JAM PINWHEELS

Ingredients......2 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour, pinch of salt, 30gm of butter/ marg cut into small pieces, 1/3 cup of castor sugar, 2/3rds cup of milk, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1/3 rd cup of strawberry jam, extra milk for glazing. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Lightly spray and line an oven tray. Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter/ marg and rub it in with your fingertips. Add the sugar and stir it through. In a small bowl mix together the egg and milk. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the milk and egg mixture. Mix lightly with a flat bladed knife to a soft dough. The dough should have lost its sickiness, ( but not become tough or dry). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench and shape into rectangle about 1 cm thick. Spread the jam over the dough. Roll up from the long side as you would for a Swiss roll. Cut into 2cm lengths. Place the rounds cut side up on the prepared pan and brush with nmilk. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Serve the pinwheel scones warm or cold, as is or with butter or cream.

TUNA FISH QUICHE WITH ITALIAN HERBS

Ingredients ....1 and 1/2 sheets of shortcrust pastry (rolled and joined), 198 gm tin of tuna fish ( drained), 1 tbs of dried onions, 2 tbs of Italian herbs, 1 dsp of fennel seeds, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper, 3 eggs lightly beaten, 285 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 20cm flan dish and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta. Join the 1 and 1/2 sheets of shortcrust pastry sheets, line the flan dish and trim . Drain the tuna fish and mix with all the other ingredients. Pour into the prepared flan dish and cook in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until well risen and firm to touch. Serve as you like or with sliced cucumber , spring onions and sliced tomatoes. It is your dish, enjoy.

GREEN OLIVE , CHORIZO AND TASTY CHEESE CROSTATAS .

Ingredients......1 and 3/4 cups of plain flour, 125gm of butter/ marg, 1 egg yolk, 3 tbs of chilled water, 1 tbs of lemon juice. 700gm of chunky pasta sauce, ( or your own homemade Napoletana sauce), 1/4 cup of pitted green olives, 2 x 125gm chorizo sausages, thinly sliced, 1 and 1/4 cups of grated tasty cheese. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line and grease 2 oven trays, set aside. Place the plain flour and butter/ marg in your food processor and process until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolk, chilled water and lemon juice. With the processor running add the egg yolk mixture and process until the dough comes together. Now turn the dough out onto a sheet of cling wrap and cover the dough and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Remove the dough after chilling and divide the crostata dough into 4 and roll each piece into a 20cm square. Trim and place on the prepared oven trays. Spread each crostata with the / your pasta sauce. Top with sliced chorizo sausage and sliced green olives. Sprinkle with tasty cheese. Bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve sprinkled with fresh oregano leaves. There you go, YOU have just made your very own pizza from scratch. ( crostata means pie in Italian ). WELL DONE.

BASIL PESTO.

Ingredients.....1 large bunch of sweet basil, 100gm of finely grated Parmesan cheese, 125gm of pinenuts, 3 tbs of minced garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place all ingredients in your blender with sufficient oil to give the mixture the consistency of a thick cream. Blend thoroughly, can be used immediately or can be stored in a container in your refrigerator / freezer. This pesto can also be folded through cooked or drained pasta.

BASIL

My favourite herb of all time is basil. Basil has a mouthwatering aroma and is a versatile herb to use with many different types of food. Basil goes well with tomatoes, and tomato based dishes, eggplants, zucchini, marrow, squash and spinach. Basil goes well with cream cheese and in pasta dishes. Basil makes a savoury vinegar when leaves are steeped in a white vinegar for a few weeks.

THE REASON I LOVE TO COOK (2).

My fruit mince cake was offered to my friends with coffee, I explained my recipe. Maureen took my offer on a piece of cake and her her honest comments.... the texture is unlike to 'the traditional' fruit cake, but yes she liked it. Maureen's husband declined my offer, but after Maureen had sampled the cake, she encouraged her husband Roel to try a piece, Roel does not eat sweets. The cake is not overly sweet and Roel ate the cake and nodded in acceptance. I will continue to create my own recipes and I encourage you to do so. Start small, go with your thoughts and know your ingredients and how they react, and do not forget to write your recipe down.

THE REASON I LOVE TO COOK.

To cook, to create is a challenge without a recipe. I depend on my belief in flavours , spices and protein at hand. Today, I made a cake , well I divided the mixture into two. I did not know if this recipe , ( my recipe ) would be successful. I preheated the oven to 180 deg C. The ingredients I used ...... 800gm of preserved dried fruit, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda. I put the above ingredients into the bowl of my mixer and added 400ml of water, 1/2 cup of plain flour, 1 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour, and 2 beaten eggs . I mixed until just combined. Seriously I am not following any recipe, just my instinct. I lined a square pan with baking paper and a smaller round pan with baking paper. I divided the mixture between the two pans. I placed the pans in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, when i tested the cakes with a skewer that came out clean. I then lifted the cakes to a wire rack to cool. The cakes feel amazing to the touch, but we need to know how they taste. I will leave them in air tight containters overnight, and let you know tomorrow.

