My Todd is a real apple pie man. He claims his mother used to make the best apple pies in the world. No doubt it's true. Apparently they are thick enough that when cold you can cut a slab, inside there is almost like a thick applesauce, holding nice chunks of apple, highly flavoured with cloves. It doesn't spread out on the plate, but stands straight and tall like a soldier. I don't make apple pie like his mom . . . and I don't even try.



My mom has always made fantastic apple pies, in my opinion. With a flakey, buttery crust and just stogged full of meltingly tender slices of sweet apple, and cinnamon and nutmeg . . . when you cut a warm slice it does spread a bit on the plate, but is oh so perfectly tastily juicy when mingled with some melting vanilla ice cream . . . and don't forget the slice of cold cheddar!

I make my pies like she does, and I like her apple pie better than the apple pies over here.



It is very obvious that British apple pie and Canadian apple pie are two different things . . . and we are clearly at an impasse . . .



What to do . . . what to do . . . what to do . . .



We compromise somewhere in the middle.



I think this does it quite nicely. At least I never hear him complaining as he snuffles it down and asks for more . . .



*Spiced Apple Crumble Tart*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A wonderful tart with a crisp and rich dessert pastry base, delectably sweet filling of apples and dried cranberries, topped off with a tasty crumble topping. Served warm with cream or vanilla ice cream, this is a delicious family favourite.

For the pastry:
(Makes 1/2 pound)
280g plain flour (2 cups)
120g cold butter (1/2 cup)
56g sifted icing sugar (7 TBS)
2 egg yolks
2 TBS water

For the spiced apple filling:
8 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
75g dried cranberries (1/2 cup)
the finely grated zest and juice of one large lemon
50g  soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, packed)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 TBS each plain flour and caster sugar, mixed together

For the crumble topping:
70g of plain flour (1/2 cup)
60g of soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup)
6 TBS butter, softened
the finely grated zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp of ground cardamom

To serve:
pouring cream or vanilla ice cream
(Clotted cream and creme fraiche are also quite delectable accompaniments!)



First make the pastry. Sift the pastry into a basin. Add the butter, cut into pieces and rub it into the flour until it resembled fine dry bread crumbs. Add the icing sugar. Whisk in well. Make a indentation in the centre of the butter mixture. Beat the egg yolks and water together. Pour into the indentation and then, using a fork, mix together to a rough dough in the basin. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Shape into a ball and then place into a zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, while you make the filling.

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Make sure the apple is chopped into small chunks. Put the apple into a bowl. along with the cranberries, grated lemon zest, lemon juise, sugar and spices. Set aside.

To make the crumble topping, rub the flour, sugar, butter, lemon zest and spices together until the mixture resembles fine dry bread crumbs. Set aside.

Take the pastry out of the refrigerator. Roll it out onto a floured surface to a round about 14 inches in diameter. LIne a 10 inch diameter tart tin with a removeable base with it, being careful not to stretch it. Don't trim off any of the overhang. Prick with a fork and line with a piece of baking parchment and fill with baking weights. Place onto a baking sheet and place into the heated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, remove the baking parchment and the weights and return to the oven for a further 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a rolling pin over the edge all around and remove the overhang and discard. **(see note)



Sprinkle the base with the flour/sugar mixture and then tip in the filling to evenly cover the bottom and mound slightly in the centre. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over top.

Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160*C/350*F and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to warm before cutting into slices to serve. Serve warm with pouring cream or vanilla ice cream.

**Note - If you feel guilty about throwing it away, just spread it with some strawberry or raspberry jam and eat it. Tis quite nummy that way! Shhh . . . don't tell anyone!

I like to buy a bunch of bananas every week. We love ripe bananas in this house . . .

sliced on top of our rice crispies . . .



sliced and slathered in vanilla custard . . .



eaten out of hand when tiny brown freckles appear on the skin . . .



and allowed to go almost rotten and then baked into lovely cakes, breads and muffins. In fact I often have to hide several out of Todd's radar so that this can occur.

It really annoys Todd sif he thinks that I have let them get so bad. He keeps saying . . . "You better throw those rotten bananas out!" He doesn't understand the worth of an over-ripe banana.



Well . . . . not until he begins to eat the lovely things I bake with them.

Then he totally supports my madness in allowing some of them to turn brown and black . . .



He may not really understand . . . but he's not against reaping their benefits.

And that's ok.



*Honey Banana Loaf*
Makes one 2 pound loaf
Printable Recipe

This lovely loaf might look dark on the outside, but inside it is a light honey brown, moist and redolent of the lovely flavours of banana and honey. Mmmm . . . it's just wonderfully moreish!

