SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Ingredients......500gm of fresh spaghetti, 3 eggs, lightly beaten, 1/2 cup of cream, 1 cup of finely grated Parmesan, 2 tbs of canola/ rice bran oil, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 300 gm of bacon pieces. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until cooked, drain and keep warm. Mix together the eggs, cream and parmesanin a bowl and set aside. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the bacon pieces and the garlic, cook over a medium heat until the bacon is cooked through. Add the pasta to the frying pan and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and and stir through the the egg mixture, the heat of the pasta will cook the egg. Season to taste with cracked black pepper. Serve warm.

JAM THUMBPRINT SCONES

Ingredients.......1 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour, 30 gm of butter/ marg, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of strawberry jam, icing sugar to dust. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Mix together the flour with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl and add the butter/ marg. Rub the butter/ marg into the flour with your fingertips. Make a well in the centre and add the milk. Mix with a flat bladed knife, using a cutting actio until the dough comes together in clumps. With floured hands until the dough comes together, lift out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a smooth ball. Please dough not knead the dough or the scones will be tough. Shape the dough out to about a 2 cm thickness. Use a 4 cm cutter and cut into rounds. Gather the trimmings and shape into a 2 cm thickness without handling too much and cut into more rounds. Place the scone rounds close together on the prepared tray. Make a deep indentation in each scone round with your thumb and fill each cavity with the jam. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until they are risen and golden brown on top. Dust with icing sugar to serve. I serve these with a dollop of cottage cream topped with a dob of strawberry jam.

MINI LAMB MEAT LOAVES.

Ingredients.....500 gm of lamb mince, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1 onion, grated, 1 zucchini, grated, 1/4 cup of pine nuts, 2 tbs of chopped parsley, 1 tbs of worcestershire sauce, 1 cup of tomato pasta sauce. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. LIghtly grease an ovenproof dish. In a bowl, combine the mince, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, zucchini, pine nuts, parsley and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with cracked black pepper. Roll into 4 oval shaped meat loaves. Place 1 tbs of grated cheese in the centre of each meat loaf and reshape the meat loaves. Place the meat loaves in the prepared oven proof dish. bake in the preheated oven until browned, then pour over the pasta sauce and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Continue to bake until the cheese has melted and the loaves are cooked thropugh. Serve with vegetables and or a salad.

ZUCCHINI AND POLENTA PATTIES WITH TOMATO SAUCE.

Ingredients....2 cups of water, 1 and 1/2 cups of polenta, 2 zucchini, grated, 1/2 cup of finely grated Parmesan, 1 tbs of finely chopped rosemary leaves, (8 cooked chipolatas and a green leaf salad to serve, optional.) Tomato Sauce....30 gm of butter/ marg, 1 small leek, finely sliced, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 400 gm can of diced tomatoes, 2 tbs of rice bran / canola oil. Bring the water to the boil in a medium saucepan over a high heat. Pour in the polenta and reduce heat to medium. Cook stirring until all the water is absorbed. Stir in the zucchini, Parmesan and rosemary. Season to taste with cracked black pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, allow to cool and then divide into 8 even sized patties. To prepare the tomato sauce, melt the butter/ m arg in a frying pan over a medium heat. Saute the sliced leek and garlic until the leek is tender. Add the tomatoes and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens, set aside and cover to keep warm. Heat half the oilin alarge frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the patties, in two batches for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towelling , cover to keep warm and repeat with remaining oil and patties. I like to serve the patties with the cooked chipolatas, warm sauce and salad leaves.

CAKE TOPPINGS (2).

Ginger And Lemon Glace Icing.... Place a 1/3 rd of a cup of icing sugar in a small bowl, add 1/2 tsp of ground ginger,20 gm of butter/ marg, 1 dsp of milk and 1 tsp of lemon juice. Mix to form a paste. Place the bowl in the top of a steamer saucepan, which has simmering water in the bottom pan. Stir the icing until smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the heat. Drizzle the icing over the cake or spread with a knife dipped in hot water for even covering. Do not reheat the icing. Lime Icing...... Place 2 cups of icing sugar, 80 gm of softened butter/ marg and 2 tbs of lime juice in a mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon, adding 1 tbs of water if the mixture is too dry. Spread the icing over the cake with a flat bladed knife. Orange Glace Icing....... Place 1 cup of icing sugar into a heatproof bowl, add 10 gm of softened butter/ marg, 1 tsp of grated orange rind and enough orange juice to make a soft pouring consistency. Place the bowl in top of a steamer saucepan , which has simmering water in the bottom pan. Stir until the icing is smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the heat, drizzle the icing over the cake and let it run down the sides. Butterscotch Frosting.... Place 20 gm of butter/ marg in a small saucepan with 95 gm of soft brown sugar. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 1/3 rd of a cup of sour cream, stir through and set aside to cool. Place 100gm of cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and creamy. Gradually add the cooled butterscotch mixture, beating well after each addition. Caramel Icing.... Place 1 and 1/2 cups of icing sugar, 1 tbs of milk, 2 tbs of golden syrup, 30 gm of butter/ marg in a medium bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Spread over the cake with a flat bladed knife.

