Smoked Salmon & Avocado Pasta

 Quick and delicious!

Serves 4

Image by Hoa Luu @Pixabay

INGREDIENTS

1 packet penne pasta (500g)

1 tub smoked salmon cream cheese (200g)

1 bunch spring onions, chopped

100 g smoked salmon

2 avocados, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Pinch of salt

METHOD

1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions; drain and keep aside about half a cup of cooking water

2. Stir reserved cooking water, garlic and cream cheese together

3. Toss with the pasta until well mixed

4. Toss the pasta with spring onions, salmon and avocado

5. Season and serve

Best Corn Fritters

 Super easy! Quick to make.

INGREDIENTS

1 can corn kernels

1 can creamed sweetcorn

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

Salt and Pepper

METHOD

Mix the corn kernels, sweetcorn and eggs together. 

Then add the flour and salt and pepper. 

Mix everything well. 

Add spoonfuls to a heated saucepan with melted butter. 

When bubbles appear, turn over. Continue doing this until both sides are nicely browned.

Serve with toppings of your choice.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Bacon & Cranberries

 INGREDIENTS

1 medium to large packet of butternut cubes

6 slices of bacon, chopped and fried 

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup pecan nuts, chopped

1 TBS oil 

Salt & Black Pepper

1/4 Maple syrup

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
• Spread the butternut cubes on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle oil over and season with salt and pepper. Stir. 
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft when pierced. 
• Stir and turn halfway. 
• When the pumpkin is done, put it into a large casserole dish and sprinkle with cranberries; pecan nuts and bacon. Stir gently and then drizzle with syrup and serve warm. 

NOTES:

• If you can't find cranberries substitute with raisins or dried apricot
• The pecan nuts can be replaced by cashew / macadamia nuts or other nuts you like
• Substitute maple syrup with maple flavoured syrup or honey

Copper Penny Salad

 An old fashioned carrot salad dating from the 1940's / 50's. 

Serves 5

Image by RitaE (Pixabay)

INGREDIENTS

1 kg carrots, peeled 

1 onion

1 green pepper

1 cup sugar

1 can tomato soup

3/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup oil 

1 tsp Worcester sauce

1 tsp mustard powder

Salt & Pepper to taste 

METHOD

• Slice the carrots in rings and boil for about 15 minutes or until done. Drain and let cool.
• Slice the onion into rings and cut the green pepper into strips.
• Combine the carrots; onion and green pepper in a bowl. 

Sauce:

• In a saucepan combine the sugar; soup; vinegar; Worcester sauce and mustard.
• Heat to boiling point and stir until sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat. 
• Pour over vegetables and mix well. Cool down and store in fridge for a couple of hours (overnight is best for flavours to develop). 

 

 

 

Tuna Pasta Salad

One of my favourite things to eat and a happy food for me! This is my version of this classic South African salad. The best thing about this salad is that you can customize it to your liking, and use whatever you have available, and use proportions to suit your preference. 

INGREDIENTS

Pasta of choice, boiled el dente

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 can sweet corn in brine

1 red pepper, chopped finely

Sundried tomatoes, chopped roughly

Cheddar cheese (I used white), cut into blocks

Chives, chopped

1 can of tuna, drained

Mayonnaise of choice (Crosse & Blackwell / Nola - are good options)

Good dash of Oreganum

METHOD

1. Prepare your other ingredients first

2. Then boil pasta and drain and let cool for a bit

3. In a large mixing bowl, add the pasta and then add your prepared ingredients and mix well with enough mayonnaise to cover well

4. The salad shouldn't be dry, but also not too wet 

NOTES:

Other ingredients you can use:

• Frozen peas
• Chopped tomatoes
• Chillies
• Canned corn
• Feta cheese
• Red onion
• Garlic flakes
• Cucumber slices

Covered with clingwrap the salad should last for 3 - 5 days in the fridge. Should it look a bit dry, just add more mayonnaise. 

