ANZAC BISCUITS - Australian Measurements

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Rolled Oats
¾ Cup Desiccated Coconut
1 Cup Plain Flour
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Or 40grams Of Water
1½ Teaspoons
6 Tablespoons or 120grams Butter Or Margarine
1 Tablespoon or 30grams Golden Syrup

METHOD

1. Shift flour into a bowl.
2. Add rolled oats, sugar and coconut. Mix well.
3. Combine butter, golden syrup and water in a saucepan.
4. Heat until butter melts.
5. Add soda, allow to foam and pour immediately into the dry ingredients. Mix well.
6. Spoon heaped teaspoonfuls of mixture on to the greased oven trays. Allow room for spreading.
7. Bake in a slow oven (150c) for 20 minutes.
8. Loosen and allow to cool on trays.

MAKES: ABOUT 35 BISCUITS

Notes:
Do not make this on a humid day, as the biscuits will become soggy and not firm.
Measure measurements for Australian Tablespoon is 20ml and UK and Europe is 15ml so please compensate the missing amounts in UK and Europe by adding extra 5ml teaspoon for each of your 15ml tablespoon.
Allow a long cooling off period on wire trays before putting them away.
You can use margarine instead of butter.
Great vegetarian recipe.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti 

2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 grams) shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (75 grams) dried cranberries or cherries


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the sugar and eggs on high speed until thick, pale, and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). At this point beat in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture and beat until combined. Fold in the chopped pistachios and cranberries.

Transfer the dough to a well floured counter and roll into a log shape, about 12 inches (30 cm) long and 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide. You may have to flour your hands to form the log as the dough is quite sticky. Place the log on the baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Transfer the log to a cutting board and cut into about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) slices, on the diagonal. Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, turn slices over, and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

Makes about 20 - 24 biscotti.

Karađorđeva šnicla 

(breaded rolled steak stuffed with (clotted) cream and occasionally ham slices and cream cheese)

Ingredients for 1 person:

200 g pork steak (pork las)
150 g bread crumbs
100 g Trappist cheese or Port salut
little salt
100 g flour
80 g Cooked ham
300 ml oil
100 g cream
2 eggs

METHOD:

1. Tenderise the steak as thin as possible and salt it.

2. When batter steak, do not slam on the other side that is cut so it will probably fall apart.

3. Trappist cut into sticks.

4. At the lower edge of the file put Cooked ham and Trappist.

5. Trappist lay over the cream.

6. Roll the steak and the ends curl inward.

7. Breading cutlets

8. In a bowl with oval bottom, beat eggs.

9. Roll the steak in the flour, the egg and the breadcrumbs.

10. Steak easier for you to dip into the eggs if they are too slow in the bowl long enough that you can lay into it.

11. To make breading more richer, steak dip again in egg and roll in breadcrumbs.

12. At the end of the steak a little more press your palms so that the ingredients in the frying are better merged.

13. Fry it till all sides are golden.

SUCRE À LA CRÈME

Sucre à la crème is a rich caramel candy that is enjoyed any time of the year. It's one of the very fist recipe Québecoises learn. The use of brown sugar and cream in these desserts reflects the abundance of sugar maple trees in eastern Canada and dairy cows on the farms. The trick is in cooking the mixture to the right stage to solidify into a fudge-like candy. Don’t worry if you don’t succeed: if it is too thin, it is still great as a topping on ice cream or apples. Chopped hazelnuts or walnuts can be added to either recipe.

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light whipping cream
1 tbsp. butter
½ tsp. vanilla

Combine ingredients in a cooking pan, stirring well. Cook on LOW approximately 25-30 minutes or until syrup forms a soft ball*. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until mixture thickens and is smooth. Pour into buttered Pyrex dish; cool and cut into small squares.

*To determine if soft ball stage has been reached, drop a small quantity of the syrup into chilled water to see if it forms a ball which does not disintegrate but flattens out when picked up with your fingers.

POLISH MUSHROOMS SOUP 

■ 1 portion of soup vegetables
■ 3 dag of dried mushrooms
■ 1 onion (5 dag)
■ 2 / 3 glasses of the thick cream
■ 10 of spoonfulfuls of the pearl barley
■ 1 bay leaf
■ 2 of the grain of the allspice
■ 1 spoonful of parsley leaves chopped up
salt ■

Preparation
To rinse mushrooms, wet 3 hr in the water, to drain and cut in stripes.
Clean soup vegetables and to rinse. To grate the part to vegetables, to leave the rest in one piece.
In 1 litr of water to cook the vegetable stock, of onion, mushrooms and spices. Take vegetables not wiped off out, and to throw rinsed groats into boiling stock and to cook her until it's tender (30 min.).
Remove spices from ready soup. To thicken with cream and to mix.
Before the application to sprinkle with parsley leaves.

