Did you end up posting the chilli jam recipe, Sarah, and I'm just so blind I can't see it, or is it not here yet?
By the way, silly question... what is SFI?
Ok figured it out....duh!!
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Did you end up posting the chilli jam recipe, Sarah, and I'm just so blind I can't see it, or is it not here yet?
By the way, silly question... what is SFI?
Ok figured it out....duh!!
SFI = Super Food Ideas.
Oops, I'll get the chilli jam recipe out this afternoon & post.
Chilli Jam
From Family Circle: The essential book of Sauces & Dressings
12 red jalapeno chillies
2 medium rip tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green apple, finely grated
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
METHOD:
1. Cut chillis in half lengthwise, then remove & discard seeds. Lay, cut side down, on an oven tray & place under a hot grill until the skin is black. Cover with foil & leave to cool.
2. Cut a small cross on the base of the tomatoes, cover with boiling water & leave for two minutes. Drain & cool. Peel skin from the chillis & tomatoes and chop the flesh finely.
3. Combine onion, apple, vinegar & sugar with the tomato & chilli in a medium pan. Stir until the sugar has dissolved & bring to the boil, Reduce heat & simmer for 30 minutes. Keep covered in the fridge for up to a month.
My warning: I made this once with different chillis, including habeneros (hottest in the world) and ended up with second degree burns on my hands because of it! Make sure you wear gloves when dealing with chillis.
I found some yummy looking cookie recipes this morning... The first one is a gift of the cookie mix, so the recipient can cook themselves, the second one just looks yummy!
:
Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix in a Jar
This fun recipe makes a great Christmas gift. Be sure to include the instructions, and tuck in a timer, a pot holder, and a decorative plate to hold the cookies.
INGREDIENTS:
* 2-3/4 cups flour
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 2 tsp. cream of tartar
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
PREPARATION:
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients and stir with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended. Store the mix in an airtight container.
To make cookies:
Snickerdoodles
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 recipe Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream the butter until light, then add the eggs and beat until the mixture is smooth. Add the Snickerdoodle Mix and continue beating until the dough forms. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheets 2" apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 to 19 minutes, or until light gold. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Makes 60 cookies
:
Chocolate Pixie Cookies
This classic cookie recipe are rolled in powdered sugar before they are baked, making a wonderful crinkled finish to these tender cookies.
INGREDIENTS:
* 1/4 cup butter
* 3 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
* 2 (1 oz.) squares semisweet chocolate
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 4 eggs
* 1-3/4 cups flour
* 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* powdered sugar
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Melt together butter and chocolates in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and beat in sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs, once at a time, and mix each until incorporatred. Beat for 1 minute.
Add dry ingredients and walnuts and mix well. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before continuing with recipe.
Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll each in powdered sugar and place on cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees F. for 15-22 minutes, until cookies are just set. Do not overbake. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool. 36 cookies
Just got the SFI magazine today & here are some of the cool recipes. I can post some if anyone wants...
Savoury
* Marinated Olives
* Spicy Paprika Peanuts
* Savoury Muffins
* Tartare Sauce
* Green Apple Sauce
Sweet
* Macadamia & Strawberry Brittle
* Choc Christmas Tree Cookies
* Fruit Mince Tartlets
* 10 varieties of truffles
Oh Sarah the paprika peanuts sound yummy...
Can I pease have that one :)
Aaron would love that one too Mitch ;)
From Super Food Ideas Magazine, December 07 / January 08
Spicy Paprika Peanuts
Makes 3 1/2 Cups
Ingredients:
2 eggwhites
3 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 tablespoon caster sugar
500gm unsalted peanuts
Method:
Preheat oven to 150% & line baking tray with baking paper.
Whisk eggwhites in a bowl until frothy. Add salt, paprike, chilli & sugar. Stir to combine.
Stir in peanuts.
Spread peanuts in a single layer on the prepared tray.
Bake, stirring occassionally, for 15 minutes or until almost dry.
Remove from oven & cool on tray.
(Can be made ahead & stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days)
(you can replace peanuts with pecans, macadamias, almods, cashews or a combination of nuts)
I just found this recipe in one of my recipe books:
Soy roasted nuts
1 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c blanched whole almonds
1/2 c raw cashews
1/2 c raw unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees
In a bowl, toss together all ingredients. Spread onto a baking tray nad bake for 10-12 mins or until golden, turning once. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
Just from Coles, I think Woolworths / Safeway have it as well.
The Spicy Paprika peanuts turned out really well if I do say so myself :) I made them today ready to go in the baskets on the weekend. When I went shopping I couldn't find unsalted nuts in a packet bigger than 200gm so I only used 400gm instead of the recipe's 500gm and it was all fine. I think as well that they would probably be better with a bit more chilli though.
