Dad was a great ice cream lover, so Mum always had some in the freezer. In the early days it was all homemade, but along with everyone else Mum changed to bought ice cream when it became readily available and her fridge freezer grew larger. While Dad liked his plain, Mum made this Rocky Road version and another one with Cherry Ripe bars in it. I think she mainly made it for the grandkids, but the big kids ate it too.
Biscuit and slice recipes that don’t require creaming the butter and sugar are always among my favourites. They are that much easier to make and usually use less bowls which equals less washing up, always a good thing. This is a simple recipe for Date Bars although I notice that the method misses out on adding the margarine – I’d just melt it and add it when mixing in the dates and walnuts.
In the 1970s there was a craze for people to make their own liqueurs. I’m not sure that Mum ever made any of these as she didn’t drink all that much but these sweeter liqueurs may have appealed to her. The most successful one that we tasted was made with peaches, it wasn’t all that good at the time, but when we found the bottle at the back of the cupboard almost 20 years later it had mellowed very nicely…… To be honest I’m not sure if I’d make these, but if you feel like experimenting – good luck.
Soup has always been a family favourite with us. In the early days Mum made soup using soup bones from the butcher to which she would add lots of vegetables – onions, carrots, celery, turnips and whatever else she had on hand. Once it had all boiled for a couple of hours it was left to cool, the bones were removed and the fat skimmed off the surface before reboiling and eaten. This recipe is one I gave her and I expect she liked it as it was quicker and easier to make.
ZUCCHINI SOUP
Heat oil and butter, cook vegetables 10 minutes, add stock and seasonings simmer 10 minutes, pulverise, serve with cream.
Around the 1970s it became popular to grown zucchinis in backyard vegetable patches, they were easy to grow and produced a good crop. As a result recipes for slices, soups, and cakes started to pop up everywhere. This cake is just one of the many. We tried it out without the nuts, mixed fruit or coconut. It came out very moist and we feel that it needs the either the nuts or fruit to give it more flavour. Lemon icing would be a good addition as well.
ZUCCHINI CAKE
Wash and grate zucchinis (skin and all). Beat eggs well and gradually add sugar and beat till thick and creamy. Add vanilla, oil and zucchini and nuts/fruit/coconut, if using, mix well. Add dry ingredients that have been sifted together. Pour mixture into 2 loaf tins or a large cake tin. Bake at 180ºC for 1 hour or 1¼ if using larger tin. Mixture is not very thick. Ice, if desired.
This refrigerator cheesecake is hard to beat.
MARS BAR CHEESECAKE
Combine crushed biscuits and butter in a bowl, mix well. Press mixture evenly over base and sides of a 22cm springform tin. Refrigerate until firm.
Sprinkle gelatine over water in cup, stand in small pan of simmering water, stir till dissolved, cool slightly. Beat cheese, sugar and essence in small bowl with electric mixer till smooth. Beat cream in a separate small bowl till soft peaks form. Stir gelatine mixture into the cream cheese mixture, stir in cream and Mars bars. Pour into crust. Refrigerate till set. Decorate with extra cream and flaked almonds. Not suitable to freeze.
These biscuits are lovely and crunchy and taste great..
PEANUT BISCUITS
Melt the sugar, butter and cocoa together in a saucepan, add well beaten egg, add flour and peanuts. Put teaspoonfuls on a paper lined tray. Bake at 200°C for about 10 minutes.
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.
“NORMA MILLS” BUSY BOWLERS SPONGE
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
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 MEATBALLS
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.
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 MEATBALLS
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.
Beb's Recipe Drawer 