[Karen W. (OP)]

Heres whats on for my house tonight for dinner. I am inviting my imaginary friends!

Tonight I am baking a large black forest ham smothered in pineapple and cloves that have been placed over a layer of patted on brown sugar.

I am also making rosemary Garlic potatoes with rosemary fresh from my bush and cloves of crushed garlic sauteed and added and tossed with the quartered up potatoes( small red ones, drizzled with virgin olive oil and then placed on a baking sheet and baked until done.

Oh yes and a garden salad served with multiple topping to offer even the pickiest eater! LOL! I think I might bake a loaf of bread ..Mayne a soft Italian herb bread with nice french butter!

I am taking suggestions for a vegetable dish to go along with it! Any suggestions???

[Karen W. (OP)]

Still Hungry !!

Good job I don't live in Hungary cos then I'd be famished !!

Me too!

It is a thing you don't live there!!! LOL

[Mirage]

Still Hungry !!

Good job I don't live in Hungary cos then I'd be famished !!

LOL you terror, loves it I do []

[Mirage]

although the timing seems odd. doesn't your mom cook?

She certainly does [] I asked her to teach me when I move back []

[Karen W. (OP)]

I bet she is a good cook!

[Karen W. (OP)]

I bet she is a good cook!

Are you moving home for a bit Daniel? I hope everything is OK?

[Mirage]

I bet she is a good cook!

She has her moments []

Yeah, I'm moving home because I need to sort out my finances, but also it will help me to find a new and better job [] 

[Karen W. (OP)]

I bet she is a good cook!

Oh I hope things work out good then!

She has her moments []

Yeah, I'm moving home because I need to sort out my finances, but also it will help me to find a new and better job [] 

[Alandriel]

just for Kadie, who likes pears and of course also for Karen - the resident cordon-bleu chef of distinction

and for anyone else that loooooooves, well, simply good food  []


Pear cake
now, in my native Switzerland this masterpiece is actually called (take a deep breath)
Van Ribbecks Birnentraum - which roughly translates as Mr. Van Ribbeck once had a dream.... about birnen / pears

Now, I don't do imperial or other weird measurements; with conversions you're on your own  []

• mix 125g castor sugar, 6 egg yolks (ohhh the arteries love that) and grated peel of 1/2 lemon (use unwaxed organic and even then scrub it really good) Mix and blend it all together until the mixture changes to a very light colour, then divide the mixture evenly betweentwo
• add 50g good quality melted chocolate carefully to one of the bowls
• beat together until very stiff 6 egg whites, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of baking powder. Add 2 spoons of sugar and continue beating for a little while longer. The mix goes really glossy
• 150g flour
• take half of the stiff egg white and half of the flour and divide them again between the two bowls, fold the individual mixtures together carefully.
• first fill the dark (chocolate mix) into your round cake tin, then put two layers of baking paper cut to size on top, followed by the white layer. They bake together

The recipe is for a round cake form of approx 24cm diameter. Grease and flour the tin well or cover with baking paper.
Bake approx 40mins at 180C.

Filling:

• mix 2 eggyolk, 100g sugar, 1 teaspon vanilla sugar until creamy, light and soft
• add to that 1/2 lemon, juice and grated peel; 300 g double cream or creme freche if you preferr, 2-3 tablespoons pear liquor if you have but which you can also leave out. Mix together
• put 4 leaves of good quality gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes, then squeeze the water out gently then add to the above mixture. That makes the filling cream.
• blend together 2dl whipped cream + 2 stiff egg whites and fold into the above mixture. Put into the fridge until just before use on the cooled cake
• 4 pears, peeled cored and cooked soft in a little water

Take the cool cake and separate the layers carefully.
Cut the 'white' layer into halves with a wire cutter and put the base layer down.
Cover with 1/3 of the filling cream, then add the dark cake layer.
Put the cooked pears on top of the dark layer and cover with another 1/3 of the filling cream.
Put the final layer of cake on top.
The remaining cream filling spread along the outside of the cake and then gently press roasted flaked almonds into it.
Refrigerate to set for approx. 3 hours.


