Traditional Christmas Pudding YUM!!!

Ingredients

Serves: 6 

• 60g butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 12 dried dates, pitted, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried currants

• 1/4 cup candied mixed fruit peel, chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 150g self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

Preparation:20min  ›  Cook:2hours  ›  Ready in:2hours20min 

1. Combine butter, sugar, milk, fruit and rind in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in baking soda. Sift in the flour, cinnamon and salt and mix gently until blended.
2. Pour into prepared pudding basin and cover with a double layer of greased baking paper. Secure lid or cover with a layer of foil and tie a double piece of kitchen string around the basin to secure.
3. Place into a large deep saucepan with boiling water coming halfway up the sides of basin. Boil for 2 hours, replenishing water as necessary. Stand in basin for 10 minutes before turning out on to serving plate.

Orginal Notes from :  ALL RECIPES

Summer fruit Swiss roll

Summer fruit Swiss roll

Fresh summer fruit such as strawberries, peaches and nectarines has a natural affinity with cream. Here, these aromatic fruits are combined with whipping cream, which has a lower fat content than thick cream, plus a little yogurt to make a delicious filling for a light-as-air sponge. 
Ingredients

3 large eggs
1⁄2 cup (115 g) caster sugar
3⁄4 cup (110 g) plain flour
1 tablespoon tepid water
Summer fruit filling
150 ml whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄3 cup (90 g) Greek-style yogurt
125 g small strawberries sliced
1 ripe peach or nectarine chopped
To decorate
2 tablespoon icing sugar sifted
a few slices of strawberry and peach or nectarine

Preparation

1  Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a 33 x 23 cm Swiss roll tin and line with baking paper.

 

2  Put the eggs and caster sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is very thick and pale, and leaves a trail on the surface when the beaters are lifted out. Sift half the flour over the whisked mixture and gently fold it in with a large metal spoon. Sift over the remaining flour and fold in together with the tepid water. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and give it a gentle shake so that the mixture spreads evenly into the corners.

 

3  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the sponge is well risen and pale golden.

 

4  Turn out onto a sheet of baking paper slightly larger than the sponge. Peel off the lining paper. Trim the crusty edges of the sponge with a sharp knife and make a score mark 2 1/2 cm from one of the shorter edges (this will make the sponge easier to roll up). Roll up loosely from the short side, with the paper inside, and place, seam side down, on a wire rack to cool.

 

When the sponge is cold, carefully unroll it and remove the paper. Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms soft peaks, then fold in the yogurt. Spread this mixture over the sponge, leaving a 1 cm border all round. Scatter the fruit over the cream. Carefully roll up the sponge and place, seam side down, on a serving plate. Lay 2 cm strips of paper towel diagonally, at an equal distance apart, over the roulade, then dust with the icing sugar. Carefully remove the paper to leave a striped effect. Decorate with the extra fruit. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve (this is best eaten within a day).

Grilled Salmon Fillet with Honey-Mustard Sauce

Grilled Salmon Fillet with Honey-Mustard Sauce

Ingredients
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pound fillet salmon, skin on
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 bunch watercress, coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons aged sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions

Whisk together the mustards, honey, horseradish, mint and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before using. Can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated but do not add the mint until just before using. Bring to room temperature before using.

Heat the grill to high.

Brush the salmon with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the salmon on the grill, skin side down, and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3 minutes.

While the salmon is cooking, place the watercress and onion in a medium bowl, add the vinegar and oil and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer the salad to a platter, top with the salmon fillet and drizzle each fillet with the mustard sauce.

Courtesy FoodNetwork 

chicken voulevant

Very tasty chicken voulevants - equivelant serving to a single serve meat pie.

Ingredients

chicken voulevant 1 large carrot - diced 3 stick celery - diced 1 onion (large) - chopped 2 chicken fillet - diced 1 1/2 cups mushrooms - diced 1/2 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels 1 packet cream of chicken soup 1 cup milk 2 tablespoon cornflour 1/2 cup water 6 voulevant shells (size - single serve pie) 1/2 cup Tasty cheese - grated Instructions In a saucepan, gently fry onion until soft. Add carrots, celery and chicken fillet. Fry until chicken is just browned. Add mushrooms and fry for about 2 minutes. Add peas and corn kernels. Fry for about another minute. Combine packet of cream of chicken soup and milk. Mix into the saucepan with vegies and chicken. Simmer about 15 minutes. Combine water and cornflour. Add to rest of ingredients in saucepan. The mixture will now thicken. Bring to the boil. Continue to stir (this prevents the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan). Switch saucepan off. Pour mixture into voulevant shells. Top with grated cheese and put in the oven (200°c) for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned a little. Serve with salad. Notes Try using a non stick saucepan to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom.