Meal time

Well, after being asked why don't you add main meals to your blog?, I had a little think and though well why not.....

So here we go.

The camera gets whipped out every time a meal is cooked now, so watch out for a few of Lizzie's inventions, you will find that I do like easy recipes but I hope that the end results are tasty ..

Vegetable soup

Serves 2

1 lb mixed vegetables (must include potatoes as this is the thickener/onions/ leeks/carrots/parsnips broccoli )

knob of butter

3/4 pint of water add a vegetable stock  cube/ or use chicken stock

4 fluid ounces of single cream

melt butter in a saucepan and add onion or leeks gently cook but not brown, while this is cooking chop all the other veg into small pieces, then add all the other veg with the liquid and simmer for 20 mins, take of the heat and blend with a hand blender, it doesn't matter if there are some larger pieces of vegetables add the cream leaving some to swirl on the top before serving,

serve with nice crusty bread.

Quick and easy Vegetable curry

Serves 2

half teaspoon olive oil

half an onion, chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

1 1/4 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon tomato puree

200 g tin chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon raisins 

1 vegetable stock cube

6oz frozen mixed vegetable

6 fluid ounces water 

salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, over a medium high heat, heat oil and saute onion and garlic until golden

Stir in curry powder and tomato puree, cook for 2 to 3 minutes

Stir in tomatoes, vegetable stock cube, mixed veg, raisins, water, salt and  pepper and cook for approximately 20 to 30 minutes until vegetables are well done (not crunchy).

Serve with Naan bread and natural plain yogurt and enjoy...............

Bacon, Cheese and Mushroom Quiche  

Pastry

3 oz  hard margarine

6 oz plain flour

cold water

rub together margarine and flour then mix in water until it makes a soft dough

I have a patty tin that I can make 4 individual quiches, so I lined these with pastry.

Quiche filling

2/3 rashers of bacon

1 large mushroom

2 eggs

3 fluid ounces of milk

2oz cheese

seasoning to taste

Cut bacon into small pieces fry, add a large chopped mushroom and continue frying for a short time

Mix the egg and milk together with the seasoning

divide the bacon, mush and cheese and put into the pastry cases, then add the egg and milk mixture 

bake in a preheated oven (Gas Mark 6) for 30 mins or until cooked through

I hope that you try out these recipes and let me know how you get on or any alterations that you think improve the taste...

Doggie Treats

Well today I thought that I would treat my dog Herbie, I usually do make all his treats as he suffers from allergies, so today was treat making day.

Most people think he is a very pampered pooch,  they are probably right but hey why not give him a treat or two every now and then...

Below are a couple of recipes that are cheap and easy to make.

Dog Biscuits

6oz Wholemeal flour

1oz Margarine

quarter teaspoon yeast extract (Marmite) 

4 fluid oz of hot water

Parmesan  cheese

Rub fat into the flour.

Dissolve Marmite in  a little of the hot water

Mix into the flour to make a dough

Roll out to quarter of inch thick.  Cut into shapes and put on baking tray and bake in oven for 45 mins 

GM4 / 350 F/ 180 C

Honey Dog Biscuits

2 and half oz wholemeal flour

2 and half oz porridge oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

half oz of margarine

1 tablespoon honey

1 egg

little milk (if needed) for binding together

Mix the flour, oats and baking powder together.

Add the margarine in small flakes, honey, eggs and milk if needed

Knead together thoroughly.

Roll out on a floured board, cut into shapes 

Cook for 15- 20 mins.  Turn off oven and leave the biscuits in the oven and let them cool, they will harden when cold 

Preheat oven to GM5/  400F/ 200C

Beware they are so tasty your dog will demand homemade biscuits from now on!!!!

My first try out of homemade Crumpets

This is a recipe pinched from my daughter. I was quite pleased how they turned out, I kept saying that I would cook them for John and finally I did and we had them for tea tonight.

Home Made Crumpets

8oz plain flour (sifted)

quarter teaspoon of salt

half a teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon fast action dried yeast

quarter pint warm milk

quarter pint warm water

vegetable oil

4 crumpet rings or plain pastry cutters well greased

Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir in sugar and yeast making a well in the centre.

Pour in the warm milk and water and mix to give quite a thick batter.  Beat well until completely combined and cover with a tea towel or cling film

Leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it's a light, spongy texture, stir well to knock out any air and pour into a large jug.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a very low heat with a drop of oil.  Wipe the pan with kitchen paper to remove excess oil.  Sit the greased crumpet rings in the pan and leave to heat up for a couple of minutes.

Pour enough mixture to fill the rings just over halfway up the sides.  Leave to cook until plenty of small holes appear on the surface and the batter has just dried out.  This will take about 8 - 10 mins

Remove the rings and turn over the crumpets to cook for a further minute or two on the other side.

Put crumpets on a a wire rack to cool.

Toast as shop brought crumpets

Another busy baking weekend

A snowy weekend led to lots of baking to pass the time, trouble is full cakes tins means lots of eating.

The Bakewell Tarts are my own recipe so I hope that you enjoy them.

The sponge cake was made as a birthday cake and the biscuits are just so moreish no one will resist them!

