Recipes

Recipes, I've tried a few!!!  This is your recipe section.  These recipes are not posh nosh, but rather everyday recipes for all of us who struggle with daily ideas in the kitchen.  These recipes should use ingredients that most of us have in our kitchen or can easily access and shortcuts are allowed!!  Many of us have recipes that are exclusive to 'our house'.  If you have one, we'd love to hear from you.  Please submit your recipes to info@thehomebarn.ie  I would also invite you to review our recipes if you have tried them.

We will be running our recipe competition again in the near future so watch out for that. 

CINNAMON & ORANGE ROLL COOKIES

I baked these yummy cookies for the first time recently and thought they were definitley worth sharing....Olive

Ingredients:

• 225g butter, softened
• 200-g caster sugar
• Grated rind of 1 orange
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 4 tsp Orange Juice
• 280g Plain Flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Salt

Method

• Put the butter, 140g of the sugar and orange rind into a bowl and mix.  Beat the egg yolk and 2 twp of the orange juice.  Sift together the flour and a pinch of salt into the mixture.  Add the remaining sugar and combine.  Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Unwrap the dough.  Roll out between 2 sheets of baking parchment into a 30cm square.  Brush with the remaining orange juice and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Lightly roll with a rolling pin.  Roll up the dough like a swiss roll.  Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 mins in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 190 or Gas Mark 5.  Link 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
• Unwrap the dough and using a sharp knife, cut into thin slices.  Put them on your prepared baking tray spaced well apart and bake for 10-12 mins.  Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 mins then carefully trasnfer to wire wracks to cool
• ENJOY:-)

Note: You could drizzle with some plain white icing as in the picture if you really wanted to impress:-)

CHRISTMAS BELLS  -  JENNY O'SULLIVAN

We loved the festive feel to these cookies and also that they would be perfect for giving as a lovely  homemade gift around Christmas time or just for serving with a lovely cup of coffee in your own home.  The smallies will have great fun decorating them also.  Thanks Jenny:-)

Ingredients:-

• 225g of butter softened
• 140g of caster sugar
• Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
• 280g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100g plain chocolate chips

To Decorate:-

• 2tbsp lightly beaten egg white
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 225g icing sugar
• 30 silvery balls
• Food colouring pen

(You can decorate these cookies with what and how you wish)

Method:-

• Mix the butter, sugar and lemon rind in a bowl and beat in the egg yolk.  Sift the flour cinnamon, pinch of salt and cinnamon into the mixture and add the chocolate chips.  Stir well.
• Half the dough into 2 balls, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the over to 190 degrees celsius or gas mark 5 and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper
• Take out the dough and roll between 2 sheets of parchment paper.  Stamp out the cookies with your bell shaped cutter and put them on the prepared baking tray spaced well apart (you can use any shape here, e.g. angels, santa, stars or gingerbread men)
• Bake for 10 to 15 mins until golden brown.  Leave to cool on the baking tray for a further 10 to 15  mins then transer to a wire rack using a pallet knife.
• Mix together the egg white and lemon juice and gradually beat in the icing sugar until smooth.  Leave the cookies on the rack and spread the icing over them.  Decorate with silver balls and decorating pen (You can decorate as you wish with any colour and any decorations)

CARROT & PARSNIP SOUP

Ingredients:

• 3 large carrots
• 2 large parsnips
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 heaped teaspoon of medium curry powder
• Salt & Pepper to season
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1.25 (approx)  litre of vegetable stock (doesn't have to be homemade)

Method:

• Cook your onions in the olive oil for a few minutes
• Chop up your carrots, parsnips and garlic and add to the saucepan
• Add your vegetable stock and teaspoon of curry powder, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour
• Add salt and pepper to season
• Blend your soup using a hand held blender or liquidizer if available
• I usually add water to my desired consistency at this stage
• Enjoy:-)

CHRISTMAS FRUIT & NUT RUM TRUFFLES  -  AISLING O'MEARA

We loved this Christmas recipe from Aisling.  It is easy and would make a great gift or Christmas treat.  This quantity will  make 12 truffles.  If you want to make one batch to keep and one to give as a delicious gift, double the ingredients.  If you are super-organised, you can make these now and freeze them for up to one month.

