Let’s Start Cooking!…
Welcome to Menu Mistress…
I love cookbooks and have an extensive collection! The idea of Menu Mistress is to share recipes from these books, that I have tried and tested. All you have to do is add the ingredients to your shopping list and follow the recipes, thus injecting some fresh flavours into your home cooking. This blog is essentially for people who love food but don’t have the time, energy or patience to find that winning recipe – that’s the job of Menu Mistress!…
(Recipes are updated every two weeks on a Wednesday, with an extra ‘Tuesday Treat’ on alternate weeks – sign up at the bottom of the page to receive a weekly reminder!)
Tuesday Treat: Tuesday 12th January 2021
Click here to go straight to this weeks Recipes
Orange Almond Cake (Gluten Free!)
When my good friend, Sophie, first gave me this recipe, I was hesitant to try it, as being a self-confessed ‘lazy cook’ when I discovered that I had to boil the oranges for an hour before even starting the recipe, I wasn’t sold on it. But, fortunately she insisted that it was worth the effort… and she was definitely right, this is one of the most moist orange cakes I have tasted – it truly is delicious. In fact, it is also very easy, the boiling of the oranges is something that pretty much takes care of itself and to make the cake it’s simply a matter of pureeing the oranges in a food processor, adding them to the whisked eggs and sugar, and stirring in the other ingredients – done!…Try it!…
2 seedless oranges
6 eggs
250g caster sugar
250g ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
50g flaked almonds
2 tablespoons icing sugar
(To serve: double cream lightly whipped with a touch vanilla paste)
A 22cm springform tin: grease and line the base and sides
- Wash the oranges and cut off the ends (discard), place the oranges into a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 hours (topping up with water as required).
- Remove the oranges from the water and allow to cool completely before cutting into pieces and pureeing in a food processor until completely smooth.
- Use an electric whisk to beat the eggs and caster sugar in a large bowl until pale and frothy.
- Add the orange puree, stir through, then add the ground almonds and baking powder, and combine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top of the cake.
- Place in a preheated oven, 160’c, and bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs on it.
- Allow to cool completely in the tin.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar. Serve with a dollop of cream (flavoured with a touch of vanilla paste).
Tunes to Cook to….what I’ve been listening to in my kitchen!….Click on this link to listen to my playlists (listen without judgement – it’s just a bit of fun!)
Any feedback, or recipe ideas? Feel free to contact me!…or leave your comments at the very bottom of this page.
Have you made one of the recipes from Menu Mistress? Why not take a photo and share it on Instagram, please mention @menumistress or tag menumistress – it would make my day!!
A little bit of housekeeping…
To find all the recipes from my blogs go to the Recipes page, where there is a link to print them off.
Most of the recipes on Menu Mistress are courtesy of the creativity of cookery book writers, old and new. The recipes are an ‘amuse-bouche’ for those available in the books. Please go to my Cookbooks page for more information.
‘Staple Side Dishes’ – when you see this beside a recipe, it indicates that I have previously published this side dish on Menu Mistress. I have re-published it so that you don’t have to trawl through my old recipe blogs to find it – Menu Mistress is about making your life in the kitchen easier!
Gluten Free – I am gluten free, so most of my recipes are gluten free, although I must stress that if you have an allergy please double check all ingredients. If flour is used you can substitute it with gluten free flour and likewise with other ingredients such as pasta or soy sauce, you can use gluten free options.
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We just made the butternut squash soup and it’s absolutely delicious! And so easy to make. It will brighten up our meals in the weeks to come. Thank you so much!
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So glad you liked it – I love this soup, like you say it’s so easy to make yet so tasty! Thanks for your feedback!
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Such a good idea – just the thing when I’m lacking inspiration! Sauce Vierge was a lifesaver on a midweek evening and also did the Halibut with Bacon and Peas for a birthday dinner. Had never cooked with star anise before making the chicken with chickpeas – overall, a helpful reminder of some classics and introduction to new favourites.
