Recipe of the week – Chilli wraps

You could also serve this with rice instead of wraps. Simply add a tin of drained cooked kidney beans to the mix.

Serves 2

• 6oz mince, preferably lean
• 1 green pepper, de-seeded and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pint of hot beef stock (from a cube is fine)
• 1 tablespoon of plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of dried Oregano
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon of mild chilli powder (or more if you like it hotter)
• 4 wraps

Dry fry the mince in a frying pan over a medium heat until the mince is browned. If there’s oil from the mince left in the pan, carefully drain it away.

Add the onions and the peppers and cook for about five minutes.

Next add the flour and mix until everything is coated in the flour. Add to the stock the Oregano, tomato puree and chilli powder and give it a quick stir.

Turn the heat up to high and pour the stock into the pan then mix well.

Turn the heat down until the mix is simmering and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the mixture is thick. Stir several times during cooking to stop the mix from sticking to the pan.

Heat the wraps in a microwave according to the instructions on the packet.

Spoon the mix into a warmed bowl and serve with shredded lettuce.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Recipe of the week - Rock bars

If you like rock cakes you’ll love these.

Makes 16

• 8oz self-raising flour
• 4oz margarine (softened)
• 2oz granulated sugar
• 4oz dried fruit (sultanas or raisins or a combination of both is fine)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• 1oz demerara sugar

Pre-heat oven to 200º c/Gas Mk 6. Fan oven 180ºc

Line a 11x7x1 inch/ 28x18x2.5cm tin with baking parchment.

Add the flour and margarine into a bowl and rub in (like you were making pastry) until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Next add in the sugar and dried fruit. Stir in the egg and milk and mix until it forms a firm dough.

Put the mixture into the tin, pressing it into the corners and levelling it off with the back of a spoon.

Cut into 16 bars and sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Allow to cool before removing the bars from the tin.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Number two

Poops – I did it again. Another blocked loo by yours truly.

Instead of it being over eight inches long like the last time, it was more like a bowling ball.....

And yes it did take some getting out !!!!!!

Marie

Douglas

In cosmology there is a number, called Hubble's Constant. It's named after Edwin Hubble, the man who first realised that the universe is expanding. The units don't matter but generally, the smaller the value, the older and bigger the universe is.

Hubble put the value at 500, but then with the equipment at his disposal he had no way of understanding just how big the universe is. Over the years the value has been worked downwards and until recently the accepted value was somewhere around 70.

The value relies on an understanding of a certain type of star, the Cepheid Variable and new data on these has led to a revaluing of the constant.

The proposed new value of Hubble's Constant is ... 42. Maybe Douglas Adams knew something we don't.

Had he lived, Douglas Adams would have been 60 today. And I think he would have been rather pleased.

Dog walkers needed

**If you are of a sensitive disposition please do not read this......*

When it comes to going to the loo to do a 'number two' (or a download as we call it....), I'm afraid I don't belong in the 'twice a day' club. I go when I'm ready, which can be once a week; once a fortnight or even once a month.

I went to the loo yesterday morning, and having not been for a while, I knew my download would be on the large side. That was an understatement !!!!!!!!

Normally when they're on the 'large side' a couple of flushes of the loo gets rid of it. Sadly that didn't work.

We had a similar problem of a blocked loo a couple of years ago (caused by me again...) so I wrapped some plastic bags over the loo brush and gave it a vigorous plunge down the pan.

It wasn't budging. I tried again – and again – and again. Nothing.

Reluctantly I put my rubber gloved hand down the pan to see if I could move the obstruction. It was like poking a piece of wood. There was no way that was going to be flushed down the loo. So it had to come out.....

I took a couple of deep breaths when plunged my gloved hand back into the pan. No wonder I'd been constipated. It was over eight inches of solid poo....

Now I know what a dog walker goes through.

Marie

Recipe of the week – Cornbeef pie

A delicious pie. You can eat it cold for picnics or parties, or hot served with chips and lots of tomato ketchup…

• 1 tin of cornbeef, roughly chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• 12oz of shortcrust pastry

• 2 baking potatoes

• Milk

• Tomato ketchup

Lightly grease a 13 ½ inch x 8 inch x 1 inch baking tin. Don't worry if you don't have that size tin as any of similar size will do.

Pre-heat oven to 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc

Make the pastry and allow it to rest in the fridge for at least ½ hour.

Peel and chop the potatoes into chunks then boil until tender.