CHINESE STYLE LAMB CURRY

Ingredients......700gm of boneless lamb ( cut into 1" cubes), 1 cup of chicken stock, 130gm of potatoes cut into 1" cubes, 125gm of sliced mushrooms, 55gm of sliced water chestnuts, 2 carrots sliced,1 green capsicum, deseeded and sliced, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 2 tbs of minced ginger, 1 tbs of curry powder, 2 tbs of sesame oil. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C and lightly oil an ovenproof lidded dish. Alternatively you can lightly grease your slow cooker if you are preparing well ahead of serving time. Heat the sesame oil in a large pan , add the minced garlic and ginger. Add the cubed lamb and cook , stirring until the lamb is sealed. Turn the pan ingredients into the ovenproof dish or your slow cooker, adding the cubed potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle over the curry powder and stir to mix. Add the water chestnuts, capsicum and mushrooms. Finally pour over the chicken stock. Give the lamb curry mixture a stir , cover and cook in the preheated oven for 90 minutes or until the lamb is cooked through. Or if using your slow cooker, cook on low for 4 hours. Serve over steamed rice or a mixed grain and as you can see I topped the lamb curry with sliced onion. Enjoy..

FIG CONSERVE

A conserve is where the fruit stays whole/ halved or quartered in a syrup. Conserves are delicious served with bread / scones and butter. Conserves are also great served with ice cream and or puddings. Ingredients....1 kg of purple figs quartered, 2 lemons finely grated and juiced, 4 cups of sugar. Preheat your oven to 180deg C. Place the quartered figs in a large saucepan with the finely grated lemon rind and juice of the 2 lemons and cook gently until soft. If the heat is too high , the mixture will dry out and you will need to add 2 tbs of water. Now warm the sugar in a bowl for 20 minutes. Then add the the sugar to the figs and heat gently, stirring until dissloved, then increase the heat and gently boil until thickened. Stir thoroughly and then pour into sterilized jars and seal. If you love figs , you will adore fig conserve as a dessert or scone topper...

SOURDOUGH BREAD WITH FRIENDSHIP STARTER

This is the last cup of starter I have from my 10 day mix. You are probably thinking at long last I am going to prepare bread with the friendship starter. I agree the title is a little confusing , friendship bread is a very old recipe from long ago. I have been told this recipe came from Germany ( centuries earlier) and known as Herman's bread. The word bread icluded in all the recipes is because we use a 'starter' that takes 10 days to prepare. The recipe is truly magic and I am so glad and honoured to share it with you. To day we make bread..... Ingredients.....1 cup of friendship starter, 7gm of dried yeast, 1 cup of lukewarm water, 3 tbs of canola oil, 3 cups of bread flour (00/ mid protein ), 1 tsp of salt. Let's begin....Dissolve 7gm of dried yeast in 1 cup of lukewarm water and let stand until creamy (about 10 minutes). In a large non metallic bowl mix together 1 cup of friendship starter , the yeast mix, 3 tbs of canola oil, 2 cups of bread flour, 1 tsp of salt. Finally add another cup of bread flour in 1/4 cup increments, stirring after each addition. Now place the dough in the bowl of your mixer and mix with dough hooksuntil smoothand elastic, about 10 minutes. Oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat the dough. Cover with adamp cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 60 minutes. Preheat your oven now 200deg C. It is your choice about the shape of your bread. If using a loaf pan , just lightly grease it , you can also use a heated Dutch oven, or just a lined and lightly greased oven tray. Deflate the dough and place the dough in the trat/ pan of your choice . Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

FRIENDSHIP APPLE CAKE (4)

Ingredients .....1 cup of friendship bread starter, 2 cups of flour, 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of baking soda, 1 cup of oil, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1 dsp of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of salt, 3 lightly beaten eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 cup of milk, 100gm of instant puddding, 2 apples both peeled, (1 finely chopped , 1 cut into quarters and sliced.) Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line and lightly grease a 24cm x 24cm square pan ( or 2 smaller loaf / round pans). Place all the above ingredients bar the apples,into a large bowl and mix until smooth. I used my electric mixer. Once mixed add the finely chopped apples and stir through. Now pour the batter into the prepared pan/s. Finally top the batter with the sliced apple and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and castor sugar. bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean, if browning too quickly place a sheet of baking paper loosely on top. OMG this is good.

FRIENDSHIP ZUCCHINI CAKE (3).

Ingredients ... 1 cup of friendship bread starter, the original ingredients for the friendship bread, but only adding 1/2 cup of oil, 2 cups of grated zucchini ( squeeze to remove excess liquid), 1 cup of granulated nuts, 1 tsp of ground nutmeg. Bake in the preheated oven in 2 lined and greased loaf pans. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan before removing to a wire rack. Absolutely delicious.

FRIENDSHIP FRUIT CAKE…(2).

Ingredients......1 cup of the friendship bread starter, the ingredients added to the starter for the original friendship bread/ cake. Plus 1/2 cup of Maraschino cherries, drained and chopped, 1/2 cup of granulated nuts, 1 cup of mix dried mixed fruit. Follow the original instructions. For the friendship fruit cake, I lined a 20cm x 20cm pan and poured the batter in. The oven had been preheated to 180 deg C. I baked the friendship fruit cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes ....but cook till a skewer inserted comes out clean. ( only you know your oven ).

DAY 10 OF THE FRIENDSHIP BREAD STARTER./ FRIENDSHIP BREAD /CAKE (1).

