Christmas Cake

(serves approx 20)

Ingredients 

• 1.5kg Mixed dried fruit (Sultanas,Raisins,Currants, Glace Cherries, Apricots) whatever you like)
• 150 - 200ml brandy
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 250g butter, softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Method

1. Place dried fruit, glace fruit and brandy (minus 2tablespoons for after cooking, optional)in a large airtight container. Mix well. Cover and stand overnight or preferably for 1 week, stirring occasionally.


2. Lightly grease a large cake pan. Line base and sides with bake paper. Preheat oven to 150°C. Sift flours and spices into a bowl.
3. Using electric beaters, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add marmalade and 1 tablespoon flour mixture and beat until well combined. Using a large spoon, fold remaining flour mixture into butter mixture.
   
4. Add fruit mixture to butter mixture and stir until combined. Press into pan. Smooth surface. Tap base of pan on workbench to settle fruit and remove air bubbles. (at this stage my family add a (very clean) coin to the mix for luck and Christmas tradition, whoever gets the coin on Christmas day gets the Christmas wish)
   
5. Cover cake with 2 layers bake paper (cut circle to match the top). Bake for 3hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons brandy over cake while still hot. (I omit this step as I serve mine to the little ones) Wrap cake pan in a clean tea towel and allow to cool completely overnight is best. Remove cake from pan and dust with icing sugar to serve immediately. Or wrap the cake well and store in a cool dry place for up to 4 weeks, 2 days before serving cover with marzipan and fondant icing and decorate!
   

Soak in Brandy for up to a week

Cake before icing



Use a roll out fondant for maximum effect

Lay over the top press the sides and cut off the excess with a knife

Decorate







Herbs - Oregano

Oregano’s key chemical components are Acetate, Borneol, Bisabolene , Carvacrol, Cymene, Geranyl, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Terpinene and Thymol. All of these chemicals are present in the leaves and in the oils, so they have both topical and internal benefits.  It has been thought to be an effective treatment for bacteria and parasite infestation in the colon and intestines.

Because of its anti-parasitical affect, its oil has been used in head lice treatments. Herbalists recommend it for the treatment of E-coli.

Oregano also has anti-inflammatory benefits. Some people rub the oil on inflamed joints and muscles. Topically, it can also be used as an antiseptic and anti-bacterial spread to relieve acne, cold sores, and minor cuts and scrapes.  It has been used in the treatment of allergies and even to regulate menstrual periods. A few drops of the oil in juice consumed for 3-5 days may help clear up a sinus infection.

Oregano also has a large amount of antioxidants in its oil and leaves. It has 42 times the antioxidants as a medium sized apple, 30 times more than a white potato and 12 times more than an orange.

Oregano Cautions and Concerns

Not everyone should take oregano. Especially women who are pregnant should avoid digesting or absorbing oregano. It can weaken the lining of the embryonic sack.

Oregano oil may reduce the body’s ability to absorb iron, which is another reason women and children in particular should not consume large amounts of oregano.

Oregano Oil for cooking - Simply blend a large handful of Oregano leaves with a good Olive Oil,

great to finish off an Italian inspired dish...

Sorbet

Grapefruit Sobet

This is a delicious summer dessert and a great way to use up the fruit from the backyard lemon or in my case grapefruit tree!!

Makes
(about 1 litre)

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 3 cups fresh juice (citrus is best) 
  

Method

• Bring water and sugar just to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Cool slightly
• In a large jug or bowl add juice and sugar syrup together stirring well, or for best results use a blender or stick mixer to process sugar syrup and juice until smooth looking. Cover and chill 2 hours.
• Pour mixture into a plastic container with cover (an old icecream container is perfect) and place in freezer until set (best result 24hrs)

Serve as a refreshing summer dessert or a palate cleanser between courses.

Carrot Cakes

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 200 ml melted butter (vegetable oil if preferred)
• 265g white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 250g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 220g grated carrots

Icing

• 75g butter, softened
• 150g cream cheese, softened
• 400g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla.
3. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
4. Stir in carrots.
5. Pour into lined cake tin or 12 cupcake cases.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, (30 mins for cupcakes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
7. To make icing, cream butter with cream cheese and add vanilla extract, sift in the icing sugar, mix to smooth paste, pipe or spoon onto cool cake or cupcakes.

Carrot Cupcakes with cream cheese icing and candied carrots 

Some mini ones for the folks at work tomo :)

Simple Cookies

I saw this recipe on a "stay at home mum" website $5 for 120 cookies and thought I'd give it a try "WOW" they are great!!  Once the dough is made it can be rolled out for cookie cutters, rolled into balls for the normal round cookie and can take heaps of flavours added (whatever you like really) and can even be frozen!!
(freeze in a log shape and when needed simply slice off rounds, pop on a bake tray and in 10-15mins fresh cookies for arvo tea)

Makes
60 – 120 cookies (depending on size)

Ingredients

500g butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup sugar
5 cups self-raising flour





Method:

1. Cream sugar and butter.
2. Add condensed milk and flour.
3. Roll into desired size balls and press down with a fork.
4. Place on greased trays and bake in moderate oven until golden brown (approximately 10-15 minutes).

