CHOCOLATE, COCONUT, OATMEAL NO-BAKE COOKIES

CHOCOLATE, COCONUT, OATMEAL NO-BAKE COOKIES

(Courtesy of Pam at "For The Love of Cooking")

What a week. Baby went with her school mates on her first school camping trip. It was 4 days and 3 nights which seemed very long to this overprotective American Mum who worries too much. She came home yesterday afternoon safe & sound, albeit quite knackered (exhausted to the point I thought she would fall asleep in the car). She wrote notes for herself to remember the highlights from each day and read them back to us in the car on the way home from the train station.

I took her day pack into the house before marching her upstairs for a much needed bath, and noticed it was unusually heavy for what should have been in it...well...when I emptied the bag, in addition to 3 full sandwiches, 2 apples, 1 and a half snack bars (presumably her lunches from the last 3 days), and a wet towel, I also pulled out several rocks, about 2 cups of beach sand (minimum) and a dead sea sponge! (Some of the loot is pictured below and even the cat was perplexed.)

Imagine reaching into a bag for a towel to launder, and touching THAT thing! Eeyuck! LOL



Now, back to the cookies...I was to send a batch of baked treats (no one necessarily knew these weren't technically "baked") along with the other families doing the same, for the kids and their teachers & other adults to enjoy as afternoon snacks and such. So, of course I had many recipes to choose from...too many, and I needed a quick decision so I asked a friend in Oregon to help me out. She directed me to her mate's site and this recipe, which was a great help and an easy and tasty recipe to try. As a matter of fact, I made two double batches...one for Baby to take to camp and another to share between home and work. So, thank you Pam & Cheryl, for your assistance.
In Pam's post, she mentions that the cookies were a bit moist and not to make them in humid weather, however...I have added a bit more sugar to make the chocolate syrup just a bit "stickier" to hold together and, I dried them "Pavlova style" in the oven afterwards and they were perfect!
Here we go...this is for my double batch, so halve everything if you only want about a dozen or so cookies.
INGREDIENTS:
½ Cup Milk
½ Cup Butter
2 Cups Sugar
6 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1½ Tsp Vanilla Essense or Extract
3 Cups Quick Oats (like for breakfast cereal)
1 ½ Cups Coconut (finer texture is better)

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the cocoa powder, sugar and milk then bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

Next, remove the mixture from the heat and add the vanilla, oats and coconut and mix until thoroughly combined.

Now, using gloves or two spoons, drop spoonfuls onto a non-stick mat or baking tray lined with paper and wait until dry.

If the cookies are still too moist or fragile to move & stack, heat an oven to about 210°F/100°C and turn it off once it’s warm, then put the cookies in for an hour or two to set.

Just like you would expect, they do taste a bit like a Mounds or Cherry Ripe candy bar (without the cherry).
Enjoy.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

This is a special request from a couple of work mates. You see, a few months ago I was “complaining” about having a plethora of lemons on an overflowing tree in my back garden, which promptly backfired when my colleague suggested (read: insisted) a lemon meringue pie to be the next treat I brought in for the group. A few days later, I was baking again, and decided to make said pie. I brought this pie in to work and proceeded to divide it into 6 or 8 pieces for morning tea, which disappeared just about as quickly as I could dish it up. Well, “Glassboy” was upset that one of the other managers got two pieces and ever since then, he has been...encouraging....me to make another pie (all for him – not to share).

Well, over the Christmas break I made some Lemon Honey and decided that after I went back to work it might be a good time to make this additional pie...or, even better...several smaller ones. Well, Glassboy did NOT specify what size I was supposed to make for him. Hehe, even after bringing in 6 or 8 individual pies, he managed to make off with more than one!

Anyway, after I brought the mini-pies in for folks, people began asking for the recipe and I have been a bit lax about posting recipes lately, so I figured now was a good time to share the recipe for my mates. (Linda – this is for you and my other “coffee group sisters” too!) :o)

If you are feeling adventurous, you can make a proper crust (below), but if you are short on time a frozen, pre rolled short pastry will work just as well.
CRUST:
1 Cup Oat Flour (1¼ Cups oatmeal processed to a fine powder)
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
½ Cup Butter
¼ Tsp Salt
¼ to ½ Cup Water

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl mix the flours and salt, then carefully cut in small pieces of the cold butter and combine well with a fork or pastry cutter until it’s about the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs.

Very slowly, add just a little cold water at a time until dough forms a non-sticky ball and holds well together.

Now place the dough on a lightly floured surface, knead it only slightly and proceed to roll it out into a large circle, about 3-4 millimetres thick and large enough around to fill a standard sized pie dish.

FILLING:
4 Large Egg Yolks (save whites for meringue)
3 Large Whole Eggs
1 Cup Caster Sugar
¾ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1-1 ½ Tbsp Lemon Zest (takes 2-3 lemons depending on size)2 Tbsp Corn Flour (aka Corn Starch)
½ Cup Butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:
First, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and blind bake the crust until it just begins to colour and set aside.

Next, heat some water in a double boiler (or in a saucepan with a well fitting glass bowl on top that isn’t too deep and the bottom of which won’t touch the water in the pan).

In the top of the double boiler, whisk the yolks and eggs for a minute and add the rest of the filling ingredients EXCEPT for the butter.

Now, cook this mixture over the simmering water stirring constantly over medium heat.

When the filling is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter until all is well combined. DO NOT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL!

Pour this filling into the crust and prepare the meringue in a large bowl.

MERINGUE:
4 Large Egg Whites
¼ Tsp Corn Flour
¼ Tsp Cream of Tartar (or substitute with ½ Tsp of white vinegar)
½ Cup Caster Sugar
1 ½ Tsp Vanilla Essence

DIRECTIONS:
First, beat the egg whites at medium speed until they are foamy.

Next, beat in the corn flour and cream of tartar/vinegar until soft peaks form.

Now, gradually add in the vanilla and the sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overbeat the meringue.

