Lemon Yoghurt Muffins

I always like to cook with the season's flavours as usually we have heaps of produce to use up or the items are  less expensive in the markets! Today I was expecting visitors for morning/afternoon tea and as I had plenty of lemons and walnuts I decided to search my recipe books for inspiration. One book 'Just Muffins' I have used a lot over the years. I purchased it in 1989; published by The Waimairi Toy Library as a fund raiser. I rang the number listed to ask for permission to use the recipe online but the number was out of date. A quick Google and I found the editor Bronwyn Bijl still in Christchurch and after a lovely chat permission was happily granted.

The book contains some useful tips on muffin making~

- don't over mix the batter as it makes a tough and peaked muffin 

- muffin pans should be 2/3 filled 

- over filled pans will make them poorly shaped

- and of course the use of muffin cases makes cleaning tins easier and keeps muffins fresher.

There was also some useful tips if you find yourself short of an ingredient~

Egg - replace with 1 tbsp milk, vinegar and custard powder

Buttermilk - replace with the same quantity of yogurt or milk and 2tbsp vinegar

Milk- replace with the same quantity of water (for a slightly heavier muffin). Powdered milk is often handy in the cupboard too. 

For this recipe I have used my favourite Honey from the West Coast!

Lemon Yoghurt Muffins – Bronwyn Bijl

5tbsp honey

4tbsp butter

1 large egg

1 cup yoghurt

½ tsp lemon zest (I use more)

¼ cup lemon juice

1 cup flour

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ c chopped nuts

Melt butter and honey together. Beat yoghurt, egg, lemon juice and rind. Add butter and honey. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients. Add wet to dry and nuts, stir to combine gently. Bake 190 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes (reduce heat by 10 degrees or cook for less time if you are using a fan oven).

Not part of her recipe but I like to dip these warm muffins in a mixture of lemon juice and raw sugar for a nice sweet/sour crunchy topping!

Lemon Yoghurt Muffins

I always like to cook with the season's flavours as usually we have heaps of produce to use up or the items are  less expensive in the markets! Today I was expecting visitors for morning/afternoon tea and as I had plenty of lemons and walnuts I decided to search my recipe books for inspiration. One book 'Just Muffins' I have used a lot over the years. I purchased it in 1989; published by The Waimairi Toy Library as a fund raiser. I rang the number listed to ask for permission to use the recipe online but the number was out of date. A quick Google and I found the editor Bronwyn Bijl still in Christchurch and after a lovely chat permission was happily granted.

The book contains some useful tips on muffin making~

- don't over mix the batter as it makes a tough and peaked muffin 

- muffin pans should be 2/3 filled 

- over filled pans will make them poorly shaped

- and of course the use of muffin cases makes cleaning tins easier and keeps muffins fresher.

There was also some useful tips if you find yourself short of an ingredient~

Egg - replace with 1 tbsp milk, vinegar and custard powder

Buttermilk - replace with the same quantity of yogurt or milk and 2tbsp vinegar

Milk- replace with the same quantity of water (for a slightly heavier muffin). Powdered milk is often handy in the cupboard too. 

For this recipe I have used my favourite Honey from the West Coast!

Lemon Yoghurt Muffins – Bronwyn Bijl

5tbsp honey

4tbsp butter

1 large egg

1 cup yoghurt

½ tsp lemon zest (I use more)

¼ cup lemon juice

1 cup flour

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ c chopped nuts

Melt butter and honey together. Beat yoghurt, egg, lemon juice and rind. Add butter and honey. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients. Add wet to dry and nuts, stir to combine gently. Bake 190 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes (reduce heat by 10 degrees or cook for less time if you are using a fan oven).

Not part of her recipe but I like to dip these warm muffins in a mixture of lemon juice and raw sugar for a nice sweet/sour crunchy topping!

