, October 27, 2011

Christmas Gift She'll Adore You For.....

Ditch the perfume and chocolates this year for your loved one, in favour of boots, which are velvet soft and totally huggable.
If you asked the woman in your life what her perfect gift would be, she would reply ‘Love from Australia’.
And even better, Kindredsole.com is the only UK stockist of Love from Australia Mulberry and with the brand new 'Love from Australia' Western Long Charcoal a new colour for the season, you'lll be spoilt for choice.
Also top of the wish list are Redfoot Folding shoes at only £27.99 starting price. With their world patented folding sole Redfoot shoes are very clever designer shoes! Folded in half they even fit into a clutch bag.
Comfortable and uber stylish Redfoot shoes have it all! As if that wasn't enough Redfoot shoes can be worn all day as the perfect pair of ballet pumps!
KindredSole.com offers premium styles with free next day delivery on all orders. With a handpicked collection of women's designer shoes at competitive prices, KindredSole.com is fast becoming the footwear destination.
This AW11 get 'Shoes for the Soul' from KindredSole.com
Since launching in October 2009, KindredSole.com has become internationally recognized as a leading online store for the very best in woman’s fashion shoes and boots.
The debut collection, ‘Polite Eccentrics’ surpassed conventional expectations of a shoe store with fresh, innovative designs. KindredSole.com continues to source designer shoes from around the world by up and coming designers as well as established brands.
In 2010, KindredSole.com was named runner-up for Women on Their Way Awards for start-up businesses and was also runner-up in the Federation of Small Businesses, Small Business Awards for 'Recent Graduate'.
For more information visit www.kindredsole.com

New Organic Lassi



New Organic Lassi gives smoothies a fresh twist
Now available online through Ocado.com

Ooh I can't wait to try this more healthy smoothie. I like yogurt drinks so looking forward to a large glass of it with my breakfast.

There’s a new drink in town! Andechser Organic Lassi Yogurt Smoothies combine the best of a fruit smoothie with natural yogurt to create a deliciously different drink.
Already a huge hit in Europe and set to take the UK by storm, the Lassis are made from all natural ingredients with no nasties, which means the taste comes from real fruit or spices rather than added flavours.
Based on traditional Indian Lassi, they are a blend of natural drinking yogurt, made with authentic Lassi cultures, and fruit puree or spices to create a wonderfully rich and genuinely refreshing drink that is bursting with taste.
Andechser Lassis are a delicious, nutritional alternative to fruit smoothies and juices. Available in two varieties:

Mango – made with the nutritionally rich superfruit known for its unique taste (14% Alphonso Mango)

Chai – made with a traditional blend of Indian spices including cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves to create a refreshingly different drink

Lassi cultures are often linked to all sorts of health benefits and may aid digestion and boost the immune system. The Lassis are also an excellent source of calcium, suitable for vegetarians and are safe for pregnant women to consume.
Andechser Lassis are now available online through Ocado.com at an RRP of £1.49 for 250g drinking cup. What’s more if you order before 8th November 2011 you can take advantage of a special promotion and buy two Lassis for just £2.00.
They are also available in Whole Foods Market, Planet Organic and selected delicatessens, fine food and health food shops in London

Millie’s Cookies become Millie’s Spookies for Halloween



Cookies to scare the crumbs out of you!!

Mwahahah its soon the time to scare yourself and all the wonderful trick or treaters knocking on the door.
One treat I may not be sharing with my ghoulish visitors are  the Millies Spookies!

Far too nice to share, well with my own bunch of horrors maybe!!
The range is so much fun this year, lots of Halloween ideas to decorate the large cookies and the boxes of cookies the perfect size to nibble on at your halloween party or snuggled up on the sofa watching a scary movie.
The cookies are still the same chewy sweet moreish cookies that I love but with the wonderful ghoulish makeover.
As the box says its love at first bite!!!

Happy Halloween!


Millie’s Cookies is turning into Millie’s Spookies this year with a fang-tastic selection of terrifyingly tasty treats to make Halloween all treat – and no trick.
                             
The creepy cookies will still be the freshest, softest, chewiest sweet treats in town but, like all the Millie’s Cookies’ stores, they will be given a seriously spooktacular makeover. 


