Domestic Goddess | Healthy Cauliflower Pizza

Hello everyone, I'm back again with yet another one of my recent culinary endeavours and this is one I am particularly chuffed with, not that it is elaborate or is a masterpiece by any means but I'm always pleased when I am able to add a healthy alternative to a favourite take away dish to my list of culinary delights and in this case I'm going to share my recipe for cauliflower base pizzas.

These are foolproof ladies and gents, there isn't really a 'wrong' way to make these and you can make them as healthy or cheese laden as you so choose, but I thought as I'm still on my health kick that I would give you yet another glimpse into my endeavours and share my 'healthier' version of a thin crust pizza. Now I made ours with lean sweet chilli chicken but you can use anything you like, go nuts, the sky is the limit!

Equipment

Large Pizza Tray
Chopping Board and veg knife

Fish Slice

Cheese grater

Ingredients

Half of a large cauliflower
2 Medium Eggs
Tomato Puree
1 Cal olive oil spray

Sweet Chilli Chicken
Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese
Handful of grated light cheddar

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C and grate your cauliflower.
2. Put your grated cauliflower in a microwavable bowl and switch on for 7 and a half minutes.
3. While this is happening shred half a cup of mozzarella cheese finely and grate a small portion of cheddar cheese.
4. Let the cauliflower cool for 5 - 10 minutes and then mix together with your prepared cheese and 2 eggs.
5. Prepare the pizza tin with some 1 cal olive oil spray and then spread out your cauliflower mixture into your tip and spread evenly.
6. Cook in your preheated oven for 10 - 15 minutes until solidifying and browning at the sides.
7. Remove from your oven and spread with tomato puree and add your chosen toppings, in my case some cheese and sweet chilli chicken, place back in the oven for another 10 - 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and be careful when cutting and sliding the slices on to your plate, let it cool for a couple of minutes then enjoy your culinary creation.
   
   

Serving suggestion

Use tortilla bases to make garlic bread using garlic and herb spread (I use Philadelphia) and mozzarella cheese.

This has become one of our weekly meals in our home and paired with some garlic bread makes quite a substantial dinner, you can serve with salad if you like but you know I like carbs! My next attempt is going to be trying a chicken and kale pizza and I'll be sure to keep you updated on how that one goes down, I reckon it won't go down too well with my other half, but we will see.

As always I love hearing from you and if you do happen to make these I'd love to see your efforts, be sure to comment below how it went or of course share your pictures with me on Twitter, but if you'd just like to see more of my face, food and frolics you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, setting up my home delivery services.

H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | Creme Egg Brownies

Back at you today with a special Easter 'Domestic Goddess' post featuring the nations favourite sweet, the great British Creme Egg.  I saw this recipe in various forms across platforms such as Buzzfeed, Pinterest and it has even began to grace Facebook so being the budding baker I so truly am I thought I would do my own rendition of Creme Egg Brownies and share them with you here today.

This sweet is great for an Easter spread if you're not into the traditional hot cross buns or plain chocolate eggs we are so used to receiving, or perhaps you're just like me and have a serial sweet tooth and cake addiction, the first step to solving any problem is admitting there is a problem... step two for me is embracing said problem and baking myself stupid anyway! These (as usual) are really easy to bake, in complete honesty they are just a normal brownie recipe with a few sweet modifications, in fact if you're feeling super lazy you could even buy ready to mix brownie batter, but mine taste way better so please do try this before throwing the mitts in!

Equipment

Digital Scales
Saucepan
2 Bowls
Baking Tin
Wooden Spoon

Whisk
Seive

Ingredients
200g Cadburys Milk Chocolate (or your favourite brand)
6 Creme Eggs
275g Caster Sugar
40g Cadburys Coco Powder
185g Unsalted Butter
85g Plain Flour
3 Large Eggs
White Chocolate Chips

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C then melt your butter and Cadburys chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a boiling pan of water. When completely melted set to one side to cool.
2. In another bowl crack your 3 eggs and add your sugar. Whisk this until the eggs and sugar are combined and the mixture is a mousse like consistency (this will take a while and some elbow grease) Add your two mixtures together and mix well until fully combined.
3. Seive in your flour and coco powder then gently fold into the wet mixture. When the mixtures are to a thick, chocolatey consistency add in as many of your white choc chips as you like and mix well so they are evenly distributed throughout.
4. Pour the mixture into your baking tin (as you see mine is new and heart shaped from ASDA - which I love!) and bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Remove the mixture from the oven and you're ready to add your creme eggs. Cut them all in half and place them on top of the mixture evenly spaced (they will sink in - this is fine!) Cook them for a further 10 - 15 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Serving suggestion:

Serve warm with some cream and strawberries on the side.

