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Have a Halloween Mocktail

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It’s Halloween! Whether you are you celebrating with a scary party, or simply staying in and waiting for the trick or treaters to pop by, it’s a great excuse to have fun in the kitchen. There really are so many great sweet and savoury dishes that you can create to celebrate the spooky event. From ghastly cookies to fun jelly slime cocktails there’s so many things to experiment with!

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Image via Jonny Draper Photography.

Here’s a fun jelly mocktail that’s quite simple to make and ideal for parties!

Eyeball snot-tail
The jellied texture and edible eyeball in this slimy mocktail are dreadfully delicious – perfect Halloween party fare for kids

You will need:
135g pack lime jelly
700ml apple & pear juice (we used Copella)
300ml lemonade
425g can lychees in syrup
10-15 cocktail cherries from a jar
10-15 raisins
You will need
10-15 cocktail sticks

Instructions:
Make the jelly following pack instructions and chill until set. Combine the apple & pear juice with the lemonade in a large jug and chill in the fridge.
To make the eyeballs, drain the lychees and poke a hole in each cherry with one of the cocktail sticks. Put the cherry inside the lychee, then push the raisin into the cherry. Press the eyeball onto the end of a cocktail stick and set aside until serving.
When the jelly has set, use a whisk to break it up into small chunks. Spoon into the cocktail glasses and top up with the apple juice mixture. Put an eyeball into each glass before serving. Recipe via BBC Good Food.

Happy Chinese New Year!

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This week we have welcomed in the Chinese New Year! Here at Vanilla in Allseasons we love any opportunity for a celebration & a chance to create a feast. If you don’t have any plans this weekend then why not create a wonderful Chinese dish in honour of seeing in the new year. Whether you’d prefer to have a quiet night in with friends, family & loved ones, or you’re going to throw a fabulous dinner party there are many flavourful dishes to choose from. If a dinner party is more your style then you could challenge yourself by creating several dishes with different meats, spices and textures to please all of your guests. A great addition to any dinner party is whole fish, this recipe below from Today.com gives you everything you need to serve this wonderful fish.

Whole Fish: Sweet chile sauce 1 two-inch knob of ginger 3 garlic cloves 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup sambal oelek Chili paste Next, 'steam whole fish until just barely cooked through and then deep fry in a skillet filled with at least 3 cups of oil until the fish is crispy. Remove from oil and place on lettuce leaves and top with sweet chile sauce.'

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Image via Today.com

Follow the link to this article for some of the best Chinese dishes around. However, here at Vanilla In Allseasons we have picked out some of our favourite Eastern dishes from our very own menus. Our oriental dishes include: Lamb kofta with a cucumber and mint yoghurt Thai fishcakes with a plum sauce. Tiger prawns with thin noodle salad Green thai chicken curry with sticky rice The choice to include spicy oriental food in your Wedding menu may not be typically traditional however, it sparks interest and will be a memorable aspect of your day.

Find our menus here. Contact us here for the Wedding menu that's just right for you, remember that we love to create bespoke options for our couples & can’t wait to discuss your ideas!

Christmas Recipes

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Get in the festive spirit with our Christmas themed recipes here:

This week we are sharing our vegetable recipe, there will be more to follow.

Brussels sprouts – a delicious idea:

Why not make a change to your brussels sprouts this year?

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Simply follow our instructions below for a fabulous twist on a Christmas classic:

Ingredients:

1 pound of small brussels sprouts, rinsed

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1/4 pound of thinly sliced prosciutto ham

1 pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Next you slice the brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise. Don’t trim the ends as they will hold together better with them. Toss the sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet with the oil and a good generous sprinkle of the salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes total, but start to check then around the 25 minute mark, toss them around too. In the meantime you can chop up your ham into small chunks. Heat a frying pan over medium – high heat and add the prosciutto & sauce for about 5 minutes until they are nice and crispy. Then set the ham to one side. Next, remove the sprouts from the oven and let them cool for around 5 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. using toothpicks slide on half of a sprout followed by a slice or 3 of the ham, then bookend with the other sprout half. Continue until you have around 32 mini skewers. Arrange them on a platter and serve immediately. There we have it, a lovely tasty twist on your Christmas vegetables. The classic brussels sprout served with a twist. Brilliant!

Halloween Treats

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Happy Halloween from all of us here at Vanilla In Allseasons!

No matter what you’re plans are this weekend, whether you are taking the children out treat or treating. Or you are having a night in waiting for the revellers to come to your door, we have some really great and fun recipes to keep you busy this holiday weekend!

There are many Halloween goodies which are quite simple to make, you don’t need to spend hours and hours making sweet treats which will be gobble in mere seconds! So we have taken some brilliant inspiration from The Kitchn, and have some great ideas and images to share with you.