Lightly mash the cooked potatoes with a little milk then add the cornbeef and onion. Mash the mix again, without adding any more milk, to combine the cornbeef and onion. Be careful not to over mash.

Add a couple of shakes of tomato ketchup to the mix and mash lightly again. Taste the mix to see if you require any more ketchup.

Take half of the pastry, and on a floured surface, roll it out thinly until it’s slightly larger than the tin.

Line the bottom of the tin with the pastry. Trim with a knife the surplus pastry that's hanging over the edge of the tin.

Add the cornbeef filling to the tin.

Using the remaining half of the pastry and any scraps of left to roll out the top for the pie.

Moisten the edges of the pastry with some water and add the top of the pastry to the pie. Press down the edges to seal the pie. Trim off the surplus pastry.

Make a couple of holes on the pastry top with the tip of a knife to allow seam to escape.

Brush the top with milk and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Recipe of the week – Winter warming soup

Another soup perfect for a cold winters day.

Serves 6

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon of oil

• 2 large carrots, finely chopped

• 1 small swede or turnip, finely chopped

• 1 baking potato, finely chopped

• 1 leek, rinsed, trimmed and thinly sliced

• 1 pint of hot vegetable stock (from two stock cubes is fine)

• 4 handfuls of frozen peas

• ½ pint of milk

• ½ teaspoon of dried herbs (any will do)

• Black pepper

• 1 tablespoon of cornflour or plain flour

In a large pan fry the onions in the oil for about two minutes until they are soft.

Add all the remaining vegetables, except for the frozen peas, to the pan and cook for one minute.

Add the stock, herbs and black pepper then bring to the boil and simmer, gently partly covered with a lid, for 15 minutes.

Next add the frozen peas and cook for another three minutes.

Blend a little of the milk with the flour until it’s smooth then stir into the remaining milk.

Add the milk to the pan and bring the soup to the boil, stirring until it has thickened slightly. Simmer for another couple of minutes.

Serve in warm bowls.

Any soup that’s left can be frozen.

Recipe of the week – Tomato soup

This is great eaten with crusty bread. It freezes beautifully too.

Serves 6

• 2 onions, chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press (optional)

• 1 leek, washed, trimmed and chopped

• 2 large carrots, chopped

• 2 tins of tomatoes (don’t get the ones which are in herbs)

• 1 tablespoon of caster sugar

• 1 pint of chicken stock (from a cube is fine)

• ½ pint of milk

• 1 tablespoon of oil

Add the oil, onions, garlic, leek and carrots into a large pan. Cook on high for one minute stirring constantly. Cover the pan then reduce the heat down to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next add the tomatoes and the sugar into the pan and cook on high for five minutes, again stirring constantly.

Now add the stock then bring everything to a simmer and cook uncovered for about an hour. Test to see if the vegetables are cooked. If not simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes.

Put the soup in a blender. You’ll need to do this a couple of times so pour the blended soup into a clean pan.

Loosen the puréed soup with the milk and put back on the heat until the soup is hot.

If you prefer a clearer soup, after blending, sieve the soup to remove the bits then add the milk as before.

Recipe of the week – Captain Slow’s* chicken parcels

The cooking in the slow cooker makes the chicken really moist. At the bottom of the recipe are what to do if you don't have a slow cooker.

Serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts, skinless and at a room temperature

• ¼ packet of stuffing mix

• 2 sheets of oiled kitchen foil

Add a little water to the dry stuffing mix. If it's too watery just add a bit more of the dry mix.

Open out the centre of the chicken breasts slightly with a knife, being careful not to cut right through the chicken.

Put the stuffing mix in the cavity you've just made in the chicken breast.

Close up the chicken so the stuffing is hidden. Don’t worry if some of the stuffing pop's out or the chicken won't close together

Put the breasts onto the middle of the greased foil, then bring together the two long ends of the foil till they meet and are level with each other. Fold down the long edges and keep doing this until the chicken is tightly wrapped.

Bring together the short edges of the foil to the middle of the chicken. This give you a handle to lift the hot chicken out of the cooker.

Cook in a slow cooker on Low for 8 hours.

Once the chicken is cooked lift it out of the slow cooker using the foil handles you made, then carefully, as the steam will come shooting out, open up the chicken parcel and put on a warmed plate.

Serve with vegetables and potatoes of your choice (I don't think chips will go very well with this though.....).

