APRICOT CHICKEN

Ingredients......1.5kg of chicken pieces,90ml of canola/ rice bran oil, 440gm can of apricot pieces, drained, reserving the juice, 90 gm of castor sugar. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly greased baking dish. Brush the chicken pieces with the oil and place them the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until the chicken pieces are golden and cooked. Mix together the reserved apricot juice and castor sugar in a small/ medium saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring frequently for 15 minutes. Now add the apricot pieces and stir to coat, continue to cook until the apricot pieces are heated through. Place the chicken pieces on a serving platter and pour over the apricot sauce... This dish can be served with sauteed vegetables or with steamed rice tossed with chopped parsley. Definately a dish of the'80's', always well received at The Manor.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE TORTE

Ingredients....... 185gm of dark eating chocolate, roughly chopped, 45gm of butter/ marg,1 egg lightly beaten, 60gm of castor sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 30gm of plain flour, 60gm of slivered almonds. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease and line a 20cm/ 8" round pan. Place 125gm of the chopped chocolate in a small saucepan with the butter/ marg. Heat, stirring over a low heat until until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture combined. Beat together the egg, sugar and vanilla extract until thick and creamy. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour , slivered almonds and the remaining chopped chocolate. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan . Bake in the preheated oven for for 20 minutes or until cooked, testing with a skewer inserted and comes out clean. Turn the torte onto a wire rack to cool. The torte can be served hot, warm or cold with ice cream or as you desire.

KALE CHIPS

Ingredients......1 medium head of curly kale, 2 tbs of canola/ rice bran oil, 1 tbs of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp of onion powder, 1/2 tsp of salt. Preheat your oven 100 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Wash and dry the kale. Mix the oil, Parmesan , onion powder and salt in a bowl. Add the kale leaves to the bowl and coat with the oil mixture. Put the coated kale leaves on the on the lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, keeping an eye on them so not to let the edges burn. The kale chips can be stored in an airtight container once cooked and completely cooled. Kale chips are a great accompainment to hummus.

PEANUT BUTTER AND QUINOA COOKIES.

Ingredients........420gm of crunchy peanut butter, 75gm of stevia, 140ml of agave syrup, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 45gm of quinoa flakes, 2 tbs of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of baking powder. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined. Bring the mixture together using your hands and then roll into 2.5cm/ 1" balls. Place the rolled balls onto the prepared baking tray. Use your thumb to press down each ball so it is slightly flattened. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store the cookies in an airtight container.

TROPICAL RATATOUILLE

Ingredients.......2 tbs of vegetable oil, 1 onion, diced, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of cracked black pepper, 1 dsp of dried chilli flakes, 1 yellow mini capsicum, chopped, 1 tsp of sweet paprika, 2 zucchini, sliced, 6 cherry tomatoes sliced in half, 1 mango peeled, stoned,chopped and sliced. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 tbs of the oil , the onion and cracked black pepper. Fry until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and paprika and cook for a further minute. next add the zucchini slices and the chopped mango and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the halved tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. To serve garnish with chopped flat leafed parsley.

POPPY SEED CRUSTED SALMON

Ingredients......2 tbs of poppy seeds,3 tbs of breadcrumbs, 1 tsp of sweet papriks, 1 tbs of vegetable oil, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 2 x salmon fillets, cracked black pepper, chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a baking tray/ sheet with baking paper. Rinse and pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towelling, then place them on the prepared baking tray. In a small bowl mix together the poppy seeds,breadcrumbs, paprika, oil and garlic to form a crust. Spoon the poppy seed crust evenly over each fillet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets). Serve with a salad or vegetables of your choice.

COCONUT CHIA PUDDING

Ingredients....40gm of chia seeds, 1 dsp of vanilla extract, 1 tbs of butter/ marg, 300ml of coconut milk, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 2 tbs of shredded coconut, plus extra for the garnish, 2 tbs of jam to serve, optional. Place the chia seeds in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Mix the remaining ingredients together in your food processor. Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl with the chia seeds and stir to combine with a fork. Set aside and then stir again in 10 minutes. Now divide the mixture between small dessert dishes , place these in the refrigerator to set. When ready to serve, sprinkle the extra shredded coconut over each pudding and you can add a dollop of your favourite fruit jam, optional.

ORANGE AND OLIVE OIL CAKE

Ingredients........3 eggs, 1 egg white, 90gm of castor sugar, 1 dsp of finely grated orange zest, 65 ml of extra virgin olive oil, 60 ml of orange juice, 80gm of plain flour,1/4 tsp of cream of tartar, a pionch of salt. Preheat your oven to 170 deg C. Grease and lightly dust with sugar a 20cm cake pan. Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with half the castor sugar until light fluffy. Add the finely grated zest, whisk in the olive oil and then the orange juice. Mix the flour with the pinch of salt and gently fold into the egg yolk mixture, until just combined. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until stiff. Now gently fold into the yolk and flour mixture. Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temp to 150 deg C and continue to cook for for a further 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the cake in the oven for 10 minutes before removing. Remove the cake to a serving dish and remove from the pan. Serve with mascarpone or thickly whipped cream, along with orange segments and strawberries if desired.

LEMON SPAGHETTI WITH TUNA AND ANCHOVY BREADCRUMBS.

