Mud Cake with Ice Cream

Originally from Dot and seconded by Maxine

Can I add to this recipe - this is what my friend made for my kids last year for their birthday cakes (the one who we just spent Christmas with - she is kind of a godmother/auntie to my kids). She made the mud cake from a packet mix though. I would prefer home made - not that hard? Anyway - she then asked the kids what lollies they wanted - they chose stuff like maltesers - then she mixed those in with the icecream middle bit. Then made a chocolate cream to go on top - decorated with more maltesers and then froze it again.

Need to leave it to soften slightly before cutting. - You can use any mix ins in the middle icecream section.

Maxine

Take one purchased mud cake - cut icing from top - discard. Then cut in half across the middle (you will have two pieces - like a sponge). Roll first piece of cake between two pieces of glad bake with a rolling pin.

Place a circle of glad bake on the bottom of a cheesecake tin (sprung with side opening to remove from base) and put one rolled out piece of cake on top of the glad bake in the tin. Then add approx. one litre of softened ice cream. Then repeat process with second half of mud cake.

Spread approx. 1 litre of softened ice cream in top, place "topping" on top, cover with glad wrap and freeze.

Bring out of freezer approx half an hour ahead of eating - or less if weather is HOT.

Suggestions:

- choc/caramel mud cake with caramel swirl ice cream and topped with broken "crunchie" or violet crumble.

- white choc mud cake with cookies and cream ice cream and topped with broken "Flake" or grated white chocolate.

- choc mud cake with vanilla ice cream with respberries added - topped with flake and fresh raspberries.

- You can even make a type of frozen plum pudding by adding mixed fruit etc.

NOTE: If adding dried fruit or berries etc always soak in some sort of liquor to prevent freezing too hard - any of your old liquors that you have a little left in the bottle are perfect for this.

I have made the choc mud cake with caramel swirl ice cream topped with a broken up crunchie and it was very nice. It is not something for everyday, but great for a celebration cake and so very quick!

Chicken Soup - Various Buddies

Chicken and Corn Soup - Jeany

1 1/2 litres Chicken stock
Meat from one whole cooked chook
3 tins Creamed Corn
1 tin Kernel Corn

Combine all ingredients and heat through.
For a thicker soup, add a handful of small pasta, and simmer until the pasta is cooked.

Chicken and Corn Soup - Maxine

Soften a chopped onion in a pan with a bit of oil, then add however much garlic you want, add a litre of bought chicken stock, plus some more water, meat from a bbq chook, chopped carrot and some pasta (the tiny soup ones are yummy) or noodles or rice or barley. If you have celery chuck some in too (actually you could soften any vegies with the onion) but if you want quick and simple then just do the chicken stock and some meat and whatever you can throw in. If you have some parsley in the garden chop and chuck in when serving


Chicken and Corn Soup - Dot

I make that basic chicken & corn soup too... served with cheese puffs.

If I'm planning ahead, I use chicken carcasses to make the stock. I also use creamed rather than kernel corn & add chopped carrots and celery and thin egg noodles. It's also nice with rice instead of noodles (especially if you're feeling a it poorly). If I want to make a meal of it I stir a couple of beaten eggs into the hot soup

Chicken Soup - Kerrilee

I use the frame and leftovers from a roast, add carrot and onion and if I have it celery and parsley and boil it up while we eat, I then strain it and once cool put it in the freezer for when it’s needed.

Chicken Soup -Debbie K

I use chicken frames for the stock of my soup.
I boil the shit out of it for a few hours, then add onion, parsley, turnip, carrot, celery, parsnip and boil for another couple of hours.

I boil up about 10 chicken frames for 4 hours.Then add a small turnip, a parsnip, 2 sticks of celery, 2 onions, about 1/3 bunch parsley and 2 carrots.

Then boil another couple of hours.

I serve it with some sort of noodle.

The key is not to add too much water. If it's too strong, you can always add more.

If I have left over soup, I make chicken and corn by adding a splash of sesame oil, soy sauce, a tin of creamed corn, some spring onion and a scrambled egg. I often add left over roast chicken too if I have any.

