Christmas Desserts made easy with Aldi

The Christmas holidays are almost upon on and by now most people have a guest list and know how many people to expect for Christmas dinner and over the bank holidays. Planning a sit down meal for a large number of people can be very stressful. The trick to get every thing to work to clockwork is:

1.  Plan your shopping list well in advance, this is really important so that you do not end up with things falling short at last minute. Start buying non perishables ahead so you can  spread the cost of the shopping bill. 
2. Prepare a time schedule which includes preparation and cooking times for Christmas dinner.
3. Prepare what ever will keep well in advance such as peeling vegetables making desserts and starters  and also freezing things.
4. Delegate some tasks to family members, remember every little help will mean less stress for you.
5. Set the Christmas dinner table the day before is a great time saver. 
6. Have plenty of disposable crockery that you can use in case of unexpected guests. Plastic cups and plates and foil trays are very useful.
7. Cheat!!! Buy some desserts and treats no one will mind or really judge you. They will be too busy enjoying them selves to notice!!

In my family we always welcome unexpected guests, to ensure I have plenty of food to go around I always keep extra vegetables and a couple of vegetarian pies in the freezer that can be easily prepared to accommodate extra friends. I also keep plenty of ready desserts in my fridge and freezer. Not every one likes mince pies and Christmas cake so to have some alternate desserts are always a good idea.

This year I have been checking my local Aldi store that only opened 5 months ago in a near by town. Its great to have the store within a 15 minute drive away as I find that all the food is high quality and of exceptional taste.The choice is vast and Aldi offer great value for money and luxury items at unbeatable prices.

Aldi have introduced the specially selected Exquisite Christmas desserts range. They are beautifully packaged in a turquoise and gold packaging and look very luxurious. Some of the items in the range are:

•  Specially Selected Exquisite Christmas Cake
•  Specially Selected Exquisite Vintage Christmas Pudding
•  Specially Selected Exquisite Yule Log
•  Specially Selected Exquisite Mince Pies
•  Specially Selected Exquisite Handcrafted Truffles
•  Specially Selected Exquisite Handcrafted Chocolate Slabs
•  Specially Selected Large Fondant Macaroons
•  Specially Selected Croquembouche  
•  Specially Selected Melt In The Middle Puddings
•  Gluten Free Christmas Pudding
•  Gluten Free Mince Pies

I have stocked up on few of these items and I can vouch that they are really delicious. You may ask how I know this since we have not had Christmas dinner yet!!!! The secret is that when I bought the desserts my family could not resist them so we have sampled out a few so that we can select our favourites to stock up for Christmas. They are so irresistable it is going to be really hard to make them last till Christmas and I can see my self making frequent visits to stock up.

Our family favourites were:

Specially Selected Exquisite Mince Pies- These mince pies have a light airy pastry (They are suitable for vegetarians too) and the ratio of the mincemeat to pastry is perfect. They are garnished with flaked almonds making them look lavish and enjoyable with a glass of mulled wine. The pies retail at £2.99 for a box of 6 and they are already available in all stores at the moment. 

• 
  

Specially Selected Large Fondant Macaroon-  These giant Macaroons come in two flavours Chocolate with a chocolate ganache centre and  Raspberry with Raspberry centre. Found in the freezer section these Macaroons need to be warmed between 30-50 seconds in the microwave to melt the ganache in the centre before serving. The pool of warm chocolate ganache against the melt in the mouth light macaroons makes this dessert heavenly and simply delectable. A box of two macaroons retail at £1.99 and they are also available for purchase in stores now.

Specially Selected  6 Chocolate & Fruit Dessert  Shots- These mini desserts are perfect for ending an elaborate Christmas meal. Simply satisfying they come in three flavours; Exotic fruit meringue, Raspberry and whipped mascarpone and White and dark chocolate mousse. Each mini dessert is beautifully presented in distinct layers in mini shot glasses. Rich and decadent you might find your self reaching out for a second shot!!!! These retail at £2.99 for a box of 6 and can be found in the freezer section.

Specially Selected Exquisite Handcrafted Chocolate Slabs- These beautifully made chocolates come in three different flavours, White chocolate with Raspberries and Peach, Dark chocolate and Sparkling Wine and Milk Chocolate and Blackcurrant. These enticing flavours make them the perfect for gifting or for after dinner treats. You will also be surprised that they are only£2.49  each and all the three flavours can be found in the confectionery section of all the stores.

