Category Archives: Family Favourites

Marathon Scones

Cakes and Muffins, Desserts, Family Favourites, Vegetarian

This recipe was very kindly given to me when visiting a town called Marathon near the Big Bend national park in Texas. the lady who made them first was Barbara Novovitch. Do try this they are great.
INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 teasp salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit (Apricots Prunes Mango Blueberries Cranberries Papaya all work well or any mixture)
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1 1/4 cup double cream
  • Glaze 1oz of butter melted and a little more sugar

Combine flour, baking powder,salt,sugar, dried fruit and raisins in a bowl. Stir in the cream with a fork mixing until the dough holds together in a sticky mass. Lightly flour a board and turn out the dough kneading it eight or ten times until it holds together well. Pat into a circle about 10 inches round. Paint the melted butter on top and sprinkle on the extra sugar. Cut into 12 wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. bake at 220deg C or 200 in fan assisted oven for 16 to 17 minutes until golden brown,

THESE ARE BEST ON THE DAY THEY ARE MADE

Tomato & Pepper Tarts

Family Favourites, Starters

  • 4 red peppers
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 150g/51/2oz large cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 375g/13oz puff pastry
  • 1 egg yolk mixed with
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • 100g/31/2oz dolcelatte, cut into 1cm/1/2in dice

1. Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Remove the cores and seeds from the peppers and cut into quarters. Place on a roasting tray, pour over some olive oil and season. Cover with foil and roast for 2 hours, then remove the foil and roast for a further 30 minutes. For the last hour of cooking, place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a separate dish, pour over some olive oil, season and roast. Remove the vegetables and allow them to cool.

2. Turn up the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Roll out the pastry thinnly, cut out 4 x 13cm/5in circles and place them on a baking sheet. Arrange the peppers on the circles, skin side up, with the tomatoes on top, leaving a small rim. Brush the edge of the tarts with the egg and milk mixture and bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and risen at the edges.

3. A couple of minutes before the end of the cooking scatter the thyme and cheese over the tarts then return to the oven. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Italian Meatballs

Family Favourites, Holidays, Pork, Side Dishes, Starters

  • 1 small aubergine
  • 450g/1lb minced lean pork
  • 1 level tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1/4 level tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 level tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tbsp red wine
  • Oregano leaves to garnish

Preparation time: 15 minutes plus cooling
Cooking time: 50 minutes

1. Pierce a whole unpeeled aubergine in several places and bake at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 40 minutes or until it’s soft. Allow to cool. Remove the stalk, strip off the skin and chop the flesh.

2. Put the aubergine and remaining ingredients into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix together, using your hands, until thoroughly combined.

3. With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls. Line a grill pan with foil, shiny side up, and oil lightly. Cook the meatballs under a preheated grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with a tomato sauce and noodles and garnished with oregano.

Serves 4

White Chocolate Cheese Cake

Desserts, Family Favourites

  • SERVES 10-12
  • Oreo biscuits 16
  • Butter, melted 50g
  • Creme fraiche 200ml
  • Philadelphia cream cheese 600g
  • Sugar 200g
  • Cornflour 20g
  • White chocolate, melted 220g
  • Essence of vanilla 2.5ml
  • Eggs, lightly beaten 4
  • White chocolate Shavings to serve

Heat the oven to 140C/fan oven120C. Line a 20cm springform cake tin with non stick baking paper. Put the Oreo biscuits into a food processor and make into crumbs, then add the melted butter whilst still running. Put into prepared tin and press flat. Chill
Use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, creme fraiche, sugar and cornflour. Add the melted white choc (I melt it in the microwave).Stirin the eggs, Add the vanilla essence and make sure all is mixed well and pour over the cookie base. Bake for 70 minutes- time is very important. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in for a further hour. Chill overnight then cover surface with grated white chocolate. Loosen the ring and put on serving plate. Try not to eat too much!!!

Auld Grannies meat loaf

Beef, Family Favourites, Main Courses

  • Minced Bacon 1lb
  • Lean Minced Beef 1lb
  • Mincked Pork 1/2lb
  • White sliced Bread 3 slices
  • English Mustard Powder 2 teaspoonfuls
  • Eggs, small 2

Make bread into crumbs in food processor. Mix all the ingredients together by hand till well blended. Place in a loaf tin. Cover tightly with foil and put in to a roasting tin which is half filled with water.
Cook for 1 1/2 hours at 150 Fan oven