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!