Creative Cooking with Muriel

Frozen Grape treats

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:05:00 +0000

Freezing grapes make a tasty treat for when you get that sweet urge.

Grapes are delicious , full of antioxidants and high in vitamin C.
They are classified as having a Low glycemic index ( GI)

Frozen grapes can replace chocolates, biscuits, and sweets that are normally a temptation when you have a sweet tooth. For a healthy after-dinner treat, place a few frozen grapes into a small glass for each person. It makes such a refreshing finishing touch and it's healthy, tasty and - there is no need for an after dinner mint when there's an after dinner grape.
It's as easy as 1-2-3-4

P.S. Preferably buy organic grapes as you will not have to be concerned about the pesticide residue.

Mango & Banana Smoothie Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:14:00 +0000

Summer is here and its ice-cream time! Home made fruit smoothies, frozen into ice-creams are so refreshing, healthy and delicious. Full of antioxidants and vitamins and their very own natural flavours. Oh so Yummy! Great fun to make in the holidays !

Ingredients makes 8

1 Mango peeled & chopped
2 Bananas peeled & sliced
1-2Tbs creamed honey
4 Tbs Greek Yoghurt

Cut Mango into a bowl and add sliced bananas

Add Yoghurt

Add creamed Honey

Now the ingredients are ready to be blended.

Blend until smooth.

Spoon into ice cream tupperware

Put lids on and place into freezer over night.

Your child's expression will tell
the tasty story.
These are just a few of the photos I took of my son. LOL!

All Bran Flakes Rusks

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:22:00 +0000

All Bran Flakes Rusks are deliciously light and crumbly.
They make an ideal "On- the- run-breakfast" and are so more-ish you will want to eat them at tea time, coffee time, snack time, actually any time.
You may have to hide them from your family if you want the batch to last.

Ingredients make approx 68 Rusks
500g Butter
1 and a half cup sugar
500ml Greek yoghurt ( or Buttermilk)
3 Large eggs
1 kg Self- raising flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp salt
6 cups All Bran flakes
1 cup & 1 quarter cup Oats (uncooked)
half a cup chopped pecans or almonds (optional)

1. Melt butter and let it cool
2. Mix eggs, sugar and yoghurt into butter.

3. Beat until creamy

4. Sift self- raising flour, baking powder & salt together

5. Add Oats, All Bran Flakes, nuts and mix into flour.

6. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix together

7. Ladle into a greased 330 x 300 x35 mm
baking tray and flatten. Bake at 180C for 25min.
Reduce to 160 C and bake for a further 25min.

Slice into rusks and dry in oven at 80 C until crunchy

Enjoy all year round!

The All Bran Flakes make these rusks extra special !

Roast Leg of Lamb with Haricot Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:10:00 +0000

Have you ever had a Roast Leg of Lamb and the beans stole the limelight?
This is the way my mom made her Leg of Lamb for our Sunday Roast and
we absolutely loved it. She called it " Un Jigot avec des haricot" which is a
French way of cooking lamb. The beans go very well with the lamb and
they absorb all the delicious pan juices and become totally delicious.

Ingredients:

1 Leg of Lamb
3-4 clove garlic peeled & cut in strips
2 Onions peeled & cut into quarters
Olive Oil
mustard
Fresh or ground Rosemary
Salt & Pepper
or herbal salt
1 cup dried haricot beans
3 cups water

Soak 1 cup of haricot bean in 3 cups of water overnight

The haricot beans will triple in size.
Place haricot beans into a pot, cover with salted water and bring to the boil.
Turn down heat & simmer until beans turn soft but still firm approx 30 min.

Using a knitting needle, poke holes into the lamb
and insert garlic strips into the meat.
Place Lamb on greased baking tray or in roasting pan.

Rub mustard over the Leg of Lamb and sprinkle with
seasoning, then drizzle a little Olive Oil on top

Place meat under grill and brown on all sides, add onion quarters.
Turn down heat to 175 C and roast covered for about 30 minutes.

Then add the cooked haricot beans to the roasting pan.