You can mix and match with a Treat Box of 12 cookies at just £5.99, the question is, ‘witch’ one will tickle your fancy – sweet and tasty  ‘Batty Banoffee’, melt-in-the-mouth ‘Raspberry and Fright’, soft and chewy ‘Choccy Horror’, fruity ‘Chilling Cherry’ or smooth and tangy ‘Choc Ooorange’? Perfect for little monsters, kids favourites ‘spookie pops’ are available with their own devilicious designs, or alternatively, why not pick up 12 mini bites for just £2.99?

And, if you’re planning a Halloween haunted house party, a one-off terrifying Tombstone Cookie [£6.99] is available for you to ice your scariest 15-character message onto.


Or a Millie’s Cookies frighteningly good 12 inch Monster Cookies [£12.99] is sure to lift the spirits – just come up with a line to make your guests ghoul with laughter, such as ‘you’re a devil!’, ‘bite me’, or why not ask your little horrors to come up with a chilling message all of their own? However you choose to express yourself, Millie’s Cookies expert icers will do the rest.

Complete your Halloween celebration by indulging yourself in one of Millie’s Cookies mystical muffins, including ‘blood chilling blueberry’ and ‘Double Choc Shock’, or a made-to-order Halloween inspired hot drink, the ‘Malloween’; a creamy hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.


Millie’s Cookies delicious Halloween treats are sure to be love at first bite.  Find your nearest store at


Half term deals for all the family with Whitbread restaurants




Half term can be pricey but luckily Whitbread are helping families out so you can still have a treat.
Try these out and I think they will whet your appetite Offers have been extended to November 7th

Try these wonderful Beefeater offers.


Kids eat free when an adult purchases a main course
Download here


£10 off when you spend £30
Download here




In addition to these half term offers Table Table go a bit further, their deals are on until November 30th
£10 off when you spend £30 (Available all day Sat and Sun)
£15 off when you spend £50 (Available all day Sat and Sun)
Buy one breakfast get one free (Served daily until 10:30am)
Free bottle of Isla Negra Red or White wine (or unlimited Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or R White's Lemonade) when you buy 2 main meals (Mon - Fri after 6:30pm). Due to licensing laws in Scotland, this offer for Scottish guests is 2 main meals and a bottle of Isla Negra Red or White Wine (or unlimited softs) for £14.99

Download here

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Join LUSH for a Nationwide Halloween party



Join LUSH for a Nationwide
Halloween Party!

 
Saturday 29th October- local opening times apply.

 
If you want to celebrate Halloween this year with some super scary bath time treats then head on down to your nearest LUSH store on Saturday 29th October for a Nationwide Halloween Party.



For all those ghosts and ghouls looking for last minute Halloween ideas, Lush have a brand NEW limited edition range which includes the frightfully cute and re-useable Pumpkin Knot Wrap (£2.50) (see image),


the super scary Skullduggery bath ballistic (£2.75)


 and a return of the Calacas shower jellies (£2.95 for 100g) - infused with aloe vera and designed to represent dancing skulls.

Whether you’re looking for some Halloween pamper essentials or you just want some scary Saturday fun, join us in-store for a spook-tacular day of trickery, treats and monster mash style dancing to some classic Halloween tunes.

With spooky inspired drinks and nibbles for all to enjoy, including vegan skull cupcakes, customers will be treated to complimentary hand massages and skin and hair consultations.


Nationwide Halloween Parties are taking place on Saturday 29th October 2011 in Lush shops nationwide. To find your nearest Lush store please call 01202 668 545 or online at
www.lush.co.uk. Please enquire at your nearest Lush for Saturday opening times.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Gosh Nail Glitters Winners


Thanks for all the entries to the Gosh Nail Glitter Giveaway, it was lovely to see how many people fancy a bit of glam and glitter. Thanks for all the tips for adding glitter to my nails as mess free as possible. Pouring on is worse. The cotton buds a great idea.

