No Bake Mango Cheesecake

500g/18oz mango pulp, diced
500g/18oz cream cheese
½ cup/125g/4oz sugar
7 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon gelatine
300ml/10fl oz fresh cream
1 cup biscuits (any unsalted variety, digestive biscuits go well)
75g/3oz plain unsalted butter

Method

Blend biscuits in a food processor and mix in melted butter.
Press into the bottom of the cheesecake tin.
Place in the freezer compartment while you work with the rest of the ingredients, so that the base is firm.
Process cream cheese and sugar in the food processor until smooth,.
Mix the gelatine with warm water and allow to cool.
Add cream to mango cheese mixture and blend for less than a minute. To avoid curdling, make sure the cream is chilled.
Add cooled gelatine mix and blend for about 40 seconds.
Fold in remaining mango dices into mixture.
Pour over biscuit base and refrigerate covered in the fridge. Generally, it is ready to serve in 5 – 6 hours.
Decorate with mango pieces and serve.

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

No bake delicious tropical mango cheesecake, three simple ways of making it a great dessert for parties.

Preparation Time : 45 minutes
Servings : 8
:
1 Big Can evaporated milk
1 Box (250 g) cream cheese
400 Grams ripe mango
1 Can (170 ml) all purpose cream
2 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/2 Cup water
1 1/4 Cups of Honey Graham Crumbs
1/4 Cup of softened margarine or butter

Combine thoroughly 1 1/4 cups of Honey Graham Crumbs with 1/4 cup of melted butter
and press it against the bottom of 9 inch spring pan or a 9 inch pie plate.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup of hot water.
Blend together the cream cheese, evaporated milk, dissolved gelatine in a blender or food processor.
Add slices ripe mango and blend for another minute, saving some slices for topping.

Whip the all purpose cream well and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Pour into a 9 inch spring pan and refrigerate until set.
Top with mango slices and serve.

No Bake Oreo Cheesecake

24 oreo cookies divided into 3 sets of 8
2 tbsp melted butter
5 inch springform pan or any round container
1 pack (250ml) whipping cream, chilled
1 pack (100 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp confectioner's sugar
1/4 tspn vanilla extract
1. Put 8 pcs of oreo cookies in a mixing bowl and crush them using something like a meat tenderizer...until very fine and crumbly.
2. Add in melted butter and mix thoroughly.
3. Place mixture in a round container (preferably a 5 inch spring form) and flatten using a spatula.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, place whipping cream and beat, using an electric mixer, for 3 to 5 minutes or until it doubles in volume.
5. In another mixing bowl, put together cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract in that order. Beat until a nice cream forms. Add the whipping cream mixture and then beat together for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Using your hands, break the 2nd set of oreo cookies (8 pcs.) into tiny bits and add them to the whip cream and cheese cream mixture. Using a spatula, fold and mix everything together until nicely combined.
7. Add the cream mixture on top of the crushed oreas in the round container and build it up until you reach the top. Flatten using your spatula.
8. Top it off with some oreo cookie chunks or decorate it the way you want it.
9. Put in the fridge to chill or in the freezer until set to give you a kind of an ice cream texture.
10. Yummy

No Bake Fruity Cheesecake

Makes 12-14 servings

Crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup melted butter/margarine
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Topping:
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup fruit cocktail syrup
1 can (836 g)DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail, well drained (reserve syrup)

Filling:
1½ tbsp unflavored gelatin
⅓ cup fruit cocktail syrup
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pack (225 g) cream cheese, softened
½ cup all-purpose cream, chilled

PROCEDURE:

1. Crust: Combine ingredients for the crust. Mix well. Press into 9” pie plate (or removable bottom pan). Cover and freeze for 30 minutes.

2. Topping: Heat cornstarch mixture with constant stirring until it becomes thick. Add sugar and DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail. Remove from flame and set aside.

3. Filling: Combine gelatin and fruit cocktail syrup. Stir. Heat over low flame until it dissolves. Add sugar and vanilla then set aside. Beat cream cheese until smooth and set this aside. Beat all-purpose cream until it becomes very fluffy (soft peak) then add this to the cream cheese. Mix until well blended.

4. Slowly pour gelatin mixture into the cream mixture. Mix well. Fold in ¾ of DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail mixture. Pour over prepared crust. Cover and chill until set. Top with remaining DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail.