It's well worth the effort!!!  [] []

[Karen W. (OP)]

YAYYYYYYYYYYY! YUMMMMMMY!

[Carolyn]

Your pear cake sounds delish!  If I EVER allow myself to eat cake again I'm going to give it a try.  Possibly for the holidays.

[Mirage]

Your pear cake sounds delish!  If I EVER allow myself to eat cake again I'm going to give it a try.  Possibly for the holidays.

It has fruit in it, fruit is good for you, well that's my logic  []

[Carolyn]

HAHAHA.  I wonder if my scales will buy that.

That logic is as good as broken cookies have no calories because they all fell out.

[Mirage]

HAHAHA.  I wonder if my scales will buy that.

That logic is as good as broken cookies have no calories because they all fell out.

Oh, I like that one []

[Karen W. (OP)]

These are both wine recipes from my great Grandma!


Black berry wine (no.1)

Wash lightly and cover your black berries with cold water. Crush the

berries well with a wooden spoon or masher. Let stand 24 hours then strain

and to 1 gallon of juice put 3 lbs of common brown sugar. Then put into

wide mouthed jars for several days. Carefully skimming off the skum that

will rise to the top. Put in several sheets of brown paper and let it

remain in it for 3 days. Then Skim off the top again and pour it through a

funnel into your cask or flask! Leave it there remaining undisturbed  until

March, then strain again and bottle.(this is assuming you pick the berries

mid to late summer.) so about 6 to 7 months standing untouched!It just

depends on your season. Here I can pick black berries even now and it is

October but they are going fast!

[Karen W. (OP)]

Blackberry wine (no.2)

Berries should be ripe and plump. Put them into a wood or stone vessel with a tap. Pour

on sufficient boiling water to cover. Then when cool enough to bear your hand,bruise well

until all the berries are broken. Cover up and let stand until berries begin to rise up

to the top, which occurs in 3 or 4 days. Then draw off the clear juice into another

vessel and add 1 Lb.sugar to every 10 quarts of the liquid and stir thoroughly.

Let stand 6 to 10 days in first vessel with top, then drain off through a jelly bag.

Steep 4 ounces in a glass using a pint of lime, for 12 hours. Boil it over a slow fire

until all is dissolved, then pour it into a gallon of the berry juice and give them both

a boil together, and pour all into the vessel and let stand a few days to ferment and

settle down. oh, keep it in a dry cool place!

[Karen W. (OP)]

new recipe Daniel.. easy one and real good!

Apple cake

¾ C. Oil
2 Eggs
2 C. Sugar
¾ tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoon Vanilla
4 cups sliced apples.


Beat together until blended add sliced Apples
And let stand for a few minutes.

Add 2 C. flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 C. chopped nuts if desired

Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees
In a greased and floured 9x13 pan or 2 small pans

Frosting

1 tub cream cheese mixed with powdered sugar to taste, will be thick! Using a small amount of orange juice add a drizzle into cream cheese mixture mix well then add more if its still to thick.. just enough to make a good frosting consistency. You to make it moist and creamy enough to spread! Whip until creamy! Then spread..onto cake

[Karen W. (OP)]

Daniel.. Did you try this recipe yet? It is delicious!

[rosalind dna]

Daniel.. Did you try this recipe yet? It is delicious!

Karen, who's Daniel, I have not seen him on TNS or is it part of a US TV prog?

Also I've got my mum's recipe book, later on I'll post a couple.

[Karen W. (OP)]

Rosalind...Daniel is Mirage..I started this thread to give him easy good recipes he could make with little effort that he could woo the girlies with as I recall!!!  feel free to add more.. look for easy good recipes that will make the girls swoon at his feet! LoL....