Merrillie’s

• 2 1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 1 oz. Cream
• 1 oz. Midori
• 1 oz. White Creme de Cacao
• 1/2 oz. Mango Liqueur

Instructions
Shake with lots of ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 cups water
• 6 to 7 lemons

Boil the sugar and water for about 6 minutes to make a syrup. Allow to cool. Roll the lemons for easier juicing, then juice. Need approx 1 cup of lemon juice.

Add to the cooled syrup and refrigerate. Serve with ice.

• 50 grams butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups self raising flour (might need a little more)
• Optional - 1 cup sultanas (approx)

Method

Cream butter and sugar, add egg then flour and milk alternatively. This makes a moist, thick dough. Knead out on floured board and cut into scones. Place on tray and bake in hot oven 180 - 200 C for 15 minutes.

Pudding

• 200g dates, pitted and chopped (medjool dates work best if you can find them)
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200ml boiling water
• 80g butter, softened
• 150g soft brown unrefined sugar
• 2 eggs
• 180g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger

Toffee sauce

• 80g soft brown sugar
• 150ml cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp butter

Method

For the pudding:

-Heat oven to 180C. Place the dates and bicarb in a heat-proof bowl and add the boiling water. Leave to cool.
- Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until smooth, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Gently fold in the flour and spices. Add the date liquid and most of the dates, and mix well until smooth.
- Pour the batter into a lightly buttered 24cm x 10cm deep-sided loaf tin or round or square 18cm-diameter cake tin. Press the remaining dates gently into the batter, and bake for 45 minutes or until firm.

For the sauce:

-Bring the sauce ingredients to the boil and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring, until thickened. Cut the pudding into thick wedges or slabs and serve with the sauce and an extra drizzle of cream.
- Tip: For sticky toffee cupcakes, divide the batter between large muffin patty cases and bake for 25 minutes or until springy to the touch.

Serves 4

• 55 g butter
• 455 g portobello mushrooms, diced
• 355 ml port wine
• 475 ml heavy cream
• 10 g chopped fresh basil

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Stir in the wine, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by 1/2. Stir in cream, and simmer again until the sauce becomes a thick gravy. Stir in the basil just before serving.

Recipe from Cuisine.com.au

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for browning the meat
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 heaped tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bottle red wine (something gutsy like a shiraz)
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 kg gravy beef, cut into 5cm pieces
• 3 desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3cm thick slices
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

Hearty and delicious, serve with crusty bread, soft polenta or mash potatoes. It’s even better the next day as leftovers.

Method

Heat a heavy-based casserole dish and add the olive oil and onions. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until they are soft and quite dark. Add the garlic, paprika and tomato paste and cook for a further couple of minutes. Add the wine and water, stir well and reduce to a low simmer while you brown the meat.

Heat a frying pan on high and add just enough olive oil to cover the base. Fry the beef in batches (so as not to overcrowd the pan) until brown all over, season with salt and pepper and add to the simmering sauce. Continue until all the beef is brown. Now add to the casserole the chopped carrots and potatoes and stir well. There should be just enough liquid to almost cover the ingredients, you may need to add a little more water or wine. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and allow to simmer away for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick.

To serve

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

• 1 potato, peeled and diced
• 55g/2oz plain flour

For the mushroom sauce

• 110g/4oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ glass white wine

How to make Gnocchi

1. Boil the potato until tender.
2. Drain and mash through a sieve or potato ricer.
3. Mix in the flour.
4. Roll out the mix on a floured surface into a sausage shape.
5. Cut the roll up into inch long pieces.
6. Poach the gnocchi in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until it floats to the surface.
7. Remove with a slotted spoon.

To make the mushroom sauce

1. Sauté the mushrooms in oil for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
3. Season and serve on the gnocchi.

Pastitsio - or what happens when lasagne and macaroni cheese meet in Greece

INGREDIENTS

• 500 grams penne
• 60 grams butter
• 175 ml grated parmesan or kefalotiri cheese
• 3 ml nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

For the meat sauce:

• 1 large onion
• Chopped 1 clove garlic,
• crushed 30 grams butter
• 2 or 3 sticks of celery finally chopped
• pinch cloves and cinnamon
• 750 grams lean minced beef
• 60 grams tomato paste
• 125 ml wine
• 125 ml stock
• Sprinkle of oregano
• 3 ml sugar
• Salt and pepper

For the bechamel sauce:

• 75ml butter
• 125ml flour
• 750 ml milk
• 3 ml nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

METHOD
Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain and return to the pan. Melt butter until golden brown and pour over macaroni. Add ½ cup of cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper and toss well. Leave to cool, add eggs and toss again. Set aside.

Gently fry onion, garlic and celery in butter until soft. Add beef and stir fry until the meat starts to brown. Add remaining meat sauce ingredients and simmer gently for twenty minutes. Meanwhile…

Make cream sauce. Melt butter in a sauce pan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2 minutes. Add milk and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently for 1 minute. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Add 1/3 of the bechamel sauce to the pasta and mix in the beaten egg and some grated cheese. 

To assemble the pastitsio, layer like lasagna starting with pasta and sauce then meat finishing with pasta and bechamel sauce on top.

Pour on cream sauce and spread to completely cover macaroni. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake 180 C for about an hour, until golden brown.

Let stand for ten minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

A recipe handed down from my father’s side of the family (Vivian’s)

• 9 cups of Cornflakes
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs

Gently mix ingredients together and place heaped tablespoons full onto trays then bake in oven 180C for about 8 minutes.

Makes about 44. Serve with whipped cream eat separetly or join 2 together with cream. Can store in airtight container for about a week.

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 1 - 1 1/4 hrs
Serves: 8INGREDIENTS

• 1.5kg butternut pumpkin
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 120g packet baby spinach and rocket salad
• 2 tablespoons Paul Newman’s Own Light
  Balsamic Salad Dressing
• 1/3 cup dry-roasted hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 180 C or 160 C fan. Peel, seed and chop pumpkin into 4cm chunks. Line a baking tray, place pumpkin on it, and bake for 35 minutes. Add onion to tray and cook a further 40 minutes. Cool. Place salad leaves in a bowl and drizzle with dressing. Add remaining ingredients, then toss to combine.

1. Preheat oven to 180 C or 160 C fan. Peel, seed and chop pumpkin into 4cm chunks. Line a baking tray, place pumpkin on it, and bake for 35 minutes. Add onion to tray and cook a further 40 minutes. Cool.
2. Place salad leaves in a bowl and drizzle with dressing. Add remaining ingredients, then toss to combine.