Rainbow cake turned birthday pinata!

SO, Miss 9 turning 10 wanted a pinata cake....
This is how I did it.

Raibow Surprise Cake

160g butter
3 eggs
2C flour
1/8 tsp salt
1C sugar
3T milk
2t baking pdr
4 food colourings


Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat well. Add milk and all dry ingredients. Mix. 


Divide mixture into 4 bowls, add food colouring to each one to make different colours.
Grease a round tin.


Add spoonfuls of each colour to the tin, one spoonful at a time till no more mixtures left. With a wet spoon smooth the top of cake.


Cook at 180 for 45 mins.

To create the pinata cake....
I sliced out top of cake, and filled with coins/pebbles/m&m's and iced around outised of it.

Then I needed to create a chocolate cover, so I greased the inside of a metal bowl that fitted over the cake, and put the bowl in the freezer.

I melted about 400g of dark chocolate.

Then, taking the bowl out of the freezer, I smoothed the melted chocolate over its inside surface till it was all covered and as even as I could get it, and then ut bowl (with chocolate now) back in freezer.

Then..... took bowl out of freezer when chocolate was hard. Carefully tipped it over the cake, and the chocolate slipped out. If it sticks, you can use a wet teatowel and heat up the outside of the bowl if necessary..


Then, I melted more chocolate (about 50g) and used it as glue to stick pebbles/m&ms/cake decorating shapes to outside of chocolate shell.

Then I put some bluetac to the side, and stuck 10 candles in - so at least she had something to blow out!

Then, using a hammer or, in our case, a rolling pin, Miss now 10 smashed it to smithereens!

All b-day party kids were suitably impressed!

A lot of time consuming work, but was worth it inthe end.. It isn't a hard cake to make, just have to have the right equipment!

'Cake-in-a-cup', for when it's just you that's hungry!

4T flour
4T sugar
2T cocoa
1 egg
3T milk
3T oil
3T choc chips
1/2t van ess

Take one decent sized coffee cup.
(no need to oil/spray beforehand)
Mix dry ingredients in the cup.

Add egg, mix.
Add milk, oil, van ess and mix thoroughly.
Lastly, gently mix choc chips in - not too much or they sink to the bottom.


Cook in microwave for three minutes. Eat!
This is fantastic when it is just you that needs something scrummy, or ideal for a treat the kids can make, but can be more annoying if you are trying to feed a few!

Peach Custard Pud!

This is very easy, and versatile!
Can be cooked just before eating, or made up to a day before and reheated or served cold..

2 Cups flour
100g butter
1 can fruit (I used peaches)
1/2 C sugar
1t cinnamon
3 eggs
1C syrup from fruit (Make up to one cup with water if necessary)
1 1/4 C evaporated milk

Oven at 180.
Sift flour into butter and rub until crumbly (Or be like me and use the food processor!)
Press into square tin with loose bottom, or line with baking paper or foil.
Drain fruit well, and spread evenly over the flour/butter mix.
Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over fruit.
Bake for 20 mins.

Beat eggs, syrup and milk together until blended but not foamy. Pour over hot fruit and bake for 30 mins longer or until custard has set in middle. Serve with cream!!!

Could use apricots or pineapple instead of peaches.
Enjoy!

Had none, so made some... Mayonnaise

Easy as!

1 egg ,
1tsp salt
1tsp sugar
1tsp dijon mustard
1T wine vinegar
1C oil

Put first 5 ingredients into food processor. Process, and add oil in a slow steady stream until mixture is as thick and creamy as you prefer. Refridgerate. Use within 3 weeks..... Yum!

Chocolate Square

Doncha just love compilation recipe books?!
(And kids that can bake for you!!)


Master 8 was home with a bit of a head cold, so I let him lose in the kitchen. 
He made this with next to no help...
(Can you tell he did the icing?!)


1/2C sugar
1C coconut
1C flour
5oz butter (about 150g)
2dsp cocoa
1t baking pdr
1c kornies (cornflakes etc)


Melt butter, pour over rest of ingredients, mix thoroughly. 
Press into greased (or lined) tin. 
Bake for 20 mins at 180, and ice when cold....

Chocolate Button Biscuits

4oz butter (125g)
1c flour
1t coffee pdr
3/4c sugar
1t baking pdr
1t vanilla ess


Mix all ingredients together, then roll into balls, flatten slightly and then press choc buttons (or if you don't have choc buttons, use choc drops or pebbles or anything really!) into the middles and bake for 15-20 mins at about 160-170.