MIXING AND DIVIDING THE STARTER ON DAY 10. Pour the entire contents of the starter bag into a non metallic bowl. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of bread flour, 1 and 1/2 cups of castor sugar, 1 and 1/2 cups of milk. Mix with a wooden spoon. Measure out 4 cups of starter batter( 1 cup each) and place in large ziplock backs. Keep a bag of starter for yourself and share the other bags with your friends. I am setting aside one to begin another 10 day starter. The other 4, I will be baking a traditional friendship bread . My first bread ......( traditional ). Ingredients....3 lightly beaten eggs, 1 cup of vegetable oil, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1/2 cup of milk, 1 dsp of ground cinnamon, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of baking soda, 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 cups of plain flour, 150 ozs of dry instant pudding mix. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Liberally spray two loaf pans and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta. In a small bowl mix together 1/4 cup of castor sugar and 1 tsp of ground ciinamon. Place all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and mix until smooth , it will not take long. Divide the mixture between the 2 prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with the cinnamon , sugar mix. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and then remove bread ( friendship cake )from pans.

OLIVE, HALOUMI AND ROSEMARY LOAF

This recipe is my gift to you. It is a savoury loaf and I serve it buttered and topped with whatever chutney jar I have open. Ingredients....1 cup of diced onions, 200ml of olive oil, 4 eggs at room temperature and lightly beaten, 2 cups of chopped kalamata olives, 1 tsp of minced garlic, 2 tbs of soft brown sugar, 250gm of grated haloumi cheese, 1 tsp of baking soda, 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper, 375 gm of plain flour, 300gm of sour cream, 1 tbs of fresh chopped rosemary. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 25cm x 10cm x 10cm loaf pan. Saute the onions in oil with the garlic and then add the chopped olives and rosemary, stir then set aside to cool. In the bowl of your electric mixer add the lightly beaten eggs and sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved, then add the sour cream. Now mix with the cooked onions and olives. Slowly add the mixed flour mixture , whisking out any lumps, forming a smooth batter. Fold through the haloumi cheese and chopped rosemary. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean from the centre. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

CUSTARD CREAMS

Ingredients....125gm of butter/ marg, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of custard powder, 3/4 cup of plain flour, 3/4 cup of self raising flour, 1/2 cup of strawberry jam, 1/2 cup of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of cream. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Beat together the cream cheese with the cream until thickened. Use your electric beaters, to beat the butter/ marg and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Now, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Using a flat bladed knife, incorporate the custard powder and the mixture of self raising and plain flour. Stir with the knife unil ingredients are just combined. Use your fingers to form a soft dough. Roll out 1 tsp of the mixture into balls. arrange the balls about 5cm apart on the oven tray. flatten the balls lightlt with a fork. bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden. Remove from the oven and leave on the trays for 5 minutes and then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread half of the biscuits with 1/4 tsp of strawberry jam and spoon / pipe a small amount of the cream mixture over the jam. Sandwich together with the remaining biscuits.

THE MANOR BOILED FRUIT CAKE

Ingredients....2 cups of mixed fruit, 1 cup of soft brown sugar,110gm of butter/ marg, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda, 3/4 cup of water, 1/4 cup of Apera( cream sherry), 2 tbs of Dutch cocoa, topped to 1/2 cup with plain flour, 1 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour, 2 eggs at room temp , lightly beaten . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm square pan with baking paper. Place the fruit, sugar , butter/ marg, bi carb, and the liquid in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 1 minute only and then allow to cool. Once cooled add the flour mix and the beaten eggs. mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan bang the pan on the bench to expell air pockets. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes or until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

SPICY DATE AND NUT FRUIT CAKE.

Ingredients.....230gm of butter/ marg, 170 gm of soft brown sugar, 45 ml of treacle, 4 eggs lightly beaten, 340gm of self raising flour mixed with 1 dsp of ground nutmeg, 1 tbs of gropund cinnamon, 1 dsp of ground ginger, 60 gm of granulated nuts, 230gm of pitted dates roughly chopped, 340gm of sultanas, 45ml of Apera ( sweet cream sherry). Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm square pan. Cream the butter/ margarine and sugar together. Stir in the treacle. Beat in the lightly beaten eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour spice mix. Now mix in the granulated nuts, the remaining flour, dates, sultanas and Apera. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Slightly hollow the centre of the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours or until the cake is risen and firm to touch, best to check with a skewer inserted and coming out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan and then cool completely on a wire rack. This cake can be stored for 2 weeks in an airtight container or for 4 months in your freezer. I like this cake served simply as is or with a light sprinkle of icing sugar, but this is now your creation, decorate as you like. Enjoy with coffee, tea and friends.

ROGAN JOSH SLOW COOKED.

Ingredients...1 kg of cubed stewing steak, 100ml of canola oil, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 dsp of minced ginger, 1 tbs of sweet paprika, 1 tsp of cracked black pepper, 6 tbs of natural yoghurt, 2 onions peeled and sliced, 150 ml of cold water, 400gm of ripe and sliced tomatoes, 1 tbs of Garam Masala. Liberally spray your slow cooker. Place the oil in a frypan along with the cubed meat and fry /cook until browned. Turn the meat out into the slow cooker. In a medium bowl place the sliced onions and spices and mix to coat the onions, now turn into the pan and cook gently till the onions are tender. Stir in the yoghurt and then add the water and sliced tomatoes, bring to a gentle simmer. Now add the mixture to your slow cooker. Place on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours. To serve transfer to a serving dish with boiled riced and garnish with sliced tomatoes and onion rings. This dish is full of aromas and very welcoming when you arrive home from work.