Your brownies if stored properly, covered in foil in a tupperwear box, will last around 3 or 4 days, but as this mixture makes a rather large amount of brownies I doubt you'll be able to finish them yourself (despite the fact I did) Do let me know if you give these a go I would love to see how you got on and of course if you loved them just as much as I did. Be sure to comment any thoughts, questions or general musings you have below, Tweet me your baking pictures or of course if you'd just like to see a bit more be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, happy Easter!

H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | Chilli chicken and chorizo potato skins

Hello again, back today with yet another domestic goddess themed post, what can I say I feel I am on a culinary roll at the moment, and I thought since I always seem to share sweet snacks (which admittedly I am obsessed with) I'm going to change it up and offer a savoury in the form of my sweet chilli chicken and chorizo potato skins (anybody have a quippier name for them? all ears!)

I was inspired to make these by Pinterest (although their recipe revolved around sour cream, cheese and bacon) as well as an odd combination of ingredients that were left in my fridge at the end of a busy week, and as it turns out it was honestly the best thing I ate the entire week and has quickly become one of our favourite dinner dishes to make after work. These are super quick to make, require very little skill and are delicious!



Equipment

Bowl

Microwave

Microwavable Plate

Sharp Knife

Frying pan

Spoon (for scooping)

Ingredients

5 Baking Potatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or any oil really)

Ready to eat sweet chilli chicken (2 packs)

Philadelphia Sweet Chilli Spread
Diced Chorizo
Cheese (grated to sprinkle)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C. Wash your potatoes well and dry with a clean dishtowel.
2. Coat the potatoes lightly in your olive oil and place on your microwavable plate. Microwave the potatoes (5 mins per potato so for 5 you will need 25 minutes) so they are soft and easy to cut.
3. In the final 10 minutes of your potatoes cooking in the microwave heat up your chicken in the frying pan then add the sweet chilli spread. Make sure you coat all the chicken in the sauce which should now go a bit runny having been warmed up.
4. Remove potatoes from the microwave and leave to cool for 5 minutes until you can comfortably handle them (or dive right in if you're impatient like me!) Cut them in half and then spoon out the potato inside (leave a little bit in so they aren't just skin and fall to bits!)
5. Once you have your 10 skins, scoop in your sweet chilli chicken mixture, add your diced chorizo to the top and sprinkle with a bit of cheese (optional)
6. Put these in the oven for about 15 minutes until the skins are slightly burnt (that's how I like 'em)
7. Leave to cool for another 5 minutes and then tuck in and enjoy.

Serving suggestion:

Use the mash that you had taken out of the potatoes as a side to your skins or you can put it back on top to make a nice lid for your skins.

 

These are really lovely to have as leftovers too, I often find myself making slightly more just so I can take them to work the next day and let me tell you they are often the envy of my colleagues.These are so versatile and can  be swapped and switched around for different things, for example you can put chilli in your skins and if you're feeling particularly health conscious you can even swap your potato for a pepper (obviously you don't need to microwave the pepper though!) Please do let me know if you give these a go or if you have your own spin on these, of course you don't have to follow this to the letter you can mix it up and have any filling you like, I am actually tempted to try a fajita mix in my next ones. Leave any comments or suggestions for new recipes to try below, come share them with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to see more recipes, reviews and recommendations you can follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks, mashin' tatties.

H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | Nar Nar Bread

Hello everyone, I pleased to report to you today that since New Year there have been no more baking disasters or kitchen mishaps, I'm sure we all remember when I melted my gravy lid on to my cooker top, not one of my finest moments, and that my resolution to bake and cook a bit more this year remains firmly in tact (hold for applause) So today, given my success, I thought I would share one of my newest culinary creations and sweetie successes that I have seriously loved munching on through the last week.

Usually when people hear the word 'bread' in a recipe title they shy away from it as it can be such a sticky and awkward mess, and (as my partner says) 'You can buy one from the shop' but let's face it, you and I both know there's nothing like homemade. Banana bread is different in that it is so much sweeter and most importantly it's so simple to make it's unbelievable.



