Bakestone Biscuits - Perfect for open fires or wood stoves

Based on an old Scottish recipe called bannocks, these biscuits are very versatile and require only simple ingredients.  They don't need baking in the oven so are perfect for cooking on campfires and wood burning stoves. You can use whatever spices or flavourings you have available to make these quick and delicious biscuits suit you.

Ingredients - no measurements required, each stage is done by eye so it is easy to make as much or as little as you like.

Oats - use medium oatmeal for a finer texture. To make your own oatmeal, put porridge oats in a bag, wrap in a tea towel and bash with a hammer, back of an axe or rolling pin until the oats are suffienciently broken. You can use a mix of whole oats and fine oats for the recipe.

Butter - melted. How much depends on the oats and required taste, generally about 1-2 tablespoons for 1 mug of oats.

Sugar - again depends on taste, I use 3 heaped tea spoons of soft brown sugar for 1 mug of oats.

Pinch of salt
Bigger pinch of baking powder
Hot water
Flour for rolling out the biscuits
1 teaspoon mixed spice


Method:

1. In a large bowl mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, salt and mixed spices.

2. Melt the butter and add to the oat mix. Stir really well until all the oats have been encorporated and are golden and sticky. Use more butter if you need to but stirring thoroughly will reduce the amount of butter needed.

3. Add enough hot water to turn the mix into a stiff paste. You generally don't need much, only 1 tablespoon. You will notice the texture changes from sticky and crumbly to more solid and shiny.

4. Flour a chopping board, put the oaty mix on it and add more flour on top of the mixture to help roll it out. Roll till about 5mm thick and cut into circles. (You can jus flour your hands and make them into rounds yourself if you have limited supplies, or use a plank as your board and a wine bottle as your rolling pin!)

5. Heat up a heavy based frying pan, dry - no grease. Use a frying pan if your using a hob, or a bakestone for an open fire, or just place directly on your wood burning stove.  Cook the biscuits for a minute or two on each side until golden and crispy. If they burn or cook to quickly then turn the heat down!

6. Enjoy your biscuits warm, or keep them in an air tight tin for a few days.

7. There are many ways to adapt this recipe and make a huge variety of wonderful biscuits. Try adding a few spoons of coco powder to the oats,  or ground ginger, or dried fruit, or rum soaked
raisins. You can experiment with sugars, try soft brown or golden caster, or even honey or golden
syrup.  You can simply use what you have available in your cupboards.

My favourite is to add good quality coco powder, mixed spices and rum soaked raisins to make
divine chocolate biscuits. If you can spare the butter, cooking these biscuits in a small amount of butter in a frying pan will result in super soft gooey texture, simply delicious!

Elderflower and Elderberry Victoria Sandwich

Elderberry Victoria Sandwich

The trick to getting this right is to first weigh your eggs (whilst in their shells is easiest!).  This is because when the eggs, butter, flour and sugar are all the same weight you get a perfect sponge! 

Ingredients:

3 Medium Eggs (weight is approx 180g)
*180g Butter - softened
*180g Self Raising Flour
*180g Caster Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Elderberry Jam (or jam of your choice)

*weigh your eggs and use the same weight for your flour, butter and sugar

for the icing:

250g Icing Sugar
1 table spoon Hot water
3 table spoons of Elderflower cordial (or flavour of your choice)



Method:

 1.   Preheat the oven to 180C or Gas mark 4. Grease and line two 18cm cake tins.

2. Using a wooden spoon beat the butter till its soft.

3. Add the sugar and beat with the wooden spoon until its creamy.  The more effort you put into this bit the lighter your sponge will be :)

4. Add the eggs one by one, along with one tablespoon of the flour each time.  Stir the mixture well inbetween eggs.

5. Add the Vanilla Essence with the last egg.  You want it all to be well mixed in to form a light airy consistency.

6. Add the salt and sift in the flour half at a time.  Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour into the mixture. (To fold you scrape round the side of the bowl, then straight through the middle, until its mixed well)

7. The mixture should drop of the metal spoon easily, if not then add a spoonful of hot water.

8. Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and use the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly.

9. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly golden and springy

10. Once cooled, spread the jam on the top of one sponge, then place the other sponge on top.

11.  Traditionally it is then sprinkled with caster sugar on top.  However I like to add a good layer of icing sugar.

12.  To make the elderflower icing sugar, sift the icing sugar into a bowl.  Mix one tablespoon of hot water with 3 tablespoons of cordial together in a cup, then gradually add the mixture, one spoon at a time, to the icing sugar until you get thick, smooth, glossy texture.

13.  Spread the icing ontop of the cake.  Start by pouring it all in the middle, then use a knife to spread to the sides.  This way you should achieve a smooth layer of icing.


NB: if using 20cm tins or bigger increase the amount of eggs to four, and adjust the weights accordingly.  Alternatively you can use one deep 18cm tin, and cut it in half horizontally, but you MUST wait until it is completely cooled.

Hot Chocolate / Chocolate Mousse - Wheat, Gluten, Dairy Free (contains egg yolks)

This delightful dessert works well both as a hot chocolate or a cooled mousse.  Ive modified the original recipee to take out the lactose in it, and it works really surprisingly well!  For those who can eat lactose, you can use whole milk and double cream if you like - but I think the result is too rich.  This lactose free version remains light as well as chocolatly and tasty :)

You will need

250ml Hemp Milk
125ml Coconut Milk
60g Sugar
1 tablespoon Corn Flour
35g Coco Powder
15ml Hot water
2 Egg Yolks
60g Dark Chocolate - chopped into chunks


Method:

1. Warm the milk in a pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar, coco powder and the corn flour.  Add 2 tablespoons of hot water and whisk into a paste

3. Next mix in the egg yolks, followed by the coconut water.

4. Put the eggy mixture into the pan of warmed milk. Keep on a low heat and stir continuously until it becomes thicker (almost like mayonaise - it may take 5mins or so)

5. Take off the heat and stir in the chocolate chunks

6. Enjoy hot, or leave to cool then place in the fridge to set.


P.S Dont know what to do with left over egg whites? Try mixing with 150g descicated coconut and about 100g icing sugar. Shape into balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven Gas mark 6 for 10 minutes.

Hemp Quiche - Wheat Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

 The last four months my IBS has been playing up and I'm once again lactose and wheat intolerant :(  So I have been experimenting with some dairy and wheat free recipes, and this is one of my favourites! Although there is no cheese, the lovely nutty hemp flavour with the veggies is delicious enough!

For the pastry base, I recommend experiment using a mixture of flours to see what works best for you.  Whether your wheat free or gluten free, Hemp and Gram (chickpea flour) are good options.  I have experimented with rye and spelt too, both of which make nice pastry, although these flours arent suitable for all.

You will need:

For the pastry:
100g Flour (in equal measure - Gram, Spelt, Hemp)
50g Soya Butter

3-4 eggs
200ml Water
A few handfuls of Hemp Seeds (whole/dehulled)

Veggie topping of your choice.

Method

1. First the pastry! Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it becomes like breadcrumbs. If you fancy an extra nutty hempy taste to your base,  add a small handful of hempseeds too.

2. Add small amounts of water and mix until you get a firm dough

3. Roll out and use it to line a well greased pie dish. Prick with a fork 8 times and bake in the oven for 5 minutes at Gas Mark 4 / 180C





4. Next make the hemp milk. Using a blender, mix a handful of hempseeds with 200ml of water and blitz for 2 minutes on full power. If you used whole seeds then I suggest you use a seive to strain out the shells.  If you dont have a blender, then either grind your hempseeds, or use dehulled hemp seeds, and gently heat them in a pan of 200ml of water till the water turns milky.