DAY 5 OF THE 10 DAY BREAD STARTER.

Today , day 5 was time to feed the starter. Ingredients.....1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1 cup of milk. I placed the ingredients separately into the large ziplock bag. Now continue to squash and squish the ingredients to incorporate over the next 5 days. Remember to allow accumulated air out from the bag. The starter is a live culture.

SIMPLE APPLE TOPPED TEACAKE

Ingredients.......1 x 340gm packet of plain cake mix, 1 tbs of softened butter/ margarine, 1 egg lightly beaten, 4 tbs of milk, 2 small apples ( peeled and cored),2 tbs of castor sugar, 1 dsp of cinnamon, 2 tbs of flaked almonds. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Liberally grease and lightly sprinkle with polenta a 20 cm round sandwich pan. Beat the cake mix, egg , milk and softened butter/ marg until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan . Slice each of the peeled apples into 8 wedges. In a small bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon and toss the wedges through the mix. Arrange the wedges over the cake and press down lightly. Sprinkle the remaining sugar- cinnamon mix over along with the flaked almonds. bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Removed from oven and carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. This cake can be served spread with butter if you wish.

APPLE SCONE CAKE

Ingredients.....2 and 1/4 cups of self raising flour, pinch of salt, 1 tsp of ground cardamon, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, 60gm margarine / butter, 1 cup of buttermilk, 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced, 2 extra tbs of castor sugar, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1 extra tbs of sugar. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 23cm round springform pan and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta. Mix together in a large bowl the flour, salt, and 1/2 cup of sugar.Use your fingertips to lightly rub in the margarine/ butter. Now add the buttermilk and stir with a butter knife into a very soft mixture. Pour the dough in the prepared pan and gently spread the top evenly. Mix together 2 tbs of castor sugar with the cinnamon in a bowl and dip the slices into the spice mixture and then press the slices into the scone/ cake mixture. Finally sprinkle the remaining tbs of sugar over. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Carefully remove from the pan and allow to cool before serving sliced and buttered.

LAMB BURGERS

Ingredients.... 340gm of minced lamb meat, 60gm of breadcrumbs, 1 dsp of fennel seeds, 1 dsp of dried rosemary, 1 small zucchini ( finely chopped), 1 egg, lightly beaten, 1 dsp of minced garlic, 1 tsp of minced ginger, 1 dsp of dried onion flakes. These burgers are so tasty and easily prepared. Place all the ingredientsin a large bowl and combine thoroughly. Shape into 4 burgers, brush each burger with a little oil. Place on a hot barbeque or in a pan over a high heat. Cook until the meat is cooked throughout. Turn the burgers and baste with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of rosemary. Serve as desired.

SPINACH AND SALMON PIZZA.

After a warm, busy Saturday it is time for tea/ dinner and what better than a homemade pizza. Ingredients......2 small flat breads, 1/4 cup of tomato paste, fresh baby spinach leaves, 210gm can of pink salmon( drained and flaked ), 125gm of crumbled feta cheese, olive oil for drizzling, lemon wedges for squeezing, cracked black pepper. Preheat your oven to 200deg C. Place the flat breads on an oven tray and bake for 2 minutes, then turn the flat breads over and repeat the process. Spread the tomato paste over the base of each flat bread. Top with the fresh baby spinach leaves, the flaked salmon, crumbled feta cheese and a healthy sprinkle of cracked black pepper. Lightly sprinkle with oil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes . Remove and squeeze with a little lemon juice. Serve immediately.

THE PREPARATION OF A 10 DAY BREAD STARTER

What is a starter?... A starter is a is a bacterial or fungal culture used to initate fermentation and flavour development. Ingredients ....1/4 cup of warm water, 1 packet of insatnt dry active yeast (7gm), 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1 cup of milk. Do not use any metal spoons or bowls. In a small non metal bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of warm water and the dried active yeast. Set aside until bubbly.( about 10 minutes in a warm environment ). In a large non metal bowl mix together the flour, castor sugar. Stir in the cup of milk and the yeast mixture,( it will be lumpy ). Cover loosely and leave on your bench until bubbly. Pour the starter in a large ziplock bag. You are now on a wonderous food journey.... Seal the bag and squish, squash and mush until well combined. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Repeat the squishing process until day 6. Do not refrigerate the starter, if air gets in the bag, let it out. It is normal for the starter to rise and ferment.

CHOUX CHEESE BREAD

This is a cooking class lesson in one......for this recipe you need pastry flour. What is pastry flour, you ask?. It is a flour that is light in gluten, you can use gluten free plain flour or if you only have plain flour in your pantry, measure out 125gm of plain flour into a mixing bowl, remove 1 tbs and add 1 tbs of cornstarch/ cornflour, sift together to make sure the mixture is well combined. This combination of flour is also known as cake flour. Ingredients......1 and 1/2 cups of water, 1 tsp of salt, 130 gm of butter/ marg, 250 gm of pastry flour, 5 eggs lightly beaten, 250gm of Gruyere cheese, cubed, 30 gm of grated chedder cheese. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Cover a large oven tray with baking paper. Place 1 and 1/2 cups of water, salt and butter/ marg in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. When boiling add all the flour and combine with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring until the mixture leaves the side of the saucepan and remove from the heat. When cooladd the beaten eggs a little at a time, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon. Add the Gruyere cheese cubesto the pastry and mix well. Turn the mixture out onto the lined baking tray. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Cook for 60 minutes or until golden on the surface.