Some more yummy recipes for sweets. I haven't made either yet, but will definately be making the choc slice.
Ic plain flour
1/2c almond meal
1/2c brown sugar
100g dark cooking choc
75g butter
1 egg lightly beaten
395g can sweetened condesed milk
50g extra butter
2tbsp golden syrup
3/4c blanched almonds
1/2c macadamia nuts
1c chopped raisins
3/4c chopped dried apriots
200g extra dark cooking choc
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a 18x28cm slice pan with greased paper.
Mix flour almond meal and brown sugar. Melt together 100g of chocolate and butter. Stir into four mixture, then stir in egg and mix well. Press evenly into tray and bake for 15mins. Cool.
Combine in a pan, sweetened condensed milk, extra butter and golden syrup. Bring to boil and simmer, stirring continuously for 5 mins. Stir in nuts, raisins and apricots. Spread over base of tray.
Bake for 8mins or until edges begin to brown. Cool. Spread on 200g of chocolate and refirgerate until set. Cut into squares or slices.
Rum and rasin balls
300g choc chip bickies crushed
3/4c toasted slivered almonds
1c chopped raisins
1/3c pistachios (optional)
100g white choc(optional)
100g dark cooking choc
20g butter
2 tbsp cream
1 tbsp rum or rum essence
200g extra dark cooking choc
20g copha, white vegetable shortening
Combine bickie crumbs, raisins and chopped almonds.
Melt 100g cooking choc and butter and cream. Stir in rum, then combine choc mixture with bickie mixtue and combine well.
Roll heaped tsps of mixture into balls and refrigerate until firm.
Melt extra choc and copha together and coat balls in mixture. Allow to set. If you want, roll balls into pistachio nuts, almonds, drizzle with more choc/ white choc to decorate.
Just another quick and easy treat for xmas....
Mini Choc Puddings...
1 Packet Choc Royals
White choc to melt
Jaffa's or crispy red m&m's
All you do is melt the white choc and pour a little over each royal to look like custard and then place one red jaffa or m&m on top for your cherry. You can also add the mint leave lolly, but I find it looks too much...
I just made a packet then, too easy and soooooo quick and effective!
Another two cheating things I've decided to make....
Instead of cooking shortbread, I've bought some in Christmas shapes & we'll just decorate them.
I found on Better Homes & Gardens website an easy but realy effective looking treat... Basically, you get a packet of Jersey Caramel lollies & decorate them. Dip them into melted chocolate to completely cover them or half dip them then before it sets add hundreds & thousands, crushed nuts, coconut or toffee pieces. Or you can just drizzle chocolate over them. Easy as but they look really good in the picture. My sister will love it because they are her favourite lolly! We're doing them today :)
ETA: Here are some photos of so far...
Caramels setting
Caramels close up - if you hover over them there are notes on what they are.
Chocolate Spoons setting - the one on the left was the last of the chocolate & it was setting because of the cold spoons going into it! Might hav to use that as a tester on my self ;)
*bump* added some photos ;)
HUGE SUCCESS!!
I ended up making choc dipped caramels, choc spoons, choc truffles, coffee truffles, toffee truffles, candy cane fudge, shortbread chrissy trees, peanut butter slice & spicey peanuts. Everyone I gave them too were thrilled :D My sister thinks she's put on a kilo already though LOL!
Great news Sarah! I ended up making the BB fudge (peppermint), mini choc puddings (recipe from Table magazine that I found at the last minute), gingerbread and those fudgy buttons (I added a little bit of cooking chocolate to the recipe). DH LOVED the fudgy buttons (he's a peanut butter fan) and I promised to make him a batch soon ;)
So Amy, did your DH scor the job of being taste tester as well? Aaron loved the truffles & I had to promise him I'd make another batch too.
LOL, to a point... He got really annoyed because 'the kitchen stinks (sic) of chocolate and I'm not allowed to eat ANY of it!' :rolleyes:
Sounds like Aaron, "the fridge has heaps of chocolate & I can't touch any??"
You'd think they'd get it by now :)
Did anyone do the macadamia and white chocolate biccies? I was going to, but lost momentum and made the gingerbread instead because it meant one less trip to the shops ;) The macadamia and white choc looked good... I think I shall have to make some for ourselves one day soon.
*BUMP*
I just started looking for some more ideas today. Found this recipe in 'Good Taste' for those who like grog:
Limoncello (Lemon liqueur)
Obviously I won't be partaking in it this Christmas, but I reckon my Dad will enjoy it. In the picture they wrap it in clear celophane with a miniature grater attached! It looks cute!:
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time 10 minutes
Makes 1.3L
Ingredients
6 lemons
750ml (3 cups) vodka
225g (1 cup) white sugar
435ml (1 3/4 cups) water
Method
Place the lemons in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 1 hour to soak. Drain. Pat dry. Finely grate the lemon. Combine lemon rind and vodka in a jug.
