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| Lemon Syrup & Traditional Madeleines-RECIPE below |
We'll start with something easy
CHEESE & APPLE ON TOAST
Get your bread ready toasted just slightly toasty ! Best toast is created on top of a stove oven or griddle (which should be started early-on .)
Meanwhile in a 1 pint pyrex jug, put in cheese (having been cut into small pieces) Microwave for about 6 seconds or until starting to melt - then add a knob of mayonaise., creating a spreadable cheese for on or between toast.
Spread a thin layer of mayonaise over toast - add a few slices of the apple (depending on how much you like apple) and add the cheese - put under grill till browning on top.
Cut into triangles - can be eaten just as it is or with a side salad of your choice !
Nice n quick for kids hungry tummies home from school and full of natural vitamins too !
I find that the Apple cuts through the Fat of the Cheese - if one suffers indigestion ! Can be made like a Toastie Sandwich too (another layer of bread on top) and put a lid on griddle.
Your Taste Buds know what they want so change to other flavours too, like Horseradish n Cheese, Mustard n Cheese, Tomato n Cheese with garlic/adding herbs of ones own choice.
Instead of using the Oven (cost cutting fuel) Use Hob with a Cast Iron Griddle n Lid (I use my frying pan lid - just fits and creates the Oven effect) Toasties can be made this way or heat slowly to create french bread., with any filling.
CURRIED PEACH SOUP
Melt down about 4oz butter/marg. in a pan with a teaspoon oil (this will stop the butter/marg.from burning.)
Add 1 grated medium onion, half teaspoon grated fresh ginger, a teaspoon of Mild Curry, a grated celery stick and choose a hard to firm peach and grate also.
Make sure the ingredients in pan are soft - then add 4 tablespoons of plain flour to thicken sauce - make sure the flour is stirred/cooked, takes 1 minute and lastly two chicken stock cubes. Lastly add ready boiled water to make at least a litre.
This soup is tasty with ready cooked fish such as Tuna, add this towards end of cooking time.
QUICK PIZZA
About 8oz Plain flour, have a jug of really cold water at the ready and Olive Oil. About half a tablespoon of margarine to crumble the mixture to fine breadcrumbs. Add dried herbs of your choice such as oregano, basil and about half tablespoons worth of finely grated strong cheese. Fork the dried ingredients in with the cheese after or you can add instead of cheese tomato puree or both but put less water than oil in. There should be a larger quantity of oil to water, giving a flaky pastry bottom. Its the Oil that makes this a good crispy base to the Pizza !
Grease the bottom of a 10" x 7" flan tin and the mixture should almost be biscuity (falling apart not like normal pastry.) Put in centre of tin and flour knuckles then push out gently to sides - covering the whole of tin. It will look very thing but don't worry the topping will stay put when cooked. Cover with greaseproof and put in top of fridge (which is coolest spot.)
The Fastest topping preparation is: Two tablespoons of Tomato puree two large garlic (crushed) One tablespoon of juice from a tin of tomatoes and dried herbs of your choice - also finely grate an onion, mix with fork, put salt and ground black pepper in also, then put ingredients into a freezer bag and suck air out with straw, tie and put into fridge., should be infused enough within 10 - 15minutes.
Take Time Topping
Prepare the topping by chopping a small onion into small pieces, crush two garlic (depending on how strong garlacy) and fry in vegetable oil or olive oil in pan. When onions look transparent thens the time to add a tin of tomatoes and puree. Add a teaspoon of sweet paprika and dried herbs if wished. Reduce this by lid off on medium heat on hob, then cool slightly for about 5 mins, then liquidise to smooth paste.
Get your pastry out of fridge and spread Tomato paste all over. Cut Salami into quarters, arranging over paste, then add grated cheese. And finally sprinkle Olive Oil over the top. and put into a Ready Hot Oven at Gas 7 / 200 c. takes about 25 - 30 mins.
You can add Pineapple chunks, sweetcorn, Olives and many other things of your choice.
Lets move on to a Beautiful Quick Dessert: Ready to eat in half an hour !
INDIVIDUAL CHEESECAKES
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| Apple Cheescake |
Never buy any other biscuit than McVities Digestive, as these stay lovely and crumbly !
Two biscuits for each tub - half a teaspoon of marg or butter - half teaspoon of syrup - finely grated lemon rind or orange, depending on which flavour agrees with your TasteBuds !
We all like the lemon in our bottom - it works well with the Freshly picked Bilberries (Whortleberries.)
I cook most of the bilberries and let cool. They create their own beautiful tasting juices !
Can add Sugar is wished.
If making Four tubs:
8 Biscuits - Just under a Tablespoon of Syrup - same for marg or butter.
1 teaspoon of lemon rind.
Put the 8 Biscuits into a freezer bag and smash on top of wooden chopping board with a wooden rolling-pin. Then place them into a bowl - if still large lumps then fork them out. Add lemon rind and using a fork to stir equally around.
Place Syrup and Margarine or Butter into a small pan and slowly bring to a melting state.
