BACK ON TRACK

Hi everyone, I know I have really neglected posting on my blog no excuse other than, I thought maybe no one is really interested in a mixture of, something about everything with a recipe thrown in.  I'm wrong sorry about that. Can I be really honest with you?  We moved to a retirement village (lovely to live here) and of course packing, unpacking throwing stuff away etc.,  One thing I don't throw away are my books,  I have a large library of cookery books and also those that I have written.  I know you can (if you into using your computer) google recipes and even watch on you tube but maybe it is just a little better when you know the recipe has been tried and tested, not saying that other recipes are not but you know what I mean.

A friend gave me a bottle of orange preserve she had made, it was delicious.  Oranges are easily available and even easier to make when you use your microwave oven.  If you want to give it a try, here is the recipe.

ORANGE PRESERVE

This recipe makes 2 x 500g jars

6 medium-sized oranges
400ml water (just about two cups)
1 kg white sugar
30ml (2 tbs) lemon juice

Method

1.  Thinly grate rind off oranges, leave them whole.
2.   Prick fruit with a toothpick, place in a large heat-resistant bowl, add water and microwave, covered, on 100% that is full power for 15 minutes.  You don't have to stir or turn the fruit over, just microwave.
3.   Remove fruit, cut in half and remove seeds. If you prefer you can cut the oranges in quarters.
4.   Add sugar to water, stir well until dissolved, return to oven and microwave uncovered on 100% that is full power for 5 minutes, now you can stir twice during the cooking time.
5.   Add lemon juice and oranges and microwave covered on 100% power for 20 to 30 minutes or until preserve has set, turning fruit over frequently.
6.   Arrange orange halves in sterilized jars, pour hot syrup over and seal.

 MORE THAN A YEAR LATER......

Whatever has happened with time? Actually time is only part of the problem I'm trying to combine two passions and I am not sure if I am getting this right?  Good food will always feature somewhere in my daily life.  The story of Huberta and her journey is a passion, filled with laughter and sadness. It is a true story of hope, restoration and reconciliation.  A story so needed today.  This is the first picture ever taken of Huberta the wonderful hippo who was born in 1928 possibly in St Lucia Estuary.  I like to think of Huberta and her story for today as from "from hippo's to hope." You will love it!

IS SILENCE GOLDEN?

Hi everyone, 
I know I have been silent and unless I have good news I can't imagine how my silence is going to golden?   I was chatting to a friend and she was expressing how busy work life has become, hardly enough time to enjoy a walk with the dogs in the evening.  And you Jean? well I told her about the blog and microquickmeals.  Her reply was she wanted recipes that fitted the title of my blog, quick and easy.  That got me thinking!  So I am going to not exactly re-design the blog but change the content, give you more real quick meals to make in a jiffy.  How does that sound?  I would love to hear from you.  That does not mean that occasionally I could share a recipe for a special occasion that is not just made in a jiffy!!

BASIC WHITE CAKE

Here is a recipe for a basic white cake, add your favourite filling and topping and you will have a easy handy recipe with many variations. This recipe can also be used for making cupcakes and, of course the Lamington Cake. 

What you need:

125ml (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
250ml (1 cup) castor sugar
2 large eggs
375ml (1 - 1/2 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

1.  Cream butter and castor sugar until light and fluffy.

2.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.

3.  Fold in flour and milk alternately and add vanilla essence.

4.  Pour batter into a lightly greased 230 mm round glass dish, the base lined with absorbent paper towel.

5.  Place on an upturned saucer and microwave on 100% (high) power for 8 minutes.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes (the sticky places on top will disappear), then turn out onto a cooling rack.  When cold, ice and decorate as desired.

 

Orange gateau

 

 

To make this cake I used orange juice instead of milk, orange essence instead of vanilla essence.  I then made an orange filling mixing 1 cup of fresh orange juice, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of white sugar.  Then mixing

 3 tbs of custard powder with 4 tbs of water, adding and microwaving on 100% (high) power, six to eight minutes or until thickened.  Allow to cool completely.  If you got any Cointreau add a dash, yummy!