Specially Selected Exquisite Handcrafted Truffles - These truffles are perfect to serve with coffee to end the Christmas meal. Daintily packaged in a beautiful box with gold ribbon trims, these individually glazed and hand decorated chocolates come in mouth watering flavours such as Cranberry, Fig and Cognac, Mango and basil, Royal Marc de champagne, Apricot, Cherry, Bitter chocolate, Coconut and Gingerbread. These distinct flavours are unique and simply sensuous! A box of these amazing truffles are only £4.99 and they too are found in the confectionery section.

This Christmas you can do your complete Christmas shopping  at Aldi. Apart from desserts I have featured, Aldi  also have amazing appetisers, starters, cheeses, crackers, luxury biscuits, sweet treats confectionery, fruit and vegetables, all types of meats together with wines and spirits. Why not make Aldi your one stop shop for Christmas this year. 

I would love to hear about your Christmas stories, tricks and tips to help make Christmas less stressful in the kitchen. Please do share them in the comments below. Have a wonderful foodie filled festive Christmas.

*This is a collaborative post with Aldi

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

My love affair with Homesense continues and I am not ashamed to admit it either. I adore that shop and the more I visit it the more my love for it is growing. If this was a real life romance I would be married to this shop by now. I am truly head over heels and infatuated with everything that it sells.

On my recent visit I was looking for some Christmas gifts for family and friends, when I accidently stumbled upon this set of beautiful  Glazed terracotta pot and matching serving bowls. It did not take much self persuasion to add them to my shopping basket!!! I had read somewhere recently that one should be kind to one self so taking heed of that advise, I convinced my self that I too need to purchase a Christmas present for me!!!

Convincing over, the pots carefully wrapped and in my shopping basket I was ready to go home. I could not wait to feature them here and so this Tortilla Soup recipe came to mind. I adapted the non veg version and converted it to make it vegetarian.

The soup is spicy, hearty and warming and a complete meal in its self. Furthermore it can be made with any vegetables in season and using store cupboard ingredients such as tinned beans and passata which I keep plenty of in my pantry.

My family love the soup garnished with aromatic coriander, ripe avocado slices, dollops of sour cream or creme fraiche and for the crunch toasted tortilla sticks seasoned with paprika.

print recipe

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

by Nayna Kanabar December-12-2016

Spicy vegetable and bean soup with tortilla, avocado and sour cream.

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Carrot 1 cm diced
• 200 g Butternut squash 1 cm diced
• 1 Medium Leek chopped in 5 mm round circles
• 1 Medium Red Onion 1 cm diced
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 Red chilli de seeded and finely chopped
• 250 g Sieved tomatoes (passata)
• 250 g Precooked mixed beans
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon White pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 400 ml Water

For Garnish:

• 2 Tortilla wraps
• 1/2 tablespoon Olive oil
• pinch of Salt
• pinch of Paprika
• 1 Ripe Avocado sliced
• 4 tablespoons Sour Cream
• 1 tablespoon Fresh Coriander finely chopped

Method:

1. Brush the tortillas with the olive oil and cut them in half. Then cut them into 1 inch strips.Place in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees C to crisp up. 2. Remove the tortillas from the oven and sprinkle with salt and paprika and keep a side.3. Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot add the 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the garlic and onions and leeks and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and butternut squash and 400 ml water and cook the vegetables for 8 minutes.4. Add the passata, beans, salt, pepper, paprika, chillies and cumin and simmer the soup for another 10 minutes.5. Once all the vegetables have cooked check the seasoning and adjust as required.6. Spoon the soup into large serving bowls, garnish with chopped coriander, avocado slices, and dollops of sour cream. Top the soup with a stack of the toasted tortillas.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: Serves 4

**This post is in collaboration with Homesense.

Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

Pasta is a staple dish in my family's weekly meal planner. We have it at least once a week. Since its so easy to cook and there are so many variations in the way you can serve pasta, you can never get bored with it. One dish that is a firm family favourite is Roasted tomato spaghetti. It's so effortless to prepare, making it the perfect week night meal when everyone is hungry after work and you need a speedy tasty dish.

There is a lovely section of pasta recipe ideas on the Bertolli web site. I have taken inspiration for this dish from Gennaro Contaldo's Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce but I have adapted it by adding some of my family's favourite vegetables. Making the recipe using the Bertolli with butter really enhances the flavour of the dish.

print recipe

Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

by Nayna Kanabar December-1-2016

Buttery spaghetti tossed in a sauce made with cherry tomatoes roasted with peppers, onion and garlic.