Chicken Soup - Louisa

Throw in chicken in a big pot of water (I throw it in our stock pot, & then joint the darn thing after it's cooked). Add whatever vegies & spices you like. You could also add chicken stock cube or instant soups too, if you like. Cook, simmer, strip chicken, serve...

From Merrin....

I use a good amount of celery, a leek (and/or onions), herbs, miso, chicken stock and I can't be bothered with bones and stuff so usually just pop a few whole chicken breasts in. Later on I add diced carrots, corn kernels and then break up all the chicken. I find it I cube it first it dries out a lot, I prefer it shredded. I usually have it in the slow cooker for 8 hours or so, but obviously can be cooked quicker. Yum yum :-)

Chicken curry from Maxine

Merrin - I usually do this on the stove top but I have done it in my slow
cooker as well. Its just a recipe that I has grown so none of the
measurements are exact - neither do they have to be. Everyone loves this
curry - the almonds give it a delicious rich sauce.

A really delicious curry using a paste as a starter which is very kid
friendly too as it's not hot.
1/2 jar Pataks Korma curry paste
1kg chicken thighs cut into smaller pieces (not too small)
One or two diced onions
Oil
Sweet potato cut into cubes
Can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed - you can use as much or little vegies
and chickpeas depending on how far you want the curry to go and how meaty
you want it. I often use 2 cans cos the kids love them.
3 or so heaped tablespoons of ground almonds
Couple of big glugs of cream

Gently fry the onions in the oil until translucent, add the curry paste,
cook for a minute or so. Add the chicken pieces and seal. Add enough water
(if in the slow cooker I would barely cover it - on the stove I just keep an
eye and top it up to be nice and saucy). Add the chickpeas and sweet potato
and cook until everything is cooked!! Just before serving stir in the
ground almonds and cream and warm through. You can sprinkle some coriander
on top if you are feeling really artistic. Serve with rice and yummy with
green beans too.

Best Brownie Recipe

Now this recipe is actually called White chocolate chunk brownies but I don't think that white stuff deserves to be called chocolate so I replace the white stuff with dark chocolate but you may do as you wish!!!

200g good quality dark cooking chocolate (roughly chopped)
220g butter cubed
3 eggs, lightly whisked
1 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup castor sugar
250g white, milk or dark chocolate broken into squares (I have also used choc buttons and choc chips - the recipe actually says white choc but use whatever takes your fancy)

Preheat oven to 170c. Line the base and sides of a square 20cm cake pan with non stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang the sides (I often use a slice tin to bake this).

Place the dark chocolate and the butter in a heatproof bowl or top of a double saucepan. Place over a saucepan of simmering water (don't allow the bowl to touch the water) and stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Remve form the pan and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Add the eggs ansd vanilla essence, and whisk to combine.

Meanwhile, sift the flour and cocoa into a medium bowl. Ad dthe sugar and dark chocolate mixture, and whisk untio just combined. TStir in the white chocolate or whatever colour you have chosen!!

Maxine

Pour the mixture into the lined pan and smooth the surface. Bale in preheated over for 45 minutes or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the centre of the brownie. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely in the pan.

Transfer the cooled brownie to an airtight container and set aside overnight (the brownie will be easier to cut the following day).- what a load of shit - eat it as soon as it is cool enough not to burn your mouth!! Its yummy still warm with icecream and raspberries!!!

Maxine's HairMoods Chocolates

1 pkt 375g milk chocolate melts

Half a cup of cream

Melt chocolate in microwave slowly (50sec then stir, 40 sec and stir)

Boil cream (for 60sec microwave)

Mix cream together with chocolate, it takes a while to mix.. Just keep missing until it becomes smooth and shiny (and your arms fall off) -yes that's what the recipe says!!!

Place in the fridge to cool and then roll into balls in coconut or decorated with melted white chocolate (they are easier to roll at room temp)

For something different add liqueur, crushed macadamia nuts or any type of nuts or crushed candy canes(for a mint flavour at Christmas)