Super Jam and some Scrummy Flakey Jam Rolls

I just love it when a young entrepreneur has a great idea and is able to make something of it. Such was the case of a young lad from Scotland, Frazer Doherty, who was taught how to make jam by his Scottish gran when he was 14 years old. Somehow he managed to market it and since then has gone on to sell millions of pots of the stuff. He calls it Super Jam.



I was sent several jars to try out recently and I have to say . . . I am not surprised! It's fabulous jam, and best of all it is not made with sugar, but grape juice. It also makes good use of the so called "Super Foods" such as cranberries and blueberries, which truly makes it a super jam in ever sense of the word.



We love jam in this house and if our jam can be that little bit healthier for us so much the better and I have to say with all honesty I was very impressed with this jam. I was sent a bottle of Strawberry, a bottle of Raspberry and Cranberry, and a bottle of Blueberry and Black Currant. I love that is is all fruit and all natural. I also loved that it is quite, quite delicious!



I am always cooking with jam as well (as you know) so I took the opportunity to use some of it in these tasty Flakey Jam Rolls . . . deliciously flakey and buttery puff pastry spread with jam and nuts and rolled up and baked. Oh my but they are some good too.



I used the Raspberry and Cranberry Jam in these and they were absolutely scrumdiddlyumptious. I have a confession though . . . it wasn't until I had them in the oven that I realized that I had used a box of short crust pastry instead of the puff pastry . . . but nevermind, they turned out fabulous anyways! Kind of like Pop Tarts but without the icing. I love it when my mistakes turn out incredibly edible!



We have enjoyed the two other jams on our toast and crumpets and they are also quite scrummy. Many thanks to Nell for sending me these tasty jams to try out. If you would like to know more about the Super Jam company and Fraser Doherty hop on over to their page. There are all sorts of tasty tidbits there . . . including a Super Jam Cookery Book, and a cool iphone app!



Flakey Jam rolls
Makes 6
Printable Recipe

Buttery, delicious and flakey jam rolls. Need I say more???

One sheet of all butter puff pastry, defrosted according to package instructions
1/4 - 1/2 cup jam, heated to loosen (I like to use raspberry or strawberry)
Scant handful dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Melted butter for basting
Granulated sugar and demerara sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with some baking parchment paper. Set aside.

Place the defrosted pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Dust the surface lightly with granulated sugar. Brush with some of the butter and use a fork to prick pastry in 4 or 5 different places. Spread the warmed jam evenly over top. Scatter the top with the walnuts and cranberries. Cut into six rectangles and roll each rectangle up horizontally like a jelly roll. Place on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 15 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden. Allow to cool before eating. Store in an airtight container.

Next Up: Apple Cider Pork

I'm happy to announce that our gas line was finally fixed late this afternoon, and I had just enough light to finish filming this tasty, cider-braised pork shoulder roast. Please check it out tomorrow!

Jamie Oliver's Parents’ Spicy Butternut Squash Soup… Because I Have Gas Problems

I had a lovely apple-braised pork shoulder recipe all set to post today, but was unable to finish it off because PG&E turned off the gas line to do repairs on our street. So, stay tuned for that tomorrow, but in the meantime, here’s a great butternut squash soup video from Trevor and Sally Oliver, parents of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. Jamie’s one of my favorites, and not only are his parents adorable, but you can see where he gets some of his skills from. Enjoy!

This video was originally posted on Thisisbrandculture's YouTube Channel, February 22, 2011.

Baked Hot Dogs

Source: bystephanielynn.com via Becca on Pinterest

Happy Halloween! Tis the night when Goblins and Witches wander the streets looking for goodies! I love Halloween! It's not as big a deal over here as it is in North America, but it is beginning to catch on more and more with each year that passes. When we worked on the Manor Estate down South, we never got any trick or treaters . . . except for maybe the little lad from next door. Last year we didn't really get any here either, but . . . I live in hope each year that this just might be the year when we will be inundated!