5. In a bowl, mix the beaten eggs and hemp milk together. Season well with salt, black pepper and mixed herbs.

6. Now begin to build up your layers of veggies in the pie dish. Its often good to start with a layer of tomato puree on the base, but instead a good sprinkling of hempseeds is tasty too. I suggest a layer of Sustainably fished Tuna,  topped with Sweetcorn, fried onions and finally tomatoes.  But any veggie combos will do.

7. Pour the eggy mixture over the top of the veggies, making sure everything is well covered.  Top it off with a good sprinkling of dehulled hemp seeds.

8. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes on gas mark 4 /180 C, or until it is set and the top is golden.



Veggie suggestions



Onions - chop and lightly fry until soft
Bacon - Chop and fry first
Broccoli - boil in water for 5 minutes first
Mushrooms - Slice and fry in butter first
Leek - slice and fry in butter first
Tinned salmon - extra nice if you top with fresh spinach and use riccota cheese
Tomatoes - slice up and place on top of quiche

Vegan Tea Bread

This simple recipe is great because it doesnt require much stuff or effort, its very cheap to make, and once youve tried it you can experiment with it easily!  Try adding your favourite nuts, seeds, candied fruit, hempseeds, or anything else you fancy!


You will need: 

all measurements are in cups, dont panic - its all about proportions, if you just use the same cup then itll work :)

1 cup of tea (any tea is nice, earl grey, redbush etc)
1 cup of raisens (or sultanas/currents/mixed peel)
2 cups of flour (self raising, or add 2 teaspoons of baking powder)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon mixed spice

Method

1. Put the kettle on and make 2 cups of tea.One of them is for you, dont add milk to the other one (but you can stir in a spoonful of honey if you want to)

2. Add the raisens to the cup of tea, and leave until the tea goes cold.

3. Next, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and spices to the tea mixture and stir well until all mixed together

4. Line a loaf tin with baking paper, and spoon the mixture into the tin.

5. Bake in the oven at Gas Mark 4 for about 45 minutes.

Depending on the depth of your tin it might need slightly more or less time, best way to check is to poke a knife into the cake, if it comes out clean its done, if it come out with raw cake mix on it then it needs more time!

Vegan Jam Rolly Polly

This recipe doesnt have to be vegan at all, the secret ingredient is Suet, which you can get both a Vegan and Meat version :)

You will need:

8oz Plain Flour
4oz Suet
A lot of Jam or marmalade
A spoonful of sugar
Optional - for a glaze, either Milk (cows/hemp/soya) or a beaten egg

Method:

1. Mix the Flour and suet together in a bowl.

2. Add spoonfuls of water, bit by bit, and stir in until you have a sturdy dough.

3. Roll out into a square on a lightly floured bit of baking paper

4. Spread your jam all over the square - nice and evenly

5.  Use the baking paper to help you roll the pastry.  The best way is to lift and roll, to ensure that you keep a good layer of jam as you roll round.

6. Once rolled, spoon over some milk as a glaze, then sprinkle on a spoonful of sugar. Dont use too much because the sweetness comes from the jam!

7. Bake in the oven at Gas mark 6 for 25 minutes, then gas mark 4 for another 15 minutes. Leave to cool before eating as hot jam is very very very hot!

Hemp Pancakes (with hemp milk)

Pancakes should be eaten more regularly than just on pancake day!  My favourite topping is Bacon and Maple syrup, once youve tried it youll never eat anything else!

Try these delicious hempy pancakes too!


You will need:

110g Plain Flour
Pinch Salt
2 eggs
50g Butter
275 ml of Water
2 Handfuls of hempseeds

Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.

2. Make a well in the middle and break the eggs into it. Whisk until its mixed well with the flour.

3. Hemp Milk: You need to make hemp milk now, its super easy! If you have a blender then blitz the 275ml water with a handful of hempseeds for 2 minutes. If you use whole seeds you'll have to sieve out the shell afterwards.  If you dont have a blender, then it may be easier to use dehulled seeds, just gently heat up the water with a handful of seeds until the water turns milky. Sieve out the seeds and leave to cool before using.

