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Happy Mother’s Day

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Happy Mother’s Day

This year Mother’s Day will be celebrated on 11th of May as it always comes on the second Sunday of May. On this day people used to honor their mothers who have a great contribution in their lives and for whom they exist in this world. Everyone has their own way to celebrate Mother’s day. Some people give cards, gifts or flowers to their mothers, some prefer to dine out and some prefer to spend the whole day with their mothers.

happy-mother's-day

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Wishing you songbirds
to welcome each morning.
Wishing you flowers,
to brighten each day.
Wishing you laughter,
and sharing and caring,
and all of the joy
that each new day can bring!
Happy Mother’s Day

——————————————

The bond between mothers and
their children is one defined by love.
As a mother’s prayers for her children
are unending, so are the wisdom, grace
and strenght they provide to their children.

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Mother Is The Truest Friend
A mother is the truest friend we have,
when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us;
when adversity takes the place of prosperity;
when friends desert us;
when trouble thickens around us,
still will she cling to us and
endeavor by her kind precepts and
counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness
and cause peace to return to our hearts.

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This verse was requested by a crafter who needed a verse for little girl who is sending her Nan/Nannie a card on Mother’s Day.
I like to stay with Nannie,
She’s never in a hurry,
She takes her time to do things,
She never has a worry,
We go on little outings,
To the shops or the park we’ll go,
She has spent many hours pushing me,
On the swings going to and fro,
Sometimes we’ll get an ice-cream,
Or my favourite kinds of sweets,
But just being with my nannie,
Is very hard to beat!
A very happy mothers day
love and kisses sent your way,
im so lucky to have a mum like you
i count my blessings everyday.
———————————————–
This verse was done as a request from a crafter who needed a verse for a little girl who is sending a card to her Nan on Mother’s Day.
There is something very special,
About the lady that is my Nan,
She’s always kind and cheerful,
She helps anyone she can,
Whenever I go and visit her,
She has my favourite things for tea,
She tells me stories, shows me things,
That I have never seen,
She has many hidden treasures,
Behind those cupboard doors,
And if I’ve very lucky,
I sometimes get to explore,
But there is one thing that is priceless,
That my Nan always gives to me,
It’s all the love and joy she holds,
Within her heart for me.
————————————————
This verse was done as a request from a crafter who needed a verse for a little girl who is sending a card to her Nan on Mother’s Day.
My Nan is like a diamond,
She sparkles and she shines,
She adds a very special touch,
Into every day of mine,
She’s very kind and caring,
Considerate and thoughtful too,
And on this very special day,
I sent all my love to you!

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Pan-fried scallops with leeks vinaigrette

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TENDER LEEKS AND VERY FRESH SCALLOPS both have a delightful natural sweetness and are perfect partners. A tangy mustardy vinaigrette provides a welcome contrast for this dish.

SERVES 4

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pan-fried-scallops-with-leeks-vinaigrette

12 large scallops, cleaned
2 tbsp olive oil sea salt and black pepper squeeze of lemon juice

Leeks vinaigrette:
8 medium leeks, white part only, trimmed 125ml extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp cider or white wine vinegai pinch of caster sugar (optional)

To finish:
flat-leaf parsley leaves

 

Set the cleaned scallops aside at room temperature while you prepare the leeks vinaigrette.

Thinly slice the white leeks, then wash thoroughly, drain and pat dry.

Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a wide saute pan over a medium heat and add the leeks with some seasoning. Sweat them, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until they are soft but not coloured.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Put the remaining extra virgin olive oil, mustard, vinegar and a pinch each of salt and pepper into a screw-topped jar. Seal and shake well, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar if necessary.

When the leeks are soft, add a few tablespoonfuls of the vinaigrette to the pan and toss until the leeks are nicely coated.

Now heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan and pan-fry the scallops following my guide (on the preceding pages).

Spoon the leeks vinaigrette onto warm plates. Arrange the scallops on top and drizzle a little more vinaigrette around the plate (keep any remaining dressing in the fridge and use to drizzle over salads).

Garnish the scallops with parsley leaves and serve immediately.

 

Buffalo chicken wings with sour cream and chive dip

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Buffalo chicken wings with sour cream and chive dip

ALSO CALLED HOT WINGS, these feature on many American bar menus, as they are excellent firce- food to be enjoyed with a cold beer. The crispy wings have a fiery kick from a liberal coating of hot sauce, so they are usually served with a contrasting and cooling soured cream or blue cheese dip and a handle. of celery sticks.

