Cake, Snacks and Slow Cooker Liners on my Kitchen Table

It's always exciting when a parcel arrives and, as a food blogger, I receive quite a few packages full of delights.  This month I have three very different products to share with you.


I've had cakes through the post in the past which tasted manufactured rather than homemade.  I was interested to see whether the cakes from Sendmecakes would live up to their description as homemade.  The slim box dropped through the letterbox and when I opened it, I couldn't believe how many slices of cake were packed in there.  Each slice is individually wrapped in cellophane and tied only with a piece of raffia which opens easily when you pull at the bow.

The cakes have no fondant icing, no butercream and no 'fake food' ingredients.  They stay moist for days (recommended to be kept in a cool place and eaten within 5 days of dispatch) and each one contains fruit or veg, herbs and spices and only natural extracts.

There is a full list of Varieties and Ingredients, my box contained the following:

Apricot Bakewell Sandwich - probably my favourite slice, so moist and tasty
Lemon and Stawberry Jam Sandwich - a traditional Victoria Sandwich with a real home made taste.
Kent Apple Cake - there were a couple of slices of this cake as it's one of the signature bakes.  It's a lovely homely cake.
Treacle Toffee Drizzle - that's the slice pictured above (half a slice on the plate), sweet crunchy toffee topping, soft sweet cake.
Original Brownie - dense brownie with a true chocolate taste
Apricot Slice - oaty, apricot traybake
Super Seed Flapjack - probably my least favourite, just too many seeds but oh so good for you.

I cannot recommend these cakes highly enough.  You could certainly pass them off as your own, they taste home made.  A box of these cake slices would be an ideal gift for Mothers Day, a birthday, New Home or Get Well Soon.

The Ultimate Bake Box costs £22.00 including UK postage 
A Gluten Free Slice Box costs £22.00 including UK postage
100% Cake Box costs £20.00 including UK postage
Kent Bramley Apple Cake costs £17.00 including UK postage

Rating 10/10

Slow Cooker Liners

Slow Cooker Liners are something I had read about in US Slow Cooker cookbooks and online recipe sites, but I had never seen them in the UK.  I actually spotted these on Twitter and have been sent a sample pack of 4 liners for review.

I've been asked what the point is of Slow Cooker Liners and I can see where people are coming from with this, it's really not so difficult to clean your slow cooker as most models have removable crocks or non-stick metal pots.  There are, however some instances when I would welcome not cleaning out the pot after making a particularly messy or sticky recipe which requires soaking and scrubbing.  In addition, the liners claim to keep your Slow Cooker like new, reduce wear and tear and lock in flavour.

I would also recommend them for making Double Dinners, where you cook two separate dishes at the same time/  I couldn't get the liners at the time, so used roasting bags. 

I made Dhruv Baker's 'Yellow Curry' from his book Spice.  It's loaded with turmeric which is notorious for staining everything.  The liner worked perfectly, they are BPA free food grade plastic so the dinner had no plastic taste and the CrockPot only needed a little bit of a wipe round.

I wouldn't use the liners every time but it would certainly be worth having a pack in the cupboard for particular dishes, double dinners and when you just can't face the washing up!

Slow Cooker Liners - £1.39 pack of 4
Rating 7/10


Snack Attack!

SUNBITES UNVEILS EXCITING NEW ADDITIONS TO SNACK RANGE
Sunbites, the extraordinarily tasty multigrain snack from Walkers, announces the arrival of three new products set to tantalise our taste buds. The new scrumptious additions include Crispy Crackers, Pitta Bakes and Crackers & Dip.

Labels: cake, crisps, Reviews, SendmeCakes, slow cooker, Slow Cooker Liners, snacks, Sunbites, Walkers

posted by Janice @ 20:01 13 Comments

Granola, Chocolate, Sauce, Nibbles and Chips on my Kitchen Table in October

It's time for another monthly round up of products that I've been sent to review, it's always interesting to try something different or revisit an old friend, I hope you will find it useful to read my comments too.


I've loved Jordans Original Crunchy since it was first launched in the 1970s, It was always a real treat and not something we could afford to eat every day.  Jordan's now have a whole range of cereals and they have just launched Jordans Simply Granola, a simple blend of crunchy baked oats with a hint of honey.  Simply Granola contains no artificial additives or flavouring and its oats are source from Nature Friendly Farmesr where Jordans' cereal farmers devote at least 10% of their fields to supporting wildlife.

Simply Granola Apple and Yogurt Layers
(serves 3)
3 cooking apples, peeled and chopped.
1 tsp sugar
250g Natural Set Yogurt
6 tbsp Jordans Simply Granola

1. Cook the apples with the sugar and a little water until they have cooked down, leave to cool.
2. Once the apples have cooled, layer the cooked apples, natural yogurt and granola in 3 glasses, ending with a sprinkle of granola.

We ate this as dessert but, as it isn't too sweet, it would also be nice for breakfast.



