I felt like it was time for a change – a spring clean, and a new look for Stasty. I got this beautiful blog theme from Solo Pine -I just love the clean lines, and also the fact that it’s “made with love in Seattle”. I’ve gotten rid of most of the pesky ads, to make room for bigger and brighter pictures. I’ve also sharpened up my logo, but couldn’t part with my beloved wooden spoon. It belongs to my Dad, and it’s truly a great spoon to cook with. Continue Reading…
Have you heard of magic cake? – it’s called magic cake because it’s essentially one cake batter that separates into three layers when cooked. More science than magic really, but we food bloggers like the word magic better 😉 Continue Reading…
I am back home in Ireland at the moment, where it has been unseasonably cold and snowy. Despite the bad weather, there is still some hardy rhubarb growing in the garden surviving against all the odds. Continue Reading…
These pear and custard tarts came from a memory really. We had lots of beautiful organic D’Anjou pears to use up, and I wanted to make something special with them. Most of the pear tarts you see involve chocolate or frangipane, and they all seem a bit heavy for the delicate pear. Continue Reading…
The third series of Downton Abbey started last week in the states, and it’s become an absolute hit over here. I am feeling slightly smug as I have already watched series three back in Ireland. There is something really comforting about settling down for an episode of Downton Abbey. The minute I see that Labrador in the opening credits, I instantly feel happy and relaxed. Continue Reading…
We’re just back from a really enjoyable week in sunny Madeira. We dined in lovely restaurants, enjoyed great food and of course had some Madeira wine! In ways, it was nice to be back though. Back to normal food and cooking in the kitchen. When I go away, I always come back craving something simple. This week I was craving tea and a custard cream. Custard creams are the kind of biscuits that are so common place in Ireland that they are often overlooked. They are the type of biscuits that are found on plates in Church halls, school meetings, hospitals and canteens all over the country. They’re not posh or fancy, they’re even a little outdated and unfashionable. They are simple, they’re plain but, there is something remarkably comforting about a custard cream. They are not too sweet, not too chewy and light enough to have a second one. They are yummy with a flask of tea, when you’re on the side of the cold mountain, which is where I usually seem to eat them. So I decided to try and recreate my own custard cream, and somehow, they tasted better than any custard cream I’ve ever eaten. Sweet, slightly salty, crunchy and creamy at the same time, these are custard creams to die for. I adapted this recipe from a BBC Good Food recipe. Continue Reading…
You can find some of my favorite gluten-free recipes in my eBook available from Amazon.
I'm Vicky and Stasty is my simple and tasty food recipe blog. I love to cook and I love to talk about food, so this blog is really my ramblings and thoughts about cooking and eating. Some of the recipes are my own and some are ones that I found on the net or picked up from my favorite cookbooks. I cook everything in our little kitchen in beautiful Washington. I am aided and abetted by my I.T guru/tantrum-trouble-shooter/editor and chief-taster otherwise known as the OH or Nelius.