This recipe made 21 bikkies.. smallish, but perfect for lunchboxes. The coffee gave it an interesting flavour!

Three-way butter sponge

3 eggs
1c flour
3/4c sugar
1t baking pdr
1.5T melted butter with 3T milk

Beat eggs with sugar.

Add flour and baking pdr.

Warm milk and butter and add to mixture.

(For choc sponge, add 1 dessertspoon cocoa)
(For orange sponge add grated orange rind and ice with orange icing).

Bake in sponge tin for 20 mins at 170.

This was super easy to make, and cooked perfectly. I didn't ice it, just sprinkled with icing sugar. It is nice and moist and light....!

Compilation recipe books - how awesome! 'Apple Surprise'

Got a new recipe book yesterday - one of those 'Grandma gave one to me, so I will give one to you'...

This recipe is called

'Apple Surprise'

Seems kinda like a apple self saucing pud!

1C flour

1T sugar

1 chopped apple (I peeled mine too)

1/2C milk

1T melted butter

2t baking pdr

Mix together to form stiff dough (add milk a little at a time in case you don't need as much)

Put into greased baking dish.

Pour over....

1.5c boiling water

4T brown sugar

1T butter

Bake at 180 for 20-25 mins.

I will serve mine with cream!

Critique and photo to come as this is still baking...

Easy as, and tasty, 'Cheesy muffins'...!

2C self raising flour (or 2C flour, and 2tsp baking pdr)

2C grated cheese
1 lrg egg
1C lager or beer (flat or bubbly)
2T chutney (I used yellow picadilli)

Oven at 220

Mix the flour and cheese together in a bowl.

Using a fork, beat the egg in another bowl until yolk and white are thoroughly blended. Add the beer, stir briefly then pour into cheese and flour mixture.

Fold until flour is just dampened. Add some chutney at this stage so it stays in streaks (of colour)

Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake for 10-15 mins.

Note: Do not use the last good beer in the fridge that the husband is looking forward to that Friday night after a hard days work....

(I have used both lager, and beer, and both taste as good. No chutney would = no flavour!)

Best ever 'curried stir fry beef'. Yum!

250g rump steak, thinly sliced into about 4mm strips
2tsp cornflour
1T soy sauce
1/2tsp sesame oil
2t worcestershire sauce
2T oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
2-3tsp curry pdr
1tsp sugar
1T water


Mix meat with cornflour, soy sauce, sesame oil, and worcestershire sauce. Leave to stand for at least 15 minutes, then stir fry in oil, in hot pan. Remove from pan as soon as it has lost its pinkness.

Add a little more oil to pan (to make 1T oil) if necessary.
Add sliced garlic, then curry pdr, then sugar. Add water if there isnt enough liquid to dissolve curry mixture.

Add meat, toss for no more than 1 minute, then serve on rice with veges.

Loads of flavour in this dish! Definitely a do-over!

Sauces and dips...

For the lads birthday dinner we had chicken nuggets and hot chips, and then I made some dipping sauces....

At the top is Aioli Sauce, red one in middle is Tomato Sauce (see previous posts), bottom one (yellow) is Mustard Sauce, and green one is Mint and Bean Puree.


Aioli Sauce Recipe
Easier than expected, and yummier too!
4 cloves garlic
2 egg yolks
1/4t salt
1C olive oil
2T lemon juice
1T chopped parsley
1t prepared mustard


Put all into food processor, and blend! Thats it.
Then use as required - on steaks, as dip, over cooked veges, in baked spuds... list is endless!


Mustard Sauce Recipe
This one is more work, and although recommended for boiled meats (corned beef etc) I think the edmonds recipe is better for that.


2t butter
1T chopped onion
1/2t dijon mustard
1/2t grainy mustard (I didn't have any, so used 1t dijon total)
1/4C white wine
1/4C water
2-3tsp extra butter or 2T cream


Melt butter in saucepan, with lid.
Add very finely chopped onion. Cover pan and cook gently until onion is tender.Stir in mustards, then add wine, and water, and boil briskly, stirring often until reduced in volume by half.
Beat in teaspoon lots of second measure of butter or cream (with a whisk). Stop when sauce is smooth enough to coat veges.


Could easily use extra onion in the mix. 


Mint and Bean Puree
I made this so I could say I had offered veges to the kids!


I got about a handful of mint and about 1.5 cups of frozen beans. Cooked them in a pot of water for about 5 mins (until tender) then put in food processor with some salt, and olive oil until it was a smooth creamy mixture.


