Easter Bunny Biccies

I have been a little stressed recently for reasons I shall go into on another post when the time comes, and as I have mentioned before I find the best way for dealing with stress is to shut myself in the kitchen with Heart FM (I love hearing about the congestion on the M25 - makes me relish not living down south) and create. Whether its stuff for the freezer, or treats for the office, it always seems to relax me.

Anyway, I knew we were off the pub on Friday night with friends, and we had hubbys parents coming on Saturday as we were off to a family friends birthday so I thought some baking was in order. A while ago whilst shopping at Cheshire Oaks we were in one of the kitchen shops and I saw this really cute little bunny head shaped cutter. Now we have a rabbit called rather unimaginatively Peter. But there is a snag...we thought it was a boy and its actually a girl! But Pete works for both. So anyway in homage to Pete the cutter was bought and was used to make these rather cute little biccies.

Easter Biccies (sort of based on a recipe from The Cooks Encyclopedia of Cookies Biscuits and Bars)

175g salted butter

300g sugar

1 egg and 1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g plain flour

2 tsp ground mixed spice

Pre-heat oven to 190deg.

1) Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy

2) Mix in the egg and egg yolk, along with the vanilla essence.

3) Sift in the flour and mixed spice and mix together. Gather the dough in a ball, cover in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4) Once chilled, roll out the dough on a floured surface until 3mm thick. I made some slightly thicker, but they do puff slightly in the oven.

5) Stamp out the shapes with cutter. The recipe said it made 30, but once again something happened in my mixing bowl and I ended up with hundreds!

6) Bake for about 8 minutes until lightly golden. They will spread slightly in the oven, so make sure they are spaced out on the tray. If you let them go too brown they are fine, just a little crispier.

7) Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once cook decorate with a little icing coloured with food colouring. Once the icing had set I then popped 5 into a little cellophane bag and tied with a nice piece of ribbon. Forgot to take a picture but they made lovely little Easter gifts. The girls appreciated them and took them home from the pub to eat at a sensible time with a cup of tea. The boys however ate them in the pub!

Easter bunnies waiting to be iced

Easter bunnies iced and waiting to be eaten!

Good Friday Fish Day

Ok so I am not religious in the slightest, however I still do the old fish on Good Friday thing. Don't know why, I think its something my parents always did even though they aren't religious either!


We did cheat slightly by having left over pulled pork in pittas for lunch, but I am sure being frugal lets you off.


Anyway, I am a big smoked salmon fan. Hubby not so fussed, but will eat it and does claim to enjoy it every now and again. Those packs of value smoked salmon trimmings are really quite good when you are working to a budget and we often have a pack in the freezer.


We were off to the pub later on Friday night and as it was my turn to drive I thought I'd better line hubby's stomach with pasta. He is a PROPER beer drinker and we go to what is probably one of the most run down little pubs in our home town. From the outside the paint is crumbling, and the inside is filled with old men huddled round little tables, and there is a stroppy old bar woman who once shouted at us to "not f~%k with the fire". The beer is therefore the only reason we go there. Hubby and his mates usually work from left to right across the hand pumps, so it can turn quite messy!



Smoked Salmon Vodka Pasta (serves 2)
1 onion
half a pot of Alpro soya cream (or Elmlea for you normal peeps)
half a bag of washed spinach
50ml vodka
half table spoon of tomato puree
1 packet of smoked salmon trimmings
100g of pasta per person
pepper

1) Put pasta on to boil

2) For the sauce start by sweating the onion in a little oil until translucent. Add the tomato puree and cook out on low for 5 minutes (may need a splash of water)

3) Add the vodka and reduce

4) Add the spinach, and soya cream and heat until the spinach is wilted.

5) Add in the salmon and season with black pepper.

6) Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Pour the sauce over the pasta, stir through to coat and serve.