Warming, aromatic risotto is the ultimate comfort food. As the summer begins to fade and the nights start drawing in, it’s times to indulge in this easy-to-make one-pot dish and add risotto rice to your grocery list. Here are ideas for three very different risotto recipes. Meat-eaters or vegetarians – there’s something to suit everyone here.

You’ll need a large heavy-based frying pan to cook the dish in.

Mushroom Risotto

2016-06-03 13:25:31

Ingredients

1. Dried porcini mushrooms 15 g
2. Boiling water 300 ml
3. Saffron 1 pinch
4. Olive oil 2 tbsp
5. Onion (finely chopped) 1
6. Garlic clove (crushed) 1
7. Fresh mushrooms (chopped) 200 g
8. Risotto rice 350 g
9. White wine 150 ml
10. Vegetable stock 1.2 litres
11. Fresh parmesan 75 g
12. Fresh parsley 1 handful
13. Butter 1 tbsp
14. Salt
15. Pepper

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Instructions

1. Soak the porcini and saffron in the 300ml boiling water. Drain it, setting aside the liquid for later.
2. Fry the onion and garlic in the hot oil for 3 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and drained chopped porcini and fry for 3 more minutes. Add the rice and stir well.
3. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Now gradually add the hot stock, mixed with the porcini soaking liquid- one ladleful at a time. Stir continually. Keep gradually adding the stock until it is all absorbed and the rice is cooked. This should take 20-30 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat. Add the seasoning, butter and parsley and cover and rest for 5 minutes. Then sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

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Pancetta and Pea Risotto

2016-06-03 13:32:03

Ingredients

1. Pancetta or lardons (chopped) 200 g
2. Olive oil 1 tbsp
3. Onion (chopped) 1
4. Garlic (crushed) 2 cloves
5. Risotto rice 300 g
6. Vermouth or dry white wine 200 ml
7. Hot chicken or ham stock 1.4 litres
8. Frozen peas (defrosted and drained) 300 g
9. Lemon 1
10. Mascarpone 4 tbsp
11. Parmesan (freshly grated ) 4 tbsp

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Instructions

1. Fry the pancetta in the oil then remove pancetta from pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and then fry the onions and garlic till they are crisp. Add the rice and stir until translucent. Then add the vermouth or white wine and stir until fully absorbed.
2. Add 1/3 of the hot stock and stir continually over a gentle heat until fully absorbed. Keep adding small amounts of the stock, stirring continually until absorbed. After 20 minutes of adding stock add the peas, cooked pancetta and the grated lemon peel. Continue cooking until the rice is soft and the ham and peas are heated through.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the squeezed lemon juice and the mascarpone. Season with salt and pepper. Rest for a few minutes then serve sprinkled with fresh parmesan.

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Chicken and Asparagus Risotto

2016-06-03 13:34:51

Ingredients

1. Olive oil 2 tbsp
2. Ham or bacon (chopped) 100 g
3. Cooked chicken breast meat 200 g
4. Risotto rice 350 g
5. Fresh asparagus tips 200 g
6. Hot chicken stock 1.2 litres
7. Fresh tarragon 3 tbsp
8. Thick cream or mascarpone 3 tbsp
9. Parmesan (freshly grated) 4 tbsp

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Instructions

1. Fry the onion and ham in the olive oil. Add the chopped chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the rice and stir until translucent. Then add the chopped asparagus.
3. Pour in ¼ of the stock and cook over a low heat, stirring continually until the liquid is fully absorbed. Gradually add more liquid, stirring continually and repeat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. This may take 20-30 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream (or mascarpone) and chopped tarragon. Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan.

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Proja is a Balkan specialty that few can resist. This tasty dish has several variations, but the basic consists of corn flour, cheese and yogurt. We are offering you an alternative which, by the recipe, includes spinach. However, if you want, you can avoid adding vegetables on your grocery list and stick to the basics.

Proja Corn Bread

2016-06-02 13:47:10

Yields 4

Proja or Balkan corn bread is quick and simple to be prepared, and there is enough for four people to eat. Yes, such is the Balkan cuisine; delicious, gourmet and friendly.

