FUDGE ...DAIRY and SUGAR FREE (V)

Line a slice tray with baking paper allowing a little overlay on 2 sides .
Place 400gm of medjool dates ( pitted) in your processor with 95 gm of peanut butter ( I used crunchy ) and 2 tsp of vanilla extract .
Process till smooth and everything is well combined .
A helpful hint right now is to dip the spatula or spoon( you are going  to use to spread the mixture ) in oil
Now spread the mixture into your prepared pan .
Freeze for 1 hour.
Remove the fudge from the tray using the baking paper over overlay as handles .
Slice into small pieces to serve ...

 

PFEFFERNUSSE ..

Preheat your oven to 160 degC
Line  2oven trays with baking paper .
Melt 125gm of butter in a small saucepan over a low heat
Add 125gm of molasses and 165gm of firmly packed soft brown sugar .
Stir until butter is melted and the sugar and molasses have dissolved .
Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for 10 mutes .
Now stir in 1 lightly beaten egg
350gm of plain flour
1 tspof ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp of allspice
1/2tsp of ground nutmeg
1/2 tspof ground cloves
1/4 tsp of ground black pepper  ( yes thats correct ground black pepper .)
1/4 tsp of baking soda
Hand roll tbs of mixture into balls
Place balls on trays  about 1 inch apart
Place in the oven and bake for 15minutes or until the biscuits are firm to touch .
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes
Sift 55gm of icing sugar all over the warm biscuits .
Place on wire rack to cool completely ......
Biscuits will keep up to 3 weeks in an airtight container .
This is a fail proof recipe and the biscuits are delicious .

 

CHRISTMAS NUTS .........ALMONDS

SUGAR AND SPICE ALMONDS ....
Preheat your oven to 160 deg C
Spray oven trays and line with baking paper
Sift 2 tbs of ground cinnamon into a medium bowl together with 1and 1/2cups of icing sugar .
Rinse 600gm of whole almonds in a colander under running water
Tip the wet almonds on to the baking tray
Sift the sliced sugar mix over the almonds .
Toss to coat .
Roast in the preheated oven for 10minutes then stir and continue cook for a further 10 minutes OR until browned and fragrant .
Remove from oven and allow to completely cool on tray .
The almonds will crisp on cooling.
Store in airtight containers or jars .

TAMARI ALMONDS
Preheat your oven to 160 deg C
Mix together 400gm , 3 tbs of tamari , 1 tbs of rice bran oil and salt to taste  in a medium bowl .
Let them sit for about an hour , stirring occasionally to make sure the almonds are well coated.
Line an oven tray with baking paper and spread out almonds
Roast the almonds in the oven r 15 minutes .
shake he tray every 5 minutes make sure the nuts do nut burn .
Remove from oven and allow to completely cool .
The nuts will become crunchier once they have cooled and dried .
Store in an airtight container .

DATE AND CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE (V)

Preheat oven to 150 deg C.
Spray and line a 20cm springform pan
Place 200gm of butter / marg in a small saucepan with 2 tsp of vanilla extract and 75 gm of raw cacao heat over a low heat and stir till smooth .
remove from heat and cool a  little
Place 200gm of pitted dates ( medjool )in your processor along with 80m  ml of maple syrup .
Add the cooled butter mix and process until smooth ..
Use the bowl of  your electric mixer break open 6 eggs ,add 70gm of icing sugar .
Now beat until the mixture triples in volume  ( about 6 minutes )
Pour in the processed dates and butter mix
Add 120gm of almond meal
Lightly beat the mixture to combine .
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake till the cake is set (55 minutes )
The cake gets fudgier as it cools .
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan .
Clean , wash and dry your processor .
Place 120gm of creamed cheese in the processor along with 240gm of ricotta , 70 gm of icing sugar ,2 tsp of vanilla extract and 35 gm of raw cacoa .
Pulse until combined .
Once the cake is cold pile on the fluffy topping .
Top with mint leaves , fresh blueberries , mixed nuts , goji berries  and cacoa nibs
Happy Birthday Dale ...

 

MY FELINE FAMILY

PEACHES

FERGIE

 SAMI

 

Things I do not need for Christmas .....another cat !

I love cats but enough already !

MYSTERY SOLVED

When I moved to my new address a stray cat moved on to my front verandah .
I set out a bowl of water and food , in time I bought the cat a bed , unsure of the sex of the cat , I named it Sami .
Sami was / is the meet and greet attendant at number 2 and my gardening companion .
Yesterday I went and introduced myself to a neighbour of 8 months , he stopped his mower and we shook hands and then exclaimed "so how`s  my cat ?"
Can you imagine how I felt ? OMG !
After repeatedly saying that I hadn`t pinched his cat and explaining how the cat had arrived at my front door and never left .
My neighbour smiled and told me the story of Lester the male , ginger tabby cat .
It appears that the cat had been abandoned and turned up at my neighbours place about 5 years ago and won his way into that family`s heart even though they had never had a cat before and one of their sons` named the cat  Lester .
To my amazement I found out that I don't have neighbours , the house next door is on the market , the person I met now lives interstate and  only returned to get the home ready for the real estate agents .
The son who named the cat Lester has recently left the home telling his parents that Lester must be nearby as the cat often went for a visit but never stayed long .
The wife of my neighbour called in this morning with worming and flea treatments and a goodbye pat .
The lady thought Lester maybe about 14 years old and had planned to take him interstate with her , I said of course and offered her to take him .
 The lady straightened herself from patting Lester , he  walked over to me , rubbed his body across my legs and sat  beside me watching as  the lady walked  away assured I would care for Sami till the end .

 

PORK BRAISED IN MILK

You will need to purchase a rolled loin of pork about 1.5 kg from your butcher .
If you are buying a rolled piece of pork , unwrap it and remove the rind and most of the fat .
Lay the pork out on your bench and spread 3 dsp of minced garlic over the loin
1 tsp  of coriander seeds
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 sprig of fresh rosemary along with a pinch of salt .
Roll the loin up and tie with kitchen string .
Place the pork in a heavy based saucepan with a good lug of oil and brown the pork all over .
Remove from heat .
Set the pork aside and discard the rendered fat .
Return the pan to the heat and add 3 tbs of finely diced bacon , 1 finely diced onion an extra dsp of minced garlic , 1 tsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds , fry until soft in the residual fat left in the saucepan from the pork .
Place the bacon mixture in the bowl of your slow cooker , turn your slow cooker to high ,  add the pork and  1 litre of milk or enough milk to come halfway up the sides of the meat .
Bring the milk to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and leave covered and undisturbed for 2 hours .
After 2 hours check that the internal temp of the pork is at 78deg C .
Remove and set the pork aside loosely covered with foil in a warm place .
Pour the sauce back into the pan and continue to reduce it until it thickens and forms little nuggets of onion and bacon which you serve spooned over the sliced pork .
Serve alongside crispy roast potatoes , green beans with preserved lemon and garlic dressing .
To the memory of Elizabeth David ....