You can either spoon the meringue on top of the filling, smoothing with the back of the spoon or spatula before patting it slightly to create peaks or, alternatively you can pipe it on top of the filling with a cake decorating tip. Either way, make certain to get the meringue to the very edge of the crust to seal in the filling and minimise “weeping” later.

Now bake the pie until the meringue is golden. Peaks will get dark, but don’t remove the pie until it’s well coloured evenly, otherwise you get a “raw” meringue in the middle. (Bakes about 12-15 minutes)



After the pie is finished cooking, it's best to leave it a room temperature for at least a couple of hours. If you refrigerate it too soon, the meringue will weep and you will find a sticky dew all over the top of the pie when you retrieve it to serve. It is actually just fine to leave it at room temperature overnight, but I would refrigerate any leftovers (if any) after that.



Bon appetite!

LEMON CURD

LEMON CURD

(Makes about 4 cups)

I finally had a bit of spare time to make use of some of the hundreds of large lemons we have again this year, so...today it was Lemon Curd (thank you, Jo, for the free eggs...one jar is definitely for you!), American Lemonade, and candied lemon zest strips (for later use when I make White Chocolate Mousse topped with Lemon Curd and Candied Zest - from my Foodtown Magazine that arrived this week.)

Anyway, there are several versions of Lemon Curd or Lemon Honey, but they are all quite similar. Some use whole eggs and I opted for yolks only for a richer yellow colour. Some also use quite a bit more butter and I opted for a lower cholesterol version. My mate, Linda, also uses a similar microwave version, but I found that one to be a bit tricky as you must stop the microwave often to stir to make sure you don't end up with lemony scrambled eggs. Linda's is always perfect, however, mine was a bit grainy and not the smooth texture like Linda's was.

In any case, here is the version I think is most popular here, and I may opt to post a whole-egg version later as well, if it turns out well enough. One quick thing to note, is that if you are only using the yolks, the whites can be used to make Meringue Biscuits to eat with the cooled Lemon Curd which is a lovely sort of "Lemon Meringue Pie Deconstructed".

INGREDIENTS:

8 Egg Yolks
2 Cups Sugar
100 Gm Butter, cubed
2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
200 Ml Lemon Juice (about 6 good sized lemons)


DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, slowly begin heating the yolks and sugar and combine well.

Once the mixture is well incorporated, add the butter, zest and juice, stirring constantly.

Bring this mixture just to a boil and remove it from the heat, continuing to stir until the mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly.

Carefully pour the Lemon Curd into clean canning jars and tighten the lids just until snug befor leaving to cool.

Refrigerate the Lemon Curd and enjoy. This should last 3-4 weeks in the fridge...if there is any left by then!

Bon apetite!

VELVET CUPCAKES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY!

Today was the last school day prior to baby's birthday, so I had to make the class some cupcakes. I don't like to do the same every year, so I decided to try a new recipe this time...with a twist. One of my Christmas presents this year, was a new cookbook from my lovely husband. He gave me the "Jamie's America" book by Jamie Oliver (one of my favourite Food Channel personalities). On page 38 is a recipe for very chocolaty Velvet Cupcakes, which looked great, but the problem is that my little girl prefers "vanilla" to chocolate. No problem!!!

I used the basic Velvet Cupcake recipe, but rather than adding cocoa, I just added a bit more flour to make up for it. Also, for flavour, I added a bit extra vanilla essence and a little almond essence and left out the food colouring.

This batter is a little different from my other cupcake recipes for a couple of reasons. One reason is that this recipe uses egg and buttermilk, and the other reason is that the batter is thick, but "fluffy". I have been thinking of how I might describe the texture of the batter, and the only thing that comes to mind is "fluffy" almost mousse-like, but in a thicker, slightly heavier way.

I don't want to plagiarize Mr. Oliver, but I will give you the gist of this recipe, as it is a common cake base recipe used in the States. The "velvet" result is similar to the texture of the good ole' American Hostess brand cakes...yumm!

Here we go:

INGREDIENTS:

50 Gm Butter, softened
150 Gm Caster Sugar (fine granules)
1 Large Egg
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract/Essence or Paste
1 Tsp Almond Essence
160 Gm High Grade Flour
125 Ml Buttermilk
½ Tsp Baking Soda
1 ½ Tsp White Vinegar


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F and line muffin tin with paper liners or silicone cups. (I sprayed demitasse cups with cooking spray and baked the cakes in those).

Cream the butter & sugar together with a mixer until fluffy.

Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond essence.

Carefully fold in half of the flour then mix in half of the buttermilk, then repeat with the other half of each. Once well combined, the mixture should be very smooth and fluffy.

In a small cup, mix the baking soda and vinegar and mix into the batter carefully until well combined.

Divide this batter evenly between cupcake liners (or demitasse cups) then bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

FROSTING: I made a simple mascarpone frosting using 4 tbsp soft butter, 8 oz mascarpone cheese, ~3 cups icing sugar and a squeeze of orange juice. Cream the butter & cheese until fluffy, then add the juice (or about a half teaspoon of vanilla essence) and mix in the sugar, one cup at-a-time until you get the desired consistency.

Enjoy!

EGGNOG KISSES

EGGNOG KISSES

Traditionally, I don’t do a lot of “holiday baking” like my grandma and her sisters usually did. I do, however, enjoy making a few more “unique” things to share with friends. Recently, a friend shared some homemade eggnog (lower-fat version) which was very nice and inspired my to ring my Dad and see if he still remembered the proportions for his full-fat version (which he did share with me, and I can post here later if time allows).

Not too long after that, I believe, I noted this recipe posted on a fellow food blogger’s site at Cooking Down Under. This is another American transplant foodie only she is living “across the ditch” in Aussie and I live here in lovely Aotearoa (literally translates to “Land of the long white cloud” – or more simply, New Zealand).

Anyway, I saw this recipe and just had to try it to see if these biscuits/cookies truly tasted like eggnog (and they really did have a mild noggy flavour). I will say though, that for more nogginess, I have doubled the vanilla and added nutmeg in the dough, then slightly increased the rum in the icing – Perfection!

Only a couple of shopping days left now and I think we are all set in my household. I hope you are all done with your Christmas shopping and looking forward to a great holiday and even better new year! Best wishes to you all.