Ingredients

1. Eggs 3
2. Flour 250g.
3. Corn flower 250g.
4. Drinkable yogurt 250ml.
5. Oil 150ml.
6. Spinach 250g.
7. Cheese 250g.
8. Baking powder 1 tbsp.
9. Salt 1tsp.
10. Sesame

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Instructions

1. Wash, clean well the spinach and chop it finely.
2. On a pre-heated stove, put the spinach in water and boil it. In a plastic bowl, beat the eggs and add the oil and the drinkable yogurt.
3. In another bowl, mix the flour with the corn flour, the baking powder and add one teaspoon of salt. In this mixture, add the previously beaten eggs and mix until every ingredient is incorporated. Once merged, add the cheese (you’ll need finely crumbled pieces) and the boiled spinach, then gently stir with a fork.
4. By Balkan tradition, Proja is often baked in baking molds, but you can also use a baking tray. If you’re using baking molds, grease them with thin layer of oil or butter and if using a baking tray, put a baking paper first. Stir the mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the corn bread at 200 degrees until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
5. Although this recipe contains yogurt and cheese, it’s a habit that piece of Proja is served along with fresh, cold piece of cheese or a cup of drinkable yogurt. If you have the opportunity, be sure to try this delicious meal combined with Ajvar or dried Macedonian hot chili pepper (or you can always find jalapeños).

Notes

1. As mentioned earlier, this recipe lived through several evolutions so freely experiment adding ham, leeks or carrots instead of spinach. But do not miss the basic magic of this meal, please!

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Mango Lassi is a real treat in the summers – its taste, its vibrant colour and its cooling properties are sure to delight you!
It is an extremely refreshing drink that beats the summer heat while being packed with health and nutrition. This cooling drink is utterly delicious; infused with mangoes, subtly spiced, and with a rich creamy texture. It is a very popular drink in the Indian subcontinent and can be had standalone on a warm, sunny afternoon while it can also be a great accompaniment to spicy food.

The best news of it all is that you don’t have to run to the nearest restaurant to get your heart’s fill of this delicious blend. It is extremely simple to make and requires very few ingredients. So read on and follow this recipe to make traditional Mango Lassi (yogurt drink) all by yourself.
The colour and taste of the drink depend heavily on the variety of mangoes used, so make sure you add the best ones to your grocery list! There is also a savoury (using salt instead of sugar) version of this recipe, but today we will focus on make sweet Mango Lassi.

Mango Lassi

2016-05-25 14:28:33

Treat yourself to mango lassi this summer, and also serve with pride when you have guests over. This recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and your guests will keep coming back for seconds! Try it and if you like it, don't forget to drop in a comment!

Ingredients

1. Mangoes (sliced) 3-4
2. Chilled fresh yogurt (full fat) 1 ½ cups
3. Fresh cream (optional) 3 tbsp
4. Cardamom powder ½ tsp
5. Sugar or honey 2-3 tbsp.
6. Rose water (optional) 2 tsp
7. Ice cubes 5-6
8. Mint leaves or a slice of mango for garnish

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Instructions

1. Blend chopped mangoes and sugar or honey in a blender until smooth.
2. Add cardamom powder and rose water or saffron, the chilled yogurt, fresh cream and some ice cubes and blend again until the yogurt becomes smooth and incorporates well with the mango puree.
3. If you want a slightly thin consistency add some milk and blend again.
4. Pour into 4 tall glasses and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Mango lassi always tastes better when chilled.
5. Right before serving garnish with a few mint leaves or a neatly cut slice of mango. Get creative! You can also sprinkle some cardamom powder in each glass at this point.

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This indulgent, warming dessert has been taking the world by storm since it was first introduced at the Sharrow Bay Hotel in the beautiful Lake District back in the 1970’s. Pretty well every top British chef has their own version of Sticky Toffee Pudding. You’ll love the combination of flavors and textures. Most versions of this recipe use Medjool dates which gives the dish great depth of flavor. This version also uses walnuts, although you can substitute pecans for the walnuts or miss out the nuts altogether if you prefer. What makes the dish such a wonderful comfort food is the richness of the dates and the warm, runny toffee sauce poured into the pudding and all over the top.

