CHAI TEA ….Chaa-ye.

Chai is Indian tea, it is a spiced milk tea and sweet. Recipes of Chai vary, it comes from an ancient Ayurvedic beverage. Avurveda is a form of healing....a way of life too because it contains many disiplines relating to diet, hebal medicines, physical exercise, various therapies, and spiced tea was one of them. Chai tea is made from a good black tea with the addition of clove, cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, milk and of course sugar.

NUTTY FLAPJACK / BISCUIT

Ingredients....200gm opf rolled oats, 115 gm of granulated nuts, 55gm of plain flour, 115 gm of butter/ marg, 2 tbs of golden syrup, 85 gm of light muscovado sugar. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 23 cm / 9" square cake pan. Place the rolled oats, granulated nuts and flour in a large mixing bowl and stir together. Place the butter, golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until melted. Pour the butter mixture onto the dry ingredients and mix well. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden and firm to touch. Mark into 16 pieces and leave to cool in the pan. when completely cold, cut with a sharp knife and remove from the pan.

GINGERNUTS

Ingredients......350 gm of self raising flour, pinch of salt, 200gm of castor sugar, 1 tbs of ground ginger, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda, 125 gm of butter/ marg, 75 gm of golden syruop, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 1 tsp of grated orange rind. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Mix together the salt, flour, bi carb of soda, ginger and sugar in a large bowl. Heat the butter / marg and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat until the butter/ marg has melted. Remove from the heat to carefully shape and allow to cool a little, then pour onto the dry ingredients. Add the beaten egg and orange rind. Use your hands to shape the dough into 30 even sized balls. Place the balls well apart on the prepared oven trays and then slightly flatten them with your fingers. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until lightly golden, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

TOMATO TART.

Ingredients....1 sheet of thawed puff pastry, 2 tbs of butter/ marg, 1 tbs of castor sugar, 500 gm of cherry tomatoes, halved, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1 dsp of white wine vinegar, fresh oregano or a sprinkle of Italian herbs to serve. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Grease a 20 cm round ovenproof dish. Melt the butter/ marg in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and stir over a medium heat until just golden brown. Remove from the heat and quickly add the tomatoes, garlic and vinegar, stirring to coat evenly. Season with the cracked black pepper. Now tip the tomato mixture into the greased dish, spreading evenly. Place the pastry sheet over the top of the tomatoes, tucking in the edges. Pierce with a fork to release the steam. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Leave rest for for 3 minutes. Now run a knife around the edge and turn out onto a warmed plate. Garnish with Italian herbs or scatter with fresh oregano to serve. N.B. The first time I made this dish I used whole tomatoes, (chopped) the herbs and garlic. I placed these in the greased dish, topped with grated cheese and poured over 2 beaten eggs. Placing the pastry sheet on top. Followe with the same baking time.

BREAD AND TOMATO SOUP.

My gift to you...a simple and delicious supper. Ingredients....300 gm of sourdough bread, 125 ml of chicken stock, 4 tbs of canola/ rice bran oil, 4 tbs of fresh sage leaves, chopped, 3 tbs of minced garlic, 800 gm of canned diced tomatoes, 1 tsp of sugar, 225 ml of hot water, cracked black pepper to taste, 60 gm of grated Parmesan cheese to garnish. Chop the sourdough into rough chunks about 1" square / 2.5 cm. Place the stock in a large saucepan along with the oil and simmer over a medium heat until reduced by half. Add the bread chunks and garlic and fry over a high heat until the bread becomes crispy and the liquid has been soaked up. Add the tomatoes and sugar, stir and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the hot water to thin the soup to your preferred consistency / thickness. Simmer for a further 5 minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese on top to serve.

BROCCOLINI, PANCETTA AND CHEESE GALETTE.

Ingredients.....1 sheet of thawed, ready rolled puff pastry, 225 gm of broccolini florets, halved if necessary, 100gm of pancetta, diced, 1 red onion, sliced, 100gm of tasty cheese, I used a blue veined cheese, chopped, pine kernels to top. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Place the pastry sheet on the lined baking sheet and lightly score a line all around 1/2 " of the edge. Steam or boil the broccolini until just tender and drain. Fry the pancetta with the onion, stirring until the onion is tender, stir in the broccolini, season with cracked black pepper. Spread the broccolini mixture over the pastry, leaving the border clear. Scatter the cheese you have chosen to use over the the top along with a scatter of pine nuts. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and risen. Serve warm with a green leaf and tomato salad.

STIRRING CHANGE

Change is inevitable...but it is tradition that gives us our identity and strength. The old ways of doing things are often the old ways because they are the best ways and never more so than in the kitchen....Think of the wooden spoon, a thousand years of progress has not improved on that most simple of designs and a must in every kitchen.

APPLE SNOWBALLS.