Meri Kirihimete!
INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH

¾ Cup Butter
½ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Egg
¼ Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Nutmeg
2 Cups Flour, sifted

FILLING¼ Cup Butter
¾ Cup Sifted Icing Sugar (powdered/confectioners sugar)
*1½ Tbsp Rum
*Ground nutmeg

* Amounts vary to individual tastes.

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, beat ¾ Cup butter (or margarine) until softened.

Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until creamy.

Now add egg, vanilla, salt, and beat well.

Slowly incorporate the flour and mix until well combined.

Wrap in cooking paper and/or cling film and chill for about 1 hour or until no longer soft.

Shape into 1 inch balls, then place them approximately 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, or a baking sheet lined with baking paper or a silicone baking mat.

Press down centers with thumb (or, in my case I used the backside of a ½ Tsp measuring spoon.

Now, bake in a 180 C (350 F) oven for about 12 minutes, or until done.

Remove and cool completely before filling.

To make the filling, using a small bowl and fork, beat ¼ Cup butter until softened then slowly add powdered sugar and beat/whisk until fluffy.

Next, add the rum and mix well.

Spoon about ½ Tsp of filling into the centre of each cookie then sprinkle each with just a bit of nutmeg.

Chill the cookies until the filling is firm, then enjoy!

GINGERBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

GINGERBREAD TREES

It's been a while since I last added any content to my little bubble of cyberspace here, but I have not forgotten my poor little collection of goodies here. Although the photos might leave something to be desired these days, I am still creating in the kitchen every chance I get.

This latest creation came as a fun little experiment. A mate of mine sells Avon, and in the Christmas catalogue, there were kitchen goodies. Normally, I don't buy much Avon...I have been using the same cosmetics and skin care line since I was...well, it's been 22 years and I still don't have wrinkles yet! Anyway, in this catalogue there were star shaped cookie cutters...okay, nothing so grand about that...but wait, there's more. The sizes ranged from very small to almost dinner plate sized and the photo in the book was quite impressive. You basically make 2 sets of each size gingerbread cookie and stack them into a tree shape. The icing helps to hold the stack together, and I bought little shiny sugar ball decorations to emulate Christmas bobbles.



If you really want to try this though, bake the cookies the day before, and ice them the next day. Allow them to begin to set before stacking and you should get good results.

So...here is a basic gingerbread recipe with a solid drying icing to decorate with.



INGREDIENTS:

425 Gm Plain Flour
2 ½ Tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Ground Ginger
1 ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ Tsp Ground Nutmeg
¼ Tsp Salt
125 Gm Unsalted Butter
155 Gm Light Brown Sugar
1 ½ Tsp Vanilla Essence/Extract
1 Large Egg
125 Gm Dark Molasses


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 180° C / 350° F.

In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy.

Add vanilla and eggs and mix well until smooth.

Blend in the molasses and mix well.

Slowly add the flour and spice mixture about ½ to 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated.

Press the dough into a mound and wrap in plastic wrap to store it in the fridge for 2 hours.

Remove from the fridge and roll out flat (about 3-4 mm thick) and cut shapes to bake about 8-10 minutes.

Cool cookies on a rack and ice when cool.

SIMPLE ICING FOR GINGERBREAD:
Beat 3 Egg Whites with 1 Tsp of Cream of Tartar and 500 Gms (1 Lb) of Icing Sugar / Confectioners Sugar until very stiff. OPTIONAL - Powdered food colouring is best, but liquid can also work.

PISTACHIO COOKIES

Well, here's my second attempt at a mobile blog entry (myapologies for the lack of decent photography). ;o) I am planning another trip out to J&L's farm this weekend, so I wanted to bake some treats to bring along as I hate arriving anywhere empty-handed. I was just itching for an excuse to open up a new packet of pistachios so I looked all over for a decent looking recipe to try.

When I came upon this recipe, I just knew this was the one, as I had 2 boxes of my favourite American custard powder (Jello brand instant pudding - pistachio flavour) so I just had to try it out... I have never made cookies with any sort of custard powder before, but it sounded like it might be okay.

I do have to say though, that these are sort of a light & fluffy type cookie, not the typical crunchy, crumbly biscuit that so many Kiwis seem to prefer. Now, if you are keen to give this one a go, but cannot imagine where you'd begin to look for Jello pudding, you can talk to your local importers (like Davis Trading Company, for example), or purchase it through www.expatexpress.com. Either way, you should have access to the right stuff.

So...here we go!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Butter (200 Gm)
1 Box Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Pistachio Kernels

DIRECTIONS:
First, Preheat oven total 180 C/350 F.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter with the pudding mix.

Next, add in the egg and combine well.

Now, sift the flour & soda in and mix well.

Finally, add the chocolate chips and nuts and mix until well incorporated into the dough.

Roll into balls and flatten out onto a lined baking pan and bake at 180 C/350 F for about 10 minutes. Make sure to remove cookies before they begin to brown.

This will make about 2 dozen small Cookies...Mmm Enjoy!

