Saturday Mini Muffins On Probation

My new job is at the Department of Corrections. After 70 applications to Invercargill jobs, I am totally wrapped and join the Saturday Working Club now and the lucky few of us in the club have made it a ritual to make a pot luck lunch at work each Saturday. So I am making muffins to take a long tomorrow.

If you don't have muffin tins, check out your opshops for second hand ones. They are hygenic because they are baked in so don't worry about other people's goobies too much.

These muffins make great nibbles for any occasion and are best with a bit of cream cheese. They don't take long to make either. 

The skeleton for this recipe was taken from Nigella's muffin recipe and been amended by me .

 So, the recipe goes...

Ingredients
175g plain flour
75g rye flour (for some nutty flavour)
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 c grates cheddar
Couple fo splashes of Worcester Sauce
1 egg
125ml soy milk or normal
75ml vege oil (garlic infused if you have it)
Add corn,garden chives, parsley, capers as desired

Method
Heat oven at 180 degrees.
Mix together dry ingredients.
And separately mix together cheese, egg, worcester sauce, vege oil, soy milk, and fresh herbs.
Combine the two and with teaspoon scoop modest amounts into each mould.  Because there is plenty of raising agent, don't fill the mould up to the top.
Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, check on progress as each recipe has a different bake time depending on how the cook decided to personalises recipes.

I love catering to community and what people need, and these cheesy yummy snack size muffins will make the Fri night hangover which I know some of us will be feeling after the week that was at probation!

Kale, Pumpkin, Bacon Stir-Fry

Bunch of kale from the paddock
Quarter of pumpkin, cubed
2 rashers of bacon or ham
1 onion

1. De-stem the kale and cut the leaves into coarse shreds. Submerge the leaves into a bowl of water and swish around to remove any trapped grit and dirt; set aside.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic oil, onion and bacon and fry for a few minutes to until light brown.

3. Add pumpkin cubes and let it soften for a few minutes. Add water to stop it from sticking to the pan. Then add the kale along with whatever water is clinging to the leaves, and saute it until the leaves deepen in color slightly; squeeze some lemon juice over the mix.
4. Season with the soy sauce and chili sauce if desired. Personally I just enjoy salt and pepper and let only the flavour of the veggies come through. Taste the kale to see if it's cooked to your liking. Serve with rice and fried chicken, beef or lamb, if desired.

Sunshine Bars For PP Who Live In The Deep Dark South...

Ingredients

100g dried ready-to-eat tropical medley or other mixed dried fruits

150g porridge oats

85g desiccated coconut

50g blanched hazelnuts or shelled peanuts or other nuts

50g sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds, whatever your preference

100g light brown sugar

125ml golden syrup

100g butter , chopped up

1.     Chop the tropical medley into pieces using kitchen scissors. Tip the oats, (cereal), coconut and fruit into a large bowl and mix well, using a wooden spoon or clean hands. Put the hazelnuts and sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds in a frying pan with no oil and, over a moderate heat, stir until they are lightly toasted. Leave to cool a little then tip into the bowl and mix.

2.     Put the sugar, syrup and butter in a small pan and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until melted, then simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thicker and syrupy.

3.     Quickly stir the syrup into the dry mix, stirring until it all starts to bind and there are no dry patches.

4.     Quickly tip into a 20cm square tin and press down with the back of a spoon to even out the surface. Leave to cool and set - about 2 hours. Cut the mixture into 6 one way and 3 the other to make 18 bars. Store in a tin, or wrapped tightly in foil for up to a week.

PER SERVING

Approx 190 kcalories, protein 2g, carbohydrate 22g, fat 11 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 2g, sugar 11g, salt 0.26 g

Referencce:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3305/sunshine-bars

Egg, Butter-Free Chocolate Muffins

3 cups rye flour ( replace with rice flour for a gluten free result)
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa (can use less)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons vinegar
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cups water

Directions:

1
Mix dry ingredients throughly.
2
Add liquids and mix well with a fork.
Can be baked as madeleines, mini cakes, muffin, or as a cake (allow 1 1/4 hours for baking)! 
3
Bake at 180 Celcius for 12 or longer minutes. or until cooked when tested with a knife.
4
The muffins can be iced or left plain.
5
It makes a nice dessert with cream or custard.


Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-cake-no-eggs-or-butter-339303#ixzz1spezEaM9

Classic Cornbread Recipe

This is a lovely accompaniment to a rack of lamb

12 pieces

Ingredients:

125 g polenta or cornmeal
125g white flour
2 tspoon salt
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 eggs
1 tsp honey
150g yoghurt
150 ml milk
25g butter

Method:
23cm baking tin
Mix together dry ingredients
Whisk together we ingredients
Add one to the other
bake at 220 degrees celsius for 20 minutes

I added Woolworth sundried tomatoes and finely chopped leek.
You can add chilli, pumpkin, kumara or whatever.

Danish bread pudding with wild elderberries (or other wild berries)

Delicious and an excellent way of using leftover food. 600 g.breadcrumbs,1 Tsp cream,100 g. sugar,the seeds from half a vanilla pod,4 eggs,1 Tsp crushed hazel nuts, 10 Tsp wild elderberries (or raspberries,blueberries,redcurrants,cranberries) Elderberry jam or other dark berry jam Pre-eat the oven to 175˚C (350˚F). Place the breadcrumbs, cream, eggs, sugar and hazel nuts in a bowl and mix to a smooth paste. Smear bottom of a greased fireproof dish with jam.Place over jam the berries. Pour the mixture on top and top with the remaining berries. Bake the pudding in the oven for 30 minutes. Check to see if it is ready by inserting a knife. If the knife comes out clean then the pudding is ready.

Indian roast potatoes and Vegetarian curry w quince paste (Slowcooker recipe)

Smallish potatoes are best for this recipe! Ones from your garden, even better! 900g potatoes, unpeeled 2 x 15ml tablespoons rice bran oil 2 tsp tumeric 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp mustard seeds, black or yellow whichever ... 1 bulb garlic 1 onion lime juice salt Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cut unpeeled potatoes into 2-3cm cubes Use mortar and pestle to grind all spices together to release flavour Put potatoe cubes into a bag with oil and spices and shake until cubes are covered in aromatic mix! Use old bread bags or supermarket plastic bags. Tip onto a baking dish and scaterr cloves of unpeeled garlic over cubes. Cook for 1 hour. Marinade thinly diced onion in lime juice. When potatoes are done sprinkle lime onions over the potatoes. Delish! Vegetarian Curry 2 x 15ml tablespoons rice bran oil 1 onion, peeled and cut into half moons salt Tsp grated ginger 1 tsp tumeric 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground ginger 2 x cans coconut milk 600ml Marigold vege stock, or any stock will do 1 tsp suger 1 Tsp quince paste (substitute for tamarind paste) 350g cauli, broken into florets 350g broccoli, broken into florets 100g frozen beans 125g baby corn 150g peas Add to slow cooker: oil Sliced onion salt spices coconut milk stock sugar quince paste 2 hours before serving, add cauli and broccoli florets, beans, peas and corn.

Hot spicy elderberry drink

My partner is complaining of a sore throat this morning so I went to it and tried the spicy elderberry drink spoken to me about by some ladies at the Gore Revive, Relax, Retail Expo over the weekend. Splurge of elderberry syrup Pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon Some grated fresh ginger (there is nothing wrong with using Pam's chopped ginger ina jar) Squeeze of lemon Top up with hot water

Elderberry - More recipes to come!