If you're baking potatoes in an conventional oven why not pop a couple of frozen mini Yorkshire puddings into the oven five minutes before the end of cooking.

As there's no gravy for this recipe, instant gravy granules are ideal for this. Just make up a ¼ pint and that should be more than enough for the two of you.

If you don’t have a slow cooker you can cook this in a conventional oven for 30 minutes at 180º c/Gas Mk 4/ Fan oven 160ºc.

Make sure that the chicken is completely cooked through. The chicken won’t be as tender done this way but it’ll still be nice dish.

* Captain Slow is what we call our slow cooker – yes I know we're sad.....

Recipe of the week – Lemon crunch cake

A delicious syrupy cake with a crunchy lemon topping. You could also make this using oranges. Simply replace the lemon with the orange.

• 3oz self-raising flour

• 3oz caster sugar

• 3oz margarine

• 2 eggs (medium)

• 1 lemon grated

Topping:

• 3oz granulated sugar

• Juice from one lemon

Line a 7 inch/18cm round cake tin with baking parchment or a non-stick liner (Lakeland sell them and they’re brilliant).

Pre-heat oven to 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc

Sift the flour into a bowl then add the sugar, margarine and lemon rind.

Beat well until everything is combined and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin then make a slight well in the centre of the cake. This will stop the centre from rising too much.

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until golden brown. To check to see if it’s cooked gently press the surface of the cake with a finger. If it springs back it’s cooked.

Sprinkle the sugar all over the top of the hot cake then carefully spoon the lemon juice over the sugar making sure ever bit of sugar is covered.

Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin to allow the lemon topping to harden.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Recipe of the week – Burgers

These are so quick and easy to make. They'll be great done the BBQ.

Serves 2

• 6oz mince
• 2 slices of bread
• 1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 2 cheese slices
• 2 burger buns
• Tomato ketchup and mustard (optional)

Put the bread into a food mixer and blitz until it’s turned into fine breadcrumbs.

Add the herbs and black pepper. Blitz again for a couple of seconds.

Add the mince and blitz again until everything is combined.

Divide the burger mince into two and form a burger shape. Put on a plate and place in the fridge for ½ hour.

Pre-heat the grill to high then once it's really hot, turn the heat down to medium and cook the burgers, turning them a couple of times, until they are thoroughly cooked or cooked to your liking.

Add the cheese slices to the burgers and return to the grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese has slightly melted.

After cutting the buns in half put a dollop of ketchup and mustard, if using, on each half. Add the burgers and enjoy.

You can also make the burgers using turkey mince. They taste great and are low in fat so you won't feel guilty about eating a burger......

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Recipe of the week – Chicken wraps

Extremely quick and so easy to make.

Serves 2

• Cooked chicken (as much or as little as you like)
• 1 green pepper, de-seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 red pepper, de-seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 onion (white or red), cut into thin strips
• Schwartz Fajita Powder
• Teaspoon of oil
• 4 wraps

Heat the oil in a large frying over a medium heat. Put the chicken, peppers and onions into the pan and turn the heat up to medium high.

Cook for seven/10 minutes minutes, stirring occasionally. One minutes before the end of cooking shake over the Fajita powder. You’ll need about a dessert spoonful.

Heat the wraps in a microwave according to the instructions on the packet.

Spoon the mix into a warmed bowl and serve.

NHS time

I had an appointment yesterday at 6.30pm to see my GP. It was just a review of some new painkillers I’d been taken.

The phone rang at five past six. It was the doctors surgery.

“Hi Marie. You have an appointment with Dr Blake today at 6.30pm”.

“That’s correct”, I replied.

“Unfortunately Dr Blake is running an hour and a half late”.

The surgery closes at 7.30pm.

“I can give you an appointment for Friday morning at 10.10am”.

“I’m sorry but that’s no good”, I said.

“Ok, how about ten to seven this evening….”

Try working that one out !!!!!!!!!

Recipe of the week – Tangy lemon sponge cake

This cake is made in the same way as the ‘jam sponge, with a twist’.

The eggs, still in their shells, are weighed and whatever it says on the scales, you weigh out that amount of flour, butter and sugar.

So for a two egg cake mix if the two eggs weigh 4 and ¾ oz’s measure out 4 and ¾ oz’s of self-raising flour, caster sugar and butter/margarine. No matter what the eggs weigh always use the same weight for the flour, sugar and butter/margarine.

