Spiced Chocolate Orange Polenta Cake

Are we ready for some more chocolate after the indulgences of Easter?

I am always looking for a way to use interesting or unusual ingredients. You don’t see polenta around too much, but I really like using it in baking. It is kind of coarse and I like the very subtle crunch that it gives to baked goods. I am a fan.

Now, real talk, I poured the batter for this into a cake tin that was way too small and it never would have cooked. So I removed some of the batter for cupcakes, and ended up with a smaller cake than was intended and 6 delicious cupcakes. Still delicious.

This is a good cake. AND it's gluten free! You will enjoy.

Tear and Share Cheesy Garlic Bread

Okay, I know that it's Easter, which basically means chocolate season. And I am all about the chocolate. I don't do much sweet Easter baking because I'm too focused on yumming chocolate eggs into my face.

But if you're anything like my family, Easter is a time for people to come together and eat. So I've found the perfect side for your Easter buffet. Everyone does an Easter buffet, right?

It is an acknowledged truth that everyone loves garlic bread.

It’s like the universal amazing starter/side – carbohydrate-loaded, highly flavoured, a wee bit greasy.. It ticks all the boxes.

I'm literally salivating right now

But, like all awesome things, it is also ridiculously decadent and should really be saved for special occasions. Oh, hello, Easter.

I could eat all of these right now/

This bread is really really simple to whip up. It takes a little time while you’re allowing the dough to rise, but that’s good if you’re also cooking lots of other things at the same time. This is why it is the perfect dish for a party, imagine throwing this down in the centre of a table – people would be so happy.

Serves.. well, it makes about 24 individual garlic bread balls. So that could serve 2-12, depending on how much the people at your table love garlic bread. I'm not judging.

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

I really need to get my blogging-self back into gear. I haven't had much time lately to cook, so the blog has kind of had a back seat because I haven't had the material to post. But I'm back, baby. I have found some recipes that I'm really excited about and I thought I'd start with one of my favourite styles of meal - homemade mid-week takeout!

Quick dinners are really important on days when you’ve been in work and all you actually want to do is bundle up on the sofa with Netflix and peanut butter.

Quick dinners that taste a bit like a Chinese takeaway are even more important!

I’m not a big veggie fan, but I do like broccoli and leeks, so I try to shoehorn them in wherever I can, and they really work here. It's a lovely plate of golden chicken and green veggies and it just tastes like a big hug of a dinner. Serve with noodles or rice, or whatever you fancy.