Meanwhile, place the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes or until the syrup thickens. Set aside to cool.
Add syrup to the vodka mixture. Pour into sterilised airtight bottles. Seal and store in a cool, dark place, shaking occasionally, for 1 month to develop the flavours.
Strain the vodka mixture through a fine sieve. Discard the rind. Pour into a clean sterilised airtight bottle.
Notes & tips
Tip: This luscious lemon liqueur must be served well chilled. Place it in the freezer for one hour before serving. Make this recipe up to 1 month ahead
I'll have to get myself organised too because you make it about a month in advance...
Just thought I would come in here and show off my Gingerbread Men! I have never made them before and this was my first attempt - so be kind!!
Gingerbread Men
Amy, they are gorgeous! I feel sorry for the little sad one :( LOL.
For anyone who's interested, I started the limoncello yesterday - I found another recipe that suggested you let the lemon zest soak in just the vodka for a couple of weeks, then add the syrup. So I'm giving that a go, then in about a week and a half I'll add the syrup. Unfortunately the other recipe says to leave it for AT LEAST a month :( Bummer!
I'm also going to make little jam biccies this year- just a plain butter biscuit mix, with a large star base, then jam on top of that, then a star with smaller star cut out of the middle on top of the jam.
ATTENTION TRUFFLE EXPERTS:
If I were to make a batch of truffles using 200g choc and around 1/3 cup cream how many truffles would that make approx? (Will use melon-baller to mould them.)
I'm trying to work out gift boxes and batches...
;) :bump:
Christmas is fast approaching....
:bump: again!!
I'm going for peanut brittle this year! Read a recipe in Nigella's Christmas book and decided to give it a crack. The honeycomb recipe of three years ago is still fresh in my mind though, so who knows if I'll be able to pull it off, LOL!
What's everyone else's plans this year?
ooh there's some great recipes in the BH&G for December. Thought I might give a few a go.
Awww yum some of these recipes look soooo goood
i think i will make the spoons for DS's kindy teachers..
might sample some others for my self ;)
i have a recipe somewhere for peppermint bark (white and milk or dark choc, candy canes) - can post if you'd like
i'm thinking i might do some of these for local friends - and for DH for work snacks.
i ahve the ingredients to do a white chocolate fudge at the moment... hmmmm
I'm going to have to come back later and really read thru this thread!!
Could you make Florentines?
Florentine recipe:
1.5 cups cornflakes
1/4 cup flaked almonds
100g chopped mixed glace cherries
1/2 cup skim condensed milk
40g melted dark chocolate
Preheat oven to 180oC. Grease two oven trays and line with baking paper.
Combine cornflakes, almonds and cherries in large bowl. Add condensed milk and stir to combine.
Drop heaped tablespoons of mixture onto prepared trays about 4cm apart. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Cool on trays.
Drizzle cooled Florentines with melted chcolate. Stand for 20 minutes or until choclate sets.
Note: Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate. Store for up to 3 days.
Makes 12
AND if you're following Weight Watchers - they're only 1.5points each!
Enjoy!
WOW! I've just read through this entire thread and found some great ideas.
I'm making my Chrissie gifts this year and you have all just helped me out greatly. Thank you! I hope they turn out as well for me as they have for all of you.
B's girl, would you mind posting that peppermint bark recipe if you have time??? :)
Thanks again everyone. :)
x
you'll need to convert to metric measures!
Layered Peppermint Crunch Bark
17 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's), finely chopped
30 red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed (about 6 ounces)
7 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
PreparationTurn large baking sheet bottom side up. Cover securely with foil. Mark 12 x 9-inch rectangle on foil. Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth and candy thermometer registers 110°F. (chocolate will feel warm to touch). Remove from over water. Pour 2/3 cup melted white chocolate onto rectangle on foil. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill rectangle. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.
Stir bittersweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate rectangle. Using icing spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate in even layer. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.
Rewarm remaining white chocolate in bowl set over barely simmering water to 110°F. Working quickly, pour white chocolate over firm bittersweet chocolate layer; spread to cover. Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.
Lift foil with bark onto work surface; trim edges. Cut bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Using metal spatula, slide bark off foil and onto work surface. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections and each section diagonally into 2 triangles. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Chill in airtight container.) Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Hi all,
I got the super food ideas mag last night, and OMG, there are some devine looking recipes in there for chrissy ideas.
