Chinese-style chicken wings - Recommended Recipe!

Chinese-style chicken wings - serves 2.

Ingredients
12-16 chicken wings (depending on the size), rinsed and patted dry


For the marinade
2 large garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1 small "thumb" of root ginger, peeled and grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 mild red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce

For the dipping sauce
6 tbsp plum sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (optional)
lime or lemon wedges, to serve


Method

1. Pile the chicken wings in a large non-reactive dish.  Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients together, then slather the wings thoroughly with it.  Leave to marinate in a cool place for 2-24 hours - the longer the better.
2. Preheat the oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/Gas 7.  Throw the chicken wings, complete with marinade, into a roasting tin (double lined with foil if you don't want a lot of post-cooking scrubbing!).  Cook the wings for 60 mins, turning them occasinally and adding a splash of water to the pan each time.
3. Meanwhile, mix the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, adding rice vinegar to taste if you like an extra tang.  (It will keep in the fridge for a few days).
4. Serve the chicken wings with the dip, a wedge of lime or lemon and a huge stack of paper napkins!

Source - unknown.

Raspberry and lemon cake - Recommended Recipe!

Raspberry and lemon cake - serves 6-8, preparation 5 minutes, cook 30 minutes.

Ingredients
300g caster sugar
350g butter, softened
2 tsp almond essence
6 medium eggs, beaten
150g ground almonds
300g self raising flour
grated zest of 4 lemons
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the drizzle
150g icing sugar
3-4 tbsp lemon juice

For the filling
300ml double cream
150g lemon curd
200g raspberries

For the icing
300 royal icing sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
yellow food colour


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.  Grease and flour 2 x 20cm (8in) cake tins.
2. Beat the sugar, butter and almond extract together until pale and fluffy.  Gradually add the egg, then fold in the ground almonds, flour, lemon zest and juice.
3. Spoon into the tins, smooth the top and bake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
4. Make the drizzle by mixing the icing sugar and lemon juice together.  When the cake comes out of the ove, turn out onto a cooling rack set over a plate.  Prick all over with a skewer and drizzle with the syrup. Set aside to cool.
5. Whip the cream and fold in the lemon curd.  Set one cake on a plate, level the top if necessary and spoon over the cream.  Sprinkle with raspberries and set the other cake half on top.  Set aside.
6. To make the icing, mix the lemon juice and icing sugar until it's a spoonable consistency, but still quite paste-like.  Use a few drops of the yellow colour to make a pastel yellow shade and spoon the icing evenly over the cake, allowing it to drip down and coat the sides.  Run a spoon or palate knife around the sides to neaten and evenly distribute the icing.

Source - Morrisons instore magazine.

"jellycat" Easter Bunny giveaway with Luvit!

The lovely Owena at Luvit in Barmouth has a great giveaway going on at the moment!  When the Luvit Facebook page (here) reaches 800 likes, one lucky fan will win this beautifully cuddly jellycat Easter Bunny!

Just simply like the Luvit Facebook page, share the photo (here) and comment underneath the photo the name that you would give to the bunny!  Easy :)

At the moment, they are on 715 likes so let's give them a boost and get to 800!

You can also have a browse around their website here - so if you're not local to Barmouth you can still enjoy the wonderful gifts and goodies that are available in the shop :)  But you can still come for a visit if you like....!

So, off you go - keep the message going and one of you could win the cuddliest bunny in town!

PS.. a quick way of sharing the competition is by pressing the Facebook share button at the bottom of this post...but don't forget to share the Luvit photo too :)