2+4+6=Fraser's Shortbread

makes approx 12 2" rounds

A real favourite of our nephew, Fraser. This shortbread can be flavoured with glace ginger pieces or dried apple and cinnamon or just enjoyed plain which is how Fraser likes them. It's real easy to remember though. We also like to use cutters shaped like cats (no surprise there then) or angels, christmas trees, snowmen etc., you get the idea - go with the seasons. Today I am baking these with apple and blackcurrant flakes with cinnamon. I say ring the changes with your favourite recipes! I have started to collect different shaped cutters especially for this recipe, it's such fun.

Prep time 5 minutes

2oz caster sugar
4oz real butter at room temperature.
6oz plain flour
1 tablespoon of dried apple or glace ginger pieces (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon if using apples (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger if using glace ginger pieces

1. Preheat oven 150deg.
2. Using a hand mixer beat butter a little, add sugar and flour (add cinnamon/ground ginger now if using) and beat a little more. It will look like big crumbles. Now is the time to add flakes if you are going to.
3. Bring together by hand to make dough. Try not to overwork it.
4. Pat dough out onto a sugared surface 1/4 inch thick
5. Cut out as chosen.
6. Pop onto ungreased baking sheet and bake in centre of the oven for 30 minutes until pale gold.
7. Dust with caster sugar and cool on a wire rack.

Here they are straight from the oven. Ooooooo they smell lovely!

My Fast and Easy Squash Risotto

This is a real good standby for a gloomy day when you want comforting food by the fire. The other good thing about it is you can substitute the veg.
Enough for two.





1 Butternut Squash peeled, diced
1 Small onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dried Sage
Black Pepper
Olive Oil approx tablespoon
150 grms Arborio Rice
3/4pint veg or chicken stock
Dolcelatte Cheese enough to please your tastebuds(we have a piece 2" x 3" cubed)
Parmesan to sprinkle over
2 pans 1 lge 1 small

1.Cook squash by either roasting (20mins 180deg) with sage or boiling (5-10 mins) and then tossing in sage (I do this sometimes the day before and pop in the fridge until needed).
2.Dissolve veg or chicken cube in the boiling water in a saucepan to keep the water ready for ladling into rice.
3.Get a large pan,add the olive oil and soften the onion for 5 mins
4.Add the rice and coat with the oil and onion
5. Start adding stock a ladleful at a time (approx 2-3 mins a go)as the rice absorbs it until all of it has been incorporated.
6. By this time the rice will almost be cooked, maybe another couple of minutes before nice and creamy ready to add the diced,cooked squash. Add black pepper to taste now.
7.Then add the dolcelatte cheese to melt it in. Done
8.Serve in bowls, sprinkled over with a teaspoon of Parmesan and crusty bread.

G A P's Veggie Soup

To kick off with, the simplest no nonsense recipe for a good pot of winter warming soup. It comes out looking like Autumn. I alter it sometimes with the seasons, but not much because my method is, that once I have devised a recipe that works, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. This may look like it's trouble to prepare but the more you make it the quicker it gets. Trust me!

Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes diced
1 large onion finely chopped
4 good sized carrots diced
1 large or two medium leeks chopped smallish
1 stick of celery (not one stem, whole stick) sliced smallish
1 tin tomatoes
1.5 pints of boiling water
1 chicken or veg stock cube
dried thyme ( I like a teaspoon)
dried parsley
1 tsp salt
10 turns of black pepper
1 tbs olive oil

Method:

1. Put olive oil in large pan to heat
2. Soften onion
3. Add pots and carrots, add dried herbs, put lid on and sweat on low heat for 5 minutes.
4. Add leeks and celery, give a good stir
5. Add tomatoes
6. Add stock cube to boiling water, dissolve and pour over veggies.
7. Season
8. Bring up to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes to an hour.
9. Liquidise in a blender.
10. Ready now to reheat and serve with hot crusty bread.