Date muffins

125gr butter

1 cup dates

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

2tsp bicarb soda

2 eggs

2 cups SR flour

1.       Boil together butter, dates, sugar, water & bicarb soda. Once boiling take off heat & cool

2.       Add well beaten eggs

3.       Fold in sifted flour

4.       Bake for 15-20min at 180^o

Sauce

1 cup cream

1 cup brown sugar

200gr butter

Melt butter, add in sugar, slowly add cream

Enjoy :)

Cinnamon Tea Cake

60g butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 cup SR flour
1/3 cup milk
15g butter, melted, extra
1 tbsp caster sugar, extra
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


Cream butter, essence and sugar. 

Add egg. 

Stir in sifted flour and milk.  Beat until smooth.

Bake in a 20cm round cake tin for 25 mins in a moderate oven.

Stand 2 mins before turning.  

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with combined sugar and cinnamon.

Rice Cream

½ cup Arborio rice

½ cup water

1L full cream milk

¼ cup sugar

1 split vanilla bean

In a saucepan, bring rice and water to boil

Add split vanilla bean

Gradually add milk and sugar and simmer for 30 minutes

Stir occasionally to prevent rice catching on saucepan base

Add more milk if rice has thickened too much

Cauliflower Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large brown onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 head cauliflower, cut in florets

500 grams potatoes, peeled, chopped

1 litre chicken stock

½ cup cream

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion has softened. Add cauliflower and potato. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add stock. Season with pepper. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Blend, in batches, until smooth. Return to pan over low heat. Add pure cream. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve with crusty bread

Optional

You could replace chicken stock with beef or vegetable.

Serve soup topped with fresh herbs, sour cream, croutons or cooked chopped bacon.

Freezer Tip:

The soup is suitable to freeze after blending (before cream is added)

Lemon Fish

Fish Fillets

2 level tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 level tablespoon white wine

1 level tablespoon butter

1 level tablespoon plain flour

½ level teaspoon chicken stock powder

½ cup milk or cream

¼ level teaspoon crushed garlic

1 level teaspoon fresh garlic chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter with garlic in a non-stick saucepan.

Add flour and combine.

Slowly add in milk using a whisk to avoid lumps.

Add stock powder, wine, lemon juice and bring to boil.

Add in garlic chives and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook fish fillets in a non-stick fry pan.

Pour sauce over fillets and serve.  

Chocolate Butter Cake

CAKE

125 grams butter

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs at room temperature

½ cup milk

1 cup sugar

1 ¼ cup Self Raising Flour

2 tablespoons cocoa

ICING

1.5 cups icing sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

15 grams butter

2 ½ tablespoons water

Shredded coconut

Mix all cake ingredients together at medium speed for 10 minutes

Bake in Lamington Tray 28cm x 18 cm for 35 minutes

ICING

Sift icing sugar and cocoa

Add melted butter and water

Mix until smooth

Sprinkle shredded coconut over icing. 

Chilli Mussels

Mussels

Capsicum

1x onion

3 x spring onions

2 x tomatoes

Basil

Oregano

Salt and Pepper

1 can crushed tomatoes

Lemon Juice

Wine

1.5 chilli

Garlic

Fry onion, garlic, chilli, capsicum and tomatoes

Add sprint onions, wine and spices

Simmer for a while adding lemon and other herbs, spices. 

Rinse mussels under cold water

Allow to dry then add to sauce. 

Cook in sauce until mussels open

Serve warm with crusty bread