LAMINGTONS.

Ingredients......6 eggs, 150gm of castor sugar, 50gm of cornflour, 75gm of plain flour, 50gm of self raising flour, 160 gm of desiccated coconut. Icing.....640 gm of icing sugar, 50gm of cocoa powder, 15gm of melted butter/ marg, 250 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm rectangular pan, extend the baking paper 5cm over the long sides of the pan. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with your electric mixer about 10 minutes until thick and creamy, gradually add the sugar beating until dissolved between additions. Mix the flours together in a separate bowl and fold into the egg mixture. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Turn the cake out onto a baking paper lined wire rack to cool. Now make the chocolate icing. mix the icing sugar and cocoa into a medium saucepan over a low heat . Stir in the butter and milk. Stir until the icing is of a coating consistency, slightly thickened. Place the coconut into a medium bowl. Slice the cake into into 16 peices, dip each piece into the icing mixture , draining off excess. Toss the slices into the coconut and place on the wire rack to set.

ZUCCHINI, CREAMED CORN AND BACON SOUP .

Ingredients.......1 tbs of canola/ rice bran oil, 40gm of butter/ marg, 1 medium sized onion coarse;y chopped, 300gm of chopped bacon pieces, 4 medium sized zucchini, coarsely chopped, 2 x 400gm cans of creamed corn, 1 x 400gm can of whole kernal corn drained, 2 tbs of ground fennel, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 2 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of vegetable stock, 180 ml of evaporated milk. Heat the butter and oil in the base of your slow cooker. Heat on high, add the onion and bacon pieces, zucchini, creamed corn, kernals, seasonings and stock. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high. Turn your slow cooker off and stir through the evaporated milk and season with cracked black pepper. I serve this with crusty garlic bread.

LEMON POPPY SEED SYRUP CAKE (2)

Ingredients........Use the previous recipe for the lemon poppy seed cake. Syrup.....220 gm of castor sugar, 160 ml of lemon juice, 80 ml of water. Using a wooden spoon stir the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan over a low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Then bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes without stirring. Pour the hot syrup over the hot/ warm cake.

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE.(1)

Ingredients........50gm of poppy seeds, 60ml/1/4 cup of milk, 185gm of butter/ marg softened, 1 tbs of finely grated lemon rind, 1 cup / 220gm of castor sugar, 3 eggs lightly beaten, 225gm of self raising flour, 75 gm of plain flour, 60 gm of almond meal, 1/2 cup / 125ml of lemon juice. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease and line a 22cm round cake pan with baking paper. Combine the poppy seeds and milk in a small bowl, let stand for 20 minutes. Beat the butter/ marg, rind and sugar with your electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the lightly beaten eggs, flours, almond meal, juice and poppy seed mixture, mix until just combined. Place the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack, top side up.

RICOTTA CHEESE CAKE

Ingredients......85gm of sultanas, 70 gm of butter/ marg at room temperature, 150 gm of castor sugar, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 3 tbs of rice flour, 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder, pinch of salt, the grated rind of 1/2 lemon, 450 gm of ricotta cheese. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Generously grease a 15cm / 6" diameter pie / tart dish and sprinkle the base and side with 1 tbs of the castor sugar. Soak the sultanas in hot water for 15 minutes to plump them up. Beat the butter/ marg with the remaining sugar until creamy and pale. Mix in the grated rind, flour, salt, baking powder and the beaten eggs. Now add the ricotta and beat until well incorporated. Drain the sultanas and fold through the mixture. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the prepared dish and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until tested with a small skewer and it comes out clean. Leave to cool and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving in slices. This ricotta cheesecake is much lighter than American style cheesecakes.

TASTY MEATY BALLS (2)… YORKSHIRE DELIGHTS.

Ingredients.. Tasty meaty balls same as the recipe for tasty meaty balls (1), 1 cup / 125gm of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 eggs , lightly beaten, 1cup / 250 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Lightly spray your 12 hole muffin pan with cooking oil spray. Prepare your tasty meaty balls as per the previous recipe. Add a meatball to each muffin hole and place in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Meanwhile prepare your batter. Place the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the lightly beaten eggs and half the milk. Whisk together until you have a smooth batter. Finally whisk min the remaining milk and pour into a jug. Lift bthe pan from the oven and qickly pour the batter over the meaty balls 1/2 filling each muffin hole Return the filled pan to the oven and bake for 12- 15 minutes or until well risen and golden.

