Tatooine Trifle and Jango Fetta Pies

Tatooine Trifle
(This is a cheat's trifle, very quick to make, takes minutes, and one the boys said they'd like again if they want a proper dessert and we don't have anything.)
Bought Trifle Sponges
Seedless Raspberry Jam, or whichever jam you choose.
Hot Water
Ambrosia Custard
Double Cream
Mascarpone

It's up to you how much you want of everything in each layer.
Assemble everything you're going to need first.
In a bowl mix 2 parts jam to 1 part boiling hot water, mix together until it loosens the jam and gives a nice syrupy like sauce.
In a separate bowl whisk together equal parts mascarpone and cream.
Cut the corner of the carton of custard or open the tin.
Take sponges out of packet.

Put one layer of sponge in the bottom of a glass, pour over the jam mix, pour on custard, then pour on cream and mascarpone mix. That's it! Not a patch on trifle made with jelly, sherry and fruit but it's sweet and hits the spot if needed and it takes less than 5 minutes to make!

Jango Fetta Pies (makes 24 mini pies)
Approx 1/2 packet of Filo Pastry
Approx 100g Feta Cheese
1 medium organic freerange Egg, beaten
Half cup Double Cream
Approx 75 g Soft Cream Cheese (we used Philadelphia chives)

In a bowl mash the feta cheese, then mix in the cream cheese, add the beaten egg and cream and mix it all together.
Lightly oil your muffin tin and place approx 2 sheets of file pastry in each hole. Depending on what size your filo pastry, you may need to cut it to size. (To get an even size we cut ours to approx 6cm by 6cm by slicing through a neat stack of filo).
Then fill the filo pastry with the creamy feta cheese and egg mixture.
Bake in the oven, 175C for approximately 12 minutes.

Note: If you have any spray oil then spray over the pastry before adding the mixture, we use one that's available from Lakeland which you put your own oil into. Much better than using things like onecal and the like which I'm sure have chemicals in them. Also we made these in a mini muffin pan, it made 24.

Tomorrow in the lunch boxes I will drizzle them with some sauce, I'm not sure what yet, probably Linghams mixed with some tomato ketchup.

...and for now I'm done with Star Wars food, though at some point the Yoda's Yorkie Puds filled with Han Solo Stuffing and Padme's Pea Puree and Galaxy Gravy will be made..

Skulking, yet more Star Wars Food & a little Competition

We're going to make some muffins with the Galactic Ginger Jam, aka Orange & Ginger Marmalade (seen below). The little competition - we'd like your Star Wars theme ideas for a name please.
To enter leave a comment with your suggestion for the name of the muffins. If we pick your name as the winner you could win a little prize. This is just for a bit of fun and the prize is not going to make your day, or even your year, but it could put a smile on your face. Ideas please by the end of the month. That's midnight GMT on Thursday 31st January 2008.
The name should have a Star Wars theme and is for Orange and Ginger Marmalade Muffins, using our Galactic Ginger Jam.
Rules can be changed at the last moment and judges say is final... etc... etc...

Now on to some more Star Wars food... I can assure you that somebody was harmed and feelings were bruised in the making of one of the following...


Ewok Eggs (to serve 4 for lunch)
4 large organic freerange eggs
Large handful of chopped spring onions/salad onions
1/4 cup of double cream
salt and pepper to season
Tablespoon of oil

In a bowl whisk the eggs, double cream, add salt and pepper to season.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped spring onions, fry lightly until softened. Add the egg mixture and cook on a low heat. Give it a stir every 30 seconds or so and cook until you think the eggs are ready. Some people like their eggs runny, some firm. I overcooked ours today - by a long way!