CAKE TOPPINGS. (1).

The icing on the cake can make all the difference. Lemon Cream Cheese Icing.....this is the perfect icing for a carrot cake. Place 60 gm of cream cheese and 30 gm of butter/ marg in a small mixing bowl. Use electric beaters and beat until combined. add 1 tbs of lemon juice and 185 gm of icing sugar and beat until smooth. Chocolate Fudge Topping. Chop 150 gm of dark chocolate and place in a small saucepan with 90 gm of butter/ marg and 1/2 cup of condensed milk. Stir over a low heat until the chocolate and butter/ marg have melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool until thick and spreadable. Chocolate Ganache Topping. Combine 60 ml of cream and 150 gm of dark chocolate in a small saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pour the ganache over the cake, then smooth the top and around sides of the cake with a flat bladed knife. Coffee Buttercream Topping....this is the perfect topping for a butter cake. Dissolve 3 tsps of instant coffe granules/ powder in tbs of boiling water. Place 125 gm of butter/ marg and 1 and 1/2 cups of icing sugar in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat until pale and creamy. Add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract, coffe mixture and 1 dsp of milk and beat until smooth and fluffy.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW…?

The answers to May's challenge... 1. Nouget. 4. Corallini. 2. Pepita. 5. Brownie. 3. Icing. 6. Aerate. June's Quiz Challenge For You.. 1. Usually served as an appetiser, entree, between courses, or with a main meal, sometimes as a meal by itself? 2. A large, rough textured fruit that will not ripen once it is picked? 3. A bright orange root, similar to ginger. When dried and ground it is used to flavour curries and pickles? 4. An early Autumn pear, some call it a ' Williams ' pear? 5. An aromatic, oval fruit with a thin waxy green skin, jelly like centre containing a few small edible seeds? 6. A tangy spread and pastry filling made with butter, castor sugar, eggs and lemon juice?

BBQ SAUCE.

Ingredients......2 tbs of rice bran/ canola oil, 3 tbs og minced garlic, 1 onion, finely chopped, 170 gm of tomato paste, 180 gm of apple cider vinegar, 5 tbs of soy sauce, 5 tbs of golden syrup, 1 tsp of Chinese five spice powder, 1 tbs of mustard, 5 tbs of honey, cracked black pepper and 200 ml of chicken stock. Saute the onion in the oil until tender and translucent. Add all the other ingredients, except for the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Little by little add the stock until the sauce thickens, but keep stirring all the time. Store in an airtight jar. the sauce can be served warm or cold. Once opened store in your refrigerator.

HELPFUL TIPS FOR YOU.

1. For softened butter in a hurry, grate and set aside for 10 minutes. 2. to gewt rid of lingering kitchen odours, bake orang peel in a preheated oven set at 160 deg c for 15 minutes. 3. Freeze unused pastry in a zip lock bag to prevent it from drying out.

CHICKEN LIVERS IN RED WINE AND THYME.

Ingredients......250 gm of fresh chicken livers, 3 tbs of rice bran / canola oil, 2 tbs of finely grated lemon rind, 3 tbs of minced garlic, 4 tbs of red wine, 1 tbs of fresh chopped thyme, cracked black pepper, rocket leaves and crusty bread, to serve. Rinse the chicken livers under cold running water, pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat the oil and grated lemon rind in a frying pan, add the garlic and cook, stirring over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the chicken livers, wine and thyme. Season with the cracked black pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes. TO serve, arrange the rocket leaves on a serving platter. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the chicken livers over the rocket leaves. Serve with crusty bread.

