دو کھرب قرض وصول ،دودھ کی نہریں کہاں ہیں ؟

راشدعلی

موجودہ حکومت کرپشن اور قرض کے خلاف بھرپور مہم لانچ کرنے کے سبب وجود میں آئی ،وزیراعظم عمران خان کی تقرریں پھر ان تقاریر پر عوامی ردِ عمل فطرتی تھا ۔یہی دونعرے نوجوان نسل کے اندر رچے بسے ،نئی نوکریاں پیدا نہ ہونا، تعلیمی پسماندگی ،صحت کے مسائل ،انصاف ودیگر تمام مسائل کی جڑ کرپشن اورقرض کو قرار دیا گیا ،عام وخاص خان صاحب کے نعرے سے متاثر ہوا ،پھر اس نعرے سے وابستہ سب ہی افراد نے آنکھیں بندکرکے خاں صاحب پر اعتماد کیا ۔پنجاب میں مسلم لیگ ن کو مینڈیٹ ملاتھا جیسے آزاد امیدواروں نے خاک میں ملا دیا ۔وہ افراد جو پی ٹی آئی کی حکومت سے بہت زیادہ امیدیں وابستہ کیے ہوئے تھے پریشان کن دلائل اور تاویلیں دیتے نظر آتے ہیں ۔جس طرح پی ٹی آئی نے مسلم لیگ ن کی حکومت کے کیخلاف کرپشن کیسز کی مہم لانچ کررکھی ہے اس کے برعکس پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے خلاف مہم تاحال لانچ نہیں کی جاسکی ہے ۔ایک زرداری سب پہ بھاری والی بات کہاوت بنتی جارہی ہے ۔بعض الناس کا سابق صدر زرداری صاحب سے متعلق کہنا ہے کہ ان تلوں میں تیل نہیں ہے کہ یہ زرداری صاحب کا گھیرا تنگ کریں آنے والے دن اس حقیقت کی اہمیت کو واضح کریں گے ۔

سابقہ حکومت کے دورِ اقتدار میں سب کچھ ٹھیک چل رہا تھا ۔ڈالر تقریبا کنڑول تھا ،جب تک سابق وزیراعظم نواز شریف وزارت عظمیٰ کے عہدے پر تھے بالخصوص ہر چیز درست سمت میں تھی چاہے اس کی حیثیت مصنوعی ہی کیوں نہ ہو۔جوں ہی ن لیگ اقتدار سے علیحدہ ہوئی ڈالر کو پر لگ گئے حتی کہ تاریخ کی بلندترین سطح 136تک پہنچا قرض کی مدمیں کھربوں کا اضافہ ہوا۔معیشت کے ٹائروں سے ہوا نکل گئی ،مک گیا ،مک گیا سب کچھ مک گیا کی صدائیں بلندہونے لگیں ،اب تک حالت زار یہ ہے کہ موجودہ حکومت 2کھرب سے زیادہ قرض لے چکی ہے ۔پانچ ماہ میں موجودہ حکومت کوئی بنیادی اصلاحات نہیں لاسکی ہے ۔حکومت بیک ڈور آئی ایم ایف سے رابطے میں ہے ۔موجودہ صورتحال کو دیکھتے ہوئے کہا جاسکتا ہے کہ موجودہ حکومت آئی ایم ایف کے سامنے گھٹنے ٹیک دی گی ۔روپے کی قدر میں مزید کم کرے گی اس صورت میں مجموعی قرض میں 15فیصد اضافہ ہوگا۔ابھی تک حکومت نے قرض لینے کے لیے تمام اپشن استعمال کیے ہیں ۔صورتحال جوں کی توں رہے گی او رمہنگائی میں اضافہ ہوگا۔

دوسری جانب پروفیسر مائیکل پورٹرکا کہنا ہے کہ اگراقتصادی مشکلات کا حل کرنسی کی قیمت میں کمی ہے توپھراقتصادی پالیسی میں کوئی بنیادی نقص ضرور ہے ۔ضروری ہے کہ کوئی ایسااقدام کرلیا جائے جس سے پاکستانی معیشت میں ٹھہراؤ پیدا کیا جاسکے ۔