Nougat

 Makes about 24 pieces

INGREDIENTS

625 ml (2 and a half cups) castor sugar

250 ml (1 cup) glucose

90 ml (6 TBS) honey

2 egg whites

100 g pistachio nuts, chopped

100 g almonds, chopped

Cornstarch

Edible rice paper

METHOD

1. Line a 20 cm x 20 cm cake pan with rice paper. Do not grease. 

2. Put the sugar, glucose and honey in a pot and heat over moderate heat until the sugar starts dissolving. Reduce heat. Boil sugar mixture for 7 minutes after boiling point. 

3. Beat egg whites until stiff and pour in warm sugar syrup while continuously beating with your hand blender. Keep on beating until the mixture is very thick. 

4. Stir in the nuts and scoop mixture onto lined cake pan. Smooth the top evenly.

5. Put rice paper on top and press flat with your hand. 

6. Leave overnight in a dry place. Do not put into the fridge. 

7. Sprinkle some cornstarch on a chopping board and upend the nougat onto it. Slice into blocks. 

Enjoy! 

Photo by Roman Odintsov (Pexels)

Chocolate Marshmallow Mousse - Margie's Recipe

 INGREDIENTS

1 x 410 ml can Evaporated Milk (chilled overnight)

100 g packet white marshmallows (or pink & white)

100 g slab dark chocolate

125 g whipped cream

1 crumbled chocolate Flake

METHOD

• Pour 100 ml of the evaporated milk into a saucepan.
• Add marshmallows and chocolate. 
• Melt over low heat and allow to cool. 
• Beat remaining milk until stiff. 
• Fold in cooled choc/mixture.
• Allow to set in bowl or individual dishes. 
• Decorate with whipped cream and crushed Flake. 

Enjoy! 

Margie's Sunday Chicken

Image from Pixabay

INGREDIENTS

1 packet drumsticks and/or thighs (enough for 3 - 4 people)

1 large onion, sliced in rings

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into pieces

1 TBS curry powder

3  level teaspoons Paprika, sprinkle of Garlic Salt

1/2 - 1 cup fresh cream

2  TBS butter for frying

1 tin Cream of Chicken soup 

METHOD

• Rub chicken with paprika; sprinkle some garlic salt over, and leave for a couple of hours (if possible). Otherwise, just rub paprika onto chicken when preparing the dish.
• Fry sliced onion and apple pieces in butter until glossy.
• Add curry powder and soup - simmer for 5 minutes.
• Allow to cool slightly before adding cream. 
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour over chicken pieces in greased oven casserole and bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours at 180 degrees Celsius. 
• Serve with rice and green peas or salad. 

Enjoy! 

Margie's Lemon Meringue Pie

 Delicious!!! And super easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

1 packet ginger biscuits / Tennis biscuits

1 tin condensed milk

Juice of 2 lemons

3 TBS castor sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

Grated rind of 1 lemon

2 eggs, separated 

METHOD

1. Crush biscuits and mix with melted butter. Press into buttered pie dish and cool in fridge until firm (about 45 minutes).

2. Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, rind and beaten egg yolks.

3. Pour into prepared pie shell. 

4. Whip egg whites until stiff and fold in castor sugar. Spread over pie filling. 

5. Stand dish in shallow pan of cold water. 

6. Brown meringue in 150 degrees Celsius pre-heated oven. 

Serve & enjoy!! 

Aunt Sonja's Dip for Frankfurters and Potato Salad

This is a firm family favourite; we use this sauce more for a potato salad than for sausages. It's a sweet and sour sauce to which you add some mayonnaise at the end to make it more creamy. You can also add pineapple slices to your salad if you like, but this is optional. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white vinegar

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1 tsp mustard powder

pinch of salt

METHOD

Mix the mustard with a little bit of the vinegar. Keep aside. 

Heat the rest of the vinegar in a small pot, and add sugar. Stir until dissolved. 

Stir the vinegar in with the beaten eggs and add the mustard mixture. 

Heat over low heat (slowly) until the sauce starts thickening. 

Add the salt. 

Let it cool a little bit and stir in some mayonnaise. 

The secret is to not let the mixture boil! Low and slow is the best! 

Enjoy x

Banana Bread

THE easiest banana bread recipe! Quick to make and moist and delicious when done!

