A week of birthdays

It's been a busy couple of weeks with birthday celebrations. The week started with the Queen's birthday, which was marked by a public holiday the previous Monday. I've always thought it slightly odd that NZ mark the day with a public holiday, as does Australia, and yet the day goes virtuously un-noticed in the UK!

The Son celebrated his 11th birthday last Sunday. He had a 'movie night' party at home, with the husband making home-made individual pizzas for everyone, each choosing their own toppings. We also had a pick-n-mix, home made pop-corn, and ice-cream cones. The evening was finished off with the Son's favourite chocolate mud cake.

My own birthday was a few days later. It's funny how an 11 year old's view of birthdays can differ so much from someone in their very late thirties. I have to admit I wasn't looking forward to this birthday, as I'm not exactly relishing turning 40 next year. *Sigh*. It took me until early afternoon to really start enjoying myself. By dinner time I was feeling thoroughly spoilt with flowers, chocolates, a charm for my bracelet, and Jo Malone perfume.

To finish the day off, The Husband made us steak with a wine and grainy mustard sauce. He also made me a birthday cake - which was absolutely divine! The recipe was from Nigella's Christmas book.

Nigella's Chocolate Fruit Cake

350g/12¼oz dried soft prunes, chopped

250g/8¾oz raisins

125g/4½oz currants

175g/6¼oz unsalted butter, softened

175g/6¼oz dark muscovado sugar

175ml/6¼fl oz honey

125ml/4½fl oz coffee liqueur

2 oranges, juice and zest only

1 tsp mixed spice

2 tbsp good quality cocoa

3 free-range eggs, beaten

150g/5¼oz plain flour

75g/2½oz ground almonds

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
Line the sides and bottom of a 20cm/8in, 9cm/3½in deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment.
When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.
Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange juice and zest, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts.
Let the mixture simmer for ten minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and bicarbonate soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1¾-2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look.
At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.6. Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.

A cracking good save.

I managed to drop a box of eggs today. And not just any eggs - but free range in the truest sense as the chickens in question belong to my boss and run round her back garden. They apparently make great pets. They also produce the yummiest eggs - huge, very yellow, and delicious. I was very annoyed with myself that I somehow managed to drop the whole box and choice words were said! Thankfully only three were actually broken, and were salvaged by The Son who was thankful for the oppurtunity to make impromptu French Toast. I suggested the following recipe from Nigella's Express. The Son and I really enjoyed it. However The Husband thinks that French Toast is a savoury dish, and can't get his head around the sweet version. He still managed to force it down though!!

Nigella's Doughnut French Toast
2 eggs
1/2 cup full fat milk
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 slices from a small white loaf or 2 slices from a large white loaf, each large slice cut in half
1-ounce butter, plus a drop flavourless oil, for frying
1/4 cup sugar

Beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla in a wide shallow bowl.
Soak the bread halves in the eggy mixture for 5 minutes a side.
Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan/skillet, fry the egg-soaked bread until golden and scorched in parts on both sides.
Put the sugar onto a plate and then dredge the cooked bread until coated like a sugared doughnut.

Oh Balls!

Meatballs to be precise. The Daughter has always been a fussy eater when it comes to eating dinner - though will eat any amount of fruit including the wierd and wonderful you could hope for. Go figure?! Anyway, she professed a fancy for Meatballs and Spaghetti. I was only too happy to oblige in the hope of seeing her actually sit down and enjoy her evening meal with us.

I've tried quite a few different meatball recipes in recent years, but have found Nigella's ones to be far and away the best. The main difference to Nigella's is that the meatballs aren't browned in a pan first, but are cooked in the sauce. Much easier! They even work pretty damn well when cooked in the slowcooker too.

Nigella's Meatballs (my version)
500g minced pork
1 egg
2 tbsp fresh grated parmesan
1 crushed clove garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp couscous
salt & pepper

Put everything in a bowl, mix together with your hand. Form into small balls. Place on a baking sheet and put in the fridge for at least an hour.

Sauce
1 chopped onion
2 crushed cloves garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tins chopped tomatoes
100ml milk
salt & pepper

Put all sauce ingredients in a large pan and mix through. Bring to slow boil. Place the meatballs into the sauce. Don't stir until the meatballs have gone from pink to brown, else the balls will break up. Cook for about 20 minutes, with the lid partially covering the pan.

Slow cooker version - put all the sauce ingredients into the crock pot and mix. Gently place the meatballs well into the sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve with pasta.


I have to admit that the dinner wasn't a complete success as The Daughter was absolutely shattered after her first day back at school and refused to eat anything. *Sigh*.