Ingredients:

• 125g dark chocolate broken into pieces
• 50 g crushed walnuts
• 25g chopped sultanas
• 25 chopped dates
• 15g unsalted butter
• 2tbsp double cream
• 1tbsp dark rum
• 1tbsp cocoa powder and some for dusting
• 1 medium egg yolk

METHOD

• Soak the sultantas in dark rum for at least 3 hours or overnight if possible
• Lightly toast the crushed walnuts in a frying pan, or beneath a grill for 2-3 minutes.  Make sure to keep them moving.  If they do burn discard them as they'll give a bitter taste to your truffles.
• When the walnuts have cooled, stir in the cocoa powder.
• Slowly melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.  Don't let the base of the bowl touch the water as it will spoil the chocolate.
• When the chocolate has melted, stir in the chopped butter. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
• Beat the eg yolk and cream in a large bowl.  Stir in the chocolate and butter mix
• Add the rum-soaked sultantas and chopped dates mixing thoroughly for up to 5 minutes.
• Cover with clingfilm and set aside in the fridge for at least 2  hours until the mixture is firm.
• Use a spoon to scoop out mixture and roll into small balls.
• Roll the balls in the walnut and cocoa mixture to give them a fine coating.  Also, lightly dust with cocoa powder.
• Place in pretty cases and keep them chilled until they are needed;  They will last for up to a  week in the fridge.

Enjoy!!

QUICK 'N EASY MINI MEAT LOAFS FOR HUNGRY KIDS  -  EMER BREEN

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound of Minced Beef
• 4oz of Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 Pint of Milk
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Can Of Tomato Soup

Method

• Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well (just use 1/2 tin of tomato soup at this stage)
• Place the mixture in muffin tins using a large spoon and heap the mixture generously into each tin (usually make approx 10 to 12 loafs)
• Place in a very hot preheated ovens at 200 degrees celsius for 25 minutes until the mini meat loaves are nicely browned and fully cooked throughout
• Top each muffin wth the remaining tomato soup and place back in the oven for 5 minutes
• Serve up to hungry kids, sit back and relax:-)

CHOCOLATE CAKE  -  CERA COX

This month was the hardest yet as we got loads of great recipes in so firstly I want to thank everybody who took the time to submit their recipes.  Feel free to submit them again for October as I would be happy to consider any of them next month.  Ciara's chocolate cake just caught my eye because firstly it's Chocolate Cake which I have an absolute passion for and secondly she made it look so easy.  There is no mixers involved, only a wooden spoon, 2 bowls and a saucepan and the whole preparation procedure only takes about 10 minutes.  Well done Ciara:-)

INGREDIENTS fOR CAKE:

• 1 Cup Of Water
• 1 Cup Of Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Of Cocoa Powder
• 2 Cups Of Flour
• 2 Cups Of Caster Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Of Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Of Baking Soda
• Pinch Of Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Of Butter Milk
• Vanilla Extract

INGREDIENTS FOR GANACHE:

• 1 Large Bar Of Cadbury's Chocolate
• 1 Knob Of Butter
• 1/2 Pint Or So Of Cream

METHOD:

• Boil Butter, Water & Cocoa Powder In a Saucepan
• In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda
• Add this to the boiled mixture
• Add Vanilla Extract
• Beat in the eggs and add the butter milk.  It will now be the consistency of batter
• Pour into 2 x 8 inch cake tins lined with grease proof paper and cook at 180 degrees celsius for about 50 mins (Turn the oven down if it starts to cook too fast)
• Cool On Wire Trays
• Melt all the Ganache ingredients together in a bowl over a pan of boiling water
• Sandwich the 2 cakes together with ganache in the middle.  Pour the rest of the ganache over the cake and leave to set

ENJOY:-)

MILD MILD CHICKEN CURRY  -  CIARA DALY

This is a really easy everday dish, will be popular with all the family and most of us will already have the ingredients at home:-)

Serves 2 adults and 2 children or 3 adults

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large chicken breasts (or 3 small ones) chopped into small pieces
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 to 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 large potato chopped into cubes
• 1.5 tins of chopped tomatoes
• Desert spoon of tomato based relish
• hand full of fresh parsley
• Tea Spoon of medium curry powder
• Salt & Pepper

METHOD

• Cook the onions and garlic in olive oil in a pan for 5 minutes
• Add the chicken.  Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes
• Add your potatoes and cook for a few minutes
• Add your curry powder and mix until ingredients are coated (you can add more curry powder if you wish)
• Add you tomatoes, relish, salt & pepper
• Allow to simmer for 15 minutes
• Add you parsley and simmer for a further 5 minutes

Serve on rice with grated cheese on top.