Ingredients......4 red skinned apples, 2 tbs of brown sugar, 4 whole cloves, 1 banana, mashed, 1 tsp of lemon juice, 2 egg whites, 1/3 rd cup of castor sugar, 1 cup of shredded coconut, 30 gm of flaked almonds. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease and line an oven tray. Peel and core the apples. Place 1 dsp of brown sugar and 1 clove in each core cavity, this will flavour the apples while cooking. Stand the apples in a large saucepan with water, 1 cm / 1/2" deep, cover the pot and cook the apples until just tender. Remove the apples from the saucepan and allow to cool. Mix together the mashed banana with the lemon juice. When the apples are cool fill the apples with the banana mix. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, add the sugar gradually and continue to beat to a stiff meringue consistency. Cover the apples with the meringue, sprinkle over the shredded coconut and finally top with the flaked almonds. Carefully slide onto the prepared oven tray and bake in the preheated oven until the meringue is lightly browned.

ZUCCHINI / COURGETTE CURRY.

Ingredients......6 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 medium onion, finely sliced, 3 fresh green chillies, finely chopped, 1 dsp minced ginger, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of chilli flakes,500 gm of zucchini, thinly sliced, 3 tomatoes, sliced, 1 dsp of fenugreek seeds, flat bread to serve. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, green chillies, ginger, garlic and chilli flakes to the pan, stir well to combine. Add the sliced zucchini and tomatoes to the pan and stir fry over a medium heat for 7 minutes. Add the fenugreek seeds to the zucchini mix and continue to stir fry until fragrant and the vegetables are tender. Reove the pan from the heat and transfer the curry mix to serving dishes. Serve hot with flat bread.

RASPBERRY RIPPLE CAKE.

You will need to assemble this simple cake a whole day before it is served. Ingredients......600 ml of thickened crea, 250 gm of creme fraiche, 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste, 40 gm of icing sugar, 250 gm of raspberries, finely grated grated zest of 1 lemon, 250 gm of Biutternut Snap biscuits or any plain sweet biscuit of your choice, extra fresh berries, to serve. Combine the cream, creme fraiche,vanilla and 3 tbs of the icing sugar in a large bowl and beat to stiff peaks. Place the raspberries in a bowl with the lemon zestand the remaining 1 tbs of icing sugar and crush together with the back of a fork. Line a 23 cm loaf pan with plastic wrap, with plenty overhang all round. Spread a thin layer of the whipped cream mixture over the base then top with a layer of biscuits. you can bread some of the biscuits to make them fit. Top with another layer of cream, then half of the raspberry mixture. Repeat the layers with remaining ingredients, finishing with cream.. (reserve / set aside 1/2 a cup of the cream mixture for finishing the cake.) Enclose the cake with the overhanging plastic wrap and place in your freezer overnight. The next day transfer the cake to your refrigerator and leave for another 12 hours. When ready to serve, unwrap the overhanging plastic wrap. Place your serving plate over the tin and invert the whole cake, lift off the tin and remove all the plastic wrap. Use the remaining cream to cover the sides and top of the cake, then decorate with the extra raspberries / berries to serve. Serve and enjoy.

BAKED EGGPLANT AND QUINOA.

Ingredients.....2 eggplants,1 tbs of canol / rice bran oil, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 150 gm of quinoa, 375 ml of vegetable stock, 1/2 tsp of salt , 1 tsp of cracked black pepper, 60 gm of pine nuts, fresh parsley to garnish. Preheat your oven to 220 deg C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Place the egg plants on the baking tray and place in the heated oven. bake for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a border so they hold their shape. Finely chop the eggplant flesh. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium / high heat. Add the garlic and cook stirring until fragrant. Add the quinoa, stock, salt and pepper, stirring through. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes until quinoa is tender. Add pine nuts and eggplant flesh and stir to combine. Divide the quinoa mixture equally among the four eggplant skins. Garnish with parsley and serve.

RASPBERRY CHIA PUDDING.

Ingredients.......125 gm of fresh raspberries, extras to serve, 1 orange, peeled and pith removed, roughly chopped, 375 ml of almond milk, 40 gm of white chia seeds, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 2 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced, 2 tbs of maple syrup, fresh mint. Use a food processor on high to process the raspberries, orange and half the almond milk until smooth. Place the mixture in a serving dish,then pour the remaining almond milk, chia seeds and vanilla extract in. Cover and transfer to your refrigerator for 1 hour. Now stir through to combine and then return to the refrigerator overnight. To serve, pile the kiwi fruit and extra fresh raspberries on top, drizzle over the maple syrup and garnish with fresh mint.

