Winter Warmers

Is there anything better than a warm, comforting meal in the middle of winter?
We sat down with some of our Independent Lorraine Lea Stylists this week to discover their favourite winter warmers to help keep cosy this season.

Michelle, Team Shining Lights
My scones remind me of memories I have with my grandmothers… like wrapping our freshly baked scones up with love in your favourite tea towel. This recipe is a fan favourite with the children I cook for as a chef in a local childcare centre!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted and added to the milk)

RECIPE:

• Preheat your oven to 220°c (210°c fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper
• Add all ingredients into a suitable size bowl
• Using a Mixmaster with a dough hook (or by hand), mix until all ingredients are combined
• Place your dough onto a floured bench and flatten it into a rectangle
• Cut out your scones with your lightly dusted cutter
• Place on your pre-lined tray close to each other before transferring into your hot oven
• Cook for 8-10 minutes, then reduce the temperature by about 20°c to stop the tops from burning and continue to cook for an additional 5-8 minutes
• Once cooked, remove the tray from the oven and cover the scones with a large clean tea towel
• Serve warm with freshly whipped cream, your favourite jam and a hot cuppa!

Optional additions:

Add 1 grated pink lady apple and 2 pinches of cinnamon to your dough or 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese and some finely chopped chives.

Peter, Team Kings & Queens
Sunday night is our family night, where we catch up with my sons, their partners and our grandchildren. One of the boys' favourite winter snacks is Sausage Rolls! They often ask if I could make Nannas Sausage Rolls, so I thank my mum for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1kg sausage meat
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 packet of Chicken Noodle Soup (tipped into a cup of 250mls of boiling water until noodles have expanded and liquid has cooled)
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 egg mixed into ½ cup milk (for the egg wash)
• 1 packet frozen puff pastry

RECIPE:

• Preheat your oven to 220°c and take out your pastry to thaw
• In a large bowl, mix together sausage meat, onion, carrot, zucchini, parsley, soup mix, bread crumbs, salt and pepper
• Lay the pastry on your bench and cut it in half before brushing with egg wash
• Spoon sausage meat mixture along the edge of the pastry, making a long sausage look
• Roll your pastry to enclose the filling and brush with egg wash
• Cut into 4-6 short pieces and prick each piece with a fork
• Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked

Heather, Team Wrens & Roses
My pea and ham soup has been a family favourite forever. It smells delicious while cooking, warms and fills you up, and tastes delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

• 240grams split peas
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 ¾ litres of stock or water
• Ham bones or bacon rind
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried or fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Croutons

RECIPE:

• Wash peas and soak overnight
• Peel vegetables and roughly chop
• Add the peas, vegetables, salt, pepper, ham or bacon, and water or stock in a large saucepan and simmer for 3 hours
• Remove the ham bones, and sieve soup into a large bowl or pot, rubbing through the vegetables and peas
• Return to the saucepan
• Mix flour into a smooth paste with a little bit of cold water and stir into the soup
• Boil for 3 minutes before sprinkling with mint and serving with croutons

Explore our range of Kitchen and Dining items to freshen up your kitchen styling this season.