A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS!

Just recently I seem to have accumulated one or two 'things' - what with Christmas and everything and just wanted to show them off.

The first things are a lovely red polka dot tea pot, 2 make up bags and a matching 2 tier cake stand. The were meant as Christmas presents but arrived too late. I couldn't possible send them back now could I? Lol!

The other thing I had was a set of cookery books in a hat box. Each little book was given such appetising name such as Strawberry & Guava, Apple & Pear and Orange Flower Water & Violet. I am planning to do some of the recipes from these in the next couple of days - I just don't know which ones to do first!

There is also nothing nicer than something for free and I had this gorgeous little sewing tin as a free gift with a magazine - so no more lost scissors.

PUMPKIN SOUP

500g Pumpkin
25g Butter
1 Onion - chopped
2 Garlic Cloves - crushed
1 1/4pt Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Salt & pepper

Slice the top from the pumpkin and discard the seeds and remove the rind. Chop into cubes. Melt the butter and fry the chopped onion and crushed garlic for 2 - 3 minutes then add the pumpkin and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the stock and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Leave to cool and whizz in a blender until smooth.

Welsh Cakes

350g S.R. Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
175g Margerine
100g Currants
3/4 tsp Mixed Spice
1 Large Egg
about 2tbs Milk
Caster sugar to finish

Put flour and baking powder into a large bowl and rub in the margarine until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, currants and spice. Beat the egg with the milk, then add this to the mixture and mix to form a firm dough, adding more milk if required.

Roll out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 5mm and cut into rounds with a 3 inch (7.5cm) plain round cutter.

Heat oil in a griddle or heavy based frying pan and cook Welshcakes on a low heat for approx 3mins on each side until golden brown. Do not cook too fast as the centre will not be done.

Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar. Serve buttered. Best eaten on the day they were made.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

As it was St. David's Day on the 1st, I thought I would share this recipe, it's delicious:

2 Large Leeks
1 Onion
1 Large Potato
20z Butter or Margerine
1pt Hot Vegetable Stock
1/2 pt Milk
1/4pt Double or Whipping cream
1/4pt Natural Yoghurt
Salt and Pepper
Dash of Tobasco Sauce
2 tbs Chopped Chives

Wash and trim leeks and cut into rings. Finely chop onion. Peel and dice potato.

Cook onion and leeks in the butter or marg. until softened. Add potato and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 20mins. Add the milk. Blend soup in a liquidizer until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in cream, yogurt, salt, pepper and Tabasco.

This soup may be eaten hot or cold. If serving cold garnish with freshly chopped chives.

CRAFTS BEAUTIFUL

I made a New Year Resolution not to buy any more magazines, however I could not resist the latest issue of Crafts Beautiful Magazine as it has so much in it. First of all it comes with cupcake patterned backing paper and also a little book all about cupcakes (baking and card making).

Inside the magazine are two free patterns for knitted cakes, with a down loadable pattern for doughnuts from their web site. I don't know why I want to knit a cake, but there you go, I just do. When they are finished I will donate them to the League Of Friends at the hospital.

Also on page 23 there is a recipe for a Banana Cheesecake, which looks delicious.

So, I think it was worth breaking my resolution for, don't you ?

P.S. A cupcake I knitted earlier.................

PANNETONE BREAD PUDDING

I needed to use up the Christmas and New Year leftovers this weekend, so I made this delicious recipe from Jamie Oliver's book The Naked Chef 2:

Ingredients:
1pt Milk
1pt Cream
1 Vanilla pod
170g Caster Sugar
Pannetone, thickly sliced & buttered
1 Orange, zested
3 tbs cognac
A Little Icing Sugar

Bring the milk and cream to the boil. Cut vanilla pod in half & scoop out seeds and add to the pan with the orange zest and cognac. Whisk eggs with the sugar until pale. Add to milk and cream mixture and remove vanilla pod.

Preheat oven to 160'C/Gas 3.

Dip each slice of pannetone into the custard mixture and pile into a buttered baking dish. Pour remaining custard slowly over bread. Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Fill a roasting tin half full with boiling water and add the baking dish. Bake for approx. 45mins. When cooked it will have a slight crust on top, but will be slightly wobbly inside.

CHEESE AND ONION FLAN

Ingredients
8oz plain flour
2oz margerine
Pinch of Salt
2-3 tbs cold water
4oz chedder Chese, grated
2 eggs, whisked
1 onion, chopped
1/4pt milk
Salt & pepper for seasoning
Mixed dried herbs

Method
Preheat oven to 190'C. Grease and flour an 8in flan dish.
Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Rub margerine into flour. Add enough water to make a soft dough.
Roll out and line the prepared dish.
Mix together the milk, eggs & salt and pepper and set aside.
Next, place the cheese and onion in the flan dish and pour over the seasoned egg and cheese mixture. Sprinkle with mixed herbs if liked.

Place in oven and bake for approx. 40mins or until golden brown and the egg has set.