Fruit Slice

Fruit Slice

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

125g butter

1 cup milk

1 cup mixed fruit

Sift flour, stir in sugar and rub in butter until crumbly. Place half the mixture in a 11x 7” tin and press down firmly. Into remaining mixture, mix the rest of the ingredients (this is a thin mixture) and pour onto base. Bake at 180°C oven for 40 –45 minutes. Ice with coffee icing and cut into fingers when cold.

Hilda & Whitney's Slice

Hilda & Whitney's Slice

(I call it that because Hilda gave me the recipe - so you all have to call it Whitney's slice!)

1 cup sr flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup coconut

1 cup dried fruit (tropical fruit medley is nice, but use whatever you've got. I've even added some chopped almonds and choc chips if I run out of fruit)

1 egg

125 g melted butter

splash vanilla

mix all ingredients together, lightly press into 18cm x 28 cm lamington pan, bake at 180 for 25 - 30 ins (until slightly firm)

Doesn't need icing.

This slice doesn't look like much, but it is sooo delicious - you will definitely be asked for the recipe.

Coconut Chocolate Slice

Coconut Chocolate Slice

1/2 cup sr flour

1/2 cup plain flour

2 Tblspns cocoa

2/3 cup caster sugar

3/4 cup dessicated coconut

125 g melted butter

1 egg

splash vanilla

sift flours and cocoa (if you like - i can't always be bothered).

mix all ingredients together, lightly press into 18cm x 28 cm lamington pan, bake at 180 for 25 - 30 ins (until slightly firm)

cool, ice with chocolate icing and sprinkle with toasted coconut (or 100s and 1000s!!)

Turkey Patties

Turkey Patties

I kind of made it up as I went Donna....used...

500gm turkey mince

added a finely chopped spring onion,

chopped handful of coriander,

big shake of sweet chilli sauce,

about half teaspoon each of paprika, cumin and chilli powder,

about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs

an egg and

about a tablespoon of sesame oil

mixed all together with my hands then made into 8 patties and fried.

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

While we are doing recipes, here is the easiest best ever chocolate cake, it looks like runny black custard, be warned, but cooks up beautifully, and never dries out.

2 cups plain flour, 

2 cups sugar, 

2 teasp baking powder, 

2 teasp baking soda, 

1/2 teasp salt,

Sift these all together. Melt 6 oz butter add good 1/2 cup cocoa, mix these and add 2 cups hot water. Add this mix and 2 eggs to dry ingredients and combine, (I find the egg beater is best for this). Line a deepish cake tin with baking paper, pour mix in and bake mod oven about 3/4 hour. It is even nicer when sliced in half and the midle spread with raspberry jam and chocolate icing. Enjoy. My all time record was making 6 of these for various friends ,in one day, when the family were at home.

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

Here's my no fail chocolate cake recipe that used to be top playground swap food
when my children were young(er).

Preheat oven to 190 C 375 F.
Grease and flour or line a 20cm (8") cake pan.

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup plain cocoa powder ( I use Dutch cocoa, but have used plain
wrap without any hassles.)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk (or water depending on if you like it 'milk' or 'dark')
1 tablespoon vinegar

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Combine water, oil, vanilla, milk or water and vinegar in a large jug and mix well. Pour wet ingredients into dry and beat well with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until well combined. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted come out clean. Leave in tin for 5 minutes before cooling on wire rack.

I used to sprinkle the hot cake fairly thickly with choc chips. They melted and you could spread it over the cake and when cooler but still tacky, sprinkle it with 100s & 1000s or shredded coconut. It has the benefit of being egg and dairy free (if you use water) and very quick and easy.

Cuts into 12 pieces and freezes well.

Low Allergy Fruit Loaf

Low Allergy Fruit Loaf

(Adapted from an Angus Park Fruit Medley recipe)

200 g chopped dried fruit of your choice
1 cup sunflower kernels (or coconut)
1 cup SR Flour,(Orgran gluten free)
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 cup apple juice

Mix all together, bake in a lined loaf tin for 45 minutes in a moderate
oven.

This loaf can be glazed with marmalade. which makes it look really good.

Jelly Slice

Jelly Slice

Base:

185g butter, melted (butter not marg – marg makes the base go soggy!

1 packet crushed scotch fingers (or marie or chocolate or…)

Line a 21 x 36 cm pan with baking paper

Combined melted butter and biscuits.

Press firmly into prepared pan.

Refrigerate

Middle:

2 tsp gelatine

½ cup boiling water

2 tbsp lemon juice (or as I had LOTS of lemon juice I forgot about the boiling water and had just over ½ cup of hot lemon juice!!)

395g sweetened condensed milk

Pour condensed milk into bowl.

Beat in gelatine that has been melted in (hot) lemon juice and/or boiling water.

Pour over biscuit base.

Refrigerate for one hour or until set.

Then the Jelly top:

Make jelly as per pack instructions, adding 2 tsp extra gelatine.

Cool slightly then pour over chilled slice and refrigerate one hour or until set.

Finally…

Cut up and enjoy!

No-Stir Risotto

No-Stir Risotto

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large brown onion, finely diced

100g lean bacon, diced

100g mushrooms, sliced

1½ cups Arborio rice

1L chicken stock, hot

100g sundried tomatoes, chopped

½ large red capsicum, roasted and sliced (or ½ cup pre-purchased)

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons cream

Method

1. Heat sauté pan on medium heat, add a few drops of olive oil.
2. Cook onion and garlic until soft, add bacon and mushrooms and cook for approximately 2 minutes or until mushrooms start to soften.
3. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until rice turns clear.
4. Add all the chicken stock, stir well.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
5. Stir through sundried tomatoes, roasted capsicum and baby spinach, and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add cream and cheese, and pepper to taste.
7. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: This recipe was designed for The Chef’s Toolbox 28cm Saute Pan.  If you do not own a good quality, heavy based, non-stick pan, you will need to use much more oil in steps 1 and 2, and stir frequently to prevent sticking.  Information on the Saute Pan can be found at www.chefstoolbox.com

Coconut Ice

Coconut Ice

2 cups sugar

½ cup milk

¾ cup coconut

1 teaspoon butter.

Boil the sugar and milk for five minutes, stirring slowly.

Add butter and coconut and boil for one minute.

Remove from fire, beat to a cream and then pour into dish.

They say a wet dish. I use baking paper.

I do this recipe twice. The first, as it, will cover the bottom of a 18 x 27cm lamington tin.

The second time I add pink colouring to make the second layer.

I really don’t like anyone else’s coconut slice. I especially don’t like the condensed milk ones!

Chocolate Slice

Chocolate Slice

BASE

125g (4oz) butter (margarine makes it flufflier!)

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup coconut

½ cup plain flour

1/3 cup self-raising flour

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 egg

ICING

1 cup icing sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 teaspoon soft butter

1 tablespoon milk (approximately)

Base:

Melt butter over low heat add and stir in sugar, coconut, sifted flours and cocoa.

Then lightly beaten egg.

Spread mixture evenly over base of well greased 28cm x 18cm lamington tin.

Bake in moderate oven for 20minutes or until just firm to touch.  Spread with icing immediately.