Chicken Adobo - Filipino Dish

INTRO

Chicken adobo is a tasty dish from the Philippines, and is one of my personal favorites. It is a staple you will find in nearly any Filipino household. I’ll walk you through how to make this super easy dish.

So how much of everything do I use? This is the beauty of adobo. Adjust everything to your taste. You can’t really go wrong. Some people don’t like too much vinegar, so they prefer a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and soy sauce. Other people like the vinegar but prefer to use a milder rice vinegar over standard white. Do whatever you want! (Don’t like chicken? Pork adobo is great too!)

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs chicken thighs
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 ts peppercorns (crushed)
1/4 ts salt 3 cloves garlic (chopped or crushed)
2 bay leaves
1/4 of a medium onion (chopped)

Chop the onion and garlic.
Get out your soy sauce and vinegar.
Add the soy sauce and vinegar to our chicken. Go ahead and toss in those onions and garlic, too.
Add 1/4ts peppercorns (crushed), 1/4ts salt and 2 bay leaves to the pot.
Mix it all up very well.
And then cover it. We need to let this marinate for 1-3 hours
Two and a half hours seems fine to me. Let's get this baby cooking. Bring 'er up to a boil, and then let it all simmer for about 40 minutes (or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.)

Serve in a bowl with some of the sauce. Ideal side dishes are steamed rice, and veggies (not pictured.) That's all there is to making chicken adobo. I hope you all enjoy this simple (but excellent!) Filipino dish. 

Note: try to add coke (coca-cola) for the ingredients and mix it with the soy.... it will give a greater taste

Diced Chilli Beef

Heat 3 tablespoons of Veg oil in a large pan or wok.
Chop and add 2 large onions.
Add 2 1\2 to 3 pounds of cubed lean beef.
Add 1\2 a tube of Garlic puree and fry together on a medium heat until meat is brown, about 10-15 mins.
Add 3 heaped teaspoons of Cumin and Coriander Powder.
Add 1 large teaspoon of Turmeric, Garam Masala, Cinnamon Powder and Ginger.
Add 1 level teaspoon of chilli powder.
Add 1 level teaspoon of salt.
Add 1\2 level teaspoon of pepper.
Stir for 2 minutes.
Add 200gm of tomato puree.
Add 400 gm of chopped tinned tomatoes
250 ml of cotes du rhone and 350 ml of water and bring to the boil, stir occasionly.
Put into a casserole dish and cover with foil and place in the oven, cook on Gas Mark 5 for 90 minutes, Top up with boiling water for more juice, Turn down to Gas Mark 3 and cook for a further 45 Minutes.
Serve with Boiled Rice or Jacket Potatoes.

French Apple Tart 

Tart Shell
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable oil shortening, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup (about) ice water

Mix flour and salt in food processor to blend. Add butter and shortening. Using on/off turns, process until coarse meal forms and pea-size pieces of butter and shortening remain. With short on/off turns, gradually add water through feed tube until damp and granular dough forms (you may not need all the water). Hint: Do not over-process the dough or it will be tough. (If not using a processor, just do the crust by hand like any other pie crust.)

Gather dough into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to 1/8-inch thick round. Transfer dough to 9.5-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom and 1 1/4-inch high sides. Trim crust even with top of pan. Chill 30 minutes.

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 lbs. apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Place dough on a lightly floured surface.
2. Combine sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over dough.
3. Arrange apple slices on top of the dough, working from outside edge of dough to center (like the spoke from a wheel.)
4. Sprinkle apple slices with remaining sugar mixture
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes
6. Combine honey and vanilla and microwave for 40 seconds on HIGH Brush honey mixture over warm tart
7. Serve warm.

Yoghurt vegetable soup served cold

1.5 litre of the natural yogurt (without the sugar)
6 radishes
1 cucumber
2 beets
a few twigs of chives
a few twigs of parsley leaves
salt, pepper

Peel the Cucumber and along with the purified radish to cut up into the small bone. Exactly to clean beets, to skin and to grate about thick meshes. Finely to chop chives up. To combine vegetables and the yoghurt, to season to the taste with the salt and pepper. To take per hour to the refrigerator. To give decorated with parsley leaves.