THE MANOR RISSOLE PASTRY PUFFS

8 prepared and cooked Manor rissoles, 2 sheets of puff pastry, 4 tbs of sweet chilli sauce, 8 cherry tomatoes, grated tasty cheese to top pastries. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Slice each sheet of puff pastry into 4 equal squares. Place a tsp of sweet chilli sauce in the centre of each pastry square. Place a rissole on top and then turn the rissole over to make sure the rissole is lightly coated with the sauce. Fold the pastry square up around the coated rissole and top with a sprinkle of the grated cheese . Finish off the pastry puffs with a trimmed cherry tomato. Place the pastry covered rissoles on the prepared oven tray and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and risen. Cool on a wire rack . The pastry puffs can be frozen.

CARROT AND HONEY OATMEAL BISCUITS.

These biscuits are seriously good and easily prepared. I found this recipe in a paper from the 90's and these are the measurements as printed, please make sure you use a 250 ml measuring cup. Ingredients.....1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of wholemeal plain flour,1 dsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of bi carb of soda, pinch of salt, 3 tsp of ground cinnamon, 125 gm of butter/ marg, 1 cup of runny honey, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 2 cups of coarsely grated carrot, 1 cup of sultanas, 2 cups of rolled oats, 2 cups of granulated nuts. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line 2 oven trays / 1 large oven tray with baking paper. In a large bowl mix together the flours, baking powder, bi carb of soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat the butter/ marg until soft and creamy. Add the honey and continue to beat until thick and smooth. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time alternating with the flour mixture . Now with the beater running on slow add the carrots, sultanas, oats and granulated nuts, mix well. Place tablespoons of the mixture in rough clumps on the prepared tray / trays about 2.5 cm apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

THE MANOR RISSOLE RECIPE.

Ingredients....500 gm of premium mince, 1 x 50 gm packet of dried chicken noodle soup mix, 2 tbs of sweet chilli sauce, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 2 tbs of dried inions, 2 eggs, well beaten, 2 tbs of chia seeds, plain flour. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients except for the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon or your fingers to blend evenly. Place a cup of flour into a medium bowl, place a sheet of baking paper beside the bowl to sit the rissoles on. Wet your hands to shape the mixture into balls. Roll the rissole balls through the flour and place on the baking paper to flatten to 3 cm/ 4cm thick. Cook in a lighty oiled pan on the stove top or on your bar be que.

CHICKEN PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI.

Ingredients......375 gm of fresh fettucine pasta, 4 medium zucchini, grated, 1 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 500gm of stir fry / tender loin fillets, sliced, 1/2 cup of milk, 375 ml of evaporated milk, 2 tbs og minced garlic, 250 gm of grated tasty cheese. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water, until tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large fring pan and saute chicken strips until golden and cooked through. Add the milk and evaporated milk along with the minced garlic, stir until the mixture boils. Add the grated zucchini and half the grated cheese. Add the cooked pasta to the chicken milk mixture and toss through. Top with the remaining cheese. Serve with a crusty bread and or a green salad.

APPLE CRUMBLE SLICE

Ingredients.......600 gm of plain flour, 295 gm of castor sugar, 375 gm of butter/ marg, melted. Apple filling.....50 gm of butter/ marg, chopped, 1 2 kg of Granny Smithh apples, peeled, cored and chopped, 135 gm of soft brown sugar, 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg, 80 gm of sultanas, icing sugar for topping. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease and line a 20 cm x 30 cm slice pan with baking paper. Place the flour, castor sugar and melted butter/ margarine a large bowl and mix well to combine. Press half the crumble mixture into the base of the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until the crumble mix is firm. Remove from the refrigerator and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until light and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. To make the apple filling, place the chopped butter/ marg , chopped apples, brown sugar, nutmeg and sultanas in a large saucepan over a high heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the apple is soft and the liquid has been absorbed. Spoon the filling over the crumble base. Top with the remaining crumble mixture and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan. Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares to serve.

