February's Feel Good Food Challenge

I've got a refreshing challenge for you this month! One packed full of Vitamin C and sunshine to help get us over the last hurdle of winter and thinking about warmer times ahead. As well as the well known Vitamin C and benefits to the immune system, nutrients in oranges are plentiful and diverse. Low in calories, with no saturated fats or cholesterol, Oranges are rich in dietary fiber, pectin, which is very effective in persons with excess body weight. Pectin also helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. Pectin has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing its re-absorption in the colon by binding to bile acids in the colon. (adapted from Nutrition and You)

On a less graphic note, it's Seville Orange season, and marmalade season to boot, so what better awesome healthy ingredient to make this month's Feel Good Food! 

ORANGES

As always, the challenge rules are;

• Each month the new challenge will be announced on the 1st of the month, and recipes should be submitted by midnight on the 28th. 
• You can enter as many recipes into each challenge as you like, the more the merrier. Existing posts are welcome, as long as they contain the chosen ingredient and have been updated to include a link back to this challenge.
• Recipes can be your own or someone else's, but if you do use an existing recipe please credit the source.
• Posts must contain the Feel Good Food logo above, be tagged with Feel Good Food, and contain a link back to this site. 
• You can add your post using the linky tool at the bottom of this post, or alternatively email me a copy of the URL link to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com so that I know it is there, and I can include it in the round up at the end of the month. 
• If you are on Twitter, tweet me the link at @ThePantryDoor1, using the hashtag #FeelGoodFood and I will retweet as well. 

January's Feel Good Food Challenge

I started this recipe challenge last year in order to create a place for great recipes that are good for us in terms of their nutrition content and health benefits, but not at the expense of taste. The idea was to create a collection of recipes for the foodies out there that can't face the thought of strict diets, or calorie counting, but want to make sure that the food they are eating has the best possible benefits to their health. In short, foodies like me!

As we step over the threshold of 2014, many of us will be making a note in the front cover of our shiny crease-free new diaries of our New Year's Resolutions, and once again, "Lose Weight" tops the charts in terms of the most popular resolution (and unsurprisingly, the most broken resolution too). Many will turn to the latest celebrity diet trends, and quit shortly after because of their inflexible rules, bland and monotone tastes, and often expensive elements. 

So for this month's Feel Good Food, I'm hosting a free for all in terms of ingredients, and ask only that the theme for recipes is;

TASTY AND INEXPENSIVE

Let's create an awesome recipe bank of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options that promote a healthy diet, packed with flavour, without breaking the bank. Ooo and feel free to share your New Year's resolutions too! Mine is to start my own business! 

As always, the challenge rules are;

• Each month the new challenge will be announced on the 1st of the month, and recipes should be submitted by midnight on the 28th. 
• You can enter as many recipes into each challenge as you like, the more the merrier. Existing posts are welcome, as long as they contain the chosen ingredient and have been updated to include a link back to this challenge.
• Recipes can be your own or someone else's, but if you do use an existing recipe please credit the source.
• Posts must contain the Feel Good Food logo above, be tagged with Feel Good Food, and contain a link back to this site. 
• You can add your post using the linky tool at the bottom of this post, or alternatively email me a copy of the URL link to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com so that I know it is there, and I can include it in the round up at the end of the month. 
• If you are on Twitter, tweet me the link at @ThePantryDoor1, using the hashtag #FeelGoodFood and I will retweet as well. 

Random Recipes #35 - Dare to Bare

I was really excited to find out what Dom had in store for December's Random Recipe Challenge, as it's giving me a chance to write a post that I've been starting and stalling on for several months now. Dom has challenged us to share a window into our homes and kitchens by blogging a picture of the inside of our larder or cupboards, and here is mine - no pre-tidy otherwise I might have hidden some of those jars of instant sauces!! 

My lovely, not-so-tidy-but-still-mine, kitchen cupboard!

I posted this pic up on Instagram and Twitter, and one of the first comments I got came from Karen over at Lavender and Lovage, who exclaimed 'wow! you have loads!'. There is very much a reason for this, and as I said, a post that has been a long time coming, so here's a little insight into how and why my cupboard looks like this!

For the past couple of years, it's fair to say that like most households across the land we have 'felt the pinch'. With debts to pay, unexpected redundancies, job changes and all the usual stresses that come alongside them, we found ourselves feeling new, ever-tightening financial constraints. 

