SPINACH AND MUSHROOM NOODLES

Ingredients

Buy a packet of ready to use noodles (or dried noodles if you have them)

Big bagful of spinach from the garden - washed (it will steam down to nothing)

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 leek, finely chopped

115g (4oz) mushrooms, finely chopped

75g (2oz) butter

140ml (¼pt) single cream

Method

Sauté the onions and mushrooms in the butter, add the leek and garlic and cook until tender, then add the steamed spinach.  

Add some seasoning to taste and then the noodles.  

Tip about ¼ pint single cream into the mix (use more if necessary). 

Add chopped parsley and chives and serve immediately.  Scrumptious!

Betty’s Luscious Lemon Curd

Ingredients

100g (4oz) butter

225g (8oz) castor sugar

3 lemons

3 eggs

Method

Place a jam jar in the simmering oven of the AGA. Once it is hot remove from the oven and melt the butter in the jar and return to the simmering oven.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat the eggs.

In another bowl weigh out the sugar, add the finely grated lemon rind and juice from the lemons.

Once the butter has melted in the jar, add the lemon and sugar then sieve the beaten egg into the jar.

Shake well.

Place in the simmering oven. Check after an hour.

To test, coat a wooden spoon in the mixture. Run another implement through it and if the mixture stays parted, it is ready.

Cool and spread over hot buttered toast.

Herefordshire firm contributes to top TV show

A Herefordshire firm have restored the heart of a traditional country home as part of a top TV renovation show which was screened last Thursday.

Leominster-based Aga Twyford stepped in to re-enamel the AGA cooker for the Green family as part of the successful Channel Four TV series, ‘Help, My House is Falling Down’.

The show, which is hosted by the TV Queen of property development, Sarah Beeny, featured the family who needed a make-over for their kitchen, by transforming their ‘mustard’ yellow AGA cooker into something a little more subtle.

Sarah Beeny returns for a second series of the show that aims to help people rescue their homes from the brink of disaster and the Green family are in need of help to renovate their farmhouse in Writtle, near Chelmsford.

Armed with a team of specialists Sarah diagnoses and deals with a host of potentially terminal property problems – from serious subsidence to terrifying cracking through severe water damage and even a home that might fall down a mine!

Rose Norman for Aga Twyford said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to breathe new life into the Green family’s Aga. It is absolutely true that the Aga is the very heartbeat of the home and our customers say that once they have lived with one they simply couldn’t do without it.”

Andy and Andrea Green have lived in the house for three years but the property has been in Andy’s family since 1908. It was originally bought by Andy’s great grandfather who was the village butcher.

Andrea said: “Since we have been there we have always used and loved the Aga but we definitely did not love the colour!

“When I first moved to the farm I could not get on with it but now, when we go on holiday I find it difficult to use a normal cooker. It takes a while to get the hand of using an Aga but once you are used to it is like it is one of the family.”

Andy and Andrea, who have five children between them, have been living in a caravan for the six weeks while the makeover was underway.

“If the weather is nice we barbecue, and if not, I do the best with what Ihave got in the caravan. I can’t wait to get back to my Aga.”

Andrea also runs a small business making jams and chutneys which are all made on the Aga which makes it even more important that the renovation is completed quickly.

“I am always making the family things like gingerbread and shortbread. It is so easy with an Aga to pop it in the oven and if you are going to have a busy day you can just place a casserole in the simmering oven to cook all day.”

Help my House is Falling Down is still available to watch on 4OD. Visit www.channel4.com for further details.

For further information on AGA TWYFORD call (01568) 611124, visit www.twyford-cookers.com or Text Aga to 60777. 

Pictured with the re-enamelled AGA cooker is assembly technician Chris Haggett who works at the Leominster base.

Retro domestic goddesses limber up for Cancer Research UK

Retro domestic goddesses proved they were last but not least when they crossed the finish line at Hereford’s 5k Race for Life on Sunday.

The ladies at AGA TWYFORD in Leominster dressed as ‘Betty Twyford', the1950s domestic goddess, complete with pinnies and headscarves, were accompanied by two-year-old Alis Barker, who insisted on walking every single step of the way! 