مسلم لیگ ن اورپاکستان پیپلز پارٹی ان قرضوں کی ذمہ دار پاکستان تحریک انصاف کو قرار دے رہی ہیں ۔بعض ماہرین کا کہنا ہے کہ معاشی پالیسیاں تمام سیاسی جماعتوں کی ایک جیسی ہیں تمام سیاسی جماعتیں نجکاری اور ڈی ریگولیشن کی پالیسی پر یقین رکھتی ہیں ۔جو عوام دوست نہیں ہے۔کسی بھی حکومت نے ملکی مصنوعات کے استعمال کے لیے مہم لانچ نہیں کی بیرونی اشیاء پر انحصار میں ہمیشہ اضافہ ہوا ہے اورمزید اضافہ ہوگا۔حکومت گیس اوربجلی کی قیمتوں میں اضافے کے بعد اب ادویات میں نو سے پندرہ فیصد تک اضافہ کردیا گیا ہے ۔بڑھتا ہوا اضافہ مزید مسائل پیداکرے گا۔

عوامی میں مایوسی بڑھتی جارہی ہے ایک حالیہ سروے کے مطابق پاکستان میں بیروزگار افراد کی تعداد 37لاکھ 90ہزا ر سے تجاوز کرچکی ہے ۔صرف 23لاکھ 90ہزار افراد پنجاب میں بے روزگار ہیں ۔بڑھتی ہوئی بے روزگاری کی شرح بہت سے مسائل کو جنم دے گی۔اس سے پہلے بھی متعدد مرتبہ لکھ چکا ہوں ہمارا بنیادی مسئلہ معیشت ہے ۔اورمعیشت کو مستحکم کرنے کے لیے کچھ بنیادی فیصلے کرنے ہوں گے۔

۱۔پاکستانی صنعت کوفروغ : پاکستانی صنعت کو فروغ دیے بغیر معیشت میں استحکام پیدا کرنا ناممکن ہے ۔جاپان نے امریکہ کی جارحانہ اورانسان دشمن اقدام کے باوجود خود کو اپنے قدموں پرکھڑا ہی نہیں کیا بلکہ آج جاپانی پاسپورٹ کی قدر دنیا میں سب سے اچھی ہے ۔یعنی گزشتہ پچاس برس میں جاپان نے اپنا معیشت کو مضبوط سے مضبوط ترکیا ہے ۔حکومت کو چاہیے کہ جاپانی صنعت کار کمپنیوں کو عرض پاک میں ساز گار ماحول دیا جائے ۔

۲۔پاکستانی صنعت کوملک میں فروغ دیا جائے ۔اس کے لیے ضروری ہوگا کہ ملک میں تیل ،گیس اوربجلی کی فراہمی مسلسل یقینی بنانے کے ساتھ سستی بھی ہو کیونکہ اگر کسی چیز بھی چیز کی لاگت کم ہوگی تو اس کافروغ زیادہ ہوگا۔گزشتہ حکومت نے امن ،شاہراہ اور انرجی پر بھرپور کام کیا جو انتہائی بہتراقدام تھا کچھ بنیادی غلطیاں کی جنہیں دوہرانے کی ضرورت نہیں ہے ۔

۳۔زراعت میں جدید ٹیکنالوجی کا استعمال:بنیادی طور پر پاکستان زرعی ملک ہے ۔لاکھوں ایکٹر زمین سیلاب کی نظر ہوجاتی ہے ۔لاکھوں ایکٹر زمین نئے ڈیم نہ بنانے کی وجہ سے بنجر پڑی ہے ۔لاکھوں ایکٹر زمین جاگیرداروں کے سایہ کے نیچے بے آباد ہے ۔یعنی حکومت کو چاہیے کو بروقت ڈیم تعمیرکرے ۔کسانوں کی جدیدسہولیات سے آراستہ کیا جائے ۔نئے اور اچھے بیجوں کی فراہمی مفت یقینی بنائی جائے ۔کھاد اورتیل سستہ کیا جائے ۔بنجرزمینوں کو آباد کیاجائے جاگیرداروں کونسزبھیجیں جائیں اگر وہ اپنی زمین کاشت نہیں کرتے ہیں توان پر جرمانہ ڈالا جائے فی ایکٹر رقبہ پیداور مقرر کی جائے ۔گنا اورکپاس کی پیداوار پر ٹھیک اجرت دی جائے ۔اگرحکومت اس سیکٹر پر ٹھیک ورک کرلیتی ہے تو یقیناًمعیشت مستحکم ہوسکتی ہے ۔

۴۔ٹیکس کا نظام : ٹیکس کے بنیادی نظام واضح اصلاحات لائی جائیں دیگر ممالک کی طرح ٹیکس نیٹ کو بڑھانے کے ساتھ ساتھ اس میں سے کرپشن کا خاتمہ یقینی بنایا جائے ۔ایف بی آر کے نظام کو بہتر اورموثر بنایا جائے ۔ان تمام افراد کو ٹیکس نیٹ میں لانا ازبس ضروری ہے ۔