8 ounces self raising flour
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
4 ounces butter
8 ounces really ripe banana, peeled and mashed
4 ounces golden caster sugar
the grated zest of one lemon
2 large eggs
6 TBS thick pale honey
To top:
2 TBS honey, gently warmed
3 sugar cubes, crushed

Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F. Grease a 2 pound loaf tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.

Measure the flour into a bowl. Whisk in the nutmeg. Tip in the butter and then rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine dry breadcrumbs.

Stir in the mashed bananas along with the sugar, lemon zest, eggs and honey. Beat well, until evenly mixed. Turn into the prepared pan, level off the top and then place in the heated oven.

Bake for 1 1/4 hours until the cake tests down when I fine skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for several minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Peel off the paper.

Gently warm the honey in the microwave and then brush the heated honey over the top of the cold loaf. Sprinkle with the crushed sugar cubes. Delicious!

I've made no secret of the fact that I just love mincemeat. I just can't get enough of it and each year at Christmas time, I go through copious amounts of it, so you best be prepared . . . I have more than a few mincemeat goodies left in me yet.



I have had this split second cookie recipe for years and years. A buttery crisp cookie, filled with a sweet jam filling that you bake in logs and then cut into diagonals, this recipe was a real Godsend when my kids were growing up, because I could have several dozen cookies cooled and waiting in the cookie jar in about half an hour's time! I used to fill them with raspberry jam most of the time, and at Christmas time I would fill them with mint jelly and raspberry jam, not together . . . but separately so that I'd have red and green filled ones.



One day a few years ago, I had some mincemeat that I needed to use up, and the light went on. I thought why not! So I added some cinnamon to the cookie dough and used the leftover mincemeat to fill the centres . . . and then I thought . . .



Why not add a tasty nutty streusel topping and then glaze them???

Why not indeed!



These are fabulous if I don't say so myself. Guaranteed to become a favourite.



Move over Mince Pies. There's some strong competition here! Todd and I just love these tasty little babies!



*Holiday Split Seconds*
Makes 4 dozen
Printable Recipe

Called split seconds because they can be thrown together quickly and baked just as quick as a wink. These are lovely additions to your holiday cookie trays. Great keepers and very tasty.

280g plain flour
(2 cups)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 ounces butter, softened
(3/4 cup)
75g golden caster sugar
(2/3 cup)
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 to 3/4 small jar of purchased mincemeat

Streusel Topping:
285g brown sugar
(1/3 cup)
70g plain flour
(1/3 cup)
2 tsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS softened butter
50g chopped toasted pecans

Glaze:
140g icing sugar, sifted
(1 cup)
milk as needed to make a runny glaze



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Line two shallow baking trays with parchment paper. Set aside.

Sift together the baking powder, flour and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the flour mixture until the dough is well mixed. Divide into quarters.

Shape each quarter into a long thick sausage shape on the parchment paper, each about 13 inches long and about 3/4 of an inch wide. Place the logs, 2 inches from the edges of the pan and at least four to five inches apart from each other. Press it a bit flat with your gingers and square it off at the ends. Taking the handle of a wooden spoon make a depression down the centre of each log lengthwise about 1/4 of an inch deep. Spoon the mincemeat carefully down the centre of each, filling in the depression.

Make the streusel by rubbing all the ingredients together to make a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle some of this over each log. You will not need it all.

Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they start to colour and firm up a bit. Remove from the pan and while they are still warm, using a sharp knife, cut each log into 12 diagonal slices. Slide the paper onto wire racks to allow them to cool completely before separating them. Once they are completely cold, make a glaze by whisking the icing sugar together with enough milk to make a smooth drizzle. Drizzle some of this over each cookie. Allow to harden before stroring in airtight containers. Will keep at least a week, if you have them that long! They also freeze very well.

Quite often by the time we get home from church on Sundays, it's far too late to cook much of a supper so we usually have something quick. I make it a habit now to cook what would normally have been our Sunday lunch on Saturday evenings, and we have leftovers for Sunday.



Some weeks we've been really busy on Saturday too, and so there are no leftovers to warm up. What to do . . . what to do . . .



You might be forgiven if you look at these as a North American and think right away, those are pancakes! Well, yes, they are very similar to pancakes, but in reality they are something known as Drop Scones, or as you get further up North . . . Scotch Pancakes.



In the olden days these would have been cooked on a solid metal griddle over an open fire. Today we are blessed to have lovely non-stick frying pans.



Blessings come in many guises. Like sweetly spiced, soft drop scones. These are particularly wonderful when you get home from church late on a Sunday afternoon and you are literally starving! Quick, easy and very, very tasty. What's a girl to do?



I decided to add a little Christmas warmth and spice to these with the grated rind of several oranges, a little mixed spice and the juice of the oranges.

They were delightful . . . especially with a bit of butter and golden syrup on top.