10 lucky winners will get the chance to try out the tips for themselves thanks to Gosh and here they are...



bloomers  aka @bloomingfox
josie301 aka @josie301
Pretenna  aka @pretenna
Red Rose Mummy aka  @RedRoseMummy
Lo-Lo aka @Morrighani
abijo  via email
Kim aka @kimmer2111
phyllgerry aka  @phyllgerry

Please send me your details via email which can be found just under my photo. Well done.
You have seven days to claim the prizes, however I am also away until the 7th so you get a little leeway. If I do not receive your info I have to redraw.

In turn if you don't send details in before I leave for my jollies your details won't go to Gosh until after the 8th Nov. The allow 28 working days for the prizes.

Sipsmith Sloe Gin and Damson Vodka

I made Sloe gin last Autumn I loved it. Its warming and taste so rich.
But trying the sample of Sipsmith gin, I could actually taste and smell the sloes, it was like collecting a big juicy bag of them on a country lane.
New for this year is damson vodka, this will make a gorgeous present at Christmas if you are strong enough to give it away.

Sipsmith Sloe Gin and New Damson Vodka
Sipsmith Sloe Gin is the third spirit released by London’s first copper
distillery for nearly 200 years.

A blend of Sipsmith London Dry gin
and Dartmoor Sloe Berries, this British spirit is set to be a fine
favourite amongst gin drinkers this Christmas.

Sipsmith Vintage Damson Vodka is Sipsmith’s latest spirit released for
Christmas 2011. A blend of Sipsmtih vodka and Dartmoor Damsons, this
fruity vodka will provide warmth during the cold winter months.
£23.50 for a 50cl bottle, both available from Majestic stores
nationwide
www.majestic.co.uk

Monday, October 24, 2011

BRITS DON’T BUY INTO BRITISH, SAY EXPERTS IN REPORT BY COUNTRY LIFE

I was a bit shocked that despite all the claims that we support buying British produce we don't. I was slightly concerned too to read that Country Life is the only major British butter brand? The other two leading brands are from Denmark and New Zealand.

I looked through my basket today and a lot of what I had was not British. Its quite sad that some brands and fresh produce are disappearing as we stop buying.

Its a bit of a dilemma as I count the pennies and sometimes  go for a brand thats on special or cheaper. I heard Michel Roux talking this week about British pears and one Kent variety is dying out as people are not buying, yet it tastes better and if more people bought it the price would actually go down. Now this seems like a win win situation to me.
Do you buy British let me know.

I will be posting a recipe soon using Country Life and British products.

BRITS DON’T BUY INTO BRITISH, SAY EXPERTS IN REPORT BY COUNTRY LIFE

Though British people claim to support buying national produce[i], in fact they don’t, an expert report commissioned by Country Life has confirmed. Despite having the fourth-largest food and drink manufacturing industry in the world, the UK currently imports twice as much food as it exports. Agriculture amounts to a mere 0.5% of the UK’s GDP[ii]  and the share of the local food market stands at just 7.8%.

The Bread and Butter Report was prepared by Country Life, the only major British butter brand, and brought together key industry experts ahead of British Food Fortnight to discuss issues facing the British food industry and how to tackle them.


Only 34% of adults pay attention to where the products they buy are made or grown[iii], even though 76% recognise that buying British food supports British businesses[iv]. With only two in five trusting British food over imported, the government, food producers and retailers have a job to convince consumers to buy British food, say the experts. 

While 43% of over-55s see a British origin as important in food, this share halves among 16-24 year olds to just 20%. Similarly, 45% of over-65s pay attention to where the products they buy are made or grown, compared to just 23% of 16-24-year-olds.[v] The experts agreed that encouraging the public to engage more with local and British food could help these foods to secure a place in shopping baskets in the longer term.

Asda revealed plans in early 2011 to grow its local sales by £70 million by 2013, while Tesco set a target of £1 billion for its sales of local food by 2011[vi]. Meanwhile, Tesco and Waitrose both reported double-digit growth in local food sales in 2009. The panel agreed, however, that since British retailers follow consumers rather than the other way round, engaging the UK public on the issue of buying British may be more important than persuading supermarkets to support the ‘buy British’ message.

With UK consumers’ purchasing decisions still driven by price, with provenance and even taste remaining secondary considerations, the campaign calls for consumers to re-prioritise British provenance. 


