Yorkshire Puddings – Batch Cook

I love Yorkshire puddings and have been cooking my fool-proof recipe for years. Literally the only variation I’ve made on my original Yorkshire Pudding go recipe is to add mixed herbs to some batches. They are the perfect batch cook food. I make a couple of dozen at a time, leave the extra on a rack to cool and freeze. They cook from frozen in 6-8 minutes, perfect for mid-week suppers or to make a leftovers meal feel more substantial.

Air Fried Spicy Kilimanjaro Chicken Wings in Ninja Foodi

Who doesn’t love chicken wings? I know I do and I also love hot sauce. I tend to go through phases of using different brands of hot sauce. The one I’ve been addicted to for the last couple of years is produced locally to me. It started out being used in restaurants but proved so popular that the owners started bottling it and selling it in local shops and butchers. It’s even available online now (https://kilimanjarosauce.com)! I’d like to point out that this is in no way an ad or sponsored, I just love this sauce.

Anyway, like I said, I’m addicted! I’ll put with with most meals and it goes fantastically with a lot of food. It really livens up brown rice and pasta and it’s a great marinade for meat.

Ingredients:

Chicken wings – 750g

Kilimanjaro sauce – 2-3 tablespoons

Method:

1. Coat chicken wings in sauce. Leave to marinade for as long as you can.

2. Arrange the chicken wings on the air fry tray. Place in the the baking tray.

3. Set Ninja Foodi to air fry. Set temp to 200 and the time to 25 minutes.

4. When the oven has preheated, slide the trays in.

5. Halfway through the cook time, pause the oven. Take the trays out, flip the chicken wings and put back in the over for the remainder of the cooking time.

6. I added some microwaved new potatoes five minutes before the end.

The Blog is Back!

So, I’ve been a little (massively) quiet on here for a while (ok, years!) but sometimes life just gets busy. I hate doing things half heartedly so rather than giving second rate content I just didn’t post.

I got in bit of a food rut, cooking things you’d already seen or eating food mostly prepared by the supermarket… Then, when I did cook something new or interesting I kept forgetting to photograph it, rookie error!

Anyway, I’ve got a bit more time on my hands now and a new toy to play with… the Ninja Foodi Mini Oven. So, I’m looking forward to sharing my adventures getting to grips with that with you all! Chicken wings recipe coming soon!

For those of you who like that kind of thing, there are some boxies below!

Really looking forward to sharing more new content with you soon!

Christmas is Here (Just About)!

It’s that time of year again. Shopping trolleys are piled high, cupboards and fridges are bulging. A lot of people will be cooking more complicated dishes or for more people than they have before. My Christmas Category is full of great recipes and ideas for lots of Christmas main-stays, from meats and accompaniments to desserts.

I hope these recipes will help make readers’ lives a bit easier. I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t stress about cooking at Christmas. It’ll be ready when it’s ready, just make sure everyone has enough to drink and you’ll be fine!

Cheat’s Pork Belly Slices

The most popular recipe on my blog is Garlic, Soy & Honey Pork Belly Slices, which in itself is a fairly easy and quick recipe (minus the marinading time), but this is a super quick and lazy alternative using shop-bought stir-fry sauce. I love the hoisin and garlic variety, but any flavour could be used.

Ingredients:

Pork belly slices – 3 per person

Stir fry sauce – 1 sachet per 10-12 slices

Method:

1. Line a baking tray with tin foil, arrange slices on tray and cover with stir fry sauce, coating well.
2. Cook in a preheated oven at 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas 3 for 40 mins-1 hour. Turn occasionally if you want.
3. Turn the oven up to 210°C/Fan 190°C/Gas 7 for 15 minutes to crisp up. If you like it more crispy place on a wire rack.

Slow Cooker Pork Ribs

Pork ribs are a really economical cut of meat and slow cooking is a great way to get them tender and falling off the bone.

This great one-pot meal will serve 4.