Ewoked Savoy Cabbage with Han Solo Jamon and Galactic Ginger Jam Sauce
Half a large savoy cabbage, finely sliced
Spanish Jamon (we used this Jamón Iberico de Bellota) rough pieces about 1cm in diameter
Tablespoon of Galactic Ginger Jam - You could always use orange marmalade & grated fresh ginger.
Tablespoon of Teriyaki Sauce
Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Heat olive oil in a wok (or ewok as we now call it). Add Jamon, cook for 2 minutes then add savoy cabbage, cook for 2 minutes. Shake it around the pan then add the Galactic Ginger Jam and Teriyaki Sauce. Cook for further couple of minutes. You might want to add a tablespoon of hot water if you think it needs it.

A bowl of Galactic Ginger Jam
as I wasn't organised with enough clean and sterlised jam jars when I made it!

While cutting the jamon off the bone I cut my hand. After crashing about and shouting at husband that he should have cut the stupid stuff, I cleaned it, sprayed it with Savlon and covered it with a plaster (a blue one so I could feel like a real cook!). I will at some point apologise to Hubs but for now I'm skulking, (not sulking). I also burned the eggs and had to scrape off the top so that nobody had to eat the burnt bits. Poor Hubs, poor children!

Anyway, changes are afoot in the Little Foodies household, more of which next week.

More Star Wars Food

Sorry, promised these yesterday. I don't know who I was trying to kid when I thought I could get right back into cooking every day. Worse still that I'd be absolutely fine without help. I think I'll blame it on all the drugs (prescription ones!) either that or I was some kind of martyr in a previous life, an heroic one obviously! Thankfully, these were made before my back told me that the Jedi High Council needed a recess!

I haven't gone over the top about making things look like Star Wars characters. I hope nobody is disappointed, it's just that I don't want to be dressing food up everyday just so my children will eat it. Once in a while is fun but with this I wanted to get their imaginations fired up by talking and debating about what names to give the food. Besides I'm not Annabel Karmel. Not that there's anything wrong with AK, I've got two of her books - I've got a lot of books!!


Chewie's Chocolate Chestnut Cakes
I've lost the piece of paper that I wrote everything down on as I made these... I'll find it and post at some point.. from memory I think it went like this. Working on the old 4,4,4,2 theory but scaling it up and adding more solids to make up for the addition of chestnut puree.
3 eggs
butter 5 oz
sugar 6oz
flour 6oz
cocoa powder 2oz
3/4 of a tin of chestnut puree

These need work, they're almost brownie like in texture. Some seemed to burst open while cooking, see picture, very space crater like, but they still taste VERY good!



Chewbacca's Chicken and Cous Cous (Served a family of 4 twice)
12 chicken thighs
1 very large onion, peeled and diced
1 carton of chestnut mushrooms
handful of small brussel sprouts (the last ones from the garden)
4 very large carrots, peeled and cut into large(ish) chunks
2 pints of water
1/4 bottle of sweet sherry
Very big drizzle of liquid chicken stock
Salt and Pepper to season

What follows, isn't really a method, it could even be considered quite poor form by those who love cooking, including myself. However, those who read regularly know that things are not normal around here at the moment, so Hubs decided to make this and when looking exhausted he asked if he should brown the onions and chicken first I said "No, prepare it all, throw it in the big Le Creuset pan and then heat it on the hob and see what happens, we can have it with couscous and who cares, at least it will be food..." After I'd said this I did wonder if I'd taken leave of my senses, quite possible, you try taking diclofenac, dihydrocodeine and diazapam and fire on all cylinders. Anyway, IT WAS FANTASTIC! So, out of the window goes the long and laborious ways of cooking. From now on it will be a quick prep session, all in the pan, heat on, cook for an hour or so and wham, bam, thank you Mam! Tasty dinner, hardly any work, feet up, where's the gin?

Thank you to everybody for all your kind comments, best wishes and e-mails about my back. To update: I'm having physio today. It still hurts like **** and I'm walking like John Wayne, but the pigeon version! A sight for sore eyes, I know it! Still waiting for the date to see consultant (NHS I'm afraid. I gave up my private medical insurance thinking it was a waste of money, that I was invincible and wouldn't need it! Kicking myself about that now!). Thanks again. xx

Star Wars Food

Not that long ago in a galaxy quite near, there has been some serious eating going on.