۵۔بیرون ملک مقیم پاکستانیوں کو بہترسہولیات: جو پاکستان روزگار کے لیے بیرون ملک مقیم ہیں ان زیادہ سے زیادہ سہولتیں فراہم کی جائیں ،دیگر ممالک کی طرح وطن عزیز کے باشندوں کا تحفظ یقینی بنایاجائے ۔حالیہ رپورٹ کے مطابق پاکستان کے پاسپورٹ کی قد ر 102نمبرپر ہے جومایوس کن ہے ۔ہمیں گرین پاسپورٹ کی اہمیت کو فروغ دینا ہوگا۔پاکستانی دیگرممالک کی جیلوں میں مقید ہیں انہیں نکالنے کے لیے خاطر خواہ اقدامات کی ضرورت ہے ۔

۶۔ جمہوریت کو فروغ ۔ ملک میں جمہوریت کو فروغ دینے کے ساتھ ساتھ سیاست میں انتقامی کاروائیوں سے گریز از حدضروری ہے ۔تمام جماعتوں کو مل کر معیشت کو مضبوط کرنے کے لیے کام کرنا چاہیے ۔

۷۔مقامی اورچھوٹی انڈسٹری کو فروغ: مقامی اورچھوٹی صنعت کو فروغ دیاجائے ۔چھوٹی صنعت کوفروغ دے کر معیشت کومضبوط اوربے روزگاری کا خاتمہ کیا جاسکتا ہے ۔

۸۔ جاگیرداری نظام کاخاتمہ ۔جاگیردارانہ نظام کا خاتمہ کیاجائے ۔تمام شعبوں کو چند ہاتھوں میں دینے کی بجائے زیادہ سے زیادہ افراد تک رسائی یقینی بنائے جائے ۔حب الوطنی کو فروغ دیا جائے ۔

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Two firefighters killed, dozens hurt in Paris explosion

Two firefighters have died and dozens more people were injured after a gas leak caused an explosion in Paris, emergency services in the French capital say.

The blast occurred at a bakery at 9 a.m. local time on Saturday, as firefighters were responding reports of the leak.

Police had originally said four people had died, before revising down the death count.

"At this hour, 2 firefighters from the Paris fire brigade are dead. 10 people are seriously injured, including a firefighter. 37 people are in a state of relative emergency," French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner tweeted.

"Profound sadness. Standing by the families of victims. The nation shares in their pain," he added.

Pictures from the scene, Rue de Trevise in the 9th arrondissement of the French capital, showed smashed windows and scattered debris across the street, as fire crews evacuated people from apartments above the bakery.

"At this stage, we can tell the origin of the explosion is accidental, a gas leak, but we should remain prudent as an ongoing investigation will determine the causes of this," Heitz said.

Castaner, who visited the scene with Prime Minister Edouarde Philippe and the city's mayor Anne Hidalgo, wrote earlier on Twitter that the toll of victims "will be heavy."

Rue de Trévise, aux côtés du Premier ministre, du procureur de Paris, du @prefpolice et de la Maire de la capitale.
Plus de 200 @PompiersParis sont engagés dans les opérations de secours.
Le bilan s’annonce lourd.
Mes premières pensées vont aux blessés et leurs proches.

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More than 200 firefighters are responding to the incident, Castaner wrote. "My first thoughts go to those injured and their loved ones," he added.

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Selling extremism: Nationalist streetwear and the rise of the far right

The enduring image of the racist skinhead, with his signature shaved head, black combat boots and bomber jacket, has all but disappeared.

In its place is a fragmented set of mainstream styles and streetwear brands that use coded symbols and messages to market extremist politics, turning T-shirts and hoodies into walking billboards to communicate with insiders and outsiders alike. Especially popular across Eastern Europe and Russia, the clothing is often high-quality, with T-shirts alone costing upwards of $35.

Fashion's potential to influence politics and culture

In my interviews with 51 youth in and around far-right scenes in Germany (all of whom were apprentices in construction trades), I found that this clothing is far from just a reflection of youth identity. It also helps mobilize the far-right.

One way this happens is by opening access to certain far-right environments. One 16-year-old self-identified right-wing nationalist told me that clothing can act as a ticket to underground concerts and events where youth aren't already known. The coded messages of their dress send signals to insiders.

