Rich Choc Walnut Butterscotch Bars

September 17, 2014 by TSJC 1 Comment

These are those incredible nutty, chewy, sweet and crunchy bars. Be warned once these are made you will want to way to get them eaten as quickly as possible to avoid completely destroying your diet. I used organic walnuts in these, but you could use peanuts, hazlenuts or even almonds. The recipe is really simple its just that there are 3 stages which can be quite time consuming, but the outcome is really well worth the effort.

Rich Chocolate Walnut Butterscotch Bars
Makes 12 -24 (Depending on the size you cut)

Ingredients
Biscuit Crust
– 225gms cake flour
– 1/2 tsp baking powder
– 150gms plain milk chocolate
– 115gms unsalted butter
– 50gms muscovado/demerrera sugar
– 30ml finely ground almonds (or finely ground oats)

Butterscotch Filling
– 175gms unsalted butter, cut into chunks
– 115gms raw castor sugar (or regular will do)
– 30ml golden syrup
– 175mls condensed milk
– 150gms whole roasted nuts, walnut/hazelnut/almonds/peanuts

Chocolate Topping
– 250gms chocolate
– 25gms butter

Start by preheating the oven to 160°C. Grease a 20cm x 20cm baking tray. Now in a bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. Now rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Melt the chocolate over a pot of barely simmering water. Rub in the brown sugar and almonds before adding the molten chocolate. Work it in briefly till it forms a loose dough.

Press the dough into the base of your baking dish, you will not be able to roll it out like a normal dough so just press it in until it is flat and even, prick all over with a fork. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until firm. Set aside to cool in the tin.

Now prepare the butterscotch mixture. Add all the ingredients, excluding the roasted nuts, to a small heavy based saucepan. Stir until the butter and sugar have melted. Now allow to simmer over a low heat until it is a golden colour, be careful to not allow it to cook on too high a heat or you might burn the sugars. Once it is golden stir in the roasted nuts. Now spread the mixture evenly over the biscuit base. Leave to set and cool.

Once the butterscotch mixture has cooled, set a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, add the chocolate and the butter. Melt until smooth and silky. Now spread over the butterscotch mixture and shake the pan to allow the mixture to go smooth. Depending on the type of nuts you have used you may or may not have a smooth top layer, this is not important.

Allow to cool and then cut into pieces. I originally cut about 16 large pieces from the tray, however, these are very rich so you might want to cut them into smaller size chunks.

Yum! Wow!

July 8, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

We create our greatest meals not for money, or fame but for love! I am not talking about dinner party wow factor meals I am talking about suppers! The meal time whose purpose is to do so much more than just feed – supper is about a happy space at the end of the day, it’s about comfort and love. By example, Benjamin is my nephew, he inspires so much of the food I create. For him I want it to be healthy and natural, for his love of good food I want it to be tasty, for his mom to be able to reproduce it quickly and easily I want it to be simple and because of him you all get such great healthy quick easy recipes!

Take this cottage pie for example, will it change the world? Unlikely! Will it make my nephew smile? Definitely! So in my book that makes this a great meal created not with strange ingredients or foreign spices but simply with good ingredients and the magic of a 20-month old going “Wow!” every time you add anything to the pan and clapping when the bright yellow bowl is presented to him!

Grass Fed Beef Cottage Pie
Serves 4

– 400gms grass fed beef mince
– 4 tbsp olive oil
– 2 red onions
– 100mls beef/veg stock
– 6 carrots
– 120gms frozen peas
– 1 can organic plum tomatoes
– salt & pepper
– 2 bay leaf, whole
– 1 small sprig rosemary, whole
– 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
– 1 egg beaten, for egg wash
– 4-6 medium to large potatoes

Preheat the oven to 180°C. To start peel the potatoes and boil them in a large pot of salted water. If you are in a hurry cut larger potatoes into smaller chunks. Whilst the potatoes are boiling heat the olive oil in heavy based pan. Now add the meat to the pan, spreading it around, don’t stir it allow it to sit and caramelize before turning the meat. Using your wooden spoon break the meat into smaller pieces, once the meat has browned add the onions and allow them to cook till just softening.

Now add the stock and allow it to reduce a bit before adding the cut up vegetables (excluding the peas), herbs and the tomatoes. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes till done, then stir in the peas. While the meat is cooking prepare your mash potatoes!

To assemble spoon the meat into individual dishes, it should be thick and moist but not wet. Now spoon your mashed potato over the top, before brushing it with some beaten egg. Bake in the middle tray of the oven until golden brown and bubbling.

Bacon, Cheddar & Zucchini Muffins

June 20, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

If you are going to make a breakfast muffin this has got to be the one. Packed with healthy, natural, free range or organic ingredients. These muffins will store in the freezer tightly sealed, but they are so quick to make why bother. Use this as a basic recipe for quick breakfast muffins.

