BANANA Bread

March 10, 2022

I have made this recipe many times, and its delicious hot out of the oven. It keeps well and freezes really well. (Stops you eating it all too quickly if frozen)

Ingredients

  • Wet ingredients
  • Mash 4 large bananas in a very large bowl
  • Whisk 2 eggs in a separate bowl – until light, creamy and fluffy
  • Stir in 2 diced bananas
  • Melt 4 tablespoons butter (60g) and stir into banana mix
  • Gently stir in Whisked eggs until well mixed
  • Dry ingredients – mix and SIFT  together well before adding to wet ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups (232g all purpose flour in UL) flour
  • 1 level teaspoon BAKING SODA (USA) or bicarbonate of soda (UK) – (NOT baking powder)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dark brown cane sugar (or 160g light muscovado sugar-UK)
  • optional –
    • sliced banana for lining baking dish
    • Chocolate chips
    • raisons soaked in brandy – (add 10minutes baking time)

+ greased dish lined with optional sliced banana

  1. Pre-Heat oven to 350f (177c PR02 in UK), Oven must be at tempperature as soon dry ingredients are folded into the to wet ingredients, to maximise rise.
  2. COMBINE all the wet ingredients as described above.
  3. Add optional chocolate chips or raisons
  4. THEN:-
  5. Mix  all the dry ingredients into separate bowl and Sift if sugar is lumpy
  6. THEN Prepare the oven dish :-
  7. Grease the Pyrex dish (preferred option) or 2 bread tins
  8. line the base/bases with well-spaced slices of 1 banana
  9. THEN
  10. Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet mix
  11. Then immediately pour the mix (which is quite wet) into the baking dish(es)
  • Bake for 1 hour
  • Test if ready with skewer – its done when it comes out clean
  • *** NOTE  Might need to add 10mins to baking time, if adding chocolate chips or raisons

SERVE with Tea at teatime or with WITH Vanilla ice cream as dessert…

wet and dry ingredients ready for folding together
ready to pour over sliced bananas
Oven ready
1/2 eaten
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Traditional welsh cakes

July 13, 2019

Makes at least a dozen welsh cakes..

Ingredients

  • 175g plain flour plus teaspoon baking powder and a sprinkle of grated nutmeg
  • 85g butter diced chilled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 50g of currents
  • 1/2 free-range egg, beaten with
  • 50g  caster sugar
  • milk, if needed
  • extra butter, for greasing

Method

  1. Sift flour into a bowl and add the diced butter.
  2. Add the sugar to the1/2 egg and beat – leave to dissolve
  3. Rub flour and cold butter with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  4. Add the currents
  5. Add the  beaten egg with dissolved sugar,and mix well gently BY HAND to form by hand a ball of dough, using a splash of milk if needed. do not knead
  6. DO NOT OVERWORK DOUGH
  7. Roll the dough out on a heavily floured board to a thickness of about 1/2 cm thick or thicker if desired (up to 1cm)
  8. Cut into rounds with pastry cutter.
  9. Rub agriddle with butter, wipe away the excess and place on the hob until it is heated through.
  10. Cook the Welsh cakes a few at a time for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown. (electric hob setting 4-5 takes about 4+ mins each side – take care it doesn’t get too hot)

 

 

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Chicken Ciabatta recipe

February 24, 2016
The pasta I was going to cook this sauce for had exceeded the sell by date, I hadn’t realised until the sauce was almost done, so I toasted some ciabatta instead, ditched the pasta and served the chicken sauce on the toasted ciabatta, with grated cheese on top. This is a dish I would Def do again.. much lighter than eating it with pasta.. and really really tasty,
  • 1 red pepper diced into small cubes, sautéd with olive oil and butter and salt and chilly seeds
  • 1 desert spoon of sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 soup bowl of small cubed  cooked  chicken
  • 1 pot of Delmaine pomodoro sauce
  • Grated cheese to serve
  • 1 large ciabatta roll – serves 2
  1. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan
  2. Add the diced red pepper salt and chilly seeds and cook till tender
  3. Add about a tablespoon of water (or two, or wine even) so that when the diced cooked chicken is added it has some tasty  juices to absorb
  4. Add chicken and cook until all juices soaked up
  5. Add a little pomodoro sauce and stir in well, when hot add the remainder of the sauce and heat through.
  6. When the sauce is reduced to a thick consistency spoon onto toast, smother with grated cheese
  7. Meanwhile toast the ciabatta, and grate the cheese and serve
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Lemon and Plum Sandwich sponge Cake

