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 “Pineapple and cheese is a classic flavour combination. I have used a really exciting cheese for this sweet canapé recipe that combines these two flavours wonderfully. A bit of a departure from your normal cheese cake but it’s Christmas so be a bit adventurous. You will be rewarded with this sweet treat”

Ronnie Murray, Head Pastry Chef for Hix Restaurants

Takes 20 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes cooking time

Makes 20 Read More →

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I have been working with the Tesco Finest* range since I attended their re-launch in October. Today they sent me a wonderful recipe for how to cook Rib Eye Steak that I simply had to share.

How To Cook Rib Eye Steak

Rib Eye Steak of Beef, served with Pan Fried Wild Mushrooms, Chips and Red Watercress & English Radish Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 finest* 28 Day Dry-Aged Aberdeen Angus Rib Eye Steak
  • 100g finest* Wild Mushrooms
  • 160g finest* Elfe Potatoes (exclusive to Tesco)
  • finest* Beurre D’Isigny Normandy Butter
  • 75g finest* Red Watercress, Rocket and Spinach
  • 6 Fresh English Radishes

Method

  • Remove steak from packaging and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Lightly brush each side of the steak with oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Thinly slice Elfie potatoes, leaving the skin on.  Wash in cold water to remove starch.  Slowly fry in oil until lightly brown and crisp.  Drain and leave on kitchen paper.
  • Wash mushrooms and pan fry in a little butter, season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Fry in a very hot dry heavy pan over a high heat for 2 minutes on each side to seal in the juices, reduce the heat to a medium heat and continue to cook until preferred taste.  6 minutes for rare, 11 minutes for medium or 14 minutes for well done, turning once.  Leave to rest for 3-4 minutes.  Add a knob of the butter to the pan and allow to melt, pour the cooking juices and the butter over the steak and serve.
  • Serve steak with lightly dressed red watercress and radish salad, crisp game chips and pan fried mushrooms.

I’m no meat lover, but even I think this sounds amazing. I’m always a little unsure as to how to cook Rib Eye Steak, especially the timings for a rare to medium finish, but this just makes it sound so simple.

I can’t wait to give it a try – will be sure to let you all know how I get on.

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I love vegetarian food. I’ve never really been a fan of meat dishes, I’d much rather a big plate of salad. This simple vegetarian lasagna recipe is a perfect midweek family meal, taking only about 20 mins to prep and just over half hour to cook.

It’s a big hit here in Essex HQ.

Simple Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of lasagna sheets
  • 1 carton of tomato passata
  • 500g chopped peppers
  • Handful of chopped spring onion
  • Handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 de-seeded red chilli, finely chopped
  • 5 mushrooms, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 25g butter
  • 25g plain flour
  • 1 pint of Milk
  • 80g grated Cheddar cheese

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Method

1. Fry the garlic and chillis in a little oil for a few minutes before adding the mushrooms, onion and peppers – keep stirring on the heat until they have softened

2. Add the tomatoes and basil and continue to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and until the sauce has thickened.

3. Layer lasagna sheets at the bottom of your dish, cover with half of your mixture, place another layer of lasagna sheets on top and fill with the rest of the mixture. To finish cover the dish with one final layer of lasagna sheets.

For the topping:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Add the flour and heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk, keep stirring as you add to prevent lumps. Once you’ve added all of the milk, return to the heat and bring back to the boil.
4. Simmer for 5 mins and then stir in cheese allowing it to melt before pouring over the top of your lasagna.
5. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 30-40 minutes, stand for 5 mins before serving. Serve with a rocket salad.

Tasty Tuesdays on HonestMum.com

Link up your recipe of the week

 

 

This Simple Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe is also featured on the Anchor Dairy website.

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15 years after first appearing on our shelves, Tesco Finest are relaunching this week. With new products, new recipes and new packaging, all helping to tell the story of each specialist ingredient they have sourced, you really get a feel that Tesco Finest have put time, effort and an awful lot of miles into finding the best of everything to put into their range.

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20131012-105150.jpgFrom tasting notes on the chocolate bars to in-depth flavour guides on their Finest coffee range, consumer information and involvement is high on the agenda with this new look.

