Food for thought...

Earlier this month my brother celebrated his 60th birthday. I had asked my sister in law what she would like me to bring as a contribution to the meal. Eventually she suggested I bring a dessert or 'something sweet to have with coffee'. 

We rarely eat such food but I thought I'd buy in some provisions and make something like brownies or caramel slice; cooking from scratch...just like I used to do. But I've got to a stage in my life where I don't hesitate to 'cut corners' on the odd occasion...especially if it gives me more time for crafting! Lol. 

With this in mind, I bought a Betty Crocker Brownies mix, some tiny vanilla slices from the freezer at Coles and visited Aldi and checked out their 'sweet stuff'. I also bought some coconut and a tin of condensed milk. With the latter I made a big batch of rum balls from some packets of sweet biscuits that had been languishing in the pantry. 

And I also found this tin of cream wafers ( chocolate) and they were put in the food processor too with the other biscuits...

So technically I only made the brownies ( albeit from a packet) and the rum balls...the rest I only opened packets...

And this was the 'finished product' all ready to take to the party...

And...the family ate all the Aldi 'stuff' and the Coles' mini vanilla slices...my 'baking' was hardly touched. But my neighbours had a wonderful morning tea over at my place the next day so all was not lost! 😉

Make-grow-thrift...

I've just checked over at Jodie's blog to see whether she has already published a post for her Make-Grow-Thrift feature and she has! This week Jodie has written about an apple pie she made for the family. Her oven is out of action and not to be deterred, Jodie cooked the pie in her pizza maker.

Last week I needed to provide a plate of food to share at a craft group I attend twice a month. I was running a bit short of time but remembered 'an old standby' recipe that I used when my girls were little. It was a very popular recipe at that time (mid 80s) and was called 'Five Cup Cake' or, in my case ' Four and a half Cup Cake. It was my contribution to many Playgroup sessions.

The ingredients were:-
1 cup of wholemeal  self raising flour
1 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup fruit medley(in the dried fruit section)  and 1/2 cup sultanas
1 cup of milk (soy/almond/rice milks if preferred)
1 cup of raw sugar (I use just under 1/2 cup)
Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a loaf tin.
Bake in a moderate oven for 40-50minutes. (check after 35mins as all ovens cook differently)

Because I'm avoiding sugar, I was very 'good' and didn't eat anything from the spread where I took this cake. The leftover cake went in the freezer and DH and I had 1 slice last night each last night as my weekly treat, instead of it being scoffed in daily treats like the bad habits I/we  had got into.

It is however a nice easy recipe and useful if something home-baked is needed .

No fancy carrier here...the cake and tin tied up in a tea towel, the old-fashioned way !

A recipe...

Recently I came across a battered old recipe book that I thought I had somehow lost. It was a fundraising affort of our parish back in the early 80s with parishioners contributing favourite recipes. I used it so much when my girls were little and now that I'm looking for that 'simpler life', I'm tending to bake items to take as gifts to friends. Also the groups that I've joined always include cuppa and nibblies as well as the crafts and socialising and it's expected that one brings a plate of food to share occasionally. I must admit I'm not that enamoured with the 'bought' items that some people bring...so I bake from scratch...to set a good example! lol

I'm gradually recalling old recipes that I used to use and then try to find them in my small collection of recipe books. I knew a lot were in this old parish book so I was thrilled to find it! As well as recipes there are the 'people' who are 'in' this book...sadly many have passed away; others have moved away and we've lost touch. Others have grown older with me as we were young mums together. Just reading through the little book brought back so many pleasant memories. I was so pleased to have one particular recipe 'back', 'Never-Fail-All-In-Together-Cake' contributed by Isis Wilson. So what do you do if you re-discover a favourite old recipe?...make it of course. So far I've made it for my Sisters of Stitch group and yesterday I made it for the Knit and Natter group. Both times it disappeared off the plate quick smart, but best of all, it was easy to make! Because I have quite a few passionfruit, I've been indulging in making one of my favourite of all times icing...passionfruit!

Dripping with passionfruit icing! One of the ladies at K&N scraped that excess icing up...and ate it!!

Here's Isis's recipe:-
!/2 cup sugar
!/2 cup milk
125g/ 4 oz softened butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups SR (self raising) flour
teas vanilla
Beat all together. Bake in  orange cake tin  1 hour in a moderate oven. I bake it in a ring tin at 160 degrees C in a fan forced oven for 35 minutes. Best to check the booklet that came with your oven.

Ice when cool. Mixture can also be used for small/patty/fairy/cup cakes.

A busy Wednesday...

Yesterday was a busy day for both DH and I. I've mentioned before that DH is working on the coming Australian Census. A Census of the population is done very 5 years and there are a number of part-time positions which become available before, during and after Census night. DH is an Area Supervisor and is 'in charge' of recruiting, training and supervising 8 Census Collectors and 1 reserve Collector. Yesterday was Training day for the Collectors and DH chose me as the caterer for this event...lol

Tuesday night's baking; slice and 18 mini quiches

I started this role on Tuesday with shopping for supplies and some baking after dinner. On Wednesday morning I made a mountain of sandwiches, a fruit platter as well as arranging morning and afternoon tea drinks and food. Because DH left well before I needed to load the car up, I had to make a number of trips from kitchen to car but at the other end (a local public library conference room) I had willing helpers to assist with unloading the car.

All wrapped up ready to go!

Having delivered lunch and afternoon tea, I then headed off to another library where my craft group, 'Sisters of Stitch' meet every second Wednesday. I had toyed with not going to the group as I was quite tired but am so glad I did go! Judi, the organiser of SOS, showed us some quilts which the Samford Quilters' group had donated to Project Linus. I think there was a total of 11 children's quilts in this large nondescript 'hong kong bag'! What inspiration for me to get on and finish my raggy quilt for Project Linus. At SOS yesterday, I continued with the knitted throw that I'm making for K4BN; it's about half finished.

The latest update on Eduardo's progress...the abscess 'burst' late yesterday afternoon (yes yuck!) and being a typical cat, he spent most of the evening rubbing it with his paw. The wound looked much cleaner this morning though. The vet rang this morning to see how he was and I filled her in, saying that the swelling is completely gone. She recommended that I encourage him to eat by offering chopped up fresh chicken; I actually had been doing that but now it's like a prescription!!! lol