HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

Ingredients......3 kg of Fuji, Jonathon or Red Delicious apples, 625 ml of apple cider, 1 kg of granulated sugar, 1 tbs of ground cinnamon, 1 tbs of grated lemon rind, 1 dsp of ground cloves, 1/2 tsp of salt. Cut the UNPEELED apples into quarters and remove the cores. Place in a large heavy stock pot, add the apple cider, cook on a high heat and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and puffy, about 2 hours. Process the apple mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth. This should give you 6-7 cups of pulp. Transfer the apple mixture to the stockpot along with the granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemon rind, salt and mix well to combine. Place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce the heat and let the apple mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about an hour. Spoon into hot sterilised 250 ml jars, seal and store in the pantry. Store in the refrigerator once opened. Fruit/sultana bread becomes something special when spread with apple butter.

ZUCCHINI AND DATE BREAD.

Ingredients......1 cup of gratyed zucchini, 1 cup of chopped pitted dates, 250 ml of water, 125 gm of wholemeal flour, 125 gm of plain flour, 2 tbs of granulated sugar, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of bi carbonate of soda, 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp of ground cloves, 2 eggs, lightly beaten. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Press moisture out of the grated zucchini with paper towelling, set aside. Combine the chopped dates in a small saucepan with the water and bring to the boilover a medium heat. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Combine the wholemeal flour, plain flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, bi carbonate of soda, ground cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl. Stir the grated zucchini and the beaten eggs through the date mixture. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack. Serve sliced with butter.

HONEY FRUIT CAKE

Ingredients.......125 gm of butter/ marg, 1/4 cup of castor sugar, 1/4 cup of honey, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 2 cups of plain flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 cup of evaporated milk, 3/4 cup of sultanas. Honey Icing...1 cup of icing sugar, 2 tbs of honey, 2-3 tbs of hot water. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease and sprinkle with fine polenta a large loaf pan. Cream marg/ butter, sugar and honey until light and fluffy. Add the lightly beaten eggs unti well combined. In a separate bowl mix together the plain flour with the baking powder. Now fold the combined flour into the wet mixture, alternating with the evaporated milk. Finally stir in the sultanas. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes or until a skerwer inserted comes out clean. Leave cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then carefully transfer to a wire rack, to cool completely. To make the honey icing ...combine the icing sugar, honey and sufficient water to make a soft glace. Spread over the top of the cake. Slice to serve, this cake will keep well in an airtight container.

ORIENTAL TUNA AND NOODLES.

A delicious fish dish on a tight budget. Ingredients......400 gm of hokkein noodles, 1 tbs of oil, 1 dsp of minced ginger, 1 onion, halved and sliced, 1 red capsicum, deseeded, halved and sliced, 1 bunch of baby bok choy chopped / or a small packet of baby spinach leaves, 1/2 cup of oyster sauce, 1/2 cup of orange juice, 425 gm can of tuna, drained. Prepare the hokkein noodles according to packet directions and set aside. Add the oil to a large pan over a medium heat. Add the minced ginger, onion and capsicum and stir fry till tender. Add the bok choy and the prepared noodles, stir fry until the bok choy has wilted. Add the oyster sauce, orange juice and tuna, stir fry until heated through. Simply a great dish....

CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE.

Ingredients......1 and 1/2 cups of water, 1 cup of raisins, 250 gm of butter/ marg, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/2 tsp of mixed ground spice, 3 tbs of cocoa, pinch of salt, 1 tsp of bi carbonate of soda dissolved in 1/4 of a cup of boiling water, 2 cups of plain flour. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease a round 23cm cake pan and line the base with baking paper. Combine the water, raisins, butter/ marg, sugar, spices, cocoa and salt in a saucepan. Heat over a medium heat until boiling, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Stir in the bi carbonate of soda mixture. Fold in the plain flour to make a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until firm and cooked through. Leave the cake to cool in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This pudding cake can be served warm or cold with custard and/or whipped cream. This is delicious....mmmm.

RAISING AGENTS

Baking Powder.....is a mixture of cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda. When mixed with moisture, baking powder releases carbon dioxide that expands during baking to make food rise. Plain white flour is is mixed with baking powder as a rising agent to give us self raising flour. Bicarbonate Of Soda....produces carbon dioxide when mixed with lemon juice or buttermilk. Yeast......is a single cell organism that converts the natural sugars in the flour to produce carbon dioxide. Yeast needs warmth, moisture and sugar to work. Yeast is available in both dried and fresh forms for baking.

JOHNNY CAKE

Ingredients.....2 and 1/2 cups of S.R.flour, 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, 1 and 1/2 cups of All Bran cereal, 140 gm of butter/ marg, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 1 and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with fine polenta. Mix together the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the All Bran. Mix together the melted butter/ marg, eggs and evaporated milk, add these to the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched with your finger. Leave in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or cold, spread with butter/ marg.