Shortcrust Pastry

This pastry is perfect for tart bases as well as piecrusts. It is so easy to make I don’t buy pastry anymore! Over the next few weeks I will follow with tart and pie recipes so you can get good use out of that pastry, especially now at Christmas time.


Ingredients:

2 Cups Cake Flour
125g Butter/Margarine
125ml Cold Water
5ml Lemon juice or Vinegar

Method:

Rub butter into flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the water and vinegar/lemon juice and mix until a soft dough is formed. Refrigerate for 1 hour before use.

Macaroni Cheese

This is quick, simple and double well. So if you have a few extra’s in the house for the holidays it’s the perfect supper.


Ingredients:
½ Tbsp Margarine/Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
800ml Milk
tsp Worchestershire Sauce
½ tsp Hot English mustard
1 tsp oil
3 Cups grated cheese
500g macaroni
2 Tomatoes
12 Chicken Viennas

Method:

In a medium pot place margarine and flour. Whisk to form a ball. Add milk slowly until you get a sauce with the right consistency. (It should be thick but pourable). Add Worchestershire sauce, mustard and 1 cup of grated cheese.

In a separate pot bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt and a tsp of oil. Once boiling add macaroni and stir. Stir occasionally until cooked. Drain.

Chop viennas into bite size pieces (about 1cm wide). Slice tomatoes.

Place Macaroni, viennas and sauce in an oven proof rectangular dish (approx 900ml). Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and place tomatoes on top. Grill until crispy and golden brown.

Handy Tip: Use the small side of the grater to grate the cheese. You get more cheese for the topping and it melts to form a more solid top layer.

Handy Tip: You can swop the viennas for ham or bacon. If you want a vegetarian dish use onion, tomato and mushrooms instead. You can also add mushroom to the normal dish if you prefer.

Tomato and Onion Sauce/Braai sous

This is served on pap/mielie meal as a sauce. Normally eaten with boerewors (South African Sausage)


Ingredients:

1 Grated an apple or 3 Tbsp Apricot Jam
1 Onion (Finely chopped)
1 Tomato (Finely Chopped)
¼ - ½ Tsp Crushed Garlic
Non Stick cooking spray/Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Sugar
100ml Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp Soya Sauce
20 ml Worchesershire Sauce
1 Can Chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a medium pot fry Apple/Apricot jam, onion, tomato and garlic until onions get transparent appearance. Add sugar, tomato sauce, Soya sauce and Worchestershire sauce. Once boiling add canned tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Stir continuously until boiling. Sauce will thicken. Should you want a thicker sauce use corn flour to thicken further.

Handy Hint: If you don’t have canned tomatoes add an extra 2 chopped tomatoes.

Corn flour

Make in a ratio of 1 tsp corn flour and 2 tsp cold water. Mix until you get a paste. Add to boiling sauce while stirring to avoid lumps.

Roasted Marshmallows

This great dessert becomes part of the braai/barbeque and the kids enjoy making them.


Ingredients:

1 x Large packet Marshmallows
Skewer sticks (1 per person)

Method:

Place a marshmallow on the end of the skewer stick and hold it about 5cm above the flames, turn often. The marshmallow is ready when if has doubled in size and appears lightly toasted all around

Eat straight from the skewer and make another!

Rice Salad

I am still sticking with the barbeque/braai theme. Another great salad, I usually use my left over for this one. Especially great if you had chicken a la king last night.


Ingredients:
Rice (about 1 ½ cups cooked)
Peas (about ½ cup cooked)
Pineapple (Queen size cubed)
6 Slices Ham cubed
1 Yellow pepper cubed

Method:
Mix above ingredients, once cooled, together and serve.

Rice: I usually use the left over from the night before, but if you make it the rule of thumb is: 1 Cup of rice to 2 ½ cups water, pinch of salt and boil until water cooks away. I prefer white rice for a salad.

Handy Tip: Add a tsp of lemon juice to the rice water while boiling, rice will stay separate, fluffy and white.

Peas: Again I use left over from the side dish for Chicken a la king, but boil for 5 – 10 minutes.

Pap/Mielie Meal

There are many ways to make this old South African favourite. You can have it for breakfast with milk and sugar or with a tomato onion mix with your braai. The thickness is the only thing that changes. Runny for breakfast, thick with a barbeque or “krummel” (crumbly) if you prefer.


Ingredients:

White maize meal
Water
Salt

Method:

Bring water with a pinch of salt to boil on the stove. In a measuring jug mix 250g maize meal with cold water to make a paste. (add slowly while stirring). Add the paste 1 spoonful at a time to the boiling water stirring continuously until you get the required consistency. For breakfast it should be thick but not stiff. To use with a tomato/onion sauce it should be thick enough to pick up in solid pieces. Cook for 20 minutes on a very low heat.

Serve as desired.

Coleslaw

Another braai/barbeque recipe. This one is a favourite!


Ingredients:

3 Carrots
1 Baby Cabbage (green)
Mayonnaise

Method:

Peel and grate carrots. Grate Cabbage. Spoon mayonnaise to desire consistency and serve!

Braai/Barbeque Carrot salad

This is the easiest recipe yet and it adds colour to your plate!