It was always such an exciting night when I was growing up . . . the highlight of the Autumn season, really. We always had a party at school in the afternoon, when we would wear our costumes and parade them around to all the other classrooms. Prizes would be given for the best ones, but every one was appreciated really. We had treats and drinks and it was all so very exciting. Our anticipation would build all day until evening . . . once the dusk started to settle in . . . the children in the neighborhood would begin to go around door to door. Trick or Treat . . . childishly and excitedly chanted over and over again . . .

When I was a child we were not allowed to go out trick or treating until we had eaten our dinner. Grrrr . . . I used to always be so afraid that by the time we would be allowed to go out, nothing would be left!!!! Oh what a chore that was for my mum. We were always overly anxious and excited . . . and dinner was always so boring. We just didn't want it!



It might have been a far different story had she placed one of these scrumptious hotdogs down in front of us! Oh my but these are some delicious! I can't believe it's taken me a lifetime to discover them!



Imagine a tasty hotdog, swathed in a bun, stogged full of your favourite hotdog toppings, and then topped with chili and cheese, and crispy onions . . . and then baked until it all melds into the most scrumptious tasting dish ever invented!



Oh yes . . . kids will love these, both young and old! These are so temptingly delicious that they will be love, Love, LOVED! If you are wanting them to be a bit healther, do use chicken, turkey or veggie dogs and veggie chili of you wish. Half fat cheese and mayo also work really well. But really your kids are going to burn them off with all that running from door to door they are going to be doing . . .



And as for the big kids that won't be runnning around, well . . . a little taste of what you love once in a while never did anyone any harm, did it?



*Baked Hot Dogs*
for 4 servings (but easily multiplied up or down)
Printable Recipe

These are so simple and so very delicious. I'll never eat a normal hotdog again.

4 smoked hot dogs
(buy the fresh ones, not the tinned ones)
4 finger buns
pickle relish
french mustard
mayonnaise (low fat works well)
1 tin of chili (I use stag chili, regular) heated
4 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)
4 TBS crispy onions (the kind used to top salads, in North America they are the Durkee's French
Fried onions that come in tins)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a baking dish that is large enough to hold the hotdogs in the buns.

Slice each finger bun open. Spread the inside with some pickle relish, mustard and mayonnaise. Place a hot dog into each. Place each bun into the baking dish. Spoon the chili over top of the hotdogs inside the buns as much as possible. Scatter the cheese over top and then sprinkle on the crispy onions. Cover with foil, making sure that the foil does not touch the top of the hotdogs, but sealing the edges in well.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Use a spatula to remove them to heated plates. These are knife and fork dogs and oh soooooo scrummy!



Cooking in The Cottage today, delicious Butterscotch Pudding!

Chilli Con Carne

A Texan woman once told me "only poor people and vegetarians put beans in" so I suppose this here is a Texan-style chilli con carne. After relentless experimentation, I've managed to make the most flavoursome chilli to date and the trick was to make it as simple as possible. No beans. No tomatoes.

A combination of ancho chilli, cascabel, chipotle and one small habernero was to be my chilli base (you can buy these at Casa Mexico) and a scotch bonnet was thrown in for some ferociousness. The result was a deep, smoky building heat quite unlike any other, with a layer of fruitiness from the scotch bonnet. Scooped up with tortilla chips (I deep fried corn tortillas...) and salsa, the textural difference in using chunks of beef rather than mince is stark. It's messy but I prefer having more texture to get my teeth around.


Chilli Con Carne

Serves 6ish

450gr braising steak
450gr beef shin
2 cascabel chillis
1 ancho chilli
1 habenero chilli
2 chipotle chillis in adobo
1 scotch bonnet
2 tsp Mexican oregano (or use normal)
1 large onion
1 carrot
2 ribs of celery
6 fat cloves of garlic
1 stick of cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 can of lager
500ml of beef stock

Chop the meat into chunks and brown well. Remove from the pan. Meanwhile, rehydrate the habenero, cascabel and ancho chillis in hot water. Dice the onion, carrot and celery and mince the garlic. Throw this into the pan to fry in the beef juices and fat. Cook slowly until softened and lightly golden. Mince the chillis with the chipotles and add to the onion mixture with the oregano. Add the beef back in and then add the cumin and cinnamon stick. Stir well.