To start with, it's fair to say that we struggled to budget. I was organised to the point that rent and bills are planned for and are paid from a set account, but buying food on a weekly basis was a minefield, at the beginning of the month we'd buy far to much, and end up wasting fresh veg and meat that had gone bad, whilst at the end of the month we were sat counting 5ps on the coffee table to afford baked beans, bread and milk. Then I read a book that totally changed my perspective. That book was called Freeze, by Justine Pattison, and it promised to 'revolutionise' the way I used my freezer. In reality, it revolutionised the way I do everything. The way I shop, the way I store my food, and the way I plan my meals, and the result is we spend much less of food and eat much much better all month round.

My monthly food shopping and planning now looks something like this (with a few tips and star products);

• We do one 'big shop' once a month for around £250, rather than £100 once a week - big savings. (includes cleaning products and toiletries)
• The only 'extra' each month is fresh bread and milk. 
• We buy meat fresh, often taking advantage of 3 for £10 deals. All fresh meat is taken out of packages, wrapped in foil, labelled in a freezer bag, and frozen. Wrapping in foil has two major benefits - firstly, it takes up a lot less space in the freezer, and secondly, when defrosted the meat has no freezer burn! Seriously, it's just like fresh! 
• Fresh veggies are chopped, blanched and frozen the day I buy them, ready to be used as an when I need them (the ones that won't last a month in the fridge).
• We plan dinner in the morning, and take out any meat that needs defrosting, so it's ready for that evening. 
• My go-to product is Tesco Value Passata - it's 39p for 500g, and is my base for Bolognase, Chilli, Curries, Casseroles, Pizza sauces, Goulash, everything! And it tastes better than any branded passata I've tried! 
• The large bags of dried rice and pasta are incredible value, and as they have such a long shelf life there is no reason to ever buy small packs that cost the same amount! The large pasta bags (3kg) last me and Gary at least 3 months and cost around 20p more than a 1kg bag. 
• As you can see, there are a few jars of ready-made sauces peeking out for when we both have a late night at work... naughty :-)
• Two of these shelves are dedicated to flour and all things baking - well, I do make a LOT of cakes! 

It's a simple enough system, and one I should probably have figured out a long time ago, so forgive me teaching everyone to suck eggs but I really wanted to share! Thanks to Dom for spurring me on to write the post - finally!

September's Feel Good Food Challenge

So I guess Summer happened then!? I can't believe that it's September already, and what's more, that this little blog is 1 year old today! Maybe that's because I didn't really understand what I was doing in the beginning, and didn't really find my stride until the beginning of 2013. Either way, here we are, and here is the forth Feel Good Food challenge already! If you haven't caught it yet, check out August's Ginger round-up here, there are 17 of the most varied recipes containing ginger, and each one is brilliant! 

This month, I wanted to mark the beginning of Autumn, and more importantly the beginning of the harvest season, as so much amazing produce comes into season at this time of year. The choice was huge to narrow down, but I knew I was looking for an ingredient that was in season, incredibly versatile, and of course has plenty of great health benefits.

The ingredient I chose is high in vitamin C, and packed with phytonutrients and enzymes that support the effective breakdown of glucose and complex carbohydrates, making it easier to regulate blood sugars, and ward off diabetes. Antioxidant properties are present, and recent studies also hint at properties that can help to prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. It seems that the old proverb is correct, one of these a day will most certainly keep the doctor away! 

This month's challenge ingredient is...

APPLES

As always, the challenge rules are;

• Each month the new challenge will be announced on the 1st of the month, and recipes should be submitted by midnight on the 28th. 
• You can enter as many recipes into each challenge as you like, the more the merrier. Existing posts are welcome, as long as they contain the chosen ingredient and have been updated to include a link back to this challenge.
• Recipes can be your own or someone else's, but if you do use an existing recipe please credit the source.
• Posts must contain the Feel Good Food logo above, be tagged with Feel Good Food, and contain a link back to this site. 
• You can add your post using the linky tool at the bottom of this post, or alternatively email me a copy of the URL link to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com so that I know it is there, and I can include it in the round up at the end of the month. 
• If you are on Twitter, tweet me the link at @ThePantryDoor1, using the hashtag #FeelGoodFood and I will retweet as well. 

August's Feel Good Food Challenge

This month's key ingredient for Feel Good Food was one of the original contenders for the first challenge back in June. I chose it because it comes in so many different forms, has so many different uses in cooking and baking, and of course, most importantly, has so many health benefits.

I am of course, talking about GINGER. Be it freshly grated ginger root, ground ginger, crystallised or pickled ginger, this month, I want your ginger recipes please! 