The verdict was - not a whole lot of flavour - so next time I would add about twice as much mint, and some pepper, and maybe even cream and butter instead of oil... Tis all about experimenting!

No butter? Make some of these choc chip bikkies...

So, I wanted to make scones, but, I had a very small amount of butter that needed to be saved so I could use it for kids sandwiches. (Do scones use butter?!)


I googled recipes with no butter, and found a few variations. Most were either peanut butter or choc chip ones. So, 'cos I have a peanut butter hating child, I went with choc chips... she probably won't eat these either, but, there is more chance!


1 1/2C flour
1/2t baking soda
1/4t salt
1/4C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2C oil
1 large egg
1t vanilla essence
1 1/2C choc chips
3/4C rice bubbles


Stir flour, baking soda, and salt together.
In another bowl, whisk sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla essence together.
Add flour mixture.


Stir in choc chips and rice bubbles.


Make into fairly tight balls and cook at 180 for 8-10 mins.


One suggestion was to add walnuts for flavour, but I didn't! (same amount as rice bubbles)


They turn out really yummy, thank goodness... 

The Birthday Cake

I used two cakes to create one large layered cake.
One is a rich mud cake, the other is a sponge cake...

Mud Cake
1T instant coffee
1/2C water
100g dark cooking chocolate (or choc chips)
100g butter
1C sugar
2T sherry, whisky, brandy (or I used cider!)
2 lrg eggs
1t van essence
1 1/4 C flour
1/2t baking soda


Oven at 150.


Warm instant coffee, water, broken up chocolate, butter and sugar until choc has melted and sugar is dissolved, stirring all the time (if using a pot) or intervals (if microwaving). Cool to room temp, then stir in the liquid (brandy etc).


Beat eggs and vanilla together.


Sieve flour and baking soda together, then combine the three mixtures. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and thinner than most cake mixtures.


Line a tin, and pour cake mix in.
Bake for an hour, then remove from oven and leave in tin for 10 mins before removing.


Dust with icing sugar and serve, or serve with cream or icecream....


3 Min Sponge
A very easy sponge!!


75g butter
2 lrg eggs
3/4C sugar
2T milk
1C flour
2tsp baking pdr


Oven at 175


Use a bowl big enough to hold the whole mixture.
Melt butter till just liquid. Add eggs, sugar and milk. Sift flour and baking pdr in.


Using electric beater or good hand beater beat until mixture is well mixed, looks creamy and is slightly paler in colour (about 40-60 seconds).


Pour into tin, and bake for 20 mins (I actually had to cook for about 30, so keep an eye on it).


More photos coming after we have cut the cake!


Windows were done with melted white chocolate piped into shapes.
Spiders were done with melted dark chocolate and make into shapes. Many deformed spiders were eaten in the process... !

'Mum's Famous Cake'

Bit more effort involved here... but not much more!


A yummy cake, with icing that is extraordinary. 


100g butter
200g chocolate (125g and 75g lots)
50g golden syrup (about 2 T)
50ml yogurt (any flavor, I have used apricot, and also strawberry)
175g brown sugar
3t vanilla essence
4 eggs (thank goodness I have laying chooks!)
250g flour (about 2C)
3t baking powder
50g cocoa
1 jar berry preserve (or less, depending on how much you use! I only use about 1/2 a small jar)
150g icing sugar.


Need a 20cm cake tin, and oven at 180.


Melt butter, 125g choc and golden syrup.
Remove from heat and add (1 at a time, mixing between each) yogurt, sugar, van ess, eggs. 
Sift flour, bk pdr and cocoa together then add to choc mixture.
Whisk till smooth.


Pour into cake tin and bake for 50 mins. (Keep an eye on it, as mine cooks in about 45 mins).


Cool cake. Cut in half and spread bottom half with preserve. Put top half back on.
Icing - Melt 75g choc and beat in 75g preserve. Add icing sugar, and enough water to make thick and creamy. Spread over cake... Serve!

Curried Sausages, quick and easy... and tasty!

6-8 sausages
1 chopped onion
1t curry pdr
1T flour
3/4C beef stock
1T relish or chutney


Cook 6-8 sausages in frypan for about 10 mins (until browned and cooked through). Remove from pan.


Add to pan one chopped onion. Cook until clear, then add one teaspoon of curry powder, cook for 30 seconds, then add one tablespoon of flour, and cook for 30 seconds. Then add 3/4 cup beef stock, stir until boiling, then add one tablespoon of relish or chutney and the sausages again. Cook for about five mins more.