No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker
1/4 cup walnuts or mixed nuts
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice(optional)

Cheesecake Filling:
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream or all-purpose cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings:
1 can Blueberry pie filling(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Put mixed nuts in a blender or food processor and blend until finely crushed.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine crushed graham, crushed nuts cinnamon powder, lemon juice, sugar and butter then mix until well combined.
2. Mixture should be moist, add more butter if too dry.
3. In a 9-inch pan, spread and press down the crust mixture up to 1-inch bottom thick and 2-inch up the side.
4. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

Part 2
1. In a bowl, mix cream cheese until smooth then slowly add sugar and vanilla. Mix until well blended.
2. In a separate bowl, combine whipping cream and sugar until smooth. Mix until well blended.
3. Combine cream cheese mixture and whipping cream mixture. Mix well.

Part 3
1. Pour and spread evenly the filling into the crust. Smooth the top using rubber spatula and tap the pan to release some air bubbles.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until firm.
3. Top with blueberry pie filling or just plain. Serve Chilled.

Note:
1. You may also use other pie fillings like cherry or strawberry.

Blackforest Cheesecake

Preparation Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 50 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

* Melted butter, to grease
* 200g plain chocolate biscuits
* 125g butter, melted
* 200g good-quality dark cooking chocolate, chopped
* 1 tbs boiling water
* 1 tsp gelatine
* 2 x 250g pkt cream cheese, at room temperature
* 70g (1/3 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
* 1 x 670g jar morello cherries
* 2 tbs caster sugar
* 1 tbs cornflour
* White chocolate curls, to decorate

Method

1. Brush a shallow 10 x 34cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin, with removable base, with melted butter to lightly grease.
2. Place biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add butter and process until combined. Transfer to prepared pan. Use a glass to spread and press mixture firmly over base and sides of pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
3. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure bowl doesn't touch water) and stir until melted.
4. Place water in a heatproof glass. Sprinkle with gelatine and stir with a fork until it dissolves.
5. Use an electric beater to beat cream cheese and brown sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add chocolate and gelatine, and beat until combined. Spoon into base and use a knife to smooth the surface. Place in fridge for 1 hour to chill.
6. Meanwhile, drain cherries and reserve syrup. Combine sugar and cornflour in a saucepan. Gradually add the syrup. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 minutes or until sauce boils. Remove from heat. Add the cherries. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
7. Slice cheesecake. Serve topped with cherries and chocolate curls. 

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

NO BAKE MANGO CHEESECAKE

For the crust:
250 g finely crushed graham crackers
100 g melted unsalted butter
100 g white sugar
For the filling:
340 g cream cheese
250 ml heavy cream
1/2 cup mango pulp
1-2 pcs mango, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp gelatin
1/2 cup hot water
For the glaze topping:
1 cup mango pulp
1 tbsp gelatin
1/2 cup hot water
1 pc mango, sliced thinly (half moon shape)
Cooking Instructions:

For the crust:
Combine the graham crackers, sugar and melted butter.
Press this mixture to a loose bottom tin or the dish you are using.
Refrigerate it while you make the rest of the cheesecake.
For the filling:
Dissolve gelatin in hot water.
Whip the whipping cream with two to three tbsps icing sugar
till soft-medium peaks form.
Combine the cream cheese and sugar till it becomes smooth.
Combine the mango puree and warm gelatin mixture.
Add this to the cream cheese mixture. Mix well.
Add the whipping cream to this in two batches and combine well.
Add the mango pieces and mix well.
Pour this mixture over the biscuit base and return it to the fridge.
Make sure that this layer is refrigerated for a minimum of two hours
before adding the glaze topping
For the glaze topping:
Dissolve the gelatin in hot water.
Once it is dissolved, add it to the mango puree and mix well.
Pour this over the cream layer.
Once it is set, put sliced mangoes to garnish the cheesecake.
Refrigerate for another two hours before serving.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Whatever season or occasion, cheesecakes are always a crowd favorite. With its rich and creamy taste, no one can definitely say no. And since it’s a hit to (almost) everyone, turning it into a business is a great thing to do. Plus, no baking required—a bonus for you!

Cheesecakes are usually baked in an oven to achieve the right consistency of the cake. It also comes in a variety of flavors like (the famous) blueberry or strawberry and cookies and cream cheesecakes. However, if you’re just starting up or have a limited budget, you can rely on this recipe to enter into this venture. We bring you this peanut butter cheesecake recipe to start your own food business and keep you going.

