Marie Cookpad

  If you have been reading my blog for a while now you will know that pretty much once a week, I share a recipe over on the Chef Knives Expert site!  To finish off October I am sharing a Moist & Spicy Toffee Apple Cake recipe!  Yes, I HAVE saved the best for last this month!     You are going to adore this fabulously tasty cake.  It is a very simple cake to bake and uses very simple ingredients that most of us have in our kitchens most of the time.  Fresh eggs, butter, apples, flour, syrup, brown sugar and flour  . . .  and of course a special blend of warm baking spices.   Along with this fabulous recipe I share my best tips on how to line a round deep cake tin properly and easily with baking paper!     I also share how to make those very pretty apple crisps that decorate the top of the cake . . .  and a very simple sticky toffee icing that you will want to double, its just so tasty!    If you are...

  With the Christmas Holidays just around the corner I was recently contacted and asked would I like to try the GRADZ Bakery line of Christmas Goodies. I said yes of course. I had the opportunity to try their line of wonderful breads earlier this year so I fully expected that I would enjoy these just as much.   The line consists of a Limited Edition of Stollen Twist and a Gingerbread, both of which will be available from 2 weeks before Christmas, at £6 each via Ocado, the online grocery shop or  select Deli's across the UK.     GRADZ Gingerbread is the essential taste of Christmas, consisting of a light, spiced sponge which has been filled with a sharp, fresh tasting layer of blended berries and fruit in the centre. It is really delicious. It has a glossy, soft, dark chocolate fondant on top, along with some snowflake decorations. This cake is perfect partner to a hot drink, or to be enjoyed after dinner as a sweet treat.    One word for this....

  Do you remember the crock pot tacos I made the other day?  I know  . . .  so, so, SO tasty. I did end up with a bit of leftover beef however!    I hate waste in my kitchen, so I went on a search as to how to use it up. I wanted something different than what I have done in the past.  I love hash and I love fried rice, but I have done them to death I think.   I noticed a recipe for a Cheesy Taco Pasta on Carlsbad Cravings.  It looked rather good and since my meat had been slightly infused with Tex Mex flavours to begin with, I decided to go with it and let it inspire me.    And I literally did use it for inspiration only. I took it in a slightly different direction.  Of course you could just use a pound of raw ground beef mince for this if you liked.  But I hate waste and so I went with my leftover cooked beef.   My mom always said I could make the toe of an old boot taste good.  I guess that is one of my talen...

   Despite my ailing back, I was determined to bake Todd a cake for the weekend. He does love a special treat at the weekend and I do like to spoil him.  Normally it is a Victoria Sponge or some such. This week I decided to really bake him a treat.   I adapted this recipe from The Women's Institute cookery book entitled, Vintage Tea Time by Jessica Simmons.  It is a lovely little book composed of WI approved Afternoon Tea appropriate recipes.   You just know that if a recipe has the Women's Institute seal of approval, it has to be good!    The Women's Institute was formed in 1915 with the aim of revitalising rural communities and encouraging women to become more pro-active in producing food during the First World War. Since then their aim has broadened and it is now the largest voluntary women's organisation in the UK.   It is also known to be a leading authority on home cooking and plays a unique role in providing women all over the country ...