Cover with foil and return to the oven.
The roasting time depends on the weight of the meat.
If you like your meat well done cook every 500g for approximately 30 min.
for meat medium to rare reduce cooking time from 20 to 25min per 500g
Every 15 min check on meat and add a little water about 100ml
and stir into pan juices so that the beans do not dry out.
Slice Roast lamb and serve with generous amount of haricot beans,
roast potatoes, steamed vegetables and enjoy some French style cooking.

Creamed Butternut Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:33:00 +0000

Creamed Butternut soup is light, wholesome, very tasty, and is easy to make. Served with grated cheese and a slice of buttered toast, it makes a pleasant and economical meal.

Ingredients serves 4
1 Medium Butternut Squash peeled & chopped
2 Large or 4 Small potatoes peeled & chopped
2 Large Onions peeled & chopped
1 Chicken stock cube
1 litre boiling water (or more)
1 tsp salt
herbal salt to finish off
25g butter
125ml milk or cream

Melt butter in a large pot and fry onions until almost golden

Add chopped potatoes to onions and continue to brown until golden

Add chopped butternut squash and brown. Stir
Dissolve stock cube and salt with boiling water
Pour over vegetables.

Bring to the boil
Then simmer for 20 min or until soft.

Blend until smooth

Add 125ml milk or cream

Add a touch of herbal salt and taste.

Serve with grated cheese and buttered toast

Bobotie

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Sun, 09 May 2010 10:11:00 +0000

Cape Malay Bobotie is a traditional South African dish. It is a curried meat loaf with egg topping and has a medley of curry, sweet and sour flavours. Bobotie is typically served with yellow rice which has been cooked with a little turmeric to make it yellow in colour.
Sliced bananas and chutney make a good accompaniment.

Ingredients ( serves 6)
500g beef mince
150 ml milk
1 thick slice bread crust removed
1 chopped onion
2 tbsp oil for frying
15ml apricot jam
a handful sultanas or raisins
1 tbsp curry powder ( mild or hot)
1 tsp turmeric
1tsp cumin1tsp salt
25ml vinegar
6 bay leaves
1 egg, beaten

Egg topping
2 eggs
250ml milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 180 C.
Grease oven proof dish 25cm x 25 cm

Soak slice of bread in 150ml milk.

Heat a little oil and fry chopped onion until lightly golden.
Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, sugar, apricot jam, salt, vinegar

Add sultanas and cook gently for 2 min.

Mix bread soaked in milk with meat.

Add 1 beaten egg, mix until
completely worked into mince meat.

Add onion, raisin and curry mixture

Mix together.
Transfer into the greased ovenproof dish,
flatten with the back of a spoon
and press bay leaves into it

Place in oven and bake for 10 min

Beat the 2 eggs and 250ml milk with salt & pepper

After 10min remove Bobotie from oven and pour the egg mixture on top.

Return to oven and bake for 25 min until the egg mixture is set and golden.

Enjoy some good old SA cooking!

Banana & Poppy Seed Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:26:00 +0000

Everyone has their own favourite banana bread recipe. I love adding poppy seeds to mine and turning them into delicious banana & poppy seed muffins. The little poppy seeds emphasize the black little seeds in the centre of a banana and add new dimension to an ordinary banana bread recipe. Muffins are easier to handle, no slicing necessary and the muffin cases provide an instant little container.

Ingredients: Makes 12

125g butter
1 small cup organic sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence ( Or stevia)
2 eggs
2 cups self raising flour
1/2tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp salt
4-6 med ripe bananas mashed
25g poppy seeds

Cream Butter and sugar. Add vanilla. Add one egg at a time beating well after each addition.
Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture. Lastly fold in mashed bananas and poppy seeds.
Spoon into muffin cases and bake at 180 C for 25-35min.

For sliced banana garnish: Slice a whole banana and place each slice flat on a greased baking tray. Grill for 5-10 min. If to be eaten immediately put a blob of creamed honey on each muffin and place banana slice on top.

When freezing: Place baked banana slice firmly on top of muffin and freeze. Honey is not necessary.

