Leftovers – Feasting Is Fun

Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones

For someone who genuinely did not like scones, I have been baking rather a lot of them recently. And I have concluded that homemade, or well made bakery scones, are a million miles away from the prepackaged, heavy, scones of my past. During my recent scone bake-a-thon I adapted my Super Light Scones recipe to create an all butter version, which makes the most delicious savoury scones. Welcome my Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones.

These Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones are incredibly tasty and two out of our three children loved them. Let me add that they would not eat blue cheese on a cracker. A massive win for me as a mum!

Flavour Alchemy

Truly though, their taste is a reflection of just how much delicious flavour is packed into these scones. The salty melted Beauvale Cheese, against an all butter scone, with the crunch of toasted walnuts and balanced with just a hint of honey.

And I bet you didn’t see that last ingredient coming?

Because blue cheese and honey pair beautifully together, I was going to caramelise the toasted walnuts in honey. Finally though, I decided that I wanted the sweet honey to be no more than a kiss on our tastebuds.

Beauvale Cheese is a soft blue cheese, that doesn’t have the intensity of Stilton. Beautiful eaten with bread or crackers and served on a cheese board, this cheese comes alive when baked in the scones. Warm and melted, it has a rounder, salty and buttery flavour that blends nicely with the toasted walnuts and that little hint of honey.

So, I urge you to try these Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones, they are incredibly simple to make and are perfect for using up leftover cheese.

Recipe: Makes 12-14 Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones

50g/2oz Walnut Pieces or Halves

450g/1lb Plain White Flour

3tsp Baking Powder

75g/3oz Very Cold Unsalted Butter

125g/4.5oz Beauvale Cheese – mine was from Pong Cheese

250mls/9fl oz Milk – Whole or Semi Skimmed

3tbsp Milk for glazing the tops of the scones

3tsp Runny Honey

1/4tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon

1/4tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method: Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan, gas mark 7

Making The Scone Dough

First of all, in a dry iron skillet or frying pan add the walnut pieces and place over a medium until lightly toasted. You will just be able to start smelling the wonderful walnut oils. Remove from the heat and set to one side to cool.
Into a large bowl sift the flour and baking powder.
Add the sea salt and pepper.
Using the large grating side of a box grater, grate the very cold cheese straight onto the flour – I find it easier to have my bowl on digital scales.
Cover the butter with flour, use a butter knife to separate any clumps, so that the butter is evenly distributed.

Next break off chunks of the Beauvale Cheese and drop them into the bowl.

FF Beauvale Cheese Scones — Golden Beauvale Cheese with a ripple of blue.

Using a butter knife flick the flour over the cheese so that it is covered. This will stop it from clumping together.
Chop the walnuts roughly and add to the bowl. Stir with the butter knife to distribute evenly.
In a jug add 2 teaspoons of honey to the milk. Whisk briefly to disolve the honey.
Make a well in the centre of the bowl and pour the milk/honey mixture in.
Use the butter knife to briefly stir the ingredients and then use your hand to bring them together into a rough dough.
The trick to creating the lightest scones is to handle them as little as possible and only very lightly flour the worktop on which you roll and cut them out.

Shaping The Dough And Portioning The Scones

On a lightly flour dusted worktop tip out your scone dough and flatten with your hands so that it is 5cm/2″ deep.
Use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough to 2.5cm/1″ thickness.

Line a large baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Using a 7cm/3″ cutter press straight down and cut out the scones. If you twist the cutter as you cut the scones it can cause uneven rising.
Add the last teaspoon of honey to the milk, stir and then brush the tops of the scones.

Baking The Cheese And Nut Scones

Place the scones in the top of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25minutes, until they are risen and golden brown in colour.
As soon as the scones are baked remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack – be careful as they will be hot!

Enjoying These Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones

These utterly delicious Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones are perfect served warm, split with butter, a little extra cheese (the contrast between the cold and baked cheese is delicious), or just on their own. Also they taste great cold and so are perfect for packed lunches, picnics and afternoon tea.

Since these scones have higher fat content, they will last 3-4 days in an airtight container. Also, I have successfully frozen similar scones for up to one month. To refresh, defrost and place in a warm oven for 5-10 minutes and they’ll taste as though they’ve been freshly baked.