Ingredients:

• 200 g Spaghetti
• 1 teaspoon Bertolli with Butter
• 2 litres Water
• 1 teaspoon Salt

For the Sauce

• 300 g Cherry Tomatoes cut in halves
• 1/2 each Red /Green Pepper cut into 1 inch dice
• 1 Red onion peeled and cut into 1 inch dice
• 2 cloves Garlic peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon Bertolli with Butter
• 12 Basil leaves

Method:

1. In an oven proof dish add 1.5 teaspoons of Bertolli with butter. To the dish add the cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers.2. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper and toss together. Place in a preheated oven for 25 minutes until the vegetables soften but are still holding shape.3. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven. Tear the basil leaves by hand and stir into the roasted vegetables. Leave them to wilt for a minute or two from the heat of the vegetables. Stir in the chilli flakes.4.In a large pan add the water and bring it to the boil, add 1 teaspoon salt and add the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti until its al dente 5. Drain the spaghetti and add 1 teaspoon Bertolli with butter, toss the spaghetti so that its coated with the butter.6. Add the roasted vegetable sauce to the cooked spaghetti and toss it all so that the spaghetti is coated with the sauce.7. Spoon into pasta bowls and serve piping hot.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: Serves 2

**This recipe is in collaboration with Bertolli.

The patterned Nador plates featured in this post were press samples supplied by Forma. The plates are really pretty and come in various designs and colours. They  designs are available as side plates, soup plates and dinner plates. There are also other accessories available in the range such as spoon holders, platters and cups.They are available to purchase from Forma House

Eggless Black Forest Cake

Since the Great British Bake off series was on I have been baking more than I usually do. I joined in a bloggers baking group on face book where a group of amateur bakers took inspiration from the shows weekly challenges and recreated the  many bakes that the contestants made. I really had fun participating and making new friends. It was a big learning curve for me, where I attempted things like homemade phyllo pastry, churros and mousse cake. All these bakes were really out of my comfort zone but the show really inspired me to rise to the challenges.
This week I was well and truly surprised when I heard that Tesco who were sponsoring the Bloggers bake had selected three winners, I am most excited to have come second place which is totally unexpected.

In  celebration of this win I have made an eggless black forest cake, Black forest gateau is one of my favourite flavours so this is a variation of it.

print recipe

Black Forest Cake

by December-02-2016

Delicious and moist chocolate cake flavoured with morello cherries and decorated with whipped cream and morello cherries and chocolate shavings.

Ingredients:

• 300 g plain flour
• 240 g sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 60 g cocoa powder
• 75 ml sunflower oil
• 220 ml water
• 410 g black cherry pie filling
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 240 ml whipping cream
• 60 g icing Sugar
• Dark chocolate shavings 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 Degrees F.2. Grease a loose bottom cake tin and line it with grease proof paper.3. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa in a large mixing bowl.Stir in the sugar.4. In a jug add the oil, water,vanilla essence and vinegar and mix together 5. Fold the wet ingredients from the jug into the sifted flour mixture.6. Open the can of cherries and remove half the cherries and keep them a side for garnish. The remaining juice and cherries add to the cake batter and fold gently. Transfer the batter to the cake tin and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.7.While the cake is baking, add the cream to a bowl and whisk it with the icing sugar to form stiff peaks. Spoon the cream into an icing bag fitted with a star nozzle. and keep the cream in the fridge to chill.8. Once the cake is baked, remove it from oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove it from the tin and leave to fully cool on a wire rack.9. Transfer the cooled cake onto a serving dish and pipe circles of rosettes on the the top of the cake with the cream. In the centre add the remaining cherries.Garnish with some dark chocolate shavings to finish off.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cooking time: 45 mins Total time: 65 minutes Yield: 1 cake /8 slices

I baked my cake in my new non stick 100% leak proof and watertight PushPan. The PushPan is easy to use, it 's base is sealed by a silicon gasket which prevents any leaks whilst baking. The pan ensures an even bake. it is dishwasher safe, ovenproof and freezer safe too. The PushPan range comes in various sizes and are perfect for all types of baking.

I was sent a press sample of the PushPan to test out, all views and opinions are my own. The PushPan  photos are used with permission.

As always simplyfood likes to give readers a chance to try the products we use in our kitchen. I am excited that I have 1 PushPan  to giveaway to one lucky winner.

How To Enter:

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• This competition is open to UK residents OVER 18 YRS  only .Please read the rules below .
• Leaving a blog comment is mandatory and failure to do so will void any other entries.
• Closing date - 18th Dec 2016 12.00 am
• Prize 1 8 inch PushPan

How Rafflecopter works:

·        You will need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment. You can do this by clicking on leave a comment at the bottom of the post and leaving your reply in the comment box.Please note your comment will not show immediately as it needs to be moderated however rest assured it will appear on the site, so carry on with rest of entries.

