Jamie Oliver's Strawberry Ice Cream

I'm a sucker for anything easy and delicious and when I saw this video on YouTube I was sold. I even froze my strawberries the very next day.

Unfortunately it took a month or two before I finally made the ice cream. I must admit that my food processor was quite full but it might be because I was a little confused about the yoghurt quantity mentioned in the video and added 500ml instead of 250ml shown in the recipe on the website... doesn't matter since it still turned out great! It is very easy and we all loved eating it. I'm thinking it is time to freeze some more strawberries! (or just buy them already frozen if you want to make your life even easier!)

Here is a link to the recipe on jamieoliver.com and here is a copy:

Ingredients
500 g frozen strawberries
250 ml natural fat-free yoghurt
1 tablespoon runny honey
Optional:
a splash of Pimms (I used a strawberry liqueur and it worked well for me!)

Method
Add the frozen strawberries to a food processor, along with the yoghurt, honey and Pimms, if using. Whiz for a few seconds, or until smooth, then scoop immediately with a hot dessert spoon and pop into serving bowls.

Easy right?

Simple muffins

I can't decide whether to call them muffins or cupcakes... but they made the kids very happy.
It was a Friday afternoon and Heidi had a friend over.
How could I resist baking muffins with them?

They helped me all the way, and left a pretty messy kitchen in their wake but I think they had a good time doing it and that's fine with me.

We added a few finely sliced strawberries on top and placed them in the oven.
The kids could hardly wait the 25 minutes it took to bake them!

I had to do everything in my power to distract them while I let the muffins cool for a few minutes. The TV is pretty good for that ;-)

In the end they devoured their muffins, every little crumb so it must have been good.
Me on the other hand just looked at them eating the muffins because I'm on a diet.
I enjoyed them with my eyes :-)

Here is the recipe and a link to the page where I found it:

Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C or 160° fan-forced. Place muffin papers in one 12-hole muffin tray.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.

In a jug, mix egg, milk and oil.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour 1/3 cup measures into muffin liners and smooth over top.

Bake for 22-25 minutes. Leave to cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Ricotta Hotcakes

What to do with half a tub of ricotta... what to do?

Ricotta hotcakes! Yes!

Great idea.

I found a Nigella recipe, halved it and made some early morning 'pancakes' served with strawberries. (Yes, I couldn't be bothered to explain hotcakes vs. pancakes...)

The kids really loved it.

Happiness.

Here is a link to Nigella's recipe.

FYI - I halved all the ingredients and made about 12 delicious hotcakes.

Here is a copy:

Ingredients:

250g ricotta cheese
125ml semi-skimmed milk
2 large eggs, separated
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons groundnut oil
TO SERVE:
250g strawberries, chopped (or other berries of your choice, of course)



Serves: Makes about 25.
Put the ricotta, milk and egg yolks into a bowl and mix well to combine. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt and gently whisk to make a smooth batter. Beat the egg whites until they become foamy - this isn't hard work even, whisking by hand, which is all that's needed here - and then fold them into the ricotta mixture.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and drop in heaped dessertspoons of batter.
Cook the pancakes for about 1 minute until golden and then flip them over and cook for another minute. Keep the cooked pancakes warm, by tenting with foil on a large warmed plate, while you work your way through the batter, and then serve with syrup - if you must - and strawberries.

DWZI - Strawberries

I love strawberries.

I really, really, really love them.

Seems like my daughters do too.

If I'm not quick they will eat them all!

There were some lovely sunny days this week and it was perfect for a spur of the moment picnic.

With strawberries, of course.

Oh, if you wondered how it went at the market then I'm happy to let you know that I had a great time!

You can find the Deze Week Zag Ik participants here.

Strawberries = happiness

All of a sudden there is an abundance of strawberries available in the shops.
I walked into town this morning and bought two punnets of strawberries at the market.
They were ripe and gloriously red, ready to be eaten today and no later than tomorrow.
It is simply a thing of beauty and delivers sheer happiness.
Is there anything better than strawberries for dessert? I think not.