The Full Danish

♬ 'The Best of Janet Jackson' By Janet Jackson

She played in Seattle recently and I wish I was there, got nothing but love for the Jackson's.

Oliver played 'Control' the night before this breakfast and it was so good to hear while I was cooking.

For the rest of the weekend, most of her songs were playing in my head.

Anyway back to business....

Benedicte and Oliver showed me how to live, eat and drink like a Dane for 3 days.

This is what we ate after our heavy night out, now what I'm used to is a plate of beans, greasy bacon, sausages, hash browns, mushrooms, basically a lot of stuff fried! 

Weetabix eat your heart out...

The idea of cheese, chives, rum flavoured pastries, chocolate pastries, mayonnaise, cold sausage, marmalade and rye bread washed down with chocolate milk sounds a bit controversial, but actually all of it tasted pretty damn good. 

Rye bread is a true Dane staple, and I really enjoyed tasting it with different toppings. Before I ventured out to Denmark I always thought it was a boring sort of bread, and something you buy if you are on a crazy diet, next to Ryvita and rice cakes.

The breakfast was SO good; maybe it was the variety that made it tasty. Over in London I am so used to everything being on a plate, but this time I had a little blank plate with a slice of Rye, and I could put whatever I wanted on it.

I’m not sure it has beaten ‘The Full English’ I love beans too much.

Favourite song from Janet Jackson

ê 'Together Again' 

ê 'Got 'Til It's Gone' Featuring Q Tip and Joni Mitchell

Quick Chicken Curry

I went to Copenhagen last weekend and had an amazing time. Most snacks consisted of sexy open sandwiches with rye bread, sausage and rich mayonnaise. If you want to read more into this look down...

♬ Copenhagen Playlist (nothing Danish about any of the tracks, but they remind me of how much fun I had)


'Control' By Janet Jackson
'Apache' By Sugarhill Gang
'What is Love' By Haddaway
'The Message' By Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
'The Way You Make Me Feel' By Michael Jackson
'Rotterdam' By The Beautiful South
'Raining Men' By Rihanna and Nicky Minaj
'Moment for Life' By Nicky Minaj and Drake
'Islands' By The XX


By the way how cool is the name GRANDMASTER FLASH, you just can't get any better really. 

I cooked a quick chicken curry before we went out to party like nutters.

▶ Recipe to feed 5

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts

1 bag of  fresh spinach (260g) chopped finely, even the stalks

4 garlic cloves

1 long whole red chilli

2cm long ginger

1tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp red chilli

1 tablespoon veg oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

300g of chopped not plum tomatoes from a can

Method:

: Blend the garlic, ginger and red chilli with a drop of veg oil until all the red chilli has been finely done, leaving no massive red chilli strips.


: Chop your chicken breast and marinade in 1 tsp of the blend, splash of veg oil, turmeric, chilli, cumin, and salt. Put in the fridge for about 20minutes.

: Fry the onion with 1 tsp sugar and a drop of veg oil

 + chicken, when it changes colour ...

+  tomatoes

+  spinach

: You want the spices to cover the spinach, I find when adding spinach to a dish it can taste like a watery soggy leaf unless it is properly seasoned.

< Simmer for 20 minutes until chicken is just done, the problem with  chicken breast is that it can be over cooked and then taste dry. Keep on checking and tasting.

Done.

Next Time

⤵ I will use paneer

Favourite Song

ê 'The Way You Make Me Feel' By Michael Jackson

Innocent Smoothie Sponge Cakes

These were going to be for a lucky photographer, but our meeting got cancelled so now I'm stuck!

♬ Not sure what to call this playlist, but it's been on most of the morning and kept me creative.

'Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing' By John Legend

'Sunshine On A Rainy Day' By Zoe

'Milk' By Kings Of Leon

'Tender' By Blur

'New Soul' By Yael Naim

'Daniel' By Bat For Lashes

'Don't Tell Me' By Madonna

'I Feel It All' By The Feist

'California Dreamin' By The Mamas & The Papas

'Nutbush City Limits' By Ike and Tina Turner

'Twist And Shout' By The Beatles

▶ Recipe for 35 little sponge cubes

Ingredients:

250g soft butter (8 ¾ oz)

200g caster sugar (approx. 7 oz)


4 medium eggs 

1 tsp baking powder

100ml Innocent Smoothie, I used Kiwi, Apples and Limes.

250g self raising flour (8oz)

one half lime zest

Method:

Preheat oven 190°c

1 teaspoon = 5ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml

Grease a 20cm, 8inch brownie tin, or a deep roasting tin. 

