Life As We Know It

A birthday tradition

 

 

I love family traditions. Not only because they can be really fun, but because they are so unique to every family. No two families will ever do exactly the same things in exactly the same way. I love the (possibility of) closeness and togetherness that comes from that.

And as a foodie, I can't get enough of food traditions.

One of our special food traditions is to bake the first batch of mince pies of the season for Alan's birthday. He loves them. A lot. And since his birthday happens to be 7 weeks before Christmas, they kick start our Christmas preparations.

But when I first moved over here, I didn't have a clue what a mince pie was...

 

Mince pies are small pastry pies filled with a sweet sticky fruit mixture. They're usually eaten at Christmas and are absolutely gorgeous. If you want to try making them yourself, here's how:

 

How to make mince pies

 

1. Make a batch of mincemeat *

2. Make a batch of shortcrust pastry by mixing  350 g (12 oz) plain flour and a pinch of salt, then rubbing in 150 g (6 oz) butter (or half butter, half lard) until it resembles fine crumbs. Then gently add in a little cold water until it forms a dough and leaves the bowl clean. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F)

4. Lightly grease a patty tray (a muffin tray works too)

5. Dust your work surface with flour. Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible and cut equal amounts of 7.5 cm (3") and 6 cm (2 1/2") rounds. Gather up any scraps and re-roll (but try getting as many as possible out of the first roll since the pastry gets harder to work with each roll).

 

 

6. Add a teaspoon of mincemeat mixture to the center of the larger rounds. Dampen all around the edges with a little bit of cold water, then gently squeeze the lid (the smaller round) into place, sealing the edges.

 

 

 7. Cut two snips in the lid (so the steam can escape), and brush with milk or a lightly beaten egg. Then bake near the top of the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool in tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

 

* The booze  stops the mincemeat from fermenting quite so quickly. The mince pies will still taste gorgeous without it, but can't be made too far in advance (a few days tops).

 

All pictures from 2009 since I accidentally deleted the ones I took for this post!

 

 

LCHF: chicken chorizo casserole

 

I was experimenting in the kitchen this evening and just had to share this recipe straight away because it's a keeper. In fact, it's possibly a new favourite.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

knob of butter

750 g chicken fillets, chopped

200 g (good) chorizo, chopped

125 g stuffed green olives, drained (optional)

300 ml double (heavy) cream

200 ml chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree (paste to the Americans)

1 tbsp paprika

seasoning to taste

 

How to make:

 

1. Preheat oven to 220C/ 425F/ Gas mark 7. Melt the butter in a pan, and brown the chicken for a few minutes until cooked through. Tip into a casserole dish and set aside for a minute.

2. Fry the chorizo for a few minutes until the yummy juices start coming out. Tip into the casserole dish.

3. Mix in the green olives, if using.

4. In a separate bowl mix together the cream, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, and paprika. Pour over the chicken, chorizo and olives and mix well.

5. Heat through in the oven for about 20 minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 

LCHF: blue cheese mayo

 

Lunch: Burger with blue cheese mayo (Aoife had hers in a bun)

 

Over the summer I'll share a number super easy sides, sauces and dips that can bulk up the fat content of your meal, without you having to spend ages in the kitchen. Most can be prepared in advance. Today:

 

Blue cheese mayo.

 

 

2 parts mayonnaise

1 part blue cheese, crumbled (I prefer a little more)

chives to taste

 

Mix, then keep chilled until you serve. That's it!

 

Told you they were easy recipes!

 

Lunch: Chicken and bacon with blue cheese mayo (I would usually increase the fat even more by melting some cheese on the chicken fillet at the last minute, but plain forgot, so added a slice at the table instead)

 

This is one of my absolute favourite summer recipes. It's a great addition to the barbecue table because it it is so quick, easy and versatile. It works great with beefburgers, chicken, steak, and as a dip for the veg platter.

No, I don't make the mayonnaise myself. I make many things from scratch, but not mayo. If you would prefer to make your own, then hats off to you. I'm sure it will be fabulous. If you're like me, then just make sure you use a good free- range, organic one with a low carb content.

But whether you make the basic mayo yourself or not...

Enjoy!