To encourage you, some of the linked health benefits to ginger include;

• Ginger contains a number of compounds that aid gastrointestinal functions including digestion
• A recent study indicates that daily consumption of ginger can ease muscle pain associated with exercise
• Some studies have shown ginger to be very effective in reducing nausea linked to seasickness, pregnancy and even nausea brought on by chemotherapy

The rules are as follows;

• Recipes should be submitted by midnight on the 28th. 
• Recipes do not need to be calorie controlled, but wherever possible, try to use wholemeal carbohydrates (flour, pasta, rice etc) to make them as nutritious as possible.
• You can enter as many recipes into the challenge as you like, the more the merrier. Existing posts are welcome, as long as they contain the chosen ingredient and have been updated to include a link back to this challenge.
• Recipes can be your own or someone else's, but if you do use an existing recipe please credit the source.
• Posts must contain the Feel Good Food logo above, be tagged with Feel Good Food, and contain a link back to this site. 
• Once your post is live, you can add the URL to the linky tool at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, email me a copy of the URL link to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com so that I know it is there, and I can include it in the round up at the end of the month. 
• If you are on Twitter, tweet me the link at @ThePantryDoor1, using the hashtag #FeelGoodFood and I will retweet as well. 

July's Feel Good Food Round Up: Maple Syrup

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting July's Feel Good Food to be quite so controversial as it was, but there did seem to be some resistance in terms of cost and availability. That being said, there are some really fantastic recipes here that just go to show the range and versatility of maple syrup in all types of cooking, from baking, to sauces, glazes and marinades. There are five recipes here, and we have a cookie, a cake, a veggie dish, a meat dish, and a versatile sauce - varied indeed!

Banana, Maple Syrup, Bacon and Whiskey Cookies

The lovely Jen at Blue Kitchen Bakes was first in, with a Heston inspired Banana, Maple Syrup, Bacon and Whisky Cookie recipe. Nothing controversial there then! Personally the sound of these cookies gets my tastebuds tingling, plus, the mashed banana in the cookie dough cuts out a lot of the butter content, and similarly, the sweetness comes from the maple syrup, so a great healthy alternative cookie recipe - thanks Jen! 

Quick and Easy Chinese Style BBQ Sauce

Next up I experimented with using maple syrup in a Chinese Style BBQ Sauce. This was a quick and easy blend of maple syrup, teriyaki sauce and some spices to create a quick marinade, which could also be reduced down to make a sticky sauce. Perfect quick and easy mid-week food. 

Baked Butternut

Our next entry came from Angela over at My Golden Pear, in the form of this glorious Baked Butternut, glazed with maple syrup, cinnamon and paprika. This was a South African inspired dish, and looks just divine, definitely one I will be trying myself at home. 

You could use maple syrup as a glaze to replace sugar or honey in other vegetable dishes similar to this to get the same result, with all those added antioxidants and health benefits. 

Banana, Almond and Maple Syrup Cake

A beautiful looking cake now from Ness at Jibber Jabber. Ness found some bananas that needed using up, and put then to incredibly good use in this Banana, Almond and Maple Syrup Cake. Perfect for accompanying an afternoon cup of tea methinks!

Maple and Lemon Chicken with Sunshine Rice

The last entry was another of my recipes, this time Maple and Lemon Chicken with Sunshine Rice. This time, I used lemon juice and maple syrup to marinade chicken, which was then grilled, with the remaining marinade used to flavour a tomato cooked rice side dish. It was absolutely delicious I promise! 

Thank you to everyone who took the time out of their sunshine soaked July to create a maple syrup dish this month, the ingredient for August will be posted shortly! 

July's Forever Nigella Round Up: Party Party!

Boy would I like to go to the party where all these lovely dishes were served! Again, the hot weather has kept a lot of us busy, but these five dishes are all delicious and perfect for any party situation you may find yourself in this summer.

Grilled or Barbecued Halloumi with Chilli

Caroline from Caroline Makes must have been the guest of honour when she arrived at a family BBQ with this tasty dish of halloumi marinaded in lemon and chilli. Simple and yet very effective.

Rhubarb and Rose Polenta Cake

Next up is a serious centrepiece for any party, this Rhubarb and Rose Polenta Cake from Choclette at Chocolate Log Blog, which contains the addition of yummy white chocolate, and her homemade rose syrup.

Mini Cheesecakes

Inspired by Nigella's No Bake Cherry Cheesecake, It's A Fine Life created these beautiful fruit topped Mini Cheesecakes for a charity bake sale. I think you'll agree that they would be perfect on any party table too.

Chocolate and Pistachio Macarons

Katharine from Leeks and Limoni created a sensational recipe mash-up with these Chocolate and Pistachio Macarons, using two Nigella recipes for the Chocolate shells and Pistachio filling.

Irish Cream Tiramisu

Last up was my entry of Irish Cream Tiramisu. The full recipe for this dish would make a substantial party dessert, I halved the quantities and still had enough to last us 3 nights! 

Forever Nigella is run by Sarah at Maison Cupcake, head over to her site to find the theme and host for August. 