Ingredients:

For the crust:
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 pack graham crackers crushed
• ¼ cup melted butter

For the filling:
• 1 pack of softened cream cheese
• 1 cup of whipped cream
• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 1 can of condensed milk
• Fruits/Nuts (optional)

Procedures:

1. For the crust, mix the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl.

2. After mixing, spread and press the mixture onto the bottom and one inch up the sides of the glass pan and refrigerate.

3. For the filling, combine the cream cheese, whipped cream, and condensed milk. Beat well until you get the smooth consistency.

4. Add the peanut butter and mix again.

5. Get the crust out of the refrigerator and fill it with the cheesecake mixture.

6. Top it off with your desired fruits or nuts.

7. Chill for about 5-7 hours.

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

No bake delicious tropical mango cheesecake, three simple ways of making it a great dessert for parties.

Preparation Time : 45 minutes
Servings : 8
:
1 Big Can evaporated milk
1 Box (250 g) cream cheese
400 Grams ripe mango
1 Can (170 ml) all purpose cream
2 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/2 Cup water
1 1/4 Cups of Honey Graham Crumbs
1/4 Cup of softened margarine or butter

Combine thoroughly 1 1/4 cups of Honey Graham Crumbs with 1/4 cup of melted butter
and press it against the bottom of 9 inch spring pan or a 9 inch pie plate.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup of hot water.
Blend together the cream cheese, evaporated milk, dissolved gelatine in a blender or food processor.
Add slices ripe mango and blend for another minute, saving some slices for topping.

Whip the all purpose cream well and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Pour into a 9 inch spring pan and refrigerate until set.
Top with mango slices and serve.

No Bake Cheese Cake

1 graham cracker crust
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions:

1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then slowly add the sugar and vanilla. Beat mixture until well blended.

2. In a clean chilled bowl, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.

3. Slowly beat the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

4. Spoon filling mixture into graham cracker crust. Chill for 4-6 hours before serving.

Mango Float Refregerated Cake

Graham crackers
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1 pack all-purpose cream
1 can condensed milk
3 pieces of ripe mangoes(over ripe is best), thinly sliced
a square or rectangular dish or container

Procedure:
1. In a separate bowl, mix condensed milk and all purpose cream until well blended.
2..Place and fill the bottom of the dish with graham crackers. You can break the crackers or you can lay it whole..
3. When the bottom of the dish, is already filled, spread around 1/3 of the milk mixture on top of the crackers. Use a spoon to spread evenly.
4. Place some mango slices on top after milk mixture has been spread evenly. .
5..Repeat the steps 2,3 and 4. until you have 3 levels..
6.. The top layer should be the slices of mangoes covered with crushed graham crackers..
7. Cover container with tin foil and put in the freezer for an hour or so.
8. Slice and serve.

This is a very yummy, sweet and good dessert that your family, friends and visitors will love.

Graham Refregerated Cake

1 pack 200 grams Graham Crackers
1 cup condensed milk
1 pack all purpose cream
1 cup grapes, halved
1 to 2 cups kiwi, sliced thinly
1 to 2 cups crushed Graham crackers

In a bowl, mix the all-purpose cream and condensed milk then set aside.

In a rectangular deep tray, lay some Graham crackers down. Fill in the gaps with crushed Graham crackers. Add milk/cream mixture on top of the laid Graham crackers and spread evenly until all crackers are covered completely.
Top with some kiwi fruits.

Add another layer of Graham crackers and crushed Graham crackers and repeat the procedure.

Now, do the third layer of graham crackers and repeat the procedure this time adding kiwi and grapes at the topmost layer. You can also top the cream parts up with crushed Grahams or opt to completely fill the top layer with fruits.

Cover tray with clingy plastic or cellophane and put Graham refrigerated cake in the freezer for about an hour or two and let thaw before serving.

Crema De Fruita Refregerated Cake

1 pack (250ml) all purpose cream
1 cup condensed milk
1 pack (250g) graham crackers
1 can (234 g) tropical fruit cocktail, drained (reserve syrup)
2 ripe mango or 1 can peaches in syrup, sliced into wedges

For the gelatin:
2 packs unflavored gelatin
Fruit cocktail syrup

Combine cream & milk. Mix well. Cover bottom of square pan (7" x 7") or rectangular 8 x 5 with graham crackers. Spread with 1/3 cup of cream.-milk mixture then cover with layers mango slices. Then cover with graham crackers. Spread with another 1/3 of cream mixture. Spread mango or peaches slices then cover with another layer of graham crackers and spread the remaining cream mixture. Arrange tropical fruits on top. Cover and chill.

Heat fruit cocktail syrup. Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Cool until thick. Pour over chilled cake. Chill again until gelatin is set.