Feijoa Cakes

FEIJOA CAKES

Hello again - long time no write! Well, I have been super busy, and I do have a few goodies to post, so I am back at the keyboard again. Okay, first off, my North American family & friends are going to be looking at this sideways asking, "what in tarnation is a feijoa?"...my Kiwi mates will be asking, "what is tarnation?" Hehe - anyway, here is the low down on the feijoa. They are everywhere right now and yet the groceries want nearly ten bucks a kilo for them right now - luckily, we knew someone with a fertile tree willing to share their spoils (no, not their spoiled!). The feijoa is also known at a Pineapple Guava or a Guavasteen (soft inside like mangosteens) and originated in South America (Brazil, Columbia, Argentina, etc.). The fruit pulp is a little gritty (a bit like guavas or like some pears can be) and they are sweet and tangy with an almost floral aroma of ester (methyl benzoate). Very tropical tasting in my humble opinion. The skin isn't really edible...or if you do eat it I suspect it wouldn't be very pleasant. Normally, people here cut them in half and eat the flesh inside with a spoon. However, the feijoa is also popularly sold and consumed in smoothies, baked goods and in chutneys (chutneys are like heavily spiced sort of chunky fruit and onion salsas or jams). That's about it for the educational portion of this post. Now on to the really cool stuff - baking feijoa cakes. If you are able to buy guavas in your local markets, then there is a distinct possibility that you could also find feijoas there too. They are cultivated in California and Louisiana among other areas of North America and, of course, they are everywhere right now in Australia and New Zealand. Now...into the kitchen, yes?... INGREDIENTS: ½ Cup Milk 2 Eggs 1 ¼ Cups White Sugar 1 ½ Cups Feijoas, peeled & mashed 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence/Extract 75 Gms (~5 Tbsp) Butter, softened 2 Cups Flour 1 Tsp Baking Powder 1 Tsp Baking Soda ½ Tsp Salt ½ Tsp Cinnamon DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl, combine the Milk, Eggs, Sugar, Feijoas, Vanilla and butter, then blend together with an immersion/stick blender (alternatively, use a food processor) until you have a smooth mixture. Set aside the fruit mixture, and in a second bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Now fold the dry ingredients into the fruit mixture about a cup at a time until all of it is well incorporated. You will have a thick and smooth batter. Scoop/pour the batter into a lined muffin tin or a greased/paper-lined 20cm cake tin. For muffins/cupcakes bake at 180°C for about 17 minutes or for a full-sized cake about 40 minutes. These cakes need no toppings, as the feijoa essence is very delicate, but a light and creamy, slightly flavoured vanilla and lemon icing is nice. It’s also good with plain unflavoured yogurt or a cream cheese frosting. I made a basic butter cream frosting with a few drops of vanilla essence and a few drops of lemon essence and it was yummy, but the feijoa can get lost with too much...you can still taste feijoa, but it’s no longer the “star of the show”.

Choose your own preference and enjoy!

HAPPY MUM’s DAY!

I just wanted to wish all of you mums (and moms) out there, a very happy Mother’s Day.

My own morning began with a personalized song for Mother’s Day, written by my beautiful little loving 8-year old angel. She proudly sang me her song in a tune that varied from a cheerful melody to a very sincere ballad from her lovely little heart. I know she usually sings slightly off key when emulating her radio favourites, but this little original was the most beautiful gift she could have given me. How lucky am I?... Wow.

After her lovely song, my daughter brought me her handmade cards and drawings (she is becoming quite a talented artist and writer, by the way), and a little book on the beauty of motherhood. I just hope this lovely little person will still love me this much when she is a teen wanting to date too young, wanting to wear too much make-up, and dress more “grown up” than mummy & daddy will allow. I hope we can always say, “I love you” no matter what we disagree on, and I wish so very much happiness for her. I want her to become the best grown woman she can be and for her to know the pure joy of having a daughter like herself.

Well, what else did I do on Mum’s Day? I went to High Tea with a few other Mum and daughter friends (part of my extended NZ family) at the James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, after making brownies for my hubby and daughter to enjoy at home whilst I was gone – of course! It was a really relaxing and enjoyable afternoon with some people I really enjoy being with.

Live your life to the fullest...don’t let your worries take over your life...and stay strong in the face of adversity. Share your wisdom with others who need it, and hold your tongue when they don’t. :o)

Have a wonderful week!

AMERICAN BROWNIES

One thing I have noticed here in New Zealand is that there is a huge cafe culture. Unfortunately though, in my opinion, there are too many cafes and not enough fresh and tasty menu items. Many of the almost innumerable number of cakes, slices, tarts, and biscuits are quite dry, floury, and under flavoured. The names sound great; poppy seed lemon cake, raspberry tartlets, and even brownies. How can you get brownies wrong??? Well, most of them do! As a matter of fact, I have yet to taste a decent brownie down under that didn’t come from my kitchen (or my neighbour's). How’s that for modesty, eh? Hehe...

Brownies are one of those really quick & easy treats, but yet somehow they either skimp on ingredients or try to “make it their own” and manage to truly kill the essence of what a brownie is supposed to be. Brownies should be almost crunchy on the outside, but very moist and nearly chewy inside. They can be made with or without nuts, chocolate chips, or marshmallows, but the key is that they CANNOT be dry and crumbly – dry and crumbly NOT a brownie make, folks! There are even caramel or peanut butter swirl brownies that are incredible and so easy to make really.

So, in the interest of offering a truly lovely chocolate treat that can be modified in any number of ways dependent on one’s tastes...I give you here, the authentic/unadulterated American Brownie!


INGREDIENTS:

*1 Tbsp Flour
*1 Tbsp Coca Powder
¼ Cup Butter
6 Tbsp Cocoa (unsweetened baking cocoa powder)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/3 Cup Flour
¼ Tsp Salt
**Roughly 1 Cup of nuts or other additives, optional
*Mix together to dust the baking dish
**Amounts vary to individual tastes.


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to about 160°C (325°F).

Spray cooking oil on a small shallow baking dish (approx 6 x 10 inch or so – small casserole dish) and dust the bottom and sides with a combination of a Tbsp each of flour and cocoa powder (mixed).

Melt the butter and combine it well with the remaining cocoa powder in a medium bowl.

Now, add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, remaining flour and the salt and combine together well. The batter will be quite thick – this is perfect!

This is the stage where you add in the nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever you want in your brownies. Traditionally Americans usually go for walnuts, peanuts, or more chocolate! Personally, I like mine plain or maybe with pistachios or peanuts.

Next, pour the batter into the baking dish (as evenly as possible – but don’t try to smooth it as the batter will spread and even out on it's own). The brownies should not be too deep as the middle will "puff up" and it will take longer to cook...about 1.5-2 cm is about how deep the batter should end up - we aren't making chocolate cake here.

Cook for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick/skewer comes out clean.

We like to serve them slightly warm with vanilla ice cream on top...or just eat them as they are.

Enjoy!