Ingredients:

4 Carrots (Large)
2 tsp lemon juice

Method

Peel carrots. I find the easiest way to peel carrots is to use a potato peeler. Chop both ends off. Grate carrots and place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle carrots with lemon juice, this keeps them fresh until serving.

Serve!
Now who said you can’t make a salad?

Noodle Salad

This has become known as Lola’s famous noodles. So simple to make, it is the hit of many a barbeque/braai.


Ingredients:

300g Small noodles (pick your favourite, I normally use small shells)
5 Viennas
60g Cheddar Cheese
3 Eggs
Mayonnaise
Salt
Tbsp oil

Method:


Noodles: Bring water to the boil, ¾ full small pot with a tbsp oil and salt. Once boiling add pasta and stir. Once brought back to the boil cook for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat, place in a colander and run through hot water. Leave to cool.
Eggs: Place eggs in a small pot with water to cover. Bring to the boil, once boiling leave for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a bowl with cold water to cool. Once cool, peel and chop into small pieces.
Other: Whilst cooking eggs and pasta, cut viennas into bite size pieces (about 1 cm thick), cube cheese into squares about 1cm x 1cm.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and add a pinch of salt. Then spoon mayonnaise over noodles while mixing until you get the desired consistency (I like about 5 - 6 Tbsp).

For aesthetic appeal place in a serving dish, add a couple of fresh parsley leaves for decoration and serve.

Chicken Chilli Kebabs

Another great Braai recipe....

Ingredients:


Chicken fillet (cubed)
2 Peaches/Apricots (cubed)
1 Green Pepper (Cubed)
Sweet Chilli Sauce
Skewer Sticks

The cubes should be about 3 cm square.

Method:
Take a skewer stick and add in any order, mix it up. Eg: Chicken piece, peach, chicken, pepper, chicken, peach, pepper, chicken.
Place Sweet Chilli Sauce in a Square dish, roll skewers in the sauce ensuring they are covered.

Barbeque/Braai to your own liking.

Corn/Mielies on the cob

Here's another barbeque/braai idea, this really will take a few pages of recipe entries....This works well on a barbeque and is an easy way to add vegetables that the kids will love to eat!

Ingredients:
Corn/Mielies on the cob

Method:
Remove the leaves covering the kernels. Place over the open flame for 25 – 30 minutes. Turn often to avoid black spots.


Serve with butter and salt!

Braai/Barbeque to wow your friends

I am going to do this a set of recipes, if you are looking for a colourful, less expensive option that will make you the envy of your friends, take some of these easy tips and turn your braai or barbeque into the talk of the town (even your friends on diet will easily enjoy this one)

Garlic Bread/Rolls

Ingredients:


Hotdog Rolls (1/2 – 1 per person)
Margarine
Crushed Garlic
Tinfoil

Method:

Slice rolls as per normal, close and slice top half into inch wide sections making sure not to cut completely through. In a bowl mix margarine and garlic in a ratio of 1 Tbsp Margarine to ½ tsp crushed garlic. Once mixed well, spread mixture thickly on all cut areas especially between inch wide sections. Wrap each roll individually in tinfoil, shiny side inside. Cook over fire, garlic rolls take 15 – 20 minutes to cook to mouth wateringly tasty.

Braai/Barbeque to wow your friends

I am going to do this a set of recipes, if you are looking for a colourful, less expensive option that will make you the envy of your friends, take some of these easy tips and turn your braai or barbeque into the talk of the town (even your friends on diet will easily enjoy some of these).


Sweet Potatoes

This is a little known vegetable that is not only delicious, sweet and colourful but also healthy and listed on most diet food lists (recommended to replace potato which has way more starch content).

Ingredients:

Sweet potatoes (1/2 a potato per person)
Margarine
Salt
Garlic (optional)
Tin foil

Method:

Place the potatoes into a sink of hot water. Scrub them thoroughly to remove all sand from the skin. Place onto a cutting board and chop in half. (A full one will be too much for 1 person) Stab the potatoes on all sides using a sharp knife. Tear tinfoil to size of potatoes. Place a little margarine on each potato, sprinkle with salt (and optional garlic) and wrap in tinfoil (shiny side inside). Place on outer edge of the fire, under the grid. Turn occasionally. Remove when you have finished cooking the meat.

I normally don't use garlic here as we have garlic bread with our barbeques (recipe to follow)

Soft Boiled Eggs

This is a simple task but without an egg boiler how do you get them perfect every time? Timing….


Ingredients: (Serves 2)
4 Eggs (at room temperature)
Boiling water (enough to cover eggs)
6 Slices bread
Butter/Margarine
Salt

Method:

Bring water to boil on the stove. Set a timer to 4 minutes. Add eggs to boiling water. If eggs are not at room temperature, place them in warm water for 5 minutes before cooking. Remove eggs after 4 minutes. Crack the top of the egg shell to stop them cooking.

Toast bread and butter it. Cut bread into 5 strips. (I call them soldiers)


Cut off the top of the eggshell, salt to taste and dunk the bread into the eggs. Delicious soft boiled eggs every time!

Cheese Sauce

I always used packets but this is simple and tasty!

