Baked sardine and tomato roll

Ingredients

·         225g suet pastry

·         125g canned sardines

·          tomato purée

·         Salt and pepper

Method

1.       Heat the oven to 200⁰C

2.       Place the suet pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a  rectangle 20x25 cm.  Trim edges to form a neat rectangle.

3.       Drain the  sardines and mash with a fork. Add tomato purée to taste. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

4.       Spread the sardine mixture to within 1 cm  of the pastry edges.

5.       Turn in the edges  of the pastry, mitre the corners and roll up from one short edge.

6.       Oil a large piece of kitchen foil. Wrap and seal the suet roll in it, leaving room inside the parcel for the pastry to expand.

7.       Place on a baking tray and cook for 1¼ hours,unwrapping the top 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time to brown.

8.       Remove from oven. Unwrap completely, turn on to a hot plate and serve immediately.

Woman to woman

Crispy Topped Brussels Sprouts

The buttery, crispy topping of golden crumbs sets  of  tiny Brussels sprouts very well. Cooling time is shorter than usual because the sprouts are so small. For crisp crumbs it is best to use slightly stale bread.

Ingredients

·         700g button brussels sprouts

·         50g white bread

·         75g butter

·         1 lemon

·         Salt and pepper

Method

1.       Trim away the base and any yellowing leaves from the Brussels sprouts. Rinse and drain.

2.       Make the breadcrumbs on a box grater or in a liquidizer.

3.       Choose a large pan and half fill it with water. Salt and bring to boil.

4.       In  a small frying pan melt half the butter over moderate heat.

5.       Put in the crumbs and cook over a moderate heat for 5 minutes or until they are brown, turning them over every now and again with a wooden spatula so that  they brown on all sides.

6.       Add sprouts to the boiling water. When the water comes back to the boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

7.       Meanwhile, melt the remaining half of the butter in a sauté pan (a wide shallow saucepan with a lid) over a low heat. Squeeze the lemon  and add the juice to the pan.

8.       Drain the sprouts well, lightly pressing water out of them.

9.       Transfer the sprouts to the sautépan. Season with salt and pepper. Shake the pan gently over low heat, rolling the sprouts to coat them all over with the buttery juice.

10.   Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle over browned crumbs. 

Woman to woman

Roast Vegetable Dish

Ingredients

·         4 large onions

·         2 small butternut squashes

·         1 large sweet potato

·         1 tbsp. lemon juice

·         2 red sweet peppers

·         5 medium carrots

·         3 courgettes

·         Fresh origanum, thyme and rosemary

·         6 whole cloves garlic

·         Salt

·         Olive oil

Preparation

1.       Preheat oven to 200⁰ c.

2.       Grease an ovenproof dish.

3.       Peel onions, scrub remaining vegetables and cut into rough pieces and slices.

4.       Sprinkle sweet potato potato with lemon juice to prevent discloration.

5.       Place all the ingredients in the dish and sprinkle with salt and olive oil.

6.       Bake for 2 hours or until vegetables are tender but still crisp.

My Beautiful World

Mutton Hodgepodge

BRAAIS, BEERS AND BIKES

Ingredients

·         1 tbsp. cooking oil

·         500 g breast of mutton, cubed

·         500 g beef, cubed

·         2 medium onions, chopped

·         2 cloves garlic, crushed

·         1 tbsp. salt

·         ½ tsp. black pepper

·         ½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

·         ½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme

·         1 bay leaf

·         1 x 410 g tin of chopped tomatoes

·         500 g potatoes, peeled

·         5 pickled onions, peeled

·         5 medium carrots, cubed

Preparation

1.       Heat oil in a pot, add meat and brown.

2.       Add onions and garlic and fry until soft.

3.       Add herbs and spices and fry forr 2 minutes.

4.       Add tomatoes, cover and simmer for two hours.

5.       Add remaining vegetables and simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender.

Serve with rice and side-salad.

My beautiful world

John Wayne Beans

Ingredients

·         1 X 425 g baked beans

·         1 red chilli, finely chopped

·         1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·         1 small onion, finely chopped

·         4 drops lemon juice

·         1½ tsp. chopped parsley

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and chill for 30 miutes before serving

Woman to Woman

Potato bake

Ingredients

·         6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced

·         1 punnet mushrooms, sliced

·         1 packet brown onion soup powder

·         1 cup grated cheese

·         250 ml fresh cream

Method

1.       Layer potatoes, mushrooms and brown onion soup powder in a buttered ovenproof dish with a lid.

2.       Top with grated cheese and pour enough cream over to reach half-way up potato mixture.

3.       Cover and bake at 180⁰ C for 30 minutes.

4.       Remove lid and bake for a firther 30 minutes or until brown.

Woman to woman

Country Style Steak

Ingredients

·         2 pounds of cube steak

·         flour

·         salt

·         pepper

·         1 can cream of chicken soup

·         2 cups water

Preparation

Salt and pepper the steakand roll in the flour. Pour about 1/2 inch cooking oil in frying pan and heat. Add the steak and brown on each side. Place in crock pot. Mix the soup with 2 cups of water and pour over the steak. Cover the crock pot and simmer for about 2 hours or until tender.