Then serve!


Easy peasy, and very edible!

Chocolate Apple Cake - Fancy but easy

Topping.
1/4C brown sugar
2T flour
1t cinnamon
25g cold butter
2T chopped walnuts.

Cake
2-3 apples
125g butter melted
1 large egg
1C sugar
1 1/2 flour
2T cocoa
1t cinnamon
1t baking soda

Prepare topping in food processor. Tip into another bowl for later.

In unwashed processor chop unpeeled apples. Add remaining ingredients in order given. Mix briefly to combine.

Put mixture into prepared tin.
Sprinkle over topping

Cook at 190 for 30 minutes.

Serve as is, or with cream

Scrummy

Yoghurt Cake - really light and delicious

75g butter
1C sugar
2 eggs
1t vanilla essence
1 1/2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1/4t salt
300g plain or flavoured yoghurt

This is supposed to make 2 loaves, but I can't see how, as it only made two very small ones!

Melt butter till liquid. Put in sugar, eggs, vanilla essence, and butter into food processor. Mix thoroughly.
Add flour, baking soda, salt and yoghurt. Process briefly until just combined.
Mixture will be light and airy.

Pour into loaf tins, handling as little as possible.

Cook at 180 for 30 mins.
Dust with icing sugar, serve with fresh berries, yoghurt, or cream...

(Or, as master apprentice was so impatient, eat as a plain cake)

The 'Eating Cake'

So, I said to Miss Apprentice we were going to make a cake.... 'What sort of cake, Mum?', 'an eating cake', I replied... and so it began..

In a food processor put 1 orange, and chop up until it is pulp. Remove from food processor.

In unwashed processor put
125g softened butter
1C sugar
2 eggs.
Blend until mixed (about 20 seconds... count them... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - or get your apprentice to do the counting for you)
Then add
1tsp baking soda dissolved in 1/2C water
1t vanilla essence
2C flour
1C sultanas
Mix in pulses.

Add in the fruit pulp, and mix until all combined.

Tip into baking tin, andbake at 150 for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 mins.

Then... EAT (as it is an eating cake)

and yet some more bananas - loaf this time!

I never seem to be able to cook loaves all the way through - something always goes wrong! But, this worked well and was yummy. All gone now!


125g butter, softened
1 1/2 C sugar
3 eggs
500-600g bananas (This is unpeeled weight)
2 1/2 C self raising flour.

Oven at 180

Mix butter into sugar until light and creamy.

Mix in eggs one at a time.

Peel bananas, mash, mix half bananas and half the flour into the mixture. Repeat with rest of flour and bananas.

Line bottom and sides of one very large (8 cups) or two medium (3-4 cup) loaf tins. Do not fill more than 2/3 full.

Bake for 45 mins for two loaves, or slightly longer for one large loaf.
Leave to stand for 5 mins before turning onto cooling rack.

Serve unbuttered on day one, and buttered on days after this...

Very nice flavours in this recipe.

Bananas, bananas and more bananas...

Choc chip and banana muffins...

This is the best recipe I have treid for banana chip muffins...

2C self raising flour
1/2C castor sugar
1/2C choc chips
1/2 t salt
100g butter
1C butter
1C milk
1 egg
1t vanilla ess
1c mashed bananas (about 2 or 3 - the more ripe, the more flavour)

Oven at 220.

Stir flour, castor sugar, choc chips and salt together with fork.

melt butter, remove from heat and add milk, egg, vanilla and beat well with fork.

Mash and measure bananas. Stir into liquid mixture, then stir all into dry ingredients, but dont over mix (mix until just damp).

Spoon into sprayed muffins tins, and cook for 12-15 mins.

These are really yummy.

Golden Syrup Pudding.... one bowl, 8 minutes...

Easy as microwave pud (thanks to Katrina!!)

60g butter, chopped up
3/4C sugar
1/2C milk
1C self raising flour ( or 1C flour & 1tsp bk pdr)
1 1/2C boiling water
3T golden syrup

In microwave safe bowl mix the milk, sugar and flour.

Spread chopped butter over top.

Dissolve syrup in boiling water, then carefully pour over top of ingredients.

Then, microwave on high for 8 minutes.

Serve with cream or ice-cream, or fruit, or milk, or have cold later if there is any left!!!

