Halloweens coming, Halloweens coming! Fa lala lala lala

Greetings guys and ghouls,
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......................................................................................................

REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM


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

Check this out. You can't watch it without shivers running up your spine.

Rumble in the Jumble part Deux

Hallo there my fine friends.
We had another Rumble in the Jumble at 13th Note in Glasgow yesterday.
I made Halloween themed cupcakes to celebrate my favourite holiday of the year.

I made Green velvet and white choc cupcakes

 Red velvet cupcakes

A half eaten velvet cupcake

Spiced sweet potato cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting

and Deadly Night shade cupcakes ( or Chocolate and caramel)

I'll put the recipes up in the next week or two so that Y'all can make them for your Halloween celebrations. (I've already stocked up on lots of fake webbing and tacky decorations. My party is on the 16th though because I'll be in New Orleans for Halloween. Ooh, jealous much?)

I like exchanging things for cake at Rumble in the Jumble. Fair deal I think. I'm now the proud owner of a Rat Pack CD, a Burt Bacharach CD, a book and a burger phone. I've always wanted a burger phone.

There were lots of other stalls at the Rumble selling everything from vintage clothing, crafts, handmade jewellery and scarfs to nick knacks.

The stall across from me was selling lots of beautiful hand made notebooks, bags and cards.
There was only one problem.

Buttons

I don't like buttons. Not at all.

They had buttons on on notebooks, buttons on cards and Giant buttons on bags.

I kept seeing them out of the corner of my eye. Taunting me. I must not show weakness to the foul  things.

Note: Koumpounophobia: Fear of buttons



The fear of buttons on clothing, known as button phobia or koumpounophobia, is an irrational phobia which is, perhaps surprisingly, a fairly common fear.


Most people who suffer from this phobia are convinced that they are the only ones in the world to suffer from such a strange fear, and they are often teased or taunted by others who do not understand or believe that they are telling the truth.

Irrational fears may be evoked due to traumatic happenings in early childhood, however, most people who do suffer from button phobia seem to admit that they have been afraid of buttons for as long as they can remember. For some people, the fear can also extend to all button-like objects, such as small coins, sequins and other small discs.


Some people find that plastic buttons are worse than metal ones (like the ones on jeans) or that buttons with four holes are more fear or panic-inducing than those with two.


There are several degrees of severity to the phobia, ranging from cringing when others wear buttons and chosing not to wear buttons yourself to not wanting to breathe next to buttons in fear of inhaling one or washing your hands with soap for an extended period of time after any (accidental) contact with buttons. In some people, the sight of buttons may induce vomiting.

I've never vomited from seeing a button or ran away screaming. More that I would just look at said button with both disgust and disapproval.

Anyhoos. There will be another Rumble in the Jumble in December selling lots of wonderful Christmas gifts.
I shall keep you posted with the date. Yours truly will be there selling make your own cookie and cake gift jars. I may even make a batch of my famous chutney. It sold in Harrods don't ya know!
Hope to see you all there.

Toodles for now.

Your loving host. XXXXXXXXXX

COCKTAIL MONDAY. I am the one, Orgazmatron

Cocktail Monday

Hola mi amigos. It is I. Angela!
When I was about 14/15 years old me, my sister and my friend David and sometimes Bryan and Donna loved nothing more than to listen to really loud Metal videos and jump about in our living room headbanging till we were exhausted. Oh what fun we had. I think it's why I sometimes get migraines and this really loud ringing in my ears that has never gone away.
Anyhoos. One of our favourite songs to "Mosh" to was Sepultura's cover of Motorhead's "Orgazmatron"

Sepulturas add for Dogs Trust. Awwwwww!

God how we loved Sepultura. I had major hair envy of the guitarist Andreas Kisser.

Look! Look how lovely and well conditioned his hair is. He's the only man on earth who has given me hair envy. I want to touch it and feel its soft caress on my hand. Oh pray tell Andreas. What is your secret?

Here is another video for your viewing pleasure. It's one of my favourites. Look at his hair. Soft. So soft.

Me David and Stephen also used to try to create the drumming from the song Kaiowas on Stephens drum kit. This could go on for hours.

Well, Sepultura are from Brazil so here is a recipe for the famous Brazilian cocktail named a "Caipirinah"

It uses a Brazilian spirit called cachaca. You can get it from Lidel. Or specialist booze shops. If you can't find it then just use light rum.

Warning! The last time I drank these was a my friend Kath's house. I woke up the next morning in bed, fully clothed, boots, jacket and all. Covered in mud???

Here's the recipe

Caipirinha

60ml Cachaca or light rum

1 lime cut into 8 segments

2 teaspoons caster sugar

Loads of crushed ice

Put the lime wedges and sugar into a tall glass, squeesh and bash it together with a pestle, small rolling pin or a spoon. Add the Cachaca and fill up to the top of the glass with crushed ice. Stir, stick in a straw and serve.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Fresh.

Video extravaganza that has a vague connection to lentils

Well hello there.
Today's theme is Lentils. So our recipe is for Sweet potato, lentil and coconut soup.

I'll lay out the background story for you.
When I was younger I fell in love with a band called Earthtone9. They were amazing. So heavy but the singer had a great melodic singing voice that could put you into a trance, as well as screaming like a demon.

http://www.earthtone9.co.uk/




So, Earthtone9 split up. I wept uncontrollably for months. Then the singer started up a new band with guys from Pitchshifter, Consumed and Army of flying robots called The Blueprint.