Sticky fingers never tasted so good . . . neither did Sundays . . . ☺





*Christmas Drop Scones*
Makes about 24
Printable Recipe

Serve these as soon as they are made with oodles of butter and golden syrup. If you can get the festive flavoured golden syrups so much the better, but really plain old golden syrup tastes just wonderful. If you do need to make these in advance, arrange them in a single layer on an ovenproof plate, cover tightly with some foil wrap and when ready re-heat in a 160*C/325*F oven for about 10 minutes.

2 large oranges
a little whole milk
6 ounces self raising flour (about 1 1/4 cups, 170g )
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 1/2 ounces golden caster sugar (3 1/2 TBS)
1 largefree range egg
oil for cooking
golden syrup and butter for serving

Grate the rind from the oranges and set aside.  Squeeze the juice and put into a measuring jug.  Add enough whole milk to measure up to 200ml. (200ml is the same as 7 fluid ounces, or 13 1/2 TBS) Set aside

Measure the flour into a bowl. Whisk together with the baking powder, mixed spice and caster sugar, combining well. Make a well in the centre of the flour and then add the egg and half of the orange juice mixture. Whisk together well to make a smooth thick batter, then wisk in enough of the remaining orange mixture to make a batter which has the consistency of thick cream.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease with a little bit of oil. Using a dessertspoon, drop spoonfuls onto the hot pan, spacing each about 2 inches apart. When bubbles appear on the surface, flip them over with a spatula and cook on the other side for about 30 seconds to one minute, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm with a clean tea towel over top, while you cook the rest.

Cook the remaining batter in the same way. Serve these lovely scones warm with butter and golden syrup for spreading. Delicious!

Moving to a new country there are lots of things one has to adjust and learn to adapt to.
Things like different plugs on the ends of electrical appliances.



Smaller fridges and stoves.

Rain . . . umm . . . lots of rain . . . wet Christmas's instead of white Christmas's . . . and men wearing bowler hats and carrying umbrellas . . . waiting in queues.



Looking left instead of right before you cross the road . . . and minding the gap between the platform and the train.


Sometimes there are things that you just can't find a substitute for . . . things like A&W Rootbeer, Hot Dog relish, Sweet Mixed Pickles, Cap'n Crunch Cereal and Butterfinger chocolate bars . . . some things are just sacred and irreplaceable . . . end of.

Then there are other things that somehow the substitutes for actually end up being better than the original.



Like subbing digestive biscuits for graham crackers. Digestives are sooooo much tastier.

No, they are not square . . . they are round.




And so that means that your s'mores take on a different attitude altogether . . . well rounded, I'd say . . . but your pie crusts and cheesecake bases are . . . waaaaaay tastier! Trust me on this.




And these lovely Christmas Treats??

Outstanding.

Truly. This is a recipe one of my dad's old girlfriends gave to me about 10 years ago. Easy, quick and outrageously addictive. You can NOT eat just one . . . ever. And it wouldn't be Christmas in my house without a tin or two of them kicking around somewhere . . .



*Almond Florentine*
Makes about 24 round biscuits

It just wouldn't be Christmas without a plate of these to help us trim the tree properly. Seriously.

1 package of digestive biscuits
(alternately can use graham crackers)
8 ounces butter (Use only butter and nothing else)
170g soft light brown sugar
150g flaked almonds, toasted

Take a couple of large baking sheets with sides. Line with aluminium foil and lightly butter. Lay the digestive biscuits out in a single layer across the baking sheets.

Melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and cook for 5 minutes, without allowing it to boil and stirring constantly. Spoon the mixture over top of the digestive biscuits. Probably about 1 dessertspoonful on each. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Once it is hot place the baking trays inside and bake for about 10 minutes. Turn the heat out, prop the door open and allow them so sit into the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Store in a tightly covered container.



Know what? This stuff is even fabulous baked on to those lovely rectangular buttery Italian Crackers . . . mmmmm . . . I discovered this new addiction this afternoon . . . God help me.

Here in the UK, we have some of the finest cheeses in the world.

Cheddar immediately springs to mind of course, and if you are thinking that there is only one kind of cheddar, then you would be sadly mistaken. There are as many types of cheddars as there are areas over here, each area seemingly having taken to producing their own variety and some of them are very good indeed. I love a good farmhouse cheddar myself.



Besides Cheddar, which ranges in strength from mild to very strong, there are lovely cheeses such as Wensleydale, which comes from the Wensleydale region in the Yorkshire Dales. (We were fortunate enough to have visited the factory there a few summers back) Red Leicester, which is a beautiful orange colour and wonderfully rich and creamy. Cornish Yarg, Double Gloucester, Sage Derby, Shropshire Blue, Lancashire . . . to name but a very few.

In truth, my absolute favourite has to be Stilton . . .