Berry dessert - easy and really yummy

We got three bags of frozen berries cos they were on special... but, we haven't used them in ages, so this dessert is me trying to empty the freezer!

Base
50g butter, melted
1/2C brown sugar
1 egg
1C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking pdr
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C milk
1-3 cups berries (or cubed fruit)


Topping
1/2C flour
1/4C brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
50g butter, cold


In bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and egg until creamy. Add sifted flour and baking pdr, cinnamon and milk. Mix, but don't overmix.


Spread over buttered square tin.
Sprinkle over berries. (I recommend going with higher quantity of fruit if possible).


For the topping, mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon into bowl, Cut in butter. Sprinkle topping over berries.


Cook at 180 for 45 mins.


This is scrummy, but, I only added a small amount of fruit. Next time I would at least cover base with fruit completely so I don't see any of it before cooking. 

Curried, tomato cauliflower

This is a quick and easy vege dish  so long as you don't do what I did, and try and grate cheese with the food processor!
(I usually have a stash of frozen, grated cheese for such recipes as this, but had run out, so decided to do some more - took forever, and made a huge mess and only got two and a half bags of cheese from my efforts!)

500g Cauli (about half a big one)
1 tin tomatoes (Preferably with a flavour - like savoury)
2T butter
1t curry pdr
2T flour
1/2 - 1 C grated cheese




Cook chopped up cauli till just tender.


While cauli is cooking, in another saucepan melt the butter and curry pdr together till bubbling, add the flour, then add the tomatos. Stir well until boiling. (add a little water to thin if necessary).


Put cooked cauli into lightly buttered dish, one layer thick.


Pour the tomato sauce evenly over cauli. Then sprinkle grated cheese over. 


Cook at 180 till cheese is melted and cauli heats through.


Enjoy!!!


(This photo is of uncooked mixture. Preparing now, so I have my evening free to do homework with kids, and prepare tomorrow nights dinner!)

Something a little different - Zucchini vege thing

500g zucchini, sliced thinly
1/4 to 1/2 c water
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 tsp each chicken and green herb stock (or 1/2 tsp salt)
1tsp cornflour
1T cold water
1/8C chopped parsley
Black pepper




Slice or shred zucchini. Cook for two to 5 mins depending on thickness, with the water and garlic.


Just before serving add stock powders and enough cornflour and water (mixed to a paste) to thicken juices. Sprinkle generously with parsely and black pepper.


I used 1 carrot and 1 big zucchini - adding the zucchini when the carrot was nearly cooked. I recommend adding parsley a little at a time as it could overpower the flavours if you use too much...


Enjoy!

Easy Afghans - one pot!

In a pot large enough for all ingredients melt 125g butter
Then add...
1C sugar
3T cocoa
1t vanilla essence
1 large egg
Mix well with a fork.

Then add...
1C self raising flour (or 1C flour, 1t baking powder)
1.5c malted cornflakes ( I used 6 weet-bix)
Mix well.

Spoon teaspoons of mixture onto baking tray and cook for about 8 mins.

Ice if you want! (I had run out of icing sugar, so these were left plain)

Ginger creams - worth a little effort!

This was the only one left after I went for coffee at a friends....

Cream the following..
150g butter
150g sugar (about 3/4 cup)
1 T golden syrup

Then add...
1.5 C self raising flour (or 1.5 C flour and 1tsp baking powder)
1t ginger
1t cinnamon
1T warm milk with 1t baking soda mixed in

Mix well, roll into balls, gently press down with a fork and bake at 180 for about 10 mins. Watch closely!

Then, when cool, join together with icing made from.....
2C icing sugar
50g butter
2T custard powder


Enjoy - before they are all eaten!

Pork.... stir-fry thingy

So, we have a pig in our freezer. And now I get a chance to use some pork recipes (as I don't buy pork at supermarket!)

This is a stirfry recipe I found, which we had on rice last night, and leftovers are being turned into a pie tonight!

1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3tsp oil
500-600g pork mince
3T soy sauce
3T sherry (or, I had no sherry so used white wine!)
1T brown sugar
2T sweet chilli sauce
1C water
2 stalks celery
4 carrots
1 red pepper (yellow was my option!)
1 green pepper
200g green beans, or 1 can drained corn
200g cauli, and 200g cabbage (I only had brocolli, so used 400g of that)
1T cornflour
1/4C water

Brown onion and garlic in pan, raise heat and add mince. Stir, without breaking up mince too much, cook until mince has lost its raw look.
Add next 5 ingredients (soy, sherry, sugar, sauce, water)

Cover pan. Chop celery and carrots and add to pan. Cover. Slice peppers and beans and add these to pan.

