Ricotta and Lemon Cake

This cake is moist and delicious without being overly sweet.  Allowing you to pop on your favourite topping, here we had some blueberries, but stewed rhubarb would work equally well.

Ingredients

250 g fresh Ricotta cheese (from the deli not a tub)
3 free range eggs (room temperature)
2/3 cup of sugar
90 g melted butter
3 lemons grated rind and juice
1 1/2 cup SR flour
90 g Almond meal

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Grease a 22 cm spring form tin and dust with flour.
In a food processor combine ricotta, eggs and sugar. Whiz until ricotta is smooth.
Add the melted butter, lemon rind and juice, process to combine.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl fold in flour and almond meal with a spatula until evenly combined.
Scrape mixture into prepared tin and bake for 35-40 mins and test with a skewer, when removed comes out clean.
Set aside for 5 minutes and then turn out to cool on a wire rack.

Easy and delecious
Mamma Marmalade

Salted Caramel Sauce

Sometimes an easy sauce can be a great time-saver to create a simple dessert when unexpected friends pop in.

salted caramel sauce by Feed Your Inner Cook

Use this salted caramel sauce to jazz up a store bought dessert or drizzle over icecream or add some fresh figs or seasonal peaches or pears – serve the sauce warm or at room temperature

and  - Delicious as a drizzle over a muffin or a served on the side with a slice of cake.

The sauce keeps for about a month in the fridge in a covered well sealed jar.

                                                                                    Cheers!   Colleen

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar 

1 cup (250ml) cream

2 tablespoons butter

Pinch good quality salt flakes (I use Australian Murray River)

Method

Gently stir the sugar, cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat without boiling until sugar dissolves.

Bring to a boil then return to simmer.  Do not stir.  Simmer approx. 3 minutes until thickens. May need a more time  mine often does   – keep watching  - you want a rich luxurious sauce colour and texture.

Remove from heat and stir to check.   (It will also thicken slightly when cooled)

Add a tiny tiny pinch of salt flakes and stir well to combine.

Taste and add a little more if you want it saltier. 

Serve warm or cool and store in lidded jars in the fridge.

salted caramel sauce by Feed Your Inner Cook

                                                                         Enjoy!  Colleen

Dal Tadka

If you love having your cooking complimented and who doesn't? Then whip up a batch of this easy snack or curry accompaniment.
My third son's mate was visiting and commented, "I forgot how good a cook your mum is!"  

You can dial the heat up or down by adjusting how much chilli you add.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups dried yellow lentils, rinsed and drained

4 cups water

11/2 teaspoon ground tumeric

1/2 cup oil or coconut oil

4-5 whole dried chillies

2 teaspoon cumin seeds

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 large onion, chopped

45g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 tomato finely chopped

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice

Handful of coriander leaves

Method

Combine lentils, turmeric and water in a large saucepan. 

Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer gently for about 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender and water is absorbed, (You may need longer and more water depending on the lentils)

Whilst the lentils are cooking, heat a heavy fry pan and add the oil.

Add chillies and cumin, sizzle for a few minutes and then add garlic and onion and cook until soft and lightly browned.

Add ginger, tomato, chilli powder, salt and garam masala.  Cook until tomato is soft about 10 minutes.

Add the lentils, stir to combine, warm through and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice.

Top with coriander leaves.

Serve with flat bread or Poppadoms

This is a winner!

Mamma Marmalade

Cheesy Egg Toast - something quick and yum

Sometimes you just want something to eat that is Simple. Satisfying. Not too much. 

Essentially this is just a piece of bread with an egg baked on top with a bit of grated cheese - the extras are up to you - a slice of ham, maybe a slick of mayo or mustard - a sprinkle of spinach ... Enjoy it your way!  Maybe brekkie or brunch or quick bite before heading out with the family  ...  Cheers !  Colleen

Cheesy Eggy Toast by Feed Your Inner Cook

Prepation  2 minutes
Cooking    10 - 15 minutes depending on your oven.

Ingredients  (for one slice of bread - bake as many as you need)
1 slice of bread at least medium thickness, not too thin. I leave crust on.
1 slice of ham (optional)
1 egg
Dab of butter or mayo and dab of mustard /pesto etc (optional)
Shredded baby spinach leaf  And/Or  chopped parsley, thyme etc (optional)
Salt and Pepper to your taste
Sprinkle of grated cheese to cover the edges

Method 
Preheat your oven  -  needs to be about 180 ◦ Fan forced  or 200 ◦ C approx
Line a flat baking tray with baking paper
Using the back of a (tea)spoon gently press to make a hollow in the bread without tearing.
Butter/mayo the edges of bread - add a little mustard etc if wanted
Put the bread on the baking tray.
Place the slice of ham in the centre of bread piece
Gently Crack the egg into the centre well
Sprinkle a little grated cheese to cover the edges. Press gently so cheese stays on bread.
Scatter with herbs, salt and pepper to taste

Bake approx 10 minutes depending how firmly you like your eggs cooked.

Options
Serve with some grilled or fried mushrooms, tomatoes or spinach on the side.

cheesy egg toast by Feed Your Inner Cook

                                                        Enjoy!  Colleen

Poached Pears in Red Wine

Whilst the glorious winter weather is still with us why not try this favourite dessert.  I don't use much sugar at all when I poach my pears, preferring to taste the spices that are added to flavour the poaching liquid.

Ingredients

4 pears peeled but leave stalk on
stick of cinnamon
Orange or lemon peel x 3
Vanilla Bean
2 star anise
Water plus 2 cups red wine to cover pears
1/3 cup of sugar

Method

In a deep saucepan combine all ingredients apart from the pears and bring to a simmer.
Add the pears and cook until pears are tender - this can vary from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the variety of  pear and their ripeness.  But the longer they simmer the more flavour they will take on.

Leave to cool in the syrup and serve at room temperature.

Delicious with a homemade custard or Ice Cream.

For more decadence you can serve with Chocolate sauce.

Mamma Marmalade