The firm’s marketing director, Rose Norman, cookware sales manager, Julie Busek, book keeper, Sue Brown and sales administrators, Jo Jones and Alice’s mum,  Jacqui Barker even took along a tray of Betty’s trademark cupcakes and ‘Bertie’ the Twyford’s ‘pet’ dog.

The ‘Twyford Bettys’, who all live in the Herefordshire area joined a sea of more than 2,000 other pink-clad walkers and runners during the event which is one of a series of fundraisers which take place right across the country.

Rose Norman said: “We had an absolutely brilliant day. Little Alis decided that she wanted to walk the whole way so we had to take it steady. We met some wonderful people and the atmosphere was electric.

“When we decided we wanted to raise funds for charity, we were keen to take part in an event that was a challenge and help raise money for a good cause. We all know someone affected by cancer so it is essential to support the charities that work towards helping people beat this disease.”

Race for Life takes place at a number of venues across the UK. It is the largest women-only fundraising event in the country. Since 1994, women of all ages and fitness levels have come together during the Race for Life events to walk, jog or run to help beat cancer.

Some of the fundraisers take part in celebration of surviving cancer. Others take part in memory of a loved one or to give hope to a cancer-free future.

There’s still time to donate. Call 01568 611124. For more information on Race for Life and forthcoming events log on to www.raceforlife.org.

School Holiday Cupcake Delights

Well, it is nearly that time of year again. Yes, the fabulous school holidays! I am all ready to go with my summer camp, games, books, days out and suggestions but it doesn't matter how many activities I have planned I know it won't be long before I hear the cries of 'I'm bored!'

I have come up with the perfect way to fill a rainy afternoon, and we certainly have a few of those in Herefordshire, even during the school summer holidays!

My brilliant cupcake kits will help you and your little ones produce brilliant bite-sized delights which fun to make and even nicer to eat afterwards!
http://www.bettytwyford.com/new-products.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=546&category_id=6

NEW PRODUCTS: Betty Laundry Basket

Wash days in our house always tend to linger especially when it is raining. But since I discovered this simple but brilliant rustic laundry basket which has arrived at the Betty Shop in Leominster, there can be no more whites and darks washing mishaps.

How many times has the odd red sock slipped in with the children’s school shirts or worse with George’s cricket whites?

Here is the solution – this rustic laundry basket has two compartments so your red socks will never mingle with your delicate lacy whites ever again. It fits in beautifully with the country cottage theme and can double up as stylish linen storage and even a toy box.

And what about drying your washing on those rainy days? The AGA drying rail is a must. There is a single rail for small washes, a double rail if you have a medium load and a larger mechanism for the larger family wash.

All the rails easily fit on to the front of the AGA and can be stored away when they are not in use.

No more wash day blues for me!

Betty’s super rich chocolate beetroot cake

You can convince yourself that this beautiful rich chocolate cake is a little bit healthy – it does contain one of your five a day!

Cooking time one hour, serves six greedy folk

Ingredients

For the cake

100g (3½oz) drinking chocolate

230g (8oz) self-raising flour

200g (7oz) caster sugar

100g (3½oz) dark chocolate (good quality)

125g (4½oz) unsalted butter

250g (9oz) cooked beetroot (not pickled)

3 large eggs beaten

For the cream cheese frosting

250g (9oz) cream cheese

60g (2oz) unsalted butter

200g (7oz) icing sugar

1tsp of vanilla sugar

A dollop of Betty’s blackcurrant jam

Grated dark and white chocolate to decorate

Method

Grease and line a 20cm deep round cake tin

Sift the drinking chocolate with the self raising flour into a mixing bowl and then mix in the sugar.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl in the simmering oven.

Puree the cooked beetroot in a food processor, then whisk in the beaten eggs.

Add the beetroot and the chocolate mixtures to the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the greased lined cake tin and bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean either in a baking oven or in a cake baker in the roasting oven.

Remove from the oven and leave the cake to stand in the tin for ten minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool. Split the cake in half.

To make the filling beat the cream cheese frosting ingredients together until creamy. 

