London Southern Belle

a little southern comfort in my little british kitchen

Four years of living in England and trying to bake edible and fluffy homemade biscuits and I think I am nearly there! Such a treat, especially when homesickness strikes. I absolutely can think of no better comfort food on a cloudy English morning.

We find out the 'flavors' of the twins in EIGHT days. I am praying their 20 week anomaly scan is fine. I must admit, I am shadowed with a tinge of worry. I suppose that is natural. However, if my tummy has anything to go by their growing rate - they are doing just fine.

New Year Resolution: Do what makes me happy

For once, I am not setting a list of resolutions nor will I write a letter to the previous year waving my fist at it for waving his own tackle at me. For once, I can honestly say, 'I had a pretty good year.'  Obstacles, yes. Change, definately. But all 'came out in the wash' as my southern belle mother would say in an accent as thick and sweet as honey.

A quiet dinner on the eve of the new year was just what we needed. A quiet day to start the new year is just what we had. I didn't leave my pjs and it was divine. Today, I have spent the morning baking Nigella's Totally Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies instead of doing laundry. This is the attitude I want to possess more. Filling my life with goodness and moments that make me and those around me spill over with happiness. No more stressing over mounds of unclean clothes, unbleached toliets and dust on our bedside tables. As my very British mum in-law says, 'it will be there tomorrow.' And, if I am completely honest it rarely gets to a point when I think, 'I cannot believe I live in this mess.'

This year is going to be one of the best of my life. I cannot wait to see what is in store.

Yummy Scrummy

Valentine's Day means a lot to me and handsome man 'o mine for the main reason that we spent so many apart. Juggling a long distant relationship isn't easy and certainly when you are a teenager as I was when we first met. We do not let a special occassion pass us by without a celebration because now - we are together, which makes it ever so sweet.

I awoke to a sweet kisses telling me good morning and that I would have to look for my present. Of course, I would. Handsome man 'o mine would never just hand it to me. It has to be fun. Clues, notes, endless hunting for presents and he is satisfied. Later that evening, I cooked a lovely meal and we went to see a movie - a romantic one of course.

I also baked a  heart shaped chocolate chip brownie. I call it a brownie because that is exactly  how it tasted. No cookie-ness. It was more cake-like. Perhaps it was the amount of chocolate chips  I added. ;) or maybe the finely chopped hazlenuts...

Recipe was taken from  Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall from The River Cottage Family Cookbook

Ingredients
100g/3½oz good dark chocolate
125g/4½oz unsalted butter
100g/3½oz granulated sugar
75g/2½oz soft brown sugar
1 free-range egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
150g/5¼oz plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt

Method
1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Chop the chocolate into little chunks and set aside.
2. Heat the butter in a small saucepan very gently until it has just melted. Meanwhile, put the two types of sugar into a mixing bowl. Pour the melted butter on top of the sugars and beat well with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat until well blended.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixing bowl and stir them in, then add the chopped chocolate.
5. Dot heaped pudding spoonfuls of the mixture over the lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of space in between them--they really spread out while baking.
6. Wearing oven gloves, put the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are just turning golden brown. (If you have a glass door on your oven, watch the extraordinary transformation as these cookies bake--one moment you've got lumpy brown dough, the next, you have pale golden cookies, their shiny surface a network of cracks.)
7. Leave the cookies on the baking sheets to harden for a couple of minutes, then carefully lift up the baking parchment and transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
8. You can eat these cookies warm, but they are also good cold, and they store well in an airtight tin.

Short & Sweet

I spent the evening baking. Despite the tiredness of a busy week of grading student's assignments and meeting deadlines, I managed to find the energy to contribute to a farewell party for a work colleague. Nothing fancy, but the sentiment is there. These cupcakes are extremely sought after at work which brings a smile to my face. I adore baking and even plan to take a cake decorating & cookie designing class this summer. Should be great fun.

Other happenings in our home - Mau Mau, our fur-child loves watermelon. Very amusing.

Still no news on the home buying adventure and we continue to search for our perfect little nest. However, did view a tiny (very tiny) cottage with character galore - just no room to grow. The search continues.

We begin our adoption prep course on Monday evening. A range of emotions in regards to this step- please continue to keep us in your thoughts.

While on the subject of food [pssst! you will need more than pocket change for this one]

London Southern Belle's top 5 places to eat in London: [as requested by Vegas Princess]

Sketch
9 Conduit Street
London
W1S 2XG

Voted a terrific rating of 18 in Restaurant's Magazine's prestigious annual 50 Best Restaurants in the World' Awards, announced in April 2005. And, two years later it is still just that. The sexy sketch is London's hot spot for artistic & styled crowds and those who are serious about French cuisine. You must dine there just to check out the crystals & white, tall pod-like toliet cubicles in the bathrooms. Crystals in a toliet? Only at Sketch in London.