·        Login to Rafflecopter – click to see what the question is. Make a comment answering the question on the blog.

·        Go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell me you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options. All entries are checked to see that the mandatory question is answered, if its not all bonus entries will become void. 

·        Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf.

·        For information on how to find the URL of your tweet click here. 

·        For bonus entries you can return to this page and enter the daily bonus entries. 

·        If you are still unsure as to how Rafflecopter works please do check out this short video.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cooking up a curry with Tefal Ingenio

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen as I really enjoy cooking. However to get good results its important to have the right equipment and tools in the kitchen. For me more than anything else in my kitchen, I need to have good quality pots and pans. For many years now I have equipped my kitchen with Tefal range. I find that the quality of the pans and their non stick finishes allow me to cook food evenly and healthily using very little oil.

I am a big pan of Tefal so recently when I was invited to a Cookery master class hosted by Tefal to test out their Tefal Ingenio pans at L'atelier des Chefs I was really excited.

The beauty of these pans is that  they feature  a special  non-stick coatings and patented Thermo-Spot technology that lets you know when the pan has reached optimum cooking temperature.



*Photo supplied by Tefal

Furthermore the pans have a detachable handle allowing you to place them in the oven or fridge . All the pans also come with an additional hermetic Ingenio lid  that can be used on the pans if you want to cover and store food in the fridge.
For easy storage all the handles are detachable making it easy to stack the pans so that they will fit into the smallest storage space.



At the masterclass we were able to put to test the Tefal Ingenio range of pans. I found the pans really lightweight but at the same time sturdy.

                *Photo supplied by Tefal

We split into two groups and after a demo from our chef for the day, we started preparing our ingredients for our feast of Roti, Green Coriander Chutney, Tandoori marinated Chicken and Paneer Skewers and a Karahi Okra and Potato curry.

We  made Tandoori marinated Chicken and Paneer Skewers for starters. Aromatic spices were roasted in the Ingenio Pan and then ground to a powder in a pestle and mortar. The ground spice was added to yoghurt and this marinade was used to flavour the paneer and chicken. Once they had absorbed the flavours the chicken and paneer were threaded on skewers and pan cooked before finally finishing them in the oven.

Our next dish was the Karahi Okra and Potato curry, a delicious potato and okra curry in a thick onion and tomato based curry sauce. After sauteing the garlic and onions, we added finely chopped peppers, tomatoes and spices, together with the potatoes. The curry was cooked for 10 minutes after which we added pan sauteed okra and garnished with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

To  accompany the curries we made rotis , an Indian flat bread. After making a dough of flour and water, it was left to rest. Once ready it was rolled into round circular rotis and roasted in the Ingenio pan. The rotis were smeared with butter to add softness and extra flavour.

Finally we made a coriander chutney to go with the skewers. The meal prepared we were able to sit and enjoy the food with a glass of wine.

Cooking with the Tefal Ingenio pans was really a good experience. The masterclass was really fun and extremely enjoyable. As they say many hands make light work, this certainly was the case as the whole team worked really well together to create the most delicious and mouth watering feast.

If you like the sound of this class, you too can experience it at L'atelier des Chefs. It would make the perfect Christmas present  for a foodie friend or family member. You can use this 10% Off promo code "TEFAL10"   which is valid on their 60min, 90min and 2hr classes.

This post is in collaboration with Tefal, all views, opinions expressed are of my own experience. All photos taken at the event are my own except the two product photos that were courtesy of Tefal.

7 Instagram tips to get you started on Instagram.

I am no expert on Instagram but over the past few months, I have come to enjoy it very much, it has by far become my favourite social media platform. Since I mostly blog about food I find that Instagram is a really nice platform to share my food photos which are very visual and it also helps me to engage with other foodies too.

Here are a few things that that have worked for me when I started my account so I am sharing them in this post. There is no right or wrong, these are some ideas that I find worked well for me.

Create a user name:

• If you are a  blogger it is a good idea to have same or similar user name on all social media that is same as blog so that it creates an identity that links to all your platforms. 
• Make sure you set your profile to Public.

Writing a Bio:

• Keep the bio interesting, precise and to the point that tells the follower what your account is about.
• Include your blog url and email address for people to be able to easily contact you.

