Lilly-Pilly Jam

 

8 cups Lilly Pilly berries, washed and pitted
4 cups jam setting sugar
160ml lime juice
1 Tbs vanilla extract

Place ingredients in pot and boil uncovered for 15mins. Meanwhile, sterilise 6 small jars in oven and lids in boiling water. Fill jars while hot.

Beetroot Relish

700g beetroot
1 red onion, finely chopped 
1 cup Jam Sugar
1½ cups white vinegar
3Tbs balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Clean the beetroot and cut off all of the stalk/leaves. Place into a pot of boiling water and boil for 20mins (until soft and the beets can be pierced with a sharp knife). Remove from the water and cool. Wearing gloves remove the skin from each beet by gently rubbing. Grate the beetroot into a bowl (it should be very soft and easy to grate). Add the beetroot and all of the ingredients into a wide-based pot and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Let mixture simmer for approximately 30mins until the liquid has evaporated and it has a jam-like consistency (test by spreading jam on a plate from the freezer- If it wrinkles and feels gel-like, it’s ready). Put into sterilised jars.

Notes: Store the relish in a cool dry location. 
Once opened it should be stored in the fridge. 
Use within 3 - 4 months. 
Enjoy on salad sandwiches, with cold meats, cheese and eggs.

Makes approx 3 Promite jars

Via: A Fresh Legacy

Zucchini Spread

750g tender zucchini, grated

Salt

250ml white vinegar

2 Tbs sugar

1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 sml chilli, finely sliced

Oregano

250ml extra virgin olive oil

Place zucchini into a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Massage salt well into the zucchini so that it is distributed evenly. Let sit for 1/2 hour and massage again. Add vinegar and sugar. After another 1/2 hour, squeeze the zucchini to remove any liquid and place in a new bowl. Season the zucchini with olive oil, garlic slices, oregano and chilli. Pack into sterilised jars very tightly, squashing after each layer and drizzling olive oil as you go. Top the jars with olive oil and leave to sit for a couple of hours. Top up again with more olive oil.

Makes approx 600ml of spread (1 big olive jar)
Keeps for 3-6 months

Via Manuelina Culinary

Homemade Nutella

I wanted to give homemade Nutella a go so went to buy some hazelnuts, but the amount I needed cost more than a jar of Nutella! So I went to the bulk food shop to buy some and, although still expensive, I bought what I needed. Once home I followed the first recipe to roast the hazelnuts and BURNT THEM! Yuk! they wore so bitter and very gone. So, luckily I had also bought some almonds, which I think are my favourite nuts, so decided to substitute them. It turned out deliciously!
The following week I decided to try the second recipe (with almonds still), which uses cocoa powder instead of chocolate so would therefore be a little better for you and dairy free. I think the first one is yummier but could eat either of them by the spoonful.

Recipe 1 
1 cup hazelnuts (or almonds)
340g milk chocolate, melted
2 Tbs vegetable oil
3 Tbs icing sugar (or sugar)
1 Tbs cocoa powder 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 176°C). Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 12 minutes, until they’ve browned a little and the skins are blistered a little. Wrap them in a kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove as much loose skin as possible. Let cool completely.
In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste. Add the oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and continue processing until the mixture is as smooth as possible–or as smooth as you like. Add the melted chocolate, blend well. It will thicken as it cools. Scrape into a jar let it cool to room temperature. The Nutella will keep on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 weeks
via

Recipe 2
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, peeled (or almonds)
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup icing sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 Tbs canola oil

Place the hazelnuts in your food processor and blend continuously until they turn into a smooth butter, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and continue blending until smooth and creamy. If stored in the refrigerator, the Nutella is good 2 weeks.
via 

Feijoa Jam

1kg Feijoa, peeled
1/3 cup water
800g sugar
1tsp ginger powder
3Tbs lemon juice

Bring water and feijoa to the boil in a pan, and cook until the fruit is tender. Add sugar, lemon juice and ginger and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Boil until the jam will set. Test by spreading a spoonful of jam on a cold plate (start testing after about 10 mins of cooking time). Bottle in hot sterilised jars while the mixture is hot.

To sterilise jars
Preheat oven to 120C. Clean jars well with hot soapy water and rinse well. Let drain then place upright on oven tray. Place in oven and heat for 20mins. Fill while hot with hot jam. Boil lids in saucepan for 10mins then let drain.

Basil Pesto

45g (1/4 cup) toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 cups fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
60g (3/4 cup) shredded parmesan
5 Tbs olive oil

Place the pine nuts, basil, garlic and parmesan in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Gradually add the oil while processing until combined.

Butterscotch Sauce

1 3/4 cups brown sugar 

2 tbs plain flour 

3/4 cup milk 

30g butter 

 

Mix the sugar and flour together in saucepan, add milk. Stir while it cooks and thickens (about 5mins). Drop in butter and stir till melted. Serve hot or cold over ice cream.

Diane Sauce

1 cup shallots, chopped
2 tsp garlic, crushed
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp beef stock powder
2 Tbs brandy
1/2 cup red wine
3 Tbs cornflour
375ml can evaporated light milk
1/2 cup water

Cook garlic and shallots, stirring occasionally. Add brandy, wine, stock and Worcestershire sauce, bring to boil, simmer 3mins stirring occasionally. Mix cornflour with water, add to pot, bring to boil. Add milk, bring to boil, reduce to simmer.

Ice Magic

1/2 cup icing sugar
3 Tbs cocoa
125g copha
1 tsp vanilla
5 drops peppermint essence (optional)

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into small basin. Melt copra over low heat and gradually stir into icing sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla and peppermint essence. Can be used immediately or stand container in hot water to melt to runny consistency again. Store in cupboard.

Mushroom Sauce

1 1/2 cups Swiss brown mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced onions
3 tsp stock powder
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbs cornflour

Saute mushrooms and onion. Add stock powder and 1 cup water , simmer 5mins. Mix cornflour with 1/2 cup water, add to pot, bring to boil stirring well. Add pepper, reduce to low simmer.

Mayonnaise (John's)

1 x 400ml can condensed milk
1 tsp salt
1 cup vinegar
2 tsp dry mustard

Mix all ingredients until mixture thickens. Let mixture settle then taste. Adjust ingredients to taste and stir again.