Brenda's recipe collection

Apple Pie

2009-05-12T23:29:00.000-07:00

This recipe is super easy, and the pie is sooo yummy. I have made pies before using ready made pastry and that's fine if that's what you want to do, but I really wanted to try and make the pastry myself this time. It worked, it was light and crispy and the apples were just perfect, so give it a go because if I can do it anyone can!

Ingredients

Pastry

180g butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk ( reserve the white for the glaze )
1 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 1/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted

Filling

6 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp nutmeg
30g butter ( cubed )

How to

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla essence with an electric beater until smooth and creamy and increased in volume. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until well combined.
Transfer to a large bowl. Add the sifted flours and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Place onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 even pieces. Knead each gently until mixture comes together. Wrap in baking paper and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Peel apples, cut into quarters and remove seeds. Cut each quarter into thin slices. Place in a bowl. Add brown sugar,cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg to chopped apples and mix well until all of the apple is coated.
Prehet oven to 200 degrees. Brush pie dish with melted butter.
Roll out one piece of pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to fit the base and sides of the pie dish. Carefully ease the pastry into the dish. Spread bread crumbs over pastry base followed by apples.
Cut 30g butter into cubes and place on top of the apples then roll out remaining pastry and cover apples completely. Gently press edges together and cut away excess pastry with a knife.
Beat the remaining egg white with a fork until just foamy. Brush the top of the pie with the eggwhite and sprinkle with sugar. Cut a cross in the top of the pastry.
Bake for 15 minutes at 200 degrees then reduce to 180 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Soup

2009-05-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 Bacon Bone
2 Cups chicken stock
4 medium size potaotes
1.5 kg ( 3lbs x 5oz ) pumpkin......I used Butternut.
1 large onion
1/2 cup cream
chives
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dollop of sour cream ( optional )

How to

Peel and cut pumpkin and potaotes into small chunks.
Dice onion and together with the Bacon Bone, pumpkin, potatoes and chicken stock put into a large pot. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Add some extra water to the pot and cover the ingredients. Bring to the boil.
Turn down heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours....you might need to add a little extra water towards the end.
Remove the bacon bone, drain off about 50% of the liquid....keep some aside just incase your soup is too thick and you need to thin it out.
Blend with a hand blender until nice and smooth, add cream and mix again, if mixture is too thick add a little of the saved liquid.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream, chives and a rustic loaf of bread for dipping.

Banana Muffins

2009-05-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ripe bananas

How to

Combine milk, egg, margarine, vanilla and bananas , and blend in a mixing jug.
Place flour and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in milk mixture.
Pour mixture into a greased muffin tray.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 180 degrees.

This mixture will make 12 large muffins or 24 cupcake sized muffins.

*Add in some choc chips for the kids*

Crash Hot Potatoes

2009-05-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

I got this super easy recipe from Pioneer Woman.

ingredients

New small tound potatoes ( as many as you wish to eat )
Olive Oil
Salt
Black pepper
Rosemary

How to

Boil potatoes in a pot of salted water until they are fork-tender.
Drissle olive oil on a sheet tray, place potatoes on tray leaving plenty of room between each one.
With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes. Brush the top of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with salt, fresh ground pepper and fresh chopped rosemary ( chives or thyme would make a great alternative ).
Bake in a 22o degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown.

Fluffy Potatoes

2009-04-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

9 or 10 medium to largepotatoes ( 18 to 20 halves )
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup of grated cheese, save a little to put on top at the end.
2 rashes of bacon
chives

How to

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Rinse and dry potatoes, place on a baking tray and drizzle over the olive oil.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
While potatoes are baking dice bacon and fry off ready to add to mix.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out inside with a spoon.
Put potato pulp and sour cream in a bowl and mash, add other ingredients and mix well.
Place potato cups on a baking tray and spoon some of the mix into each one.
Put a little extra cheese on top of each.
Bake until completely warmed through and cheese has melted.

Apple Slice

2009-04-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

340g pkt vanilla cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
400g tin pie apples (even better if you can do your own)
200g sour cream
1 egg
cinnamon sugar

How to

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Mix butter and cake mix to a dough. Spread evenly in a paper lined rectangular baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Combine egg and sour cream then add the apple to the mix. Spread mix evenly over the base, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Cool in the fridge. Serve cold .

Basic Cupcakes

2009-01-16T19:57:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk

How to

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition (mixture will separate at this stage). Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in half the four. Stir in half the milk. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk until combined.
Spoon into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for approx 15 to 18 minutes.
Once cooled decorate with your choice of frosting.