Ingredients:
1Tbsp Margarine
1 Tbsp Flour
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Mustard
Grated Cheese (as much as you want about a cup works for me)
Milk

Method:
Place a pot on a medium heat. Rub the marg and flour together to make a blob, slowly add milk while continuously whisking until you get the consistency you want. Be careful to keep whisking to avoid lumps. Add the Worchestershire sauce, mustard and cheese. Whisk until cheese is completely melted. If the mixture becomes too stiff add a little milk.

The trick with this recipe is to keep whisking to avoid a lumpy mixture.

Flapjacks

My dad’s famous recipe for Sunday afternoon tea. Serve with Jam and cream, butter and syrup, for savoury tooth try Bovril or Oxo or just have them plain.


Ingredients:

1 Cup Flour
1 Large Egg
3 tsp Baking powder
Pinch of salt
5 Tbsp Sugar
Approx. 1½ Cups Milk

Method:


Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Slowly add milk while stirring until you get a thick yet runny texture.

Heat a large frying pan coated with non-stick spray. Spoon amounts onto hot surface. When bubbles appear on the uncooked side, flip over. Cook both sides to golden brown.

Serve and Enjoy!

Handy Hint: You can add ½ cup of berries for a switch up if you like, Strawberries or blueberries work best.

Homemade Ice-Cream

I Scream! You Scream! We all scream for Ice-Cream!

I love this homemade recipe because all the other homemade icecream recipes I have tried include some rare or difficult to find ingredients. I have all the ingredients available at home on most days.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Milk
½ cup Syrup
2 Eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup cream

Method:

Bring milk to a boil on a low heat. In a Separate bowl beat eggs well, add syrup and essence. Pour hot milk over mixture. Leave to cool. Whip the cream and fold it into the mixture. Freeze.

Beat once before serving!

Toffee Apples

Simple! Delicious! Nutritious! homemade!


Ingredients:
6 – 8 Ripe Apples
350g Sugar
550ml water
60g butter/Margarine
Pinch of Cream of Tartar
1 tsp Vinegar (white)

Method:

Dissolve the sugar into the water in a pan over a low heat. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Place a wooden skewer into each of the apple. Dip the apples one at a time into the boiling liquid. Make sure to cover them well. Place on a greased pan and leave to cool. Ensure you move the apples around turning they over before completely setting and sticking to the tin.

Coconut Ice

Remember those delicious coconut square sweets, pink on top and white on the bottom. Great childhood memories…


Ingredients:
455g sugar
145g desiccated coconut
550ml Milk
Red food colouring

Method:

Dissolve the sugar in the milk on a medium heat. Bring to a boil for approx 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Pour half the mixture into a greased tin and float (use a spoon to level the mixture). Add food colouring to the remaining mixture. Pour out on top of 1st half. Float mixture again. Place in Fridge. After 15 minutes, remove from fridge and cut in squares. Return to fridge until completely set.

Break into pre-cut squares and serve.

Hobo Stew

This is another recipe from my American friend on s/v Ivy. This recipe is a great boat recipe, especially when you are in cooler climates.

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced onions

1 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup oil
1.5lbs ground beef, cook untill crumbly (can substitute meat, I use ground turkey)

1 can kidney beans (15 oz) water and all

1 can whole kernel corn (15 oz) water and all
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz) water and all
2 cans tomato sauce (9 oz)
1 tablespoon steak sauce
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Saute until golden brown:
    1 cup sliced onions
    1 cup chopped green pepper
    1/4 cup oil

2. Add ground beef, cook untill crumbly (can substitute meat, I use ground turkey)

3. Add
    1 can kidney beans (15 oz) water and all
    1 can whole kernel corn (15 oz) water and all
    1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz) water and all
    2 cans tomato sauce (9 oz)
    1 tablespoon steak sauce
    1 tablespoon basil
    1 tablespoon dry mustard
    salt and pepper to taste

4. Simmer 20 minutes

Good with corn bread!

Don’t have self raising flour? Make your own!

Ingredients:
910g Cake flour

30g Cream of tartar
1 tsp Salt
15g Bicarbonate of soda

Method:

Sift all ingredients together 5 times.

Custard Biscuits

My childhood favourite, eat them plain or ice with butter icing. Moreish!


Ingredients:
115g Self raising flour
115g Custard Powder
115g Butter or Margarine
85g Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 Egg
Milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 220C.
Cream butter and sugar together. Sift flour and custard powder and add to the already creamed mixture. Add beaten egg and stir to a fairly stiff mixture. Add some milk if it becomes too stiff. Roll out dough and cut into cookie shapes. (If you have no cookie cutters cut round shapes using a glass) Place on a greased baking tray. Prick each biscuit with a fork. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

Don’t have self raising flour? Make your own! Use the search on the right.

No-Knead Bread

Yields one 1 1/2 pound loaf

This recipe was given to me by a sailing friend across the ocean. Have a look at his site and what he is up to now.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.


Method:

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water (bottled or filtered as chlorine kills yeast), and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Chicken Stirfry with Sweet & Sour Sauce

This meal is basically made from 4 separate dishes. You place each dish on the table and let everyone help themselves. It is easy to adjust the quantity for extra people so it’s a great meal when you have lots of guests.


