Rita's Best Recipes

Hearty Chorizo and Chickpea Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:17:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
250g chorizo cut into large pieces
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp paprika
3 tins chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1 x 420g tin chopped tomatoes
A few basil leaves - torn into pieces
1 L stock (can be anything - veggie, chicken or beef)
Salt and Pepper
4 cups shredded spinach or kale

Method:

Heat oil and fry the chorizo.
Add the onions, garlic and paprika and fry for a few minutes.
Add the chickpeas and stir making sure the chickpeas are coated with the oil.
Add everything else except the spinach.
Bring to the boil the reduce heat and let the stew simmer for 30 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Add the spinach and cover the pot for a few minutes so that the spinach can wilt. Stir through the stew.

Serves 6

Easy Crusty Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:16:00 +0000

I made this bread yesterday and thought we'd eat it with the pot roast I made and of course take pictures. Uhm - didn't get that far. Both loaves were plundered before the food was cooked. Needless to say I had to bake again this morning to get this pic. This recipe is dead easy but takes patience to let the dough rise properly. The 1st rise is 1 1/2 hours but the second rise is only about 20 minutes. Don't rush it.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour (I used bread flour but have also used cake flour) plus extra for kneading.
1 Tbsp instant dry yeast
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp oil
2 1/2 cups warm water

Method:

Preheat oven to 240C
In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix through.
Mix the water and oil together and add to the dry ingredients while mixing with a wooden spoon. You want a soft pliable dough so add more water if required. (a good rule of thumb is when you're adding the water and mixing with a wooden spoon, the dough is soft enough when it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl and forming a ball)
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead the dough with the heel of your hand until the dough is smooth and elastic (don't go mad and over-knead it). Form into a ball.

Place the ball into an oiled bowl and roll the dough over until it's covered with the oil.
Put a dish cloth over the bowl and leave the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
Gently punch down and remove dough from the bowl.
Cut into 2 equal pieces. Shape into loaves. (any shape you like - short and fat or long and thin).
Place on a greased baking tray.
Cover with a dish cloth and leave to rise for another 20 minutes.
Cut slashes into the top of the dough with a sharp knife.
Spray or sprinkle water on the loaves. (this will cause the bread to be crusty)
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200C and bake for another 10 minutes. (At this point I throw a cup of water into the bottom of my oven).
Remove and cool on a rack.

Makes 2 loaves.

Lamb Shanks

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:50:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic - crushed and finely chopped
6 lamb shanks
1 bottle dry white wine

4 tablespoons of olive oil

3 large onions - chopped
3 cloves of minced garlic

4 large carrots - chopped
3 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves only)

1 liter beef stock
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

Mix the wine, garlic, rosemary and bay leaves to make a marinade. Place the lamb shanks in a large flat dish and pour the marinade over. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (the longer the better).

Preheat oven at 180C (350F). Remove the lamb from the marinade. Shake to get off as much of the marinade as possible and then pat dry with kitchen towel.
In a cast iron pot (dutch oven) heat the oil and brown the lamb shanks in batches. Set aside.
Add the onions, garlic and carrots to the oil and fry until the onions are golden brown.
Return the lamb to the pot. Strain the marinade and add to the pot along with the remaining ingredients.
Cover the pot and place in the oven.
Cook for 2 1/2 hours until the lamb is very tender.
Take a look occasionally and if the liquid is drying out, add hot water.
Serves 6

Mieliemeel Bread (Corn Bread - Pao de Milho)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 cup Mielie Meel (Polenta, grits)
3 cups flour
1 x 10g instant dry yeast (that's 1 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Tbsp salt
50g butter
250ml milk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method:

Preheat oven at 220C
In a large bowl mix the the dry ingredients together and stir well.
Warm the milk and butter until butter is just melted. (don't boil). Add the oil. Allow to cool for 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to form dough.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a dish cloth or plastic wrap.
Let the dough rise for 2 hours.
Punch down and form into a ball. (you can make smaller loaves or rolls at this point)
Place onto an oiled baking tray and allow to rise again until doubled in size - about an hour. (I used a cast iron pot - a dutch oven)
Bake for 35 minutes at 220C, lower the heat to 200C and bake for a further 15 minutes.
Cool on a rack.

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Spinach Soup)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:29:00 +0000

Nothing says Portugal like Caldo Verde. This is a simple but delicious soup.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp olive oil
2 large onions very finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed
250g chorizo sausages cut into rounds
6 large potatoes cut into quarters
8 cups water
2 tsp salt
500g kale spinach finely shredded

Method:

In a large pot heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.
Add the chorizo and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the potatoes and stir so that the potatoes are coated with the oils
Add the water and salt and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and cook until the potatoes are soft.
Once the potatoes are cooked through and soft, remove the potatoes and mash them until there are no lumps and return to the pot.
Add the spinach and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve with crusty rolls or bread.

