I heart Scotland

Every year for my birthday, my best friend and I like to go somewhere different. Last year it was Euro Disney and Paris for the weekend, this year we decided on a camping trip in our homeland. We asked around, trying to pick the perfect part of Scotland to visit, neither of us is into hill walking so that wasn’t a factor, actually that’s the understatement of the year, we hate it! Physical exercise is not what we do on holiday. I can appreciate a beautiful scene but I don’t want to endure pain to do it. Perhaps it’s because I was forced to walk a Monroe with an ingrown toenail whilst at school, or maybe I’m just lazy!

Anyway, we settled on Applecross, it’s a gorgeous place on the west coast, looking onto the Isle of Skye. The clincher in this decision was that there was an award-winning pub called the Applecross Inn where we could get fresh seafood right beside the campsite. We had squat lobster cocktail and a ½ pint of fresh prawns for a starter, and then the traditional fish and chips for a main, all washed down with delicious cider. The perfect birthday dinner! The Inn had a great atmosphere with locals and travelers all tucking into its delicious food, and the owners couldn’t have been nicer.

Applecross was beautiful and on the drive home we stopped at Eilean Donan Castle to take in one of the most iconic views of Scotland. I loved this trip; it definitely made me appreciate the beauty of my own country again, although that might be mainly because we were very lucky with the weather!

Blueberry Tea Cake

This is a comforting and delicious cake recipe from Bill Granger's new book Feed Me Now!

I have spent a perfect Sunday in my kitchen preparing this cake and I have just enjoyed my first slice with a cup of tea...yum! It is fairly easy to make and I will definately be doing it again soon. The cream cheese frosting is highly recomended, although you can choose to have it without.

Ingredients:
180g butter at room temp, plus extra for greasing
210ml soured cream
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
330g caster sugar
2tsp grated lemon zest
1tsp vanilla extract
3 medium eggs
250g blueberries
375g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the cream cheese frosting:
250g cream cheese
100g butter at room temp.
1tsp grated lemon zest
1tsp vanilla extract
250g icing sugar, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Grease a 23x33cm baking tin and line it with baking paper. In a bowl mix the soured cream and bicarbonate of soda and set aside for 5mins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, and beat to combine. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then add the soured cream mixture until combined.
3. In another bowl, toss the berries with a little of the flour. Sift the rest, with the baking powder, over the cake mixture and carefully fold in, until just combined. Gently fold in the berries.
4. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 45-55mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (except for some berry juice). Cool in the tin for 10mins then turn out onto a wire rack.
5. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, lemon zest, and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy, then mix in the sugar until smooth. Top the cooled cake with the frosting.

Give it a go....its tasty!

Tomato and Rocket Bruschetta

This is a simple and tasty dish from the Italian issue of Delicious magazine. It is perfect as a starter but even better as a light main course...enjoy!

1. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves, then put in a bowl with 4 large vine-ripened tomatoes,deseeded and roughly chopped. Add in 2 tbsp of fresh, chopped basil leaves and 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.

2. Brush 4 ciabatta slices on both sides with extra-virgin olive oil, then place under a hot grill for 1 minute each side until golden. Halve 1 garlic clove, then rub 1 side of the bread with the garlic.

3. Pile the tomato mixture on top of the grilled bread. Top with a handful of rocket leaves, drizzle of oil and some Parmesan shavings.

Deeeee-lish!