• Two eggs
• Self-raising flour
• Caster sugar
• Butter/margarine
• 1 level tea-spoon of baking powder
• 1 lemon, grated
• Lemon curd
• 4 table-spoons of icing sugar
• Juice of one lemon or Jiff lemon juice

Line two 7 inch/18cm round cake tin with baking parchment or non-stick liners (Lakeland sell them and they’re brilliant).

Pre-heat oven to 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc

Weigh the eggs, still in their shells remember and whatever the eggs weigh, that’s the amount you’ll need for the flour, sugar and butter/margarine.

Put the sugar, butter/margarine and grated lemon into a bowl. Sift the flour along with the baking power into the bowl then add the two eggs.

Beat well until everything is combined and the mixture is smooth – to the point that it will drop off the spoon when you tap it against the side of the bowl.

Pour the mixture into the cake tins, trying to get the same amount in each tin (I weigh them to make sure). Make a slight well in the centre of each cake. This will stop the centre from rising too much.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Try not to open the oven door during the cooking as this can stop the cakes from rising. If you think that they may be browning too much only open the door when you are past half way into the cooking time.

To check to see if the cakes are cook gently press the surface of the cake you’re your finger. If it springs back it’s cooked. You can also test it by using a skewer (or knitting needle or a piece of spaghetti). Pierce the centre of the cake and if it come out clean then it’s done.

Once the cakes are cool spread the lemon curd over one of the cakes. Try not to get the lemon curd too close to the edge as it will spread naturally to the edge when the other one is put on top of it.

Take the other cake and carefully put it on top off the lemon curd layer.

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl to get rid of any lumps. Add a little of the lemon juice or Jiff lemon juice and mix together carefully until the icing is slightly runny but is still quite thick in consistency.

Pour the icing into the centre of the cake and spread it out to the edges. Don’t worry if the icing runs over the sides. Wait until the icing has set before cutting into it.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

David and Goliath

One of the exercises I do at the gym is boxing. Normally it’s with Paul or Scott my personal trainers. However this morning Scott wasn’t in and Paul had to see to an induction, so John was asked if he would like to be my partner.

As I do boxing at home John is used to being my sparing partner so he was quite happy to help.

We were half way through our boxing session in the Kinesis room when a guy came into the room to do some weight training. We got chatting to him and he explained that he was a body builder.

I told him I was impressed with the amount of weights that he was lifting and he replied that he was impressed with my boxing.

“Come and be my sparing partner”, I asked him.
“Ok”, he said, so John handed him the sparing gloves.

After fifteen seconds of me punching the gloves I could see he was finding it uncomfortable.

“Are you ok”, I asked.
“Fine”, he lied.

Another fifteen seconds of me punching the gloves and his face was showing signs of distress.

“Are you sure you’re ok”, I asked, “if it’s hurting I can stop”.
“No, carry on”, he said, through gritted teeth.

A couple more seconds later.
“How long do you normally do this for”, he winced.
“Two minutes”, I said.
The pain on his face said it all….
“I can stop after one minute if you like”, I said.
“Yes pleased”, he pleaded.

“Ten seconds to go”, said John, who was watching the clock.
I always save the best till last so was really hitting the gloves hard.

“Stop”, said John.

“I can’t move my shoulders”, cried the bodybuilder, “my muscles have seized up”.

John had to help take off his gloves as he was in so much pain.

“For being such a small person you really have got some power in those arms of yours”, he said.

It just goes to show that whilst he may have huge muscles and can lift really heavy weights, I can out punch him any day !!!!

A grovelling apology

Back in May when we went on our cruise we experienced Heathrow Airport’s ‘special assistance’ service.

John briefly mentioned some of the problems we’d had in May 20th blog ‘A tale of three airports’. However that wasn’t the end of it. You can read a full account of the farce in ‘Our cruise – part 1’ and ‘Our cruise – part 3’ over on my Joint Journal blog (just click on the link at the side of the page).

I sent a Customer from Hell letter to Heathrow’s customer service manager and received a holding ‘we are looking into your complaint and will get back to you within seven day’s’ letter.

Seven days came and no reply. 14 days came and no reply. 21 days came and no reply. I think you can see where this is going…..

What with one thing and another I’d forgotten about it. It was only when I was sorting through some old correspondences in December that I saw the letter.

I must have been in a bad mood because otherwise I would have just shredded the letter and marked it down as ‘good Heathrow’s customer service’. Instead I did a bit of digging on the internet and found out that the ‘special assistance’ service was operated by a private company.

