Lemon Garlic Hummus

 

Hummus gets some kick with lemon and garlic! The sweet, pungent flavor of lemon combined with garlic makes for a hummus you won't be able to tear yourself away from! Pair it with pita and you have a quick and easy appetizer or snack.
Ingredients:
1 15oz can of Chickpeas
2 cloves of garlic crushed
3tbls lemon juice
3tbls olive oil
1 1/2 tsps tahini 

Preparation:
Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can.
Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor.
Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas.
Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well.
Serve immediately with Dutch crisp bread or a cracker of your choice.

You can adapt this recipe using dried chickpeas as follows.
Soak the beans the night before. Turns out great!
Some guidelines: ***
15 oz canned chickpeas is approx. 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas,
and approx. 0.5 cups dry (before soaking)
*** reserve the boiling water from the cooking process to use in place of the canning liquid in the last step of the recipe.

Easy Hummus Recipe:

Happy cooking Glo

Cheese, Onion and Potato Pasties

Another nice quick snack suitable for vegetarians, this rich shortcrust pastry melts in your mouth.  Doesn't take long to prepare and cook the only problem is they are very very scrummy.
                    

Pastry:                                  

6oz (170g) plain flour

11/2oz (42g) lard

11/2oz (42g) butter or marg

Cold water for mixing                           

Filling:

2oz (57g) butter

8oz (227g) onions thinly sliced

2 medium sized potatoes - thinly sliced and chopped ***

2oz (57g) cheddar cheese - grated***

2tsp sandwich seasoning***

1/2 tsp dill or mixed herbs

1/4 tsp paprika

beaten egg for glazing

Preheat the oven to 400'F; 200'C; Gas Mark 6

For the pastry - sieve the flour and seasoning into a bowl,

Add lard and butter and rub into the flour until it resembles fine bread crumbs,

Stir in enough water to form a soft dough (not too wet)

Roll out the pastry onto a floured surface cut into rounds the size of a saucer.

Make the Filling:  

                              

Melt the butter in a pan, add onions and fry until soft.

Leave to cool.

In a bowl add the chopped potato, grated cheese, onions dill and paprika. 

Mix well the ingredients well.

Divide the filling between your pastry rounds, brush the edges with egg and shape to form the pasty.

 
                          

Brush with beaten egg.

Place onto a greased baking sheet and cook in th eoven for approximately  20 minutes.

Serve hot or cold, either way they are both delicious.

*** If you can't get sandwich seasoning use pepper & salt sparingly.

***  I used two types of cheese just for extra flavour.

*** Don't want potatoes then do this:

Hard boil three eggs when cool mash into bowl and add the other ingredients, tastes just as good not quite so moist.

Happy eating glo.              

Chunky Apple Cake

This tender, moist cake is full of old-fashioned comfort, and the lovely brown sugar topping makes it special. For a festive occasion, top with a dollop of whipped cream or Creme fraiche.

An easy and 'yummy' cake when the mid-afternoon hunger pangs strike or after Dinner Desert.

Ingredients:

225g plain flour

110g butter or margarine

175g brown sugar

25g demerara sugar (for topping)

90g sultanas

3 medium - large dessert apples, peeled, cored & cut into chunks.

2tsp baking soda

1/2 - 1 tsp mixed spice

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

2 eggs beaten
Method:

Grease and line a 20cm cake tin,

Preheat the oven 180°C / Gas 4,

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy,

Sift together flour, soda, and the spices,

Alternately add small amounts of the flour mixture and eggs,

Fold in the apples and raisins to make a stiff mixture,

Transfer the mixture to your baking tin and sprinkle the top with Demerara sugar,

Bake for about one hour or until the wooden or metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean,

Let cake stand for 10minutes and then carefully remove from tin, place on wire rack to finish cooling.