If you have enjoyed this Beauvale Cheese Walnut Scones recipe here are some others you may also like:

Asparagus Proscuitto Ham Tart

Feta Red Onion Marmalade Quiche

Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins

There are so many wonderful ways of using cheese in cooking and baking. And during the next few months we will discover together, wonderful sauces, dinners, recipes and bakes.

Pong Cheese has a wonderful selection of cheeses on their website. I look forward to widening my cheese palette and creating recipes with all the different cheeses.

I hope that you will join me on this creative journey and together we can have fun discovering new ways to make and bake with cheese in our kitchens? Having fun along the way as we cook up some cracking feasts.

Sammie xx

Pong Cheese provided the cheese for this recipe. All opinions, views, content and photographs are my own. This is not a sponsored post. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins

Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins vibrant strips of aromatic basil run through these delicious buttery cheese, pine nut studded muffins.

Also these delightful muffins are so easy to make, quick to bake and perfect for breakfast, packed lunches, picnics……

Whenever we have friends and family round, I always provide a cheese board. Since I have more of a savoury palette, I generally choose cheese and crackers over dessert on most occasions. While I adore all cheeses, this Goddess Cheese, sent to me to try by Pong Cheese is beautifully buttery and creamy.

A cider washed edible rind conceals the most gorgeous, gooey, buttery cheese, perfect for spreading on crackers, with a glass of something chilled to go alongside. The initial buttery flavour is layered with a nutty taste that is perfectly paired with the pine nuts in these Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins.

Whilst spreading this cheese on crackers is a perfectly acceptable way to indulge your senses, my creative side knew that it would taste so good baked in a muffin. After a party or family gathering I am quite often left with cheese and other delectables. I avoid waste as much as I can, so incorporating this beautiful cheese into a bake gives it a second life in these delicious muffins.

Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins are incredibly easy to whip up and bake. In fact these took less than 30 minutes from start to eating!

Oh boy, these muffins are fabulous warm out of the oven.

Recipe: Makes 12 Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins

50g/2oz Pine Nuts

300g/11oz Plain White Flour (self raising can be substituted – leave out the baking powder)

2tsp Baking Powder

2 Whole Free Range Eggs

200ml Semi-Skimmed or Whole Milk

4tbsp Vegetable/Sunflower Oil

Goddess Cheese 150g/5oz – mine was from Pong Cheese

6 basil leaves

1/4tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon

1/4tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6

First of all place the pine nuts into a dry skillet or frying pan and toast over a medium heat until golden. Remove from the pan and place on to a plate to cool. Reseve some pine nuts for topping the muffins.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
Pile the basil leaves on top of each other and cut into fine strips.
Add the cooled pine nuts, basil, and seasonings to the bowl.
Stir with a fork to incorporate.
Break the Goddess Cheese into lumps and add half to the flour mixture – I found it easier to have the bowl on the scales.

Cover the cheese in the bowl with the flour mixture. This will stop it clumping together.
Add the other half of the cheese, again pinching off gooey lumps and dropping them into the bowl. Cover in the flour mixture as before – dry mixture.
Into a jug add the milk, oil and eggs. Lightly mix with a fork – wet mixture.
Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour in the wet mixture.
Stir with a fork approximately 10-12 times until the ingredients are just mixed.

Note: Over mixed muffins will be tough!
Place muffin liners in a muffin tin – I didn’t but would advise you to as it does make the muffins easier to remove.
Divide the muffin mix between the 12 cases.
Top with the reserved pine nuts – if you have forgotten to reserve any don’t worry they will still look and taste delicious.

Place the tin in the top of the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.
The muffins are cooked when they are just firm to touch and golden brown.
As soon as the muffins are baked remove from the oven.
Transfer the Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins to a cooling rack until warm and then devour!

Enjoy these muffins at their absolute best, warm straight from the oven. While the cheese is still slightly melted and the flavours of the toasted pine nuts and basil come through.

Having had to split a muffin for the photographs, I also really enjoyed them cold. All the buttery, nutty cheese, pine nut and basil flavours are still present which I am really pleased with. This makes the Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins perfect as portable food.

I will definitely be making more of these for picnics, packed lunches and just for eating warm from the oven!