Red Velvet Loaf Cake

Serves 6
Preparation: 10 min
Cooking: 40 min

CAKE
625 ml (2½ c) flour
500 ml (2 c) sugar
30 ml (2 T) cocoa
5 ml (1 t) bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
250 ml (1 c) oil
250 ml (1 c) buttermilk
15 ml (1 T) vinegar
5 ml (1 t) vanilla
few drops red food colouring

FROSTING
60 g cream cheese, softened
30 g butter, softened
2,5 ml (½ t) vanilla essence
180 ml (¾ c) icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 180 ˚C and grease a medium loaf tin.
1 Whisk together all the wet ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Set aside.

2 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until combined.

3 Mix together the wet ingredients and dry ingredients until completely combined. Spoon the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

4 Frosting Place cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until pale. Gradually add the icing sugar to the mixture, beating until combined. Spoon over the cake.

Pears in Red Wine

A jar of pears in red wine in your store cupboard is a great standby when unexpected guests arrive.

Makes 1 x 1 litre jar of preserved pears in red wine

• 9 medium-sized pears
• 1½ bottles red wine
• 165 g (205 ml) sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 star anise seeds
• zest of 2 lemons, cut into long, thin strips

Peel the pears but keep the stems intact. Cover the pears with lightly salted water. Bring red wine, sugar, cinnamon, star anise and zest to the boil in a large saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Put whole pears in the red wine mixture, cover and cook for 25 minutes or until soft. Turn pears occasionally while cooking. Pack pears into a sterilized jar along with cinnamon sticks, star anise and lemon zest strips. Fill jar with red wine syrup and close tightly. Set aside to cool before storing in the fridge for a week.

Blueberry Jam

Blueberry Jam for home use or as a gift

Fresh blueberries are not available throughout the year but frozen berries work just as well for making this Blueberry jam.

Makes 4 x 285 ml jars of blueberry jam
• 1 080 g frozen blueberries
• 1 080 g (1 350 ml) sugar
• 30 ml lemon juice

Put ingredients in a large saucepan and, stirring continuously, bring to the boil over medium heat – ensure sugar has dissolved before the mixture comes to the boil. Turn down the heat as soon as the cooking process starts. Watch mixture constantly to remove foam that floats to the top. Simmer uncovered for 1½ hours.

Start testing jam after an hour. Put a saucer in the freezer for 15 minutes, then remove and spoon a little hot jam onto it. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Run your finger through the jam – if it doesn’t flow back into the opening the jam is ready. Spoon hot jam into sterilised jars and close tightly.

Lemons in salt preserve

This lemon in salt preserve is used in Moroccan cuisine to give dishes extra zing.

Makes 1 x 580 ml jar

• 3 lemons
• 2 limes
• coarse salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 – 7 whole black peppercorns

Quarter lemons and limes. Sprinkle a layer of coarse salt in the bottom of a sterilised jar. Pack lemons and limes as tightly as possible in jar. Put bay leaf in jar and fill it with coarse salt. Add peppercorns. Close tightly and leave outside the fridge for a few days. Turn jar occasionally. Keep jar of lemons in the fridge for at least 3 weeks before use. Rinse lemons under cold water before using to remove salt. The lemons last well in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Plum Preserve

Plums are naturally fairly sour but the honey and sugar make them wonderfully sweet.

Makes 2 x 1 litre jars of  Plum preserve

• 900 g red plums
• 800 g (1 000 ml) sugar
• 500 ml honey
• 125 ml water
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Tightly pack plums into 2 sterilised jars. Put remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat slowly, stirring until sugar has dissolved completely. Fill jars to the top with hot syrup and close tightly. Put them in a saucepan large enough so they can stand upright. Cover jars with water. Cover saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and remove jars with tongs. Set aside to cool.

Basil Pesto

Fresh basil doesn’t last long in the fridge so making basil pesto is a good idea. It’s easy and delicious tossed with pasta.

Makes 2 x 212 ml jars of basil pesto

• 160 g fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 100 g pine nuts
• 250 ml olive oil
• salt to taste
• 100 g Parmesan cheese (50 g per jar)

Put basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add olive oil to basil mixture in a thin stream while the motor is running. Season with salt. Spoon into sterilised jars and close tightly. Keep in the fridge for up to a week. Add 50 g grated Parmesan cheese to each jar just before using.

Tomato Sauce

There are many kinds of commercial tomato sauce. This one is deliciously fresh and light – use this recipe when next you have an over supply of tomatoes.