SULTANA CAKE

Ingredients....250 gm of butter/ marg, 1 cup of castor sugar, 2 and 1/2 cups of plain flour, 1/4 cup of self raising flour, 5 eggs, lightly beaten, 750 gm of sultanas, 125 gm of granulated nuts, 1/4 cup of Apera ( cream sherry ), pinch of salt, 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Cover the sultanas with warm water, soak for 2 hours. Drain and let dry for at least 24 hours. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 20 cm square cake pan / 23 cm round cake pan. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add a little of the beaten eggs along with a tbs of the plain flour, to prevent curdling, beating well after each addition. Mix the flours together with the salt and mix into the egg mixture. Then mix in the sultanas and the nuts with a wooden spoon. Fold in the Apera and vanilla. Spoon the mixture in the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes or until tested with a skewer and it comes out clean.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ?

Answers to JULY challenge........ 1.Junket. 4. Ganache 2. Blanch. 5. Zucchini. 3. Scold 6. Sweat. Here is my AUGUST challenge for you? 1. Which ingredient is included if a dish is cooked Florentine? 2. Which common salad is named after a famous New York city hotel? 3. What is quinoa a type of? 4. which spices make up Chinese five spice powder? 5. What family does the pineapple belong to? 6. Which vegetable can be cooked parimentier style?

CHOCOLATE CAKE.

A recipe for all dietary requirements..... Ingredients....185 gm of a plain flour that is compatable with your dietary requirements, 220 gm of castor sugar, 30 gm of cocoa, 1 tsp of baking soda, 1/2 tsp of salt, 80 ml of canola / rice bran oil, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 tsp of white vinegar, 250 ml of water, mixed berries to serve. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease and line a 23 cm x 13 cm ( 9" x 5" ) cake pan. Mix together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix together the water, oil, vanilla and vinegar and then add to the flour mixture, mix together till smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve with mixed berries.

CHIVE AND ONION TWISTS.

Ingredients.....15 gm butter/ marg, 1 medium onion, finely chopped, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh chives, 2 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry, 1 tbs of milk, 1/2 cup of tasty grated cheese. An oldie but a goodie. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Melt the butter/ marg in a small saucepan, add the onion and cook until softena. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside to cool. Then mix the onion and chives in a medium bowl. Spread the onion mixture over one sheet of puff pastry. Place the remaining sheet of pastry on top. Brush withn milk and sprinkle with cheese. Slice the pastry sheet into 2 cm wide strips. Twist the strips, place on the prepared tray and brush lightly with the milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the twists are golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

BAKED OMELETTE WITH WHEAT GERM TOPPING.

Ingredients......30 gm of butter/ marg, 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced, 2 spring onions, chopped, 150 gm of sliced mushrooms, 1 dsp of fresh thyme / 1 tsp of dried thyme, 6 eggs, lightly beaten, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 180 ml of cream. Wheat Germ Topping..... 60 gm of wheat germ, 4 tbs of finely grated parmesan cheese, 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered, 1 firm tomato, sliced to serve. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish, about 4 cup capacity. Wheat germ topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well. Baked omelette....heat the butter/ marg in a medium pan, add zucchini, spring onions and mushrooms, cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender. Add the thyme. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, garlic and cream until combined. Spread the vegetable mixture over the base of the prepared dish. Pour over the egg mixture and top with the wheat germ topping. Place the dish in a roasting pan with enough boiling water to come half way up the side of the dish. Bake uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until set. Top with tomato slices to serve.

GARLIC.

Garlic is one of the most famous and popular herbs. Garlic,( Allumium sativum) was most likely used in china, India and Egypt before recorded history. Bulbs of garlic were found in the tomb of Tutankhamon, dating from 1300 BC. Raw garlic was used as a field dressing in World War 1 because of its antiseptic qualities. The peeled, chopped and minced bulbs complement nearly all savoury foods to some degree, especially the cuisines of Asia and the Mediterranean.

CHILLI APPLE CHUTNEY

Ingredients......2 fresh chillies, 2 kg about 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 375 gm of raisins, chopped, 125 gm of glace ginger, chopped, 1 kg of soft brown sugar, firmly packed, 1 litre of apple cider vinegar, 1 tbs of coarse cooking salt, 1 tbs of mixed spice, 1 dsp of five spice powder, 1 tbs of turmeric. Seed and chop the chillies. Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir constantly over a medium heat without boiling, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 2 hours or until the chutney is thick. Remove from the heat and pour into hot sterilised jars, seal when cold.

COCONUT APRICOT BARS.

