Jumping Jack Potato & Bread Puddings

Yesterday was my first My Secret Kitchen tasting, I was thrilled to share some of the products with fellow foodies.
To demonstrate the versatility I made three of the Beer Bread mixes up in different guises I made a Jumping Jack Chilli Jam Bread, A Wild Garlic Bread and a sweet Cherry Bakewell cake. There were some leftovers so today I made a batch of these Jumping Jack Potato & Bread Puddings.

Makes 20 bread puddings

Olive oil for brushing

4 thick slices of My Secret Kitchen Original Beer Bread  (day old is better). 
20g butter, softened
4 eggs
125ml milk
25g parmesan, grated
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Jumping Jack Chili Jam
300g baby potatoes, cooked & cubed
10 sprigs of thyme


Preheat oven to 180ºC. Cut 20cm squares of non-stick baking paper, brush each square with olive oil and press each square into lightly greased muffin tin. 
Spread the slices of Beer Bread with butter and cut into rough pieces.  Whisk the eggs, milk, Parmesan, salt and pepper together. Add 2 tablespoons of the Jumping Jack Chilli Jam, reserving the rest for later.  Mix together the cubes of bread and potatoe and arrange in the paper cases and pour over equal amounts of egg mixture. Top with the reserved Jumping Jack Chilli Jam and thyme sprigs and bake for 40 minutes or until golden.

Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies

In my mind Brownies had to be Chocolate, well I guess until recently I have never really given the brownie much thought, just that I liked them. A few weeks ago I heard someone talking about Peanut Butter Brownies, umm I thought and why not give them a try, after all I like Brownies & I love peanut butter.

I googled the recipe and came across this one on all recipes.com

The measurements for the recipe are in cups, I just love the simplicity of baking from an american recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter { I used crunchy, but the choice is yours }

1/3 Cup Soft Margarine

2/3 Cup White Sugar

1/2 Cup light Brown Sugar or Light Muscavado

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Plain Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together peanut butter and margarine. 
3. Gradually blend in the brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. 
4. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes until the sides shrink from the edge of the pan and turn onto a wire cooling rack until, and cut into 16 squares.

These brownies are beautiful, but I felt something was missing, don't mis-understand me they tasted great, but they could taste better & the needed something on the top to decorate them slightly.

2nd Batch

Whilst I was in the kitchen this morning Paul made a 2nd batch and added 50g chopped salted peanuts & 2 tbsp of MSK Maple Caramel Sauce.

My Secret Kitchen Predicts 2013 Food Trends

On Saturday I travelled to the wonderful Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire to the annual consultants awards for My Secret Kitchen, everything about the day was impressive from the location to the 4 course meal and everything inbetween.

We had an inspiring talk by Holly Bell who was runner up in the 2011 Great British Bake off, she is so funny and charming and a natural speaker, her story is an inspiration.

As the day progressed towards the new product launch, everybody was getting very excited, but after lunch we had a very thought provoking presentation by Phil Moran who is co-founder of My Secret Kitchen. At the beginning of the year Phil made 10 food trend predictions for 2013, they make very interesting reading.

The New Year is upon us and here at My Secret Kitchen we love to have a stab at the next food and drink trends for the coming year and beyond. So without further ado:-

1.Not just Chilli – increased heat has been happening over the last few years in the UK but increasing curiosity on the differences between types of chilli will mean more named varieties coming into fashion. It’s already happening with chipotle but look out for more dishes naming the chillies such as Pasilla, Poblano, Guajillo and Ancho.

2. Popcorn to explode – More companies are experimenting with some wonderfulvariationofflavours to move popcorn into a real gourmet treat. Blue c
heese and Walnut, Strawberry cheesecake 
and Madras are already out there and will be more mainstream through the year. And they’re good! How about getting that popcorn maker out from the back of the cupboard and do some seasoning sprinkling yourself?

3.Free (from) – Awareness of allergies has been ever increasing but the quality of the foods now being offered as “free from” is right up there. We expect to see these foods moving to the mainstream aisles rather than the specialist niche area they currently hold and improving even further.

4.Creative cocktails – The big new trends in bars across the pond are incredibly creative cocktails using some quite bizarre ingredients such as smoked ice cubes, cardamom syrups and yuzu bitters. We don’t think these will be coming into the UK home too soon yet but the idea of blending certain alcohols with new and varied syrups is not in the too distant future. 

