Roasted Rosemary Leg of Lamb

So this was the centrepiece of our Christmas dinner today. We,be been shunning turkey and ham for a few years now. Last year was Beef Wellington with a chestnut, mushroom and streaky bacon filling and the year previous was pork tenderloin stuffed with apple, apricot, spinach and cheddar cheese. Like a lot of people, I was turned off turkey because I found the meat dry. I now know that successful ways of cooking this big bird include brining for twenty four hours beforehand or separating the joints so the legs can be cooked separate from the breast, the latter needing less cooking time. But I am still not persuaded to undergo either task.

My leg of lamb was a lovely four pounder. I think the accompanying strip of meat is the spare ribs which are fatty and delicious.

Before cooking the meat, I infused some olive oil with fresh rosemary and sea salt.

Which I rubbed into the meat prior to cooking

Pre heat the oven to Gas 6\200C\400F. Place a roasting tray with some goose fat on the bottom shelf (this is for the roast spuds you are obviously having).

When the oven is hot, place the meat straight onto the oven shelf above the roasting tin and fill the tin with your peeled spuds - the juices from the meat will drip down into the spuds - yum.

After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to Gas 4\180C\350F.  Cook for another 15 minutes per lb of meat.

The finished piece:

Breakfast Recipes: Egg Muffins

I love eggs and these muffins are one more great way to enjoy these two tone wonder foods. They are simple to make, quick to cook and totally versatile when it comes to additional ingredients.

As I've written before, breakfast is my least favourite meal of the day as I never know what to have but these muffins are my new best friends.

Ingredients (makes four)

2 eggs
Dash of milk
1 spring onion chopped
Chunk of yellow pepper diced
2 cherry tomatoes chopped
Grated cheddar cheese (a sprinkle per muffin)
Black pepper

Method

It's so easy...

Preheat the oven to Gas 4/350°F/180°C

Line a muffin tin with cases (I use silicon so no need to grease, but you might need to).

Beat the eggs in a jug, add the milk, chopped veg, grated cheese and black pepper.

3/4 fill your cases (I used 1\4 cup measure).

Bake for 20 minutes until there is no liquid present.

 

Allow to cool and pop from the case.

Enjoy!

Frugal Yet Thoughtful Christmas Gifts

Christmas is about the joyous act of giving and receiving and if you are like me, every year you pour over a list of names trying to dream up the perfect present for everyone. I'm not always frugal; I do like to treat some people but there has to be a balance to make this possible. Here are some gift ideas that won't cost a lot but are a bit better than a Christmas decoration made from an empty toilet roll.

1. Family Movie Night Gift Pack

This one is great for taking care of extended family members with children who you would like to/feel you have to give a present to but don't know them well enough to give individual gifts. It also costs very little.

Put together a pack with a few fail proof DVDs (I recommend Studio Ghibli's beautiful cartoon movies for families with children) or a voucher for the local video store or, in the modern way, a flash drive with some movie files on it. Include a packet of popcorn and other treats.

2. Books

Unless you are buying a well thumbed school book, the quality of second hand books can be fantastic. If you have children of your own, a fun way to encourage reading, as well as creating some suspense, is to follow an advent style way of giving a different book for the twenty five days of December leading up to Christmas day.

3. Pre-made cookie/cake dry mixes in a jar

You've probably seen many beautiful photos of this idea online. The basic premise is to layer the dry ingredients of a chosen recipe in a jar and attach a label with baking instructions and a list of the remaining wet ingredients, usually eggs and butter.

4. Vegetable seeds

Growing your own food is addictive. There is nothing more satisfying than planting a tiny seed and a few months later pulling a swollen delicious root for the table. Seeds are really cheap and there is a massive, exciting range of vegetables, some of which you might not have heard of, that will grow in the Irish climate. I love Seedaholic for a mesmerising catalogue of flower, ornamental, herb and vegetable seeds at great prices, fast delivery and superb information sheets.

The main idea behind all of these ideas is that by providing a few key items, you are gifting an experience and therein lies the thoughtfulness.