Muffins are always best on the day made, however, stored in an airtight container they are good for 3 days, or frozen for up to a month. To refresh just pop in a moderate oven for 10 minutes and they’ll taste like they’ve just been baked.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins you may also like these:

Feta Cheese Herb Muffins

Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins

Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins

No longer do you need to look at an oozing, gooey leftover Goddess Cheese and wonder what to do with it. Instead you can make Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins and as they don’t use a whole packet of cheese, leave you enough for your cheese and crackers.

This recipe started in my mind with the intent of using up leftover cheese. Oh no! These are so good I would happily buy the cheese to make them.

Whatever you are making and baking in your kitchens, have fun and enjoy sharing the feast you are preparing.

Sammie xx

Pong Cheese provided me with the cheese to make this recipe. All content, views, opinions, recipes and photographs are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Slow Roasted Cider Pork

I really enjoy roasting a large joint of meat. Especially as it really feels as though I am preparing a feast, it also is difficult to over cook the meat. And this Slow Roasted Cider Pork is so easy to cook, with incredible flavour!

This beautiful, bone in, tied shoulder of Pork came from Graig Farm . While it weighed 4kg and was a whopper of a joint, it can be used in so many ways.

Cooked on a bed of fresh herbs and onions, with a bottle of Thatcher’s Gold Cider poured under it, the Pork, tightly wrapped in aluminium foil, cooks slowly and steams in the herby, apple cider.

FF Slow Roasted Cider Pork — **Slow Roasted Cider Pork** such a delicious way to roast pork shoulder.

Pork shoulder is used here in this recipe. As the joint comes from the front shoulder of the pig, it needs long, slow cooking, to break down the the muscle. The result is effectively pulled Pork. So please don’t expect to carve this joint, as it literally falls apart once cooked.

Oh and have I mentioned how easy it is to cook this Slow Roasted Cider Pork?

Slow Roasted Pork For Sunday Dinner

Also once prepped you pop it in the oven and just let it do it’s gloriously tasty, deliciously melting, cooking. An especially easy recipe if you’ve got a busy day ahead.

The bones literally pulled clean out from the pork.

From this one joint you can go on to make other dishes in the week. So watch out for my Chipotle Pulled Pork Fajita’s coming soon .

Some people can’t be bothered with the hassle of cooking a Sunday Roast. For our family it is not only tradition, but also provides leftovers for meals during the week such as my Roast Chicken Noodle Soup.

Slow Roasted Cider Pork can be served with the traditional Sunday sides of roast potatoes and vegetables, or Mashed Potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal. Since there are dozens of ways to serve pulled pork, I intend to add plenty more recipes to this blog!

Feeding a crowd

This one joint would easily feed 15-20 people, depending on how you were serving it. Also the pork I used for this joint was organic. I can honestly say that the flavour is far superior to the pale, mass produced alternative. Economically, this meal made four dinners for a family of five. And so, with three growing teenagers in our home, that counts as five adults in my book.

Because this Slow Roasted Cider Pork goes such a long way, that certainly helps with the economics of buying such a large joint. As I’ve said before we are not a big meat eating family, so the meat we do eat goes further. Take a look at Graig Farm’s website, there is 10% off for new customers and they always have special offers on. They are a family run farm who genuinely care for the animals that they rear.

Since I have been buying meat from them for the last few years, I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad meal, cooking with their meat.

This is not a sponsored post. I paid fair and square for the Pork Shoulder, I honestly really like their farming ethos, they are very nice people and their meat is outstanding!

Recipe: Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

3-4Kg Bone in Pork Shoulder Joint – if cooking a smaller joint reduce the temperature to 120C

Fresh Herbs – I used Bay leaves, Sage, Thyme and Rosemary – woody herbs work best

1 Large Onion – peeled and cut into quarters (or 2 small onions halved)

1 Bottle Cider 500ml I used – Thatcher’s Gold

Sea Salt – I use Maldon

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F

Preparing the pork joint

First of all, remove the pork from the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Remove all packaging set on a large plate and pat dry with kitchen roll.
In the base of your roasting tin add the fresh herbs and onions quarters.
Pour in the bottle of cider.
Sit the pork joint on top of the onions and herbs.
Sprinkle over freshly ground pepper, rub sea salt and a little fresh thyme into the skin.