Pizza Roll-Ups

Ingredients:
1 loaf frozenFrench bread dough or 1 loaf italianbread dough or 1 loaf all purpose bread dough
1 lb lean ground beef or 1 lb turkey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh parsley , chopped
4 cups italian tomato sauce

Directions:
1.Thaw dough; roll it into 14 x 24-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
2.Brown ground beef or turkey; stir in remaining ingredients except Italian tomato xauce.
3.Spoon filling evenly onto dough, slightly pressing filling into dough.
4.Roll dough lengthwise like a jelly roll, and cut into 24 1-inch slices.
5.Treat 2 rimmed cookie sheets with nonstick spray; lay slices on sheets about 1 inch apart.
6.Preheat oven to 400°F.
7.Let roll-ups sit for 10 minutes.
8.Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
9. Cool roll-ups and freeze in 4 1 gallon bags, 6 per bag.
10.Slip a 1 quart bag with 1 cup sauce into each bag of pizza roll ups.
11.To prepare, thaw roll-ups and warm them in a preheated 400°F oven for 10 minutes or put them frozen in the microwave; heat on high for about 2 minutes.
12.Serve with warmed Italian tomato sauce.

Prep Time:50 mins

Oatmeal Crispies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a

time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the oats,

flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed

mixture.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten

with a fork. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 5-1/2 dozen.

Carole's Note: Using my cookie scoop and pressing down with a fork

produced 72 equal sized cookies.

Source:

"Taste of Home Great American Cookout"

Copyright:

"©2007 Reiman Media Group, Inc."

Yield:

"5 1/2 dozen"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

NOTES : My husband, who normally isn’t fond of oatmeal, thinks

these old-fashioned cookies are great. With a hint of

nutmeg, their aroma is wonderful as they bake—and they

taste even better!

Pucker Up Lemon Squares

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
CRUST:
1 cup unsalted butter -- or margarine
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest -- finely minced
TOPPING:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon oil -- optional
1/2 teaspoon citric acid -- (1/4 tsp. for less bite)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 teaspoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup raspberry preserves -- optional

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-by-11 inch rectangular baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

For the crust, cream or blend the butter, flour, confectioner's sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt until a soft dough forms. Press evenly into prepared pan. Chill 10 minutes.

Bake crust for 15 minutes, then cool briefly.

For topping, blend the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon oil, citric acid, baking powder and flour. Mix well with a whisk. Spread raspberry preserves evenly over pre-baked crust. Pour lemon topping on top of preserves.

Place pan on a cookie sheet. Bake until topping is set (35 to 45) minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F. after 20 minutes. Cool well about 30 minutes then refrigerate a few hours before cutting into squares or bars.

Quick Apple Strudel

6 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
3 Golden Delicious apples
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 sheets Phyllo Pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In small frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over MEDIUM heat; cook pecans and breadcrumbs, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.

3. Peel, quarter and core apple. Cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. In bowl, toss pecan-breadcrumb mixture, apples, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon.

4. Melt remaining butter (ie 5 tablespoons). Place sheet of parchment paper slightly larger than phyllo sheet on work surface in front of you, long side facing you. Place phyllo sheets on parchment paper one on top of the other, brushing each with melted butter and sprinkling each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Place apple mixture in a line along long edge of phyllo stack, leaving bare 2 inches near edge of phyllo. Gently pull long bare edge up and over apple filling. Continue to roll strudel to completely enclose filling. Tuck short edge up and over apple filling. Continue to roll strudel to completely enclose filling. Tuck short ends of phyllo under roll. Centre strudel on parchment paper. Carefully lift parchment paper and place on large, rimmed baking sheet. Brush with remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar. With sharp knife, pierce 1-inch vents every 2 inches along top of strudel.

5. Cover loosely with foil. Bake in centre of oven for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack. Serve warm. Cut into slices with a serrated knife.

Makes 6 servings.

Maple Apple Tarte Tatin

Here's a Canadian version of the classic French upside-down apple pie. Golden Delicious apples are best because they hold their wedge shape, making for a show- stopping presentation.