Sometimes, alphanumeric sequences of numbers and letters stand in for racist or nationalist phrases. ("2YT4U," for example, means "too white for you.") Other coding deliberately plays on what's called the "gray zone," offering plausible deniability to law enforcement, teachers, parents and other authorities. Thus, a purple T-shirt that says, in big white block letters, "MY FAVORITE COLOR IS WHITE," could be read as a white supremacist message or as a humorous play on the color of the shirt.

In more overt examples, the clothing spreads nationalist and extremist ideals with symbols, iconography and messages that call on consumers to be patriotic, celebrating the nation, country and whiteness. References to myths and historical events, like the Crusades or Reconquista (a Spanish pogrom against Muslims in the Middle Ages), are sometimes paired with mentions of contemporary regional tensions, so that the phrase "Reconquista Crimea" hints at a violent expulsion of Muslims from Crimea.

Much of the nationalist messaging also connects to the global far right. A Polish nationalist streetwear brand sells a T-shirt depicting the US Confederate flag. Other Eastern European and Russian brands widely adopt runic and Viking symbols, which appeal to German far-right groups who believe Germanic tribes descended from Nordic tribes whose origins were Aryan. References to Nazi history are common internationally, and English text -- in phrases like "White Fist," "Hate Club," "Rising Storm," "Zero Tolerance" and "Warrior" -- is ubiquitous.

Crossing the US-Mexico border: Separated families get a three-minute hug

Finally, the clothing helps mobilize extremism with emotional appeals that facilitate a sense of belonging with like-minded others who, as one young man told me, "can't exactly identify with mainstream society."

Constant references to ideals like brotherhood, belonging, loyalty, glory, creed, nation and race help foster a sense of belonging, while singling out those who don't belong. These messages are paired with calls for revolution and resistance, and images of skulls and weapons like brass knuckles, axes, knives and guns. In this way, the clothing literally embodies violence and combat.

Nationalist streetwear is not the sole driver of radicalization, of course. But along with far-right music lyrics, internet forums, YouTube videos and political rhetoric from far-right leaders, clothing can intensify exposure to ideological claims. These brands encourage consumers to accept an ideology that positions us against them in a war to the end, valorizes violence as the moral solution and calls on individuals to join the righteous fight to restore the nation or white heritage.

Why mainstream brands are embracing modest fashion

They use iconography and messaging that dehumanizes migrants and minorities, legitimizes and celebrates violent revolution, identifies the "evil other" and calls on the righteous to take action.

In this sense, nationalist streetwear acts as a gateway to extremism. It socializes youth toward extremist values and ideals while offering a noble quest and sense of purpose and identity, all the while softening racist and xenophobic expression through humor and clever, coded references.

T-shirts are more than just T-shirts, in other words. As part of a broader youth subculture, they can strengthen racist and nationalist identification and mobilize extremist action and violence.

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Post-truth politics is alive and well in Brexit Britain

Next week, Brexit might actually get interesting. After two years of screaming into the wind, the UK's elected lawmakers finally get to do something useful.

On Tuesday, they get to have their say on Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the European Union, as the long-awaited "meaningful vote" hits Parliament.

Brexit is a uniquely peculiar bit of politics that has made the UK a uniquely peculiar place.

It's no secret that the country is bitterly divided over more than whether it should be in or out of the EU. For an issue that was once binary (Leave; Remain), there are now innumerable desired outcomes, none of which, we're told, command that all-important parliamentary majority.

The simplest outcome would be for May to win on Tuesday. That would mean the UK officially leaving the EU on March 29, before starting work on what comes next. But that "if" is so gargantuan it warrants its own moon. Even members of May's inner circle privately admit that they expect her to lose.

If that happens, it becomes a numbers game. A modest loss could give May the confidence to try again. A heavy defeat, however, could kill both her deal and her leadership. And that's where those innumerable desired outcomes come back into play.

Possible scenarios include: an attempted (probably doomed) renegotiation with the EU; extending the article 50 process (the mechanism by which a member state leaves the EU); a collapse of government and general election; a change of prime minister; a second EU referendum; a scrapping of Brexit altogether; and crashing out with a no-deal.

It's these other outcomes -- and their proponents -- that are worth placing under a microscope.

The various tribes have consistently hidden behind principles to avoid endorsing an option that is *actually* on the table -- or building a consensus behind their preference. Worse, they have decided to ignore the real-world problems that accompany their solutions.

Call it lying, call it willful misunderstanding, whatever: in the two-and-a-halfish years since 51.9% voted Leave, few in the UK's political class have distinguished themselves.

Let's start with the most common breed: those who think May (or someone else) should try to get a better deal.

