anzac biscuits and old cookbooks

I've tried many recipes when it comes to Anzac biscuits and this recipe is a blend of all of them. It's not a tricky recipe by any stretch of the imagination but it's the little things. Salted butter is a must! Stirring the dry ingredients really well to distribute everything evenly is crucial and baking for exactly 12 minutes will give you approx 15 small pieces of heaven!

I love coming across old cookbooks on my travels as more often then not there are little snippets of recipes scrawled down on a torn piece of paper, cut out from an old newspaper or handwritten or even typed in a letter. I recently came across The Radiation Cookery Book from the 30s with such treasures hidden inside. I was going to pop this gorgeous old book in my shop but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm funny like that with cookbooks though; they mean more to me than money.

Within this little book was a typed letter. It's not dated unfortunately but it looks to be from the 50s or so. I love it! At the top is a recipe for garlic steak. Under this is a letter from Babs to Aunty Viv,

"I was speaking to Win last night and she said that you asked for the recipe (though recipe was typed as receipt!) Here it is Auntie, hope you like it as much as we do. You see I must show of to some one that I can Type, and as I'm in the typing mood to night, you will have to suffer the impersonal touch of the typewriter, sorry dear.

How are you anyway? I suppose like the rest of us, rather busy preparing for Christmas, oh, by the way June Tipper and Jimmy Vile have announced their engagement, I only hope that June Proves worthy of Jim, and I guess we will have to try and like her a little better. the ring is beautiful, I'm green with envy.

We are still struggling with our Flat trying to make it look like home, but I hope by Christmas it will be nice. I ran of the rails there, didn't I?.

Well my dear I will leave you now, hope you find the steak good.

With love from both of us",

Babs.

priceless : )

anzac biscuits

ingredients

62g Western Star original butter
30g (1 tablespoon) golden syrup (I use the CSR 500g squeeze bottle for convenience)
2 teaspoons cool tap water
1/2 teaspoon of bi-carb soda
1/2 cup oats ( I use Quaker Oats original pack)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

method

Pop your oven on to 160C. Lay some baking paper on a large biscuit tray.

Melt the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat until all the butter is melted. Add the water, combine and set aside.

In a large bowl add the remaining ingredients and mix really well. The brown sugar can create small lumps and you don't want to bite into a small chunk of bi carb! Add the melted mix to the dry mix and combine really well. I usually make each biscuit around 22g or so which should give you between 15 and 16 biscuits. Spread them out as they will flatten while cooking. Bake for 12 minutes.

Take out of the oven and leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Remove from the tray and lay on a cooling rack until completely cool. Keep in an airtight container in a cool spot or in the fridge for a couple of days.

enjoy!

sunny spot

Our friends over at fox drink water let us borrow their gorgeous old day bed when they moved house a while ago. It has had a beautiful old curtain panel draped over it for nearly 2 years now, well until I  washed it and it decided to fall apart....literally, in my hands! So I had a look in our cupboards to see what I could use to pretty up the space again. I'd forgotton about this old single sheet that was originally mine from when I was a little one. I held onto it all these years thinking I would make some pillow cases from it one day! So I wrapped it around the mattress. Then I found the gorgeous old throw that I'd bought a few years ago at an Op shop. I know Winter is well and truly gone but I just love it. It's not perfect, it's a little rough around the edges but it's hand made and the colours go with anything. The pillow is also hand made. I bought it at Marrickville Markets about 5 years ago. I wish now that I had bought more! A lady had made all these gorgeous pillow cases from vintage fabrics and was selling them for $6 to $8 each! I fell in love with the turquoise vase and just had to have it.

After I tucked the sheet in and draped the crochet throw over the day bed and popped the pillow in its spot my son walked over and said, "That's pretty Mum. You should put it on your blog". {melt}       so here it is : )

My SOS Salad

You know what it's like when you're travelling; especially with kids. It always takes longer then you expect to get to your destination. You never pack enough snacks for the trip. They scream every time you pass a McDonalds and everyone has to have their own individual toilet stop!

When you finally get home and you've thrown the bags into a pile on the loungeroom floor and the kids are still complaining that they want McDonalds  and you look like you've been awake for 3 days,  you go to the fridge, collect these ingredients and throw them together........just make sure you ask some nice person to put them there, preferably that morning! : )

My SOS Salad

Ingredients

1/2 cup cous cous
1 tablespooon butter
1/2 cup each of parsley and coriander, washed and chopped
6 to 10 mint leaves, washed and chopped
1 400g tin chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 red capsicum, diced
Salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice

1 packet of haloumi


Method

Pop your kettle on. When it boils add 1/2 cup boiling water to the cous cous, cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Throw herbs, chick peas and capsicum into a serving bowl.

Slice haloumi into slices and add to a heated frypan that has had some oil added to it. Fry until lightly coloured on each side. (Be careful - 9 times out of 10 I manage to overcook the heck out of haloumi!) Set aside.

Take the lid off the cous cous, put over a low heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir through until melted.

Add cous cous to the salad and season well with salt, pepper and adding the extra virgin olive oil to give it some moisture.

Serve with the haloumi on the side and some lamb chops if you like and dress it with the lemon juice at the table. This salad is also nice on its own without the haloumi too but who doesn't love haloumi!

serves 4 as a side