Quick Microwave Fudge

This is almost a "fail proof" recipe, I prefer to stir far more often than the recipe suggests, this prevents it from boiling over as well. Microwave until the fudge changes colour from a light brown to the colour of fudge!  Microwaves differ so it is far better to judge by the colour and just use the recipe times as a guideline.

500ml (2 cups) sugar         1 can (387g) condensed milk

125g butter or margarine     5ml vanilla essence

• Grease a 27 x 15cm microwave dish with butter or spray with non stick spray.
• Place the castor sugar, condensed milk and butter in a large glass bowl and microwave on high for 3mins.
• Stir and microwave for another 5 mins.
• Remove the dish from the oven stir the mixture and microwave for another 6mins.
• Add vanilla and beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it thickens. Working rapidly turn out into the prepared dish. Leave until the mixture sets, then cut into squares.

Bobotie

I have never been a lover of bobotie however my hubby asked me to make some and I found this recipe on the Robertson's site and I am now converted!
Edit - Robertsons seem to have updated the recipe with another one, this one is from 20 Aug 2012

Ingredients
30 ml Sunflower Oil
2 Onions , peeled and sliced
15 ml Rajah Medium Curry Powder
600 g Lean Beef Mince
1 slice thick white bread
250 ml Milk
1/2 packet Knorr Mild Durban Curry
100ml Water
22.5 ml Sugar
2 ml Robertsons Black Pepper
3.75 ml Robertsons Turmeric
22.5 ml White or Malt vinegar
125 ml Seedless Raisins
30 ml Mrs Balls Hot or Mild Chutney
2 Robertsons Bay Leaves
2 Medium Eggs

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Heat oil in a medium sauté pan. Stir in the onions. Cook over a medium heat until
transparent.
3. Add the Rajah Curry Powder and fry then add the beef mince.
4. Cook until lightly browned and crumbly.
5. Soak the slice of white bread in the milk and carefully squeeze out the milk from the
bread. Do not discard the milk as it will be used for the custard topping.
6. Mash the soggy bread with a fork then add it to the beef mince together with the sugar,
pepper, turmeric, vinegar and chutney.
(Mix Durban curry with the water and add to the meat mixture)
7. Stir well to combine and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish and insert the bay leaves on top.
9. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven in order to dry out the mince.
10. In the mean time beat the eggs with the remaining milk. When the mince mixture is ready
pour the egg over the mince and return to oven for a further 20 -25 minutes and allow to
bake until the topping has set and is golden brown.
11. Serve with steamed rice (traditionally yellow!) and extra chutney.
You can find this recipe online at: www.robertsons.co.za/recipes/bobotie

Tuna Wheels

These "snacks" are good eaten hot or cold, but I feel that they are at their yummiest eaten as fresh as possible. 

400g roll puff pastry

2 x 185g cans shredded tuna, drained

100g (250ml) mature cheddar cheese, grated

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

5ml dry mixed herbs

25ml tomato sauce

50ml mayonnaise

Salt & pepper

Place pastry on lightly floured surface, roll it out into a rectangle, then mix all the remaining ingredients together and cover evenly over the pastry  Roll up like a Swiss roll, pressing down firmly as you roll to keep it compact, ,moisten the edge with water to seal the roll.  Cut into 2cm slices, place on greased baking tray.  Bake at 200C, 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp and golden.  Serve at once. 

Makes about 20 wheels.

 

Squashed Roast Potatoes

Jamie Oliver made these yumi potatoes as a change to the normal roasted ones. 

• Wash and prick the unpeeled potatoes.
• Microwave them on high until just about cooked.
• Place them on an oiled roasting pan and take a clean kitchen towel and gently squash them until they are slightly cracked.
• Rub on some more olive oil, season with salt and pepper and a sprinkling of thyme. 
• Turn them over gently with an egg lifter and season again.
• Place in a preheated 180C oven until crispy and brown, it takes approx. 45mins.

ENJOY !! 

Honey and Mustard Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken

40ml wholegrain mustard

50ml honey

50ml olive oil

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 handful flat leaf parsley chopped

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt and black pepper

½ lemon cut into wedges

7 slices back bacon

150ml chicken stock

200ml cream

5ml cornflour mixed to a paste with a little cold water

Preheat oven to 180c. Place chicken in an oven proof dish.

Mix together the mustard, honey, olive oil, garlic, parsley and nutmeg.

Season with salt and pepper.

Loosen the chicken skin and place a little marinade under the skin and inside the cavity.

Rub the rest of the marinade over the chicken.

Place the lemon wedges inside the cavity along with 3 slices of bacon.

Use the remaining 4 slices of bacon to wrap around the drumsticks and wings.

Pour the chicken stock around the chicken into the dish.

