Nanaimo Bars {& Happy Canada Day!}

Since I now live in Canada and have a Canadian husband and half Canadian son, I decided I had to make something special for Canada Day. This year I couldn't resist making some deliciously sweet Nanaimo Bars. Not only are they my husbands favourite, we live not too far away from Nanaimo so all-in-all it was the perfect thing to make to celebrate Canada Day. So to all the Canadians out there and everyone celebrating Canada Day, have a fantastic day!

For the base:

115g/ 4oz butter

30g/ 1 oz sugar

225g/ 8oz digestive biscuits (Graham crackers)

30g/ 1oz cocoa powder

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

115g/ 4oz shredded coconut

45g/ 1 ½ oz pecan nuts, chopped

For the custard layer:

170g/ 6oz icing sugar, sieved

45g/ 1½ oz butter

2 tbsp custard powder

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

For the top:

115g/ 4oz good quality dark or bittersweet chocolate

1 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4.

Crush the biscuits finely (either in a food processor or a sandwich bag with a rolling pin). Place the butter and sugar in a pan and cook gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat then add the biscuits, cocoa, egg and vanilla and stir well before adding the coconut and nuts. Stir again until everything is evenly mixed.

Spoon the mixture into a 8” x 8” tin and level out. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven then remove and leave to cool.

Put all of the ingredients for the filling into a bowl and beat until smooth. Spread over the base and chill for 1 hour or until firm.

To make the topping very gently melt the chocolate and butter (I find the best way is to put the ingredients into a small bowl then place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water). Cool slightly then spread over the filling. Chill until set, then cut into squares and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Delicious, sweet and completely Canadian!

*I added a little too much milk to my custard layer so they are a little thinner than they should be, however if you follow the recipe you will be just fine!

Requests {Spaghetti Puttanesca}

The reason I started my blog was to be able to share my recipes with my family and friends in an easy, relaxed way that we could all enjoy. Of course I also started it because cooking and creating my own recipes is my absolute passion. The other week I was looking back over a few of my first posts when the only people reading them was in fact my family and friends, and I saw that I had a couple of requests for recipes which I had never followed up with. I felt bad that I have never published the recipes since that was the whole point of my blog, so here they are – a little late but better late than not at all. If I have ever cooked for you and there is a particular recipe you would like to see appear here please let me know – there is a good chance I have just forgotten but I would love to share it with you if you are still interested!

First up for the requests is my Spaghetti Puttanesca – Abby this one is for you! I hope you still enjoy it!

Spaghetti Puttanesca {with Extra Attitude}

Prostitute, whore, lady of the night and most recently slut's....No I'm not shouting profanities, these are all names that I've heard this pasta dish be called! Spaghetti Puttanesca is a classic Italian pasta dish full of gutsy, full-bodied flavours (hence the name – so one theory goes) using ingredients that you are likely to have in your pantry and fridge. The 'Extra Attitude' in my version is quite simply just some extra chilli to give it a final punch at the end – this really is gutsy pasta with plenty of attitude and flavour! It's a quick and easy meal – ideal for a mid-week pasta dish or my favourite, on a Friday night to be enjoyed on the couch with a glass of red wine!

2 tbsp olive oil

2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 fresh chillies, finely chopped or a good pinch of chilli flakes

1 tsp dried oregano, finely chopped

6 anchovies fillets, packed in oil

2 x 400ml tinned tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp capers, rinsed

100g black olives, pitted and roughly sliced

Salt and pepper

Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Small handful of fresh basil, chopped (optional)

400 - 500g spaghetti

Extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan cheese, finely grated to serve

In a large frying pan heat the oil and gently sauté the garlic for 1 minute before adding the chill, oregano and anchovies. Cook for a few minutes then add the tomatoes, sugar and some black pepper. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling, salted water according to packet instructions. When the pasta has only 5 minutes left, add the olives and capers to the sauce and check whether you need to add any salt. Drain the spaghetti reserving a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water. Add the water and pasta to the sauce and stir well. Sprinkle on the parsley and basil and serve with some freshly grated parmesan, then put your feet up and relax!

*The great thing about this dish is that you can chop and change the quantities as you like. In other words – if you're a lover of anchovies add more.....not so keen on capers, add less! You get my drift – up the anti to whatever you like and enjoy it even more!

Cheese & Fruit Skewers for a Birthday Party {and a Tonka Truck Cake!}

My little one was born two days after Christmas – not the best time to celebrate a Birthday! That being said we did have a party for his 1^st Birthday Party in Scotland, however we didn't get to celebrate with all of our friends and family (and his friends!) in Canada, so as a compromise we had a 18 month party for him this past weekend! It was a great excuse to see all of our friends, have a BBQ outside and of course eat cake!

When throwing a Birthday party there are a few food items that I think make it extra special. Maybe it's just an excuse for me to go back to some of my childhood favourites or maybe its just a part of tradition...regardless, they always seem to be a hit so I have fun and go all out! I always make Top Hats – to me it's just not a Birthday Party without them and of course a cupcake or two always goes down well... For something savoury we had some sandwiches for the children (just simple cheese and ham triangles this time) and another favourite party food of mine - that retro 70's classic, Cheese and Fruit skewers! That being said I've moved on from the classic cubes of cheddar cheese and tinned pineapple (!) and instead serve an absolute favourite of mine – Cherry Tomato and Bocconcini with Basil. As well as the Tomato & Mozzarella skewers for a refreshing summer twist, I made Feta & Watermelon Skewers – a little different but absolutely delicious!

Guacamole

I realise that I seem to be going through a real 'green' theme with my latest posts but I can honestly say it's the season and I can't think of anything better than fresh, vibrant green food! So here is another green recipe – an all time favourite of mine – Guacamole!

I think I've mentioned before that I'm a real condiments person – I love them and my fridge is testament to that with its overflowing top shelf and door crammed full with them! It therefore goes hand in hand that I love dips – all kinds of dips, but when the sun is shining I can't think of anything nicer than a big bowl of freshly made guacamole. I like to keep my guacamole very simple but if you prefer feel free to add some spring onions (green onions) and some chopped tomatoes to yours. Either way it will still be an absolutely delicious and fresh guacamole. All you need to go with it are some tortilla chips and perhaps a nice cold drink.

4 ripe avocados

2 small cloves of garlic, crushed

1 chilli, finely chopped (optional)

Juice of 2 limes (depending on how juicy they are)

Small handful of coriander {cilantro}, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper

Cut the avocados in half then remove the stone. Peel the avocados then chop and put into a large serving bowl. Add the garlic, chilli, lime, ¾ of the coriander and seasoning and mash well but retaining some chunks of avocado for texture. Check for seasoning and that there is enough lime juice then top with the remaining coriander and serve with tortilla chips and perhaps an ice cold beer or refreshing glass of limeade!

Limeade

I recently went to buy some limes and when I got to the shop they were selling HUGE bags of them for very little money....so of course I had to buy them! Literally, there were so many limes in this bag I had no idea what to do with them, however on the next sunny day I decided to make some delicious and refreshing limeade – a twist on traditional lemonade.