Scrumptious Cornbake

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:36:00 +0000

This scrumptious cornbake makes an ideal side dish for a summer barbeque. It is so tasty that you will not be able to resist a second helping. In fact I could not even take a photo of the finished bake once it came out of the oven because it was so quickly tucked into. :)

Ingredients: serves 12-16

1 kg frozen sweetcorn
8-10 rashers bacon
2 beaten eggs
200 ml milk
2 or 3 Tbs Flour
2 Packets crushed biscuits :
Ritz, Salticrax, or savoury crackers
Salt and Pepper ( Herbamare)
Garlic pepper ( optional)
25g Butter
50g grated cheese (optional)

Put the sweetcorn in a pot, add salt and about 100ml water.
Simmer for 10 min.

Add 2-3 Tbs Flour, 25g Butter, grated cheese &
100ml milk to the sweetcorn in the pot.
Stir and bring to the boil until it thickens.

Blend slightly using a hand blender

Place the bacon on a large baking tray and grill for 5-10 min until cooked.

Use a knife or kitchen scissors to cut bacon into little bits.

Crush biscuits into small pieces and add to mixture.
Keep 6-10 biscuits aside to sprinkle on top of the bake

Grease oven-proof dish.

In a seperate bowl, mix together milk, eggs, and seasoning.
Add to the sweetcorn mixture and place in greased oven-proof dish.

Crush 6-10 salticrax and sprinkle over the corn mixture.
Place blobs of butter on top.

Bake in a 180 C oven for 60 min or until golden brown on top. Serve hot.

As I was making this cornbake for a large number of people, I used a 35 cm x 29cm x 6 cm sized pyrex dish.
You could use a smaller dish which will make the corn bake thicker.

Tip: If creamstyle sweetcorn tins are available in your part of the world, it makes the recipe much easier.

Ingredients serve 8-12

1 tin sweetcorn
2 tins creamstyle sweetcorn
6-8 rashers cooked bacon
1 egg beaten with
half a cup milk
salt and pepper
1 packet crushed salted crackers

Mix all 3 tins of corn together in a bowl.
Add 1 beaten egg and milk so the mixture is moist enough once cooked.
Add cooked bacon bits and crushed biscuits
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and place in greased pyrex dish.
Crush about 6 salted crackers and sprinkle over the corn mixture.
Place blobs of butter on top.
Bake in a 180 C oven for 45-60min or golden brown on top. Serve hot.

Michele kindly gave me the recipe above. She used to bring this Scrumptious Cornbake to our SA braais for all to enjoy!
What a Treat!

Exquisite Pistachio Shortbread

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:22:00 +0000

These buttery shortbread biscuits are deliciously melt in mouth. The roasted pistachio bits and the fine icing dusting on top adds an indulgent dimension to them.

Ingredients makes 20
125 gr soft butter
180gr sifted flour
50 gr Castor sugar
20gr chopped pistachio nuts
icing sugar for dusting

Beat butter and sugar until light and creamyAdd sifted flour, then continue beating .
Add chopped Pistachios and stir into mixture
Take shortbread dough out of bowl
and form into a ballTear off pieces and roll them into
little sausages about 2cm x4cmPut on greased baking tray & flatten.Sift icing sugar on top and put in freezer for 5-10min

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20min at 180 C
Enjoy at teatime, anytime or,

as a complimentary touch with your homemade
Halva & Pistachio ice-cream.

Tip: To make your own Castor sugar, put organic sugar or healthy alternative into a coffee grinder or use hand blender and blend for a minute or two.
For icing sugar blend until even finer.

Ice Cream with Halva, Pistachios & Honey

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:12:00 +0000

This homemade Ice cream with Halva, Pistachios and Honey is divine.
It simply tastes heavenly.

Ingredients: Makes 2 Litres
500ml double cream
3 Organic eggs separated
Organic sugar ( or healthy alternative)
3Tbsp Honey ( or more)
Halva ( Pistachios & Honey)

Beat egg whites in a bowl until stiff.

Beat egg yolks with 1 Tbs sugar in separate container.
Beat until light and creamy

Beat cream in a large bowl until stiff.

Fold the beaten egg yolks and egg whites into beaten cream.

Crumble Halva with finger tips and cut the Pistachios into bits

Add Halva crumbs & Pistachios bits into the creamy mixture.
Fold in gently.