Well, Halloween is upon us and that means that, if you haven't started already, then you are probably going to be starting to think about Christmas.  Ferrero Rocher have come up with some fun novelty versions of their famous chocolates as well as the usual boxes.  I think the Grand Ferrero Rocher is a genius idea and a great gift for a fan of the crunchy, chocolate and nut confectionery.

The star shaped box also contains Ferrero Rocher chocs and has a ribbon so you can hang it on your Christmas Tree.  You may prefer to give a box of chocolates and Ferrero's Golden Gallery is a lovely selection of individually wrapped chocolates.  If you are a fan of coconut then you will love Rafaello by Ferrero
Proper Tomato Sauce was one of the products in my goodie bag from the BBC Good Food Show Scotland.  It's made by the Great British Sauce Co   who describe it as  delicately seasoned and blended with carefully selected ingredients. Bursting with fresh tomato flavour.

Most of us are familiar with Heinz Tomato Ketchup, this sauce is less astringent and has a sweeter and milder flavour, like a tomato sauce you would make yourself at home.  We enjoyed it and I think it would be good to include in recipes.


Mini Nibs are cheese straws created in North Yorkshire from quality ingredients, winners of Great Taste Award in 2013 and of 'deliciouslyorkshire' awards 2013-14.

Mini Nibs are crunchy cheesey biscuits for nibbling and then there is their risque cousin the Mini Nibs jumbo peanut.  These snacks are created in North Yorkshire from quality ingredients, Nib Nibs were winners of a Great Taste Award in 2013 and of 'deliciouslyorkshire' awards 2013-14.   The mini Nibs come in different flavours, I found the plain cheese mini nibs a bit of a non-event, but absolutely loved the Exceptional Cheddar and Spicy Chilli Straws, the Cheddar and Cheeky Onion Straws were also good.  I think a few tubs of these should be in everyone's cupboard for the coming festive season, or maybe even before that.  Oh yes, and the peanuts, nice chunky, roasted jumbo peanuts covered with salt and pepper, very tasty indeed.

There are stockists all over the UK


Everyone loves chips and I am no exception, however I am no fan of deep frying so McCain's Home Chips, which are baked in the oven, are my 'go to' chip every time.  McCains make a wide range of frozen potato products, potato wedges comes with a variety of flavours and are fun to eat with dips or as an accompaniment to many different dishes.  I like to eat wedges wtih pizza.


I've waxed lyrical about frozen baked potatoes before, they really do have a baked flavour even though you are cooking them in the microwave, McCain's Ready Baked Jackets ready in a few minutes making it easy to have a healthy filler. McCain's Roast Potatoes will always be crispy on the outside and fluffy inside and so convenient. Kids love Potato Waffles, Smiles and Mini Jackets.

Thanks to all of the companies who provided me with samples to review.  I was not paid for these reviews and all opinions are my own. 

Labels: Baked jJackets.., chips, Ferrero Rocher, Great British Tomato Sauce, Jordan's Simply Granola, McCain's, Mini Nibs, peanuts, Roast Potatoes, snacks, Wedges

posted by Janice @ 12:05 2 Comments

Chipotle Chilli Potato Wedges

Just Ingredients  have one of the largest ranges of ingredients online, much larger than you will find on the high street or in your local supermarket.

From turmeric to oregano, carob to ashwagandha, they stock herbs, spices, powders, oils and tinctures. Their product range is exciting and diverse and with a quick search, you will be able to come across some interesting finds.
All their products are non-irradiated and GMO free. They also supply a number of products suitable for vegan, vegetarian, nut-free and wheat-free diets and have an organic range.  They sent me a parcel of samples to try including this pack of Chipotle Chillies and I turned some everyday potatoes into superstar Chipotle Chilli Wedges.


Chipotle Chilli Potato Wedges

4 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
1/2 tsp Just Ingredients Chipotle Chillies

Heat the oven to 200C/400F.  Put the potato wedges and oil in a roasting tray and mix thoroughly, sprinkle over the Chipotle Chillies and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crispy.

The smoky chilli worked really well with the potato, not too spicy and  a lovely smoky flavour, the wedges would be lovely served with a soured cream dip or with grilled meats, burgers or sausages.


What are Chipotle Chillies?
Chipotle chillies are in fact, fully ripened jalapeno peppers that are smoke dried, they are dark reddish brown to black in colour and bursting with a delightful smokey, slightly chocolaty flavour with a medium heat, registering on the Scoville scale as have 15, 000-25, 000 SHU’s. Just Ingredients chipotle chillies have been heat treated to preserve their freshness and their unique flavour and have been pre-cut to 3-6mm for ease of use. Handle with caution! 

100g Chipotle Chillies from Just Ingredients - £3.50

I was provided with a hamper of  spice samples from Just Ingredients to review, I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own.




More spicy recipes coming soon!

Labels: chilli, Chipotle Chilli, chips, dips, Just Ingredients, Potato Wedges, snacks

posted by Janice @ 20:55 0 Comments

The Nutribox - Healthy Snacks Delivered

I was  particulary excited to try the Mulu Raw Chocolate as I've heard about raw chocolate but never tasted it. I'm afraid I was not impressed, the taste of the chocolate is okay, but not a strong, dark chocolate taste that I would expect from the colour of the chocolate.  What really put both me and my husband off was the texture, it was like cooking chocolate and there was none of the chocolate mouth feel that makes it...well chocolate.   On the plus side, it's free from diary, refined cane sugar, gluten and soya.

