A new cake tin to play with.

What fun. I adore trying out new things. Will it work well? Will it stick? Will it burn? Which recipe?

The tin was got at a local market and I really thought 'cos it wasn't a Wilton, that I would have all sorts of problems. I did. But it wasn't the tins fault but mine.

Not wanting to spend lotsa money on ingreds as I knew it would fail, I went to the supermarket and got 3 butter cake mixes (shock, horror) for 69c each,only. I put in some red food colouring and some strawberry flavouring, so as to have a pink rose when turned out.

Filled the tin to half way with the cake mix and put in oven. 10 minutes later, the cake was overflowing in the oven, down the centre funnel, through the shelves and on to the bottom of oven. Quick thinking saved the smoke alarm going off. I shoved a tray under the cake tin, and stood back and prayed. After taking battery out of smoke alarm.

This is the end result. A good looking cake that tastes delightful. And yes it was quite pink in the middle when cut.

Will I do it again? YES, but less mix in next time and I will try a choc cake mix and sprinkle gold dust on when cooked.

Good old favorite.

I think this would have to be the most cooked dish around the world, and I know it's a big hit in my house. But I am really interested to know how you do yours.

Is it a traditional recipe that you have always used or is it something that has evolved through time?

What am I talking about?

Why, SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE of course.

I think the most important thing with this recipe, is to use as many fresh ingreds as possible. And I always make sure I can.

Okay, what did I use?

500 gms lean beef mince

1 diced onion

2 tablesps of mixed Italian herbs

A good dollop of Tomato Paste

1 tin diced Tomatoes

Garlic (lots)

About a cup of diced Capsicum

1 jar of Passata Rustica (crushed Toms)

1 teasp of sugar
1 glass of red wine

Spaghetti

Olive oil

Hot water

Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)

Dry fry the beef mince and then add the diced onion. Next, just start adding all other ingreds.

Stir and simmer for at least half an hour then let stand for as long as poss.

When you are ready to eat, put on a pot of water to boil and add a good slurp of the olive oil. WHY? So the spaghetti does not stick together. When it's AL Dante, drain water off and toss in a knob of butter, stir and place in dishes. Place the sauce on top and serve with Garlic bread and sliced Zucchini.

I am not a lover of red wine (Hubby is) love it in cooking but much prefer to have a crisp white wine with my meal.

NOW, please tell me how you do your's. Does it differ from mine? Do tell.

Easy Darl

This would have to be my most used dish, a true favorite and so versatile. We have it with nearly all our curries, on warm toast for breakfast, in a freshly baked roll and even with cheese in a sandwich.

There is always some made in my fridge ready to be consumed.

Here is the basic recipe that can be changed to suit yourself and tastes.

1 cup of washed RED LENTILS.

1 can of diced TOMATOES.

1 diced ONION.

2 tablespoons of PATAKS or SHARWOODS CURRY PASTE, always use a hot or medium as the mild is a waste of time. IMHO. Don't use tandoori.

1 cup of WATER.

Now, as the title suggests, this really is EASY DARL.

Put all ingreds into a microwaveable dish, and stir well. Place in microwave on high setting and cook 'til lentils have become mushy, stirring now and then, (every 5 mins) and checking to see if it needs more water. This may take up to 30 minutes. You can't overcook this dish.

Sometimes I also add CORN, PEAS or diced CAPSICUM to it. It's one of those dishes that anything goes. I have even added it to MEAT CURRIES to stretch them out a little more.

I made a very HOT BEEF CURRY and a milder sweet VEGETABLE and MANGO CURRY and served it with pain boiled Basmati rice and Naan bread.

A tip from one of my blogger friends. Put your toilet rolls in the fridge when you are serving a HOT curry. LOL.

Do hope you enjoy this, please let me know.

Thank you Kitchen Goddess

You are too kind. Thank you very much http://culinarytravelsofakitchengoddess.wordpress.com/

You certainly work very hard on your blog and it is looking very good indeed.

As this was passed on to you, and then on the many others and myself, I would like to pass it on too.

But to whom? I shall wait and see for a couple of days who picks it up from you, and then make a decision.

I have decided to pass this on to one of the best blogs I have ever seen. Her cake making and decorating skills are way up there. 10/10

Keep up the brilliant work Cakebrain. http://cakeonthebrain.blogspot.com

Come and collect, and do pass it on please.

GarLICKED Scrolls

Oh, I had fun making these and naming them too.

Pastry licked with garlic then rolled after a few

other things have been added as well.

Now as I have said before many times,

I DON"T DO PASTRY, I can't, doesn't work.

So this is shop bought frozen pastry.

I know, shock horror. But my family now know

that's what they get.

You will need..

Pastry sheets (I used 6)

Grated Cheddar.

Grated Parmesan.

Diced Capsicum. (Red and yellow)

Spring Onions. (sliced small)

Crushed Garlic.