September 8, 2015

Very lemony sponge cake, delicious with coffee. Quick to make and bakes in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

For the sponge:

  • 200g very soft butter
  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs, whisked till airy and at room temp
  • 250g sifted self raising flour
  • 2/3 level teaspoon bicarb of soda
  • juice of 2 lemons (1/2 cup)
  • grated rind of two lemons

For the glaze and filling

  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • same qty of caster auger
  • 2 capfulls vanilla essence
  • plum jam for filling
  1. Grease and lightly flour tins
  2. pre -heat oven to 180C
  3. whisk eggs in a pouring jug
  4. whisk butter and sugar until light and creamy and smooth
  5. slowly add eggs while whisking until nice nd airy
  6. Add lemon rind and lemon juice with just a quick whisk so it doesn’t curdle
  7. sift in flour with baking soda and fold in carefully
  8. Bake the flan dishes for 2 mins until light golden
  9. Bake the loaf tins for an extra 5 minutes, no more

This mixture is sufficient for two loaf tins and two 4″ flan dishes

For the glaze combine the lemon juice, sugar and vanilla essence in a small pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins.

Turn out cakes while warm, glaze the top and bottom halves and add a thin layer of jam between layers.

eat warm, as the sides are a little crusty and the sponge very moist And lemony

store wrapped in clingfilm to retain the moisture.

delicious, must make again…

 

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Spicy Guacamole Avocado Dip

July 5, 2015

I Went to the “Friends of Kanaha” July the 4th party yesterday which in the States was what they call a pot luck party. Everyone brings a dish, any dish.

I brought my Guacamole and it was a hit!  I promised the recipe to someone there, so here it is.

It takes just as long to prepare as it does to take the ingrediants out of the fridge, add them to the bowl and mash them all together.

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe Hass Avocadoes
  • 1 heaped dessert spoon of Best Mayonaisse
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 bunch of finely chopped chives (or a teaspoon of grated sweet onion, Maui Onion perhaps)
  • 2 teaspoons of Gardinis Ceasure dressing (optional, but adds a great touch to the final flavour)
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1/4 (or less) of very, VERY  finely chopped Habanero chilli  (to taste) for that smokey flavoured kick.
  • 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese for the final texture
  1. Add all the ingredients (except for the Feta Cheese) into a large bowl and mash with a fork or potatoe masher (even put in a blender if preferred) until creamy.
  2. Stir in the feta cheese at the end
  3. If not served immediately, store in as small a dish as possible, cover with cling film so no air can  get to the surface of the  mixture (lay the cling film on the mix)
  4. Store in the fridge or on ice until ready to serve

Serve with fingers of cut vegetables or rice or corn chips.

Tip, try not to touch the chilli with your fingers while chopping and wash the knife carefully after use.

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Spiced Roasted Nuts

March 14, 2012

Absolutely delicious served with beer or Gin and Tonic..

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons of olive oil
  • Handful of Walnuts
  • Handful of Pistachios
  • Handful of Hazel Nuts
  • Handful of Cashews
  • Handful of almonds
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (use sparingly)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 spring of Rosemary leaves (very finely chopped)
  1. Heat a frying pan and when hot add the nuts and toss in the oil to coat
  2. Sprinkle on the Cayenne and paprika and rosemary and roast on high, turning all the time, until they just begin to brown.
  3. Be careful not to let it begin to smoke, turn down if necessary
  4. Turn out onto paper towels to cool until just warm to the touch
  5. Serve with cocktails, wine or beer.

 

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Anitas Chicken Goulash – Slow cooked one pot dinner

October 26, 2011

This is a new favorite invention! An easy, and very tasty one pot meal made up of vegetables that are ready  to be used up. Its quick to prepare, and is ready after slow cooking for 6 hours if cooked following the numbered instructions below using a pressure cooker.

If no pressure cooker is available just place the chicken and dried, uncooked lentils into a pre-heated the slow cooker, mix all the other ingredients in a large bowl and heat, covered in a microwave, stirring occasionally until very hot. Pour over the chicken and slow cook for at least 10 hours.

My collections of  Fast n’ Easy recipes and  Slow Cooker recipes on this website are getting bigger and easy to find using the categories on the right .

