Last year when I was given a bag full of foraged apples by the neighbours, I made lots of tasty sweet things.
Devon Apple Cake which was absolutely delicious. D loved it more than me, for him it was a proper cake made with eggs and butter.
Then there was Apple Snow Crumble which we had with cream and then custard, then came Johanna's Apple Slices.
I've had Johanna's Apple Slice bookmarked ever since I saw it. Not only did it sound sumptuous, the recipe was even simpler. But there was something about it that reminded me of a recipe called Apple Crump that I used to make all the time when I lived in Glasgow with the windfall apples from my small back garden. I never blogged about it because it was not the prettiest to photograph, but it was one of the most easiest and most delicious apple dessert recipes I had ever had, of course I regret now not blogging and sharing it, something so delicious worthy of recognition should not have been kept hush hush.
The original recipe for Apple Crump recipe was showcased by a contestant called Janet Jones on Britain's Best Dish. Even though the recipe was super simple, I had safely tucked away the scribbles of the Apple Crump recipe in the breadmaker instructions booklet, but in between moving to Wales from Scotland, it has been lost. I was really gutted. I could not find the recipe on the internet either. I found this very strange as after appearing on Britain's Best Dish, the Apple Scrump recipe was very popular with lots of foodies raving about it. The only reference on the Internet that I could find to the Apple Crump recipe was on a cooking forum. I have written the recipe below full credit to Janet Jones for those of you like me who loved it.
Although Johanna's Apple Slice reminded me of the Apple Crump, its very different in more ways than one, but lets not compare and agree they are both delicious in their own ways.
The Apple Slice was everything I had imagined, it was delicious, even D thought so. We enjoyed it so much that we have had it twice last year and I know we will have it again come the apple season in the UK.
Johanna through her blog Green Gourmet Giraffe: A Vegetarian in Melbourne continues to inspire me. I don't want to gush, but she is truly exceptional. I think I may have cooked more recipes from her food blog than any other and have no doubt that I will continue to do so. Johanna will be celebrating 10 years in blogosphere and her blog has remained humble, down to earth and honest and I love it. Please do pay her a visit if you are not familiar with her at Green Gourmet Giraffe.
Although I have tinkered with the recipe a little bit, here is another vegetarian recipe scratched off the bookmarked list. I've had this Creamy Avocado Soup recipe bookmarked for a vey long time, in fact ever since I got Celia Browns cookbook Entertaining Vegetarians in 2004.
Avocado in soup may sound a bit strange, perhaps not to those of you who have been tucking into trendy smoothies made with the Avocados - anyway think Mexican guacamole flavours! This is not a steaming bowl of soup and nor is it a cold soup, its warm, barely warm in fact as it is flashed under the grill for the cheese to melt and then served up immediately. No waiting around.
I have actually made this Creamy Avocado Soup twice in last two weeks. Once with soured cream and the second time with coconut cream left over from Christmas and Boxing Day cocktails and mocktail Pina Coladas - oh no I've said too much. D declared the Creamy Avocado Soup as delicious. Its a blanket of green velvet lushness. I wasn't sure if I would like this luke warm Creamy Avocado Soup, but I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did I like it, I loved it.
I wanted to serve it with some fancy blue maize tortilla chips, but D had a few days back opened a packet of Doritos that I found tucked away in the bread bin, so I used them. I am sharing this with Creamy Avocado Soup with Tortilla Cheese Topping with Eat Your Greens challenge that I co-host with The VegHog; Soups, Salads and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen; Elizabeths's Kitchen for No Waste Food Challenge; as the tortillas were beginning to soften and crisped up within moments under the grill and No Croutons Required hosted by Tinned Tomatoes and Lisas Kitchen.
Happy New Year.
I guess many of us will be glad to see the end of 2016 and try to welcome 2017 with optimism and hope. I have had an interesting year, what more can I say - it could have been better, but it was not terrible either. I am thankful. As always and as I do every year, I want to say Thank you to my loyal readers. I honestly do appreciate you for supporting and reading my 'not for profit' hobby blog and taking time to comment when you can.
I made this Savoury Chestnut, Rainbow Carrot and Lentil Cake last week a few days after Christmas. It would be perfect for the festive table, but it would also be fabulous on the table on New Years Eve or New Years Days Sunday Roast Dinner.
This Savoury Chestnut, Rainbow Carrot and Lentil Cake is inspired and adapted from one I saw in the Vegetarian Christmas magazine. I cannot remember the last time I picked up a vegan or vegetarian magazine, but the recipes were far more interesting in presentation that I was tempted to pick up a copy. Its essentially an upside down colourful nut roast. I had intended to make this for Christmas Day as I had picked up some baby rainbow carrots from the market in Cardiff. I had put them in the fridge to maintain some sort of freshness, they lasted well.
A generous slice of this Savoury Chestnut, Rainbow Carrot and Lentil Cake would be perfect next to roast potatoes, sprouts and/or other greens. And don't forget the gravy, its essential here.
I've had a good good break, a quiet affair really with just D and me. I will share more about my Christmas Day and what I got for Christmas. Wow I truly cannot believe it is 2017 and wonder what the year will bring. Anyway, lovely reader Happy New Year once again.