Ingredients:

Olive oil – 1 tablespoon

Onions – 2 (diced)

Garlic – 4 cloves (crushed)

Vinegar – 3 tablespoons

Tomato puree – 2 tablespoons

Soy sauce – 3 tablespoons

Honey – 3 tablespoons

Spices – hot paprika and chilli flakes (to taste)

Oxo cubes – 2

Boiled water – 1 pint

Carrots – 3 (chopped)

Potatoes – 2 large (peeled & quartered)

Ribs – 2 racks (halved)

Method:

1. Season the ribs with paprika and an oxo cube.
2. Heat the frying pan and add the olive oil. Brown the ribs on both sides.
3. Meanwhile, place all the other ingredients in the slow cooker, and set to high.
4. Once the ribs are browned, place them in the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone.

See the #fireworks I created by blogging on #WordPressDotCom. My 2015 annual report.

See the fireworks Cooking with Corinna created by blogging on WordPress.com. Check out their 2015 annual report.

Source: See the #fireworks I created by blogging on #WordPressDotCom. My 2015 annual report.

What to Cook for Christmas: Accompaniments

Christmas really isn’t complete without the sides, they really do make the meal.

Yorkshire Puddings:

I love Yorkshire puddings. I may even be addicted to them. My recipe is easy to follow and foolproof.

Pigs in Blankets:

Meat wrapped in more meat, to me this is the spirit of Christmas.

Italian Stuffing:

This family recipe is a firm favourite in my house. We always end up making too much but somehow it all gets eaten.

Goose Gravy:

This delicious real gravy recipe is great, and a lot easier than you’d think to make.

I hope that these and my other posts help, and that you all have a wonder Christmas.

Related Posts:

What to Cook for Christmas: Meat & Poultry

What to Cook for Christmas: Vegetables

What to Cook for Christmas: Desserts

Homemade Goose Gravy

Christmas is the time to go to town and make your own gravy from scratch. It’s easier than you think and gives really tasty results. This recipe is for goose, but you can use the same method for turkey or other poultry.

Ingredients:

Giblets (neck, heart and gizzard, not the liver)

Water or chicken stock

Onions – 2 (quartered)

Celery – 1 stick (chopped)

Carrot – 1 (chopped)

Bouquet garni

Black peppercorns – about half a dozen

Plain flour – 2 tablespoons

Corn flour (optional for thicker gravy) – a tablespoon mixed with a little water

Method:

1. Brown the giblets in a large saucepan. Add a litre/2 pints of hot water or stock. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum.
2. Add the vegetables and seasoning, and simmer for an hour. Strain, then cool and store in fridge until the roast is ready.
3. While the bird is resting after cooking, remove all but one tablespoon of fat from the roasting tin.
4. Put the roasting tin on the hob (medium heat), gradually add the plain flour and whisk constantly for a few minutes.
5. Pour in the giblet stock (about half a pint per 4 people). Bring to the boil, and simmer for a few minutes, season. If you want a thicker gravy add corn flour and simmer until desired consistency.

What to Cook for Christmas: Vegetables

This week I’ve already blogged about the meats and desserts to have for Christmas dinner, this post is about another vital part of your meal, the vegetables! Below are some suggestions for vegetable dishes, just click on the titles to link through to my original blog posts.

Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes:

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without roast potatoes. Always do twice as many as you think you need, any leftovers can be reheated.

Mashed Potatoes:

Another Christmas staple for carb lovers.

Hasselback Potatoes:

Fancy something a little more impressive looking but super easy to prepare, then give these a try.

Carrot & Swede Mash:

This mash can be made in advance and reheated on the day.

Honey Roasted Carrots & Parsnips:

A delicious recipe for veg lovers.

Sprouts:

Ok, so this one is not an original recipe. but why peel a pound of sprouts for the one person that likes them? Sometimes it makes more sense to be kind to yourself and just get a bag out of the freezer! It’s Christmas for the cook too, so don’t stress yourself out and be too exhausted to enjoy the fruits of your labours.