It's gonna be an All Hallows extravaganza for this weeks blog. Party food, Party drinks, Party music.
So, I had a Halloween party on the 16th of October (as you do). Here is the evidence of said party.
Zombie Lisa. Braaaaains!
Rabbid rabbit, Bat girl and I .... Well! I just threw a little something on.
Attack! Attack!
So very very wrong.
Just a typical Saturday night in the Ghetto.
Well that'll put you off your dinner.
No explanation.
"Honey, You got Reeeal ugly"
(Ash - Army of Darkness)
I made a big pot of Sweet potato, black bean and corn chilli with cheddar corn meal dumplings. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
I've been eating it for over a week now.
I also made loads of cocktails and we drank buckfast from my authentic Viking drinking horn. I hear it used to belong to some guy called Odin? (I'm awesome?)
I must remember that my "Torturous twisty colon" (Exact medical description) does not like me mixing drinks. Bad Angela. Bad bad Angela. Am I over sharing? Do I care?
Anyhoos, as I'm away to the US of A next week I wanna get in all my spooky recipes for you guys before I pop over the pond.
I know, I know! You'll miss me. Don't worry. I'll be back.
Unless I get mugged and shot in New Orleans. Or if I get sucked dry at the Endless Night Vampire Ball. Yes, you heard correct. I'm going to a Vampire Ball. I'll give you a short pause to laugh............................................................................................................................................
Me and Pauline's costumes are gonna be awesome so I'll put them up in a few weeks time. Ooh, I'm soo super, duper excited.
Speaking of costumes, I have gone under many guises over the years from Dorothy, a skeleton, a giant rabbit, a Mexican wrestler and a viking. But my all time favourite has to be my 70's cop persona "Chest Brockwell". He's a man's man.
Again here is said evidence of my inn ability to grow up.
Giant rabbit, yet still small. There is a story behind this but that's for another time.
Daft punk in the early days
Ooh Aaaarrrrrrr
I vaaaant to suck yooor Blud! Sharon is Princess Mononoke.
Lucha naranja. Fear me!
Chest Brockwell at his finest. Pauline ignoring my sleazy advances.
SO! Yes. Recipes! Well the recipes I'm about to give you are party sized. You can half the amount if you like but I say gorge yourself on these treats.
Because lets face it. You're not kids anymore. If you go out trick or treating now, you're more likely to end up with a black eye or a criminal record.
Enjoy my fiendish friends. Oh Yeah......................................................................................................
Sweet potato, black bean and corn chilli with cheddar and cornmeal dumplings
Serves a lot or about 12 You will need a LARGE pot with a lid.
For the chilli
1Kg sweet potatoes peeled and diced into chunks
2 onions peeled and diced
1 red pepper de seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes or 1 red chilli chopped fine
5 cloves garlic chopped fine
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 big man hands of frozen corn kernels
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
400g tin black beans rinsed and drained
couple squares dark chocolate
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
big splash vegetable or olive oil
1 veggie stock cube
500ml water
For the dumplings
You can make this mix when the chilli has simmered for 20 minutes
150g plain flour
100g masa harina (Mexican corn meal) You can get cornmeal in a lot of shops now but if you are finding difficulty then you can use polenta. NOT the quick cook stuff though. You won't get the same corn taste as you will with the masa harina but you will get the same texture.
2 tsp baking powder
Big pinch salt
Big pinch pepper
100g strong cheddar grated
2 eggs beaten
4 tbsp milk
4tbsp melted butter
Sieve the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper into a bowl. Add the cheddar, eggs, melted butter and milk and stir lightly with a wooden spoon until just combined.
To make the chilli
Heat your olive oil on a medium heat in your large pot. Add the onion, chilli and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the cumin, corriander, oregano, cayenne and paprika stir and cook for a couple of minutes. If the pan gets too dry add a splash of water.
Add the red pepper and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the sweet potato, stir and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, stir then bring to a simmer. and cook for 20 minutes. Make the dumpling mix when the chilli starts to simmer. After the chilli has simmered for 20 minutes stir then dollop on golf ball sized spoons of the dumpling mix then cover the pot with a lid and cook without stirring for 20 - 25 minutes until dumplings have puffed up and are cooked through.
You can serve this with boiled rice but the dumpling make it quite filling. I've still got another 5 portions in the freezer. Yum.
Green velvet and white chocolate cupcakes
Makes about 12
60g soft butter
150g caster sugar
1 medium egg beaten
50g white chocolate powder (white hot choc powder)
20ml Doctor Otker green food colour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
120ml buttermilk (or 100ml natural yogurt mixed with 80ml milk)
150g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
1, 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
For the icing
150g cream cheese
350g icing sugar
75g butter melted
Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees (160 for fan oven) or equivalent.
Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.
In a large bowl sieve the flour, bicarb and salt together.
In a small bowl whisk together the white chocolate powder, vanilla and green food colour till it forms a smooth paste. Set aside.
With an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl (or with a wooden spoon if you must) cream the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy.
Add a quarter of the egg and mix for one minute. repeat till egg is finished.
Mix in the green chocolate mix on a low speed until just combined.
Sieve in half of the flour mix and mix again on low until there are no lumps (this should only take a couple of seconds)
Add the buttermilk and mix on low until combined.
Add the other half of the flour and mix until combined. Add the vinegar and mix on high for one minute.
Divide mix between the paper cases and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Leave to cool completely.
To make the icing, with an electric mixer on high beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together till it is smooth and there are no lumps. Add the butter in a steady stream and mix on high for half a minute.
( you can add a few drops of the food colour to the icing if you want also).
Either pipe or spread the icing onto the cakes. These will last for 4 days.
Whoopla!
Eye ball Punch
1 tin lychees drained
Glace cherries
200ml vodka
200 ml cherry liquor
400ml cranberry juice
400ml orange juice
juice of 2 limes
lots of ice
Stick a glace cherry into each lychee so they look like evil eyeballs.
Fill your punch bowl with all the other ingredients give it a good mix, plop in the eyeballs and serve.
That's your lot folks.
See you in a few weeks.
Love as always,
Angela. xxxxx