This is a family favourite in The Manor. Ingredients......500gm of dried spaghetti, 185ml of canola/ rice bran oil, 8 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped, 1 cxup of breadcrumbs, 3 tuna steaks, 2 medium sized lemons, 3 spring onions, finely sliced, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh flat leafed parsley, 1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh basil, cracked blacck pepper to taste. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, until 'al dente'. Drain and return to the saucepan,lightly spray with cooking oil, cover and set aside. Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the anchovies until they break down. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden and crisp, remove to a glass bowl. clean out the pan with paper towel. Add 1 tbs of the remaining oilto the pan and heat over a medium heat. Cook the tuna steaksfor 3- 4 minutes on each side, then transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Slice the lemons and remove any pips, place the unpeeled lemon slices in your processor and process to a mulch. Now combine the remaining oil in a large bowl with spring onions, garlic, parsley and basil. season with cracked black pepper. Add the drained pasta and toss well to combine. Break the tuna steaks into bite size pieces and add to the pasta mix, toss gently to incorporate. Divide the lemon spaghetti and tuna mix between serving plates and sprinkle with anchovy breadcrumbs. This is delicious and can be served warm or at room temperature with a mixed leaf salad.

WHITE CHRISTMAS SLICE.

You can make White Christmas slice anytime throughout the year. The 'country' cooking class made this version of the slice back in October 2023. This is a very old recipe, in its original form. Ingredients......250 gm of copha, 45gm of rice bubbles, 100gm of milk powder, 125gm of icing sugar, 90gm of desiccated coconut, 4 tbs of sultanas, 4 tbs of chopped red glace cherries, 4tbs chopped green mint leaf lollies. Grease and line with baking paper a 28cm x 18cm (11"x 7") slice pan. In a large bowl combine the rice bubbles, milk powder, icing sugar, desiccated coconut, chopped red glace cherries, chopped mint leaf lollies and sultanas. Make a well in the centre. Melta the copha over a low heat. pour it into the well and stir through the dry ingredients until moist. Now spoon the mixture into the prepared slice pan. Smooth the surface and refrigerate until set. Then slice into squares to serve.

CRISPY PARMESAN CHICKEN.

Ingredients.....8 chicken drumsticks, skins removed, flour for coating, 1 egg mixed with 1 tbs of milk, 1 cup of crushed cornflakes, 1/2 cup of grated tasty cheese, 2 tbs of finely grated Parmesan cheese ( it is available in the pasta and pasta sauce aisle in your supermarket), 2 tbs of chopped parsley, mixed salad leaves and avocado slices to serve. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Coat the skinless drumsticks with flour and the egg mixture. In a large bowl combine the cornflakes, cheeses and parsley. Roll the drumsticks in the crumb mixture until well coated. Place the coated drumsticks on the lined baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until chicken is cooked. Serve on a platter lined with mixed lettuce leaves and topped with avocado slices.

PASTA WITH A CREAMY VEGETABLE SAUCE.

Ingredients......350gm of farfalle( bow tie) pasta, 2 tbs of canol/ rice bran oil, 2 tbs of minced garlic, small red capsicum, sliced, 1 small yellow capsicum , sliced, 1 zucchini, sliced, 1 dsp of wholegrain mustard, 1 tbs of cornflour, 375ml can of evaporated milk, 2 spring omions chopped, 1/2 cup of grated tasty cheese. Cook the pasta as per directions on the packet, drain and keep warm. Heat the oil ain a latge pan , add the garlic and vegeatables, cooking for 10 minutes over a medium heat. In a separate bowl mix together the mustard, cornflour and evaporated milk. Add this mixture to the vegetables in the pan and slowly bring to the boil and the sauce thickens. Stir through the grated cheese and pasta.

JELLY PARFAITS.

These are a family favourite, young and old alike. Ingredients.....1 packet of jelly crystals ( your choice of flavour), 3/4 cup of boiling water, 250gm tub of cream cheese, a selection of fruit, grapes, kiwi fruit, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mandarin segments, you can also use bananas, just make sure they have been coated in lemon juice. Dissolve the jelly crystals in boiling water and allow to cool. Beat the cream cheese with your electric mixer until light, creamy and smooth. Mix through the jelly mixture and chill for 30minutes. Arrange the mixed fruit around parfait glasses and top with the cream cheese mixture. Dress with fruit of your choice and a mint leaf. It's your dish, make it your own.

FETTUCINE CHICKEN.

This is a versitile dish that can be served hot or cold. Chicken fettucine makes a great light lunch or cold entree. Ingredients...... 200gm of fettucine pasta ( cooked ), 500gm of cooked chicken, skinned and sliced into large pieces, 150gm of sno peas, ( blanched and trimmed), 200gm of broccoli flowerettes,(blanched), 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced, 3 spring onions ( chopped), 1/2 cup of French Dressing, 1 tbs of wholegrain mustard. Arrange the pasta on a serving platter. Combine the chicken, sno peas, broccoli, capsicum and spring onions and place on top of the pasta. In a separate bowl combine the French Dressing and mustard and stir to combine. Pour the dressing mixture over the salad and serve.

POTTED TOMATOES .

First summer crop of potted tomatoes.......and there is more on the way. The strawberries are in bud and the mini caps are coming along.

GARDEN PATH KITCHEN DOOR.