Naboo Nuggets (to serve 2 small Storm Troopers)4 chicken thighs (organic and free range if possible)
Handful of Cheerios (the breakfast cereal)
Handful of Plain Flour
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to season
1 Egg, lightly beaten in a small bowl
Tablespoon of Oil

Cut the thighs into pieces, about 2cm chunks
In a freezer bag add the flour and cheerios, seal the bag, cover with a tea towel and then bash with a rolling pin until the Cheerios are smashed to fine breadcrumb size.
Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and then add to the bag of flour/cheerio mix.
Jiggle it around to coat the chicken
Heat the oil in a frying pan and then add the coated chicken pieces. Fry gently, turning occasionally for about 10 minutes until golden and cooked through.


Galactic Ginger Jam
otherwise known as... Cheat's Orange & Ginger Marmalade.
1 Tin of Hartley's Ma Made thin cut Seville Oranges
1 x 350g Jar of Stem Ginger in Syrup (I used Waitrose Chinese Stem Ginger in Syrup)
3/4 pint of water
4lbs /1.8kg Sugar

You basically follow the instructions on the side of the can but you add a jar of stem ginger too, to make it orange and ginger.
Empty contents of tin into a large heavy based saucepan. Add 3/4 pint water and jar or stem ginger. Stir in all of the sugar and heat until boiling, stirring continuously. Then reduce heat but maintain a gentle boil for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a knob of butter half way through to disperse the foam. Test for setting - remove from heat, put 1/2 teaspoon of marmalade onto a cold saucer, put in a cool place. After 2 minutes draw your finger over the surface if it wrinkles, it's ready. If not boil again for a few minutes and test again. When it's ready, let it stand for a little while before pouring into warmed sterilised jars.

This makes a lot of marmalade/jam and is so much easier for the lazy bird with a bad back who could not even give head space to preparing the oranges to make from scratch. It half killed me just stirring the stuff - oh woe is me!

We've also made Chewie's Chocolate and Chestnut Cakes, these were a bit of an experiment using up some tinned chestnut puree I had. They worked, I'd go as far as to say they tasted delicious but possibly need a little tweaking. Also Chewbacca's Chicken and Cous Cous, Hubby made this. Will post recipes and pics tomorrow, along with some more Star Wars Food.

Little Foodies, Star Wars & Jedi School

Little is a huge Star Wars fan and has gone to great lengths to ensure that Small is able to keep up with him on all things Star Wars. It's not really that great hearing a three year old say things like "Don't make me destroy you." So I was pleasantly surprised when it came to writing Christms Lists and Little said he had enough Star Wars things now. Shame really as there was still a present wrapped up from the year before, put to one side on the big day and forgotten about as we thought they had far too much. Present rationing, sometimes a necessity, especially when you have a family that give literally tons of presents to your children. The picture below doesn't show all of the presents for the children under the tree this Christmas.


Father Christmas is a canny old chap and his best gift this year had to be the dinosaur excavation kits. Things that looked like big eggs. You chip away at the clay/plaster for hours and eventually you get to a dinosaur or dinosaur bones or even a dinosaur nest. Ours were purchased from Hawkin's Bazaar which is one of my favourite toy shops. I could spend hours in there!

Anyway this was meant to be about Star Wars. Today Little went on a little big adventure to London with Daddy. They went on the train and while there they visited...

Little attended Jedi School - of this he is most proud! Hubby said it was really good but possibly you have to be a bit of a geek to really enjoy it. They also went on the London Eye.

Small was too small to go, or so we thought so he was taken out and had a few little treats of his own. As he missed out I've decided that tomorrow we will have a Star Wars themed feast so I'm off to put my thinking cap on and come up with some tasty Tatooine Treats. I'll post what I come up with tomorrow, possibly.