4. Next gradually add the milk, and whisk away until any lumps have disappeared.


5. Melt the butter and use it to lubricate your frying pan. Make sure you get the pan nice and hot before you start.

6. Use a cup or a ladel to spoon the mixture onto the frying pan, tilting the pan straight away to ensure you get a even coverage.  Cook for a minute or two on each side until golden.

7. For extra Hempy goodness try sprinkling a few hemp seeds on the frying pan as soon as you pour the batter in.  Or for a hempy overload, try adding a handfull of hemp seeds into the batter - this will give your pancakes a heavy hempy flavour, its very delicious!

Hemp Truffles

You will need:

275g Dark Chocolate
250ml Double Cream
50g Butter
50g Coco powder
50g Hemp seeds
Extra 50g Chocolate


Method:

1. Break chocolate up into small bits and put in a mixing bowl

2. Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate.  Stir gently until all the chocolate has melted.

3. Add the butter in 2 stages, and stir until its all smooth and glossy

4. Put the mixture in the fridge to set, for a minimum 3 hours or even overnight :)

5. Once set, take out the fridge. Put the coco powder in a bowl and lightly dust your hands with it.

6. Take spoonfuls of the mixture, roll into balls in your palm. Next drop them into the coco powder and turn until they are coated and place back in the fridge

7. Next.. if you want to add a crunchy coating to your truffles begin by melting about 50g of chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

8. Put the hemp seeds in a bowl. Take a truffle, drop it in the hempseeds, turn until coated.. then drop into the melted chocolate, turn until coated.

9. Place on a plate lined with foil or baking paper, and place back into the fridge until set :)

Sesame Snaps

You will need:

Feel free to be rough with the seeds/oats/nuts, a good sprinkle will do, as long as u have enough to cover your baking sheet :) You can also use alternative ingredients, such as differnet seeds/nuts to taste, you can also replace the peanut butter with tahini if you like :)

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raw butternut squash seeds
1/2 cup chopped pecans


1/2 cup hempseed
1 cup Sesame seeds
3 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon peanut butter
pinch of sea salt
pinch ground cinamon



Method 


1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4 /  325F

2. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and spread out the seeds, nuts and oats

3. Bake in the oven for 20minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent over browning

4. Meanwhile, combine the syrup, peanut butter, salt and cinamon in a pan over a medium heat for about 5 mins

5. Pour the syrup mixture over the seeds etc on the baking tray and press down gently

6. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then cut into squares

Mini Chocolate Puddings

This is not for the faint hearted :)  Its a nice gooey chocolate pudding, with a spongey outer and a hot melty chocolate centre. 100% indulgent - be warned.

You will need:

50g Good quality dark chocolate

50g Unsalted Butter
1 Egg

1 Egg Yolk
1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar
3 Tablespoons Plain Flour

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7 / 220'C / 425'F and lightly butter and a pudding bowl (I use a Le Creuset mug - all you need is a little bowl you can put in the oven - like a souffle cup) - then lightly flour the bowl with either coco powder, icin sugar, or just flour

2. Melt together the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of simmering water.  (its very important that the water in the pan doesnt touch the bottom of the heatproof bowl).  Once melted, leave to cool

3. Whisk together the egg and sugar until mixture is bubbly, then fold in the cooled chocolate mixture

4. Next add the flour and fold again until smooth

5. Pour the mixture into the bowl, and bake for 10 minutes - or until the top is firm.

6. Once done, turn them out into a bowl and eat right way :)


NB: If you're really stuck for something to make this in, then try in a bun case/cupcake papers and cook for slightly less time.