Ingredients
6 apples, 2-1/2 lb/1.25 kg
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup maple syrup

Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 tsp white vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 cup (less 1 tsp) Ice water

Preparation
Pastry: In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. In measuring cup, whisk vinegar with enough ice water to make 1/4 cup (50 mL). Drizzle over flour mixture, stirring with fork until dough holds together when pressed. Press into disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

Peel, quarter and core apples. Cut quarters lengthwise to make 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick wedges; set aside.

In 8-inch (20 cm) cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat; add sugar and cook, stirring, until bubbly and just turning golden, about 2 minutes. Add maple syrup; cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Starting at edge of pan, arrange apples, flat side down, in concentric circles in syrup.

Simmer over medium-low heat, basting often, until apples begin to soften and syrup starts to thicken, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, on lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 10-inch (25 cm) circle; cut 4 small steam vents in centre. Place over apples; press pastry edge down between apples and pan.

Bake in centre of 425°F (220°C) oven until pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Wearing oven mitts, invert heatproof serving plate over skillet; turn over to unmould onto plate. Replace any apples that may stick to pan and scrape out any sauce over apples. Serve warm.

Country Seed Bread

Ingredients
2 cups (500 mL) all purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
1/4 cup (50 mL) flax seeds
2 tbsp (25 mL) sesame seeds
1 tbsp (15 mL) poppy seeds
2 tsp (10 mL) quick-rising instant dry yeast
1-1/4 cup (300 mL) water
2 tbsp (25 mL) liquid honey
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetabIe oil
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt

Preparation:
In large bowl, stir together all-purpose and whole wheat flours, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and yeast. In small bowl, whisk water, honey, oil and salt ; stir into flour mixture to make sticky dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead for about 8 minutes or until still slightly sticky and dough springs back when pressed in centre, adding up to 1/4 cup (50 mL) more all-purpose flour as necessary. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm draft-free place for about 1-1/4 hours or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Gently pull into 11- x 8-inch (28 x 20 cm) rectangle. Starting at narrow end, roll up into cylinder; press seam to seal. Place, seam side down, in greased 8- x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pan. Cover with towel; let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk and about 3/4 inch (2 cm) above rim of pan.

Brush top with water. With serrated knife, make 1-inch (2.5 cm) deep cut lengthwise along top of loaf. Bake in centre of 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350ºF (180ºC); bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. Remove from pan; let cool on rack.

Additional Information:

Bread Machine Method:
Into pan of 1-1/2- to 2-lb (750 g to 1 kg) machine, add (in order) water, honey, oil, salt, all-purpose and whole wheat flours, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and yeast. (Do not let yeast touch liquid.) Choose appropriate setting (whole wheat, powdered milk). Let loaf cool on rack.

vegan chocolate orange cake with orange 'buttercream' icing

Ingredients
1 1/2 c wholemeal flour
1 c unbleached sugar
1 tsp bicarb of soda (baking soda for left-pondians)
4 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
2 clementines or mandarin oranges, used for zest and juice

2 tsp vegetarian orange extract
5 tbls vegetable oil
1 c orange juice/water (juice 1 and 1/2 oranges and top up to 1 c with the water)

1 tbls cider vinegar

Method
Preheat the oven to 350*F/170*C.

Zest the oranges separately (zest from one goes into the batter and from the other goes into the frosting). Chop the zest finely. Juice one and a half oranges for the batter, as listed in the ingredients.

Mix together the dry ingredients, including the orange zest. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients (except for the vinegar). Mix together to make a thick batter. I just used a fork, but you can use an electric whisk. Add the vinegar and mix again. Pour immediately into a greased and floured 8 inch/22cm round, 4"/10cm high cake tin and bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Mine takes about 35 minutes. Or just test it after 35 minutes to see whether a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If it does, voila. You have a cake.

Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn out to finish cooling on a wire rack.

For the frosting:
1 c vegan shortening (try not to use vegan margarine, as it's got a lot of water in it. If you do, though, just go easy with the wet ingredients below.)
2 cups icing/powdered sugar - or more, depending upon consistency
1 teaspoon orange extract
juice from 1/2 an orange from above
zest of an orange, finely chopped

Cream together the shortening, orange extract and 1 cup of the icing sugar with an electric whisk, adding the sugar slowly after you've started whisking the shortening. Add 1 tbls orange juice and whisk again. Add 1/2 c sugar and whisk. Add another tbls orange juice and another 1/2 c sugar. Then, if the mixture is too thin, add a little more sugar (1/2 or 1/4 c at a time, depending on your inclination) or if it's too thick, more orange juice by the teaspoonful. When you get a good consistency, whisk for about 3-5 minutes and then fold in the orange zest (don't use your electric whisk for the zest, because it will catch in the beaters and you'll just end up having to scrape it off and fold it in anyway).

