Mushroom Pinwheels with Tomato Dip

These mushroom pinwheels came about when another recipe I was testing went wrong, and I'm very grateful it did as these are one of my new favourite snacks. Packed with garlic and herbs, the pinwheels are full of rich flavour while the tomato dip has just enough acidity to cut through the pastry. I used pre-rolled pastry from the shop for ease but if you are happy making your own puff pastry then that would be even better. This makes 10 rolls.

Ingredients:
500g chestnut mushrooms
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2  handfuls fresh parsley
1 handful fresh basil
4 large tomatoes
1 roll puff pastry - I used jus-roll as its dairy-free
salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
Place a large frying pan over a high heat and pour in the olive oil and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Finely slice the mushrooms and add to the hot pan to fry, stirring well to coat in the oil and seasoning. Crush the garlic and finely chop 1 handful of the parsley and add to the mixture. Fry the mushrooms until all the liquid is gone and they start to caramelise. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled, preheat your oven to 200c fan and take your pastry out the fridge, leaving for around 15  minutes until soft and pliable. Unroll the pastry and carefully run your thumb over any cracks to seal. Spoon on the mushrooms evenly, leaving around an inch along one long side clear. Roll the pastry towards the clear section, tucking the mushrooms in with your fingers as you go then use the clear pastry to seal the rolls. Cut into 10 pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with grease-proof paper. Place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, finely chop the tomatoes and place in a small pan over a high heat. Finely chop the remaining herbs and add in along with a dash of salt and leave to reduce and thicken, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have thickened and it smells incredible.

 These pinwheels can happily be eaten hot or cold and would be ideal for lunchboxes.

When you make them, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

ENJOY!

Breakfast Pancakes

I keep seeing people putting amazing looking stacks of pancakes topped with all kinds of delights  up on Instagram so I decided to create my own. I have experimented with a few recipes and blended a couple together to create my perfect pancake. I was feeling tropical when I made this particular batch and topped them with fresh mango and passionfruit but they would be delicious with anything, chocolate spread and raspberries, maple syrup... the possibilities are endless. This recipe makes around 6 good sized pancakes and can easily be scaled up to feed a crowd.

Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup water
1 cup milk - I used soy
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon

Method:
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly to create a thick batter. Over a high heat, place a non stick frying pan and ensure its piping hot before adding any pancake batter. Using a half cup measure, spoon in a couple of dollops of mixture into the pan and cook for around 2 mins until bubbles start to appear through the batter. Flip the pancake over (it should be golden brown) and fry for a further 1 -2 minutes until golden brown and set.

Serve warm or cold with your favourite toppings.

When you try this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

ENJOY!

Raspberry Ripple Muffins

These muffins are incredibly easy to make and would be ideal as a holiday baking treat if you have kids. The use of cups as a measurement makes this family friendly.  Perfect for using up bananas that are a bit past their best, this recipe uses their natural sweetness for a lush tasting muffin. The addition of a generous helping of raspberry jam makes these absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
3 over ripe bananas
1/4 cup butter - I used dairy-free
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp raspberry jam

Method:
Preheat your oven to 160c and place 12 muffin cases in a tray. Mash the bananas in a large bowl then cream in the butter and sugar. Don't worry if it looks split, it all comes together. Add in the cinnamon, salt, baking powder and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Carefully fold in the flour until its all incorporated then add the jam and stir lightly, removing lumps but leaving a marbled effect in the batter.

Place a large tablespoon of mixture in each muffin case and top up with any leftovers to get evenly sized muffins. Bake for 25 minutes until springy to the touch and a golden brown.

Serve warm with a large cup of tea. Told you these were easy!

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Enjoy!