It’s been a busy half term with Halloween cookery classes and ‘batty’ baking sessions. We have made ‘mummy sausages’ and spider webb pizzas and learnt the art of beautiful witches hats out of fondant icing. It’s not ideal with Halloween on a school night this year, Monday 31st but I am sure all weekend we will enjoy our Halloween goodies and as a family we are off to a Bonfire and Fireworks display on Saturday night!
I have just got my slow cooker out (aka my cauldron) and feel this weekend I will do a warming beef stew to serve after we have got chilly watching the fireworks. I do love my ‘one pot’ meals and I will be posting as many as possible online. I admit I do like this time of year, when its cooler and darker and time to light the fire and get cosy! These are the type of meals you can throw together in a matter of minutes and then leave to bubble away until after the school clubs and rushing about! Perfect for the busy family midweek.
As well as Halloween and Bonfire night just round the corner, October is ‘Pink month’ for Cancer Research UK. When I worked for Pampered Chef I used to do a huge amount of fundraising in October with ‘pink parties’ so still in the mood and wanting to do my bit for Cancer Research I have done some ‘pink cookery sessions’ this week too. We made Beetroot and Cheese Scones (perfect for breakfast, brunch or a savoury tea, served warm with butter!) Beetroot and cheese Scones Shortbread Biscuits with a sweet beetroot glaze Shortbread with Beetroot Glaze Biscuits and the ‘hidden raspberry cupcakes’ which are officially called Raspberry Velvet Cupcakes,recipe click here All pink and all with that hidden Beetroot ingredient – Natural and Healthy too!
I do love Beetroot and have also made a few cakes recently in which Beetroot has added not only a lovely colour but also made the sponge to be lovely and moist!
‘Beetroot is of exceptional nutritional value; especially the greens, which are rich in calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. Beetroots are an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of fibre, manganese and potassium. The greens should not be overlooked; they can be cooked up and enjoyed in the same way as spinach.’
Still very much on the ‘Pink’ theme my ‘Tiger Pink Lemons’ arrived from ‘Adventures in fruit’ yesterday. These look very pretty with their tiger striped skin and then when you cut into them have a more pinkish flesh… so far I have used them in some baking and in my morning hot water, but may have to sample a G&T over the weekend as they will look so nice in the glass too!
Whatever you are doing this weekend, Halloween or first Bonfires wrap up and eat warm! Jo