Makes 4 x 375 ml jars of tomato sauce

• 3 kg small rosa tomatoes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
• 250 ml water
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 ml cayenne pepper
• 200 ml white vinegar
• 250 ml brown sugar
• 30 ml salt
• 70 g tomato paste

Put tomatoes, onion, red pepper, water and garlic in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Purée mixture with a stick blender and press through a sieve to remove seeds and skin. Discard leftovers in sieve. Return tomato purée to the saucepan and add remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 1hour or until thick. Pour into sterilised jars and close tightly.

Baked Chicken With Tomato & Onion Smoor

Serves 4
One-dish meals are always a great choice for an evening meal. They’re quick to prepare and there’s hardly any washing up needed afterwards. Enjoy!
 
INGREDIENTS
6 chicken portions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter
1 x 410 g can Tomato and Onion Mix
Pinch of sugar
4 baby marrows, grated
3 carrots, grated
Handful fresh herbs (parsley, thyme and oreganum), coarsely chopped
Extra butter
Mozzarella cheese, grated

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a medium-sized oven dish with oil.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter and oil and fry the chicken until golden brown.
Place in the prepared oven dish.
Mix the tomato and onion mix with the sugar and pour over the chicken.
Mix the baby marrows, carrots and herbs and sprinkle over the tomato mix.
Dot with extra butter and bake for 30 minutes or until done.
Sprinkle the cheese over and bake for several minutes.

USEFUL TIPS
Replace the Tomato and Onion Mix with any chopped tomatoes, especially those containing other flavours.
If you’re running out of time, replace the chicken portions with filleted chicken pieces cut in slices, which will save on cooking time.

Creamy Seafood Pasta

Creamy seafood pasta

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 5 minute
Cooking time: 20 minute

• 125ml dry white wine
• 12 shelled prawns
• 300g clams (or mussels) in shells
• 50ml butter
• 300ml milk
• 50ml tapioca flour
• 20ml cornflour 500g cooked wheat-free pasta, such as rice-flour tagliatelle
• 50ml cream
• handful freshly chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
• lemon wedges, to serve

1 Bring 50ml white wine to a simmer over high heat. Add the prawns and clams. Cover and simmer until the prawns are pink and the shells of the clams have opened. Remove the seafood with a slotted spoon, but reserve the wine in the saucepan. Finely chop half the prawns and leave the remainder whole. Remove the meat from the clams, but reserve a few whole ones for garnishing the pasta.

2 In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the milk and heat to just before it boils. Mix the flours together in a bowl and add cold water to form a paste. Add a little of the warm milk and stir well, then pour the flour mixture into the milk mixture while stirring continuously. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring, until thickened.

3 Add the wine that the seafood was cooked in as well as the remaining wine to the sauce. Stir well and simmer gently for five minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and stir in the cream, chopped prawns, clams and parsley. Garnish with whole prawns, clams and parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.

Tempura Mushrooms with Lemon and Chilli Sauce

Tempura mushrooms with lemon and chilli sauce

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

• 200g (370ml) cake flour
• 20g (35ml) cornflour
• 375ml soda water
• sunflower oil for deep-frying
• 1 punnet shimeji mushrooms
• 1 punnet small button mushrooms
• fresh coriander, to garnish

Lemon and chilli sauce
• 200ml ready-made sweet chilli sauce
• 30ml lemon juice
• 3ml grated lemon zest

1 Mix the cake flour, cornflour and 5ml salt together in a bowl. Mix in the soda water all at once. Stir quickly.

2 Heat the oil until it is hot (180°C). Drop a few of the mushrooms into the batter, drain briefly and then deep-fry until golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve immediately with the sauce. Garnish with fresh coriander.

3 Sauce Mix the sweet chilli sauce, lemon juice and lemon zest together. Serve alongside the mushrooms for dipping.

Lemon Coconut Squares

LEMON COCONUT SQUARES

Makes : 48 squares

Ingredients:
1½ c all-purpose flour
½ c confectioners' sugar
¾ c cold butter, cubed
4 eggs
1½ c sugar
½ c lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ c flaked coconut

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in the butter until crumbly. Press into a lightly greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and baking powder until combined. Pour over crust; sprinkle with coconut. Bake at 350°C for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Coconut Macaroons

COCONUT MACAROONS
(2 Ingredient)

1 420grm bag sweetened coconut flakes
120grm(1/2 can) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat Mat.

In a medium bowl combine add coconut. Then pour condensed milk over top. Mix with a spoon until the coconut and milk are completely mixed and all of the milk combines with the coconut.