TASTY MEATY BALLS (1)

Ingredients....750 gm of lean mince (your choice chicken, beef, pork), 1 tsp of ground ginger, 1 dsp of fennel seeds, 2 tbs of Italian dried herbs, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1 tbs of minced garlic, dry breadcrumbs to coat. Lightly spray a frypan with cooking oil. Mix all the ingredients except the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Use a tbs to form balls. Coat the meatballs in the dry breadcrumbs. Fry in the lightly greased pan over a medium high heat, turning evry couple of minutes for 10 minutes or until cooked through. These can be added to your favourite tomato / vegetable sauce and served over cooked pasta or steamed rice. These meaty balls are great served on toothpicks as a starter before dinner.

GINGER GEMS

Ingredients......50gm of butter/ marg, 2 tbs of golden syrup, 1/4 cup of soft brown sugar, 2 eggs lightly beaten,2 cups of plain flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda, 1 tbs of ground ginger, 1 cup of milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 12 hole muffin pan . Melt the butter/ marg and the golden syrup together in a saucepan large enough to mix all the ingredients. Mix in the brown sugar. In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients and add the dry ingredient mix to the saucepan. Mix together the beaten eggs and the milk and add to the saucepan and mix quickly to just combine. Divide the mixture between the muffin holes and 3/4 fill. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. These are so aromatic and delicious.

YOGHURT FRUIT LOAF

Ingredients......100gm of softened butter/ margarine, 1 dsp of finely grated orange rind, 165gm of castor sugar, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 320gm of self raising wholemeal flour, 280 gm of Greek yoghurt, 80ml of orange juice, 360 gm of dried mixed fruit. Preheat your oven 160 deg C. Grease a 14cm x 21cm loaf pan. Beat together in the bowl of your electric mixer the butter/ marg, rind, sugar, eggs, flour, yoghurt and juice on a low speed until just combined. Stir in the mixed fruit. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and cover lossely with foil. Bake for 1 and 1/4 hours in the preheated oven. Remove the foil and continue to bake for a further 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and leave the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out to cool top side up on a wire rack. This loaf should be served at room temperature or toasted, with butter.

TAJ MAHAL OF MUFFINS

Ingredients......2 cup[s of flour, 1 tbs of baking powder, 1 tbs of curry powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of fruit chutney, 50gm of butter/ marg. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 12 hole muffin pan. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Mix together the lightly beaten eggs and milk together , then mix in the chutney. Melt the butter/ marg and add to the egg/ chutney mixture. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and mix everything together with a flat bladed knife, until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin holes 3/4 full with the muffin batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly touched or when a skewer inserted comes out clean.

POTATO STICKS

Ingredients......250gm of peeled and cooked potatoes, ( floury potatoes are best ie pontiac/ desiree), 60 gm of butter/ marg, 2 egg yolks lihtly beaten, 125gm of self raising flour, cracked black pepper, 1 tbs of dried chives, 1 egg lightly beaten, sesame seeds. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Grease and line an oven tray. Mix the lightly beaten egg yolks through the mashed potatoes with the butter/ marg until creamy. Beat in the flour, pepper and chives to form a dough, chill for 60 minutes. LIghtly roll out the dough into a rectangle 1 cm thick. Cut into sticks 1 cm wide and 6 cm long. Twist the sticks and brush lighly with the beaten egg. Now place the sticks on the prepared tray and sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and leave on oven tray to cool completely.