Pour half the ice cream mixture into a 2 Litre Ice cream container and drizzle honey on top. Then pour the rest of the mixture into container & drizzle more honey. Swirl gently with knitting needle.

Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Home made Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:31:00 +0000

Making your own homemade Ice Cream is as easy as 1, 2, 3,

Ingredients : makes 2 litres

500 ml double cream
3 Organic eggs separated
3 Tablespoon Sugar (or healthy alternative)
5 drops Vanilla essence or Vanilla Stevia

1. Beat egg white in a bowl and add 1 Tbs sugar. Beat until stiff.
2. Beat Egg yolks in separate bowl with 1 Tbs sugar until creamy and light in color.
3. Beat cream until stiff with 1 Tbs sugar in the largest bowl.

Fold the beaten egg yolk into beaten cream.
Then fold beaten egg whites into mixture.
Pour into a 2 litre ice cream container.

Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.

Brown Baskets

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:31:00 +0000

Making Brown Baskets is a creative way of serving baked potatoes.
Beware, make more than you expect to eat! They are easy to make, fun to eat and very tasty! They end up looking like little hedgehogs and my son loves pulling each individual piece of potato out and eating it like a potato chip.

Brown Baskets

red potatoes (any amount)
brown potatoes can be used
olive oil
Herbal salt ( optional)
kosher salt
thyme
oregano

Cut each potato in a straight line like this:
llll, all the way down leaving just a little potato
and the skin at the bottom to hold it together.
Then turn it to the side and repeat
so the end result is a grid.

Place in a glass pan and put about
a spoonful of olive oil on each potato.
then sprinkle salt, thyme and oregano on them.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees F (200 C)
for 1 hour or until crispy.

When I saw this photo of Sarah on facebook with the heading
"Preparing our famous 'Brown Baskets' ",
I was most fascinated and asked Sarah how she makes them.
She kindly gave me the recipe.
Thank you Sarah :)
Visit their beautiful new website, Rose Campbell's Cottageworks

Chocolate lacework

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Chocolate lacework is easier to make than you would expect. It looks very fancy and adds a special finishing touch to any dessert.

First, melt chocolate using the bain marie method.
I place a ceramic bowl on top of a small pot containing a few inches of water. The bowl should fit snugly so that not too much steam escapes from the sides.Break a slab of dark chocolate into pieces and place into the bowl. Bring the water to boil then switch off the heat.
Leave the chocolate to melt slowly, stirring every few minutes.

While you wait, cut out a large square of baking paper.
Fold in half & cut along the fold carefully to form two triangles.
Choose one triangle, and lay it out so that the longest side is away from you.

Take the left corner and turn it over in an arc and line it up up with the centre point facing you, so forming a cone.
Hold it in place with your thumb and forefinger. (see picture)

Twist the first cone smaller so both points come together and the cone is tight with no hole at the tip.
Then fold the points over twice into the cone so that it does not unravel.

Do the same with the other corner, wrapping it around the outside of the first cone.
Now cut a small hole at the tip of the cone.
Do not cut it too large or the chocolate will come out too thick, but don't cut it too small or the stream will be too thin. Experiment to find just the right size.
Now you have a cone that you can use
to make chocolate lacework.

Spoon melted chocolate
into the cone.

Half fill the cone with chocolate
and fold the large end over a few times.

A gentle pressure on this end should cause the chocolate to flow out of the cone in a steady stream.

Once you feel confident about directing the chocolate,
try making shapes on a sheet of baking paper.
I drew a template of lace trimming & went over it
with a marker so I could see through the baking paper.
I placed the template underneath the sheet of baking paper
and then "traced" over the pattern.
Be creative! You could do any shapes from leaves to words.

Pipe chocolate following the outline coming through the baking paper as seen above right.

When you are finished, allow the chocolate lacework to cool at room temperature not fridge.
The refrigerator will give the chocolate a frostbite effect.

Once dry & hard place the chocolate lacework in an airtight container. Leave on baking paper, and peel off when needed. That way the finished chocolate lacework will stay protected.

Use to garnish on any dessert and turn a chocolate mousse or a simple bowl of ice-cream
into an elegant creation.