My new cookbook was launched on Saturday 29th November 2025, Garden Path, Kitchen Door. The recipes in this book are suggestions, planned for the seasons as much as it is for about food and cooking. Each season has its own unique personality, the smells are different, the sounds and movements have a different rhythm and our tastes change and we eat different food. So here in Garden path, Kitchen door are my food / meal suggestions, planned for the seasons. I invite you to mix them up, change them, make them your own. Enjoy the seasons and the flavours that accompany them.

NO FUSS FRUIT CAKE.

I love the simplicity and flavour of this cake, it needs no icing, it is just delicious. Ingredients.....1 x 440gm can of crushed pineapple, 500gm of mixed fruit, 125gm of butter/ marg, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tsp of dried mixed spice, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of self raising flour. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line and grease a deep 18cm round / square cake pan. Combine the the undrained pineapple, mixed fruit, butter/ marg, sugar, spice and bi carb of soda in a large saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Now turn off the heat and set aside to cool. When the mixture is cold, use a wooden spoon to mix through the beaten eggs and flour mixture. Mix well to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

A PLATE OF NIBBLES…

CHICK PEA DIP..(Hummus).. Ingredients..1 x 420gm can of chick peas, drained, 1 onion, finely chopped, 3 tbs of tahini, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1/4 cup of rice bran/ canola oil, 2 tbs of lemon juice. Place all the ingredients into a food processor/ blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish and chill until ready to serve. Serve with nachos. PANCETTA WRAPPED BANANAS .. Ingredients....2 bananas, lemon juice, 4 slices of pancetta. Peel the bananas and slice each into 4 pieces. Cut each pancetta rasher in half. Wrap banana pieces in pancetta and secure with toothpicks. Grill on both sides until bacon is cooked. Serve warm. DEVILS ON HORSERBACK.. Ingredients....8 pitted prawns, 4 slices of pancetta. Cut each pancetta slice in half. Wrap each prune in a pancetta and secure with a toothpick. Place the wrapped prunes on your grill tray, grill on both sides until bacon is cooked. Serve warm.

FRESH FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients.....2 apples, 2 oranges, 2 peaches / pears, whatever is in season, 16- 20 strawberries, 2 tbs of lemon juice, 2 tbs of orange juice, icing sugar to taste. Peel and core the apples and cut into thin slices. Remove the pith and peel from the oranges and cut into segments. Peel and core the pears if using and cut into slices. Blanch the peaches if using for 1 minutein boiling water. Peel and slice thickly. Slice the strawberries in half. Place all the fruit in a large bowl. Blend together the lemon and orange juice, taste and add a little icing sugar to sweeten to taste. Pour the fruit juice mixture over the salad and serve.

CORNED BEEF GOULASH

Ingredients......1.5 kg of corned beef, cubed, 1/2 cup of plain flour, 1/4 tsp of pepper, 1 tbs of vegetable oil, 2 tbs of sweet paprika, 1 onion diced, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 85gm of tomato paste, 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, 6 button mushrooms, 1 tbs of soft brown sugar, 1 dsp of Dijon mustard, 2 tbs of lemon juice, 1 cup of beef stock, 1 x 400gm can of diced tomatoes, 1 tbs of butter/ marg. Lightly grease the bowl of your slow cooker, cover and heat on high. Place the cubed beef, sweet paprka and 1/4 cup of flour in a plastic bag and shake to coat the beef. Place the coated beef in your slow cooker and stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic. In a mixing bowl, combine the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, brown sugar, lemon juice and beef stock. Pour this mixture over the coated meat. Cover your slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. At the end of cooking , mix the butter/ marg with 1 tbs of plain flour to make a paste. Add the paste to the slow cooker and stir through. Cover and continue to cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until thickened. Serve with steamed rice/ mixed grains. Enjoy.

SMALL BLUEBERRY PIES.

Ingredients......2 sheets of short crust pastry, 3 cups of fresh / frozen bluberries, 2tbs of castor sugar, 1 tbs of corn flour. Glaze.....2/3rds cup of creme fraiche, 3 tbs of castor sugar, 3 tbs of icing sugar to dust. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray/s with baking paper. PLace the pastry sheets on a lightly floured bench and cut the dough into 10 x 6"/ 15cm rounds. Place the blueberries in a bowl, add the castor sugar, corn flour and mix together. Place the pastry rounds on the prepared baking tray/s. Place 3 tbs of the blueberry mixture in the centre of each round, then fold a small edge up around the mixture. bake the pies in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. To make the glaze, mix the castor sugar and creme fraiche together in a small bowl. When the pies are baked, gently spoon the glaze mixture over each pie. Dust the tops with the icing sugar. The pies can be served hot or cold.

COUNTRY MEAT LOAF

Ingredients.....500gm of minced lean beef, 500gm of minced pork, 1 tsp of cracked black pepper, 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, 4 tbs of Sriracha/ sweet chilli sauce, 6 slices of rindless bacon rashers, 2 tbs of butter/ marg, 1 small onion finely chopped, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 2 celery sticks finely chopped, 2 tbs of freshly snipped basil, fresh basil sprigs for garnish, 1 tsp of thyme, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 3 tbs of chopped parsley. If you don't have access to fresh herbs you can use the dried form. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Melt the butter/ marg in a small frying pan. Cook the onion, minced garlic and celery over a low heat until the onion and celery have softened. Then remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl combine the the onion, garlic and celery with all the other ingredients except the bacon. Mix together until well combined. Use your hands to shape the mixture into an oval loaf. Carefully transfer to the roasting pan. Lay the bacon slices across the meat loaf. Bake for 75 minutes, if starting to brown too much, place a sheet of baking paper loosely over top. Remove the loaf to a serving platter and garnish with basil to serve. This dish makes a delicious alternative to a joint of meat.