ORANGE AND PORK MEDALLIONS

Ingredients.....1 medium sized naval orange, sliced, 1/3rd cup of orange juice, 4 pork loin medallions, 1 dsp of butter/ marg, cracked black pepper. If you can't get pork medallions , you can make your own from pork loin chops, remove the rind and underlying fat and cut off the bone. Preheat your oven to 120 deg C. Sprinkle the cracked black pepper over the base of your fry pan. Melt the butter/ marg in the pan, then add the medallions . When the first side seal, sprinkle the uncooked side with more pepper. Turn and seal the top side. Turn the medallions once more , lower the heat and cook for 4 minutes. remove the medallions to a plate and keep warm in the just warm oven. Now brown the orange slices on both sides. Remove slices and deglaze the pan with the orange juice over a medium high heat to reduce the glaze slightly. Return the medallions to the pan briefly in the glaze and place a slice of orange on each. Serve with vegetables of your choice.

CAPPUCCINO MUFFINS

Ingredients.......2 cups of plain flour, 3 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 cup of soft brown sugar, 1/4 cup of cream, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1 cup of cold strong black coffee, icing sugar to dust. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease 2 x mini muffin trays / or 1 x regular muffin tray. Mix together the flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Mix in the brown sugar. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl beat together the cream and egg until combined, pour into the dry ingredients along with the coffee. Mix until just combined. 3/4 fill the greased muffin pans. Bake in the preheated oven till muffins spring back when lightly touched /15 minutes for mini muffins or 20 minutes for regular muffin pans.

COUNTRY GARDEN SOUP

Ingredients.......1 cup of corn kernals, 2 tbs of canola oil/ rice bran oil, 600gm of beef bones, 500gm of chuck steak, cubed, 10 cups of water, 2 bay leaves, 5 whole black peppercorns, 1 onion chopped, 1/2 cup of pearl barley, 2 carrots chopped, 2 potatoes peeled and chopped, 1 turnip peeled and chopped, 3 tomatoes chopped, 1 cup of green peas. Heat the oil in a large soup pot, add the bones and the cubed chuck steak, stirring until browned. Add the water, bay leaves, peppercorns, onion, cover the pot and simmer over a low heat for 2 hours. Now remove the bones and skim any fat from the surface. Add the barley, cover and continue to simmer, over a low heat for 40 minutes. Next add the chopped carrots, celery, potato, turnip and tomatoes. Simmer, covered over a low heat for 35 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Finally add the peas and corn and simmer covered until cooked through and tender. Just like my mum and Aunt Ruby used to make....

NO FUSS WHOLE CITRUS FRUIT CAKE.

You can use a lemon, lime, orange, mandarin or tangarine. I used key limes as I have a key lime tree growing in my back garden. The fruit should weigh 200gm, including the rind. Ingredients......Citrus fruit weighing 200gm, 175 gm of butter/ margarine at room temperature, 3 eggs lightly beaten, 1 cup of castor sugar, 2 cups of self raising flour. You can also replace the self raising flour with 250gm of almond meal and 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder. Okay, let's get started. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 22cm round or square cake pan. Wash the citrus fruit you are using and cut into wedges, removing any pips. The unpeeled wedges should weigh 200gm. Place the unpeeled wedges into your processor. Process until finely chopped. Add the butter, eggs, sugar, flour and process until well combined. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until tested with a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the cake stand in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Moist, full of flavour and delicious!!

MEAT LOVER’S PIZZA - A DIFFERENT WAY TO SERVE MINCE.

Ingredients.....500gm of lean beef mince, sprinkle of dried Italian herbs, 1 small red mini capsicum, 4 tbs of tomato paste, 100gm of grated tasty cheese, 2 tbs of minced garlic, sprinkle of dried chives, sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, sprinkle of ground paprika. Mix the mince in a bowl with the dried Italian herbs, minced garlic, Line a medium fry pan with baking paper and heat over a medium heat. Press the mince onto the baking paper to form the base of the 'pizza'. Cover the pan and cook on medium high till the mince changes colour. Turn the meat over and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Spread the tomato paste over the mince then sprinkle the chopped capsicum over followed by the grated cheese, a light sprinkle of Italian herbs, chives and chopped parsley. Cover the pan and cook on medium till the cheese melts. Serve with crusty bread and a salad or as you desire.

