Banana & apple slice

Ingredients:

125 g soft margarine
150 g soft brown sugar
2 eggs
275 g wholemeal self-raising flour
2 dessert apples, cored and grated
2 bananas, mashed
75 g sultanas
125 ml apple juice
2 tablespoons chopped cashew nuts

Method:

1. Preheat oven, 180 degrees C (350 degrees F, gas mark 4).
2. Grease and line an 18 x 28 cm shallow baking tin.
3. Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with the second egg.
5. Fold in half the remaining flour with the apples, bananas and sultanas.
6. Fold in the remaining flour with the apple juice.
7. Turn the mixture into the tin and smooth the top with a palette knife. 
8. Transfer to oven and bake for 45 - 50 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
9. Turn the cake out on to a wire rack to cool, then sprinkle with the chopped cashew nuts.
10. Cut into slices to serve.

Alternatives:
Try 2 grated pears instead of apples. Add a handful of chocolate pieces.


Makes: 20 slices
Prep time: 20 - 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 - 50 minutes

Note: the slices freeze well. Pack them into a rigid, freezer container, cover and freeze. They will keep for up to 3 months. To defrost, remove as many as required and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.

Carrot cupcakes

For the cupcakes

• 130 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 215 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 175 ml vegetable oil, or any other neutral oil
• 65 g walnuts, chopped, plus extra to decorate
• 165 g carrots, grated (approximately 2 medium-large carrots)

For the icing

• 170 g thick cream cheese
• 65 g butter
• 125 g icing sugar
• 1/2 lemon, finely grated zest only
• 3/4 tbsp soured cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

For the cupcakes: preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a cupcake pan or muffin tin with paper cases. 

2. Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon and ½ tsp salt and set aside. 

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until thick and creamy. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly. Fold in the dry ingredients, and once combined gently stir in the nuts and carrots. 

4. Divide the batter evenly among the paper cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of one cupcake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool. 

5. For the icing: in a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and icing sugar until the mixture is smooth and soft. Stir in the lemon zest, soured cream and vanilla extract. 

6. Pile the frosting into a piping bag and pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with the extra chopped walnuts before serving. 

Makes 12 cupcakes

Peanut Butter Satay Stirfry

Satay sauce ingredients:

1/2 a small brown onion

1 small fresh red chilli pepper

1 garlic clove or 1 tsp crushed garlic (from a jar)

½ cup water

¼ cup (70g) of smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon each of peanut oil

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon Juice

½ teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

Stirfry ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 300g lean frying beef, sliced into strips
• 2 cups of selected vegetables (e.g. broccoli, peppers, carrots, mushrooms) cut into bite-sized pieces

Method:

1. Peel and finely chop half an onion.
2. Trim, rinse and finely chop the red chili pepper then crush the garlic clove.
3. Add the peanut oil into a mid-sized saucepan or wok and heat over a medium heat.
4. With your peanut oil ready to go it is time to add the finely diced onion. Continue cooking the diced onion until it becomes soft and golden (roughly 5 minutes) remembering to stir all the time.
5. Gradually stir in the crushed garlic and the finely diced red chili. Continue cooking until the mixture becomes aromatic (around 1 minute).
6. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, water, lemon juice, Balsalmic vinegar and brown sugar into the mix. Stir well to combine.
7. Add olive oil to wok/saucepan. Fry beef until lightly browned, stirring all the time.
8. Add vegetables and sauce to wok/saucepan. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes to heat vegetables and retain crunchiness. If you prefer softer vegetables stir-fry for 6 to 7 minutes.

Other serving suggestions:

You can use the same recipe to make a satay dipping sauce. Follow the method to step 5. Then

remove from heat and add the peanut butter into the mix. Stir well to combine. Once ready reheat the mixture over a low heat. Stir in the water, lemon juice, Balsamic vinegar and sugar. With all of the ingredients now in the saucepan continue cooking until the sauce thickens (3 minutes or so). Don’t forget to stir.

Alternatively you might like to try using the satay sauce as a marinade for satay sticks. Follow the same method as for dipping sauce. Try skewers with beef, chicken, pork, lamb or vegetables.

Makes 3/4c of sauce.