Something a little different, a real show stopper on a plate and delicious. There are 3 steps to the preparation. Ingredients....Filling... 250 gm of dried apricots, 1 cup of cold black tea, 2 tbs of honey, 1/2 cup of soft brown sugar, 1 and 1/2 tbvs of butter/ marg, 1 egg, lightly beaten. Base....250 gm of softened marg/ butter,1 cup of castor sugar, 4 eggs, lightly beaten, 150 ml of milk, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 3 cups of self raing flour, 2 tbs of cocoa, 1 tbs of milk, 2 tbs of desiccated coconut. Topping......1 and 1/2 cups of rice bubbles, 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut, 30 gm of copha, 2 tbs of honey. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 30cm x 20cm lamington pan First prepare the filling by soaking the apricots in the cold tea for 1 hour, then gently simmer for about 15 minutes or until softened. Stir in the honey, sugar and marg / butter. When sugar has dissolved, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Puree until smooth, cool then stir in the egg. Now for the base...cream the marg / butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, adding the remaining base ingredients, stirring well after each addition. Transfer the batter to the prepared lamington pan and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. To prepare the topping, combine the rice bubbles, desiccated coconut, warmed copha and honey. Spread the cake with the apricot puree and cover with the combined topping ingredients. Return the tray to the oven and cook a further 15 minutes. Cool in the pan then slice into bars to serve.

HONEY GARLIC BEEF STIR FRY.

Ingredients.....1 kg beef strips, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of five star powder, 1 tbs of minced ginger, 1 tbs of Apera (sweet sherry), 60 ml of honey, 1 tbs of ketjap manis ( sweet soy sauce), 2 tbs of peanut oil, 1 red capsicum, thunly sliced, 1 green capsicum, thinly sliced, 1 yellow capsicum, thinly sliced. Combine beef strips, garlic, five spice, ginger, sherry, honey and soy sauce in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain the beef over a medium bowl, reserving the marinade. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large pan, stir fry the marinated beef in batches, until browned and just cooked, then remove from the pan. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan add the reserved marinade and capsicums, stir fry until the capsicums are tender. Finally add the beef, stir fry until heated through.

KRACHEL / SWEET MOROCCAN ROLLS.

Ingredients.....1 and 1/2 tbs of dried yeast, 60 ml of warm water, 110 gm of castor sugar, 300 gm of plain flour, 2 tbs of sesame seeds, 3 tsp of anise seeds, 60 ml of milk, 60 gm of melted butter/ marg, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 1 tbs of orange blossom water, 1 1 egg yolk, 1 dsp of sesame seeds, extra. I always increase the temperature in my kitchen area when preparing any type of dough. Oil an oven tray and line with baking paper. Combine the yeast, water and 1 dsp of sugarin a small heatproof bowl, cover and stand in a warm spot until mixture is frothy, usually about 10 minutes. Sift the flour and combine with remaining sugar and seeds in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, butter/ marg, egg and organge blossom water. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled medium bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place for about 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Now preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls on the prepared tray, cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Stand in a warm spot for 20 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap. Brush the balls with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle lightly with the extra sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden and risen. Serve warm or cold with butter/ marg, perfect for morning or afternoon tea.

CHOCOLATE SPIDERS.

Ingredients.....100 gm/ 1 packet of fried noodles, 2 tbs of crunchy peanut butter, 200 gm of 70% cocoa chocolate, desiccated coconut to finish off. Brake the chocolate into pieces into a small saucepan along with the peanut butter and stir over a low heat until until melted and silky smooth. Add the noodles and stir lightly to coat them well. Spoon heaped tsp of the mixture into small patty pans. Finally lightly sprinkle with desiccated coconut, this optional. Place in the refrigerator till set. Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

BANANAS

Bananas for eating as a fresh fruit, are best when fully ripe. Suit the colour of the banana skin to the use. If the banana you buy in the supermarket is tipped with green, the banana is partially ripe. The pulp will be firm, starchy and slightly tart. They can be used to bake or fry, cooking will bring out a different, delicious flavour and a must sliced into a curry. An all yellow banana is ready to eat and can be used as an ingredient in baking. A banana flecked with brown is fully ripe, and at its best for eating, infant feeding and a cooking ingredient. The flavour is sweet, mellow and thoroughly digestible and delicious in fruit cups, salads, milk shakes and desserts.

CHICKEN AND SWEET POTATO/ KUMARA RISOTTO.

Ingredients.....1 medium ( 400 gm) sweet potato/ kumara, peeled and cubed, 2 tbs of canola oil/ rice bran oil, 1 medium leek, sliced, 500 gm chicken thigh fillets, sliced, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1/2 tsp of chilli powder, 1 tsp of ground turmeric, 300gm of short grain rice / risotto rice, 425 gm can of diced tomatoes, 125 ml of dry white wine, 625 ml of chicken stock, 40 gm of tasty grated cheese, 2 tbs of chopped fresh basil. Place the cubes of kumara in a pot of boiling water and cook until tender. heat the oil in a large pan with the leek, chicken, garlic and spices , cook stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, mix well. Stir in the undrained can of diced tomatoes and wine, simmer uncovered, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. Stir in the stock, simmer, covered for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Then remove from the heat, stand, covered dor 10 minutes. Finally stir in cheese, basil and the cooked kumara. Stir over a low heat until hot. Top the risotto with extra grated cheese to serve.

