Fasolka po bretońsku – “Breton bean”

🍜🥓 Nie ma to jak tradycyjna polska “Fasolka po bretońsku” ,nothing better than a bit of a Polish meal ”Breton bean” in English…

I still remember when my mum used to make, and it used to be one of my favourite polish dishes, so easy yet so good.

Ingredients for 2 portions :-

• Canned white beans, canned cannellini beans,

• 200g smoked thick bacon

• 250 g of smoked polish sausage, I used “ślaska” (pork & beef smocked and scalded sausage)

• 1 big onion

• 3 garlics gloves

• 1 can of plum tomatoes & 1 tablespoon of passata Herbs – 4 bay leaves, 5 allspice, 2 tablespoons marjoram

Method :-

Cut the bacon into square cubes, place them on the medium skillet pan and fry for a little,
Take the bacon off, chop the onion & sausage, fry on the left over oil from the bacon, add the garlic ( don’t chop or grate the garlic, just crush and put whole) – keep on frying for another 3 minutes.
To the frying ingredients add the bacon & beans, fry for another 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and passata, add all the herbs – marjoram, bay leaves, allspice, ( salt and pepper – optional) – boil/ simmer for 10/15 minutes until nice and thick.

Serve warm with some bread :)

Gnocchi with smocked bacon and spinach ♥️🥓♥️

Busy Monday? .. tell me what is your quick go to busy Monday dinner 🍴?!

Mines favourite pasta in the world- gnocchi with smacked bacon and spinach! 🥓🥗🥓🥗 oh and not to mention I do like to use proper thick blocks of smocked bacon mm just imagine, personal opinion – way better than those thin cut out slices.

Ingredients for 2:-

• 4 thick cuts of bacon( cut into small square cubes)

• 1 can plum tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 300g gnocchi

• 2 handfuls of spinach

• Parmesan grated & blue cheese grated…

Method :-

In a medium sauce pan, pour some olive oil and fry the bacon until your own preference, add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar and sauté for few minutes on medium/high
Once that one, in the other deep pan, boil water with a pinch of salt, and cook gnocchi to the instructions on the package, until they’re done and are floating on the top of the surface

Add spinach to gnocchi. And stir for few more minutes add gnocchi and stir until the sauce becomes thick
Add grated Parmesan and blue cheese, either stir it to mix together or add at the end once serving.

Enjoy 🙂

Quick, delicious & easy – grilled blood pudding “Kaszanka” with apple and red onion.. 🍢🍎 and baked potatoes on the side.

I think it’s time to star grill/ bbq season, with the weather being so nice outside, it’s only fair to do that 😀 the best is to eat that dish still warm with a touch of mustard or ketchup or simply on its own, as the apple juices make the sauce on its own. 🍎 you can make it either on the bbq grill or in the oven.

Ingredients ( for one serving) :-

1 blood pudding (kaszanka)
1 medium apple
1 red onion
Marjoram
Salt
Paprika

Also,

Big potato (skin on)
Thyme
Basil
Butter
Garlic

Method :-

preheat oven to 200c degrees, cover blood pudding in a cling foil and place in a square oven proof dish, cut the apples and onion in a square sizes and place on each side of the blood pudding, sparkle with a pinch of marjoram, paprika and salt, seal the aluminium foil and place in the oven for 30/40 mins.

Now potatoes, do the same with the square oven proof tin, and aluminium foil, place potatoes in the aluminium foil sprinkle with basil, thyme, place garlic on the side, and put some butter on top, seal the foil, place in the oven for 40/45 minutes depending on the size of the potato.

Once all ready eat with mustard, on Its own or ketchup 🙂

Yours,

DJ xo

Rhubarb meringue shortbread cake 🍰

I’m liking to the thought of it being spring already🌷🦋🌺🌸😋🦋🌻 hence the idea of making this bitter, sweet, and crunchy cake 🌺🍒🌸🌷🦋🍰

I know I know it’s just spring (4 days in) but this rhubarb meringue shortbread cake sounds very spring-ish would you agree? The rhubarb filling makes it all bit bitter and sweet at the same time! And the meringue.. well you can’t go wrong with this thick crunchy meringue on top of it.

