Cheats Stars and Stripes Cake

Yep - 4th of July is nigh - so thought I would throw this one in.

INGREDIENTS
13x9 inch pan

Box yellow supermoist cake mix (Betty Crocker do a good range of these). You can use any flavor/variety - buy according to taste and which toppings you are using.
Other ingredients as called for on cake box - usually oil,eggs and water.

1 large container rich & creamy/whipped vanilla frosting

1/3 cup of fresh blueberries

1 pint fresh strawberries.

(if fresh fruit is not available then use blue and red candy-coated chocolate candies.)

Heat oven to 350F/180C/Gas 4
Make and cool cake as directed on box for a 13 x 9" pan.

When completely cooled - frost with the frosting. Wash berries and pat dry then arrange on the top to make a flag design. Serve immediately or keep chilled.

Burgers

Just about everyone loves burgers - especially at this time of year when we all get the BBQ going. So here are a few burger recipe ideas!

BEEF BURGERS
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 lbs minced/ground beef
1 large onion - grated/very finely chopped
3 tbsp parsley and thyme (combined)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients together and mix. Wet hands before shaping into burgers. Cook - and out together with your favorite things - lettuce - tomatoes- gherkins etc.

A good and quick burger sauce - tomato sauce, mayonnaise and English mustard - combine together - add chilli or tobasco if feeling in a soicy mood!

The Elvis Burger - a different kind of cheeseburger
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 lbs minced/ground beef
1 red chilli
1/2 a red onion - finely chopped
Tarragon - preferably fresh and finely chopped - if not 1 level tbsp dry is fine.
1 large egg
Handful breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together - including the the parmesan - cook as preferred.
These are delicious served on toasted ciabatta rolls and accompanied with a sinple salad.

MINTY LAMB BURGERS
INGREDIENTS
1lb minced/ground lamb
1 medium onion - very finely chopped/grated
1 egg - beaten
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 teasp feshly chopped mint
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
50g/20z fresh white breadcrumbs

Mix all ingredients together - shape - cook.

THAI CURRY PORK BURGERS
INGREDIENTS
1 lb minced/ground pork
1 small onion - finely chopped
2 tbsp Thai Curry Paste
1 tbsp fresh coriander - dry will do if fresh not available but half the amount.

Place all ingredients together - mix well with hands. Flour hands before shaping these ones. Cook as preferred.

Fruity Fairy Cakes - Gooseberry

Elderflower compliments the flavor of gooseberry really well - these fairy cakes - with a gooseberry fool are wonderfully sweet with a slight tang from the gooseberry to stop them from being sickly. If you have lots of gooseberries - double up on the first part of the 'Fool' recipe - i.e. gooseberries, sugar and elderflower cordial and keep remainder in the fridge - delightful on hot buttered toast.

Ingredients - for the cakes
225g/8 1/2 oz self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
3 eggs
150g pot natural yogurt
4 tbsp elderflower cordial
175g/6oz butter - melted and cooled

Ingredients for the gooseberry fool
350g/12 oz gooseberries (tailed if fresh - frozen works just as good)
50g/2oz golden caster sugar
1 tbsp of elderflower cordial
200g tub creme fraiche
icing sugar - for dusting


Heat oven to 400F/200C/180 fan/gas 6
12 muffin cases on baking tray.
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.
Beat eggs, yogurt, elderflower cordial, melted butter together with a pinch of salt.
Stir in dry ingredients.
Spoon into cases - bake for 18-20 mins.
Cool.


Fool recipe
Put gooseberries and sugar in a frying pan - cook gently for 10 mins.
Taste for sweetness - remember if adding more sugar - the cakes are sweet.
Stir in elderflower cordial and leave to cool (if making extra - put in a container - leave to cool and put in fridge).
When cool fold in creme fraiche.


Serve - cut out a section at the top of each cake - or cut top of cake off - dessertspoonful of fool on top of each cake - top with cake you cut off - dust with icing sugar.

Lamb Meatball & Pea Pilaf

Large frying pan/risotto pan with a lid

Ingredients
400g pack leab lamb mince
3 garlic cloves - crushed
2 tsp cumin
300g/10oz basmati rice
vegetable/lamb stock - enough to cover rice
300g/10oz frozen peas
zest 2 lemons and juice of one

For the cucumber yogurt
1/2 cucumber finely chopped/grated
150ml mild natural yogurt
small bunch mint leaves - torn


Mix lamb with half the garlic and 1 tsp cumin - season - shape into about 16 balls (wet hands to do this).
Heat pan and cook meatballs for about 8 mins over moderate heat till golden and cooked through.
Remove and set aside.
Tip rice, 1tsp cumin and remaining garlic into pan - fry for 30 secs stirring - pour in enough stock to cover. Cover and simmer for 10-15 mins.
Stir in the peas - return meatballs to pan - warm through till peas are tender.

Make the cucumber yogurt using half the mint.
Mix half the mint, yogurt and cucumber together.

Finish the pilaf by adding lemon zest and juice and remaining mint.


The cucumber yogurt is very cooling with this dish - he mint enhancing the flavor of the lamb.
Can be served with a variety of flat breads such as naan.

Desserts to go with the pasta..........

Well - you need something yummy to follow up with.
The Vin Santo in the first recipe is a delicious Italian dessert wine - other Italian dessert wines will work in this too - and it is a no-cook dessert!
The 2nd recipe is not really for kids - unless you want to try and get them off the ceiling fan as they shout 'Hey Ma - look at me - weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...'. Substitute the coffee for some fudge instead!