Vegan Butternut Squash and Chocolate Loaf

This recipe includes my favourite vegetable - butternut squash! Ive adapted it from a recipe book, and changed it to vegan, but it doesnt have to be vegan if you like, I'll include both options in the recipe :)

You will need:

225g Butternut Squash - raw, peeled and grated
350g Granulated Sugar
50g Butter (soya butter or marg)
100g Silken Tofu (or 2 large eggs)
400g Plain Flour
1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Mixed spice
Juice of half an Orange (Optional - see note at bottom about this)
50g Dark Chocolate - chopped into small chunks

1 loaf tin - buttered and lined with baking paper

 Method:

First - Preheat oven to gas mark 4 / 350'F / 180'C

1.  Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

2. Add the Tofu half at a time, beating inbetween each addition.

3. Add grated butternut squash and mix well

4. Add the orange juice to the mixture and stir well

5. Sift together the flour, bicarb of soda, salt, baking powder and spices.

6. Fold flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture until everything is incorporated

7. Add the chopped chocolate to the mixture and stir well

8. Bake in the oven for 50 mins to 1 hour (depends on how moist the squash is) Check by inserting a skewer: if it comes out clean then its done.

9. Leave to cool before eating, and enjoy! :)


 NB: I adapted this recipe from a green and blacks recipe book. It says to use Maya Gold chocolate, or any good quality orange chocolate..I couldnt find a vegan version of this, so I used Dark chocolate and the juice of half an orange, which worked well. This is optional really, if you cant be bothered with the orange then no worries, but bare in mind you might have to add about 50ml of water to the final mix if it is too dry :)

Homemade Pizza for Two

This recipe is great because its easy to knock up and consists of ingredients that you can find in your store cupboard!

You will need:

150g - 200g Plain flour (dependin on if you want 2 smaller pizzas or one big one)
1 teaspoon dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
A sprinkle of hemp seeds (optional)

Toppings of your choice

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together

2. Add about 4 tablespoons of warm water (not hot!). Add enough so that the dough becomes sticky

3. Knead it on a floured surface, and leave to stand in a warm place for 20 minutes

4. Roll out and add your desired toppings!


My suggestions are (not all together) a layer of tomato puree, cheese, mushrooms, ham, bacon, chorizo, sardines, tuna, onion, baked beans, hemp seeds!  If you dont have any tomato puree you can cheat by adding a tin of chopped tomatos, just add it to fried mushrooms/bacon/whatever and cook for a bit so it reduces!

5. Bake about 2/3rds of the way up the oven at Gas mark 5 for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Lebkuchen - Christmas Biscuits

Lebkuchen is a traditional German-Austrian christmas biscuit.  Whilst you can buy them in Lidl, these home made versions are super deliciously yummy and well worth a try :)

This recipe is adapted from Australian Womens Weekly "Big Book of Beautiful Biscuits"

You will need:

60g Butter
2 tablespoons Golden syrup
250g Plain Flour
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Cocoa powder
1 tablespoon milk
Jam - raspberry or blackberry
100g Dark Chocolate

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the golden syrup and bring to boil.

2. Remove from heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes

3. Add all the dry ingredients and milk. Stir well until smooth

4. Cover and leave to stand for an hour and half at room temperature, to allow mixture to form into a thick dough.

5. Once ready, turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead lightly, working in some of the flour until it loses its stickyness.

6. Using a rolling pin, roll out to about 8mm thick.  Cut out into your desired shape (hearts are best!) and place on a baking sheet, lightly greased and with baking paper.

7. Using the end of a wooden spoon, gently poke a dent into the centre of the biscuit.  Fill with half a teaspoon of jam.

8. Bake in the oven, Gas Mark 5 for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Leave to cool on tray.

9. Once cold, melt the chocolate in a pyrex bowl over a pan of boiling water.  Dip the base of the biscuit into the chocolate, and smooth off the excess choco with a knife.

10. Place jam side down on a foil lined tray and place in the fridge till choco is set.

Banana Bread

This recipe is from my second attempt at making Rory's favourite banana bread.  His instructions were for it to be thick, bananary and moist - and this recipe achieves it perfectly :)  It is my adapted version of a banana bread recipe I found in "Australian Women's Weekly - Cakes and Slices" book.


You will need:

Rory ate it so quickly I could only get a photo of half of it!

