Tag: love food

Love to eat, eat to love. 

Love to eat, eat to love. 

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

 
I have an unapologetic attitude when it comes to my love of food. Not just making it, or following a recipe, but eating it.  

When people tell me “I forgot to eat” or “I was so busy” or the worst, when they pitch up for a dinner party, but go ape shit on all the snacks, because “I’ve just been so busy” …… hold up : does your stomach not talk to you? Do you not hear it growling and saying “feed me!!!!!” ????? 

I don’t have time for people that can’t find the time to eat, or who don’t find the time to cook a meal, be it for yourself or for a loved one. 

“Everywhere, no matter what your nationality, food is your emotional truth”  
Nigella Lawson 

Maybe it’s because I’m a chef, I can never get tired of cooking, and when someone is hungry, I’m all over that, “what do you want?” “what can I feed you??”  

My best memories of cooking food, are ones when I’ve done impromptu dishes for my brother and sister. Toasted sandwiches at 3am, and not just any toasted sandwiches, it’s fried egg, bacon, mature cheddar, tomatoes, onions, whole grain mustard….I was sleeping, he woke me up…he was hungry. Midnight rolls, which lead to a picnic on the bed, trying not to make a mess, because we should be sleeping! Nutella pancakes with fresh strawberries, late night nachos, or even crumpets with fresh cream and chocolate sauce.

I’ve cooked and made things from scratch or just reused last nights left overs and made something magical, not because I’m bragging, but because I was feeding someone or a group of people that I love. 

I laughed at a friend the other night who said that he had all the motivation to come home and make an amazing dinner for himself, he then landed up heating peas in the microwave and eating that : his justification “as long as the food is warm”, I couldn’t stop laughing at him, and was so shocked that he was ok with that. I suppose it’s all about saving time and in today’s work environment, we are lucky to come home with energy to talk, yet alone cook. 

“Food is the energy of the world, food drives everything” 
Barb Stuckey 

Freezer meals, ready made situations or take aways, lack flavor and everything that’s good about food, so I can understand if you are not wanting to “slave over a stove” …. but just take the time and cook, start from the begginging, use fresh produce and ingredients, and make something yummy for that special person or people! 

“Eating is one of those things that’s a human requirement, but it’s the one thing you have control over” 
Noah Fecks 

I like big buns!!!!

I like big buns!!!!

by Food By Jill ♥ 4 Comments

I feel, in my heart, that hot cross buns should be an all year thing. For me, they are the most amazing tasting, smelling, let’s eat then for the entire day, little bits of heaven. 

This is a combination of two recipes, a Jamie Oliver and a Ina Garten mashup. I love both recipes, but combining segments of it, makes these hotcross buns awesome (in my eyes and heart) ❤️

Hotcross Buns

  • Servings: 12 buns
  • Difficulty: fairly complex, but easy once you get the hang of it
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Ingredients

200ml milk

50ml water

55g butter

14g of dried yeast

455g of flour

1 tsp of salt

1 TBSP of mixed spice

1 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 whole nutmeg grated

1 tsp of ground ginger

55g of brown sugar

2 pieces of stem ginger (chopped)

1 large egg

30g cranberries

50g raisins or sultanas

The zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons of mixed peel (chopped)

2 TBSP of plain flour and water for the cross paste

1 egg for brushing

Honey

Method

Add milk and water to a saucepan and heat until tepid (you can stick your finger into it without difficulty).

Add the yeast to this liquid mix and stir well and set aside.

Melt the butter in the microwave and set aside.

Sift flour, salt, spices and sugar.

Add the chopped stem ginger to the dry mix.

Make a well and add your yeasted milk mix, butter and the egg, stir well until all combined. Transfer your dough mix onto a well flour surface and knead baby knead.

Knead for about 10 minutes.

Now take your gorgeous dough and place it into a floured bowl. Leave covered with plastic wrap in a warm place (not to warm, you don’t want it to sweat) – leave to rest for an hour.

Transfer your dough onto a floured surface, press down to flatten and add the remaining fruits, knead the dough and keep mixing fruits into it until it’s all incorporated.

Set your oven to 190C, grease and like a baking tray.

Now, shape. You get about 12 buns from the mix, weighing between 80-90g each.

Leave them to rest for a further 30 minutes. In the meantime mix a paste with the flour and a little water, and place this into a piping bag. Once rested, pat the buns to flattent them slightly.

Brush with egg and then pipe your crosses.

Bake for 20 minutes.

While still hot, glaze with the soft honey.

These lasted two days. They are amazing.

 

❤️🍴