If you cannot get hold of black treacle, add dark muscovado sugar to your grocery list instead of light sugar for the sticky toffee sauce.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

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Ingredients for the pudding

1. Medjool dates 170 g
2. Boiling water 150 ml
3. Bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp
4. Self-raising flour 175 g
5. Butter 75g
6. Light muscovado sugar 100 g
7. Eggs (beaten) 2
8. Milk 100 ml
9. Walnuts or pecans (chopped) 75 g
10. Mixed spices ½ tsp

Ingredients for the sticky toffee sauce

1. Butter 50 g
2. Light muscovado sugar 175 g
3. Double cream 225 ml
4. Black treacle 1 tbsp

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180⁰c/gas mark 4/350⁰F.
2. Rub the inside of a deep pie dish generously with butter.
3. Chop the dates and remove the stones. Put them in a heat-proof dish with the bicarbonate of soda and pour over the boiling water. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then mash the dates lightly with a fork.
4. Whisk together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the lightly beaten eggs, and then add the flour and the milk. Once this is blended together gently stir in the dates in their water, the chopped nuts, and the spice. Stir gently until the dates and nuts are evenly spread.
5. Pour into the buttered pie-dish and place in the pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes until risen and golden.
6. While the pudding is cooking you need to make the sticky toffee sauce. Melt the sugar and butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. When the sugar has dissolved add half the cream and the treacle. Bring to the boil and boil gently for 3 minutes. Allow to cool and then whisk in the rest of the cream.
7. Remove the cooked pudding from the oven and make 6 little bore-holes in the pudding with a wide skewer or spoon handle. Pour ¾ the toffee sauce into the holes and over the pudding.
8. Serve the pudding warm with the remainder of the sticky toffee sauce pored over. This is delicious served with good quality vanilla ice-cream on the side.

Notes

1. As an alternative to making one big pudding, you can make individual puddings in 6 ramekins. If making individual puddings reduce the cooking time by about 10 minutes.

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]]> https://blog.buymeapie.com/indulgent-sticky-toffee-pudding/feed/ 0 https://blog.buymeapie.com/mocktails-weekend/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mocktails-weekend https://blog.buymeapie.com/mocktails-weekend/#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2016 11:12:11 +0000 https://blog.buymeapie.com/?p=18064

If it’s about time that you had a girls’ night out or a fun Sunday brunch, then you need to celebrate with these amazing mocktails. They are so delicious and refreshing that you and your friends won’t even miss the alcohol. Plus, all it takes is a simple shopping list full of tantalizing springtime flavors, such as blueberry, watermelon, and cucumber. What are you waiting for? Your mocktails are waiting to be enjoyed tonight or this weekend!

Blueberry Bubbler with Rosemary

2016-05-19 08:00:18

Yields 1

A great spritzer to get the party started.

Ingredients

1. Blueberries 8
2. Rosemary sprig 1
3. Honey 1 oz.
4. Fresh lemon juice 1 oz.
5. Sparkling water 4 oz.
6. Ice cubes

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Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the blueberries, rosemary, and honey. Add the lemon juice and ice and shake for about 10 seconds. Strain into a tall glass, add sparkling water, and stir.

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Cucumber-Coconut Cooler

2016-05-19 08:01:21

Yields 4

Visit the tropics without leaving your home!

Ingredients

1. Coconut water 4 c
2. Cucumbers (thinly sliced) 2
3. Lime juice ½ c
4. Sugar ¼ c
5. Mint leaves (chopped) ¼ c

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Instructions

1. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a large pitcher. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

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Berry Good Refresher

2016-05-19 08:03:23

Yields 1

Put all those springtime berries to good use!

Ingredients

1. Fresh mint leaves 10
2. Fresh blueberries 10
3. Acai-pomegranate juice 5 oz.
4. Lime juice 1 oz.
5. Club soda 1 splash
6. Ice cubes

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Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves and blueberries. Add the ice, acai-pomegranate juice and lime juice and shake for about 10 seconds. Pour into a tall glass, add a splash of club soda and stir.

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Adult Pink Lemonade

2016-05-19 08:04:39

Yields 6

A childhood classic, reimagined.