RHUBARB AND APPLE SPONGE PUDDING.

Ingredients.....425 gm of chopped rhubarb, 2 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced, 1 tsp of grasted lemon rind, 1/4 cup of water, 2 eggs, 1/3 rd of a cup of castor sugar, extra, 2 tbs of cornflour, 2 tbs of plain flour, 2 tbs of self raising flour. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 6 cup capacity ovenproof dish. Combine the rhubarb, apples, sugar, and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until tender. Pour the hot rhubarb mixture into the prepared ovenproof dish. Beat the eggs in a small bowl with your electric mixer until thick and creamy, gradually add the extra sugar, beat until dissolved between each addition. Mix the flours together and sift over the the egg mixture. Fold through gently. Spread the mixture evenly over the hot rhubarb mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 mintes or until golden and slightly risen. Remove from oven and sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.

RHUBARB..

Rhubarb is native to Siberia, the Himalayas and East asia. there are recordsof some types of rhubarb as far back as 2000BC, it was used mostly for medicinal purposes. To prepare rhubarb, cut the thick ends from the stalks before cooking and discard the leaves, which are poisonous. The rhubarb stalks can be sliced as required as per the recipe you are using.

VEGETABLE COCONUT CURRY.

Ingredients......1 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 onion, finely chopped, 3 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of ground turmeric, 2 tbs of red curry paste, 3 potatoes, quartered, 2 carrots, diced, 120 gm of sliced beans, 400 ml can of coconut milk, 170 gm of frozen peas, 1 - 2 tbs of fish sauce, lime juice to taste. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it softens. Stir in the garlic, add the turmeric and curry paste and cook until fragrant. Add the potatoes, carrots and green beans to the pot, stirring to coat in the paste. Pour in the coconut milk and stir through. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Finally add the peas and simmer for another 10 minutes. Finish by stirring through the fish sauce and lime juice to taste. I served this dish with steamed mixed grains.

GINGER AND LEMON BARS.

Ingredients....1 and 3/4 cups of plain flour, castor sugar, 125 gm of glace ginger, chopped, 185 gm of butter/ marg, melted, 1 egg lightly beaten, 2 tbs of lemon juice, 60 gm of flaked almonds. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Well grease a lamington pan ( 16cm x 26cm ). Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl, mix in the ginger, cooled butter/ marg, egg and lemon juice. Press the combined mixture evenly over the base of the prepared pan and press the flaked almonds on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in the pan. Turn out and cut into slices when cold.

BEEF IN GUINNESS.

Ingredients....1.5 kg of chuck steak, cut in 3 cm pieces, cracked black pepper to taste, 1/4 cup of plain flour, 1/4 cup of canola oil/ rice bran oil, 4 onions cut into wedges, 1 tbs of dried thyme leaves / 1/4 cup of fresh thyme leaves, 500 ml of Guinness stout, 250 ml of beef stock, 1/4 cup of tomato paste, 60 ml of Worcestershire sauce, 4 small parsnips, trimmed and quartered, mashed potato/ sweet mashed potato, if you desire. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large oven proof saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Add 1/2 of the beef, turning occasionally until browned. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining oil and remaining beef and add to the sealed beef in the bowl. Add the remaining oil and onion to the pot/ saucepan, cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Finally return the beef to the saucepan/ pot with the thyme, Guinness, stock, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Add the parsnips and cook for a further 45 minutes. Serve with mashed potato / mashed sweet potato.

LEMON RICOTTA CAKE.

This is a lemony cake from Sardinia and is quite different from a traditional cheesecake, but a cheesecake non the less. Ingredients....75 gm of butter/ marg, 175 gm of castor sugar, 75 gm of ricotta cheese, 3 eggs at room temp, separated, 175 gm of plain flour, grated rind o f 1 lemon, 3 tbs of lemon juice, 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder, icing sugar for dusting. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta a 23 cm round baking pan. Cream the butter / marg and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the ricotta cheese. Beat in the egg yolks along with 2 tbs of the flour, lemon rind and juice. Mix the remaining flour with the baking powder and beat into the batter until just blended. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold them carefully into the batter. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until tested with a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake to stand in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Liberally sprinkle icing sugar over the top before serving.

FRENCH MUSTARD DRUMSTICKS.

These are delicious, easily prepared and great served as a main with vegetables or a light lunch alongside a salad. A great way to make the most of prices of a bulk buy of chicken drumsticks. Ingredients....1 and 1/2 tbs of soy sauce, 3 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 tbs of mustard seeds, 3 tbs of french mustard, 1 tbs of lemon juice, 8 chicken drumsticks. ( If you do not have any mustard seeds, you can replace the French mustard and mustard seeds by purchsing a jar of wholegrain mustard.) Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease a baking dish . In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, oil, mustard seeds, mustard and lemon juice. Place the drumsticks in the prepared dish, pour over the mustard sauce and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. These can be served hot or cold.

