A tasty round up of deliciousness or I'll eat my hat!

Ingredients

• 2 cups plus 3 TBS plain flour
• 1/3 cup icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• ¼ tsp salt
• 8 ounces chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 ¼ cups caster sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest (I use un-waxed lemons,
• if you aren’t using these wash your lemons
• well in warm soapy water)
• ¾ cup good quality strawberry preserves (you can also use raspberry)
• Pre-heat
• the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease and flour an 11 X 7 inch baking pan. I
• then line it with greaseproof paper lengthwise, leaving a one inch
• overhang either end so that I can lift the squares out after baking for
• ease in cutting into squares.
• Stir together 2 cups of the flour,
• 1/3 cups of the icing sugar and salt. Rub in the cold butter until the
• mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the prepared baking pan
• evenly and bake for about 16 minutes until just firm.
• Stir together the sugar, 3 TBS flour, and baking powder in a bowl. Stir in the eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice, mixing well.
• Remove
• the pan from the oven and spread with the strawberry jam evenly. Pour
• the lemon mixture over top and return the pan to the oven. Bake for
• another 25 to 30 minutes until set. Remove from the oven. Let cool in
• the pan before removing and cutting into squares. Lightly dust with more
• icing sugar before serving.
• Printable Recipe
• This
• delicious chicken dish uses all the elements of Chicken Piccata except
• there is none of the fuss or bother, just the lovely flavours. The
• recipe calls for fettuccine noodles, but I always use malfalda. Todd
• just doesn't care for long slippery noodles at all and copes with
• shorter fatter ones much better. Whichever pasta you choose to use, make
• sure you choose one that will capture all of the delicious sauce! Oh,
• and don't forget some tasty bread to mop up the extras!
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (more or less to taste)
• 1 TBS butter
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup white wine
• the zest of 1 lemon
• the juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 TBS capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 TBS cornflour, dissolved in 2 TBS water
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound pasta, cooked al dente and then drained
• Heat
• the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it begins
• to shimmer, add the chicken pieces and brown them all over until golden
• brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
• Add the butter
• to the skillet and then brown the mushrooms until golden. Add the
• garlic, reduce the heat somewhat and then cook for several minutes until
• golden and fragrant, without allowing it to brown.
• Put your
• water to cook your pasta on and bring it to a boil, adding a tsp of salt
• to the water. Add the pasta and cook it while you are finishing up your
• sauce.
• Add the wine to the skillet, and let it bubble up. Allow
• it to reduce for a few minutes and then add the chicken broth, lemon
• zest, lemon juice and capers. Bring to a quick simmer and allow to cook
• for about 5 minutes until it has reduced somewhat. Taste for seasoning
• and add salt and pepper as required. Stir the cornstarch water mixture
• and then stir it into the sauce, stirring until it thickens and coats
• the spoon. Add the chicken and simmer for five minutes or so until your
• pasta is finished cooking.
• Drain your pasta well and rinse, then
• divide it onto heated plates. Spoon the chicken sauce evenly over each
• plate. Sprinkle each serving with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• and some of the chopped parsley. Serve.
• Rocky Road Brownies*
• Makes 16 (depending on how big you cut them and how greedy you are!)
• Printable Recipe
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter (4 ounces)
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• TOPPING:
• 3 TBS butter
• 8 ounces pure chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup pure chocolate chips
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
• Pre-heat
• the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter a 9 inch square baking pan, line it
• with parchment paper (to ease in removal and cutting), and butter the
• paper. Set aside.
• Put the chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup of butter
• into a medium sized saucepan and set over a burner on very low heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until melted and thoroughly amalgamated.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a
• time, mixing in thoroughly each time. Blend in the vanilla. Whisk
• together the flour and salt and then blend it into the chocolate
• mixture, blending only until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter
• into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until dry on
• top but still moist. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out
• with moist crumbs clinging to it's surface. Cool the brownies in the pan
• for about 10 minutes.
• While the brownies are cooling melt the
• butter and the 8 ounces of chocolate chips for the topping together over
• low heat in a small saucepan. Whisk together until smooth and keep
• warm.