Ingredients

1. Water 6 c
2. Light honey ½ c
3. Dried lavender ⅓ c
4. Fresh lemon juice 1 c

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Instructions

1. In a saucepan, combine the water and light honey; bring to a boil. Crush the dried lavender and add it to the water and honey mixture.
2. Remove from heat and allow to steep in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Strain into tall glasses over ice, add the lemon juice, and stir.

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Watermelon Agua Fresca

2016-05-19 08:06:10

Yields 2

Sweet, spicy, and perfect for a soothing weekend.

Ingredients

1. Water 2 c
2. Watermelon (seeded and chopped) 2 c
3. Granulated sugar 2 T
4. Lime juice 1 T
5. Mint leaves ¼ c
6. Jalapeno (chopped) ½
7. Ice cubes

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Instructions

1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and puree until smooth. Strain and pour into tall glasses over ice and serve chilled.

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Grapefruit Goddess

2016-05-19 08:07:15

Yields 1

Say goodbye to boring old grapefruit juice.

Ingredients

1. Red grapes (pureed) 2.5 oz.
2. Cucumber water 2 c
3. Lemon juice ¼ oz.
4. Simple syrup ½ oz.
5. Club soda a splash

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Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice and dry shake. Pour into tall glasses, add a splash of club soda, and stir.

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]]> https://blog.buymeapie.com/mocktails-weekend/feed/ 0 https://blog.buymeapie.com/rich-moist-carrot-cake-recipe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rich-moist-carrot-cake-recipe https://blog.buymeapie.com/rich-moist-carrot-cake-recipe/#comments Tue, 31 May 2016 12:14:40 +0000 https://blog.buymeapie.com/?p=17946

What better comfort food on a rainy afternoon than melt-in the mouth, flavoursome carrot cake, with a steaming cup of coffee? Carrot cake is a timeless classic, with recipes for cakes using the wonderful sweetness of carrots going back at least as far back as Roman times.

Rather than adding a shop-bought carrot cake to your grocery list, it is far healthier, tastier, and more satisfying to bake one yourself. This recipe makes a deliciously rich and moist cake with a crispy, almost chewy crust. It will still taste fresh several days after baking if kept in an airtight tin. The cake is quick and easy to make and tastes wonderful!

Carrot Cake

2016-05-13 13:48:55

This particular recipe uses a cream cheese frosting. Don’t be tempted to use a low- fat variety of cream cheese. You’ll need full-fat cream cheese to give your frosting its wonderfully fluffy texture. If you want something a little different, this cake is also delicious served warm without any frosting, with a little vanilla ice-cream on the side.

Ingredients for the cake

1. butter 150g
2. light muscovado sugar 200g
3. finely grated carrots (or alternatively you can pulp the carrots to the desired texture in a food processor) 225g
4. eggs (lightly beaten) 2
5. self raising flour 200g
6. baking powder 3 tsp
7. ground cinnamon 1 tsp
8. ground ginger ½ tsp
9. freshly grated nutmeg 1 pinch
10. salt 1 pinch
11. chopped shelled walnuts 50g
12. milk 40ml

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting

1. butter 110g
2. full fat cream cheese 300g
3. icing sugar 100g
4. vanilla extract ½ tsp
5. a few walnut halves for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 C. (350 F., gas mark 4).
2. Grease the base of a 20cm diameter cake tin and line it with lightly greased baking parchment.
3. Melt the butter either in the microwave or in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, add the sugar, grated carrots and gently beaten eggs. Beat the mixture together until smooth.
4. Sieve together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt, then pour into the bowl containing your carrot mixture. Fold until evenly blended. Add the chopped walnuts, and milk to the mixture and blend it together.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and place this on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Bake for about an hour until the cake springs back when lightly pressed. A knife or skewer that you insert into the middle of the cake should come out clean.
6. While the cake is in the oven you can start preparing the cream cheese frosting. Whisk the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract and continue to whisk them together. Once they are blended you can add the icing sugar, working it in with a large wooden spoon.
7. Allow the cake to cool, and then remove from the tin and spread the cream cheese frosting mixture over the top of the cake.
8. You may want to arrange some walnuts on top of the frosting.

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