To come ... Elderberry pavalova Lamb rack with an elder glaze Lamb fillet rosemary/elderberry marinade Cold/ hot throat soother, and more! This site does not include any recipes that I have not tried. The above still have to be tried and errored and will go onto the website for the correct, reliable and delish recipes. Cheers

Elderberry (or other) Turkish Delight

Turkish Delight is a candy that originated in Turkey in the 1700's. The candy was featured in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", by C.S Lewis. The White Witch tempted a character, Edmund, with Turkish Delight. This easy Turkish Delight recipe will tempt you, too!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hour, 10 minutes Total Time: 2 hour, 25 minutes Ingredients: 4 cups granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups cornstarch 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 4 1/4 cups water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 1/2 tablespoons elderberry juice or syrup 1 cup icing sugar Vegetable oil or shortening Preparation: In a 9 inch baking pan, grease the sides and bottom with vegetable oil or shortening. Line with wax paper and grease the wax paper. In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, sugar and 1 1/2 cups water on medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside. An alternate method offered to know when the sugar mixture is ready is by putting a handbowl of cold water next to the sauce pan and periodically test by pouring a drop of sugar into the cold water. If the sugar dilutes in the cold water it's not ready, if it turns to candy it is not ready, if it forms a ball is it ready! Combine cream of tartar, 1 cup corn starch and remaining water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue like consistency. Stir in the lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently. Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in elderberry. Pour mixture into wax paper lined pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight. Once it has cooled overnight, sift together confectioners sugar and remaining cornstarch. Turn over baking pan containing Turkish delight onto clean counter or table and cut with oiled knife into one inch pieces. Coat with confectioners sugar mixture. Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper. Amended from http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dessertssweetspastries/r/turkishdelight.htm

Elderberry reduction for venison, duck, pork, lamb

Ingredients
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fine diced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup crushed fresh elderberries
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup gin
1 cup rich brown sauce (use bisto or Continental gravy)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon cold butter


Directions
Lightly season the venison chops on both sides with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the berries, sugar and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and red wine and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the gin, being careful of flames, and stir to deglaze the pan. (Alternately, remove the pan from the heat and ignite with a match.) When the flames die out, add the demi-glace and sage, and stir well.

Elderberry Syrup pamphlet

Nola's meatloaf

Treat this like Kiwi terrine! A few slices of this lovely moist, caramalised meatloaf recipe goes perfectly with a garden salad, new potatoes or fresh vege on the side beautifully. This looks like French bistro but tastes unmistakenly Kiwi.

Ingredients:
500g Dave's sausages or others (about 6 saussies normal size)
500g mince
1/4 c chopped tomatoes out of a can
3 carrots, grated
1/3 c red or white cabbage (can be substiuted by a 1/3 cup of grated zuccini)
a tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce
1 onion
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Set oven at 200 degress celsius
2. Take sausage meat out of casing and mix in with meat.
3.Grate onion, carrots and thinly slice or grate the cabbage in a bowl. Add chopped tomatoes.
4. Combine the veges,meats, sweet chilli sauce and combine well until it form a nice clump.
5.Mould into a loaf like rectangle and wrap in aluminium foil.
6. Cook for an hour at 180 degrees fan bake.


Serve with fresh salad and spicy elderflower salad dressing.

Moosewood's carrot mushroom loaf for an oaf or the gluten intolerant

Feel like you've been an oaf today? Misplaced your keys? Maybe, misplaced your wallet? Forgot your brain at home before going to work?

30 minutes to assemble
45 minutes to bake

5-6 Servings

2 cups minced onion
1tbsp butter
400g mushroom
1tsp basil
1tsp thyme
1tsp dill
3-4 medium cloves of garlic
6 cups grated carrots
2 cups bred crumbs
1 cup grated cheddar
2 eggs beaten
black pepper
Optional toppings: extra dill, cheese, breadcrumbs, sprinkling of sesame seeds

Lightly oil a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, standard size fruit cake tin. Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C

In a large pan saute onions in butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt, herbs and garlic and continue to saute for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl combine carrots, breadcrumbs, cheese, eggs and pepper. Add the sauteed mixture and mix well. Spread into the prepared pan and sprinkle with your choice of toppings. Cover the pan with foil

Bake for 30 minutes covered then uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Serve hot or warm.

