Everyone needs a good company dish up their sleeve that they can whip together as quick as a blink. You know . . . for those times when someone drops in unexpectedly and you just want to sit down and break bread together.



Something quick that uses store cupboard ingredients . . . yet is special enough to feed company.



Something that tastes soooo gorgeous, they will think you slaved all day over the stove . . .
but in reality, you threw together in about 20 minutes . . . and that's stretching it!



This fits the bill on all accounts. Quick, easy, gorgeously delicious and using ingredients most of us foodies have in our store cupboards and freezer most of the time

Got pasta, sun dried tomatoes, chicken breasts, cream and basil???

Then you got this!



Seriously, that is about all it takes! Well, that and a few minutes of your time. Actually not much longer than it takes to cook the pasta and set the table. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!



All you need to go with it is a crusty loaf of Italian bread and a salad. Don 't even think about the calories. This will make you famous, it's a signature dish if I ever saw one . . .

and that, my friends, is well worth the price in extra inchage on the hips. Trust me.



*Chicken with Sundried Tomato and Basil Cream*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Rich and delicious. This is quite simple and quick to make, but special enough to feed to even the most discerning of your dinner guests. Tis a real ravable dish! Scrumdiddlyumptious!

For the chicken:
1 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips crosswise
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 eschalon shallot, peeled and minced
(or 1/4 cup of minced ordinary shallots)
50g oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained, blotted and chopped finely (1/3 cup)
1 TBS sun dried tomato paste
150ml double cream (2/3 cup)
120ml dry white wine (1/2 cup)
a handful of freesh basil leaves, cut chiffonade
(roll up tightly into a cigar shaped bundle and slice thinly across the grain)
370g spaghetti (1 pound)

Melt the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and black pepper, and cook, until golden brown on all sides and just cooked through.. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the shallots to the drippings in the skillet. Cook and stir until softened. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, cream, wine and tomato paste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally until thickened. Stir in the basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the chicken and heat through.

Cook the spaghetti until al dente, according to the package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving some of the pasta water. Stir the pasta into the sauce, adding some of the pasta water to thin if necessary. Serve immediately.

Well, we ventured out in the snow and ice this morning to go to church. It was our Christmas Service so I didn't really want to miss it if I could help it. The roads were pretty terrible, but I reckon about half the congregation was there, so that wasn't too bad.



It did take us a really long time to get home though. What is it about people and adverse weather conditions. They think that they can drive the same way that they normally do . . . no matter that the roads are snow and ice covered and slip, slip, slippery.



We had to make our way around two accidents to get home. Police, ambulances etc. It took us twice as long, and really, it made us kind of nervous as well . . . so we drove really slow.



Never mind . . . we got here in the end. We were starving. Much too hungry to spend too much time cooking a big meal of anything. Quick and easy was the order of the day, but it often is on Sundays . . .



The carol service is canceled for tonight. Guess we'll just have to make do with Songs of Praise . . .



That's ok. We like Songs of Praise.
Especially at Christmas.




*Posh Egg, Chips and Beans*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Quick, easy and oh so tasty.

1/2 kg of floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 TBS olive oil
1 ounce butter
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
3 to 4 fresh sage leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large eggs
1 425g tin of beans in tomato sauce
Buttered bread

Place the potatoes into some salted boiling water. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are just cooked through, but not falling apart. In the meantime heat a large skillet and add the olive oil and the butter, along with the garlic and sage leaves. Once the potatoes are cooked, scoop out of the water with a slotted spoon, allowing any excess water to drip off and place directly into the pan with the garlic and sage. Increase the heat and cook, browning and stirring, until golden browned all over. Don't burn the garlic. Decrease the heat, season with some salt and black pepper. Create two holes in the middle of the potatoes and crack in the two eggs. Season with some salt and cook, until set. If you prefer, you can cover the pan with a lid so that the whites set over the yolks. In the meantime heat the beans in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. When the eggs are ready, divide equally amongst two heated plates and serve hot along with some beans and buttered bread. Enjoy!

One thing we always have lots of in the larder is jars of jams and preserves. I don't think I could live without a variety of them on tap for me to use in various ways . . .



Sometimes in the evenings when we are watching the telly and feel a bit peckish, we will have a treat of hot buttered toast spread with jam or marmelade.

We just adore freshly baked scones with cream and strawberry jam. Can you imagine a Cream Tea without strawberry jam??? It's totally unthinkable!!!

A moist Victorian Sponge is just not the same without a thick layer of raspberry jam in the middle, although I do enjoy lemon curd once in a while, but . . . can you still call it a Victorian Sponge without the jam?




