Mug Brownies

Quick to make for dessert or a sweet treat any time. They go well with a scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients per mug:
2 tablespoons sunflower oil or melted butter
1 tablespoon choc chips plus extra to add at end
2 tablespoons milk or chocolate milk
2 drops vanilla essence
sprinkle of salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
2 tablespoons plain flour

Method:
1. Place a heaped tablespoon of butter in a mug and add 1 tablespoon of choc chips.
2. Microwave on medium low for 20 seconds and stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted.
3. Add vanilla essence, salt, brown sugar and cocoa and mix until smooth.
4. Add flour and extra choc chips and mix again.
5. Wipe the mug clean on the outside and around the inside of the rim.
6. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
7. Allow to cool a while to avoid burning.
8. Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream.

Variation: use oil instead of butter and/or leave out the choc chips. 

Read More»

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Gooey in the middle and crispy on the outside, this definitely hits the spot. If you melt the butter and chocolate in a large bowl in the microwave and then add all the other ingredients it is easy and there's not much washing up.

Ingredients:
6 oz (150g) butter
4 oz (100g) dark chocolate
3 eggs, beaten
3 oz (225g) plain flour
12 oz caster sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbs cocoa
6 oz walnuts chopped


Method:
Preheat the oven 170C (fan-forced) and grease and line a baking tray (30cm x 20cm) with baking paper.
Melt the chopped butter and chocolate in a large microwavable bowl in the microwave on medium-low, stirring between 1 minute blasts until melted. Mix in all the other ingredients and pour into the prepared tray. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. It rises and then sinks in the middle when it is about ready, remaining quite gooey in the centre. Be careful not to overcook. It doesn't look very pretty, but it sure tastes good!

Read More»

Rustic Scones

Over the years this has been my favourite recipe when having people over for afternoon tea. I often make double this amount and freeze the leftovers for unexpected guests. (I keep a spare carton of long-life cream in the fridge and jam in the larder. I thaw the scones in the microwave and then crisp them up in the oven while whipping the cream.)

Ingredients:

1lb (450g) self raising flour
3 oz (75g) butter or margarine
3 tablespoons caster sugar
2 pinches of salt
300ml (½ pint) milk

strawberry jam
double cream, or thickened cream, whipped


Method:
Preheat oven 220C or 200C (fan-forced). Grease a baking tray or cover with baking paper.
Place flour and chopped butter or margarine into a large bowl and use your fingertips to rub the fat into the flour. Add the sugar and salt and then stir in the milk to form a sticky dough. Tip this out onto a well-floured surface e.g a chopping board and sprinkle with some extra flour on top (to help with handling as it is usually very sticky). Pat out to about 2cm thickness and cut out the scones. If you want to avoid strange shapes don't twist the cutter, sharply tap the cutter into the dough. Use extra flour on the cutter to help stop it sticking. Alternatively cut out triangles with a knife.

Place the scones on the baking tray with space between them and dust with some extra flour. Knead the remaining dough and repeat the process until it is all used. Bake in the hot oven for about 12 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Split and eat with jam and cream while they are still warm. They are crusty and beautifully moist on the inside and totally yum! I think the trick is to handle the dough as little as possible. I don't do any kneading and I don't worry about the shape of the scones.

Makes 12-15 scones (using a 5.5cm pastry cutter)

Read More»

Leek Chorizo and Semi-dried Tomato Quiche

Sarah loves this quiche, although she says she could eat more Chorizo (I think she just likes sausages)

Ingredients:
2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 leek, cut in half length-ways, washed and finely sliced
1 Chorizo sausage, sliced and papery skin peeled off
1-2 potatoes sliced or chopped into 2cm cubes
1/2 cup chopped semi-dried tomatoes
6 eggs
300 ml light thickened cream (less if you prefer)
2 cups grated tasty cheese


Method:

Preheat oven 180C. Grease a 23cm pie dish and line with thawed pastry. Prick this over with a fork. Line the pastry with grease-proof paper and baking beads or uncooked rice to stop it puffing up (optional). Bake in the hot oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove paper and baking beads if using.

Meanwhile, spray a large non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil and cook the potato and Chorizo sausage until the potato is browned. Remove to a plate. Add the leek to the pan with a little butter and cook until softened.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and cream seasoning with a little salt and pepper.

Spread the cooked leek in pie shell. Top with the potato and chorizo followed by the chopped semi-dried tomatoes and cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the top.

Bake in the hot oven 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 160C and bake a further 30-35 minutes until risen and browned on top

Read More»

Indian Cabbage Bujhia

Easy Vegetable Recipes: Cabbage Bhujia

This is a link to a recipe I found for one of my childhood favourites. Mum used to make this with an onion in it, in fact it was probably just chopped cabbage and onion fried up together. She stopped making it when my brother and sister (one or other of them) turned their noses up at it, which was a pity because I loved it and it would have been very good for us.

Here is an alternative, with onion and more spices:

Indian Spiced Cabbage

Spicy (I used double the spices)!

with coriander leaves

Double the recipe as this is 2-4 serves, improves next day

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 -2 green chili
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Fresh coriander leaves
• salt

Directions

1. Heat the oil.
2. Add the cumin and mustard seeds.
3. Add ginger, garlic, chillies and onions.
4. Cook till the onions are a little soft.
5. Add the cabbage.
6. Add salt and turmeric powder and garam masala.
7. Cook about 5 minutes or to the consistency which you like your cabbage to be cooked.
8. Add chopped coriander.
9. Serve with naan bread and chutney.

Read More»

Moussaka

Ingredients:

Milk infusion
3 cups (750ml) milk
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves, whole
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Meat sauce

1-2 carrots, grated
1 stick celery, finely sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
200g sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon  allspice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
500g lamb mince
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Veggie layer
2 large aubergines (eggplants) sliced

Bechamel Sauce
75g butter
1/3 cup  plain flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks

Topping:
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, extra

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C.

Prepare the milk infusion by combining the milk in a pan with the other ingredients and bringing to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.

Place the slices of aubergine on 2 trays lined with baking paper and lightly spray with olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

For the Meat Sauce, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, celery and carrot . Cook gently until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up the lumps of meat. Now add the mushrooms and the garlic, cinnamon, oregano and allspice. Stir to combine and gently cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook gently for about 15 minutes with a lid over the pan, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, make the Bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a medium sized pan, then withdraw from the heat and mix in the flour. Now place back on the heat and cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring all the while. Remove from the heat again and gradually add the strained infused milk, stirring until smooth. I use a wooden spoon out of habit, but a balloon whisk may well be easier. Return to the heat and bring to the boil over a medium heat and stirring continuously until the sauce thickens, for about 3 minutes. Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and the egg yolks.

Assemble the Moussaka in a greased 2.5 litre oven proof dish. Layering half the meat sauce, then half the aubergine followed by a second layer of each. Top with the Bechamel sauce and sprinkle with an extra 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve with a green vegetable such as broccolini or a green salad.  .

Read More»