Pork used to be the cheapest cut of meat on the supermarket shelves, but over the past few years the price has gone up quite a lot. Shoulder steak or chops are probably the most economical cut so using them in this casserole makes it tasty and affordable.
The first Christmas cake I made was a total disaster. When I cut into it I discovered that it was still raw in the middle and totally inedible. I’d only been married a few months so of course the first thing I did was ring my Mum to find out what could be salvaged. Mum calmly told me not to panic, to put the cake in a mixing bowl, squash it all up and then pour in a cup of cold tea. Once it was all mixed through to then put it in a pudding bowl and cook it like a Christmas pudding and lo and behold it worked.
When I found this old recipe in Mum’s collection it reminded me so much of that cake/pudding disaster. I’ve always thought it was a marvellous trick that Mum knew and I think this old Fruit Loaf recipe gives a hint of where she got the idea from.
This one is for ginger lovers. As it says, it’s deliciously moist, especially when left for a day before serving.
At one stage Mum used to make quite a few desserts that were topped with beaten jelly. It works really well on top of a trifle or with berries mixed in. This recipe is really just a fancy was of combining custard and jelly that you then serve with fruit and cream or ice cream. Should be one the kids would like.
I’ve already posted a few recipes that use chicken and ham, but they go together so well and the combination is so well liked by everyone I just can resist adding this one to the collection. I think using a bought cooked chook (such a great Aussie word for chicken) would add lots of flavour and make this bake really easy.
Mum’s friend Thel must have made this recipe using sausages, but from the handwritten title Mum must thought it was best with meatballs. I don’t think it matters which one you use, it tastes good with either.
SAUCE FOR MEATBALLS/SAUSAGES
Cook sausages or meatballs. Fry onions in oil until softened, stir in mustard, tomato sauce, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, fruit sauce or chutney. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Mix cornflour with water, add till boiling and thickened, cover then add sausages or meatballs. Meatball recipe: minced steak, 1 tablespoon cooked rice, onion, curry powder.
On a cold winter’s night Mum often made a steamed pudding for dessert. It was an quick, economical dessert for a family of five. I think it also worked well for Mum as you could put it on to cook mid-afternoon and not have to make it during the tea time rush. This recipe she cut out from the Herald Sun is great because it gives lots of variations of the basic mixture.
I don’t think Mum ever actually cooked fish this way and I’ve never tried it either. It’s certainly an unusual way to cook fish and might be worth trying.
This homemade take on a Cherry Ripe comes from Mum’s friend Thel, who was a great cook and gave Mum some terrific recipes.
RIPE CHERRY SLICE
Melt chopped chocolate and copha in double saucepan. Line 2 – 25x8cm bar tins with foil, pour half chocolate mixture over base of each tin (reserve the other half for top). Refrigerate until set. In bowl combine coconut, ground almonds and sifted icing sugar. Add unbeaten egg whites and rum, mix well. Chop cherries roughly, add to coconut mixture and mix well. Spread over chocolate in tins, pour remaining chocolate over. Refrigerate until set. Allow to stand at room temperature 30 minutes before cutting. Remove from tins, remove foil before cutting.
These were one of Mum’s treats that I can remember coming home to after school and finding leftover from an afternoon tea Mum had had for her friends. They were light and filled with fresh cream with a light dusting of icing sugar, my mouth waters just remembering them.
Beb's Recipe Drawer 