💐

Ingredients for the shortbread bottom :-

250g all purpose flour
135g of butter
100g of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of sour cream
4 egg whites

Method :-

In a stand mixer, mix all together, knead for few minutes until well combined, wrap the dough in a cling foil and place in the fridge for around an hour.

Prepare square medium tin for baking later, spread butter & place baking sheet on top, preheat the oven to 180c degrees

When the dough is ready, place with your fingers all over the tin, put in the oven for 20 minutes.

Ingredients for the filling :-

500g rhubarb, chopped in a square sizes
Zest of one lemon
3 teaspoons of cornstarch
2/3 teaspoons sugar

Method :-

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside

Ingredients for meringue :-

4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
200g caster sugar
1 teaspoon of potato starch

*Remember all the ingredients for the meringue always need to be in a room temperature.

Method :-

In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until fluffy, add salt and keep on mixing, when the stiff peaks form start adding sugar, spoon by spoon, it should form stiff meringue mixture, add the end fold in the potato starch.

Method for all :-

On the lightly baked base place the rhubarbs. Level the rhubarb, on top of rhubarb place the meringue mixture. Place in the preheated (180c) oven and as soon as it’s in reduce the temperature to 140c degrees, bake for around an hour, or until you see that the meringue is starting to brown a little

Let it cool in the oven!

Enjoy 🦋🌸🌻🌼🌷🌞🌺

Tomato soup with a touch of white wine and mango chutney?! 🍅🍾🍅

You probably think what is this going, that doesn’t sound any good.

So on Wednesdays I usually make soups for my fiancé as he plays football & apparently he needs something that settle good on his stomach.. 🙄

like everyone else I do like the tomato cream soup (who doesn’t) etc but thought I’d make something different, I’m a basic kind of girl but when it comes to cooking, I’m no where near to be basic, I do like to experiment with my ingredients, mix and match and it always turns out into something good 👅😉

Today I made tomato soup with a hint of mango chutney and white wine? Not sure if it does sound appealing however it does taste wonder if I’ll be honest, white wine as you know it’s bitter however the mango chutney it sweet so it goes together- and there you go voila!

Want to see the recipe scroll down 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Recipe tomato, white wine & mango chutney soup :-

Ingredients for 2 servings :-

1 tablespoon of butter
1 small onion
1/4 cup of risotto rice ( arborio)
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups of chicken stock
400g fresh salad tomatoes
1 big squeeze of mango chutney
Fresh basil leaves (chopped)
2 spoons of sour cream
1 tablespoon passata
2 carrots, 1 parsnip, (any other veg you fancy)
Grated Parmesan on top (optional)

Method :-

In a small pan, sauté the butter and add the chopped onion, next add the rice, sauté for few minutes, add the white wine and chicken stock, peeled carrots and parsnip, cover and simmer for 15 minutes

Put the tomatoes in a pan and boil for few minutes until the skin starts to come off, peel of the whole skin from few tomatoes and blend in blender, pour into the soup, cut the remaining tomatoes and also place them in the soup.
Bring to boil, add mango chutney and boil for few more minutes, add the sour cream and chopped basil, if needed add some more salt and pepper, top with grated Parmesan

Enjoy 💋

Mince beef roulades stuffed with sauerkraut & mushrooms, topped with tomato & mushroom sauce, potato purée on the side 🍴

So What’s for dinner tonight guys?

Mines just quick and tasty! Was Very risky at the same time, my fiancé is not the biggest fan of a texture of the mushrooms so had to make sure to cut them in the tiniest little pieces ever! Do you like mushrooms??! Personally I’m a fan but different petiole different preferences I suppose 😋 🍄

At the end take a guess? He had it all so no complains, cutting mushrooms in tiny pieces worked so if any of your family members/friends don’t like one of the ingredients try and hide them in the dish 😉

So here’s a recipe :-

Ingredients for 3 roulades (1 person) :-

250 g mince beef
1 egg
2/3 tablespoons breadcrumbs/ or few days old bun
150 g sauerkraut
100g mushrooms (any mushrooms)
1 onion
Big spoon of butter
Cup of chicken stock
2 teaspoon of tomato purée
4 dry pieces of mushrooms
2 teaspoons marjoram
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch parsley
3 bay leaves
5 allspice

Method :-

Boil sauerkraut for few minutes in a small pan, drain,

Cut the mushrooms, chop the onion, and sauté on a sauce pan for minutes together, add little salt, pepper and marjoram. Put sauerkraut into the mushroom onion mixture, and sauté for another few minutes, make sure the sauerkraut is cut into little pieces as well.