Line with greaseproof paper.

: Put all the ingredients in a cake mixer.

: Pour in the tin and bake for 30 minutes.

: When it springs back once touched, take out and let it cool down completely.

Ingredients for icing:

600g icing sugar (21.1 oz)

2 tbsp water

2 tsp lime juice

sprinkle of lemon zest

: Once the sponge is cold, cut into small squares

: Whisk all the ingredients for the icing 

< Decorate squares, and let icing set.

Next Time:

⤵ Strawberry and Banana smoothie!

Or apple sauce as a topping.

Great to bake for a kids party or next to a massive pot of tea on a rainy day.

Favourite Song

ê 'Tender' By Blur

I've been teaching little Miss G (one of the kids I nanny) about being polite, and her favourite phrase this week is 'Meeeeeeeeeet taaaaaaaaa sharing is caring'.


I will take these cuties into work tomorrow.

The

Even when I look at this picture, I still don't believe I did it. 

This is a Victoria sponge with jam and marzipan.

The party theme was love and peace, so I wanted the cakes to be bright and beautiful.

I'm not going to add the cake recipes and method!

 If you want cakes like these for a small function, or have a super cool theme, email me:

mixitcookit@hotmail.com

At the moment I can only cover London, zones 1-5.

I will leave you with the playlist that I had on yesterday, and a few more photo's.

♬ Cake 1 Playlist:

'Blind Faith' By Chase and Status featuring Liam Bailey

'The Only One I Know' By Mark Ronson featuring Robbie Williams

'Every Teardrop is a Waterfall' By Coldplay

'Let Me Go' By Maverick Sabre

'99 Problems' By Jay Z

'If You Love Me' By Brownstone

'Gold Digga' By Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx

'Silver Shadow' By Atlantic Starr

'What's My Name?' By Rihanna

'Jenny From The Block' By Jennifer Lopez

'Limit To Your Love' By James Blake

'U- Turn' By Usher

'GhettoMusick' By Outkast

'U Don't Know Me' By Armand Van Helden

'Memories' By David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi

Next Time: 

⤵  I will make sure I line the tin properly, and buy a smoother.

Favourite Song

ê 'The Only One I Know' By Mark Ronson

Baileys CAKE

Look at this CAKE!

Baileys and vanilla chocolate infused sponges, sandwiched with Baileys buttercream.

Here is the how, and what to play if you decide to bake this..



♬ Baileys Playlist:

'Warriors Dance - Mandingo Tribe Version' By Armand Van Helden

'Marina Gasolina' By Bonde Do Role

'Apply Some Pressure' By Mark Ronson

'Cheap and Cheerful' By The Kills

'La Isla Bonita' By Madonna

'Pumpkin and Honey Bunny/Misirlou' By Tim Roth and Amanada Plummer

'Don't Walk Away' By Jade

'Conga' By Gloria Estefan

'Jump In The Line' By Harry Belafonte

'Banquet' By Bloc Party

'Bang Bang Bang' By Mark Ronson

'Zero' By Yeah Yeah Yeahs

▶ Recipe for this extravagant cake

Ingredients:

For Baileys top sponge

200g unsalted butter (7 oz)

200g caster sugar (7 oz)

200g self raising flour (7 oz)

2 tsp baking powder

50g cocoa powder (1 ¾ oz)

4 medium eggs

100ml milk (½ cup)

100ml Baileys (½ cup)

Bottom chocolate sponge:

The same amount of ingredients but this time without Baileys and a tsp of vanilla essence instead.

Buttercream:

250g unsalted butter (8 ¾ oz)

750g icing sugar (26 ½ oz)

100ml Baileys (½ cup)

Covering:

600ml double cream (2 ½ cups)

100g cocoa powder (½ cup)

Method:

Preheat oven 180°c

: Butter 2 large 20cm cake tins that are 9cm deep, with a removable base

: Put all the cake ingredients for Baileys sponge in a cake mixer or food processor, blend to a smooth batter.

At this point my niece and nephew danced with me to Harry Belafonte.

: Pour in one of the cake tins and let it bake for 50 minutes

9 After cleaning your mixer, blend all the ingredients for chocolate sponge.

: Pour this in the second tin and also bake for 50 minutes.

;When both cakes are done, chill out, maybe have a nap!

They have to be cold before you spread buttercream.

: Put the butter and icing sugar in a mixer and add the Baileys in small amounts. This took me a while, stick with it!