Ingredients: (Serves 6)

200g Noodles (your favourite ones)
1 Small purple cabbage
1 Small green cabbage
¼ (200g) Pumpkin/Butternut
5 Large carrots
100g Mushrooms
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt to taste
400g Chicken fillets
Squeeze of Lemon juice
Tsp Mixed herbs
Non-stick cooking spray

Method:
Make Sweet and Sour sauce as per my previous recipe. Use the search button along side to find the recipe. Change the ½ cup chicken stock for a full cup. Add 1 extra Tbsp sugar and 1 extra Tbsp of vinegar to make the dip into a sauce.


Boil the kettle and fill a small pot with boiling water, a pinch of salt and a Tsp olive oil. Cover. When water boils add noodles and stir. Leave to cook for 8 – 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Once cooked drain, run though hot water and place in a serving bowl.

In the mean time Spray an 18cm saucepan or a wok with non-stick spray. Cut chicken fillets into small cubes. (I find a scissor does this job easily) Quick fry at a high temperature. Do not overcook. Chicken should be sealed but juicy. Place in a separate bowl. Add a Tsp mixed herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir.

Grate pumpkin, cabbages and carrots. Thinly slice mushrooms. Place the rest of the olive oil either in the saucepan or a wok and quick fry for no more than 2 minutes tossing continuously. Place in another bowl.

Place all bowls on the table and serve!

Simple Omelette

I am not really an omelette lover, I find them to be dry. I generally prefer scrambled eggs so I use this "moist and shiny but no longer runny" idea to make my omelettes. The outside must be cooked but I leave the inside slightly moist which gives me the best of both worlds. Here’s my very simple omelette recipe.


Ingredients:

1 Tsp margarine
2 - 3 Extra Large Eggs (Depending on appetite)
Pinch of Salt
1 Slice finely chopped ham (optional)
½ Cup grated cheese (Optional)
2 Tbsp finely chopped mushrooms (Optional)
1 Tbsp finely chopped green pepper (Optional)

Method:


Melt margarine in a non-stick pan on a low heat. In a separate bowl whisk eggs and salt for 2 minutes.
Pour whisked eggs into pan and allow to cook on a very low heat until mixture appears cooked along the edges of the pan. Add your choice of optional ingredients, to one half of the omelette mixture. Using an egg lifter, fold the other half of the omelette over, enclosing your favourite ingredients inside. Allow to simmer until inside ingredients are warm. Remove from pan.

Serve and enjoy!

Lamb Potjiekos

Living in South Africa we thought we needed to try the “Real South African meal”. We made this stew type meal about 20 times before we hit the jackpot. Now you can get this perfect dish by simply following this recipe. Try not to eat your fingers off when the food is all gone before your guests even leave!


Ingredients:
1 Tbsp margarine
1 Large Onion Chopped
1kg lamb neck
1Kg stewing lamb/potjie lamb if available.
Salt to taste
15 baby potatoes
1 Tsp crushed garlic
1 Glass Coca cola
125g Pattie pans
125g mini mielies
125g brussel sprouts
125g baby carrots
1 small cabbage finely chopped
2 large cabbage leaves
1 Tin creamy mushrooms
2 Mutton stock cubes

Method:

Place a number 2 cast iron potjie pot on the gas on a low temperature. Melt the margarine using a wooden spoon to coat the whole inside of the pot. Brown onion in the bottom of the pot. Add all the meat and leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour, the meat should be browned and there should be a sauce in the pot. Stir, add salt and leave for a further 30 minutes. Add the baby potatoes and crushed garlic and leave for a further 30 minutes. Add 1 glass of Coca Cola, mutton stock cubes and parsley. Leave again for 30 minutes. Next add patty pans, mielies, carrots and brussel sprouts. Leave for a further 30 minutes. Add the finely chopped cabbage and creamy mushrooms. Cover with the large cabbage leaves and leave for another 30 minutes. The cabbage leaves get a translucent look when the potjie is ready.

Remove the top cabbage leaves and stir before serving with rice and pot brood if you made any!

Handy hint: Never stir a potjie until you serve it!
                  Whenever adding new ingredients ensure the liquid       
                  is boiling slowly!
                  Keep the lid on!

Sweet Pumpkin

A South African favourite! Kids eat anything sweet – so get them eating this vegetable without complaint.

Ingredients:
500g Pumpkin chopped into large cubes
1 Tbsp Margarine
2 tsp Sugar (You can’t tell the difference if you use brown)

Method:
Melt margarine in a pot. Reduce heat to low and stir in sugar until melted. Add Pumpkin on top and cover with a lid. Leave to slow cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. You know it’s ready when it easily mashes with a fork.

Serve and enjoy.

Helpful hint: If you use frozen pumpkin add 50ml water and reduce cooking time to 20 minutes. Still tastes the same!

Stuffed Roast Chicken

This is yet another way to use up those bread crusts that accumulate quicker than you can consume them – and save money at the same time. By stuffing your chicken you get a whole extra serving from the bird by lessening the meat on the plate and replacing with a small portion of stuffing.