Hearing from Tesco staff about the history of each supplier they are using, from the dockyards of Grimsby to the hills of Italy, it was clear to see they have made sure we as customers are given the most high-end, hand-picked, ingredients possible. My only upset was they chose Anglesey sea salt over our Essex offering in Mersea.

Lunch was delicious, and it was especially lovely to see fellow bloggers Liz, Kelly and Marianne, was just a shame I had to rush off for the school run as I could have happily sat there all afternoon.

Each area of the range had a specialist in attendance. Sarah Mackereth, or the coffee lady as she was affectionately known by us, was a wealth of information on all things tea and coffee. I’m loving how the new packing includes biodegradable bags for their Finest tea products (I need to try the Peppermint and liquorice tea ASAP as it sounds divine).

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The most interesting conversation I had all afternoon though was with Manu Hovette, their pasta guru. That man sure knows his stuff. Thanks to him I now know to match my pasta with my sauce, strong flavors need pasta with a bite, and he has encouraged me to look further than penne. I also now know that the mark of a good quality pasta is its protein content, the higher the protein the better the pasta.

Sooner that I would have wanted, it was time to head home. Not before being handed the most amazing wicket hamper full of Tesco Finest goodies to try at home. The chocolate didn’t even last the train journey, but the rest of it is in my kitchen waiting to be tried. I will be sure to share my thoughts with you all.

Massive thanks to Tesco for having me, what a wonderful afternoon.

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Tesco were kind enough to cover the cost of my travel for this even but all views are my own.

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I started to wonder how to make rosemary salt after I could no long find it for sale in our local supermarket.

I love rosemary salt. It’s such a great cheat to have in the kitchen. It works great sprinkled over vegetables or potatoes when roasting them, or just over the top of a simple tomato and mozzarella salad.

It smells amazing and is incredibly versatile, what’s not to love.

How To Make Rosemary Salt

How To Make Rosemary Salt

You will need

  • Clip top Jar (I have used one from the Le Parfait range)
  • Sea Salt (for me it has to be Maldon Salt)
  • Fresh Rosemary

How To Make Rosemary Salt

Method

  • Fill half your jar with sea salt
  • Place a few sprigs of rosemary on top of the salt and fill again till 3/4 full.
  • Add a few more sprigs of rosemary and close the jar.
  • Shake well and leave to infuse for a least 3 days before use.
  • Store in a cool dry place

I hope you enjoy this recipe for how to make rosemary salt. Do you have a kitchen cheats you love to make?

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I really struggle to find interesting Vegetarian BBQ ideas and recipes. Thats why I love there Feta and Sweet Potato Burgers so much

I enjoy the occasional hotdog, but other than that I much prefer ideas for Vegetarian BBQ food than meat based recipes when it comes to planning an Alfresco feast. I just feel it mixes things up a little.

Summer for me is all about BBQs. Friends, food, cocktails and laughter. It doesn’t get better than that.

These Feta and Sweet Potato Burgers are my ‘go to’ recipe when I run out of ideas for vegetarian BBQ food. They are so moist and tasty. The sweetness of the potato combined with the earthy flavor of the coriander make for a very tasty pattie that even meat lovers will adore.

When it comes to BBQs there is always the debate about gas v’s charcoal.  We have owned both and they each have their merits, although I think the gas BBQ designs are always better than their charcoal counterparts.

Feta and Sweet Potato Burgers

Ingredients (makes 6 medium-sized feta and sweet potato burgers)

  • 150g oats
  • 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 3 spring onions finely chopped
  • 1 red chili de-seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 5cm piece of ginger root finely chopped
  • Large handful of fresh coriander finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 200g crumbled Feta

Method

  • Lightly toast the oats in a dry pan for 5 mins until lightly brown
  • Boil the sweet potatoes and simmer until ready for mashing (about 10 mins)
  • Mix the spring onions, chili, garlic, ginger and coriander in a large bowl, add the mashed sweet potato and combine well
  • Carefully stir in the egg, feta and 1/3 of the oats.
  • Make the mixture into 6 patties and press them into the remaining oats to cover them.
  • Wrap each pattie in foil ready for the BBQ (these can stay in the fridge for up to 5 hours)
  • Cook on the BBQ for 20 minutes, turning once.
  • Open, serve, enjoy.

What are your best Vegetarian BBQ ideas? Do you love Feta and Sweet Potato Burgers too? I’d love to know.