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Thank you so much Kate for trying so many of the recipes…so glad they’ve been a success!…Let’s hope I can continue to inspire you…!!!
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Just cooked the Chicken with Lemon sauce Tanya! It was quite a simple dish but quite delicious.
All three recipes this week look knockout.
Keep on keeping it real!
Francis
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Thank you Francis for your feedback – great to hear! So glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you get to try the other recipes this week!
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Recommend the chicken and cucumber recipe…very tasty and the different flavours all come together 😊
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Thank you! … so pleased that you enjoyed this recipe – like you say it’s different but the flavours work really well together!
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Lovely recipes, really enjoyed the potatoes with sage and thyme (I used fresh from the garden rather than dried) always great to have a different potato recipe. Thank you xx
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Thank you! Yes, different potato recipes are always great to have aren’t they – glad you enjoyed this one! Another delicious tip for potatoes is to make the parsley and lemon butter from this weeks lamb chop recipe, keep it in the freezer and slice it off as needed to dress steamed potatoes 🙂
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Lamb chops and chutney for dinner tonight….delicious
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Excellent!…There will be a new lamb chop recipe this Wednesday!…
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Excellent site full of delicious easy to cook recipes
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Thank you for your feedback…so glad you’re enjoying the recipes!!
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Have just enjoyed the lemon chilli chicken tonight- absolutely delicious…I have a feeling that this could become a family favourite! Next on the agenda is spaghetti sauce vierge!
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So pleased to hear that you enjoyed it, and it will become a new family favourite!
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I made the Chargrilled chicken last night and I was not disappointed especially with the lemon vinaigrette dressing and Baby Roast Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary, delicious. Can’t wait to get make my next dish.
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Fresh
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I made the Prawn Stir fry last night and wasn’t disappointed it was easy to make with lovely flavours especially with the cucumber salad. Will definitely make it again.
I am now looking forward making the Chargrilled chicken. Well done Menu Mistress for bringing us these lovely menus.
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Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the stir fry…the chargrilled chicken with a salad will be perfect this weekend – apparently it’s going to be a hot one!
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Looking forward to trying the steak recipe this week 😊
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You will not be disappointed!…
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Delicious Chicken and Tarragon Pie last night – was hoping for leftovers but not a scrap left!
Ali
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Perfect – that’s what I like to hear – no leftovers!
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I’m really enjoying menu mistress and the variety of the recipes. I’ve already cooked the Chargrilled Chicken and I’m looking forward to making the Prawn Stir fry this week. Thank you for sharing these menus, I’m looking forward to following others in the future.
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Thank you…it’s so good to get feedback! I hope you continue to enjoy the recipes, I’ve got a lot more up my sleeve!..
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…just had chicken thigh recipe for dinner…delicious- swapped salad tonight for tender stem broccoli 😊
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Great to hear that it was a success!…
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Have you tried using IG Foodim? Nigella Lawson was promoting it and it looked like something you could use!
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Haven’t heard about it, but will definitely be looking into it today…thanks for the tip!
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These look delicious 😋
Looking forward to the chicken pie.. all for my son
Could we have a fish recipe next please?!
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Thank you!…Yes, there will be a fish recipe, as well as chicken pie next week!
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Oh yes please, looking forward to the chicken pie!
Love the look of the first menu so will try that one first.
Thanks!
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Thank you…let me know how the other menus go!
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Thanks, let me know if you try any of them…next week there’s going to be a delicious chicken pie…!
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Great recipes .
Excited to have new ideas .
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Congrats Tanya. i will sure be experimenting. George xx
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Thanks George… I hope you enjoy the recipes!
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We have enjoyed both the chilli chicken thighs and the stir fry prawns. Both were a huge hit with my boys. Thank you for all the help you are giving us, it takes a lot of stress out of thinking what to cook this week. Best wishes Diana xx
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Glad ‘the boys’ have enjoyed them!!…I think the steak might be a hit with them too!…
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