THAI FRIED BANANAS.

This is so simple and quick, bananas fried in butter/ marg, brown sugar, lime juice and sprinkled with toasted coconut and served with thick and creamy yoghurt. Ingredients.......40 gm of butter/ marg, 4 large slightly under ripe bananas, 2 tbs of desiccated coconut, 4 tbs of lime juice, lime slices to serve (optional), thick and creamy yoghurt. Heat the butter/ marg in a large pan and fry the bananas for for 2 minutes on each side or until they are lightly golden in colour. Sprinkle the sugar over the bananas, add the lime juice and cook , stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Dry fry the coconut in a small pan until lighly browned, remove from heat and set aside. Place the bananas on a serving dish. sprinkle over the toasted coconut. Serve with a thick and creamy yoghurt. Delicious...

TOMATOES MEDITERRANEAN

Ingredients.....2 small eggplants cubed and sprinkled with salt, set aside for 1 hour, then rinse the eggplants, this will eliminate any bitterness. ! tbs of oil, 1 large onion sliced into fine wedges, 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, 500gm of zucchini, sliced, 420 gm can of condensed tomato soup, 1/3 rd cup of water, 1 tbs of finely chopped fresh basil / 1 tsp of dried basil, cracked black pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large pot and gently saute the eggplants, zucchini, onions and tomatoes for 10 minutes. Combine the soup and water and add to the pot with the herbs. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Serve with a pasta of your choice.

BANANA, HONEY AND PEANUT BUTTER CAKE.

Ingredients.....125 gm butter/ marg, 1/2 cup of soft brown sugar, 1/4 cup of honey, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1/3 rd cup of crunchy peanut butter, 1 cup of mashed bananas ( 3 small bananas), 2 cups of wholemeal / self raising wheat flour. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Brush a loaf pan lightly with oil and line with baking paper. Use your electric mixer to beat the sugar, butter/ marg and honey together until light and creamy. Mix together the eggs and peanut butter and then add them to the butter mixture, beating thoroughly until combined. Next add the mashed bananas. Use a fork to mash the bananas, do not use a processor and do not use defrosted frozen bananas, as using either or both will add too much moisture ....I know from experience. Using a spoon, fold in the flour and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the cake stand in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Slice and serve with butter/ marg, if desired.

VEGETABLE AND SALMON SLICE.

Ingredients...425 gm can of salmon, drained and flaked, 2 zucchini, grated, 1 carrot grated, 1 onion, grated, 125 gm of grated cheese, 4 eggs, lightly beaten, 1/4 cup of canola/ rice bran oil, 1/2 cup of self raising flour. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a large flan dish or a 30cm x 20cm baking pan. Using a large bowl, miz together all the ingredients. Spoon the combined mixture into the prepared dish / pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing to serve. This dish is delicious eaten hot or cold.

SPICY VEGETABLE MUFFINS.

Ingredients.....2 cups of self raising flour, 3 tsp of curry powder, cracked black pepper to taste, 1/2 cup of grated carrot, 1/2 cup of grated sweet potato, (kumara), 1 cup of grated cheese, 90 gm of melted butter/ marg, 1 egg lightly beaten, 3/4 cup of milk. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 12 hole muffin pan. Mix the flour, curry powder and papper in a bowl. Add the carrot, sweet potato and cheese, mix through with your fingertips, until evenly combined. Make a well in the centre...do not overmix, the batter should be quite lumpy. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the muffins are puffed and golden. Serve with butter/ marg or as you desire.

HARD BOILED EGGS.

Would'nt you love hard boiled eggs that popped easily from their shells, well they will as long you put them in cold water first, which no one does these days. I also want to share with you, that if you turn the boiling water off and leave the eggs in the pot for 10 minutes with the lid on, the yolks stay yellow instead of turning that greyish green shade. Treasured advice that a dear lady named Jessie Mersey shared with me, many years ago.

WHAT IS IN A NAME?

KOFTA.....Middle Eastern in origin...spiced minced meat mixed with spices and formed around skwers, brushed with oil and grilled. A typical mix might contain double minced lamb, chopped onion, chopped parsley, ground all spice, fenugreek, red pepper, chilli and salt. KOFTU, KOFTE.....South Asian in origin...finely groung meat blended with finely chopped aromatics, seasonings and herbs bound with egg and formed into balls. Sometimes dried fruit is incorporated. SEAFOOD CHOWDER......American..The name for fish soups based on a mixture of fish stock and milk with sweated vegetables and pieces of fish, occasionally thickened with cornflour. BOUILLABISSE ......French....A Mediterranean soup made with firm white fish and shellfish, tomatoes, herbs, saffron and olive oil. RAVIOLI.....Is the fillingin between 2 round discs of pasta, ravioli is not the shape. AGNOLOTTI../..PAZLACHE ..It is a half moon shape, made with a folded pasta disc. Traditionally filled with mince lamb and sauteed in butter mixed with boiled rice or spinach, cheese and seasonings, can also be tossed in pan juices.

