Sugar Rush... Cinnamon Bagel Doughnut!

Everybody needs a breakfast like this, once in a while....?
Now, i admit - i haven't posted much on our glorious food blog of late and i apologise.
I am on a small-ish diet (although you wouldn't know it from this) and i have huge plans to tell you about the yummy recipes i've been trying.
THIS was a treat for my Girl and Me, who needed a sugar rush for a late Brunch.
Chop the bagels in half.
Whisk up 2 eggs with some milk - soak the bagels in the eggy mix for about 5 mins each side.
Fry them up in a bit of butter.
When they are gently cooked on both sides - pop them on a plate that is covered in sugar and cinnamon (add what you like really)

Sugar, Cinnamon, comfort rush - ahhhh, the joy - accompanied with a large pot of tea!

You can do the above with eggs and cheese to have an eggy cheesy bagel doughnut - just OMIT the sugar stage!!

*note to self* share my new recipes for Sweet Potato Pancakes & Potato-less Fish Cakes.

.....somebody peel me off the wall, iam ZINGING!

Food for Friendship... *warning: this post contains Grief*

Hello MrsB *waves*
This is my better half, sat in Carluccios Manchester. Meeting up with FRIENDS for Afternoon Tea / Late lunch / Hot Chocolate, who knows what else. I find a lump in my throat, when i say - i have barely cooked a thing for the past few weeks.
My daughter commented "we haven't seen the Greengrocer Lady for a while"... i suppose because we haven't needed any fresh food.

I feel griefstricken when i think that, all my cooking efforts (it hasn't been an 'effort' but a delight) of these early weeks in 2010, have involved my Nanna.

The Lemon Cheese.... The Marmalade.... The Lemon Drizzle Cake... The place where she sat when i cooked a Birthday Dinner for my dad.... who knew i would miss her this much?

I was making her Chicken Soup, that never made that journey. My food comforted her but i couldn't sustain her.

I think our regular BIG STOVE readers, will giggle with me when they know: the last thing my Nanna ate was my Lemon Drizzle Cake... and we had a big plate of it served served at her 'parade party' (as my daughter beautifully named the Wake)

I didn't cook for a while after her leaving me :(

And then i went to stay with my friend, who met me at her door with ribbons and cupcakes. We met with other friends for food and chatting and later we made a big curry dinner together. It sort of broke the Grief Spell.

I think i can cook again now, but i might have to leave the Lemon Drizzle Cake to one side for a little while yet xxx

Pear and Vanilla Butter (jam)

I can't believe i waited so long to talk about this!
As mentioned before: i love Lemons and i love Vanilla - 2 of my all time favourite flavours. Lemons i eat continually in many formats - but vanilla seemed relegated to 'dairy products'.... sloppy yogurts and custard style desserts... why? Joy when i saw THIS in my favourite recipe book....
2lb pears ** 3 lemons **1 vanilla pod split ** 650g sugar ** 300ml water....
Perfect for the smell and taste of vanilla without having a sanitised pudd.


Pears: peeled, chopped and put in a large pan with the water, juice of the lemons, a split vanilla pod. Bring to the boil - then reduce, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Uncover and cook for a further 20 mins.

Remove the pod - then scrape through all the seeds and pop them in the mixture. Discard the pod now.

Blend / puree / push through a sieve - back into the pan.

ADD 275g of sugar for every 600ml of liquid you have. You'll need to measure this in a jug really.

Dissolve the sugar slowly over a low heat - then boil for 15mins. Until it has really thickens. If you drop a small dollop onto a dish, it should 'hold its shape'.

pretty pretty light orange shade with those fantastic vanilla seeds in.

It is so delicate and great for vanilla fans.

Serve on: Toast, CROISSANTS!, scones, pancakes, bagels, waffles, home made bread rolls... it is probably too soft a flavour to use in a cake but it's worth a try?

Great recipe x