More Nuts Please

Our fresh bag of Peanuts seems to be never ending, I have made up two lots of boiled peanuts so far and our little dish of fresh nuts that sits on the kitchen bench is topped up nearly everyday. 

This week I got  a little adventurous with my nuts, turning them from a healthy little snack into a surprise sweet treat for all.

Fresh is Best!

but Sugar Coated is better!!  

First you need to get yourself a few helping hands to shell your big bag of nuts . . .

We are very lucky to have fresh peanuts to shell and cook but any standard store bought raw peanuts can be used, just make sure you get the ones with the red skin still on them as the sugar coating will not stick to any nuts without the skins.

Sugar Coated Peanuts

1 cup of sugar

3 cups raw peanuts

1/2 cup water

1/2 tablespoon of cochineal or pink food colouring

Toss all ingredients into a large fry pan or saucepan, stir through and bring to the boil.

Stir continuously for approx 5 minutes until all the water evaporates and the sugar crystalises on the peanuts. 

Remove the coated peanuts from the pan and place on a baking tray to dry and cool down. 

Share with your family and friends 

Don't mind if I do . . .

Homemade Baileys IRISH CREAM 

made to share with family and friends

If you've never tried homemade baileys before then you must find a spare moment to try this recipe, I have been enjoying a glass or two (occasionally) by the fire of an evening.   I remember my Aunt used to always make up a batch for Family Christmas Presents when I was younger, I was always fascinated, and remember always sticking my finger in the bottle for just a little taste! 

Baileys

1 espresso cup of coffee (espresso cup size) 

or 1 teaspoon of instant coffee

 2 slightly heaped teaspoons of cocoa 

1  tablespoon of honey

300ml cream

 1 can of condensed milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 & 2/3 cup of Scotch Whisky

Place all ingredients in a large jug and whisk with a hand held blender for approximately 30 seconds or until well combined.  

Pour into a pretty bottle and seal.

Rest for 24 hours to intensify the flavour

Put the Kids to Bed

Shake Well, Pour

and ENJOY!!!

Yes it is that easy!!! and Ohhh SO GOOD!

Store in the fridge for up to 2 months

Give the poor guy a break!

I had an unexpected visit from my old friend the Easter Bunny a couple of nights ago, he popped in to have a cup of tea and rest his tired big bunny paws. He had been hopping around shopping malls and day care centres all day giving the little ones a small taste of Easter. Poor Bunny, he works so hard.  To take the pressure off him this year I have decided that the children and I will make our own easter eggs.

Is the Easter Bunny coming tonight Mummy? Of course he is and when he gets here he will get a nice surprise because this year, we will be giving him some Easter eggs.  

So the Marshmallow was whipped 

 

The Cookies were cut 

 the Chocolate was melted

and our Easter Goodies were ready

Happy Easter to You Easter Bunny, Hope you like your Treats 

Did the Easter bunny come last night Mummy?

 Of course he did,  See he has gobble up all his goodies, drank his milk and LOOK, over here by the gate, he seems to have got his little tail stuck in the fence on the way out!  

   

Happy Easter

Whose got a Sweet Tooth?

My dear dad popped in for a visit Yesterday and

 he left this for me at my front door. 

6250 teaspoonfuls !!!

Obsessed with Citrus

SO I've been thinking about what I can do 
with some of my Citrus,

once it all survives, matures, flowers, fruits and ripens!

Freshly eaten is BEST, Juice is GOOD, Marmalade is YUMMY, Cake is quite a TREAT and then I thought of  LEMONADE!!!


Homemade Lemonade Syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup lemon juice (approx 4 or 5 lemons)
1 lemon for rind

Peel rind from lemon with a vegetable peeler

Boil the water, sugar and lemon rind for approx 5 minutes
Add the lemon juice
Let cool and strain into bottles . . .
Serve with Ice Cold water or Soda Water 

  Yep! It's that easy... I tested out this recipe today, it's good, I have a few years yet to perfect it! I remember having lemonade once at a market many years ago, it was very lemony, not as sweet as this one but I can't find any recipes that differ to much from this.
 I guess I could just add more lemon juice!
 Anyone got any great (easy) lemonade recipes or tips they would like to share?

Making IT - Not Faking IT

OLD FASHIONED SWEETS

No Artificial Flavours, Colours or Preservatives in this Lot, just good old SUGAR and WATER

 It was Big kids only in the kitchen this time:

Toffee

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/4 cup vinegar

Boil all ingredients for approx 10 - 12 minutes, or until a little hard ball can be formed when a little of the mixture is placed in cold water. At this time the mixture will starts to turn a light caramel colour. Take off the heat immediately and allow bubbles to settle (which I did not do) and pour into Patty Pans. Allow to harden.  If you like you may sprinkle them with hundreds and thousands or maybe try some crushed nuts before they set.

One taste of these toffees and I was taken straight back to the confectionery stall that stood outside the tuck shop at my old primary school fete.  I remember making these with Mum when I was younger and through my high school years I experimented with other sweets like, chocolate fudge, coconut ice, sugar coated peanuts, peanut brittle, caramel popcorn balls, homemade honeycomb and marshmallows...

It's been on my list to do for a while now, to make the kids some real homemade treats, my eldest two can't believe that these sweets  taste so good, I caught them sneaking some into their lunchboxes this morning to share with their friends.  It has been so much fun to get the old  recipe books out and make these once again

I know I sound like an old granny, but you just don't see them around anymore, recipes and trends have changed so much.

 I'm actually off to a local Country fete this weekend and I shall be keeping an eye out for any of these goodies on sale.

Marshmallows

1 1/2 tabs gelatine

100ml cold water

pinch salt

1 1/4  cups sugar

140ml hot water

Toasted coconut

Place gelatine, cold water and salt in a mixing bowl

Place sugar and hot water in a saucepan and bring to boiling point

Pour over gelatine mixture and stir until dissolved

Beat until thick and white (holds it's form when lifted) 

Add colouring and flavouring (if desired)

Pour into a greased tray

Cut into squares when set

Toss in toasted coconut

* To toast coconut, spread approx 1 cup of coconut on a large plate and place under the grill, keep tossing coconut until golden all over.

(alternatively you can cook in microwave, just tossing every 20 sec or so for approx 2 - 3 minutes) 



Chocolate Fudge

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tabs butter

2 tabs cocoa

1/8 teasp cream of tartar

Vanilla

Place sugar, milk, butter, cocoa and cream of tartar in a saucepan

Stir over low heat until dissolved

Allow to boil for approx 8 min or until a little soft ball can be formed when a little of the mixture is placed in cold water

Remove from heat, add vanilla and beat until stiff

Pour into greased tray

When partly set mark into squares

Allow to harden before removing from tin

*Be careful not to over boil as fudge will harden while beating and set brittle and sugary. (Like mine did - Still YUM though)

*To make Vanilla fudge, just omit the cocoa

ENJOY !!!