• Mix together the remaining chocolate chips, marshmallows
• and chopped nuts. Sprinkle them evenly over top of the brownies. Return
• them to the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from
• the oven and drizzle the melted chocolate mixture evenly over top. Set
• aside to cool completely on top of a wire rack before removing from the
• pan and cutting into squares or rectangles. Enjoy!!
• The Great British Fry Up*
• (the angst free way)
• Serves 1
• Printable Recipe
• Feel free to multiply the quantities
• and directions according to however many people you are wanting to
• serve. Pop your plates into a warm oven while you cook everything up and
• be prepared to serve immediately with big mugs of milky tea, coffee or
• hot chocolate. Pick your own poison!
• Per person allow:
• 2
• sausages (buy the best you can buy. Cheap sausages are just plain nasty
• and full of fillers and fat. This is one instance you DO get what you
• pay for. I prefer Cumberland chipolatas myself)
• 2 to 3 rashers of back bacon
• a hand full of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 to 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1
• large free range organic egg (another instance of getting what you pay
• for. If you are going to be eating an egg like this, it better be a good
• one that tastes the way a proper egg should taste)
• 1 slice of bread
• 1 small tin of baked beans
• Olive Oil and a bit of butter
• Cooked hash brown potatoes or potato waffles
• Heat
• a large heavy skillet over low heat and brush it very sparingly with a
• light coating of olive oil. Open the tin of beans and pour into a small
• saucepan. Put over low heat and heat while you are cooking your
• breakfast, giving them a stir once in a while to help keep them from
• sticking.
• For the sausages:
• Using a sausage
• with a high meat content, add the sausages to the pan and allow to cook
• slowly, for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden.
• Remove and keep warm on a plate in the oven while you cook the rest of
• the breakfast.
• For the Bacon:
• I always buy
• dry cure bacon for the best flavour. It has less water in it and cooks
• up really nicely. You can choose smoked or non-smoked as you wish. You
• may also use streaky bacon, back bacon is my personal preference. Snip a
• few small cuts into the fatty edge of the bacon. Place straight into
• the pan and fry for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, or until your preferred
• crispness is reached. Remove to the warm plate in the oven and old
• there while you continue cooking your breakfast.
• For the Mushrooms:
• Increase
• the heat to medium high and add a small knob of butter to the hot pan.
• Once it begins to foam, tip in the sliced mushrooms. Let them cook,
• without disturbing them, for several minutes before giving them a stir.
• Avoid moving them around too much while cooking as this makes them
• rather soggy. Once they are as browned as you like, remove them to the
• hot plate in the oven as well.
• For the Tomatoes:
• Cut the tomatoes across the centre if using regular tomatoes, or in half length ways
• if using plum tomatoes. Cut the "eye" out of the top with a small
• paring knife. Season with salt and pepper and place cut side down into
• the pan drippings, adding a bit more butter if need be. Cook , undisturbed
• for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Gently turn over and continue to
• cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until tender but still holding their
• shape. Remove and place in the oven with everything else.
• For the Fried Bread:
• For
• the best fried bread it is highly recommended to cook it in a separate
• pan. Stale bread works best. Just plain old store bought white bread.
• Heat a skillet to medium heat and cover the base of the pan with oil.
• Once it is hot, add the bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side
• until it is crispy and golden brown. If the pan starts to become dry you
• can add a bit more oil. I always like to add a small knob of butter to
• the pan just after I turn the slice to add a richer flavour. Delicious!
• Again, keep this warm in the oven with the rest of the breakfast while
• you fry your egg.
• How to fry a perfect Egg:
• I
• always start off with a clean pan for the egg. Heat the pan over medium
• heat. Add a good knob of butter and allow it to heat until it is
• foaming. Crack a fresh egg into a bowl and then slip it into the foaming
• butter. Don't be in a rush to cook it. Cook it over medium heat,
• basting it with some of the hot butter from time to time, until it is
• cooked to your preferred stage of doneness.
