Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chunks Cookies.

Right now I should really be packing my suitcase for work, but writing about cookies is more appealing! If someone had told me even a year ago that I will be baking american style cookies I would have laughed at them, I thought it was a long and tedious process. How wrong was I! As everything genius in this world , it's super simple!

200 gr unsalted butter (softened)

150 gr white sugar

160 gr brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

320 gr self-raising flour

pinch of sea salt

150 gr chocolate chunks/buttons (i make my own , by breaking a chocolate bar in a blender)

2/3 tbsp of peanut butter

Also we will need, a couple of baking trays, an ice-cream scooper or just a big spoon and some baking paper. 

Preheat your oven gas mark4/175C.

Whip the butter and all of the sugar for about 5 min.

Add vanilla extract and eggs, continue mixing for another 5 min.

Add flour, mix in.

Mix in peanut butter and chocolate, the cookie dough is done! 

Pop it in the fridge for a few minutes, it's easier to scoop when the dough is a bit set.

Place the baking paper on the tray and scoop out 5 or 6 dough balls , make sure you have enough space between them. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 10-15 min. Don't overcook, the cookies should come out looking a bit undercooked in the middle. Allow them to cool down on the tray, they will harden, but hopefully be just nice and gooey in the middle.

This mixure goes a long way, make more dough balls, freeze, use when needed straight out of the freezer, just bake for a bit longer!

A glass of milk, anyone? 

Chicken with Spicy Ratatouille Served with Asparagus and a Poached Egg.

This one is for the lovely Masha, who is passing her final exams at the uni ! Easy and delicious dinner.
500 gr of chicken , cubed
1 tin/ 250 gr of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
2 onions
1 aubergine
1 courgette
a pinch of paprika
a pinch of salt
a pinch of black pepper
100 ml of white wine
3 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 red chilli
This is a one pot meal.
Brown the chicken in the ovenproof dish , add the chopped onions and the chopped vegetables, chilli and all the spices.When it all is nice and golden pour in the wine in and add the chopped tomatoes in the tomato juice. Preheat the oven gas mark 7/220C, put the dish in and cook for about 30 min. Stir occasionally.Just before serving squeeze the garlic and add it to the chicken and ratatouille pot.  Serve with a poached egg or two and fresh, steamed asparagus!

The Best Ever Chicken Farmhouse Pie with Cider.

This is truly the tastiest recipe for a humble chicken pie. It makes enough for 4 adults ,cook and serve it in individual pie dishes  with plenty of bread to mop up the sauce.Firstly make mash potato for the top of the pie, keep the mash a bit dry, it will absorb some of the sauce later.For mash potato you'll need:
1 kg of potatoes
100 ml of double cream
1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard
70 gr of grated cheddar
1 tbsp of butter
salt to taste

Set the mashed potatoes aside, it's time to make the pie filling.We will need:
500 gr chicken tighs , cubed
500 gr chestnut mushrooms, chopped
2 medium leeks, chopped
200 ml double cream
1 pint of cider
2 bay leaves
fresh parsley, chopped
salt to taste
Brown the chicken in the pan , add mushrooms and leeks and stir fry for a minute, add the cider, turn down the fire, cover and cook for 15 min. Stir in the cream, add the parsley and bay leaves, cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

Switch off, set aside, preheat the oven gaz mark 5 ,190C. Get the pie dishes buttered.Fill them up with the creamy chicken filling.

 Put the mashed potatoes on the top and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown!

Enjoy!

Coming next week....

The best ever chicken and mushroom pie and peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies! 

Butternut Squash Pasta Parcels with Sage and Pine Nuts.

This recipe, I should say, is vegan, you can easily make it vegetarian by substituting butter for oil and adding a bit of parmesan cheese in the end. Every year I try to go on a little detox and this pasta is great when I feel a bit "naughty" , as I do prefer it pan fried, for a healthier option you can steam it! The pasta recipe is ever so simple, all you need is flour and warm water and a drop of oil, in Russia we use it for the traditional pelemeni (meat parcels) recipe.

 Here we go.

200 gr plain flour

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup warm water

pinch of sea salt

 Put all ingredients together in a bowl and mix well, don't be afraid to use your hands. You should end up with a nice glossy ball of stretchy pasta, add more water or flour if needed when mixing.

Cover it with the cling film and let it rest for a while.

Now is the time to make a filling.

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

400 gr of butternut squash

a pinch of nutmeg

a pinch of salt

1 tbsp of olive oil

Brown the onion and the garlic, add diced butternut squash , sprinkle with nutmeg ans salt , cover the pan cook till the squash is soft . Mash it all up with a fork , and the filling is ready.

Roll out the pasta (or use the pasta machine if you wish), and cut out the medium size circles. I use a mug to do it, really reminds me of my childhood, but I'm sure there are some gadgets out there now to simplify the process.

Wet your hands and get busy making pasta parcels!

Heat up some oil in the pan and slightly fry the parcels on both sides till golden. Whilst the pasta is cooking make the sauce:chop up some sage , squeeze a juice of 1/2 lemon and add a splash of olive oil in a bowl, give it a good stir.

Serve the parcels with the sauce and toasted pine nuts! Enjoy!

Orange and Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding.

Inspired by Jaffa Cakes!
Originally it should be  made from stale, left over bread. So the irony of this recipe is, that I went shopping for a lovely brioche loaf and let it dry out. Best served warm.
400 gr brioche loaf (cut the crusts off)
3 egg yolks
300 ml of double cream
100 ml of milk
1 vanilla pod (optional)
orange marmalade (jam)
a handfull of dark chocolate chunks (about 70 gr)
30 gr of light brown sugar
50 gr unsalted butter
Firstly heat up cream and milk together to the scorching point, don't let it boil. Put the vanilla seeds and  pod in it, let it cool down.
Preheat the oven 180C/ gaz mark 4.
Butter the pie dish.
Make small butter and marmalade sandwiches, arrange them snugly in the dish , you might need a couple of layers . Sprinkle the dark chocolate chunks (if more then 1 layer, sprinkle between the layers).

Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks with 20 gr of sugar till light and fluffy, strain cream and milk(make sure it's cooled down) and add slowly to the eggs . Whisk for about 5 min. Pour the custard over the bread, sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top.

Bake for 30-40 min, untill the top has caramelised  and the custard is set.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

A couple of years ago a friend of mine gave me a book with cupcake recipes from a famous bakery, strangely, I have never actually made anything from this book... until now. I took a basic chocolate cupcake and cream cheese frosting recipe and added freeze-dried raspberries to both. The recipe should make 12 cupcakes, I made 11(!). Next time I will take smaller paper cases.
For cupcakes:
2-3 tbsp of cocoa
140 gr caster sugar
130 gr plain flour
1,5 tsp baking powder
40 gr soft butter
pinch of salt
120 ml milk
0,5 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Preheat your oven gaz mark3/170C .
Whisk together in a bowl egg, milk and vanilla extract.
In a mixer bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients till well combined, slowly add the egg and milk mixture to it.Add half of freeze-dried raspberries. Mix for a further 2-3 min, don't overbeat it.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-30 min, check after 20 min with a wooden skewer or a toothpick. When the cupcakes are ready it's clean.

Let them cool down in the oven for 15 min, then take them out.

Whilst the cakes are cooling make the frosting.

300 gr icing sugar(sifted)

50 gr soft butter

125 gr cream cheese

Beat the sugar and butter together, add the cream cheese and rest of the raspberries and mix for good 5 min.

Make sure your cupcakes have completely cooled down before decorating. 

Let the icing set for about 15 minutes, enjoy them fresh!