: Spread the buttercream on the chocolate sponge and lay the Baileys sponge in place on top.

: Make the covering by whisking the cream and cocoa, until cream forms peaks.

< Decorate with your favourite chocolates and dust cocoa powder for that extra 'boom'.

Next Time

⤵ More Baileys?

Favourite Song

ê 'Don't Walk Away' By Jade

Store in the fridge.

xx

White Wine Fish Batter

Made with flour, white wine, bit of salt, pepper and baking powder. 

My all time favourite take away, to eat on a rare friday, I hate that it is only Wednesday.

♬  Wednesday, not Friday Playlist:

'Inner Smile' By Texas
'Saturday Night At The Movies' By The Drifters

'Dancing in the Moonlight' By Toploader

'Jenny Don't Be Hasty' By Paolo Nutini

'Rolling In The Deep' By Adele

'Somebody To Love' By Jefferson Airplane

'I Feel For You' By  Chaka Khan

'When Will I Be Famous' By Bros

'Cupid' By Amy Winehouse

'52 Girls' By B52's

'La Bamba' By Los Lobos

▶ Recipe for 2

Ingredients

2 large salmon fillets

100g plain organic flour

200ml chilled white wine

1 tsp baking powder

2 large sweet potatoes

chilli olive oil

Maldon salt flakes

black pepper

Method

Preheat oven 200°c

In a large pot, pour 2 pints of sunflower oil, keeping 3 inches of space at the top.

Keep on a medium heat.

: Peel potatoes and cut into chips

: Place on large baking tray and drizzle chilli oil and salt. Using hands, make sure every chip is covered in oil and salt. I hate it when a few chips taste different from the rest.

: Put the chips in the oven for 30 minutes

: After 20 minutes make the batter with flour, pepper, pinch of salt, baking powder and wine in a mixing bowl. Whisk until it looks smooth, and no lumps are peeping up.

9 Test to see if the oil is hot by dropping in a tiny bit of batter, don't stand too close.

: Dip and cover each fillet with batter and place slowly in the oil. Let it fry for 5 minutes on each side.

;Once each fillet is done place on a kitchen towel.


: Turn the oven off, and take chips out when you are ready to serve.

< Serve both fish and chips with ketchup.

Next time

⤵ I will use mackerel or monkfish.

Favourite Songs

ê 'Inner Smile' By Texas
ê' Saturday Night At The Movies' By The Drifters

Thai Chicken Soup

.

I've been to Bangkok and loved all the food there, but was amazed to find the same local flavours when I ate at Thaila Thai in Melbourne.

Melbourne...such a distant memory now! 

Last night I re created a Thai dish that I ate at Thaila Thai years ago, a flavour that left a lasting memory on my tongue.

I first cooked this soup for housemates two years ago, and one of them wanted this recipe, so here it is with a starter of tracks that remind me of Melbourne.

♬ My Aussie Travel Album:

'Bamboo Banga' By M.I.A

'We Get On' By Kate Nash

'Who The Fuck?' By PJ Harvey
'Standing in the Way of Control' By The Gossip
'Back In Your Head' By Tegan and Sarah
'Bleeding Love' By Leona Lewis
'Slow Night, So Long' By Kings of Leon
'Yr Mangled Heart' By The Gossip
'Cat on the Wall' By PJ Harvey
'Boyz' By M.I.A
'All I Want Is You' By Barry Louis Polisar

▶ Recipe for 2

Ingredients


Marinade:
3 fresh basil leaves
2 freeze dried, kaffir lime leaves
half a stick of fresh lemongrass
1 small piece of galangal
1 tsp fish sauce
2 cloves of garlic
20g fresh coriander
2tsp chilli oil
3 small whole green chilli's

For the soup:
3 spring onions chopped
1 tbsp veg oil
380g chicken mini fillets, chopped in chunks
100g fine beans chopped in half
half a can of coconut milk
100ml water
Maldon salt

Method:

: Blend all the ingredients for the marinade


: Put in a large bowl with the chicken and stir

II Leave in the fridge.

: In a big pot add the veg oil with the spring onions

9 Take the chicken out the fridge, add to the pan and stir. 


When chicken turns white:

+ coconut milk

+ water

+ fine beans 
+ salt

< Simmer for 20 minutes

 Next Time:
⤵ I will cook this for friends on my next visit to Melbourne.

Favourite Song

ê 'Yr Mangled Heart' By The Gossip


Saw Beth Ditto perform this live, and would do anything to see her sing it again, even add 5 more chilli's to this recipe.