July's Breakfast Club Round Up: Continental

As hoped for I have a really versatile range of posts for you to celebrate the continental theme for this month's Breakfast Club. I know that the beautiful weather has kept a lot of us out of our kitchens and basking in the sunshine, so I am truly thankful to each of you that linked up this month. 

Wholemeal Savoury Swirls

First in was Michelle from Utterly Scrummy with these, well, utterly scrummy looking Wholemeal Savoury Swirls. Using leftover lentil bolognese sauce rolled up in a tasty bread, and covered in cheese, these nod to Italian cuisine are perfect for any time of the day. 

Breakfast Burritos

Next up was Anshu from My Mom's Recipes with these Veggie Breakfast Burritos. I'm not sure which part of the continent they originate from but when they look this delicious I'm sure it doesn't really matter!

Waffles with Chocolate Sauce

I was really hoping that someone would enter waffles to this challenge, and Caroline of Caroline Makes did not disappoint! These Waffles with Chocolate Sauce are totally decadent and totally yummy, thank you Caroline! 

Turkish Eggs

The next entry came from How To Eat Properly, and was these beautiful Turkish Eggs inspired by a resturant dish. Yoghurt, eggs and spicy butter sounds like the perfect combination of breakfast foodstuffs to me. 

Peach and Apricot Jam

You're in for a real treat now, as this isn't just any Peach and Apricot Jam, this is Prize Winning Peach and Apricot Jam! Camilla from Fab Food 4 All scooped 1st Place at a local fayre with this tasty jam, and it's not hard to see why! 

Croissants

Sliding across the finish line only just slightly after the linky list closed is my entry of Croissants. In my defence, I had started making these before the deadline, but the lengthy proving process took a little longer than planned. Check out my idiots guide though now I've learned the lessons for you!

Breakfast Club is run by Helen from Fuss Free Flavours, head over to her site to find out who is hosting next month's Breakfast Club and what the theme will be.

July's Forever Nigella Challenge

I. Love. Nigella. In fact, I try and kid myself that we're not all that dissimilar, both unapologetic food addicts with long brunette hair and an ample bosom... in truth, I hope that I have but an ounce of her talent, charm and appeal, but hey a girl can dream. I can be quite an arm chair critic when it comes to cookery shows, although goodness knows I would be terrible myself in front of a camera, however I always loved Nigella's, I think because she always said what I was thinking.

From being a young girl, I remember watching her throw together amazing looking dinner parties and gatherings of friends, that were all about the food and the atmosphere, just great friends in cosy settings, and I hoped that I would be able to recreate this when I had my own home. And whilst I realise now that much of that may have been for the camera (ok I'm slow on the uptake) I still try to make sure there is always good food and drink to hand whenever guest come a-calling.

As July is my birthday month, (not that I ever make a fuss about it at all!!), and in deference to my favourite hostess with the mostest, I'm setting this month's Forever Nigella theme as Party Party Party! I'm throwing this wide open, be it refined dinner party, summer bbq food, big bold beautiful birthday cakes, or nibbles and canapes, anything at all that has a sense of celebration and people coming together is fine by me!

The Rules:

• The challenge is open until the 28th July, with entries via the linky below, or by emailing the post URL to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com
• You can enter as many posts as you like, the more the merrier!
• I will endeavour to have the round up live on the 1st August.
• Linked posts must contain this month's Forever Nigella badge, and contain link backs to this post, and to Forever Nigella creator Sarah at Maison Cupcake.
• Remember Copyright Please do NOT reproduce Nigells'a recipe verbatim. Say which book it was and/or link to it online. If you have adapted the recipe, i.e. changed at least two of the ingredients or amended the method then it's ok to publish your version of the recipe, but still include the credit back to the original source. Always use your own words. 
• For a list of Nigella resources for inspiration, check the Forever Nigella page.
• If you are on twitter, you can tweet a link to myself @ThePantryDoor1 and Sarah @maisoncupcake using #forevernigella, and we will RT all that we see. 

July's Breakfast Club Challenge

For a lot of people, and I include myself in that to some extent, 'Continental Breakfast' means the selection at the end of the buffet table in a hotel with a scattering of limp pastries, mini pots of jams, and an industrial sized tub of muesli. Most of my experience of the continental breakfast I will be honest has been in the Brewer's Fayre type eateries attached to Premier Inn's when I've been away on business, although I still vividly remember being three years old, and on an all inclusive holiday in Spain, where the morning slice of ham on toast seemed like the most exotic thing I'd ever eaten, compared to my everyday bowl of Rice Crispies! 