Equipment

Small loaf tin

Large mixing bowl

Cup for measuring
Small saucepan
Teaspoon
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

2/3 Ripe bananas
1/3 cup of butter
1 ½ cup of sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½  cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp  ground cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C and butter your loaf tin (ooh sounds rude) 
2. Melt your butter in a saucepan but be sure not to let it boil. 
3. In your mixing bowl mash your bananas with a fork until smooth and then stir in your melted butter.    
4. Mix in the baking soda then stir in the sugar, beaten egg, vanilla extract and then flavour with cinnamon. Following this mix in your flour (don't panic, at this point it will seem like there is a lot of flour but persevere and keep mixing)
5. Pour the batter into your buttered loaf tin and pop into the oven for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes (yours may need a little longer, make sure you keep an eye on it) 
6. Before removing the loaf tin from the oven do the good old knife test and make sure it comes out clean before leaving to cool on a rack.

Serving suggestion:

Have a slice along with a chopped banana with some cream / ice cream for a dessert and enjoy.

If you guys do happen to give this a go (which I highly recommend) please let me know in the comments below I would love to see how yours turn out so be sure to Tweet any pictures you have at me, or of course if you have another similar recipe (or any banana based recipe for that matter) do let me know as I always love a baking challenge. I hope you have enjoyed this 'Domestic Goddess' post, if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl bakes, reviews and ramblings be sure to give me a follow on Bloglovin.
 

Until next time folks, baking mad over here.

H.Elizabeth xx

Domestic Goddess | Apple and Cinnamon Flapjacks

With my healthy eating going relatively well (for three weeks in a row, what an achievement) I thought it was high time I got back into my kitchen and began to experiment with some healthier snacks and sweet treats to stave off any hunger pangs, cravings and general sweet toothiness I get throughout my days and I thought what better way than some sweet and fruity flapjacks?

Following a general flapjack recipe I altered it slightly to make it a bit healthier and Granite City Girl friendly (by simply adding honey, apple and cinnamon) and with it having become my new health friendly snack I thought I would share it with you guys as part of my year of health and well-being. 

Equipment

Scales 

Shallow tin

Baking Parchment

Wooden Spoon

Grater

Ingredients

115g Margarine 

75g Brown Sugar

250g Rolled Oats

4 tbsp Honey (add or take away depending on how gooey you like them)

1.5 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 Apples

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C, grease and line your shallow tin with baking parchment ready for your mixture.
2. Add the butter, sugar and honey to a pan and place over medium heat until melted. Remove from the heat and add your rolled oats and ground cinnamon. Grate your apples, skin on or off, entirely your choice and add this to the mixture too.
3. Spoon your mixture into the shallow tin and press into corners of the tin with a fork, bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Once golden brown remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes then cut into squares (or any shape you so choose)
4. For decoration you can add a few slices of apple to the top or you can drizzle over some honey.

These are really fun to make and you can even substitute the apples for pears, bananas or even chocolate, they're so versatile and you can always make them that little bit healthier... you know if you really want to mess with the masters recipe! Of course I'm not saying if you eat these everyday you'll lose a great deal of weight or that its a miraculous hidden health gem, but it's a damn sight better than eating a massive cake or chocolate bar on a daily basis.

So now that I'm back to baking I'd love to hear what you've been doing in the kitchen, especially if your home bakes are relatively healthy, and of course if you do give these flapjacks a go be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know how it goes. As always I love hearing from you be sure to catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more from the Granite City you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time, I'll be baking.

H.Elizabeth xx

Filling Station Aberdeen | Christmas Menu Review

As you'll probably notice this is not Wednesday or Sunday, but I couldn't wait to share this special review with you from an event I attended just this week, I hope you enjoy!

Just this week I attended my first ever blogger event, which was exciting, nerve wracking, fab and just a down right brilliant evening. We were all invited along to try out and test the Filling Station Aberdeens new Christmas menu and cocktails which I do believe go live as from next week and guys really, get yourself along and stuff yourselves silly!

The Filling Station Aberdeen Union Street

The Filling Station, for those who have never been is an American Style restaurant who have a good few restaurants in Scotland. They specialize in authentic American dishes and always try to offer a unique twist to their specific menu so there really is something for everyone.

When we arrived the scent of warm cinnamonny cider filled the restaurant and thankfully those were for us, and was to be the first of many more cocktails on their way! But let's crack on and review this menu shall we?!

Cocktails

We were treated to a mini cocktail masterclass which was entertaining when the head cocktail master (this is absolutely not the technical term!) picked on people to pretend to be Parick Swayze. We were shown literally every new Christmas cocktail and the meaning behind them was explained which was great to listen to.

