Archer's Christening

My mum's chicken soup

Ok so I get asked for this recipe A LOT! Everyone that tries it loves it! It makes a huge batch so I get quite a few meals from one big pot and it freezes beautifully! This is just what my family uses but you could put almost any veggie in. It is super healthy and a great way for kids (and adults) to eat all sorts of veggies without them knowing.(It's not exact measurements here and it all depends on the size of your vegetables, and if you like more of something add more of it!)

 Ingredients

• 1 large chicken (I like to use free range) 
• Chicken stock powder
•  Water 
• 1/2 packet dried soup mix 
• tablespoon or so of tomato paste

 Around.... 

• 2-3 potatoes (leave skin on) 
• 2-3 zucchinis (leave skin on) 
• 3-4 carrots (leave skin on) 
• 2 turnips
•  1 onion
• 2 swedes 
• Optional rice/rissoni 

 As a guide I usually fill my processor bowl twice with veggies and thats enough for my pot. You don't have to have a processor but you might get RSI from grating by hand (it would be worth it though!)

 Get a HUGE pot and put in your chicken. Make up enough stock to cover the chicken plus some. I usually do 7+ liters (told you it made a lot, of course you don't have to make as much as I do!)

 Rinse off the soup mix and add to the pot as well as the tomato paste. Bring to the boil and cook for 30mins or so, until the chicken is cooked through.

 Once the chicken is done pull it out and I like to put in the fridge then pull off the flesh when cool or you can do it straight from the pot.

Skim off any fat on the surface of the stock. Grate all your veggies and add to the pot along with the chicken pieces (as big or as small as you like) and bring back to the boil.

Cook for 30 or so minutes or until the veggies are soft. If you like in the last 15minutes of cooking add a handfull of rice or rissoni.

 Serve with yummy bread, enjoy!

Deanna's Slice

Deanna's Slice

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup of sultanas/chopped apricots/any dried fruit really! (the proportions don't matter as long as it equals 1 cup, so if you prefer sultanas you can have just 1 cup of them.)
• 1 cup sesame seeds/pine nuts/sunflower kernels/ any nuts or seeds really! (Again proportions don't matter, if you don't like pine nuts don't add them just make sure what you do add equals 1 cup!)
• 180g butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Press into greased slice tin and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool in the tin, cut up, make a cuppa and ENJOY!

Best way to wake up christmas morning...

is with some freshly baked chocolate croissants! Reserved only for special occasions, I like to make these for Easter too. They are so easy and you can prepare them the night before and bake in the morning. This is a Nigella Lawson recipe so we know its yummy and decedent!

Ingredients

• 1 packet ready rolled butter puff pastry
• 1 100-gram chocolate bar, milk or dark depending on taste
• 1 egg beaten

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Unfurl the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 6 squares.

Cut each square diagonally to give 2 triangles (they will appear quite small). Put the triangle with the wider part facing you and the point away from you.

Break off small pieces of chocolate (approx.1cm/half inch) to place about 2cm/3/4-inch up from the wide end nearest you.

Then carefully roll from that chocolate loaded end towards the point of the triangle.

You should now have something resembling a straight croissant, seal it slightly with your fingertips and curl it around into a crescent.

Place the chocolate croissants on a lined baking tray and paint with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy and exuberantly, if miniaturely, croissant-like.

White Christmas!

Is White Christmas too kitsch these days? In the time of fancy truffles and cake pops? Well I don't think so, although its not something I see too often anymore at this time of year. This is my recipe and I use lollies but you can of course use the traditional fruit. Again this makes the perfect gift!

Ingredients

1 cup powdered milk

1 cup of icing sugar

1 cup coconut

3 cups rice bubbles

1 cup of chopped snake lollies

250g copha

Method

1. Place dry ingredients into a bowl.

2. Melt copha in a saucepan.

3. Pour melted copha over dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

4. Press into a baking try lined with baking paper.Make sure the paper hangs over the edge so you can easily remove when set.

5. Put in fridge until set, then remove and cut into squares.

What's Christmas without RUM BALLS!

Seriously? It's just not a Christmas celebration without them! I like the traditional way but of course you can experiment and add different liquors like baileys, Kahlua or peppermint schnapps. Or if you prefer no alcohol at all (or just use flavoured essences) Anyway this is how we like our rumballs in the Cupkates household...

Rum Ball Recipe

1- 1.5 packets of milk arrowroot biscuits

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/4 cup dessicated coconut + extra for rolling (you can also use chocolate sprinkles)

1 tin condensed milk

3 tablespoons of rum 0r flavouring of choice (of course you can add more or less to taste, usually more for Mr Cupkates taste!)

Optional* Sultanas and/or crushed nuts

1. Crush biscuits in a freezer bag with a rolling pin, or in a blender or food processor.

2. Place crushed biscuits in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients (except for extra coconut!) , mix until well combined.

3. Place in fridge to firm up a little, this makes them easier to roll.

4. Roll into balls whatever size you prefer and then roll in coconut.

5. Keep in fridge for up to one week in an airtight container, perfect with coffee when unexpected guests pop in!

Photo from exclusively food

On the fourth day of Christmas Cupkates gave to me: The Night Before Christmas Cake Recipe

(cross section of this yummy fruit cake!)

I love this recipe! I have made it quite a few times even when its not Christmas and I just feel like it. You can do it the usual way and let the fruit steep, I usually leave it overnight if I can but that's just because I love the smell that permeates the house. Using the fruit mince and microwave helps to speed up the process and because of this you can literally make it The Night Before Christmas! Of course you can prepare it up to 3 months in advance like a usual fruit cake, if you have time.

Night Before Christmas Cake

475g jar of fruit mince

750g dried mixed fruit

1/2 cup (125ml) of rum or sweet sherry

250g butter, melted and cooled

1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten lightly

2 cups (300g) plain flour

1 cup (150g) self raising flour

2 teaspoons mixed spice

Optional for top of cake: blanched whole almonds, whole pecans, macadamias and walnuts to decorate.

1/4 cup (60ml) rum or sweet sherry, extra

Method

1. Line a deep 22cm round cake pan with 2 layers of brown paper and 2 layers of baking paper, extending the paper 5cm above edge of pan. Pre heat oven to slow 140' or 120' fan forced.

2. Combine fruit mince, dried fruit and rum/sherry in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat fruit , covered on HIGH (100%) for 4 minutes, stirring once. Cool, uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. Stir in butter and sugar until combined. Stir in eggs and sifted dry ingredients . Spread mixture into pan, smooth top. Decorate with nuts, if desired.

4. Bake, uncovered for 3.5 hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Brush hot cake with extra rum/sherry and cover immediately with foil. Wrap in a large towel and cool in pan overnight.