May and June Slow Cooker Challenge Round Up

The Slow Cooker Challenge ran over two months due to my trip to Nova Scotia  at the end of May.  As usual, I was delighted by the variety of dishes that the 'Challengers' have submitted, something to suit every meal and every mood.  Slow Cooking is such a pleasure, especially when you have been out all day and return to the aroma of your whole meal gently bubbling and ready to serve.


 Ox or Beef Cheeks have become very trendy in fine dining restaurants but they are a really economical as well as a delicious cut of meat. Deon at Food Jam serves us Asian Ox Cheeks


Corina at Searching for Spice combines her Slow Cooker Chicken with some Stir Fried veg to retain the crispness, find out how she did it  Slow Cooker Chinese Chicken Stew with Stir-fried Vegetables

A Girl Eats World brings us a simple dish of BBQ Meatballs  made with frozen meatballs and ready made sauce, coming together in the Slow Cooker.

A lack of red wine led to Caroline Makes making this Orange inspired version of Beef Bourgignon: Slow Cooker Beef in Orange and a new dish was born!

Over at Indo Global Food, the slow cooker is being put to good use to make Mango Jam, what a great idea!

Camilla at Fab Food for All brings us a delicious Slow Cooked Pulled Lamb with White Wine and Root Vegetables. 

Sarah  of Tales from the Kitchen Shed is the Queen of the Slow Cooker, she has her own digital cook book on the subject!  Not surprising then, that she has submitted this delicious looking Peach Melba Rice Delight

Now this is my kind of dessert!  Slow Cooker White Chocolate and Lemon Creme Fraiche Icing and Blueberries.  A great slow cooker recipe from Baking Queen 74.


Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best and Sarah has come back with a second offering in the shape of these Slow Cooker Jacket or Baked Potatoes, perfect to come home to.

Many thanks to everyone who entered, look out for the July Slow Cooker Challenge which will include a Slow Cooker Cookbook Giveaway.

Labels: Baked Potatoes, Beef Cheeks, blueberries, Chinese Chicken, Mango Jam, meatballs, Rice Pudding, Slow Cooker Challenge

posted by Janice @ 18:50 5 Comments

Vanilla and Blueberry Muffins

I was looking for a recipe that would use up the remaining blueberries after decorating the Elizabeth Sandwich.  I also needed a 'V' recipe for the Alphabakes challenge.  A quick look through the index of some of my books and the word 'vanilla' was jumping out as the most likely, but I couldn't see anything particular I wanted to make.  Thank goodness for Google which led me to Cake Frills run by Sheila, an experienced baker and cake decorator, who had the perfect recipe for Blueberry and Vanilla Muffins




Alphabakes is hosted this month by Ros, The more than occasional baker  who alternates hosting the challenge with Caroline at Caroline Makes

 The muffins were delicious, beautifully light with a nice balance of vanilla and blueberry flavours.

Labels: AlphaBakes, blueberries, Cake Frills, Muffins, Vanilla

posted by Janice @ 14:44 6 Comments

Diamond Jubilee Cake - 'Elizabeth Sandwich'

It took me a while to get worked up about the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  However, once I realised that it was the same weekend as my mother-in-law's birthday I was determined to have a Jubilee Tea Party for the family.

The centrepiece of my Jubilee Tea is my 'Elizabeth' Sponge.  It was definitely time to update the Victoria Sponge and what better time to do it than for the Diamond Jubilee. Victoria is the only other monarch who reached 60 years on the throne, so it is fitting that Queen Elizabeth II should have her own cake.

It's quite simple, the cake is a traditional Victoria Sandwich with the additional of the grated rind of a lemon in the mix. The filling is layered lemon curd, whipped cream, raspberries and blueberries, with a 'crown' of piped, whipped cream studded with raspberry and blueberry 'jewels'.

I hope you are having a fun time for the Jubilee, I'll be posting more recipes from my tea party but here is a picture of our table and bunting.



I'm entering this for the Blogging Jubilee Baking Competition at Homemade by Fleur sponsored by Appliance Online

Labels: blueberries, Elizabeth Sponge, Homemade by Fleur, Jubilee, lemon curd, Queen Elizabeth II, raspberries, Victoria Sponge, whipped cream

posted by Janice @ 14:36 7 Comments