LAMB KOFTA

What is a kofta? It is of Middle eastern origin. Cylinders of spiced minced meat shaped around skewers, brushed with oil and and grilled. Ingredients...250 gm of lamb mince, ( you can use either beef or pork mince as an alternative), 75 gm of crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 small onion, finely chopped, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 dsp of fresh chopped mint, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1 dsp of chopped fresh parsley, 1 tsp of paprika flakes, 1/2 tsp of ground coriander, 1 tsp of minced ginger, 1 tsp of cracked blacl pepper, 8 - 10 metal skewers. Place all the above ingredients into large bowl. Mix to combine. Divide the mince mixture into 4cm x 8cm long sausages. Thread one sausage onto each skewer. Place on a baking tray and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Heat your griller on high, add the koftas and reduce the heat to medium. Cook , turning occasionally until cooked through, about 12 minutes. transfer to a large serving dish, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. I serve the koftas with steamed carrot sticks, zucchini batons, olives and cubed cheese. Delicious.

BOILED FRUIT LOAF.

Ingredients.....1/2 cup of chopped dates, 1/2 cup of sultanas, 1/2 cup of cold black tea, 1/2 cup of firmly packed soft brown sugar, 2 tbs of butter/ marg, 1 tsp of finely grated citrus rind, 1 egg, well beaten, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour, 1 tsp of ground mace, 1/2 tsp of bicarb of soda. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a large loaf pan (20cm x 10cm / 8" x 4"). Place the dates, sultanas,tea, sugar and butter/ marg in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for exactly 5 minutes, then set aside until cold. Then stir in the citrus rind, egg and vanilla extract. Mix together the flour, bi carb of soda and spice. Stir the two mixtures together, thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Serve sliced and buttered.

ZUCCHINI FRIES.

I love zucchinis and excited to share this recipe with you. Ingredients......1 tsp of Italian herb mix, 1 and 1/2 tbs of plain flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 90 gm of breadcrumbs, 2 egg whites, 2 zucchinis. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl, mix together the Italian herbs, flour and salt. In a separate bowl place the breadcrumbs. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the egg whites to frothy / soft peaks. Trim the ends of the zucchinis. Slice the zucchinis in quarters lengthwise and then half crosswise. Dunk each zucchinistick into the flour mix, then dip into the egg white finishiing off with a coating of breadcrumbs. Repeat this process with remaining zucchini fries. Place the coated zucchini on the baking tray and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, turning after once, until golden and crisy. Enjoy.

SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTY MEAL.

Ingredients....skinless chicken thighes, halved lengthwise and sliced, frozen winter vegetable mix, frozen chips, a mix of honey, soy and garlic to marinade. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Mix the honey, soy and garlic in a bowl and brush over the chicken thighs. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish and place on the chips and slices of the chicken thigh. Place the frozen winter vegetable mix in the top of your steamer pot and steam until tender. Sprinkle the vegetables with dried onion and garlic flakes. Cook the chicken and chips in the preheated oven until the chicken strips and chips are cooked through. Spoon the steamed winter vegetable mix around the chips and chicken to serve. Perfect meal to eat while watching the Saturday evening footy. Which by the way Collingwood won !!

MARSHMALLOW SKEWERS WITH CHOCOLATE FONDUE.

Ingredients......400 gm of 70% cocoa chocolate, 250 ml of thickened cream, 280 gm of pink / white marshmallows, wooden skewers / toothpicks. First, soak the wooden skewers in boiling water for 30 minutes before using as this prevents the wood from splintering. Melt the chocolate and cream together in a small saucepan over a low heat. pour the melted chocolate mixture into a medium bowl. Place the marshmallows on the ends of the skewers / toothpicks. Now all you have to do is dip them in the melted chocolate mixture and enjoy.

SWAHILI CHICKEN.

Ingredients.......8 - 12 chicken drumsticks, 1 tbs of minced ginger, 3 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of ground turmeric, 1 tbs of ground paprika, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 8 tbs of lemon juice, 4 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 dsp of ground cumin, 1 tbs of ground coriander, 1 dsp of chilli flakes, 100gm of narural yoghurt, 1 tbs of runny honey, ground black pepper to taste. Place the chicken drumsticks in a large mixing bowl. Mix together all the above ingredients and pour over the chicken, cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Place the chicken drumstick mixture in a lightly oiled, shallow ovenproof dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes. Cover the dish with aluminium foil for the last 30 minutes of cooking, when the drumsticks are quite dry. Serve with plain rice and flat bread or with a cumin dip. The cumin dip is easy to make, whisk 250 gm of natural yoghurt with 1/2 tsp of ground cumin and 4 tbs of finely chopped fresh mint. Season with cracked black pepper and chill until ready to serve.

