Rum truffle cake balls - a delicious treat made from leftovers

I was really struggling to give today's recipe an appropriate name but I hope rum truffle cake balls describes roughly what they are :-)  These are actually quite popular in Germany (they are called "Rumkugeln" there) and I first came across these in my uncle's bakery when I was a little girl.  Traditionally made from leftover cake, they are the perfect way to avoid food waste whilst making something delicious. 

Rum truffle cake balls

When my cake went dry very quickly the other day, I knew immediately what to do with it - turn it into these little treats!  You can use just rum flavouring if you want to keep the alcohol content down (and serve to kids) but with just 2 tablespoons of rum for the whole lot, you are not going to get drunk eating these :-)

They remind me of my uncle and of sleepovers at the bakery - happy times!

Sweet potato bake

Sweet potato bake

I've recently started doing hot yoga classes - sweaty stuff.  Doing exercises in a room heated to 37 C sure makes for a hungry tummy afterwards.  Yesterday, I prepared my dinner before going out to the class which was great because when I got back all I needed to do was put the dish in the oven and wait for 30 minutes. 

I made a sweet potato bake - slices of sweet potato with chorizo and vegetables in a creamy sauce, baked in the oven and served with homemade garlic bread (see the recipe here) and some salad.  You could also use "normal" potatoes for this dish or a mixture of both and serve it as a side dish rather than a main meal..  Simply chuck in any leftover vegetables, bits of ham or whatever you fancy or turn it into a vegetarian dish by leaving the chorizo (or any other meat) out.  Easy & tasty - my kind of meal!

Tikka masala curry

It's been a busy weekend with lots of socialising, catching up on long overdue phone calls, exercising, the usual housework...you get the picture.  It also was Keith the dog's second birthday on Saturday - happy birthday furry friend! 

I found a great little recipe I'd like to share with you because it's ideal for those busy times when you just need dinner to (mostly) cook itself.  I love meals that you can just throw into a pot without much preparation needed.  This one is a tikka masala curry, cooked on a low heat in the oven whilst you can get on with other stuff.  Making a batch or two of this at the weekend to have later in the week or keep in the freezer will save a lot of time and hassle and you can be sure to have a delicious meal to hand when you are short of time.

The one I made was with chicken breast but it would be equally nice with chicken thighs, lamb or beef.  Or why not make a vegetarian option with potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower etc?  We enjoyed our chicken one with rice and steamed broccoli on the side - it wasn't greasy like curries can sometimes be and had lots and lots of flavour.  We'll definitely be having this again and next time I will double the amount and put some in the freezer as well.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Have a good start to your week!

Update! Chocolate plum cake with cinnamon...autumn, here we come!

Update!  Since writing this post a couple of days ago I have noticed that the cake has dried out really quickly despite being wrapped in foil and kept in a special cake container.  Very disappointing indeed!  Maybe it would have been better to let the fruit juices seep into the cake after all rather than using the suggested ground almonds.  I thought I'd let you know!
I guess I will use any leftovers to make something my baker uncle used to do when he had spare cake...I will write more about these naughty little treats next week in a new post.  In the meantime, have a good weekend!


Temperatures here have dropped by quite a bit but with the sun still out, it's been a lovely couple of days.

With autumn in the air I was very excited to find a recipe for a lovely chocolate plum cake.  I amended this slightly and added some cinnamon which I think goes very well with both the fruit and chocolate and also with this time of the year.  I could imagine this cake with apricots, peaches or maybe cherries instead of the plums - yum!

I also learned a new trick when I made this - the recipe suggested sprinkling ground almonds onto the dough before putting the fruit on top.  That way the cake doesn't end up soggy with the fruit juice seeping from the plums during baking - great idea I think and it would work well with other cakes too.  I'll have to remember this.

Chocolate plum cake with cinnamon

Creamy chicken soup...winter warmers

Lovely socks

It's slowly getting colder here and so I was very excited to receive a parcel from my mum with a pair of socks she had knitted for me.  Her socks are simply the best and keep me nice and warm - I am sure it's because of the love she knits into them :-)  They will come in handy on the long dog walks and for snuggling up on the sofa.

Just as warm and comforting is the dish I cooked for lunch today: creamy chicken soup with rice.  This is so easy to make, doesn't cost the earth and is filling and comforting.  And using a couple of shortcuts makes this a very quick meal to put together - what more does one need on a cold or rainy day?

