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!