Break cauli up, and chop cabbage coarsely. Stir into meat mixture. Cook about 5 mins more.

Mix cornflour and water together stir in about half, then add rest if necessary to glaze veges.

Serve on white rice - or noodles, or whatever takes your fancy...!

I think this needed more flavour, so would add more chilli sauce next time. Hope its okay as a pie!!

Hot Cross Buns... yum!

Sorry - no photo, all eaten before I could say ''Smile!''

Recipe for Hot Cross Buns

In breadmaker - add ingredients as your machine specifies...
1 large egg, plus luke warm water to equal 1 cup
3T soft butter
3 1/4 cups high grade flour (minus 1T flour)
1/2tsp each ground allspice, mixed spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg
2T milk powder
1 1/2 T soft brown sugar
4tsp surebake yeast (Edmonds)

Set to dough cycle.
When cycle is finished remove from machine, add 1 cup mixed fruit and form into about 12 balls. Space evenly and allow to rise.

For the crosses - Combine 1/2C flour with 1/4tsp baking powder, then add enough milk to make a batter that can easily be piped onto buns.

Bake at 190 for 20-15 mins - keep an eye on this though!

The 'World's Best Cake' Pudding

Master Apprentice loved this - and would easily be able to make it... quick - microwaveable, and few ingredients... Miss Apprentice liked it too - and she doesn't do cake usually!

Topping 
1 can (425g) peaches or pears
1T butter
1t custard powder
1T juice from canned fruit
2T golden syrup

Cake
50g butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1C flour
2T cocoa
1/2t baking soda
juice from canned fruit

Drain fruit in sieve, and save juice.

Melt butter for topping in lightly sprayed microwave ring pan. Stir in custard powder, golden syrup and juice. Microwave on high for 40-50 seconds until mixture boils and thickens slightly.
Arrange fruit around dish (on topping liquid).

To make cake soften butter and beat with sugar and egg (with fork, electric beaters or food processor). Sift dry ingredients into thi smixture. Add about 2T reserved juice, and mix until batter is soft enough to drop from spoon. (I used nearly all reserved juice).
Drop spoonfuls of batter onto fruit and topping liquid. Don't worry if it isn't even as it will spread during cooking.
Cover with lid, or vented plastic film, or I used baking paper...

Place in microwave on rack, or upturned plate.
Cook on Medium/High (70%) for 10-12 minutes until mixture closest to central cone is cooked.

Leave to stand for two to three minutes, then turn onto flat plate. Serve with icecream, or plain...

Rolled oats biscuits

200g butter
1C brown sugar
1C white sugar
1 egg
1/4C milk
1/2t baking soda
1t vanilla ess
1C flour
3C rolled oats
1/2C sultanas - optional
1/2C chopped walnuts - optional
1/2C sunflower seeds - optional

Melt butter, remove from heat then add sugars and egg, then milk soda and vanilla. Srinkle over flour, rolled oats and any additionals. Mix with fork until well combined.

Bake for 10-12 mins, at 180.
I didn't add any optionals, and they are a  bit bland, but still the lad eats them - then again, he eats just about anything!

''Can't be scared of peanuts'' bikkies - YUM!

50g butter
1/4C golden syrup

3/4C peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 egg
1t vanilla essence
1/2C white sugar
1/2C brown sugar
1/2C each sultanas, roasted salted peanuts (chopped roughly), and chocolate chips
1 3/4C flour
1t baking soda

In large pot, just melt butter and golden syrup. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until mixture is smooth.
Add egg, vanilla and sugars, beat with fork then add peanuts, sultanas, and choc chips.

Use sieve and add flour and baking soda. Mix until combined.

Can make 24 large biscuits, or up to 60 smaller ones. Roll into a ball, then press flat onto baking paper.

Bake at 180 for 7-10 mins, one tray at a time.

These are scrummy, and peanutty!

Scone Twists - delicimo!

Make a normal scone mixture, roll it out and spread half with this recipe, fold unspread half over spread half, then slice about 1cm strips, twist twice and put onto baking paper, and bake 10-15 mins until lightly browned. Can serve as is, or with butter (but that could be a tad over the top!)

Scone mix -
2C flour
2.5tsp baking pdr
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
25g butter
1/2C milk
1/4-1/2C water.