Makes 1 small loaf

INGREDIENTS

3 bananas, slightly overripe

200 g brown sugar

150 g butter

2 free range eggs

240 g cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Beat bananas until smooth, using your electric hand blender. Add sugar; butter and eggs. 

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. 

Slowly add the dry ingredients to wet mixture while using the blender on lowest setting.

Pour batter into a 23 cm x 13 cm loaf tin. 

Bake for 45 - 55 minutes.

Enjoy! 

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

This is absolutely divine! In my opinion, much better than shop bought! Give it a bash, I don't think you will be unhappy. 

Makes about 2 cups

https://www.pexels.com/@aiste-sveikataite-701382/

INGREDIENTS

1 Litre full cream milk + 900 ml more

1 cup double cream yoghurt (250 ml)

2 tsp white grape vinegar

1 tsp salt

METHOD

• In a large pot bring the milk, yoghurt, vinegar and salt to a boil. This takes a while if the milk is very cold. Very gently boil until the milk is curdled. This may also take a while, depending on your pot size. Stir occasionally. 
• Meanwhile, line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl (or use an old clean white t-shirt - I did!).
• Pour the milk mixture into the colander and let it drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid. 
• Storage: homemade ricotta is best served slightly warm, although it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, if desired, in an air tight container with a well fitted lid. 

Optional:

For serving: olive oil; lemon zest; freshly ground black pepper; flaky sea salt or just enjoy it the way you like it! 

Tuna and Pasta Bake

 A family recipe! Super easy and quick to make! 

Serves 4 - 6 

Photo by Klaus Nielsen (Pexels)

350g  pasta, like screws or shells or small pasta shapes

2 big onions

25 ml cooking oil

1 packet creamed mushroom soup powder (about 53 g)

400 ml water

1 can tuna

125 g (300 ml) grated cheddar cheese

METHOD

• Boil pasta in salt water until soft and drain. Peel onions and slice. Fry in cooking oil until soft and starting to change colour. 
• Mix the soup powder and water, heat until boiling point and boil for 2 minutes whilst stirring constantly.
• Drain the tuna and add fish, pasta, onions and two thirds of the cheese to the soup. Stir until combined. 
• Spoon mixture into shallow, buttered oven dish with a volume of 1,5 liters. 
• Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. 
• Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven of 180 degrees Celsius. 

Smoked Chicken Salad

A quick salad where you can just throw things together! No measurements needed, just add what you like and how much. 

Photo by Roman Odintsov (Pexels)

INGREDIENTS

Smoked chicken breasts, cut into pieces 

Cherry tomatoes, cut into smaller pieces

Raisins 

Cucumber

Hard boiled eggs / Pickled onions 

Nuts / seeds

Peppadews

Feta cheese

Spring onions

DRESSING

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp honey

1 tsp paprika

*Combine ingredients in a jar and shake well, serve over your salad. 

South African Curry Pasta Salad

A true South African salad that can be served with a braai or with a roast chicken or any meats. Or just as is! Delicious! 

Serves 3 - 4

CURRY PASTA SALAD

500g pasta of choice (I prefer screws or small shells)

1 Red/Yellow/Green pepper, finely chopped

Half a can of peach slices, chopped into pieces 

125 ml peas (frozen; just pour some boiled water over and strain after a few minutes)

1 onion (red or white), chopped finely

Sauce:

200 ml tomato sauce

100 ml red grape vinegar

100 ml sunflower / canola oil (or neutral oil of choice)

3 TBS brown sugar (adjust to taste)

25 ml curry spice (Use any strength you prefer; I use medium)

45 ml Mrs. Ball's Hot Chutney (or Chutney of your choice)

Fine black pepper (Pepper Compound) to taste

METHOD:

1. Boil pasta to "el dente" and strain and put aside

2. Chop onion; pepper; peach slices

3. Get the peas ready

4. When the pasta has cooled down a bit, add the onion; pepper; peach slices; peas

5. Combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well, then add to the salad and mix through

6. Cover with clingwrap and put in fridge. The pasta salad will improve the longer it is stored, but of course you can have it straight away! 

ENJOY!