5.Fair game- We predicted an increase in foraged ingredients for 2012 and we were right on this. The next step is an increase in popularity in local meats; so you rabbits, pheasants and deer reading this – start running….

6.Be Brazilliant – We will be awash with all things Brazil as we gear up for the world cup and the 

Olympics over the next few years, and why not? Brazil has a wealth of wonderful dishes such as Feijoada and Moqueca and is the home of the Caipirinha cocktail. Watch these influences infiltrate our plates this year.

7.Naturally Novel – Here in the UK we’re still looking for the more unusual ingredients we can get from nature and we’re looking for something good for you as well. We’re going to stick our necks 
out and go for two that may well be hitting our stores this year - purple tea is high in anthocyanin and an excellent source of antioxidant whilst bee pollen is known as “the fountain of youth” and is high in protein. 

8.Pickling – many of you I’m sure were watching Masterchef the professionals before Christmas and the amount of pickling going on was very interesting to see. Will this see a rise in another way of getting a new flavour from some common ingredients? (As long as Sauerkraut is bypassed we’re happy.)

9.Sweet n Savoury – So common to see in the USA and becoming more popular here too,; unusual combinations challenging your taste buds – we’re still not sure about chocolate and bacon but brie and fig, salted caramel, pretzels and chocolate – bring it on!

10.Hot but not – Heat comes from chilis right? But there’s more out there that will give you a tasty burn – Varieties of pepper like Telecherry, an increase in the use of Szechuan (a delightful numbing sensation!) will become more prevalent in 2013

Well what do you think? Which of these predicted food trends do you think we will see come to fruition in 2013

I certainly think Sweet n Savoury, Pickling, Popcorn to explode & free from will all be seen throughout 2012.
Maybe I was a trend setter when I blogged last Pancake day about my Pancakes with Bacon & Maple syrup.

MSK Chicken Schnitzel with Bacon & White Wine

Cooked By Paul Tonight

Yesterday we went to Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire to the My Secret Kitchen annual convention, it was a very inspiring day with Holly Bell from GBBO, who was a lovely guest speaker.

Tonight's dinner was inspired from a recipe from the Nigella Express cook book but with a MSK twist.

Chicken

2 teaspoons MSK Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil

1 teaspoon MSK Wild Garlic Secret Spice

4 Chicken escalopes approx 125g each.

If you only have chicken breasts then slice them 3/4 through the middle and open up, mine looked heart shaped. Place the Chicken breast between two pieces cling film on flatten with a rolling pin.

4 rashers Streaky Bacon - finely chopped

100ml White Wine

Pasta accompaniment 

50g dried pasta per person

3 dessert spoons MSK Tapenade with Smoked Garlic 

• Add the wild garlic and oak smoked rapeseed oil to the frying pan and add the finely chopped bacon, fry until the bacon is crisp and remove the bacon. Drain on kitchen roll and set aside.
• Bring a pan of water to the boil Dont salt the water and cook the pasta until tender.
• Fry the Chicken escalopes for about 4 minutes on each side, check that the juices run clear, also like to make a cut into the middle to make sure that the chicken pieces are cooked through with no pinkness.
• Drain the pasta and stir in the tapenade with smoked Garlic making sure the pasta is well coated.
• Serve pasta into the bowls and place a Chicken piece onto each serving.
• Return the bacon to the frying pan and pour in the white wine, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes and pour over the chicken pieces.

Don't be tempted to add additional seasoning as the bacon can be salty.

Red Onion Marmalade

A few weeks ago I joined up with My Secret Kitchen as a consultant, for those of you that have never attended a MSK food tasting you are missing a treat, friends getting together to share and explore new foods, what could be better, why would you not want to try it. December is a very busy month, as is the beginning of January so today is the first opportunity I have had to experiment with my new kit.
I love spending time in the kitchen and today is an ideal day, it's cold and bright but threatening to snow so I decided to make some comfort food, Red Onion Marmalade this is great with cheese and crackers or as a relish to serve with sausages and garlic mashed potatoes.

