Red Pepper and Feta Tart

• 2 sheets ready rolled putt pastry
• 2 egg lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup cream
• 150 grams crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs
• 100 grams chargrilled pepper

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
2. Cut pastry to fit 4 individual flan tins
3. Beat egg and cream
4. Stir in feta, herbs and pepper
5. Bake for about 20 minutes until set and pastry is golden

Nougat Truffles

• 1 tsp butter
• 2 tbsp crean
• 180 grams white chocolate chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds
• 75 grams chopped nougat
• 250 grams white chocolate

1. Melt butter, cream and first measure of chocolate together
2. Stir in almonds and nougat
3. Let cool and roll into balls
4. Melt second measure of white chocolate
5. Dip balls in melted chocolate to cover and leave in a cool place to set

Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

• 100 grams softened butter
• 50 grams cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp warm milk
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• 50 grams butter
• 100 grams cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest

1. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar
2. Add eggs and lemon zest
3. Add flour, baking powder and milk
4. Stir in blueberries
5. Bake for 17 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius
6. Let cool
7. Beat icing ingredients together and ice

Banoffee Pies

• 400 grams ready make sweet shortcrust pastry
• 100 grams butter
• 70 grams brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp milk
• 400 grams sweetened condensed milk
• 4 bananas
• 300 ml cream whipped
• grated white chocolate

1. Preheat over to 190 degrees Celsius
2. Roll out pastry to line loose based flan dish (or individual dishes)
3. Bake blind for 15 minutes until cooked
4. Cool, remove from pan and set aside
5. Melt butter and sugar and heat gently until butter is melted and sugar dissolved
6. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 minute
7. Remove from heat and add milk and condensed milk
8. Gently simmer for 5 - 6 minutes until thick and golden brown. Cool
9. Slice bananas over pastry base
10. Pour caramel mixture over 
11. Spread over whipped cream and top with grated chocolate and pecans if desired

Pumpkin and Feta Sala

• 500 grams pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 1 cm pieces
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red peppers
• 1 red onion
• 70 grams baby spinach leaves
• 200 grams feta diced
• 1/4  - 1/2 cup honey (according to taste) 
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius
2. Toss pumpkin with olive oil and place into roasting pan
3. Roast until soft and cool
4. Roast red peppers till skins split and peel and dice
5. Combine pumpkin with red pepper, onion, spinach and feta
6. Whisk together honey, vinegar, second measure of olive oil
7. Toss the salad with the dressing

Feta and Herb Roulade

• 100 grams flour
• 100 grams butter
• 450 ml milk
• 100 grams grated parmesan
• 8 eggs, separated
• 200 grams feta
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 2 tbsp chopped chervil

1. Line a sponge roll tin with baking paper and spray lightly with cooking oil or butter
2. Melt butter and add flour to make roux (when it starts coming away from the sides
3. Whisk in warm milk and cook, stirring gently for 5 minutes
4. Fold in half the parmesan and season with salt and pepper
5. Cool slightly and add in yolks - mix well
6. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt till just stiff
7. Fold in cheese sauce
8. Pour mixture into tin and spread out evenly
9. Bake at 190 degrees Celsius until puffy and golden
10. Place large rectangle on bench and sprinkle with parmesan
11. Turn the roulade out onto the paper and peel lining paper off
12. Mix feta and herbs to make filling
13. Spread filling over and roll using the baking paper to support
14. Serve while still warm

Chocolate and Honey Pinwheels

• 150 grams butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 1 tbsp honey

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Add eggs one at a time
3. Mix in vanilla and flour
4. Divid dough into half; add cocoa to one half and honey to the other half and mix in well.
5. Roll out chocolate mixture on baking paper to about 34 x 24 cm
6. Dot honey mixture on the top and spread to cover
7. Start from long edge and roll up to form a log
8. Wrap in the baking paper and put in fridge for an hour
9. Slice about 6 mm thick and bake 10 - 12 minutes in a medium oven

Anything Quiche

This is a quick and easy way to use up bits of excess vegetables or cheese.

• 3 - 4 cups of vegetables
• 1/2 an onion
• 1/2 cup grated or chopped cheese (any kind - use up the leftovers)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 4 eggs
• 1 sheet ready rolled pastry

1. Place pastry in a quiche dish
2. Put vegetables and cheese in the dish
3. Mix together cheese, milk, herbs and eggs
4. Pour over the vegetables
5. Bake at 200 Celsius for 45 minutes just below half-way in the oven (this makes sure the bse is cooked).

Cookies in a Mason Jar - Great for Christmas Presents

• 1 1/2 cup flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup white chocolate buttons
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate buttons
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate buttons

1. Put all the ingredients in the mason jar (or other attractive glass jar) in the order listed. 
2. Tie with attractive ribbon and print the below recipe. 

Vegan Christmas Cake

• 4 apples peeled, cored and chopped
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 500 grams flour
• 400 grams sugar
•  4 tbsp cocoa
• 4 tsp mixed spice
• 170 ml vegetable oil
• 1 kg dried mixed fruit
• 200 grams chopped brazil and/or hazel nuts

1. Combine apples, water and sugar in a pot and cook for 20 minutes until soft. Mash so they are like apple sauce.
2. Sieve dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and apple sauce mixture. 
3. Stir well.
4. Place into paper lined baking tins and cook at 150 degrees Celsius for about 70 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. 

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 onion chopped finely
• 170 grams long grain rice
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 430 ml vegetable stock
• 2 tomatoes chopped finely
• 100 grams feta cheese
• 100 grams cheddar cheese
• large handful of parsley chopped
• 4 peppers
• tin foil

1. Heat olive oil in a frypan and add seeds and onion. Fry gently until seeds are golden.
2. Add rice and garlic and fry for 2 minutes until grains of rice are glossy.
3. Add stock, cover, bring to boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, cheese and peppers.
5. Cut the top off the peppers and remove seeds.
6. Stuff with the rice mixture and wrap tightly in tinfoil.
7. Bake in a medium oven for 40 minutes.

Beetroot Relish

This makes a great Christmas present with the vibrant red-purple colour.

• 1 kg fresh beetroot
• 700 grams finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 500 ml malt vinegar
• 2 Tbsp cornflour

1. Put washed beetroot into a pot and bring to boil
2. Boil for about 45 minutes until tender
3. Skin and chop finely in a food processor
4. Return to pot with onions, spice, salt, sugar and 450 ml vinegar
5. Boil for 30 minutes
6. Mix the cornflour with remaining malt vinegar
7. Add gradually while stirring
8. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened
9. Put into clean jars