FRUIT MINCE CHEESECAKE SLICE

Ingredients......12 plain sweet biscuits, crushed,30 gm of butter/ marg, melted, 250 gm of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, 2 tbs of plain flour, 3 eggs lightly beaten, 400gm of fuit mince, 1/2 cup of natural full cream yoighurt, finely grated rind of 1 lemon. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake pan. Combine the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter/ marg and press into the base of the prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm. Beat together the cream cheese and castor sugar until smooth, beat in the flour and finally the eggs. Stir in the yoghurt, fruit mince and lemon rind. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until firm in the centre. Remove from the oven and allow to cool and then chill thoroughly before slicing into portions.

JELLY CHEESECAKE

Ingredients for the base.....230gm of plain sweet biscuits, 150gm of butter/ marg (melted). Filling......110gm of cream cheese, 3/4 cup of castor sugar, 375ml can of evaporated milk, chilled, 85 gm packet of of lemon jelly crystals, 1 cup of boiling water, 1 tbs of lemon juice, 300 ml of whipped cream and the grated zest of 1 lemon. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Dissolve the jelly crystals in the boiling water and set aside to cool. Grease a 20cm springform pan. To make the base, mix the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter/ marg, then press into the prepared pan, over base and up around the sides. Cook in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then put in the fridge to cool. To prepare the filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar until combined. In a separate bowl beat the evaporated milk until very thick. Now add the cream cheese mixture to thickened evaporated milk and beat in to incorporate. When the jelly mixture is cold stir in the tbs of lemon juice. Add the jelly mixture to the cream cheese mixture and stir well. Pour the filling mixture over the biscuit base. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. To finish off the jelly cheesecake, spread the whipped cream over the cake and top with grated lemon zest.

SAVOURY COB LOAF

This is not only great party food, it is also a great entree served with drinks and nibbles. Ingredients.....1 round loaf of bread, 250gm of cream cheese, 300ml of cream, 300gm of diced and cooked ham, 2 spring onions finely chopped, 2 cups of tasty grated cheese. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Slice off the top of the cob loaf and set aside. Pull out the soft bread inside the loaf, breaking it into pieces. You can leave the poieces fresh or bake them on an oventray in the preheated oven until golden brown, your choice. To make the dip.....mix the cream cheesewith the creamuntil smooth. Mix in the chopped bacon pieces, spring onions and grated cheese. Place the hob on a double sheet of elongated foil. Spoon the mixture into the hollow loaf. Place the top of the hob loaf over top. Wrap the loaf in aluminium foil and bake for 75 minutes. Remove from the oven , remove the foil and serve with the pieces of bread on the side for dipping.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

This recipe is a real trip down memery lane for me. My young children loved these. Ingredients.....500gm of beef mince, 1/2 cup of rice, 1 onion finely chopped, 1 medium carrot grated, 1 stick of celery thinly sliced, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 x 425gm can of condensed tomato soup, 1 cup of water. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease an ovenproof dish/ casserole with cooking spray. Place the beef, rice, onion,carrot, celery and minced garlic in a bowl. Use your hands to combine the ingredients well and shape into small balls. Place the meatballs in the prepared dish. Place the tomato soup and 1 cup of water in the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Now pour the mixture over the meatballs, cover and cook for 50 minutes. Serve as you wish , I used to serve with mashed potatoes, nowadays I serve the meatballs with steamed green beans.

THE MANOR BREAKFAST SANDWICH.

Ingredients ......1 round of wholemeal thins, butter/ marg, mint jelly, slice of cheese ( havarti.. your choice), slice of siverside, small tomato sliced, baby spinach leaves to cover the bread thins. Spread the slice with the butter/ marg, coat each side lightly with the mint jelly. Top with a slice of cheese, a slice of silverside,( I do alternate between sliverside and pastrami) sliced tomato and top with spinach leaves. Enclose with the 2 thin slices . Slice and enjoy with your fresh brewed coffee/ tea. A great start to any day.

CARAMELS

Today while shopping , I was asked if I had a recipe for homemade caramels, this person wanted to take something special to her grandsons birthday party.... I have not made these for a long time, they are so good. Ingredients.....395gm of sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup of castor sugar, 125 gm of butter/ marg, 125ml of golden syrup. Grease and line a 20cm square pan with baking paper. Mix together the sweetened condensed milk, sugar, butter and syrup in a medium saucepan. Using a heatproof spatula stir the mixture over a low heat until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly until the mixture is a dark caramel in colour. Remove from the heat and let the bubbles subside. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Refrigerate overnight, slice into squares using a lightly oiled sharp knife. Grandma your caramels will be the hit of your grandsons' party.

MUESLI AND BANANA MUFFINS

Ingredients.....300gm of self raising flour, 1/2 tsp of ground mixed spice, 2 cups of muesli. 100gm of sooft brown sugar, 2 bananas mashed, 125gm of softened butter/ marg, 2 eggs, lightly beatem,2 tbs of honey, 175 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease 12 x 1/2 cup muffin pans. Combine the flour, cinnamon, mixed spice, muesliand sugar in a large bowl. In another bowl mix together with your electric beaters the banana, butter/ marg, eggs, honey and milk, Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredientsuntil JUST combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes of until a skewe inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan and then turn out onto a wire rack. These are great in the school lunch box, also great with a coffee / tea.