Red Onion Marmalade

1kg red onions
1/2 tsp MSK Secret Wild Garlic Spice
4 tbsp MSK Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
Generous grating of MSK Lemon & Chipotle spiced sea salt and Szechuan pepper
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
75g Light Muscovado Sugar
2 tbsp MSK Balsamic Reduction
2 tbsp MSK Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce
75ml White Wine
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
75ml water
Knob of Butter

This recipe makes 600ml / 1 pint

Peel and cut the onions in half and slice thinly
In a frying pan or wok heat the MSK Oak smoked rapeseed oil 
Add the Onion, MSK Wild Garlic Spice, Mustard Seeds, sprigs of Thyme to the oil in the pan. Stir in a generous grating of MSK Szechuan Pepper and MSK Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt.
Gently cook, uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring often.
The onions will have reduced, so cook for a further 15 minutes occasionally stirring until they just begin to caramelise. Lower the heat if the onions start to stick.
Stir in the Light Muscovado Sugar, MSK Balsamic Reduction, MSK Red Wine & Port Finishing Sauce, White Wine, Red Wine Vinegar and the water.
Continue cooking the mixture gently bubbling for 20 / 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is caramelised but still moist.
Remove the Thyme Springs and stir in a knob of Butter.
While the marmalade is still warm, spoon the mixture into clean sterilised jars.

This will keep for 4 - 8 weeks in a cool place.

I've been published

I recently submitted a recipe to the lovely ladies at My Secret Kitchen and it has been published on the MSK Blog, how exciting for them to share the recipe.

Apple Cup Cake with Canella Buttercream

Makes 12 cup cakes

Thanks to Lisa Lovell for the inspiration for these cup cakes and Katie Lang for her baking expertise in putting it all together 

For the apple cup cakes:

115g unsalted butter, softened

175g caster sugar

3 medium eggs

1 packet My Secret Kitchen Original Beer Bread Mix

1/2 tsp My Secret Kitchen Vanilla Pudding Spice

1 medium cooking apple, peeled and chopped into small dice

For the canella buttercream:

150g unsalted butter, softened

250g icing sugar

2 tsp My Secret Kitchen Vanilla Pudding Spice

To garnish:

Fudge or toffee pieces

Drizzle of My Secret Kitchen Maple Caramel Sauce

Preheat oven 190C, line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.

Cream the butter and the sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time while mixing.  Add the Beer Bread Mix in 3 parts along with the Vanilla Pudding Spices, folding each part in carefully until combined.  Fold in the cubed apple.  Divide the batter equally amongst the 12 muffin cases and bake for 15 - 18 minutes until golden.  Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the buttercream by creaming together the butter, icing sugar and Vanilla Pudding Spices until smooth and creamy.

Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake, drizzle with Maple Caramel Sauce and garnish with fudge pieces.  For an added touch, hollow out a small part of the centre of the cup cake and fill with apple puree and Maple Caramel Sauce before icing.

MSK Lemon & Bergamot Pancakes

200g My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Bergamot Shortbread Mix
1 medium egg
110ml milk
Oil or butter (unsalted) for frying 

Put the Lemon & Bergamot Shortbread Mix into a bowl and make a well in the centre.  
Add the egg and milk into the well and whisk together thoroughly. 
Leave to stand for 10 minutes and whisk again. 
Heat a frying pan with a little oil (or unsalted butter) and using a dessert spoon, add spoonfuls of the batter into the hot pan.  
Cook for 1 -2 minutes until the edges start to curl and bubbles appear on the surface, turn and cook on the other side until fluffy and golden brown.  
Freeze any leftovers for emergency breakfast supply when you’re fed up of cereal or run out of milk!


Serve with MSK Maple Caramel Sauce,




My Secret Kitchen products are available via home parties & through the MSK blog / Website

Cherry Bakewell Loaf ~ My Secret Kitchen

Cherry Bakewell Bread

1 My Secret Kitchen Original Beer Bread Mix

50g ground almonds

50g caster sugar

50ml veg oil

2 tsp almond essence

100ml lemonade

100g glace cherries

125g icing sugar

20ml cold water

Preheat oven 190c and line a 1lb loaf tin.

Empty the bread mix into a bowl and add the ground almonds and sugar and stir together. 

Reserve 6 of the glace cherries and chop the rest in half and add to the dry ingredients and mix. 

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the vegetable oil, almond essence and lemonade. 

Mix thoroughly and quickly before putting in to the loaf tin and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. 

Make the icing by mixing the icing sugar with the water. When the loaf is cool, top with the icing and the reserved whole cherries.

This recipe came from the My secret Kitchen blog and I've now made it twice and it is absolutely beautiful, even after a week this was still beautifully fresh and luscious.