The missionaries were coming over this afternoon to help Todd dig out the rest of the garden. I was very happy to hear that. Todd still thinks he's 38 instead of 72, and I always worry that he will overdo it!




They are such nice young men, and always willing to help out whenever and wherever they can. I have a great admiration for these willing lads, who give up two years of their lives to selflessly serve the Lord. I like to spoil them whenever I can.



I like to think that if I had a son out on a mission, someone would be spoiling him, so I do what I can, when I can. I had wanted to make them a cake to enjoy with a cold drink after their work, but we had to take Mitzie to the dog groomer this morning and now that she is older it takes a bit longer to curb her mane, so I knew I would only have limited time to make anything.



I decided to bake them some delicious Peanut Butter Cookies! What young person doesn't like Peanut Butter Cookies?? What old person doesn't like peanut butter cookies for that matter!! I used my old standby recipe, that I have been using for years and years. It does make rather a lot, but I thought the lads would enjoy them and then I could give them a container of them to take with them when they left.



These tasty little babies always turn out lovely. Short and crunchy on the edges, but moreishly chewy in the middles . . . all peanut buttery and coated in a scrummy sugar crunch. There is nothing better . . . well, I say that with tongue in cheek, coz it does so happen that if you sandwich them together in pairs with some jam or jelly in the middle (strawberry and raspberry being my favourites) or even with some nutella in between . . . they do get even more incredibly moreishly scrummily irresistable!!!

But we won't talk about that will we . . .



*Peanut Butter Cookies*
Makes 4 dozen, but they freeze very well
Printable Recipe

This is the peanutbutter cookie recipe that I have been making for years and years. The perfect after school treat with a glass of cold milk. They are also very good sandwiched together in pairs with strawberry or raspberry jam or nutella! Oh so scrummy!

6 1/2 ounces vegetable shortening (1 cup)
7 ounces caster sugar (1 cup)
8 ounces soft light brown sugar (1 cup, packed)
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
9 1/2 ounces peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) (1 cup)
12 3/4 ounces plain flour (3 cups)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a couple of baking sheets with some baking parchment. Set aside.

Cream together the shortening, caster sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and peanut butter, until well mixed and fluffy. Whisk together the flour, salt and bicarbonage of soda. Stir this into the creamed mixture, mixing it in well. Put some granulated sugar into a bowl. (You'll only need about 4 TBS) Roll spoonful's of the batter into balls and then roll them in the granulated sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least an inch in between. Using a fork, press them down in a criss cross design.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Note - I was sent free product for the purpose of developing a recipe.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Bon Appetit!

Eleven a.m. and I am longing for custard creams. I don't drink tea or coffee, but still partake of the wonderful British tradition of elevensies . . .




That well earned (or not) break in the morning where you sit down with a nice hot cuppa, a moreish nosh or two and put your feet up for a few . . .



There is not a biscuit in the house, except perhaps for a few broken digestives in the bottom of the tin . . . I eat those, but . . . as good as they are . . . they are not custard creams . . . and I want custard creams . . .



Out comes the scales, bowls, and measuring spoons. There is nothing for it but to make my own . . . I know I can do it.

I am like that little train that keeps on chugging up the hill . . . I think I can, I think I can, I think I can . . .



Not quite custard creams, but in some ways similar. I may even like these better . . .

Not too sweet, but short and buttery, with just the faintest hint of custard in the moreishly scrummy biscuits . . . the custard flavour coming through in that luciously rich filling.



mmm . . . a mightly tasty crumbily scrummily delicious mouthful. I can't stop at one . . .

and neither will you.



*Custard Buttons*
Makes about 20 double biscuits
Printable Recipe

Deliciously short and buttery with a lucious cream centre, tasting of custard. Fabulous!

6 ounces plain flour (1 1/4 cups)
3 TBS custard powder (you want the stuff that comes in the cardboard
container, not the sachets you add hot water to, you want proper custard powder)
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter (4 1/2 TBS), cut into bits
2 1/2 ounces white vegetable fat, such as Trex or White flora (4 1/2 TBS Crisco), cut into bits
3 TBS icing sugar, sifted
1 large free range egg

For the filling:
2 ounces unsalted butter (4 TBS)
1 TBS custard powder
4 ounces icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
few drops of hot water if necessary

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and set aside.

Whisk the flour, custard powder, baking powder and sugar together in a bowl. Drop in the butter and vegetable fat. Rib into the flour mixtue until you have something the consistency of sand. Beat the egg lightly and then stir into the dry mixture, mixing it in well.

Scoop out TBS size pieces of the dough and shape lightly into balls between the palms of your hands. Place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press down with a fork which you have dusted in flour each time. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until well risen and set, but not coloured.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

Cream the butter, custard powder and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Be patient. It will come together eventually and be lovely. If the mixture still seems a bit stiff, add a few drops of hot water and beat until you have the consistency you are after. Sandwich two biscuits together with this custardy filling and then sit back and enjoy!

