Today I made cupcakes from a book given to me by my mother in the 1970s. I remember eating these cupcakes when I came home from school. My Mum is still a great cook at the age of 80...just like her Mum was before her.
Recipe from "The Margaret Fulton Cookbook" - first published 1968.
Cup Cakes
If cupcakes are to be iced/frosted and sooth tops are required, back in moderately hot oven (375 F/190C). For peaked tops (necessary for butterfly cakes) increase heat by 25 F/5 C and place the cakes in the hottest part of the oven.
4oz/125 g butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 cups self raising flour
pinch salt
2/3 cup milk
Place the paper cases in cupcake tins. Set oven to moderately hot: 375 F/190 C.
Cream butter. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and reamy. Add vanilla. Add eggs gradually and beat well after each addition. Sift flour and salt 3 times and fold lightly into creamed mixture alternately with milk to make a smooth dropping consistency. Spoon into cases/pans. Bake for approx. 15 minutes. Cool. Frost.
To make butterfly cakes: Cut a circle from top of each cake, fill with a spoonful of sweetened, whipped cream and place circle, cut into two, in butterfly-wing fasion on top. Dust with icing sugar.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
My Mum - (MSH - 1 in 1,000,000!)
I think I'm very lucky to still have my Mum to share the good, the bad (and sometimes the ugly) things that happen in my life. I think sometimes we take for granted what we have.
My Mum-in-law passed away 2 years ago. She battled cancer for 10 years and at the end was a wisened little old woman - a shell of her former self. Sometimes when we visited her we'd take her a McDonalds Oz Burger (like an old fashioned hamburger with meat, lettuce, tomato & sauce - nothing fancy). She thought this was a real treat and we'd cut it up and she'd devour it with relish! We often wondered how she'd get through it as her appetite was very poor - but she would.
Late yesterday afternoon, on Mother's Day, we went to the lawn cemetery with a bunch of flowers, a picnic rug and a McDonalds burger. We spread the rug and sat down - the two meat-eaters in the family shared the burger and we talked & laughed about the good times we had with Grandma. I'm not sure what other people visiting the cemetery thought but I know that Grandma would have loved that visit.
We miss her.
My Mum-in-law passed away 2 years ago. She battled cancer for 10 years and at the end was a wisened little old woman - a shell of her former self. Sometimes when we visited her we'd take her a McDonalds Oz Burger (like an old fashioned hamburger with meat, lettuce, tomato & sauce - nothing fancy). She thought this was a real treat and we'd cut it up and she'd devour it with relish! We often wondered how she'd get through it as her appetite was very poor - but she would.
Late yesterday afternoon, on Mother's Day, we went to the lawn cemetery with a bunch of flowers, a picnic rug and a McDonalds burger. We spread the rug and sat down - the two meat-eaters in the family shared the burger and we talked & laughed about the good times we had with Grandma. I'm not sure what other people visiting the cemetery thought but I know that Grandma would have loved that visit.
We miss her.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The colour of taste
Pumpkin and Red Lentil Soup from "The Really Useful Ultimate Student Vegetarian Cook Book" by Helen Aitken
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 long red chilli, seeded & chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
250g butternut pumpkin
175g orange sweet potato chopped
750m vegetable stock
60g red lentils
1/2 tbsp tahini
red chilli extra to garnish.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the chilli and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is soft. Reduce the heat to low, add the pumpkin and sweet potato and cook, covered, for 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
Increase the heat to high add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the red lentils and cook, covered, for 7 minutes, or until tender.
Process the soup in batches in a blender or food processor, add the tahini and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and gently heat until warmed through. Garnish with chilli.
Note: I'm not a big fan of tahini so I don't use as much. I also season with a pinch of maldon salt and a grind of pepper...if it needs a little more flavour, a pinch of curry powder is nice.
Enjoy!
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 long red chilli, seeded & chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
250g butternut pumpkin
175g orange sweet potato chopped
750m vegetable stock
60g red lentils
1/2 tbsp tahini
red chilli extra to garnish.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the chilli and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is soft. Reduce the heat to low, add the pumpkin and sweet potato and cook, covered, for 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
Increase the heat to high add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the red lentils and cook, covered, for 7 minutes, or until tender.
Process the soup in batches in a blender or food processor, add the tahini and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and gently heat until warmed through. Garnish with chilli.
Note: I'm not a big fan of tahini so I don't use as much. I also season with a pinch of maldon salt and a grind of pepper...if it needs a little more flavour, a pinch of curry powder is nice.
Enjoy!
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