Strawberry parfait with Vin Santo and biscotti
Ingredients
These measurements are for a 1 litre glass bowl - shallow and square works best.
250g biscotti biscuits
400g strawberries - halved
50g/2oz golden caster sugar
250g mascarpone
284ml carton double cream - softly whipped
100ml/3 1/2 fl oz Vin Santo

Place biscotti in a plastic bag and crush with end of rolling pin (or similar) - leave slightly chunky.
Place in a bowl - drizzle over Vin Santo stir and leave.
Meanwhile - half the strawberries and the sugar in another bowl - mash together with a fork.
In another bowl - whip the mascarpone - fold in the cream - if too thick add a little milk.
Take 1 litre bowl - layer half the biscotti on base
Top with half the crushed strawberries
Top those with half the mascarpone
Repeat the three layers - decorate with the remaining strawberries
Chill before serving.



Biscotti Ice Cream with Hot Mocha.
Ingredients. (to serve 4 - apparently!)
500ml pot of good quality vanilla ice cream
14 biscotti biscuits
100g bar good quality dark chocolate
2 tbsp brandy
200ml/7fl. oz. freshly made strong coffee.

Leave ice cream out of freezer for 5 mins to soften - tip into a bowl.
Put 6 biscotti into a bag - crush with rolling pin - fold into ice cream - return ice cream to freezer.
Break chocolate into a microwaveable bowl - add brandy - microwave on high for 30 secs-1min (till melted).
Pour in hot coffee and stir till smooth.
Scoop ice cream into bowls/heatproof serving glasses - pour mocha over.
Serve with remaining biscotti on the side.

Pasta Flavour..................

Most of us love pasta and use it regularly - it is a stable quick meal.
I am going to put down some of my fav pasta recipes here and the type of pasta it tends to work best with - all quick and very easy.

Bacon & Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
400g/14oz Penne - or other tube pasta
250g chestnut or baby button mushrooms
8 rashers streaky bacon
4 tbsp fresh pesto (from chiller if possible)
200ml cartom creme fraiche (use 50% fat one if concerned about fat content)
handful fresh basil leaves

Cook pasta according to intructions on packet - drain when cooked.
Slice mushrooms and bacon into bite-size pieces.
Fry bacon and mushroom till golden - high heat so the mushrooms fry in bacon fat rather than sweat.
Add pasta to pan and stir over heat for approx 1 min.
Remove from heat - stir in pesto and creme fraiche and most of the basil leaves - keep a couple back for decoration.

Swap the basil pesto for red pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto for a different twist.




Tuna & tomato pasta
Ingrdients
500g packet pasta bows
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
400g can chopped toms - with herbs
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp sugar
100g can tuna - drained
handful basil leaves


Cook pasta according to instructions - drain when cooked.
Meanwhile - heat oil - cook onion for a couple mins.
Stir in garlic, tomatoes, chilli and sugar.
Season and bring to boil. Stir, reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins.
Flake tuna into sauce and heat through.
Add to drained pasta and the basil leaves - season with pepper - serve.



Spaghetti with prawns, chilli and rocket.
Ingredients
400g/14oz spaghetti
2 long red chillies
100ml/3 1/2 fl oz olive oil (extra-virgin if possible)
200g cooked peeled prawns
100g wild rocket

Cook spaghetti according to pack instructions - drain - toss with drizzle of olive oil - set aside
Meanwhile - split the chillies - de-seed - slice and dice very small - you can add the seeds if you like it HOT!
Heat oil in a pan - add prawns - cook for a few seconds - add chillies - season - add spaghetti.
Remove from heat - fold rocket through - serve.

This recipe also works well with crabmeat - fold it through the the spaghetti after drained and as mixing with olive oil.


Roasted Vegetable Pasta
Ingredients
350g/12oz pappardelle or spaghetti
1 aubergine - chopped into 4-5 cm chunks
2 large fennel bulbs - cut into 8 segments
2 tbsp olive oil
good dash tobasco
2 garlic cloves - crushed
140g/50z soft goats cheese
6 tomatoes - chopped
handful basil leaves - roughly chopped
parmesan - grated - to serve

Heat oven to 200C/400F Gas 6 - reduce for fan ovens
Toss aubergine, fennel, oil and tabasco in a roasting tray - season - roast for approx. 20 mins
Add tomatoes and garlic - oast for a further 10 mins.
Cook pasta according to instructions - drain - return to pan - add roasted veg and juices.
Toss the goats cheese and basil through.
Serve with parmesan.

Raspberry and Mascarpone Trifle

Ingredients
10-12 sponge fingers
300g raspberries
150ml orange juice
250g tub mascarpone
500ml tub fresh custard

Break sponge fingers into a large bowl - scatter over raspberries (keep a few back for decoration) - pour on orange juice - leave to soak for 15 mins.

Beat the mascarpone - gradually beat in the custard - spoon all the mix over the sponge - use remaining raspberries to scatter over top.


This is deliciously refreshing - adding mascarpone makes the custardy bit feel 'lighter' on the tongue and not as 'cloying' as when using custard alone. Quick and very easy.
For a more adult version - substitute some of the orange juice with Cointreau!

Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:
2 ripe medium avocados
200g cherry tomatoes
1 red chilli - de-seeded - finely chopped
Juice of 2 small limes
1 small red onion finely chopped.

Peel and roughly chop/squash the avocados.
Roughly chop tomatoes - put all the above ingredients together and mix.

This is wonderful served with simply seasoned lamb chops (salt,pepper and rosemary) and a bean mix (broad beans heated and tossed in olive oil for approx 3 mins till warmed through - remove from heat add watercress and mixed herbs (mint works wonderful with lamb).