Add the can of lager and then bring to the simmer. It will be all foamy but will calm down. Simmer until reduced by half, then add the beef stock and simmer slowly for at least 4 hours. Check it occasionally and add water if it becomes too dry. It tastes better the next day, but is still pretty damn good on the same day.

Jam Drops

I got myself another baking book the other day. (Don't roll your eyes!) I know . . . I didn't really need one, but this one looked really yummy, the price was right and I am a sucker for any Australian Women's Weekly cookery book. They are that good! Seriously.



I was not disappointed with this one either. It arrived yesterday and then I went to bed with it last night. (Sorry Todd! I often go to bed with cookery books.) I devoured each and every page. The pictures are fabulous and the recipes all look really scrummy, but then it is called The Cake Stall. Scrumminess is to be expected!



I decided to bake these cookies today. They immediately grabbed my attention. We love jam in this house and if we can have it stogged into the middle of cakes or with cookies, we are in seventh heaven!



The original cookies look so pretty . . . with raspberry jam petals and apricot jam centres . . . but I wanted to use up the rest of my blueberry jam and some lemon curd that I had. Blueberries and lemon go very well together, and so that's what I did.



They may not be as pretty as the others . . . but what they lack in looks they more than make up for in flavour . . . buttery almondy short biscuits with the flavours of lemon curd and blueberry jam . . . ohhhh so luverly!!



Really! (I got my book from Amazon.uk. It has a hard cover like a real cookbook and was a lot cheaper than the cover price.)



*Jam Drops*
Makes 24

Very pretty cookies, resembling flowers with jam petals! You can use whatever kind of jams you wish. I have even used lemon and lime curds with success.

125g of butter, softened (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
110g of caster sugar (1/2 cup)
120g of ground almonds (1 cup)
1 large free range egg
150g plain flour (1 cup) sifted
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
110g of raspberry jam (1/2 cup) for petals
2 TBS apricot jam for centres

Preheat the oven to 180*C/.350*F/ gas mark 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, vanilla, sugar and ground almonds until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and lemon zest. Stir in the flour to make a soft dough. Shape heaped TBS of the dough into round balls and place them onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches in between for spreading. Flatten them slightly with your hands. Using the end of a wooden spoon make six indentations into the biscuits. (One in the centre and five around the outside.) Fill each hole with a little jam using raspberry jam for the petals and apricot for the centres. (Don't be tempted to over fill them. It will run over when they are baking and create a mess.)

Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden brown on the bottoms and nicely set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on wire racks completely before eating. Store in an airtight container.

I love this book, there are tasty sections such as The Lemonade Stand, Gifts for Mum, Treats for the Kids, Tis the Season, Grandma's Kitchen and Jams and Preserves, as well as the usual glossary, conversion charts and index. Some other recipes includePassionfruit Buttermilk Cake, Chocolate Freckle Slices, Fig Mince Pies, Crunchy Bubble Bars, Apple Cinnamon Tea Loaves, Date and Walnut Rolls and many, many more, all triple tested Good old fashioned flavour that can never be replaced by a packet. £10.53 from Amazon.



Over in The Cottage Today some delicious Easy Peasy White Batter Rolls!

Riding High at the California Olive Ranch

Michele and I were invited to tour the California Olive Ranch this week, where we got a firsthand look into how olive oil is produced. The ranch is the largest producer in California, and uses state-of-the-art equipment and technology to produce extra virgin olive oil that’s cold pressed within a few hours of picking.

I was shocked to learn that only two percent of the olive oil purchased in the United States is made domestically, but thanks to producers like California Olive Ranch that number is sure to be going up. The oils are reasonably priced, and tend to be more on the buttery/fruity side, than their more intense and peppery European counterparts.

The ranch plants three varieties of olives that were selected especially for the high-density planting method they employ; Arbequina and Arbosana from Spain, and Koroneiki from Greece. The trees are much more shrub-like than one would expect, but perfectly suited for the ranch’s unique harvesting methods.

