Choc Chip Raisin Cookies

I've just made these on a whim.... I opened a file to look for something to bake and there the recipe was.  I haven't made these before but they were simple to make and taste good!

Beat 150g butter with 1c brown sugar till fluffy.
Add in 1 beaten egg + 2 cups of sifted plain flour and 2t baking powder.
Mix in 1/2 cup chopped raisins and 1/3 cup choc chips (I used drops)

Roll into balls, squish and bake for 15-18 mins at 180c.

Must be time for coffee!

Never Fail Quiche...

Quiche is always devoured quickly in our home...mostly by our 11 year old son!

I have always made a pastry based quiche but a few weeks ago my good friend Celina came to visit... and brought a quiche that was delish so I asked for the recipe.

Today I've made this as my toddler is ill so I've a bit more time to spare (there are cookies in the oven as I type this), and its been made for the weekend: Hubby to enjoy after surfing and for Lincoln to take to his Oliver! rehearsals (approx 6 hours of singing and dancing so he'll need it!) and munch on during dinner break, as its great eaten hot or cold.

This is an 'anything goes' recipe, and I have done the following:


Chopped 1 red onion (no brown in the cupboard) + 3 slices of bacon and cooked till the onion is clear. Allowed to cool.
Mixed into the pot:  1T relish, 3 large eggs, 1 cup tasty cheese, 1 grated zucchini, handful of grated carrot, some left over florets of broccoli + 4 slices of ham that would have gone to waste.
Also 1/2 c self raising flour and 1+ 1/4 cups milk.

Mixed well, poured into greased dish and baked at 180c for 45 mins.

Done! Too easy!

Cheesecake...

My latest challenge was to make a cheesecake. I have never made one of these before... mainly because it could get left uneaten as hubby doesn't like them and there is nothing worse than uneaten baking!
Hubbies parents were up from Wellington to visit so it was a perfect opportunity to make something delish and have them around to help eat it!


Instead of a 'typical' cheesecake with creamy cheese filling and fruit topping, I decided to go extreme with chocolate and cherries.

My base is crushed dark chocolate digestive biscuits and melted butter.  The filling: cream cheese, 3 chopped cherry ripe bars and a tin of drained cherries in syrup. All topped off with shavings of dark chocolate

YUM!  It tasted sooo good, and was devoured over 2 nights, with my in-laws saving me from some calorie overloading!

My 'go to' cookies

Aaarrgghh, the cookie tin is empty! This is practically a crime in my home!


When this happens I usually fill it with chocolate chip cookies. From the time I discover the empty tin, I can have these ready to bake in about 5 minutes flat as the ingredients are always in the house.

These smell amaaaazing when they are baking... and taste spectacular; much better than any packaged variety!

Fagin's Hat Cupcakes

Oliver! by Hamilton Operatic Society is on in Hamilton from June 23rd and my son Lincoln is one of the boys in Fagin's gang. 


The rehearsal schedule is pretty gruelling (ha ha!) so I decided to make some Fagin's Hat Cupcakes for Lincoln to share with his stage buddies last weekend.

Chocolate with cream cheese icing, fondant hat and piped brim.


I've got a great idea for some 'bowl of gruel' cupcakes to make another day!

CHELSEA BUNS

Today I am making Chelsea Buns… I saw a mention of them when NZ Hottest Baker was advertised so I thought I may combine my cooking each week with what the show is challenging the contestants with!

I’ve made the buns before, and they were nice.  Not to pass too much judgment on our national treasure of the Edmonds Cookbook, but I prefer my buns with a little more filling and flavour.

My rule is to try the recipe once, make notes, and then change it next time. For my buns this time I’ve added more fruit: currants, sultanas, raisins and cranberries which I have also roughly chopped.  My spices are mixed spice, cinnamon and a secret pinch of ‘something’ secret.

 

After carefully looking after my dough, I’m thrilled with these… they are soft, fruity, have a little spice and sweet and a lovely touch of white and pink icing!  I sent Lincoln off to his show rehearsals this afternoon happily munching a Chelsea bun…he loves them and that’s all a mum needs!

Twinkle Star Cake

Decorating with twinkle stars

Lucy has just turned 2 and we decided to make her birthday them ‘twinkle stars’ as it seems to be her favourite nursery rhyme and she loves seeing the stars at night.

My first thoughts were to do a red velvet cake, but as there were going to be children eating the cake I didn’t want to be responsible for the reactions that may be caused by the level of red food colouring.

I decided on a lavish chocolate cake instead.  I made one cake to full batch, which I would slice in half and another ½ batch for a smaller cake to be placed on the top; therefore giving 3 layers.  I was amazed at how moist this cake was... it was a recipe I had never tried before and it turned out perfect.  

Monday prior to the party was bake day, then my cakes were well wrapped and frozen.  I also set about making lots of fondant stars which were painted pale silver.

Lucy’s ‘actual’ birthday was on Wednesday so I made mini chocolate cupcakes with raspberry butter-cream frosting which were of course, decorated with a star. She took 2 dozen to crèche to share.  Wednesday night I made home-made pizzas (one of her favourite meals) and she blew the candles out off a large cupcake...much to her delight!

Friday afternoon I sliced my large cake through the middle and set about spreading the top 2 layers with raspberry jam before gluing the whole cake together with raspberry-white chocolate-cream cheese frosting.  Lucy helped me stick the stars on and was very pleased to see her “happy birthday cake” and set about singing happy birthday for the next 3 or 4 days!