HONEY BAKED FIGS.

It is that time of the year and my fig tree is laden with fruit. Ingredients.......1 tbs of lemongrass paste( available in tubes at your suopermarket, or 1 lemon grass stalk, finely chopped), 1 cinnamon stick, 4 tbs of honey, 200ml of water, 8 large ripe figs, ice cream to serve. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking oil. First make the syrup by mixing the lemon grass, cinnamon stick honey and water in a small pot. Heat gently over a low heat, stirring until the honey has dissolved, then simmer for 3 minutes and then turn off the heat. Slice the figs into quarters , leaving them intact at the base. Place the figs in the prepared dish, pour over the syrup and cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the figs are tender. To serve, drizzle a little of the syrup from the figs on to each dessert plate. Arrange figs on top along with a scoop of ice cream. Love summer fruits.....

GRILLED EGGPLANT IN HONEY AND SPICES.(V)

Ingredients..... 2 medium sized eggolants, vegetable oil for frying, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tbs of minced ginger, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tsp of sriracha, 5 tbs of honey, 1/3rd cup of lemon juice. Preheat your griller or your griddle pan. Cut the effplants lengthways into thick slices. Brush each eggplant with the oil. Now cook under the grill or in the griddle pan. Turn the slices, so they are lightly browned on both sides. Meanwhile, in a wide frying pan and a little extra oil stir in the minced garlic, ginger, cumin, sriracha, honey and lemon juice. Now add a little water to thin the mixture and then add the eggplant slices. Simmer over a medium heat until the slices have absorbed most of the sauce. Season with cracked black pepper, optional. Serve with chunks of sourdough bread or steamed steamed rice/ grains. Delicious...

EGGPLANT COOKED IN A SOYA SAUCE (V)

Ingredients.....2 medium sized egg plants, 1 onion, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 6 cherry tomatoes, 2 tbs of Ketjap Manis (Indonesian soy sauce), 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, 1/2 tsp of soft brown sugar, 2 tbs of canola/ rice bran oil, 1 dsp of Sriracha. Wash the eggplants and slice them, sprinkle them with a little salt and let them stand for an hour. Peel and slice the onion. Saute the onions in the oil until tender, add the minced garlic and the eggplant slices. Cook the onion and eggplant mixture over a medium heat, turning the eggplant several times. In a separate bowl mix together the soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, sriracha and finally the cherry tomatoes that have been sliced in half. Mix together until well combined. Pour the soy mixture over the eggplant mix, stir to combine and then cover the pan and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Now uncover the pan and continue to simmer till the eggplants have softened and the liquid slightly thickened. serve hot along with steamed rice/ grain mix.

FRUIT CRUMBLE WITH NUTELLA.

This crumble can be made with bananas, apples or pears. I use 2 pieces of each fruit when I prepare this dish. Ingredients....Any six iof the above fruits, 1/3rd cup of Nutella, 2 and 1/2 tbs of butter/ marg, 2 and 1/2 tbs of soft brown sugar, 2/3rds cup of plain flour, 4 tbs of almond meal. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease an oven proof dish. Peel the fruit and cut them into small cubes. Layer the fruit cubes in the prepared dish. The nutella in a bowl and microwave it in 10 second increments till it softens. Pour the softened Nutella over the fruit and mix together. Place the butter/ marg, sugar and almond meal in a bowl and work the ingredients together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle this mixture ontop of the Nutella coated fruit. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until the crumble is golden. Serve warm or

cold.

PEANUT SALAD

Ingredients......2 cups of brocollini heads, 2 cups of cauliflower heads in small pieces, 1 medium carrot, sliced thinly, 2 cups of bean shoots, 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced into quarters, 1/2 cup of crunchy peanut butter, 1 tsp of curry powder, 1 dsp of sriracha sauce, 1/2 cup of Italian salad dressing, 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Cook the brocoli, cauliflower and carrot in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes, then refresh under cold running water and drain. Place the vegetables, bean shoots and eggs in a salad bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the Italian dressing, peanut butter, lemon juice, curry powder and srirsacha sauce until well combined. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and serve. Delicious!!!

SOUR CREAM CAKE

Ingredients....125gm of butter/ marg, 1 cup of castor sugar, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 cup of sour cream, 2 cups of plain flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of bo carb of soda, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 cup of sultanas. Topping... 1/4 cup of raw castor sugar, 1/4 cup of chopped sultanas, 1/2 cup of granulated nuts,1 tsp of cinnamon. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a ring pan and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta. Cream together the butter/ marg and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract. in a separate bowl mix together the baking powder, bi carb of soda, flour and salt . Stir into the creamed mixture. Finally fold in the 1/2 cup of sultanas. Spoon in half the batter into the prepared ring pan. Now make the topping...mix together the raw sugar, chopped sultanas, granulated nuts and cinnamon. Sprinkle half the topping mixture over the batter in the pan. Spoon in the remaining batter and finally top with the remaining cinnamon mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and finish off with a light sprinkle of icing sugar. This is always well received at morning tea.

