FINYS FABULOUS FOODS AND FINDS

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE - what can I say!  I have not met anyone who does not like this. My chocolate mousse recipe is always much in demand as everyone loves it.  It has been handed down to me by my late best friend, and we used to make it often many years ago. Nowadays, I do not add any sugar to it as it does not need it though in the original recipe, it says to add a cup of sugar if using cooking chocolate. Chocolate is a bit like wine when you cook with it.  Use a good one, and your recipe will taste all the better for it.  I therefore am always on the lookout for Lindt chocolate at half price.  I use the 70% dark chocolate as that is healthier than plain dark chocolate. I do, in fact have one square of this almost every night as I rarely have cakes or food with added sugar nowadays.  That is what happens as we age - things seem to start "wearing out", and sugar levels go up for some odd reason.  I used to be able to eat exactly what I wanted, and...

Pizza is not normally something you associate with breakfast however, as I love eggs, bacon and pizza, I decided to make one as a brunch. I don't have a cooked breakfast each morning but sometimes when I do, I like to try something different. I have tried bacon and eggs in many different forms, and they are a combination that never fails to please the pallete, and it can be served either as a savoury meal, or by adding maple syrup which goes wonderfully with these two magic ingredients. When you make these you can use Turkish bread rolls as these make a nice breakfast meal, though you could also use a large ordinary roll, or even a pizza base.  However I think for breakfast I would prefer as I have made it - with the Turkish roll. It is a quick recipe, easy and once again any beginner cannot fail with this one.  For those of you who do not like cooking, this is a quick, easy recipe which does not require a lot of work. You could possibly even use tomato sauce if yo...

BRUNCH - is something that gets eaten a little later than breakfast! Or supposedly so.  Sometimes I make a big breakfast and I usually have this a bit later than my normal uncooked breakfast, as then I do not need to have lunch as well. Well, my lovelies, here is a recipe that is great for a Sunday morning, and it will save you making lunch for everyone.  I love breakfasts as eggs are one of my favourite foods (along with bacon and Nestle Sweetened Condensed milk). Sadly, I can no longer eat the Sweetened Condensed milk as there is just too much sugar in it, so I now concentrate more on savoury dishes, as well as a few sweets with no added sugar. But this article is not about sweets or my sugar levels!  It is about a brunch pie!  In this one I have teamed my two favourites - eggs and bacon and turned them into a rustic egg, bacon and cheese pie. Each week, the consensus is different about whether eggs are bad for your cholesterol levels or not.  Curren...

This is a great vegetarian menu which is also once again a meal that is ideal for children who do not like vegetables.  It is also a great snack for the whole family. I am not that keen on the taste of parsnip on it's own however this is a very good way to eat parsnips, as the distinct, strong flavour seems to disappear in this recipe. I served it with my peanut noodles and celery slices It is a quick, easy meal to make, and would also be a tasty addition to a buffet  dinner, as it can be served either hot or at room temperature. Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Makes: 12 fingers Ingredients 2 tsp olive oil ½ cup firmly packed, grated zucchini ½cup firmly packed, grated carrot ½ cup firmly packed, grated parsnip 2 spring onions, finely chopped 3 eggs, lightly whisked 60g grated cheese (I used Jarlsberg, but any tasty cheese will do) 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley 1 tbsp plain flour Instructions: Preheat the oven to 180°C or sli...

Clafoutis is really a French pudding and you usually see it made with cherries or other similar  fruit, and in this recipe I have used peaches. It is similar to a pastry-less flan, and a bit like a creme caramel in texture, but not as sweet. I have made several clafoutis using different fruits and they have all been delectable, and quite easy to make. You need not have fresh fruit as my recipes use the tinned variety so you can make them all year round. This sweet is delicious with vanilla ice cream, or even rich thickened cream. I have made it with tinned peaches to give it a different slant! Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes Makes: 6-8 servings Ingredients 400g can peach quarters, (or halves) drained ¼ cup plain flour 5 tbsp caster sugar 3 extra large eggs, beaten (70g) 450 ml milk grated nutmeg 40 g unsalted butter Method First of all, drain the peaches so they are nice and dry by the time you need them. Pre-heat the oven to 2...

I love cooked breakfast, and indeed love to go out for breakfast during the week when there are not a lot of people around. However, especially during the colder months, I have experimented with different cooked breakfast or brunches at home, and this recipe is another great breakfast or brunch idea, which I served with maple syrup. Maple syrup oddly enough, goes very well with a lot of savoury dishes, and you will find I use this natural product (I always buy the pure, more expensive form) regularly in my recipes, both breakfast, dinner and dessert. For this recipe, I actually also tried one with tomato sauce, however I liked the maple syrup better - bacon and maple syrup are a "match made in heaven". Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes Makes: 2 servings Ingredients 4-5 pieces shortcut bacon 1 large egg 1 egg yolk 2 crumpets cut in half Knob of butter Maple syrup to taste Method Fry the bacon.  I did this in the microwave between two...