Creamy Chocolate mousse

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:36:00 +0000

Chocolate mousse is an all-time favourite dessert and my husband and my daughter absolutely love it. It is easy to make and can be presented elegantly in individual glasses with a touch of cream and chocolate lacework. A delicious way to finish off a special meal.

Ingredients: makes 6 servings
200 grams Dark chocolate
300ml double cream
3 eggs separated
15ml Castor sugar ( 3 tsp)
20ml Tia Maria or Cognac ( optional)

Water for bain marie to melt chocolate

Pour water into a pot, place bowl on top and break chocolate pieces into the bowl.
Bring water to the boil and turn off heat. The steam will slowly
melt the chocolate. Water should not continue to boil as it will damage the chocolate. Stir once or twice until all chocolate is melted. Set the bowl aside to cool.
In the meantime, beat the 3 egg whites with 5ml sugar until
stiff. Do not over-beat.
Beat the 3 egg yolks with 5ml sugar until light and creamy.
Lastly beat cream until thick, but do not over-beat otherwise the chocolate mousse will not be light but of a firm texture. You will lose a lot of volume and lift if either the cream or the egg whites are over-beaten.
Now for the folding
1.Fold a third of the beaten egg whites into the cooled chocolate.
Work quickly so the chocolate does not get a chance solidify, then add the rest of the egg whites until they are all folded into the chocolate.
2.Now add beaten egg yolks and fold into the chocolate mixture.
The liqueur can be added at this stage. It does enhance the flavour, making it extra special and breaking through the chocolate, but this is optional. It is lovely without it as well.
3.Lastly mix in the beaten cream (keeping a little aside for garnish) until completely folded into the chocolate mousse mixture.

Spoon chocolate mousse into individual glasses and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Garnish with a little cream as it makes a lovely contrast on the dark chocolate. Sprinkle grated chocolate on top. If you get a chance to make your own chocolate lacework it adds a lovely finishing touch.

Tip : You will lose a lot of volume and lift if either the cream or the egg whites are over-beaten.

Bain marie is a French definition for a large pan containing hot water in which a smaller pan is set. It is ideal for melting chocolate. I don't have a proper bain marie set and simply used a small pot with a ceramic bowl snugly placed on top.

Lamb shanks in red wine dinner for two

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:41:00 +0000

Every now and again it is special to have a Romantic candlelit supper with your husband. Make it a memorable event. You can create your very own cozy Restaurant at home. Slow cooked Lamb shanks in red wine is one of my husband's favourite meals. For the entire family it's not the most economical dish but is ideal for a special date with your hubby. Set the table and create a lovely atmosphere with candles, serviettes, flowers and romantic background music. Plan your special evening. The children could also look forward to having a fun supper of pizza or macaroni cheese and watch their favourite movie. The older siblings could babysit and read their favorite book. Whatever suits your family situation. Plan all the detail necessary and enjoy time together.

Ingredients:

2 Lamb Shanks
1 Onion ( peeled & chopped)
2 clove Garlic ( crushed or finely grated)
2 Bay Leaves
1-2 tsp herbal salt
6 peppercorns
1/2 tsp Rosemary
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp tomato puree
250ml red wine
little cayenne pepper
2 carrots ( peeled and sliced)
Olive oil for frying

Heat the oil in a medium sized heavy based pot.
Brown the shanks on all sides. Set aside.
Put chopped onions into the pot, fry until golden.
Add garlic, tomato puree, mustard, rosemary,
salt, peppercorn, bay leaves, wine and stir.
Place Lamb shanks in red wine sauce in the pot.
Bring to the boil then turn down heat& simmer.
The red wine sauce should almost cover the meat.
Turn the meat every hour or to make sure the lamb
shanks do not stick to the bottom of the pot and that
each side of the meat gets a chance to sit in the gravy.
Add a little water if sauce reduces too much during cooking time.
Simmer on lowest heat for about 3 hours until soft & tender.

If gravy is too runny thicken by making a paste
with a little corn flour & mix with water.
Add to gravy and bring quickly to the boil.
The rich gravy will then have more substance.

Serve lamb shanks with mashed or roast potatoes, creamed parsnip and roasted vegetables. It is totally irresistible!

