When my friend Jack, of, theknightoftheroundtable-jackofoodie.blogspot.com,  Asked Me to trade recipe's I knew that I would have to make something special. "Sweet or Savoury?" I asked.... "Why not both? "  was the answer........

Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake Do you contain nuts?

Why of course! This is a Simple to follow recipe, and great to do with the kids. Speaking of kids - heres them sneaky vegetables you have wanted them to eat for a while

Prep time - 40 minutes

Cook time - 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 300g plain flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g soft brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 250ml oil
• 1 orange , zested
• 1 lemon , zested
• 200g carrots , finely grated
• 150g walnuts , chopped
• 227g tin pineapple pieces, well drained and chopped (optional)

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 125g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 50g icing sugar
• 250g cream cheese

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Line a 20cm, 10cm deep cake tin.
2. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together and stir in the sugar. Beat in the eggs with the oil and citrus zests. Stir in the carrots and fold everything into the flour mixture. Fold in the walnuts and pineapple if using.
3. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool.
4. For the frosting, beat the butter and icing sugar together until soft and then beat in the cream cheese.
5. Chill the mixture until it's thick but spreadable.
6. Spread a thick layer on top of the cake, making sure the side of the icing is flat and continues upwards from the side of the cake.

When Spreading the cream cheese you will find that a knife / pallet knife will spread easier after leaving in a jug of boiling hot water, which means a thinner layer, great for presentation.

Prep Time - 10 Minutes

Cook Time- 35 minutes

Serves - 3 - 4

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 table spoon olive oil
• 3 skinless checken breast, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 x 400g tinned tomatoes
• 125g mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 50g pepperoni
• 3 basil leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Pre Heat the oven to 200 oc/ Gas mark 6.
2. In a frying pan, fry the onion in the olive oil until it turns translucent.
3. Add the diced chicken breast and fry for 5 minutes until it starts to brown, add the garlic, oregana and basil and fry for 1 - 2 minutes before pouring in the tomatoes, let the mixture gently bubble for another 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish, then top it with the mozzarella and then pepperoni.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the pepperoni starts curling, season and then serve with warm garlic bread 

Today's interview is with a woman who can only be described as a baking queen. I hope you guys enjoy todays peice.

What is your name, and do you have a website?

 My name is Rachel McGrath, also known as DollyBakes. My website is www.dollybakes.co.uk

How often do you cook from scratch?

 Honestly? Not as often as I used to! Since starting the website and Clandestine Cake Club Bolton, most of my time in the kitchen has been spent making baked creations. However, I like to cook from scratch whenever I have time. I work full time so time is precious!

When was the last time you followed a recipe from a book, and what was it?

 I rarely follow recipes. I like to make things my own, mostly because u can be an insufferable know it all. I find myself thinking '1 tsp of cinnamon?! Pah! You won't be able to taste that! I'm putting in 3...'

What is your name, and do you have a website? 

My name is Jack Knight, and I write a food blog called http://theknightoftheroundtable-jackofoodie.blogspot.com/

How often do you cook from scratch? 

Every time I cook is from scratch, it gives me practise. I'm still a novice even though I've been doing jobs in the kitchen since I was three.

When was the last time you followed a recipe from a book, and what was it? 

The last time I followed a recipe from a book was two weeks ago, and it was a Cinnamon and Raisin Loaf Cake from "Cake Days" by The Hummingbird Bakery.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life that got you on the road of food? 

My family, my friends, Donal Skehan, James Ramsden, Edd Kimber and Nigel Slater.

Is there any particular dish that you just cant master? 

I haven't had much chance to fuck a dish up.

What is your Piece de Resistance ? (Your greatest dish) 

My Piece de Resistance is roast chicken done with lemons, garlic, thyme and salt.

How old where you when you realised cooking was enjoyable? 

I was around twenty, and I started cooking on my own.

If you could work for any chef , from any period of time, who would it be?

I'd like to work for Jamie Oliver, I think he's really cool and he was a big inspiration to me. 

Would you ever / Have you ever considered Writing a book, and if so where / when can we be expecting to see it? 

If I was offered a book contract I'd write one, and I think it'll be available where ever books are sold.

Is there any companies or people you wish to promote?

