Pizza Base

This is VERY easy to do, and makes pizza feel more like a special meal.

Makes 1 thick or 2 thin 30cm bases.
7g sachet dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons semolina or polenta

1. Combine yeast, salt, sugar and 1 cup quite warm water in a large mixing bowl. Leave, covered until mixture is foamy. If in cold house, you may need to cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 10 min.
2. Sift flour into the mixture. Mix and then knead into a dough. Mixture should be dry enough that it doesn't stick to your hands but not too dry or it will be tough when cooked. Knead on floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
3. Spray a tray with oil and sprinkle with semolina or polenta. Place dough on tray and push with fists to spread it into the corners. It can be quite thin.
4. Mix some passata (thick tomato found in large jars in supermarket) with crushed garlic, fresh or dried thyme, oregano and basil (for example). Spread onto bases. Top with desired ingredients (eg pancetta, bocconcini, sliced tomato and add fresh basil leaves after cooked).
5. Bake in hot oven (210'C) for 30 min. You can lift base with a spatula to see if it is cooked through.

Nanna's Easy Scones

450g SR flour (2 1/2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 cups milk

1. Preheat oven to hot (225'C/450'F).
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. Rub butter through roughly with fingers.
4. Add milk gradually until dough just comes together. Use hands to mix. Dry mixture makes moist scones, wet mixture makes dry scones.
5. Turn out onto a well floured surface. Pat with hands into smooth shape about 2cm thick.
6. Cut into shape (I use a glass) and put onto scone tray, fairly close together. Dab a bit of milk onto each one.
7. Bake in hot oven for 7-9 minutes. Scones turn out better when under rather than over cooked.
8. Serve hot with jam and cream.

If there are any left, store them in a clean tea-towel and refresh the next day in microwave for 10 seconds.

Brownies

Melt 250g butter
1 1/3 cups sifted plain flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa, sifted
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mix all ingredients. Bake in a greased and lined tin at 170'C for 50 minutes. Cool and slice into squares to serve.

Swiss Muesli

Serves 2
Healthy, yummy and quicker than porridge.
1 apple, grated
1/2 cup thick plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped almonds or hazelnuts
1 cup rolled oats (can be quick cooking variety)
canned fruit - peaches are good

Mix all ingredients except the canned fruit. Serve immediately, topped with the fruit.

From Cooking: A Common Sense Guide, by Family Circle.

Orange Poppyseed Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Cake:
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/3 cup ground almonds
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
185gm butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup orange/apricot jam
2-3 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
1/3 cup orange juice
3 eggs
Cream Cheese Icing: (from Aunty Marney)
100g butter
100g cream cheese
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1-2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or vanilla essence

Grease and line a deep 20cm cake tin with paper. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add almonds and poppy seeds and make a hole in the middle. Melt everything else except the eggs, stirring over a low heat until smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour into tin and bake at 180'C (170 if fan forced) for 50-60min. Turn out and allow to cool. To make the icing, beat all ingredients together until light and fluffy.

Horaiebe Biscuits

This recipe comes from Mrs Tanti, my 'Aunty Jenny's' mum. They, like Mrs Tanti, are Maltese. A type of shortbread. Try not to think about the ramification on your waste line...
500g unsalted butter
125g icing sugar (1 cup)
1 cup self raising flour, sifted
plain flour, sifted
extra icing sugar
1) Melt butter gradually over low heat (if too hot it will split). Pour into mixing bowl.
2) Add self raising flour and icing sugar. Thicken with plain flour to make a soft dough.
3) Roll into balls of about 2-3cm and press with a fork. They shoudn't crack around the edges. If they do, add more butter.
4) Bake in a moderate oven (180-190'C) for 15-20 min. When just changing colour they're done.
5) Cool on the tray and sprinkle liberally with icing sugar (using a tea strainer works well for this).

Butterflied Roast Lamb with Tomato Gravy

Cheryl Potts gave me this recipe. It is the yummiest roast lamb I've ever tasted. And it's very easy to do.
butterflied leg of lamb (you can do this yourself by cutting it away from the bone in one piece - just have a go, you'll be fine!)
4 or 5 tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 big sprigs rosemary
salt and pepper
oil
2 large tablespoons butter

1) Oil and salt the fatty side of the lamb. Sear 5 mins a side on the BBQ, fatty side first. Do not move it around - just leave it until it has a good colour on each side.
2) Place lamb in roasting tray, skin side down. Scatter garlic, tomatoes and rosemary. Add generous amount of black pepper, bit of salt, and drizzle lots of olive oil.
3) Seal with foil (Fold 2 strips together to make a piece wide enough - it needs to be air tight. Do this by placing them dull sides together, then roll/fold one side over about 2 cm, three times. Open up and it will be one giant piece of foil.) Bake at 180-200'C for 30-40min, or until completely cooked through and tender. Rest, covered with the foil.
4) Reduce juices etc. for 15 minutes or so in a saucepan. Can add a splash of red wine. When well reduced, push through a sieve and add butter.
5) Carve lamb and serve. Lamb will also be good carved and served cold in summer.