Place the chicken in the oven and bake until cooked.

Remove the chicken from the oven and leave to rest for 8 mins before carving

Make a creamy gravy by pouring the cooking juices into a pan.

Add the cream and cornflour paste.

Simmer for about 5-10 mins while whisking.

Sauce will thicken.

Savoury Butternut Bake

On its own or as an accompaniment to a meat dish, this is a winner!

1 large butternut, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 pkt brown onion soup powder

250ml cream

100ml milk

Dried breadcrumbs and parsley

Preheat the oven to 180c  and butter the dish. Place the cubed butternut in the dish. Mix the soup powder with the cream and milk and pour over the butternut. Combine the breadcrumbs and parsley and sprinkle on top. Bake for 50-60 mins until golden brown and done.

Moreish Chicken

I can almost guarantee you that your family and guests will want some more of this very quick and easy to make chicken dish!

250 ml boiling water              250 ml chutney

salt and pepper                   250 ml mayonnaise

1 pkt brown onion soup powder     6 - 8 chicken pieces

                                  (preferably thighs)

Mix well together and pour over chicken, bake covered for 1 hour, remove cover and bake ½ an hour until chicken is crispy and brown.

Chargrilled Mushroom & Cherry Tomato Kebabs

These kebabs seem so simple and I expected them not to have much flavour, but believe me they make an awesome side dish to any meal.

Ingredients

·         Robertsons Atlantic Sea Salt

·         Robertsons Black Pepper

·         8 Bamboo Skewers

·         1 punnet White Button Mushrooms

·         1 punnet Cherry Tomatoes

·         45 ml Olive Oil

·         5 ml Robertsons Crushed Chillies

·         5 ml Robertsons Sweet Basil

Instructions

·         1.  Soak the bamboo skewers in water for an hour so that they don

·         2.  Place button mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in a bowl with the olive oil and lightly toss to coat

·         3.  Thread the button mushrooms and cherry tomatoes onto the soaked bamboo skewers

·         4.  Sprinkle with Robertsons Crushed Chillies and Robertsons

·         5.  Sweet Basil and season with Robertsons Atlantic Sea Salt and

·         6.  Robertsons Black Pepper

·         7.  Place on the braai over hot coals and cook for 5

You can find this recipe online at: www.robertsons.co.za/recipes/chargrilled-mushroom-cherry-tomato-kebabs

Broccoli Salad

My hubby's colleague at work, Liz, passed on this very different but very tasty salad.

2 heads of Broccoli heads (raw and cut into small florets)
1 cup cheddar cheese (finely grated)
1 onion (finely chopped, fried, drained)
250g bacon (chopped, fried, drained)

Mix the above ingredients together and leave in the fridge for a few hours

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup castor sugar
3 Tablespoons white vinegar

Mix together and leave for a few hours.

Just before serving pour the dressing over top ingredients and mix well.

Enjoy

Roses Spare Ribs

I can't remember exactly where I got this recipe but ever since (25 years ago) it has been a firm favourite and my hubby says he has not tasted better ribs anywhere!

1kg pork or Iamb ribs        1 clove garlic

3 bay leaves                 1 onion peeled

6 peppercorns                water to cover

SAUCE:

150 ml tomato sauce          1 onion chopped

salt and pepper              2 ml dried basil

50g brown sugar              1 ml Tabasco sauce

75 ml honey                  75 ml chutney

1 clove garlic               5 ml mustard powder

50 ml vinegar                12,5 ml Worcester sauce

12,5 ml soy sauce            50 ml apricot jam

Place ribs, onion, garlic, peppercorns and leaves in a large pan and cover with water. Simmer 40-45 mins or until the meat is tender.  Drain and put in a foil covered roasting pan. Place sauce ingredients in a pan and stir gently over a low heat for about 10 mins. Cover meat with the sauce and bake uncovered for about 3O-40 mins at 180 C.  Baste frequently until ribs are crispy.

Steak Rub

I was a bit hesitant at first to put sugar on meat but I can tell you that it is scrumptious!

Ingredients

·         60 ml Brown Sugar

·         30 ml Robertsons Garlic Salt

·         30 ml Robertsons Meat Tenderiser

·         15 ml Robertsons Paprika

·         30 ml Hot English Mustard Powder

·         3 ml Robertsons Ground Black Pepper

·         15 ml Robertsons Oregano

·         15 ml Robertsons Dried Thyme

Instructions

         1.  In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, paprika, mustard, pepper, oregano and thyme.

         2.  To use: coat meat in mixture, and then grill as desired.

You can find this recipe online at: www.robertsons.co.za/recipes/steak-rub1

Green overnight salad

This salad looks very impressive and is just the thing for a special occasion.