Sticky Whiskey Marinaded Chicken Thighs

Marinades are a great way to treat a piece of meat and you can get really creative with your mixes. Dig around your cupboards to find ingredients that are collecting dust. For me, it was whiskey and balsamic vinegar, neither of which I use very often. I complimented with contrasting flavours to balance out the harshness of the alcohol and vinegar. The best way to soak the meat is to use a sealable plastic freezer bag. In any case, always use a nonreactive container, plastic or glass.

Sticky Whiskey Marinaded Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

6 free range chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves minced
1 TSP ground ginger

Equal amounts (I used half a cup measure) of:

Whiskey
Brown sugar
Olive oil

Half that amount of:

Balsamic vinegar or\and soy sauce

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a plastic zip lock bag and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to Gas 6\200°C\400°F

Place the chicken thighs in a roasting tin, with a little of the marinade.





Roast for 30 minutes

To make a glaze, cook the reminder of the marinade on the hob. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook over a medium flame until it reduces by half into a sticky sauce.

I ate mine with simple spuds and veg but you could equally just tear into it with your bare hands like the beast that you are.

Banana And Chocolate Muffins

These luscious muffins are a sticky gooey unhealthy treat, not for everyday eating. The ingredients are minimal and are common kitchen stock. These little cakes are a great way to use up over-ripe bananas. They are best served warm when the chocolate is still melted.

Ingredients makes 12

2 eggs

90ml milk

150g butter melted

225g plain white flour

1 tsp baking powder

150g golden caster sugar

150g chocolate broken into chunks

2 ripe bananas mashed

Method

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6\200°C\400°F

Line a muffin tin with 12 cases

In a jug, mix the eggs, milk and melted butter until thoroughly combined.

Sift together the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl. Add the sugar, chocolate and bananas to the flour mix.

Stir gently to combine, gradually stirring in the milk mixture, but do not beat it.

Spoon the mixture into the cases.

Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden.

Allow to stand for 5 minutes and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Beetroot, Apple and Onion Soup

This exciting soup is a perfect way to use up the fruits of Autumn. Don't be put off by the adventurous ingredients; my beetroot hating, cooked apple avoiding boyfriend positively loved it. It's pink, hearty and slightly sweet with a zing! to finish.

I was inspired to try this recipe as I had a bag of windfall cookers to use and wanted to do something other than baking. I wasn't fortunate to have raw beetroot to use but the cooked stuff made my job easier.

Ingredients

15g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 decent sized cooking apples, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 tbsp curry powder
250g cooked beetroot, chopped
500ml vegetable stock

Method

Heat the butter and oil and saute the apple and onion over a medium heat for ten minutes, until mushy

Add the curry powder, mix well and cook for five more minutes

Add the beetroot and cook until the whole mix is heated through

Add half the stock and whiz using a hand blender

When well blended, add the remaining stock and mix evenly

Serve and enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts Tops - Bonus Food!

My veg garden is looking miserable. Apart from some spinach that bolted a long time ago, the only usable vegetables I have available are two Brussels sprouts plants, which in fairness to them are producing a fine amount of sprouts.

Like last year, the first sprout will be sampled on Christmas Day BUT to my delight it recently dawned on me that the sprouts are not the only part of the plant that can benefit my plate. The plant tops look like cabbage and taste like cabbage. I can't believe I wasted these fine leafy tops last year and today I sampled them for the first time in a stir fry. They are sweet and tasty, and even if you find the sprout to be bitter (although those of us in the know appreciate that if cooked properly, sprouts are delicate and sweet tasting and not in the slightest way bitter), you are sure to enjoy the bonus treat of the plant top.

Tips on growing Brussels Sprouts

Like other leafy green vegetables, sprouts like a lot of Nitrogen so plant them out in the same soil that you have grown your peas or beans, whose crops should be finished when the sprouts are ready to be planted out. The reason for this perfect partnership is that legumes have the ability to take Nitrogen from the atmosphere and fix it into the soil. This year, I planted my sprouts where Broad Beans had previously stood.

They require very little attention but it is worth picking off any yellowing leaves to encourage air circulation and prevent sprouts from rotting.

Planting Garlic in Ireland

Garlic is a crop that any vegetable gardener should be growing. It is planted (ideally) in October - December when there is nothing much else going on in the garden. It is low maintenance and stores well. Garlic is a staple in most kitchens and can be eaten young and fresh or mature and dried. It looks lovely hanging in your kitchen too - see above!