For more great Mollie Katzen recipes go to and

Drink with a Valli Margherita

Large glass full of ice
1 part cointreau
4 parts Barkers Lime Cordial - diluted
5 parts grappa or Hokonui moonshine (better made with local ingredients like home distilled or hokonui)
1/4 of a lime

60s lemonade scones

3 cups self raising lour
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup cream
3/4 cup lemonade
(grated rind of orange)

Method
Sift flour into a bowl
(Stir in sugar and orange rind)
Add cream or lemonade
Mix with knife
Soft dough
Turn out on a lightly floured surface flatten to about 2cm thickness
Cut to shape
Bake in 220 degrees for about 15 minutes

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

One 8- or 9-inch (20-23cm) double layer cake



For the cake layers:

4 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
¾ c (180ml) melted brown butter (or more oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (400g) sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
generous pinch each of nutmeg and cloves, grind in mortar and pestle if you don't have ground spices
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups (13 ounces/375g)4-5 medium size carrots, loosely packed grated carrots
1/2 cup (60g) raisins, preferably golden raisins (sultanas)


For the frosting:

1 pound (450g) cream cheese, at room temperature
4 oz (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-3 cups (240-360g) powdered sugar, sifted
a few drops of vanilla extract
a tsp molasses

To decorate
Muesli, or chopped apricots, figs and pumpkin seeds, or peaks and troughs with a piping bag

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour two 8- or 9-inch (20-23cm) cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.Use round or scquare 20cm tin as desired. If you have one only, bake one layer after the other using just the one pan!!

2. To make the cake layers, sift together the flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (rather than a whisker), beat the eggs until they are pale and frothy (they need not increase dramatically in volume). With the mixer running, drizzle in the oil and melted butter, then the vanilla.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the eggs and mix carefully until just combined. The paddle will accomplish this easily but if you only have a hand held mixer you may want to just do it by hand.

4. Fold in the carrots and raisins, then divide the batter between the two pans. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the surface springs back when gently touched. Cool the cakes completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, sift icing sugar in a bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Slowly add the butter and cream cheese mixture into the powdered sugar (do this on low speed to avoid a dust cloud). Add vanilla and mix until light, silky and marginally stiff if you are thinking of piping the cake for decoration.

Serving and Storage: This cake is best served at room temperature but will keep for a few days stored in the refrigerator.

David Lebowitz and Britta Lieven

Honey/ thyme poached apricots with cream

The thyme gives the apricots a lovely genteel, aromatic flavour and is a perfect precursor to a cup of strong coffee after dinner.







Ingredients

1 vanilla bean
3-4 tbsp honey
3-4 tbsp brown sugar
twigs of thyme
1 1/2 water
10 apricots


Method

Cut straight down vanilla bean, open up, scrape out the pod and put paste into a medium sized saucepan.
Add honey, brown sugar, thyme and water to vanilla bean paste and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
Cut into halves, de-stone apricots and add. Cook for 8-10 minutes until soft but not mushy.
If you cook them too long they will disintegrates and become like compote which should not worry you and is just as delish.
Remember to take out thyme twigs!
Serve with cream, or creame fraiche and, or vanilla icecream
Enjoy!

Recipe idea courtesy of North and South Mag
I pulled the photo off dinnerdujour blog as I forgot to take a picture. Check this blog out, to view click on http://dinnerdujour.org/

Molasses biscuits

These biscuits are so gorgeous, they will take you down memory lane with its flavours of spices and raw sugar and create ideas for new ones!

Check them out at A Drop of Red in Cromwell when you are there next-that's where I discovered them!



Ingredients:
•3/4 cup shortening or butter
•1 cup packed light brown sugar
•1/4 cup molasses
•1 large egg
•2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons baking soda
•1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
•1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•Granulated sugar or larger-grained decorator's sugar
Preparation:
Cream shortening and brown sugar until smooth; beat in molasses and egg until well blended. In another bowl, combine the flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and stir until thoroughly blended. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
Heat oven to 375°. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or grease. Add about 1/3 cup of granulated sugar to a small bowl. Have a bowl of water nearby, along with a flat-bottomed cup or glass.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. Dip the top of the balls into the sugar, then place, sugar-side up, on the baking sheet. Leave about 2 to 3 inches between balls. Dip the flat-bottomed cup or glass lightly in the bowl of water. Gently press the top of each cookie with the wet bottom of the glass or cup to moisten lightly. There's no need to flatten the balls; the cookies will spread while baking.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until cookies are set. Let cool for about 1 minute on the cookie sheet. Remove to racks to cool completely.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Lentils with sausages and thyme

Red lentils are the easiest of all the pulses to work with; they are dirt cheap, fast to cook and a good source of protein.
Thyme is such a aromatic herb, almost has soothing and calming as lavender. What other herb then could compliment the nourishing flavours of lentils and filling power of homemade saussies?

