Pineapple Upside Down Pudding

Have you ever come across this amazing blog?

Foodimentary

If you have, then perhaps you already know that today is National Pineapple Upside-down Cake Day – in the US, I presume, but why limit it to one continent?! This should be a World Day!

This is my Mum’s recipe, and is still one of my favourite puddings – so simple, quick and delicious!

Mum’s Pineapple Upside Down Pudding

• 1 small can of pineapple rings
• 5 or 6 glacé cherries
• 2 tbsps brown sugar
• 100g (7 tbsps) butter
• 100g (4/5 cup) SR flour
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) sugar
• 2 eggs
• extra butter for greasing tin

Generously grease a 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tin with the extra butter and sprinkle the brown sugar all over, including the sides. Arrange 4 pineapple rings on top and put half a glacé cherry in the centre of each ring and the gaps between. Preheat oven to 180°C.

Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy, add eggs slowly and then sift and fold in the flour carefully. Spread the batter over the pineapple rings and bake for 20-25 minutes. Turn out onto a plate and serve hot with cream.

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For my valentine…

Wild Mushroom Sauce for World Vegan Day

It’s World Vegan Day!

Let’s celebrate with a delicious vegan supper.

At this time of year the market stalls in nearby towns have baskets full of chanterelles, ceps, chestnut mushrooms, and several other types of wild mushroom. They are relatively expensive, but a rare treat! Here I added a few store-bought champignons to make my mushrooms go a little further.

 It is always advised to eat wild mushrooms in moderation here, as they are still contaminated with cesium over 25 years after the Chernobyl nuclear power station accident in Ukraine. However, since the season is relatively short, most people here continue to collect and eat wild mushrooms, and every Bavarian restaurant offers them on their seasonal menu. Here is my version of the traditional sauce.

Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

For two servings, sauté 1 onion in a little vegetable margarine (or butter) until soft, then add 1 clove of garlic, crushed. Add a total of about 500-600g of mixed mushrooms – whatever is available where you live. I used chanterelles, ceps, chestnut mushrooms and white champignons. Cook on a medium heat until they start to soften. Add 150ml vegetable stock, 200ml (soya) cream and 200ml white wine. Stir in a large bunch of parsley, chopped, and some salt and black pepper. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick.

Serve immediately with tagliatelle.

Note that this recipe can be vegan as well as vegetarian.

Have a cosy November!

P.S. For lots more scrummy vegan recipes, take a look at the Virtual Vegan Potluck here or here on November 1st.

The Day of the Girl

International Day of the Girl Child

(All photos in this post are courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

For many years now I have been a supporter of Plan International, an independent development organization that promotes children’s rights and aims to end child poverty.

Plan has been calling for a UN day for girls for some years, and last December it was finally decided that today, October 11^th, will from now on be the official UN “International Day of the Girl Child”.

Girls need to be given particular nurturing and support; in the past, too little attention has been drawn to the challenges faced by girls in developing countries.

Their role in the family can be a driving force, and if their rights are acknowledged, and if they are able to access education programmes, their influence can move mountains. They have the potential to teach – as mothers and sisters. And I am convinced that they have the potential to change injustices and prevent violence, to break down ancient taboos and end harmful cultural rituals, to open up society’s eyes to discrimination and the violation of human rights. By being empowered to participate in community processes and define their own futures, not only can they improve their own lives, but those of other members of their families, their communities, and indeed their countries. Their economic power must also finally be recognized.

I hope this day will be a step towards equality for girls everywhere.

If you have a couple of minutes, and you’d like to know more, take a look here at one of the links below.

http://plan-international.org/girls/day-of-the-girl.php?lang=en

http://plan-international.org/?set_language=en

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_the_Girl_Child

 Thanks for reading this – I realise it is a little different from my usual posts, but this was – IS – important to me!

 Have a lovely day!

International Chocolate Day!

Today is International Chocolate Day!

(Guess what my favourites are!)

I was sent the useful tips below by my sister years ago, but have no idea where they originated. Although I do not consider myself a chocoholic, I refer to them regularly…

Tips for Chocoholics

• If you get melted chocolate on your hands, you’re eating it too slowly.

• Chocolate-covered raisins count as fruit – eat as many as you like.

• How to transport chocolate safely home from the shop in a hot car – eat it in the car park.

• Diet tip – eat a chocolate bar before each meal – it’ll take the edge off your appetite.

• A nice box of chocolates provides all the calories you need for the day in one place. Now isn’t that handy?

• Store chocolate on top of a high cupboard – calories are afraid of heights and will jump out to save themselves.

• If you can’t eat all your chocolate it can be kept in the freezer, but if you can’t eat all your chocolate, it could be a sign of a deeper problem.

• A balanced diet is essential; eat equal amounts of white and dark chocolate.

• Put “eat chocolate” at the top of your “to do” list today.  That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

So, do tell…

Are you a chocoholic?

Do you wake up at night craving chocolate?

Do you put chocolate on your shopping list, or do you never forget to buy chocolate?

Do you eat it in secret or do you share?

Reveal your thoughts on chocolate to me. I promise I won’t tell on you…

• While you’re thinking about what to write (or what NOT to write!), why not vote on this poll…

I’ve got a couple of recipes using chocolate to share in the next few days… after all, chocolate should be eaten regularly, not just on International Chocolate Day!