A recent trip to Brussels however for a work conference, introduced me to the heavenly taste of freshly made Belgian Waffles for breakfast, hot off the waffle iron, and dusted in icing sugar, and when I got home I made it my mission to read up on the European idea of breakfast, rather than relying on the British interpretation. And whilst there are some commonalities between each country, you only have to read Wikipedia's page outlining the different types of breakfast from around the world to get a feel for how cultural and climatic differences change what and how people eat breakfast. 

So, for this month's breakfast club, I'd like you to consider not just 'Continental' as a generic label, but some of the regional variations from all around Europe. I'm talking Belgian Waffles, French Pastries, Brioche, Crusty breads with meat and cheeses, German pumpernickel and Russian Pancakes! Let's take this chance to recreate a breakfast from a cherished holiday, tackle a new type of bread, or put a twist on a classic pastry.

As always...

• Mention Breakfast Club in your post, and use the logo
• Link back to this post, and to Helen at Fuss Free Flavours
• You can link back old posts, just update them with the link to this challenge
• You can enter as many times as you want
• Entries close on the 28th July, and the round up will appear shortly after
• Posts can be linked to other challenges too, just respect their individual rules
• Links can be tweeted using #breakfastclub to @ThePantryDoor1 and @FussFreeHelen and we will RT any we see
• Enter via the linky below, otherwise email the post to me at kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com

July's Feel Good Food Challenge

I had a few different ingredients in mind for the second Feel Good Food challenge, however after the success of the first challenge (round up here) I had a little rethink, as I wanted something that was really flexible and would allow for a really good range of exciting healthy recipes. A little while ago, I was sent some products from Clarks to test, which included their range of maple syrups, and a little research opened my eyes to the amazing health benefits of this delicious treat.

Predominantly maple syrup contains phenol compounds that house enzymes that convert carbohydrates into sugars, and the recent studies suggest that this could be the basis of an anti-diabetic compound. In addition, maple syrup also contains a high density of antioxidants, which are key in slowing down the oxidization, or ageing of the bodies cells, something that is not found in other natural sweeteners, even including honey. You can find more information on the health benefits of maple syrup on the Clarks website here. In conclusion, maple syrup is a great way of sweetening a recipe whilst making the most of some key nutrients. 

So the key ingredient this month is MAPLE SYRUP

The rules are as follows;

• Recipes should be submitted by midnight on the 28th. 
• Recipes do not need to be calorie controlled, but wherever possible, try to use wholemeal carbohydrates (flour, pasta, rice etc) to make them as nutritious as possible.
• You can enter as many recipes into the challenge as you like, the more the merrier. Existing posts are welcome, as long as they contain the chosen ingredient and have been updated to include a link back to this challenge.
• Recipes can be your own or someone else's, but if you do use an existing recipe please credit the source.
• Posts must contain the Feel Good Food logo above, be tagged with Feel Good Food, and contain a link back to this site. 
• Once your post is live, you can add the URL to the linky tool at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, email me a copy of the URL link to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com so that I know it is there, and I can include it in the round up at the end of the month. 
• If you are on Twitter, tweet me the link at @ThePantryDoor1, using the hashtag #FeelGoodFood and I will retweet as well. 

June's Feel Good Food Challenge

I'm so pleased to launch the first ever Feel Good Food challenge this month. I've started this recipe challenge in order to create a place for great recipes that are good for us in terms of their nutrition content and health benefits, but not at the expense of taste. They are going to be recipes for the foodies out there that can't face the thought of strict diets, or calorie counting, but want to make sure that the food they are eating has the best possible benefits to their health. In short, foodies like me!

The premise for this challenge comes from a project I have been working on with a great friend of mine who runs a successful dance and fitness company, and who has been giving me amazing hints and tips on eating healthy, as it is glaringly obvious that I am not wired up to spend my spare time in a gym. You can read all about what she does here.

Every month, there will be a theme set, which will revolve around a key ingredient that has a particularly high nutritious content or health benefit. What you chose to do with that ingredient then is wide open, we are looking for as varied and wonderful recipe ideas as possible, all that I ask is that where possible you choose wholegrain carbs (flour/rice/pasta etc) and avoid foods that are high in saturated fats. I'm not looking for calorie controlled recipes, just delicious and nutritious food.

This month, the key ingredient is...

BLUEBERRIES

Blueberries are one of the original members of the Superfoods group, and their credentials stack up to prove why they have earned this status. Packed with antioxidants (which slow down the oxidants that age your cells) and phytoflavinoids (compounds that protect our bodies from stress), they also contain high levels of potassium and vitamin C. Some of the many health benefits associated with Blueberries are a reduced risk of heart diseases and cancers, and they are also reported to be anti-inflammatory, so can prevent chronic diseases. When selecting blueberries, the darker they are in colour, the more antioxidants they contain. 