Sift dry ingredients together, then melt butter and add to dry ingredient with milk and smaller amount of water. Don't over mix. Add extra water to make a soft dough - I didn't need much!

Filling mix-
1/4C brown sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1T cold butter
1/4C coconut

Use food processor to combine ingredients, or melt butter, and add to other ingredients. Follow top instructios, then cook at 200 degrees.

These are fairly edible! 

Something quick and easy for the lunchbox!

I remember making this sort of thing but without the sultanas before the kids went to school... I don't think I even bothered icing it for them and they still devoured it!)


150g butter
1/4C golden syrup
1C sugar
1 1/2C plain flour
1T cocoa
2C malted wheatflakes, cornflakes or ''weetbix''
1/2c Sultanas


Oven at 160


Melt butter and golden syrup together, then add sugar and mix well.


Sift flour and cocoa together then add with the cornflakes and sultanas to the butter mixture. Fold until well combined.
Press into greased, or lined with baking paper, square tin. Bake for 20 mins. Time this carefully as there is no other way of knowing if it is cooked properly or not!


Allow to cool, then ice with chocolate icing if you are so inclined!

My husband's gotta love me!

Made his favourite today - Ginger Kisses
(And, I am not a fan of bought ginger kisses at all, but this version is devine!)

Apparently you have to be very careful with the measurements.... I wasn't, and they still turned out just fine!

125g softened butter
3/8C sugar (80g, 2 1/2oz)
1 large egg
1t ground ginger
1t cinnamon
1 rounded dessertspoon golden syrup
75g flour (1/2C + 1T)
75g cornflour (1/2C + 1T)
1/2t baking soda
1/2t baking powder

Oven at 220

Put first 6 ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth and a light colour.

Weigh or measure dry ingredients carefully into food processor. Process until mixture is smooth.

Spoon mixture into piping bag, with small, plain nozzle. (I used a plastic lunch bag, and snipped one corner off). Can use spoons to shape small even mounds onto baking paper covered oven trays. Piped mounds should be about the size of a half walnut. They rise a lot, so make sure there is space between each one.
Fills two oven trays.

Place trays in oven, and once door is shut turn oven down to 210. Cook for about 5 mins, but keep an eye on them and reduce the time if the bottoms of the kisses are browning. (They burn easily).

Sandwich together with mock cream, (or whipped cream if they are to be eaten soon after filling).

Mock cream...
50g room temperature butter.
1/2t vanilla ess
1/2c sieved icing sugar
about 2T water

Put butter, vanilla and icing sugar in food processor. Add 1T hot water and process until smooth. Slowly add  about 1T cold water. (I only needed about 1/2T water). Finished product should be a light-coloured fluffy cream. Add more water if it is absorbed.
Store filled kisses in cool place so filling hardens.


If, for some misfortune your kisses don't work first time, the failures are quite edible with berries, cream or ice cream for dessert!
If they run over tray you have used too much butter.
If they dont spread enough, you have used too much flour, or too little butter....

I am getting good at Naan bread!

I have made this recipe several times, once by hand, the others by breadmaker. Both methods were just as yummy...
Advantages of bread maker - you don't have to do the hard work
Disadvantages - it takes a bit longer.


1/4C unsweetened yoghurt
3/4C (plus 2T if doing by hand) warm water
50g melted butter
1t salt
1t sugar
1C wholemeal flour
3t yeast
2C high grade flour


(extra butter, or oil, and sesame or cumin seeds - optional)


Breadmaker - measure all ingredients into breadmaker as specified by manufacturer. Set to dough, and START.
Once cycle is completed, shape and bake as below...


Hand made.
Measure first seven ingredients into bowl and mix well. Cover and leave for 15 mins or longer in warm place.
Then stir in flour, adding a little extra warm water if necessary to make dough just firm enough to knead.
Knead on lightly floured surface for about 10mins. Try to keep dough as soft as possible. Can add a little extra water if dough is too firm, or more flour if too soft. (dough should form a soft ball that springs back when gently pressed.)


Turn dough in 2t oil in clean, dry bowl. Cover with clingfilm, and leave in warm place for 30mins.
Turn out dough and lightly knead for 1 min.


