Simple Sunday comfort food

After an incredibly busy week at work, I was craving some weekend baking time. So on Sunday I flipped through my recipe books. Not wanting to do anything too involved I opted for one of my favorites, chocolate chip cookies. I used this simple recipe and they turned out delicious. The recipe is below.

 

 

 

Ingredients
•200 grams butter
•1 cup sugar
•1/2 cup light brown sugar
•2 eggs
•2 tsp vanilla
•2 1/4 cups flour
•1 tsp bicarbonate soda 
•300 grams milk chocolate chips


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 190c
2. In a bowl whisk together flour and bicarbonate soda
3. In a separate bowl mix softened butter and sugars
4. Add eggs one at a time
5. Add vanilla
6. Mix in dry ingredients 
7. Lastly add chocolate chips
8. Turn dough into small balls and press flat on the baking sheet
9. Bake for 10 minutes

Day out in Greenwich

There is so much to see and discover in London that when I have a free weekend day I honestly don't know where to begin. My fall back is always shopping (mostly window) but I really want to get out more and explore neighborhoods that I am less familiar with. My first attempt was a stroll around Greenwich on a fine sunny day.

Greenwich is of course home to the National Maritime Museum, The Royal Observatory and the Meridian Line but it is also home to some cute and funky cafes, an absolutely stunning common and a great market. If you have a day to wander around then do it! Here are a few highlights from my day out.

An Inn by Greenwich station

Beautiful blue sky

George Cafe
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Amazingly rich chocolate cake at George Cafe

Stroll through the market

Greenwich Market

The mister and I couldn't resist picking up some coffee for our
coffee loving mothers.



Brought me back to my Brazil days and churros with doce de leite 



Yum!



After a short walk up the hill (much needed after ridiculous sugar in take) we reach the Meridian Line (and the long line of tourist waiting to get their photo taken)



What a beautiful city



Veneto Region Style Gnocchi

The weekends are the only time the mister and I have to cook proper meals. While we both make an effort on the week nights, there just isn't enough time to do anything too elaborate. Ever since I met the mister he's talked about his Dad's amazing gnocchi recipe and the other weekend we finally got a chance to make it. The mister did the majority of the cooking. Not liking to be idle in the kitchen, I made some bruschetta and snapped some pictures. I've provided the family recipe below.

 

 

 

 Ingredients:


Potatoes - (The best quality - gnocchi requires potatoes which have a low moisture content.)


Eggs, Flour, Salt.

1. Peel potatoes (about 4 good sized potatoes for two people)


2. Boil potatoes in salted water (about 2 teaspoons) until cooked through, but don’t overboil to ensure potato texture remains on the slightly firm side.


3. Mash the potatoes thoroughly ensuring that no lumps remain.


4. Break two eggs and fold thoroughly into the potato mash.


5. Take a cup of flour and use sufficient to achieve a flour coating on a flat working surface.


6. Knead the mash thoroughly, adding flour during the kneading process until the mash texture reaches a state where the mash can be separated into several parts and binds without sticking to the work surface or breaking apart.


If the right potatoes have been used the amount of flour required to get the mash to the needed texture will be relatively low, but it is important, if necessary, to continue to add flour to ensure the correct texture is achieved.

7. When Step 6 is complete divide the mash into four parts. You will keep using flour around the mash to ensure that the mash does not stick to the working surface.


8. Roll each portion of mash into a tube-like form with a diameter of around 15 mm (a little over ½ inch). Cut off lengths from the mash tube of about 45 mm (a little over 1¾ inches). Keep using flour as required around each individual gnocchi to ensure no ‘sticking’ to the work surface.

9. Prepare a good size pot of water and bring to the boil (keep the pot on the boil while the gnocchi are cooking). Drop around 6-8 gnocchi into the boiling water and wait for them to rise to the surface. Remove the gnocchi with a strainer and place into a pan being kept warm on the stove, combining with sauce as you go. (It is crucial for the gnocchi not to ‘stick’ together - and they won’t if the ingredients are right and the process is followed.


Repeat the process until all the gnocchi have been cooked.

 The Sauce

Many options here, but the classical Veneto Region sauce is to soften chopped onion in olive oil then add chunks of veal (do not mince). When veal is browned add a small amount of tomato puree and let cook until veal is tender. (Veal is a key meat in Italian cooking.) If you can’t get veal, steak will do.

Brunch at Hackney City Farm

On Sunday I met some friends for brunch at Hackney City Farm. Frizzante, the restaurant on the property was buzzing with young families, cute little dogs and the smell of bacon. I was thrilled to try Frizzante and also proud that I was finally venturing out and going to a place on my "To see and eat list" which so rarely happens. (And I don't really know why).

The food was great, although I did wonder about the hash browns. Those neat little triangles look an awful lot like they came from the frozen section. If this is true (which I think it is) it is incredibly disappointing. If I wanted frozen food I would have gone to Iceland.

 

 

 

 



 biggest pig I have seen ever. ever.

 

 

Extraterrestrial

This song is completely addicting.

image [via]

Katy Perry - "E.T." (Feat. Kanye West) by MFR

Get your Globe tickets

Yesterday I randomly decided to see if tickets for this season at The Globe had gone on sale and dammit, they had. Last year the mister and I were very late to the game and missed out on all the Shakespeare classics but were thankfully able to get 2 seats at Anne Boleyn. (Anne Boleyn was such a success that it's back this year. I would definitely recommend it.)

image [via]

The mister and I managed to nab 2 seats for Much ado about Nothing but seat selection was limited. Buy your tickets soon!

Valentine's Day present

The mister and I have no real tradition of exchanging presents on Valentine's Day. Some Valentine's we have exchanged presents and some we haven't. This Valentine's Day the mister surprised me with a small gift that I absolutely LOVE and that suits me perfectly.

adorable tag

 

Champagne is the answer sign. spot on.


Now, I just need to find a good place to hang it.