Creamy chicken soup with rice

Cheesy herb bread - no need for kneading

I spent some time at the weekend looking for new recipes to try.  It's one of my favourite things to do and this time I got so excited about a bread recipe I found that not only did I have to make some straightaway but I was also back in the kitchen at 6:30am this morning to try another variation.  The result, a cheesy herb bread, will go perfectly with soup and is also great for sharing with family and friends.  The secret ingredient in this is beer!  Yes - I couldn't believe it either but it does work very well and doesn't taste the slightest bit beer-y (although I must say I found it a bit difficult to smell beer that early in the morning...brrrr).

How to make cheesy herb bread

The original recipe was for a cheesy garlic version of the bread which I baked in a loaf tin - even quicker to make and slightly less messy (given that the dough is rather sticky).  It made for a delicious toasted sandwich for my lunch today - filled with pesto, slices of chicken breast, lettuce and tomato.  Yum!  I guess that's my lunches sorted for this week, although I will be putting some of both breads into the freezer.

Pizza? Quesadilla? Pizzadilla!

Pizzadilla

I love pizza and I also love Mexican food, so when I came across this idea on Pinterest, I simply had to give it a go: pizzadilla.  If like me you prefer a thin crust pizza to a deep pan one, than this will definitely be up your street.  It's a sort of pizza quesadilla or tortilla pizza and absolutely delicious!

The idea of filling a tortilla bread with pizza ingredients is great but I also love that you can make it into a healthier meal by adjusting the amount of cheese you'd normally use on a pizza.  It'll still taste full of cheesy yummy goodness but by adding most of the filling to only one half of the tortilla and then folding it over, you save on calories and fat but definitely not on taste. It's totally up to you what you want to put inside this lovely snack food...perfect! (I topped my tomato base with spinach, cooked chicken breast, bits of bell pepper and some grated cheddar cheese - yum!).

Have a lovely weekend!

Mushroom egg cups - a lovely breakfast idea

I've been exercising a lot these last few weeks - it's great fun, I have heaps more energy and feel stronger.  I am also quite hungry a lot of the time, especially after doing resistance (weights) exercises and therefore always on the lookout for tasty recipes that won't break the calorie bank.  After all, I don't want to undo all my hard work :-)

Portobello mushroom egg cup

That's where this little recipe idea comes in: portobello mushroom egg cups.  I came across this a few days ago and just love the simplicity of it.  Simply cut the stem out of a portobello mushroom and crack an egg into it.  Season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven at 220 C for 10 - 15 minutes (depending on whether you want your yolk runny or not).  Serve hot on top of a slice of toasted bread (or have it without the bread).  You can also line the mushroom with a few spinach leaves like I have done or a slice of ham before adding the egg. 

This recipe takes a little longer than just scrambling an egg but is a cute breakfast idea that is also nutritious.  Enjoy!

Spicy prawn pasta

Prawn pasta in tomato sauce

It's Tuesday evening and I am sitting here with a cup of tea and a belly full of dinner - not a bad place to be, if you ask me. 

I've been really hungry all day and had to eat much earlier than normal this evening - and it had to be quick.  Luckily, I had some penne pasta in the freezer from last week which could be warmed up very quickly.  With a spicy tomato sauce and king prawns it made for pretty much instant food - tasty and healthy. 

I can't believe I used to buy pasta sauce jars when they are so easy and quick to make.  Simply fry a little onion and garlic, add tomato puree and water, season with salt, pepper and dried herbs (basil, oregano) - it couldn't be easier.  With this one I added a few dried chilli flakes, threw in the prawns and pasta and dinner was on my plate in minutes.

Ideal midweek supper, I'd say.

Gyoza dumplings

I can't believe it's Saturday already!  How did that happen?  And I can believe even less how quickly summer has turned into autumn here!  I even have to put the lights on when I get up in the morning which is a sure sign that we are moving into the latter part of the year.  Mind you, I love all the seasons for different reasons (quite the poet today :-)) - now I'm looking forward to wooly jumpers and eating stews by the fireplace.

Before I get to more winter warmers though, I should write about the gyoza dumplings we had recently.  Now, if you can lay your hands on some ready-made wonton wrappers, these will be done sooo quickly and easily.  Stuffed with minced chicken, ginger, spices etc they are finger-licking good with a simple dipping sauce  - you could also fill them with crab meat, veggie mince or tofu.  I believe that traditionally they are fried on one side and then steamed but we actually preferred them fried on both sides - it made them nice and crispy on the outside yet soft in the middle.

I couldn't get any wonton wrappers, so made the dough from scratch - it was worth it though, especially since I made enough to pop some leftover gyozas in the freezer for another time.  In fact, I think we'll have those tomorrow :-)