Slow Roasted Cider Pork

I know you can’t see the cider I poured it under the pork after it was placed in the tin!

Cover the pork with aluminium foil, making sure that it does not touch the actual joint. Crimp the foil tightly around the edge of the tin so that it seals in the pork and cider.

Slow roasting the pork joint

Place the roasting tin into the lower part of the oven and allow to cook at the preheated temperature for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes has passed reduce the oven temperature to 150C/130C fan, gas mark 2 and cook for a further 6 hours.
You can take the joint out after 3 hours and baste with the herby cider juices as I did. Remember to tightly cover with foil before putting back into the oven.

So, if you want to go out for the day, please don’t worry about the basting. The steamy, herb infused, cider atmosphere in which the pork cooks will still be deliciously full of flavour.
After 6 hours has elapsed remove the joint from the oven and check how tender it is. I simply pull at the meat with a fork, if it comes away easily the park is cooked.
Increase the oven temperature up to it’s original preheated level and remove the foil. Place the pork back in the oven for 20-30 minutes to crisp up the crackling and create the crusty pork ‘bark’ at each end of the joint.
When the skin is crispy up and you have crunchy crackling remove the pork from the oven. See *note below
Remove the pork joint from the tin and place on a platter or carving board.

Resting and serving the pork

Being extra careful as it is very hot, snip and remove any string, before using scissors to cut away the crackling. For extra crunchy crackling I then pop it on a shallow tray and place back in the oven to continue to crisp, while the roast potatoes cook.
Cover the pork with foil and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Using two forks pull the pork apart and pull out the bones, they will come out cleanly.
You can see how cleanly the bone came out on the left.

Serve the Slow Roasted Cider Pork with roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables and enjoy the soft, tender meat and crunchy, tasty cracking.

Finally, this melt in the mouth pork is perfect to roast a crowd. So invite all your family round, get everyone to pitch in with a dish and enjoy fun, feasting, friendship and laughter together. Since there is nothing like a good meal and great company to help people relax and unwind.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Slow Roasted Cider Pork you may also like these:

Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb

FF Redburrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb — **Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb**

Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken

Garlic Rosemary Roast Potatoes

Do you enjoy cooking a roast for all the family, or is it too much hassle?

Thank you for all your photos and feedback via the comments section, Instagram and Twitter. I really do appreciate you making and baking my recipes and love to see how they turn out, so please keep the pictures and comments coming.

Whatever you are making and baking the Bank Holiday Monday, I hope you have fun creating your delicious feasts and sharing your wonderful bakes with lots of smiles.

Sammie xx

Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

How good does this delicious Roast Chicken Noodle Soup look? And it tastes even better.

Since it’s not very often I mention the words ‘low calorie’ or ‘low fat’ here, on feastingisfun, yet it would seem, I may have put on a few pounds. And I’m guessing I may not be the only one. Am I right?

A bowl of soup made using roast dinner leftovers. — Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

So, I’ve come up with a delicious way to help you save money and keep your weight in check, my Roast Chicken Noodle Soup.

Seriously, one roasted, chicken breast, a few veggies and this soup feeds 4 people. Also it can easily be doubled, if cooking for a crowd, or kept in the fridge, waiting for a quick, thorough re-heat, after a long day at work.

What’s not to love?

FF Roast Chicken Noodle Soup — Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

I roasted a chicken breast quarter for this recipe, but leftovers from a Sunday roast would work perfectly. Also we are having roast turkey today and I intend to make a batch of this soup with a little of the leftovers, for the week ahead.

And did I mention this soup is virtually fat free. One teaspoon of olive oil, to sauté the vegetables, is all the added fat there is.

While you could poach the chicken, instead of roasting it. Yet that would rule out leftovers AND all the flavour in this Roast Chicken Noodle Soup comes from roasting the meat, at the start.

Since I’m happy to defer to the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten in these matters. Because she has been cooking chicken, for her husband Jeffrey, for many, many years and if she says roasting chicken imparts the most flavour, well who am I to argue?

Why The Need For Homemade Soup?

Also have a confession to make. Because I have never liked, pre-made, chicken noodle soup. Since it is what is know in our family as ‘headache food!’ And don’t ask me how it got that name, it just did.

