Best Crust

1 stick cold butter (125g) cut into small pieces 

1 cups flour 

1 tablespoon powdered sugar 

1 egg yolk 

This is a very easy beginner friendly crust and only takes minutes to make enjoy!

Whisk flour and sugar together in a bowl, cut/blend butter (using your hands, fork or a pastry blender)into flour mixture.  add egg yolk blend together with your clean hands until everything binds. Take small chunks of the dough and press into a greased pie pan, try and make it as even as possible and leave no holes, refrigerate for half an hour, when chilled pierce all over bottom with a fork.  bake in a 350f/175c preheated oven about 25 minutes or until golden brown. When cooled, pour your favorite filling in!

 DJ’ S favorite Chocolate Pie

1 pre cooked and cooled pie crust ( search pie crust recipe on this site)

This filling is enough for 2x9” pies or 9x13 “ oblong dish

Place all ingredients in a cold pot

5 heaping tablespoons dark cocoa

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups sugar

4 cups milk

6 egg yolks

Stir together heat on a medium high, stirring constantly until mixture thickens about 12 minutes.

When thickened remove from heat stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla pour mixture into cooled pie crust, cover with plastic wrap, cool for 4 hours in refrigerator. When completely cooled top with whipped cream…enjoy!

Whipped cream:

2 cup cream

2 tablespoons sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

Whip together until thick about 4 minutes…don’t over whip or it will be too stiff

Best easy Chicken Salad my way

If I have left over chicken I'll make this but If I don't you can
roast, fry or poach a chicken breast for this recipe.

1lb. (4 cups) chicken cut into bite size pieces
1 cup mayo
2 celery stalk diced
3 spring onions diced
salt n pepper to taste
mix all ingredients in a bowl refrigerate for 1 hour, serve on a roll or a bed of lettuce any way you like it. 

Enjoy!

Note:

To roast chicken breast 

Butterfly the breast, lay out on a baking sheet sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika

Or any spices or herbs you desire…place in a heated (@350f/175c) oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Cool and chop as directed in recipe.

PANIKEKE Samoan round pancakes

Heat 4 cups of vegetable oil to a med hi temperature 350F in a medium sized pot while prepping your dough. (Do not over heat or oil will burn)

3 cups flour
4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water (depending on the consistency only add if mixture is too stiff)
2 med ripe mashed bananas (if the bananas are small I use 3)

Blend together flour, baking powder and sugar. Add the water and  milk stir until all flour is wet, add the mashed bananas mix until everything is incorporated.

Batter should look like this (*please see notes at the bottom)

When oil is heated to a temperature of about 360 if you don’t have a thermometer, place the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil if the oil bubbles all around it, it's ready.

Drop by spoonfuls into the hot oil and cook until golden brown ( I test with a sharp knife inserted in the middle of a panikeke if it comes out clean their ready!)

Enjoy!

* Notes
1. if your batter looks too dry, add tablespoons of milk one at a time until you get the consistency you want.
2. If it looks too wet, add flour by tablespoons until you get the consistency you want.
3. Bananas should be ready to eat ripe not too pala but soft and very ripe they will bring out more flavor.

Puligi 1/2 size

I often crave the puligi but it makes so much that I get put off so I finally halved the recipe so It's just as easy as making a cake. I also made it in loaf pans so that they bake faster...Enjoy!

Butter and flour your pans of preference, I used 2 bread loaf pans but you can use 2x8"or 9"round pans or a bundt pan what ever you have on hand.

PULIGI

Burnt Sugar mixture:
1 cup sugar
1 cup hot water or coconut cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a non stick  pan, melt sugar on medium hi heat stirring with a wooden spoon until desolved, reduce heat to low stirring constantly with a wire whisk, add hot water and vanilla until sugar and water are well combined turn heat off, set aside until batter is ready.  

In a bowl combine:
3-1/2 cup flour
2-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins , blend together with wire whisk, set aside

Wet ingredients, in another bowl beat together
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter softened 
2 eggs
1 can evaporated milk (or 1-1/2 cups whole milk)
1/2 cup water
Combine with flour mixture to make a batter beat about 3 minutes add burnt sugar mixture combine well

and Pour into prepared baking pans, cover tightly with heavy or doubled foil and bake on 350f/180c oven temperature, for 40 to 50 minutes, insert a toothpick in the middle of the pan if it comes out clean puligi is done.

Notes
*Raisins
Ok I love raisins in my puligi but not everyone does but by all means please do add them if you like
I actually forgot to put them in a couple of times so I made stewed raisins so anyone can add then if they like.

Pound Cake …yum

This is my favorite pound cake recipe I've used for ages from an old Betty Crocker cook book my mother had for years. I love it topped with Strawberries and whip cream...hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Preheat oven to 350f/175c

Ingredients:
Whisk together in a bowl (set aside)
3 cups flour
1 tsp. Baking powder

Beat together:
1 cup butter softened  ( 1/2 lb., 2 sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cup sugar
5 large eggs

1 cup evaporated milk or just plain whole milk

Mix together into the butter mixture alternately 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the milk until all is
Incorporated together beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.

Butter and flour a tube pan or 2 loaf pans por mixture into pans of your choice, bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Life in Australia

Hi all,
Well I am retired now and have moved to Australia to be closer to some of my children and grandchildren. It's great being with my Grandbabies and watching them grow.  Australia is a beautiful place to live, but  there have been a few adjustments especially in my cooking, it's like getting back to basics again and I love it! Like the scratch Ranch dressing I posted here, they don't have the packet Ranch here so I break it down to basic ingredients and try to get as close to the flavors I like. So that's where my life is now and I know I am so very blessed.