Delicious Fried Rice

Ingredients
1/3 cup peanut oil
4 large free-range eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon peanut oil, extra
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 medium-sized brown onion, finely diced
1/2 cup roughly chopped rindless bacon rashers or Chinese sausage
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing wine
5 cups cooked medium-grain white rice
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 cup finely sliced spring onions (scallions)
3 teaspoons Maggi seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/2 large red chilli, finely sliced on the diagonal

Method

1. Heat oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.
2. Pour beaten eggs into wok and cook for about 1 minute, lightly scrambling them and rotating the wok to ensure even cooking. When almost cooked through, carefully remove omelette from wok with a fish slice and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.
3. Wipe out wok with kitchen paper, add extra oil and stir-fry ginger and garlic for 1 minute, or until very aromatic.
4. Add onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender.
5. Add bacon and stir-fry for a further minute, or until lightly browned.
6. Stir in sugar and wine, then stir-fry for 30 seconds.
7. Finally, add rice, reserved omelette, oyster sauce, spring onions, Maggi seasoning and sesame oil.
8. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until rice is heated through.
9. Roughly chop omelette into smaller pieces as you stir.
10. Divide rice between individual bowls and garnish with extra spring onions.
11. Combine soy sauce and chilli in a small bowl and serve on the side.

The first time Mark and I made this we used groundnut oil (instead of Peanut), didn't use the wine, didn't have Oyster sauce or sesame oil. Even with just soy sauce it made a yummy dinner. We threw in some frozen peas, carrots and peppers. An easy recipe to adapt depending on what you have handy.

Slow Cooker Pork Soup

• 500 g boneless country style pork ribs, in 1-inch pieces
• 1 peeled, potato, diced into small cubes
• 2 chopped ribs celery
• 4 sliced carrots
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 chopped cabbage
• 1 chopped onion
• 800 g can crushed tomatoes in juice
• 4 chicken stock cubes
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

How to make it:

Add all the ingredients to your crockpot, then cover it and cook it on high for four to five hours or low for eight to nine hours. The soup is ready when all the vegetables are tender and the pork is cooked through.

This is a good basic recipe. The first time I tried making it we used pork ribs with bones and a few slices of bacon too. Also threw in left over vegetables so didn't have room for the cabbage.

Rich Chocolate Self-saucing Pudding

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours, using high and low



Ingredients

3 cups self-raising flour

1/4 cup cocoa

100 grams butter, chilled and diced

1 cup sugar

2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence



Chocolate sauce

3 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup dark rum or coffee liqueur

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa
Method
Turn the slow cooker on to low to pre-warm while gathering and preparing the ingredients.

Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre.

Beat the milk, eggs and vanilla essence together and mix into the dry ingredients using a holed spoon to form a stiff batter.

Into the pre-warmed slow cooker, put the boiling water, rum or coffee liqueur, sugar and cocoa and stir to dissolve the cocoa.

Carefully spoon the batter evenly into the slow cooker and cover with the lid.

Cook on high for 1 hour then turn to low for a further 1 hour.

Serve hot with ice cream and cream.



Allyson's tip

The alcohol will have cooked out of the rum or liqueur, however, use only water for an alcohol-free recipe.

Vegetables in Coconut Curry Sauce

Serves: 6

Time: 20 mins

Cost: $10
Ingredients



4 tbsp peanut oil


1/2 cup raw cashew nuts

2 large red onion cut into think wedges

1 large carrot cut julienne

2 stalks celery - cut into thick slices

1 green pepper; 1 red pepper cut into small squares

4 cloves garlic - finely sliced

1 heaped tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Small tin pineapple pieces - drained

1 cup green beans

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar



Method

Into a large heavy based pan, add a little oil and pan fry cashew nuts. Set aside.

Heat in the same pan, 2 tbsp oil then sauté, onion, carrots celery and capsicums. Stir fry until almost cooked, yet still firm. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Heat a little more oil and sauté garlic, ginger and curry powered until aromatic - about 30 seconds.

Mix in pineapple, beans and stir to coat with spices.

Return vegetables and nuts to pan along with coconut milk, water, salt and sugar and simmer gently uncovered for around 10 minutes.

If mixture becomes too thick - just add a little of the pineapple juice.