Easy Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6oz (175g) white/granulated sugar
• 150ml water
• 2oz (50g) cocoa powder

Method:

Dissolve the sugar in the water over low heat and then bring to the boil. Simmer for one minute. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. Mix until smooth and then allow it to cool, stirring occasionally. It  may be stored in the fridge. Serve with ice cream etc. Yum!

Read More»

Yorkshire Pudding

Here's a recipe I brought with me from England. Yorkshires are a must with roast beef, but I also serve them with  roast pork (my husband's favourite - his mum, who was from Leeds, Yorkshire,  would serve them with any roast meat). Ah, fond memories of trips to Portsmouth for Sunday roasts with Cynthia and Norman followed by a walk along the windy beach front sometimes with a bonus sniff of some roses in the rose garden.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz (100g) plain flour
• Pinch salt
• 1-2 eggs
• 300ml (1/2 pint) milk and water mixed
• Oil for greasing

Method:

Sieve (optional, I don’t) flour and salt into bowl.

Make well in centre. Add egg and some of the liquid and mix from the centre drawing in the flour and then gradually stirring in the remaining milk to form a smooth batter.

About 15 mins before the end of cooking your roast raise the temperature to very hot (220C). Pour the batter into greased muffin pan/s and cook until puffed and golden/crispy. Cooked puddings can tipped out and kept warm while the pans are re-greased to cook in batches. Alternatively, cook one large pudding for about 40 mins.

Read More»

Pumpkin Soup

Here's my recipe for delicious home-made pumpkin soup, so comforting on a cold day.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 butternut pumpkin peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes (2cm x 2cm approx)
• 1 red onion peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
• freshly grated nutmeg
• chicken stock cube (low salt)
• 2 slices of short-cut bacon chopped into small pieces
• boiling water to just cover vegetables

Method:

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
Blend until smooth. This can be done very easily in the saucepan using a hand-held stick-blender.

Enjoy with crusty bread and Parmesan  cheese or a swirl of sour cream..

Read More»

Anzac Biscuits

It's Anzac Day here in Australia (25/4), so my daughter and I decided to make some Anzac biscuits for afternoon tea.

Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut

 Method:

Preheat oven to 140C.
Line 3 baking trays with baking paper (or grease if you prefer).
Melt and mix together margarine, sugar, golden syrup and baking soda in a saucepan.
Stir in the other ingredients. Mix well.
Place tablespoonfuls onto the trays leaving space for spreading. Press to flatten slightly.
Bake for 20 minutes and then allow to cool on trays.
Enjoy with your favourite cuppa.

Read More»