SERVES 4-5

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buffalo-chicken-wings-with-sour-cream-and-chive-dip

3-4 tbsp plain flour 1 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste sea salt
10 chicken wings 50g unsalted butter 4 tbsp hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red-Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce)
1A tsp black pepper 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely crushed vegetable or groundnut oil, for deep-frying lemon wedges, to serve

Sour cream and chive dip:

150ml soured cream 3-4 tbsp mayonnaise handful of chives, finely chopped sea salt and black pepper 1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and a large pinch of salt. Put the chicken wings into a large bowl. Sprinkle the spiced flour mixture over them and toss well until evenly coated, then cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Meanwhile, put the butter, hot sauce, pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt into a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir together and heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is well blended. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, for the dip, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Cover and chill until you are ready to cook the chicken wings.

Heat a 6-7cm depth of oil in a deep-fryer or a heavy-based deep pan to 180°C; a piece of bread dropped into the hot oil should sizzle on contact. Deep-fry the coated chicken wings in batches for 10-15 minutes, or until they begin to brown and crispen, turning them over halfway. Drain on a tray lined with kitchen paper and keep warm while you fry the rest.

Put the crispy wings into a large bowl, pour over the hot sauce mixture and stir until well coated.

Immediately arrange the buffalo wings on a warm platter or in individual bowls and serve with lemon wedges and the sour cream and chive dip.

Chicken in spicy coconut broth

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 THIS WONDERFULLY AROMATIC SOUP, called tom ka gai, is one of my favourite Thai starters. It is incredibly easy to make and cooks in next to no time. For a quick midweek supper, serve larger bowls – tossing in some blanched rice noodles and a handful of beansprouts and coriander leaves. Simple and delicious.

SERVES 4-6

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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 250g sea salt and black pepper
400ml tin reduced-fat coconut milk
600ml water
3cm knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half (or pared zest of 1 lime)
1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and halved lengthway
2 red chillies, halved lengthways and deseeded
1 tbsp palm sugar (or soft light brown sugar)
2½ tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice, or to taste
100g button mushrooms, cleaned handful of coriander leaves, to garnish

 

Thinly slice the chicken breasts, cutting across the grain, into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl, season with a little salt and pepper and set aside.

Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan, then add the 600ml water, using the tin as a measure (i.e. ½ tins). Add the ginger, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, chillies, sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Bring to a simmer and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.

Add the mushrooms to the broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken, stir well and simmer until cooked through; this will only take 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to.

Serve the soup in warm bowls, discarding the ginger, lemongrass, chillies and lime leaves if you wish; traditionally, these aromatics are left in the soup but not eaten. Garnish each bowl with some coriander leaves and serve immediately.

chicken-in-spicy-coconut-broth

 

Louisiana seafood gumbo recipe

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THIS MIXED SEAFOOD STEW is popular across the southern states. To keep it simple, I’ve limited the main ingredients to chorizo, crabmeat and oysters, however, recipes often feature prawns, crab, crayfish and smoked pork or andouille sausages -feel free to add any of these. Sometimes, instead of a roux, either sliced okra or file powder (a spice made from ground dried sassafras leaves) is used to thicken the stew.

SERVES 4

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6 tbsp vegetable oil
5 tbsp plain flour
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 celery sticks, trimmed and chopped
2 red peppers, cored, deseeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
225g chorizo (or andouille) sausage, sliced
800ml fish or chicken stock
400g white crabmeat (or cooked crab claws)
6-7 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
pinch of cayenne pepper
sea salt and black pepper
12 live oysters
handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in a large, wide pan over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture turns golden brown (forming a brown roux).

Tip in the onions, celery, red peppers and garlic.

Cook, stirring frequently, for about 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the chorizo and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Gradually add the stock to the pan, a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously. Let the mixture simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes until the stock is thick and flavourful, and the vegetables are soft.

Add the crabmeat, spring onions, cayenne and salt and pepper to the pan and stir well. Finally, shuck the oysters and tip them into the pan, along with their strained juices. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat.

Ladle the gumbo into warm bowls and scatter over the chopped parsley. Serve at once, with plain rice.

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