Spread the cake with a layer of Betty’s blackcurrant jam and half of the cream cheese frosting.

Use the rest of the frosting for the top of the cake and sprinkle with a mix of white and dark chocolate.

Betty’s Exotic Beetroot Soup

Serves up to six people

Ingredients

1tbsp of oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

500g (1lb) cooked beetroot, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tsp red Thai curry paste

1 (400ml) can of coconut milk

300ml (½pt) chicken or vegetable stock

Juice of ½ a lime

Garnish

2tbsp of coriander

Sliced red chilli

Spring onion tassel

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on the simmering plate. Add the onion and stir on the heat. 

Cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 10 minutes to soften the onion.

Add most of the beetroot to the onions and stir in the Thai paste. 

Fry for a few minutes on the boiling plate. Add the coconut milk and stock and season with salt and pepper to taste, bring it to the boil, cover and then transfer it to the simmering oven for about five minutes.

Blend the mixture in a food processor until smooth. Put it back into the pan, add the beetroot and lime juice and adjust seasoning if needed.

Ladle into warm serving dishes and garnish with the coriander, red chilli and spring onion tassel. Enjoy!

Beetroot, beetroot everywhere...

It's official! We have a huge abundance of beetroot in the garden. While they are absolutely glorious looking veggies, we are getting a little tired of beetroot salad and borscht.

So I have come up with a couple of more inventive, tasty ways to use up these delicious healthy veg besides trying my hand at 'natural fabric dyeing' using the beetroot skins and a prolonged period of pickling!

It is a real shame that I don't seem to have the same quantity of carrots and peas - I should have never told my children that the carrots were special 'ice creams' growing in the garden!

DROP IN FOR A CUPCAKE DURING BETTY’S 'BIG T'.

Staff at AGA Twyford will be inviting their customers to raise their coffee mugs and enjoy a cupcake for a great cause all this week.

AGA Twyford at Leominster Enterprise Park will host a ‘big T-party’ in aid of St Michael’s Hospice every day this week (July 11 – 15) from 10.30am until 2pm.

A selection of simply beautiful cupcakes which have been created from a variety of special cupcake making kits from the firm’s ‘Betty Twyford’ range will be on offer along with a good old fashioned brew.

Cookware sales team member, Jacqui Barker who works for AGA Twyford said: “We wanted to do something special for St Michael’s Hospice and making some delicious cupcakes will hopefully encourage everyone to dig deep and raise as much money as possible for such an essential facility.”

The Big T is a brand new summer fundraising event in Herefordshire and supporters at St Michael’s Hospice in Bartestree near Hereford are keen to get everyone involved.

Ideas include traditional tea party, toga party, G&T party, and a teddy bear's picnic; you can also gather your colleagues for a 'wear your T-shirt to work' day.

Customers and visitors are invited to pop in throughout the week from 10.30am until 2pm at AGA Twyford’s new showroom at the Marches Trading Park, Brunel Road, Leominster Enterprise Park, Leominster or cal 01568 611124.

For further information contact the events team on events@st-michaels-hospice.org.uk

Strawberry Jam Recipe

 Strawberry Jam on the AGA

This is a lovely jam, and the lemon takes away the extreme sweetness of the jam.  Delicious with scones and cream or just a plain old bread and butter and jam delight!

                   

Ingredients

450g (1lb) strawberries from the garden (increase the quantities according to your haul)

450g (1lb) granulated sugar

l lemon

A handful of flaked almonds

Some butter

Method

Place the sugar, strawberries and chopped up lemon in a bowl, and leave overnight to soak. 

Pour into a preserving pan and place in the simmering oven to warm up, then dissolve the sugar completely on the simmering plate, move to the boiling plate and bring to a rolling boil, then test for a set after about quarter of an hour.  Do the fridge test – put some jam on a saucer, place in the fridge for about 5 minutes, then drag your finger across the jam – if it forms a wrinkled skin, the jam is set.

Add the knob of butter to eliminate the scum and the flaked almonds just for a bit of a change! Transfer the jam to sterilised Kilner jars – it won’t hang around for long!