General Chat

MICROWAVE SCOTTISH BUTTER TABLET - (Thorntons sell it)!! 1-lb White Granulated Sugar 2-oz. Butter Small can of Evaporated Milk. (Cooking time approx 10 minutes) Takes 10+ minutes but needs to be watched all the time. 1. In a VERY LARGE Pyrex mixing bowl place sugar, chopped up butter and can of evaporated milk. Do not mix. 2. Microwave for 2 minutes on Full Power, watching it all the time or it will now boil over and must be stopped in time and beaten (this is why a very large bowl is needed)!! 3. Carry on cooking a minute at a time for about another 8 minutes, stopping and beating every time it nears the top of the bowl. 4. It should now wrinkle when a wooden spoon is dragged across the surface and should be darker and thicker. If not, continue microwaving until setting point is reached. 5. Pour the mixture in a 7" square tine lined with greaseproof paper and allow to spread to the edges. Lightly score the top into squares and allow to set overnight in a cool place. Got this recipe from relies in Glasgow and have made it successfully many times - but for the sweet-toothed only. Kathy

Daphne - Glad to see you agree with the Croft. Gosh you've been busy cooking this week - all those recipes!! Sue

MALT LOAF 6-OZ S.R. FLOUR 6-OZ SULTANAS 6-OZ BROWN SUGAR 6FL.OZ WATER 1-OZ MARGARINE 1 EGG - Beaten PUT SULTANAS IN SAUCEPAN AND COVER WITH THE WATER, BRING TO BOIL AND SIMMER GENTLY FOR FEW MINUTES (2-3) REMOVE FROM HEAT, AND STIR IN MARGARINE UNTIL MELTED. ADD FLOUR AND EGG ALTERNATELY AND MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER WELL PUT INTO LINED LOAF TIN AND COOK FOR 1-HOUR GAS MARK 5 TURN OUT WHEN COOL AND SERVE BUTTERED - DELICIOUS Norah in Hampshire (Don't know which of your delicious sounding recipes to try first)

Thanks Andy Oop North.... Leek and Apple Soup very good, husband has had an endoscopy so has tender throat, soup went down very well and was very tasty !!!!!!! Anne

Ham and Potato au Gratin Sorry no measurements - depends on size of dish 1 casserole dish sliced potatoes sliced onions sliced ham grated cheese any flavour cheddar milk egg layer casserole dish in the following way: potatoes ham onion cheese as many times to come about half inch from top of dish, finishing with cheese layer. Mix together the egg and milk and pour over the layers in dish. Put dish into preheated oven, gas mark 4 for 1 and half hours, but check on the hour, to make sure potatoes are cooking, turn gas up or down as required Liz

Spaghetti al Tonno ( tuna spag bog) 2 tins of toms 2 tins of tuna 1 onion garlic ( as many gloves as you like) olives ( optional) Italian mixed herbs white wine olive oil Dice/slice/chop onion and garlic Drizzle oil in pan add garlic and herbs on a med heat to release flavours. Add onions and a glug of wine to help soften Once onions are soft add toms and bring to boil and then lower heat Add tuna and simmer for as long as you like ( the longer the better) and add more wine. Half an hour before serving add a wee more olive oil to enrich flavours and thicken. I do thoroughly check the wine whilst cooking. Always make sure you have another bottle handy though just incase your too thorough!! Serve with spag . Enjoy : )

My mum was given this recipe by her mother-in-law, when she arrived in Canada in 1944. I have been making it for years and it works wherever you are in the world! BANANA BREAD (good for using up slightly squishy bananas) 1 egg 3/4 cup sugar (castor or gran) 1/4 cup melted butter or margerine 3 bananas, mashed 1 + 1/2 cups all purpose (plain) flour 1 tsp baking soda pinch salt Lightly grease a small loaf tin. Mix egg, sugar and butter until blended. Add bananas. Sift dry ingrediants and mix in to wet. Bake 1 hour, 350F or Gas 5. Allow to cool in tin, then turn out. For a variation try adding 1/2 cup nuts or chocolate chips (or both!) This is quite a low fat recipe, but if you want to reduce it more just put in 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of smooth apple sauce. Replace the whole egg with two eggwhites. The texture will be slightly different, but it's still good!

Bob Add a good slug of Croft Original Sherry and the spag bol will be perfect!!! Sue

This is a very simple to prepare dessert to impress your guests!! POSH MELON DESSERT (Serves 4) 2 ripe Galia Melons Punnet of Raspberries (fresh or frozen) Tablespoon of Icing Sugar Port (M&S do a lovely nutty Vintage Port) 1. Put defrosted raspberries in a bowl with icing sugar, carefully stir and add sufficient port to almost cover. 2. Halve the melons and score the flesh with a sharp knife in criss-cross pattern but not through to skin. 3. Add the raspberry mixture. (Optional): Garnish with a blob of cream and sprig of mint. Finish off the port!!! (with some Stilton, if you like) Kathy

