Sticky and delicious

Here are two dessert recipes I'll be adding to my must try list.

5 cup fruit cake

Had a go at making  one of Greg's 5 cup fruit cake. Turned out OK and was really delicious but I think Greg's cup is bigger then mine.

Ingredients

1 cup self raising flour

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup sugar (you can use less, I used about 1/2)

1 cup milk

1 cup dried mixed fruit

method

Sticky Date Self-Saucing Toffee Pudding

David the One Pot Chef has another great recipe this week:

Maltese Baked Potatoes with pork chops (Patata il-Forn)

I haven't had this dish for years but decided to give it a go. I checked out several recipes but settled on a 4 Ingredients version of my own invention. Most recipes need curry flavoring and chicken stock so why not combine both? So here's Ralph's Maltese Baked Potatoes. (You can find the real version here)

Ingredients (for 2)

3 large potatoes
2 pork chops
1 large onion
1 packet chicken curry instant soup


Method

Slice up the onion ans spread it over the bottom of a greased baking dish. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the soup mixture over the potatoes. Lay the pork on top on the onions and sprinkle another 1/3 soup powder over the meat. Cut the potatoes into thick slices and layer over the meat. Sprinkle the remaining soup powder over the potatoes. So as to not disturb the flavoring, pour in some water from the side of the dish. Cover the meat with water. Cover the dish with some aluminum foil. Place in the oven at 200deg. After one hour remove the foil and cook for another 1 and 1/2 hours. The potatoes should be golden brown when ready.

the potatoes are crunchy and the meat just falls off the bone. Delicious!

Rock Cakes Recipe

Here's  a simple Rock Cakes recipe. A lot of my cakes end up rock cakes 8-(

Port Bar Parramatta

My wife and I decided to have Sunday lunch in Parramatta today. We went to the Port Bar on the banks of the Parramatta River. Great food and at reasonable price. Recommended.

seafood risotto

Crab pasta

Rice pudding

My mother regularly made rice pudding in winter, a delicious warm comfort food. Sadly that recipe went to heaven with her but last night I converted a 4 ingredients version into a dessert I'm sure she would have liked.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of rice
1 liter milk
2 table spoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
butter
some raisins
cinnamon powder

Place the milk, sugar ,rice vanilla in a greased baking dish . If you like them throw in the raisins, Shake some cinnamon in and mix well. Put a few knobs of butter on the top and add a bit more cinnamon (or nutmeg).
Cook in the oven for two hours at 150 degs.

5 minute chocolate cake

I made this a few months ago. Turned out OK but a bit too eggy. The Americans use some type of  egg in a jar mixture which I don't think is available in Australia. Give it a go if you need a quick choc cake fix.

Lemon Slice

Here David's latest treat. Looks delicious

Chocolate Pie

Here is a delicious chocolate pie from David the One Pot Chef. I made this for a Christmas party and it went to fast I didn't have to chance to have a slice!

Cooking with Karma

Cooking With Karma is the latest Aussie YouTube video channel. Here is Karma with her first recipe vegetable frittata . Looks good.

Cooking fish

My lovely wife usually gets me to cook fish and chips for Sunday lunch. Salmon is her favorite fish. Rather then frying it in oil I just add some lemon slices and fresh parsley, season and wrap in foil. They cook in about 20 minutes in our toaster oven. Delicious steamed in their own juices.

Tip: Chux cheese cloth

In making cheese you need to filter the curds from the whey. That's what cheese cloths are for but I'm not sure where to get a cheese cloth from. What I use is a plain Chux wipe cloth.  Its completely reusable, just wash after use, allow to dry and store in a sealable  plastic bag.

How to make cheese

Making cheese is easy, just boil some milk then  add some white vinegar to separate the curds. Drain in a cheese cloth  add some salt and voila! Cheese.

Watch this video to see how easy it is.

Cream Liqueur : If you like Baileys Irish Cream you will like this!

This week I have a beverage recipe.  Heres a way to save money and make your very own Baily's substitute.  I made some the other night.

Cream Liqueur

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup (250 mil) thickened cream (I use lactose free which is less cloying)

1 & 2/3 cups whiskey (or whisky or bourbon. The cheap stuff is OK)

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

2 tablespoons chocolate sauce

1 teaspoon instant coffee dissolved in one tablespoon boiling water

Method

Put everything in a blender and blend. Pour into clean glass bottles and store in fridge. Wait at least 24 hours before tasting to allow the liquid to properly set. NOTE: Shake the bottle well before drinking.

Extra ADULTS ONLY  dessert recipe

Impossible Coconut Pie

I made this last night .Its the simplest dessert pie to make and just about fool proof. The coconut will rise to the top and the flour sink to the bottom to form a crust.  Its great with some ice cream or custard sauce.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded coconut
2  tsp vanilla flavoring
¼ teaspoon salt


METHOD

Put everything in a blender and whizz for 20 seconds. Pour in greased baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes at 200deg C