Serves 6 to 8

Chocolate Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:29:00 +0000

These are rich and gooey and sinful.

Ingredients:

125g butter
100g dark chocolate
1 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup self-raising flour
3/4 cup walnuts or pecan nuts, coarsely chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C
Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.
Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
Sift in the flour and cocoa and mix well.
Add the chocolate and butter mixture.
Add the nuts.
Pour into a 20cm square oven dish
Bake for 30 minutes until top starts to crack
Cool in the dish
Cut into squares.

Chocolate Truffles

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:36:00 +0000

Ingredients:

300g Chocolate broken into small pieces (you can use the chocolate you prefer, but make sure it's a good quality chocolate.)
1 1/4 cup cream (creme fraiche is really good for this recipe)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp of your favourite booze (optional)
200g cocoa powder.

Method:

Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl.
Heat 1 cup of the cream until it comes to a boil.
Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Remember the smaller the pieces of chocolate, the quicker they will melt.
Heat the remaining 1/4 cup cream and butter. Stir until the butter and cream combine.
Add to the chocolate and stir well.
Add the booze and stir well again until the chocolate is shiny.
Cover with cling film and place in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
Put the cocoa powder into a bowl and some into your hands.
Using a teaspoon (if you have a melon baller use it), scoop the truffle mixture into your hands and roll the truffle mixture into balls.
Roll in the bowl of chocolate powder. Dust off excess.

Work quickly as the chocolate melts really quickly. If need be, return the truffle mixture to the fridge and then continue.

Makes about 50 truffles.

TIP: If you want a hard outer casing, melt more chocolate in a bowl over water and dip the truffles into the melted chocolate before rolling in the cocoa powder.

Chocolate Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 07:01:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 1/2 packs chocolate wafers
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
220g dark chocolate (70%)
2 tubs full fat cream cheese (220g)
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 Tbsp cocao powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp vanilla extract
500ml sour cream
4 Tbsp Amarula cream (Cape Velvet or Baileys Irish Cream works just as well)

Method:

Crush the wafers with a rolling pin add the sugar and melted butter and mix well.
Press mixture carefully onto sides and bottom of a 23cm springform pan. Chill in the fridge.
Cream sugar and cheese.
Add eggs one at a time and mix until very smooth.
Melt chocolate in a glass bowl over hot water. Add to cheese mixture and mix well.
Add vanilla, cocoa, sour cream, and Amarula and mix well.
Pour into prepared pan and bake at 180C for 45 minutes.
Cool thoroughly in pan, then chill In the fridge.

Chocolate Ganache Topping:

200g Chocolate broken into pieces
3/4 cup cream

Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl.
Heat the cream until it comes to a boil.
Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy.
Allow ganache to cool before pouring on cheesecake.

Chill cake for a least 6 hours. Decorate with chocolate shavings.
Serves 12

Smoked Snoek Paté

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0000

One of my Facebook friends, Dawn Henderson-Stewart, asked for an authentic South African recipe and I can think of nothing more authentic than snoek paté. If you don't have snoek you can use any smoked fish - mackerel or angel fish make good substitutes.

Ingredients:

300g smoked snoek deboned and flaked
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp dill, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped green onion (scallion)
1 tub cream cheese
1/2 tsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
A dash of hot sauce (Tabasco)
salt and pepper to taste.

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz for about 2 minutes until all the ingredients are combined and have formed a smooth paste.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve with melba toast or whole wheat bread.

Chicken Caesar Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0000

Cobus loves Caesar salad and I make this quite often. I am including the recipe for the salad dressing, but to my shame I have to admit that, being the sloth I am, I use Ina Paarman's Caesar salad dressing.

Ingredients:

4 skinless chicken breasts - cooked ( I fry mine in a little oil with a bit of salt and paprika)
1 packet lettuce - torn ( again, use what you like or what you have handy)
250g cooked crispy bacon
1 cup croutons. (don't have these? cut up slices of white bread into blocks and fry for a few seconds in hot oil)
1 Avocado sliced into squares
Parmesan shavings

Ok.... now for the salad dressing. I know that it's supposed to have coddled egg yolk (yeah, you read right and life's too short to coddle an egg yolk) etc etc, but I found this recipe for Caesar dressing ages ago and it's really lekker (yummy).