125g Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
180g Castor Sugar
2 Eggs
4 Mashed Bananas
230g Plain Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
(Optional - you can also add chopped nuts or raisins if  you like that sort of thing. about 100g)

Method:

1. Cream butter and sugar together, mix in the vanilla essence.

2. Beat in the eggs one at a time

3. Stir in half the mashed bananas and half the dry ingredients (flour, etc), mix well then add the second half and stir until its all combined.

4. If you are putting in additional bits like nuts/raisins fold them in now.

5. Pour mixture into a greased and lined baking pan.

6. Bake about Gas Mark 4 for 45mins to an hour.  Cooking time depends on the pan you use, a flat pan will need less time, or a big one like mine will take up to an hour.  You will know when its done if you poke in a knife or cocktail stick and it comes out clean (ie no raw mixture on it)

7. Leave to cool before eating. Enjoy!

Chicken with Pesto and Mozzarella

I stole this pic to give u a rough idea ;)

This is one of my favourite dinners of mums own recipes.  The pesto and mozzarella provide a delightful flavouring to the chicken whilst the pesto juices that run off make a delicious sauce which is scrumptious when poured over the mash potatoes.  yummys :)

It is easy to make as it only requires a few basic steps, and enough time whilst you wait for it to cook to whip up a cake or do other things.

You will need:

1 Chicken Breast per person
Pot of Green Pesto
125g Mozzarella
Knob of Butter

This is best served with Mash, so get some Potatoes too (and some parsnips / butternut squash / swede if you like magic mash)

Method:

1. If making mash, you may want to prep the veg first and place it in a pan of water, cover and leave to simmer away whilst you cook the rest of the meal (for about 25mins until soft)

2. Heat up the knob of butter in a frying pan on the hob

3. Add the chicken and cook for 5 mins on each side at a medium heat

4. Turn the heat down and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until it is cooked through and the juices run clear.

5.  Once done, spoon two or so teaspoons of pesto on each bit of chicken

6. Next gently place a few generous slices of mozzarella cheese on the top of the pesto

7. Transfer pan to a grill, and cook at a high heat for about 5 minutes or until all the cheese is nicely melted and browning. 

8. Whilst its browning under the grill, sort your mash out.  Drain the water off (and save it for veg stock if your super efficient), add a knob of butter, a splash of milk and mash with a potato masher.

9. Serve next to your mash, and don't forget to pour the pesto juices from the pan over the top too!

10. Enjoy!

Practical Guide to Skipping / Dumpster Diving / Bin Raiding / Freegan

i.e. Finding edible waste food in bins

Inspired by my last post, and my reminiscing on having found my first ever haggis in a supermarket skip, I thought I'd write a quick guide of how to source out and find good quality food in the bins of shops that throw it away.

Like most people, I knew about skipping for a long time before I ever tried it.  It sounded like a great idea, but I was nervous about the quality of the food avaliable and whether it was really edible.  However, once I gave it a go, I realised just how fine it all was and I regretted not doing it sooner! It is truely shocking that food in such good condition gets thrown away everyday by supermarkets, especially when so many people are hungry/ homeless.  You will be amazed at what you will find, and with often so much avaliable you can be as picky as you like in deciding what to take.

The advantages to skipping are

• It cuts down your food bill massively
• It encourages you to try new types of food
• It makes you more inventive with your cooking
• You don't know what you'll find, so its more fun than normal shopping
• You'll feel great about helping to reduce the amount of food that is wasted by supermarkets

Where to go 

There are many great places to look for your food.  Up-market shops are normally much better, as they are less bothered about throwing away perfectly good food.  So Marks & Spencer's and Waitrose are brilliant for skips.

Other good places are Co-operative, health food places (like As Nature Intended), any independent bakery, Iceland, occasionally Tescos, fruit/veg markets plus many more! Instead of going into your usual shopping place, have a look round the back instead :)

It is often better to go at night, as you are less likely to be seen by anyone, and they throw most of the food away at the end of the day.  However, in desperate times you can have a look in the daytime / late afternoon.


