Don’t forget the clocks go forward!

Posted on March 23, 2012 by The Kitchen Team

The clocks change this weekend and it’s not the one where you get an extra hour in bed. Remember, the rule is spring forward, fall back. So you will have to get up an hour earlier on Sunday morning, especially if you’ve got kids. So here are some breakfast ideas to wake you up.

Iron is great for energy, so chuck a mango in the blender with a large handful of spinach and a glass of water and you’ve got yourself a delicious smoothie. Sounding weird? Okay, dried apricots sprinkled on your favourite cereal will do the trick.

Nutritionally speaking, the avocado does just about everything and will bring mind and body to life like nothing else. Here’s a Mexican-inspired breakfast idea that will keep you going well into the afternoon. Heat some black beans and put them in a bowl, cover with scrambled eggs, chopped up avocado and spicy salsa. Ole!

Treat your better half to a luxury homemade coffee in bed on Sunday morning. Heat some milk in a pan – don’t let it boil, but whisk it continuously until it’s nice and frothy. Add a little vanilla flavouring and pour over a freshly made espresso. You can try this with cinnamon, peppermint or chocolate. It’s not the healthiest idea, but… mmm.

This one’s for the kids… because it’ll keep them quiet for twenty minutes. Take a hot dog bun, spread generously with peanut butter and jam. Then place a freshly peeled banana into the bun. And there you have it; a banana breakfast dog. You can play around with honey and raisin combinations too.

If none of the above appeals to you, treat yourself to a new alarm clock. Good luck everyone!

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Spring cleaning

Posted on March 16, 2012 by The Kitchen Team

Bored of dark winter mornings? Fed up of wearing more layers than a wedding cake? Well fret not as Spring is just about to, well, spring!

No doubt you’re starting to think about your Spring clean so here are some tips on how to breathe fresh life into your kitchen.

  1. Clear the clutter – Youcan’t do anything with pans, plates, tea towels and cat food bowls in the way, so find a few boxes or clear a space in another room and remove the clutter. You can focus on the cleaning shortly, and this prep time will make the rest of the job much easier.
  2. Don’t forget dust – We all know that dust gets everywhere, and you can’t get your kitchen clean with dust grabbing onto extractor fans, skirting boards or the old jar or chutney that’s  been loitering at the back of the cupboard.
  3. Don’t turn a blind eye to your blinds – Your curtains and blinds can accumulate quite a lot of grime and grease. Take this opportunity to take them down and clean them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  4. Apply elbow grease to appliances – It might feel like you’ve not really done too much so far so now’s your chance to tick off a couple of big items.  It’s a good time to use your oven cleaner and then empty the fridge while you wait for the oven cleaner to take effect. Once the fridge is clean it should be time to get your marigolds on and get stuck in to your oven grime!
  5. Now you’re cooking – With such good progress being made, the next step is to strip down your hob (in line with manufacturer instructions) and give it a thorough clean. Once completed it’s a nice opportunity to clean up all of your appliances such as toasters and kettles.
  6. The cupboards are bare – Having emptied and dusted the cabinets a little earlier, it’s time to focus on removing any spills, sticky patches and grease from cupboards. All-purpose cleaner, dish soap and some cleaning cloths should do the trick and remember to pay special attention to cleaning instructions on any delicate surfaces you have. Don’t forget your drawers, just because they’re out of sight doesn’t mean you can ignore them!
  7. Work on the work surfaces –If you’re like us, then you will have just knocked all of the mess out of your cabinets on to the work top, so now that needs a good clean too. All of the same equipment from your cabinets is appropriate to use here.

  8. Clean up the sink – A clean kitchen needs a clean sink so get the taps, sink and plug hole gleaming for a beautiful kitchen. To get rid of pongs and whiff from the drains, try a drain and sink unblocking product from your supermarket.
  9. Eat your dinner of the floor – Well not quite yet; you need to give it a deep clean now. A mop, bucket and warm soapy water are essential. Keep muddy dogs, kids and spouses away until dry!

A key thing to bear in mind is don’t panic! This might look like a long list but it will definitely be worth the effort and nobody can argue with you putting your feet up after you’ve cleaned the kitchen.

