Beef in Ginger Beer

Someone passed this recipe on to me that they discovered in a magazine that was put out by a butcher. I wasn't too sure about it at first but after being encouraged to try it I decided to give it a go. Am I glad I did as it is just the best way to cook corned beef that I have tried.

PREPARATION:
1 kg of corned silverside
2 litres of ginger beer (shop bought)
250 mls marmalade with rind in

Simmer the beef in ginger beer for 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until tender. Only ginger beer is used so don't be tempted to add water or seasoning. Make sure that your beef is sitting below the ginger beer and not sitting out of it. If it does, you need either more ginger beer or else a smaller, deeper pot. Take the meat out of the ginger beer when cooked and dry the fat on the meat with a paper towel. Now cover the fat with half a centimetre of marmalade and bake for 10 minutes in an oven of 200C. Slice and serve with mashed potato and a tablespoon of ginger beer juice over the sliced meat and a little more warm marmalade.

Pineapple Rice

This was given to me by my sister-in-law and it is one of those desserts that you don't make often but when you do, you wonder why you don't serve it more.

PREPARATION:

3 cups cooked rice
1 can crushed pineapple and some of the juice
1 - 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 cup sugar

Fold all together and then add in 1 cup whipped cream. Place in sweet bowls and sprinkle a little nutmeg or cinnamon over the top. Chill in fridge until chilled. Can be served by itself or with a little vanilla ice cream.

Rum Bananas

A girlfriend gave me this simple dessert recipe many years ago and it is just too easy to make but yummy to eat. always a great dessert to serve when having just a few people over for dinner.

PREPARATION:

2 - 3 tablespoons butter
2 - 3 tablespoons brown sugar
sliced bananas
rum

Heat butter and sugar in a pan. Cook bananas in this for several minutes. Pour some rum over the top of these and set alight. Serve with either whipped cream or ice cream. Can serve with both if feeling really game.

Chocolate Truffles

This is another must make recipe when having any sort of party and a favourite with children as it has no alcohol in it such as the rum truffles. My mum always used Milk Arrowroot biscuits in it but you can use any other sweet ones such as Marie or Coffee biscuits.

PREPARATION:

1 x 250 gram pkt milk arrowroot biscuits
1 can Nestles' condensed milk
1 cup dessicated coconut
2 large tablespoons cocoa
extra coconut for dipping

Crumble biscuits and place in large bowl. Add coconut and cocoa and mix together with a large spoon. Add the nestles milk and combine well together. I usually finish off by mixing it with my hands as it seems to work the best. Take a spoonful of mixture and roll into a small ball about the size of a large marble and coat in coconut. continue making these and place on either a baking tray or large plate, lined with greasproof paper. Place in the fridge and leave to set and chill.

Golden Balls

This is another of my favourite recipes that comes from my mum. Looking back over the years I can remember mum making this for us when I was just a small child, so it has been going strong down through our family for many years. Whenever I decide to make this pudding, I can picture mum, standing over the old wood stove, making this for us and us all standing around wanting to get under her feet to help her.

PREPARATION:

1 cup SR flour
1 beaten egg
1 large tablespoon butter
milk

Rub the butter into the flour. Mix with the well beaten egg and enough milk to make a soft dough. Roll into small round dumpling about the size of a walnut shell.
Syrup:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
juice of 1 lemon
Mix all these together thoroughly and boil in a large saucepan on top of stove. Drop the dumplings into the boiling syrup and turn over often as they start to swell so they are cooked through. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or cream. If you want to be really decadent you may serve with both.

Date Crunch Bars

This is another Feature Recipe from my mums church ladies group and it is quite yummy, even if you are not a date lover. After one small bite, you will be going back for more. So easy to make and can be stored in the refigerator for days; if it lasts that long.

PREPARATION:
125 grams butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
250 grams chopped dates
4 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup coconut

Mix butter, sugar and dates together in a large saucepan over a low heat until mixture is soft. Add cornflakes and mix well. Sprinkle 1/4 a cup of the coconut over the base of a swiss roll tin and then press the mixture firmly over this. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut and set in the refigerator. When cold, cut into fingers and serve.

Hedgehog Cake

This favourite recipe has been adapted to my mothers version and it is so much better than the ones that are available through the supermarket and bakers chains. Whenever it was one of our birthdays, it was always the first thing on the list of things for mum to make for our party. Even as an adult, I still love this recipe.

PREPARATION:
125 grams butter
125 grams brown sugar
250 grams broken biscuits (I use milk arrowroot)
1 egg
2 large tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Break the biscuits into little pieces in a large bowl. Add chopped nuts. Bring butter and sugar slowly to the boil in a small saucepan and cook gently for a few minutes. After adding the cocoa to this, stir in the beated egg and add to mixture in bowl with vanilla. Press into a shallow slice pan and let set in the refridgerator. Cut into small pieces to serve. For extra chocolate taste, you can spread a very fine chocolate icing over before setting in fridge.
Icing can be made from a tablespoon of butter, melted with a little milk and vanilla essence. Add to this some icing sugar and cocoa to make a smooth fine mixture.