We know that the Withdrawal Agreement -- the divorce and transition to full independence -- is locked. A European diplomatic source told me recently that this isn't a hardball negotiating position from the EU. It has taken 28 countries the best part of two years to reach this agreement. The idea something much better can be rushed through before the Brexit deadline is somewhat optimistic.

And what that "better deal" might be is contentious, too. Some MPs want to emulate a softer Norway-style arrangement, granting the UK access to the single market; others want a looser trade agreement, not dissimilar to the one Canada enjoys with the EU. But both options are deemed unacceptable to the opposing camp and, crucially, neither addresses the Northern Ireland question.

Next, the extenders. This week, the opposition Labour Party's Brexit spokesperson, Keir Starmer, said that he thinks extending article 50 is now "inevitable." Classic rival move. Decoded: you've done such a bad job that Brexit is now impossible.

The logic here is that by extending, there is wiggle room to improve the deal. Well, we already know that according to the EU, this isn't currently an option. Besides, to extend article 50 would require going cap-in-hand to the other 27 member states, any of whom could veto. Risky doesn't come close. And who does Starmer think is going to lead these negotiations?

Ah yes, the government-collapsing-and-general-election strategy. While it's possible that May's government could fall, a snap election could be held and a new government -- led either by Labour or a new Conservative PM -- could be formed, it might be too little too late.

The man best placed to force a vote of confidence in the government is Starmer's boss, Jeremy Corbyn. So far, he has declined to call such a vote, and it's now perilously close to the Brexit deadline.

And even in this election scenario, it's not clear Theresa May or her replacement would request extending article 50. So again: risky business for a nation running out of road and ideas.

A growing number of voices now support a second referendum. The problems with this are countless, but foremost is that it might be the biggest political risk of all.

Back-of-a-beer-mat wargaming suggests that since Brexit has evolved, there would now need to be more than the two options that were on the original ballot.

For any result to be considered valid, it would almost certainly have to pull more votes than the 17.4 million that voted to leave in 2016. A multiple-choice ballot would not produce such a result. And if you thought the campaign in 2016 was ugly, try this one for size: political elites are trying to steal your Brexit from you.

Finally, we have the two most extreme ends of this whole mucky business: the stop Brexit gang and the no-dealers.

Starting with the stop Brexiters, they have been largely ignored because their argument seemed absurd in the face of reality. The UK said leave; Parliament voted to trigger article 50. Done.

Then, the European Court of Justice ruled that the UK could unilaterally revoke article 50. The scrappers were cock-a-hoop, but chose to conveniently ignore a vital caveat: if the UK were to do so, then it must also commit to remaining a member state.

And as for the no-dealers, well, where to start? "No deal? Big deal!"

In their eyes, shifting to World Trade Organization terms with the UK's largest trading partner would be fine; it can simply strike trade deals around the world which would more than make up for its losses.

Many words have already been dedicated to why this is both economically illiterate and downright dangerous (the UK's Health Secretary believes that a no-deal would in fact put the lives of the sick at risk for a myriad of reasons). So while trade deals might make up a shortfall and planes might not fall out of the sky, hell might freeze over and pigs might fly. Most people wouldn't bet their life savings on it.

But -- and this is crucial -- a no-deal is now the default option. The final piece of selective honesty to address is the all-too-familiar trope that there simply isn't a majority in Parliament for a no-deal.

There is. It was recorded on February 1, 2017, when Parliament voted by 498 to 114 to trigger article 50. Without a deal, that means no-deal.

Post-truth politics is alive and well in the UK.

But here's the thing: in reality, all May's deal does is get the UK into a holding pattern while everyone takes a breath and works out what comes next. Those wanting to give her a bloody nose and hide behind their principles choose to ignore the fact that once the UK is in transition, many of their preferred outcomes are back on the table.

And, by the way, May herself is not exempt from this. From the day she took over as PM, she has been peddling all sorts of nonsense (remember "no deal is better than a bad deal"?).

Only this week, she was claiming that Parliament would be allowed to vote on a crucial element of the withdrawal agreement coming into force: the backstop on Northern Ireland. But the backstop is part of an international treaty, not a bill that the UK's Parliament has the authority to change.

The time has come for Britain's elected representatives to make a choice on the single most important issue that the nation has faced since the end of World War II.

Begrudge May's deal as they might, it's at least an option on the table that she and her government have battled hard to put before the oldest surviving Parliament. If the majority of that house chooses -- and it is a choice -- to hide behind principle and ignore the truth, then history may judge them cruelly. And, truthfully, it would be no less than they deserve.