 Once baked they are coated with melted butter. They are then rolled in a spiced sugar to give them a lovely crunchy coating.

Again the spices are nutmeg and cinnamon.  Very nice I have to say.

 

I chose to fill them with a cream cheese frosting.  You don't need a filling that is overly sweet when you have all that sugar on the outsides.

You want something which is rich and luxurious, but not too sugary. This fits the bill perfectly.

 

I used my whoopie pie pan to bake these.  I have to say I am not always very happy with the way they come out using this pan.

I always end up having to trim the edges. They look alright, but not quite as they would just baked on parchment paper on a baking sheet.

 

I ended up having to bake these twice.  I was much happier with my first set of photos. I thought I had taken them off the camera onto my photo editing program.

I am pretty sure I had, because I then deleted them from off my camera card. So today when I went to edit them, uh oh  . . .  no photos.

 

 

And so I had to bake them all over again today! Not a hardship really. These are so good. In fact they are amazingly delicious! 

And so today I now have more to give them away. I don't think my next door neighbour will mind.  She is usually the recipient of my baked things.

 

I can tell you nobody has ever complained! They are always very happy when I bring them a treat.

They say joy shared is doubled.  I have to say that baking shared is joy shared. Its a simple thing and means a lot to people to know you care enough to share with them little treats like these.

Anyways, I do hope that you will bake these and then enjoy them.  They really are very good. Scrumdiddlyumptious I have to say.

Scrumpdiddlyumptious and incredibly moreish!  Trust me. Have I ever lied before? 👍👍👍
 

One thing my Todd has always wanted to do is to go to a diner to eat. You know . . . just like the ones on the telly that you see in all those American movies.

All chrome and formica . . . and juke boxes, waitresses named Sally, and a coffee cup that has no bottom.

Club sandwiches, gravy fries and mile high pies.



I thought I would try to recreate a Diner meal for him here at home tonight, but in as low fat as possible. One of my favourites back home use to be the Hot Hamburger Sandwich Platter.



A big oval platter, loaded up with hot fries, a huge hamburger pattie on a toasted bun, with oodles of gravy slathered over top and a small bucket of coleslaw on the side. Washed down with an ice cold soda pop. It can't be beat!



It might not be much to look at, but what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in flavour. I used extra lean ground steak, which I flavoured with onion powder, garlic, seasoning salt and black pepper . . . lots of onion and garlic. I then divided the meat into four equal shapes and then flattened them as thin as I could into a huge flat irregular sized burgers, so they had lots of little nooks and crannies on the edges.



Because they were really thin, they cooked in quick time and all the moisture stayed inside the burger, so they were moist as well as flavourful, with a nice sear on the outside. The chips . . . why oven baked of course, and cut so thin that they also turned out nicely browned with crisp golden edges.



You can make your own pan gravy if you wish. (I tell you how) or you can just open a tin of beef gravy. Me, I opted for Bisto, coz there is not much fat in it., and it's as easy as boiling the kettle.



Even the coleslaw, my own homemade, was low in fat . . . as I used a fat free mayo and low fat creme fraiche. The only thing I didn't do was to put on a short dress and ask him to "kiss ma grits!" (I also didn't ask for a tip!) Oh, and there was no pie . . . sigh . . .




*Hot Hamburger Platter Dinner*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

It's diner food for the UK! A delicious well flavoured hot hamburger patty on a toasted bun half, topped with gravy and served with crispy fries and coleslaw!

1 pound extra lean minced steak
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
5 TBS flour
1 litre of beef broth
4 large baking potatoes
oil
seasonings for the fries (I like the smoked paprika, sweet red pepper and thyme mix from M&S)
salt and black pepper
Toasted Bun halves
Coleslaw, your own or purchased

Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Have ready a large baking sheet.

Wash the potatoes and dry well. Cut into thin chips. Toss them onto the baking sheet. Pour about 1 TBS of oil over top along with some of your chosen seasoning and some salt and black pepper. Toss together with your hands. Place into the heated oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

Mix together the minced steak, garlic, onion powder, seasoned salt and a bit of salt and lots of black pepper to taste. (You can pinch off a little bit and fry it in a pan to see if you have the seasoning correct if you wish.) Shape into large flat irregular shaped patties.

Place a large skillet over mediium high heat. Add a bit of oil and fry the patties until well browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Reserve any drippings in the pan. There probably won't be much. You will need about 4 TBS. You can add some butter to the pan drippings to make this up. Once the fat is melted and hot, stir in the flour, whisking it in well. Slowly whisk in the broth a bit at a time, whisking until the gravy thickens. Simmer for several minutes then taste and adjust seasoning as required.

Divide the fries between 4 heated plates. Place a toasted bun half on each and top with a burger. Spoon over some of the gravy, making sure it covers the burger and some of the chips. Serve with coleslaw on the side. Enjoy!