So, in the interests of clarity, I’m talking packet soups. You know the flat packets that when ripped open reveal powder and dehydrated vegetables. Never liked the chicken noodle one – loved minestrone though!

Freshly made Roast Chicken Noodle Soup – not a packet mix in sight!

So creating this recipe was a double challenge. Firstly to see if I could make a Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup with very little fat and secondly, to see if I could eat it (without getting a headache) and enjoy it and make it taste way better than the packet soup from my childhood. That’s three things – never mind!

Anyway, I totally scored on all points. This Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup is delicious, low-fat nutritious and no headache!!!!

This is how to make it:

Recipe: Roast Chicken Noodle Soup – serves 4 – 6

Approx 225g/8oz Roast Chicken – deboned, skin off and shredded – leftovers are fine – alternatively, use roast turkey leftovers.

1tsp Olive Oil – I use Filippo Berio

1 Medium Onion – finely diced

3 Carrots – finely diced

2 Celery Sticks – finely diced

1/2tsp Fresh Thyme – strip the leaves from the stalk (halve if using dried)

1 Chicken Stock Cube – I use Knorr dissolved in 1.2l/2 pints boiling water

100g/4oz Vermicelli – alternatively use any fine or small pasta, egg or rice noodles

Salt and Pepper to season

Method:

Making The Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

First of all, roast a breast quarter of chicken, at 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through, if not using leftover roast chicken.

One delicious roasted chicken breast quarter.

When slightly cooled, remove the skin and shred the chicke, discarding any bone. — When slightly cooled, remove the skin and shred the chicken, discarding any bone.

Alternatively shred approximately 225g/8oz of roast chicken or turkey.

Place a large pan, over a medium heat and add the oil.

Add the diced onion, carrots and celery to the pan.

Saute the vegetables until just softened, approx 7 minutes.

Add the shredded chicken and fresh thyme to the pan.

Weigh out the noodles of your choice.

Add the noodles to the soup.

Taste for seasoning. And add salt and pepper as necessary.

Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked.

Serve immediately.

Roast Chicken Noodle Soup made using Sunday dinner leftovers.

And to make a hearty meal out of this soup serve with some thick, crusty bread like my Wholemeal Cob Loaf or Wholemeal Loaf.

Also, if you want to avoid carbs altogether, you could add shredded cabbage, or spirilized courgette (zucchini).

This Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup is absolutely delicious, quick to make, fab for using up leftovers and feeds 4 people for very little. Resulting in a win-win recipe and one that I make frequently.

If you love this Roast Chicken Noodle Soup then you might want to have a look at these –

Carrot Soup also low fat,

FF Carrot Soup — **Carrot Soup** served with crumbled Stliton cheese.

Leek and Potato Soup leave out the cream and you will lower the calories in this delicious soup!

Leek and Potato Soup velvety comfort. — **Leek and Potato Soup** velvety comfort.

Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Soup.

Soup is one of my comfort foods. Whether it’s full of chunky veggies or blitzed to a smooth velvety texture I can always count on a bowlful to make meal feel better. Also if the recipe is quick and easy that simply adds to the pleasure of making soup. Leaving me feeling relaxed and nourished.

So, whatever you are baking, making and creating in your kitchen, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Quiche Lorraine

I was thrilled when my Mum yesterday, who is herself, a great quiche maker, complimented me. On seeing my Quiche Lorraine she said “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”. Although, thinking about it, that’s surely a compliment to her? Anyway, this cheddar cheese and smoked bacon tart is both easy to make and delicious to eat.

I used a combination of bacon and lardons, as that’s what I had in the freezer and I’m trying to clear it out. So you get lovely chunks as well as pieces of delicious smoked bacon throughout the Quiche. Alternatively leftover cooked Gammon at Christmas, or indeed any other time of the year, works fabulously well in this Quiche Lorraine. Cut into chunks and use in place of the bacon, the beauty being no pre-cooking is required!

Sooo I made the pastry for this quiche myself, but, umm, well let’s just say, I’m gonna leave that for another post. Which I know doesn’t help you, as you need pastry for this recipe. I’m sorry. Really I am. Either use your go-to shortcrust pastry recipe, or buy it!! Just know you’ll need 450g/1lb. I promise I will post my recipe ASAP. Finally I have the recipe, see the link in the recipe below for Pefect Butter Shortcrust Pastry.