Here's some of the yummier looking ones I might give a go this year...
Choc cherry tiramisu ice cream cake (p24 super food ideas dec 09/jan10)
Serves 24
2 tbsp instant expresso coffee powder
1/4 c marsala (or 1/4c extra boiling water for non alcoholic version)
1/2c boiling water
250g softened cream cheese
2ltrs vanilla ice cream softened
250g arnotts choc ripple biscuits
300g pitted frozen cherries halved
2ltrs of triple choc icecream
300ml whipped thickened cream
frozen pitted cherries, crumbled flake bar, white chocolate curls and silver cachous (silver ball decoration things) to serve
1 Grease a 9cm deep 20cm (base) square cake pan. Line with baking paper allowing a 6cm overhang on all sides. Place coffee, marsala and boiling water in a shallow dish. Stir to dissolve coffee. Set aside to cool.
2 Using and electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smoothe. Add vanilla ice cream, 1c at a time beat well after each addition.
3 Spoon half of the mixture into prepared pan. Smoothe the surface. Dip 9 biscuits into the coffee mixture, turning to coat. Place in a layer over the creamchees/ice cream mixture. Add cherries to the remaining cream cheese/ice cream mixture. Stir until just combined. Spoon cherry cream cheese over the biscuit layer. Smoothe surface. Dip 9 more buscuits into the coffee mixture. Place in a single layer over the cherry/cream cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1-2 hours, until icecream is firm.
4 Spoon chocolate ice cream into a large bowl. Set aside for 10mins to soften.Stir until smoothe. Spoon over biscuits. Smoothe surface. Dip remaining buscuits into coffee mixture and place in a layer onto the choc ice cream. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
5 Remove from freezer and set aside for 5mins to soften slightly. Turn onto a plate. Top with whipped cream, cherries, flake, cachous and white choc curls. Serve.
Nanaimo Bars
Makes 36
1/2x 400g digestive buscuits
1/4c caster sugar
1/2c cocoa powder
250g unsalted butter softened
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla bean extract
1/2c finely chopped blanched almonds
1/2c dessicated coconut
2 tbsp vanilla custard powder
2tbsp thickened cream
2c icing sugar mixture
Topping
70g unsalted butter chopped
200g dark chocolate chopped
1 Grease a 5cm deep 20cm base square cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper allowing a 2cm overhang on all sides. Process buscuits until they resemble coarse bread crumbs.
2 Place caster sugar, cocoa powder and half the butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook stirring with a metal spoon for about 3mins or until smoothe. Add the egg and vanilla. Cook stirring for 1min or until mixture thickens. Stir in almonds, coconut and biscuit crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan. Refridgerate for 30mins or until firm.
3 Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining butter and custard powder until light and fluffy. Add cream and icing sugar. Beat until smoothe. Spread over biscuit base. Refridgerate until firm.
4 Topping Place butter and chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water for 5 mins until melted and smoothe. Remove from heat. Cool for 5mins. Pour over filling. Refridgerate for 30mins unitl set and cut into squares.
YUMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!
Ok Ladies need some help.
Christmas is here. I have added up the possibility of doing separate presents and its not feisable, so I'm doing hampers. I'm going to put down my ideas, if anyone can suggest or add anything I would greatly appreciate it!
OK: packaging: wicker baskets or similar bought from Vinnies.
Ribbons: bulk bought from Spotlight (cheapest place I know)
FIllers: torn cellophane, tissue paper or similar from spotlight
Bits in hampers: Small xmas puddings (have to make ours anyway so might as well!)
Rum Balls
Gingerbread men
Chilli jam in jars from vinnies
Chocolate spoons
Hazelnut coffee syrup.
Thats where I'm at so far. Not sure if this sounds ok so would love any input!
xoxo
Ella
Yummo - have just read the entire thread and my mum is getting a hamper of delicious goodies this year... and I am by no means a cook so hopefully it means a lot to her that I tried LOL
Such a silly question but I seriously have no idea... how early can I start making things? I am planning to do a test run son (cause knowing me it will turn out in disaster!!) but when should I make the ones for mum?
TK- whatever you do if you are in QLD DO NOT MAKE YOUR XMAS PUDDING TOO EARLY
I did that last year thinking I would do the hanging in the pantry thingy, but after 3 days the moulded!!!
You can do your test run as early as you want but the rest depends on what you're making. Jams and sauces can be made now. Biscuits and such really can't be made more than a week early, but its a great idea to make your cookie dough and freeze in a long sausage shape- then you thaw cut and bake (great time saver).
Your puddings can be done a little while in advance if you have freezer or fridge space.
Um can't think of what else. If there's any others just let me know!
Ella
What are chocolate spoons Ella?