Ouma se Kombuis

Brandy and Date pudding

Ingredients

·         250g pitted dates, chopped

·         385 ml water

·         5ml.bicarbonate of soda

·         80g butter

·         180ml. castor sugar

·         2 extra large eggs

·         25ml. selfraising flour

·         45ml. brandy

Ingredients for sauce

·         250ml. brown sugar

·         250ml. cream

·         200g butter

·         5ml. caramel essence

Method

1.       Combine dates and water in a saucepan and boil.

2.       Remove from heat, add bicarbonate soda and alow to stand for 5 minutes.

3.       Cream butter and sugar until light.

4.       Add eggs one at a time, beating well, after every addition.

5.       Mixture should be light and creamy.

6.       Sift flour and fold into creamed butter, alternately with the date mixture and brandy.

7.       Pour into greased pyrex dish (20x30cm) and bake in a preheated oven 180⁰C for 30-35 minutes.

8.       Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan, stir over low heat without boiling, until sugar has dissolved.

9.       Pour sauce over pudding while stil hot.

Ouma se kombuis

Chicken dopiaza

Ingredients

·         2 tablespoons vegetable oil

·         3 red onions, finely sliced

·         900 g  skinless chicken breasts, cubed

·         350g  jar dopiaza curry sauce

·         3 tablespoons each chopped fresh mint and coriander

Method

1.       Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions ove a medium  heat for 5 minutes until softened . Add the chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes until brwowened on all sides.

2.       Pour over the sauce, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

3.       Add the coriander and mint and serve.

Ouma se kombuis

Jerked chicken wings

Jerk seasoning is a combination of sweet, sour, hot and spicy flavors.

Ingredients

·         900g  chicken wings

·         3 tablespoons jerk seasoning

·         100ml  red wine  vinegar

·         2 tablespoons soy sauce

·         2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method

1.       Marinate the chicken wings in the seasoning, vinegar, soy and oil for at least 2 hours.

2.       Fry the wings in a little oil until browned then roast in a roasting tin at 200⁰©/ 400⁰F/Gas 6 for 10-15 minutes.

Ouma se Kombuis

Coca Cola Cake

Ingredients

·         2 c. flour, not sifted

·         2 c. sugar

·         1 c. butter

·         1 c. Coca Cola

·         2 tbsp. cocoa

·         ½ c. buttermilk

·         2 eggs

·         1 tsp. baking powder

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         ¼ tsp. salt

·         1½ c. marshmallows cut into small pieces

Method

1.       Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl

2.       In a sauce pan, heat butter, Coca Cola and cocoa to boiling point, then pour over dry mixture, stirring for 1 minute until smooth.

3.       Add buttermilk, eggs, baking powder, vanilla and salt

4.       Add marshmallows – they will float

5.       Pour batter in a greased and floured pan and bake at 180⁰ C for 30 to 35 minutes

Ice and serve

Icing ingredients

·         ½ c. butter

·         ⅓ c.  Coca Cola

·         2 tbsp. cocoa

·         454 g icing sugar

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         1 c. pecan pieces

Mix thoroughly, ice the cake and sprinkle over the pecan pieces

My beautiful world

Baked eggs with peppers and chorizo

Ingredients

·         1 onion sliced

·         4 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes

·         200g chorizo, cut into rounds

·         4 red peppers, chopped

·         150g cherry tomatoes

·         8 eggs

·         Parsley for garnishing

Preparation

1.       Pre-heat oven on 180⁰c.

2.       Fry onion until soft and keep aside

3.       Cook the potatoes until crispy and cooked through and keep aside

4.       Fry the chorizo slices

5.       Add the chopped peppers and fried onions and cook for a few minutes

6.       Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes in the oven

7.       Break the eggs over the mixture and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes or until the eggs are baked to your liking.

8.       Garnish with parsley and serve.

Beautiful Women

7 Tips for Frying Chicken

There is no need to be an expert chef to get your fried chicken to come out just right.  Discover the secrets and tricks experienced cooks use to get their fried chicken extra crispy on the outside, and soft and juicy on the inside.

Fried chicken is commonly considered Southern fare; however the crispy appetizer is enjoyed the world-over.  From olive-oil fried “healthy” versions in South Korea to the crunchy ‘Chicken Chipees’ of Australia, fried chicken has made it the world over as a popular finger food.

For truly American fried chicken, there are 7 easy guidelines to follow for the perfect crispy finish.   Spoil your family and guests with juicy chicken fried to golden perfection.

1. Choosing the Chicken

Avoid the common mistake of choosing pieces that are either too large or too small.  Large cuts will result in the outside being over-fried and the inside remaining undercooked.  Cuts that are too small will lose their juice quickly.  Strive for the golden middle and choose medium-sized chicken pieces.  Aside from better taste, these cuts will be easier to handle when eating.