DEEP FRIED HONEY PUFFS.

Ingredients....3 eggs, lightly beaten, 1/4 cup of orange juice, 1/4 cup of canola/ rice bran opil, zest of 1 large orange, 1/4 cup of castor sugar, 300 gm of plain flour, 1 dsp of baking powder, canola/ rice bran oil for deep frying. Syrup..... 2 tbs of lemon juice, 1 and 1/2 cups of castor sugar, 1/3 rd of a cup of honey, zest of 1 large orange. Mix together the eggs, orange juice and 1/4 cup of oil. Add the orange zest and sugar and whisk well to combine. Mix together the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Sprinkle your work surface with extra flour, turn out the dough and knead lightly until smooth. Shape out to 5 cm thickness. Cut into 5 cm rounds with a biscuit cutter. Place the syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan with 1 and 1/2 cups of water, stir while it comes to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes . set aside. Heat the oil in your deep fryer to 170 deg C. Add the honey cakes a few at a time and fry until puffed and goldenon both sides. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Place a couple of the cakes at a time in the syrup, turn to coat, then remove to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Serve immediately.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ?

The answers to June challenge... 1. Salad. 4.Bartlett. 2. Pineapple. 5. Feijoa. 3. Turmeric. 6. Lemon curd. Here is my July challenge for you...... 1. Remember when Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey? What was she eating? 2. To plunge food into boiling or simmering water for a short period of time? 3. To heat a liquid to a point to a point just before boiling? 4. A chocolate coating for cakes? 5. A hihly perishable summer squash. The blossom of the young plant can be eaten, stuffed or fried? 6. Cooking vegetables in a little oil or fat over a medium heat in a covered pot or pan which releases moisture and intensifies the flavour?

BALTI FISH FILLETS IN A SPICY COCONUT SAUCE.

Balti is an economical, easily prepared style of Indian food. Balti food consists of marinated and spiced ingredients usually stir fried and cooked in a pan. Ingredients.....30 ml of canola oil, 1 dsp of dried onions, 2-3 dried chilli flakes, 3 tbs of minced garlic, 1 onion, sliced, 8 cherry tomatoes, halved, 2 tbs of desiccated coconut, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp of ground coriander, 4 firm white fish fillets, 75gm - 100gm each, 150 ml of water, 15 ml of lime juice, 1 tbs of fresh coriander, chopped. Heat the oil in a deep round frying pan over a high heat. Lower the heat and add the onions dried and sliced, chilli flakes. Cook for 4 minutes stirring until the sliced onion softens. Add the tomatoes, coconut, salt and ground coriander, stir through to blend thoroughly. Cut each fish fillet into 3 pieces. Drop the fish pieces into the mixture and gently turn them until they are well coated. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 7 minutes. Add the water, lime juice and fresh coriander and cook until the water has almost evaporated. Serve with a plain steamed grain.

VEAL SALTIMBOCCA

Saltimboca is a Roman speciality, that means " jumps in the mouth". It is made from very thin slices of meat, usually veal and topped with sage leaves and prosciutto or ham, rolled and sauteed in butter and wine. Ingredients.....4 x 100 gm veal schnitzels, uncoated, 4 fresh sage leaves, 4 slices of prosciutto / 4 rindless middle bacon rashers (260 gm), 250 ml of dry white wine. Roll up each schnitzel and top with a sage leaf. Wrap one prosciutto / bacon strip around each schnitzel, secure with skewers or toothpicks. Cook the schnitzels in heated oiled frying pan, bacon seam side down, turning occasionally, until cooked. Remove from pan, keep warm. Pour the wine into the pan, bring to the boil, stirring until the the liquid has reduced by half. Drizzle the sauce over the saltimbocca and serve with chips and a salad or as you like.

HONEY NUT ROLL.

Ingredients....30 gm marg/ butter, at room temp, 1 tsp of finely chopped rosemary leaves, 1/2 cup of honey, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 1 cup of plain flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tbs of milk, 1/2 cup of granulated nuts, 1/2 cup of currants. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease a nut/ fruit roll pan and line the lids with over hanging baking paper. Beat the margarine/ butter with the rosemary and honey. Add the egg and beat well to incorporate. Mix together the flour and baking powder. Fold in alternately with the milk, nuts and sultanas. Spoon into the prepared fruit/ nut roll pan and bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes or until checked with a skewer inserted coming out clean. Carefully remove from the roll pan and cool on a wire rack. The honey nut roll can be served warm or cool with butter . I have made this honey nut roll replacing the rosemary with the same amount in peanut butter and also with grated lemon rind. The success to this roll lies in the fact that you fold in the dry ingredients, do not beat them.