A Loaf of Cake

One of friends sent me a picture to make a rainbow cake. To try something different, I did it in a loaf tin. It worked the same.

- 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
- 125g butter

- 150g sugar                                    
- pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon orange essence
- your favourite colours in food colouring

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celcius.

2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the essence and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Fold in the dry ingredients, alternating with milk.

4. Separate the mixture into 5 different bowls, ad add a few drops of food colouring to each. Layer each colour into the greased pan.

5. Bake for approx. 1 hour. 

Pomegranate Couscous

This dish I found I didn't really like that much, but found I couldn't stop eating it. It was, I guess, quite moreish in a way.

- seeds of 1 pomegranate

- 250g coarse couscous                   

- 1 onion, diced

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

- 2 handfuls parsley

- 1 handful pistachio nuts, crushed

- 1/2 teaspoon sumac

- salt, to taste

- 1 handful pine nuts

1. Prepare couscous according to the packet.

2. In a pan, cook the onion and cumin seeds with the pinch of salt and olive oil, until onion is a golden brown.

3. In a large bowl, combine the couscous, 3/4 of the pomegranate seeds, the mixture from step 2, pistachio nuts, sumac and salt. Toss gently so ingredients are combined. 

4. Serve with pine nuts and remaining pomegranate seeds. 

Bacon and Pineapple Fettuccine

- 500g fettuccine                  
-  1 teaspoon salt
- 6 rashers of bacon
- 1 can pineapple pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup water
- 200g mushrooms




1. Cook pasta in plenty of water with salt. Drain and set aside.

2. Cut bacon and capsicum into strips. Drain pineapple (reserve liquid). Heat oil  in a large frypan, fry bacon, garlic, capsicum, and mushrooms, stirring constantly for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are soft.

3. Add tomato paste, blended with water and reserved juice. Stir until sauce boils. Add pasta and pineapple and toss together. 

Chilli and Tofu Noodles

For quite a while I have wanted to try tofu, but could never bring myself to do it because I wasn't sure what it quite was. I decided to try it today, and I must say I'm not a fan of it. It's the texture I don't like.

- 3 tablespoons peanut oil

- a pinch of ground chilli              
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 250g hard tofu, cut  into cubes
- 8 shallots, cut on the diagonal
- 150g baby corn, halved lengthways
- 150 snow peas, tailed
- 500g hokkien noodles
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock

1. Heat the oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and stir fry until fragrant. Add the tofu, shallots, and corn and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the snowpeas, noodles and cashews and cook, stirring for 3-5 minutes, or until nearly tender. Stir in the soy sauce and stock, then bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Serve immediately.