Ingredients:
1 Whole chicken without giblets
2 Bread crusts
1 Medium Onion chopped
1 tbsp Parsley
Salt to taste
1 Large Egg
Lemon juice
Mixed herbs

Method:
Crumb bread in a large mixing bowl. Add chopped onion, parsley and salt. Add egg and mix until it is all stuck together. Open the chicken and stuff the mixture inside. Stab the chicken all over with a sharp knife. Place in a roasting pan prayed with non-stick spray. Squirt lemon juice over chicken. Spice with mixed herbs. Cover the pan with tinfoil (remember to place shiny side inwards. Roast at 180 C for 1 ½ hours turning half way.

Carve and serve.

Cottage Pie

All the kids love this recipe. It’s a great way to get them eating vegetables. The down side is the number of dishes to clean. We make it a family exercise to lighten the load. Remember you can add a little water to the last drops in your tomato sauce and chutney bottles instead of using a new bottle.

Ingredients:
500g Mince
1 ½ Cups frozen mixed vegetables
6 Medium potatoes
Dash of Milk
1 Tsp Margarine
1 Onion (Diced)
1 Tomato (Diced)
Spray and cook (or any non stick spray)
Tomato Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Chutney
1 Packet brown onion soup
1 Packet Cream of tomato soup
Steak and Chop Spice
Salt
Water

Method:
Spray frying pan with spray and cook. Brown onion and tomato in frying pan on a low heat with mince. Add Steak and chop spice, salt, tomato sauce, chutney and Worcestershire sauce to your taste. Add ½ cup water and bring to a boil. Add ½ packet brown onion soup. Add ½ packet tomato soup. Mix and leave to simmer.

In a separate pot boil mixed frozen vegetables as per instructions on packet.
Drain vegetable and add to mince. Mix.

Peel potatoes and chop into small chunks. Place in a pot and cover with water and salt to taste. Bring to boil, allow to cook for 20 minutes or until a knife slides through the potato pieces.
Remove from heat and cut into small pieces with a sharp knife. Add a little salt and the margarine. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Add a little milk and stir until fluffy.

Place mince and vegetables into a shallow oven proof bowl. Spoon mash on top and smooth out. Do not press mash down or it will mix with the mince. Run a fork over the top of the mash to create an uneven surface.

Place under the grill until golden brown.

Serve with Gem Squash or pumpkin on the side.

Fudge

Addictive would be the best explanation! I should sell this stuff.

Ingredients:
3 Cups Sugar
½ Cup Milk
2 Oz butter/Margarine
1 Tin Condensed Milk
1 Large Tbsp Syrup
10ml Vanilla or Caramel essence

Method:
Put Sugar and milk in a large pot. On a medium heat stir until the sugar is melted. Add the butter, syrup and condensed milk. Stir continuously until the mixture comes to a boil. A soon as it boils reduce heat to low. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes stirring continuously. Add essence. Remove from stove. Beat quickly with a wooden spoon.

Pour into a greased tray and leave to cool.
Cut in blocks and serve.

Chicken Soup

A great healthy winter warmer.

Ingredients:
6 Chicken thigh portions
2 Packets of soup Vegetables
1 Cup Rice
3 Chicken Stock Cubes
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water

Method:
Put rice on to cook separately (1 cup rice to 2 ½ cups water). Place chicken pieces in a large pot. Cover with water. Clean and chop vegetable and add to chicken, top up water if necessary. Add stock cubes and salt and pepper. After 40 minutes remove chicken from the pot. Cut into bite size pieces and return to soup pot. Add the cooked rice. Boil for another 15 minutes. Leave to stand for 1 hour.

Serve with buttered bread.

Scones

This is a quick make recipe. It’s great for functions or as a weekend breakfast with Jam and Cream.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tsp Baking Powder
60g Margarine
2 Eggs
Milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Rub in margarine with your fingers until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Add the two eggs and mix. Add a little milk and mix, repeat until you get a softish dough. Place flour on a flat surface and press out dough to about ½ inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to press out scones. Place scones on a greased baking tray, brush top of scones with eggs. Bake for 15 minutes.

Serve with butter, jam and cream.

Tuna Mould

I stole this recipe from my sister. It is an entertainers dream recipe. You can use it for any function, either as a starter for 10 – 12 people or on a snack table. I guarantee it will be the hit of the party and make you the hostess of the year!

Ingredients:
1 Cup Onions diced
1 Cup Gherkins diced
1 Cup Mayonnaise (I use Trim for calorie control)
1 Lemon jelly
1 tsp Gelatine
2 Tins Tuna (in water)
1 Box Crackers (The mixed variety works best)

Method:
Mix onion, gherkin and mayonnaise. Put the lemon jelly into a cup and fill with hot water, add the gelatine and mix well. Add Tuna and Jelly mix to the onion, gherkin and mayonnaise. Mix well. Place into a jelly mould (you can use a plain or specially shaped one) and leave in fried to set.
Once set turn mould out onto platter dish.

Serve with crackers!
A small knife will be needed to cut small pieces from the mould.

Handy tip: If you don’t have a jelly mould, use a glass bowl that has been sprayed with spray and cook. When you turn it out it will be shaped.

Crunchies (Oats cookies)

Quick, easy sweet tooth treats. Great party cookies for kids.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Oats
1 Cup Coconut
1 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 Cup Flour
6 Ounces Butter/Margarine
1 – 1 ½ tbsp Syrup

Method:
Preheat oven to 160 C.
Melt butter and sugar in microwave. In a separate dish mix all other dry ingredients. Add butter and sugar mix to dry ingredients. Add syrup and mix well. Press tightly into a baking tray. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Cut into blocks while still hot in baking tray.