OLD FASHIONED MACAROON CAKE

Ingredients.......125gm of butter/ margarine, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 3 eggs (separated), 1 and 1/4 cups of plain flour, 1 and 1/4 tsp of baking powder, 2 tbs of milk, 4 tbs of soft berry jam / lemon curd. Ingredients for the macaroon topping.... 1/2 cup of granulated white sugar, 1 tsp of cornflour, 3/4 cup of desiccated coconut, 3/4 cup of quick or rolled oats. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm / 8" springform round pan. Cream the butter/ margarine, castor sugar and vanilla extract add the beaten egg yolks and mix through. Mix together the dry ingredients and fold into the butter/ marg mixture in 3 alternate amounts with the milk. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan. Carefully spoon the soft jam / curd over the batter surface, keeping off the edges as much as possible. Set aside, while you prepare the macaroon topping. Beat the egg whites stiffly and gradually add the granulated sugar, beating well between each addition. Mix together the oats, cornflour and coconut, carefully spread this mixture over the jam layer. Bake in the preheated oven for for 40 - 45 minutes ( till lightly golden). leave the cake stand in the pan for 5 minutes before removing the sides of the pan and allowing the cake to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice as required to serve.

PIZZA SCONE

Ingredients.....1/4 cup of tomato paste, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of dried oregano, cracked black pepper to taste. To make the tomato sauce, mix all the ingredients together and set aside for an hour to allow the flavours to combine. Ingredients......for the pizza scone base....2 cups of self raising flour, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/3 cup of water, 30gm of melted marg/ butter. Ingredients for the pizza scone topping.......1/2 cup of chopped ham/ salami/ perreroni, 1/2 small onion finely sliced, 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms (optional), 1/4 cup of chopped red capsicum, 1/4 cup of drained pineapple pieces, 1/4 cup of sliced black olives (drained), 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella cheese. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Grease a 28cm pizza tray with cooking oil. Place the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the melted marg/ butter, milk and most of the water. mix quickly with a flat bladed knife, to a soft dough, adding the remaining water if necessary. Knead the dough briefly on a lightly floured work bench until smooth. Use your hands to shape the dough into a circle to fit the pizza tray. Place the shaped dough on the prepared tray. Crimp the outer edge of the circle approx 2cm to form a lip. Spread the dough with the prepared tomato paste, then sprinkle with the chopped ham, onion, mushrooms, capsicum, pineapple pieces, olives, finishing off with the grated cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp. A tip for reheating leftover pizza scone, reheat in a slow oven 160 deg C and sprinkle with an extra 1/2 cup of grated cheese.

RHUBARB SPONGE PUDDING / BLUEBERRY SPONGE PUDDING

Ingredients......85gm of butter/ marg (melted), 1 cup of milk, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 cup of self raising flour, pinch of salt, 85gm of castor sugar, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 500gm of hot stewed fruit. ( 500gm of fresh rhubarb or 500gm of fresh or frozen blueberries, 120ml of water, 80gm of sugar, juice and zest of 1 lime / lemon). Rhubarb filling... Wash and trim the rhubarb stalks. slice the rhubarb stalks into small pieces and place them in a medium saucepan. Add the water, sugar, zest and juice. stir to combine. Cook over a medium heat until the rhubarb has softened and the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. If you prefer a blueberry filling... Combine 1 cup of blueberries, water sugar and the lime/ lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over a low heat, stirring frequently and then add the remaining blueberies, continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease a baking dish, at least 20cm round or square. Beat together the melted butter/ marg, milk and vanilla paste. Add the flour, sugar, salt and beaten egg. Beat until well combined. Place the hot / warm cooked rhubarb / blueberries into the baking dish. Pour the sponge batter over. Bake until the sponge is light brown, about 20 minutes.

