Author Archives: bebsrecipes

NOUGAT SLICE

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Mum’s sisters all worked in dressmaking before they married, but Mum, just to be different, worked in a bookbinding business. Doreen was one of her friends there so I think this recipe originates from the 1940s. It’s obviously before packet mixed fruit, which is a much easier alternative now. The addition of dates and apricots would add a bit of extra flavour though.

Nougat Slice cropped

NOUGAT SLICE

  • 125g butter, melted
  • 1 heaped cup Self Raising Flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 155g castor sugar
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 cup mixed fruit (½ cup mixed fruit, some dates & dried apricots & cherries) cut finely
  • Walnuts or almonds
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Almond essence

Melt the butter and put aside to cool. Sift flour, salt and sugar together and put in a basin, add coconut, mixed fruit & nuts. Add beaten egg to melted butter and then mix into dry ingredients with some almond essence. Press into slice tin and bake 20 mins at 190°C. Ice when cold (you could use vanilla or chocolate icing and sprinkle with coconut, if desired).

MERINGUES

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This recipe only makes a small quantity and I think Mum used it to make individual meringues that she then topped with some whipped cream and a strawberry. She would have served them at afternoon tea or supper.

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MERINGUES

  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water

Whip the egg white until firm, add sugar a tablespoon at a time until combined. Fold in vanilla essence, baking powder, vinegar and water. Place teaspoonfuls on a flat tray covered in baking paper and cook at 190°C for 1 hour. Turn off heat and leave to cool in oven.

FISH WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

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There are not many fish recipes in Mum’s collection. Dad was a keen fisherman and we had fish probably once a week. Mum simply made a batter and fried the fish – that was the way Dad liked it. I’m not sure this recipe would have been Dad’s favourite, but he would have happily eaten it as he enjoyed all Mum’s cooking, including the ‘experiments’.

Fish with Mustard Sauce cropped

FISH IN MUSTARD SAUCE

  • 500g white fish fillets
  • 2 leeks
  • 300ml sour cream
  • 100ml cream
  • 1 heaped teaspoon French mustard
  • Salt & pepper

Wash leeks and chop into 2½cm pieces, lay in the bottom of a pie dish. Lay fish fillets on top. Mix both creams with mustard and salt and pepper, then pour over fish. Bake 30-40mins at 200°C. Serve with rice or mashed potato.

APPLE SPONGE

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I’m not sure of the age of this recipe, but the milk measurement of 1 gill dates it back a fair way. Mum would serve this with cream and made it often for afternoon teas along with sandwiches and other small cakes and biscuits. I can remember coming home from school, after the guests had left, and being allowed to eat some of the leftovers from the spread she had put on – a great treat.

Apple Sponge

APPLE SPONGE

  • 1 cup Self Raising flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 60g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • Apples, stewed

Rub butter into flour, beat egg with sugar add milk until combined. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients, add milk mixture. Put the stewed apples in a greased 18cm cake tin and pour mixture over. Bake 30-45 mins in moderate oven 180°C.

MENA’S BOILED FRUIT CAKE

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This more of a fruit slice than a traditional fruit cake. The fresh fruit makes it quite moist and it’s nice sliced and buttered.

Mena's Boiled Fruit Cake cropped

MENA’S BOILED FRUIT CAKE

  • ½ carton margarine
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 packet mixed fruit
  • 2 oranges
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 apples
  • Cherries & nuts (walnuts, pecans)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups self raising flour
  • 1 heaped teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon

Put the margarine, water, sugar and mixed fruit into a saucepan and boil. Set aside to cool. Squeeze 2 oranges, save juice, finely dice peel and add to saucepan. Mash 2 bananas, grate 2 apples, add to saucepan with cherries and nuts. When cool add orange juice and 2 eggs, then sifted flour & spices. Bake 160°C for ¾ hour in 3 small loaf tins.

CHEESE CAKE

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Baked European style cheesecake was the first cheesecake to become popular in Australia. I can remember first tasting it in a cafe in South Yarra in the mid 1960s, but it would probably have been a few years later that Mum was given this recipe. There are lots of cheesecake recipes now, but the basic baked cheesecake with a dollop of cream is still a winner. Ansett Airlines collapsed in 2001 and this is a nice souvenir of Mum and Dad’s travels around Australia.