Quite rightfully known as the "King" of British Cheeses, Stilton claims it's name from a village just South of Peterborough . . . Smooth and creamy, with a beautifully complex flavour, this is one of our favourite cheeses to serve here at Oak Cottage during the Christmas season, indeed during any season.



It turns up in all kinds of shapes and forms . . . tis absolutely lovely nibbled with some crispy crackers, or on a cheese tray along with some sliced apples and golden pears. Crumbled into a tasty cauliflower soup, or on top of a cauliflower cheese . . . folded into a golden Potato Gratin . . .

Oh . . . it is so very lovely in all sorts of ways, hot or cold . . .

but . . . none lovelier than this wonderfully unique nibble, which combines some purely British tastes and textures . . .



A crispy, buttery and tangy stilton flavoured shortbread base, filled with the toasted crunch of rich walnuts . . . then, topped with creamy philadelphia cheese and a tasty dollop of sweet and spicy mango chutney . . . a leftover taste from our Colonial days in India. The toasted walnut garnishing the top is the perfect capper.



You will really enjoy these. You can bake the little shortbreads well ahead of time and keep them in the freezer, warming them up and topping them with the cream cheese and chutney just prior to serving.

These are fabulous, simply fabulous. These will truly be the jewels of your Holiday Nibble Trays.



*Stilton and Walnut Shortbreads with an Indian Twist*
Makes 36
Printable Recipe

These tasty and savoury shortbreads are truly delicious even on their own, but when you marry them with the soothing creaminess of soft cheese and the tangy spicness of a good mango chutney, well, it truly is a marriage made in heaven! These are always the first to dissappear off the Hors D'oeuvres trays.

4 ounces of Stilton cheese at room temperature
3 TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature
70g plain flour
30g corn flour
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
50g chopped walnuts
3 TBS cream cheese
3 TBS good quality mango chutney
36 small walnut halves, toasted (for garnishing)

Put the blue cheese and butter into the bowl of a food processor. Process together until creamy. Whisk the flour, corn flour, pepper and salt together in a small bowl. Add to the creamed mixture in the food processor and pulse to combine. Add the chopped walnuts and pulse just until incorporated. You still want there to be little discernable chunks of walnuts. Do NOT overprocess.

Remove the mixture from the food processor and shape into a flattened disc. Wrap well in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or until firm.

Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the chilled dough on a piece of cling film. Cover with another piece of cling film. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 of an inch thick. Remove the top piece of cling film and cut into 1 inch fluted circles with a sharp cutter. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Gather the dough scraps together and press back into a disk, roll out and repeat until all the dough is used up , placing each on the baking sheet, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between each one.

Bake until lighty brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool. You can do this much several days ahead if you wish.

When you are ready to serve them. Top each biscuit with a tsp of the creamed cheese and then an equal amount of the chutney. Finally place a toasted walnut on top of each. Serve. (Don't top with the toppings until you are ready to serve them)

One of the things I like most about the holidays, is the opportunity I have to pull out all the stops, and to create tasty little nibbles for the people we often have come around to the cottage to visit, or for the various parties we get invited out to.



I am really lucky because I work as a chef in a manor house, and so I have lots of practice making these tasty little tidbits throughout the year. I always create at least 3 or 4 different ones for each dinner party I cook for.

I like for each of them to be a work of art, and incredibly tasty.



A delicious little tidbit, that will whet everyone's appetites, and have them really racing in anticipation for the great dinner event to come.



These are one of my more popular little bites. You can fill them with sweet chili sauce as I have done here, or you can fill them with hot pepper jelly.

Or a mixture of both, as I have done here. That tasty combination of sweet, savoury and heat is really quite delicious to say the least!



Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Kinda pretty to look at as well . . . and very cheery with the green and the red colours I have used here. Especially festive, don't you think?



First to disappear off of the nibble trays.



Every time.

Trust me.



*Sweet Chili Cheese Puffs*
Makes about 3 dozen
Printable Recipe

Short and savoury with a bit of a bite. These will be really popular on your nibble tray!

8 ounces extra strong cheddar cheese, grated
3 to 4 TBS of softened unsalted butter
145g plain flour
sweet hot chili sauce, or hot pepper jelly


Place the cheese, butter and flour in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Once this happens, allow the motor to run for 25 to 30 seconds until the dough forms a ball around the blade. Try not to overwork the dough. Remove from the bowl and chill for about 30 minutes, wrapped in cling film.

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F.

Pinch off walnut sized balls of the chilled dough and shape into balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Place on a large parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly coloured, but NOT browned. Remove from the oven and immediately shape a small depression in the centre of each using the end of the handle of a large wooden spoon. Fill each depression with some chili sauce or hot pepper jelly, if using. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 7 mionutes, until golden browned on the bottoms. Cool slightly before serving.

Hot jelly and sauce can really burn, so be careful.

Stand back and await the applause.