The Ritz
150 Piccadilly
Mayfair
London
W1J 9BR

The most beautiful dining room in London. It is fresh, classic and truely special. A classic choice for a special occasion that will leave you satisfied. If anything, you must treat yourself for tea for one splendid memory.

Laduree in Harrods
Bromptom Road
Knightbridge
London
SW1X ONA

Laduree, the delectable French tearoom is known for their heavenly macaroons and yummy things. The over-the-top decor is par for Harrods and brings a bit of Napoleon III style to a Victorian building. Doesn't a rose or lavendar macaroon sound good?

Fifteen
15 Westland   Place
London
N1 7LP

King of healthier school dinners in Britain, Jamie Oliver, built a portion of his reputation on Fifteen. His restaurant was set up in order to give disadvantaged young people a chance to develop a career in the restaurant industry. The vibe at the restaurant is relaxed with retro styling and an open kitchen. A gourmet must-visit. Be sure to book ahead!

 

Christopher’s American Grill
18 Wellington Street
Westminster
London
WC2E

The closest thing to home that I have found since moving to the UK and located in the beautiful Covent Garden. There you will find oysters, lobsters and steaks yet, the selection of Southern American food is hard to pass up, too!

Yummy & Healthy? Surely it's worth sharing!

Creamy Vegetable Chicken Tagliatelle

Serves 3
457 Calories
2.7 g fat

350g (12 oz, uncooked weight) tagliatelle pasta (pasta with a short 'a' vowel sound is how the British pronounce it!)
1 vegetable stock cube
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic close, crushed
1 red pepper, seeded and diced (I substitute a dash of medium salsa for kick)
1 courgette, grated (British word for "zucchini")
2 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraîche (pronounced krem fresh)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 dsp Parmesan shavings (optional)

1. Bake chicken in oven as normal, cut into pieces and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water containing the stock cube.
3.  In a separate, preheated, non-stick frying pan dry-fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the red pepper and courgette and season with salt and black pepper.
4. Stir the crème fraîche into the sauce and chicken pieces and reduce the heat.
5.  Drain the pasta and place in serving bowls. Spoon the sauce on top and sprinkle with a few Parmesan shavings.

(Opt out chicken for vegetarian - just as scrummy!)

Bon appetit!

A day in the life

It is difficult to adjust to the after-christmas calmness. The calm after the storm, if you like. Yet, I cannot help but hope that our first day of the year set the tone for the twelve months to come. A day of relaxation & enjoyment. No worry, no waste, no post-it-note dangling from the bathroom mirror reminding me to pick up the dry cleaning. We were simply breathing today and it was perfect.

We slept off the midnight festivities, champagne fizzy & late night dinner (and what a dinner it was! If it is possible to overdose on ranch dressing, I did it. Only because it is nearly impossible to find!). I awoke to lightly tapping rain on the window panes. I instantly thought about a song my husband sings whenever I respond to one of his statements with the question "where?" Without fail, handsome man of mine responds with a line "right there on the stairs...a little mouse with clogs on...clogs on..." It is apparently from a children's song in which I didn't believe him. You see, my husband has a million and one different sayings that he randomly makes up. I assumed this was something off the cuff and completely (for lack of better words) bonkers. I was quickly proved wrong.  Yes, my life is very much like panto.  It's a no wonder I think of mice with clogs on when I hear rain.

On an even more exciting note, the Queen was spotted outside our flat this morning walking her pooch. I do not know what was more strange:  A) me crouched down on the window ledge with a wide angle lensed camera taking photos of an elderly woman and her dog (She says British-ly) outside my home posing to be paparazzi or b) the fact that I really thought the queen would be walking her dog outside my flat on New Years without anyone accompanying her whatsoever. As if the queen walks her own dogs. pppffft!

So far this evening, we have overdosed on telly (TV), baked chocolate chip cookies and made tiny chairs out of wine & champagne bottle tops. Now, that is living life in the new year!

An Englishman once called me "Treacle"

Gingerbread Christmas Cookies

Makes: 15-20
Baking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
350g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
50ml black treacle
50ml golden syrup
6 tablespoons soft dark brown sugar
1 egg, beaten

Icing (optional)
155g icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Lightly grease two baking sheets. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together into a bowl.

2. Place the treacle, golden syrup, butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring until well combined.

3. Cool slightly, then beat in the egg. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix to form a firm dough. Rest for a few minutes, then knead gently until smooth.

4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degree Fahrenheit. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 5mm thick.

5. Cut out cookies with biscuit cutters. Place on the baking sheets and bake until crisp and golden, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, dust with cinnamon, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Don't forget to eat at least 1 and for added pleasure have some bubbly! Go on, it's Christmas!

**To make the icing. Put icing sugar to a bowl, add the lemon juice and mix until smooth. Spread or pipe over the cookies. Stand until the icing has set, 1-2 hours. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.