For a less ‘floury’ cookie – substitute 1 cup of flour for 1 cup of custard powder.
  
I like to split the dough into separate bowls and make different flavoured cookies the the same time, some suggestions are; choc chips, dried fruits, m&m's, peanut butter, cornflakes, cherries whatever you want really, just adjust the flour if the mix becomes too wet.

Plain cookies

100's & 1000's Cookies

Oat and Brown sugar Cookies

Strawberry, Cherry and Lime Cookies

Jam Drops

Mexican Stack

Ingredients:

• 400 -500 g beef mince
• 1small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 420g can peeled chopped tomatoes
• 1 420g can Red Kidney Beans
•  2 tablespoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 6 flour tortillas
• 150 g grated cheese
  

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
2. In a large pan over medium heat, brown the beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Stir in the cumin, chilli, paprika, tomatoes and the red kidney beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.   (for spicer dish add more chilli)
3. Line a circular casserole dish or cake tin with foil. Grease lightly and place one tortilla on the botton, cover with a layer of the meat mix and a sprinkle with grated cheese then repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the meat is used, topping off with the last tortilla and covering wth the remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Serve with Rice, Guacamole and/or corn chips.

Spring Rolls - Oven Baked

Makes 6

Inges  Rolls - glel conditions.ho soil when 5-1redients:

1 Packet Fillo Pastry

1 Celery Stick

1 Carrot

2 Spring Onions

6-8 Baby Corn

8 Snow peas

1/8 Cabbage

1 small Bok Choy0 cm high

3 tablespoon Sweet Soy Sauce (Kepac Manis)

Small amount of melted Olive oil spread or Olive Oil Spray

Method:

1. Finely shred all vegetables and place in a large bowl. 
2. Combine with the Sweet Soy sauce and set aside. 
3. Lay one piece of fillo out and brush or spray with olive oil, add another layer and repeat until 4th layer is on, 
4. Place a mound of the vegetable mix a few centimetres from the top half of the fillo square, leaving 1-2cm at the sides, roll the fillo pastry over the mix and tuck the sides in and continue to roll to form Spring roll shape. 
5. Repeat until all the mix is gone, makes 6 large and 12 small spring rolls. 
6. Brush with remaining oil and bake in moderate oven till golden brown (15-20 mins)

Serve with your favourite dipping sauce as a snack or with a salad or rice as a main meal.

(Vegetables listed are a suggestion, they can be substituted with vegetables of your choice..)

Herbs - Basil

Basil is a natural source of beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant which combats free radicals in the body, preventing damage to blood vessels and build up of cholesterol in the blood stream. Only the oxidised cholesterol adheres to vessel walls restricting blood flow.

Free radical action is the main factor in conditions such as Asthma, Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  An array of unique flavonoids are also found in basil which protect cell structures and chromosomes from oxygen-based and radiation damage.

The oil extract from basil has been found to provide protection against growth of many pathogenic bacteria which are posing a major health problem through their resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Another component of basil’s volatile oils, eugenol, is found to be effective in blocking action of an enzyme causing inflammatory health problems such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Bowel conditions.

How to grow Basil

When growing from a small plant, remove from the small container it arrived in and loosen the root ball to free the roots and remove the soil. Plant this in a hole approximately twice the depth and width of the ball and smooth over with soil to fill the void. Press lightly to compact the plant in place and give it a brisk watering. Basil also can be grown from seed easily in small pots then transferred to soil when 5-10 cm high.

Basil will blossom well under a semi-neglect sort of state, the only care needed is a daily watering and good drainage. There should be no plant food provided for them, just optimal growing conditions. At the end of the summer, your Basil plants will start to flower, from here, simply cut them off to keep the flavourful leaves growing. Only keep the flowers when you are ready to collect seeds for the next season.

The good thing about basil is that a few small plants will provide you with enough leaves for the entire summer. Simply clipping the largest branches about half way down will be adequate to provide you leaves for cooking whilst allowing the plant to recover good growth. Give it a good week or two before another harvest and your plant will last you a few months.

Basil should not be exposed to the last frosts of spring. If you are sowing outside, you should wait until late spring before sowing. For indoor plants, you can sow anytime.

When you harvest Basil, be sure to pick a few leaves off each plant instead of picking all the leaves off only one plant. Indoors Basil will grow all year round. You could dig up your outdoor Basil and bring it indoors before the first frosts of fall arrive.

Excessive Basil leaves can be frozen for future use or dried for use as a dried herb. When drying Basil, you should cut the stems at the level of the soil and dried in a dehydrator. You could also hang it in bunches to air dry in a warm room for about a week. The leaves can then be removed from the stems and stored in an airtight container. It will keep like this for up to a year.