LIGHT FRUIT CAKE....

 

 

 

Monday..start of a brand new week....yesterday I made a light, very tasty fruit cake...now its more cakey than a traditional fruit cake..and oh so easy!

INGREDIANTS:

350 grams dried mixed fruit.
2 cups black tea
1/2 cup brown sugar
125 grams butter
1 egg (free range)
1 1/2 cups of  organic SR flour
1/2 teaspoon Bi CARB
teaspoon each of mixed spice..cinnamon..ground ginger.
dash vanilla concentrate.
150 mls water

METHOD:

In a bowl  pour tea over your mixed fruit....let soak for several hours...till all plump and nice.

drain the fruit...and discard the liquid.

In a saucepan add the fruit, butter, sugar, spices  and  150 ml water. Bring to boil...then turn of heat
add 1/2 teaspoon of bi carb...let cool...

add  the beaten egg and vanilla....sift flour and add...  stir  till well combined.

Pour into well greased loaf tin...or whatever takes your fancy...I used a small loaf tin...

Into the pre heated  oven it goes at 170 degrees Celsius  for  well...you know what...I didn't take note of that!!...  :)

until a knife comes out clean...45 minutes or so...just guessing there!

I'm not one for exact measurements or cooking times...and everything seems to work out just fine!

Cold , spread with real butter...hmmm yum!

as for the spices...your own combination and whatever you like really....no set rules .

Ill be back soon with another recipe...but boy am I itching for spring! the sunshine...the flowers... the warmer weather...not that its cold here in sunny Queensland...but my legs need to see the light of day!

Till next time...!!

WHATS IN SEASON...JULY

Back so soon!...

I'm very dedicated to fresh food..green living..and doing whats best for the body..and planet.  I was wandering around the web...and thought hmmm...we all need to know whats fresh now..because these days we seem to be able to get everything...whether in season or not...and I for one don't like to eat produce that's been stored covered in a chemical concoction..out of cold storage!

FRUIT:
cumquats, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, nashi, oranges, rhubarb, tamarillo, tangelos.

NUTS:
Hazelnuts.

 

VEGETABLES:

Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, carrots, celery, celeriac, fennel, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, kohlrabi (green), kohlrabi (red), leek, olives, onions, parsnips, pumpkins, silver beet, spinach, spring onions, swedes, turnips.

 

HERBS:

Bay leaf, parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, chives, oregano, marjoram, sage, bronze fennel, dill, fennel, garlic, whitlof, coriander.

 

 

I found the list on the Victorian Farmers Association website...

 

I cant wait for spring...I have seeds galore from Eden Seeds....link over the side there  :)...heirloom seeds...from dedicated home growers....

 

and on that note...I will say adieu! 

 

 

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE.....

Hello again!...ok... a very easy chocolate cake...just had a piece with ice-cream...quite yummy. Now that was a decadent breakfast!!  Hay why not...life too short for tea and toast!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup water
3/4 cup of sugar ..  more or less...depending on your sweet tooth!
125 grams real butter
1/3 cup cocoa
2 eggs (lightly beaten)  free range
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3 level  teaspoons baking powder
dash vanilla




METHOD:

Combine the cocoa water..butter..sugar  in saucepan and warm till butter melted...do not boil.
Transfer to a bowl...let cool down ..beat the eggs and vanilla...pour into mixture..stir in sifted flour and baking powder and mix well.

bake in moderate oven  180 Celsius approx. 40 minutes...give or take...

done!!  how easy was that!

I used a 20cm spring form pan...but if you want a higher cake...I defiantly would use a smaller pan...I will next time...I like height!!  :)

I have a few more recipes up my sleeve... coming soon!

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS.....

Hay its Sunday!...ok looking outside the weather...well hmmm...could be sunnier...but if I need an excuse not to mow the backyard...I have one. That chocolate cake didn't get baked yesterday...cocoa was non existent in my pantry...will pop down the store...in the meantime....muffins....very quick to whip up...

