Lumberjack Cake

Aussieangel writes:


This a dessert standby in our house.  Warm with icecream and cream for dessert, or for afternoon tea in the garden.

Ingredients:


 2 large (400g) apples, finely chopped  
 1 cup (200g) chopped dates  
 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda  
 1 cup boiling water  
 125g butter  
 1 teaspoon vanilla essence  
 1 cup sugar  
 1 egg  
 11/2 cups plain flour  


Topping:


 60g butter  
 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed  
 1/2 cup milk  
 2/3 cup shredded coconut  


Method:


Grease deep 19cm square cake pan, line base with paper, grease paper. Preheat oven to moderate (180 deg C) 
Combine apple, dates, soda and water in bowl, cover, stand until warm.  
Beat butter, essence and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and creamy, add egg, beat until combined.  
Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in sifted flour alternately with apple mixture. 
Pour into prepared pan.  
Bake in moderate oven (180-200) 50 minutes. 
Spread with topping, bake about further 30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.   Put a tray on the rack below the cake in the oven, as sometimes the topping bubbles over the edge - if your cake tin isn't quite deep enough. 
Cool cake in pan.  


Topping:


Combine butter, sugar, milk and coconut in pan, stir over low heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved.  

Carrot Cake

This is a recipe from a dear Australian friend of mine.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 Cup of castor Sugar

1/2 tsp of vanilla

3/4 cup of  vegetable oil

1 cup of  plain Flour

1 tsp of  bi carb soda

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2  cups of  finely grated  carrot

1/2 cup of  chopped  walnuts

Method:

Combine  eggs,sugar, vanilla, oil  beat well. Sift  dry ingredients and  add  to mixture. Add grated  carrot and  walnuts. Mix  well. Pour  mixture into a  well greased 20cm  cake tin. bake in a moderate oven (180-200 celcius) for  40- 45 minutes

Frosting:

30g butter

60g  cream cheese

1 tsp grated lemon rind

1 1/2  cups of  icing   sugar

melt butter. Add cheese and  beat  well.Add lemon rind and  sifted  icing   sugar. continue  to beat until icing is nice and  smooth

Cucumber Salad (gurkensalat)

This delicious and refreshing salad is adapted from a German recipe. It is perfect as an accompaniment to cured sliced meat, barbecue meats and most cheeses. The salt helps soften the cucumber and leech it's juices into the dressing. Delicious!

Ingredients:

1 whole cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

A sprig of mint, finely chopped

A pinch of salt

2 teaspoons of sugar

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup white wine or cider vinegar

Method:

In a large bowl combine the cucumber and chopped mint. Add the salt and sugar to the warm water and stir to dissolve. Add the vinegar and the dissolved salt and sugar to the bowl of cucumber and mint, and allow to cool. Decant into an air tight container and store in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to develop.

Variants:

An alternate dressing is 2 tablespoons of vinegar and a cup of plain yoghurt mixed with a pinch of salt, 2 teaspoons of honey and the chopped herbs.

You can mix and match herbs to suit your taste. The best ones to use are mint, parsley, and dill.

Enjoy!

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

This recipe is one adapted by my great friend and artist Mai-Coh:

Photo courtesy of Mai-Coh

    

Filling:
    1 small or medium onion, chopped
    2 cloves of garlic, mashed
    3 small carrots, chopped
    1/2 cup spinach, chopped
    1 stalk celery, chopped
    1 large tomato, chopped
    2 tbsp olive oil
    1/2 cup cooked or canned green lentils, mashed
    1/2 tsp dried basil
    1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
    3 medium potatoes, roughly chopped
    1/4 cup soy milk
    1 tbsp margarine or olive oil
    Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/350 degrees F. In a medium pot of water, boil the chopped potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a fork. In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions, garlic, carrots, spinach, celery, and tomatoes in the oil. Once carrots are tender, add the mashed lentils, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer without a lid until the liquid cooks off.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or a medium bowl, mash the potatoes, milk, margarine, and salt with a potato masher or fork. Set aside. Pour the vegetable mixture into a lightly oiled pie plate and then layer the mashed potatoes over top. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 

Makes 4-6 servings.