Greek salads

Tip from my mom: to take some of the bite away from the onions, after you chop them, soak them in a little vinegar or lemon juice.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice   
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large plum tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cucumber, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, peeled, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives (preferably brine-cured), coarsely chopped
• A heaping half cup crumbled feta cheese

METHOD

1 Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, oregano and dill weed together until blended. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewhisk before using.)

2 Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives in a bowl. Toss with dressing. Sprinkle cheese over and serve.

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Carrot Cake Recipe

The first time I was ever offered a slice of carrot cake I refused.  I like to think that I did it politely, but one’s own memory can be horribly biased, so without concrete evidence of the same, I am left to assume the best from my young self.  You see, my teenage brain was immediately certain that no good thing could come from combining carrots and cake, and I never for a single moment entertained the possibility that I could be missing out on something heavenly.  But I was missing out.  Big time! 

Fortunately, I grew out of being apprehensive about odd sounding combinations and have to concede that Carrot Cake has since become one of my all-time favourite cakes.  Like the cupcake, it is a classic bake.  This particular recipe is a constant at any of my tea parties.

 

I replaced the castor sugar called for in the original recipe with brown sugar and this simple substitution gives this Carrot Cake its deep golden brown colour which I just love.  Without a doubt this is one of the moistest Carrot Cake recipes I have ever tried.   

 

The Rhodes Pineapple Crush adds a wonderful sweetness to the cake, and the faint taste of cinnamon which lingers creates a combination that leaves you heady with delight.  I spent a bit of time this week reading different Carrot Cake recipes in my book collection as well as on the internet and I was surprised to find that pineapple is not a usual ingredient in most.  But for me it just wouldn’t be Carrot Cake without it.  I would say the same about the cream cheese icing.

 

 

 

Serves 10 slices

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time 1hr30min plus cooling.

Ingredients

 

4 eggs

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup oil

½ cup reserved pineapple juice

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups grated carrots

½ cup chopped pecan nuts

1 can Rhodes Pineapple crush, drained, reserve ½ cup of the juice

 

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Line your cake tin bottom with baking paper and grease or spray the sides with non-stick spray.
3. Beat eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Slowly beat in the oil and reserved pineapple juice.
5. Sift all the dry ingredients together and gently fold into the mixture.
6. Stir in the carrots, pecan nuts and pineapple crush.
7. Bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool completely before icing.

 

 

Cream Cheese Icing

 

80g butter (white margarine is great if you want a super white icing)

175g tub of plain cream cheese

2 cups icing sugar, sifted

Fresh Lavender

 

1. For the icing cream the butter till pale and creamy.
2. Add the cream cheese, and beat for a minute. 
3. Add the sifted icing sugar mix to blend.  
4. Do not beat this icing too long! If you do it will go runny and never recover.
5. Sandwich the two halves of the cake together with some of the icing.
6. Spread the remaining icing evenly and neatly on the top of the cake.
7. Sprinkle lavender flowers over the top of the icing, the glorious flavour of the lavender will infuse into the icing as it stand

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How to make perfect coleslaw

Felicity's perfect coleslaw. Photograph: Felicity Cloake

Sometime in the last decade, coleslaw, so familiar a fixture of every Boxing Day buffet and summer picnic, has been rebranded. And every time I see a "slaw" sitting chirpily on the menu, a grumpy, Victor Meldrew-like surge of irritation courses through me. The Berni Inn salad bar never called it slaw. My dad never put ham and slaw sandwiches in our picnics. If it doesn't have cabbage in it then it's not coleslaw: it's a salad. End of rant.

How to Make Coleslaw

A quick and easy recipe for coleslaw that you don't have to make several days in advance.

Ingredients

• 1 cabbage head
• 1 carrot
• 1 green pepper
• 1 small onion
• 1 small drizzle of hot sauce
• 8 ounces of sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons celery seed
• Salt and pepper

EditSteps

1. 
   1
   Using a grater or knife, finely shred the cabbage and carrot.
2. 
   2
   Chop the green pepper and onion.

How To Make Fusilli Pasta Salad

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How To Make Fusilli Pasta Salad

Fusilli Pasta Salad Recipe. A fusion of Mediterranean cuisine that is both healthy and satisfying. It can be eaten either on its own or as an accompaniment. Savour our Fusilli Paste

Step 1: You will need

See top right.

Step 2: Heat the water