Yes there is a couple of fellow bloggers I'd like to promote: Dominic Franks who writes http://belleaukitchen.blogspot.com/, he's like Nigel Slater; and there's also Jenny Davies who writes http://jennyeatwellsrhubarbginger.blogspot.com/, which is a great blog.  

Thank you for your time answering these questions.

Hey, hakuna matata!

  What could be more indulgent than a Creme Brulee? this is the easiest one to make ever! why not try it out ?

Serves 4

prep time 5 mins + 20 minutes to set

Ingredients

• 300ml of Double Cream
• 4oz demerara
• 2 tsp vannila essance
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 leaf gelatin

1. Heat the cream over a low heat until piping hot.
2. In a seperate bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar together.
3. When the cream is hot add the egg mix, and whisk thoroughly, leave on the heat for a further 2-3 minutes.
4. stir in the vanilla essance and the leaf gelatin
5. pour into ramekins, and leave to cool down
6. put into the fridge and leave there for 20 minutes
7.  sprinkle some caster sugar onto the creme brulee and blowtorch it until golden brown / alternitevely you can make caramel by putting a little bit of sugar in the bottom of a pan and heating up until golden, and then poor over the brulee's.
8. serve and enjoy.

We found this recipe in a magazine. We, like many others often see recipe's that we would like to cook but never give them the time, so we decided to give this one a go. We were expecting something good but we got something great.

 The original recipe had anchovies and olives but these are not ingredients that we eat in our house. So we added more of one thing and less of another. Although the title of the dish is difficult to say it is not difficult to cook. Why not give it a try? 

Serves 4

Cooking Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 400g pasta
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1tbsp plain flour
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 2 peppers, deseeded and sliced
• 100g button mushrooms, quartered
• 1tsp garlic puree
• 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 125ml white wine
• 2tbsp tomato puree
• 1tsp demera sugar
• 200ml chicken stock (2 stock cubes)
• 1tsp black pepper

Method

1. Lightly dust the chicken with the flour
2. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and brown the chicken on a high heat for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan.
3. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, peppers to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes.
4. Begin to cook the pasta according to the packets instructions (or take a look at our recipe for diced bacon in a tomato and herb sauce pasta where there is a guide to cooking pasta.)
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, white wine, chicken stock, tomato puree,black pepper and sugar to the pan and bring to the boil.
6. Once the liquid is boiling add the chicken back into the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes
7. Remove the chicken from the pan and slice it into medallians

To serve put the pasta on the plate, then place the tomato sauce over (that you cooked your chicken in) and then put the sliced chicken on top to finish.

When two chef's ideas meet this is the result. Sean wanted something down to earth and full of flavour and Fiona wanted something robust that really packed a punch. So the infusion of our recipes came out like this.

Serves 2-3

cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients (For the Risotto)

• 250g Risotto rice
• 200 g Button mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2 pint of veg stock

Ingredients (for the pork)

• 4 large pork loins, diced
• 2 tblsp of sesame oil
• 5 tblsp of clear honey
• 2 tblsp of soy sauce
• 1 tsp of dried sage
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

Method ( For the Risotto)

1. Make your Stock and put it into a jug and keep to one side.
2. Put all of the rice into a saucepan, and put just enough stock in to cover the rice.
3. Put the pan onto a medium heat
4. Keep stirring the rice mixture until the stock has almost fully vanished from the pan ( the rice itself should have swelled in size)
5. Add the rest of the stock to the pan and leave on the heat , stirring frequently for 20 - 30 minutes. Around about 10 minutes before this process is complete add in the mushrooms. 
6. Check the rice by tasting a small spoon full, if it is still hard then it is not cooked. If it is soft to the bite then it is ready.
7. Fluff up with a fork before serving.

Method ( for the pork)

1. Add 2 tblsp of sesame oil to a wok or frying pan. Place on a high heat.
2. Once the oil is hot add the diced pork, and stir well to ensure even cooking. 1/2 inch thick diced pork should take no longer than 5 minutes to be fully cooked through.
3. Mix the remaning ingredients in a seperate bowl.
4. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the mixture (step 3) into the wok.
5. Keep stirring to ensure an even coating, and also to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan. do not cook on a high heat , as the honey will caramelize and burn to the bottom of the pan.
6. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
7. Serve hot on a bed of the Mushroom Risotto.