Any sausage would do, pork, venison, mutton. I am using Dave's tomato and garlic ones for this recipe.

2 cups orange lentils
2 cups, 500ml weak vege stock
2 onions, cut into wedges
2 tomatoes, roughly diced
splurge of olive oil
salt, garlic salt is best
3 tsp thyme
6 fresh sausages, approx 500g

Step 1
Pour some oil into medium to large saucepan and heat. Cut onions into wedges, add to saucepan and over low heat soften for 5 minutes. Make sure you do not brown them!
Pour in the lentils add two cups of weak stock (dilute one cube to 500ml of water) and stir to ensure they do not stick to the base of the saucepan.
Boil the lentils for 8-10 minutes or until soft. A couple of minutes before its done add tomatoes. Add fresh or frozen thyme and garlic salt and stir under.


Step 2
Bring water in a medium saucepan to boil. Add raw sausages, simmer for 5-10 minutes until they are cooked. Then put them into a pan and brown them to your liking.

Yum!

MOF MOF dessert - rhubarb icecream loaf

MOF MOF meaning "minimum of fuss, maximum of flavour"

1.5 cans condensed milk
500 ml poached cinnamon rhubarb
1 pack gingernuts

Stage 1
To poach the rhubard dice 6 medium sized rhubarb stems, put the rhubarb into a medium sized saucepan, add a cup of sugar and pour in water until the rhubarb is covered. Add a cinnamon stick and bring the water to the boil and take off the heat and cool.

Stage 2
Take a pack of gingernuts, roll them into a towel and smash the bejesus out of them.

Stage 3
Combine cold rhubarb, condensed milk and gingernuts pieces. Pour the mixture into a lined loaf tin and leave in a freezer until it sets (overnight is best)

To serve
Take the loaf tin out of the freezer, let it thaw five minutes and then turn onto a platter so it looks like an icecream loaf. Cut into slices and serve with fresh strawberries and cream.
Enjoy!

Prawn Laksa

Great antidote for exploding head syndrome

Paste - Easy Option
Mae Ploy Curry Paste

Paste - homemade
2 small hot red chillies
3 cloves of garlic
6 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
tsp of lemon grass paste
2 medium shallots
tsp tumeric
tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp hot water

Laksa
2 tbsp peanut or veg oil (or olive and sesame mixed together for extra flavour)
laksa paste
500ml coconut milk or cream
1 l chicken or fish stock
2 tsp Asian fish sauce
juice of 2 limes (or 2 tbsp of ready made and bought lime juice)
1 cup raw prawns, shelled, about 170 g and cost around $2.30 from supermarket deli
2 c rice noodles soaked and cooked in boiling water
100 g tofu (optional)
2 hard boiled eggs (for hard working men add another), halved
250g bean sprout (optional)
sml cucumber cut and cubed
tsp fresh coriander out of tube

Put all the paste ingredients into a food processor or spice grinder and blitz until a paste forms. (even better pound everything in a mortar and pestle - picked one up for half price at Briscoes around $25-29 or consult closest hospice shop or sallies)

Heat oil in sauce pan and when hot add paste.
Fry for a minute until it becomes fragrant. Do not allow it to darken.
Add coconut cream and stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Season with fish sauce and lime juice, adding salt if necessary but shouldn't be!
Add prawns and simmer for a further minute until cooked.
Cook noodles to packet instructions
Grab bowls and divide noodles up into four parts. Ladle soup into bowls and add tofu (optional) and eggs. Top with sprouts or chillies (for extra heat) or spring onion or cucumber, peanut bits or herbs and serve at once

Enjoy!