Cheddar, Bacon & Zucchini Muffins
Makes 12

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
110gms bacon rasher,
1/2 cup grated zucchini
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup De Rustica Extra Virgin Olive oil, or other great quality oil
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp Mustard
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

Preheat oven to 180°C/175°C fan-forced. Line a 12 hole 1/3 cup muffin tray or spray pan with non stick spray. In a pan fry the bacon until crispy, about 5-minutes. Remove from pan, allow to cool and then roughly chop. Now finely grate the zucchini and then carefully squeeze out all of its excess liquid. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flours, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. In a a smaller bowl, combine oil, mustard, milk, and egg. Add to the well in the centre of the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in bacon, zucchini and cheese.

Finally spoon the mixture into a standard size muffin tin. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden and just firm to touch. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, enjoy with farm fresh butter and . Enjoy!

Some deviations to the normal recipe above that I made today, just because I could. I made up the milk with half a cup of cream and half a cup of milk, it created a lighter more crumbly muffin. I used grated baby gems instead of zucchini and they were delicious but they have less skin so they added less green crunch.

But is it lasagne?

June 2, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Technically speaking, of course it isn’t lasagne it’s cannelloni, but practically when you consider it, it is a variation on a theme. So this weeks lasagne is in fact a cannelloni! Cannelloni are dried pasta tubes, that are designed to be stuffed and then baked, like lasagne, in bèchamel. When I make cannelloni I only work in single layers, because I find it sometimes doesn’t bake well in a double layer. The tubes can be stuffed with ricotta & spinach, beef ragu, tricolore (ricotta, spinach & ricotta and ragu).

I haven’t provided the recipe for this as it is the standard bèchamel and beef ragu. Make the meat sauce and allow it to cool a bit before stuffing the tubes with the meat. Then place a layer of bèchamel in the bottom of your baking dish and line the stuffed tubes up in a single layer. Top with more bèchamel, mozarella and parmesan cheese and bake in a hot oven until bubbling. Is it lasagne? No, but it’s just as yummy!

Let Them Eat Cake

April 27, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Griddle Cakes, flapjacks, crumpets whatever you want to call them are quick and easy to make and are something different to enjoy at breakfast. Create your own premix by sieving the following dry ingredients together and storing them in an airtight jar, that way it takes less than 5 minutes to produce a batch, just add the wet ingredients when you need it and combine lightly (slightly lumpy is good).

Ingredients
– 1,5 cups cake flour
– 2 tsp baking powder
– 0,5tsp bicarbonate
– 2 tbsp sugar
– 0,5tsp salt

– 2 tbsp oil
– 2 large eggs
– 1,5 cups milk

If you have a small family or you normally make breakfast for 1 or 2 people divide the flour mix into 2 jars after thoroughly sieving the ingredients and then when you need a smaller batch just add half the wet ingredients. (Stored in a jar the ingredients should be good for up to 2 months, I challenge you to leave it that long) Once the wet ingredients have been added and the batter lightly mixed heat a pan with some oil, butter or non stick spray and spoon in the amount of batter based on the size of griddle cake you want.

Variations:
– Add chocolate chips and serve with a fresh chocolate sauce
– Add some ricotta and honey to the mix and serve with low fat yoghurt (reduce the sugar added since the honey will sweeten it)
– Add some raisins and a few tsp of oats for a healthier option
– Add cripsy bacon pieces to the mix and substitute the oil for the bacon fat and serve with maple syrup!

Carambola

April 27, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Who’s a star?

Loaded with vitamin C, carambola, or star fruit are a great way to start the day. With a light flavour that has a crisp freshness, the fruits light flavor pairs well with other fruits. Slice thinly and hide the slices in yoghurt for kids lunch box treats.

SERVING SUGGESTION
Rinse the carambola and dry. Slice into thin slices cross ways to make the most of the fruits beautiful star shape. Serve in a small glass bowl or glass, placing the berries and carambola against the glass before topping with thick full cream Greek yoghurt, if the star fruit isn’t perfectly ripe drizzle it with a little honey before serving.

Breakfast in a Bottle

April 27, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Shop bought breakfast cereals can be a great choice for a midmorning snack (I’m a believer in the 6 small meals a day diet). The carbs will be put to good use getting you through the rest of the day. I always tweak my cereal so that it adds extra nutritional value.
When I mix up a batch I usually store it in honey jars, sealed, the cereal will last as long as I need it. But more importantly in the morning I just grab a jar and add some fruit to it, with a yoghurt and I have a tasty nutritious mid-morning snack ready to go in 60 seconds.

The only rule I apply is in buying a low sugar cereal. Sometimes I combine 2 cereals for a little more interest.
Try any of the following ingredients: nuts, dried shaved coconut, dried cranberries, raisins, currants, lin seeds, sunflower seeds, the list really is endless. If you have kids involve them and let them choose a favourite ingredient to add, making the cereal their own.
Today I used, Special K, raw cashew nuts and almonds, dried honey coated banana slices all topped off with berries.

The Secret Jozi Chef

Home of The Cookery

Rich Choc Walnut Butterscotch Bars

Yum! Wow!

Bacon, Cheddar & Zucchini Muffins

But is it lasagne?

Let Them Eat Cake

Carambola

Breakfast in a Bottle

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