Brrr, Party Food Fit for Jack Frost – December is (almost) Here!

It’s been 3 years now since I starting writing recipes for this Shiny Bright new blog. Three years of experimenting with food, testing it out on family, friends and complete strangers. Three years of cutting back on white sugar, salt and white flour. And many long years learning that ‘home-made’ is in danger of always becoming ‘store bought’ and full of hidden sugars and bad fats.

It’s been quite the journey for a technophobe such as me but I like to think, it has been a delicious and relevant one. I passionately believe that we should all know how to cook and where our food comes from. I absolutely believe that we must pass on our skills in both the culinary world and the gardening one to our children. And in this increasingly complicated world I still believe that anyone with a common cold will benefit from a hot lemon and manuka honey drink, that a meal made with love will bring joy to a sad heart, and a gift such as chutney or jam will send a wave of goodwill to a friend or neighbour.  I hope you find these recipes useful. I wish you a holiday season full of good, honest food and someone to share it with, all the very best, Kathy Voyles, The Hague, The Netherlands.

 

Here are some requests from friends and food colleagues and some ideas for the party table!

Sweet Potato (Kumara) and Feta mini Frittarta 

2 medium sweet potatoes

olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

fresh basil, parsley or chives

baby spinach leaves

half a cup of either grated parmesan, feta or cheddar (whatever is in the fridge)

6 eggs

160 mls cream

Method

Roast the peeled cubed sweet potato in olive oil with the ground cumin at 180 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes and leave to cool

Mix together the cream and eggs with chopped herbs and baby spinach leaves

Line 12 greased muffin cases with paper muffin cups or cut round from baking parchment to line the muffin tin bases. Place the sweet potatoes in the base of the muffin tins, pour the cream egg mixture over.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 160 fan forced oven. Allow to cool and gently loosed and turn out. Serve with a chutney or a spice yoghurt dressing.

 

Whole Wheat Oattie Quinoa Cookies

This is based on a recipe from 101cookbooks.com. I have changed some of the ingredients and amounts. This recipe makes enough dough to make about 40 cookies. All I can say is hide them because if you don’t, they won’t last! They are simply too delish!

 

 

 

2 and a half cups of rolled oats

1 cup of whole wheat flour (can use spelt)

2 thirds of a cup of quinoa flakes or puffed quinoa

1 tsp Baking Soda

half a teaspoon of sea salt (not coarse)

225 grams of soft butter

1 cup of dark brown sugar

half a cup of palm sugar (101 uses 2 cups of light and dark brown sugar)

2 large eggs

2 tsps of vanilla extract

280 grams of dark chocolate (I use the Sligro dark choc drupples) Break half up but leave some large rounds for decoration

Combine the dry ingredients and put aside.

Place the butter and sugars into the mixer and cream together. Add in vanilla and eggs, mix

Add in dry ingredients and the broken chocolate pieces. The mixture will be moist but not too liquid

Place large teaspoonfuls of mixture on baking parchment. Place a large round piece on each cookie in the centre. I fit in about 20 on each tray. They will spread a little. Bake at 175 fan bake for about 12 minutes. If you like them chewy then cook them for about 12 minutes. For a crispy darker cookie then leave them for about 15. It really depends on your oven. Cool on a rack and store in air-tight tins. Prefect for a class party or trip. The Quinoa is protein so will really keep you going!

Other ideas for class parties

Spanish Tortilla cut into squares

Kappa Maki – simple cucumber sushi

Morning Glory Muffins

Cheese, tomato and basil tooth picks

Stuffed eggs

Corn, coriander and panner bagjees with yoghurt sauce

Ottolenghi’s sweet potato fritters served with a minty lemon thai chilli sauce

Omelettes rolled and tied with chives