One of the first things that caught my eye in Bill Grangers’ new book was this recipe for Lemon Drizzle Loaf.   I have a deep love for lemon desserts and cakes – fresh tart lemon mixed with sugar usually results in something wonderfully zingy and shebet-like.  Add to this the bright sunny colour of this cake thanks to the addition of polenta and you have the perfect anti-dote to these dark, cold days.  This is one of those cakes that is perfect on its’ own with a nice cuppa or served as dessert with a big dollop of cream. [Read more…]

The lovely English Mum is very kindly hosting a Big Bake Off over on www.englishmum.com and all and sundry have been invited to submit their best baking efforts with the most fabulous prize of a Green & Blacks hamper on offer.  Needless to say the competition is fairly stiff… just pop over to EM’s and take a look at the deliciousness. My son and I put our thinking caps on and came up with these fun cupcakes… we figured if the summer won’t come to the west of Ireland then we’d just have to create our own, and what could be better than a Mr Whippy on a misty, drizzly Sunday afternoon in doors? [Read more…]

At the suggestion of Sarah from Musings of a Med Student and Kristin of Dinner du Jour a group of Irish food bloggers jumped at the chance to hold a Twitter Cookie Bake-Off or “Twookieparty”.  Taking part in Twitter cooking parties is a bit of fun and a great way to discover or share recipes.

I must admit I was a bit stumped as to what to bake as I generally don’t make cookies or biscuits.  In fact I don’t recall trying anything other than the gorgeous double chocolate chip cookies posted by Like Mam Used To Bake.   As I was just back from holiday and didn’t have a chance to visit a large supermarket I decided to pay a visit to the local health food shop and it turned out to be an Aladdin’s Cave of wonderful ingredients for something like this.  I discovered some beautiful jewel like dried Cranberries and lovely pecan nuts and decided I would make Cranberry and Pecan Cookies. [Read more…]

My wonderful son and husband made me a birthday cake.  A beautiful, simple, delicious cake that was so lovingly made by them for me.  It was an old fashioned Victoria Sponge complete with raspberry jam and fresh cream and the recipe is from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstalls’ River Cottage Family Cookbook – I gave this book, with a special inscription, to my 9 year old son as a first cookbook and I know from his reaction when he received it that it will be something he will treasure forever.

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