Deck the halls part two -Feeling festive and in the giving mood? Here is an additional recipe to feed your brood

                 

Well here we are, the very next day and I am already posting another recipe. I was asked if the recipe I posted yesterday was my original shortbread recipe and I advised it wasn’t. The reader would have loved my original recipe as she enjoyed eating it (we worked together a few years ago).

So without further ado, here is my original shortbread recipe. Remember: this recipe uses regular plain flour so it does have gluten but you can substitute the plain flour for gluten free plain flour and it works just as well.

Lisa’s original buttery shortbread

Pre heat oven to 150oC

Grease and line either a slice tin or baking tray depending on what shape you want your shortbread.

Ingredients:

2 cups of plain flour-sifted

½ cup rice flour-sifted

250 grams of butter (I use salt reduced) soft/ room temp

1/3 cup castor sugar

Method:

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until mixed well together (almost creamed but not quite).

Add both flours a little at a time (2-3 spoonful’s) to butter sugar mixture, beat/mix in-between adding the flours until all the flour is mixed in well.

Gently knead dough on a floured surface for about a minute and then gently press into greased and lined slice tin (if you want little squares or fingers). If you want a round shortbread flatten out and shape with your hands and place on a greased and lined baking tray. With a knife I lightly make straight lines (across and lengthways) and then prick lightly with a fork as I like the look of this on the finished product.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, check and if they are not cooked enough then cook for an additional 5 mins. I like my shortbread to have a little colour, not a lot and they should be firm but not rock hard when they come out of the oven.

Let them cool for 10 minutes and then cut in to fingers or triangles. I find the knife slides easily while still hot/warm.

Cool on wire rack

Enjoy

Deck the halls with boughs of holly Tra la la la la la la la la la - Week 1

Well it’s that time of the year again when the shops start to sparkle with tinsel and baubles and stars start magically appearing in shop windows. Yes, it is the lead up to Christmas; my favourite time of the year. I love celebrating Christmas for so many reasons (spending time with my little family, cooking, cooking and more cooking, catching up with friends, and carols at church ). But of course the main reason is celebrating the birth of our saviour Jesus. It is a joy to celebrate the day my Lord was born and it is so incredibly humbling knowing that God gave us the most precious gift that day.

Come December 1, we will be decorating and putting the Christmas tree up and playing carols. I had discovered a few years ago there is a station called Elf radio and it is non-stop Christmas carols 24/7 and I love it. I always have it on and love listening to it when I start my Christmas baking. There is nothing better than the smells of Christmas baking filling the home along with Christmas carols, I am smiling now, thinking about it.

This year, I will be making my first ever Christmas pudding and I am so excited. I will also make as usual my delicious dark Christmas cake, buttery shortbread and also will be making my own cranberry sauce and apple sauce, as there really is nothing better than homemade.

As promised, I will be posting Christmas recipes in the lead up to Christmas so I hope you all enjoy making them and hope it helps you get in the spirit.

Also spare a thought and say a prayer for those amongst our community who may be doing it a little tougher than others.

Lisa’s buttery citrusy shortbread-Gluten free

Ingredients:

250 grams of low salt butter (soft- room temperature)

4 teaspoons of fine grated orange rind*

½ cup castor sugar

1/3 cup rice flour

1 ¾ cups gluten free plain flour

1 teaspoon of juice from the orange *

Method:

Pre heat oven to 150oC for a regular oven and 130oC for fan forced oven.

Grease and line a regular slice tin or baking/biscuit tray depending on the shape you want.

Cream butter and sugar in a bowl and add rind and juice and mix until light and fluffy with electric mixer.

Stir through the flours and make sure they are mixed well.

When mixed well divide dough in to two sections and place on floured surface. Knead lightly on floured bench/table and then you can decide how you want your shortbread to look for baking. I press mine in to a slice tin and make sure it is level and smooth all over. With a knife I lightly mark straight lines up and down and across resembling a quilted look, make sure you do not cut through as this will not be good for the shortbread. I then use a fork and lightly prick each square once or twice with the fork as I like the look of this when it is cooked. Alternatively you can do the round traditional shape and you just shape this with your hands and place on a lined and greased baking/biscuit tray.

If you decide to make rounds you may like to pinch the edges together and then prick with a fork.

Bake in the oven for around 40 mins (check after 30 mins and if still to light and soft keep in for additional time checking every 5 minutes)

When cooked let stand in the tin/tray for 5-10 minutes and cut in to fingers (slice tin) or triangles (rounds)

Note: *You can also substitute with lemon rind. If making with lemon rind try adding ½ cup of chopped dried cranberries as these go beautifully with lemon. If you have substituted for lemon rind please use the juice from a lemon.

 Enjoy

Hiatus

It has been a while since I have written a blog post due to illness and taking time out to heal and revaluate a lot of things in my life, hence the title “ Hiatus “.

I think it is therapeutic to get rid of what doesn’t quite fit in your life anymore whether it be clothes, shoes, furniture and even friends. I think what I have learned over the past year is you really need to surround yourself with people that are cultivating your garden and not helping it die.

This past year has been a real learning experience for me in many ways and I am so thankful I have had the time to take time out to really find out what makes me tick and what is good for me.

There are a few things that have helped me through the very rough days and one of them is cooking, I love it. It is part of me that gets to create and learn even when the days are grey. Don’t get me wrong there are days that I can’t cook but I am glad that I am still able to cook and create on most days.

One of the other things that has helped me through my hard days while being ill is my faith and being a Christian. I know it sounds cliché but having faith really does help people heal. But let me stress to you that being a Christian does not mean your life will be perfect or you will not have any bad times or days no that is not what it means at all as many Christians have had terrible times. For me having faith in my creator is a real honour and let’s face it, you can have your worries, troubles and bad health and not believe or you can have worries, troubles and bad health and believe and have God on your side, I know which one I have chosen.

Remember to surround yourself with people who know your worth. I am learning this now and it is an enlightening and very real experience. It can be a big shock when you suddenly discover that most of the people in your life have not been very good for you so you start to doubt all your choices but ultimately it is for the best.

Taking care of yourself isn’t just about eating well and doing some sort of exercise (I am not very good with the exercise bit). It is about taking care of your spirit, mind and heart as well and that is a big job.

Be mindful and trust your gut, if it doesn’t feel right then there is a good chance it isn’t right or good for you. Remove yourself from people who make you sad. Remember you can’t change another person and you have no control over them but you do have control over you and what you do and you can remove yourself from them.

Be brave, I just realised how brave I have been in letting go of people who do not have any positive input in my life. It is scary letting go, but you will feel very empowered when you do and you will begin to respect yourself a little more for doing it.

Forgive yourself for holding on to toxic people or feelings or habits for so long and move on.

I am trying to do all of these things and everyday brings new feelings and experiences but I am learning so much but one thing will never change I will always cook hahahaha and also try to look on the bright side.

I read somewhere recently that “you are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” quote by C.S Lewis. I love this quote it is so positive and says so much. It doesn’t mean you need jump out of a plane, no I think it means to not give up on yourself and to start believing in who you are and what you can do.

Since the weather is warming up I will be creating some delicious salad recipes so keep a look out for the next blog post and remember: be kind to yourself and keep smiling J