STUFFED EGGS

Ingredients......4 eggs, 225gm of chopped bacon pieces, 4 tbs of grated tasty cheese, 4 tbs of sour cream, 1 dsp of wholgrain mustard, 1 dsp of dried chives, 3 tbs of breadcrumbs, 25gm of melted butter/ marg, sprig of parsley to serve. These are such great finger food, salad and picnic ware. Lower the eggs into boiling water and roll the eggs around for 2 minutes to help set the yolks. Cook for a further 8 minutes. Drain and leave them sit bin cold water until ready to shell. Shell the eggs, halve them lenghth ways and remove the yolks. Place the yolks in a bowl and mix together with the cheese,, sour cream, wholegrain mustard, chives and bacon pieces. Now spoon the mixture back into the egg whites. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and drizzle with the melted butter/ marg. Place the the prepared egg halves under a preheated griller and grill for 3 minutes or until crispy and golden. Serve with garnished parsley. These are delicious and full of memories from the 70's.

BEEF IN GUINNESS

Ingredients....750gm of chuck steak, 225gm of baby carrots, 3 tbs of oil, 2 onions peeled and chopped, 3 tbs of plain flour, cracked black pepper to taste, 1 dsp of fresh basil, chopped, 150ml of guinness, 1 dsp of honey, 150ml of beef stock. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish/ casserole. Cut the chuck steak into 1" thick pieces. Trim the carrots into finger length pieces. Heat the oil and fry the onions until tender, then transfer them to the ovenproof dish. Season the flour with the cracked pepper, coat the meat with the flour and fry in the pan with the oil until browned then transfer to the dish with the carrots. Stir the remaining flour into the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the basil and guinness, bring to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Now stir in the honey and the stock and pour over the meat. Cover the dish and bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes. Serve with boiled rice and steamed cabbage. Guinness is tradionally drunk with oysters fresh from the sea. Guinness is Irish lager and I am told that nowhere but in Ireland does it taste exactly as it should. Guinness gives a lovely rich flavour and tenderises meat during the cooking process.

FIG AND ROSEMARY CHUTNEY

Ingredients......1 kg castor sugar, 1 kg of figs, 1 cup of fresh rosemary sprigs, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 2 tbs of fennel seeds, 1 dsp of curry powder, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tbs of minced ginger, 1 small onion , peeled and chooped. Remove the stalks from the figs. Cut the figs roughly, DO NOT PEEL. Place the figs in a large pot and pour over 500gm of the sugar to cover the figs. Stir well to combine, now let stand until juice rises. Place the pot over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder, minced garlic, ginger and chopped onion. Continue to simmer till the onion softens. Now add the remaining 500 gm of sugar, vinegar, fennel seeds and the fresh rosemary sprigs. Simmer for a further 40 minutes , stirring occasionally as cooked fruit has a tendency to sink and the juice rises. remove from heat. Pour into hot, sterilised jars, seal and label. Place in a cool dark area of your pantry and letb sitb for 2 weeks before opening , once opened keep in the refrigerator. The chutney will last for 8 - 10 months. This recipe came about as I was the happy recepient of the rosemary from Roel and Maureen's garden, fig and rosemary are the perfect flavour partners.

A TIP FOR MARINATING MEAT OR FISH

Marinating meat or fish in oil, cider or wine before cooking tenderises it. Add fresh whole herbs to the oil, cider or wine to give the marinade extra flavour. Try to think ahead about the meals you are going to make through the week , because if you are using a marinade, it is best to cover the meat or fish with marinade and leave it in a cool place turning occasionally. At best leave the marinating meat or fish marinating in the refrigerator overnight. Remember, it is always flavours of food enjoyed that evoke lasting memories.

GERMAN CAKE

Ingredients.......45gm of butter/ marg, 1/2 cup of warm mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup of castor sugar, 1 egg, beaten, 1/2 cup of sultanas, 2 cups of self raising flour, 1 tsp of ground nutmeg, 1 tsp of mixed spice, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1 cup of milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a 20cm pan with baking paper. Mix the butter into the warm mashed potatoes, then add the sugar and beaten egg, Continue to use your electric beater to mix in the blended flour and spices and then the milk Finally mix through the sultanas. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. A topping is optional ........but when the cake is removed from the oven, I lightly drizzled the top of the cake with honey and a scatter of granulated nuts. N.B.I found this recipe in a very old recipe book and this is my third attempt at the recipe. The recipe was very sparse in direction and written in a time way before 'all the electric gadgets' we now have at hand in the most basic of kitchens. Follow my version of the recipe and you will be rewarded.

RHUBARB CHUTNEY

Ingredients.....500gm of rhubarb stalks, cut into 2 cm pieces, 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped,1 tsp of curry powder, 100ml of white vinegar, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper. Place all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to the boil. Continue to simmer for 45 minutesor until thickened, stirring occasionally. Bottle in sterilised jars and then seal. Store in a cool, dark place and allow to sit for 10 days before using, to allow flavours to develop. Once opened store in the refrigerator. Unopened the chutney will keep for 9 months.