SWEET ‘N’ FRUITY PORK CASSEROLE.

Ingredients.......750gm of boneless, cubed lean pork, 2 tbs of flour, 4 tbs of canola/ rice bran oil, 1 onion, sliced, 3 stalks of celery chopped, 3 tbs of minced garlic, 125gm of dried apricots , chopped, 120gm of pitted dates, chopped, 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped, the juice of 1/2 lemon, juice of 1/2 orange, cracked black pepper, 2 cups of beer or cider, 1 tbs of honey, 1 tsp of marjoram, thyme, cinnamon and curry powder, 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg, 2 oranges, pips removed and thinly sliced for garnish, 125gm of walnuts. Lightly spray the bowl of your slow cooker with oil, cover and preheat on high. Coat the pork cubes with the flour. Heat the oil in a large frypan and saute the coated pork until browned on all sides. Add the pork to bowl of your slow cooker. Saute the celery and onion with the minced garlic, until tender. Now add these to the slow cooker. In a separate bowl add the chopped apricots, dates, apple and pour in the lemon and orange juice and season with the cracked black pepper. Blend together the beer/ cider, honey , herbs and nutmeg. Pour everything into your slow cooker, stir to combine, cover and cook on high for 4 hours. To serve spoon the mixture from the bowl of your slow cooker and garnish with thin slices of orange and walnuts. Serve with steamed grains or buttered noodles.

CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS

Ingredients........3 cups of plain flour, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1/2 cup of cocoa, 1 dsp of bi carb of soda, 2 cups of water, 2/3 rds cup of canola/ rice bran oil, 1 and 1/2 tbs of apple cider vinegar, 1 dsp of vanilla extract. Filling......250gm tub of cream cheese, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1/3rd cup of castor sugar, 100gm of white or milk chocolate, melted. You now know the ingredients needed for for these muffins, trust me these are rich and creamy muffins which are great with tea or coffee or served with fruit and cream for dessert. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease muffin pans or line with muffin wraps. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa and bi carb of soda in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl blend together the water, oil, vinegarand vanilla extract. Add the blended wet mixture to the flour mixture, stirring to incorporate. Spoon the mixture into the muffin pans, filling to half full. Now prepare the filling mixture.....mix the filling ingredients together and place a tablespoon of filling on each muffin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer insrted comes out cleam.

WALDORF SALAD .

Ingredients.......5 redskinned apples, cored and chopped ( then dipped in lemon juice to prevent colouring), 2 spring onions, chopped, 1/2 cup of walnut pieces, 3 sticks of celery , roughly chopped, 3/4 cup of mayonnaise. Combine the salad ingredients and the mayonnaise, place in a serving bowl and scatter over the walnuts, chill and serve. Simple and delicious.

MUSTARD COATED RACK OF LAMB

Ingredients......2 full racks of lamb ( approx 6-8 chops each rack), cracked black pepper, 2 tbs of English mustard, 2 tbs of dry white wine, 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary (finely chopped)/ 2 tbs of dried rosemary, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 2 tbs of honey, 2 cups of breadcrumbs. To serve, asparagus spears, cheery tomatoes, baked potatoes or as you desire.. Preheat your oven to 200deg C. Lightly grease a roasting tray with oil. Trim the lamb racks and season with pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove and set aside, leaving the oven on at 200 deg C. In a medium bowl mix together the mustard and wine and brush over the racks. In the same bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, garlic, honey and rosemary. Mix well. Cover the lamb racks with the crumb mixture and return to the oven and continue to cook for 30 minutes.

SALMON STUFFED LEMONS

This is a very simple pate of mashed salmon and cream cheese, presented in lemon cases. Ingredients......4 large fresh lemons, 200gm can of salmon in oil, 200gm of cream cheese, 100ml of sour cream, 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard, 1 dsp of finely chopped onion, 1 tsp of sweet paprika, cracked black pepper, 1 egg white, chopped parsley to garnish, 4 sprigs of thyme and 8 black olives to dress your plate. Slice off the tops of the lemons and reserve. Remove the pulp with a small knife or spoon. Remove any pips and reserve the pulp and juice. Trim the bottoms of the lemons so they stand uprght. Remove any excess pith with the small knife. Mash the salmon with the cream cheese, sour cream and mustard. Season the salmon mixture with the finely chopped onions, sweet paprika and cracked black pepper to taste. Strain the juice and pulp of one lemon into the mixture. Beat the egg white stiffly and fold through the mixture. Fill the lemon cases, piling the mousse up slightly in each lemon. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and top with the lemon caps. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve them and place a sprig of thyme and 2 black olives alongside. These are excellent and show stoppers to boot!!!

STRAWBERRY CREAM PUFFS.

