If you are not from the UK the title of my post may be alarming!  It refers to tossing Pancakes, because today is Pancake Day!  We are talking thin crepe like Pancakes not the fluffy American ones just to get the record straight. 



Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent hence Pancake Day! 

It is also tradition to try and toss the pancake over to cook on the other side by flicking the pan and tossing the pancake into the air before catching it again (or hitting the floor or sticking the pancake to the roof- all have been done by me many times!)

Enjoy your pancakes!

Link to the perfect pancake recipe by the legendary Delia

Biscotti is the plural form of biscotto. The word originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning "twice-cooked/baked." It defined oven baked goods that were baked twice, so they were very dry and could be stored for long periods of time.

The best kitchen assistant

I get the twice baked thing but the lasting a long time part- rubbish, I can eat a batch of these in no time at all! 

I am a late breakfast eater. I like to get the kid to school, the husband to work, emails checked and washing on before I sit down for the first food of the day. Some days, when appointments and obligations call me out of the house early my late breakfast eating can mean I leave the house with nothing more than coffee on board and that is not good as a ginger molasses cookie from Starbucks starts to beckon me!

Biscotti are perfect for coffee drinking breakfast on the go types. Grab one on your way out and dunk into coffee and enjoy anytime.

Ingredients

Method

Sausage shaped dough ready for the first bake

Ready for the second bake

NAAN BREAD

Ingredients

• 150ml hand-hot Milk
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp dried fast action yeast
• 450g plain flour
• 1/2  tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus a little extra
• 150ml natural Yogurt
• 1 large Eggs, lightly beaten

Method

1. Put the milk in a bowl. Add 1 tsp of the sugar, and the yeast. Stir to mix. Set aside for 15-20 minutes or until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture is frothy.
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the remaining 1 tsp sugar, the yeast mixture, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and the yogurt and egg. Mix and form a ball of dough.
3. Empty the ball of dough on to a clean surface and knead it for 10 minutes or more, until it is smooth and satiny. Form into a ball. Pour about 1/4 tsp oil into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it. Cover the bowl with a piece of cling film and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
4. Pre-heat your oven to the highest temperature. Put the heaviest baking tray you own to heat in the oven. Pre-heat your grill.
5. Punch down the dough and knead it again. Divide into 6 equal balls. Keep 5 of them covered while you work with the sixth. Roll this ball into a tear-shaped naan, about 25cm in length and about 13cm at its widest. Remove the hot baking tray from the oven and slap the naan on to it. Put it immediately into the oven for 3 minutes. It should puff up. Now place the baking tray and naan under the grill, about 7.5-10cm away from the heat, for about 30 seconds or until the top of the naan browns slightly. Wrap the naan in a clean tea towel. Make all the naans this way and serve hot.

It's crazy busy in the house at the moment.  There is baking, playing, booking, organising and soaking up the winter sun as the snow melts a little.  Skating, skiing, trips to A & E (for me and just bruised nothing broken), guitar playing and eating huge T-Bone Steaks- see crazy busy! 

I have been busy re-designing my little blog too and have been venturing into the whole world of "code"!  It's so scary to start with- it's like that scene in the Matrix film when he sees all those green numbers scrolling!!  After much trial and error I am getting the hang of it and actually enjoy making things my own way instead of being set by a templates rules. 

There will be some Valentines cooking and baking going on this week and an update of my Project Life goings on- I am really finding my style and breaking all of the rules, but hey that's just me!