In a separate bowl, mix the meat, breadcrumbs, egg, and add some herbs – salt, pepper, sweet paprika, dried parsley, – mix all well together. – grab a handful of meat mix and place on the wooden board and start forming flat pancake looking thing, and put the filling in, then close the roulade and shape it in your hands. Then coast the roulade in the flour, repeat with the rest.

Heat up oil in the pan until very hot, place the roulades on the hot pan, fry on each side for few minutes, then add chicken stock, bay leaves, allspice, and dried mushrooms cover and simmer for 20 minutes. After that time add tomato purée and simmer for another few minutes.

Serve with fresh parsley on top, and any side dishes you want

🍄♥️🍄♥️🍄

Enjoy

Xoxo

SSS- for Spaghetti 🍝🍝🍝

I believe everyone knows the basic spaghetti recipe right?

I guess it’s like “must to know how to do” thing, however if you’re interested to know how I make my spaghetti then please do keep on reading 🙃

There’s not much to really say about spaghetti I suppose, long story short- everyone loves it ♥️

So here’s a recipe (serves 6) :-

Ingredients :-

500g beef mince
5 bacon rashes
1 pack fresh basil
4 bay leaves
1 big carrot
2 celery sticks
1 red chilli
3 garlic gloves
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons oregano
3 springs fresh rosemary and splash of dried ones
1 beef stock cube
3 tablespoons tomato pure
400g spaghetti pasta
1 cup red wine
2 cans plum tomatoes
Parmesan on top

Method :-

In a sauce pan out olive oil on, and Add bacon rashes, fry them until crispy.
Add onions, carrots, celery,garlic gloves, and the rosemary springs,fry until mixed and soft.(around 5 minutes)
Put the heat to high and put the mince in, fry until all meat nice and brown
Add plum tomatoes, few basil leaves, dried oregano,bay leaves,tomato purée, beef stock, chilli if you want, red wine, stir well to break the plum tomatoes.
Bring to boil, reduce the heat then cover and let it simmer for around 2 hours, stir few times in between, make sure it doesn’t burn, if it gets too dry add some water. Although you want the sauce to be nice and thick
Cook the spaghetti following the package instructions, I usually cook in boiling water for 11 minutes to get it al dente while boiling water I add olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick together.
Drain the spaghetti, and put the sauce on top, sprinkle with grated Parmesan on top. Add some basil if wanted.

And eat!! 🍝♥️🍝♥️🍝♥️

Yours

Xoxo

Question time..Bake or Cook??? Sweet or Savoury?

Thought I’d involve my self in some of the posts, unlucky you have to watch my face, however I’ve got a question which I’m hoping you guys will help me to answer 🙃

What would you prefer to see in my posts ?!?Bakes, cakes and all the sweetness in the world or main dishes, savoury and creative food?!

I personally prefer baking, you wonder why? Well I do believe it’s more challenging and requires you to be more precise, whereas when it comes to cooking you just throw everything on the pan and voila- dish made.. easy as that

Trust me to tell you, that I do get really upset when something turns out not how I planned in my head 😂 wouldn’t we all get upset about it? I do like a challenge and I set my expectations to the new level! 😂 *impossible*, I like how you have to practise few recipes for your bake to turn out as you wanted, and then you get this awesome SATISFACTION.. you’re like “yes yes, finally” – that was only twice when my macaroons turned out “okay” the others practises it’s been hard times haha! But it only makes you want to do it better and better until you reach that time when it all comes together, I like how you have to adjust ingredients to your own liking, temperature, time and everything is all about how you make it! .. other times it does make me happy when all my bakes,cakes etc turns out good. That’s why I prefer to spend my time in the kitchen baking. I could literally so many reasons why I like baking but think I’d need few hours of your time 😂..maybe ask me if you’re interested. Happy to tell u 🙃🍫

Coming back to cooking- I believe everyone can cook it’s all about knowing your ingredients, if you know how something taste and know how to cut the strongest of the flavour with some other ingredient then it’s as easy as riding a bike (once you know how to ride it 😂)

So tell me what you personally prefer ? And what would you like to see more often?