Mimosa (Or as we know it Bucks Fizz)

Pitched to us as the simple Christmas morning drink, this is the American style version of our Bucks Fizz, sounding a bit more sophisticated, but I was really surprised as to how much work and attention to detail the bar tender put into this particular drink as it seems so simple.

Egg nog

Something I have never tried, but having watched it being made I would certainly love to, and usually when I see something being made it puts me off! The key ingredient for this festive treat? Gingerbread syrup, need I say more?

Chocolate Orange Martini
Based on the UK tradition of enjoying a Terry's Chocolate Orange in your stocking (clever eh?) it was actually blended with a white chocolate liqueur to take the darkness out of the drink which is great if you're not looking for something too heavy.

The Snowman
By far my favourite, I can only describe this fun little fella as milkshakey, he's made of vodka and creamy goodness and vanilla syrup. With whipped cream topped for a heat and chocolate for eyes he's simply adorable!

Filling Station Festive Menu 2014

Starters

Mushroom Risotto
(This is actually a main on the menu but since there was a vegetarian among us it came out first)Since I don't like mushrooms I wasn't really holding out much hope for starter number one, but this creamy dish was a delight, and I scoffed it! (minus a few mushrooms)

Goats Cheese Bruschetta
My friend actually ate this for me (sorry Filling Station Chef) but the only cheese I dislike is goats cheese.

Main Dishes

Maple Bacon Burger
Of course this reminded me of Elf (perhaps this was the inspiration?) Everyone was pretty skeptical about this dish but it was a-ma-zing! I am now a passionate advocate of maple syrup on everything, I mean who would have known!? Traditionally Aberdonians aren't known for their keen palette on sweet and savory but all I know is we were in awe!

Maple Bacon Burger

Turkey Dinner
Of course we had to have this wee traditional feast in here, even though it was a smaller portion it certainly filled a gap. Turkey with all of the trimmings indeed, my favourite part of a roast is dipping all of the things in cranberry sauce so I was chuffed by the major tub we were given!

Turkey Dinner

Dessert

Cookie Cheesecake

A sharer I'm afraid for us anyway, things got serious when I heard my friend and I had to share, I was stuffing my gob like I don't now what! The cheesecake is made with oreos and mascarpone cheese, the perfect blend of creamy taste and the richness of the oreos.

Cookie Cheesecake

Verdict

I highly recommend you get yourself booked in for the Filling Station at least once this Christmas, perfect for if you're organising the office party, catching up and exchanging gifts with old friends or even if you just want something a little different from your usual Christmas dinner. This restaurant has something for everyone this festive season! Remember this is just a sample of what they actually have in the restaurant for the full menu please check out their website.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the Filling Station for giving me the opportunity to come along and sample their Christmas menu for the blog, I hope you guys enjoyed reading my thoughts on the menu especially and I hope you do get a chance to go and have a taste! If you do happen to go what do you think? Drop me a comment below come catch me on Twitter or keep up with my latests on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | My New Recipe Book

Since finishing university (because this has granted me the gift of time!) I have been known to dabble in the culinary delights my kitchen and oven can bring and I'll be honest it's been pretty fun and successful. (Successful here meaning that I have not had nor have I given anybody food poisoning yet)

My most recent culinary creations were mini oreo cheesecakes and before that I tried my hand at chocolate swirled shortbread. This newfound hobby is doing NOTHING for my diet and fitness plans, but none the less it keeps me busy and entertained in the evenings.

I've been slowly building up my utensils and cooking resources every week at ASDA, so when I saw this book in Paperchase organisational inspiration struck again and I just had to have it!

The book is wipeable (good for this slap dash cook!) and has an adorable design on the front, it stays closed with a mint green ribbon (that was the dealbreaker in the store I'm ashamed to say)

This book is a neat freaks heaven, I mean from the organised dinner party planner pages to specific meal times and recipe types, its amazing and at times creepily organised! I'm planning on using this book to stick in all of my loved recipes, usually if I see a recipe I like the sound of I'll email it to myself and set up my iPad in the kitchen, however following a recent incident with my iPad and it's recent scare with a water basin I think this is a safer, cheaper alternative!

So that's all from me today folks, I just wanted to share this cute wee book with you because I got awfully awfully excited about it and honestly sharing with you is just second nature now!

Have any of you started experimenting with cooking / baking recently? Drop me comment below telling me your fave thing to bake, or come chat to me about it on Twitter or if you want to see more posts, come follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x