Hurray for hugs and celebrations!

In “The Birthday Menu Choice” I said that the birthday menu was a dress rehearsal for the time when I'd be able to cook for our family and friends again – I'd forgotten how!

It doesn't matter what you cook – it's being with your loved ones that matters but you'll still want to eat and you'll want it to be delicious and effortless.

Whatever you choose to serve think about yourself too – don't stress – use your time between now and then to create your celebration. If you plan ahead not only will everything work superbly but most importantly you'll be right where you should be – smack in the middle with everyone else and not doing a very good impression of a piece of chewed string - or a wet lettuce if you prefer.

If we've learnt anything in the last while it's that life is too short ...

Here are a couple of ideas – make a “to do” list and “a daily planner” to spread the work, preparing bits and pieces each day and freezing if you can. It definitely takes the pressure off. If you want to look at examples of both check out The “to do” list and The Daily Planner on the Meal Planning label.

Enjoy the planning – take into account the likes and dislikes of your guests. A quick question for you to consider - do you want your menu to be posh or practical?

To explain myself and using dessert as an example - by posh I mean make your signature, standout pud which may take a while. This year my standout pud was the Biscoff and Salted Caramel Cheesecake – completely unexpected! It is generous and serves 10, so seconds too! If you'd like to have a look check out the Cheesecake label for the recipe and a photo guide too.

By practical I don't mean less yummy and delicious, merely that if you have time issues then make a pud like the Banana Cake, the Miso Caramel Sauce and the Sweet White Miso ice cream. All three elements can be made ahead and popped in the freezer. Add a huge bowl of fresh strawberries to complete the picture.

Coming up – a few ideas for your celebration mains!

Treats trio photos!

I always find that small pots work best -

you can always squeeze a small pot in a packed

freezer – glossy and smooth - fab!

the humble banana – makes a great cake!

I love combinations like ice cream, sauce and cake. They always save the day. I know that of late we've not had any visitors but they are hopefully on their way so here's an idea for your freezer and dessert is ready to serve – defrosted of course.

If like me you're a fan of hot and cold together then this is for you – if not, no problem, choose your favourite, add fresh strawberries and serve with the ice cream – you could always experiment and add an optional generous drizzle of the warmed miso caramel sauce.

I don't expect you to take my word for it – I'm sending the trio to my taste testers and will deliver their verdict soon.

Next up, revisiting sharing plates and planning ahead for your family and friends arriving!

A very kind cake …

... that uses those bananas you'd forgotten about. This isn't the first time I've mentioned this cake but I think it completes the “treats trio” well. Some are sniffy about using bananas in cakes that it somehow isn't posh or cheffy enough – it's their loss!

Banana Cake

250g/9oz self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

150g/5oz unsalted butter

250g/9oz caster sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

3 ripe bananas – pureéd or mashed with a fork

1 tbsp milk

You can make the cake as a tray bake – you can make it in sandwich tins and turn it into a filled cake (2x8in) or even make it posh using dariole moulds for timbales - anything made in a dariole mould becomes a timbale when turned out.

Grease and line the sandwich tins, grease the dariole moulds.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Cream the butter and sugar then add the eggs gradually. Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the bananas and milk.

Bake for 30 minutes 160fan/180C/Gas 4.

This cake freezes well in whatever shape or size you decide to bake.

If you're using sandwich tins then freeze the cake unfilled.

If you're making a tray bake then it would be practical to cut the bake into squares, or whatever size portion you prefer, before freezing.

If you're using dariole moulds for timbales then let them cool, then remove from the mould, bag and freeze. They take one minute in the microwave, individually, to defrost and warm.

Photos coming up ...

The sauce …

You might think that there's too much miso going on here but I can assure you it works. Just think salted caramel. This recipe isn't mine but it rang a bell because of the miso ice cream I'd made back in 2019. I like recipes that fit together but that play well with other ingredients too!

Here it is :

Miso Caramel Sauce

260g dark brown sugar

250ml double cream

100g unsalted butter

2 tsp sweet white miso – saikyo

Heat the sugar, cream and butter in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring regularly. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2/3 minutes until slightly thickened. Take off the heat then stir in the miso.

Make the miso caramel up to a week in advance, chill until needed, then gently warm to a pouring consistency.

I've frozen this sauce too so another candidate for your emergency dessert stash, what's not to love.

Okey dokey, we've got the ice cream and the sauce now for the cake!

Another miso moment, this time sweet

If you've never used sweet white miso before and want to have a go the following two recipes are a great place to start – they are both easy.

To begin, a no-churn ice cream – using sweet white miso paste – to explain, it's a Japanese seasoning – fermented soybeans with salt and koji, the resulting paste is used in savoury and sweet dishes. There are different types of miso the sweeter white version includes rice, barley and a smaller quantity of soybeans.

Here goes :

Sweet white miso ice cream

Makes 1 litre of ice cream

100g sweet white miso paste

397g tin condensed milk

300ml double cream

Combine the miso paste and condensed milk in a bowl, mix well so that it loosens. A tip – put the paste in the bowl first and then add the condensed milk gradually. If it doesn't comply then use your hand whisk until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until it begins to thicken.

Decant into suitable containers – I'd suggest you decide on portion control that suits you, so a mixture of small and medium pots. Remember you can always take out more if you need it! Freeze overnight.

Allow the ice cream to soften for 10 minutes before serving.

If you're a fan of the salted caramel flavour you'll like that sweet and salty “hit” the miso gives.

P.s. I first published this recipe in July 2019 so if you'd like to see photos and a Strawberry Miso version too check out the Ice Cream label.

Now for the second recipe – Miso Caramel Sauce ...

MMQ pies – more photos!

Nearly there!

with added gravy

and finally a sliced, cooked baked

potato top

I suppose what I'm saying is, it doesn't matter what your preference, it works.

As a guide - you will have approximately 625g of filling. The ceramic dish took 150g ish of filling x 1 pie, the foil took 115g ish of filling x 4 pies.

I have given the two potato topped pies to my friend who is now home from hospital – taste test verdict to follow shortly. I have the other two “undressed” as it were, but with the onion gravy, in my freezer – hold that thought!

Speaking of miso, here's another miso moment, this time of the sweet variety!

Miso Mushroom and Quorn (MMQ) pies – the photos …

… and the variations!

First up, here's a couple of photos of my supper :

I used an individual ceramic pie dish

measuring 18x13x4.5cms (7x5x2”)

It then occurred that I had in my store cupboard stash foil pie dishes (from Lakeland) they measure 12x8x4.5cms (4¾x3x1¾”). These are very handy to have around!

I had leftover pastry from a puff pastry sheet to use, so here's a before and after with the ceramic pie dish

before

 

after!

It was yum!

The filling is packed with the miso marinade - what Quorn is famous for is taking on any flavour you introduce – in this case the marinade - nothing is wasted.

Some like it without gravy, some like it with.

I'm a “with gravy” girl. Here's the solution - I made vegetarian onion gravy and added it to the filling. You can make your own or if you want a fast short cut there are granules out there! I topped the pie with sliced, cooked, baked potatoes, added seasoning and a generous knob of butter.

More photos …