ZUCCHINI SOUP

Ingredients.......1 dsp of butter/ marg, 1 small onion, chopped, 1 medium potato,(I had no potatoes so I used sweet potato )sliced, 500gm of zucchini, sliced, 2 cups of chicken stock, 1 tsp Italian herb mix, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, 1 dsp of minced garlic, 1/3 rd cup of cream, dried chives to garnish. Place all the ingredients, except the cream and chives in your slow cooker or heavy based saucepan. Cover and simmer until the vegeatables are soft. Now allow the softened vegetables to cool a little and carefully use a hand blender to puree the mixture. Finally stir through the cream. Sprinkle with the dried chives to serve. Serve with crusty bread/ rolls.

PINEAPPLE MUFFINS

Ingredients....1 cup of crushed weetbix, 3/4 cup of milk, pinch of bi carb of soda, 55gm of softened butter/ marg, 55gm of castor sugar, 1 egg lightly beaten, 2 tbs of honey, 1/2 cup of crushed and drained pineapple, 2 cups of plain flour, 3 tsp of baking powder. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a muffin tray with muffin cases. Place the crushed weet-bix in a medium bowl with the milk and bi carb of soda and set aside. Cream the butter/ marg and sugar together with you electric beaters. Now stir in the honey , the lightly beaten egg and the milky weet-bix and crushed pineapple. Mix till just combined. Finally mix together the flour and baking powder and fold the flour mixture through the wet mixture. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ?

Here are the answers to last months challenge. 1. Oolong, 2. Melt, 3. Jerky, 4. Gnache, 5. Infuse. Here is my challenge for you this month .... 1. A large cylidrical green fruit, known as summer squash? 2.A most important food item both for its nutrition and texture and are enclosed in a shell of calcium carbonate?. 3.A large thick portion of animal flesh often includind some bone?. 4.If you get this, you can give yourself double points...Interspersed with long visible flecks of fat, usually a sign of high quality in lean beef? 5.Wheat made from any type of soft flour, between 9-10% protein and no raising agents?

FEIJOA CHUTNEY

Ingredients......500gm of feijoas ( trimmed), 500gm of chopped onions, 500gm of sultanas, 7 gm salt, 250gm of soft brown sugar, 1/2 tsp of ground cloves, 1 dsp of curry powder, 15gm of ground ginger, 1 tsp of sweet paprika, 550ml of white vinegar. Mince or process the onions, feijoas and raisins. Place in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, sugar and spices and finally the vinegar. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 hour or until thickened. Pour into sterilised jars and seal while hot. Store in a cool dark place. Keep for 3 weeks before opening to allow flavours to develop. The chutney will keep for 12-18 months in a cool dark place. Once opened keep in your refrigerator. N.B. Feijoas are in season March to June, my friend Maureen shared some of her frozen feijoas with me, which is the reason I was able to make the chutney , thank you Maureen and Roel.

APRICOT SHORTBREAD SLICE

Ingredients.....( shortbread), 110gm butter/ marg, 230gm of self raising flour, 2 egg yolks. Ingredients.....( topping ), 170 gm of apricot jam, 2 egg whites, 1 tbs of castor sugar. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm slice pan. Shortbread..Mix the flour and sugar together and use your fingers to rub in the butter and add the beaten egg yolks until you have a dough consistency.....if the dough is very dry , add a tiny bit of water. Now press the dough into the prepared slice pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool . Leave the oven on. While the shortbread base is cooling, prepare your topping. Beat the egg whites with your electric mixer and add the tbs of sugar, a little at a time, until stiff peaks form. Spread the apricot jam over the cooled shortbread. Spread the thickened egg whites over the jam and return the slice the oven and bake until golden. Cool, then slice into fingers or squares to serve.

ORANGE AND COCONUT MACAROONS

Ingredients....2 egg whites, 2 tbs of sugar, 1 tbs of finely grated orange zest, pinch of salt, 105gm of desiccated coconut, 1 tsp of arrowroot ( potato starch / rice flour). Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Place the egg whites, sugar, salt and orange zest in the bowl of your electric mixer and mix until light and airy. Stir the arrowroot flour through the coconut and fold this into the egg white mixture. Until well combined. Using a dessertspoon, place 12 rounds of the macaroon mixture on a baking paper lined oven tray. Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the macaroon tops are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving. Store in an airtight container.

GNOCCHI WITH SAGE AND PINE NUTS

Ingredients ....2 redonions , roughly chopped, 600gm of 'all rounder' potatoes, 1 tbs of minced garlic, oil for drizzling, 90 gm of quinoa flour, 1 egg, 100gm of finely grated cheese, 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg, 6 tbs of butter/ marg, 1/3 cup of sage leaves, handful of pine nuts,1 dsp of fennel seeds. This dish was a staple at Castle Garden and is often requested when we all get together. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease and line a baking tray. Wash and peel the potatoes, then boil in lightly salted water. Drain and leave to cool, then mash and set aside. Drizzle a frypan with the oil, sprinkle with cracked black pepper, add the minced garlic and chopped onion. Cook over a medium heat until the onions are softened and starting to colour. Combine the mashed potato with the onion mixture in a large bowl and add the quinoa flour, lightly beaten egg, Parmesan and nutmeg. Mix with your hands until well combined. Now form the dough into tbs balls. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Drop 4 pieces of gnocchi at a time into the water, lower the temperature and simmer until the gnocchi rises to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoonand keep warm on the prepared oven tray in the preheated oven to keep warm whuile you cook the rest of the gnocchi in batches. When the gnoccci are cooked , prepare the sage butter/ marg. Melt the butter/ marg (in the pan you cooked the onions) over a medium heat, add the sage leaves and a dsp of fennel seeds. Cook for 3 minutes until the sage leaves start to wilt. To serve ... place the gnocchi on serving plates, pour the sage butter/ marg over the top and sprinkle with pine nuts.. Delicious....