DELICIOUS CHICKEN DRUMMIES

Ingredients......8 chicken drumsticks, the juice of 1 lime / lemon, 3 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, 3 tbs of tomatoe sauce /sriracha sauce, 3 tbs of honey, cracked black pepper. Mix the juice, sauces and pepper in a large bowl. Place the chicken drumsticks in the bowl. Turn the chicken drumsticks over to make sure they are well coated. Place the covered bowl in your refrigerator, turning the drumsticks every thirty minutes for 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Lightly spray an ovenproof dish with cooking oil. Place the coated chicken drumsticks in the prepared dish and cook in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Serve with steamed vegetables , using the cooking juice as a gravy.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

Here are the answers to last month's challenge. 1.Creme fraiche, 2. Crepe, 3.Crimp, 4. croissant, 5. Crostini, 6. Crumpet. Here is my challenge for you this month...... 1. An infusion of herbs, flowers or spices steeped in boiling water to make a tea like drink? 2. To turn and lift food, such as salad, to ensure it is evenly mixed and coated with seasoning or dressing? 3. Translates to 'pick me up'. A popular dessert made with sponge fingers saturated in strong coffee then layered with beaten egg yolks, sugar and mascarpone? 4. An hors d'oeuvre made from black olives crushed to a paste with anchovies, capers, olive oil and lemon juice? 5. An astringent substance found in tea? 6. Selection of hors d'oeuvres and appetisers?

CARAMEL SPONGE

Ingredients.....1 tbs of plain flour, 3/4 cup of custard powder, 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar, 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda, 3 eggs lightly beaten, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, 1 tbs of hot golden syrup. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Line a springform pan with baking paper. Sift the dry ingredients together twice. In the bowl of your electric mixer beat together the eggs and sugar until pale and creamy. Fold in the flour mixture. Stir through the hot golden syrup and mix till well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cooked and tested with a skewer inserted coming out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning removing the sides of the pan and cooling on a wire rack.

CHICKEN AND CHEESE RISSOLES

Ingredients........500gm of chicken mince, 1 small onion chopoped finely, 1 egg lightly beaten, 2 tbs of breadcrumbs, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 8 cubes of tasty cheese. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Spray an ovenproof dish with cooking oil. Mix together the mince ,minced garlic, onion, egg and breadcrumbs. Divide the mixture into 8 portions and shape into balls. Press a cube of cheese into the centre of each ball and smooth over to cover the cheese cube completely. Press lightly to flatten each rissole slightly. Place the rissoles into the prepared dish and cook/ bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

COFFEE, CHOC FRUIT CAKE

Ingredients........1 kg of mixed fruit, 2 cups of strong black coffee, 1 x 180gm of fruit and nut chocolate (chopped), 2 cups of self raising flour, icing sugar to serve ( optional). This cake is very easy to make with 4/5 basic ingredients and delicious. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm x 27cm pan, 5cm deep. Place the dried fruit in a bowl and pour the coffee over and leave to soak overnight. The next day, combine the fruit mixture with the chocolate and flour, use a wooden spoon to mix. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 90 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with icing sugar to serve (optional).

JUNE IN THE GARDEN

June.....Many gardeners think that the winter months are quiet times in the garden. However, June is in fact one of the busiest months of the year in the garden. It's time to prune deciduous fruit trees and give them a good spray with winter oil to rid them of dormant pests. June is a perfect time to thin out old diseased plants that are just not flourishing. Gardeners have to make hard decisions between plants competing for light and space and getting rid of non performing plants. You will be rewarded with how quickly your favourite plants thrive once competition has been removed. When pruning, make sure you wipe the blade/ blades of your pruning instrument with methylated spirits to prevent any spread of any plant disease that may be present.

TUNA SUPRISE

Ingredients.......1 cup of rice, 1 x 425gm can of tuna in springwater, 1/2 cup of margarine/ butter, 1/2 cup of plain flour, 2 cups of milk, 1 dsp of curry powder, 2 tbs of chutney, 1 x 440gm can of crushed pinepple. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Spray an ovenpoof dish / casserole with cooking oil. Steam the rice until cooked. Drain the tuna and stir through the rice to combine. Melt the margarine/ butter in a medium / large saucepan, stir in the flour. Now add the milk and stir over a medium heat until the mixture thickens. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared oven dish and bake in the preheated oven until golden on top. I serve this with pita breads and it is a delicious pie filling. Versatile and delicious.

