Recipe review club

[GlumyGloomer]

I love trying out new recipes, and thought it would be fun to have a thread where we try stuff out and report back. Source must be cited and link provided if online. Photos encouraged.

Tonight I'll be making asian aubergine wedges, from Nadiya Hussain's Time to Eat book.
I like the taste of aubergine but have grave doubts about the texture. Still, I'm being brave and giving this a go.
Worth noting that I leave the chilli out of everything so that the dd's can eat it (I add at the table).

Anyone fancy joining me? (Waits for tumbleweed...)

@myrtleWilson oh, that looks like a good way to use up lots of kale, I might have to give it a go!

The courgette cake was lovely @myrtleWilson! It kept well too, DP has taken the last bit to work in his lunch box

My food processor's been ordered, hoping it arrives soon as my food box had a shedload of kale in it this week. Now I like kale, but there's a limit to how much even I can get through that saag recipe may come in handy!

Chocolate tiffin made here at the weekend and unsurprisingly a big hit with the DC...

Re kale, anyone like Chinese "seaweed" ?
Remove the tough stalks, mix a little salt, caster sugar & ground ginger, toss through the kale, spread out on a tray, spray with a little oil, hot oven for 3-5 minutes.

Imicola that onion dish looks interesting. I'd love to give it a go, although I doubt the rest of the family would go for it.
Clara I've never been brave enough to try courgette cake. I'm guessing there is no residual taste of courgette?

Recently we made blueberry muffins, but they weren't a patch on the shop bought ones. I'm not quite sure where we went wrong, but they were very heavy.
I made 3 flavours of instant porridge today (Nadiya method). I'm trying the Cherry Bakewell, and the apple and cinnamon. I made my own dried apple slices , which the dc promptly ate half of, so I ended up with a small batch of apple and cinnamon, and a small batch of cocoa cinnamon 🤷‍♀️

www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252668/dried-apples/
The apple recipe I used, although I did core my apples.

@GlumyGloomer no, no courgette taste! It's very easy, you don't even have to peel them it's a really tasty cake actually, like a light fruit cake. The porridge recipes sound interesting, I usually make some baked oats for breakfast, might try adding some apples.

@Georgyporky I do enjoy 'seaweed', I'll have to give that a try with my mountains of kale!

Tomorrow will be tea bread, the fruit is steeping already in tea ready to bake tomorrow

Well the apple and cinnamon porridge is nice. I confess I added a dollop of biscof spread for sweetness, and it was lovely. The method is to break rolled oats down a bit in the food processor, batch out and add flavourings, then it's six tablespoons to 200ml of milk, microwave for 2-3 minutes, leave to stand for the same. I've made a cocoa and chopped hazelnut one twice. The bakewell is dried cherries/berries, flaked almonds and almond extract. I also made mango and coconut a while ago but didn't like it.

I'd love to know what was in the deleted thread.
Anyone see it before it was removed?

@GlumyGloomer I've never had much luck with muffins either, they come out chewy usually! They say you should stir it really briefly, but I can't see how you can actually mix it properly stirring it any less than I do! Must be some magic required.

@Georgyporky no didn't see what it was... presumably advertising something?

Tonight we had baked American style meatballs in a smoky tomato sauce. It was probably the tastiest thing I have made in a while, although I used extra mince so won't have enough sauce for all the balls! It's also the first time I have made meatballs that haven't all fallen apart. Success. DH and the toddler both agreed that it was very tasty. I will make that again.

Oops here is the link!
www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/baked-american-style-meatballs-in-smoky-tomato-sauce/

I'm curious about the deletion too, it was gone by the time I posted. I guess someone must have seen it to report it though?

Imicola those meatballs look awesome!

I didn't see the post either but the ones I've seen before have been advertising/ promoting their own products (usually diet-related, as I'm on a few weight loss threads!) - maybe someone was trying to sell us even more recipes?!

Made a mushroom & spinach pasta today similar to this one - I added some chilli flakes to give it a bit more flavour

Might sound daft, but I've had a map of the world spread out on my desk, shut my eyes & stab a pin in it.
Then cook something from that country.

Today was Greece, & I'm making spanakopitta.
Made lots of times before, but it is hugely calorific - especially as I add pancetta cubes to it.
Anyone a WWer? It's 20 points, but lovely.

I'm a WWer @Georgyporky! I did it many many years ago and am now back on it with 3 stone to lose. I get quite a lot of points at the moment though because of my weight not quite enough to cover that though!!

That's a great idea with the map of the world, I might steal it for the DC and challenge them to cook something from each country there's a programme about that on CBeebies at the moment which would tie in nicely.

Today I have been a good WWer and made both Quorn and lentil cottage pie and apple & sultana cake. Not wildly exciting but easy enough and the pie is easily enough to have for lunch and dinner tomorrow too!

DS2 asked to make chocolate cake this morning. I have a feeling that it will be a challenge to stick to my WW points today...!

If anyone has a good children's cookery book to recommend I'd be really interested. The DC aren't quite reading yet so they like the ones with step by step pictures

Dd1 has the Annabelle Karmel kids cook book. I have mixed opinions about it. The pictures are lovely, but the actual recipes are a bit fiddly for young kids (making mouse faces on jacket potatoes using cocktail sticks etc.) Even I struggled with the farm animal cup cakes. Also although there are a few savory recipes it is very much slanted towards sweet things.

That's what I've found with other 'kids' cookbooks @GlumyGloomer; the recipes look beautiful but are far too fiddly for little fingers! Especially as my DC have zero patience

One that we did like was the Gruffalo cookbook - I borrowed it from the library but might buy a copy now I've remembered it...

@ClaraTheImpossibleGirl I'm a Gold Member, but still pay to use the Tracker, & was attending 5 meetings per year.
I thought I could do it alone when I reached target, but......

Re teaching kids to cook, my DB taught his son to make pizzas when he was about 4. DB made the dough, then DNephew beat the hell out of it, copied his Dad doing that twirly thing - I was impressed by both of them - then selected his own toppings. Got him to eat things like peppers that he'd previously rejected.
How about trying that, but with mini tortilla wraps & healthy toppings?

@Georgyporky I love that idea of using a map to help decide what to make, I might try that!

I made this for lunch:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chana-masala
Quite nice, although not as good the restaurant version. It did at least use up 2 cans of chickpeas. I'm attempting to declutter my cupboards a bit, so there are some off piste recipes planned for next week. The pickle, cheese and almond tart is probably the strangest thing, will report back...

My chana masala always turns out quite dull @GlumyGloomer. I wonder how they get the restaurant version so tasty?!

I'm planning a mincemeat tart to use up some, er, mincemeat - found a couple of rogue jars left over from mince pie making. Only one jar left to use after that...

@ClaraTheImpossibleGirl at a guess lots of salt and oil! I could be unfairly maligning takeaways though

"pickle, cheese and almond tart ". Sounds interesting, GG.
Will you serve it with chips, custard, or both?

I'm also sorting out my cupboards. I'm quite laid-back about BBE, but miso paste from 2016 is straight in the bin.

I can't remember which programme, but a character made pilchard & bananana sandwiches.

Georgy Matt Smith's Doctor had fish fingers in custard at one point.
Here's the recipe:
www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/cheddar-onion-and-almond-tart-with-mustard-pastry-and-onion-pickle-recipe-20170911-gyeu8j
I found it looking for ways to use ground almonds which aren't cake, and this will also use up a jar of onion chutney, so I thought why not