1/3 of the Way in the 31 Day Challenge!

Well I can hardly believe that we're already on day 10 of the 31 Days challenge! It's been so much fun to finally get a grip on my recipe file, and so fulfilling to see more of my recipes online. It's also been precious to take this walk down memory lane as each recipe brings back such vivid memories of a certain time or stage of my life.

It also reminds me of the precious loved ones who've shared their recipes with me. Some are family, some old friends, some I don't have the blessing of seeing anymore and some have passed away. But by sharing a recipe with me all those years ago, these recipes will continue to remind me of them and bring a grateful smile to my face each time I bake or cook.

I love how food is such a central theme around our times of getting together with the ones we love. Precious memories are made around the dinner table as we linger at the table while chatting and laughing about the day's events. Not to mention how we all gather around a memorable Christmas Dinner, or Birthday Champagne Breakfast! Eating and enjoying good food is at the core of our nature, across all cultures, and is a tradition to be treasured.

So the next time you prepare a meal for your family, try not to be rushed. Take your time, cook it with love. And encourage the recipients of your labours to savour and enjoy each bite. Linger longer at your table. Really engage with each other, take time to talk, to laugh and to listen.

And may I encourage you to take the time to share your recipes, and to leave a lasting legacy for your children, for a time when you will no longer be around to spoil them with your culinary delights!

Mamma's Meringue Nests

This is a favorite of mine that comes from my mothers kitchen. This has become a New Years Eve  Tradition, first in my mothers home and now in ours.

Mamma's Meringue Nests

Ingredients:
4 Large Egg Whites
1 C Castor Sugar
5ml Lemon Juice
70ml Icing Sugar
Rice baking paper
2 Baking trays/Sheets
Piping/Icing tubes
Optional treat: 1 Slab of Dark chocolate

Method:
1. Whisk egg whites until stiff and dry
2. Add the Castor sugar a Tablespoon at a time while beating, for 8 minutes.
3. Prepare a baking tray with rice paper so the meringues wont stick to the tray. (Trust me, no amount of greasing will work!)
4. Spread a Tablespoon of the mixture into a circle about at wide as a coffee mug.
5. Repeat, about 6-8 times per tray.
6. Now put the remaining mixture into a piping tube or nozzle and make nest wall on each circle. (usually 2x high)
7. Bake for 2 hours at 100*
8. When they come out of the oven, let them rest about 20 minutes.
9. Gently peel the rice paper off them (don't worry if some remains, it's edible :) )

Optional Treat: Melt the broken slab of chocolate over low heat or in the microwave, be careful not to burn it! Take it slow. Now take a nest and coat the bottom with chocolate, repeat for the rest.

Serve them with seasonal berries and cream!

Makes about 8

Mamma's Choc-Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

The other day my brother Mat asked me for this recipe but I couldn't find it, much to his disappointment. Well, TA-DA! Here it is. If I don't publish it here NOW it might get lost for ever.
These cookies sure bring back many childhood memories! Enjoy Mat!
(You can make this Dairy and Wheat Free by following the notes in brackets.)

Mamma's Choc-Chip Peanut-Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
80g Smooth peanut butter
80g Butter (DF: Use Wooden Spoon Margarine)
120g Brown sugar
120g White sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
Pinch Salt
1 Jumbo egg
1/2 Tsp Baking powder
150g Flour (WF: Replace with Gluten free cake flour mix)
50ml Milk (DF: Use rice or soya milk)
80g Rolled oats
80g Chopped peanuts
80g Choc-Chips (DF: Use dark choc chips)

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180*C.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix Peanut Butter, Margarine, both sugars, vanilla and salt until creamy.
3. Add the egg and beat well.
4. Sift dry ingredients and add. Mix well.
5. Add the milk and mix well.
6. Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed.
7. Drop teaspoon measures onto a well greased baking tray, 3cm between each.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
9. Cool on a wire rack.
10. Enjoy, but be advised to hide, they don't last very long!

South African Banana Bread

This recipe belongs to my dear Mother, not sure who she inherited it from, but it's the best Banana Bread Recipe I have ever come across. Don't be tempted to add more bananas as I find it makes the bread too heavy and so it sinks once you take it out the oven. Why fix what isn't broken right! Stick to this recipe and you'll enjoy sweet success mmmmmmm......
Note: I make mine Dairy and Wheat/Gluten free, so I've added Dairy Free and Wheat Free notes for those with allergies

South African Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Margarine (DF: use Wooden Spoon Margarine)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Jumbo Eggs
1 Cup Mashed Bananas (2 large, 4 small)
1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 Cups Flour (W/GF: Replace with equal quantity of Gluten free flour mix)
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Bicarb (baking soda)
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 Cup Milk (DF: Replace with rice or soya milk)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180*C
2. Cream margarine and Sugar.
3. Add eggs, banana, and vanilla essence and mix well.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients and milk alternately, mix well.
5. Turn into a greased loaf tin. (don't fill more than 4/5, it will overflow)
6. Bake for 60-65 minutes.

Muffin Variation:
1. Follow steps 1-4 above.
2. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling 4/5.
3. Bake for 30 minutes
4. Makes 12-18 depending on size

Melt-in-your-mouth Shortbread

The name says it all, actually just thinking about it makes my mouth water! This is the recipe my Mom used for many years. The smell of these treats cooking in my oven brings back such fond memories of Christmas-time at home. I miss you Mom!

Melt-in-your-mouth Shortbread

Ingredients:
270g Flour
120g Icing Sugar
250g Butter (don't be tempted to use margarine, it's just not the same!)
120g Maizena (Cornflour)
1/4 tsp Salt

Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Sift flour, maizena and salt. Gradually add this to the butter mixture and mix well. It needs to resemble large breadcumbs.
3. Grease a biscuit tray and pour the crumb mixture into it.
4. Press the mixture down evenly and prick some holes in it using a fork.
5. Bake at 160* for 38-40 minutes.
6. Cut into fingers while still hot. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.