Wednesday 14 December 2011

What’s this? What’s this? There’s colour everywhere...



OK, so I haven’t written for a while, and this post is going to be bashed out in a nanosecond but I haven’t forgotten about blogging - promise!  I’ve just been crazy busy in the build up to Christmas: at Christmas drinks, Christmas lunches, Christmas dinners, Christmas parties, and of course making and baking Christmas gifts for all you lovely peeps!!  (Well... some of you at least)...

I'm incredibly excited - not just because it's in my nature to be an irritatingly excitable type of creature but also because it's my nephew's first Christmas!  And yes - I might have gained extra "evil aunt" points by buying him a snowman costume to wear!  Whhhhaaa haaa haa haaaaahhhhh... (well how would you spell an evil laugh!)
 I’ve been having to hold back on posting because I didn’t want to ruin the surprise for all the fam (who are all avid readers... ahem!)... There’ll be a glut of recipes after the holidays are done and dusted but in the meantime here’s something I made last night for my grandmother.  I’m reasonably sure she won’t suddenly become computer literate in time to spoil present opening time! 

My Mum’s mum is tiny, and feisty as hell.  Quite how she spawned a family full of giants is beyond me but I’m assuming it had little to do with a diet which appears to consist solely of oatcakes and shortbread...

140g medium oatmeal
140g porridge oats
black pepper
1/2tsp salt
1 handful seeds (I used a mixture of sesame and sunflower)
75ml extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 180C. 

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and pour the olive oil into a well in the centre.  Working quickly, add enough boiling water to bind the mixture together.  Work the dough into a ball shape and rest for a couple of minutes.

Lightly dust some baking trays and the work surface with flour. 

Roll the dough out until about 5mm thick then cut with whatever sized cookie cutter is your preference! 
Bake for 20 minutes then turn them over and bake a further 5-10 minutes.
 Cool the oatcakes on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.