Pumpkin Loaf

This a perfect afternoon sweet bread served with a little butter but I prefer it on its own as it is wonderful and moist due to the pumpkin.   If you get a cold day and want to fill your home with warm comforting smells then this is the bread for you.

Here goes..! 

What you need -

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree ( recipe here )
• 1 1/4 cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2  eggs
• 1 1/2  tsp vanilla extract
• butter or oil to coat the tin
• Roasted pumpkin seeds for decoration ( Any seeds will do) 

What to do -


1. Coat your bread tin with oil or butter (I used a silicon tin so no need to do this) & preheat oven to 170°c or 350°f

2. In a medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients 


3. In a large bowl add oil, eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla beat until you have a thick mixture.

4. Then add the dry mixture and mix until combined scraping any missed bits from the side of the bowl. Do not over mix as this will stop the loaf from rising as well.

5. Pour batter into your prepared tin, top with the seeds ( Optional- but really adds to the look of the loaf)

6. Bake in the center of your preheated oven for about 50 - 55min or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean

7. Cool in the pan for about 15min before tuning out to cool on a rack.  

Enjoy !


 

Chinese Glazed Chicken

Here is a super simple tasty mid week dinner winner. 

Serves 4 people

What you need-

4 Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
4 Tbs Dark Soy Sauce
2 Tbs Muscovado Sugar
2 Cloves of Garlic Crushed
2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar (White wine vinegar works too)
100ml Fresh Pineapple Juice (Works with Orange juice too)

What you need to do -

1. Lay the Chicken fillets in a shallow oven proof dish, the fillets should be snug.

2. Mix together Soy Sauce, sugar, garlic, vinegar, pineapple juice and season with pepper.

 

3. Pour the mixture over then chicken, cover and leave in the fridge for 4 or more hours.

4. Uncover and bake chicken in a preheated oven, 180c (350f) for 30 - 40min or until cooked through. 

5. Serve with rice or noodles and steamed vegetables.  Spoon the cooking juices over the meat.

Enjoy ! 

How To Make Pumpkin Puree

I follow a fair few American food blogs and lets face it the Americans know a thing or two about cooking with pumpkins.  I have found so many tasty recipes over the years I have often wondered if I should celebrate thanks giving so I can make use of them all.

But one thing I have found to be a problem is that in England we can't seem to buy the cans of pumpkin puree as easily in the supermarkets.  I am sure I could hunt it down but who has time for that?  Especially when you can make it your self for far less money, calories and so much more nutritious.

Step 1.  Pre heat the oven to about 200c

Step 2. Take your eating pumpkin (these are smaller then their carving jack lantern brothers) and slice it in half.  This will be much easier if you use a good sharp knife.

Step 3. With a spoon scrape out all the seeds and stringy membrane.  ( Pull the seeds away from the orange string & roast in the oven for 30min, these make wonderful toppings for loafs and soups)

Step 4. Slice into quarters and place into a lightly oiled roasting dish.

Step 5. Roast for about 45min, you can tell it is ready when the skins start to shine and the flesh starts to come away from the skin near the edges a little.

Step 6. Wait for the pumpkin to cool a little so you can handle it, then scoop the now soft flesh away from the skin.

Step 7.  Place into a food processor and blitz.. or if you down own one use a potato masher.

Voila there you have it.. fresh, orange pumpkin puree.  It will freeze or keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days.

Autumn is here

Happy Pumpkin Season.. I do love this time of year.  The trees are turning fire orange colours, the nights are drawing in,  as I take my afternoon power walk I can smell the burning of bonfires and feel the crisp change in the air.  All this and the sound of the geese migrating are sure signs that summer is really over and Autumn has arrived.  You all know that that means?  We can finally stop working on our bikini body's and start working on our winter woolly body's.

Of course I am kidding, it is good to keep healthy all year round.  But I must say this is the time of year when I start craving warm wholesome foods rather then the summer salads.  So over the next few weeks I am going to be sharing some of my favorite Autumn recipes starting with one of my favorite ingredients Pumpkins!  I just think they are so bright and jolly and really help to brighten up those cold dark nights.

So keep checking in for pumpkin creations.  

A promise to both you and I.

Ahh ok so I want to post on here I really do.  I know this sounds greedy " and I am"  but this blog was meant to be something for me.  I hobby and me time I guess.  Also a place that i could share any number of things and ideas.  I guess I wanted it as a place to come, relax and write about the things that make me happy.  So as you can imagine it annoys me that I have not taken the time to write since March.. and so I have not taken the time for my self. 

So I am making a promise to both you and I that I will post at least once a week from here on.