Make a well in centre of Biscuit mixture and Pour the melted ingredients into Centre of Bowl and mix thoroughly. I sometimes find that not all the melted ingredients has left the Pan so I transfer the Biscuit mixture into the Pan and this Collects up any remaining.
Take out enough of the Biscuit mixture (with a spatular) and share between each Tub (which should be buttered or marged beforehand.)
With a round of non-stick paper or greaseproof, with the end of the Rolling-pin, flatten the Biscuit mixture to set - Put Lid on Tub and Chill in Fridge whilst making the Cheese topping.
Using the Tesco Value Soft Cheese at 49p. for 200g - We'll require 1 1/2 amounts, so buy two tubs.
Using 250gms of Soft Cheese - put into a bowl and mix with a fork, then add a little drizzle of milk to loosen the cheese - Add finely grated lemon rind of half a lemon. Cover and put into fridge whilst making the easy part !
Put two cubes of lemon jelly into a pyrex jug and a drop of lemon juice (about 1 tables.) Put into Microwave to just melt, mix with a wooden handle-end to get every bit of jelly into liquid. Add juice of Bilberries (just under a tables.) This cools the liquid so that you can add to the Cheese Mixture. Mix with a Fork. This is now ready to put on top of the Biscuit Base.
(Place enough of the syrupy fruit on top of the Biscuit base) for an extra Fruity Flavour !
Then add the Cheese mixture and store in fridge for about 20 minutes - then add any extra of the lucious Bilberries to decorate.
By using the milk in the cheese instead of cream (Cream can often make this too Rich.) It works out much cheaper and tastes devine !
So please try this one.
There are many other flavours to try from Orange, with orange jelly (instead of gelatine, which if using too much can have a peculiar taste.)
GOLDEN FLAPJACK
This recipe produces a softer, chewier biscuit with a butterscotch flavour.
10 1/2 oz Rolled Oats - 5 oz margarine - 6 oz Demerara Sugar - 3 oz golden syrup
And if you wish put a handful of mixed dried fruits of your choice. I used golden sultanas, ordinary sultanas + cranberries then to the melted Syrup & Marg. half a teaspoon Vanilla Extract.
Mix Oats and Sugar together in a bowl. Melt marg. & Syrup together in a saucepan slowly, allowing it to bubble just a bit. Make a well in the Oats then pour in the hot liquid into the middle, making sure that every last Oat is covered in the sticky solution with a Fork.
Line a tray bake the size of 10" x 7" tin, then making sure the ingredients are patted down flat and level. Put into middle of Oven on Gas 3 for just under 20 mins. Or 170c / 325F. And NO longer than this, otherwise the Chewiness will be Brittle ! Remember All ovens are different !
Don't cut into slices straight from the Oven, as the mixture is so hot it will stick to the knife, wait 5 mins.
BAKEWELL TART
These were being made in Derbyshire more than 100 years ago and here we are still enjoying the combination of flavours !
The Pastry will need: 6oz plain flour - 4oz marg - & a jug of fridge cold water.
The Filling: 4oz - 6oz Raspberry Jam - 4oz marg - 4oz castor sugar. 1 Egg. 2oz self-raising flour. 2oz ground almonds - half to 1 teaspoon almond extract.
Make a shortcrust pastry by rubbing the marg. into the flour and bind together with a little cold water. Roll out and line a tin 10" x 7" then place into the fridge whilst preparing the Almond sponge.
Cream together marg. and sugar and beat in the egg and extract. Stir in the flour and ground Almonds. Take the Pastry out of fridge and spread the Raspberry Jam then the Almond Sponge mixture on top. Bake at 190c - 375F - Gas 5 for 28 mins. Cool & cut into slices.
12 MADELEINES
4oz marg - 4oz caster sugar - 2 eggs 2oz plain flr - 2oz self-raising - 1/4 teasp.bicarb + 1/2 baking powder - 4oz Raspberry Jam (unseeded) - 3oz desiccated coconut - glace cherries - 1 large lemon
Cream marg. & Sugar together until light & fluffy. Add beaten eggs & mix thoroughly. Fold in the sieved flour - Add grated lemon rind & vanilla extract.
Put a tablespoon full of the mixture into each Dariole mould and smooth lightly down with a teaspoon. These should be put on a baking tray - bake at Gas 3 /170c / 325F for 10 - 15 mins.
The Lemon Syrup
Put all the sieved juice into a saucepan with 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar with two thinly strips of lemon rind (making sure no pith) and very gently dissolve sugar and continue on low heat until turned to a syrup (it will stick to sides of pan by stirring with a wooden spoon)don't over heat as will burn easily.
As soon as they are out of Oven leave in cases to cool - the Chosen Lemon Syrup - use a wooden chop stick to pierce holes all over each one & right to bottom of sponges- so that every bite has a taste of that lovely lemon - then immediately cover with a plate or grease-proof to retain the 'hot lemon syrup flavour' decorate with lemon slice sweets or lemon fudge icing.
Put the coconut into a cereal bowl and take out the raspberry jam required into a pyrex jug and heat slightly if necessary (room temp.is good) and decorate.
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