It is my own fault of course, my own indecisiveness and general lack of direction has left me buffeted around by the whims of family and unable to commit to any real endeavour. This has been manifested in many ways, but in specific by the number (many) of different blogs I have begun on differing topics and unsurprisingly abandoned. Some of the more interesting topics I will repost here, because this is the blog I WILL be keeping…it is after all the only one which has a real representation of my life.

(Taken from Annabel Karmel’s  Family Cookbook Summer 2009)

Ingredients;

55g self-raising flour,1 tbsp caster sugar, a quarter teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, pinch of salt, 1 egg and equal amount of milk to egg.

Method;

1) Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and in a separate bowl beat the egg and milk. Combine both mixtures together and leave to stand for at least 5 minutes.

2)I’d recommend using a spray oil and a very hot frying pan to cook, I made mine quite small, about 20 cm accross and they cooked really quickly which is perfect when you want the family to all eat together. I quadrupled the ingredients to make enough for 7 (2 adults and 5 kids) and it was just enough, so the original proportions would feed 2 people nicely.

3) Serve with your favourite toppings ! Annabel suggests maple syrup and berries, but we enjoyed them well with jams, chocolate spreads and lots of cold apple juice to drink.

Needless to say, I’m never eating there!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/10/11/magazine/20091011-foodrules.html

Rhubarb and cinnamon muffins

Ingredients;

300g rhubarb chopped (very small), 3 tbsp light brown sugar, 300g plain flour, 1tbsp baking powder, 100g light brown sugar, 1tsp cinammon, 2 eggs beaten, 200ml milk, 100g butter (melted and cooled) and a little more light brown sugar to decorate.

Method;

1) Preheat your oven to 200C (fan) / 180 C / Gas Mark 6. Mix the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish with 3 tbsp of light brown sugar and bake for ten minutes, until soft. Drain and allow to cool on a clean kitchen towel.

2) Melt your butter slowly over a low heat and allow to cool, then add in the milk and beaten eggs and beat lightly.

3) Sieve your flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar into a big bowl and stir in all the wet ingredients, trying not to overmix.

4) Line either a 12-hole muffin tin or two 12-hole fairy cake tins (I used fairy cake sizes as they are more manageable for small mouths) with paper cases and divide the mixture evenly between them. Sprinkle with a little light brown sugar and then bake for about 25 mins (if muffins) or 10-15 mins (if smaller cakes) until golden.

5) Allow to cool and munch OR serve hot with vanilla icecream or a thick custard  OR  (miss out the sugar sprinkling on top before baking) ice with a thick custard icing (200g icing sugar, tinned custard added and stirred until the right consistancy is achieved).

Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients;  450g rhubarb, 450g jam making sugar (with added pectin), the rind of 1 lemon, 1 tsp ginger.

Method;

1) Chop the rhubarb into one inch pieces and place in a heavy based pot, cover with the sugar and heat slowly, stirring often, until the sugar melts.

2) Stir in the lemon rind and ginger and turn up the heat, boil for ten minutes then pour into clean jars. (this makes enough for two good sized jars).

3) Wait until cool and then store in the fridge, will keep about a month but will no doubt be eaten long before!. Lovely served on wholemeal toast with a little butter, even better if you can get the kids into the kitchen and make some jam tarts.

Last night I was lucky enough to sample the wonderfully wicked dessert trio that chef Walter McCrindle served up to the guests in the training restaraunt in Dundee College, hmm dark chocolate tart, a coconut panacotta and coffee and Pecan (I think) icecream…too fabulous for words. Googled him but found nothing, pity, I would have loved to get a gander at his recipe book!