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The Great British Mustard Bash

Posted on March 12, 2012 by The Kitchen Team

Yesterday a very important event took place at Scalford Hall near Melton Mowbray – The Great British Mustard Bash http://www.greatfoodmag.co.uk/the-great-british-mustard-bash-is-coming/. Taking place near the home of the founder of Colman’s Mustard, this was a proud celebration of all things mustard. We didn’t manage to get there ourselves – but still thought it might be nice to do a round-up of top table sauces and condiments:

  1. Mustard. Well, after that intro we could hardly say anything else! For us, English mustard is the only choice although we do accept that it might be a bit strong for a frankfurter hot dog. Mustard can make a ham and egg sandwich taste great and can transform pub classics like sausage and mash into something epic. And of course it comes in so many different types: Dijon, whole grain and honey being some of the well-known ones.
  2. Tomato ketchup – The table sauce. Is there anything it doesn’t go with? Maybe cornflakes but we’d be willing to try it.
  3. Barbeque sauce – perfect for summery barbeques smothered over burgers, chips and sausages. Tasty in winter too as a reminder of glorious summer past.
  4. Mayonnaise – more of a sandwich filling than a table sauce? We think it makes the grade as a condiment because it’s delicious for dipping chips in to.
  5. Sweet chilli – a more modern sauce that might not suit every pallet but it is deserving of its place on the list. If you’re having a Thai feast then you’ll want to complete your table with sweet chilli sauce as it will jazz up rice but is best used as a dipping sauce for prawn crackers.

 

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Top kitchen gadgets

Posted on February 29, 2012 by The Kitchen Team

Did you know that in 1876 Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone? Without him we never would have seen Dom Jolly’s screaming down the phone in inappropriate places or be able to keep in touch with our friends and family. So, this got us thinking about gadgets, and in particular, what are the best kitchen gadgets of all time?

  1. The microwave – Whether you live on your own in a student flat or have a family of 8 to feed every day, the microwave has revolutionised home cooking. Not only is microwaving quick, but it’s also energy efficient and is able to keep nutrients locked into foods like vegetables. What’s more, many modern microwaves are multi-function and can be used as regular ovens and grills as well. All in all, a top gadget.
  2. The fridge – can you imagine a time when we didn’t have fridges? It seems alien today but in the pre-war years they were not widespread outside of America. With the onset of war, attention moved away from home appliances and in the aftermath of the War take up was slow until the late 50s, as technology improved and became more affordable.  Nowadays fridges come in all shapes and sizes, with major talk about future fridges being connected to the internet to order your new food on your behalf
  3. The egg cup – OK, so not a technological masterpiece, but if you’ve tried to eat a boiled egg without one you’ll know how important they are. A well-designed egg cup will be an amusing shape (possibly a chicken), have ample size for a large egg, and sturdy enough to withstand vigorous dunking of toast soldiers.
  4. The oven – Quite simply, our families owe a debt of gratitude to the humble oven. Without it we couldn’t cook the traditional Sunday roast, Christmas dinner wouldn’t exist and there would be no way to successfully grill bacon to a satisfying crisp. We love ovens – they’re truly excellent.
  5. Smoothie makers – A bit of a wildcard, this one. Not everyone has them and not everyone wants one. They’re ready-made for dust gathering and can make an almighty racket. However, smoothies are healthy, and super-tasty. In pre-smoothie maker days we had to fumble around with juicers, blenders, knives and mashers. Today we can chuck it all in one device, turn it on and let our gadget do the work for us. If only they’d clean themselves they’d be perfect!
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Flipping great Pancake Day events

Posted on February 16, 2012 by admin

Pancake Day in upon us again! We love Pancake Day so have a section of the site dedicated to it

With this blog post we thought we’d take a look at some of the ways that Pancake Day is celebrated across the country, beginning with Chippenham’s annual Pancake Race. Starting at Chippenham Town hall at 11am on Tuesday, all you need to take is a pan, a pancake (they can also be purchased at the event) and a steely determination to have fun!

Not to be outdone, London is also hosting its own versions of the Chippenham races with no fewer than 4 races taking place. Viewlondon.co.uk have written an excellent write up of the events that you can see here.  With the Olympics just around the corner this might be your last chance to show off your sprinting skills, just remember to leave you pan at home if you make the 100 metres final!

For those in the North West, The Jungle in Warrington might have the perfect event for you. As well as being an award winning play centre, The Jungle  is hosting a free pancake decoration and eating event at 11am, 1pm and 4pm. Pop along for some family fun.

