Eats/Reads

Seriously more-ish Popcorn 1/4 c vegetable oil 1/2 cup popping corn Caramel 125g butter, chopped 3/4 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (optional) Line a tray with baking paper. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 pieces of popping corn. If corn slowly turns around in a circle then oil is hot enough. Add remaining popping corn. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. When corn starts popping, shake saucepan gently. Remove from heat when corn stops popping. Transfer to a large bowl, discarding any unpopped corn. Make caramel: Combine butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Bring mixture to the boil. Boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes or until light golden. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir until popcorn is coated. Spread over prepared tray. Set aside to cool. Break ...

Want to make this someday... Serves: 6 generously, or 12 as part of a larger brunch spread Ingredients 2 cups / 7 oz / 200 g rolled oats 1/2 cup / 2 oz / 60 g walnut pieces, toasted (see page 219) and chopped 1/3 cup / 2 oz / 60 g natural cane sugar or maple syrup, plus more for serving 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder 11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt 2 cups / 475 ml milk 1 large egg 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch / 1cm pieces 11/2 cups / 6.5 oz / 185 g huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries Instructions Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C with a rack in the top third of the oven. Generously butter the inside of an 8-inch / 20cm square baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the oats, half the walnuts, the sugar, if using, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, if using, the m...

Need to try making these with B, the local chocoholic. 350g Unsalted Butter 3 tbsp Golden Syrup 175g Light Soft Brown Sugar 175g Light Muscovado Sugar 450g Rolled or Porridge Oats 6 tbsps Green and Black's Cocoa Powder Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas Mark 2. Use a 17 x 28cm baking tray or roasting tin. Butter the baking tray. Melt the butter, syrup and both sugars in the saucepan. Do not allow them to bubble. Mix in the oats and the cocoa. Use a fork to press the mixture into the baking tray and bake for 18-20 minutes. The flapjack needs to cook to the centre but you don't want them to bubble, otherwise they will be too toffee-like. They should stay moist. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 20 minutes before slicing up. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tray. Hint: these flapjacks are delicious with 2 tablespoons of dessicated coconut, or a handful of sultanas added with the oa...

These were really good. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup mashed bananas Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

So fast and easy. Nice to serve fresh with soups. This makes 4 small loaves, so you can halve or quarter it, depending on how much you want to make. 4 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup bread flour 1/3 cup rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups buttermilk (or plain yogurt) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, white flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt. Gently mix in the buttermilk until a soft dough is formed. Knead very lightly. Divide dough into 4 pieces; form into rounded flat loaves. Mark each loaf with an 'X' and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.

This is an easy version of potatoes au gratin. I made them in a large cake pan so it was just a thin layer of potatoes and they were very crispy. Yum. 4 large potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices 1 onion, sliced into rings salt and pepper to taste 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups milk 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 1 quart casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

This is a recipe from the Katie Morag books - I recently read all of them to my 3-year-old. This is a great recipe to make with kids as it's easy and not too messy, and no eggs so they can taste it all. These are really yummy and more-ish - they are essentially flapjacks or chewy oatmeal squares. In the back of my mind I want to try to make a slightly healthier version... when I get the time. 100g / 4oz butter 75g / 3oz soft brown sugar 30ml / 2 tablespoons golden syrup (or light corn syrup) 200g / 8oz rolled oats (porridge oats) pinch of salt Melt butter in a large pan over a low heat. Add sugar and syrup and salt. Mix well. Stir in rolled oats. Mix very well. Spread mixture evenly in tray with palette knife. Bake at 160C fan for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown. Take out of oven. Let cool. Cut into squares and store in airtight container.