REESES PIECES COOKIES

One flavour from home that I sometimes miss down here in Kiwiland is the Reeses brand peanut butter flavoured treats. I have found though, that both the Reeses Pieces and the Peanut Butter Cups (chocolate covered peanut butter) are both available at Kmart and sometimes at Woolworths. Yes, I do check out the local Kmart once in a while...it is one of the few places I can find certain American items that I like.

The Kiwis and Aussies are always commenting on the American love affair with peanut butter and even my loving husband cannot bring himself to eat it with jam (jelly to my American mates). When they see TV programs talking about the "peanut butter and jelly sandwich" they literally cringe...I can actually understand that one now, because "jelly" here is "Jell-O" to us 'Yankee Doodles'. Yes, I am referring to the gelatanous quivery, wiggly, jiggly, semi-solid food stuff that I never could stand the texture of in my mouth. Luckily, our daughter doesn't care much for it either, so I am pardoned from having to make any of the horrible concoction myself!

This cookie/biscuit recipe is loosely based on the Mrs. Fields chocolate chip recipe (from the good ‘ole homeland) with a few little adjustments to suit the Kiwi kitchen. I assisted my daughter in making this batch, so I will give her the credit for this post. ;o)

Here we go...

INGREDIENTS:

2½ Cups Flour
½ Tsp Baking Soda
¼ Tsp Salt
1 Cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
½ Cup Molasses
1 Cup Butter, softened
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla Essence/Extract
2 Cups Reeses Pieces Candy

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 150° F/300° C.

First, combine the flour, soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Next, cream the sugars, molasses and butter together in a large bowl. Blend these together until it forms a thick and grainy paste.

Now, add the eggs and vanilla to the creamed sugar mixture. Blend well with an electric mixer until it starts to get fluffy.

Slowly add about a half cup to a cup at a time of the flour mixture into the wet mixture and thoroughly combine before adding the Reeses Pieces. Be careful not to overmix.

Once the cookie dough is ready, drop rounded spoonfuls onto a silicone baking mat or non-stick baking tray about 2 inches apart from each other and bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Once cooked, transfer them immediately to a cooling rack or other cool surface for a few minutes before tucking in.

Enjoy!

TANGY BLUEBERRY BOURBON STEAK SAUCE

(Or...Blueberry Bourbon & Onion Chutney)

No, I'm NOT Joking!

Well, this all began with a family outing to the local blueberry farm, The Blueberry Farm And Bakehouse, where we spent a lovely, albeit windy, morning picking berries. We ended up picking roughly a kilogram (that's 2.2 Lbs) of blueberries and later purchased a "Gynormous Brownie Sundae" before heading home with our loot.

Now, we all know by now how good these little blue wonders can be for us with their antioxidants and such, however, I still needed to figure out what to do with them if we weren't going to eat them all within the next couple of days (a challenge even for us!). Sure, I thought about writing about pancakes, but seeing how my friend in Oregon had JUST posted hers, I certainly didn't want to be a copycat or look like I was competing for best blueberry pancakes, now did I?!?! Yes, I did make some of the standard blueberry muffins and I even took some berries (and muffins) next door to our favourite neighbour, but...I remembered seeing this weird, yet wonderful, recipe over at the Lobster Gram Recipe blog that I just had to try. Sure, I was hesitant...more like sceptical yet curious, but it sounded like it just might work. I often prepared my steaks this way or only slightly varying from it anyway, so the sauce was the only potential challenge for me. I just wasn't sure if the challenge was making or eating it! :o)

When the sauce was ready, it did smell REALLY, REALLY good...sort of a tangy and spicy barbecue sauce or slightly fruity onion chutney and it really was a fantastic compliment to the steaks (which we don't tend to eat too often in order to stick with healthier protein options when possible). What a treat this was!

Just as my last little comment here before you go start assembling the ingredients, I would suggest even making this in a larger batch and jarring/canning it as a gift or even just saving some aside as a snack topping. I took the leftover sauce with me next-door one day and we had it on crackers and cheese - YUMM...

Also, feel free to adjust the spices and try different types of peppers to change it up just a bit, but it is simply lovely just like this.

BLUEBERRY BOURBON SAUCE ~ INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ Tsp Light Cooking Oil (I use Rice Bran Oil, but Canola Oil is okay too)
½ Red Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed or chopped
1 Tsp Tabasco Sauce (or 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded & chopped)
¼ Cup Bourbon
1 Cup Blueberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
¼ Cup Tomato Ketchup (not the Kiwi “Tomato Sauce”, as it contains spices not found in proper ketchup)
3 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1½ Tsp Molasses
1 Pinch of Allspice (ground)


STEAKS ~ INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp Thyme, fresh chopped
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¾ Tsp Salt (I used freshly ground sea salt)
½ Tsp Black Pepper, coarsely ground
4 Steaks (Filet Mignon or Fillet Steaks are the best)

DIRECTIONS:

First, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Next add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Now add the garlic and Tabasco Sauce (or jalapenos) and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds before adding the bourbon.

Next, increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil, cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated, approx 2 to 5 minutes.

Stir in blueberries, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses and allspice and then return it to a boil.

Now reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened, approx 15 minutes or so.

Preheat the barbecue grill to high and then combine the thyme, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl to rub the onto both sides of the steaks.

Grill the steaks about 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, then allow the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving with the sauce.

This is a surprisingly tasty sauce and a versatile one at that, so give it a go and see what you think! Happy cooking!!!

HONIED CARROT AND SPICE BISCUITS

The weather “down-under” has been marvellous, but unfortunately the heat isn’t great for creative cooking inspiration. It just makes me lazy and I end up throwing together sort of interesting salads or just grilling everything on the BBQ. It makes for tasty light meals, but nothing too blog worthy really I'm afraid. I am working on some melon granitas and homemade ice cream today, so hopefully – with any luck – they will turn out as good as they sound and I will have some lovely summer treats coming up very soon.

