Christmassy Cocktail

I have an obsession with mixed fruit at this time of year. I'll eat it any way I can get it.
And drink it. I soak my fruit in vast amounts of sherry, and there's plenty of fruit infused sherry in the containers left over, Which is awesome for glazing mince pies and doughnuts too.
This is my version of a Christmas Cocktail. Let's call it a Sloshed Noel shall we?

Sloshed Noel
2 parts fruit infused sherry
1 part Vanilla Galliano
1 part gin (I choose tanqueray 10)

Drop a glace cherry or two into the bottom of the glass.
Layer Sherry, Galliano and Gin in order

Serve with ice stick and a spoon.

GF Lactation Biscuits.

After a nasty scare last night with no milk and a hungry, upset baby, 

I thought it was time I sorted this recipe out as GF.

I can tolerate GF (uncontaminated) oats, so I have included them in my recipe. However you can use flaked coconut instead if you can't tolerate oats. This recipe is also dairy free and a smaller amount than a lot of similar recipes. I prefer to cook smaller amounts more often, but this recipe is easily doubled. 

The result is chewy and delicious and won't last long if you let the kids and husband at them!

So - 

Gluten Free Lactation Biscuits

Ingredients

40ml water

1T ground linseed

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup dairy free margarine

1 60g egg, beaten

1tsp vanilla bean paste

1/3 cup almond meal

1/2 cup cornflour

1/2 cup GF flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 heaped tablespoon brewers yeast

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

125g chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven at 180c (fan forced).

Line cookie sheet with baking powder or silpat.

Mix linseed meal and water in small bowl, set aside.

Cream butter and sugars, then add egg. Beat until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and linseed slurry, beat again until combined.

In a second large bowl, combine meal, flours, salt, yeast, baking powder and ground cinnamon.

Fold dry ingredients into wet, then fold in oats and chocolate chips.

Use a soup spoon to drop roughly circular dollops of mix onto tray.

Bake 15 minutes, check after 12. Biscuits should be just browned on the outside.

Notes

I use original Nuttelex spread and Orgran brand GF flour.

If you're not into chocolate, use sultanas or dried cranberries.

The chocolate chips I use are dark. However if you're doing these with coconut instead of oats, 

use white chips, omit the cinnamon, and add half a cup of chopped macadamias.

Peanut Butter bikkies

Baking is a chemical art, precision is necessary to get the same results and a clear understanding of how the chemistry works also necessary before you start messing with the balance. Or so they say.

Here for your amusement:  

Freehand GF Peanut Butter Bikkies

Ingredients:

100g Caster sugar

2 Eggs

120g DF margerine

80g Peanut butter

1 tsp Vanilla

100g GF flour

150g Cornflour

1.5 tsp Baking powder

Preheat FF oven to 170celcius

Cream together the wet (first five ingredients) in a medium bowl until really fluffy and light. 

Fold in the sifted flours and baking powder. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Add more cornflour if necessary.

Roll into balls at size of your choice and space out on baking papered tray. Flatten with a fork and sprinkle with extra caster sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes depending on size. To check, break one open at 15 minutes and check if cookie is an even colour, an uncooked centre will be a darker colour.

Notes: Use raw castor sugar if you can get it, it gives a better colour and flavour. 

The flour I used was a supermarket GF flour.

Anzac Biscuits, Part One

I have been using the RSL recipe for Anzacs (see below) for a while now. But, to be honest, I've never been that happy with it, so I don't know why I continue to use it. i think the wet/dry ratio is wrong.
So I made it one last time, to remember exactly why I don't like it and have a point to work from.

So here is why it's time to find a recipe that works for me: the biscuits don't spread at all, they're not chewy enough, and by the time they're golden on top, they're actually overcooked! Granted this time I had the oven slightly too warm, but still! They taste nice, but they aren't ANZACS, know what I mean?

RSL Anzacs
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar (I use raw or a brown/white mix)
3/4 cup coconut
125g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup (I have tried all sorts of treacle/golden syrup mixes too)
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon boiling water

Method:
Combine oats, sifted flour, sugar and coconut.
Combine butter and golden syrup, stir over gentle heat until melted.
Mix soda with boiling water, add to melted butter mixture, stir into dry ingredients.
Take teaspoonfuls of mixture and place on lightly greased oven trays; allow room for spreading.
Cook in slow oven (150°C) for 20 minutes.
Loosen while still warm, then cool on trays.
Makes about 35.

Napkin Folding - The Puppy

Yes, napkin folding, I was serious!
I decided for my first foray, I should do something with my daughter, seeing as it's Saturday and all.

Here, for your amusement, is the Puppy fold.


Embellished with lollies, it's a cute idea for kids parties apparently. Hmm.







You'll need:
Paper napkins
Round lollies, maybe a banana lollie if you have one.

I am using what I have, simply because we're moving in a week
and I'm trying to use stuff up. So we're using hellokitty round sweets.




Step One.
Open out your napkin,
and fold into a triangle point down.


















Step Two.
Fold down the side points, from the centre point, to make ears.











Step Three. Make Another fold, this time turn the outer ear point under, repeat for other ear.












Step Four: Fold top point down to make a flat head.
















Step Five: Fold up the bottom point into a crease to make the muzzle shape. Add lollies once napkins are in place.


Now, the colours I have used, perhaps aren't the best, but they re what I had. Tan or beige napkins with brown and blue smarties would be very cute.

Bambi Fiesta Soup

I came up with this one late, sleepless night.

Bambi Fiesta Soup

1 package Venison meatballs
1 onion, diced
3 sticks celery, diced
2 small cloves garlic crushed
1 med green capsicum, diced
1L hot chicken stock
2 tins watties chilli beans
1 Tblsp olive oil (Not EVOO)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
small tub sour cream
half bunch fresh coriander

optional: 1/2 cup frozen corn kernals
2 rounds lavash bread

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180 deg
Space meatballs out evenly on a baking tray, lined with baking paper. Bake 20 mins.
Meanwhile, sautee onion. Clear a space on the bottom of the saucepan, and add spice powders once onion has gone translucent. Once spices are fragrant, add celery and stir to coat. Add the garlic and cook one minute only.
Add stock, stir and then add beans, sauce and all. Simmer until meatballs are done. When removing meatballs from oven, turn the oven temperature up to 200.
Add meatballs carefully to soup and stir gently. Add capsicum (and corn if you're using it).
Simmer over very low heat for ten minutes.
Cut lavash bread into wedges, pop on the tray and bake 3-5 minutes.
Divide soup and meatballs into bowls, sprinkle with fresh coriander and add a big dollop of sour cream. Serve with crisp bread.

Notes:
I don't use corn, I think the soup is colourful enough, but you might like to.
I also don't add any extra veg, but a carrot and zucchini can be cooked in the chicken stock, pureed and added with the beans.
You can also use tomato soup, black eyed and kidney beans that have been soaked and boiled.
We use one can hot and one can mild beans, taking out the kids portion before we add the hot can. You could use one can of baked beans and one can of mild if you're chilli wusses.

The Foodie returns...

Inspired by a friend, I have returned to blogging just for fun!
I'm letting free my inner Martha with cooking, baking, napkin folding and flower arranging.
More soon.