• If you prefer it over easy, flip it carefully once the whites are
• completely set and then remove it from the pan immediately. I prefer it
• sunny side up with crispy brown edges.
• If you must do Black Pudding:
• Cut
• the black pudding into 3 to 4 slices. Remove the skin. Place in the
• heated skillet and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side until
• slightly crisped.
• Hash brown potatoes:
• We like hash brown
• potatoes with ours. You can make your own from scratch of course, but
• you can buy some really good frozen ones nowadays as well as potato
• waffles, which some people like also. I cook these before I even start
• the breakfast and just keep them warm in the oven while I cook the rest
• of the breakfast.Once all the elements of your breakfast are
• cooked,place it all on warmed plates and serve along with lashings of
• tomato ketchup or brown sauce!
• Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese*
• Serves 4
• Printable Recipe
• I
• got this recipe from my sister a long time ago, and yes, it too comes
• from my big blue binder. I'm not sure where she got it from, but I am
• sure it's delicious! Whenever I make it, I picture her in my mind . . .
• standing at her stove and stirring it up the very first time she showed
• me how to make it. I guess that's what makes the recipes in my blue
• binder all the more special . . . each one has a particular memory
• attached, a person, a feeling . . .
• 8 ounces of uncooked macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 ounces evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
• If you want to make it lower in fat, use the low fat version
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, rubbed between your fingers
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon mustard powder
• 10 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (I use a combination of mature cheddar and leicester cheese)
• Bring
• a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook your macaroni in this
• until just al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well,
• then return to the pot. Add the butter and toss the macaroni well in it
• to coat. In a large beaker, whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce,
• salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the hot pasta, and add the cheese.
• Turn the heat to low, and continue to stir and cook until cheese is
• melted and mixture is creamy. Serve.
• Boneless Buffalo Wings*
• Serves 2
• Printable Recipe
• This is a delicious way to have your cake and eat it too . . . ahh
• . . . err . . . wings, I mean. Tender, juicy and chock full of flavour,
• these please on all counts! If you are not a fan of really spicy food
• you can cut down the amount of cayenne pepper and they will still be
• very good.
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
• vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1/4 cup hot sauce (I use Louisiana which my friend Eliza brought over to me)
• 1 TBS butter, melted
• Blue Cheese Salad dressing for dipping, if desired (see recipe below)
• Whisk together the flour, salt, peppers and paprika in a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl beat together the egg and milk.
• Slice
• each chicken breast crosswise into about six pieces. One at a time, dip
• each piece into the egg mixture, and then into the flour mixture,
• turning it to coat. Repeat once more with each piece of chicken so that
• they are double coated. (I use one hand for the flour mix and one for
• the egg mix, that way my fingers don't get as messy) Place each piece on
• a plate while you finish coating them all. Place in the refrigerator to
• chill for about 15 minutes.
• Heat about a 1/4 inch of oil in a
• skillet over medium high heat. Once it is hot add the chicken pieces a
• few at a time and cook them for about 3 minutes on each side, until
• nicely browned. Remove to a dish lined with paper toweling and keep warm
• while you are cooking them all.
• Melt the butter and stir it together with the hot sauce.
• Once you have finished cooking all the chicken pieces, brush them with
• this mixture and then serve with some blue cheese dressing to dip them
• in if desired. Delicious!
• Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing*
• Makes about 2 1/2 cups
• If
• you use light mayonnaise and sour cream, this is not all that bad for
• you. I think in America you can even get low fat blue cheese. It goes
• very well with the chicken and is also a lovely salad dressing.
• 1 cup good quality mayonnaise (I use Hellmans)
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• Whisk
• together the buttermilk, sour cream and mayonnaise. Whisk in the
• remaining ingredients, making sure that they are well combined. This
• should really be made the day before to get the optimum flavour, but you
• can make it just a few hours ahead of time as well and it's still quite
• good.
• Cinnamon Streusal Banana Nut Bread*
• Makes two loaves
• Printable Recipe
• This
• may well be the best banana bread you will ever eat. Moist, flavourful
• with a deliciously crunchy topping of brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon,
• this pleases everyone.
