Sure! Off the top of my head: It's an easy one to double up, or even half for a mini loaf.

1lb strong flour - in whatever proportion of wholemeal to white that you might prefer. I liked half and half or less white. eta: I would love to try spelt flour which is becoming more common now.
tsp bicarbonate of soda
tsp cream of tartar
tsp salt
Some liquid to mix- I used to use semi skim milk because it's what I always have in. You could mix milk and or water with live yoghurt or buttermilk. Experiment, that's the key to having fun with recipe isn't it?

Sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add some liquid, not too much at first. The amount of liquid can depend on many variables. The age (and type) of your flour, the ambient temperature and of the dry/liquid ingredients. When you've made a few you get the hang of it.

Adding enough liquid to bring the dough roughly together turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly for a minute or so...but not too long. Traditionally formed into a round and a deep quarter cross pressed into the top. I liked to dust mine a with a little flour or sprinkle with oats/seeds etc. I also used to bake it in a loaf tin for ease of slicing. We like heavily buttered toast in this house so a slicing loaf is better for the toaster.

Bung it in the oven (at about 180-200C), spray a little water on the oven base to create some steam. 40-45ish minutes later you have bread. The bottom of the loaf should sound hollow when tapped with yer knuckles.

It's great bread, really impressive to turn out spontaneously when there's more mouths than anticipated to feed. If you have good cheese and good pickles in your fridge then you have a simple but sumptuous repast when served with good farm butter and freshly baked soda bread.

As St.Nigella says; Never knowingly under-catered :cheesy:

Just found this page which gives interesting info on soda bread straight from the Ballymaloe horses mouth.
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesgu...icks/sodabread

Daktari you brilliant soul, you have invoked the Goddess of the kitchen.

*sigh*

Nigella...ok crush alert.

Cheese appreciation Day?

Thank god for cheese! What would life be like if you didn't have someone to eat cheese with...smiles...

Great recipes this week!Thanks for sharing Dakatari!

I can try to help tracking event days and when I find information on food festivals I would be happy to share. I have a friend in mind who might be great with these weird food day facts.

I can't guarantee I can cook the best food, but I won't poison you. I'd like to think I can make a decent meal. If that's good enough for you, when we're both in the same area I will have something planned. *laughs*

Hello cheese lovers and those of you who love the lovers of cheese! Are any of you doing cheese inspired dishes today?

I am just getting ready to prepare my food . I bought fresh pasta sheets to try out that deep fried cheese ravioli, my marinara sauce is ready to start simmering and the fresh mozzarella has been sliced.

I don't know what I will be doing for a main dish yet. I think I might go with a thin crust pizza with mushrooms, roasted red peppers, goats cheese, mozzarella, figs and some sort of herb?

I can do a salad on the side with fruits and feta.

Dessert will be a cheesecake. I am thinking a chocolate bottom crust and a white chocolate banana filling with a strawberry syrup to drizzle over the plate. Whipped cream and a fresh strawberry to top!

Something Delicious Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
 

1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 2 skinless chicken breasts 1/2 pd large shrimp peeled and devained 1 small green bell pepper sliced 1 small red pepper sliced 1 yellow pepper sliced 1 small white onion sliced 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon arrowroot ( or cornstarch) 2 tablespoons white wine and 2 teaspoons of parsley chopped (fresh) 5 qts water 6 ounces fettuccine plain 6 ounces spinach fettuccine 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium tomatoes chopped mix in a small bowl spices cut chicken breasts use 1/3 seasoning mix on chicken in another bowl use 1/3 seasoning mix on shrimp boil you water for pasta let boil add both patas to water boil reduce heat let boil 12-14 minutes put olive oil in pan 1 tablespoon once oil is hot add chicken saute chicken 2 minutes each side add shrimp to pan cook for another 2 minutes stir so it doesnt stick pour chicken and shrimp in a bowl do not rinse the pan add tomatoes,peppers and onion to pan pour last 1/3 teaspoon of seasoning in pan saute 10 min add chicken and shrimp to the veggies in pan and pour 3/4 cup chicken stock and cook until most all the stock is gone stir constantly scraping the blacken stuff on bottom of pan turn down low mix arrowroot and wine in a bowl add to pan simmer over low heat until sauce thickens drain pasta put on plate and spoon jambayla over fetuccine sprinkle with parsley now you have an amazing meal

Delicious
 

I am outside Atlanta Sun and was a chef before I discovered a camera. Ever need shots of food if im not busy im there.

I agree. I keep re inventing the dreams I had set for myself and my goals. It will probably take awhile for the whole picture to be put together but I am determined to enjoy where life is going to take me and where my decisions will lead. I like the idea of having family style dinners. I enjoy cooking them but ideally for me I would love to gather with friends, family and partners who would rotate some of the cooking or cleanup.

It seems as though there were/are a lot of festivals going on in January. I only started looking but so far I found :

Sun Peaks Winter Festival of Wine from January 12-20, 2013 in British Columbia

Napa Truffle Festival January 18-21, 2013. Napa, CA

FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST WEEK. 20-26 January 2013 in the UK which describes the festival as "The annual celebration championing the importance of breakfast."

Apparently 47% of people regularly skip breakfast during the week.

I look forward to checking out more festivals around the globe and updating. Perhaps this next week we can talk about our favorite breakfasts?? - whether it be a big relaxed setting on the weekend, grabbing a quick bite at a local diner or whipping something up in a hurry at home to fill us up for a long day.

