Mexican Bean Wrap

Here is a really simple to follow recipe for Mexican bean wraps, they are low in fat and are suitable for all the vegetarians out there. Enjoy!!

You Will Need

• 1 small onion , sliced
• 1.0 tbsp vegetable oil
• 400g can mixed beans , drained and rinsed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 30g sachet fajita seasoning or 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 8 soft corn tortillas wraps 
• grated cheese , guacamole and soured cream

Method

1. Gently fry onions for 5 mins in oil, until softened. Tip in beans, tomatoes and seasoning, then simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, warm the wraps in the microwave on High for 1 min.
3. Take a large spoonful of beans and spoon along the centre of each wrap. Top with some grated cheese, a spoonful of guacamole and soured cream. Wrap into a cigar shape and eat straight away.
4. Optional: Add peppers, lettuce or sweet corn to your wrap for extra flavour.

You could also use the this recipe as a dip for tortilla chips, simply follow the cooking instructions, pour over tortilla chips, sprinkle with cheese and microwave for 2 mins at high heat, then pour the sour cream on top.

Mother's Day Sponge

So it's mothers day and what better way to show your appreciation than to bake a nice cake for your mother. After much consideration I decided that a butter sponge cake was the best option because for some weird reason the older generations seen to have an obsession with all things sponge (maybe thats just my family). Hope this earns ye some brownie points with the Mammy!
 

You will need

• 250g butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• Strawberry jam
• Strawberries, Chopped,
• Whipped Cream.
• Icing sugar and Lemon juice

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of two 20cm round cake pans.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add the flour and milk until just combined. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared pans and use the back of a spoon  to smooth the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and cool in pan for about five minutes before turning on to a wire rack to cool completely. Place one cake on a serving platter.
5. When cool, spread the jam evenly on top of the base sponge, then spread the whipped cream over that and then the chopped strawberries. Place the top sponge on top.
6. You can take the lazy option and sprinkle some icing sugar on top or you could go to the effort of combining about 6 table spoons of icing sugar with 2 table spoons of lemon juice to form a thick icing and spread it on top. Place something nice on top, like a flower (make sure she doesn't eat it) or a strawberry!

Green Thai Curry

Okay, I know it's not exactly Irish but it's tasty, green and everyone loves it!

You Will Need

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste (according to taste)
1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
Good shake of Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce
1 tbsp Lime Juice
1 Green Pepper , Sliced
2 Spring onions, chopped

 

Hand full of pea's or Green beans

Boil in the bag rice - as much as you fancy

I added some chopped chilli to mine to make it more spicy, if you don't like it too hot, leave this out.

Method

1.Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan
2.Add the green curry paste and sugar and cook over a fairly high heat for about a minute.
3.Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the chicken pieces, the peas and the peppers until coated in paste.
4.Add the coconut milk, fish sauce or soy sauce and bring to a simmer, cooking for 25-30 minutes until thickened slightly.
5.Seasoning to taste, adding more fish sauce or soy sauce if needed.

6.Sprinkle the chopped onion on top when cooked.

Boil rice as per instructions on packet and enjoy!

Paddy's Pea Soup

You Will Need

• 1 tbsp of olive oil 
• 25g butter
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 5 cups/750g or frozen peas
• 1 cup/ 75g mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 liter vegetable stock
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

• Gently heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan, add the chopped onion and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft but not brown. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes.

• Add 3/4 of the peas, the chopped mint leaves, and 3/4 stock. Cover the saucepan with a tight fitting lid and cook on a medium boil for 10 minutes.

• Blend the soup in a food processor, you will have a thick puree. Return the puree to the pan, season with salt and pepper and add the remaining peas and stock. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Paddy's Day Key Lime Pie

As St Patrick's Day is fast approaching I will be keeping this weeks recipes nice and patriotic in colour! Starting off with a deliciously refreshing Key Lime Pie, it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and its green! 




    You will Need

• 375g/12oz plain  digestive biscuits, crushed
• 150g/5oz butter
• grated zest and juice of 8 large limes
• 570ml/1 pint double cream
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
  
  
  Preparation
  
  
  1. Melt the butter in a small pan, Place the biscuits and the melted butter in a food processor. Lightly press into the base of a 23cm/9in deep  flan tin. Chill while preparing the filling.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  2. To prepare the filling: place the lime juice into a large bowl, add the cream and condensed milk. Whisk for 1-2 minutes. Add the lime zest and lightly stir. Pour onto the prepared biscuit base. Place onto a tray and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
     
     
     
     
     

Chocolate Biscuit Cake Video

Hey Ladies and Gents,


Just found this viral video about making chocolate biscuit cake, It was by a Cully and Sully chef factor hopeful but it's shows you how to make biscuit cake and its pretty entertaining. Hope ye like it!




Chocolate Biscuit Cake Viral

Spinach & Red Pepper Tart

This is great for when your cooking lunch for a group of people, it is full of flavour and not too heavy. It goes very well with a side salad, wedges or even some couscous.

You Will Need

• 1 frozen short crust base 
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen leaf spinach and butter sauce (such as Green Giant), thawed and drained 
• 1/2 cup chopped drained  roasted red peppers (you can buy these pre roasted in a jar)
• 1/2 cupt crumbled feta cheese 
• 1 Teaspoon of dried basil 
•  sun-dried tomatoes - as many as you like
• 2 eggs - whisked gently with fork
• 1/4 teaspoon salt & Pepper

1. Method
2. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
3. 2. Unroll dough, and roll into a 12-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch round removable bottom tart pan coated with butter, press dough against sides of pan. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with a fork. Place pan on bottom rack in oven. Bake at 400° for 14 minutes or until golden.
4. 3. While crust bakes, combine spinach, peppers, and cheese in a bowl. Combine eggs, salt, and pepper in another bowl.
5. 4. Remove crust from oven; sprinkle spinach mixture over bottom of crust. Pour egg substitute mixture over spinach mixture. Return tart to oven. Bake 37 additional minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is set. 

An easy cheat on this recipe is to substitute the short crust base with a pre-prepared puff pastry base, puff pastry doesn't require pre cooking so you can skip step 1, leave out the egg but place the rest of the ingredients about half a finger length distance in from the edge of the rolled out puff pastry. Add some pesto for extra depth in flavour. Reduce prep time with out compromise on flavour!!

•