You can top with orange flavoured butter icing, I found topping with a orange mock cream just made this cake special.  I guess I should give you the recipe?

 

  

MICROWAVE LAMINGTONS

The sauce will coat only 16 - you will need to make two batches.  For a variation, add 15ml (1 tbs) dark rum (not essence) to the chocolate sauce.

Cake:

3 large eggs
250ml (1 cup) sugar
500ml (2 cups) cake flour, sifted
20ml (4 tsps.) baking-powder
pinch of salt
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla essence
250ml (1 cup) milk
60ml (4 tbs) butter or margarine

Chocolate Sauce:

500ml (2 cups) icing sugar
60ml (4 tbs) cocoa powder
45ml (3 tbs) butter or margarine
125ml (1/2 cup) hot water

To complete:
200g desiccated coconut

Step 1:  Beat eggs and sugar until light and creamy, add sifted dry ingredients, blend well.   Add vanilla essence.  Place milk and butter in a glass bowl, microwave on 100% (high) power, two to three minutes, add quickly to mixture, blending well.

Step 2:  Lightly grease a 230mm square container (you can use plastic), line base with absorbent paper towel.  Pour in mixture, microwave on 70% (medium-high) power, five minutes, then on 100% (high) power, four to six minutes, allow to cool completely in container.

Step 3:  Cut into 16 squares, then half again to make 32/

Step 4:  Combine sauce ingredients, microwave on 100% (high) power, four minutes, stirring twice.  Allow sauce to cool completely.

Step 5:  Coat cake squares with Chocolate Sauce - using meat tongs and a spoon helps prevent crumbs from falling into sauce.  Drain on wire rack roll in coconut, allow to set.

Makes 32

 

Picture courtesy of Annette Human

 

 

LAMINGTON CAKE

Lamingtons are delicious little cakes, also known here in South Africa as "Ystervarkies", translated "Little iron piglets".  My husband loves these little cakes.  A Lamington cake recipe has been doing the rounds and was first published in the South African magazine Sarie.  I must say looking at the picture it looks delicious, taking a closer look at the recipe I found it rather expensive to make.  The filling alone has 300g of white chocolate, 125ml cream, 1 x 230g cream cheese and 100g dark chocolate.

 

Most South Africans are getting use to the load shedding, this means at certain times of the day electricity is off.  We are all trying to save electricity,  I find using my microwave oven a good way of saving. 

 

I am going to give you my recipe for microwaved Lamingtons and, how to make a plain white cake which you could use to make the Lamington Cake.  Let's try! 

BE MY VALENTINE BISCUITS

I had a group of children making valentines biscuits, if you don't mind a messy kitchen the results are rewarding. 

 

 

Microwaving is a safe method of cooking, when children cook adult supervision should always be at hand.

 

 

 

What you need:

 

125g butter or margarine, softened

60ml (4 tbs) soft brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

500ml (2 cups) flour, sifted

 

Decorations:

 

Butter icing

food colouring of choice

Smarties or decoration of choice

 

How to make the biscuits:

 

1.  Place butter and brown sugar in a mixing-bowl.  Using an electric beater, beat until light and fluffy.  Beat egg and vanilla  essence until well combined, add to mixture.

2.  Sift flour into butter mixture, knead until soft dough is formed.

3.  Place dough on lightly floured surface.  Roll out to 5 mm thickness.  Use heart-shaped cutter to cut out biscuits.

4.  Line a shallow baking dish with absorbent paper towel.  Place biscuits in circle, refrigerate 10 minutes, until well chilled.  Place in microwave oven, microwave on 100% (high) power, one to two minutes, or until crisp when allowed to cool.

5.  Repeat until all dough has been used. 

6.  Coat biscuits with various colours of butter icing.  Decorate with Smarties, glace cherries or chocolate vermicelli.

7.  Share with friends on Valentines Day.