Keylime Pie

CRUMB CRUST
175g/ 6oz Digestive or ginger biscuits
2 tbsp caster sugar
70g / 2.5oz butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

FILLING
400ml / 14floz canned condensed milk
125ml/ 4floz freshly squeezed lime juice
finely grated rind of 3 limes
4 egg yolks
Whipped cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3. Lightly grease a 23cm / 9inch round tart tin, about 4cm/1.5 inches deep.

To make crumb crust, put biscuits and sugar in food processor and process until fine crumbs form - do not over process to a powder. Add melted butter and process again until moistened ()

Tip crumb mixture into prepared tart tin and press over base and up the side. Place tart tin on baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat condensed milk, lime juice, lime rind and egg yolks together in a bowl until well blended.

Remove tart tin from oven, pour the filling into the crumb crust and spread out to edges. Return to oven for a further 15mins, or until filling is set round edges but still wobbly in centre.

Leave to cool completely on a wire rack, then cover and chill for at leaset 2 hours. Serve spread thickly with whipped cream.

Tffin Bar Traybake

Put all these in a bowl or pan and microwave or heat on hob for a couple of mins, to melt:

• 100g butter/hard marg (not low-fat, as it won't set)
• 25g soft brown sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa
• 4 tbsp golden syrup

Then add:

• 225g crushed digestive biscuits
• 150g raisins

Mix well.

Press into a 20cm square greased tin.

Melt 225g milk/plain chocolate, pour on top and smooth over mixture (optional).

Mark into squares and chill in fridge for an hour or so before cutting.

Variation: Use chopped dried fruits such as apricots, glace cherries, cranberries, coconut, nuts etc instead of raisins if preferred. A mixture of a couple of these is particularly nice.

Strawberry and Banna Muffins

ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 100g (4 oz) apple sauce or purée
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 175g (6 oz) dark brown soft sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 225g (8 oz) wholemeal flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 225g (8 oz) frozen sliced strawberries

preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / Gas mark 5. Grease muffin tin, or line with paper muffin cases.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, apple sauce, oil, brown sugar, vanilla and bananas. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon; Stir into the banana mixture until just moistened. Fold in the strawberries until evenly distributed. Spoon batter into prepared tin.
3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when pressed lightly. Cool before removing from the muffin tin.

Cookies

Ingredients
350g/12¼oz unsifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
225g/8oz butter
175g/6¼oz caster sugar
175g/6¼oz soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
350g/12¼oz dark chocolate, crumbled

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Beat in the eggs. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate.
4. Split the pliable dough into two halves, rolling each out into sausage shapes, approximately 5cm/2in in diameter. Wrap them in cling film and transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.
5. When you are ready to bake the cookies, simply cut the log into slices 2cm/¾in thick and lay on a baking tray, widely spaced apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
6. Serve.

Banna and Blueberry Muffin

ingredients

• 250g wholemeal flour
• 5 tablespoons dark brown soft sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 dessertspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 4 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150g fresh blueberries

preparation method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a muffin tin, or line with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, egg whites and vanilla extract.
3. Mix the banana mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
4. Bake 15 minutes in preheated oven, or until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Various Muffin Recipes

Basic muffin recipe with chocolate chips

Ingredients

115g butter at room temperature

70g caster sugar

2 eggs at room temperature

215g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

125ml milk

170g plain chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F, 190C gas 5

Grease ten muffin cups, or use paper cases.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Sift together the flour and baking powder, twice.

Fold into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cups.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of each muffin batter, then spoon over some more muffin batter to cover.

To ensure even baking - half fill any empty cups with water.

Bake until lightly coloured, - about 25 minutes. Let the muffins stand to cool for 5 minutes before turning the chocolate muffins out of the tin to cool further.

Triple choc chip muffin recipe

Ingredients

400g plain flour

15ml baking powder

30ml cocoa powder

115g dark muscovado sugar

2 eggs

150ml soured cream

150ml milk

60ml sunflower oil

175g white chocolate, chopped into small pieces

175g plain chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350F, 180C gas 4; place 16 muffin cases in a muffin tin.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl and stir in the sugar.

Make a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the soured cream, milk and oil. Pour the liquid mixture into the well of the flour mixture. Beat well, slowly incorporating the flour until you have a smooth, thick and creamy batter mixture.