This is definately an oldie, but a goodie. And if you are wondering ...? The difference between a puff and an eclair is the shape, puffs are round and eclairs are rectangular finger lengths of choux. Ingredients....125gm of plain flour, pinch of salt, 60gm of butter/ marg, 250ml of watewr, 3 eggs lightly beaten. Strawberry Cream Ingredients....1 punnet of strawberries, washed and hulled, 2 tbs of icing sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 300ml of thickened cream, extra icing sugar for dusting. Preheat your oven to 200deg C. Sprinkle an oven tray with water. Place the butter/ marg, water and salt in a small saucepan and bring to boiling. Now add the flour all at once and cook over a low heat until the mixture leaves the side of the saucepan, stirring constantly. Cool slightly. Transfer the slightly cooled mixture to the bowl of your electric mixer and using the dough hook, beat for one minute. Add the eggs, a little at a time and beat until the mixture is glossy. Drop in teaspoons onto the wet tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn off your oven. Do not open the oven door for at least 15 minutes. Then remove and cool on a wire rack. When cold split the puffs and fill with the strawberry cream. Strawberry Cream.... Add the strawberries, icing sugar and vanilla extract in your processor, and whiz till pureed. Using an electric beater, whisk the cream until thick. Fold in the strawberry puree and fill the puffs. Dust the srawbeery puffs with extra icing sugar to serve. Enjoy!!

GLAZED BAKED HAM

The most asked question ...? Can cooked ham be baked? Yes you use cooked ham. So why do you bake it? Because although the ham is already cooked before being baked, further cooking with an added glaze helps to flavour the ham. Ingredients...... Your chosen leg of ham, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 dsp of dry mustard, 1 dsp of ground cardamon, 1 dsp of ground ginger, whole cloves (for studding), 6 tbs of Guinness stout. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. You will need a roasting pan, no need to grease. First you need to ease off the skin, cut the skin around the thick end of the knuckle without cutting the fat and flesh. Ease the skin from the fat by slipping a thumb under the skin and firmly sliding it back and forth. Turn the ham over and ease the rest of the skin away. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in diagonal cuts, to form a diamond pattern. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Spread the glaze mixture over the ham and stud a clove in each corner of the diamond shape. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until golden brown and aromatic. You can serve the baked ham hot or cold. I've given you the answer and instructions to the most asked Christmas ham dilema. Enjoy.

ROAST LAMB DINNER

Ingredients.....2 kg leg of lamb, 3 sprigs of rosemary, coarsely chopped, 1/2 tsp of sweet paprika, 1kg of potatoes, coarsley chopped, 500gm of pumpkin, coarslet chopped, 3 onions, quartered, 2 tbs of canola oil/ rice bran oil, 2 tbs of plain flour, 250ml of chicken stock, 60ml of dry red wine. Preheat your oven to 200deg C. Place the lamb in an ovenproof baking dish. Use a sharp knife to score the the skin at 2cm/ 3/4"intervals. Sprinkle over the paprika and rosemary. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 180 deg C. and continue to roast for 45 minutes or until cooked as you desire. Place the potatoes, pumpkin and onions in a single layer along side the roast lamb, drizzle with oil. Roast for 45 minutes along with the lamb roast. Remove the roast lamb and vegetables, cover and keep warm. Stir the flour into the baking dish with the juices over heat until the mixture bubbles and brown. Gradually add the stock and wine. Continue to heat and stir until the gravy thickens. Strain into a heatproof jug. Serve the lamb with the vegetables and gravy.

MINI XMAS PUDDINGS

You can use your favourite jam, lemon curd or orange marmalde in this recipe. I used orange marmalade which had been made by Maureen and gifted to me from the fruits on their orange tree. Ingredients....1 dsp of castor sugar, 70 gm of breadcrumbs, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 dsp of finely grated orange rind, 310ml of milk, 30gm of butter/ marg, 2 eggs , separated, 115gm of jam/ curd or in my case orange marmalade, 110gm of castor sugar (extra). Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease 8 x 80ml ovenproof ramequins. Combine the 1 dsp of sugar, breadcrumbs, vanilla extract and rind in a heatproof bowl. Heat the milk and butter/ margin a small saucepan until simmering, pour this over the breadcrumb mixture and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir through the lightly beaten egg yolks into the breadcrumb mixture. Divide tablespoons of the breadcrumb mixture into the greased ramequins, level the tops and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Warm the marmalade/ jam or curd and carefully spread over the tops of the hot puddings. Place the puddings back in the oven. Beat the egg whites and extra sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until sugar is dissolved. Spoon the meringue in peaks onto the tops of the puddings. Return the puddings to the oven and continue to bake for 5 minutes until meringue is lightly browned.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

Here are the answers to last month's challenge: 1. Lemons and melons. 4.Proof. 2. Spice. 5. Cure. 3. Dredge. 6. Beat. Here is my challenge for you this month: 1. To cook meat, fish, poultry or vegetables over or under a high heat? 2. To mix two or more liquids until they form a smooth and stable mixture? 3. Sugar that has been melted and browned by heating? 4. Edible pumpkin seeds with husks removed? 5. A long thin metal rod onto which a large piece of meator animal is held and rotatedover an open fire? 6. A creamy coloured wrinkly nut, which is formed into 2 distinct halves?

SHORTBREAD STICKS WITH SUGAR AND SPICE

Ingredients.....250gm of butter/ marg,55gm of brown sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 300gm of plain flour, 60gm of rice flour, 1 dsp of ground fennel, 110gm of demerara sugar. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Beat beat the butter/marg with the brown sugar and vanilla extract with your electric mixer until well combined, stir in the flours and spice in two batches. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, roll each portion into long lengths about 1.5cm/ 1/4" thick. Cut each length into 6 pieces. Place the demerara sugar on a plate and roll each piece in the sugar and place on the lined trays. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool on trays.