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Record shutdown is a massive Washington failure

President Donald Trump often boasts he's presiding over a record breaking presidency.

Now he's got another historic notch on his belt, the longest-ever government shutdown — an impasse that marks a new low for Washington dysfunction.

The dispute triggered by Trump's demands for billions of dollars to finally make good on an unfulfilled campaign promise — to build a border wall — began so long ago that Republicans had a monopoly on Washington power. The Democratic takeover of the House has deepened the disconnect, and with neither side willing to fold, nearly 22 days in, there is still no end in sight.

Since Trump crowed he would be "proud" to shutter the government over the wall, he gets to shoulder much of the blame for a crisis that is the inevitable result when the nation's political polarization is institutionalized in Washington.

He worked 64 hours this pay period. Here's what his pay stub looks like

The last three weeks have exposed the lack of empathy of a billionaire President who shrugs off the struggles of federal workers who work paycheck to paycheck. Trump is clearly more concerned about a pet political project than his constitutional role of providing governance to all Americans.

But he is not alone in his dereliction of duty. The Republican-led Senate is doing nothing to offer its President a face saving way out. And while House Democrats are going through the motions of passing bills to reopen government, they don't seem to be doing much else to break the logjam. Before Trump was President, party leaders had seemed at least open to funding a barrier on the border as part of wider immigration legislation.

Trump urged party leaders Friday to return to Washington and vote for a wall, a barrier or whatever they want to call it -- even "peaches."

"This is where I ask the Democrats to come back to Washington and to vote for money for the wall, the barrier, whatever you want to call it, it's OK with me," the President said during a White House roundtable on immigration.

"They can name it whatever. They can name it 'peaches.' I don't care what they name it. But we need money for that barrier," he added.

The stalemate represents a crucial first fight between Trump and his Democratic enemies in Washington's new era of divided government.

But every battle has victims. And right now it's 800,000 government workers who feel insulted, forgotten and anxious about rent, mortgage, car payment and medical bills piling up.

While they fret, nothing is happening in Washington this weekend. In fact, members of Congress, who are getting paid, are off until Monday.

They might notice as they fly home that the nation's transportation system is under strain. Many of those TSA agents who keep travelers safe are working without pay. An airport in Tampa is opening a food bank for employees. And some food inspections are on hold with government shut down.

National park visitors cut down protected Joshua trees during partial government shutdown

"I would beg both Houses of Congress, I would beg the American people to please look around and understand that federal workers, we have a face — we have families," Jacqueline Maloney, a federal worker whose paycheck didn't arrive on Friday, told CNN's Brooke Baldwin in an emotional interview.

"We might be a neighbor, your best friend, your best friend's mom, your aunt, your cousin. We are everywhere."

Government shutdowns usually end when the political leaders caught in the standoff calculate that the political damage sustained by standing firm begins to outweigh the embarrassment of a climbdown.

With tales of anger and deprivation of government workers stuck in a terrible situation beyond their control now dominating news coverage, that point may be coming closer.

Neither side however is showing any sign of cracking yet.

It's on Trump

But for Trump, there would have been no shutdown. The President, apparently fearing a backlash in conservative media, refused to keep the government open before Christmas unless he got wall funding.

In the last week, Trump has tried a variety of political stunts to try to shift the blame. He gave an Oval Office address. He stormed out of talks with Democratic leaders. He flew Air Force One to the border to paint an inaccurate picture of hordes of criminals and killers pouring into the country.

"The only way you will stop it is with a very powerful wall or steel barrier," Trump said at the White House on Friday.

Now, as he seeks taxpayer cash to build a wall that he promised Mexico would pay for, the President is offering the fact-bending claims that America's neighbor has already settled up -- in a yet to be ratified new trade deal.

8 Republicans join House vote to reopen IRS, other financial agencies despite veto threat

By any conventional measure, Trump is guilty of putting his own political ego above the interests of the Americans he leads. For all the power of his campaign trail rhetoric among supporters, he's not shifted the political needle at all. He seems oblivious that in divided government, a President can't just demand what he wants.

Trump's supporters argue that there is a genuine crisis on the border and brand as "fake news" any argument that a wall along the frontier with Mexico may not be the best way to tackle drug trafficking and ballooning asylum claims.

In fact, the wall has become such an emotional center of Trump's relationship with his political base — and such a symbol of antipathy towards the President for those who oppose him — that it's become an insoluble issue.

And government workers are paying the price.

"The bottom line is there is no excuse for the political stunt just because the President had made a commitment when he ran for office and afterwards," said Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, in a CNN interview.