This weekend was wild! I went sailing on Wellington Harbour with some friends and it was fantastic! It was a 8.2 metre keel boat (supposedly won’t tip over) and it was like being on a carnival ride with the boat deck being practically vertical half of the time. Now I am tossing up whether or not to take lessons at the local sailing academy. They are reasonably priced and in talking to experienced sailors it sounds like winter sailing is the best. I guess I need to see if it’s something I will have enough time for…

Anyway, this sweet recipe was a last-minute project I fooled around with the other night whilst craving something sweet and tasty, but sans chocolate. We had a massive chocolate overdose over the Christmas break and, unlike my hubby, I am ‘over it’ for a while! I have this old cookbook with 100 quick & easy cookie recipes in it, but I have noticed that sometimes a step or two is left out or the measurements aren’t quite right, so I had made a few notes that this one was okay, but needed a bit of help.

I started with the basic cookie recipe, but added vanilla and changed a few measurements to get this, the perfect cookie (or mini muffin). These do not come out hard or chewy really. This recipe yields a much softer almost cake-like biscuit that is very tasty indeed. Imagine an entire dish of the best part of the muffins – just the tops!

I hope you enjoy them!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Sugar
300 Gms (½ Cup) Butter, softened
2 Eggs
¼ Cup Honey
2 Tsp Vanilla Essence (extract)
2½ Cups Flour
2½ Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice mixed together)
¼ Tsp Salt
1 Med-Lg Carrot, shredded


DIRECTIONS:

First, preheat oven to 160 C (325 F).

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until pale yellow and fluffy.

Next, add eggs, honey and vanilla and beat well.

In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients and then slowly incorporate them into the sugar/butter mixture.

Mix until all of the ingredients are well combined then add the carrot and mix well again.

Now, with 2 spoons, shape the dough into approx 2-3cm (1-inch) balls and place them about 4 cm apart onto a silicone baking mat, or cookie sheet lined with baking paper.

Bake about 15-20 minutes or until the edges go slightly brown. Be careful not to overcook or they will be dry and possibly burnt on the bottoms.

Remove immediately and cool on a wire rack.

Voila - Perfectly delicious cake-like cookies.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen lovely biscuits or miniature muffins. If you prefer mini muffins, cook them longer – about 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick/skewer comes out clean.

RICE BUBBLE AND DATE TREATS

(aka RICE BUBBLE & DATE SLICE)

I believe it was Christmas Eve and I was next door for morning tea when Linda offered me a goodie from a plate of sinful options. My first taste was of a rice bubble slice (rice crispie treat) that Keri had made. Now, I have always been fond of the many crispie treats made with this cereal…the standard made with butter and marshmallow crème, the peanut butter varieties (with and without chocolate chips) and of course the cocoa version…but this one was even better than all of those combined (yes, honestly) so I just had to add this to my personal cookbook/recipe collection. I will admit though, that if I had known prior to tasting it that dates were a primary ingredient, I may have opted to try something else instead, as I am not usually one to go for dried fruits. I was VERY impressed, as you can see.

After having Keri write the recipe down for me, I stashed it away in my special recipe collection for the right opportunity to make it. These are a perfect snack to go with a cold glass of milk or even coffee or tea. They are quite sweet, but also flavourful because of the fruit content…beautiful!!!

This weekend we are attending a barbecue with some friends and, of course, wanted to bring something. Well, The host and hostess seem to have all of the main stuff taken care of (bbq meats, salads, devilled eggs, and even a few dessert options already), so I thought this was a perfect opportunity to share samples of Keri’s recipe.

One observation to note, is that in the beginning you start out with a pale yellow mixture. By the time this mixture is cooked and ready to remove from the heat, the colour has changed to a caramel brown and will have become very thick and gooey.

The flavour is sort of a caramel/butter toffee type of thing and the dates really just fall apart, so there is no need to chop them up ahead of time unless you REALLY want to!

Here’s how to make THE BEST rice bubble/rice crispie treats around!!!


INGREDIENTS:

1½ Cups Sugar
200 Gms (7oz) Butter
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Pinch Salt
3 Cups Whole Pitted Dates
6 Cups Ricies (Rice Crispies/Rice Bubbles)


DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, whisk the sugar and eggs together then, continue stirring over medium heat.

Add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended and the butter is fully melted and incorporated into the sugar and egg mixture.

Next, add the vanilla and salt and, when those are well incorporated, add the dates. The dates will automatically break down in the cooking process so no chopping is really necessary unless you prefer to cut them up first.

Now bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thick & brown. Watch it carefully to prevent sticking and/or burning.

Cool the mixture for 5-10 minutes then add rice bubbles and mix until the rie bubbles are all well coated and everything is well combined.

Now, carefully tip out the mixture into a rectangle baking dish or aluminium tin about 13 x 9 inches or 30 x 25 centimetres.

Once completely cooled, cut into squares and it’s ready to eat.

This is especially sweet too, so have a glass of milk at the ready! This is quite a tasty snack and it is inexpensive to make. The squares are great for sharing at a party or taking to a friend’s place in exchange for a cup of tea. This is especially good for a quick & easy option for a school bring-along dish as well.

Cheers again Keri…

LOBSTER GRAMS

A GIFT FOR LONG-DISTANCE LOVED ONES

I remember having lunch one day, years ago now, with a workmate friend of mine in Portland, Oregon as we discussed a great new gift giving idea. She had ordered a complete lobster dinner for her mother-in-law's birthday, complete with the pot to cook it in as well as tools to break open the shells. Of course at that time I didn't really have a budget that would allow such luxurious generosity, nor did I have any friends or family too far from home that I couldn't just post something in the mail if need be. Nevertheless, I kept the idea in mind just in case my circumstances did change someday.

Fast forward now to today and I do live on the other side of the world and I do have the means to treat my family once in a blue moon. Well, last year I ordered my first lobster gram for Mom's birthday...a "Ship To Shore Gram For Two", because of course I couldn't let Dad eat spaghetti or Rice-a-Roni whilst Mom feasted on clam chowder, filet mignon, lobster and chocolate lava cakes, now could I?... It was a "grand slam", a "touchdown"...or a "try" for you rugby fans out there! What I am trying to say, albeit with cheesy sport analogies, is that they LOVED this gift and told me in no uncertain terms that I had spent too much (which I didn't) and that they'd be all too happy to get those in the future instead of the odd chocolate and licorice parcels from Kiwiland!

