Food and Drink #16 Liedown larder

[Mustard]

Anyone here made a broccoli mac and cheese and can recommend a good recipe?

 

[Pocahontas]

That's the one I use - do you find 25 minutes is enough? Every oven I've ever made them in has needed at least double that.

Yep, it’s usually enough! They come out soft in the middle though, so maybe you’re after a not so soft brownie?

 

[Captainmouse]

Sadly, semolina only brings back memories of lumpy pink or beige glue from school dinners...

you sprinkle it on the base and it soaks up the soggy

 

[Scotty1976]

Slightly belated Happy Birthday @Scotty1976

Thank you .I love the wee dancing mushroom

 

[Flumps]

Boeuf Bourguignon | Recipes | Delia Online

Good old Delia - in fact these are the books I use the most. This is lovely. I might add the ingredients to my FANCY Ocado order.

Hard agree. This is the one my mum has been making for ....mumble.... years and it’s wonderful.

 

[emm]

Just a thought, I have always been told that cats need taurine in their diet which they would get from eating feathers and fur if they were wild. Dog food doesn't contain taurine but good cat food always does so I guess that's why your vet didn't recommend you making your own. I expect you could source taurine but it may be hard to know the exact dose.

oh interesting! my cat actually always eats feathers which I thought was bizarre!

There is a really harrowing article written by food writer Tim Hayward in the FT. He spent a month in hospital inc ICU with Covid. I found it on Twitter and read it for free.

The FT have made all their covid articles free I think. will read it now despite the fact that I am trying to avoid COVID content for my sanity ..

 

[emm]

Those brownies look amazing!

Oh wise fraus, I am currently trying to reduce my animal product consumption. Does anyone have any suggestions of what I could cook in place of the meat in a roast dinner? (I do NOT like mushrooms and most ideas on google seem to revolve around mushrooms). Thank you x

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chestnut-spinach-blue-cheese-en-croute I have made this before for xmas dinner, I don't know if you want to avoid all animal products but pastry actually tends to be vegan.
There is also this which is nice, you can just avoid the mushrooms https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mushroom_and_squash_pie_20996

 

[emm]

Snap!!

it is so weirdly engrossing! I realised I spent over 30 min on it yesterday! love it

 

[veryfondoftea]

Thanks all, that’s so good to hear

 

[Mustard]

There is a really harrowing article written by food writer Tim Hayward in the FT. He spent a month in hospital inc ICU with Covid. I found it on Twitter and read it for free.

 

[Captainmouse]

It’s snowing and a blowing out there brrrr

 

[Pocahontas]

Th

Thanks! They look delicious. Do you add the additional amount of chocolate that you mention at the end of the recipe and if so, which kind?

I do - I usually chop a block of milk chocolate and add it (I just get the one in Lidl). So then you get lovely chunks of chocolate in the brownies.

 

[emm]

I thought A Teacher was good, found the different lengths of all the episodes a bit random though. Love Life with Anna Kendrick is worth a watch, and I don't know if anyone else watched it but I loved Why Women Kill.

what is why women kill? is that on the bbc?

 

[Falkor]

oh sorry @Mustard, I wasn't sure if you wanted it

Spoiler: Brownies recipe

You need:
150g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
185 dark chocolate (I use Bourneville - a block usually covers it)
85g plain flour
40g cocoa powder (I use Green and Black's)
50g nuts of your choice (optional)
100g chocolate of choice, chopped (optional)
3 large eggs
275g golden caster sugar (but plain is fine as well)

Method:
Cut butter into 1-inch cubes and chop the dark chocolate. Place together in a microwavable bowl and microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring each time until combined and just melted (if you don't have a microwave, in a bowl over simmering water). Set to one side to cool.

Measure out your flour and cocoa powder into a small bowl and set to one side.

In a large mixing bowl, measure the caster sugar and break the eggs. Using an electric mixer, whisk until thick and creamy like a milkshake (usually takes about 3 minutes). It's ready when the mixture is pale, double the volume and leaves a ribbon trail.

Preheat your oven to 180 C (or 170 if fan). Line a baking tray with baking paper. I use one that measures 22 x 32 cm, but if you used a smaller one, you'd get deeper, stodgier brownies, if you used one slightly larger, your brownies would be thinner (you get the drift )

Pour your cooled choc/butter mix into the sugar/egg, into the side of the bowl so it doesn't knock out the air. Gently fold with a large metal spoon in figure of 8s until just combined. Don't overmix.

Sift over the flour and cocoa and again fold in gently, again with figure of 8s. Keep going until fudgy and combined, being careful not to knock out the air. Don't overmix.

Finally, gently stir in your chocolate and/or nuts if using.

Pour into your prepared tin, and make level with a palette knife if you have one.

Bake for 25 mins. It's ready when the top is shiny with a papery crust and coming away from the sides. Leave in tin until cool, slice and enjoy!

View attachment 450125
Some I made yesterday

That's the one I use - do you find 25 minutes is enough? Every oven I've ever made them in has needed at least double that.

 

[Begborrowsteal]

Has anyone tried La Tua Pasta? Some of their stuff looks & sounds really lovely

 

[ChampagneBox]

If you have a spray bottle I’d recommend spraying some oil over it before popping it in the oven so it gets that crunchy, crispy texture. It’ll be fine baked though.

Thank you! Could I brush them with oil instead? No spray bottle

 

[veryfondoftea]

Have any of you fraus any experience of moving your kids school not at the ‘usual’ moving times? My daughter is in year 3 at a great school 2 miles away. Our local junior is just round the corner and also a great school and I’m considering the option of moving her - mainly for social reasons, so she can walk to school (with her friends eventually), so she has local friends she can knock for, get the bus to secondary with etc she’s happy at her school and has friends although not anyone super close. So I feel it would be an initial disruption but the long term benefits would outweigh that? Has anyone gone through this?

 

[veryfondoftea]

Quorn family roast is awesome as a chicken alternative and leftovers work well in a chicken and stuffing style sandwich too. I haven’t had chicken for a while but its taste and texture remind me very much of real chicken but not in a gross way

 

[lemonlime]

Love this, thank you!

 

[Breakdance Badass]

Apparently he tried really hard to act like it didnt happen, kept to himself as much as he could.. but he left soon after

What happened, I’ve missed this?