Cheese Cake cropped

CHEESE CAKE

  • 1 cup sweet biscuit crumbs
  • 60g butter, melted
  • 250g Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 dessertspoon lemon juice
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Combine biscuit crumbs and melted butter. Press into a buttered 20cm pie plate (or springform pan). Beat cream cheese until smooth gradually add sugar. Beat in eggs and then add the lemon juice and vanilla essence. Combine well and pour into pan. Bake at 160°C for 2 hours.

RICE BUBBLE SLICE

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I’m not sure who E. Lacy was, but I’m glad Mum got this recipe from her. This slice is easy to make and a hit with the kids.

Rice Bubble Slice

RICE BUBBLE SLICE (E. LACY)

  • 3 Mars bars
  • 3 cups rice bubbles
  • 90g butter

Melt the butter and Mars bars in a saucepan, add rice bubbles. Combine well. Pour into slice tray and smooth down firmly. Put in fridge to set. Cut into fingers to serve.

BUSY BOWLERS SPONGE

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I can’t resist putting this recipe in – just for the name alone. Wasn’t sure if it actually worked, so we tested it out and can report that it’s easy to make, tastes good, but does need jam and cream to give it some moisture, but all sponges need jam and cream don’t they?

Mum took up lawn bowls in the late 1970s and she had Dad had many happy and busy years bowling competitively and for fun. Mum sometimes bowled as much as three times a week and as well there were the many social functions where the ladies took along a casserole, cake or dessert to share. I think the ‘Norma Mills’ recipe was probably made by many of the bowlers before they rushed out the door in their lovely while bowls uniforms.

Bowlers Sponge PS

“NORMA MILLS” BUSY BOWLERS SPONGE

  • ½ cup castor sugar
  • 2 eggs – room temperature **see below
  • 2 teaspoons plain flour
  • ½ cup cornflour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • Jam & Cream

Place the sugar and whole eggs into a bowl and beat a high speed for 3 minutes. Sift plain flour, cornflour and baking powder together. Add sifted ingredients to bowl and beat at low speed for 1 minute. Line a cake tin with baking paper, pour mixture in and bake at 180°C in middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Do not open oven door under 20 minutes. When cool remove from tin, slice and fill with jam & cream. Ice or sprinkle with icing sugar, as desired.

**the original recipe says to leave the sugar and eggs in the bowl for 20 minutes before beating, this is because cold eggs, straight from the fridge, will stop is rising and make the sponge heavier

HOMESTYLE MEATBALLS

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I’m cheating a bit putting this meatball recipe in. Instead of being my mother’s recipe it actually comes from my mother-in-law. Sadly she passed away many years ago. I wasn’t lucky enough to be able to enjoy her great cooking at its best, but my husband remembers many of her dishes including how she learnt to make Fried Rice from the chef at their local Chinese restaurant, her light sponges and jars of preserves. Some of my favourite recipes that I have from her are a Beef Stroganoff, a rich Beef Burgundy and this meatball recipe which is another easy family meal.

Homestyle Meatballs3

HOMESTYLE MEATBALLS

  • 500g minced steak
  • 1 packet French Onion Soup
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, sliced
  • 425g can chopped or crushed tomatoes
  • 8 new whole potatoes
  • 1 cup water

Combine minced steak and ½ packet of French Onion soup. Form into 8-10 meatballs. Place in casserole dish** together with the onion, celery, tomatoes and potatoes. Combine the remainder of the soup mix with 1 cup of water and pour over meatballs. Bake in a hot oven 200°C for 1 hour. Serve with buttered peas. Serves 4.

**The original recipe was cooked in an Oven Bag and this is still a good way to cook it. Put all the ingredients in an oven bag and secure with a twist tie. Place oven bag in a baking dish. Pierce top of the bag with a fork -bake as above.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

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This recipe appeared several times in Mum’s collection, a couple of times in newspaper columns and in a little cookbook called ‘Simple Minced Steak Recipes’ that her bowls club put out as a fundraiser. I’ve cooked it lots of times as the family always liked it. If you add Cauliflower Cheese and a throw a jacket potato in the oven you’ve got an easy meal.

Porcupine Meatballs4

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

  • 500g minced steak
  • ½ cup uncooked rice
  • 1 small onion (grated or finely chopped)
  • 415g can tomato soup
  • ¼ cup water
  • Pepper

Mix meat, rice, onion and seasonings. Shape into small balls and place in casserole dish. Mix tomato soup and water and pour over meatballs. Cook in a moderate oven 180°C for 1 hour. Do not overcook.