Tangy Green Apple and Cheddar Melt

Melts are gooey perfection. This recipe is a perfect treat to make when you are running low on funds and want big taste. The mustard is optional but I think it really makes the difference. I am making these for the fam and neighbors to eat when we sit outside on Sunday and await trick-or-treaters. I am trying to eat a normal meal so i don't binge on candy and then cry when i look at the empty wrappers. They are best served with a lightly-dressed green salad or a cup of tomato soup. Happy Halloween everyone!

Tangy Green Apple and Cheddar Melts.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp butter
  
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• 2 slices of extra sharp white cheddar
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, cut into very thin slices
  
• 1 tsp whole-grain mustard

DIRECTIONS:

• Butter one slice of each piece of bread. flip
  
• Spread a thin layer of mustard on the other side.
• Add a THICK slice of cheese to each piece of bread.
• Arrange apple slice in the middle (as small or large as you want).
• Cook until cheese is melted on a panini press, Forman grill, or just use a plain ole pan.
  

Whisky Ahoy

It seems recently that whisky has very unceremoniously taken over my life. At least at work anyway. So I thought I might share this not-so-hostile takeover that has recently happened and try to achieve two things:

1. Lighten all our days (or evenings, depending on when you happen upon this) by watching a video about how to taste whisky NB "approach it as you would a wild animal..."

2. Give you subliminal gift ideas for men who are hard to buy for, yet love some drink.

So here is the video to educate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CUHByp16HU

And, if you were interested in making this a great present, then go to Master of Malt to match drams of whisky to ones described in the book.

http://www.masterofmalt.com/

It's on sale everywhere and you can get it for $40.00 stateside or £30.00 in old blighty.

Sláinte (or so they say...)

Easy Butternut Squash Soup.

So I have a confession.. I am a soup addict and fall is the beginning of its season. Butternut squash is a rich filling base (and is my all-time favorite). Chuck in some onions, carrots, and garlic and magic happens. This soup is the perfect appetizer for an upcoming fall dinner party and can be taken to work as lunch the next day. When serving, top with sage leaves, a sprinkle of sea salt, ground pepper, and a swirl of heavy cream (optional).

serves 8-10 (can easily be cut in half)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  
• 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 small butternut squash, without skins (obvi) and chopped in smallish chunks
• 1 small handful fresh sage, chopped (and more for garnish)
• 9 fresh chicken stock (can use 9 cups water with two chicken stock cubes)
• a pinch of cayenne (optional)
• a little heavy cream
  

DIRECTIONS:

• melt butter and oil in a LARGE pot
  
• add onions and carrot.. sweat for at least 5 min (dont brown)
• add garlic.. cook one more minute
• add squash and stock
• when it comes to the boil add the chopped sage
• boil until squash is tender
• when it is done use a hand blender to smooth.. if you don't have one blend in small batches in an old school blender.
• Top with sage leaf, salt, pepper, and a swirl of heavy cream
• Make some toast to go with it.. mine are in heart shapes. cute right?
  

Sloe and steady wins the race.

Now I apologise if this is a little too late for your Christmas tipple, but come January I think we all need a stiff drink to get us through the long, cold nights. This is becoming a rarity, but Sloe gin, if only for the colour, is a rather marvellous drink. Whilst walking two labs, a jack russell and a boyfriend through the wilds of some Devonshire countryside we stumbled upon some Sloes. Or rather, said boyfriend's mother, who has an astute knowledge of garden fare, pointed them out. They look incredibly like blueberries, however, inside is housed a deep red flesh and a small seed. I would recommend some willing volunteers as picking over a kilo of sloes takes some time. Once recruited set out on your merry way into your nearest woodland and enjoy. The following recipe is from a book called Jams, Jellies, and Preserves although I think it may be out of print. Otherwise, there is an alternative recipe from the bastion of the countryside: Country Life. I would also recommend this website for some indulgent house browsing - one can dream...

This is Sue Ashworth's version:
- Makes about 2 litres and keeps for 2 years or more.

1.2 kg sloes, frozen
600g granulated sugar
1.5 litres of gin

(you can add blanched almonds at this stage as well, although I kept it simple)

• Thoroughly wash the sloes and place in the freezer for a few hours
• Take the sloes out of the freezer, lay them out on a tray and run a grater over them to nick the skin slightly. I didn't do this, and believe me, I wish I had!
• Transfer the sloes to sterilized kilner jars (or old jam jars, but kilners will be larger) and distribute the sugar evenly among them
• Pour over the gin and shake up to distribute fruit
• Shake once a day for the next week, until sugar has fully dissolved and leave in a cool dark place to mature for 3 months
• When ready to use, strain with a sieve and discard the sloes (unless you have a hankering for slightly tart, gin soaked berries) and decant into a lovely bottle.

You can drink this with tonic, or as a liqueur and even on its own. I'm going to try it with a little champagne and a raspberry or two - as Ms Ashworth suggests.

(photos of the gin's progress to follow...)