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1 cup toasted pecan nuts, chopped
• STREUSAL:
• 1/2 cup firmly packed soft light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted pecan nuts, chopped
• 1 TBS plain flour
• 1 TBS melted butter
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly grease and flour two 8 by 4 inch loaf pans and set aside.
• Cream the butter and mascarpone
• cheese together in a large bowl, until creamy. Gradually beat in the
• sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder,
• baking soda and salt together in another bowl and then gradually stir
• this mixture into the banana mixture, beating at low speed until just
• blended. Stir in the bananas and pecans. The batter will be thick.
• Divide it amongst the two prepared loaf pans, smoothing the tops.
• Make the streusal by stiring together all the streusal ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over each banana loaf.
• Bake in the pre-heated
• oven for about an hour, to an hour and fifteen minutes, or until a
• wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. You may need to
• cover the top with aluminum foil the last 15 minutes or so to help
• prevent it from over browning.
• Cool in the pans on wire racks for
• at least 10 minutes before removing from the pans to finish cooling.
• Slice with a serrated knife to serve.
• Crumpet Pizzas*
• Serves 4 as a snack
• or two as a main course
• Printable Recipe
• Crumpet pizzas are sooo
• simple to make and so very tasty when you are done. You can have a
• tasty snack or lunch on the table in under 15 minutes. I like to serve
• them with some simple salad leaves and a drizzle of honey. Pears, blue
• cheese, walnuts and honey have such a wonderful affinity with each
• other. You can use other toppings as you wish, they're all good, but
• this is my favourite version.
• 4 crumpets
• 8 ounces of blue cheese, cubed
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 2 ounces of chopped toasted walnuts
• 1 large conference pear, cubed (peel or not as you like)
• runny honey for drizzling
• Heat
• your grill (broiler) to high. Place your crumpets on a baking sheet and
• toast them lightly on each side until golden brown, about one minute on
• each side. Remove from the oven.
• Now all you do is pile the
• cheeses, pear chunks and walnuts on top of each toasted crumpet and then
• bang them back under the grill, a little bit further away this time
• than when you toasted the crumpets. Probably a good 5 or six inches.
• Watch them carefully. You only want to grill them until the cheese is
• bubbly oozing and meltingly
• delicious. Remove from the oven and let them sit for a few minutes
• before removing to warm plates and drizzling with some runny honey to
• serve.
• These are absolutely delicious. The cheese melts into all
• those toasty little tunnels of the crumpets. I think the correct word to
• use is "SCRUMMY!"
• And, something quite decadent to close on . . .
• Chocolate Cream Pots*
• Serves 4
• Printable Recipe
• These
• decadent little pots of chocolate and cream are the perfect ending to a
• special meal. A tip is to use a potato peeler to make shavings from a
• chocolate bar to sprinkle on the top, or just use crushed chocolate
• flake bars like I have done here. Also, I don't do alcohol at home for
• home consumption, unless it is cooked. Instead of the Irish Cream asked
• for here I used a tsp of vanilla essence in both the cream and in the mascarpone
• cheese and it works just fine! You can use your imagination and try
• almond as well, which would be a great combination! Actually these
• little pots are incredibly versatile. Toasted Almonds are also quite
• lovely sprinkled on top! If you use almond essence you could also try
• crushed amaretti biscuits. Yummy!
• 5 ounces good quality dark chocolate
• 142 ml carton of whipping cream (about 2/3 cup)
• 5 TBS Irish Cream Liqueur
• 250g carton mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup)
• Chocolate shavings, chocolate flakes, toasted almonds to decorate (optional)
• Break
• the chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl. Microwave on high for 2
• minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so until melted. alternately place
• the bowl over simmering water (without letting the water touch the
• bottom of the bowl) Stir until melted. Set aside to cool for a few
• minutes.
• Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Don't be
• tempted to whip it until it is stiff. Soft is much better. Whisk in the
• liqueur. (Or 1 tsp vanilla) Beat the mascarpone
• cheese until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour in the melted
• chocolate and lightly swirl together. You want some ribbons of chocolate