The first year I grew garlic I planted supermarket bought cloves, which produced small bulbs which I ate fresh. I now realise that this is not recommended as the garlic may be treated to prevent sprouting. Since then, I've purchased seed garlic. I seem to have trouble finding it at local garden centres so I buy online from Irish sellers.

Purchased from quickcrop.ie.

General Information

You can get two main types of garlic - soft neck and hard neck. Soft varieties are better for storage, hard will need to be used more quickly but are said to have a superior flavour. Hard neck will also send up edible flower stalks called garlic scapes that should be removed to help the main bulb to swell. The scapes can be used in various ways including pestos, soups and stir fries.

Planting Guidelines

Plant in autumn for a June/July harvest or in spring for a later crop(dependant on the variety). Some varieties are "earlies" so plant and harvest these first. If the ground is too wet and cold, the cloves can rot so planting in modules in autumn/winter for planting out in spring is an option.

Break the bulb into cloves and plant each one separately.

Prefers a light, free-draining soil in full sun. Certain varieties have a tendency to push up through the soil so plant these a few inches deep.

Harvesting and Preserving Garlic

Garlic should be lifted when the stem starts to turn yellow. It is best to lift early than too late as the bulbs can shatter and may start sprouting.

Handle carefully as it can bruise, which leads to rot in storage.

Allow to completely dry in the sun before storing. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the outer skins are totally dry and will slip off easily - usually two-three weeks. If there is a risk of rain, hang under cover - an unheated greenhouse will suffice.

Store hanging in bunches or plaited. Before plaiting, moisten the stem to make it more flexible.

If storing in wooden boxes, cut the stem down to 2 inches.


Here is one of my bulbs which has shattered - still perfectly edible but gone beyond its best:

I'll hang it anywhere I can:

Breakfast Muffins

Breakfast can be a temperamental meal for many people, especially if you have to leave the house first thing in the morning. You're sick of breakfast cereal but there's not enough time to cook something decent, it's too early to eat, you're not hungry yet... which inevitably leads to eating out which can be expensive and unhealthy. Such are the reasons I am always on the lookout for tasty, healthy, portable breakfasts and the following muffins fulfill all three requirements. They are also a good way to use up some possibly forgotten ingredients in your cupboard including honey, apple sauce and porridge oats.

• Sugar free
• Butter free
• Wholemeal flour

Makes 12

Ingredients



Wet

2 eggs beaten
150ml natural yogurt
50ml olive oil
100g applesauce
1 ripe banana mashed
4 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla essence

Dry

200g wholemeal flour
50g porridge oats with a bit extra for topping
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1.5 tsp cinnamon
100g dried fruit [I used cranberry, sultanas, raisins and goji berries]
2 tbsp mixed seeds [I used pumpkin and sunflower]


Method

Preheat the oven to Gas 4/180C/350F

Mix the wet ingredients in a jug




Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl




Pour in the wet ingredients, combine but don't overmix




Pour into twelve muffin cases and sprinkle the seeds and oats on top










Bake for 30 minutes and once baked, allow to cool on a wire rack and enjoy!



These will freeze well.

Handsfree Breastfeeding with a Woven Wrap Sling

It can be done as I've just discovered today. I ordered two slings, a Didymos and a Hoppediz, to rent for two weeks from the brilliant sling library on the babywearingireland website, and they arrived today. After half an hour of playing around with the Hoppediz, and using this video [it's in Spanish but easy to follow], I managed to comfortably attach my three week old baby to me, where he has been happily feeding/snoozing for the last half hour. The slings come with instructions, and the Hoppediz supplies a great choice of holds, but none to compete with the youtube video for a hold suitable for nursing.

I'm so happy. I can finally get things done!

My Beautiful Newborn Son

I Could Not Live Without My: Nursing Pillow

Since having my first baby two weeks ago, my life has been made infinitely easier by the addition of a nursing pillow, so much so that I bought a second one. And nursing is only one of the tasks it makes easier. In fact, as I type this post with one hand, baby is lying across the pillow [which is wrapped around my stomach] having his lunch and I only need one hand to support his head - sometimes, depending on my sitting position, I need not use any hands and baby can comfortably feed as the pillow provides ample support.


