QUINCE BLOSSOMS.

I love the quince blossoms, they are my favourite. They quince tree was given a liberal prune at the end of summer and I am looking forward to a 'bumper' crop in the months to come.

BOILED CHOCOLATE FRUIT CAKE .

It is nearly Christmas, let's get organised. Ingredients.....2 cups of mixed fruit, 1 cup of brown sugar, 110 gm of butter / marg, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda, 3/ 4 of a cup of water, 1/4 of a cup of Apera. Place these ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 minute only, then remove from heat and allow to cool in a large non metallic bowl Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Line a 22.5 cm x 22.5 cm square pan with baking paper. Ingredients for the cake batter....1/2 of a cup of plain flour, 2 tbs of cocoa, 1 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour, 2 eggs, lightly beaten. Now that the fruit mixture has cooled, mix together the flours and cocoa. Using a wooden spoon fold through the flour and cocoa mixture alternatively with the beaten eggs. Place the mixture in the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, then place a loose sheet over the cake and continue to cook for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely. This cake keeps well in an airtight container wrapped in foil and is also freezer friendly. Decorate as you desire.

PUMPKIN AND DATE BREAD.

Ingredients...1 cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin, 1/4 of a cup of soft brown sugar, 2 cups of self raising flour, 1 cup of pitted, dried dates, chopped, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 1/2 cup of milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking oil spray and a sprinkle of polenta. Place the pumpkin in a large bowl. Add the sugar, flour, dates, milk and lightly beaten egg. Mix well to combine using a wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Delicious!

HONEY CHICKEN

Ingredients.....1.8 kg chicken, 2 tbs of honey, 1 tbs of wholegrain mustard. Stuffing ingredients... 3/4 of a cup of breadcrumbs, 1 tsp of ground cardamon, 1/4 of a cup of grated lemon rind, 1/4 of a cup granulated nuts, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 2 tbs of melted butter/ marg, juice of 1 lemon Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Place a wire cooling rack on top of a roasting pan and spray lightly with cooking spray. First make the stuffing, mix all the stiffing ingredients together until well combined. Place the stuffing mixture inside the chicken cavity, pressing down firmly. Now mix together the honey and mustard and brush over the chicken. Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Cover with a sheet of baking paper if browning too quickly and return to the oven and continue cooking for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with roasted vegetables and or a tossed salad.

BAKED PEAR AND CUSTARD SLICE

Ingredients...100 gm butter / marg, 2/3 rds of a cup of castor sugar, lightly beaten, 1 cup of fresh , firm pears, chopped, 1 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour, 1/2 cup of milk, 1 cup vanilla custard ( store bought prepared custard is fine to use ). Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Lightly grease and line a 24 cm x 24 cm square pan with baking paper. Place the butter / marg and sugar in a bowl and beat with your electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the egg with 3 tbs of the flour and beat well. Stir in the chopped pear pieces, the using a wooden spoon fold in the the remaining flour and milk alternatively. Spread half the mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the custard then place spoonfuls of the remaining pear mixture over the custard to almost cover. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden in colour. Cool before carefully removing to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

SALMON FILLETS WITH APRICOT SAUCE.

Ingredients.....1 cup of water, 3/4 of a cup of apricots, chopped / tinned apricots, chopped and crained, 1 onion, chopped, juice of 2 lemons, 2 tbs of butter / marg, 1 tbs of rice bran / canola oil, 4 salmon fillets, skin on, cracked black pepper to taste, baby spinach and fried potato slices to serve. Place the water, apricots and onion in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 3 minutes. Puree until smooth then stir through the lemon juice and butter / marg. Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan. When hot add the salmon fillets skin side down, season with pepper and cook over a medium high heat for 2 minutes, turn and continue to cook for 3 minutes or until cooked to your preference. Serve on a bed of baby spinach with the apricot sauce and fried potatoes.

ICE CREAM PUDDING.

Ingredients....1 litre of vanilla ice crea, softened. 1 cup of fresh mango, finely chopped, 1/4 cup of chocolate syrup, 1/2 cup of granulated nuts. Chocolate fudge sauce....Ingredients.... 100gm of 70% cocoa chocolate, 1/2 cup of crea. Place the ice cream in a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped mango, syrup, granulated nuts and mix well with a wooden spoon. Spoon the combined mixture into a 6 cup capacity bowl lined with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer overnight. To preprae the fudge sauce: place the chocolate in a small saucepan and cook over a low heat until melted. Gradually add the cream and stir to combine. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve the ice cream pudding cut into wedges with a drizzle of chocolate fudge sauce.