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Current wanderlust in January 2024

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Golden Beer-Battered Fish & Chips

Ingredients

For the Fish

225g plain flour/1 cup flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

285ml lager beer

1 litre sunflower oil, for frying

400g fillet sustainable cod, hake or haddock, halved  

For the Chips

750g potatoes, Maris Piper or Desiree, peeled and sliced into thick chips

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Method

Combine the flour, baking powder and turmeric in a large bowl, season with salt and peepr, then spoon 1 tablespoon onto a plate and set aside.

Gradually pour the beer and into the bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. (the texture should be like semi-whipped double cream (i.e. it should stick to whatever you're coating). 

Leave the batter to rest for 30 mins while you prepare the chips.

Heat oven to 200C/180C for fan oven/Gas Mark 6

Boil a large pan of water, then add the chipped potatoes and boil for 2-3 mins until the outsides are just tender but not soft.

Drain well, then tip onto a large baking tray with the flour, oil and some salt. Gently toss together until all the potatoes are evenly coated and the flour is no longer dusty.

Roast for 30 mins, turning occasionally, until the chips are golden and crisp.

To cook the fish, heat the 1 litre oil in a deep saucepan until a drop of batter sizzles and crisps up straight away.

Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, then toss it in the reserved turmeric flour mix.

Shake off any excess, then dip into the batter.

Carefully lower each fillet into the hot oil and fry for 6-8 mins – depending on the thickness of the fish – until golden and crisp.

Using a large slotted spoon, lift out the fish, drain on kitchen paper, then sprinkle with salt.

Serve with the hot chips and cooked garden peas

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The World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys

Canada's iconic Rocky Mountaineer train

Norway’s train journey begins in the capital Oslo and heads all the way to Bodo inside the Arctic Circle.

Switzerland’s train starts at Tirano and climbs up through the Italian Alps and lakes through into Switzerland and the journey reaches its conclusion at Zermatt.

Finland’s train journey begins from Helsinki in the south to Kemijärvi in Finnish Lapland. 

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Baked Rice with Tomato and Garlic Confit

Ingredients

1 3/4 lb (800 grams) cherry tomatoes

12 large garlic cloves or 25 small, peeled and cut in half if large

4 large shallots cut into 1 1/4 inch (3 cm) pieces

1 1/4 cups cilantro stems cut into 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) lengths.

Save the leaves for garnishing

3 tbsp thyme leaves

4 small cinnamon sticks if large, break in half

7 tbsp (100 ml) olive oil

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) basmati rice

2 1/2 cups (600 ml) boiling water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F

Arrange the tomatoes, garlic, shallots, cilantro stems, thyme and cinnamon sticks in a large high sided casserole or baking dish. (it should be about 8x12 iches or 20 x 30 cm)

Pour in the olive oil, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.

Place in the oven, uncovered, for 1 hour, till softened.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the rice all over the vegetables, but do NOT stir them together. Set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to 450F

Sprinkle 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper over the rice.

Carefully pour the boiling water evenly over everything. 

Seal the dish tightly with tinfoil.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the rice is cooked.

Remove and set aside for 10 minutes. Do not remove the foil. The residual steam will finish the rice off perfectly.

Remove the foil, sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves, stirring them gently into the rice.

Serve.

Recipe from Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi.

https://www.thelemonapron.com/baked-rice-with-tomato-and-garlic-confit/

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Yotam Ottolenghi's Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives and Capers

Ingredients

8 chicken legs, drumstick and thigh attached, skin on (2kg net)

5 garlic cloves, crushed

15g fresh oregano, torn, plus extra for garnish

3 tbsp red wine vinegar 

3 tbsp olive oil 

100g pitted green olives

60g capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices

70g , pitted and quartered lengthways Medjoul dates 

2 bay leaves

120ml dry white wine

1 tbsp date syrup or treacle

Salt and black pepper

Method

The Silver Palate, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, is one of the best cookbooks I know and a classic of the 1980s, listing recipes from the first modern quality take-out food shop in New York. Many of the dishes in the book have become legendary. One of them, Chicken Marbella, is the inspiration for this recipe. The chicken needs marinading for at least a day, preferably two, to soften and flavour properly; I wouldn't cut corners here.

Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper.

Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients.

Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat.

Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.

Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/apr/25/yotam-ottolenghi-sunday-lunch-recipes-garlic-chicken-lettuce-horseradish-salad-roly-poly-custard

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Yotam Ottolenghi's Roast Chicken with Creamy Garlic and Peppercorn Sauce

Ingredients

3 banana shallots (or 5 ordinary shallots), peeled and finely chopped

2 tbsp green peppercorns, roughly crushed

2 tbsp roughly chopped capers

1 lemon, cut into 5 slices

400ml dry white wine

105g unsalted butter, cut into 2cm cubes

Salt and black pepper

6 chicken legs, bone in and skin-on

2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp extra

20 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

20 black garlic cloves, cut in half lengthways

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

90ml double cream

2-3 tbsp (10g) flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

3½ tbsp (10g) chives, finely chopped

Method

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/ 390F/gas 6

Put the first five ingredients and 150ml water into a large 38cm x 28cm oven tray with half a teaspoon of salt and a very generous grind of black pepper.

In a large bowl, mix the chicken with two tablespoons of oil, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of black pepper, then lay them skin side up in the tray and spread out as much as possible; take care you don’t get the skin wet.

Toss the whole peeled garlic cloves (i.e. not the black garlic) in a teaspoon of oil, arrange them around the chicken legs, then put the tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Scatter the black garlic into the sauce around the chicken legs and return to the oven for another 35 minutes, or until the chicken legs are crisp and golden brown.

Lift out the chicken and place skin side up on a second oven tray, large plate or board.

Whisk the sauce mix, scraping the sides and base of the tray as you go, then gently stir in the cream and herbs.

Return the chicken skin side up to the pan, and serve directly from the tray.

Note: Leave out the black garlic if you can’t get hold of it and mix a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar into the sauce instead.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/apr/25/yotam-ottolenghi-sunday-lunch-recipes-garlic-chicken-lettuce-horseradish-salad-roly-poly-custard

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TOP 10 Authentic Fat-Loss Tips REAL, Actionable Advice

Discipline over motivation

Every decision matters, even the very next one

If you make a mistake, let it go. Consistency is more important.

Calories do matter

Get enough protein

Workout because you love your body

Hunger versus appetite

Pause before you make any decisions when it comes to food

Don't compare to other people

Progress, not perfection

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Chicken Tarragon Crumble

Ingredients

Chicken thighs

Garlic cloves 8, large

Olive oil 4 tbsp, plus extra

4 leeks, medium size

Parsley 3 heaped tbsp, chopped

Tarragon leaves 2 heaped tbsp, chopped

Double cream 500ml

fresh white breadcrumbs 150g

Method

You will need a deep baking dish, measuring approximately 18x28cm.

Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6.

Put the chicken thighs in a roasting tin, each one set slightly apart from the next.

Tuck a clove of garlic, whole and unpeeled, under each then pour over the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

Bake for about 45 minutes, basting half-way through, until they are crisp-skinned and cooked through.

Cut the leeks into 3cm rounds, discarding the darkest and toughest of the leaves, then rinse very thoroughly in cold running water.

Put them in a deep pan, pour in the roasting juices and fat from the chicken pan, then cover with a piece of greaseproof paper and a lid and leave to cook over a low to moderate heat for about 10 minutes.

Check their progress and stir them as they soften, making sure they do not colour.

Meanwhile, remove the meat from the bones, setting the skin aside, and tear into large pieces.

Place the roasting tin over a moderate heat and pour in the cream, scraping at any roasted bits on the pan and stirring them into the cream.

Put the chicken meat into the roasting tin, stir in the parsley and tarragon and the leeks and check the seasoning.

Transfer to a large baking dish.

Chop the chicken skin, mix it with the breadcrumbs, then scatter over the chicken.

