PEPPERMINT CREAMS

Ingredients
1 Egg White
450g (1lb) Icing Sugar
Peppermint Essence or Oil of Peppermint

Method
Beat the egg white until frothy but not stiff.
Sieve the icing, adding enough to produce a fairly stiff mixture.
Add a few drops of the essence or oil.
Knead the mixture into a firm paste and roll on a surface dusted with sieved icing sugar.
Cut into rounds or form small balls and flatten. (Alternatively use sweet cutters or a very small pastry cutter shape).
Place the peppermint creams onto rice paper (edible) or on parchment or greaseproof paper.
Place in a warm place to dry for 24 hours.
Store in an airtight container.

SPANISH CHICKEN

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
6 waxy new potatoes
4 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
12 cherry vine tomatoes
3 shallots
pinch Saffron
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 chicken bouillon stock cube
175 ml dry white wine
small jug water, to add as required
olive oil
salt and pepper
butter
Steamed Spinach to serve

Method
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Add the peeled and halved potatoes, peeled and halved garlic and the peeled and sliced shallots, then sauté for a few minutes.
Add the large pieces of chopped red pepper, season with half a stocxk cube and a pinch of saffron and sauté for another minute.
Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté a little more.
Add the water to just cover and simmer.
Cook slowly to reduce the water and cook the vegetables, stirring from time to time to break up the tomatoes.
Once cooked the water and olive oil should emulsify and the peppers and the potatoes should be tender, the latter with a lovely yellow colour.
This can be left over a very low heat to simmer.
Meanwhile, fry the chicken in a frying pan seasoned with dried rosemary, salt and pepper in a little olive oil and butter for approximately 8-10 minutes until cooked.
Serve the fried chicken thighs with the saffron vegetables and steamed spinach on the side.

BRANDY BUTTER

Yes, it’s getting nearer to that time of year again... Only 81 baking days to Christmas! But who says you can’t eat rum or brandy butter all year round?

Ingredients
4oz (110g) unsalted butter
3oz (85g) dark brown muscovado sugar
4 tbsp brandy

Method
Mix the ingredients well until completely combined,. Store, covered, in the fridge. Eat!

For rum butter substitute 4 tbsp of dark rum for the brandy.

NUT BREAD

Ingredients
2 cups white flour
2 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup sultanas
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2oz margarine or slightly softened butter
1 tbsp syrup
1 cup milk (or a wee drop more)

Method
Finely sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Rub the fat into the flour. Add all other ingredients, milk and syrup last. Mix well.
Put in a 10"x7"x2" tin
Bake in the middle of the oven – gas mark 6 (200°) for 50mins to an hour – test with a skewer. When it is done the skewer should come out clean – that may mean leaving it until the outside is almost burned. Turn out onto a wire tray and leave to cool.
Serve with butter in fairly thick slices. Keep in an airtight container.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Ingredients
8 chicken drumsticks
300g flour
2 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 tsp salt
500 mltre buttermilk (Buttermilk can be created by adding lemon juice to milk and leaving for ten minutes).
750ml veg oil

Method
Cook the chicken in water for 20 – 30 mins with the bouillon. Skim off any excess fat / bubbles. (Use resulting stock for soup)
Cool chicken pieces in fridge for ½ hour
While chicken is cooling mix the garlic, cayenne, parsely, thyme, salt and flour. Submerge the pieces in buttermilk and roll in the seasoned flour.
Deep fry in hot oil (A few at a time so the heat isn’t lost)
Remove and place on a wire tray to drain.
Serve while hot.

CELERY AND WALNUT SALAD

INGREDIENTS
½ a 270g bottle of sandwich spread
2 medium carrots
1 medium potato
2 sticks celery
¼ onion
¼ red pepper
2 mushrooms
1 tbspn sultanas
2 tbspn walnuts
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper

METHOD
Dice the potato and one carrot and boil for ten minutes. Drain.
Grate the other carrot and finely chop the pepper, onion, mushrooms and celery. Coarsely chop the walnuts.
Mix all the ingredients together, slightly mashing the boiled potato and carrot in the process.
Cool in the fridge.
Serve as a side salad with just about any cold meats, green salads, etc. Serves three. Simply double quantities for huge portions or to serve six.

My Recipes

This should really read "my" recipes since few of them are really mine - they have been collated from a variety of sources. In fairness (to myself) a number of them are original or contain original twists. I also rarely do anything the same way twice - a fact which sometimes disappoints Richard who says - "I liked that Sausage Pie you did last week", hoping for a repeat and being mystified when it turns out to be completely different.

These recipes do all have one thing in common. They have been tried and tested by me and I enjoyed them. Failed recipes, like the food, go on the compost heap of life.


It will take me a while to upload all my favourite recipes so here, while you wait, is a slice or two of Apple Scone. You can have it with or without butter, warm or cold. Please enjoy..