Cooking With Indulgence

[amethist]

For all who love chocolate puddings here is one with a touch of indulgence to get us started.

Serves 2
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 12 minutes

You will need :-
65g/2 1/2 oz butter
50g/2oz plain chocolate ( 70 per cent cocoa solids chocolate is best )
1tsp coffee essence
1tsp vanilla extract
1 egg plus 1 yolk
25g/1oz caster sugar
1tbsp plain flour ( sifted )
Icing sugar to dust
2tbsp creme fraiche
2 figs or 100g/4oz raspberries

You can also add 1tbsp coffee liqueur such as Tia Maria instead of the coffee essence if you like.

1: Lightly butter two 150ml/1/4 pt oven proof ramekins or cups
2: Melt the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and coffee essence/ liqueur.
3: In the mean time whisk the egg, egg yolk and sugar together in a large heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, using a hand held electric whisk, ( you can use an ordinary whisk but it is tiring ), whisk until the mixture has doubled in volume and has a mouse like texture. This will take about 5 Min's with an electric whisk but up to 15 with an ordinary hand whisk.
4: Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and add the sifted flour. Carefully fold everything together.
5: Divide the mixture equally between the cups or ramekins.
6: Bake the puddings at 200 deg c/180 for fan assisted or gas 6 for 12 Min's until firm -but with a gooey centre.
7: Dust with icing sugar and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and fig or raspberry which ever you prefer.

Try using chocolate flavoured with ginger for a bit of extra zing.

You can double this up for 4 people if you need to.

Then enjoy the soft texture and ignore the waistline just for now.

 

[amethist]

Hi everyone

If you would like to try or join and add a recipe whether it be healthy or indulgent i have just started a public group for all who love cooking or just like to try something different .

I did qualify as a chef years ago, so if you just want a special recipe for an occasion or just want to ask a question then come along the more the merrier.

Amethist.

 

[jefferylee]

Hi Amethist,

I'm brand new to this forum about the last thing I thought I'd find here is cooking advise! :) I do love to cook though and find it can be a very relaxing tool when life gets overwhelming.So here's my contribution...a quick meal that's relatively healthy
and very tasty...I hope you enjoy it.

CHICKEN SUCCOTASH

2 tablespoons butter
1 bunch of scallions,white and green parts thinly sliced and separated
Salt and Pepper
1 10 ounce box of frozen corn
1 cup frozen lima beans,thawed
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 tomato,chopped

In a large skillet,melt the butter over medium heat.Add the scallion whites,season w/ salt and pepper and cook,stirring for about 2 minutes.Add the corn,lima beans and cream and bring to a boil.Stir in the chicken and cook,stirring occasionally,until the sauce is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.Stir in the tomato and scallion greens just before serving. Serves 4

Peace and Hope, jefferylee

 

[amethist]

Hi jefferylee

Great recipe.

The group is in the section of public groups, you will find the link to this in the column on the left of your User PC section up in the top section, so join us on there with all your tasty ideas.

Everyone is welcome whether you have been on the forum for one day or a year it's just a bit of a distraction from all the crap of PTSD.

Enjoy

Amethist.

 

[igasho]

Hi, amethyst,

just read your introductional post... how is it with your husband now?

I am interested in your aroma-therapy thing... could you tell a bit how it can help with ptsd-symptoms?

I just read about the bach-remedys and am quite interested in it... also in aura-soma...

friendly greetings
Igasho

 

[2quilt]

I would like to know how to make basil pesto. When i made it the firs time it was so bitter that it made me sick. The recipe never said to take the stems off the leaves...

 

[amethist]

Hi Igasho

Thank you for asking about my husband, he is not too good just now nothing serious just a bit jittery because a few new things that's going on right now, plus he has to cope with me being at home most of the time for the next 2 weeks (time of work for good behaviour lol ).

Aroma therapy is really relaxing if you use the right oils, have a look at my post called Simple Aroma therapy to Calm Mind and Body, you will find some ideas there but you are welcome to ask for more if you want to.

I have looked at the flower remedies but do not know a lot about them to give any opinion about them maybe i should read up on them more.

One piece of advice i do feel strongly about is these should never replace prescribed medication, but used along side so as to help relieve some of the bad anxiety attacks.

My husband was given some really strong tablets last year for the bad attacks but does not like taking them because of how they make him feel after he has calmed down.

I will have to go now it's 23.35 here and i need to be up early tomorrow, another new thing for him to get himself in a stress about. It's just someone new calling to see us about emergancy care for him if any thing unexpected happens to me and he is getting in a sweat about it.

Best wishes

Amethist

 

[igasho]

Dear Amethist,

thanks for the information. I looked up the other thread and I guess, I will try Lavender as I like the smell very much.

As for meds, I don't take any. I refused to:-), once I read that one hour sport daily would help as good as any antidepressant and so I decided rather to go bicycle-riding, which makes me happy very often. Against anxiety I use st. john's wort in a high dosis, my doc prescribes it to me and it also helps well.

And i have a homeopathic remedy which helps calming down. For me these are sufficient to get along.

Friendly greetings
Igasho

 

[amethist]

No problem 2quilt i got a recipe for that, i will fish it out and post it up tomorrow afternoon. You do need to take the stems off, the one i have has a bit of something different in it i think.

 

[Noone.]

Thanks for this group, man I love to cook......well I like to eat also.

 

[Noone.]

Hey there.

Does anyone have anything for Hunan Chicken?????
I just cant seem to find an easy way to go
with this one.
See ya.

Fire.

 

[amethist]

For 2quilt

Basil Pesto

3 good hand fulls of basil leaves
1 hand full of pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 clove of garlic, chopped
1 good hand-full Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
For that bit of extra 4 or 5 black olives chopped.

pulse Basil leaves, garlic and pinch of salt in a food processor until rough chopped.
Add pine nuts and olives ( if you are adding them ) pulse again.
Empty into a bowl and add 1/2 the cheese and stir in gently
Next add enough oil to bind it all together into an oozy paste.
Season to your taste and add most of remaining cheese.
Pour in more oil and keep adding cheese until you like the taste.
Add the squeeze of lemon at the end for that extra zing.

Hope you like this recipe