Compounding these difficulties is a public perception associating British food with mass production and a lack of quality. Matthew Fort said: “The French and Italians largely buy their national food in the belief that it is better. More focus on the quality of British ingredients would undoubtedly help consumers recognise their value.”  

There is real opportunity within the British food industry and the panel agreed that should be maximised given the predictions for slow economic growth. Rob Newbery of the National Farmers Union said: “British farmers are keen to expand their businesses and produce more, and for consumers to have more access to British products.” 

The expert panel called for more to be done in British schools, to educate children directly about the value of British food and to teach them where food comes from. Matthew Fort, food writer and critic commented: “The main area in which the government could help would be to educate British children about the value of food in schools.”

Mark Allen CEO of Dairy Crest, one of Britain’s largest dairy companies, and Vice Chairman of Dairy UK, the representative industry research body said: “If the majority of kids think milk comes from Tesco, then we have a problem.” 

A generation of TV chefs trumpeting the value of seasonality and localism has done little to change consumer behaviour. The share of people who try to buy goods produced in the UK stopped at 47% in 2010[vii].


World’s largest edible Taj Mahal sculpture unveiled by Food Network UK

Poppadom Palace is second to naan




Take a look at the video its rather good, amazing work gone into the sculpture the Taj Mahal is a work of art and I feel very hungry looking at the people tucking into poppadoms and curry on their way by.

A 3ft X 10ft X 5ft edible Taj Mahal sculpture was unveiled today, consisting of the nation’s favourite curry ingredients from pilau rice and poppadoms to Bombay potatoes.

The renowned and iconic white domes of the Taj Mahal were immortalised in Indian cuisine, outside one of the UK’s most famous landmarks, St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The spicy sculpture was commissioned by Food Network UK to celebrate the launch of its new series Reza, Spice Prince of India, starring celebrity chef Reza Mahammad, and consists of some of the most-loved ingredients used in Indian cooking:

-          Pilau rice creates the structure of the Taj
-          Poppadoms make up part of the garden leading up to the palace
-          Green chillies were placed in the garden as trees
-          Mango chutney was used as part of the garden
-          Chipati bread forms main dome of the Taj

Nick Thorogood, Managing Director of Food Network EMEA says: “Our new show Reza, Spice Prince of India sees Reza exploring the magnificent palaces of Rajasthan, learning about the history and sampling local cuisine - so it’s only fitting that we created the most famous Indian palace out of food, giving people a unique taste of India here in the UK!”

Whilst the Taj Mahal took 22 years in total to complete and needed the help of more than 1,000 elephants and 20,000 North Indian labourers, this version, created by food artist Prudence Staite, took 5 days, 7 hours and 30 minutes to construct.

Reza Mahammad, TV chef and host of the show comments: “Whilst filming the show in Rajasthan, we visited the most extraordinary royal palaces, all which took years to complete, so it was incredible to watch this beautiful, edible Taj Mahal being constructed with such detail, and even better to taste it!”

Reza, Spice Prince of India premieres on Food Network UK on Monday, 24th October at 6.30pm. The show follows Reza Mahammad, as he embarks on an unforgettable journey around India’s residences to discover the fascinating traditions of Rajasthan food and royal feasting, with Reza offering his own contemporary take on traditional Indian dishes.

Philadelphia UK Win a Kitchen

There is a fabulous competition to win a kitchen on Philadelphia UK's Facebook page.
I know I entered straight away, would love more worktops to  cook on and definitely more cupboards for even more ingredients.
All you have to do is watch the video and answer a very simple multiple choice question.
The video is the one where Nicola Bryans makes her Philly Meatball Pasta

This is a gorgeous dish, a gorgeous savoury and creamy taste too I like it for a fast midweek dish.

Philly Meatball Pasta


Ingredients

300g linguine pasta
6 large sausages (Cumberland sausages are particularly delicious)
1 dtsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
150g Light Philadelphia
2 tsp whole grain mustard
Approx. 75ml beef stock
1 tbsp chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water as directed on the packet.
  2. Skin the sausages and roll the sausage meat into bite size balls. Fry in a little oil until browned all over and cooked through. Remove the meatballs from the pan.
  3. Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan and cook gently for several minutes to soften the onions. Add the Philly to the onions with the stock (or a little water) and mustard. Gently heat until the Philly has melted, then stir in the parsley and meatballs.
  4. Meanwhile drain the pasta and divide between 4 pasta bowls. Top with the meat balls and spoon over the Philly sauce to serve.