The Nakd Apple Crunch is gluten, wheat and dairy free.  It's made up of dates, soya crunchies, cashews, raisins, apple, apple juice concentrate.  It was a tasty furit bar, full of fruity flavour, I would recommend this snack bar.

The Beetroot from Rude Health has no added salt, no refined sugars is a source of fibre, gluten free and non GM. This was a tasty little bar however, the 'beetroot' seems a bit superfluous and a gimmick as the bar is 69% Dates and 20% Almonds with only 7% ground beetroot.

The Energy Bomb is a vegetarian, gluten free bar with no added sugar, no transfats and it is non GMO.  I'm not sure I would choose this one again, it tasted a bit worthy and reminded me of some of the snacks I used to buy in 1970s Wholefood shops, filling though.

The Bounce Natural Energy Ball in Peanut Protein Blast tastes very much like peanut butter, it's not oversweet but not one I would rush back to try.
The Double Chocolate Snack Bar from Frank Honest Snacking is 100% natural, gluten, nut and diary free.  It's 47.2% fruit, mainly dried dates, plums and fruit juice concentrates, it also contains coconut blossom sugar and coconut cream which gives it a lovely texture and a natural sweetness.  A big hit in our house.

The Happy Kitchen, Pecan Brownie was dense and very tasty indeed, I shared it with my friend and it got us through Friday afternoon!

Tropical Mix - a handy packet size, an awful  lot of coconut but it is a Tropical Mix,  but I enjoyed the almonds and banana chips.

The Brazil Nut Mix was a similar handy sized packet to the Tropical Mix, I find if the pack is too large, I just keep eating!  I'm not sure the name is very accurate, I had about 4 half Brazil Nuts, a lot of sultanas and banana chips.  Very tasty though.

Overall I would say The Nutribox is a good deal if you eat a lot of healthy snacks or would like to eat more of the healthy type of snacks.  They are a nice size and there was a good variety.

The first 10 Farmersgirl Kitchen readers to order a Nutribox will  receive 35% off their first box which you can claim by entering FARMERSGIRL35 in the discount codes box on https://thenutribox.com/join.

Labels: bars, box, Delivered, free delivery, Healthy, Nutribox, Nuts, Pecan Brownie, Raw Chocolate, seeds, snacks

posted by Janice @ 11:00 2 Comments

Walkers Hoops and Crosses - a sponsored post

 There's a new snack on the block!  Walkers have brought out their new Wholegrain Hoops and Crosses for your 'cheeky monkeys'.

Now, I'm not really a snack-eater, the occasional kettle chip may pass my lips but I don't keep them in the house or the whole bag is scarfed down before you know it.  However, I was quite intrigued by the wholegrain and lower fat nature of the Walkers Hoops and Crosses.

• Each bag has 85 calories 
• Hoops and Crosses are made from wholegrains, have no artificial colours or preservatives 
• They come in three flavours – all suitable for vegetarians (prawn cocktail, roast beef, salt and vinegar) that's quite a trick making meat flavours for vegetarians!

I decided that as this product was aimed at children, I would enlist the help of my two year old grandson to test the Walkers Hoops and Crosses, he loved the monkey and ate up and enjoyed the Hoops and Crosses. His mum and dad managed to try a few too and declared that they tasted just like Monster Munch, a less healthy snack but one they enjoyed as children. It was a big thumbs up from my family.

I was paid by Walkers for this post, but was not required to give a positive review and my opinions are my own.

Labels: Hoops and Crosses, low fat, snacks, Walkers, Wholegrain

posted by Janice @ 21:38 1 Comments

Paprika Spiced Mixed Nuts

This is a very quick and easy recipe to make some lovely spicy nuts to nibble with your drinks on Christmas Eve or before dinner on Christmas Day.  They are also perfect for a last minute gift.

Paprika Spiced Mixed Nuts

500g mixed nuts
1 1/2 tbsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp smoked sweet Spanish paprika or hot paprika (Pimenton)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1.  Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the sea salt and paprika in a mortar and grind with the pestle to a fine powder. 
2. Place the nuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and giving off a tasted aroma.  Watch after 7 minutes because they burn quickly.  Pour into a heatproof bowl.
3. Drizzle over the olive oil and stir to ensure all the nuts are lightly and evenly coated.  Add extra oil if necessary.  Sprinkle with the salt and paprika mixture and stir again.
4. Transfer to a small bowl and serve at room temperature.


I used the hot Pimenton and the nuts are not too spicy, just nicely piquant!  Perfect with a nice chilled glass of Fino Sherry, red or white wine or even a beer.

Labels: almonds, brazil nuts, hazel nuts, homemade gifts, mixed nuts, Nuts, paprika, pimenton, smoked paprika, snacks, walnuts

posted by Janice @ 12:09 8 Comments