You can either slice the cake in half to create two layers and frost each layer with half the frosting mixture (leaving the sides bare) or just frost the whole cake as is. I usually save back a couple of long curls of zest for garnish, but you don't have to. I'd love to know if anyone else makes this and enjoys it as much as I do.

Easy Baklava 

Syrup:
1 cup turbine/raw sugar
1 cup honey or maple syrup*
1 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Filling:
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped but not pulverized
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup vegan earth balance “butter”, melted
2 boxes of Puff Pastry Dough (EASY) or 24 sheets Fillo dough (Harder)

Prepare the syrup: Mix all the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer vigorously until thickened and reduced this takes about 14 minutes.
Allow syrup to cool to room temperature until ready to use. The syrup should remain pourable, if it thickens too much, simply warm up by placing in a glass jar and put the jar in hot water, stirring occasionally until it is pourable again.

Prepare the filling: In a bowl, mix together the walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Assemble the baklava

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch deep baking dish with some of the vegan butter.

Puff Pastry Dough instructions: EASY
Cover the bottom of the greased 9x13 dish with one layer of puff pastry dough. Brush pastry sheet with melted vegan butter. Cover evenly with a third of the filling.
Place another sheet of puff pastry dough. Brush pastry sheet with vegan butter. Cover evenly with third of the filling.
Place another sheet of puff pastry dough. Brush pastry sheet with vegan butter. Cover evenly with third of the filling.
Cover with last puff pastry dough sheet. Brush pastry sheet with vegan butter.

Fillo dough instructions: HARDER
Place 2 sheets fillo dough in the bottom of the dish and brush the top with vegan butter. Add another 2 sheets, brushing the top with vegan butter, and then another layer, brushing the top with vegan butter, repeat until you have a stack 6 sheets high. Spread one-third of the filling evenly over the fillo. Layer.
Repeat the same process with the fillo dough until you have another stack of 6 sheets done the same way.
Spread another third of the filling over it.
Repeat the same process for the fillo dough until you have another stack of 6 sheets done the same way.
Spread with the final third of the filling, so that you finish with three nut layers.
Top the final nut layer with the remaining set of 6 fillo sheets, vegan buttering every other one as above. Finally, brush the top layer of fillo with vegan butter.

Bake Prep:
Using a very sharp knife, carefully cut through all the layers down to the bottom of the dish, making 16 to 18 diamond shaped cuts or 1 1/2-inch square sections.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Take out and pour the remaining vegan butter across the top and continue baking until pale golden and crispy, about 25 minutes.

Remove, place on cooling rack for 5 minutes until it is no longer bubbling.
While still warm, using oven mitts, angle the pan and pour off the excess vegan butter.
Pour the room temperature syrup carefully in between the cuts and around the edges of the segments. Be sure to avoid the top of each segment or it will get soggy. Allow to cool at room temperature until completely cool.

Serve, lift out the pieces starting with a corner piece. You may need to cut again, where you scored to remove easier. May be served right away or cover and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Chocolate cookies

The chocolate cookies perfect for every chance - brittle, crunching, a bit a bit too hard, strikingly cracked. Almonds are enriching their taste.

Elements:
• of 125 g of the plain chocolate (min. 70 % cocoas)
• of 150 g of the flour
• 1 egg
• of 30 g of the cocoa
• 1 teaspoonful of soda
• 1 / is salting 2 teaspoons
• 125 of the soft g of butter
• 125 of the brown g of the sugar
• 1 teaspoonful of vanilla extract
• 50 of the g of almonds chopped up finely or nuts


Preparation:
dissolve 125 g of the chocolate in the small pan, placed on steam. In the bowl mix flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Blend butter with the sugar to white cream, gradually add the dissolved, cooled chocolate, next egg and vanilla extract. Mix mass with loose elements. With teaspoon put mass on the flat piece of metal for baking, should be conical (while baking lightly will flatten). Bake in pace. 170 Sr. c 20 min.

