A cook's journal - Bass Coast Post

Sage touch to chicken dish

19/11/2016

By Jan Cheshire

LATELY we have been cutting down on red meat and eating more chicken. It is so versatile and I have many recipes. This one was new to me and I thought I would give it a go because we have quite a lot of sage in the garden. I was very pleased with the results.

Rhubarb with the lot

30/7/2016

By Jan Cheshire

NOT only did we have a great crop of apples this year but the rhubarb has been wonderful as well. In fact, we have had to remove some of our older plants to make room for other things.

Winter warmer

18/6/2016

By Jan Cheshire

THIS is a real winter warmer. Yes, the cocoa powder is a bit unusual, but it makes quite a difference. The chilli dish seems to me to be a lot smoother and silkier with the addition of cocoa. The combination with avocado is lovely too. Go for it! Make it a bit hotter (or milder) if you like. It’s always a great favourite with all the family.

Pick of the crop

22/4/2016

By Jan Cheshire

As usual, this year we have had a bumper crop of corn. Luckily it is very easy to freeze and does not need to be cooked. Just remove some of the outer leaves, pop them in a freezer bag and seal. This is a really delicious soup and you can make it as special as you like with a dollop of cream to serve or even some crispy bacon on top.

Eggs over easy

26/3/2016

By Jan Cheshire

THIS time of the year is great for picnics. These eggs make an excellent contribution to any picnic and will be very popular. I hadn’t made them for ages, but they are really quite simple. I baked mine as I do not have a deep fryer these days. They turned out to be very good indeed. You can make these the day before and refrigerate them.

Christmas goodies

28/11/2015

By Jan Cheshire

IT'S that time of the year once again. Those long, hot (let's hope not too hot) summer days beg you to ask a few friends around for a barbecue. These two very easy recipes should help with the nibbles. The dip is a favourite of mine because it’s so simple and tastes great. The chickpea nibbles go down well with everyone because they are not too spicy. They are actually quite good for you! I sometimes snack on them during the day.

A taste of the orient

31/10/2015

THESE kebabs have always been a special favourite of mine. I did them recently for a small dinner party and they were very popular. The satay sauce needn’t be too hot but for extra spiciness add a teaspoon of chilli paste or a pinch of chilli flakes.

Fresh start

26/9/2015

By Jan Cheshire

WE LOVE our muesli for breakfast most days. I much prefer to make my own as I can put in as much of the things I like as I wish.

A taste of Spain

24/8/2015

By Jan Cheshire

RECENTLY, we stayed in a small town on the northern NSW coast. This place has a fish co-op where the fishermen bring their catch each day. This recipe was given to me by the lady who runs the sales part of the co-operative. This serves four people, but I cheated a bit and still bought 12 prawns for two people! It was delicious. This makes a lovely special dinner.

Golden harvest

12/7/2015

By Jan Cheshire

WE had lots of pumpkins this year. They are such a versatile vegetable. With my three grandchildren coming down to Cape Paterson for the school holidays, I thought I should make a cake, and a pumpkin fruit cake was the logical choice. I have made this recipe many times and it is always a winner. It is very easy to make and it keeps well.

Enough to warm the heart

14/6/2015

By Jan Cheshire

Cauliflower is becoming one of those “trendy” vegetables these days, and it is indeed good for you. I have never been fond of it just plain boiled. This is a delicious, heart-warming soup which I really do enjoy and I am sure you will too. It is quite impressive for a special dinner, too, dressed up with some crisp bacon pieces.

An Easter treat without the chocolate

21/3/2015

By Jan Cheshire

THESE biscuits are very easy to make and delicious to eat with a cup of tea at Easter time when everything else is made of chocolate. This is an old English recipe from a book that came with my very first oven in 1965!

Late bloomers

20/2/2015

By Jan Cheshire

OUR tomatoes have been very late this year, but they’re now beginning to ripen nicely. If you’re looking for something light for an evening meal or a lunch with friends, try this delicious tomato tart. It looks great too!

A fool-proof summer dessert

31/1/2015

By Jan Cheshire

MY PLUM lady on the Cape Paterson Road has sold her property so no more bags of plums for $3 and no more jars of plum jam. On the bright side, plums seem to be cheaper this year and I do so adore them. This is a wonderfully simple and delicious dessert you can make with plums or rhubarb.

Fruit loaf with a twist

20/9/2014

By Jan Cheshire

BLOOD oranges are plentiful in the supermarkets and I have just made another batch of the marmalade as it is very much a favourite in our house.

I often give some of my home-made marmalade away to friends. However, there is always some left over and when it is just the two of us we don’t get through it very quickly. This is the reason I make this lovely marmalade and ginger loaf. It is very delicious and tangy and very easy to make. You can use any sort of marmalade for this.

Seriously chocolate

12/4/2014

The original sacher torte. Photo: David Monniaux

By Jan Cheshire

SACHER Torte, a very delicious moist chocolate cake, originated in Vienna and was first served at the Hotel Sacher, where to this day you can still order a piece of for morning tea.

Garlic rush

14/3/2014

Photo: JJ Harrison

By Jan Cheshire

In 2012, my husband, Bert, planted garlic for the first time. Apparently you have to plant it on or near Anzac Day for best results. In December 2012, we harvested the crop and he put aside some garlic cloves to sow for the following year. We have just harvested those and we have a wonderful crop of fat, juicy garlic bulbs.