Donna Hay the Miracle Maker - Brussels Sprouts were YUMMY!

We are a household that categorically does not like brussels sprouts.  Both on principle, and on taste.  However occasionally we meet a brussels sprout (tried to shorten it to BS but realised that was just a little inappropriate!) that we actually enjoy. Tonight was one of those occasions and all credit is due to my favourite recipe author - Donna Hay.

Her December/January magazine has a host of divine looking trifle recipes that I'm itching to try, along with the Red Velvet Layer cake, but tonight it was Brussels Sprouts. (I expect you're asking why we actually buy them if we don't like them.  I'm not sure really.  Call me an optimist.  And we try to eat a variety of veges to keep things interesting).

The recipe is on page 148 and is appropriately titled "Brussels sprouts with lemon, garlic and almonds".  Seriously - if you're not a sprouts fan, give this one a go, they are really really really yummy and I will be intentionally buying them again to make this recipe. Oh, and as a bonus, the recipe instructions are a mere 4 lines long.

Thanks Donna!

Donna Hay - Chocolate Stout Cake with Peanut butter frosting

I'm not generally a fan of chocolate cake. I typically find it too rich, too heavy, and too often, it's way too dry. But when I saw the slice of Chocolate Stout Cake in Donna Hay's 50th Issue Anniversary magazine, I got dragged by its moist, rich, dark, irresistible-ness! And funnily enough, along with not liking chocolate cake, I also usually don't bake - for the simple reason that if I bake it means there is baking in the house that we then eat - and we can do with out it. But this had to be tried! And I always have the option of taking baking in to work (which is where this is ultimately destined for as it happens).


Lo and behold: the Donna Hay, Chocolate Stout Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.



The edges are a little crispy, as you can probably see in the sliced photo, I suspect this is due to me not having a loaf tin - so I used a glass meatloaf dish instead! It worked. :-)

This is a decidedly delicious cake - it's not too sweet and it is divinely moist. I have to say, the frosting is just a bit too much for my liking - both in quantity (if I made it again I'd halve the frosting recipe) and also in sweetness, but if you have a sweet tooth, and love decadently rich frostings, this is definitely one for you. We'll see what my colleagues make of it tomorrow.

For me, once was enough.