Date loaf

Ingredients

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
60 g butter or marg
1 cup boiling water
1 3/4 cups SR flour
1 teasp bicarb soda
2 teasp vanilla essence

Method

1. Put chopped dates and sugar into bowl then add sliced butter
2. Pour in boiling water, stir until butter melted
3. Add flour (sifted), bicarb soda then vanilla essence
4. Bake in loaf pan for 45-50 minutes.

This is soooooo easy and really yummy. I added flaked almonds because I wanted to get rid of them out of the cupboard but next time I will add chopped pecans.

Felicity

Sticky Lemon Loaf

Do you still have lemons that you can't think of anything to do with? Kerry and I have been cooking this lemon loaf.

Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon rind
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons margarine - melted
3/4 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cups SR flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Syrup
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup icing sugar

Method
1. Beat egg whites and sugar for 1 minute.
2. Add lemon rind, lemon juice, melted margarine and milk. Mix well.
3. In one go gently fold in flour and bicarb soda to mixture. DO NOT beat.
4. Pour into greased tin (21 x 10 cm).
5. Bake 30 mins or until firm to touch.

To make syrup
1. Combine juice and icing sugar.
2. When cake is cooked, prick a few holes into the top with a fork and pour syrup over cake.
3. Leave to sit for 2 minutes then remove from tin.

This cake is very moist because of the syrup so it does not store for too long.

This recipe was from Simply too good to be true number 3. This is a great series of cookbooks that are still yummy if you are watching your weight. This recipe says there is 1.8g total fat and 0.4g saturated fat per serve (also, 553 kilojoules, Cals132).
Felicity

Caramel and date self-saucing puddings

Ingredients:

60g butter
1/2 cup milk (125ml)
1 1/4 cups dark muscovado sugar (I used normal brown sugar)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted dates
1 cup self-raising flour
1 3/4 cups boiling water

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Combine the butter, milk, 3/4 (155g) of sugar and dates in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until butter melts. Remove from heat.
3. Add the flour and stir to combine.
4. Spoon mixture evenly among six 3/4 cup capacity ovenproof dishes.
5. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over puddings.
6. Pour the boiling water evenly among each pudding.
7. Place puddings on an oven tray and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until just cooked through.
8. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
9. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

This tastes amazing and I put it in 5 ramekins which was enough but not too much to have for desert. Mum made it and put it in a big oven proof dish and it worked really well too.

I found this recipe in the Notebook magazine from a few years ago.

Mid week meals

So when you get home at 6.30 after a long day at work, what do you cook for dinner?

Cheese and bean patties

I am still in the cooking spirit! Woo hoo!
Mum read the title of this recipe out to me and I thought "ho hummmm" but after reading the ingredients decided to give it a go.
Although I changed the recipe, they tasted yummmmm. My changes are included below.

Ingredients

1/3 cup burghul* (I used 1/3 cup cous cous cooked - see below)
400g can cannellini beans
1 small onion
2 tablespoons plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander (did not have so used Italian Herbs)
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 small lemon, juiced (I put 2 teaspoons of the fake lemon juice)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
oil for cooking

Method

1. Cook cous cous by putting 1/3 cup cous cous with 1/3 cup boiling water. Mix and leave for 5 minutes.
2. Roughly chop the onion and place in food processor. Buzz a few times to chop up.
3. Wash the cannellini beans and place into food processor with flour, baking powder, cumin, coriander (Italian herbs), grated cheese and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
4. Process until well combined.
5. Put cooked cous cous into processor and combine further.
6. Transfer mixture into a bowl, stir through parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Shape mixture into patties, 1 tablespoon at a time. Put onto plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. (This was not in original recipe but I added because they started to fall apart when cooking)
   Make a egg wash (1 egg beaten with a little water). Dip the patties into the egg then into plain flour.
9. Cook mover a medium heat for about 3 minutes each side. They kept sticking so I kept them moving in the pan.

*If using burghul then in step 1. Place burghul into a sieve. Rinse under cold water. Allow to drain. Set aside for 10 minutes.

I will be making them again. We served it with salad but the magazine I got the recipe out of (Foodideas Nov 2003) served it with tabouli.
Felicity

Olive, Herb & Garlic Focaccia

Welcome back to the blog. It has been a while since I have uploaded recipes and life got on top of me and it fell to the way-side. Since watching the movie Jule &Julia I have been inspired to cook again. Yesterday afternoon I decided to try this focaccia recipe. It was plain and I added the extra bits which I feel made it better.

If you cook it, I would love to know what you added to the top (or inside). Please reply to this thread or on Facebook.

