Mrs. Smart's Scones

You probably have your favourite recipe for scones, but I thought I would share mine with you all.

 Mrs. Smart (Audrey) lives next door to my parents and is a great friend of theirs and a fantastic cook.  One day when we were visiting for a cup of tea she brought out these yummy scones. I was really impressed so I asked her for the recipe. I have made these many times now and these are definitely the best scones I have tasted and baked. 

SCONES

Makes approximately 12

4 Cups of Self Raising Flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 -3/4 cup of Cream (I added one cup)

1 or 2 eggs (I added two eggs)

Milk to help mix to a soft dough

  Place flour and baking powder in bowl. Add cream and beaten eggs. Then add some milk and mix into a soft dough. Knead a little. Roll out and cut into rounds and place on oven tray.  Brush top with milk.  Bake in hot oven 220 - 240C. 

Enjoy!

***
Place flour and baking powder in bowl.

 I use a whisk to stir together

 No need to sift flour if you stir with a whisk.

Beat eggs together.

Make a well in the centre of flour and add cream and beaten eggs. 

 Using a knife, mix together

 Add enough milk to make a soft dough.

Knead slightly. 

Press or roll out 

Take a glass or scone cutter, dip in flour and cut into rounds.

Place on tray.

Use the leftover bits of dough to make some extra scones.

 Bake in hot oven 220 - 230C (400 - 450F)

Wrap in a tea-towel until ready to serve. 

We enjoyed ours with homemade apricot jam and whipped cream.

What is your favourite scone recipe?

Menu Plan Monday

Image Credit

On the menu this week;

Monday:  Apricot chicken, rice and stir-fry veggies

Tuesday: Tuna fettuccine, chips and salad

Wednesday: Stir-fry chicken/veg in teriyaki sauce and hokkien noodles

Thursday: Nanna's Tomato Soup and cheese toasties

Friday:  Schnitzels with Gravy, chips and salad

Saturday: Chicken Curry, rice and veggies

Sunday: Porcupine meatballs and veggies

Dessert choices; Annabel's Golden Syrup Pudding, Pineapple self saucing pudding, bread and butter pudding using leftover raisin bread.

Sunday Scripture

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24

Blogger issues?

Am I the only one having problems with blogger at the moment?

 When I comment somewhere or reply to a comment it is doubling up so I have to go back and remove the extra comment. 

Also blogger is not letting me add anymore links to my blog list. This is really frustrating as I am trying to add new blogs to this page.

I have been into settings but cant see anything wrong there. I have shut down and restarted to no avail. My other blog is doing the same.

Just thought I would put it out there to see if I am the only one having issues.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Beef and Vegetable Curry

This recipe started out as a Curried Vegetable vegan meal I had planned for myself. I made it several times and every time the aroma wafting through the house would get noses twitching. They (son mostly) would say, "that smells nice, what is it?" When I would say vegetables they turned their noses up a bit, but in the end it got the better of them and they asked for a taste.  They liked it but said it would be so much better with meat!

 So I decided to give it a try with meat to see how it went.  Let me say the plates are always empty.

 ~The original Curried Vegetable recipe (just take out meat) would make a great meatless meal if you have those through the week. It really is flavoursome. I think the type of curry makes this recipe. This is one of my favourite vegan meals. Edited: To this recipe, I add one tin of drained and rinsed chick peas at the same time I add peas. This my personal preference.

I cook this meal in a pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes (10 minutes for veggies only), but I think it could be done in the slow cooker/crock pot with equally good results. 

As I haven't tried it, I am not sure how this would go on the stove top or oven with the meat in it.  It takes 45 minutes with just the veggies on the stove top.  The pressure cooker and slow cooker cause the meat to be very melt in your mouth tender.

Beef and Vegetable Curry

Gather your ingredients;

One onion, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped into chunky pieces

2 carrots, chopped into chunky pieces

2 large mushrooms, sliced(I add four because I like them) 

Some cauliflower and broccoli florets (about 2 cups?)