Holiday time in Lake Tekapo region

View on bike ride

I can thoroughly recommend a holiday in April in this area. For four days we had perfect weather, lots of lovely walks, hot pools to dip in (or out!) and plenty of fabulous places to ride our bikes. On the first day we went on a challenging 6k circuit ride and walk to Lake McGregor and over the hills back to our bach (think the Sound of Music here!) and an even more challenging 27k ride (with the Mackenzie Tours van hovering behind us!) around Lake Tekapo. The views were just magic, not a breath of wind and surrounded by towering mountains! We took Anzac biscuits and Jazz apples for a snack, they have never tasted better than when we stopped for our rest half way!

We all made the trip in about 3 hours which is not bad considering our lack of build up training. A very memorable holiday with great friends!

Holiday time in Lake Tekapo region

View on bike ride

I can thoroughly recommend a holiday in April in this area. For four days we had perfect weather, lots of lovely walks, hot pools to dip in (or out!) and plenty of fabulous places to ride our bikes. On the first day we went on a challenging 6k circuit ride and walk to Lake McGregor and over the hills back to our bach (think the Sound of Music here!) and an even more challenging 27k ride (with the Mackenzie Tours van hovering behind us!) around Lake Tekapo. The views were just magic, not a breath of wind and surrounded by towering mountains! We took Anzac biscuits and Jazz apples for a snack, they have never tasted better than when we stopped for our rest half way!

We all made the trip in about 3 hours which is not bad considering our lack of build up training. A very memorable holiday with great friends!

Breakfast patties from leftovers!

We recently had a fabulous time on holiday with friends, staying in a bach on the shores of Lake Alexandrina (near Lake Tekapo). We arranged for each couple to bring and make food for one night. First night we had lovely fresh pan fried Snapper (caught by our Wellington friends near Takaka), second night a lovely dish of marinated Roast Lamb (which included Pomegranate Molasses - recipe to be posted) and when my turn came I cooked a Savoury Mince Roll which went down well. Of course we had desserts too, Rhubarb and Apple crumble and Fejioa Fool - all absolutely delicious. While I did not cook a dessert my Quince Paste was lovely with a sharp cheddar and lovely wine of course!

Breakfasts were a mixed affair but on the last day we had left over mashed potatoes and a few odd vegetables in the cooler so I made the good old standard 'Left over patties'. My mother was an expert on these and I thought of her while making them... 

Easy as, just gently fry finely chopped spring onion (or red onion finely chopped) with finely chopped bacon or ham and a grated zucchini. In a bowl mix about 1/2 cup of tasty grated cheese and a beaten egg, add the cooked mixture and what mashed vegetables you have left over and gently combine. If you have peas - add them, or if you have left over carrots or cabbage -  finely chop them up and add too. Make sure the mixture is not too sloppy. With clean hands form into small patties and dust in a bit of flour. Fry in a little oil or butter - gently turn so they don't break and when cooked keep warm while you cook a few eggs to go on top or with your toast!  Serve with slow roasted tomatoes too, Yum!

Breakfast patties from leftovers!

We recently had a fabulous time on holiday with friends, staying in a bach on the shores of Lake Alexandrina (near Lake Tekapo). We arranged for each couple to bring and make food for one night. First night we had lovely fresh pan fried Snapper (caught by our Wellington friends near Takaka), second night a lovely dish of marinated Roast Lamb (which included Pomegranate Molasses - recipe to be posted) and when my turn came I cooked a Savoury Mince Roll which went down well. Of course we had desserts too, Rhubarb and Apple crumble and Fejioa Fool - all absolutely delicious. While I did not cook a dessert my Quince Paste was lovely with a sharp cheddar and lovely wine of course!

Breakfasts were a mixed affair but on the last day we had left over mashed potatoes and a few odd vegetables in the cooler so I made the good old standard 'Left over patties'. My mother was an expert on these and I thought of her while making them... 

Easy as, just gently fry finely chopped spring onion (or red onion finely chopped) with finely chopped bacon or ham and a grated zucchini. In a bowl mix about 1/2 cup of tasty grated cheese and a beaten egg, add the cooked mixture and what mashed vegetables you have left over and gently combine. If you have peas - add them, or if you have left over carrots or cabbage -  finely chop them up and add too. Make sure the mixture is not too sloppy. With clean hands form into small patties and dust in a bit of flour. Fry in a little oil or butter - gently turn so they don't break and when cooked keep warm while you cook a few eggs to go on top or with your toast!  Serve with slow roasted tomatoes too, Yum!