ROAST LOIN OF PORK WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

Ingredients.......2 kg loin of pork, with the bones intact and scraped clean as for a rack of lamb, ask your butcher to do this, 1 sprig of rosemary, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tbs of of fresh chopped herbs. Please ask your butcher to also score the skin of the pork in narrow strips. Prheat your oven to 220 deg C. Lightly spray a roasting pan. So let's begin, fibnely chop the rosemary sprig and garlic cloves, season with cracked black pepper and chopped mixed herbs. Make a few slits on the underside of the pork and push the herb and garlic mixture into the slits to season the pork well. Fially rub the skin of the pork liberally with salt and place the pork in the roasting pan. Roast the pork in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or till the skin is crisp and crackles. Then reduce the temperature to 180 deg C and continue to roast the pork, about 90 minutes. Carve the pork into thick chops to serve, this goes really well with braised red cabbage with apples or vegetables of your choice and a serve of salad greens.

BRAISED RED CABBAGE WITH APPLES.

Ingredients.....60gm of butter/ marg, 1/2 red cabbage , finely shredded, 1 tbs of red inw vinegar, 2 apples, peeled and cut into thick slices, 1 tbs of sugar, cracked black pepper to taste. Melt the butter/ marg in a medium saucepan with a lid over a gentle heat. Add the shredded cabbage and vinegar, apples and sugar. Season with the cracked black pepper. Cover and cook till tender. A simple dish to accompany your pork roast. Serve hot.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Chocolate truffles, very rich , very moreish, and very French. Chocolate truffles are shaped into small balls or nuggets to resemble the 'black diamnonds'that french chefs prize so highly. Once made chocolate truffles can be finished off in a variety of ways, ie...rolled in coconut,cocoa or shredded dark or white chocolate, studded with pieces of macademia nut. Very popular fare during the festive season. Ingredients......1 tbs of instant coffee, 1/4 cup of boiling water, 250gm of 70% cocoa chocolate, broken into pieces, 125gm of butter/ margarine, 3 tbs of cocoa powder. Place the coffee and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat adding the chocolate. Melt, stirring until the mixtureis smooth. Cut the butter/ marg into small pieces, and gradually stir through the chocolate mixture until thoroughly incorporated. Pour the mixture into a small bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill and set for 3 hours, or until firm enough to shape and roll into small balls. Finally place the cocoa in a bowl and roll the truffles through until well coated. Store the truffles in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

A CRUNCHY CRANBERRY AND RICE SALAD.

This is a great salad for the Christmas dinner table and also delicious with barbequed meats. Ingredients.....1 and 1/2 cups of cooked basmati rice, 1 and 1/2 ups of cooked wild rice,(cook rices separately),1 cup of dried cranberries, 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, 2 spring onions finely sliced, 1/2 cup of chopped coriander, 1 dsp of minced ginger, 1/2 cup of orange juice, 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil, cracked black pepper to taste/ season. Wild rice is not readily available in my part of Gippsland, though I'm lucky that my son Shaun and his wife Dee always gift me a basket of grains purchased from Oasis stores in Melbourne for Christmas, appreciated, practical and never wasted! Mix together the cooked rice, cranberries, almonds, spring onions and coriander in a serving dish. Combine the minced ginger with orange juice and oil. Drizzle the ginger mixture over the combined rice mix and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper/ season to taste. Serve at room temperature. Delicious!

PERSIAN BREAD WITH CHEESE AND HONEY

This bread can be served with feta or ricotta cheese...your choice. Ingredients......375gm of bread flour, plus 1 tbs extra, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 dsp (7gm)of dried yeast, 1 tbs of honey, plus extra to serve, 1 tbs of rice bran/ canola oil, 20gm of butter/ canola, ! dsp of castor sugar, 1 dsp of white sesame seeds, 200gm of ricotta /feta cheese. Grease and line an oven tray (23cm x 34cm, 9 and 1/4" x 13 and 1/2") with baking paper. Process the flour, salt, yeast, honey and oil until combined. With the motor running gradually add 250ml, plus 1 tbs of llukewarm water, process until a doufgh starts to form. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface , knead with oiled hands until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough on a large lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave stand for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Now press the dough over the prepared oven tray , cover and leave for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. For the butter glaze, place the butter/ marg in a small saucepan with the extra 1 tbs of flour, castor sugar and 60ml of water and stir over a medium heat till the mixture simmers and thickens. Gently score the dough 5 times lengthways with the back of a floured butter knife. Brush with the butter/ marg glaze and scatter with the sesame seeds. Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. Serve bread warm or gently reheat when ready to serve, with ricotta/ feta and drizzled with extra honey. This bread freezes well, thaw and reheat in a warm oven (160 deg C)for 15 minutes.

