Saturday 29 January 2011

Carrot and Orange Cupcakes

225g / 8oz caster sugar
3 eggs
200ml / 7 fl oz vegetable oil
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
225g / 8oz self-raising wholemeal flour
1 tsp ground cinanmon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
350g / 12oz grated carrot, squeezed dry
175g / 6oz walnuts, chopped (I used pecan nuts)

Oven: 180C

Makes 12 large muffins (get your bun tin lined with cases ready)

Beat the sugar, eggs, oil, orange rind and juice together until light and frothy. Stir in the flour, spices and salt and beat for a further minute. Stir in the nuts and carrots.

Fill the prepared cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cakes are firm in the centre. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.



Cream cheese frosting:
140g/ 5oz softened butter
225g / 8oz cream cheese
225g-250g / 8-9oz icing sugar

Beat the butter and cream cheese together until thoroughly blended, soft and creamy. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until the mixture is smooth, with a spreadable consistency.

Chicken Pie

Pastry - use 150g self-raising flour, 75g fat

Pie filling:
2 chicken breasts, diced and floured
handful sprouts, sliced
handful baby carrots, sliced
packet baby button mushrooms, sliced
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
100g philadephia
teaspoon wholegrain mustard
tablespoon flour
about 75ml milk, boiled, plus boiling water to make up to about 300ml, plus 2 chicken stock cubes

Oven: 180C

Heat a large frying pan or wok with a tablespoon of olive oil, over a medium heat. Add the garlic and  swirl around quickly. Just as they start turning brown, add the floured diced chicken. Turn the heat up and stir to seal the chicken on all sides - you may need to add some water to stop things sticking (don't add any more oil). Once the chicken is sealed add the rest of the vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes.

Next add the philly, flour, stock and mustard and stir until the philly is no longer a big sticky lump. Cover and cook for 10 minutes (while you peel the potatoes for the accompanying mash).

Roll out the pastry that you made before you started cooking (!), pour the pie filling into a dish (mine is about 10" square I think) and cover with the pastry. Put in the oven for about 20 minutes until the pastry is cooked.

Serve with mashed potato. And green beans if you remember to cook them. (Which I forgot.)