DJ xoxo

Brownie with fresh raspberries..

Okay here’s a quiz.. ready you’ll get brownie points if you answer right..

Name me one person who doesn’t like brownies?!!? You’re right you’ll be struggling to find one..🍫💋🍫💋

So here it is simple, quick & overflowing with chocolate brownie.. and just because it’s all about being “healthy” these days and not overdoing on sweets🤦🏼‍♀️🙄.. top it off with some fresh raspberries ( 1/5 a day they say) 🤥

Recipe for brownie with fresh raspberries :-

Ingredients :-

250 g milk chocolate
200 g butter
3 eggs
175 g sugar
125 g flour

Method :-

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, small tray.

Melt butter and chocolate together.
Mix eggs with sugar in a stand mixer, and the gradually start adding the chocolate & butter mixture (in a thin stream) and add the end sift the flour and mix it with wet ingredients. Make sure everything is combined together.
Put in the tray with baking sheet, place the raspberries on top, bake for 22 minutes.

Take out, let cool for a bit and enjoy🍫🍫🍫(make sure to save a piece, don’t be greedy)👅👅

Recipe received by my cousin Piotrek ages ago and I can guarantee it’s the best brownie ever, stay moist for days!!

Xoxo

Blue cheese, grilled pear, walnut bacon burger 🍔

Shall I say what everyone’s say ” another day, another burger?! Huh” yes what else can you do with left over bun and beef patty ??! Think of another recipe for delish burger,

This one is a mixture of sweet and savoury, and it just meat in the middle, perfect mixture to combine the ingredients and make something so intense in flavour.

So keep on reading to find out the recipe for this mouth-watering burger. 🤤🧀

Oh wait, have I mention the red onion balsamic relish?! And how the walnuts and crushed and grilled with bacon???!

Doesn’t it just sound tempting??!

Well if it still doesn’t then just follow this post to see the photos and the recipe..

By the way The reason I use blue cheese in most burgers is just I think it got powerful creamy delicate savoury and sweet flavour and it’s much much better than just your typical yellow cheddar, is that not correct?

Okay okay let’s see the recipe then..shall we?

Recipe for 1 serving :-

Ingredients :-

Burger :-

beef patty

1 bun toasted ( any bun you fancy really)

2 slices smoked bacon
3/4 cup walnuts ( crushed either by hand or food processor)
1 pear
1 thick slice of blue cheese
1 cup rocket salad

Red onion relish :-

Splash of olive oil ( 2 tablespoons?)

1/2 red onion ( sliced)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey ( I personally use honey all the time)

* By the way I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned that in previous posts however I give you guys measurements but I always just splash things as much as possible, just to make sure you get that rich flavour in every dish without adding that extra salt 🙂 – just my secret! So just splash those ingredients as much as you can 😉

Method :-

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, cook for 5 mins until the onions become soft, add the balsamic vinegar, red wine and honey. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the mixture becomes a reduced syrup.
Now bacon, toss bacon slices in crushed walnuts( make sure all fully coated) place on the baking sheet and bake in 200 degrees for around 15 minutes or until you see the bacon looks crispy.
Preheat your grill, and bake your patty on the grill for 5 minutes each side or how well done you like it.
Slice your pear into 3/4 slices and grill for 1-2 minutes.
Place relish on the bottom of the bun, then add beef patty, add two slices of the pear and top it off with walnut bacon, OH and forgot obv. The blue cheese on top, and some rocket salad on top,cover the bun!

You can thank me later! 🍔🤤 now go and eat!!

Xoxo 💋