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Recipes

Ingredients for chocolate cake


For the cake 225g/8oz plain flour 350g/12oz caster sugar 85g/3oz cocoa powder 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 free-range eggs 250ml/9fl oz milk 125ml/4fl oz vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla extract 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing 200g/7oz plain chocolate 200ml/7fl oz double cream Preparation method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins. 2. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined. 3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)

4. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. 5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing. 6. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake. 7. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins. 8. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake. 9. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.
Ingredients for vanilla cup cake
110g/4oz butter or margarine, softened at room temperature 110g/4oz caster sugar 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 110g/4oz self-raising flour 1-2 tbsp milk

For the buttercream icing


140g/5oz butter, softened 280g/10oz icing sugar 1-2 tbsp milk a few drops food colouring

Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. 2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale. Beat in the eggs a little at a time and stir in the vanilla extract. 3 Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full. 1. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack. 2. For the buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.

3. Then add the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 4. Add the food colouring and mix until well combined. 5. Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the icing using a spiraling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl.

Ingredients for piri piri


1 whole chicken (about 1kg/2lb 3oz), spatchcocked salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the piri-piri sauce


6-12 fresh red chilies, depending on how hot you want it 1 tbsp garlic, blanched and chopped 1 tsp salt flakes tsp oregano tbsp paprika 100ml/3fl oz olive oil 50ml/1fl oz red wine vinegar

To serve
chips salad

Preparation method
1. To make the piri-piri sauce, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Place the chilies on a roasting tray and roast them for 10 minutes. 2. Cool and roughly chop the chilies. Place the chilies, garlic, salt, oregano, paprika, olive oil and vinegar in a saucepan, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. 3. Allow the mixture to cool, then blend it to a pure in a jug blender or food processor. Store in a lidded container at room temperature; it will keep for about a month. Shake before using. 4. Place the spatchcocked chicken in a sealable plastic bag. Add half the piri-piri sauce, spreading it evenly over the chicken. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 5. Preheat the oven to 200C/390F/Gas 6, and preheat a large griddle pan on the hob. Alternatively, light your barbecue. 6. Season the marinated chicken, and cook it on the griddle pan for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. 7. Transfer the griddled chicken to a roasting tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until cooked through. Alternatively, place the chicken on a medium heat barbecue, covered, for 10-15 minutes on both sides or until cooked through, basting regularly with the remaining piri-piri sauce. 8. Serve with chips and salad.

Ingredients for lasagna


For the sauce
olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, chopped 2 sticks celery, chopped 1 bay leaf 3 garlic cloves, crushed 500g/1lb 2oz beef mince 2 tbsp tomato pure

125ml/4fl oz red wine 1 x 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes 400-500ml/14-18fl oz beef stock sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the bchamel sauce


75g/2oz unsalted butter 75g/2oz plain flour 1 litre/1 pint full-fat milk tsp freshly grated nutmeg

To assemble
250-300g/9-10oz dried lasagne sheets that dont require soaking 150g/5oz parmesan, to serve extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Preparation method
1. For the sauce, heat a heavy-based saucepan or casserole over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add a glug of oil and then add the onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and continue to cook for two minutes. 2. Turn the heat up and add the mince to the pan and continue to fry, breaking up any large chunks, until the meat is brown all over. Season with salt and pepper. Once completely browned, add the tomato pure, mixing well. Cook for two minutes and then pour in the red wine and turn up the heat to bubble the wine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. 3. Add the tomatoes to the pan, mix well and bring to a simmer then pour in 400ml/14fl oz of the stock. Bring to a rapid simmer, reduce the heat to low and leave to cook gently for an hour, stirring every now and again until thickened and reduced, but still moist. If at any point the mixture looks too dry then add the remaining stock along with a little water, if needed, to top up. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary then set to one side while you make the bchamel sauce. 4. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. In a medium heavy-based saucepan melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture turns a light golden colour that resembles ground almonds. Gradually whisk the milk in batches until smooth. Taste and season as necessary with salt and pepper. Add the nutmeg and then cook over a gentle heat for 4-5 minutes until thickened, stirring now and again. 5. Spread one-third of the meat sauce across the bottom of a medium lasagne dish (approx 2-2.5 litres/34 pints in volume) and top with a quarter of the bchamel, then cover with lasagne sheets, breaking any as necessary to fit so that everything is covered. (It doesn't matter if the sheets overlap a little.) Sprinkle over a quarter of the parmesan. 6. Repeat the process to create a further two layers. Finish with a final layer of lasagne sheets and the remaining bchamel, making sure that all the lasagne sheets are completely covered. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan. 7. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, put onto a baking tray and place in the preheated oven to bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling. Serve in hearty wedges with a crisp green salad.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Ingredients:


2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips 4 ounces linguine, cooked al dente 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning (your recipe, Cajun Seasoning Mix or store-bought) 2 tablespoons butter 1 thinly sliced green onion 1 -2 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese Directions: 1 Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat. 2 In a large skillet over medium heat, saut chicken in butter or margarine until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. 3 Reduce heat add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through. 4 Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese.

Virginia There is a Great Meatloaf Ingredients:


1 1/2 lbs ground beef (ground shoulder roast is good) 1 slice bread (broken or chopped finely) 1 egg 1 small vidalia onions or 1 small type sweet onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon table salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 tablespoons ketchup 1/2-2/3 cup whole milk or 1/2-2/3 cup half-and-half Sauce

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 -4 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed firm (to taste) 1/2 cup ketchup Directions: 1 Meatloaf: Combine meat loaf ingredients and place into a loaf baking dish. 2 Smooth out top. 3 Sauce: Combine sauce ingredients and pour on top and sides of meatloaf. 4 Bake at 350F about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until done. 5 ENJOY! 6 *The addition of 1 or 2 teaspoons of Kitchen Bouquet makes this recipe very good. 7 **Recipe should be"plump" from the addition of the milk or Half & Half. 8 It should NOT be runny. 9 ***A second batch of sauce served hot is good to serve with the meatloaf. 10 Nita's Note: I note that some of you are using game meat such as deer -- Deer is a very DRY meat. It is wise to HAVE some fat added to the deer -- especially to ground deer. Maybe 25 % fat, ( I recommend 1 lb of ground venison, and 1/2 lb of deer sausage for fat content), otherwise your results will be poor. I don't know about some of the other game meat some are using. Please consult and expert. The recipe is delicious as it stands! Enjoy! Nita Holleman

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