It would have been cool enough just to watch how these olives are harvested, but when we were actually invited to climb up on the Oxbo picking rig, the tour went to a whole other level…literally, like 20 feet off the ground. I was amazed at how quickly the large bin next to the picker was filled with fruit. Luckily the machine has a large storage unit inside which holds the olives until another bin is brought into position.

After a loud, dusty, but nonetheless thrilling ride though the fields, we headed into the mill where we saw the rest of the process, as the olives were turned into oil in a remarkably short amount of time. The tour ended with a tasting, where I enjoyed everything I sampled, especially their Miller's Blend. We also got to taste some bright green, just-pressed olive oil, which was a rare and special treat for sure.

By the way, we were joined on the trip by Amy Sherman from Cooking with Amy, Chrystal Baker from The Duo Dishes, Aleta Watson from The Skillet Chronicles, and Jane Bonacci from The Heritage Cook. I invite you to check out their blogs for what I’m sure will be more great coverage.

Here’s a short video with some of the sights and sounds from our tour. I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into what I found to be quite a fascinating experience. A sincere thank you to Kirsten Wanket, Mike Forbes, and the rest of the California Olive Ranch team for all their hospitality. Enjoy!

Disclosure: This is not a paid endorsement, or sponsored post, however, the California Olive Ranch did take us out for a lovely dinner after the tour, and provided us with overnight hotel accommodations.

Glazed Donut Muffins

There's one thing that I really miss over here . . . cake donuts. You know the kind I mean . . . all cakey, not a speck of yeast in sight, totally scrummy with the flavours of buttermilk and nutmeg. I can remember my Great Aunt Orabel standing at her wood range cooking donuts and how wonderful they tasted when they were done.

She would drop them . . . hot . . . into a brown paper bag and shake them together with cinnamon sugar, until they were well coated. Oh my but they were some good.



I have made muffins before that come very close to the flavour of these little gems . . . Jam Doughnut Muffins . . . if you were to close your eyes and take a bite you might be tempted to think you were eating a cake donut. Those ones are stogged full of jam though, which makes them quite, quite scrummy.



Today I wanted a cake donut . . . not jam filled, not yeast raised . . . a delicious cakey donut, tasting of butter and nutmeg . . . and sweetly glazed, not rolled in cinnamon sugar . . . but glazed . . . a sticky finger glaze coating the top, just like a buttermilk cake donut in a donut shop . . . except the recipe I found didn't call for buttermilk.



Meh! C'est la vie. I baked and enjoyed. So did Todd.



These are quite scrummy indeed, and yes . . . they do taste like donuts! And they're not fried, which can't be bad!



*Glazed Donut Muffins*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Tastes just like a cake type of donut, except it's not fried. Yummily glazed.

2 ounces butter, softened (1/4 cup)
60ml of vegetable oil (approximately 1/4 cup)
100g of caster sugar (1/2 cup)
60g soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup, packed)
2 large free range eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
232g plain flour (1 2/3 cup)
250ml of milk (1 cup)

For the Glaze:
140g icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
3/5 tsp vanilla
2 TBS hot water

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin or line with paper liners. Set aside.

Beat the butter, oil, white and brown sugars, and both eggs together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, until all are mixed. Don't overmix. Spoon into the prepared baking cups, dividing the batter equally amongst them.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until well risen and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Whisk together the glaze ingredients until you get a smooth drizzle. Spoon this drizzle over the warm muffins. Allow to set before serving. Store in an airtight container.



Over in The Cottage today, Grammy Woodworth's Molasses Cookies. (Delicious!)

Ham and Potato Soup – Tuberlicious!

This title is dedicated to all those who chimed in on our root vegetable gratin video to let me know that a potato is a tuber, and not a root, even though I mentioned that fact in the video and the post! Bless your hearts. ;-)

I know we did a black bean soup not too long ago, but I had a piece of leftover ham that needed to be used up, and this time of year you just can’t have too many soup recipes. In addition to being a proven antidote for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the recipe is definitely filling enough to serve as a main course.

The version I presented here is a little on the lighter side, but by adding more meat (including bacon, sausage, etc.), and finishing with cheese, you can significantly increase its heartiness.