Allow to cool and serve.

Handy tip: Always leave baked goods to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out. This helps avoid breaking due to sticking.

Barbeque Dip

I love this dip – not heat required and all the ingredients are already in my cupboard!

Ingredients:
½ Cup tomato sauce
½ Cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ Cup chutney
3 Tsp Crushed garlic
1 Tbsp Mustard (Don’t use hot if kids are eating)
2 Tbsp white vinegar

Method:
Mix all ingredients together.

Place in serving bowl and serve!

Sweet & Sour sauce

Another party trick I use to impress my guests. I make some oven baked treats (try chicken nuggets, fish fingers, mini sausage rolls etc) and place a couple of “dips” for dunking. Makes a platter a simple party favourite in no time!

Ingredients:
2 Tsp Soya sauce
3 Tsp Corn flour (Maizena)
4 Tbsp water
3 tsp tomato sauce
4 Tbsp Vinegar (white)
½ Cup chicken stock
4 Tbsp Sugar
½ tsp ground ginger

Method:
Mix Corn flour with water in a cup. Place all ingredients including Corn flour mix into a small pot. Bring to a gentle boil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. It will thicken to a dip consistency. Add salt to taste.

Serve hot or cold.

Butter Icing:

Great for all cakes – easy to make and way tastier than water icing!

Ingredients:
50g Margarine
125 icing sugar
Food colouring (Any colour you like)
Vermicelli for decorating

Method:
Cream margarine.
Slowly add sifted icing sugar, mixing continuously.
Add the food colouring to desired colour.

Ice cakes using a wet knife. Decorate with vermicelli.
Serve!

Fairy Cakes

I just love this recipe. It makes moist little cakes in a flash so you don’t have to find a home industry store when having guest with kids over!

Ingredients:
430ml Flour
125g Margarine
200ml Sugar
Pinch of salt
2 Eggs
10ml Baking powder
60 –70ml Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Essence

Method:
Preheat oven to 220 C.
Cream the Margarine and Sugar together. Beat in the eggs. Add the vanilla essence. Add all other dry ingredients. Lastly add the milk. Beat for 2 – 3 minutes with electric mixer. Spoon into greased muffin tin.
Bake for 10 – 15 minutes.

Once cooled, cakes can be iced as desired.

Handy tip: To test if cakes are done – stab with a clean knife. If knife comes out clean, cakes are ready. If knife is sticky, leave for 5 more minutes and test again!

Chicken a’ la King

This is the simplest recipe. No more difficult to make than buying a packet mix but half the price. It certainly makes you feel good to have “Made it from scratch” in only 20 minutes, and in only 1 pot!

Ingredients:
1 Tsp Olive oil
1 Medium Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Punnet Mushrooms (250g)
4 – 5 Fillets of Chicken
Milk
1 Packet Creamy Mushroom soup
½ Cup Rice
¼ Cup sweetcorn
¼ Cup peas

Method:
Chicken:
Fry diced onion, green pepper and mushroom in an 18cm frying pan. Cut the chicken fillets into pieces and add. Once browned, remove from pan and place in a dish. Put the mushroom soup into the pan and slowly add milk whilst mixing to make a roux. Keep adding milk until you get the right consistency. Add back the ingredients in the bowl. Give it a quick stir and its good to go.

Rice:
Place ½ cup rice, ¼ cup of sweetcorn and ¼ cup of peas, with a pinch of salt in a pot. Add boiling water to cover. Leave to boil until water has been absorbed by the rice.

Serve with a side of Garden peas!

Not sure what a roux is?
A paste…add the milk in small quantities while continuously stirring, a paste will form.

Handy Tip: Cut the chicken fillets using a pair of kitchen scissors, it is easier than cutting it with a knife.

Curry Mince and Rice

Serves 6:
Another Mom’s night off feast. That means daddy cooks and I get to have time off. This is a very mild Curry as we have little children and they all love it!

Ingredients:
1 Medium Tomato diced
1 Medium Onion diced
1 Tsp Olive Oil
500g Mince (Defrosted)
1 Cup frozen Vegetables
Pinch of Salt
3 Medium Potatoes (cut into cubes)
Pinch of Garlic
2 Beef Curry Stock cubes
1 Cup Brown Rice
Pinch of Turmeric
Pinch of Peri – Peri
2 Bay leaves
Pinch of Parsley
1 Tsp Extra Spicy Curry Powder
Splash of Tomato Sauce
Dash of Chutney
1 Level Tablespoon Sugar
½ glass Coca Cola
Water at room temperature

Method:
Curry:
Heat Olive oil in a 18cm frying pan. Brown the onion and tomato. Add the Garlic. Add 2 beef curry stock cubes and mix to make a paste like mixture. Add the mince and brown. Put in Chutney, Tomato Sauce and Sugar. Mix well. Add all other ingredients (except rice)including Coca Cola. Add water to cover. Simmer until potatoes are cooked. Approximately 20 – 25 minutes.