A letter, enclosing a copy of my original letter and the one I’d received from Heathrow, was sent to the chairman – in Atlanta, America.

As I’d sent the letter on 7th December I wasn’t expecting a reply, if any, until the new year. At 4.45pm on Friday 23rd December I received a phone call from the general manager of Heathrow’s ‘special assistance’ service regarding the letter I’d sent to their chairman.

Boy was he grovelling !!!!!

He assured me that when we next travel our experience of their ‘special assistance’ will be better than last time, and as a way of an apology he would be sending me some flowers.

The flowers duly arrived and they were lovely.

A good job well done by the Customer from Hell…..

Marie

Boxing day

One of the very first things Christina, my physio, got me to do when I recently attend the neuro-physiotherapy department was to do some boxing.

Not only does it tone up muscles but it’s great for the cardiovascular system as it gets your heart pumping which helps towards loosing weight.

I took to boxing like a duck takes to water. I love it !!!!!!!

Scott my personal trainer at the gym has incorporated boxing into my exercise programme so he’s been teaching me different boxing techniques.

I’m the first to admit I hate exercising. However boxing doesn’t feel like exercising. Two of my favourite games on the wii are the boxing and the sword fighting. I must learn to do some warm up games first though as my muscles ache for days after having a good fighting session...

Santa brought the wii boxing to life as one of my presents was a boxing set comprising of jab pads, a pair of boxing gloves and a three foot punch bag.

Yesterday John set up ‘Mr Punch’ (my punch bag) so I can start punching the living day lights out of our ‘boxing list’. Whenever I’ve been boxing at either the physio or the gym I was told to think about someone I hate and imagine I’m hitting them.

To be included in the ‘boxing list’ hall of fame the person has had to actually done something to cause us grief. For example top of the list is Gordon Brown MP. If it hadn’t been for him making private pensions completely worthless John would have been able to retire from work two years ago.

So instead of imagining hitting someone, I’ve printed off photo’s of those in the ‘boxing list’ so they will be put on Mr Punch and I can hit them for real.

Time to give Gordon Brown a good thrashing !!!!!!!

Recipe of the week – Pasta bake

This is quick and easy supper dish. The crisps give it a lovely crunchy topping. You can of course make it without the crisps if you are counting the calories.

Serves 2

4oz Penne pasta

3 rashers of bacon (any kind will do), de-rined

½ pint of cheese sauce

2 packets of salted crisps, squashed into bits

Half a teaspoon of dried or fresh herbs (any kind will do as long as it’s not overpowering)

Black pepper (to taste)

Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile grill the bacon then cut into small pieces. Don’t switch the grill off.

Add the bacon, herbs and black pepper into the cheese sauce.

Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the cheese sauce.

Pour the pasta mix into warmed individual ovenproof dishes then top with the crisps.

Grill under a medium heat until the crisps are golden brown.

Alternative toppings

Sliced tomatoes: arrange over the top of the pasta and grill until tomatoes are hot.

Breadcrumbs: take 1oz of breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the top of the pasta. Grill until golden brown.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Seeing double

Further to my last blog guess what turned up on Wednesday – my cards from the former US Presidents….

Then what should arrive in the post on Thursday but yet another set of cards !!!!

As this is our last blog before the big day John and myself wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Marie

PS the ‘recipe of the week’ will return on Boxing day (or December 26^th for those reading this who are not from the UK).

No show cards

Whenever Morrison’s haven’t had any greeting cards which I like (which is most of the time) I’ve had them specially printed by one of the on-line card companies – you’ll have seen them advertised on TV.

Given the cost of cards in places like Morrisons or WHSmiths, the cost of ordering a card from one of these companies is about the same. Plus you can make them personal, which is what I like.

Having checked Morrison’s for Christmas cards – as usual nothing – both John and myself ordered cards on Sunday 4^th December. John from one company and mine from a company who’s name is a former US President.

John’s arrived on Tuesday 6^th, but mine didn’t. No worries I thought as it’s the time of year when the post is going to be delayed.

After the post had come on Wednesday 7^th I gave them a ring. They were sent out yesterday, said the little woman. The good old ‘it was sent out yesterday’... Which really meant ‘we’ve done nothing so better get it sorted today’. I was assured they would be here Thursday or Friday at the latest.

Friday’s post came and went and no cards. Time for the Customer from Hell. I always give then one chance to put things right then out she comes.