Millet with stewed Apples, Raisins, Cinnamon and Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:19:00 +0000

Millet is the only grain that is alkaline. It is rich in iron and makes a healthy and delicious breakfast. Served with apples, cinnamon, raisins and cream it makes a wonderful start to the day. Millet seeds are a source of fibre which can help maintain a healthy digestive system.
My family love this breakfast as it reminds them of apple pie. So its both tasty and healthy.

Ingredients:

1 cup millet washed
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 apples peeled & chopped
1 large handful of raisins
cinnamon
1 -2 Tbsp sugar
Honey

Thick Cream

Rinse millet in sieve under running water.
Cook millet as per instructions on the packet. It normally takes 30 min to cook.
To Stew the apples:
Bring 200ml- 250ml water to the boil. Add sugar and simmer. Add raisins and cinnamon.
Peel, core and chop the apples and add to the simmering liquid. Stew for 5-10min.
Apples should be soft but not mushy.

Dish up cooked millets in 4 individual bowls.
Divide apples mixture and spoon on top.
Garnish with generous amount of cream and extra cinnamon.

Can also be served with milk and honey drizzled on top.

Coq au vin

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:01:00 +0000

Coq au Vin "Rooster in wine" is a well know French chicken dish. Chicken pieces are usually used for this dish but I opted to cut skinless chicken breasts instead as they are low in fat for those who are watching their waist line.

Ingredients:

5 Chicken breasts chopped into pieces
8 Rashers lean bacon chopped
10 shallot peeled
2 potatoes peeled & chopped
4 clove garlic finely chopped
340g button mushrooms
2 celery sticks sliced
2 carrots sliced
1 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1 bay leaf
fresh thyme ( Optional)
200ml red wine
500ml- 750ml chicken stock

Salt and black pepper

In a large pot use a little oil and fry chopped bacon ( the easiest way to cut bacon is with a pair of scissors.) Add shallots and brown. Then add chicken pieces fry until golden brown. Add garlic, carrots, mushrooms, celery, bay leaf, potatoes, 1Tbs vinegar. Add red wine, and enough chicken stock to cover the chicken and vegetables.
Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 25min.

If too runny thicken the gravy by making a paste with 1 tsp cornstarch or flour with 50ml water. Add to the chicken bring quickly to the boil until it thickens. Remove from heat.
Dish up on a bed of rice.

Homemade Mayonnaise thick and creamy

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:32:00 +0000

When I was growing up we never bought mayonnaise from the shops, my mom always made her own. It was creamy, oh so French and so delicious. My mom used sunflower oil and French mustard, but you could use olive oil or any preferred oil and any mild mustard. Everything tastes better with homemade mayonnaise, whether you are making rice salad, potato salad or coleslaw.
It truly is worth the 15 min spent whisking.

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk ( room temperature)
1 heaped tsp mustard
( Dijon or French)
1 tsp salt
500ml Oil
( sunflower or olive oil)
1-2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

Place mustard and egg yolk into a bowl and mix together
with a fork.You can use a whisk but I just prefer using a
fork the way my mom did.
The secret to making a really great creamy mayonnaise is to
add the oil little by little mixing after each addition.
Be particularly careful at the beginning until it takes.
Do not add too much oil at once at this stage, as it tends to flop.
Pour approximately 1-2 Tbsp oil at a time into the egg yolk and mustard and mix until completely mixed in before adding more.
The mayonnaise will start to thicken.
Squeeze a little lemon juice and then continue to mix in a circular motion with a fork.
The mayonnaise will turn a lighter shade and start to
look more like the mayonnaise you buy in the shop.
Drizzle the oil a little at a time mixing continuously.
When the mayonnaise gets too thick add another
tsp of lemon juice or vinegar.
Add salt to suit your taste.
Mix mayonnaise until all the oil has been used .
The consistency should be thick and creamy.

This recipe will make 500ml thick and creamy mayonnaise.
Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator until needed.

Homemade Chicken & Mushroom Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:28:00 +0000

This chicken pie is really easy to make and it tastes so deliciously home made. I guess buying ready made pies would be easier, but I personally never buy pies. Somehow I never feel good after eating one, and that makes me wonder why. Making this chicken pie for your family will take you 35 min to prepare and 45 min to bake, but it will be well worth it.