Shaping and Baking
Divide dough into four pieces, then halve each piece to give eight balls. Leave to stand for 5 mins.
Roll out each ball into a flat oval shape (about 18cm x 22cm). Brush each side with oil, or melted butter. Sprinkle with sesame or cumin seeds if you want. 
Heat oven to 225-250 degrees. If you have a cast iron pan, or griddle place this on the rack just below middle of oven. (I use a normal baking tray, and it seems to work fine!)
Place one bread at a time (I do two or three at a time) on the very hot pan and cook for 2 mins each side until puffed up and lightly browned on both sides. (Timer comes in very handy here!)
OR - Cook on barbeque, turning once as above.


Eat soon after baking. 


My kids love this, and you can serve it with any type of meal.. it's going to be with stir fry tonight, had it with a mince dish a coupe of nights ago... and kids ate it spread with butter for afternoon tea yesterday!

Chocolate Rocks...!

Poor lad was getting hungry, so had to do some baking specially for him

Chocolate rocks..

250g dark chocolate
100g butter
1/2c castor sugar
1t vanilla ess
2 large eggs
1 1/2c flour
1/2t baking pdr
1/4c cocoa
about 1c icing sugar

Oven at 170.

Heat butter and chocolate gently in pot, stirring often until mixture is smooth.
Remove from heat.
Add vanilla ess and castor sugar. Mix with wooden spoon. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing between each.
Sieve in flour, baking pdr, and cocoa. Mix until well combined.

Put mixture into fridge or freezer until cold enough to make into small balls - about 1/2 hr in freezer.

Sift the icing sugar ino large, round flattish bowl. (unsifted icing won't coat biscuits properly)

Working reasonably quickly divide mixture into four. Then divide portions into 20 small balls. Roll each in icing sugar until fairly thickly coated, then place on tray covered with baking paper. Don't knock off excess icing sugar.
Leave 4-5cm between them as they expand while cooking,

Bake for about 10 mins.

Handle and store carefully to prevent icing sugar falling off!

These look great, but are average tasting! I will only bake again if Miss and Master enjoy!

Rhubarb cobbler!! Back to the olden days...

So, I did some gardening today... got some rhubarb so thought I better use it as soon as!

Fruit mixture
4C chopped rhubarb (1 cm slices)
3/4 C sugar
2T cornflour
1/2C orange juice (or 1/4C orange juice and 1/4C water)
1T butter

Put rhubarb in pot.
Mix sugar and cornflour together, then sprinkle over rhubarb. Add orange juice to pot. Stir, then add butter. Heat until mixture thickens and becomes clear.
Put into baking dish.

Topping
25g butter
1C self raising flour
1t mixed spice
1 egg
1/2 C milk

Melt butter and rub flour and spice into it.
Beat egg and milk together, then add to dry ingredients. Mix until just damp.

Drop spoonfuls of batter over thickened, hot fruit.

Bake for 20 minutes at 200, or until centre feels as firm as edges.

Serve hot or warm with icecream.

Our Miss Apprentice  was scared to eat this as she had heard rhubarb was poisonous... We had to explain that the leaves were, but the stalks were good to eat when cooked. Didn't help when her darling father decided to play a joke and pretend to choke on his first mouthful....

Curry meat loaf - master apprentice even liked it!

1 onion
1 carrot
1 apple - granny smith type flavour
1-2 cloves garlic
1 egg
1/2 C milk
1T soy sauce
1-2 tsp curry pdr
1 tsp salt
2 sprigs parsley
500 mince (beef or lamb)
1 C rolled oats

Turn oven to 190

Quarter the onion, carrot and apple and put into food processor. Add garlic. Process until finely chopped.

Add all other ingredients except mince and rolled oats. Process.

Add mince (in chunks), then slowly add rolled oats just enough to blend.

Line a loaf tin with baking paper. Press mixture into the tin, and bake for about an hour. Leave for 10 mins once cooked.

Serve it up with your favourite sauce or chutney - we used the tomato sauce from previous post... And first lot of spuds from our garden this season! Scrummy!!

This is a great alternative to my usual mince and sausage meat recipe from Edmonds book...  and the master ate all his with no complaints!

Repeated this again, with variations to the recipe. Was loads nicer!
Used
1 onion
1.5 carrots
1 granny smith
4 cloves garlic
2 eggs
1c milk
2T soy sauce
4t curry pdr
2t sugar
1t salt
4 sprigs parsley
1kg mince
500g sausage meat
1C rolled oats.
Processed first 4 ingredients, added next seven. Then had to remove from mixer 'cos there was too much. Then added last ingredients.

Put into two loaf tins, cooked at 180 fan forced for 45 mins.

Was way yummier and moister than original....
(Even got a 'really good meatloaf' from Mr!)