Did you know……? It takes 12 Olympic swimming pools full of milk to make all the Philadelphia we eat in the UK each year. Every year we produce as many tubs of Philly as there are people in France. Philadelphia was first made in New York in 1872 and came to the UK in 1960.

Enter the competition here

Sunday, October 23, 2011

WorldFoods Taste Team Challenge Malaysia


This weeks stop on the exciting taste team challenge for WorldFoods Fusion of Flavours is Malaysia.
I have not to my knowlege eaten Malaysian cuisine at all, WorldFoods have been sharing info on the facebook page.

Luckily one of my team colleagues Jenny is Malaysian and shared a little with me on Facebook. Jenny told me 'Nasi Lemak is huge in Malaysia, it's essentially steamed rice in a coconut milk, screwpine leaves mix and served with a sambal (typically anchovies in a spicy chili paste) and on the sides are the usual cucumber and perhaps some boiled eggs.' She went on to say noodles dishes are varied and plentiful and her favourite dish is Malaysian butter prawns - prawns cooked in curry leaves, bird's eye chili peppers, butter and a unique egg yolk concoction.

Making you hungry yet, it did me?

In the hamper of goodies WorldFoods sent was a bottle of Malaysian Chilli Coconut Marinade and this is what I am using to make my dish, Ayam Percik

To make Ayam Percik the spicy coconut marinade is used to coat the chicken before and during cooking over a (traditional) charcoal fire (in the UK it will be the grill) Ayam Percik literally translates as "chicken splash" - this is because as the chicken is cooking over the fire, more marinade is spread over the chicken to strengthen the flavour.
I used what was in and so it was chicken drumsticks, what appealed as much as the imagined tatse was again how the WorldFoods sauce made a meal that is simple to prepare and cook.

It was literally pour on the world foods sauce and leave to marinate overnight.
Then bbq or grill for required time.
I served with a green salad and potato wedges, the sauce is lovely really rich in spice a lovely chilli heat and then the soothing coconut to complement.

No too hot for my tastebuds I  like food spicy hot. Just look at it its sticky tender and finger licking good!
Serves 4-6
1 bottle WORLDFOODS MALAYSIAN CHILLI COCONUT MARINADE
6 chicken pieces
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 tablespoon deep-fried shallots, finely chopped (optional)
1. Marinate chicken with WORLDFOODS MALAYSIAN CHILLI COCONUT MARINADE for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat grill or BBQ.
3. Cook meat on medium heat, turning occasionally until done and slightly charred, about 20-30 minutes depending on size. Optionally, spread on some more marinade.
4. Serve hot with white rice or bread.
"Use less of the sauce, add in some coconut milk or yoghurt to make it less intense. Taste the sauce before you marinade the chicken to make sure it is at the level of spiciness that you want."
If you're vegetarian or you don't want to use chicken, feel free to use it to marinate something else!

You can follow Worldfoods Fusion Taste Team on Twitter @fusiontasteteam and don't forget to check out the Wordfoods Facebook Page. You will see lots of other bloggers trying out the same dish in different ways. Its really fascinating to see the different takes on a theme.

Alternatively  you might like to try stir-fried beef with chili coconut sauce:
Ingredients:
350g steak, cut against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper , thinly sliced
100g cucumber, cut into chunks
2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon of soya sauce
1 bottle WORLDFOODS Malaysian Chili Coconut Dipping Sauce/Stir-fry sauce
Preparation:
1. Heat sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add the beef in one layer and allow it to sear on one side for 1 minute.
2. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes, until the outside is no longer red but the beef is not yet cooked through. Remove from the wok and set aside.
3. In the same wok, add the garlic, onions,cucumbers and peppers and stir-fry until aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes. Return the beef to the wok.
4. Add WORLDFOODS Malaysian Chili Coconut Dipping Sauce/Stir-fry sauce and soya sauce,stir well to coat.
6. Transfer to a large plate and serve hot