Stir the white chocolate and plain chocolate pieces into the batter mixture.

Spoon into the paper muffin cases, filling almost to the top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until well-risen and firm to the touch, then remove from the oven.

Let the triple chocolate chip muffin tray cool on the side before removing the muffins from the tray to place on a wire rack.

Strawberry and white chocolate chip muffins

Ingredients

225g plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

100g granulated sugar

125g butter, melted

125ml milk

1 large egg

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

270g white chocolate chips

160ml strawberry jam

Preheat the oven to 350F, 180C, gas 4. Prepare a 12-holed muffin tin with muffin paper cases.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, then stir in the sugar.

Beat the butter, milk, egg and vanilla in a medium bowl, until well blended.

Stir the liquid mixture into the mixed dry ingredients, and mix well until a smooth batter is formed. Add in the chocolate chips.

Spoon in some batter until each of the muffin cases is half full. With a spoon, indent a small hole in the batter, and then spoon in a teaspoon of jam. Cover with remaining batter till each muffin is covered to nearly the top of the muffin case.

Cook in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool the white chocolate chip muffin on a rac

Turkey Burgers

454g/1lb extra lean minced turkey
1 small onion, grated
3 small courgettes, grated
1 tsp soy sauce
1 level tsp grated fresh root ginger
1 egg yolk
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Divide the mixture into four and shape into burgers using your hands.

2. Preheat the grill to a medium setting. Line a grill rack with foil and arrange the burgers on top. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side until cooked through.

3. Serve with a tomato and red onion relish and crisp salad leaves or a selection of Free vegetables.

Stuffed Peppers

Stirfry babycorn, onions, mushrooms, pepper and courgette with garlic and chilli flakes, then adding a vegetable oxo cube and curry power and quorn mince and simmering until all liquid is gone.

Mix with plain cooked rice

Remove the top of the pepper and remove the seeds and middle, put the mixture in and then top with cheese.

Bake in a moderate oven for 20 mins

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms!!

• Take the skin off large field mushrooms and take the stalk out.
• Part-fry the mushroom (both sides) in olive oil & set aside
• Finely chop an onion, mushroom stalks and extra mushrooms (not the ones you just fried lol)
• Fry the onion until soft, then add the chopped mushrooms. Add garlic if you want (tis very nice with or without). Fry until cooked
• Add enough breadcrumbs to bind it together (dried or fresh crumbs)
• Use the mixture to fill the field mushrooms
• Top with cheese (we use cheddar normally but use whatever you like). They are nice without cheese too....
• Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes.

Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

9 tbsp tomato ketchup

· 3 tbsp malt vinegar

· 4 tbsp dark muscovado sugar

· 2 garlic cloves , crushed

· 4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

· 1 small onion , roughly chopped

· 2 red peppers , seeded and cut into chunks

· 227g can pineapple pieces in juice, drained

· 100g sugar snap peas , roughly sliced

· handful salted, roasted cashew nuts, optional

In a bowl, put the ketchup, vinegar and sugar and mix well.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Gently fry the onion in a little oil. After a minute or two, add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, stirring now and again. Add the vegetables and cook for a minute and then pour the sauce over. Heat through for a few minutes, then serve.

We're having this tonight.

I also add water chestnuts. When I have some, I also add baby corn...

Broccoli and Bean Soup

Broccoli and Bean Soup

4 spring onions

1 garlic clove

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

1.5L / 2.5 pts vegetable stock

1 medium potato

450g/ 1lb broccoli florets (i used frozen)

400g / 14oz canned flageolet beans

Place onion, garlic and curry powder in a saucepan with about 150ml of the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining stock, potato and broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the beans and warm through then blend.

Immy's Default Soup

fry an onion in olive oil,
add 3 tins of chopped toms,
add 3 tins of cannelini beans
some chopped garlic,
some basil.
pint chicken stock. fresh is nicest, but knorr is a good second best.
lashings of salt and pepper.
simmer for 10 mins.
serve with crusty bread.

Veggie Broth

Soak broth mix over night. I usually use a cupful as a measurement.

Whatever veggies you want sliced, diced or grated

3 pints of stock(I used veggie stock and if no veggies add in a couple of chicken ones)

Shove it all in the slow cooker on high all day and tada fantastic flung together broth. Great for a winters night.