Cheddar, bacon and egg tart slice served on a plate with fresh salad and a baked potato. — A slice of quiche lorraine served with salad and a baked potato.

Quiche Lorraine is also perfect, portable, picnic food. So easy to slice and pack up with chunks of cucumber and cherry tomatoes. And as the evenings stay light we can always take our food and eat outside.

Makes 1 x 25cm/10” Quiche Lorraine serves 6-8

450g/1lb Shortcrust Pastry – see my recipe here

8 Large Eggs – I use Burford Brown eggs from Clarence Court

125ml/4.5fl oz Whole Milk

300g/11oz Smoked Bacon/Lardons – cooked and cooled on kitchen paper

175g/6oz Sharp Cheddar – grated – I use Wyke Farms Mature Cheddar

1/2tsp Ground Black Pepper

Method : Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan oven, gas mark 4, 350F.

You will need a 25cm/10in tart tin, preferably with a loose base.

Preparing The Tart Case

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to approx 16″ across. This will ensure it fits easily inside the Quiche tin, without stretching.

If using a ceramic dish, grease thoroughly with butter before lining with pastry. For tins I don’t find it necessary, but grease if you’re worried about the pastry sticking.

Transfer the pastry by rolling it around the rolling pin and then carefully unrolling over the Quiche tin.

I always place my quiche tin on a baking sheet. Gently press the pastry into the sides and bottom of the tin. Then using the rolling pin, roll it over the top of the tin. This creates a clean finish to the pastry. If using a ceramic dish, neatly trim off the excess pastry with a knife.

Next doc the pastry at the bottom of the tin with a fork. This will stop the pastry from rising up when baked.

Place parchment paper onto the pastry and fill with baking beans or ceramic balls. These keep the pastry from collapsing during the blind baking.

Place the quiche tin into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and discard the parchment paper and baking beans. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

The pastry case is now part baked. This ensures the egg mixture will not seep into the pastry. The quiche will have a crisp bottom, when fully cooked.

Making The Cheddar Bacon Filling And Baking The Quiche

Whilst the pastry case is cooling gather the other ingredients together.

Add a good grinding of black pepper to the eggs and milk, then whisk together.

Sprinkle the cooked bacon evenly over the pastry base.

Then do the same with the grated cheese.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the centre of the quiche, ensuring it doesn’t flow over the edge if the pastry.

Reduce the oven temperature by 10C/25F, one gas mark lower. Place the Quiche Lorraine in the oven and bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

This Quiche is so versatile. It can be packed up for lunch, a picnic, or as part of a meal with an endless choice of sides.

If you have enjoyed this Quiche Lorraine recipe you may also like these:

Wigmore Cheese Red Pepper Tart

Cherry Tomato Mozzarella Basil Quiche

Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche

Because I enjoy making quiches and tarts so much, it makes sense to make my own pastry. Since one batch of pastry makes two tarts I always freeze half to use later. Also this Quiche Lorraine freezes really well, simply defrost overnight in a refrigerator and then reheat until hot all the way through.

Sammie x

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Pleas see my Disclosure Policy.

Turkey And Leek Pie

Hello, thank you for stopping by to take a look at my recipe for Turkey and Leek Pie, topped with mountains of mashed potato. Because, this is a fantastic recipe for using up leftover Turkey after Christmas or Thanksgiving. Alternatively you could use cooked chicken such as my Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken.

Waste Not, Want Not:

Since the news if filled with statistics and reports of how much food we throw away and waste as a nation, creating recipes using up leftovers is a priority for me. While I am not suggesting you try to make a pie out of the gooey apple, fermenting at the bottom of the fruit bowl, there are ways that we can use up leftovers. And, as many of us eat turkey over the Christmas period and roast chicken throughout the rest of the year, there can be leftover meat. So, having delicious, easy recipes that use up leftovers, makes both practical and economical sense.

While we had a delicious, roasted turkey crown for Sunday dinner yesterday, I was left with a complete, cooked turkey breast. Although I enjoy cold turkey and chutney sandwiches, my aim was to create a meal out of the leftovers.

