Tag Archives: Dairy Diary

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year will begin on 3 February 2011 which marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit – year 4709 on the Chinese Calendar!

Chinese Year of the RabbitThe date corresponds to the new moon in either late January or February. The Chinese calendar is different from that used in the United Kingdom. It is made up of a cycle of twelve years, each of them being named after an animal. This is very like our signs of the zodiac. Some people believe that people born in a particular year such as the year of the Dog will have some of the characteristics of that animal.

Did you know that the Dairy Diary has all the notable calendar dates you need?

Over a sixth of the people in the world celebrate Chinese New Year.
Customs vary in different parts of the world, but everywhere the main idea is the same. It is a time to remember the family and wish everyone peace and prosperity in the coming year.

So a neat second chance to kick-start failed new year resolutions and a great reason to cook some delicious Chinese-style dishes such as Oriental Chicken Stew from the  Hearty & Healthy, Dairy Cookbook.

Don’t forget your can still enter the competition to win a copy of Hearty & Healthy.

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Competition winner

Congratulations to Mrs Smith of Chicester, who wins £250 worth of M&S vouchers.

A warm thank you to everyone who entered the Dairy Diary M&S voucher competition. I am sure Mrs Smith will enjoy her shopping trip to M&S.

Don’t forget we have a competition every fortnight here at Dairy Diary Chat. And there’s still time to enter…

Win a Dairy Diary Address BookWin a Dairy Diary Address Book

Start 2011 afresh with a brand new Dairy Diary Address Book. With 12 tabbed sections for family and friends, a section for emergencies and services plus tradesmen’s business cards you can keep everything at your fingertips.

Enter now!

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New Year Resolutions

Did you make a New Year Resolution? Well, here we are in week two of 2011 and I am struggling already.

Not to keep my resolution, but to start it!

My resolution is to lose weight, get fit and eat healthily. Sound familiar?

The first problem is a house packed with chocolates, snacks and goodies left-over from Christmas – just too many temptations.

But I am starting today. All temptations will be banished to the back of the cupboards and only good healthy food will be bought. Hmmm… we’ll see how long that lasts!

Have you made a New Year Resolution? How’s it going? Do you have any tips to ensure success?

A good place to start is the Fit and Healthy feature in the new Dairy Diary.

Tonight I will prepare the fantastic Salmon and Ginger Fishcakes recipe from Good Food, Fast. Delicious, healthy and ready it just 30 minutes.

Win a Dairy Diary Address Book

Start 2011 afresh with a brand new Dairy Diary Address Book. With 12 tabbed sections for family and friends, a section for emergencies and services plus tradesmen’s business cards you can keep everything at your fingertips.

Enter now!

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Goodbye from me for nine months

Goodbye to 2010 and goodbye from me for nine months!

Over the past eighteen months it has been a pleasure to blog about all things Dairy Diary (and some other stuff too).

I really appreciate all your kind comments and support during this time.

However, I am looking like an exaggerated version of Mr Greedy and so it’s time to put away my keyboard for nine months while I concentrate on having twins.

You will be well looked after in my absence with lots of new guest bloggers! Each member of the Dairy Diary team will contribute with their favourite recipes, tips and chat for 2011.

So, have a happy and fun-filled 2011. I will be blogging again in October.

From the 2011 Dairy Diary, try these scrumptious Veggie Crisps – perfect for entertaining or snuggling in front of the fire.

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Veggie Crisps

Perfect for munching while watching a great movie

Serves 8
Time 1 hour
Calories 417 per portion
Fat 30g of which 5.4g is saturated
Suitable for vegetarians

Vegetable oil for deep frying
Sweet potatoes 3 large, peeled
Parsnips 4 large, peeled
Carrots 4 large, peeled
Soured cream 150ml (¼ pint)
Finely snipped chives 2 tbsp
Sea salt for sprinkling

1 Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or deep fat fryer.

2 Using a vegetable peeler, slice all vegetables very thinly. Pat vegetables dry on kitchen paper.

3 Fry vegetable slices, in batches, until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

4 Mix soured cream with chives. Sprinkle crisps with sea salt and serve with soured cream dip.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

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Cranberry and Cinnamon Cookies

A rich shortbread lightly spiced with cinnamon with a contrasting tang from the dried cranberries.

Cranberry & Cinnamon CookiesTime 25 minutes
Calories per cookie 134 Kcal
Fat per cookie 10g
of which saturated 6.2g
Makes 15 cookies
Suitable for vegetarians

Plain flour 250g (9oz)
Ground cinnamon 1 tspSalt a pinch
Unsalted butter 175g (6oz)
Light soft brown sugar 75g (3oz)
Dried cranberries 150g (5oz)

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and grease a baking sheet.

2 To make the dough, sift the flour, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. Add the butter, cut into pieces, and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar to the bowl and continue to work the mixture until it starts to bind together. Add the dried cranberries and work the mixture to form a dough.

3 Roll the dough into a sausage shape about 7cm (2¾in) diameter and cut into slices about 1cm (½in) thick and place them on the baking sheets.

4 Bake the cookies in the centre of the oven for 15–20 minutes, until they are starting to turn light golden in colour. Remove from the oven and leave them to cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve the biscuits warm or cold.

If you are unable to find any dried cranberries, use raisins or sultanas in their place.

Recipe taken from Good Food , Fast: Dairy Cookbook

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