Fruit pie

Pies = a little bit of heaven


And at this time of the year, can cost next to nothing. With blackberries to pick and apples in season to scrumpy (or ask nicely for from a friendly neighbour)
Here’s a recipe for you to play with what ever fruit is in session… blackberry and apple like me, or apple, raisins and cinnamon or rhubarb and lemon…. The list goes on..

Ingredients

6oz short crust pastry (make your own for economy, or cheat like me and get it out of the freezer)
1 and half lb of fresh fruit
4 oz sugar

method

place the fruit in a pie dish with sugar spread on each layer, finish with a layer of fruit piled high in the middle, add a little water, cover with pastry.
Bake just above centre in a hot oven (425o-450oF) gas mark 6-7 for 15 mins, then lower the temp a little for about 20mins until the fruit is cooked. Dredge with sugar and serve hot or cold… with custard, with icecream, with cream, with a cup of tea, the choose is yours.

Today’s illustration © Lois Blackburn. www.loisblackburn.co.uk for more.

Boston Baked Beans

Love my beans, this is a delicious, tasty mix with bacon/pork slices… this is when I wish I had an old fashioned stove to cook it slowly all day…

Ingredients

1 lb haricot beans, washed and soaked overnight
8oz sliced pork (or thick sliced bacon)
2 tsp salt
1 tbs brown sugar
quarter cup of dark molasses or treacle
half tsp dry mustard
half tsp Worcestershire sauce

method

Drain the beans, cover with fresh water and cook covered with a lid until beans are tender. Turn beans into pot, press the pork on top of the beans. Mix the salt, brown sugar, molasses or treacle, mustard, Worcestershire sauce. Add 1 cup of boiling water and pour over the beans. Add additional water and cover beans. Cover and bake in slow oven (250o-300oF, Gas Mark 1-2) for 6 – 8 hours adding additional water to keep beans just covered. Uncover during the last 30 mins to brown pork and beans.

Pete's Burger

Lovely home made burgers, you see what’s going into them, and maybe more importantly what nasty stuff isn’t in it….

Finally chop up about 4 shallots and 2 cloves of garlic, and some fresh parsley. Mix with about a 1 pound of good quality minced beef, (get it from your local butcher, so you can see what your getting!) season to taste. Best to leave the mixture in the bowl for a couple of hours or over night, so the flavours all mix together…

Shape into burger size patties, enough for 4 people. Throw on a really hot griddle, (or Barbie) 2 or 3 minutes each side.

Serve with salad, in a bun to your choice, a homemade sweetcorn relish, tomato sauce or mustard…. with a good portion of potato wedges. I just fancy one right now!

todays illustration is 'bullock' a monoprint. To see more of my illustrations go to

Mince n Tatties

A good friend has just emailed me this recipe, which I will be trying out very soon. Thanks again Jenny....

Here's my fave cheap eat. Well, it's not so much cheap, as very easy for the time pressed mum, there's no chopping, browning, sweating or any of that palaver:

Mince n tatties.

This recipe was recounted to me by a mummy chum, and it was passed on to her by her childminder. Whan an excellent provenance.

Ingredients:
Mince (lamb, beef, pork, whatever you have, but I think lamb is best).
A few tablespoons of barley.
Potatoes and carrots, scrubbed.
Some stock cubes.

Method:
Mix the mince and the barley in a big oven proof pot. Pour over hot stock until well covered. Plonk the carrots and potatoes on the top. Bring to the boil on the hob. Stick in the oven (160 degrees) for 1 and a half hours. Check it and stir it every so often, adding more water if required.

Everyone will love this, especially on a dank day.

Jenny

p.s Today’s illustration is a silk painting ‘carrots’ © Lois Blackburn. Please visit http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk for more images.

The best chocolate cake

I’ve had to think long and hard whether to share this one, as its one of those precious family recipes. My sister Nicky brought it back from school many years ago, since then its been made (and adapted) by every member of the family for every occasion whether: birthdays, celebrations, commiserations or family get together. So I hope I don’t ruffle to many family feathers…

Sieve together 7oz self raising flour, 8oz caster sugar, and 4 tbs coco powder.
Mix with 4oz marg, mix it up in the air to make light mix.
Beat 2 eggs with 5tbs evaporated milk, add to the mixture.
Mix 5tbs water (or less, see the texture of the mixture- you want it quite loose)
Cook in two cake tins, in a medium oven for 35 mins.

Then my favourite bit of the cake, the icing:
Sieve together 3 and a half tbs coco powder with 8oz of icing powder. Mix with 2 and half oz marg. Mix with a little milk that’s been boiled and cooled. (or a little left over evaporated milk) Use the mix immediately otherwise it will set. Expect a fight over whose going to lick the spoon and bowl.

Today’s illustration is a silk painting ‘cocoa’ © Lois Blackburn. Please visit http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk for more images.