Ingredients, serves 8 (0r 6 very hungry people)

  • 8 large chicken thighs (on the bone with skin for best flavor)
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 finely chopped habanero chili
  • 1 diced carrot
  • 2 diced parsnip
  • 10 small diced salad potatoes
  • 1 chopped clove of garlic
  • 3 cups red wine
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable boullion powder
  • 1 1/2 to 2 jars of tomato sauce
  • 1 heaped tablespoon paprika
  • 1 level tablespoon Garam Masala spice
  • 2 handfuls of uncooked, dried green lentils
  • 1 -2 teaspoons of coursley ground pepper to taste
  1. Plug in slow cooker to begin heating
  2. Brown half of the chicken pieces in a pressure cooker
  3. Add 2 cups warmed red wine and one tablespoon of Boullion
  4. Add the chopped onion and garlic
  5. Add 1/2 jar of heated sauce
  6. Add lid and raise pressure and cook for 5-8 minutes
  7. Release pressure fast and empty contents into the slow cooker
  8. Place lid on slow cooker and wash pressure cooker
  9. Brown second half of chicken pieces in the pressure cooker
  10. Add 1 cup of warmed red wine and 1/2 tablespoon Boullion
  11. Add 1/2 cup of hot water
  12. Add 1/2 jar of heated sauce to the pressure cooker
  13. Heat the remaining sauce and add to the slow cooker
  14. Add paprika and Garam Masala spice and the finely chopped Habanero  to the pressure cooker
  15. Add two generous handfulls of green lentils  and stir to submerge all the lentils and mix the spices
  16. Add diced carrot, parsnips and potatoes (dont stir)
  17. Add lid and raise pressure and cook for 5 – 8 minutes
  18. Release pressure fast and add contents carefully to the slow cooker
  19. Push any visible chicken thighs down below the surface
  20. And slow cook until the chicken begins to fall off the bone, and the lentils are tender (6 hours or longer)
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Very Chocolaty Chocolate Dessert Cake

October 9, 2011

This cake is the ultimate chocolate cake, its very rich and a must for chocolate addicts. Its ingredients are quite pricey, but the cake goes a long way as it should be cut into small portions because it is so chocolaty. A great dinner party dessert. Its fast and very easy to make, and all mixed by hand into one bowl, which means hardly any washing up afterwards. A chocolate dessert I will definitely make again.

 

Ingredients

  • 125 g unsalted butter, chopped
  • 375 g 80% good quality dark chocolate, broken into portions
  • 175 g light muscovo sugar
  • 35 g sifted plain flour
  • 40 ml milk
  • 120 g ground almonds
  • 5 medium eggs
  • cocoa for dusting when cooled
  • Whipped cream and fresh fruit for serving
  1. Pre-heat oven to 170C fan/ 190C / gas 5
  2. Place butter and chocolate into a bowl and either microwave in short bursts stirring frequently until melted or melt in a heatproof bowl over a s aucepan of simmering water
  3. Add the sugar, stir with a spatula
  4. Add the sifted flour, stir
  5. Add the milk, stir
  6. Add the ground almonds and stir
  7. Add the eggs and stir well until combined and smooth
  8. Line 22″ springform cake tin with greaseproof paper and pour in mixture
  9. Bake for 40 minutes covered with foil
  10. Remove from oven, uncover and cool
  11. Turn out, and when completely cool dust with cocoa powder
  12. Serve with whipped cream and berries

 

Recipe from Sainsburys magazine

 

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Liz’s Apple Oat Crumble

September 24, 2011

Using oats in Liz’s apple crumble,  instead of flour is a healther alternative to the traditional version. Not to mention its a very fast, easy and tasty dessert served hot straight out of the oven, or cold from the fridge.

Ingredients

  • 4 very large cooking apples (or other fruit)
  • 1/2 cup seeded raisons (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • sugar to taste

For the Crumble

  • 1 cup  Margarine or softened Butter
  • 1 cup  light brown cane or demerara sugar
  • 2 cups of oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnimon
  1. Peel, core, quarter and slice the apples
  2. Add to a pan containing 1″ cold water
  3. Cover with a lid and heat until apples get soft
  4. Meanwhile, make the crumble by mixing the sugar, cinnimon and butter with the back of a large spoon
  5. Sprinkle on the oats and mix in well – Mixture should remain tacky
  6. When the apples are soft, drain the juice and chill for a tasty apple drink
  7. Place the drained apples into an oven proof dish, top with extra sugar if needed, and pat level
  8. Add the crumble, make level then with a spoon make peaks and craters
  9. Bake in pre-heated oven at 200C for about 15minutes until crumble browns and crisps slighty
Thanks Liz for sharing this with me…
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Chicken thighs with Potatoes and red lentils – Slow Cooker

September 6, 2011

I have made this a few times and vary the vegetables depending on what needs to be used up.. Cooking time is 6-8hours set to High or Auto in a slow cooker. Add extra cooking time if ingredients are chilled.