Sweet apples are a classic Halloween special which are not too difficult to create yourself, although you may get rather messy! Here is a recipe from The Kitchn for chocolate and caramel apples:

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Makes 6 to 8 apples:

2 cups (400 grams) sugar

3/4 cup (235 grams) light corn syrup

1/4 cup (85 grams) honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 to 8 small to medium apples, cold

1 pound (455 grams) chocolate, coarsely chopped

5 to 6 ounces (140 to 170 grams) chopped toasted nuts (optional)

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Or if you fancy making a cake which can be shared by everyone, which many of us like to do, then why not go with this very special and unique ‘Peanut Butter and Chocolate graveyard Dirt Cake’ from The Kitchn? It’s much tastier than it sounds – trust us! This time of year is a brilliant opportunity to have lots of fun with recipes and names for dishes. When else would it be appropriate to name a cake like this? So, why not give them a go and have some fun this Halloween!

WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS – MAKE LEMONADE!

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WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS – MAKE LEMONADE!
WITH THE SUMMER HERE THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN GOING ON AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE WITH A DELICIOUS PICNIC IN TOW!
WHY NOT HAVE SOME FUN AND HAVE A GO AT MAKING SOME REFRESHING HOMEMADE LEMONADE? IT’S QUICK AND EASY AND ALSO A GREAT ACTIVITY TO INVOLVE THE CHILDREN.

Lemonade

INGREDIENTS
1 CUP SUGAR (CAN REDUCE TO ¾ CUP)
1 CUP WATER (FOR THE SIMPLE SYRUP)
1 CUP LEMON JUICE
3 TO 4 CUPS COLD WATER (TO DILUTE)

METHOD
1) MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP BY HEATING THE SUGAR AND WATER IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN UNTIL THE SUGAR IS DISSOLVED COMPLETELY.

2) WHILE THE SUGAR IS DISSOLVING, USE A JUICER TO EXTRACT THE JUICE FROM 4 TO 6 LEMONS, ENOUGH FOR ONE CUP OF JUICE.

3) ADD THE JUICE AND THE SUGAR WATER TO A PITCHER. ADD 3 TO 4 CUPS OF COLD WATER, MORE OR LESS TO THE DESIRED STRENGTH. REFRIGERATE 30 TO 40 MINUTES. IF THE LEMONADE IS A LITTLE SWEET FOR YOUR TASTE, ADD A LITTLE MORE STRAIGHT LEMON TO IT.

FINALLY, FINISH OFF BY SERVING WITH ICE AND SLICED LEMONS FOR THE PERFECT QUENCH-THIRSTING DRINK!

TAKE A LOOK AT OUR INFORMAL MENU FOR FOOD INSPIRATION TO COMPLIMENT THE FRESH, SUMMERY VIBES!

Caramel Apples – With a Twist!

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Are you planning a bonfire party this week? What will you be serving to your guests?

Whether you you are hosting a large event or watching the fireworks through the window with your family,
some hearty Autumn food is an absolute must!

This fantastic recipe caught our eye – Sweet and Salty Bourbon Cinnamon Pecan Caramel Apples + Chocolate Drizzle.
Sounds rather good doesn’t it?

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We found the recipe on Half Baked Harvest, a brilliant foodie blog. You can get the recipe right here.

This is an American recipe, so uses U.S measurements. You can find a handy conversion chart here.

We are serving up some scrumptious treats at a fantastic bonfire party this week. Check back on the blog to find out what we served!

Summertime Recipes for Children

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Keep the little ones busy over the summer break by encouraging them to join you in the kitchen. Today on the blog we take a look at some simple recipe ideas that your children can help to make.

Fish Finger and Mushy Peas

Homemade Fish Fingers

There’s no need to resort to shop-bought when making your own is this easy. This homemade fish finger recipe from the BBC Good Food website is an excellent source of nutrition. They’re super delicious too! It goes well with lemon-roasted new potatoes.

Picnic Loaf

Picnic Loaf

If you’re heading to the park or countryside for a family picnic over the holidays, a picnic loaf is great to take along. Take a loaf of bread and fill it with all the flavours you love in a sandwich. This recipe from Sainsbury’s shows you how to layer ham, salami, cheese, and roasted vegetables.

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Fridge Cake

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Fridge Cake

Children love nothing more than baking with their parents; it makes them feel grown up and the results are always rewarding. This Fruit & Nut Chocolate Fridge Cake is easy and fun to make with your children. You can add your own favourite ingredients and use whichever type of chocolate you like.

Smoothies

Smoothies

Smoothies are terrific snacks for kids; they’re a great way of getting picky eaters to get their five a day. They are full of vitamins and nutrients but are colourful and full of flavour too. You just need a blender and a selection of your favourite or seasonal fruits. Experiment with combinations and see which flavours you can create.

Are you going to try any of these with your children? Let us know if you know any other recipe suggestions.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Looking for something to wash down with a Guinness? Try one of these traditional Irish recipes this St. Patrick’s Day from the BBC Good Food website.

Irish Stew

St. Patrick's Day - Irish Stew

This is easily prepared and allows you time to pop to the pub whilst it cooks. Packed full of flavour, it’s guaranteed to leave your mouth watering.

Smoked Haddock and Colcannon

St. Patrick's Day - Colcannon and Smoked Haddock

Colcannon, the traditional Irish potato dish, is a great accompaniment to the creamy tasting smoked haddock. Quick to prepare and light tasting, it’ll go well with that Guinness!

For more, St.Patrick’s day recipe ideas visit the BBC Good Food website.

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