Hmmm...

I don't seem to be writing much about BC or IE do I? Plenty of recipes. Ha ha, That says a lot I guess.

I did have a 'light bulb' moment today. I was eating my lunch, which was a (beautifully) poached egg on 2 slices of gluten free toast with marmite. I realised I was rushing through the egg white to get to the treat of the runny yolk. So I stopped, poked the yolk and made it run over my toast, and ate that first. Then I didn't need to eat the whole lot, and threw half a slice of toast and a bit of the white in the bin! So, a lesson (hopefully) learned there - eat the best bit first then I don't have to eat the rest if I don't want to! I am going to (try to) apply this principle to all my meals this week - wish me luck in even remembering!

Twice this week I've made tapioca pudding. I hadn't had it in years - probably since school! I made it on Thursday night and it was so popular I made it again last night. I did a double quantity and we're just reheating it as we want it. It gets thicker all the time so has to be thinned with more milk - so may very well last forever! It's divine with golden syrup!!!!

Thursday night I also made Lavender Shortbread from my new cookery book, The Scented Kitchen by Frances Bissell. I tweaked the recipe a bit to make it gluten free, so I believe it's OK for me to put it here as my own.

4oz butter

3oz sugar

about 2 dsp dried lavender, sold for teas, not for pot purr (try a herbalist)

5oz gluten free plain white flour mix

1oz polenta meal

Whizz the sugar and lavender in a mill or similar, or grind in a pestle and mortar to blend.

Cream the butter and most of the lavender sugar.

Stir in the sifted flour and polenta to form a stiff dough (add a sploosh of cold water if needed - I didn't need it)

Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper as thin as you can.

Cut into shapes with a cutter.

Grease a baking sheet and lay the biscuits gently on it.

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes at Gas3/165 C/325 F, dusting with the remaining sugar 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Remove and lay on a cooling rack to set properly.

The original recipe had 6oz plain flour, and you probably won't need the greaseproof with that. I'm going to use my version to make different flavour shortbreads, as The Husband thinks anything edible with flowers in is a crime against humanity!

Autumn Hafla 2007

Last Saturday night Boomshanka had their Autumn Halfa, which was totally wicked. Here are a couple of my photos from it.

Here's me, dressed up as a gypsy (I blame that Flake advert from the late 70s with the gypsy girl and the caravan!). I have ALWAYS wanted to do this!!

This is 'Tribal Crue' (the lovely Rosie and Monika) doing their first ever duet dance. They were awesomley good, dancing to Motley Crue (hence the name), which was fun.












Our Leader, the magnificent Ruth!!!















Here's me and my friend Catherine, eating some cake and watching the dancing. The food was wonderful. Everyone brought something with a middle eastern flavour to share. The best spread I'd seen in ages!

I have NOT photoshopped this picture (much!) - I'm always this glowy!!! And unlined!

Ginger Cake

I've just made my gluten free ginger cake again, and I wrote the recipe down this time!! So, here it is, and it is DELICIOUS!!!
(apologies to anyone who has a gas oven, I don't know the equivalent temperature)

Ginger Cake

180g butter
2tblsp black treacle or molasses
120g dark brown, molasses or muscovado sugar
50g caster sugar
75g ground almonds
150g polenta
2 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp xanthan gum
4 tsp ground ginger
3 eggs
1tblsp milk

Preheat the oven to 180º
Melt the butter, sugar and black treacle/molasses in a pan over a gentle heat.
Mix the ground almonds, polenta, baking powder, xanthan gum and ginger in a large bowl.
When the butter/sugar mix is completely melted, pour it into the dry ingredients and mix well (use a food processor or electric whisk if you like).
Add the eggs and beat all together well. Add the milk to soften the mixture and beat well again.
Grease a rectangular baking tin and line with greaseproof paper. Grease the paper.
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 30 mins.
Remove from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Remove the paper.
Cut into squares when cool.