It is all happening next week, Pancake Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, and with confirmations and Communions also coming up, it can be an expensive time of year, so why not save yourself a few euro and cook something fresh and exciting at home?
Pancakes
There is nothing to making your own pancake mix. You just need some flour, eggs, and milk. Your own pancake mix will take about five minutes to make and it is so satisfying to serve them up for the family on Tuesday night.
Ingredients
2 eggs
200g of flour
350ml of milk
Method
Sieve the flour into a bowl, add the eggs and slowly add the milk, whisking all the time until you have a smooth batter. Heat a little oil in a frying pan for a minute, making sure to swirl the oil around so the pancake will not stick.
Add enough pancake mix to make a thin layer on the bottom of the frying pan, cook on a high heat for about 30 seconds and turn it carefully with a fish slice and cook the other side for the same amount of time, or until lightly browned.
Put the pancake onto a plate and add the topping of your choice. Personally I like sugar and lemon juice, but my children like chocolate spread buttered on thickly and folded over. Whatever you fancy yourself.
Pancakes are delicious anytime, don’t just make them for Pancake Tuesday. You could fill them with strawberries and cream and top with melted chocolate as a yummy dessert on your partner’s birthday.
Fill them with a savoury chicken mix and serve as a main course with a difference. They are so versatile and quick and easy to make, so, go on, give them a try.
Brown bread
Over the years, I have been asked to print my brown bread recipe and have never got around to it, but today is the day. This recipe has quite a few ingredients, but is so worth it. There is no sugar, but it still has a sweet taste. We make this every day in the hotel, early morning, 24 in a batch, but this is a recipe for 1x1lb loaf.
Ingredients
135g plain flour
135g wholemeal flour
12g pinhead oatmeal
12g wheat germ
12g wheat bran
1 small teaspoon bread soda
Pinch of salt
300ml buttermilk
Method
Mix all dry ingredients together, then oil your bread tin. Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients, give it a good mix together, and put it into to oiled tin. Sprinkle with some extra pinhead and cook at 180°C for 40 minutes. Serve with real Irish butter, you cannot beat it.