So, today I decided to make this turkey and leek pie, topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Alternative toppings for this pie could include; sliced potatoes, flaky pastry, savoury crumble topping, herbed breadcrumbs. If you do try any of these suggestions, please let me know how you get on?

Recipe : Turkey and Leek Pie serves 6

1 1/2 – 2 lb (750g/1Kg) Cooked Turkey – or chicken, cut into 1 inch/2.5cm chunks note: if the turkey or chicken has been frozen AFTER cooking the pie cannot be re-frozen

2 Medium Leeks

100g/4 oz Butter (split in two)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp Vermouth or White Wine – use Martini Extra Dry

1 tbsp Plain White Flour – *alternatively to make this gluten free add 1tbsp cornflour mixed with 2tbsp water after adding the milk to the sautéed leeks.

1/2 of a Chicken/Vegetable Stock Cube – I use Knorr

6tbsp Whole Milk – alternatively you can use double cream (heavy cream)

1.5 Kg/3.5lb Peeled Potatoes (Maris Piper/Desiree or any floury potato suitable for mashing)

2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method :

Preparing the mashed potato topping:

First of all peel and chop the potatoes, place in a saucepan and cover with water.
Add a pinch of salt, bring to the boil and then simmer until tender when pierced with a knife.
Drain the potatoes, place them back into the saucepan with 2 tbsp of butter and a splash (3tbsp) of milk. Clamp on the lid and leave off the heat for 5 minutes.
Next, adding a good grinding of black pepper, mash the potatoes, set aside to cool.

Creating the pie filling:

Chop the leeks into small dice, rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Place 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a frying pan over a medium heat.
As soon as the butter melts add the leek to the pan.

Add a pinch of salt and sauté over a low heat until they become soft and slightly translucent.

Next add 1 tablespoon of flour, stirring so the chopped leeks are covered in the flour. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes. *see recipe for gluten free option.

Add a splash of Vermouth or white wine. Mix thoroughly over a low heat, cooking for a couple of minutes.
Next add 3-4 tablespoons of milk and stir continuously.

The sauce will still be thin at this stage. Continue stirring. After a few minutes the sauce will thicken.

Crumble in half of a chicken stock cube. Alternatively dissolve the stock cube in a couple of tablespoons of hot water, then add to the pan.
As soon as the stock is incorporated have a quick taste and season to taste.
Strip 2 fresh Thyme sprigs and add the leaves to the sauce.
Set to one side and allow to cool.
Cut the cold, cooked turkey (or chicken) into 1 inch chunks and place into a pie dish. Cover with the cold leek sauce.

Spoon the mashed potatoes around the outside edge of the pie, working towards the centre.
Using a fork, ensure the mash seals the pie around the edge to stop any sauce leaking out during baking. Likewise ensure the potato topping covers the pie evenly with no gaps.
Drag the fork across the surface of the mashed potato. As doing so will ensure an extra crunchy topping once baked.

Storing, baking and serving the pie

At this stage the Turkey and Leek Pie can be wrapped in cling film and placed in the fridge for a couple of days until needed.
Alternatively, double wrap in cling and popinto the freezer for up to one month – defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To bake the pie, preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan, 350F, gas mark 4.
Place the pie dish on to a baking sheet and place in the middle of the oven.
Bake for 1 hour until bubbling around the sides, golden and crunchy on top and piping hot all the way through.

The ultimate comfort food. I like to serve this turkey and leek pie with steamed savoy cabbage.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Turkey And Leek Pie you may also like these:

Steak Leek And Ale Pie

FF Turkey And Leek Pie — Steak Leek And Ale Pie

Quiche Lorraine

Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

When I am creating a meal using leftovers, it gives me an extra buzz. Because not only am I reducing waste, an entirely new dish is being made. Especially over the holiday period, when large joints of meat are cooked there can be a temptation to simply bin any leftovers. Whereas having a few, simple recipes on hand can actually make it easy and fun preparing meals.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

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Double Chocolate Brazil Nut Cookies

Ooh Delicious Double Chocolate Brazil Nut Cookies, sound scrummy, taste amazing!!

