When I’m not developing recipes for others, writing blogs or cooking for the lovely Mr G, this is wha

Baker & Foodie Content Creator

Hi.

My name is Lee, welcome to my pages. I hope we can have fun together?

When I’m not developing recipes for others, writing guest blogs, writing my own blog, or even trying to learn how to paint, I’m usually spending time with the amazing Mr G (my husband) or with my lovely daughter or my lovely son (very proud mum).

What is this all about? Great question. This site is about real cooking and baking, real recipes and real mistakes.

No filters here, (although i’d love to find a filter that can take ten years worth of laugh lines away. Just me, whats happening, and whatever cameras or phone i have to hand .

There are many things that get under my bonnet and wiggle around, one of those is food waste. If i buy ingredients specifically for a recipe, and i only need a small amount of the ingredients, i want to be able to use the rest up and not have to throw them away. My mum used to say , “Waste not Want not” is that still a saying ?

For me, waste is not just about using up all the ingredients. What about leftover food? If i’m able , i hope to give ideas as to how to use up any leftovers too.

Be Brave

Cooking isn’t hard , neither is baking, its all about being brave and being ok with making mistakes

Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb Recipe by Jane Devonshire

Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb Recipe by Jane Devonshire

Lee Majhen-Todd

 Who knew this book would have such a polarising set of reviews out there on the world wide web?

Not me!

I loved this August Foodie Book Club book, Julia’s Chocolates by Cathy Lamb. Is it just me?

Tell me your thoughts?

 I asked the author of this month’s book, Cathy Lamb, why she thought there were “non-likers”.

“Lots of people liked Julia’s Chocolates. Some didn’t” she said

This sounds a simple answer, but in truth, who knows why some like a thing and other don’t? Not me!

 Julia’s Chocolate’s is a book about all the good stuff in life.

Love, courage, knowing yourself, head strong chickens, strong women, healing the body and the soul, giant ceramic pigs, friendship as well as breast power psychic night, get to know your vagina psychic night and chocolate as a way of therapy.

Hands up who hasn’t related to all those things at one time or another?

The book is also about, unhappy & abusive marriages, child abuse, cancer, rape, marriage break up, alcoholism and abandonment.

Subjects that aren’t very easy to write about, let alone write about whilst not losing any readers.

Trying to keep readers engaged, doing it in a story that doesn’t shy away from issues and do it with humour and truth, is no small achievement.

Yet for me, Cathy Lamb managed all of that, and more, and put it down on the pages of Julia’s Chocolates.

 You don’t have to be in the camp of book “likers”, but as long as it made you think about the issues, listen to the messages, laugh at the good bits and cry at the injustices, it’s a good start.

I’ve got to give this book a 4 ½ egg rating.

 Let me know what you thought of the book?

A big thank you to Jane Devonshire 2016 MasterChef winner who used the ingredient in the book title, chocolate, in a recipe for Foodie Book Club.

Thank you for helping us to grow our groups and for your amazing generosity.

Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy the book and the food.

Check out next month’s book title on the Foodie Book Club Upcoming Reads page.

If you haven’t started your own Food Book Club, go see how easy it is, get your group together and start yours now!

Enjoy your Sweet Life

 Lee

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Julia’s Chocolates

By Cathy Lamb

Juiia’s Chocolate by Cathy Lamb 4 1/2 egg rating.

Juiia’s Chocolate by Cathy Lamb 4 1/2 egg rating.

August Foodie Book Club Recipe By Jane Devonshire, 2016 MasterChef Winner.

Jane Devonshire. Winner of 2016 MasterChef & Supporter of Foodie Book Club

Jane Devonshire. Winner of 2016 MasterChef & Supporter of Foodie Book Club

S’mores Chocolate Cake - Gluten Free

 In celebration of chocolate I thought I would share my recipe for this very sticky very moreish gluten free s’mores cake. 

If I’m honest, we have never (even for this photo) managed to let this cake cool completely before cutting it and eating it warm when its soft and gooey.  Kids love it and its a great one to get them cooking, as all the steps are so simple once you have weighed everything out.

 You will need a 19cm spring form tin well buttered. Preheat oven to 180 / 160 fan / Gas Mark 4

 For the base

  • 125gm Ground Almond

  • 1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum

  • 40gm Castor Sugar

  • 75gm Butter Softened

  • 1 Teaspoon Gluten Free Ground Cinnamon

For the Cake

  • 125gm Softened Butter

  • 125gm Cocoa Powder

  • 100g Ground Almond

  • 150gm Castor Sugar

  • 3 Large Eggs

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste

  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

  • Pinch Sea Salt

  • 200gm Chocolate Chips (I used a mix of milk & dark because that what I had in the cupboard but whatever you have to hand is fine.)

  • 150gm Mini gluten free Marshmallows for the topping

Method

  •  Mix all the base ingredients together until well combined and press well into the bottom of your prepared tin. 

  • In a large mixing bowl put all the cake ingredients in and whisk together until you get a thick cake batter, place on top of the base and smooth the top over.  Put into your preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle over the marshmallows, return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes until soft and melting. You can place under a grill or blowtorch if you want to make them very sticky but I find the oven time is fine.

  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool, take out from tin and serve whilst sticky and warm although this cake is also lovely eaten cold. 

S’mores Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

S’mores Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

 

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. September Recipe by Hrishikesh Desai

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. September Recipe by Hrishikesh Desai
The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakarunu. Recipe by Dina Begum

The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakarunu. Recipe by Dina Begum
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