 

Bakewell Tarts

Pastry

4oz plain flour

2oz butter

about 5 tablespoons cold water

Rub flour and butter together to resemble breadcrumbs bind together with the water to form a ball, put in fridge for about half and hour.

Roll out and either line a baking tin or put in patty tins.

Put Jam in the bottom of the pastry case.

Sponge Cake for middle of Tarts

2oz Self Raising flour

1oz Ground Almonds

1 egg (beaten)

2oz Caster Sugar

2oz Margarine

1 tablespoon milk

Mix all ingredients together and put on top of the jam.  Bake in a preheated oven Gas Mark 6  200 C or 400 F

Icing for top of tarts

4oz Icing Sugar

Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Butter

Beat all ingredients together with warm water until smooth and when the tarts are cold spread over the top finishing them off with half a cherry.

Sponge

8 oz Self Raising Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

6oz Caster Sugar

6oz soft margarine

3 eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

( This recipe can also be used to make a Chocolate Cake by using 6oz SR Flour and 4 tablespoons cocoa powder, Coffee Cake by using 3 tablespoons of made up strong coffee instead of the milk)

Sieved the flour and baking powder together, add all other ingredients together and mix well together with a hand mixer

Line two sponge tins with greaseproof paper and divide mixture into them and bake in a preheated oven for 25mins at Gas Mark 5

Butter Icing

3oz butter

3oz icing sugar

1 teaspoon butter

Beat all ingredients together and when smooth spread, one half with the butter cream and one half with jam and put both together.

Icing for top of cake

6oz icing sugar 

teaspoon vanilla extract

teaspoon butter

warm water to mix 

Sift icing sugar and add other ingredients and beat together, spread over top of sponge cake and add  decoration of your choice

Oatie Biscuits

6oz Self Raising Flour

6oz Oats

6oz Hard Margarine

6oz Caster Sugar

2oz Golden syrup

pinch of Bicarbonate of Soda

Cream together margarine and sugar together, add Flour ,Oats, bicarb, Sugar and Golden Syrup and mix together, I find that I mix and form into balls and the best way is to use your hands.

Roll into ball the size of walnuts and put on well greased baking trays, lightly press with a fork before baking in a preheated oven Gas Mark 4-5 for 15 - 20 mins.. 

I like to press the biscuits again when they come out of the oven but that is my choice it is not in the recipe.

Cool on a wire rack when cold eat and enjoy .............

Banana & Raisin Loaf

8oz Wholemeal Self Raising Flour

4oz butter

3 oz caster sugar

5oz Raisins

2 bananas, mashed roughly

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp honey

Gas mark 3, 160 C/  325 F

Grease a 2lb loaf tin and line with grease proof paper, (I use a greaseproof liner)

Put flour in a bowl with butter and rub with fingertips until resembles fine breadcrumbs

Stir the sugar, raisins, beaten egg and honey into the dry ingredients. 

Mix together to form a soft dropping consistency.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, level the surface with the back  of a knife.

Bake in the preheated oven for about an 1 hour or until golden and a fine metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave the loaf to cool in the tin then transfer to a wire rack.

The loaf can be served warm or cold cut into slices

The loaf will keep for several days if stored in an airtight container and keep in a cool, dry place

My first knitting attempts

After getting a lovely lot knitting equipment from my daughter for Christmas, I decided to have a go.

I looked at all the lovely shiny needles and balls of yarn and thought that I must try them out,  so what to knit first?.  After lots of  debating of what to start with, I decided on beany hats.

I did a lot of unpicking and cussing but soon got the hang of it again, in fact, I quite enjoyed it.

So what to knit next?

Watch this space..



Here are a couple of photos of the end results ...

I have advanced since this blog entry and taught myself to crochet too .. just to prove it here are a few examples of my other projects..

A baking day

Yesterday, I decided to have a baking day, so on went the apron and the chaos began, I love to bake but I am just a little untidy and not only does the flour go into the baking but on the floor as well...

So here folks are the end results..

                                                              Mincement Slices..

6oz butter

6oz soft brown sugar

8oz Self Raising Flour

4oz oats

half a jar of mincement

1oz sultanas

Gas Mark 6 / 200c / 400f .. cook for 25 - 30 mins

Cream butter and sugar together and then add flour and oats, stir until mixture forms rough breadcrumbs, sprinkle half the mixture over the base of a baking tin - lightly press down - spread mincement, and sultanas over the base and then sprinkle over the remaining mix, bake for 25 - 30 mins or until golden - allow to cool and then cut into slices

These can also be just as tasty with Jam or Lemon Curd in the middle...

After getting in the swing of making a mess in the kitchen, I went on to make sponge cakes...

 Here's how they came out of the oven and then with a little butter and icing sugar they look a little tastier !

Recipe for  Sponge Cakes

6oz Self Raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

6oz caster sugar

6oz butter or soft margarine

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gas Mark 5/6 - 200c / 400f bake for 15- 20 mins

I use the no nonsense method, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until well mixed, put into muffin cases in a muffin tin and bake for the time above ...

Butter Icing

2oz butter

4oz icing sugar

half teaspoon vanilla extract

                                      Mix all ingredients together until nice and creamy

Cut off the top of the sponge cakes, put on a little jam and then top with the butter cream and finish with a shaking of icing sugar..

                                                                                           Enjoy