Harvesting of blueberries takes place May through to August in the US, and June to August in the UK, so these healthy little super-berries should be coming into season this month and be readily available in the supermarkets. 

So... the rules...

• Recipes should be submitted by midnight on the 28th. 
• You can enter as many recipes into the challenge as you like, the more the merrier. Existing posts are welcome, as long as they contain the chosen ingredient and have been updated to include a link back to this challenge.
• Recipes can be your own or someone else's, but if you do use an existing recipe please credit the source.
• Posts must contain the Feel Good Food logo above, be tagged with Feel Good Food, and contain a link back to this site. 
• Once your post is live, you can add the URL to the linky tool at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, email me a copy of the URL link to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com so that I know it is there, and I can include it in the round up at the end of the month. 
• If you are on Twitter, tweet me the link at @ThePantryDoor1, using the hashtag #FeelGoodFood and I will retweet as well. 

June's We Should Cocoa Challenge

There are many blogging challenges out there, but none appeal to me in quite the same way as We Should Cocoa, co-hosted by Choclette of Chocolate Log Blog, and Chele over at Chocolate Teapot. Simply, because I love chocolate, but more specifically, because I love the idea of chocolate with so many other flavours. I'm the first to reach for the new bar in the shop because of it's addition of peanut butter, or chilli, or jelly beans (as I discovered in the supermarket last week). We Should Cocoa represents I place where I can come and drool over everybody else's wonderful chocolatey creations and be inspired to try new flavour combinations that have so far passed me by. 

I was thrilled therefore when Choclette added me to the list of guest hosts for the challenge, and then was very quickly struck with a thought - what on earth could I pick as a theme? A visit to the challenge page on her blog did little to help my decision, as I scrolled down the list of 33 themes (yes, 33!!) from the last three years, I saw every creative thought I'd had written there in front of me in black and purple print. And then it struck me that there was one classic flavour missing. Amongst all the exotic and delicious chocolate companions, there was one that should most definitely be on the list... think hot chocolate flavours, after dinner palate cleansers, and choc chip studded ice creams. The flavour that is therefore of course this month's challenge is (drum roll please) ...

MINT!

So, the usual rules apply...

• Post your recipe on your blog, one entry per blog please!
• Entries should be added by 25th June, and I will endeavour to get the round up online as soon as possible after that. 
• Add the tag 'We Should Cocoa' to the labels on your post, and include the We Should Cocoa logo
• Submit the post through the linky tool below
• Link back to this post and blog A Kick At The Pantry Door, as well as both Chocolate Log Blog and Chocolate Teapot
• Tweet me a link @ThePantryDoor1 and tweet @Choclette8 and we will share and RT your links

May's Classic French Challenge

When I agreed to host this month's Classic French challenge for Jen over at Blue Kitchen Bakes, I had a long hard think for a theme for all of ooo... three seconds! I wanted to chose something that was first and foremost French (obviously), but secondly would give us all the freedom to experiment with flavours and colours to our little hearts content. Having scrolled through the archives on Jen's site to check what had been covered before, I could see that these hadn't been tackled yet, and as a Classic French patisserie treat, I felt compelled to make this the theme for this month's challenge.  If you haven't guessed it yet, May's challenge is of course, Macarons!

I've only made these once before myself, and that was because someone told me they were difficult, and that sounded like a challenge to me! There is definitely a knack, but as long as you are methodical and patient with them they come out just great, and my goodness the taste is always well worth the effort. So for those of you who have never made a macaron, now is the time to give them a go, and for those who have, well let's just see how creative you can all be!

Challenge Rules

• Please use the logo on your post and tag the post with the label 'Classic French' and include a link to myself at A Kick At The Pantry Door, and to Blue Kitchen Bakes.
• Please add your entries via the linky at the bottom, enter the name of your dish in the name box. If you don't have a blog or linky doesn't work then email your entries to kickatthepantrydoor@gmail.com including the name of your dish, your name, a photo and a link to your post
• If you're on Twitter you can also tweet your links to @ThePantryDoor1 and @BlueKitchenBake using the hash tag #ClassicFrench and we will retweet any that we see
• You can enter as many times as you want and you can enter your post into other challenges as long as it fits in with their rules 
• You can enter an old post if you want but please update with a link back to my blog and the challenge logo 
• Don't forget that if the recipe you use is from another source i.e. book/magazine/website/blog to credit the original author.
• The challenge will run until the 28th of the month.
• New challenges will be announced on the 1st of each month
• Above all have fun and use this as an excuse to learn something new and get creative!