Rice:
Place 1 cup of Rice in a medium pot. (Rice triple in size) Add 2 ½ cups of Water. Pinch of salt. Add a pinch of Turmeric if you would like the rice to have a yellow colour.

Serve. Mmm….Delicious!

Potato Chips

This is a great way to convert a waste product into a treat for the family. You can save your peels and freeze them for later use as well!

Ingredients:
2 tbl spoons Olive Oil
Potato Peels
Spice (dependent desired on Flavour)use salt and vinegar, steak and chop etc

Method:
Heat oil in frying pan.Place potato peels into hot oil and fry until crispy. Remove from pan and place on paper towel. Spice to taste

Vanilla Loaf Cake

What I love about this recipe is that it turns our perfectly everytime. It only takes a few minutes, a small amount of dishes and Voila! Perfect Vanilla Cake.

Ingredients:

Cake:
125g/140ml Butter/Marg (room temperature)
200g/400ml Cake Flour
140g/175ml Sugar
10ml Baking powder
2 Eggs (large)
125ml Milk
7ml Vanilla Essence
1ml Salt

Icing:
Icing sugar
125ml Marg/butter
Dash of vanilla essence
Food colouring of your choice

Method:

Cake:
Grease a loaf tin with marg (bottom and sides)Preheat oven to 170 C. Place all ingredients into bowl and mix with electric beater or whisk with a fork as I do on the boat, until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Spoon batter into loaf tin. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until knife comes out clean. Leave to cool on cooling rack in tin for 10 minutes. Remove from tin and leave to cool completely.

Icing:
Mix marg with electric beater or whisk with a fork as I do. Add icing sugar slowly whisking after each addition. Add vanilla essence and a food colour of your choice.
Ice cake once cooled and add decorations if desired.

Paella

Generally Barry cooks Paella so I get the night off. So much for KFC's moms night off feast, Barry plays resident chef and I get to do the dishes. This recipe serves 8 - 10 people so it doesn't work out to be nearly as expensive as you would think!

Ingredients:

350g Chicket Fillet
200g Hake/Cod Fillet
350g Shrimps/Prawns (I like to mix them together - if you can't get them a seafood mix works)
1 Cup Rice (I use brown but either will do)
1 Cup Mixed Vegetables (frozen or fresh)
2 Chicken Stock cubes
1 Tin Smoked Mussels
Sprinkle of Parsley
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp Crushed Garlic [about 2 cloves if you use fresh]
Dash of Tumeric
Splash of Olive Oil

Method:

Cut chicken fillet into cubes [I use a scissors as it it easier than a knife] and brown in a splash of Olive Oil. Add the rice, Vegetables, Shrimps/prawns and spices. Lie the Hake/Cod fillets on top (they will flake apart on cooking)Add water to cover and cook on a low heat for 45 minutes. Add the mussels. Stir and serve.

To make a full "Fish" Evening have a Prawn/Shrimp cocktail starter

Spaghetti Bolognaise

This is a great "end of the month" meal! I say this because I keep my tomato sauce/ketchup, Chutney and Worcestershire sauce bottle when they have a little left which doesn't easily come out. I add a little hot water to them, shake them up and use that instead of the actual sauces required in the recipe. It makes for a great saving plus you don't waste the last drops of these items.

Ingredients:

1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
500g Mince
1 Teaspoon Steak & Chop Spice
25ml Worcestershire Sauce
150ml Tomato Sauce/ketchup
50ml Chutney
1/2 Packet Brown Onion Soup
1/2 Packet of Tomato Soup
100g Cheddar/Gouda cheese grated [use the small side of the grater for a larger quantity without more cheese]
400g Spaghetti
Pinch of Salt
Dash of Oil

Method:

Spaghetti:
Bring 3 litres of water to the boil with a pinch of salt and a dash of oil in the water. (To reduce energy costs boil the water in the kettle and place the boiling water into the pot - it takes half the power)
Once boiling add the spaghetti and cook for 10 - 12 minutes.Place Spaghetti in a colander and rinse with hot tap water to remove the excess starch.

Sauce:
Brown the onion, tomatoes and mince in a frying pan. (I never add oil as I find mince to be oily, spray a little "Spray and cook" if it tends to stick to your pan)Add a pinch of salt and the steak and chop spice.Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Tomato sauce and Chutney.Place both soups in a measuring jug and add a little cold water and stir. Add the soups to the mince and stir, once it starts thickening add more water slowly to get the consistency of the sauce that suits your taste.
Cook on a low heat for 5 minutes.

Serve with grated cheese on top.
Serves 4

Bully beef and Mashed Potato

I love this dish! After asking around I realised most people don't realise it is an actual meal and not a snack. So here's how to make a cheap meal of it!