“They were sent out yesterday”, said the little woman.

“If it was sent out ‘yesterday’ how come I was told that on Wednesday”, I replied.

She thought for a while. “It looks like there’s been a computer problem”.

Another saying from the book of excuses….

“I’ll get they re-printed today and you should get them on Monday”.

“Are you sure”, I quizzed.

“Yes. You will have them on Monday”.

Monday’s post came and went and still no cards.

The Customer from Hell was beginning to get more than a little annoyed.

“They have been dispatched”, snapped the little woman, “however you rang after our next day cut-off time so they will be here tomorrow”.

“They better”, I said, “otherwise I will not be happy if I have to ring you again”.

Just to make sure I actually had some cards to give I went on to another card site and ordered some more cards. If the former US President’s came then I’d put one lot away for next year.

Tuesday’s post came and you guessed it, no cards. I decided to give them one more day just on the very slim chance that they had been delayed by the Christmas post.

Wednesday’s post came and went. Yep, no cards.

“‘Former US President. Can I help”, said the little woman.

“Can I speak to your manager please as I have a lot of shouting to do and you’re not paid enough to be shouted at”.

“Can I help”, said the ‘manager’ (I’ve no evidence it was one as she never said who she was. It could have been the cleaner for all I know…..)

I explained what had happened and told her in no uncertain terms that I was not a happy bunny.

“I can understand why you are not happy Madam”, she said, “however the cards were sent out ‘yesterday’”.

“Yesterday”, I repeated, “I’ve had enough. I want a refund”.

“Certainly Madam. I will arrange that now for you”, she said quickly, which makes me suspect that I wasn’t the first to complain, “on Thursday you’ll also receive your cards, which you can have free of charge from us”.

Thursday came and went, so did Friday, Saturday, Monday and today. Still no cards….

Whilst all this is both amusing and annoying, what would have happened if I had asked for cards to be sent straight to the recipients. I would have had no way of knowing they had not being delivered.

Naughty !!!!!

Marie

Recipe of the week – Jam sponge, with a twist

A wonderful, light, yet simple cake that is so delicious.

Here’s where the twist is. Instead of the usual two egg, 4oz mix of flour, butter and sugar that is traditional for a sandwich cake, this recipe is slightly different. The eggs, still in their shells, are weighed and whatever it says on the scales, you weigh out that amount of flour, butter and sugar.

For example, the two eggs – still in their shells – weigh 4 and ¾ oz’s. Measure out 4 and ¾ oz’s of self-raising flour, caster sugar and butter/margarine. No matter what the eggs weigh, always use the same weight for the flour, sugar and butter.

• Two eggs
• Self-raising flour
• Caster sugar
• Butter/margarine
• 1 level tea-spoon of baking powder
• Jam (strawberry, raspberry, any kind you like)
• Icing sugar

Line two 7 inch/18cm round cake tin with baking parchment or non-stick liners (Lakeland sell them and they’re brilliant).

Pre-heat oven to 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc

Weigh the eggs, still in their shells. Whatever the eggs weigh, that’s the amount you’ll need for the flour, sugar and butter/margarine.

Put the sugar and butter/margarine into a bowl. Sift the flour along with the baking power into a bowl, then add the two eggs.

Beat well until everything is combined and mixture is smooth, to the point that it will drop off your spoon.

Pour the mixture into the cake tins, trying to get the same amount in each tin (I weigh them to make sure). Make a slight well in the centre of each cake. This will stop the centre from rising too much.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Try not to open the oven door during the cooking as this can stop the cakes from rising. If you think that they make be browning too much, only open the door when you are past half way in the cooking time.

To check to see if the cakes are cook, gently press the surface of the cake with a finger. If it springs back it’s cooked. You can also test it by using a skewer (or knitting needle or a piece of spaghetti). Piece the centre of the cake. If it come out clean then it’s done.

Once the cakes are cool, spread the jam over one of the cakes. You can use as much or as little as you like. Try not to get the jam too close to the edge as it will spread naturally to the edge when the other one is put on top of it.

Take the other cake and carefully put it on top off the jam layer. Finally sift the icing sugar over the top of the cake.

This cake can easily be made bigger. If you wish to use three eggs then simply weigh them as before.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Recipe of the week – Common spice cake

Apologies for being a bit late putting up the recipe of the week, only we spent the weekend putting up the Christmas decorations.

