March On!

When you feel the need to show off using the medium of biscuits - as we all do from time to time- here's an idea:

Vanilla and Chocolate checked biscuits
Have you ever had your biscuits checked?
No, its just the way I'm sitting.

Not too much effort and deliciously impressive results:

8oz butter
7.5oz sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 egg
15oz plain flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
70g milk chocolate - melted
20g cocoa powder

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer until fluffy. 
Add the egg, baking powder, flour and vanilla extract.
Beat again until a ball of dough is formed.
Divide the dough in half and incorporate the cocoa powder and melted chocolate in to one half.

Now form the two flavours in to thick sausages, wrap in cling film and chill well.
Once chilled, cut along the length and join the two flavours together.  Now cut along the length again at 90 degrees to the first cut and swap halves again to get the battenburg-esq pattern.  It is much easier to do than write about!!

You could wrap in cling again at this stage and store in the fridge for a couple of days or, freeze for as long as you like.

When you want to eat your lovely creations, slice in to rounds and place on ungreased baking trays.
Bake in the centre of the oven at 190 degrees centigrade for 8 minutes, turning the tray half way through the cooking time.






A Walk for the Weekend

Get out and enjoy the spring time.

Wallace's Trench
5 miles, circular.

Begin at the car park in the village of Yarrowford in the Scottish borders. 
The route is way marked, up a short flight of steps to the back of the car park and along the edge of a small wood, to the open hillside.  You are surrounded by beautiful scenery for the whole journey with views of Brown Knowe and the distant Three Brethren - the impressive cairns that mark one edge of the Royal Borough of Selkirk.
At the top of the route you will join the Minchmoor track.  This is one of the oldest roads in Scotland, mentioned by James I and a likely candidate as a pre-roman route.
The trench itself crosses the Minchmoor road and may have been a defence built by William Wallace. 
There is eveidence to suggest that it is much older however and may be a Pictish structure.










Whatever the origins of the trench, the walk is to be enjoyed for the stunning surroundings and possible encounters with deer, fox and raptors.





Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

Do you have chicken legs?
No, its just the way I'm standing.

This is a very flexible idea for a marinade for chicken drumsticks, sausages or ribs.

A squirt of tomato ketchup
A squirt of bar-be-que sauce
A splash of tomato passata or similar
A dollop of mango chutney
A squeeze of lemon
A drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chili flakes

Mix up your marinade in a lasagne dish and then add your drumsticks.
Coat thoroughly and leave in the fridge for as long as possible.
Remove from fridge half an hour before cooking.
Roast at 180 degrees for 40 minutes, the first 30 minutes with a foil lid on.

Funny of the Week

Some gentle comedy from the former inventor off of Balamory, Miles Jupp

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01ckr46/