1/2 cup of peas

500 grams of stewing meat

1 -2 tablespoons of Massaman Curry Paste Thai Style (or favourite curry to taste) 

1 teaspoon of Garam Masala

1 tin of diced tomatoes

1 cup of water

1 teaspoon Vegeta stock powder (use other if desired)

Coriander to taste

Dice meat if required and fry 

 together with onion until onion is soft and meat browned.

Add remaining chopped veggies except peas.

Cook together for a few minutes.

Now add curry and garam masala and cook for one minute to enhance the flavours.

(I added the peas by accident this time)

Add the tin tomatoes, water, stock powder.

Bring to the boil and pressure cook for 15 - 20 minutes. 

Or place in slow cooker if that is what you use and cook for recommended time.  Last of all add peas and let sit for five minutes to heat through. Thicken with cornflour/water if needed. 

Garnish with coriander.

Serve with buttered toast, naan bread or warm bread rolls.

Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday

Image Credit

On the menu this week;

Sunday: Night out

Monday: Homemade Hamburgers & Chips

Tuesday: Honey Mustard Chicken with Rice & Stir-fry Veggies

Wednesday: Schnitzels with Gravy & Vegetables

Thursday: Chicken and Vegetable Fettuccine

Friday:  Curry Beef & Vegetable Hot Pot with Naan

Saturday: Spaghetti Bolognaise & Garlic Bread

Dessert choices; Lemon Pudding, Golden Syrup Dumplings, Mandarin Cheese Cake, Apple Roly Poly, Chocolate Pudding.

Editing to add Annabel's helpful crock-pot series tips. She has some great ideas for using the crockpot/slowcooker. Her post and lovely blog can be found here

Sunday Scripture

She openeth her mouth with wisdom and her tongue is the law of kindness Proverbs 31 26.

Have a Blessed Sunday,

Home Made Veggie Pasties

I have this recipe to share with you today.  It is a regular in our home, mostly for lunch, and occasionally for dinner. 

Yummy Vegetable Pasties

You will need; 

Some Puff Pastry sheets, a variety of veggies, salt/pepper, pinch of mixed herbs or herb of choice, 2 eggs and sesame seeds. (you can add a small amount of mince if you like, but they are tasty without)

First of all take puff pastry out of the freezer and partly thaw the required amount of sheets.  Today I used three. Other days I will use different amounts depending on how many hungry mouths I have to feed. This is my favouite brand of pastry and I stock up when it is on special.

Next I gather my ingredients together.

Go to the pantry and fridge and find some veggies. 

Here I have used potato, onion, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli stems, pumpkin, carrot, zucchini and frozen corn.  

Firstly I chop the potato into very small pieces.

Then peel and chop veggies (except the corn) and add to food processor with some salt and pepper, mixed herbs and one egg. Whiz for a few seconds until veggies are still a little chunky and egg is mixed through.

(I forgot to take a photo of this process, so here is one after I had removed some)

Once this is done, add the chopped potatoes and frozen corn.

Now you are ready to add to the pastry.

Place one sheet of pastry on a chopping board. Have the pastry still a bit firm so it is easier to form into shape. I use a pizza cutter to cut the pastry.

Beat the second egg in a bowl to use for glazing.

Take your pizza cutter and cut pastry sheet into four quarters, and glaze around the edges.

Now add a small amount of veggies to each quarter.

Take two of the corners and pinch together like so.

 Then roll pastry over like this.

And down the sides.

Curl over the ends.

It should look something like this when you are finished.

Place on a baking tray and glaze with egg.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.

Place in a moderate oven and cook for about 30 - 40 minutes. It may take longer depending upon your oven.

I usually guess by sight.  When they are nicely golden and crisp, they are ready J

Sometimes I get a bit lazy and make one big pasty out of one sheet of pastry, like the one in this photo.

Serve with your favourite sauce or relish. 

Enjoy!!

I am still learning to do tutorials, so if you see an error or have a question regarding this recipe please let me know through the comments or email. 

 Take care and have a lovely day.