New Blog address

Hello my 5 trusty followers!

I have decided to do a Wordpress.com blog instead of this one - it will still be the same - but just a new address - so if you still want to follow me then please go to this address and you can subscribe there by clicking on "sign me up"

http://fooddiarymummy.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/who-am-i/

Hope to see you there :-))

Groetjes
Kate

Mangolicious!

Today I was at the market and they had 4 mangos for 2.50. I love a good mango but knew that I had to use them quickly or they would go brown and horrid. So, fancied making something icy cold and delicious - and found this recipe!

Mango and Pineapple Sorbet

Funnily enough I had bought 3 limes yesterday so that was handy! I only had tinned pineapple, so used that, and used the syrup from the pineapple tin topped up with water to replace the 200ml of water the recipe required. I also added lots of fresh mint leaves as I had some of that hanging around too. Whizzed it up in my trusty Magimix food processor, whacked it in the freezer for 6 hours and the result? Sorbet Heaven :-)) Seriously, I cannot believe I ever thought my life was complete without this sorbet in it!

Tomato Tartlets

Last week Dexter had chicken pocks which meant I was stuck at home rather more than I am used to! Instead of spending the morning in the gym like usual, I decided to see what I had in my freezer and fridge that I could turn into a healthy lunch! And these tartlets were the yummy result!

Recipe for Tomato Tartlets

(Makes 3)

+/- 6 tomatoes - skinned and sliced thickly

3 Sheets of frozen Puff Pastry (defrosted)

onion - chopped

1 and a half tsp olive oil

1tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Basil Leaves

Salt and Pepper

Milk for glazing pastry

Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions and cook until soft

Add the skinned and sliced tomatoes

Cook down a bit, add balsamic vinegar.

Add some torn up basil leaves. 

Meanwhile, gently score a square shape, being careful not to cut through the pastry, about 2 cm away from the edge of the pastry square.

Spoon the tomato mixture into this square

Brush the exposed pastry edge with a little milk

Add salt and pepper to the tartlets that are not destined for kids!!

Cook in a preheated oven (180 degrees) for about 20 mins - or until pastry is golden. 

YUMMY :-)

Pancake Day!

The Finished Article! Look so good I want some more now!

For Pancake day this year I decided to make some American style Blueberry Pancakes for a bit of a change! 

Recipe

Ingredients

150g plain flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Half tsp bicarbonate of soda
Large pinch of salt
240 ml buttermilk
Or use 120g plain yohgurt plus 120 ml smin skimmed or skim milk
1 egg
Quarter tsp vanilla extract
150g blueberries
Sunflower oil for greasing
2 tbsp maple syrup

Method

Put the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add half the buttermilk, the egg and vanilla extract

Whisk everything together to make a batter. Add the remaining buttermilk and whisk until smooth.

Add the blueberries and mix them into the batter gently. Try not to squash them.

Lightly oil and heat a non stick frying pan. Drop in 2 tbsp batter per pancake. Cook for one and ahalf to 2 minutes until golden underneath and bubbling on top. Flip over and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with maple syrup.

MAKES 12 PORTIONS

 

Annabel Karmel Blueberry Pancake Recipe.  

Finn and I made the pancakes whilst Dexter was having his snooze! And the results were delicious! A big success from making to eating! This was the first time Finn was let loose with the mixer without me helping!

Finn doing all the hard work!

Delicious!

I asked Dexter what he thought of them but his mouth was too full to answer!

Introduction.

So, here I am! Arrogant enough to believe that other people might like to read about what I am up to! My name is Kate and I am an English girl who met a Dutch man on holiday and eventually followed her heart to Holland where I have been living for the past 8 years!
 
I am currently a stay at home mummy to our 2 boys, Finn (3.5) and Dexter (1). One of my great interests is in food and cooking and trying out new recipes and inventing healthy meals that my boys and me can enjoy! This will be a large part of what my blog will be - but it won't be exclusively about food. It will also be about things that happen, things I find interesting and the problems and pitfall and indeed sometimes, the advantages of living in a foreign country.