The Blueprint were equally as awesome but never got the recognition that they deserved. So unfortunately they never made it up to Scotland to play.
Nay worries. I shall go to them!


So anyway, travelled down to London twice, Manchester and Liverpool to see them. That's dedication.
Got talking with the singer after one of the London gigs about trying to help them get up to Scotland to play.
Said the band could stay at me and my boyfriend at the times house and I would cook for them. "Big growing lads need proper food" I said.
The singer Karl said that would be cool but he was vegan. I choked on my vodka and said "That's OK. I'll make you something nice with lentils".

Well, it never happened and The Blueprint split up. I wept again uncontrollably for months.

So then the singer got involved in a new project called Twin Zero.



http://www.myspace.com/twinzero

I'm not too sure about about Twin Zero. It scares me. I imagine it's the kinda music that a serial killer would listen to. A little unsettling. Probably just me. .

As it happens, I'm listening to Nat King Cole as I write this. I love the Crooners.



Oh yeah, I forgot I'm supposed to be writing a recipe.

Sweet potato, Lentil and coconut soup

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

4 medium sized sweet potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks
1 large onion diced finely
Big knob ginger peeled and chopped finely
4 cloves garlic chopped finely
Half red chilli seeds removed and chopped finely or half teaspoon dried chilli flakes
200g red lentils
400g tin coconut milk
1 veggie stock cube
1 1/2  litres water
Pinch salt and pepper
Splash olive or sunflower oil

Place the oil in a large pot over a medium heat.
Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for about 5 minutes without browning. You just want to soften them and get out all the lovely smells.
Add the sweet potato and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the lentils and coconut milk and give it a good stir.
Add the water, stock cube, salt and pepper.
Give it another good stir, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. When soup starts to boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and leave to cook for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. The sweet potatoes and lentils don't take too long to cook so this is quite and quick recipe to make.
When sweet potato and lentils are tender take off the heat, check there is enough seasoning and then either blend with an electric stick blender or use a masher to squeesh up the veg and lentils. Serve with warm nan bread or leave to cool and put into Tupperware. The soup will keep in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

This is a BIG knob of ginger. Be advised. I have small hands.

This is the start of the soupy process

I have stuck the spuds in

Soup with coconut milk and and soup in a pot.

My sister modelling the soup. Iain Curtis is there to ward off burglars from my home.

The rice, the bitch and the cupboard

Hallooooooo.
I was having a ready steady cook moment the other night when I got home from work.
ie: I was pure skint and had no pennies for food so I had to delve into the deepest depths of my cupboard and pull out some stuff for tea. It's scary in there. I was in knee deep, riffling through random ingredients. I peered a little closer and I swear I could see a strange winter land out at the back of the cupboard. I squeezed through. Saw a giant lion and some annoying kids. My attempts to lasso the lion and steal him for tea were inhibited by some small girl trying to shoot me in the bum with a bow and arrow. Has she not heard of guns?
Well, I was cold, bloodied and still very hungry so I crawled back through my cupboard and had another look.
Hmmmmmmmmm. Sushi nori sheets stuffed with super noodles and tomato sauce? Kimchi dumplings with breadcrumbs and curry sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmm. No, I'm making myself feel sick just writing this.
Oh, look! I have some risotto rice. I think I have some peas and a bit of pancetta too. Hallelujah! I shall make a risotto. I like risotto.
If you want to make this vegetarian/vegan then just leave out the pancetta and use vegetable stock.
Now, I'm away to have another stab at that lion.

Risotto with peas and pancetta

serves 2

small onion diced fine
2 cloves garlic sliced fine
200g risotto rice
70g pancetta or bacon cubes
big hand full cherry tomatoes halved
800ml - 1litre hot chicken stock ( can be made with I stock or jelly cube mixed with boiling water from the kettle)
pinch salt and pepper
glug white wine (optional)
splash olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a pan on a medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes without colouring until softened.
Add the pancetta and cook till slightly browned.
Add the rice and cook for a few minutes until rice looks slightly opaque.
Add the white wine, stir and cook for a minute or two until wine has nearly evaporated.
Add  a ladle  full of the stock, stir, turn down to a simmer and leave to cook without stirring until stock is absorbed but make sure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Repeat with more ladle fulls of stock, tasting the rice between each addition to see if it's ready. It should take about 15 minutes and rice should be creamy but still with a bite. When you add your last ladle full of stock, stick in the peas, tomatoes, salt and pepper and heat through.
Done. Easy peasy.

You want the risotto to still be a wee bit runny.

My great presentation skills.

Heavy Metal Cooooooookieeeeeeees

Hallo there,
How are things with you guys?
I was selling some Jack n Coke cupcakes and Heavy Metal cookies yesterday at "Rumble in the Jumble" At 13th Note in Glasgow.
Went down pretty well I think. I was particularly fond of the Iron Maiden cookies. I made Pantera ones too but the picture was a wee bit too small. Boo. I still ate about 4 of them.
Thanks to everyone who came along and bought my stuff. And thanks for the people at my Mum's work for helping support cancer care.

There were also , clothes, crafts and nick knacks for sale and I bought myself a lovely scarf from my friend Pauline. She knitted it by hand. Well done Mrs. It shall see me through the cold Glasgow winter.

Here are some photos from the day.

Me modeling Pauline's lovely blue scarf.

                                        Jack n Coke cupcakes and Heavy Metal cookies.

                                             Iron Maiden cookie. You know you want one.

                                                        Lars and the Giant cookie.

                         Me and sis with her special cookie. It says "Arlene and me". Cos I rock.