I was told that these dinners were of the highest quality, they came superbly packed in dry ice and, they came with thawing and cooking instructions as well as clarified butter for the lobster. Dad said it was better than any restaurant dinner he had experienced in a long time (and they like to eat out for birthdays, anniversaries, and the occasional night out just because...). It was a huge compliment from them and I was ever so pleased that they really felt treated.

If you are interested in having a look at the options available (they also do other seafood and steaks as well as desserts, sides, etc.), here is the link to LiveLob and a recipe blog for seafood and steaks. They even have a LiveLob review blog here if you are interested in having a peek.

In any case, I personally feel this was a fantastic idea for gift giving - especially if the recipient already has anything they might want or need. Next time you can't think of what to get Nana and granddad, or your favourite Aunt in California, have a look at the LiveLob web specials and see if one of their packages would be a good fit.

I have already inquired, and unfortunately they don't ship to international destinations...BUGGER...but, they are splendid for the rest of you and your kin.

Bon Appetite!

CREME DE MENTHE

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Makes about 30 truffles

I suppose I was feeling a bit adventurous this year, so I decided to try my hand at truffles. Not just any truffles, mind you, but my favourites with lots of peppermint! I used my own homemade creme de menthe (one for me, two for the pot) and a bit of extra peppermint extract to make them more aromatic and to allow the mint to penetrate the very rich dark chocolate.

They turned out wonderfully and they just melted in your mouth. I ended up giving most of them away as gifts (self-preservation) but did enjoy just a couple myself. They are really quite simple to make (although messy as all heck) so, perhaps I'll experiment with other flavours...I still have plenty homemade kahlua in the pantry alongside the creme de menthe, hmmmmm....

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Cream

½ Cup Creme De Menthe

(and/or optional peppermint extract - depending on how strong you like them)
250 Gm Dark Chocolate (at least 72% Cocoa), broken into small pieces.
¼ Cup Unsalted Butter
*Cocoa Powder for rolling truffles at the end

* Amount will vary with each batch.


DIRECTIONS:

First, break or cut the chocolate into small peices and put them into a medium heat resistant bowl and set aside.

Next, heat the cream and creme de menthe (and/or peppermint extract) and bring to a boil.

Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately pour the hot liquid over the chocolate and stir carefully until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture becomes a creamy and smooth ganache.

Now, add the butter and mix again until well combined before pouring the entire contents into a glass dish to cool in the refrigerator.

Refrigerate for 2 hours minimum – overnight preferred.

When the compound is hard but malleable, use a melon-baller or two teaspoons to form a small quinelle of ganache, roll them between (gloved) hands into a small ball, and then roll them in the cocoa powder.

The ganache will tend to melt as soon as you touch it, so don't roll them too long. Laytex gloves work well to assist in rolling truffles as they keep the mess localized and you don't need to keep rinsing hands in between balls. Adding some cocoa powder to your palms before rolling the quinelles into balls also helps, somewhat, to keep the chocolate from sticking to everything.

Set the truffles aside to chill in a sealed container when all of the truffles are done.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder and/or icing sugar (powdered/confectioners' sugar) then chill until 1 hour prior to serving.

To fully appreciate the flavour and consistency, they are best served at room temperature.

ENJOY!

5-MINUTE MUG CAKE

Okay Dad, this is the one you were waiting for! Hope it meets with your approval.

I promised a 5-minute mug cake, although this one is really more of a tea-“cup”-cake (pun fully intended). Anyway, the original recipe fell a bit flat of my expectations, so I modified it slightly. I think it began as an email that my dear husband received from a work mate (probably as a sort of joke) but he printed it for me to try nevertheless. It sounded interesting, so I gave it a go.

I found that the cocoa powder made it a bit drier and if I used almond or orange essence rather than the cocoa powder, it actually improved the texture quite a bit. I have also added baking powder to make it a bit fluffier. In any case, it’s a good little recipe to have handy if you just have a hankering for a sweet hunk of cake and don’t want to share. :o)

Hey Cheryl, this might be good with a cuppa coffee by the TV watching the Food Network…beats cereal!!! (Offered with love, of course.)

I just made a simple chocolate butter cream frosting but it’s good on it’s own too. Oh, and just one more thing to note...my Tbsp are equal to 3 Tsp (unlike the Aussie 4 Tsp per Tbsp).


INGREDIENTS:

4 Tbsp High Grade Flour
4 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa (or 1 teaspoon of your favourite flavour essence…almond, orange, lemon, etc.)
½ Tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg
3½ Tbsp Milk
½ Tsp Vanilla Essence/Extract
3 Tbsp Oil
3 Tbsp Chocolate Chips (or M&M’s in a pinch)

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium measuring jug, combine all dry ingredients and mix well.

Crack in the egg and mix well then add the milk, vanilla, and oil, mixing until there are no visible lumps.

Now pour it into your coffee mug or favourite microwaveable teacup and nuke it in the microwave for 2½ to 3 minutes (until the cake stops rising and sets in the mug/cup).

Allow it to cool at least a minute before devouring!

For my simple chocolate frosting, get about a Tbsp of soft butter, a splash of vanilla, a teaspoon of cocoa powder and mix that well. Now add a splash of VERY hot water and one spoon at a time, add icing sugar and mix well…continue adding icing sugar until it reaches the consistency you desire. I ended up with about ½ cup of icing – just the right amount!

Now, sit back and enjoy!

CRÈME DE MENTHE

(Makes approximately 2 Litres)

This is a very refreshing liqueur that is great on ice cream or even on it’s own as an aperitif. A good place to keep it (if you have the room) is in the freezer.

Unfortunately, the Kiwis are particularly fond of their doll-sized appliances (don’t get me started on the laundry situation), so I keep my homemade liqueurs in a small storage area where hubby likes to keep his wine collection…it’s also a nice storage area for Santa when he needs to drop off a few items early.

