Balsamic Pork Loins

These were very tender

• 4 pork loins
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp grainy mustard, I used Dijon Wholegrain Mustard
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp dry or fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 
  

1. Add all the ingredients (minus pork) to a bowl and mix until the mixture begins to emulsify.
2. Add the pork loins to the same casserole dish you'll use to bake them and pour the marinade over the pork. Make sure you rub all it all over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight. You could prepare these the night before and bake them when you come home from work.
3. Preheat oven to Gas 4 Fan 150.
4. Remove plastic wrap from casserole dish and bake them for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done.

Recipe from http://www.jocooks.com/

Turkey Supreme

Traditional use for left-over turkey done in a white sauce served over rice.  I added some sliced left-over mushrooms just before serving. This makes enough for 4 so will freeze half.

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour

1 cup chicken broth (I used Oxo)
1 cup milk
1 small can cream of chicken soup (I used WW)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3-4 cups turkey pieces
½ medium onion finely chopped

1 stalk celery finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas

1 tbsp Dry Sherry

1.    Melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan.  Add the onion and fry till soft. Add the flour and stir until the butter and flour make a paste.

2.    Add the broth and milk a little at a time stirring until smooth.  Slowly pour the soup into the pan, stirring as you go.  Add celery, sherry, salt and pepper.

3.    Cook the white sauce until it is bubbly and thickened, stirring often.  Add the turkey and green peas and cook for 10 minutes.  If sauce is too thick thin with more milk. Serve over the steamed rice.

Egg Custard Tart

Made 2/3 of this mix in my split pie tin; as it cooked alongside the Bakewell Tart I did pre-cook the custard in the microwave until it thickened slightly before adding on to the pastry. Then cooked both for 25 minutes.

·         1 unbaked pie shell

·         3 large eggs

·         1/2 cup of sugar

·         1/2 teaspoon of salt

·         1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

·         2-2/3 cups of milk

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.       Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat your eggs slightly, then add sugar, salt, nutmeg, and milk. Beat well and pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Sprinkle the top of pie with fresh ground nutmeg and serve.

Bakewell Tart

Made 1/2 of this mix in my split pie tin

·         3 heaped tbsps of raspberry jam

·         100g castor sugar

·         100g icing sugar

·         120g ground almonds

·         50g semolina

·         3 med eggs

·         A few drops of almond essence

·         3 heaped tbsp slivered almonds
·         Unbaked pie shell

1. Mix together the almonds, semolina and both sugars.

2. Whisk the eggs with the almond essence and add to the almond mixture, stirring well.

3. Spread the raspberry jam over the pastry base.

4. Pour in the almond mixture and spread evenly.

5. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds then bake at 200C for approx 25-30 mins, till firm.

6. Allow to cool completely then sprinkle with a little icing or sugar.

Banana Cupcakes

Makes 10 cakes; my icing was a little soft but I did manage to pipe

   

115 g (4 oz) Light butter

115 g (4 oz) reduced sugar

2 eggs, Medium

115 g (4 oz) self-raising flour

1 ripe banana, mashed

-Icing-

55 g (2 oz) Light butter

225 g icing sugar sieved

1 tsp vanilla essence

Banana chips or popping candy to decorate

Preheat oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, Gas mark 4.

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon 2–3 minutes until well mixed. Place dessertspoons of the mixture in 10 paper cases or greased bun tins.

Bake for around 16-20 minutes until soft and springy to touch. 

Cool on a wire tray.Mix icing ingredients together and then spread or pipe over the cakes. 

Decorate with banana chips or popping candy.

Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

I used home made applesauce (2 eating apples to 1 cooker)

Makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1 large egg

1/3 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 12 cups in a muffin tin and set aside.

2. Whisk together the vegetable oil, applesauce, egg, milk, and vanilla and set aside.

3. Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt and slowly fold it into the wet ingredients. Toss the blueberries with a little flour and fold into the batter as well.

4. Fill the prepared tins and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Rosti Casserole with Ham

Had some left-over ham and cheese from making the Cuban Sliders and this turned out OK. For 2 of us I made individual rostis but you can double the recipe and make the casserole.

2 medium potatoes peeled

Low calorie oil spray

½ medium white onion, finely chopped

3 slices ham diced

1/3 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 ounces grated Emmental Cheese (or substitute Gruyere)

pinch salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1.    Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and boil them for 10 minutes. Remove potatoes from pot and cool them in the fridge or cold water for at least two hours or as long as overnight. Once cooled grate them into a large bowl using the large holes in a cheese grater.

2.    Melt oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add ham and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the potatoes.

3.    Preheat oven to Fan 160 / Gas 5. Add yogurt, mustard, cheese, salt and pepper to the bowl with the potatoes, ham and onions. Toss gently to combine.

4.    Spread potato mixture evenly into a baking dish (about 13 x 9–inch) coated with cooking spray or lightly oiled. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the heat up to broil and cook for 4-5 minutes longer, checking every minute, until the top is lightly browned. Alternatively make into patties and place on greased baking tray for 25-30 minutes

Norwegian Apple Cake

Had 9 cooking apples from my brother so this is the first apple item. I substituted ground almonds for the toasted ones and added an extra egg. Picture from original recipe as my cake is going into the deep freeze.

1 Egg
2 Tbs Milk

1/2 Cup (100g) Castor sugar

1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

1 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon

1/3 Tsp Allspice

1 Cup All-purpose flour

50g Chopped almonds toasted

3 Medium-sized tart apples

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), line a 18cm (7-inch) spring form cake pan with baking paper and then butter it.

2. Peel, core, and dice the apples.

3. Stir all the ingredients together (the mixture will be similar to that of muffins).

4. Spread into the pan.

5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. After 1 minutes, run delicately a knife along the side of cake to loosen, then remove from the side of spring form pan.
7. Place a cooling rack upside down over the cake. Turn rack and cake over. Remove the bottom as well as the baking paper of the spring form pan. Place back on the rack.
8. Cool completely before serving.

Cuban Sliders

These were a real success but I did not add the minced onion:)

·         12 pack of snack rolls

·         1 package of 12 slices ham lunch meat

·         1 package of 6 slices of swiss cheese halved

·         Horseradish sauce

·         dill pickles

Dijon Spread

·         1 tablespoon minced onion

·         2oz of melted butter

·         1 tbsp brown sugar

·         1 tablespoons dijon mustard

·         2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.      Preheat oven to 325 degrees Gas 5

2.      Grease 9x13 baking pan

3.      Cut the rolls in half removing the top and placing the bottom of the rolls in the baking pan and spreading with horseradish sauce. Layer the meat, cheese, and pickles. Place the top of the rolls on top.

Dijon Spread

1.      Whisk together the butter and the dijon mustard. Add in the minced onion and stir. With a spoon pour the dijon spread over the top of the rolls and re-frigerate for a couple of hours.

2.      Cover the sliders with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

3.      Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the rolls are a toasted brown.

4.       Cut the sliders and remove from the baking pan. Enjoy!