Store cupboard challenge

jinky67

candygirl wrote: »

Aww you can be excused then Jinky, and hope he's had a fab day x;):D

I think we managed to suitably embarrass him, so probably not:rotfl:

Confuzzled

JackieO wrote: »

Also Confuzzled Have you got a coffee cake recipe that I saw you said you made.I used to have a lovely one that an Autrian friend gave me years ago but I lost it when I moved house .
Cheers JackieO

you're in luck! i don't normally use recipes and therefore have a difficult time when someone asks me to write something down for them, i do sometimes use them as guidelines but i do digress! anyway i used my trusty 'universal muffin recipe' as a basis (amy dacyzyn of tightwad gazette fame created this as a use it up way of baking)

anyway i'll tell you what i used then see if i can conjure up the link for the universal muffin recipe for everyone!

Confuzzled's Coffee 'Cake'

2 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup porridge oats
1cup milk
1/4 cup veg oil (can sub 4tbsp melted butter)
1 egg (can sub 1 heaping tbsp soy flour & 1tbsp water for egg)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder (not baking soda/bicarb)
1/2 tsp salt (can omit though i recommend just lowering it a bit if need be)
1 chopped shrinkly apple
2 tsp mixed spice (or too taste)
1/4 - 1/2 cup iced coffee powder mix (possibly more, see below for sub ideas)
sultana's, walnuts etc optional and to taste

mix all dry ingredients together well, then mix all wet ingredients well in another bowl, combine, mix well and add to a well buttered/greased baking dish
bake at 200C for about 20-25 minutes or until just golden brown on top and knife comes out clean from center. as an extra treat you can sprinkle sugar or brown sugar on top before baking for an extra lovely topping!

now, i just so happened to have a bag of iced coffee powder at home to use up, many of you won't so my suggestions instead ... if you happen to have some sort of powdered coffee mix of some sort you could use that up, great way to use up maybe some cappacino mix you might have bought but not liked too much etc.

or you could use some instant coffee and some drinking chocolate powder mixed together for a mocha coffee flavour, i might add that next time to mine. i just guessed on the coffee powder this time as i'd not made it before, personally i don't think i added enough the coffee taste was good when it was batter but it wasn't so strong when cooked and with that much mixed spice it was almost like a milder version of coffee-esque gingerbread (still nice though, especially with some cheap vanilla ice cream that had been forgotten about in the back of the freezer!)

i think next time i'll add about 1/2 cup of the coffee powder and taste, and then add more til it tastes quite strongly of coffee because the taste weakens once baked. i do also think i shall go for the mocha style next time mixing with the drinking chocolate powder we got (didn't like the hot chocolate it made) if doing this though you may wish to add less sugar to start with and adjust accordingly

the oatmeal/porridge oats in this give it a lovely lighter moister texture but you could just use more of the white flour. or you might try a mix of say 1 cup white, 1 cup brown and 1/2 cup oats, though you may need to add more liquid (just wing it) because brown flour requires more than white.

one thing to watch out for though...if coffee acts as a bit of an *ahem* laxative for you, don't eat too much in one day... as my 8 year old discovered tonight :rotfl:(she's ok really she just got taken by surprise:p)

i think there is a lot of scope to adapt this recipe and of course you can skip the coffee in it all together, maybe just drinking chocolate or nothing at all as long as there is enough mixed spice or cinnamon etc

and as promised i looked it up and found a site that lists out everything as in the book so here you go, the universal muffin recipe (also great for 'loaf breads' like banana bread etc and basic 'cakes' (not the type you ice) mmm yummy, use it up and they'll love you for it

http://baskersfunfoods.blogspot.com/2009/02/universal-muffins.html

Confuzzled

JackieO wrote: »

Hi I have been given lots, and I mean lots (two carrier bags full) of eating apples.They are very nice, but as I live alone I will be eating them for weeks at this rate .

the thought occured to me that you, or anyone else wanting to use up fruit might want to try making it like i did my stromboli!

you could make up the dough in the bread machine (or by hand if you like) use whatever recipe you like, maybe even a raisin bread type, add some nuts and spices to it then when it's ready, roll it out into a rectangle on a well greased pan

fill it with say apples as mentioned above that have been cubed and lightly simmered in say a bit of apple juice or orange juice with some sultanas, or mixed fruit, some spices (mixed spice, cinnamon or nutmeg etc) and maybe some seeds or nuts or you can skip the juice and sautee in butter when this is starting to soften it'd be ready put in a line down the middle of the dough (leave room on either side) then fold the sides over the filling to cover (i leave the bit at the ends a little open to let steam out) top with a sprinkle of brown sugar and have a lovely treat to share around with family and friends!

ooh i'm going to have to try that now!

Confuzzled

lynzpower wrote: »

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/607041


Does anyone buy loads of random struff like me?
On my using up list over the next few weeks I aim to use

Dumpling mix
Cherries in Syrup
Rib marinade ( i bought the ribs for this)
Mole sauce
Carribbean orange marinade
Wraps

Why do I buy this stuff!

guilty as charged! and you should see my selection of spices, sauces, vinegars, oils etc! i do use them eventually!

actually one of my favourite use em up recipes i ever created was to use up the last few fancy mushrooms in oil, sundried tomatoes in oil etc (the kind you get from lidl)

many variations possible of course!