Olive oil (good quality) (1/2 cup)

Tomato Paste. (about 1/2 a cup again)

Baking trays. (well greased and papered)

I forgot to do this and spent a long time

getting them off the trays. (a senior moment)

Lets get started...

Put the crushed Garlic into the olive oil,

and leave to infuse while you get the rest ready.

Lay the sheets on kitchen work bench.

Oven at 190c.

Dice and grate the things you are going to use.

Spread Tom paste on one half of all sheets.

And spread the garlicked O/O on other half.

Now put down the middle the diced vegies.

Then, the 2 Cheeses.

Now you are ready to roll.

Once all rolled, you can then slice.

Put each slice on to baking tray and press down

a little.

Brush each slice with any remaining O/O.

And put into the oven for around 20 minutes.

Or until pastry is golden and crispy.

Please, do have a go at these. They are fun to make and very easy to eat. And even better when eaten while still warm from the oven.

A new BLOG

A fellow member of a forum I belong to (Vi's Pantry) (members only) has just started on a new blog.

http://sparklesdelights.blogspot.com/

Please give her a couple of days to get going and after that I am sure it will be an interesting blog.

She has a cat called Marmalade, how cute is that?

Good luck Sharron and have fun blogging.

And I see you like pink too, so a pink rose for you as a welcome

Is that a QUICHE? Yes IMPOSSIBLE QUICHE

I am hopeless at making pastry, have been all my life. I do use the frozen pastry now and then, when making pies. With this Quiche, the flour sinks to the bottom and forms a sort of pastry. And is so quick and easy.

I will give you the basic recipe first and then some variations.



Basic recipe.



4 large Eggs.

1 tblsp softened Butter.

2/3 cup S.R. Flour.

1 1/2 cups Milk.

1 cup grated Cheese.

1 small diced Onion.

1 grated Zucchini.

Now the add ons.

1 cup of cooked and diced chicken,

or Ham, or bacon, and Salmon is nice too.

Vegies, Capsicum, Carrot, sun dried Tomatoes,

or Asparagus.

Method.

Grease a Pie or Quiche tray with some butter.

Oven at 180c/350f.

Place all ingreds into a container with a tight lid.

What? Did I hear you say?

Yes, and then shake like there's no tomorrow.

Take off lid and place contents into the Quiche

dish. Place some sliced tomato on the top and put

into the oven for 35-45 mins.


This will rise a little and is delish warm from

the oven or served cold with a nice crisp

green salad.

This one here is Asparagus and Chicken. A firm favorite in my house.
Please, give it a go, you will not be disappointed.

Irish Barm Brack

I have been making Barm Brack for as long as I can remember. From an old hand written recipe my grand mother gave me when I was first married (36 years now)

But, to be trueful with you, I was a little bored with it and wanted something a little different.

So did some research on the net and came up with this one. So, it's mainly the old recipe with a few added touches.

My dear friend *Granny* from http://www.teandwheatenbread.blogspot.com/ in Ireland keeps me supplied with P.G. Tips tea, for which I am forever grateful. And I used 2 bags to make the tea for this recipe.

The cake stand was sent to me from yet another blogger friend of mine in New Zealand. Thank you http://www.thinkingaboutfood.blogspot.com/

What you will need..

1 strong black cup of tea.

A good slurp or two of Irish Whisky.

500gms. Dried Fruit (Sultanas, Raisins

Dates and Prunes)

200gms. S.R. Flour.

200gms. Dark brown Sugar.

4 tblsps of good quality Marmalade.

1 Egg.

Butter for greasing.

2 teasp. Mixed Spice.

Method...

Make the cup of tea and add the Irish Whisky.

Put it and the dried fruit in a large bowl

and soak over night.

Sift the flour straight into the tea/fruit bowl.

Add the sugar and mixed spice

and gently mix.

Now put in the egg and marmalade.

Mix 'til well combined, but not over worked.

Grease a baking tin or cake tin with the butter

and pour mixture in.

Place in a preheated oven (180c)

and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Or until skewer comes out clean.

The aroma coming from the oven as this cake

is cooking is just devine and I do hope you

make it and enjoy as much as we do.

Fruit salad and raspberry sorbet

Fresh fruit is so beautiful here in Australia at the moment, even though it is winter. And what could be nicer and healthy too, than a fruit salad.

My fruit salads change every time I make them, but usually add one tin of fruit so I can get a lovely syrupy juicy sweet salad.

With this one I used.....

Half a HONEY DEW MELON.

1 GRANNY SMITH APPLE.

1 cup of frozen STRAWBERRIES.

1 cup of frozen RASPBERRIES.

1 tin of APRICOTS in syrup.

Prepare all fruit and dice where needed. Put all into a bowl and chill in the fridge.

I served mine with Raspberry Sorbet and sprinkled a few raspberry bits over the top.

You could change the fruits to suit yourself and add a liqueur to the syrup. That is soooooo delish.