Parmigiana Di Melanzane 

Ingredients
3 large aubergines
Olive oil for frying....not extra virgin.
1 onion sliced
2 cloves of garlic 
5oz/150g fresh mozzarella, sliced
9 fl oz/250ml tomato-based pasta sauce
7oz/200g Parmesan cheese, grated
fresh basil to taste
salt & pepper..

Wash the aubergines, dry and then cut into ½in/1cm-thick strips lengthways.
Generously sprinkle with salt to draw out their bitter water and place in a colander to let the water drip out, about 30 minutes..
Wash and dry to remove the excess salt and pat each slice of aubergine in some flour on both sides.
Heat the oil, then fry the aubergines until lightly browned on both sides and let dry on some paper towels.
Meanwhile heat a drizzle of oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic and sweat for 10 minutes, then add the tomato sauce and cook for 10/15 minutes adding some fresh basil at the end. 
Now arrange layers of aubergines, mozzarella, tomato sauce, then parmesan and more basil, in a baking dish, repeating to make a multi-layered dish and season each layer with a little salt & pepper..
Bake at 350F/180C/Gas 4 until heated through for about 20/25 minutes or until the Parmesan on top has lightly browned. 
Serve hot with crusty baguette or even better the next day cold with a nice salad..

P.S....you could also add mushrooms or other veg to make it more interesting, although that isn't the classic way.

Chicken Liver Pâté

Dried herbs can be substituted for fresh, but use only 1/4 teaspoon of each.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 kg chicken livers
4 tablespoons Cognac/brandy

Melt half the butter with the Olive Oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add herbs, allspice, and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken livers and cook until just pink on the inside, about 8 minutes. Add Cognac and allow alcohol to evaporate for a few minutes. Add mixture to the bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer to a terrine or crock and smooth top.

Melt remaining butter in a saucepan set over low heat. Let stand to separate butter fat from milk solids. Skim foam from the top. Lay additional herb sprigs over pâté for decoration. 
Pour over clarified butter, leaving behind the white milk solids at the bottom. Chill until firm, then cover with plastic wrap. Leave for 1 week for the flavours to mature.

Chocolate Cake with Sour Cream

Ingredients
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
• In a large bowl, combine the chocolate, water sour cream, shortening, vanilla and eggs; mix well. 
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and baking powder; gradually add to chocolate mixture. 
• Beat on low speed just until moistened. Beat on high for 3 minutes. 
• Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. 
• Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. 

FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
6 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine frosting ingredients. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread between layers and over top and side of cake. Store in the refrigerator. 

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FROSTING
3 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
3/4 c. cocoa powder
Dash of salt

In a chilled bowl blend ingredients, then whip until mixture holds a peak.

Refrigerate.

Low Fat Cranberry Orange Muffins

Portions
12 servings

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups flour 
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder 
1/4 tsp. salt 
2 cups Cranberry Almond Crunch Cereal (Not sure of the brand)
1 cup fat free milk
1 egg , slightly beaten
1/2 cup applesauce 
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
2 Tbsp. margarine , melted
1 tsp. grated orange peel

Preparation
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. 
Mix cereal and milk in medium bowl; let stand 3 minutes. 
Stir in egg, applesauce, sugar, margarine and orange peel. 
Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) 
Spoon batter into muffin pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray (or use cupcake paper liners), filling each cup 2/3 full. 
Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 
Serve warm.

Chicken Liver Pâté

Dried herbs can be substituted for fresh, but use only 1/4 teaspoon of each.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 kg chicken livers
4 tablespoons Cognac/brandy

Melt half the butter with the Olive Oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add herbs, allspice, and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken livers and cook until just pink on the inside, about 8 minutes. Add Cognac and allow alcohol to evaporate for a few minutes. Add mixture to the bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer to a terrine or crock and smooth top.

Melt remaining butter in a saucepan set over low heat. Let stand to separate butter fat from milk solids. Skim foam from the top. Lay additional herb sprigs over pâté for decoration. 
Pour over clarified butter, leaving behind the white milk solids at the bottom. Chill until firm, then cover with plastic wrap. Leave for 1 week for the flavours to mature.

Xmas Cake recipe.

Ingredients
Ideally make this cake at leat minimum time, of 3 weeks before Xmas. It is not a eat straight away cake too crumbly. The longer it is left the better it is
Orange juice or apple juice can be subsituted for the alcohol. Likewise nuts can be omitted or other varieties used. This is heavy on the fruit hence moist cake.

Cake un-iced keeps longer and keep topped up with alcohol of choice.