What to take

Remember to use your common sense when picking food - use your senses to determine if the food is going to be okay to eat. Smell - if it smells rank it'll probably taste it so leave it in the bin! Look at the packaging, if its meat/dairy then if the packaging is swollen up like a bubble, then its off - leave it behind.  Also remember to check the dates, sometimes food is just a day off, or a few days so it'll be fine... occasionally it'll be months and months off, so be careful.  The more you do it the better you will get at judging whether its edible or not.

Best options are:

• Fruit and Veg -  because you can see clearly the state they are in.  
• Meat and Dairy - if they are just a day or two past their dates they can be frozen or eaten straight away
• Bakery goods are usually fine, the common term for them is 'gack', usually because if they are all merged together and become one big squishy sweet mess (its delicious!).

Remember you only have to take the things you feel happy about.  Even if you just skip one loaf of bread every few days, then its better than nothing! The first few times you may be a bit squeemish about it, but as you get used to it you'll get more stuck in. Usually if you dig down deep you'll find a treasure cove of many wonderful things! Soon youll be in there head first with someone holding your ankles as you rummage :)

Etiquette 

There are a few basic rules of etiquette when skipping.

1. Never leave a mess. Always make sure you tidy up nicely when you are done, leaving no rubbish.
2. Always leave some stuff behind as someone else might skip there after you and its unfair to take it all
3. Only take as much as you need. (As tempting as it may be to take lots, ask yourself will you really use twenty avocados..?)

The Law

In the UK, skipping is technically stealing, but don't let this stop you because its easy to avoid any confrontation with the law.  The main thing is access: if you have to climb over a fence or wall to get to the bins then it counts as trespass, which you can be arrested for.

Don't worry too much though, as if the police ever do find you raiding the bins, then you can easily talk your way out of it by explaining that you're hungry, by showing them the quality of the food and that it is going to waste, and even by offering them some too.  This will pretty much work with anyone who catches you.

I have only heard of one person being arrested for skipping, and it was because he climbed over a fence to access the bins, and the coppers only took him in because he wasn't on record already, and he got just a caution.  If you are worried, just only ever go to bins where there is open access and you'll be fine :)

Good luck and happy skipping :)

Ode to Haggis

This is not a recipe, instead I am going to try ad convince you to try haggis because it is just delicious!

Most people have heard horrible things about haggis, and the idea of it being boiled in a sheeps stomach is enough to turn most people off it.  However, most modern haggis is in casing rather than a stomach, and if your still unsure then why not try vegetarian haggis!

The main reason I like haggis so much is because its delicious, its super easy to prepare (can microwave it in minutes), its cheap, its lovely and meaty and it tastes like the nicest stuffing in the world!  You can eat it on its own, or have it with mash potatoes and veg.

My first experience of haggis was fairly recently.  Some friends of mine found a vegetarian haggis in the bins outside M&S in a skipping mission.  One of my friends who was already a fan highly recommended it, and I thought well because its vegetarian, whats the worst that can happen.  Well, I was very pleased I tried it because it was so nice!  I am a really big fan of stuffing - I always insist we have as many types at xmas as possible, and I often taste test different flavours on the run up to xmas - and the haggis I tried was just like a rich, filling, flavoursome, perfect stuffing! Yum yums

So after that I was converted, and I was especially excited to try a meaty haggis to see if it was as good.  Luckily, a few weeks later my friends skipped a proper haggis, and after boiling it up on the camp fire for about half and hour it was ready!  It was amazing! So meaty, and filling, and warming and tastey.

 I cant really describe the wonder of the taste to you! It is so nice you just have to try it yourself! Its avaliable in most supermarkets - but I would recommend better quality ones for a better taste!  If you are low on funds Haggis can be a great way to get your meaty fill on a budget - or better still have a look in your local super market bins - especially after Burns night on the 25th January!

Try it! You wont regret it!!

Sweet Chestnut and Whiskey Jam

Sweet Chestnut and Whiskey Jam

I found this recipe in an old preserves book, and have made a few up to date changes for it. Its very simple to make, and avoids all that 'setting point' nonsense that fruit jam requires :) Plus it makes a wonderful christmas present!