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp mayonnaise (lite works just as well)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 clove of mined or finely grated Garlic
2 Tbsp Fresh grated parmesan chees
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
11/2 Tbsp anchovy paste (fish paste)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Whisk together everything except the olive oil. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil whilst whisking.

Assembling the Salad:

Put some of the dressing in the bottom of a salad bowl (as much or as little as you like). Coat all the ingredients. Serve with Parmesan shavings and extra dressing.

Ricotta and Spinach Puffs

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:27:00 +0000

These are super as canapes.

Ingredients:

2 Packets of rolled puff pastry
500g fresh spinach - chopped
1 Tbsp salt
500g pound ricotta
2 eggs (one for the filling and one for egg-washing)
2 Tbsp cream
4 Tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Pinch black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 18C
Cut the puff pastry into largish squares.
Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and brush the edges of the pastry.
Plunge the spinach into boiling water and leave for 2 minutes. Remove and plunge into a bowl of ice water.
In a large bowl combine all the ingredients.
Place the mixture on one half of the pastry and fold the pastry into rectangles. Press the party sides together to make sure that the triangles are well sealed.
Brush the top of the triangles with the remaining egg wash.
Bake in preheated 180C oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden.

Spinach and Raspberry Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 08:53:00 +0000

This must be without a doubt my favourite salad. It's tart, sweet, crunchy - all the things you want. I make a white vinagrette for this salad.

Ingredients - White Vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 bruised clove garlic

Method:
Whisk together until emulsified. Remove the garlic clove.

Ingredients - Salad:

1 Packet spinach leaves.
1 Punnet raspberries
A handful chopped walnuts
1 cup blue cheese - broken into pieces
4 preserved green figs cut into small pieces

Method:

Toss together in a large salad bowl.
Drizzle with vinaigrette

Tip: If I'm going to serve the salad immediately, I toss the spinach leaves in the vinaigrette and then all all the other ingredients. Sometimes I just coat the spinach with the vinaigrette and keep all the other ingredients separate and assemble the salad on individual plates. In that way, if I have left over ingredients, they don't go to waste.

Creme Brulee

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:07:00 +0000

Ingredients:

8 egg yolks
1 cup castor sugar
2 tsp vamilla extract
750ml cream
250ml milk
1/4 cup brown sugar. (demerara)

Method:

Place the egg yolks and castor sugar in a bowl and add the vanilla and whisk.
Stir in the cream and milk.
Pass the mix through a sieve and divide between six small ramekins. (I sieve it into jug so that I can easily pour the mixture)
Place in a pre-heated 140C oven in a bain marie of hot water (a oven dish with water that comes half way up the sides of the ramekins) and cook for about 1½ - 2 hours until set on the top.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Place in the fridge until set (about an hour).
Sprinkle the surface with the brown sugar and place under the grill until golden brown. (If you're one of those people who has all the gadgets, use a blow torch to caramelise the sugar)

Trinchado (Beef Cubes in a Red Wine Sauce)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 07:38:00 +0000

Ingredients:

50ml Worcester sauce
1 cup red wine
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon peri peri
3 small red chillies chopped with the seeds
Butter and oil for frying
1 kg rump steak cubed
3 tablespoons flour
1 large onion finely chopped
1/2 cup of beef stock.
Water
Black olives

Method:

Make a marinade with the Worcester Sauce, red wine, garlic, bay leaf, salt, pepper, paprika, peri peri and chillies.
Put the beef into a big zip lock plastic bag and pour in the marinade.
Place the bag in the fridge for a few hours - overnight is ideal but if you're like me and only think of tonight's supper today, marinade for about 4 hours.
Remove the beef cubes into a colander and leave to drain. Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper towel. (You are going to fry the beef and you don't want it to stew)
Heat the butter and oil in a large pot until really hot.
Fry the beef cubes in batches for a few minutes until brown. Set the beef aside in a dish.
Add the onion to the pot and brown.
Add the beef stock.
Strain the marinade and stir in the flour. ( I use a whisk)
Add the marinade to the pot and stir so that you don't get lumps.
Add water to make a good amount of sauce. (This is not a thick sauce by any means)
Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes. Keep adding water if it gets too thick.
Remove the pot from the stove and return the meat cubes and any juices to the pot.
Coat the beef with the sauce.
Toss in a few black olives - nice but not essential.
Serve in a bowl with lots of sauce and crusty Portuguese bread.

I like really hot and spicy Trinchado, but if you're not into very hot food, remove the seeds from the chillies and leave out the peri peri.