1 medium lettuce finely shredded  

6 spring onions

2 sticks celery

1 green pepper seeded and diced

250g of nuts chopped or 230grms of water chestnuts sliced

375g of green peas slightly thawed but not cooked

2TBS of sugar

500ml mayonnaise

Salt and freshly ground pepper

10 rindless rashers of bacon chopped and fried

3 hard boiled eggs

200g of cheddar cheese grated

 

Use deep straight sided glass bowl.

Pack layers in order given, ending with cheese.

Garnish as desired and refrigerate overnight, serve chilled 

Vegetable Pie

This is my sister, Marrianne's recipe that she used to make when we lived in the Drakensberg (Jagersrust).  A bit of an effort but well worth it!

25ml oil

1 med carrot – sliced

¼  med cabbage – shredded

1 med sweet potato – strips

App. 10 green beans

3ml salt

2ml ground ginger

250g tin creamed mushrooms

250ml cheddar cheese grated

500ml mashed potato

2ml black pepper

Parsley to garnish

Heat the oil and add the ingredients up to mushrooms. Fry for 5mins. Put into a casserole dish. Pour over mushrooms, sprinkle a little cheese and pepper over. Seal with mash and cheese mixed together. Bake at 180 for 20mins or until golden.

Hard Boiled Egg Casserole

I find that it is better with double the sauce and just as good with half the bacon.

500g bacon

15g flour

1ml basil, thyme.

1-2ml pepper

250ml milk

225g cheddar cheese grated

9 hard boiled eggs, sliced

25ml parsley

10g margarine

50ml breadcrumbs

Chop and fry the bacon, drain on paper towel.

Make a cheese sauce out of milk, marg, flour and cheese.

Make layers of egg slices, bacon, parsley and sauce.

Melt the 10ml marg and combine with breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top of casserole and bake for 25-30mins at 180c.

Curry Noodle Salad

Even more delicious if made ahead of time and left to mature

250g uncooked noodle         1 onion

3 tomatoes                   1tbl peanut butter

2 apples                     70g raisins

250ml mayonnaise             50ml chutney

5ml curry powder             salt and pepper to taste

Cook the noodles according to instructions. Drain and cool slightly. Chop the onion coarsely, skin the tomatoes and cube. Peel the apples and dice. Add all the chopped ingredients and raisins to the cooked noodles and mix lightly with a fork. Blend the mayonnaise, chutney, peanut butter and curry powder well. Pour over the salad mixture and mix lightly with a fork. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Chicken Tetrazzini (Chicken with spaghetti)

This recipe makes a large meal and freezes well.

180g raw spaghetti, broken

80g butter or margarine

60g (125ml) flour

250ml fresh cream

60ml dry sherry

700ml hot chicken stock, one cube

250g button mushrooms, wiped and sliced

600g skinless chicken meat, cooked

20g (50ml) grated parmesan or cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

Cook spaghetti in rapidly boiling salted water until just tender. Drain.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, blend in the flour, cook one minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the stock.

Return to heat cook stirring continuously, until sauce thickens.

Stir in cream sherry and seasoning.

Remove from heat and add spaghetti, mushrooms, and cooked chicken

Turn into lightly greased dish.

Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 180c for 25 – 30 mins.

Chocolate cherry cordial pie

I substitute margarine for the cisco and frozen berry mix instead of just cherries, it is absolutely delicious.  I could not wait the 8 hours to put the chocolate on so just waited for it to cool before putting it on.  My hubby gave me best in show!

This recipe from Christine Montalvo of Windsor Heights won first place at the 2011 America Pie Council/Crisco National Pie Championships.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 and one-fourth cup all-purpose flour
• one-half cup sugar
• one-fourth cup unsweetened cocoa
• one-half teaspoon salt
• one-half cup Crisco shortening, frozen and cut into pieces
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

• 5 cups frozen cherries
• 1 cup sugar
• one-fourth cup cornstarch
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
• one-half cup whipping cream
• one-fourth cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• one-third cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• one-fourth teaspoon almond extract
• 8 maraschino cherries with stems
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

Make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 C).

2. In a food processor combine flour, sugar, cocoa and salt. Pulse to blend. Add Crisco pieces and pulse until mixture resembles corn meal. Add water and pulse until dough just comes together. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill about 1 hour.

3. Roll out dough to a 12-inch circle between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Spray bottom and sides of a deep dish 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Ease crust into pie plate. Trim edges and flute. Bake 8-10 minutes, then cool.

Make the filling:

4. Place the cherries in 3-quart pot. In small bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Stir this into the cherries and stir until everything is evenly combined. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken and boil. Let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract. Set aside and cool completely.

5. Microwave chocolate morsels and cream in a bowl until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk in butter until smooth. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, whisking occasionally, or until mixture is a spreadable consistency.