Ingredients:

1 Tin Corned meat
1 Onion
1 Tomato
1 Beef stock cube
1 Teaspoon Maizena (Cornmeal) any non flavoured thickening agent will work.
6 x Large Potatoes
1 Teaspoon of Margarine/Butter
50ml Milk
Water at room temperature

Method:

Corned meat:
Finely chop and brown onion and tomato in a small pot, use a no stick cooking spray to stop it sticking. Add corned meat and mash with a fork until minced. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to stock cube and add to pot, Stir occasionally whilst cooking for 5 minutes until boiling. Add 10ml cold water to cornmeal and mix to form a paste. Stir into mixture to thicken (you can thicken to desired taste)

Mashed Potato:
Boil potatoes until knife slides through easily, normally about 20 minutes.(chop them smaller to lower cooking time and electricity usage) Drain and return to pot. Mash with potato masher until completely crushed. Add margarine and milk and mash further until fluffy.[To increase fluffyness of mashed poatoes add a teaspoon of baking powder before mashing] Serve corned meat over mash. A great side vegetable makes it a full meal. I love gem squash and peas or Pumpkin and Spinach.
Delicious!

Handy tip:To speed up time or make it a quick fix, use "Smash"/ dehydrated potato instead of mashed potatoes, "Smash" also works as a thickening agent!

Beef Burgers

This is our family favourite recipe. My son calls them Krabby patties – Spongebob has nothing on these, they really are great! This recipe doubles up well. I find you can get 8 patties from 500g mince.

Ingredients:

Patty:
500g mince/ground beef
1 teaspoon Steak &Chop Spice
1 Onion finely chopped
2 Slices Bread crumbed (or broken into small pieces)
1 Egg
Pinch of Parsley

Burger:

8 Round bread rolls Rolls
2 Sliced or diced Tomatoes
1 Sliced or diced Onion
Chopped lettuce
Sliced Cheese
Margarine

Secret Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce
2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Chutney

Method:

Mix all patty parts in a large mixing bowl. The mixture should be sticky but not sloppy if the mixture does not stick well you can add another egg. Break pieces about the size of your palm and roll into a ball, then squash slightly to look like hamburger patties. Place on a plate in the fridge for 45 minutes, this ensures the patties don't break up when cooking.
Fry the patties using only Spray and Cook (they create their own oil)

Whilst the patties are cooking, cut and butter rolls, add your favourite Burger parts, onion can also be fried if you prefer.

Mix all Secret Sauce ingredients together.

Place cooked patty on burger bun and smother in secret sauce.

Serves 4

Prawn Cocktail/Shrimp Cocaktail

When we want to pretend we are having a fancy supper, or we have a few friends over, we make this simple recipe and have Starters before our main course.
We use fancy bowls (sherry glasses work well) and dress up too!

Ingredients:

200g Prawn/Shrimp meat defrosted
1 Teaspoon garlic
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Tomato Sauce
1 Teaspoon Chutney
Lettuce leaves

Method:

Melt butter and garlic in a small pot on a high heat.
Fry prawn/shrimp meat in the butter on a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.
Whilst frying prawns, mix mayonnaise, tomato sauce and chutney in a separate bowl.
Place a lettuce leaf to cover bowl or in glass.
Remove prawns from heat and mix into sauce.
Place prawns covered in sauce on top of lettuce leaf.
Use a teaspoon to drizzle left over sauce over prawns.

Serve immediately
Serve 4

Simple Chicken Stew

The greatest thing about this recipe is that it is easy to “upsize” for extra people. The amount of chicken you use is variable. If I have large pieces 1 per person, if I have drumsticks, 2 per person)

Ingredients:

1 Finely Chopped Onion
Chicken Pieces [1 or 2 per person, this recipes allows up to 8 pieces]
Mixed herbs to taste
½ teaspoon Crushed Garlic
Pinch of Parsley (this lowers the “garlic smell” later)
Baby Potatoes unpeeled (again 1 per person)
2 Chicken Stock Cubes mixed in 500ml boiling water
Splash of Chutney (peach)
Dash of Tomato sauce/ketchup
1 Cup Diced Carrots
1/2 Cup Sweet Corn
1/2 punnet of Mushrooms
1 Cup Mixed Vegetables

Method:

Brown the onions in a large pot, instead of oil I use Non stick cooking spray
Add Chicken pieces and brown
Add potatoes and all sauces and spices including stock and cover stirring occasionally
Leave to simmer for 30 minutes
Add all vegetables and leave for a further 20 minutes.
Keep liquid level just covering what is in the pot

If you add extra chicken remember to upsize the stock used to make sure the chicken pieces are covered when cooking.

Serve with rice
Serves 4 - 6

Bread and Butter Pudding

I use this recipe on the crusts of my bread, which I don’t throw away. The fruit is the tricky part so try to keep with the jam. Strawberries if you use strawberry jam or Raisins and Cherries (glazed are great) with Apricot jam, I will be trying apples with Apricot jam next time round, perhaps peaches with peach jam. Don’t use citrus fruit but otherwise any fruit you have in stock!

Ingredients:

4 Slices of Stale (not mouldy) bread
3 Tablespoons Soft Butter
3 Tablespoons of Jam (whatever is in your fridge)
1½ Cups of Milk
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons of Sugar (I use brown but any will work)
Sliced fruit

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 C
Cut bread into thin slices (I use “soldier type” slices which are 1/2 inch thick) and spread with butter and jam.
Grease a 900ml dish with butter.
Place a layer of bread on the bottom of dish
Sprinkle fruit of choice
Layer bread on top of that again
Beat together eggs, milk and sugar
Pour over bread
Bake in oven for 25 minutes.

Makes enough to serve 6.
Serve drizzled or drowned in hot custard as per your personal preference