Beef Stroganoff

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 22:02:00 +0000

I like this recipe cos it's great in summer or winter. The cool thing about this recipe is that you can have it with pasta, rice or just on a crusty roll and rocket leaves.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 kg sirloin steak cut into thin strips
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
1 small onion, grated
250g sliced portabellini mushrooms ( I like these but you can use the ones you like)
1 cup beef stock
1/3 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp chopped parsley

Method:

In a large pan heat the olive oil and butter.
Pat sliced meat dry.
Mix the flour and paprika in a plastic bag.
Season the meat with salt and pepper and coat in flour/paprika mix.
Shake off excess then add to very hot pan.
Add the grated onion and mushrooms.
Cook meat 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally.
Add stock to pan and stir while cooking until the sauce is thickened. A minute or two.
Stir in sour cream and lemon juice.
Check the seasoning and adjust to your taste. ( I like adding quite a lot of black pepper at this stage.)
Add the parsley
Remove from heat.

Serves 4-6

Shortbread

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 08:27:00 +0000

Shortbread makes the best gift. Put them in a clear cellophane bag with a ribbon and give them as gifts. People really appreciate the effort and of course - it's completely yummy!

Ingredients:

250g butter softened (not melted)
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups plain cake flour ( not self raising)
Castor sugar to sprinkle on top.

Method:

Preheat oven to 160C
Cream the butter and the sugar until pale. Sift in the flour and mix to make a pasty dough. Put the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 3 minutes.
Put the dough into a rectangular baking tin and press with down with your fingers until level.
Using a knife, cut into rectangles but making sure you don't cut all the way through.
Prick all the rectangles top with a fork.
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The shortbread will be a golden colour.
Sprinkle with castor sugar while the shortbread is still hot.
Cool in the tin. Break rectangles apart.

Lamb and Tomato Stew (Tamatie Bredie)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:42:00 +0000

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg lamb neck
1 cup red wine
2 springs of Rosemary
2 onions chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 stalk of celery roughly
2 tsp minced garlic
2 whole cloves
2 x 410g tins whole peeled chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh chili
2 tsp sugar
Salt and Pepper to your taste
5 large potatoes cut in quarters

Method:

Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the lamb cubes, wine and rosemary in a bowl marinade for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180C

On the stove top, in a large oven proof pot ( I use a cast iron pot), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until smoking and brown lamb in batches. Set aside.

Discard all the fat except 2 tablespoons in the pot. Fry the chopped onions until golden brown. Add the remaining ingredients. Strain the marinade through a sieve and add to the pot. Return the lamb and any juices to the pot.

Cover the pot with a tight lid. Place the pot in the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Check and adjust the seasoning. Add the potatoes. Return the pot to the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

Serves 6

Chicken Burger Patties

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:46:00 +0000

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 cup diced green peppers
1/2 cup diced onion
500g minced chicken
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp sage
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg

Method:

Heat the oil in a small pan and sweat off the onions and peppers until soft.
In a large bowl mix the chicken mince, Onions, peppers and the remaining igredients.
Shape the mixture into 6 patties.
Spray a griddle pan with cooking spray and grill the burgers.

Serves 6

Berry Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:10:00 +0000

A great way to start your day and kick start that metabolism.

Ingredients:

2 cups orange juice

1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
2 small ripe bananas
1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries.

Blend together and enjoy. Makes 4

Healthy Lemon Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:50:00 +0000

So many people have been asking me for healthy low fat and low carb recipes. This one is light and fresh and really yummy. Healthy doesn't mean tasteless.

Ingredients:

4 Skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Method:

Remove any visible fat from chicken.
Combine the basil, parsely, lemon juice, oil and garlic in a bowl and stir well.
Place the chicken and the sauce in a blastic bag and marinate for an hour in the fridge.
Spray a pan with cooking spray and on high heat brown the chicken on both sides.
Reduce the heat and cook chicken for 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Use the sauce to keep basting the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the pan.
Serves 4

Chocolate Eclairs

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:48:00 +0000

Choux Pastry:

1 cup Water
8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
Pinch of Salt
1 Cup Cake Flour (not self raising)
4 large Eggs

Method:

In a pot, mix water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.
Once butter has completely melted, take off flame, and slowly pour in flour, stirring constantly.
Put pot back on flame and continue to work it with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until the dough comes away from the sides of the pot.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, stirring energetically.
Place teaspoonfuls of the pastry onto baking sheet making sure they are well spaced well-spaced.
Bake for 10 minutes in a 220C oven. Then turn oven down to 180C and bake another 10-12 minutes with the oven door open.
Cool on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling

Cream Filling:

500ml Fresh Cream (heavy cream for my US friends)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract.