SPAG BOLL A LA HUGHES Ingredients (for 6/8 generous servings) 8 oz best mince (don’t buy “economy” mince from the supermarket, it is full of fat and water. If you want to save money just use less of the good stuff.) 2 tins of chopped tomatoes 2 medium cooking onions 2 medium carrots Garlic to taste (I use 3 or 4 cloves) Crushed and chopped fine (Garlic powder works too) Mediterranean herbs 2 oxo beef cubes ½ a large tube of tomato purée Worcester sauce Salt & pepper Preparation Fry the mince until it is dark brown and every grain is separate. Crumble the oxo cubes into the mince and stir well. Put it to one side. Chop the onions up fairly small and fry them in a little oil on medium heat. Add the garlic and the herbs and cook them until the onion just starts to go brown. Peel and finely dice the carrots. To speed up the cooking time you can microwave them in a little water for 3-5 minutes or boil them separately for 5 mins. Mix everything together in a large pan and add enough water (you can use wine but I think that’s a waste) to make it liquid. Season to taste and SIMMER for at least 30 minutes. You can also bung it in the slow cooker while you go to work (you won’t need to precook the carrots but you must fry the onion) If you have a veggie in the house then take a portion of the sauce out before you add the meat and cook it separately (you can add a vegetable stock cube for more flavour). We serve this with 2 or 3 oz of fuzely per person We freeze the left over sauce as individual portions and I believe that it tastes better after a few weeks in the freezer. Enjoy Bob

ZUCCHINI (COURGETTE) SLICE 1 large onion finely chopped half cup chopped bacon 1 courgette peeled and grated 1 cup of grated cheese 1 cup s/r flour 1/2 cup of oil 5 eggs lightly beaten salt pepper pinch of nutmeg add corn if liked leave out bacon for a vegetarian dish combine all well pour into a square greased dish or slice tin bake in a mod oven about 30 mins or till set serve hot or cold loverly with salad next day

Father Ferrari's Shortbread Recipe 6 oz plain flour 4 oz SR flour 2 oz cornflour 3 oz caster sugar 1/2lb butter Melt butter. add to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in greased swiss roll tin, prick with fork Bake at Gas mk 4 after 1/2 hour take out and score and sprinkle with more caster sugar. return to oven for further 1/4 - 1/2 hour leave to cool in tray

This is my sons recipe. open tin baked beans put in pan add paprika ( to taste) Tabasco (to taste) curry powder (to taste) and dried chillie if you have any heat on a slow heat pour into dish and eat with dry bread. disgusting but he loves it

Helene Demerara sugar is a light brown sugar not castor Bob

Porridge buns: 1 cup of cold cooked porridge 1/2 bran 1-1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 2tsp baking powder 1 egg 1/2 cup milk Beat egg and sugar together, add milk and other ingredients. (make mixture quite firm). Place spoonfulls into muffin patty tins, and bake for 15-20 mins at 180c or 350F

Loaf: 1 cup sugar 1 cup flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup milk 1 cup coconut Combine ingredients, bake in loaf tin for 1-1/4 hours at 350F or 180c I have a fan oven, so have been baking it for 3/4 hour, then 20 mins on fan. Yummy, I spread with butter.

Hi Sue, is demerara sugar really fine sugar? If so we call it caster sugar. We don't have school lunches at our 'Kiwi' schools. Can order 'bought' lunches from nearly shops though.

This a delicious sponge cake that I have made countless times and never had a failure. Very popular with family,friends and children!!! COCONUT SPONGE CAKE 6-OZ SR FLOUR PINCH SALT 1-LEVEL TEASP.BAKING POWDER 6-OZ CASTER SUGAR 6-OZ MARGARINE E (LUXURY OR SUPERFINE) 2-OZ DESSICATED COCONUT 4-TABSP. MILK 3 EGGS ¼ TEASP. VANILLA ESSENCE METHOD CHOP UP MARGARINE IN MIXING BOWL. SIEVE IN FLOUR, SALT, AND BAKING POWDER. ADD – SUGAR, EGGS, ESSENCE AND MILK. BEAT WELL FOR 1-MINUTE, UNTIL EVENLY MIXED, ADDING MORE MILK IF NECESSARY TO MAKE A DROPPING CONSISTENCY. PUT INTO TWO GREASED SANDWICH TINS. PUT INTO OVEN ON 3RD SHELF FROM THE TOP ON GAS MARK 5.190c or 375F. FOR 20-25 MINUTES. WHEN COOL, SANDWICH TOGETHER WITH APRICOT JAM AND BUTTER ICING. Norah in Hampshire

Stuffed Trout Use one trout per person. Grill 2 rashers of back bacon for each trout, keep them whole and line the cavity. To make the stuffing: mushrooms, butter, ground almonds, lemon juice, mixed herbs and sherry, ground black pepper Melt the butter and add the mushrooms (grated or chopped very finely), mix in the ground almonds and herbs, lemon juice, sherry and seasoning. Cook for a few minutes and taste. I'm giving no quantities because it's an individual taste which sometimes needs more lemon, or almonds. Make plenty because the taster will always need to keep testing it. This is hubby's recipe and I'm official taster so trust me, it needs a lot of testing!!!! It needs to be slightly runny otherwise it's too dry with the fish. Fill the cavity with the stuffing and then wrap each trout tightly in tinfoil and cook for about 40 mins on Gas no 4 or the equivalent electric (not sure but probably about 160). Nice with new potatoes and peas or other green veg or salad with a wedge of lemon. Sue PS If you don't like trout just try the stuffing!!!

Andy - the best thing to have with beans on toast is pickled onions - honest!! (It's the only time I ever eat the pickled onions) Sue