Other wonderful uses I've found for the pillow are:


1. Sitting on





Comfortable for everyone but especially to relieve pressure from post-labour stitches. This is the reason to own two pillows. It's easily portable to every chair/room in the house.


2. Allowing a young baby to nap safely outside a cot/crib





Any parent with a newborn knows that every nap is to be appreciated and a nursing pillow can be used to ensure baby can nap comfortably and safely. The sides cocoon the baby so it cannot roll over and it can turn a couch in to a baby bed instantly. Also if the baby falls asleep nursing and you don't want to disturb him, you'll find it quite easy to use the time constructively by reading your book/knitting/watching a movie/anything that can be done sitting down as you have two hands free.

3. Propping up baby

I haven't taken a photo to illustrate but for tummy time in the earlier stages. simply turn baby over on his stomach and use the pillow to help him prop up. You can also lie him on his back and support his head in the centre of the crescent for playing and talking to!

So even if you are bottle feeding your baby, don't overlook what a nursing pillow can do for you. They are wonderful creations.

Say No to Convenience Products

In matters of food and home, convenience can be expensive and quite often, unhealthy. A person working long hours can’t be expected to do everything from scratch all the time but here are some easy tips that I hope identify the main convenience culprits.

1. Avoid single serve portions. They are evil. Even if you are only feeding one, you are much better off investing in a good freezer and buying food in bulk, where cheaper. It is a simple habit to get into, and once you get into that mindset, it is hard to go back to paying premium prices for nicely packaged portions for one. Chopped plastic wrapped vegetables are the worst. The mark up for the convenience of having them peeled and chopped is astronomical. On a recent trip to Tesco, the normal celery head was 89c, where a bag of celery stalks, chopped from the base was €1.65. The actual size of the edible portion was about the same.

2. If the reason for buying smaller portions is to control weight, don’t be fooled by marketing ploys. Stay clear of low fat “weight watchers” products that claim to be healthier but are really just a smaller portion of the same food you could buy from any brand. Instead of buying your diet sliced pan, which is just reduced in size so the portion calorie count is smaller, learn how to make a decent brown bread and enjoy a full portion knowing that it is better for you. Better still; rise above the notion that low fat, processed products are a good way to control your weight. The healthiest, fittest people I know are those who eat well, enjoy their meat, carbohydrates, full fat dairy products, a daily treat and so on, but do not eat processed junk which often falsely parades itself as healthy. Belvita breakfast biscuits? Special K? No thanks; I’d rather have a boiled egg and brown bread. You can poach an egg in the microwave in less than a minute so limited time is no excuse.

3. Instead of buying packets of biscuits, bake your own. It is too easy to open a packet of supermarket biscuits and scoff five without even thinking. If you put in the time and effort to bake your own, not only are you getting physical exercise from the actual task of cooking and cleaning, but also you will appreciate them more and will be less quick to eat them so fast. Plus they defrost in no time so you can control your portions by freezing the batch and taking one out daily. It is more rewarding.

4. If you do not have a problem with eating sweet treats, just make a slab of chocolate biscuit cake every week and keep it in the fridge. I make a 6inch x 6inch x 1 inch portion once a week using a 125g bar of Lidl Madagascar chocolate [€1.25], 4 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp golden syrup, handful mixed dried fruit and 75g rich tea biscuits [you can buy a 300g pack for about 35c in Lidl]. It costs less that €2 to make and keeps two of us in chocolate for a week or more. If we were buying a chocolate bar a day for each of us in the local newsagent, we would be spending €2 every day - €14 a week!

5. Make a “rag bag”. Well make two – one for clean and one for dirty. Cut up any old clothes that have gone beyond wearable, store in a cotton bag and when used, put into a material net bag. The whole bag can be thrown into the washing machine with your usual load. You can stop buying paper towels and the by using the bag system, you’ll have a neat and tidy system.

For an ultra neat system, use plastic containers to contain the bags:

Uplifting homemade rags made from clothes!:

And don't get me started on take away teas and coffees..... If you have to have it on the go, buy a flask.