I was brought up in the Forties and Fifties, when rationing was the norm, and The Ministry of Food kept an eye on our diet.

My mother, Doris, would have to 'make do' with what she had, and as a result, I learned from an early age to make my own meals and to eke things out.

We were healthier too, and you hardly ever saw an obese person.

In this age of austerity, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my recipes with you, and to invite you to send us some of yours...

This is NOT 'Posh Nosh', but food you can make on a tight budget...

SO LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR RECIPES...

ABOVE: Pete with his home-made Bread.

BELOW: A variation, Pete's Plaited Tinned sesame seed loaf

RECIPES FROM OUR READERS

Well, our Apple & Tomato Crumble caused quite a stir, and as a result, here is a couple of recipes sent in by our readers...

The first is from Pete's cousin TRICIA LEWIS...

Trish wrote:

Hi Pete & Nikki,

Well if it’s recipes you want, this one is a must!!! I have been making these for a few years now and always have then in my cupboard. Only one thing to remember, make sure they are very cold before removing from the tin as they tend to break up if still warm. Keep temperature on 145o .

ENJOY, CUZ Trish x x

 

Honey & Peanut Butter Booster Bars

These jam-packed near relatives of the flapjack are my antidote to the devil's work - those big-brand 'energy' bars that fester among the chocolate on every motorway service-station counter masquerading as a late breakfast... 

Prep time

• 15-20 minutes

Cook Time

• 30 minutes

Servings

• 16

Ingredients

• * 125g unsalted butter …………. 5oz
• * 150g soft brown sugar or light muscovado sugar …………… 6oz ( only use 3oz!)
• * 125g  crunchy peanut butter …………. 5oz
• * 75g honey, plus a little more to finish  ………….  2 &  ½ oz   (Or Two large heaped tablespoons)
• * Finely grated zest of 1 orange  …….. I don’t bother with the orange and lemon zest!!!
• * Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• * 200g porridge oats (not jumbo) …………   7oz
•  
• * 150g dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, chopped apricots, prunes or dates, either singly or in combination,  AND / OR mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, linseed and sesame……….. 6oz of any of the above

• 1.  Grease and line a baking tin, about 20cm square.I use an 11ins X 7 & 1/2ins Put the butter, sugar, peanut butter, honey and grated citrus zests in a deep saucepan over a very low heat. Leave until melted, stirring from time to time.

2. Stir the oats, dried fruit and three-quarters of the seeds into the melted butter mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread the mixture out evenly in the baking tin, smoothing the top as you go.

3. Scatter the remaining seeds over the surface and trickle with a little more honey. Place in an oven preheated to 160°C/Gas Mark 3 and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden in the centre and golden brown at the edges.

4. Leave to cool completely in the tin (be patient - it cuts much better when cold), then turn out and cut into squares with a sharp knife. These bars will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight tin.

Variation: Banana Booster Bars:

Replace the peanut butter with 1 medium ripe banana (about 175g), mashed. Stir it in after all the other ingredients have been combined.

* * * * * * *

 The next one is from JAN RANSON, although not a pensioner like Pete, she has learned to scrimp and save and 'make do'. We met on the facebook page 'Old Memories of Walthamstow'.  She has promised to turf out her old recipe book, but in the meantime, here is a simple one anybody can make... handy in these times of austerity for all but the rich...

DAY-BEFORE-THE-GIRO SOUP

One good thing i make which I call "day before the giro soup" contains any veg I have left in the fridge chopped and add water and milk and stock cube herbs etc and cook till tender then put in liquidiser till smooth and eat with whatever bread is left in the freezer  

* * * * * * * 

Pete's Apple & Tomato Crumble!

Yes, you read that right! You see, Nikki loves Pete's Apple Crumble, and he usually adds blackberries, blackcurrants or blueberries to the apple for added flavour.

HOWEVER! On this particular day, our happy couple had run out of soft fruit, so Pete suggested adding tomatoes!

'After all', Pete explained to Nikki, 

'As all gardeners and botanists know, tomatoes are FRUIT, even though we usually use them as salad vegetable, - so why not?'

Nikki agreed, and the APPLE & TOMATO CRUMBLE was born! 

Here's the recipe if you'd like to try it, - and believe us, it's DELICIOUS!

Apple and TOMATO Crumble - an unlikely combination we know, - but look how Nikki is enjoying it! 

* * * * * * *

PETE'S HEALTHY WHITE LOAF

 My recipe for tasty white bread is much healthier than the loaves you can buy from the supermarket, as, instead of using sugar and salt, I use Splenda® and Celery salt. I also use Coriander Leaf, which gives an extra healthy 'zing'.

Oh yes, - it tastes delicious too!

Ingredients

1 tsp fast acting yeast

500gms Strong white flour

1 tsp celery salt

1 tablespoon Splenda® sweetener

1 tblsp coriander leaf

2 tblsp olive oil

320 mls warm water

1 tsp of milk

A sprinkle of poppy or sesame seed

Method

Mix all ingredients into a large bowl for 5 mins

Place dough on floured surface and rest for 5 mins.

Knead for 2 mins and rest for a further 5 mins.

Place in bread tin and dust with flour.

Brush surface with milk and sprinkle poppy or sesame seed.

Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 30-40 mins, or until doubled in size.

Bake on lower shelf of oven at 230C/450F/Gas mark 8 for 30 - 40 mins.

1:Damp cloth covering dough 2: Risen dough ready for oven 3: Cooked loaf

Click on bottom R/H corner of picture for larger view.

IF YOU HAVE ANY RECIPES, SEND THEM TO PETE AT:

pete@widgeripoo.net

<PREVIOUS PAGE                                   NEXT PAGE>