ZUCCHINI CAKE
Serves: 14

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Veg Oil
1 3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla
2 1/2 Cup A.P. Flour
1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Tsp. B.Soda
1/2 Tsp. B.Powder
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/3 Tsp. Ground Cloves
1/2 Cup Sour Milk
2 Cup Shredded Zucchini
1/2 Cup Choc Chips

DIRECTIONS:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, oil and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Mix well. Stir in zucchihi. pour into a greased 13 x9 inch baking pan, Sprinkle with choc chips. Bake at 350*f for 45 mins.


In January Conor has his birthday so we will do his favourite breakfast...
Gingerbread Pancakes with Lemon and Maple Syrup

INGREDIENTS:

3 3/4 cup Plain Flour
7 1/2 tsp B.Powder
2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp B.Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
1/4 cup Molasses
3 cups Milk
3 whole Eggs
1/3 cup Butter-melted

DIRECTIONS:
Sift the dry ingredients and add to this the wet ingredients beating gently....do not over whip, makes enough for 12 generous portions. The sauce is about 1 cup of maple syrup, 1 cup sugar syrup, 1 lemon zested and juiced and a cup of whipping cream. bring to a boil and serve hot. We serve it with a spoon of whipped cream too, but he doesn't much care for that...I imagine as a five year old you should watch your cholesterol!


Cranberry Almond Biscotti
Try this with the Revel Coffee house blend available on Wellington St, preferably with some quiet time after the Christmas rush! P.S. They sell lovely hot chocolate too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
2 1/2 Cups Soft Flour
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 Large Egg as eggwash

DIRECTIONS:

1).Preheat oven to 325*f.
2).Soak Cranberries in boiling hot water for 5 mins. Drain and pat dry.
3).Mix together flour, sugar, soda, b-powder and salt with beater. Add eggs and vanilla until dough forms. Add cranberries and almonds and mix at low speed.
4).Turn out onto floured surface and knead several times.
5). Halve dough and form each piece into a 13-by2 inch slightly flattened log.
6). Brush each log with egg wash,and bake in oven for 30 mins. 7). Cool logs slightly then cut diagonally into half inch thick slices with serrated knife.
8). Bake these slices for 10 mins each side, until golden and crisp.
Cool on wire rack. ...THESE SHOULD KEEP FOR 2 WEEKS IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER...OR 2 DAYS IN OUR SUNROOM COOKIE JAR!!!!!!!!

Boursin Cheese and New Potato Tart
Lovely with a sunny side up or lightly poached egg.

INGREDIENTS:


450 g Small New Potatoes
225 g All Butter Puff Pastry(1 sheet P.C works well)
75 g Grated Boursin Cheese (Garlic & Herb)
1 Tblsp Each of chopped Parsley, Tarragon and Chives
3 Tblsp Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Eggwash
1/4 Tsp. Salt
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat Oven to 400*F. Roll out puff pastry to a 10x10 inch square (or use one sheet presidents choice all butter puff pastry, 225g), and eggwash entire sheet.
Spread the pepper puree or diced roasted sweet peppers over pastry to within 1 cm of the edge.
Slice the cooked potatoes and arrange neatly or scatter over pastry depending on your style or lack there of.
Season with salt and pepper and then sprinkle with chopped herbs.
Grate Boursin evenly over potatoes.
(TIP: I freeze the cheese and grate straight from the freezer) Pop in the oven for about 30-40 minutes on a grease proof tray. When cooked I cool it slightly on a wire rack before portioning out.
Serve it with an egg over easy cooked in butter! Enjoy. Roasted Red Pepper sauce. Roast 1 pepper and peel and de vein. Chop finely and add 3 tbsp Olive Oil and quarter tsp lemon juice. Season well.

Souffle
We make different savoury types: cheddar & apple, smoked gouda and thyme etc, sometimes even sweet treat like a pear and vanilla one. Homemade relishes top these savoury delights too!

Ingredients

50 g Butter
50 g Plain/Soft Flour
300 ml Cream-35%
300 ml Milk
1 Tsp. Thyme or Oregano
1 Pinch Nutmeg
4 Yolks
6 Egg Whites
225 g Cheese(havarti or goats or cheddar)

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Lining the Moulds....
50 g Melted Butter
100 g.each Breadcrumbs/Parmesan/Hazlenuts..finely ground

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line moulds by brushing the insides with melted butter and then sprinkling the breadcrumb mix in.Tap out excess crumbs.
2. Pre heat the oven to 220*C or 425*F.
3. Make white sauce....melt butter in pot then add flour to make a paste. Slowly add milk & cream and seasonings(herbs) and boil gently for 5 mins. Stir frequently as sauce will tend to 'catch' in pot & burn. Leave to cool for 8/10 mins.
4. Meanwhile grate your cheese (eg cheddar) and put in large bowl with egg yolks.Pour the sauce over the cheese and mix until the cheese has melted.
5. Whip the egg whites to a stiff peak consistency.Fold into the cheese mix until evenly distributed.Spoon mix into ramekins to the top.
6. Place ramekins into a shallow tray with about 1cm of warm water in the tray.Cook in the oven for about 15/25 mins or until fully risen and golden on top.
7. To unmould leave souffle to cool to blood temp and then gently slide a knife around the inside of the mould to loosen it.It should pop out when turned upside down.
Store in fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in 400*f oven for about 10 mins. Serve immediately.
(Can be eaten cold...nice as part of a plowmans lunch)


BUTTERMILK-LEMON PUDDING CAKE
 
Serves: 14

Ingredients:

1  Cup  Sugar 
1/3  Cup  Flour-All purpose 
1  Whole  Lemon Zest & Juice (strained) 
3/4  Cup  Butter-melted 
9   Egg Yolks 
1 3/4  Cups  Buttermilk 
5   Egg Whites 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 300*f Spray moulds/ramekins with vegetable spray. Blend half of sugar with flour,lemon zest & juice,yolks and melted butter. Stir in the buttermilk. In a separate bowl whip the whites until they form soft peaks. Gently add remaining sugar (half cup) while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Pour batter into moulds.Place into water bath* and bake in oven for about 1 hour until custard has set. Remove from water and cool. Refridgerate and invert when ready to serve. Garnish with red fruit berries or sauce. *Create water bath by filling an ovenproof pan to approximately half full of water.

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Irish Coffee Pecan Pie

Serves: 10

INGREDIENTS:

SOURCE: THE OLD RECTORY with a little help from WOLFGANG PUCK

......Pastry...
1 3/4 Cup A.P.Flour
1 Tblsp Sugar
1/4 Tsp. Salt
3/4 Cup Butter
2 Egg yolks
3 Tblsp 35% Cream

......Filling.....
1 Cup Corn Syrup
3/4 Cup Brown sugar
3 Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
1 Tsp. Instant Coffee granules or 1/4 Cup expresso
1 Shot Irish Whiskey (1 for Chef too)
2 Tblsp Melted Butter
3/4 Cup Pecan chopped

DIRECTIONS:

10 inch fluted tart pan. 375*f.
Combine all wet ingredients and gently mix.
Bake pastry blind.
Put melted chocolate on base of pie crust and spread evenly around to keep base dry before adding filling.
45 mins.