The Versatile Blogger Award

One of the most exciting things that has happened to me in the last week is that I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by Kat over at The Baking Explorer. This is the first award like this I have ever received and certainly the first seal of approval on my little blog and I am just ecstatic to have been picked for the honour! Kat and I connected over a mutual love of attempting Great British Bake Off challenges (a love I am sure we share with many of you out there!) and I can't thank her enough for passing this on to me. 

The VBA is like a chain reaction, each nominee can display the award, and in turn pass it on by nominating their own selection of great blogs. You can find out more information about the VBA on their site.

So, the first rule is to pass on the nomination to 15 other blogs that you read regularly, subscribe to, or have found recently. I am aware that a few of the blogs here may have been nominated before, however there doesn't appear to be anything in the rules that says they can't be nominated again, and I really enjoy what they do. I also wanted to take this just a step further and add a sentence as to why I have chosen each blog. And so, in no particular order...

My 15 Nominees 

1. Chloe Moon - Ergo

I found Chloe through searching for cupcake decoration ideas, however her blog is so much more! Chloe writes so openly and transparently about her life on her blog that I feel like I know her, even all the way across the Atlantic - I genuinely look forward to her next instalments!

2. Lavender and Lovage
This blog is one that if you find your way onto, hours can pass before you emerge on the other side, blinking, and fully gorged on mouth-watering recipes and stunning photography. For me this is the Graceland of food blogs - plus Karen hosts some incredible giveaways too! 

3. Lucy P - Super Golden Bakes

I fell head over heels in an instant when I saw Lucy's awesome 'Crown of Love' cake on Twitter, and I promise the rest of the goodies found on her blog are equally swoonsome! 

4. Fab Food 4 All
Camilla has everything on her site, I find it a really good place to go for inspiration when I fancy something new for dinner. Camilla also co-hosts Credit Crunch Munch, a blogging challenge for finding cost effective, tasty meals - and I love seeing the vast range of ideas that get shared in the challenge each month... real food for thought!

5. Blue Kitchen Bakes
Jen has just celebrated her one year blog birthday, and I hope this blog will be as comprehensive when it turns one later this year. I have recently stumbled across Jen's Classic French challenge, and am looking forward to being tested to try something new over the next few months.

6. Mad About Baking
Kelly's blog is brand new for 2013, and I am looking forward to following her blog/baking journey from the beginning. Plus she has already taught me that I never need to buy ready made wraps again - for this I will be eternally grateful! 

7. Dolly Bakes

What Rachel doesn't know about Bundt cakes seriously isn't worth knowing, and I have her to thank for the recipe for my Grandpa's birthday cake that sent me straight to the #1 Granddaughter spot! 

8. Cake of the Week
Cake of the Week is a new find for me, and there are two main reasons why Janine has made this list for me. Firstly is her recipe for Low Fat Cheesecake Brownies with Ganache Topping... yes... Low Fat... incredible. And secondly for her Baking with Spirit challenge, which I cannot wait to enter next month, as it combines my two favourite things, cake and liquor!

9. Bird on a Cake
Fabulous cake designs. Fabulous recipes. Fabulous photography. Robin is so incredibly creative with her designs, and she has great tutorials on here as well.

10. Sweet 2 Eat Baking
Lisa at Sweet 2 Eat Baking has got the whole US/UK conversion thing nailed, and for this I am in awe of her. Then I found her recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge, and I was a gonna!

11. Cupcakery
Whenever I get to the end of one of Hazel's posts, I feel like I have just gotten to the bottom of a hot cup of tea, there are a scattering of crumbs left on my plate, and I reluctantly have to tear myself away from a dear friend and step back out into the cold and go about my business. That is the sign to me of a great blog...

12. My Cupcake Habit
'Cupcake Girl' is another new blogger for 2013. What I love about her blog is the absolute excitement and enthusiasm for baking that she writes with... it's the pure joy and pride that we all feel when we've turned a selection of basic ingredients into an amazing bake.

13. Bake Happy
From the cake decorator side of me, Bake Happy is packed full of amazing step-by-step tutorials and how to guides. Blogging from the Philippines, Aikko aspires to be a cake artist. I'd say she's already there! I learned how to make fondant people from this blog, and it's my first port of call whenever I have a new project I need some guidance on.

14. Nate British Bake Off
Nathan's blog charts his one man campaign to make it onto the next series of the Great British Bake Off. As a professional photographer, his pictures will make you drool a little bit, and I love his honesty about his baking successes and fails (I personally try to pretend mine never happened!)

15. She Who Bakes
Britt is a sugar craft tutor, and her blog posts cover this and also great recipes and bakes - her easy teaching style comes through in her writing, which makes her tutorials and hints and tips a great handy place to go. 

The second rule is to share seven things about yourself, so here goes...