I also love to bake biscuits that have jam in the middle.

Soft and tender molasses jam jams are so lovely and tasty with a hot drink in the middle of the afternoon. My mouth starts to water just thinking about them . . .

Oh, and don't get me started to thinking about lintzer cookies, all buttery and crisp and filled with . . . raspberry jam . . . their tops all sweetly dusted with icing sugar . . .

That white powder on the upper lip's a dead giveaway isn't it? There's no denying you've been raiding the tin . . .



One of my favourite things of all though . . . is . . . raspberry shortbread.

O-H-M-Y-G-O-O-D-N-E-S-S!!!!!

That crisp short textured buttery base . . . topped with sweet raspberry preserves and then . . .
that buttery crumble topping. Can anything on earth possibly taste any better??? I think NOT!

Let's just skip having tea all together today. We'll just settle for dessert



*Raspberry Shortbread*
Makes 12 to 16 wedges
Printable Recipe

Picture sweet buttery melt in your mouth crunch, stogged full of delicious raspberry preserves and you have these delightful shortbread biscuits. These are a real favourite around here.

16 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 large egg yolks
400g sugar
560g flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
350g raspberry jam, at room temperature
70g icing sugar, sifted

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. You will need a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom or you can just use a 9 by 13 inch baking pan.

Cream the butter until soft and fluffy with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a food processor. Beat in the egg yolks. (alternately whiz them for a few seconds in the food processor until combined) Stir together the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter/egg yolk mixture, mixing just until incorporated and the dough comes together. (Do the same in the food processor, blitzing it several times until a dough forms) Divide the dough in half.

Press one half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the tart tin, or the baking pan, pressing it down to compact it slightly.

With a spoon or spatula, spread the jam evenly over the surface to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the dough all the way around. Take the remaining half of the dough and crumble it evenly over top of the jam, covering it completely.

Bake in the heated oven until it is lightly golden brown. This should take between 30 and 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust with the icing sugar. Cool on a wire rack before removing the sides of the pan. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife to serve. (If you have used a baking pan, just cut into squares.) Store in a tightly covered container. This keeps very well.

I have always made doughnut muffins for my children and family, and they have always loved them. Much, much easier than rolling and frying doughnuts, and to be honest there is not really that much difference in flavour.


Sometimes I make them plain, with no filling and just rolling them in the butter and cinnamon.



Other times I like to dab a bit of fruit preserves or lemon curd in the middle. Absolutely delicious!



Still yet, at other times I add a dab of nutella, or creamy dulce de leche. Scrummy yummy!!



It seemed only natural that, at Christmas, I would adapt my recipe a bit and fill them with one of my favourite holiday ingredients, mincemeat.



The shops over here have mincemeat available pretty much the whole year through, but at Christmas it seems that it is something that I just can't seem to get enough of.



These muffins are deliciously moist with a wonderfully spicy mincemeat centre, that will have your family and guests oohing and ahhing and scrambling for just one more.



In fact . . . I think you better bake two dozen . . . just to be sure you have enough.



These are fabulously wonderful!!! Would I lie? Never!!!



*Christmas Morning Doughnut Muffins*
Makes 12 medium to large muffins
Printable Recipe

Moist and spicy, with a tasty dab of delicious mincmeat hidden in the centre, and a buttery cinnamon sugar coating. Wonderful with a nice warm cuppa on Christmas morning!

For the muffins:
6 ounces butter, at room temperature
200g golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
420g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 heaped tsp of mixed spice
1 tsp vanilla paste
8 ounces soured milk
(To sour place 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup and add the milk
to measure 8 ounces)
To fill:
storebought or homemade mincemeat
For dipping:
4 ounces butter, melted (more as needed)
200g caster sugar
1 TBS ground cinnamon



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease and flour a standard 12 cup medium sized muffin tin. Set aside.

Cream the butter and golden caster sugar together until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla paste. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and mixed spice. With a wooden spoon add this mixture a quarter at a time to the egg mixture, alternating with the sour milk, until all are mixed, ending with the dry ingredients. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups to fill halfway. Dab a teaspoon of mincemeat into the centre of each, trying not to touch the sides. Top with the remaining batter, covering the mincemeat. Bake on a rack in the centre of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and dump onto a wire rack to cool for several minutes.

Whisk the caster sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Place the melted butter in another bowl. Once the muffins are cool enough to handle comfortabely, roll them in the melted butter and then into the cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious!

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.