Today’s activities have been dictated by the weather!!! Actually not such a bad thing. I decided originally to make jam today, however it’s not raining and will be later on today, tomorrow, the next day, so on and so forth. Jam is most definitely a wet weather activity at this time of year – especially as I hadn’t yet put my Daffodil bulbs and Viola plants into the front garden flower bed.

I had actually resigned myself (given the very sorry state the Viola plants were in) to not being able to get this last bit of gardening done this year. My back has been playing up and as long as I’m up and about my priority for any given day is to try and get dinner sorted – in the morning, if possible, as my pain levels increase during the day. Also if I can get a wash load on that’s a bonus.

I know it sounds pathetic, but that simply is how it is. I always try and focus on the positive aspects of the day. If I started to look too closely as what I’ve not achieved I think that could lead me into a downward spiral – and that’s not the person I chose to be. Don’t get me wrong, there are days (weeks) that are harder than others and it does occasionally get me down, but I’m an optimistic person by nature, so I chose to look at the good things in my life.

I’m loved, more than I could ever imagine by The Most Amazing God, I have a wonderful family who also love and accept me. Friends that love and accept me despite my inability to be reliable or commit properly to something. I have a lot to be thankful for.

So today was the day for jam making, Except the weather’s good and jam can be made on rainy days!! I didn’t abort all cooking attempts though and decided to see whether some ‘left over’ chocolate covered Brazil nuts would make nice cookies? Oh yeah they do!!

Double Chocolate Brazil Nut Cookies

Recipe:

5oz Dark Brown Muscavado Sugar

8oz Unsalted Butter – room temp

1 Egg yolk – pref free range

1tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4tsp Salt

6oz Plain White Flour

2oz Cocoa Powder

2oz Shelled Brazil Nuts – chopped finely, to the same consistency of ground almonds

6oz Chocolate Covered Brazil Nuts

(or 3oz Shelled Brazil Nuts and 3oz Milk Chocolate Chunks)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175C (160C fan)

Place the sugar and butter into a large bowl (I’ve used a clear glass jug as it’s easy to check that all the dry ingredient have been mixed in, later on).

The dark muscavado sugar gives the cookies a lovely depth of flavour, without tasting too sweet!

Whisk (or beat vigorously) the butter and sugar together until completely combined and paler in colour. Whisk in the egg yolk, salt and vanilla extract.

The whisked mixture will be darker than when using white sugar.

Now take the 2oz of shelled Brazil nuts and either using a mini-chopper or food processor, chop finely until it has the same texture of ground almonds. Add these finely chopped nuts, the cocoa and the flour to the bowl.

In this recipe I've substituted 4oz of flour with 2oz of both Cocoa powder and finely chopped Brazil nuts. — In this recipe I’ve substituted 4oz of flour with 2oz of both Cocoa powder and finely chopped Brazil nuts.

Now chop the chocolate covered Brazil nuts roughly (do the same for plain Brazils if using).

Don't chop too finely as you want some nice, nutty crunch to your finished cookie!! — Don’t chop too finely as you want some nice, nutty crunch to your finished cookie!!

Add the roughly chopped Brazils and gently mix all the dry ingredients into the sugar/butter mix. Make sure you combine all the dry ingredients that have dropped to the bottom of the bowl. Once everything is combined STOP!! If you overwork the mixture the dough will become tough and will affect the finished cookie.

Next, using a desert spoon and eating knife, drop golf ball sized dollops of the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Aim for a roughly circular dollop of cookie dough!!

Dampen your hand and gently press down on the cookie dough to slightly flatten it. This mixture is very sticky so you may need to rinse your hands, in cold water, in between squishing the cookie dough.

Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. Keep a close eye on your cookies whilst cooking, it’s much harder to tell if chocolate cookies are burnt by sight!! the cookies are ready when the tops have a sugary, slightly shiny surface. When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely and firm up on the baking sheet.

Double Chocolate Brazil Nut Cookies- the perfect way to use up leftover Christmas nuts www.feastingisfun.com

It’s time to pop the kettle on!!! Place the cold cookies in an airtight container, or pop a few into cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon and give as gifts

I’m sharing mine with my official ‘Taste Tester’ the Green Goddess, whose honest feedback and encouragement is invaluable.

It really is so much more fun sharing what you’ve baked with others – and they enjoy it too!!

Sammie x