Disclaimer. This is a post in partnership with Littlewoods, however the views expressed are all my own.

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I am a huge fan of Total Greek Yogurt.  High in protein and low in fat, I find it the perfect replacement for cream, mayo and creme fresh in my kitchen. Plus is damn tasty!!

As part of their ongoing work to get us all cooking and eating better Total have recruited Greek Cookery Writer and Chef Tonia Buxton to create some great Greek recipes for us all to try at home.

First off we tried Tonia’s Lamb Youvesti recipe.  I knew it would be well received by little family, but I never imagined it to go down quite so well.  I made it for them 6 days ago and it’s been requested for dinner 4 times already since then.

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Even as a non meat-eater (it’s not that I am a veggie, it’s just a case of I don’t really like the taste/texture of many meat dishes) I did find this meal very tasty.  I couldn’t eat much as my body isn’t used to meat so it fills me up real quick, but the flavors were amazing.  The rich tomato sauce, mixed with the warming cinnamon flavors and creaminess of the Total yogurt, made for a warming wholesome family meal that I’m sure is to be a favorite for many years to come.

Is also a great ’1-pot’ dish which, even though it takes a good few hours to cook, really takes care of itself. Perfect for busy Mums like me.

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Cook Time: 1-3 hours
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 50g TOTAL Greek Yoghurt (plus 500g for serving)
  • 
5-9 tablespoons olive oil
  • 800g shoulder of lamb trimmed & cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
  • 3 red onions, finely chopped
  • Salt & pepper to season
  • 4 sticks of cinnamon bark
6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 400g orzo pasta
  • 4-6 tbsp grated halloumi

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole dish and fry the lamb until it is sealed and golden on all sides.
  3. Remove the lamb from the dish and add a little more oil. Add the onions and constantly stir until they start to turn golden then add the garlic.
  4. Add the whole tomatoes in their juice and crush them with a spoon.
  5. Season with salt and pepper and add the cinnamon.
  6. Cover and bake for no less than an hour.
  7. Add the pasta and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Add more water if it looks a bit dry.
  8. 5 minutes before you serve, add the cheese and stir, then put back into the oven.
  9. Stir in 50g of Greek yoghurt, and serve with some extra dollops.

If you are not going to serve the Youvesti straight away take the casserole out of the oven before the pasta is totally cooked as the heat from the dish will keep cooking it. If you don’t it may become too soft.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 1006-671 Calories / 70-46.7g Protein / 41.8-28g Fat / 16-11g Saturated Fat / 87-58g Carbohydrates / 17-11g Sugars / 7.4-5g Fibre / 1.2-0.8g Salt

Disclaimer – I was sent the ingredients to make this dish thanks to Total Greek, however the views expressed and hungry family are all my own.

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I love, love, LOVE this Semolina Sponge Cake.

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I first made Semolina Sponge Cake with Nuts, Greek Yoghurt & Honey when I attended a TOTAL Greek event last summer and it has been a firm family favorite ever since.

For the Semolina Sponge Cake

120g TOTAL Classic Greek Yoghurt 
250g butter
190g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
50g self-raising flour
1 orange, zest
1 lemon, zest
100g ground almonds
100g ground hazelnuts
250g semolina
2 tbsp poppy seeds (plus 1 tablespoon extra for the top of the cake)

For the syrup
1 orange, juice
1 lemon, juice
175ml water
140g golden caster sugar
50g honey
1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 175°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
2. Grease the baking tin.
3. Beat the butter and sugar until it is pale yellow and creamy.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
5. Now chuck in the flour, zest, ground nuts, semolina, Greek yoghurt and poppy seeds.
6. Stir everything up well and spoon in to your greased baking case.
7. Bake for about 1 hour but check after 45 minutes – the sponge will be golden brown and springy when cooked.
8. Put the cooked semolina sponge cake to one side to cool slightly and make the syrup.
9. To make the syrup place all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil.
10. Allow the syrup mixture to reduce by at least half.
11. Using a fork dot holes across the surface of the cake and then pour over the syrup, sprinkle with the extra poppy seeds.
12. Serve with Greek yoghurt and a trickle of honey.

For the full nutritional information of Semolina Sponge Cake with Nuts, Greek Yoghurt & Honey and more recipes please visit the TOTAL Greek website 

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