NEVER FAIL SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients......4 eggs lightly beaten, 3/4 cup of castor sugar, 1/2 cup of self raising flour, 1/2 cup of cornflour, 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar, 1/4 tsp of bi carbonate of soda, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Grease a 23cm round cake pan and line with baking paper. Beat together the lightly beaten eggs with the vanilla extract and castor sugar until thickened and pale. In a separarte bowl mix together the dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture all at once . Use a flat bladed knife to stir, this will aid in keeping the batter fuffy. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

GUIDELINES FOR BAKING CAKES (2).

COOLING........ Allow cooked cakes to settle in the cake pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out and cooling on a wire rack. Air can then circulate and prevent the cake from becoming soggy. Do not ice cakes until they are completely cold. STORING....... Cakes are best stored in an airtight container in a cool place. A piece of apple placed in the container helps keep cakes moist. Cream cakes or vegetable cakes should be stored in a container in the refrigerator. Sponge cakes and quick mix cakes can be stored for 2-4 days. Rich fruit cakes can be stored for 4-6 months. FREEZING..... Unfilled and undecorated cakes freeze well for 3-6 months. Filled and iced cakes can be frozen but do best with fillings with a high fat content. Place iced cakes in the freezer uncovered until firm then remove and wrap in cling wrap and return to the freezer. Iced cakes will last for 3 months in the freezer. DEFROSTING........ Defrost undecorated cakes at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then fill and decorate. Iced cakes should be defrosted in your refrigerator overnight. I advise against defrosting in the microwave, because the cake will dry out and become stale quicker.

GUIDELINES FOR BAKING CAKES (1)

1. PREPARING AND MIXING. Weigh and measure all ingredients accurately. Follow the recipecarefully. Use the minimum amount of liquid, as more can always be added if neccessary. Using an electric beater is easier and quicker than beating by hand with a whisk or stirring by spoon. Bake the cake as soon as possible after mixing as leaving it too long may result in not rising as it should. Bang the filled baking pan lightly before baking to remove air bubbles. Use the recommended pan size as baking times will differ with other pan sizes. Baking times as printed in recipes are only guidelines, because many factors can influence time time required, ie variable oven temperatures. for baking conventional ovens produce better cake baking results. GREASING CAKE PANS.... All cake pans need greasing , even the non stick ones. Greasing the cake pans can be done by brushing, spreading or spraying oil or fat over the inside of the pan. LINING CAKE PANS.... Use the base of the pan as a guideline for cutting out a circle of baking paper. The circle should be 5cm/ 2" larger and it should be snipped at intervals. The lining for the sides should also be cut 5cm/ 2" larger. Place the lining for the sides in the cake pan first, followed by the base lining. FLOURING THE CAKE PANS...... Flour can be sprinkled lightly on the inside of the pan after greasing to give extra protection against sticking. Sprinkle the flour sparingly over the greased surface and shake off excess. TESTING FOR DONESS/ WHEN CAKE IS COOKED.... Only start testing your cake after 3/4 of the baking time has been reached, using one of the following methods... 1. Press the top of the cake lightly, if the cake is done the top will spring back and no impression left. 2. When the cake is done, the cake will come away from the sides of the pan. 3. Insert a fine skewer into the centre of the cake and if the skewer comes out clean, the cake is cooked.

TOO MUCH SALT

So you have over salted your soup, casserole or whatever you are preparing. Just add a slice or two of raw potato. Potato absorbs salt.....a good mash for instance needs a decent seasoning of salt. You can also use any starchy carb like pasta or rice to reduce the saltiness. OR you could add a teaspoon of brown sugar. Why would this work ? Because brown sugar overrides our preception of saltiness. To prove my point, just think about salted caramels, the sweet carmel flavour overrides the salt.

CITRUS CHICKEN BREASTS

Ingredients......90gm of butter/ marg, 4 skinless chicken breasts, each sliced in half, 1/2 cup of white wine, grated zest of 1 orange, grated zest of 1 lemon, 3/4 cup of cream, 90gm of tasty grated cheese, cracked black pepper to taste. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Lightly spray a heatproof serving dish. Heat the butter/ margarine in a large frypan , adding the breast halves and brown on both sides. Remove the chicken breasts to the heatproof dish. Add the wine to the frypan and stir for a few minutes. Add the orange and lemon zests, season with the cracked black pepper. Increase the heat to medium and slowly stir in the cream. Stir to combine well. Now pour over the chicken and sprinkle with grated cheese. Place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to complete the cooking and brown the cheese.