175g raisins
350g glace cherries, rinsed, thoroughly dried and quartered
500g currants
350g sultanas
150/200 ml sherry, plus extra for feeding or juice
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
250g butter, softened
250g light muscovado sugar
4 eggs room temperature.
1 tbsp black treacle
75g blanched almonds, chopped omit or change to walnuts or pecans,
75g self-raising flour
175g plain flour
1½ tsp mixed spice

To finish and decorate:
About 3 tbsp apricot jam, sieved and warmed
Icing sugar
675g shop-bought almond paste
Packet royal icing mix to cover 23cm/9in cake

Method

Put all the dried fruit in a container, pour over the sherry and stir in the orange zest. Cover with a lid, and leave to soak for 3 days, stirring daily, 5 days maximum soaking only, or fuit goes mushy

Grease and line a 23cm (9in) deep round tin with a double/Treble layer of greased greaseproof paper If your oven likes to burn thing, mine does, then use plenty of greaseproof paper or thicker greasproof paper to prevent it catching. Burnt cake like this tastes vile. I know I burnt mine first time round after forgetting to put the timer back on.

Preheat the oven to 140ºC/Fan 120ºC/Gas Mark 1.

Measure the butter, sugar, eggs, treacle and almonds into a very large bowl and beat well. Add the flours and mixed spice and mix thoroughly until blended. Stir in the soaked fruit. 

Spoon into the prepared cake tin and level the surface.

Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 4-4½ hours or until the cake feels firm to the touch and is a rich golden brown. Check after 2 hours, ESSENTIAL CHECK AFTER 2 hours. Can take the full time to cook. and, if the cake is a perfect colour, cover with foil to prevetn burning. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean. Don't rely on that as the fruit is so packed in you can stab it instead of the cake. It should feel firm to the touch. 

Leave the cake to cool in the tin.

When cool, pierce the cake at intervals with a fine skewer and feed with a little extra sherry. 

Wrap the completely cold cake in a double layer of greaseproof paper and again in foil and store in a cool place for up to 3 months, feeding at intervals with more sherry. (Don't remove the lining paper when storing as this helps to keep the cake moist.) Store cake undecorated

Decorate on Christmas eve/ Christmas day with almond paste and royal icing. As the decorating will go off before the cake does.

You could also freeze the cake before decorating, for up to 3 months; defrost at room temperature.

A boiled wheat with poppy seeds and honey served on Christmas Eve is a traditional dish Ukrainian, Belarussian, Lithuanian and before of borderland Polish cuisine Version with the rice

Elements:
- 2 glasses of the rice
- 20 dkg of raisins
- 20 dkg of almonds
- 1 glass of the poppy
- 5 spoonfulfuls of honey

Way of preparing:
To cook the rice. To rinse the poppy, to brew. To grind twice in the machine. To chop almonds up (and if necessary nuts). To scald raisins. To add honey, nuts and dried fruit as used in cooking and the poppy to the rice. To mix everything exactly, to cool. To decorate the top nuts and dried fruit as used in cooking.

MANGO FLOAT

Ingredients:
9 Graham crackers
slices of ripe mangoes
2 250 ml packs of All-purpose cream
1 250 ml can of condense milk
crushed graham crackers

Instructions:
1. Mix the All-purpose cream and the Condensed milk.
2. Align the first three graham crackers in a container.
3. Pour 1/3 of the mixture of cream and milk.
4. Layer slices of mango on top of the mixture.
5. Sprinkle crushed graham.
6. Repeat procedures 1-5 until you've used all the ingredients.
7. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy eating.

Cannoli’s with Chocolate Chip-Ricotta Filling

Cannoli Shells: I don’t make them, I buy a package of them pre-made. But if anyone wants the recipe for them, let me know and I’ll put it up

Basic Chocolate Chip/Ricotta Filling:
2 pounds ricotta cheese, well drained
1 1/2 cups unsifted powdered sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips 
1. Beat cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and beat in sugar. Mix in chocolate chips. Cover; chill several hours. 

Fluffy Chocolate Chip/Ricotta Filling: Note: This filling is lighter, but richer.
1 pound ricotta cheese
3/4 cup unsifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream 
1. Follow directions above for basic chocolate chip filling. Beat the cream until stiff and fold into the chocolate and cheese mixture. 

To serve, use a plain large pastry tube to force Ricotta filling into cannoli shells. Remember fill only the number of cannoli you plan to serve at once.