Whip together until stiff

Chocolate Ganache Topping:

200g Chocolate broken into pieces
3/4 cup cream

Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl.
Heat the cream until it comes to a boil.
Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy.
Allow ganache to cool before pouring over eclairs.

Assembly:

Once the choux pastry buns are completely cold, fill them with the cream and pour the chocolate ganache on top.

TIP: You can add bananas and top with caramel. You can also fill with custard instead of the cream and top with the ganache.

Broas de Manteiga (Butter Biscuits)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:59:00 +0000

These biscuits are synonymous with Madeira. When I was a child my mother always had these at the ready for visitors to serve with coffee. Beware - They are addictive. My friend Mark van Niekerk asked for the recipe.

Ingredients:

500g self raising flour
450g sugar
250g butter
2 eggs

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together to make a stiff dough. Roll into small balls (the size a walnut). Place on a greased baking try and bake in a preheated 180C oven for 20 minutes. Place on a cooling rack.

Store in airtight containers. They will last for weeks.

Makes- A lot

TIP: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.

Banana Carrot and Walnut Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Ingredients:

3 medium carrots
2 medium very ripe bananas
60g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg at room temperature
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with butter or spray with Spray and Cook.
Grate carrots and set aside.
Mash bananas with fork and set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add egg and beat well.
Stir in the bananas.
In small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda.
Add flour mixture to banana mixture. Do not overmix!
Add carrots, vanilla and nuts and combine carefully.
Spoon mixture into the muffin pan, dividing equally so that your muffins are all the same size.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Makes 12

Seafood Paella

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:59:00 +0000

I am not Spanish so apologies to my Spanish friends if this doesn't seem authentic. This is how I make it and it always goes down a treat. This recipe feeds a lot of people so if need be, you can reduce the quantities. I make this when we have a large family gathering.

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

10 pieces of chicken on the bone cut in 2

500g frozen seafood mix, defrosted and cleaned

250g calamari rings

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic chopped

2 red peppers deseeded and chopped (bell peppers)

2 tsp paprika

1 tin peeled chopped tomatoes

3 chorizo sausages cut into rings

A few strands of saffron soaked in a little hot water (you can use turmeric)

250ml dry white wine

4 cups of short grain rice (you can use arborio, I just use normal Tastic rice)

2L hot chicken stock

250g frozen peas

20 mussels in the shell (cleaned and beards removed)

20 prawns in the shell, deveined and cleaned

1 tin red peppers, cut into strips

20 calamata olives.

20 lemon wedges

Method:

In a large flat pan (preferably a paella pan) heat the oil and fry the chicken until golden brown. Do this in batches. Remove and set aside.

Add the seafood mix and fry for 2 minutes, remove and set aside.

Add the calamari rings and fry for a minute or 2, remove and set aside.

Add the chorizo slices and fry for a few minutes to release the oils, remove and set aside.

Add the onions, garlic, peppers and paprika, fry until onions are soft.

Add the tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated

Add the rice and stir making sure all the rice is well coated with the oils from the pan.

Add the chicken pieces and chorizo.

Combine the saffron, white wine and chicken stock, lower the heat and cook for 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Add the seafood mix, peas, prawns, calamari rings and mussels. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed. (DO NOT STIR)

Decorate with strips of tinned red peppers, olives and lemon wedges.

Vanilla Cake with Butter Icing

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Venter) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:20:00 +0000

When making cakes, I always use real butter. It gives the cake a wonderful taste and moisture.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup full cream milk

Method:

Heat the oven to 200C (400F). Lightly coat a 20cm (8") cake pan with butter and dust with flour.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Beat in the butter one heaping 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, using an electric mixer set on low speed, until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Beat in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles fine damp sand.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add the vanilla and milk, and beat on medium-high, just until blended. Do not overbeat.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean — 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Un-mold and cool completely.
Cut horizontally into two halves
With a palette knife, smear butter icing onto one half and then sandwich the two halves together
Decorate the top and sides with remaining butter icing.

Butter Icing

Ingredients:

120g butter
300g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Sieve icing sugar to break lumps.

In a separate bowl, cream butter till soft. Add icing sugar, a little at a time, beating continuously. Add vanilla and continue beating until icing is creamy and fluffy.

Variation:

Chocolate butter icing:
Add 3 – 4 tsp of sifted cocoa powder to the icing above and beat until the cocoa powder is well blended in the icing.

Coffee butter icing:
Prepare the butter icing as above, but omit vanilla essence. Instead, add 1 tsp of instant coffee powder diluted in ¼ tsp water into the icing. Beat well.

Mocha butter icing:
Add 4 tsp of sifted cocoa powder into the coffee butter cream above. Beat well.