One upcoming recipe to watch for will be Grasshopper Pie, using this lovely liqueur. I may even make a Grasshopper milkshake or two with a lovely Kapiti Coast Vanilla Bean Ice Cream…mmm. We can hardly wait! Summer is nearly here – bring it on!!!


INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Water
5 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Fresh Mint Leaves
2 Tbsp Peppermint Essence/Extract
2 Tsp Green Food Colour
1 Litre Vodka


DIRECTIONS:

In a stockpot, combine water and sugar and bring to a boil to form a syrup base.

Allow the syrup to simmer approximately 2-3 minutes then remove from heat and gently stir in mint leaves.

Leave it in a cool place for a few hours until the syrup reaches room temperature again, then remove mint leaves and discard them.

Now add the peppermint essence, food colouring, and vodka then mix well.

Next, pour the mixture into sterilized glass bottles and make sure to use an airtight seal once they are full.

Store in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks before consuming.

See? This is ‘easy as’ and really yummy. The hardest part is waiting to try it! These make great gifts too, so make sure you get the appropriate size when purchasing your decorative bottles.

Enjoy…

ALMOND & MASCARPONE COOKIES

If you love soft and chewy cookies (biscuits to you Kiwis out there) then you will love these. This recipe doesn’t over sweeten the cookies as some recipes tend to do, and the texture & taste is similar to a shortbread/sweet shortcake biscuit here.

One thing to note whan making these though, is that they do NOT brown like chocolate chip or sugar cookies. They are meant only to go slightly golden around the edges, so here is how you make them.


INGREDIENTS:

125 Gms (4 ½ Oz) Mascarpone Cheese or Softened Cream Cheese
1 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tbsp Milk
½ Tsp Almond Extract (Almond Essence or Flavouring)
2½ Cups High Grade Flour
1 Cup Sliced Almonds, toasted


DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, beat the cheese, butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Blend in egg yolk, milk and almond extract.

Gradually mix in the flour until well combined.

Gently fold in the almonds.

The dough is very thick and sticky, but needs to be divided in half. To do this, tear off two sheets of baking paper approximately an arms length long (1½ to 2 feet more or less) then place half the dough onto each sheet.

Working through the paper, shape each half into a log roll about a foot long (30 cm more or less).

Whilst still rolled in the paper, refrigerate until quite firm. This recipe makes approximately 4 dozen cookies, so you may even opt to seal one half in a freezer bag to store frozen until you are ready for another batch of fresh cookies.

When ready, Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F) and cut roll/s into ½ cm (approx ¼ inch) thick slices and place the slices onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the edges are golden – do not cook until brown.

Let them sit for a minute to cool on the baking sheet, then shift them to cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

ZUCCHINI BREAD

ZUCCHINI BREAD

I love the smell of freshly baked holiday-style loafs and cakes, and this one is one of my all time favourites (right up there with bananna nut bread and carrot cake). There is just something about the sweet cinnamon & clove aromas that just say to me, "Thanksgiving is nearly here!" or, "Christmas isn't far off now!".

Kiwis don't celebrate Thanksgiving because it's really just an American tradition...or so I thought. Some of my formerly Canadian, now Kiwi, friends have pointed out that Canada actually has their own version as well. Good on 'em, I say!!! For those of you who don't really know what it means to us, it's basically a day to be thankful for all you have...your health, friends, family, and anything else you can think of. A common question I get regards gift-giving... We do not exchange gifts until Christmas, but usually the invitees bring something to go with the main holiday meal or else bring a dessert. Some folks bring salads or their favourite side dish, others bring the traditional pumpkin or pecan pies. The host usually roasts a stuffed turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy, however not being a huge turkey fan, I sometimes opt for a honey-baked style ham or a leg of lamb is nice provided it's prepared well.

In any case, for many Americans, Thanksgiving is just a test-run for holiday recipes before Christmas, as the feast is usually similar as are the guests often times. My grandmother was an amazing cook and came up with all sorts of goodies. Even when my family lived far away, we could always count on some christmas baking in the form of a black walnut & cinnamon Christmas tree-shaped stolen and some homemade fudge & divinity.

The loaf I made here, the Zucchini Bread, is a favourite with many Americans. To you Kiwis & Aussies out there unsure of what a zucchini is - you call them courgettes! This loaf is very similar to carrot cake or bananna bread, so don't be afraid to put veggies into your baking now and then.

In my own version here, I sometimes add carrots and various nuts (whatever I have in the pantry, usually), so this one was made with carrot and pistachios rather than only courgettes and/or walnuts. It's a thick batter and makes one large loaf or two medium loaves, so I usually split it into two just to keep my loaf pan from overflowing!

INGREDIENTS:

2 ½ Cups (315gm) High Grade Flour
1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups (375gm) Sugar
¾ Cup Salad Oil
3 Eggs
2 Cups (500gm) Unpeeled Zucchini
1 Small/Med Carrot Peeled & Grated
1 Cup Finely Chopped Nuts (Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds, or Pistachios work well)
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) oil-spray loaf pan (22 ½ x 12 ½ x 7 ½ cm) then line with baking paper cut to fit pan. (Baking paper is optional, but I found it very clean & easy to use.)

Sift together – Flour, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a separate mixing bowl, with heavy wooden spoon or electric mixer, combine the sugar, oil and eggs and beat until smooth.

Slowly add in sifted dry ingredients until well combined and smooth.

Now add grated zucchini and carrot, vanilla extract and nuts.

Bread will rise, so carefully pour batter into prepared loaf pan/s leaving approximately 1 cm of space at the top, then bake 60-75 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean (I cooked mine 70 minutes).

Allow the loaf to cool in the pan at least 10 minutes prior to turning out onto cooling rack/wire bread rack.

Décor Ingredients (optional):

½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ Cup Sugar
10 Walnut Halves

DECORATING IDEA:

If desired, before serving combine ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ cup of sugar.

Turn the loaf upside down to decorate edges with cinnamon sugar then use approximately 10 walnut halves to decorate the top.

This bread is lovely served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It is also nice just served warm or cold with butter or margarine.

Enjoy!