Nutty Apple Loaf

Guess where this recipe is from.... yeah, that's right! But it's another good one.

For 8-10 slices you need:
175g butter
140g soft brown sugar
2 tbsp strawberry jam
2 eggs
140g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g shelled mixed nuts
100g chocolate chips
2-3 apples, peeled and cored and chopped into bite sized chunks

Begin by creaming the butter and sugar and then adding the eggs and jam. Mix in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon then fold in the apples, nuts and chocolate chips.

Scrape in to a lined loaf tin and bake in a moderate oven for 30-40 mins. Leave to cool then slice and scoff.

Chocolate Cheesecake & Raspberry Brownie

This is _yet another_ Hummingbird recipe, but oh MY! it's good! I made it for a work fuddle and it went down a storm.

For 32 teeny tiny portions you need:
Brownie Base
200g dark chocolate
200g butter
250g icing sugar
3 eggs
110g plain flour

For the Cheesecake Layer
400g cream cheese (don't be tempted to use half fat like I did, it doesn't work as well)
150g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

For the raspberry cream mousse topping
300ml double cream
1 punnet raspberries, defrosted if frozen

Begin by making the brownie base. Melt the chocolate. Beat the butter and icing sugar together and then add the flour a dollop at a time. Mix in the chocolate and splat into a lined baking tin.

Whisk together the cream cheese and icing sugar and eggs and vanilla. Pour over the brownie base. Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 mins.

Once cooked, leave to cool and then chill in the fridge. Just before serving whip the cream and raspberries till very thick and fluffy. Smear on to the cooked base and then sigh in pleasure as you devour each. Little. Bite. Utter, utter bliiiiiiiiis!

Sort of Egg Fried Rice

We're at the tail end of a zero waste week which basically means we have no veggies left and not much of anything else. This is a good thing, but it's called for some creativity when making meals! This was a quick, tasty and filling dish thankfully!

For 3-4 portions you need:
2 cups cooked basmati rice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup sweetcorn
2 quorn sausages
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 onion
1/2 chilli
2 cloves garlic

Fry the onion in a wok for a few mins then add the garlic and chilli. Add the rice and cook through thoroughly. After 3 or so mins add the diced sausages, peas and sweetcorn. Beat the eggs and add those, mixing well to cook it properly. Season with soya sauce and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Parkin (v)

This is an excellent vegan cake, that doesn't need any strange combinations of ingredients to replace the missing eggs. It's spicy, warming and gets better with age. Assuming you can keep it for more than a few days.

For 1 2lb loaf cake you need:
100g plain flour
100g butter/vegan margarine
100g dark brown sugar
100g treacle
100g golden syrup
175ml soya milk
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp baking powder
100g oats

Melt together the marge/butter, syrup, treacle and sugar. Leave to cool for 10-15 mins or until you can comfortably put your hand against the side of the pan. Meanwhile mix together the dry ingredients. Once the sugar/syrup/fat mix is cool enough mix them together along with the soya milk. Don't worry about the batter being very thin! Pour in to a lined loaf tin and bake at 160 degrees for about 30 mins till risen and cooked.