Drop Scones (Scotch Pancakes)

Ingredients

• 150g/5oz of Self Raising Flour
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 Large Egg (beaten)
• 150ml / quarter pint of Milk
• butter for greasing the frying pan

Method

1. Sieve the flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl.
2. Beat in the egg and then start to add the milk a bit at a time - don't make it too thin & runny - just pourable.
3. Heat up the frying pan (skillet) to a medium heat and coat the base with butter.
4. Pour the batter on one tablespoon at a time, not too close together, to make little pancakes. (Maybe do a single one as a test)
5. As soon as bubbles start to appear and then burst - turn the pancakes over. This should take about one minute per side or until golden. If the pan is too hot they'll brown too quickly before the bubbles burst.
6. Let the scotch pancakes cool for a minute before trying.
7. Eat with honey, syrup or butter and jam.

Pancakes (Crepes)

It's Shrove Tuesday tomorrow, so in celebration here is a recipe for simple pancakes(or crepes).

In Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as "Pancake Day" and, particularly in Ireland, as "Pancake Tuesday". (Shrove Tuesday is better known in the United States, France and other countries as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.) Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday so that the last of the fatty and rich foods could be used up before Lent. (from Wikipeadia)

Ingredients

• 100g/4oz plain flour
• 250ml/Half a Pint of milk
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt

Method

1. In measuring jug measure out the milk, sift in the flour and add the egg.
2. Add in the pinch of salt.
3. Beat together until a smooth batter has formed.
4. Leave to sit for at least half an hour.
5. Heat a small frying pan (skillet) on a medium heat and add a small knob of butter.
6. Pour a small amount of the batter into the pan until a thin layer is formed.
7. Once bubbles start to appear on your pancake it is ready to turn. Tossing pancakes is the traditional method.
8. Cook briefly on other side and layer between sheets of greaseproof / parchment paper.
9. Eat with lemon and sugar (or cheese and ham or chocolate and bananas or golden syrup).

Rolled pancakes with lemon and sugar.

Beef Goulash

Ingredients

• 750g/26oz stewing beef
• 60g/2oz butter
• 4-5 tbsp plain flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 glove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ground paprika
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup sour cream

Method

1. Dust beef with seasoned flour and shake of extra.
2. Heat butter and oil in a heavy based saucepan. Fry of beef,in batches, until well browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Add garlic, onion and paprika to pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring the ingredients together well.
4. Return the meat to the pan and add the tomatoes, purée, stock and bay leaf and bring to the boil.
5. cover, lower heat and simmer for 2 hours until meat is tender. Check every so often and add water if stew is becoming dry.
6. When meat is cooked, season with salt and pepper and stir through the sour cream before serving.

Marble Cake

Ingredients

• 125g/4oz butter
• 175g/6oz caster sugar
• 5ml/1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 225g/8oz self raising flour
• 45-60ml/3-4tbsp milk
• 30ml/2tsp cocoa power dissolved in same of water
• 2.5ml/½tsp red food colouring

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Cream the butter and the sugar together until fluffy.
3. Beat in the vanilla and eggs.
4. Fold in the flour with the milk.
5. Divide batter into three.
6. Add the red food colouring to one third and the cocoa to another. Leave the last third as is.
7. Spoon the mixtures into a well greased 18cm / 7in cake tin in alternate colours.
8. Cut through and swirl the mixture using a skewer.
9. Bake for 50 min to an hour, or until a knife inserted into the centre come out clean.
10. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

I never use the red food colouring and instead only have choc and vanilla marble cake.

We have this cake un-iced but one of my friends has a recipe for icing this type of cake. I will ask if I can post her recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 75g/3oz butter
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 125g/4oz self raising flour
• 50g/2oz plain chocolate chips

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Cream the butter and the sugar together until fluffy.
3. Fold in the flour to get a smooth paste.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Roll in to small balls and space evenly on a well greased baking tray (I use a piece of baking parchment to stop them from sticking).
6. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

I can never get the mixture to bind once all of the ingredients are added so I always add a tiny splash of milk to bind them. My cookies need slightly longer baking but are always lovely.

You can change the type of chocolate chip (milk, white) or even add fudge pieces and you can make double chocolate chip by adding some cocoa power in place of the flour.