By the way, if you do want to finish this with some nice sharp cheddar, or perhaps a pepper Jack, do NOT add it until you’ve turned off the heat. Cooking the cheese is never a good thing, unless you want an oil slick floating on the surface of your soup. There will be plenty of residual heat to melt shredded cheese, so turn off the heat, stir it in, and dig in.

If you’re one of these vegetarian types, may I suggest you caramelize some diced mushrooms to a dark meaty brown first, and then proceed with the rest of the procedure as shown. Either way, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb gold potato (or any other kind will work)

1 onion

1 carrot

1 celery
8 oz diced smoked ham

3 cloves garlic

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1/2 cup cream

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne

chives

Devilish Treats for Halloween and Bonfire Night

Gloomy evenings and chilly nights are fast approaching, but there are still plenty of opportunities to have fun with the family . . . beginning with Halloween and Bonfire Night.


With today’s hectic lifestyles it can be difficult to plan for special occasions, which is why Canned Food UK has created some quick and easy recipes that will help to bring your guests’ tastebuds to life. In preparation, it’s a good idea to stock up on store cupboard essentials. Whether you’re making some light snacks or hearty meals, canned food is nutritious and convenient to use.



After an evening of Halloween trick or treating or watching fireworks, warm up chilly bones with some fiery food. Canned Food UK’s American Style Beans with Cornmeal Dumplings provides a hearty, healthy meal that you can rustle up in a hurry. It is packed with canned tomatoes and red kidney beans – providing plenty of nutrients for your little monsters.



Apple bobbing might be the kids’ idea of fun, but adults will take more enjoyment from a scrumptious dessert. Try a delicious Apple Pancakes with Toffee and Custard to top off the evening.



For some winter warmers that can be enjoyed outdoors, Canned Food UK’s Filled Sweet Potatoes are easy to make and sweet potatoes count towards your 5-A-DAY. Bursting with flavour, these dishes are sure to bring excitement to Halloween and Bonfire Night.



Canned Food UK’s free u.can cook iPhone app has plenty of affordable and nutritional recipes that only need a few minutes’ preparation. Available through the iTunes App Store, it features more than 90 delicious recipes and a selection of step-by-step video demonstrations by celebrity chef James Martin. Canned Food UK’s website www.cannedfood.co.uk also features recipe demonstrations from James Martin, plus top tips from nutritionist Amanda Hamilton.




Toffee Apple Cake
Makes: 8-10 slices
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
385g can apple slices, drained, roughly chop half of the apple
397g can caramel (found at the supermarket in the canned milk section)
150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
3 medium eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour, sieved
Crème fraîche to serve

Method

Preheat oven to fan 160°C, conventional 180°C, gas 4.
Grease and line the base of a 22-23cm cake tin with baking parchment.
Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the beaten eggs, with a little of the flour after each addition.
Gently fold in the remaining flour until all the ingredients are combined.Add chopped apple and gently swirl in ¾ can caramel – do not over-mix.
Pour the mixture into the tin; arrange the remaining apple slices over the top of the cake, cutting any thick slices lengthways.
Spoon the remaining caramel over the top of the cake, then bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown.



Spicy Sausage Casserole
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 - 45 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
420g red kidney beans in chilli sauce
200g can chopped tomatoes
300g can sliced carrots, drained
6 (400g) sausages, chilli if available
100g chorizo, peeled and thickly sliced
1 red onion, chopped
150g butternut squash, cut into large cubes
1-2tsp smoked paprika, optional
150ml stock
1 Tbsp olive oil

Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
Add the sausages and fry for five minutes, browning evenly, then remove them from the pan and leave to cool slightly.
Add the onion to the pan and fry for five minutes or until just soft.
Add chorizo and squash, fry for two minutes, and add the paprika, carrots, kidney beans, chopped tomatoes and stock.
Cut each sausage into four or five pieces, return to the pan, bring to the simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the squash is cooked.
Canny fact
Best served with mashed or baked potatoes. To make this dish even quicker to make, try adding canned onions instead of fresh – they are already prepared, ready for you to use.