If you’re heading abroad this pancake day then you may be able to sample how Shrove Tuesday is treated in other countries, for example:

  • In Brazil it’s carnival time, with elaborate fashion and street processions
  • Iceland has Sprengidagur (Bursting Day) on which salted meats and peas are eaten instead of pancakes
  • Poland has an altogether different take, with celebrations happening the previous Thursday – known locally as Fat Thursday

Wherever you are this Pancake Day, we hope you eat lots and have a great time!

 

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One-pot cooking for cold evenings

Posted on February 14, 2012 by admin

It’s cold outside so we thought you might enjoy some tasty one-pot meals to warm you up, fill your bellies and not break the bank!

This Mexican beef chilli is a classic that is guaranteed to be a hot favourite in your household. You can spice your evening up with sombreros, jalapeños and a piñata to turn dinner time into party time!

Another favourite of ours is cottage pie, but it can sometimes do with a little lift. Simon Rimmer seems to have thought the same as us, creating this fabulous looking Chinese duck cottage pie. As you can see, it’s easy to prepare and will breathe life into a household staple.

If we’re ever in doubt then we like to ask ‘What would Delia do?’ Well, when making a one-pot meal Delia would do a very quick moussaka. If you’re a veggie then you can swap out the lamb mince for veggie mince and it will still be very tasty – just be careful that the cheese is veggie too!

To get started with one-pot cooking, try the IKEA casserole dish with lid

 

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Cool ways to save money

Posted on December 12, 2011 by admin

STRALA Pendant Lamp

Winter has finally arrived. The days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping, and it won’t be long before ‘the wrong kind of snow’ causes the UK to come to its annual standstill. You may not enjoy the cold, but it can certainly save you money. In fact, taking full advantage of your freezer is one of the easiest ways to save the pennies in the kitchen.

Did you know that the average household in the UK wastes an average of £420 worth of food annually? In fact, we throw away about 25% of the food that we buy. To help you reduce waste and save those precious pounds, here are some really useful tips for making the most out of your freezer:

No limit: Most people underestimate the amount of time you can safely store frozen food. As a rule of thumb, food stored constantly below 0˚C will always be safe to eat. Also, aside from a couple of exceptions such as eggs and tinned products, you can freeze almost any food. So that steak that’s been hiding at the back of the freezer for the past year is fine.

Bulk buy: Buying food in bulk often works out cheaper than buying individual servings. Keep an eye out for 2 for 1 offers in the supermarket and store the extra food in the freezer.

Bulk cook: Next time you cook a delicious meal, make a large batch of it and store whatever you don’t eat in the freezer for another day. It’s a great way to save both time and money.

Freeze it before it’s too late: Racing against the clock to finish the milk before its expiry date? Eating chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner because you’ve bought too much? If you know you’re not going to be able to finish the food before its use by date, just stick in the freezer and have it another time.

Stock up: A full freezer is more energy efficient that an empty one as it doesn’t have to work as hard to stay cool. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go out and buy lots of food to fill it up. Try using bottles of tap water or even scrunched up newspaper to fill the empty space. This could really help save money on your energy bills.

Defrost: More frost than food in the freezer? Defrosting your freezer regularly helps it to run more efficiently, saving energy and freeing up space for more food.

Need a new freezer? Why not check out our stylish and energy efficient fridges & freezers?

 

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Kitchen Advent-ures with the Kids

Posted on December 6, 2011 by admin

For kids, one of the most exciting things about the countdown to Christmas is running to the kitchen each morning and opening a new window on their advent calendar. With Christmas just around the corner, now is the perfect time to transform your kitchen into a winter wonderland. As we count down the days to Christmas, here are 25 great ideas that you and your kids can use to bring in the festive season.