Trickle olive oil over the crumbs and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the sauce is bubbling.

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Prayer is communication with God...is an invitation for God to take over your situation

Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr - The Hannah Hotline

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The challenge with our faith is not our inability to hear God's voice. The challenge of our faith is our willingness to hear other voices.

Bill Johnson - Listen to God's Voice Alone

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Muffin Tin Granola Cups

Ingredients

Half-cup honey

1.5 cups rolled oats

Quater-cup chia seeds

Half-cup unsweetened coconut

2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Half-teaspoon salt

Yogurt for serving

Fruit for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin generously with cooking spray.

Microwave the honey for 20 seconds. (This will make it easier to stir into the granola.)

In a medium bowl, combine the oats, chia seeds, coconut, vegetable oil, cinnamon, salt and honey. Stir until well combined.

Divide the granola mixture among the muffin tin cups and using a measuring cup or shot glass, press the mixture down into each cup so that it comes up the sides to form a bowl shape.

Bake the granola cups for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove them from the oven and, if needed, immediately reshape the center wells by pushing the measuring cup or shot glass into each cup.

Allow the granola cups to cool in the pan for 30 minutes then run a sharp knife around the edges of each cup to release it from the pan.

Fill each granola cup with yogurt and fresh fruit and serve.

Note:

The granola cups will last up to one week when stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

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Homemade Granola

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup sliced unsalted almonds

1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted pecans

1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted walnuts

1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup honey

1 cup dried fruits (such as cranberries, raisins, cherries, chopped apricots, currants, etc.)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Line a 13 x 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. (If using parchment sheets, line the pan first with heavy-duty aluminum foil, then parchment.)

Combine the oats, almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, wheat germ, coconut, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and mix well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and oil until emulsified.

Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread the granola mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring and re-spreading a few times with a spatula, until the entire mixture is medium golden brown. Watch carefully towards the end; granola burns quickly and will brown first in the corners and on the bottom.

Toss the granola with a spatula and mix in the dried fruits.

Spread and press into an even, compact layer, then let cool on a rack to room temperature.

Break the granola into large clusters and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This granola can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

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Healthy Flour-less Banana Bread

Ingredients

3 medium ripe bananas

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

Ground cinnamon (optional)

  Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and well combined.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

(Garnish the top of the batter with thinly sliced banana, if desired)

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Let loaf cool completely in loaf pan.

Store bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes: 3 medium bananas is about 1-1/4 cups mashed banana or 1 pound. Oven temperatures vary so just make sure you test it with a toothpick to make sure it's baked all the way through. Mine usually takes right at 30 minutes, but others have said theirs takes closer to 40-45 minutes.   

www.thebakermama.com

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Golden Chicken

Ingredients

GRATIN

800g potatoes

3 white onions

olive oil

1 chicken stock cube

½ a bunch of fresh sage

100ml single cream

30g Parmesan cheese

CHICKEN

4 x 120g skinless higher-welfare chicken breasts

A few sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon

GREENS

200g baby leeks

200g baby spinach

200g frozen peas

Method

Scrub the potatoes clean

Finely slice in the processor, then tip into the medium pan and cover with boiling water and the lid

Peel the onions, finely slice in the processor, then

Tip onion into the roasting tray with 2 tablespoons of oil

Crumble in the stock cube and season with sea salt and black pepper.

Tear in the sage leaves and stir regularly, adding a splash of water if they start to catch.

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the rosemary leaves, then fold the paper over and bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin.

Put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Drain the potatoes well in a colander, then tip into the onion pan, stir together and arrange in a flat layer.

Pour over the cream

Finely grate over the Parmesan and pop under the grill on the top shelf.

Halve the leeks lengthways, rinse under the tap, then finely slice.

Put into the empty lidded pan on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often.

Finely slice the bacon and add to the chicken pan, tossing regularly.

Stir the spinach and peas into the leeks and once the spinach has wilted and the peas are tender, pile on a board or platter with the chicken and bacon on top. Serve with the gratin.