LivesStrong With a Taste of Yellow 2009

Every year the wine and food blogging community support The Lance Armstrong Foundation with 'A Taste of Yellow' by raising awareness of cancer issues.

As you've probably gathered, or if you recall from previous years the food you prepare must contain a 'yellow ingredient'. The event is coordinated by Barbara over at winosandfoodies, and details of the blog post must be with her by September 13th so I'm cutting it a bit fine.

I've changed my mind three times but in the end it was the over-ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl that made me decide to try my hand at making a Banana Loaf. The first recipe I found was one by Elise at Simply Recipes. It is so easy and I really don't know why I haven't ever made this before. It could be because not all my family like bananas...actually I would go as far as saying one person hates them. I'll leave you to guess who that might be!
Anyway this was the end result.....

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)( I reduced sugar and it was fine)
  
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method:
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

I gave a piece to the guy who has just put some tower scaffolding up at the back of my house (that's another story) and he gave it the thumbs up. So I'm satisfied with that.
I'm looking forward to finding lots of new recipes when Barbara publishes the posts on October 2nd which is the date, 10 years ago, that Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer. It was great to see him back in the Tour De France this year after a four year break.

Archives:
2008: Didn't he do well says proud grandmother!
2007: What do you do when....

LiveStrong Day

Are you supporting the Lance Armstrong Live Strong Campaign.

You may remember this post last month, in which I showed you the Kedgeree I made in support of the event 'A Taste of Yellow' founded in 2007 by Barbara over at Winos and Foodies. The event is to help raise cancer awareness in support of the above campaign and this year 179 bloggers produced a beautiful array of food all with a yellow element.

Barbara has produced a two part round up of all the entries:
part 1
part 2 and it really is worth taking a look.


I am participating in the 'Race for Life' event on Saturday in memory of Sam's friend Sheena and for all those who are still fighting this terrible disease. So wish me luck~ I'm only walking the course!!

PS After some kind enquiries, I have now set up an online sponsorship here.
Thank you
Archives:
2007: Guess the cost?

LiveSTRONG~ A Taste of Yellow 2008

May 13th

The wine and food blogging community support LiveStrong with an event called a 'Taste of Yellow'. Barbara (at winosandfoodies) is again coordinating this event and entries need to be posted by April 19th.

I'm not a food or wine blogger although I do sometimes feature recipes, and I expect by now you will have realised I like my champagne! This event is, however, close to my heart because of all the wonderful people, including family and fellow bloggers, who have been touched by cancer. Some are still bravely battling, others like my daughter's friend Sheena have, sadly, lost the battle but will always be fondly remembered. Here in the UK we have an event called 'Race for Life' which I will also be supporting again this year (also in May).

The dish I am offering you is KEDGEREE:

Kedgeree originated in India with the British Colonials and was introduced to the UK during Victorian times as a breakfast dish.

I decided to use, my daughter, Sam's version of this dish so it is not precise, but I managed it so I'm sure all you marvellous cooks will have no problem, adapting it and reducing the quantity if necessary.

Serves 8

4 cups basmati rice
1 tub of fresh chicken stock (I used turkey stock because this is what I had in the freezer)
canola oil (I used olive oil as I couldn't get canola)
4 smoked haddock fillets ( I used un-dyed haddock so it does not look yellow)
20 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
milk
1 large shallot, finely chopped into rings (I used about 3 small)
16 cardamom pods
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot chilli powder
8oz frozen petits pois (I used garden peas)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 hard boiled eggs, cut into quarters
2 heaped tablespoons crème fraîche
pinch of saffron
2 lemons, cut into quarters
A handful of toasted almonds.

Method:
Rice: cook according to instructions using all of the chicken stock, 1 tbsp oil plus water to make up to the necessary amount of liquid required to cook the rice. Sam did hers in a rice cooker, however although I have one, I decided to cook mine in a pan. As the rice reaches the end of its cooking time, stir in the frozen petit pois. There should be enough heat to cook them whilst you are assembling the various components of the dish.
Fish: Meanwhile poach the fish. Place in a saucepan and cover with milk. Add peppercorns and a bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer. Haddock will be cooked in just about 8 mins after adding the cold milk. Leave fish to cool slightly before deskinning and flaking into small pieces. (debone at this stage if your fillets weren't boneless).
Onion/Spices: Fry the onion gently until soft in some canola oil with a bay leaf. Add the chilli, cardamom, tumeric, coriander and cumin, sautee about three more minutes whilst the flavours come out. About 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook and burn the spices.
Cream: Gently warm the crème fraîche and the saffron.
Assembly: Mix together the rice and peas, flaked fish, onion and spices, cream and saffron with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Once all these ingredients are all well mixed, gently add in the boiled eggs, and serve, hot, sprinkled with toasted almonds and with lemon wedges to taste.
The end result is a tasty dish that would be enjoyable for either lunch or dinner~ somehow I would not fancy it for breakfast~ I don't know about you!

A lot of work goes into coordinating this event so I would like to say a Big Thank You to Barbara for all her efforts.

Archives:
2007: He doesn't know he's being watched

Mango Bread

LiveSTRONG 2008 is on May 13th and the food and wine blogging community will again be supporting the day through an event called 'A taste of Yellow' more information can be found here over at my friend, Barbara's (winiosandfoodies).
A few days ago Barbara posted about Kats Mango Bread and it looked so good I decided to give it a try. Barbara was sensible and halved the mixture, I decided to make the full quantity so that I could freeze one. You will see the recipe is in 'cups' and I'm always a bit dubious when I cook this way. I put the mixture into two tins, but in hindsight I should actually have made that three, because it rose too much and one spilled over. I admit I realised this as I was putting the mixture in the pans but got a bit lazy.
Anyway the bread which really tastes more like a cake is, in my opinion, absolutely delicious.


MANGO BREAD

4c flour
4 tsp baking soda
4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
3 c sugar
1 1/2 c oil
6 eggs
1 c nuts chopped
1 c raisins
4 c mangoes, diced

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Let stand for 20 minutes
Pour into lined baking loaf pans
Bake at 350F (180C) for 45-60 minutes (time depends on size of pans)

Oh one more thing when I supported the Livestrong event last year I made lemon curd and I'm wondering what to make this year. It has to be yellow~ I have a couple of ideas but if you have any suggestions, please let me know???

Archives:
2007: Whose got brownie points

A day for quiet reflection

I am not posting a Witty Wednesday joke because this is a day for serious reflection and prayers as it's Livestrong Day. Barbara has been hosting a "Taste of Yellow' 144 bloggers participated in this event and she had done a brilliant round up so pop over and have a look. Barbara has shared her personal story as have many of the other bloggers, who have family and friends battling this awful cancer disease.

You might like to visit Terri at my4kids where you can read about a brave little girl called Kennedy who is being treated for Lukaemia.

Also I would like you to say a prayer for Sheena, a friend of my daughter Sam, who is just starting the battle and is in hospital at the moment. In the picture Sheena is in the pink top (4th along). This photo was taken at my house when Sam was on a visit about three years ago. The five have been friends through school and into their adult life so everyone is feeling very sad at the moment. Sam and Sheena were particularly close as teenagers when they were in their 'hippy' stage, and they did a lot together including taking off in Sam's old Morris car to go camping in Devon.

My prayers and thoughts are with all of you today and I will be wearing something yellow.

I'm also participating in the race for life on Saturday, (no not running I'll be walking it with my friend Tina), so wish me luck.