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of organic SR flour
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
dash vanilla concentrate
cup of milk
1 large egg (free-range)
120 grams real butter.. melted
full cup of blueberries......I used frozen (Australian..not imported)

teaspoon of grated lime rind...optional... I did use  :)

METHOD...

sift your flour and add  sugar, rind and blueberries into bowl

melt your butter add to milk and beaten egg and vanilla ...wisk..add to dry ingredients

bake approx. 35 min or so... at 180 Celsius...

DONT OVERMIX...you don't want rubbery muffins!
It makes 6 large muffins...or 12 small.....

simple....

Had a quick impromptu BBQ yesterday for lunch... how come when one cooks outside the kitchen seemed in worse shape when lunch was over! 

Have a fantastic day!!  

CREAMY HOME MADE ICE-CREAM....

 

 

I'm back already...that was quick....Yesterday I made a delicious creamy bourbon splashed ice cream....4 ingredients and easy peasy...I just had to share,and it certainly doesn't taste bourbony..  :) more like a French vanilla....really nice.

INGREDIENTS:

600ml of full fat  cream
splash of vanilla concentrate
can of condensed milk
2 tablespoons of Bourbon.

METHOD:

Pour the condensed milk into a large bowl...add vanilla and Bourbon....mix till combined.

In another bowl  whip the cream till peaks form

FOLD the cream into the milk mixture...till well mixed.....

put into whatever container you like...

I chose an old corning ware oven dish....perfect size! Cover with a lid or plastic wrap ect...

Keep in freezer overnight...or until frozen! 

Done!...and its ever so yummy!...decadent...calorie filled...but oh so yummy and so easy!

Oh  ...had to add the pic of condensed milk...forgot to include in group shot...duh! lol  :)

I'll be making chocolate cake soon...so be sure to drop by.

SPOONS...SWANS...and SUNLIGHT SOAP.....

 

 

 

Hello again!....ok so this morning...no recipe...I just had to  have a spiel about teaspoons...well any piece of cutlery hiding in the bottom of the sink, really...doesn't matter...after a day BBQ..ing with family ...cutlery at a premium...the draw empty... one dives into the sink full and after several attempts still coming up without the elusive teaspoon....Now I know we've all done this...  numerous times... brought out every piece except what your after.....ahh yes....in frustration one thinks of emptying the sink...convinced the spoon fairy has made off with them all.  But just when you give up...and try one more time... the spoon.. yay ..its like finding buried treasure!

On the subject of sinks....Ive been using good ole fashioned Sunlight soap...when I ran out of dishwashing liquid...may not look the same...no bubbles...and sink all cloudy...but does a marvellous job....you can even put your hands in the sink without fear of chemical overload!  Just give everything a rinse...as one should always do anyway..and whalah...I may not go back to conventional dishwash liquid....and the price..cheap cheap... I just heard a bird in my head!    :)  grate a little bit or just swish it  of the bar....marvellous!  ( and no..ha ha  I have no affiliation with the  Sunlight soap company)

Snapped a pic of the local swans and their offspring yesterday whilst we were frolicking in the local park ...So FUZZY....so very cute! (clicking on pic makes it bigger)

 

 

 

Also went to Toowoomba over the weekend....I could write a short story..on the GPS giving wrong directions and hubby on motorbike disappearing ahead, taking us way out and around the beautiful inland city... wrong way...over an hour late...and daughter having to come find us to show us the way from the other end of town!!  lol... It was a comedy of errors!!  Pic ......up the lookout   at Picnic Point...surveying the countryside towards Brisbane. Next trip will have a whole range of snaps of the beauty of the place....time was at a premium this day!

Ok fellow bloggers...Ill be back this way very soon...with another recipe..as to what .....your guess is as good as mine!! ...till then...may your week be as sunny and warm as a beautiful spring day.