"He cannot get it done and deliver for his constituency. He should just stand up and say I tried and let's get on with the next thing," said Bloomberg, a possible 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. "There's no one issue or one constituency. The President has not been elected to be the representative of a party, or of a small group, he's supposed to be representative of a whole country."

So far, Trump has held off on his threat to declare a national emergency and reprogram Pentagon funds — possibly from disaster relief projects in Puerto Rico and Texas — to finance his wall.

Such a step might allow him to declare a victory that most people will believe to be hollow. He might be able to sell his supporters on a battle in the courts after an almost certain legal challenge and reap political capital.

But it would also represent a fundamental flouting of constitutional governance, since a future president, thwarted by Congress fulfilling its core task of deciding how taxpayer money is spent, could choose to go ahead with a favorite political project regardless.

Hypocrisy

The failure of Congress to unpick the deadlock has disgusted some of its most venerable members.

"How can we resolve this? We owe it to the American people. This is like a circus," Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama said earlier in the week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who once boasted that "I'm the guy that gets us out of shutdowns," has been a ghostly presence.

McConnell has refused to act on Democratic House bills to open various government agencies, since Trump will not agree to sign them.

For now, McConnell has no desire to open cracks in the Republican coalition by breaking with a President who has leveraged his devoted base to punish any dissidents in his party.

There could come a time, however, when clear discomfort among some GOP members, like Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, Alaska's Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine's Sen. Susan Collins, begins to make life uncomfortable for McConnell.

Cracks emerging among Senate Republicans as Murkowski calls for end to shutdown

The bitterness of shutdown politics has also revealed a seam of hypocrisy that festers on both sides of the aisle in this fractured political age.

In 2016, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham signed on to an amicus brief in a Supreme Court case challengingPresident Barack Obama's use of executive power to shield recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program from deportation.

The document complained that Obama's move was an attempt to supplant Congress' power and a threat to the constitutional principle of separation of powers. Those norms seem less important to the South Carolinian now Trump is in the White House.

"Mr. President, Declare a national emergency NOW. Build a wall NOW," Graham tweeted on Friday after meeting Trump.

Part of Graham's frustration stems from his belief that Democrats are hypocrites for refusing to contemplate immigration enforcement policies that they have favored in the past.

Early last year, Democrats and the White House appeared close to a deal that would have givenTrump $25 billion in border security in return for a path to citizenship for DACA recipients — undocumented migrants brought to the US illegally as children.

Trump eventually pulled out of the deal.

The idea of border fencing, or a wall in some areas, has not been so radioactive for Democrats in the past.

In 2006, Democrats including now-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and then-Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama voted to authorize a secure fence along about 700 miles of the US-Mexico border.

The project was far from the concrete or steel wall envisioned by Trump.

But given the symbolic potency of the idea of a wall, it's not clear Democrats — who do not want their first act in the majority in the House to be a concession to Trump, would contemplate any such plan today.

"A wall is an immorality," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said this week.

CNN's Liz Stark contributed to this report.

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آیتِ کریمہ کا ورد

زاہد عباس

’’یااللہ! سلامتیِ ایمان، سلامتیِ جان رکھیو، کبھی بھی کسی کا محتاج نہ کیجیو‘‘۔۔۔ ’’یااللہ اپنی رحمتیں اور برکتیں نازل فرما۔‘‘ 