You will need:

250g cooked peeled chestnuts - I used "Merchant Gourmet hand selected whole chestnuts - roasted and ready to use" It claims to be 200g but when I weighed it it was actually 250g
NB: of course you can use your own foraged sweet chestnuts, tho it is a bit more hassle!

1 Vanilla pod - or vanilla essense

150g Soft light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon of Whiskey

1 small sterilised jar - This recipe doesnt make much, double or triple it if you wish to make tons
- to sterile heat jar in the oven gas mark 4 for 20 mins

Method:

1. Put chestnuts in a pan and add enough water to cover. Add either vanilla pod, or half teaspoon of vanilla essence.

2. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover and simmer for 30 mins. Stir occasionally, and make sure it doesnt boil dry (you can always add a bit more water)

3. Then remove vanilla pod (if used), and strain, but reserve the liquid!

4. Puree the chestnuts with blender, or potatoe masher.

5. Add about 100ml of the liquid back in again. Add half teaspoon more vanilla essense, or if using a pod scrape out and add the seeds

6. Add the sugar and stir. As the sugar disolves it should become a smooth puree

7. Bring to the boil and cook until it thickens. Keep stirring and it should take about 5 mins

8. Remove from the heat and add the whiskey and stir well.

9. Put into sterilised jars, cover with a circle of baking paper and put on air tight lid.

Leave to mature for 2 days in a cool dry place before eating, or store unopened for 6 months :)

Easy Peasy Quiche

Quiche

Easy peasy quichy :) Very simple recipe, and you can add your own flavours to it depending on what you have about

You will need:

For the pastry: 150g Flour, 75g Butter

3-4 eggs
200ml milk
150g grated cheese

Method:

1. First the pastry! using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it becomes like breadcrumbs

2. Add small amounts of water and mix until you get a firm dough

3. Roll out and use it to line a well greased pie dish. Prick with a fork 8 times and bake in the oven for 5 minutes at Gas Mark 4

4. In a bowl, mix the beaten eggs, milk and cheese together.

5. Layer up some extra flavours on the pie dish! (see below for suggestions) My favourite is a layer of tomatoe puree on the base, followed by a layer of tinned tuna, couple of spoons of sweetcorn and some broccoli!

6. Pour the eggy mixture over the top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes on gas mark 4, or until it is set and the top is golden.


Ideas for your quiche!

Onions - chop and lightly fry until soft
Bacon - Chop and fry first
Broccoli - boil in water for 5 minutes first
Mushrooms - Slice and fry in butter first
Leek - slice and fry in butter first
Tinned salmon - extra nice if you top with fresh spinach and use riccota cheese
Tomatoes - slice up and place on top of quiche

Mix and match these, or add your own ideas to create delicious quiches. Simples :)

Fast Ginger Beer

Fast Ginger Beer

If you've never brewed your own booze before this is a great way to start! Its a very simple to make and only takes 2 days to brew up! Perfect way to save money on booze at a party :)

You will need:

1/4 teaspoon of yeast
100g caster sugar (can use more sugar if you like, but I found 100g to be sweet enough)
2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 good tablespoon of honey

1 two litre screw top plastic bottle - sterilise with sterilising tablets

Method:

1. Using a funnel (or jug) pour the yeast and sugar in the bottle.

2. Mix the ginger, lemon juice and honey together, and pour into the bottle

3. Fill 3/4 with water, put the lid on and shakey shake until the sugars desolved

4. Top up the bottle with water, but leave a 2 inch gap for gas production.

5. Cap it tightly and place somewhere warm (like an airing cupboard) for about 48 hours. Once the bottle is hard with no give it should be ready.

6. Remember to chill your beer for a few hours before you drink it! and be warned! Its very very fizzy so open over a sink or outside!

7. Alternativly, you can poke a hole in the lid of the bottle and fit a bubbler, then leave to brew for a week before drinking.  It will be stronger but less fizzy :)