7 Things About Me

1. I studied Dance at University. This is still the thing that surprises people the most about me! Possibly because cake has taken it's sweet toll on me and I no longer have the physique!

2. I got my first job at 14, and have worked ever since. It has taken me a further 14 years however to get to this point now, when I've finally realised what I want to do for a living... hopefully it won't take another 14 to accomplish it!

3. I started this blog in September 2012 as an outlet to write about my cake designs, and chart my progress as I tried to learn new cake decorating skills. Then I discovered the 'blogging community' and fell in love with you all! Whilst I still add the odd post with an update on my cake-ing progress, I am enjoying exploring the world of reviews, blog hops, competitions, and blog challenges.

4. I have several food related dreams... I will be happy if at least one comes true one day. I would love to become a professional cake decorator. I'd like to open my own bistro. And like all food bloggers out there I am sure, I would love to see my name in print in my own cookery book.

5. I am an avid follower of the Formula One, and have been since as long as I can remember. Sunday's to me are made for baking, Sunday roasts, and the F1 races - we even signed up to Sky for the sole reason of being able to see the races when they moved from BBC 1...

6. I was born and bred in Derbyshire, and spent a lot of my childhood on walks and adventures in the Peak District. It's still the place that I feel most at home and comfortable, and there are places that I can still go and sit and look out on a view and be 8 years old again in an instant.

Source: http://blog.nikonownermagazine.com/files/2011/08/north-mid_millstones.jpg

7. My partner is from Newton Abbot in Devon, we met when I was at University in Bath, and he was wonderful enough to up and move back to the shire with me when I graduated. I do enjoy our trips to Devon to visit the 'in-laws' - being a land-locked girl, the proximity to the seaside gets me giddy every time!

Source: http://www.torquay.com/userfiles/images/torquay-seafront.jpg

And that's me... I hope that you find enjoyment and inspiration in the blogs that I have nominated, and I hope that my nominees are as excited as I am to be part of the VBA chain!  

Marmalade Loaf Cake

Don't you just love it when everything falls into place! Ok, I'm not talking about the big things today, but a few things of little consequence that have just aligned perfectly for a Sunday lunchtime. 

Firstly, I have spent the morning cleaning and cooking, as any good Stepford Wife (I wish!) does on a Sunday morning. I prepped several lasagnas for tonight's dinner and the freezer, and then started to clear out the little collection of half used jars from the fridge. Most have been discarded, but I found a nearly full jar of marmalade, still in date. Now we barely ever eat marmalade, however it would be a shame for this to go to waste... the cakey part of my brain kicked in... and I started to google marmalade cake recipes.

I found plenty. I assessed each of them against the contents of my kitchen cupboards and fridge. All of them called for orange zest and juice. I had no oranges. No problem, I assured myself, I'm just going to have to do this 'pantry door style'! (My 'kick at the pantry door' cooking philosophy comes from an old saying of my parents, and basically involves changing recipes and substituting ingredients based on what I have in the house.) 

So after playing with recipes, ingredients and quantities, this is the recipe that was born. It's a simple, tasty tea-loaf, and the perfect accompaniment to a mug of tea on a Sunday afternoon! 

Ingredients:

• 175g unsalted butter
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 150g good quality marmalade
• 175g self raising flour
• 100g icing 
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees, and line a standard loaf tin with greaseproof paper.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs, and whisk into the mixture a little at a time to prevent it from curdling. Add the marmalade, and whisk again until fully combined. Sift the flour into the bowl, and fold together with a spatula until evenly distributed. 

Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin, and place in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes at 180 degrees, then turn the oven down to 150 degrees and bake for a further 20 - 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Check on the cake after the first 30 minutes have passed, and if it looks like it's going a little too dark on the top place a greaseproof paper lid over the top to prevent it from burning. 

Remove the cake from the oven, and place on a cooling rack in the tin to cool. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice to form a syrup. Prick holes all over the cake whilst still warm, and pour the syrup over. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then remove and serve. 

The final piece of the puzzle is that I have been getting more involved in the blogging hemisphere over the last few weeks, and have been immersing myself in the wonderful foodie blogs of others. I have noticed several blogging challenges, and have been deliberating over which recipes to enter into which challenges. This Marmalade Tea Loaf has leaped out of nowhere, and fits the criteria for this month's Tea Time Treats challenge's theme of Citrus. 

Tea Time Treat's is run monthly by Karen at Lavender and Lovage, and Kate at What Kate Bakes. This month it's being hosted by Karen. And the entry cut-off date is the 28th of each month... guess what - it's the 27th! See -it's all come together perfectly! 

So I give you my first ever blogging challenge entry - Marmalade Loaf Cake! Happy Sunday Everyone!