Rainy Saturday Cooking

Saturday morning and I woke to the sound of the rain hitting the windows.
It has been a day of heavy showers with glimpses of bright blue sky and sunshine in between.

Just the kind of morning to cook something other than salads.

Shepherd's Pie and Cupcakes! what could be better!

Every family has their own recipe for Shepherd's Pie but if your looking for a good one then try these books Rachel Allen's 'Home Cooking' and 'Sophie Dahl's 'Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights'.

Isn't it nice to know you have a pie all ready and waiting for the oven at dinner time.

We love cheese on top of ours.

I make cupcakes using a recipe I found which was credited to the Magnolia Bakery in New York.

This makes about 30 Cupcakes:

180g self-raising flour
150g plain flour

250g soft unsalted butter

500g caster sugar

4 large eggs

285ml milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Top with Vanilla Buttercream.

Make up as you would a traditional sponge - beat the butter till light add the sugar beating till light and fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.

Add the combined flours a third at a time along with milk and vanilla extract, gently beat these in till just incorporated.

Spoon into cupcake liners in the tin Bake for 20 -25 mins, cool in the tin for 15mins then place on a wire rack to fully cool before swirling over buttercream topping and decorating.

Shepherds Pie ready for eating. Cupcakes ready for giving.

Note: I found these lovely cupcake boxes at a local store.

This week I also read a headline that said " The cupcake is so over"

Well ... not in this house it isn't!

Shelly.