Ingredients

8-10                        Chicken Thighs (skinned but on the bone is best)
1/2 cup                    Boullion Stock
1/2 cup                    White Wine
1 jar                         Classico Tomato sauce
1/2                           Tomato Passat Sauce
2 tablespoons          Sharwoods Masalla sauce
1/2 cup                    red split lentils
1 tablespoon            Paprika

2                               carrots (cubed)
1                               leek (halved and sliced)
1 dozen                     unpeeled salad potatoes (washed, thickly sliced)
1 sprig                      sage
chilli                         to taste

 

  1. Switch on the Slow cooker
  2. Mix  the lentils, paprika, sauces and chilli in the slow cooker pot
  3. Cube the carrots, slice the pototatoes, half and slice the leeks
  4. Add the vegetables to the sauce mixture and stir well
  5. Add the White wine and Boullion to the mixture and stir
  6. Optional – Heat in the microwave until hot
  7. Place the chicken pieces around the top, pushing them down gently until just showing at the surface
  8. Slow cook for 6+ hours once it reaches cooking temperature
  9. Serve with French Bread to soak up the juices
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Baked Camembert

June 18, 2011

This is a great party snack and a great dip

Buy one large round Camembert cheese

  1. Remove the Camembert from its box and wrapping
  2. Wrap in Foil and bake at 180 for about 20 minutes
  3. Remove from oven, place back in box, open foil and tear away surplus foil
  4. Cut diagonals into surface  of cheese to encourage dipping

Serve with chunks of french bread and garnish with caramelized onions or red current sauce

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Beef MEATBALLS in Tomato Sauce on Mash with Leaf Spinach

January 17, 2011

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • For the MEATBALLS
  • 2lbs – Organic Ground Beef at room temperature
  • 1 pack – Hot Chilli Spices
  • 2-3 tablespoons – Olive oil
  • ground sea salt
  • For the SAUCE
  • Saute
  • 3  – Maui Onions
  • 3 large – Garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon – Butter
  • Blend next four ingredients in a blender
  • 1 can  – Diced Tomatoes, Organic
  • 1 can   – tomatoe Puree
  • 1 cup  – Roughly chopped Basil
  • 1 teaspoon – light cane sugar
  • 1 cup  – White wine (Pinot Grigio)
  • For the MASH
  • 3 large   – Russet Potatoes, peeled and chunked, then rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup –  Milk (not heated)
  • 1 tablespoon – Butter
  • Salt to taste
  • For the SPINACH
  • 1 pack  – Frozen Leaf Spinach
  • 2 tablespoons – Sauted Onions and Garlic from above
  • Season to taste
  1. Pre-Heat the oven ( and a large shallow ovenproof dish )to 420 degrees
  2. Peel and chop then rinse and drain the pototatoes and microwave them for 10-15 minutes, turning at least twice, until cooked
  3. Saute onions and pressed garlic in butter on medium heat, turn heat down when starting to brown, remove 1/3 for spinach and remove from heat when translucent
  4. Put ground beef into large mixing bowl, sprinkle in the pack of hot chilli spices while mixing in by hand, and leave to blend flavors
  5. Blend Sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth, and to Sauted onions in the pan.
  6. Add wine to blender and give it a quick whizz to rinse the sauce, and add that to the sauce, stir well.
  7. Cook sauce (with lid) on low heat until ready to add to semi cooked meatballs later (max 20mins)
  8. Remove dish out of the hot oven, add the Olive oil, and sprinkle in gound sea salt
  9. Use hands to make meatballs about 1 1/2″ diameter. Place them into the prepared hot dish. Space them evenly
  10. Place meatballs into oven for  15 minutes or until cooked half through, basting once after about 10 minutes.
  11. Add sauce around the meatballs, and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Turn heat down to 400 if they are browning too fast.
  12. Remove Pototatoes from microwave when cooked, and replace with the spinach, and cook about 5-8 minutes until cooked
  13. Meanwhile add the butter and 1/2 the milk to the pototoes and use Mixer to make the Mash adding the remaining milk (more if needed)
  14. Before serving : Blast Mash in Microwave for at least 2 minutes and the Spinach for 1 minute if cooled
  15. Add the saved sauted onions to the hot spinach
  16. Remove meatballs from oven, turn off oven and hob…
  17. and serve…
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