2. The Skillet

For best frying results, a cast iron skillet is the optimal choice for creating an even heating temperature.  Oil warmed in a cast iron skillet will take longer to warm up, so be sure to test the temperature of the oil before starting the first batch.  If you are preparing an extra-large batch, you may want to consider deep-frying the chicken. Oil temperature is easiest to regulate in a deep-fry setting, and you can get more done at once.

3. The Oil Makes a Difference

It is recommended to use fresh oil for each frying session.  A trick of the trade is to add a few pieces of diced celery to the oil.  The celery will enhance the flavor of the chicken and give a beautiful golden color to the fried pieces.  Although it is less healthy than other oils, peanut oil can be used for additional flavor enhancement.

4. The Temperature

Frying at the right oil temperature is critical for good results.  If you choose to use a thermometer, the ideal temperature of the oil should be just around 375 degrees.  Be aware that once chicken pieces are added to the oil, the temperature drops significantly.  It is therefore recommended to fry in smaller batches.  For best results, make sure the temperature of the oil does not drop below the 350 degree mark.

A food thermometer is recommended for a greater precision in temperature control.  If you do not have a thermometer at hand, the temperature can be tested simply by dropping a pinch of flour into the oil.  When the temperature is right, the flour should fry well upon contact without turning black too quickly.

5. Brining

Many cooks will credit the juicy texture of their fried chicken with their brining technique.  Brining requires soaking the chicken pieces in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours prior to preparation. The classic brine mixture contains buttermilk, finely minced garlic, paprika, sugar and salt.

6. The Batter

No matter what recipe you are using, be sure to include baking powder in the batter mixture.  Baking powder will give the fried chicken a crispier, crunchier crust.

7. Cooling Tips

Once the chicken pieces are removed from the oil, place them on a brown paper bag to cool off.  This method will allow extra oil to drain off, while preserving the crispy texture of the chicken.  Cooling on paper towels is not recommended for any fried fare, as this can decrease the crispiness of the food.  Do not cover the chicken while cooling.

By Irene Shalom

Chicken Salad

·         2 cups cooked chicken, diced

·         2 tablespoons green olives, chopped

·         3/4 cup celery, chopped

·         2 tablespoons ripe olives

·         2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

·         2 eggs, hard-cooked

·         3/4 cup mayonnaise

·         Chop hard-cooked eggs,

·         and mix with remaining ingredients.

Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Home Made Pizza Made Really Well

What is better than the good feeling of making pizza with friends or family, especially when they get to roll out the pizza dough all by themselves? Just like any kind of meal, pizza needs preparation and one can actually refer to making of pizza as an art, and a fine sweet art it should be in the end. Making pizza could take up to three hours so one should be diligent and patient through the process.

Sliced courgette, mushroom, tomatoes, garlic, herbs homemade tomatoes, garlic and herb base; there is nothing like a good homemade pizza, much cheaper, healthier and tastier than ordering. As usual pizza has different stuffing's but before all these one needs the tools to get started off. With homemade pizza this would mean the kids are also involved so one will need the kids baking tools.

With getting kids' baking tools one can simply save time, check in the local stores or a few clicks on the internet, and one is sure to get the right places to shop. While through the shopping process one would want to make sure besides all the stuffing's being bought as according to the recipe, whether it's a recipe on how to make a great Chicago style stuffed pizza or even a recipe on how to make homemade pizza with the Mediterranean touch one will need some key tools as well.

On getting stuffing, one needs to get a pizza pan and also a pizza wheel just to make the whole process much more original and fun as well. A pizza pan is specifically made to bring out a perfect pizza for instance the many tiny holes are for releasing moisture through the baking process. The holes on the pizza pan will make the pizza have a crispy bottom and this is what a traditional pizza should be like.

Classic homemade pizza recipe's key ingredients will include pizza dough, toppings, and the good old olive oil. Now to make the perfect pizza at home the dough should be the very first step, a very simple step that literally almost everyone should know since making dough is as old as bread. After mixing up the necessary dough ingredient, oil up a bowl cover it up and let it rise in a warm place.

With the dough ready, simply spread it out flat in a rather oval shaped and desired size. What follows next should be the fun part. Depending on the toppings that one has, this is the time to prep it up. Next is place the dough and toppings on the pizza pan, the baking should last between 10 and 15 min. If it's pizza with cheese, try and make sure the cheese is golden and the crust is brown to ensure it's well done.

By Lavender Wu

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients

·         1/2 lb. ground beef

·         3/4 c. chopped onion

·         3/4 c. shredded carrots

·         3/4 c. diced celery

·         1 tsp. dried basil

·         1 tsp. dried parsley

·         4 tbsp. butter

·         3 c. chicken broth

·         4 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed

·         1/4 c. flour

·         1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

·         1 1/2 c. milk

·         1/4 c. sour cream

Method

Brown beef; drain and set aside. Sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 tbsp. butter for about 10 minutes. Add potatoes and beef, bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat. Add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Cook until cheese is melted. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.

Acknowledgement: Rachel Paxton

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