6. Spoon half of chocolate mixture into the baked pie crust. Cover and chill remaining chocolate mixture. Spoon cooled cherry mixture evenly over chocolate mixture in pie crust. Set aside.

7. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, egg and almond extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour evenly over cherry pie filling. Bake for 30 minutes or until center is set. Remove pie from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill for 8 hours.

8. Microwave reserved chocolate mixture for 1 minute. Stir until spreadable. Dip cherries in chocolate mixture and let them firm up on a sheet of wax paper for 15 minutes before decorating pie.

9. Spread remaining chocolate evenly over top of pie. In large bowl, whip cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Pipe around edge of pie; place cherries around pie.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/recipes/recipe/2012/01/chocolate-cherry-cordial-pie/607334/1

Nigella's Quick Calabrian Lasagne

I had my doubts that lasagne would be nice without a bechamel sauce, but this version is just delicious!

 Ingredients

• 4 egg(s)
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil (plus more for greasing)
• 1 small onion(s) (peeled and chopped)
• 1 teaspoon(s) sea salt flakes (or 1/2 teaspoon pouring salt, or to taste)
• 500 gram(s) minced beef
• 60 ml red wine or vermouth
• 1 litre(s) tomato passata (plus 1 litre water)
• 2 ball(s) mozzarella (not buffalo) (each 125g drained weight)
• 500 gram(s) lasagne sheets (dried not fresh)
• 350 gram(s) cooked ham (thinly sliced)
• 4 tablespoon(s) grated parmesan

• Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6. Put the eggs into a pan of water, bring to the boil and let it boil for 7 minutes, then pour off the water and sit the pan under an abundantly flowing cold tap; turn it off and leave the pan filled with cold water in the sink until the eggs are cool enough to peel.
• Warm the oil in a large, heavy-based pan (that comes with a lid), then add the onion, sprinkle with salt, and let it cook for a few minutes until it begins to soften.
• Add the meat and turn it in the pan just long enough for the raw red colour to turn brown.
• Add the wine or vermouth, then the passata, pouring the water into the empty passata bottle or carton and swilling it out into the pan. Bring to a bubble, then put the lid on the pan and cook at a robust simmer for 5 minutes.
• Peel and finely slice the eggs (which will crumble into a mess), and finely slice the mozzarella; then put a deep, greased lasagne dish, measuring approx 34 x 23 x 6cm, onto a baking sheet and get ready for the grand assembly.
• First, put a ladleful or so of very runny meat sauce into the bottom of the lasagne dish, to line the base, then arrange a layer of lasagne sheets - using about a quarter of them - on top, to cover the sauce - don't worry about a bit of overlapping.
• Add another ladleful of sauce, just to wet the sheets, then add a layer of ham slices, using up a third of them, before dotting with a third of the egg and of the mozzarella slices.
• Now add a second layer of lasagne sheets, then a couple of ladlefuls of sauce, followed again by a third of the ham, then egg, then mozzarella slices.
• Repeat with a further layer of lasagne sheets, another 2 ladlefuls of meat sauce, then the remaining ham, egg and mozzarella slices, before topping with a final layer of lasagne sheets.
• Pour the remaining sauce over the top, sprinkle with the Parmesan and cover with foil - making sure the edges are sealed - and put in the oven still on the baking sheet, for 1 hour.
• When the hour is up, remove the foil, to reveal the top layer runkled like a Shar Pei made of pasta, and push a knife point through the lasagne to check it is soft - if not, re-cover it and return to the oven for about 10 minutes - then let it stand uncovered, out of the oven, for 15-20 minutes (although I love this barely above room temperature if I can bear, or have time, to wait - for up to 2 hours) before slicing into hearty slabs and serving.
• http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/QUICK-CALABRIAN-LASAGNE-5545

Annabels Crunchy Home Fries

My method is to put some baking paper in the roasting pan, pour a little olive oil onto it. I then put some salt and pepper and flour into a plastic bag. Place the chips into the bag and shake to coat. Put the chips onto the baking paper and sprinkle with a little bit more olive oil. Then bake till crispy.
Recommended by my sister, Marrianne.

These moreish oven fries use just a skerrick of oil, making them a healthy adaptation of the traditional deep fried recipe.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 6-8

8 medium-large (130-150g each) potatoes
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp flaky salt
ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 200C/400F fan bake. Line a large, shallow roasting dish with baking paper to allow for easy clean up.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunky chips or wedges. Transfer them to the prepared dish, sprinkle them with the flour and toss to evenly combine.

Drizzle the potatoes with oil and toss to coat. Spread out into a single layer in the dish and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 1 hour until golden and crisp.

http://www.thehomechannel.co.za/food/recipes/annabel-langbein-the-free-range-cook/cruncy-homemade-fries