Take good pictures:

• Don't be tempted to post a blurred photo that are out of focus. Instagram is very visual, try and make your photos eye catching and beautiful.
• Try not to post a mix of genres in a random fashion, attempt to post at least three pictures that follow on from one another or can connect in some way.

Optimise hashtags:

• Use hashtags that are specific to your post and add them at the end of your post, they provide a way for others to find your photos under a specific theme or topic. 
• Never add hashtags in between your post description as it makes it look spammy. 
• Take advantage of trending hashtags and if they are relevant to your post use them.

Posting:

• Post regularly preferably have a set time pattern but do not spam. 
• Write a description to go with your image, a good description, location etc helps the reader know what your content is about .
• Some times to create more interaction ask a question , this will encourage  followers to interact with a reply.

Interact:

• Follow and interact with other users that have similar content to yours.  
• Visit your favourite accounts, interact with other users and like and leave meaningful comments on their posts.

Common Courtesy:

• Check your posts and if people leave comments take the time to reply, thank and engage with them

The most important thing to remember is to create a Vibe and keep it regular. This can be achieved through using a set colour palette, choosing a set theme ie travel, food, crafts  and being consistent with your posts. Once you have set up your instagram page be it for personal use or to promote your blog or brand its important to maintain it.You can even get advise and help from sites such as Vibbi which is a one stop shop for all instagram marketing.

Is there any other things that I should be doing to grow my instagram account and get more engagement?? I would love to hear your tips, do share them in the comments below.

*This post is in collaboration with Vibbi.

Ghanaian Supper Club with Patti Sloley

I have recently discovered Ghanaian food and my love for African dishes has been rekindled. I am in love with all the spices and all the amazing flavours that are used in the cooking. I have been trying many Ghanaian recipes and over time I shall endeavour to share them on this blog. I recently created a recipe for Jollof Rice with Plantain Chips which was super delicious and has become a firm favorite amongst my family.

Through my blogging journey I am fortunate to get many opportunities to attend events one such opportunity came recently when I was invited to attend a Ghanaian themed supper club hosted by Patti Sloley at Halseys Deli and Eatery in Hitchin. Patti is a chef, a cookery teacher, an author and a remarkable lady. Her personality is so vibrant that within five minutes of meeting her I felt I had made a friend for life. She is extremely passionate about what she does and it clearly shows in her food which I was excited to sample.

The evening started with drinks and nibbles, Plantain chips are moreish and you could nibble at them all night. I love them and I recently made a batch of my own, you can check the recipe here.

Once seated we were served a delicious warm Yam Chowder made with Coco Yam, Yam, Guinea Pepper and Sweetcorn, the non vegetarians had the addition of bacon to theirs. The Chowder was spicy, beautifully flavoured and rich in texture and flavour. It was the perfect starter as the Autumn weather was rather cold.

For the main course menu, there was Egusi , its a type of Ghanaian stew that can be made with fish, meat and vegetables and its thickened with ground melon seeds. The non vegetarian versions had two types one with fish and one with meat. The vegetarian version was made with peppers, onions, garlic,scotch bonnet chilli, okra all cooked in a tomato base and thickened with ground Egusi (melon seeds). 

Patti demonstrated how to make the vegetarian version of the Egusii in front of us. It was a wonderful experience to watch her create the dish live. You can watch Patti cooking this beautiful dish in the video below.

The Egusi was served with turmeric rice, sauteed spinach, cauliflower florets and Spiced Fried plantain. It was comfortably hot due to the addition of the scotch bonnet chilli. The flavours were delicious and the texture of the stew from the Egusi seeds was thick and creamy.The main course was colourful, beautifully presented and simply divine.

With out tummies full and our palates well seasoned from the spice, we were served a palate cleanser in the form of an aromatic fresh fruit salad served in a lemongrass and ginger syrup. It was refreshing and really did the trick.

Dessert of Plantain pudding came next in the form of a moist slice of Light  Christmas pudding. It was served with vanilla and coffee mascarpone cream. It was hard to believe that the Plantain pudding was egg, sugar and butter free. It tasted absolutely delectable. For someone who does not like fruit cake or Christmas pudding I devoured the whole plate!!!!!

Finally the meal was completed with a warm glass of Hissap, a hibiscus drink infused with warm spices.

I was totally in heaven at this super gastronomical feast and my love for Ghanaian food has now been taken to new heights.

I would like to thank Patti, the Halsey Deli  and also Heidi Roberts who invited me to attend the Supper Club. All the views expressed in this post are of my experience of the meal as are all the photographs shown. To find out more about Pattis Supper Cubs do check her website at Patti's Menu

You can also read about Heidi's account of our experience here.