Anyway, here’s a lovely crumbly cake which is delicious eaten when warm. It makes a great alternative the traditional Christmas cake.

• 8oz self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon of ground mix spice
• 3oz margarine or butter
• 4oz soft brown sugar
• 4oz raisins
• 4oz sultanas
• 2oz mixed peel, chopped
• 2oz glace cherries, chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ¼ pint of milk

Pre-heat oven to 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc

Line a 7 inch/18cm round cake tin with baking parchment.

Sift the flour and mix spice together into a bowl. Rub in the margarine or butter.

Add the sugar, raisins, sultanas, mix peel and cherries to the bowl.

Next add the beaten egg and enough of the milk so that the mixture drops from a wooden spoon when shaken.

Pour into the tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave it in the tin for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….

Recipe of the week – One cup malt loaf

No complicated measuring required to make this. All you need is a cup or a mug. Just make sure you use the same one throughout.

A cup or mug of the following:

• All Bran (or supermarket’s equivalent. Please don’t use bran flakes as the texture isn’t the same.)
• Milk
• Caster sugar (use slightly less than a cupful if you want to make it less sweet)
• Sultanas or raisins
• Self-raising flour – sifted

Oven: 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc

Line a 1lb loaf tin with baking parchment or non-stick liner (Lakeland sell them and they’re brilliant).

Start the day before you intend to make the loaf.

Put all the ingredients except the flour into a bowl and mix well. Cover with a tea-towel and leave overnight.

Stir in the flour, making sure you scrape the sides of the bowls thoroughly, and pour the batter into the loaf tin.

Bake for 1 ½ hours.

Please soak the bowl as soon as you’ve finished with it as the mix sets like concrete if left !!!!

Recipe of the week – Honey and lemon chicken drumsticks

These drumsticks are lovely and lemony and so easy to do. They are great for party food as the quantities can easily be doubled, tripled or to however many you need.

Serves 4

• 8 chicken drumsticks, skin on
• Seasoned plain flour
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• Grated rind and juice of 3 large lemons
• Oil for frying

Pre-heat oven to 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc.

Toss the chicken onto a plate of seasoned flour then shake off any excess flour. Fry the pieces until well browned on all sides. This should take about 10 minutes.

Lay the chicken singularly into a roasting tin, drizzle with the honey and sprinkle with the lemon rind. Pour the lemon juice into the tin and bake for 35 – 40 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Recipe of the week – Sticky chicken drumsticks

Wonderfully sticky, yummy and great party food as the servings can be easily doubled, tripled. Plus they’re so easy to make…

Serves 4

• 8 chicken drumsticks, skin on
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of tomato puree

Heat oven to 200º c/Gas Mk 6. Fan oven 180ºc.

Make three slashes in each of the drumsticks. Put the soy sauce, honey and puree into a large sealable freezer bag and squish the freezer bag to mix everything together.

Put the drumsticks inside the bag and thoroughly squish them around the mix.

Leave to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

If the chicken has been in the fridge marinating, remove it from the fridge half an hour before you intend to cook it, to allow it to get to room temperature.

Put the chicken into a roasting tin and cook for 35 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is wonderfully sticky and cooked through.

Recipe of the week – Chilled lemon tart

A beautifully creamy tart that is so easy to make.

• 3oz margarine or butter
• 8oz crushed digestive or ginger biscuits
• ½ pint of double cream
• Large tin of condensed milk (218g)
• Grated rind and juice of 3 large lemons

Serves 6 – 8

Melt the margarine/butter in a pan or microwave then stir in the crushed biscuits.

Press the biscuit mix into the base of a 8inch/20cm loose-bottomed tin. Chill for ½ hour.

If you don’t have a loose-bottomed tin, line the tin with baking parchment, allowing an overlap over the side of the tin so you can pull the tart out when it’s set.

Whisk the condensed milk and cream with the juice and rind of the lemons until thick. If you have an electric whisk it will only take a couple of minutes.

Spoon over the biscuit base. Chill until required.

This tart recipe is so versatile:

Instead of one big tart simply spoon the biscuit mix into six or eight individual glass dishes then top with the lemon mix.

You can also make a chilled lime tart by replacing the lemons with four limes.

How about a chocolate lime tart. Mix 1 oz of coco powder to the crushed digestive biscuits then decorate the top of the tart with grated chocolate.

All the weights are in ‘old money’. If you want them in Metric, you’ll have to convert it yourself….