  1. Decorate the windows with instant snow in a can to create that wintery look.
  2. How about decorating a small Christmas tree in the kitchen? Our tree decorations are guaranteed to create the perfect Christmas mood.
  3. Looking for a way to display your Christmas cards? Hang them on a line of ribbon with some decorative pegs.
  4. For the budding Picasso in the family, why not hand-paint some ceramic plates with pictures of Rudolph or Santa? You could then use the plates on Christmas Day.
  5. Try making your own Christmas crackers to make sure your Christmas goes off with a bang.
  6. Bake some delicious Christmas cookies. The kids will love making shapes with our SNÖDRIVA pastry cutters.
  7. A tablecloth designed with felt pens and stencils is an excellent way to add a personal touch to the Christmas table.
  8. Bring some colour to the kitchen by painting your own flowerpots and filling them with poinsettias.
  9. Nothing says Christmas like tinsel. You could use it to decorate the kitchen.
  10. A great way of setting the perfect Christmas table is by designing your own centrepiece. You could use flowers, baubles or even candy canes.
  11. Bake some mince pies to eat on Christmas Day…but don’t forget to save some for me!
  12. It wouldn’t be Christmas without the Christmas pudding. Delia Smith has a great recipe that you could try.
  13. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you could try making your own holly wreath and hanging it on the kitchen door.
  14. Use some white pipe cleaners and glitter to make beautiful snowflakes and hang them in the kitchen window.
  15. Why not create your own quiz to play after the Christmas meal? It’s a great way of involving even the grumpiest of relatives.
  16. Make some personalised Christmas cards with the kids. The kitchen is the perfect place to get messy with glitter and glue.
  17. Snow cones are delicious and simple to make. All you need is crushed ice and juice.
  18. Hide some treats around the kitchen and let the kids try to find them.
  19. Let the kids design place names for the Christmas table. Make it extra exciting by letting them choose who sits next to whom.
  20. Try making some snazzy Christmas hats out of coloured tissue paper.
  21. Why not make your own Christmas nativity scene with finger puppet characters?
  22. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree…Make a playlist of your favourite Christmas anthems and sing along whilst you’re preparing the Christmas lunch.
  23. Do you have an advent calendar hanging on the fridge? You could compliment it with some Christmas themed fridge magnets.
  24. Create a festive atmosphere in the kitchen with our gorgeous Christmas lights.
  25. Christmas is the perfect time for drinking eggnog and mulled wine. Avoid ring stains on wooden tables by designing your own drinks coasters.

 

For more Christmas ideas and inspiration, check out the Winter Holiday section of our website.

 

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Dishwasher Infographic

Posted on September 30, 2011 by admin

Great information on the exciting world of dishwashers! (click image to view full-size):

An exciting dishwasher infographic

The Dishwasher Infographic

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Student Kitchen Essentials

Posted on September 21, 2011 by admin

Off to university? Waving goodbye to your student kids? Either way you’re probably worried about the terrors that lurk in the average student kitchen. From living on noodles for months on end to only owning one spoon;  everyone knows at least one univeristy kitchen story that would make ‘The Young Ones’ reach for the bleach.

student kitchen

So to keep you away from months of noodles and claims that pizza boxes work perfectly well as plates, here are some of our tips to surviving university kitchens.

Better than ketchup - There’s no doubt that tomato sauce is a staple student food, it goes on everything! That being said, a Thai sweet chilli sauce will spice things up a bit and as you’re using less, will last a lot longer.

Better than noodles - Far from their image of only being eaten by vegetarians, lentils work as a great ‘go to’ accompaniment for anything from Moroccan chicken to fish, sausages, anything. Throw them in with a sauce and enjoy. Plus they’re super-healthy so your Mum will be happy.

Better than beans - Everyone knows that baked beans are cheap and cheerful. For that reason they’re often the one thing you can ensure is in every student kitchen. So how do you make baked beans tastier? Tabasco sauce is a good way to add a kick. Also, a bit of brown sugar & bacon will turn your beans into a very tasty snack!

So what about the tools of the trade? Top chefs will often have thousands of different ways to chop, crush, grate, etc. However, here are three ways to ‘double up’ on some of your essentials.

A tin opener doubles as… a bottle opener. Never buy a bottle opener and tin opener separately, most tin openers will have a bottle opener on the other end and at a push could also be used to stir soup, although we wouldn’t recommend that!

A large wok doubles as…a sauce pan and frying pan. This one is a great money saver. Wok’s might not be the best option, but at a push they’re as useful for cooking a stew as they are for a fry up!

Two final money saving tips:

Chances are that most student kitchens are used by a lot of people. But yet everyone is just cooking for one. Save money buying bulk and cooking for everyone, if there are ten of you, you’re cooking one big meal and getting nine other meals scott free!

Even if you do find yourself living on your own, you can still save money here by cooking more and then freezing extras for future meals, cook once, eat lots!

 

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