If you have made anything interesting over Christmas - New Year break I would love to know and upload onto the blog. Remember, this blog is about sharing 'tested and true' recipes. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Olive, Herb & Garlic Focaccia



4 cups bakers flour (or plain flour)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 sachet (7-8g)s instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 - 1 1/4 cups (250 - 300 ml) lukewarm water (-40 deg C)

1 teaspoon mixed herbs (I put a lot more than 1 teaspoon, also put mixed pepper)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic



Method

1. Mix yeast and water in a small bowl until yeast has dissolved. Put aside for 10 minutes until foaming.
2. Mix together flour, salt, mixed herbs and garlic into a large bowl.
3. Pour in the yeast mixture and the olive oil*. Gradually mix with a wooden spoon.
4. Lightly flour the work surface and knead the dough until soft and elastic (approx. 5 minutes).
5. Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover and stand in a warm position until dough has doubled in size (approx. 1 hour).
6. Punch out the air. Pull out to make rectangle shape and place on a lined baking tray
   (you can roll with a rolling pin but that makes more washing up).
7. Dimple the surface with your fingers. Rub olive oil over the top of the surface. 
8. Cut olives in half and push into the dough. Break up fresh parsley and push into the dough (optional).
9. Sprinkle dried herbs and sea salt over the surface, patting on so they stick (also a variation is chili flakes).
10. Place in the oven at the lowest temperature and allow to rise again (approx 15-20 minutes).
11. Turn the oven up to 200 deg C and cook for 15-20 minutes (slightly brown on the top).



*Notes: I forgot to put the oil into the mixture which is why I put it on top. By putting it on top it used less oil but was not dry. It also helped it turn brown and keep the herbs on the top.

Most of this recipe came from the back of the Defiance White Baker's Flour packet although I used plain flour (bought the bakers flour, brought it home, opened it and it was full of bugs- thanks Defiance!).



Chocolate brownies

Method:

MELT
220g of the best dark cooking chocolate you can buy
150g unsalted butter

MIX
1 & ¼ cups caster sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla extract
90g nuts (optional)
1 and ½ cups plain flour
Optional, sprinkle choc ‘Bits’ across the top of the mixture.

BAKE
Bake @ 150 degrees for approx 35-40 minutes. Don’t overcook!

I have not made this one yet but a friend of mine has. I can't wait to give it a try.

Hi all,

I have been away from the blog for a little while, sorry. Hope in my absence you have all created some wonderful cooking ideas and have them typed up and ready to email to me to be uploaded.

Felicity

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

500g butternut pumpkin
2 medium onions chopped
3 1/2 cups water
chicken stock
2 large carrots diced
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cloves garlic (optional)

Method

1. Chop all vegetables
2. Place onions and garlic (optional) and with small amount of olive oil and cook until onion is soft
3. All other ingredients into pot
4. Boil then simmer until cooked (around 30-45 minutes)
5. Blend and serve

Variation

1. Bake pumpkin and carrots in oven before adding to pot. I baked pumpkin and carrot for around 45 minutes on a high heat before adding to the broth. Also, when you are adding it to the broth, take some of the liquid and put into baking tray to get all the cooked flavours.

This is a family favourite. It is really simple and yummy. You can add cream at the end, either sour cream or coconut cream. You can make a vegetarian alternative; add vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Felicity

Self-saucing chocolate pudding

Ingredients

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
2 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
60g butter, melted, cooled

Sauce

2/3 firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
1 1/4 cups boiling water

Method

1. Place brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl
2. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder over the brown sugar and stir to combine
3. Use a fork or hand whisk to whisk together the milk, egg and cooled (melted) butter into a bowl or jug until combined
4. Add to the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to beat until a smooth batter forms
5. Pour the chocolate batter into the greased 1 litre dish and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
6. To make the sauce, combine the brown sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl and then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the dish.
7. Pour the boiling water over the batter in the dish and cook for about 20 minutes
8. To test if the pudding is cooked you can put a tester in the top (remember the bottom will be a sauce). The sides should be away from the edge but the cake will be dark and possibly look burnt from the chocolate on the top.

I took this out of a magazine years ago, I think it would have been 'Good Taste'. I have cooked this heaps of times because it is a quick recipe to cook in winter when friends are coming over for dinner. I have also cooked individual serves and served with ice cream.

Felicity

Chocolate double choc chip and peanut biscuits

Ingredients

200g chopped butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups SR flour

Just under 1/2 cup white choc bits

Just under 1/2 cup dark choc bits
Just under 1/2 cup roasted peanuts (not salted) see note below

Method

1. Beat butter, sugars and eggs with electric beaters
2. Stir in remaining ingredients
3. Roll into teaspoon sized balls
4. Cook in a moderate oven for 15 minutes
5. Take out of oven but leave on the tray for a little while before putting on wire rack to cool (biscuits come out of oven a little soft)

Note
I used raw peanuts and roasted them myself in the oven for about 10 minutes.

I have no ideas where I got this recipe, it is handwritten in my recipe book.

Felicity

Apple crumble with pecans

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
75g unsalted butter
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup rolled oats

1 tsp ground cinnamon

400g tin of pie apples or apple slices (or experiment with different fruit)

Method

1. Mix plain flour and brown sugar, using your fingertips, rub in the butter until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Add almonds, cinnamon and combine. Set aside.
3. Place the pie apple in greased dish.
4. Sprinkle crumble mixture over apples to cover and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until crumble is golden.
5. Serve with ice cream or cream.

I found this recipe on Taste.com.au and changed it a little. They cooked apples (5 cooking apples) instead of tin fruit and I think there was a typo as it said 175g butter and 75g is more than enough. The pecans give this apple crumble a wonderful extra crunch.

I made this at home with Mum and Dad for lunch when they had a friend over and it was a huge hit. Super easy, super yummy.

Felicity