IT’S JUST THE BEST PASTA EVER…( AND GLUTEN FREE).

Ingredients......250gm of gluten free cornflour, 140gm of potato flour, 300gm of fine polenta, 3 eggs beaten, 11 egg yolks beaten ( keeping the egg whites aside for another dish ) , 185ml of soda water,(not an ingredient) an old fashioned clothes horse. The trick to making this pasta is ...you have to knead it firmly and have patience , it does work. Mix the flours and polenta into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten eggs , using your hands to work them into the flour. Now make another well and add the egg yolks and work them into the mixture, adding a little soda water ( 2 tbs at a time ), until the mixture comes together to form a firm elastic mixture. Place the dough on a long sheet of baking paper, lightly dusted with a little extra fine polenta. Knead the dough with the heel of your hand firmly for 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a log and divide into 5 portions. Cover the portions loosely with cling wrap. Place one portion of the dough on the floured baking paper , lightly sprinkle your rolling pin and gently roll out the pasta dough to 3mm thick. Set aside and repeat this process with the remaining dough portions. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough lengthwise into 1 cm wide strips , or your desired width. Drape the the prepared dough lengths over the 'clothes horse'. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted simmering water with a few drops of olive oil, until el dente, in batches ( do not overcrowd your pot). Drain and serve with your favourite pasta sauce. This is how I would teach you to make pasta, just as I was taught. This is my gift to you. But the world has changed and I know your kitchens are full of all the electric mixers, yes you can use my recipe to prepare this amazing pasta with your wizz bang machines. A morning or afternoon preparing pasta with your hands is envigorating and heart felt..remembering how pasta has been hand made for centuries. Enjoy.

AVOCADO DIP

Ingredients.....250gm tub of cream cheese, 1 avocado (peeled, stoned and mushed), 1 tbs of lemon juice, 1 dsp of minced garlic. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with chicken wings, corn chips or crisp raw vegetables. Always on the table at a start to an occasion.

POTATO AND CREAM CHEESE FRITTER

Ingredients....250 gm of potatoes ( all rounder), 60 gm of cream cheese, 2 eggs (separated ), 1/2 tsp of mustard powder,1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper, canola oil for cooking. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Peel the potatoes, grate them coasely and transfer them to a bowl. Cover with cold water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry on paper towelling. Mix the cream cheese and egg yolks together until smooth , then season with cracked pepper and mustard powder. Whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the egg yolk and cream cheese mixture. now fold in the grated potato mixture. Heat 2 tbs of canola oil in a large pan over a med/ high heat. Spoon 1 tbs of the mixture into the heated pan, you should be able to fry four fritters at a time, but make sure the fritters are spaced apart. Flatten each fritter lightly with the bak of a spoon to flatten slightly. Fry for 3 minutes or until crisp and golden, turning once. drain on crumpled paper towelling and the transfer to the preheated oven to keep crisp and warm. Repeat with the remaining mixture. These fritters are amazing , serve them as a side dish to your beef/ pork / lamb or fish. I like to serve them at breakfast with bacon and eggs.

ETON MESS

Ingredients......4-6 ready made meringues, 250 gm of strawberries, 1 dsp of cator sugar, 250 ml of cream. This is such a simple dessert to prepare, break the meringues into pieces. Slice the strawberries into quarters and put them into a bowl with the sugar. Using the back of a spoon , squash the strawberries slightly so they become juicy. Whip the cream with your electric beaters until peaks hold. Gently mix everything together and sppon in between 4 dessert glasses. I often prepare this dish with the addition of 6 broken chocolate ripple biscuits and or 1 packet of lime jelly ( set and broken into pieces), if you are adding these ingredients increase the cream to be thickened to 750ml. I encourage you to make the dishes you serve your own.

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE AND CIDER

Ingredients......1 tbs of canola oil, 2 onions peeled and sliced, 2 Golden Deliciuos apples, cored and sliced into wedges, 1 dsp of castor sugar, 1 dsp of butter/marg, 1 dsp of milk, 4 thick cut pork chops( snipped around the edges), 80 ml of apple cider, 80 ml of cream. Heat the oil in a large frypan, add the sliced onions until soft and beginning to brown, tip the onion out onto a plate and set aside. Add the apple wedges to the pan and fry them for a minute , do not them soften to a point of breaking up. Add the sugar and and butter/ marg and shake the pan until the apples start to caramalise, then transfer the apples to the onions. Put the pork chops in the frypan and fry them for 3 minutes on each side. Return the onion and apples to the pan and heat them up, now add the cider and bring to a simmer. Once the liquid is bubbling stir through the cream and shake the pan to mix everything together. let it simmer for a further minute, season with cracked black pepper and serve with a green leaf salad and or a vegetable of your choice.