I didn't know this! But chicken masala is quite tasty. I can understand it being a pretty big hit in the UK. Thanks for sharing the link with us.

OK..anyone who knows me knows that I am a Trader Joe's addict...

Well, I found a really good trek mix there: cashew, almond and cranberries...omggggg so SO good! Love me some TJs!

Ooh thanks luv, I will put this info in my pasta making notes :)

A special event is coming up on Friday. I will be finally tackling Sopes for the dinner. I can't wait... refried beans, spanish rice and pico de gallo too.

And cheesecake for dessert.

I am going to try to not make it and eat it now!

That sounds delicious! I am going to have to look at this Trader Joe's.

That's a great idea. I made one and I think I am invoking the spirit of all four golden girls tonight. LOL! I don't want to share but I think I should.

They don't belong anywhere! LOL. I haven't seen the show in a really long time. I only remember little bits of their personalities and that they all loved cheesecake. Betty white could totally play the superbowl though. She'd take a whole team down.

crisp fugi apples and natural peanut butter :)

I love apples with peanut butter :) . Everyone goes for the caramel but I only will do that if it's caramel apples for a seasonal snack.

Nutella is pretty nice too!

same here- I am a healthy eater it just feels better when I eat well.
I cant recall the last caramel apple I've had but i know it was during the season for it- Never had Nutella actually

I just felt the need tonight for a treat.

Sashimi (raw) with ginger and wasabi

dumplings

frog legs

Normally I eat quite healthy also. Even when I make desserts that aren't "healthy" I always try to cut the fat content down and the sugars. I use low fat cream cheese for example and replace butter with olive oil sometimes etc.

Omg, you should write food porn! I'm totally taken in by that description. *drooling*

Oh my!! I know what I am having for a snack in the morning!!! I just bought more natural peanut butter this week, and I have apples as well...

Thank you for the idea!!

Hello everyone!

I just stumbled across the description for this herb, and I'd love to get hold of some seeds, as a couple of things caught my eye: "Cilantro on steroids" and "Does not bolt in Summer like Cilantro" - this sounds absolutely awesome to me :)
Papalo / Quilquiña / Papaloquelite
http://store.underwoodgardens.com/Pa...uctinfo/H1036/

A quick Google didn't bring up anything available in Australia - has anyone heard of this wonderful sounding herb? It's Mexican.

Ooh research and discovery project
 

Yes. I am very close to Mexico and can likely get you some seeds. Shall I? Will we be breaking some international agri code when I mail these to you? Will my package get confiscated in customs?

All the more reason to try ;)

Let me look into this I will check with Chef Silvana and see what she suggests.

Recon seed mission.

Ah luvz it.

I always have that in the back of my mind as well. Without going into personal detail, there have been times when I had to rely on the little I had and food banks to fill in the gaps. I've been very fortunate in my attempts to live within my means. Not everyone has the same privilege.

I always try to share what I have. I have volunteered in LGBT food banks, held corn boils and community meals when I was backpacking and met another group of artists or people who didn't have a lot. We lived on what we grew and what we could afford - which usually meant stretching it as far as possible.

The number of homeless and those affected by poverty is absolutely numbing if you really take the time to think about it. Not everyone really understands how differently things are in those circumstances. Some people do a great job at hiding it.

I think it would be wonderful to pay it forward all of the time. Not just when you have "extra" but stopping for a minute and thinking about sharing what you have already. When I think about humanity, I think about that concept. I know people need to worry about themselves and their family first , but we are all connected and I feel that offering to buy someone a coffee or a warm meal is no different than taking care of "your own".

I think that's one of those qualities that I truly respect with my friends and it's something I have grown to appreciate more and more.

This is such a great thread - we touch on so many subjects. I am just throwing it out there, I've had to get creative over my years for diversity in food. You would be surprised with what you can actually do with some spices and a box of Kraft dinner. I like working with leftovers. Maybe it would be nice to share some recipes that we like to make just from whatever we have in the cupboards?

I made pancakes from scratch with powdered sugar. Mmmmm.

A girl has to eat! :-P

Hi.

So earlier I had started to write something and the darn connection went.

So instead of looking through 8 pages of things I've missed and comments I wanted to make of others, I am just doing a quick recap.

Ursy: I know of the seeds.
KC: I love apples and PB, I think they are a great brain jolt protein snack. Have you ever tried Ambrosia apples?
Sun: I think cheese day should be every day. Though since yesterday was National Cheese day, I made some cheesy (sharp cheddar) green chili chicken enchiladas. Had some friends over and chowed down.
Dante: Hi.

I will probably be MIA for another week, I have been super busy crazy with classes and I was looking up to see how many more days I have, and its only 53 days. I just can't believe it. Seriously.

Today's study break included: cara care orange, triscuits, and extra sharp white cheddar (the kind that has crystals in it). MMM.

Well back to study... test tomorrow, final thursday. See ya'll later.

Eat good. be Happy.

Today is our friday and I always cook something for us to have when cinn gets home. so tonite this is our menu and cinn doesnt have a clue so wait till she reads this

butternut squash raviloi with a brown butter sauce
turkey breast cooked with apple wood rub
sauttee green beans with sliced almonds and garlic
whole cranberry sauce

lets hope it turns out as good as i think it will