MOROCCAN LEMON CHICKEN

Ingredients......6 saffron threads, 600ml of chicken stock, 2 tbs of rice bran/ canola oil, 8 skinless chicken thigh pieces, 1 large onion, chopped, 3tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of minced ginger, 1 tsp of ground coriander, 1 cinnamon stick, 16 green pitted olives, 1 dsp of chilli flakes (optional), 1/2 cup of coriander leaves, 1 large lemon , thinly sliced. Soak the saffron threads in the chicken stock, set aside. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat Add the chicken pieces and cook for 4 minutes on each side, until golden. Transfer the chicken to the bowl of your slow cooker. Place the garlic, ginger, ground coriander, cinnamon stick and saffron/ chicken stock mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4.5 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, add the olives, chilli flakes (if using) and the coriander leaves to your slow cooker. Arrange the lemon slices over the top. Cover and cook for an extra 15 minutes on high. Serve with extra coriander leaves. This dish can be served with a salad, any vegetables or a steamed grain. Enjoy..

MIGNARDISES

Magnardises date back to the 19th century France, when pastry chefs backed small treats at the end of the day in the low residual heat of their ovens. The name 'mignardises' comes from an old french word meaning treats. Ingredients.......185gm of butter/ marg, 6 egg whites, 120gm of almond meal, 240 gm of icing sugar, 110gm of plain flour, 1 tbs of granulated nuts, 100gm of fresh / frozen raspberries/ blueberries. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease 2 x 12 hole mini muffin pans. Melt the butter/ marg and cool. Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the melted butter/ marg, almond meal, icing sugar and flour, stir until well combined. Divide the mixture between the muffin pan holes, sprinkle with nuts and top with a raspberry or blueberry. Bake for 15 minutes in the well preheated oven. Now stand the mignardise in the pans for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack top side up to cool. Enjoy sharing the 'treats' with family and friends, keep them in an airtight container. Well done!!!

POTATO BREAD

Ingredients.....225gm of potatoes, peeled and quartered, 2 tbs of rice bran / canola oil, 250ml of lukewrm milk, 675gm of bread flour, 1 tbs of salt, 1 tbs of instant dried yeast. This recipe makes 2 loaves. # The secret to success with this recipe is to make sure the liquid is only hand hot/ lukewarm when added. Preheat your oven to 200deg C. Grease and line with baking paper, 2 x 23cm x 13cm / 9" x 5" loaf pans. Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of salted boiling water. Drain and reserve the cooking water. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash with the oil and milk. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, salt and yeast together. Put the mashed potato mixture in a bowl. Stir in 250ml of the potato cooking water, then gradually stir in the flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes. roll the dough into 20 small balls. Place 2 rows of balls in each prepared pan, cover with cling wrap and leave in a draught free place to rise. Bake the the loaves for 10 minutes , then reduce the heat to 190 deg C, and bake for a further 40 minutes or until golden.

COCONUT ICE

Ingredients......3 cups of icing sugar, 5 cups of desiccated coconut, 400gm can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 90gm of copha, melted, pink food colouring. Line a square 20cm square pan with baking paper. Combine the icing sugar and coconut and coconut in a large bowl. Add the condensed milk, vanilla extract and melted copha. Mix well. Press half the mixture into the lined pan. Colour the remaining mixture with the pink food colouring. Press the pink mixture evenly over the white layer. Refrigerate overnight/ until set, then cut into squares. My grandsons, Max and Jack love coconut ice because they are not a fan of dried fruit in anything!

CHEESE DUMPLINGS…..LENIVYE VARENIKI

These simple Russian dumplings are very similiar to Italian gnocchi and can be made with any soft cheese, ie..ricotta or cottage cheese. Ingredients.....500gm of ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, 2 eggs lightly beaten, pinch of salt, 200gm of plain flour, 25gm/ 2 tbs of butter/ marg, creme fraiche to serve. Place the cheese, eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl and mix well to combine. Add the flour and fold in until it is thoroughly combined. The dough should be soft and form into a ball. Remove the ball from the bowl and place on a floured bord/ surface. Cut the cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a sausage shape about as thick as your finger. Cut each sausage shape into 3/4"/ 2cm sections. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 1 tsp of salt. Place half the dumplings in the pot and boil for 2 minutes or until they float on the surface. Using a slotted spoon, remove the dumplings from the pot, transfer to a colander and place under running cols water for a few seconds. This stops the dumplings from cooking and washes away excess starch which can cause the dumplings sticking together. Repeat with the second batch of dumplings in the same way. Heat the butter/ marg in a large frying pan. Add the drained dumplings and saute them until heated through and slightly golden. Serve immediately with a serving of creme fraiche.

FRUITY CHRISTMAS SLICE.

Ingredients......2/3rd cup of plain flour, 1/3rd cup of self raising flour, 2 tbs of icing sugar, 90gm of butter/ marg, chopped, 1 egg yolk, 1 tbs of water, 410gm jar of fruit mince, 400gm of sweetened condensed milk, 2/3rd cup of desiccated coconut, 1/3rd cup of slivered almonds, 1/4 cup of flaked almonds, 1/4 cup of plain flour, extra. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Grease and Line a Swiss roll pan (23cm x 30cm). Place the flours, sugar and butter/ marg in your food processor, process until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and water, process until the mixture forms a dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to fit the prepared Swiss pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. On removal of the pastry, reduce the heat of the oven to 180 deg C. In a bowl mix together the fruit mince, 3/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk, the extra flour, coconut and slivered almonds. Spoon this mixture evenly over the pastry. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the fruit mixture, drizzle the remaining sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden. Leave the slice to cool in the pan, then slice into squares.