Use a 1 tablespoon scooper. Scoop and then press the mixture into the scooper to make sure you get a well packed scoop. Place them on the baking pan about a finger apart. They will not spread so you can place them pretty close together.

Bake until the tops are golden brown, about 14-16 minutes. If the tops are not perfectly browned but the bottoms are, you can turn the broiler on and broil until the tops are perfectly browned, about 1-3 minutes.

*Do not walk away when broiling, you can go from golden brown to crispy in a flash.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, if you can wait that long.

Serve and enjoy!

Cheddar Cheese Puffs

CHEDDAR CHEESE PUFFS

French puff pastry loaded with cheddar cheese and chopped scallions, so buttery, cheesy, yummy and easy to make!

Makes 40
Prep Time: 10 Mins
Cook Time: 25 Mins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (5 oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 stalks scallions, cut into small rounds

Method:
Preheat the oven to oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the butter, milk, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a ball and dries out slightly, about 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the flour mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat it with the paddle attachment for 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next. When all the eggs are incorporated, stir in the cheese and scallions, mix well.

Drop the batter by a scant tablespoonful onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between them. Bake for 7 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until the gougères are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven, poke each puff once with a toothpick, sharp chopstick, or skewer to allow steam to escape.

**Serve immediately.

Cook’s Note:
If you use unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Bacon French Toast Buns

BACON FRENCH TOAST BUNS

Makes 12

Ingredients:
200g Enterprise streaky bacon
3 eggs
165ml milk
140ml oil
500g vanilla muffin mix
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 slices white bread, crusts removed and cubed
1-2 Tbs cinnamon sugar
Golden syrup

Method:
Start by making the crispy bacon bits. Chop the streaky bacon into cubes and fry in a hot pan until crispy. Drain well on paper towel and set aside.
Whisk 2 eggs, 140ml milk and the oil together.
Add the muffin mix and 1 tsp cinnamon and beat for 1 minute or until smooth.
Pour the muffin mix into greased muffin trays (fill halfway).
Toss the white bread cubes and cinnamon sugar until coated. Stir through the remaining 1 beaten egg and 1 Tbs of milk until coated.
Top each of the muffin batter with the French toast mix and sprinkle with the bacon.
Bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm, with butter and drizzled with golden syrup.

Spaghetti Bolognaise

Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:50 minutes

To take the mystery out of what is a favourite in many homes, here is a basic winning recipe you can refer to time and time again, or use it as the meaty layer for lasagne or canneloni.

Ingredients(4)

1 large  onion, finely chopped
 30  ml  Olive Oil
250  g   lean beef mince
2 rashers  Rindless Streaky Bacon, finely chopped
1 stalk   celery
1  carrot, peeled and finely chopped
 2 large  garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
1 can whole peeled tomatoes
 bay leaf
400 g Spaghetti
 Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat and saute the onion until softened.
Add the mince and bacon, and brown, stirring all the time.
Add the celery, carrot and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and bay leaf. Simmer covered on low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  A small amount of beef stock or red wine may be added if necessary to stop the sauce drying out.

Hints and Tips
Double up the recipe, then freeze half for another day, to save yourself lots of time!
Bacon is easier to chop using kitchen scissors than a knife.

Traditional Buttermilk Rusks

Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes (plus overnight drying)

A South African favourite! Rusks make a wonderful early morning snack or any time treat to go with tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

Ingredients(Makes 30+ rusks)
1kg Self-Raising Flour
500g Buttermilk
25ml Sunflower Oil
250g Butter
5ml Salt
200ml Sugar
1 Egg

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C and grease an oven roasting pan.
Sieve the dry ingredients together and rub the butter into the dry ingredients.
Beat together the egg and oil, the mix in the Buttermilk.
Pour the wet mix onto the dry mix and combine thoroughly.
Roll the mixture into little buns and place them close together in the roasting pan.
Bake for 45 minutes then remove from oven and break into individual sections while still hot.
Place the sections onto a cooling rack, spaced well apart.
Leave to dry out in a warming oven overnight, or return to the oven and bake for 3 hours at 120°C

Hints and Tips
When cool, pack the rusks into an airtight container. Great with tea, coffee or hot chocolate!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:5 minutes

A delicious vegetarian starter where the flavours of brown mushroom, chilli, garlic and cheese fuse into a treat for your palate.

