Biscuits for all seasons

One of the nicests things at this time of year is some home baking. You want to keep it simple though.

My brother in law is a baker and gave my husband and myself this wonderful recipe. So very basic but you can add anything to it to make it more seasonal.

400g soft white plain flour, or self raising
225g soft butter
120g sugar (caster is fine)
20ml water (depending on flour you may need a little more water)

Preheat oven to 380-400f/190-200 C/ Gas 5-6.

Mix together into a crumbly consistency - almost like plastecine (play dough) but not quite as sticky.

You can either roll this out now or roll into a tube shape, wrap in cling film and refrigerate until required. If rolling now, do this really quite thin.

Cut out biscuit shape (we just use a glass to do this).

Place on grease proof paper on tray and put in oven for approximately 6-8 minutes, until golden.

You can ice or jam it while hot.

This is the basic recipe. You can add cinnamon/nutmeg or other spices to it at the mixing stage - just under a tsp of whatever you like. You can add any kind of topping you like. It comes out a little like thin shortbread, really tasty. If you have put it away for later, simply slice it off the tude shape when ready but do remember to make them thin.

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Chicken (or veg) in Brandy Sauce

We had this last night for dinner. A lovely winter warmer. You can make this as a veggie option by substituting the chicken with some vegetables, such as carrot, turnip, green beans and puy lentils.

Serves 2
Brown off 2 chicken chopped breasts, or your veg/puy lentils, in a small amount of oil.
Put aside and add 1 medium onion, chopped to the pan and 2 large button/chestnut mushrooms (sliced). Cook off for 2-3 mins, until onion transparent.
Add 2 tsps Dijon mustard.
Add 1/2 tsp white pepper. Black pepper will do if you don't have white.
Return chicken to pan.
Add 2 capfuls brandy.
Add 1/4 stock cube with 1/4 pint hot water.
Allow to cook until chicken cooked through.
Add 2 dsps Creme fraiche.
Heat through and serve with potatoes, veg of your choice or rice. This particular meal goes very well with a slice of black pudding (if you are not vegetarian).

This really is a lovely winter warmer and if taken with th black pudding, it is a serious protein and iron kick!.

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Heaty winter vegetarian soup

One of the best things to eat during the cold winter months is a lovely bowl of homemade soup.

A great health boost is to have barley in that soup but many of us aren't a fan of broth, so how do we get the hearty grain into a soup we enjoy.

The answer is simpler than you might think. Make a tasty soup of your choice (I love fennel, celery, onion and potato, mixed with stock and blitzed together. While it was cooking, I had the barley bioling away. Once its ready, add to the blitzed soup and you have a healthy, hearty winter warmer.

You can do this with any soup you like but liquidise before adding the barley. Barley is good for lowering cholesterol, high blood pressure, balancing sugar levels and a whole host of other health issues. It really is a super grain.

For a birthday treat last week, I was taken out to a hotel in mid Argyll - the Kilmartin Hotel. I and my family had a lovely meal there, with reasonably priced dishes and the main I had, Chicken with garlic butter and lemon was simply wonderful and packed with flavour. I can happily recommend this place for a decent meal.

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin