Author: Notnick

Spiced Butternut squash Soup

Spiced Butternut squash Soup

 
2 squash
1 garlic clove
1/4 pt double cream
1pt Chicken stock
1tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp cumin seed
1tsp garam masala
salt to taste
 
Slice squash into wedges oil and add cumin seeds and roast till browning and soft. Peal from skin.
Slice & fry garlic in saucepan
Add stock, and squash to pan & boil for 10 mins
Blend
Add spices & salt to taste
Add cream & serve

Sticky Toffee Pudding

This recipe is nearly fool-proof, and an absolute favourite. This, still just warm (not hot), with a dollop of icecream

The Cake bit

175g dates
175g sugar
175g SR flour
50g butter
2 eggs
1tsp bicarb soda
1/2dps vanilla essence
 

Chop dates & boil with 1/2pt water
Add bicarb & cool
Mix butter & sugar, add eggs & fold in flour.
add dates & vanilla
bake 20-25min @ 180c

Toffee sauce
200g soft brown sugar
125g butter
6tbl double cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
All ingredients in a pan and boil for 3 minutes. Pour over sponge

Banana Nut muffins

These are Deird’s favourite muffin on here. They’re best made with really ripe bananas- ripe to the point of heading for the bin. If you have old bananas like that, make these, don’t bin the bananas!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1  teaspoons baking soda
big pinch of salt
2 overripe bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup veg oil
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
a pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup pecans, chopped (can replace with choc chips if you’re avoiding nuts)

Preheat oven to 200C.

Mash the 2 bananas with a fork. Add the mashed bananas with the other ingredients in to a bowl and mix together. (Add the nuts last). Put into muffin papers- filling nearly to the top of the paper, and sprinkle a little sugar on the top.They should rise well during cooking, so that they are doubled in hight, with a nice dome-top to them.

Should make about 6 or 7 muffins.

Gingernuts

50g/2oz Butter

4 tbsp Golden Syrup

50g/2oz Soft Brown Sugar

175g/6oz Self Raising Flour

1 teasp Ground Ginger

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C, 375F, Gas Mark 5 and lightly grease two baking sheets

2. Melt the butter, syrup and sugar together in a large saucepan, cool slightly then sift flour and ginger into the sugar mixture.  Mix well.

3. Place walnut size balls of the mixture well apart onto the baking sheet, flatten with the palm of your hand, then bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Poppy’s Cottage Pie

1 Large Onion
2-3 large carrots, diced.
500g Mince Beef
Worcestershire sauce
2 tbl tomato puree
1tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
corn-flour to thicken
2-3 large potatoes (bakers, or something floury)

Fry 1 large onion, medium diced. (whilst frying onions, peel the potatoes.) once softened and browned,
Add 500g minced beef. keep the beef and onions moving whilst the beef cooks (it helps break up the bigger bits of beef). Once all cooked through, and browned a little, add enough water to nearly cover the beef and onion. Add the carrots.
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato puree 6-8 glugs of Worcestershire sauce (loads), 1 tsp white pepper,  1 tsp sugar, 1tsp salt.
Let it simmer for a few minutes, and taste for seasoning- add salt, sugar, worcestershire sauce or pasata to taste. Simmer for 15-30 minutes, until the carrots are well cooked and thicken with cornflour to make gravy.  (Add a little water when cooking if it looks like it’s getting too dry and sticky)
Boil and mash the potatoes
Make the pie, and brush with butter.
If the pie is still warm, then bake it in the hottest oven you can until the potato crisps
If making ahead, cook from cold at 180c for 30 mins