HONEY PUMPKIN COUSCOUS SALAD

Ingredients.....600gm of pumpkin, cut into bite sized pieces, 1 onion, sliced, 3 tbs of honey, 1 tsp of chilli flakes (optional), 185 gm of couscous, 25 gm of butter/ marg, 2 tbs of canol/ rice bran oil, 1 cup of boiling water, 3 tbs of flaked almonds. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line an ovenproof dish with baking paper. Place the pumpkin and onion in a bowl with the honey, chilli flakes and oil. Toss around to evenly coat, place in the ovenproof dish and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Place the couscous and the butter/ marg in a bowl and pour over 1 cup of boiling water and cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap for 10 minutes. Fluff the couscous and then cover again for 5 minutes. Now remove the cling wrap, fluff again and separate with your fingers. Add the roasted pumpkin mixture to the couscous along with the almond flakes. Toss to combine. Serve this dish as a warm salad or as a side to your main dish. Enjoy.

SALMON RISSOLES

Ingredients......415 gm can of pink salmon, drained and mashed, 1/2 cup of whole egg mayonnaise, 1 dsp of dried dill, 1 cup of mashed sweet potato, 1 cup of panko bread crumbs. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line an oven sheet with baking paper. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and season with cracked black pepper. Shape into golf ball size rounds and flatten slightly with the back of a fork. Place on the lined oven sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. I serve the salmon rissoles with a green vegetable and a side serve of chips/ wedges. They also make a great filling for a burger....

SCONE…

What is a scone? An eggless plain cake made with self raising flour, butter/ marg, sugar and baking powder using the rubbing in method, then made into a paste with the addition of milk. Cut into small rounds and baked in a hot oven. Scones should be eaten fresh, split and buttered or spread with jam and whipped cream. Scones are also called English scone, hot biscuit. Scones are named after the original oatmeal and sour milk cake made in Scone, Scotland. SCONE CAKE MIXTURE (1) 225 gm of self raising flour, 6 tbs of butter/ marg, cut into small pieces, 15gm of castor sugar, pinch of salt, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 50 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray / sheet with baking paper. Sift the flour into a bowl rub the butter/ marg with your fingertips, lifting your hands high to incorporate air into the mix. The mixture should resemble breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and salt. Stir in the combined egg and milk mixture. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly. Shape the dough into a circle to a thickness of 2 cm/ 3/4". Do not be heavy handed, scones need a light touch. Cut into 6 cm/2 and 1/2 " rounds with a floured biscuit cutter. Repeat the process until all the dough has been used. Place the scones on the lined oven sheet/ tray and brush the tops with a little extra milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with thickened cream and jam. SCONE CAKE MIXTURE (2) Ingredients.....55 gm of butter, diced and chilled, 450 gm of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 dsp of baking powder, 2 tbs of castor sugar, 250 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray/ oven sheet with baking paper. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Rub the butter/ marg into the flour mix with your fingertips, it should look like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Quickly mix with a round bladed knife to form a smooth dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work bench and knead lightly Follow the above directions for shaping the dough and scone cutting. There are many variations for scone recipes, the two recipes above are the oldest I can find for plain scone cakes.

GINGERBREAD CAKES

Ingredients......450gm of plain flour, 1 dsp of bi carb of soda, , 3 tbs of ground ginger, 225 gm of butter/ marg, 225 gm of treacle or golden syrup. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Mix the flour, bi carb of soda and ginger in a large bowl. Melt the butter and treacle/ syrup in a saucepan over a low heat until the mixture combines, be careful not to overheat. Pour the treacle mixture into the dry ingredients. Beat until a smooth batter/ dough forms. Shape the dough into a recatangle and cut the gingerbread using a cookie cutter. Place the cakes on the prepared trays and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack These cakes are best left for one day before eating to become moist. They keep well in an airtight container.

EGGS

It is important that the eggs used in baking must be at room temperature . Cold eggs straight from the refrigerator do combine as well with other ingredients or trap as much air. Eggs at room temperature will give you light and airy cakes.

IS IT COOKED?

Follow the timings in the recipe that you are using, but also rely on your own judgement as ovens vary in temperature. Small cakes should be well risen, firm and spongy to touch. Sponge cakes should be springy to the touch, test by gently pressing the cake with your finger. If you can see your fingerprint, return the cake to the oven for a few more minutes. Fruit cakes and deep sponge cakes should be teasted with a metal skewer inserted into the centre. The skewer will come out clean when the cake is cooked. Leave the cooked cakes to cool for a few minutes in the cake pan before turning out to a wire rack to cool completely. Fruit cakes are best allowed to cool completely in the pan...... read the recipe well before cooking as each recipe will specify the correct procedure.

TEACAKES..

Teacakes are the basis of a traditional English tea. Afternoon tea is reputed to have been started by the Duchess of Bedford. Teacakes are usually halved, toasted and then served with butter and jam. Ingredients.....55 gm of butter/ marg/ melted, 300 ml of milk, 1 tbs of instant dried yeast, 55gm of castor sugar, 450 gm of bread flour/ strong white flour, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of ground mixed spice, 115gm of currants, 25 gm of mixed peel, 1 egg, lightly beaten, sugar glaze.....made from 2 tbs castor sugar blended with 2 tbs of warm milk. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Gently warm the milk until; just warm, add the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar. Mix well and leave in a draught free place until frothy. Mix together the flour, salt and mixed spice in a large bowl. Stir in the currants, mixed peel and the remaining sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture , melted butter/ marg and the lightly beaten egg to the well and mix using a wooden spoon till combined then use your hand to form a dough. turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to rise in a draught free place until doubled in size. Now turn out the dough again and knead lightly. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each one into a bun. Place the buns on the lined oven trays and cover each with a sheet of cling wrap and let the buns prove for 30 minutes in a draught free place. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Prepare the glaze, mixing 2 tbs of castor sugar with 2 tbsw of milk. Transfer the buns/ teacakes to a wire rack. Brush the buns/ teacakes with the glaze while still hot.