Curried Courgette Soup

Curried courgette soup - Serves 4

3/4 large courgettes (washed and sliced)
3/4 large potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ginger
frylight
1 pint chicken stock (I use oxo)

1) fry courgettes in frylight for 5-10mins and then add ginger and curry powder
2) add chicken stock and potatoes
3) simmer for 45mins-1hr
4) push through sieve or partially blend with hand blender - yumyum!

Chicken Rice Soup

Bring a pan of water with a generous handful of rice and a cut of chicken(breast, thigh,quarter whatever)

Finely chop a medium swede(tumshie) and around 4 med carrots.(I use my processor) add to the pan.

Stick a chicken stock cube in and one large sliced leek.

Simmer for about 40 mins or whenever you can be bothered to remember like me

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup

1 butternut squash (or one small pumpkin) peeled, de-seeded and cut into chunks

2 Red onions, peeled and cutr into quarters

Vegetable stock (I use Marigold Swiss vegetable Bouillion)

Fry light

Put the squash and onions in a roasting tray, squirt with fry light and roast for about 40 minutes, at 200 degrees, until soft.

Put the veg into a suacepan, add a litre of stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Liquidise, then add more stock if it is too thick.

If you WANT to make it fattening, add a swirl of cream and serve with little cubes of Gruyere or Fontina cheese that melt and go all gooey.

Hot Chocolate Pudding

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 heaped Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 rounded tablespoon of butter

Cream the sugar and eggs together until pale.

Add all the sieved dry ingredients and the vanilla essence and mix well.

Place the milk and butter in a pan and heat until just before it starts to boil (it will go frothy around the edges)

Pour it into the mixture and beat well.

Pour into two greased cake tins and bake at 200 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.

Carrot and Pineapple Muffins

150g Carrots
100g Plain Flour
100g Wholemeal Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
100ml Veg Oil
50g Melted Butter
150g Muscovado Sugar
2 large Eggs
225g Tinned Pineapple finely chopped
50g Sultana's
2tsp Demera Sugar

Oven 160 C Gas Mark 4

Peel and Grate the carrots
Mix the flours, baking powder and ground spices in a bowl.
In another bowl mix oil, butter, sugar and eggs
Add Carrots to the wet mixture and add in pineapple and sultana's
Fold in flour until combined
Spoon the batter into lined muffin tray
Bake for 25-30 minutes

Tablet/SA Fudge

1 teacup of milk
Large tin of condensed milk
900g of sugar
100g of butter

Tablet Cooking Directions:
1. Melt the butter and sugar. Add the condensed milk and the teacup of milk.
2. Stir and turn up the heat and keep stirring until it reaches boiling point.
3. Turn the heat down low and stir for 45 minutes (chair and book optional!)
4. Remove from the heat and beat 60 times with a wooden spoon. Put a wee bit on a plate and if it sets then it's ready to be put onto the shallow trays.
5. Score the tablet surface marking into squares and allow to set and get cold.



South African fudge

Ingredients
4 cups sugar (4X 250ml)
1 cup milk (1X 250ml)
125g butter
5ml vanilla essence
1 tin condensed milk

Method
In a large pot, pour in sugar, milk, butter and vanilla essence.
Turn the heat on to medium, and bring to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon.
When the sugar has dissolved, pour in the condensed milk and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat so that the mixture boils slowly (too quickly and it will burn).
Stir continuously with a wooden spoon, in a figure 8, for about 30 to 40min.
Make sure you keep the mixture moving.When the mixture "looks right" test it by pouring a small amount into a glass of clear water.
If it sets, then the mixture is ready.
Alternatively, dip a clean spoon into the mixture, and see if it sets on the spoon.
Pour into a greased braking tray / rectangular dish, and allow to cool.
Before it sets hard, cut into squares.

Tortilla Pizza

2 Tortilla Wraps
Pizza tomato topping
Grated Cheese (moazzarella, cheddar etc)
Any veggies or meat toppings you wish

Cover one wrap with the tomato topping and then spread grated cheese over it.
Then put another wrap on top and cover like it's a pizza again.
Bake in an oven of 200 degrees or gas mark 6 for 10 minutes and then cut up.
Quicky easy new version of pizza and my 2 love it.
You could add in some toppings etc like ham and pineapple or veggies.
Dh likes his inside like a Quesdilla while my kids like to put some on top instead