Very easy fruit cake - Jo Seagar recipe

This is a great cake, nice and moist and easy to make. It makes a big cake or you can divide into a variety of tins to make smaller ones, just watch the cooking time for a smaller cake. It is a lovely cake to make for all occasions. Jo Seagar suggests to top with frosting but I prefer it as it is.

Very Easy Fruitcake - Jo Seagar

1kg mixed dried fruit

2 tsp mixed spice

2 cups pure orange juice (from carton is fine)

2 cups self raising flour

Frosting

125g butter

2 tbsp brandy

3 cups icing sugar

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Spray 23 cm cake tin

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, transfer to cake tin. Bake one hour then turn oven down to 150 degrees

Bake a further 45-60 minutes, until skewer is clean, cake comes away at sides and firm to touch

Cool in tin for an hour before turning out onto cake rack.

Make Frosting

Beat butter and brandy together with 2 cups icing sugar. Then add as much as needed from third cup to make a fluffy frosting. Ice onto cake. Leave for 3-4 hours for frosting to set before serving 

Very easy fruit cake - Jo Seagar recipe

This is a great cake, nice and moist and easy to make. It makes a big cake or you can divide into a variety of tins to make smaller ones, just watch the cooking time for a smaller cake. It is a lovely cake to make for all occasions. Jo Seagar suggests to top with frosting but I prefer it as it is.

Very Easy Fruitcake - Jo Seagar

1kg mixed dried fruit

2 tsp mixed spice

2 cups pure orange juice (from carton is fine)

2 cups self raising flour

Frosting

125g butter

2 tbsp brandy

3 cups icing sugar

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Spray 23 cm cake tin

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, transfer to cake tin. Bake one hour then turn oven down to 150 degrees

Bake a further 45-60 minutes, until skewer is clean, cake comes away at sides and firm to touch

Cool in tin for an hour before turning out onto cake rack.

Make Frosting

Beat butter and brandy together with 2 cups icing sugar. Then add as much as needed from third cup to make a fluffy frosting. Ice onto cake. Leave for 3-4 hours for frosting to set before serving 

Anzac biscuits

Anzac biscuits

(Recipe from Sunday Times magazine – Olivia Tully)

This is the most successful recipe I have used for Anzac biscuits.

1 cup flour

1 cup castor sugar

1 cup coconut

2 cups rolled oats

125g butter

2 tbsp golden syrup

1tsp baking soda

3 tbsp boiling water

Mix flour, sugar, coconut, and oats to make a well in the centre.

Melt butter and golden syrup together. Dissolve baking soda in water.

Combine all, roll into balls and press onto greased baking trays.

Bake 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.

Space them out as they spread a bit – reduce the temperature to 170 degrees in a fan oven – they may cook a little quicker than 15 minutes too – so you need to watch they don’t burn.

(To vary the recipe you can take ½ cup of rolled oats out, add ½ cup sultanas and an extra ½ of flour).

Anzac biscuits

Anzac biscuits

(Recipe from Sunday Times magazine – Olivia Tully)

This is the most successful recipe I have used for Anzac biscuits.

1 cup flour

1 cup castor sugar

1 cup coconut

2 cups rolled oats

125g butter

2 tbsp golden syrup

1tsp baking soda

3 tbsp boiling water

Mix flour, sugar, coconut, and oats to make a well in the centre.

Melt butter and golden syrup together. Dissolve baking soda in water.

Combine all, roll into balls and press onto greased baking trays.

Bake 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.

Space them out as they spread a bit – reduce the temperature to 170 degrees in a fan oven – they may cook a little quicker than 15 minutes too – so you need to watch they don’t burn.

(To vary the recipe you can take ½ cup of rolled oats out, add ½ cup sultanas and an extra ½ of flour).