Ingredients(Serves: 4)
8 flat brown mushrooms, cleaned
4 slices oat & honey low GI bread
1 jar chilli and garlic salsa
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
100 g mild chilli cheese, grated

Method
 Lightly drizzle a little olive oil over each cleaned mushroom, and place them in rows in a baking dish.
Pre-heat the oven on GRILL setting.
Crumble the bread into a bowl, and combine with the salsa and apple. Generously pile the mixture onto each mushroom cap.
Top with grated cheese and place the baking dish in the pre-heated oven until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms tender. Serve immediately.

Hints and Tips
To turn this into a more substantial light meal add 125 g back bacon, finely chopped and fried before adding to the filling mixture.
Remember to peel off the thick wax layer from the cheese before grating!
Recommended wine: Gewurtztrauminer, sparkling white wine

Sticky Chicken Wings

Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes

An informal, tasty, hands only meal which your kids and your budget will enjoy!

Ingredients(Serves: 4)
16 -18 chicken wings or 8 drumsticks, or combination of both
salt to flavour
100ml sweet chilli sauce
15ml soya sauce
20ml smooth apricot jam
5ml Hot English mustard
1ml bottled dried Italian herbs
100ml Nectarine fruit juice blend

Method
Place the chicken wings in a shallow oven dish, season with salt, and then grill them for +-5 minutes until attractively browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 160ºC.
Warm the remaining ingredients together in a pot, or in a jug in the microwave oven. Pour onto the wings to coat them completely.
Bake for 20 minutes, turning them over regularly in the marinade.

Hints and Tips
Line the oven dish with a sheet of foil, to make washing up easier later on. The sticky sauce can be difficult to clean if it is allowed to over-bake and burn on the dish.

Sweet Potato Wedges

Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes

A healthy alternative to chips with a meal. Sweet potato is high in fibre and its sweet flavour works well with the mustard and paprika seasoning used.

Ingredients(Serves: 4)
500 g sweet potato (1 very large or 2-3 small-medium)
15 ml Canola or olive oil
60 ml cake flour
5 ml paprika
5 ml mustard powder
5 ml salt
2 ml ground black pepper
25 ml honey
Sunflower seeds or sesame seeds

Method
Preheat oven to 200 ºC with oven shelf in centre position.
Peel the potato/es and rinse under cold water - pat dry and slice into wedges of equal size.
Measure the oil into a baking tray and toss the wedges in the oil, until they are all coated with a thin layer of oil.
Transfer the wedges in batches into a plastic bag in which the flour and seasonings are combined - shake until they are coated and transfer them back onto the same baking tray in a single layer.
Bake for 30 minutes until browned and crisp.
Drizzle warmed honey over the wedges and sprinkle seeds of choice over to stick onto the surfaces of each wedge.
Serve immediately.

Hints and Tips
Try maple syrup instead of honey, and vary spices such as introducing chilli and cumin, or rosemary and thyme combinations.

Butter Chicken

Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes

A rich and spicy chicken curry that's always a favourite. A great choice for an informal dinner party.

Ingredients(Serves 5)
+- 1.2 Kg chicken Braai pack
2 medium onions thinly sliced
100g butter
15 ml sunflower oil
10 ml masala
10 ml coriander powder
10 ml chilli powder
20 ml fresh minced ginger and garlic mix
10 ml salt or to taste
3 cardamom pods
generous grinding of black pepper
100 ml plain yoghurt
40 ml tomato paste
150 ml milk
3 curry leaves
250 ml fresh cream
15 ml corn flour

Method
Heat the butter and oil in a large pot and brown the chicken pieces a few at a time to brown lightly all over.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
In remaining fat fry onions gently till soft and golden. Return chicken into pot.
In a bowl combine all spices seasoning ginger and garlic mix with yoghurt tomato paste and milk.
Stir into chicken and onion mixing to coat well. Add curry leaves. Simmer on low for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Mix cream and corn flour together and stir into chicken simmering for another 10-15 minutes.

Dumplings for a Winter Stew

Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes

Prepare a basic beef, lamb or chicken stew, and top off with dumplings in the last 15 minutes, for a filling and warming meal.

Ingredients
240 g Self-raising flour  (500 ml)
 4 ml  salt
 10 ml  dried mixed herbs
Braai Spice
250 ml Milk
120 ml Sunflower oil

Method
Measure the flour, salt and herbs into a mixing bowl.
Grind on some braai spice, using your discretion as to the amount.
Mix the milk and oil together and pour onto the flour, bringing together to a soft dough.
Spoon tablespoons of the mixture, gently and close to each other, on top of the rapidly simmering cooked stew.  Cook for 15 minutes, with he pot lid on all the time, without lifting to check!