BAILEYS AND MALTESER CHEESECAKE  -  LINDA CALLAGHAN

Being a massive malteser fan, I think that's what pushed this one over the line, that and the way Linda made it look so simple:-)

For a 9-inch roound tine or 8 approx. ramekins

INGREDIENTS: 

Base:

• 250g Digestive Biscuits crushed in a processor or with a rolling pin (in a ziplock bag!!)
• 100g butter melted

Filling:

• 250g cream cheese (Philadelphia)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 shot Baileys (to taste)
• 250ml whipping cream
• 1 tin condensed milk
• 1 bag of Maltesers
• 1/4 cup of boiling water
• 1 sachet of Dr Oetker Gelatin

METHOD:

• For the base, mix biscuit crumbs and melted butter together.  Press and smooth evenly into the tin or ramekins with the back of a spoon and place in the fridge / freezer while you get on with the filling.
• Place the Maltesers in a  food bag and break up into bits with a rolling pin.
• In your mixer (or using a whisk), whip the cream until stiff peaks form and chill.
• In a mixer (no need to wash after whipping cream), beat the cheese until smooth, beat in condensed milk, vanilla and the Baileys.
• In the boiling water, sprinkle gelatin evenly, leave to 'bloom' for 2 minutes and stir to dissolve.  If using leaves, dissolve in boiling water and gently heat with a little of the cheesecake mix until completely melted and add back ot the cheesecake mix.
• Fold the whipped cream and maltesers into the cheesecake and stir in the galatin.
• Pour the mixture into your tin and chill until set, preferably overnight.

TIPS:

• Bash the biscuits in a food bag with a rolling pin if you don't have a food procesor
• Taste the mix, if you'd like more Baileys, add more!!
• Make sure to incorporate the ingredients well
• To serve, run a knife around the edges and it should come away easily from the sides

Now it's your turn.  You could be August's. We'd love to hear your comments on this recipe or we would love to hear what that special recipe in your house is:-)

CHORIZO, POTATOE & CHICKPEA STEW  -  ANNE MARIE CARROLL

At The Home Barn, we love quick recipes and also ones that fit into one pot so Anne Marie's recipe ticked all these boxes:-)

Ingredients:-

Serves 2 hungry hippos!!

• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• 1 stick of celery chopped
• 1 teaspoon full of fresh thyme leaves
• 1 quality chorizo sausage
• 1/2 litre of chicken stock
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 1 tin of chickpeas
• 3 medium potatoes peeled

How To Make It

• Slowly sweat the onions, celery, garlic and thyme.
• When the onions are translucent, but not brown (10 mins or so), slice up the chorizo sausage and add to the onion mix and saute for 5 minutes.
• Add your stock, tomatoes and potatoes.
• Simmer gently until the potatoes are tender.  This should take 25 - 35 minutes.
• Add your tin of chickpeas to warm through near serving time.
• Season and serve with a big dollop of plain yogurt on top and some crusty bread.

WARM CHICKEN SALAD  -  AISLING COUGHLAN

Ingredients For 4 People

• 3 Large Chicken Breasts
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 A Full Lemon
• Olive Oil
• Lettace
• Tomatoes (Handful of cherry tomatoes or 3 regular tomatoes)
• 1/4 cucumber (peeled)
• Pine Nuts (100 g optional)
• 2 Large Cups of Pasta
• Basil Pesto
• Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of honey

How To Make It

• Grate your garlic and mix with juice of 1/2 lemon and 4 desert spoons of olive oil
• Cut the chicken in small pieces and coat the chicken with the mix and leave in the fridge for at least an hour
• Place in dry frying pan and cook for approx 15 minutes.  Drain off any liquid in the pan whilst cooking.  Ensure that the chicken is cooked through.
• Prepare your salad by tossing your lettace tomatoes and chopped cucumber together.  If you have pine nuts, place them in a dry frying pan and cook them for a few minutes turning with a spoon the whole time and toss half of them in your salad.
• Make your dressing by mixing 50 ml of balsamic vinegar with 125ml of olive oil and adding one teaspoon of honey.
• Mix your dressing in your salad and place your cooked chicken on top
• Cook your pasta.  Mix in basil pesto and toss in remaining pine nuts if using them.
• Serve salad and pasta in 2 separate bowls on your table and allow people to help themselves.

STUFFED MINCE MEAT

Ingredients For 4 People:

• 1 lb of steak mince
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Cup of peas
• 1 x Grated Carrot
• 1 Desert Spoon of Tomatoe Puree
• 300 ml beef or vegetable stock (cube is fine)
• 1 large Desert Spoons of Bovril
• 1 lb of potatoes
• Stuffing to Cover Meat (Shop bought is fine)

How To Make It

• Cook your onions & garlic in a little bit of olive oil for approx 5 mins
• When cooked add the meat.  Cook until all is brown in colour
• Add your carrots and your peas.  Cook for a further 5 mins
• Add your stock and bring to the boil
• Add your tomatoe puree and your bovril and simmer for 20 minutes
• Cook and mash your potatoes
• Place your cooked meat in an oven dish
• Put a generous layer of stuffing over the meat
• place your mashed potatoe over the stuffing
• Cook in the oven for 40 minutes at 190 degrees celsius
• Serve with salad or green beans

Notes:

• The potatoes can be served separately if you wish.  Just cover the meat and stuffing with some tin foil in this case and cook for 30 mins