In the Den Kitchen series. All our foodie posts live here.
A few years back I did a series that I called In the Den Kitchen, where I shared recipes we’d been cooking. I’m planning on bringing it back in 2025 but I need to make some major changes to it.
In the meantime I’ve taken down all posts tagged In the Den Kitchen down while I update them. They will be back and looking much more spiffy.
So mind the dust – the Kitchen is getting a renovation.
It’s Christmas time and I thought I’d share some of my favourites to cook during December. Seriously though these are good any time of year.
First on the list is Shortbread. This is the recipe my Mum used and it comes from my Grandmother on Dad’s side, so it’s a proper Scottish one. I can’t remember if I’ve shared this one before but if I have, oh well, here it is again.
My Grandmother's shortbread recipe
Preheat oven to 160℃.
Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Set aside.
Add all ingredients into mixer bowl.
Mix until well combined. Mixture should form a smooth ball.
Roll out until desired thickness (between 5mm and 15mm) and cut circles.
Place on tray. Re-roll remain mixture and repeat until all dough is used.
Cook for 20-30 minutes, until lightly golden.
Let sit on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Optional: sprinkle with extra caster sugar once cooked.
I’m doing the next 14 days of cooking with the Thermomix challenge and on Monday I converted this Lemon Butter Teacake recipe.
Here is my conversion if you want to give it a go 🙂
Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Line a cupcake tray with paper (or silicone) cases.
Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together on speed 4, 20 seconds or until combined.
Add flour, milk and 2 tablespoons of lemon butter. Mix speed 4, 10 seconds or until combined. Give a stir with the spatula to ensure flour is incorporated.
Spoon into cases and top each with 1 teaspoon of remaining lemon butter.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Brush hot cupcakes with melted butter. Sprinkle with caster sugar.
Allow to cool.
1. We used the Everyday Cookbook recipe for lemon butter.
This recipe was originally created using a Thermomix TM31 model. It has been remade in a Thermomix TM6 model.
I joined a group on Facebook that challenges you to cook something new with your Thermomix for 14 days. The latest challenge for 26/5 to 8/6 was…
1. – “I’ve had my tmx a yr and I still haven’t made…..” that thing everyone raves about that you keep meaning to try, something that’s so simple but you haven’t got round to it yet, that thing that’s been on the to do list for ages or something you thought you would make in the first week that you just never got round to!!!
2. – winter warmers – hearty nourishing winter meals
With that challenge I decided to make a list of things I’d like to make and thought I’d blog about it.
Week 2
Overall I think it was a pretty good 2 weeks. We’ve found some new recipes we’ll add to our family favourites, some that will need a bit of tweaking before we decide and a couple that won’t get made again. I’m looking forward to the next challenge 😀
Yup, we finally got one. Last Saturday our new Thermomix arrived and both hubby & I have been cooking up a storm in it.
Thanks to Belinda, our lovely Thermo consultant, we had a delicious demo meal with some friends & family – sorbet, dip, soup, rolls, a chicken dish and then custard all in 2 hours. If you get the chance – go to a Thermo demo – you won’t be disappointed 😉
We’ve made Anzacs, scrambled eggs, orange juice, not tinned spaghetti, silverside & mustard sauce, more Anzacs, honey joys, Profiteroles, Chicken & corn soup AND a sponge cake! I’m currently making a cheese, bacon & garlic pull apart and tomorrow the plan is to make some vanilla essence (& vanilla ben paste), Scottish tablet (fudge) and maybe try making my own condensed milk.
Do you own a Thermomix? Do you want one? Not fussed?
If you do – favourite recipes?? or blogs – always looking for new blogs 😉