RAINBOW MEATLOAF (GF)

Ingredients......1/ 2 cup of almond meal, 1 large carrot, 1 zucchini, 1 medium beetroot, 1 onion, chopped, 1 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 500 gm of lamb mince, 1 egg, lightly beaten, small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves only, cracked black pepper to taste. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a loaf pan with baking paper. Heat the oil in a small frying pan along with the chopped onion and cook over a medium heat until tender. Grate the zucchini, carrot and beetroot into a large bowl. Add the cooked onion to the bowl along with the minced lamb and mix to combine. Stir in the beaten egg and the almond meal until the mixture is slightly firm. Add the thyme and season with cracked pepper. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until golden on top.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE AND MINT BISCUITS

Many flavours team deliciously with chocolate, you can replace the peppermint crisps with 100 gm of of Snickers/ Mars bars, another flavour to consider is instant coffee powder. Ingredients.....2 cups of icing sugar, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, pinch of salt, 2 egg whites, at room temperature, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 2 x 35 gm peppermint crisp bars, chopped. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Put the icing sugar, cocoa and salt in a the bowl of your mixer and whisk to blend. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract. Whisk until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended and the batter is thick and moist. Fold in the chopped peppermint crisp pieces. Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the lined trays, allow room for spreading . Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the tops are glossy and begin to crack. Do not overcook or the biscuits will become very brittle. They should have a slightly chewy centre. Cool the biscuits on paper on a wire rack.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Ingredients...... 1 kg piece of pumpkin, 60 gm of butter/ marg, 1 onion chopped, 1 litre of chicken stock, 185 ml of cream. Cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces, then cut off all the skin. Chop the peeled pumpkin into smaller pieces. Heat the butter/ marg in a large pot. Add the onion and cook gently until the onion is tender. Add the pumpkin and stock to the pot. Cover the pot and bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the pumpkin is soft. At this stage you can mash the soup mixture with a potato masher, or for a very smooth texture puree the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender. Return the soup to the pot and add the cream, cracked black pepper to taste . Stir over a low heat until heated through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, ( optional).

MINESTRONE SOUP.

Minestrone soup is a great way of using any leftover vegetables, also any small pasta shapes can be used. Canned butter beans or borlotti beans can be substituted for kidney beans. Ingredients......1 tbs of oil ( canola or rice bran), 1 onion chopped, 150 gm of chopped bacon pieces, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1.25 litres of beef stock, 2 tomatoes, chopped, 1 carrot, chopped, 1 potato, chopped, 1 celery stick, chopped, 2 tbs of tomato paste, 1 zucchini, sliced, 100 gm of sliced green beans, 50 gm of macaroni, 2 tbs of chopped fresh parsley, 410 gm can of red kidney beans, finely grated Parmesan cheese, to serve. Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion and bacon until softened. Stir through the minced garlic. Add the stock, tomatoes, carrot, potato, celery and tomato paste. Stir though to combine and slowly bring to the boil over a medium heat, now reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the zucchini, green beans, macaroni and chopped parsley to the pot, simmer for 15 minutes. Rinse and drain the kidney beans and add to the pot. Heat through. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the finely grated Parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy..

PEA AND HAM SOUP.

Pork bones are not available all year round in the supermarket meat section, but you will be able to get the bones from your local butcher shop. Ingredients.....440 gm of dried split green peas, 750 gm of ham bones, 2.5 litres of water, 1 celery stick including leaves, chopped, 1 carrot, chopped, 1 onion, chopped, 2 leeks sliced, 1 potato, chopped. Place the split peas in a large bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak overnight. Drain and place the peas in a large pot along with the ham bones, water, celery, carrot and onion. Cover the pot with a lid and slowly bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 2 hours or until the peas are very soft. Add the potato and leek and cook for a further 30 minutes, until the vegtables are tender. Remove the bones from the soup, allow to cool and then cut off all the meat . Finely chop the meat and set aside. Transfer the soup to a large bowl to cool, then push it through a large wire seive back into the pot. Stir through the meat and slowly reheat the soup to serve. It is optional, but you can garnish with a small sprig of carrot leaves to serve.

FRENCH ONION SOUP.

Ingredients.....1 kg of onions, about 6 onions, 60 gm of butter/ marg, 1 tsp of sugar, 30 gm of plain flour, 2 litres of beef stock, 1 stick of french bread, 60 gm of grated tasty cheese. Peel the onions and cut them into fine rings. Heat the butter/ marg.in a large pot. Add the onion rings and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes or until the onions are tender. Add the sugar and flour to the pot and cook, stirring for 2 minutes or until the mixture is just turning golden. Gradually stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer over a low heat for 50 minutes. Season with cracked black pepper to taste. Slice the breadstick into 2 cm / 3/4" slices. Arrange the slices on a baking tray. Cook under a preheated grill until golden on one side. Turn the slices over and sprinkle each slice with the grated cheese. Cook under the hot grill until the the cheese has melted. Serve the soup topped with the grilled cheese toasts. Garnish with sliced chives( optional).