EGG MAGNETISM

It happens to us all, you crack an egg and some of the shell falls into the mixing bowl. Don't worry and dip your fingers in to retrieve the piece of shell. Simply place the shell in your hand into the bowl and close to the fragment in the bowl. Natural magnetism will bring the broken piece closer to the shell, making it easier to be removed.

CHERRY LOAF

Ingredients.......200gm of room temp butter/ marg, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 340 mg of plain flour, 1 dsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, 125ml of water, 210gm of condensed milk, 110gm of glace cherries, halved. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease with cooking oil spray and sprinkle lightly with fine polenta. Mix the dry ingredients together( flour, baking powder and salt ), add the halved cherries, coating the cherries prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake batter. Cream the butter until fluffy and pale. Add the condensed milk, egg, vanilla extract and water. Finally fold in the flour and cherries. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, cake is cooked when a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover loosely with a sheet of baking paper if the top is colouring too much. Turn the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

THE CHOCOLATE MYTH

You do not need to use a double boiler to melt chocolate ( placing chocolate pieces in a dish over boiling water). This is a very old fashioned method that was in some cases and is still used when cheap chocolate would/will split unless heated slowly. This happens because lower quality chocolate is lower in stabalising fats and high in sugar content. Good quality dark chocolate will not burn or split being melted in a saucepan over a medium heat or in 10 second increments in your microwave.

QUICK FRUIT BREAD

Ingredients.........55gm of butter/ marg, 1 cup of mixed dried fruit, 1 cup of cold water, 3/4 cup of castor sugar, 1 tbs of mixed spice, 2 cups of self raising flour. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a loaf pan and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta. Place the butter/ marg, dried fruit, water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to the boil and then remove from the heat. Mix the flour and mixed spice together. Add the flour mix to the saucepan and mix well with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

FILLED ROAST ONIONS

Ingredients.......4 large onions, drizzle of canola oil/ rice bran oil, 2 zucchini, shredded, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of dried thyme, 1 tsp of dried basil, 3 tbs of dried breadcrumbs, 2 tbs of pinenuts, chopped, 3 tbs of grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper to taste, 1/4 cup of water. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease an ovenproof tray with cooking oil spray. Cut the tops off the onions and slightly trim the bottoms flat. Use a small sharp knife to carve out the centre of each onion, leaving a 1/4" border. Chop the centres of the onions and set aside. Place the onions, cut side up in the ovenproof dish. Place a drizzle of oil in a pan over a medium high heat. Add the grated zucchini, minced garlic, thyme, basil and reserved onion. cook tiil the zucchini is soft and any excess liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat, stir in the breadcrumbs, pine nuts, cheese and cracked pepper. Divide the mixture between the onion cases. Add water to the base of the ovenproof dish. Place the dish in the preheated oven. Bake till the onion shells start to colour, then over with a sheet of baking paper and bake for another 15 minutes. Carefully transfer to your serving dishes. I serve these as an accompainment alongside seafood, chicken or meat dishes. N.B. these also make great individual puff pastry pies.

COFFEE JELLY

Ingredients.......600ml of milk, 4 tbs of coffee, 60gm of gelatine, 6 tbs of castor sugar, 4 eggs, 600ml of cream. Mix together in a medium bowl the gelatine powder with the coffee granules/ powder and pour over 1 cup of cold water and set aside for 30 minutes to soak. Beat together the eggs and sugar , set aside. In a separate bowl beat 600ml of cream until thickened and just forming soft peaks. Now bring the milk to a boil and pour it over the coffee and gelatine mix and leave to stand for a few minutes. Use a wooden spoon to stir through and then strain. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Use a wooden spoon to stir through the egg and sugar mixture, continue to stir oever a medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When nearly cold and beginning to thicken stir through the thickened cream. Pour into your serving dishes or mould and chill in your refrigerator for 2 hours.