Hints and Tips
Add in 125 ml grated cheddar cheese and 10 ml dry mustard powder to the dry ingredients for a variation in flavour.
 A pork stew would be great with this dumpling recipe flavoured with grated peeled apple and a dash of ground cloves, instead of the mixed herbs and braai spice.

Cheese Puffs

What you need:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg lightly beaten
2 cup cheese grated
1 cup self-raising flour
3 bacon rashers diced
1 onion small diced

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 200C.
Combine egg and milk in a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and drop large teaspoons of the mixture onto the tray.
Place into oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly golden on top.

Seared Salmon with a Merry Mango Salsa

Seared Salmon with a Merry Mango Salsa

Ingredients

6 x 220g Norwegian salmon fillets with skin
Salt and pepper plus a scattering of chilli flakes per fillet
1 tsp olive oil for searing
For the mango salsa:
2 firm ripe mangoes cubed
1 red onion finely chopped
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped coriander
Zest of 1 lime and the juice of 2
1 level tsp sugar
Salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Method

1. To make the salsa add the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Season the fillets with the salt pepper and chilli flakes.
3. Heat a heavy bottommed frying pan until very hot.
4. Add the olive oil and in batches fry the salmon skin side up in batches for 2 minutes.
5. Turnover and fry the skin side for 3 minutes or until the skin is nice and crisp.
6. Remove from the pan and place on to a platter and serve with the mango salsa and a selection of salad greens of your choice.

Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

LOFTHOUSE SUGAR COOKIES

INGREDIENTS
3 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
food coloring (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl combine cake flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Using an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time stirring after each addition. Stir in sour cream and vanilla until combined. Gradually add in flour mixture combined.
Chill dough for at least one hour in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll 3 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Use flour on your hands if needed. Place ball on baking sheet and flatten to about ½ inch thick, molding sides to keep round shape if necessary. Continue with remaining dough, placing each 2 inches apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheet, and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting
Using an electric mixer combine butter and gradually add in confectioners sugar. When all sugar is added, pour in milk and vanilla and blend on medium until fluffy. Add in food color if desired.

NOTES
For shapes- roll out chilled dough ½ inch thick on a well floured surface. Flour rolling pin and cut out to prevent sticking. Cut out desired shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool for a few minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool.

Shapes will spread from the baking powder. To define the shape used after the cookie has cooled, place cookie cutter on top of cookie and firmly press all the way down, removing any access cookie for the edges.

Grasshopper Cake

Grasshopper Cake

ingredients:
for the cake:
1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist White Cake Mix with pudding in the mix
1-1/4 c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 egg whites
4 oz. Creme de Menthe (liqueur or syrup)
for the topping:
1 16-oz. jar hot fudge topping
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip, thawed
2 oz. Creme de Menthe
chopped Andes Mints for garnish, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° for shiny metal or glass pan, or to 325° for dark or nonstick pan. Spray the bottom only of 9'' x 13'' pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Scrape the bowl occasionally. Batter will be a bit lumpy. Stir in the Creme de Menthe. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 27 to 32 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Be careful to not over bake, as it will end up dry. Cool completely.

Gently spread the fudge topping evenly over the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the Cool Whip and 2 ounces Creme de Menthe. Spread mixture evenly over the fudge. If desired, garnish with chopped Andes Mints. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Iced Berry Terrine

Iced Berry Terrine

Ingredients

1 large Madeira sponge cake
30g each ripe strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
2 litres vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
For the topping:
250g frozen raspberries
200g fresh or frozen blueberries
200g sliced strawberries
1 tablespoons icing sugar

Prep time: 10min
Cook time: N/A

Method

1. Line a 900g loaf tin with cling film, making sure it overlaps the sides of the tin so that you can fold it over the dessert.

2. Place a layer of vanilla ice cream onto the base of the tin, and on top of that place a few thin slices of sponge cake.

3. Cover with a row of strawberries, next to that a row of blueberries, and next to that a row of raspberries.

4. Cover the berries with vanilla ice cream, and continue layering as before till the loaf tin is full.

5. Press down firmly to make sure you seal all the holes.

6. Fold the cling film over the top.

7. Place the tin in the freezer and freeze till really hard.

8. Remove the terrine from the freezer 15 minutes before you want to serve it.

9. Dip quickly in warm water, and unmould it onto a platter.

10. On a platter topped with the berries, and a good shake of icing sugar.

Tip: For easier slicing, dip your knife in hot water.