Confuzzled's Scrumptious Green Beans

basically, take some leftover olive oil from sundried tomatoes in oil (or other products kept in oil, don't waste that lovely flavoured stuff!) and put enough to lightly cover the pan.

to that add in some onions and cook until the start to go translucent. next add in some chopped (or for me i use scissors) left over bits of sundried tomatoes, fancy mushrooms, pickled peppers (from lidl in the jars, the lovely really red ones) etc, to the pan, then throw in several handfuls of frozen fine beans (you can use fresh but they will need to be partially cooked before hand most likely, i always use frozen so i'm not sure) you can also add in some minced garlic when adding the beans if you like

stir frequently and allow to cook until the beans are soft and the onions begin to carmelise.

other possible additions are cooking bacon or bits of left over meat. if using bacon add less olive oil to start with unless the bacon is really lean. you may have to add more oil as you go along but if you keep the pan on medium heat you can probably avoid this. pine nuts are nice in this too, though toast them lightly in a pan (dry, no oil or anything) before adding to bring out the flavour, add seasonings to taste, absolutely gorgeous, i think i'd make this for christmas dinner if i were cooking it, my 8 year begs for all variations of this!

Confuzzled

jinky67 wrote: »

I think we managed to suitably embarrass him, so probably not:rotfl:

well then, at least you've had a good day then *evil mommy laugh* muahahaha!


seriously though, hope he's had a nice birthday, despite all of you grownups

lynzpower

if you happen to have some sort of powdered coffee mix of some sort you could use that up, great way to use up maybe some cappacino mix you might have bought but not liked too much etc.

or you could use some instant coffee and some drinking chocolate powder mixed together for a mocha coffee flavour, i might add that next time to mine

Someones been in my cupboards :rotfl:

My sister reckons the nearer you live to a home bargains the more random your cupbaords

Has anyone got a decent polenta cake for a stray bag of polenta dying in the back of my cupboards. I bought it to try to make a mexican thing- needless to say, it didnt work!

Confuzzled

lynzpower wrote: »

Someones been in my cupboards :rotfl:

My sister reckons the nearer you live to a home bargains the more random your cupbaords

Has anyone got a decent polenta cake for a stray bag of polenta dying in the back of my cupboards. I bought it to try to make a mexican thing- needless to say, it didnt work!

i reckon she's right too! no home bargains or netto near me BUT approved food have a lot to answer for!

i'm not sure about spanish style polenta but i use a recipe quite similar to this http://www.preparedpantry.com/howtomakeamishcornbread.aspx for making amish cornbread... sooooo nice if you cut it into a pie shaped piece, slit down the middle (so you now have 2 pie shaped pieces) add butter, let it melt in between and eat while warm mmm also great added to chilli or stews just sub the polenta for the cornmeal

if you have a cast iron skillet grease it well and cook it in that, also really nice if you add a pan full of water on the bottom of your oven when cooking (especially if using the cast iron skillet) makes it light and fluffy

nicki_2

I grabbed some of the 39p parsnips from Aldi today to add to my freezer ready for Christmas. This year I'm planning on making my own versions of the ready to cook things I bought last year. I also bought a bag of 39p sprouts as I don't think I've ever cooked them myself from fresh, always frozen or I've prepared them for ex-MIL :rotfl: Some will be eaten this week, but some will be put away for Christmas dinner

Yesterday I didn't get around to the batch cooking I was planning, but I did make bottom of the fridge pizza & garlic bread Leftover I had for lunch today, but still ended up buying a take-away soup so I could 1) defrost as I was soooo cold & 2) have change to pay for DD's Brownies tomorrow. See I wasn't going to go to the shops tonight, but I was passing Aldi and spotted their adverts

Tomorrow I'll be taking a lunch (going to go and make as much of it up as possible in a minute) as I've been asked to give some geeky advice about an Xmas gift to one of my colleagues and it will have to be done at lunch time as thats the only time we're both free & child free :rolleyes:

Not decided on tea tomorrow night yet..needs to be quick with DD being out for 5.45, but I could do with knowing what she's having for lunch in school so she doesn't end up with the same meal at home.

jinky67

Lyndz....how about this one


450g unsalted butter, softened
450g caster sugar
450g ground almonds
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 eggs
Grated zest of 4 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
225g polenta
1 tsp baking powder
Half tsp salt
Gluten-free flour for dusting

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 160C/300F/Gas 3. Butter and flour a 30 cm (12 in) round cake tin. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and light. Stir in the ground almonds and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the lemon zest and juice, polenta, baking powder and salt. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for about 5O minutes or until set. The cake will be brown on top.

nopot2pin

jinky67 wrote: »

I think we managed to suitably embarrass him, so probably not:rotfl:

Is that not your moral duty though Jinky, to embarrass your children ??;)


I used up some fish cake thingy bobs from the freezer for tea.
Very nice