Omelettes are one of the most versitile dishes on the planet. And one of the most filling too! This is easy to cook, and easy on your pockets. This recipe is a guideline, but remember you can throw almost anything into an omelette, providing you follow the basics of this recipe you will never go wrong.

Serves: 1

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 75 ml milk
• 100 g Button mushrooms, Quartered
• 20g Stilton cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp Garlic
• a knob of butter

Method

1. Mix the milk in with the beaten eggs.
2. Pre - Heat Grill to a high heat
3. Place a large knob of butter into the frying pan, and put onto a high flame, until butter is melted (do not let your butter go brown in colour as it will be burning at this point). lift the pan and run the butter around the pan, to make sure it is evenly spread. BE SURE TO GET THE SIDES ASWELL.
4. Pour Egg/Milk mix into frying pan and turn the flame down to a medium heat.
5. Take a spatula or a wooden spoon and, very gently, pull the edges of the egg mixture away from the pan as it starts to solidify. Fold (gently mix together) the mixture that is in the centre of the pan to ensure even cooking, untill the bottom also starts to solidify.
6. Add the mushrooms to the pan, evenly spreading them.
7. At this point the base of the omelette should be cooked, but the top should be runny.
8. Remove from heat and place under the grill that was pre heated in step 2
9. Leave under the grill for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the eggs are solid.
10. Remove from the grill. Put crumbled stilton over one half of the omelette.
11. Use a spatula, or a wooden spoon, to fold the omelette over whilst it is still in the pan.
12. Now your omelette is ready to serve.

I Absolutely love "one pot" cooking. I hate washing up and like things to be simple. With my two step cooking guide for this stir fry, you cant get any simpler, or tastier.

Cooking time , 40 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 can of sweetcorn
• 3 chopped peppers
• 1 chopped onion
• 5 chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• boneless chicken strips
• 500g of rice
• 5-6 tblsp of Soy sauce
• 1 Jalepeno chopped ( Optional)

  Preparation method

  1.

  Firstly cook rice in saucepan and leave for 30 minuites to cook.

   

  2.

  Put chicken and all vegetables in a wok. Start cooking vegetables for 20 minutes (don't forget to add flavourings). Then dish the rice and vegetables up when ready to eat.

Well well, my food loving blogfans, it would appear that my Rich cchocolate cake is a real hit with you all, (Its the most visited page on my site) ! So i think its time for another big recipe.

Fish is the subject for today. I really am fascinated by fish, there is an abundence of fresh, cheap fish within our isles. So why dont we eat it more ? Because us brits are afraid of cooking it, so here is my fool proof recipe for Fishermans Pie. Packed with omaga 3 its perect for those health concious fans.

Serves 4

Cooking time 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Butter, for greasing

900 g of white fish fillets ( such as plaice or coley), skinned

salt and pepper

500 ml - 1/4 pint of dry white wine

1 tbsp of fresh parsley OR taragon Or dill

175 g of  small mushrooms sliced

100g of butter

175 g cooked, peeled prawns

40 g plain flour

125 ml of double cream

900 g of floury potatoes such as king edwards maris piper or desiree, peeled and cut into chunks

Method

Preheat oven to 180c ( Gas mark 4) . butter a 1.7 litre baking dish.

Fold the fish fillets in half and place in the dish . Season well with salt and pepper , pour over the wine and scatter the herbs.

Cover with tin foil and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the fish starts to flake. strain off the liquid, and keep to one side for a sauce. Increase the temprature to 220c (Gas mark 7).

Saute ( or toss, to you and me) the mushrooms in a frying pan with about 15 g of the butter and spoon over the fish. Scatter the prawns over.

Heat 55 g of the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. cook for a few minutes without browning, remove from the heat, then add the cooking liquid saved from earlier, stir in gradually.

Return to the heat and gently bring to the boil, still stiring to ensure a  smooth sauce. Add the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the fish in the dish and smooth over the surface.

Make the mashed potato by cooking the potatoes in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes. Drain well and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the remaining butter, keep stiring until melted.

Pile, or pipe the mash onto the fish and sauce and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.