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 punnet mushrooms cleaned & sliced
2 potatoes peeled and cubed
200ml water
1 tsp salt or Herbamare
100ml cream or milk
1 Tbsp flour
1 packet Rolled puff pastry
Butter
Ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 200C
Melt butter and cook chicken pieces for about 5-7 min.
Add chopped potatoes, sliced mushrooms & seasoning.
Stir. Cover with just enough water and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer until potatoes are soft.
Sprinkle flour over chicken, mushrooms, & potatoes. Stir.
Add the cream. Turn up heat until white sauce thickens.
Pour chicken and mushroom filling into a pie dish.
Grind black pepper on top ( Optional)
Roll out pastry and cut approximate size, and place
on top of pie dish. Cover pastry snugly to cover
chicken. Finish off edges and cut off
excess pastry. With offcuts make
leaves and place on top of your pie.
Brush with a little beaten egg.
Use knitting needle & poke holes
here & there for the steam to escape.
Turn oven down to 180C
Bake for 45 min or until cooked
and golden brown.
Keep an eye on the pie so the top of
the crust does not burn.

Spinach so nutritious!

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:16:00 +0000

,
Spinach is such a brilliant vegetable. High in Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Folic acid and super charged with Vitamin A.

500g Baby Spinach leaves washed
a little butter or oil
1 large or 2 small onions chopped
1-2 clove garlic grated or crushed
1 Tbsp tomato puree ( or 1 chopped tomato)
1 flat tsp Herbamare
or Salt & Pepper

Melt butter and cook onion till golden then add garlic. Add wet Spinach leaves, Herbamare or salt and tomato puree. If the Spinach is wet enough you should not need to add water. Cook quickly for 5 min. The Spinach will have reduced in size and will be limp. Using a hand blender blend quickly here and there. The Spinach should still be chunky not runny.

If you like things extra tasty and slightly richer add a little cream about 50ml-100ml and stir.
Serve as a side or as a filling for baked potatoes and top with feta or grated cheese.

Baked Potatoes with crunchy salted jackets

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:54:00 +0000

This is a nice change to the ordinary jacket potato, coated with a crunchy salted crust

Preheat oven to 180C
Wash potato and scrub if necessary
while still wet sprinkle salt over potato
allow the salt to stick to wet potato

Place potato into the oven
Cook for about 1 hour or until soft

Make a cross on the top of baked potato
press down with 4 finger for potato to split
and pile your favorite topping

Sprinkle with grated cheese,
feta cubes or Mozzarella circles
Place under grill for 5min for cheese to melt

Creamed Parsnip

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:47:00 +0000

A flavorsome way to eat parsnip is mashed with cream and horseradish sauce.
It is the only way to eat parsnip and ask for seconds. Really good!

Ingredients:
250g parsnip peeled & cut
50ml cream
2 tsp creamed horseradish
salt or herbamare
ground black pepper

Cut parsnip lengthways into quarters and slice.
into shorter pieces ( approx 3cm)
Place parsnip in a pot cover with
a little salted water and bring to the boil.
Simmer for about 10min or until soft.
Drain excess water and mash parsnip.
Add cream and horseradish sauce
continue to mash to a smooth consistency.
Serve with a little ground black pepper.

Absolutely delicious with roast beef

Tip: For Larger family double all the ingredients.
If your family is not keen on horse radish reduce to 1 tsp

Gingerbread men

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:06:00 +0000

These biscuits are such fun to do with the kids. Let them be creative. My children have made all sorts of fun things with the dough, horses, dinosaurs.....

Ingredients:

3/4 cup soft butter
3/4 cup Organic sugar ( or Healthy alternative)
3 Tbs Honey
2 and 1 half cups self raising flour ( I used gluten free)
1 egg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp all spice with cloves ( optional)
choc chip chocolate for eyes & buttons
cut liquorice string for mouth

Cream butter and sugar until creamy
Add honey and egg.
Beat until smooth
Sift dry ingredients and
add to the butter mixture
Mix together,
Form into large ball of dough
Add flour if dough is too sticky.