Banana Bread

2008-09-11T00:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 Bananas
2 tablespoons golden syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup self raising flour
pinch of salt

How to

Heat oven to 180 degress ( 160 degrees fan forced )
Grease and line the base of a loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, mash bananas then add golden syrup. Add sugar and stir in. Add egg, sifted flour and salt and lightly mix until combined.
Pour into loaf pan and cook for 30 minutes or until a skewer is inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire rack to cool.

You can make it a little more special by adding chopped dates or choc chips to the mix just before pouring into the tin........yummo!!!!

Chicken Macaroni Cheese

2008-09-04T01:01:00.000-07:00

This one came out of a magazine....not sure which one.....I thought it would be great for kids...... I also served it up in individual ramekins for a bit of fun.

Ingredients

250 grams short pasta ( Such as rigatoni, macaroni )
60 grams butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 cups milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed ( I used mixed vegetables )
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives

How to

Cook pasta in well-salted water until just tender, set aside.
Melt butter in medium saucepan, add flour, cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until mixture thickens and bubbles. Gradually stir in milk, cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens, Remove from heat, stir in half the cheeses. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Preheat oven to 220 degrees (200 degrees fan-forced)
Combine the pasta, chicken,peas chives and half the sauce; mix well. Spread mixture in a shallow 2 litre ( 8 cup ) ovenproof dish. Spread to with remaining sauce and cheeses. bake for about 20 minutes or until brown.

Choc-chip Cookies

2008-09-02T15:42:00.001-07:00

I went searching for a really easy recipe and found this one at The Australian Women Weekly. With this mix I made 38 giant and I mean giant cookies...... so you should really get approximately 70 smaller size cookies....... great for lunch boxes or after school.

Ingredients

250g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups of unbleached plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

How to

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C. Grease an oven tray.
Cream butter, brown and castor sugars together until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add vanilla and mix well.
Sift dry ingredients together and stir in, mixing thoroughly.
Stir in chocolate chips, and place mixture in spoonfuls onto the baking tray.
Bake for 8 - 10 minutes
Remove from oven while centres are slightly soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Apple Crumble Slice

2008-08-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe out of a Recipes+ Magazine.....I also added extra brown sugar and cinnamon.

Ingredients

1 kg (5) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, roughly chopped
1/3 cup firmly packed soft brown sugar
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup icing sugar mixture
230g cold butter, chopped
Iced water
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

How to

Place apples in a saucepan; add half the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon tap water, Cover; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, simmer, stirring often, until liquid evaporates. Cool.
Preheat oven to 180*C/160* fan forced. Grease and line a 30 x 20 cm lamington pan with baking paper. Place flour, icing sugar and 200g butter in a food processor, pulse until crumbly. Add 3 tablespoons Iced water: pulse until mixture forms small clumps, add 1 more tablespoon if needed. Place 1/3 crumble mixture in a bowl; cover and chill, knead remaining mixture into a dough: press evenly in base of pan.
Line pastry with baking paper; bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove weight and paper; bake for 10 minutes more or until pale golden. Cool. Spread apple over pastry.
Add oats to chilled crumble with walnuts, cinnamon and remaining brown sugar. Rub in 30g butter to make coarse crumbs; sprinkle over apple. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden . cool slightly before cutting.

Chocolate Slice

2008-08-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

Ingrediants

1 1/4 cups Self Raising Flour
2 tablespoons Cocoa
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
125 g melted butter

How to

Line a 20 x 30 cm slice tray with baking paper, melt butter and set aside.Combine all the dry ingredients and the egg before adding the melted butter. Bake in a moderate oven for 10 minutes and allow to cool slightly in tray before transfering to a cooling rake.

This slice is great with either chocolate icing or dust with icing sugar.

Spotted Cookies.

2008-08-26T00:20:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

185 g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vanilla essence
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

* If using dough logs straight away, chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Dough will store in the fridge in airtight wrappings for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

How to

Using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift flour with baking powder; stir into mixture.
Divide dough in half. On a sheet of baking paper, shape each half into a 4 x 30cm roll. Roll logs in paper; twist ends to seal.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees / 160 degrees fan forced. Cut logs in 5mm-thick slices. Place on trays. Press smarties or choc bits gently into dough. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden.

Chocolate Brownie Slice

2008-08-25T02:09:00.000-07:00

I came across this on Melissa Goodsell's Blog........it's soooo yummy and easy to make.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
125 grams melted better
1/2 cup self raising flour
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla ( to help make it nice and moist)
Icing sugar - to sprinkle on top once cool.

How to

Beat the eggs, butter and sugar together, add the cocoa, flour and vanilla and mix again.

Bake in a moderate oven ( 180 degrees ) for about 20 - 30 minutes.

It should be dense and fudgy.

Sprinkle with icing sugar once cool.