Roll into small balls the size of a 50 c coin
You will need 3 balls to make each
gingerbread man, so don't make them too big.
Roll sausage like shapes out of 2 of the balls
As illustrated shape your men and
press in the eyes, buttons & mouth.
Flatten on greased baking tray.

Bake at 375F or 180 C for 8 to 10 min.

If you like biscuits extra crunchy,
Place baking tray back into cool oven and leave until completely cold.
Transfer biscuits into a airtight container.

Flatten some of the balls and make a few ginger biscuits for dad to enjoy. :-)

The gluten free flour tends to make the biscuits a little dry and crumbly but are still very tasty and they are much better for my slightly gluten intolerant family.

If you do not have liquorice string cut strips from liquorice twists instead.
Let your children be creative and have fun !

Versatile Vegetarian Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:11:00 +0000

The secret to making vegetarian dishes tasty is to brown the vegetables in batches, in the same way that you would brown meat and onions to enhance the flavors and make a delicious dish. Use the same concept with your vegetables.
This basic recipe can be used to make many other tasty dishes.
For example, turn this stew into a Vegetarian Curry by adding curry spices and serve with rice and chutney.
For a Chili Con Carne substitute the lentils with baked beans, grate carrots and add chili.
For a pasta topping use tomatoes, onions, garlic, red & green peppers, mushrooms & tomato puree. Then grate cheese on top.

Your options are endless. Be as creative as you want to be. :-)

Basic Ingredients:

1-2 Onions peeled & chopped
1-2 tomatoes chopped
1-2 Tbsp Tomato puree
2 carrots peeled & sliced
1-2 cloves garlic peeled & crushed
1 red pepper chopped
1 quarter cup lentils rinsed
1 green pepper ( optional)
1-2 baby marrows ( courgette)
1 aubergine ( optional)
1-2 potatoes peeled & chopped
green beans topped& tailed
Olive oil or butter for frying
Seasoning or
Herbamare

Use a large pot to brown vegetables in batches.
Heat oil and brown sliced carrots.
Add onions and cook until golden brown.
Set aside into a side dish large enough to hold all
the vegetables as they have been browned.
Add more oil and brown potatoes, lentils set aside.
Brown the courgette and peppers, set aside and
continue until all the vegetables have been browned.
Return the vegetables to the large pot and mix together.
Add tomato puree, seasoning and
Add enough water to cover vegetables.
Bring to the boil then turn down heat.
Simmer for 35-45 min or until vegetables are soft.

The gravy should have evaporated and stew should be thick.

Serve in a bowl and garnish with Parmesan cheese and if you like, ground black pepper.

Tip: Lentils are high in protein. I use the little black lentils as they are quick to cook and you do not need to soak them overnight.

This recipe was posted for Jessica.
Happy vegetarian Cooking :-)

Apricot and Coconut Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Muriel Hedgcock) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:53:00 +0000

A crunchy biscuit base with a sweet and tangy apricot filling and a luscious coconut meringue topping. Totally mouth watering!

INGREDIENTS: Make 30-36 biscuits

1 half to three quarters of a jar of apricot jam

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup sugar

2 cups coconut

3 eggs

125 grams butter

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Cream butter and half a cup of sugar.
Beat together with ONE egg.
Add sifted flour and mix well.
It will turn into texture similar to breadcrumbs.
this will be easier to work with, Sprinkle this
onto a greased baking tray at least 30 cm X 30cm.

Press thin layer onto baking tray.
Prick with fork.
Bake until half-cooked, about 10-15 minutes.
Keep an eye on it so that it does not burn.

In the meantime make the coconut topping:
Beat 2 eggs with remaining sugar until light & creamy
Add the coconut and mix.

Heat the jam up in a pot (a few minutes)
if it is thick - if it isn't, you don't need to do this.

Remove the tray, spread the jam quickly on top and sprinkle the topping over.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden.
Cut into fingers or squares while still warm and cool in the tray.

For extra crunchy biscuits place tray back into cooled oven
and leave to dry until completely cold.

Tip: Don't make the base too thick - if your baking tray is too small
keep some of the dough aside or make 2 batches.
Be generous with the jam it makes it extra yummy.

This delicious recipe was kindly given to me
by my dear homeschool mom friend Lesley.
Thanks Les ! :-)