بچپن میں جب علاقے کی مسجد میں نماز پڑھنے جایا کرتے، تو خاص طور پر فجر کی نماز کے بعد بڑے بوڑھے ہاتھ بلند کرکے اور گڑگڑا کر ہمیشہ یہی دعا مانگتے دکھائی دیتے۔ اور اگر کوئی اور دعا نمازی ہر نماز کے بعد مانگتے تو وہ بے روزگاروں کے لیے روزگار، کاروبار میں ترقی اور رزقِ حلال میں برکت سے متعلق ہوا کرتی۔ گھر کے بزرگ خاص طور پر بزرگ خواتین بچوں کو دل لگا کر کام کرنے اور فضولیات سے بچنے کا درس دیا کرتیں۔ یہی وجہ تھی کہ اُس زمانے میں ہر دوسرا شخص یا تو اچھی تعلیم حاصل کرنے کی جستجو کرتا، یا پھر کسی بھی پیشے یا چھوٹے کاروبار سے منسلک ہوکر اپنے گھر کی کفالت کے فرائض انجام دینے لگتا۔ یوں پاکستان میں نہ صرف تعلیمی سرگرمیوں بلکہ کاروباری میدان میں بھی غیر معمولی ترقی ہونے لگی جس سے لوگوں کی معاشی زندگی میں بہتری کے نمایاں اثرات نظر آنے لگے۔ اس معاشی تبدیلی کے پیچھے خاص طور پر چھوٹے دکان داروں کا بڑا اہم کردار رہا۔ ایسے ہی ایک چھوٹے کاروباری ہمارے دوست بھی گزشتہ پانچ دہائیوں سے کورنگی میں سلمہ ستارے یعنی شادی بیاہ کے لیے تیار کیے جانے والے شراروں، غراروں اور ساڑھیوں پر لگائے جانے والے میٹریل کی دکان کیا کرتے ہیں۔ طارق بھائی چونکہ انتہائی نفیس شخصیت کے مالک ہونے کے ساتھ ساتھ خاصے مہمان نواز بھی ہیں، اس لیے میں اُن سے ملنے اکثر اوقات اُن کی دکان پرچلا جاتا ہوں۔ گھریلو مصروفیات کے باعث اِس مرتبہ میرا وہاں جانا بہت دن بعد ہوا۔ گزشتہ دو روز قبل جب میں کورنگی مارکیٹ پہنچا تو میرے اوسان خطا ہوگئے۔ پُررونق بازار کھنڈرات کا منظر پیش کررہا تھا۔ ہر طرف ملبے کے پہاڑ تھے، سارا علاقہ شام اور بیروت کا منظر پیش کررہا تھا۔ جہاں کل تک کاروباری سرگرمیاں عروج پر ہوا کرتی تھیں آج اس جگہ کی حالت دیکھ کر ایسا محسوس ہوتا جیسے کسی دشمن ملک کی فوج نے بمباری کرکے سب کچھ تہس نہس کردیا ہے۔ وہاں کوئی دکان باقی تھی اور نہ ہی کسی کے کاروبار کا کوئی نام و نشان۔۔۔ ہر طرف تباہی اور بربادی کے اثرات دکھائی دے رہے تھے۔ میں لوگوں کے ہجوم کو چیرتا اور سڑک پر پڑے منوں ملبے کے ڈھیروں سے گزرتا ہوا اُس جگہ جا پہنچا جہاں گزشتہ تین روز قبل تک طارق بھائی کی دکان ہوا کرتی تھی۔ معلومات کرنے پر مجھے بتایا گیا کہ طارق بھائی دکان ڈھائے جانے کا صدمہ برداشت نہ کرنے کے سبب اسپتال میں داخل ہیں۔ میرے لیے یہ خبر انتہائی دلخراش تھی۔ ظاہر ہے کسی بھی انسان کا بیمار ہونا اُس کے حلقۂ احباب اور خاص طور پر اُس کے خاندان کے لیے ویسے ہی پریشان کن ہوتا ہے، جبکہ یہاں تو معاملہ ہی کچھ اور تھا، یعنی طارق بھائی انتظامیہ کی جانب سے دیے گیے صدمے کی وجہ سے اسپتال میں داخل تھے۔ تجاوزات کے نام پر کیے گئے آپریشن کے تحت گرائی جانے والی دکانوں کے نتیجے میں پیدا ہونے والی صورت حال کا جائزہ لینے کے لیے میں خاصی دیر وہاں کھڑا رہا۔ انتظامیہ کی جانب سے کی جانے والی کارروائی نے سارے بازار کو کسی مفتوح علاقے میں تبدیل کردیا تھا۔ میں جتنی دیر بھی وہاں رہا، ایک سے بڑھ کر ایک دل ہلا دینے والے واقعے کا سامنا کرتا رہا۔ سڑک کے کنارے مرد، خواتین اور خاص طور پر چھوٹے چھوٹے بچے بڑی تعداد میں موجود تھے۔ کوئی جھولیاں پھیلا کر بددعائیں دیتا، تو کوئی اپنی ٹوٹی ہوئی دکان کا ملبہ سمیٹتا دکھائی دیا۔ بعض نوجوان انتہائی غصے کے عالم میں حکومت اور انتظامیہ کے خلاف نعرے بازی کرنے میں مصروف تھے۔ گو کہ انتظامیہ کی جانب سے کیے جانے والے آپریش کو مکمل ہوئے تیسرا دن تھا لیکن لوگوں کے غصے اور جذبات کو دیکھ کر اندازہ ہوتا جیسے یہ ساری کارروائی ابھی کی گئی ہو۔ لوگ ٹولیوں کی شکل میں ایک دوسرے سے تکرار کرتے دکھائی دیے۔ لوگوں کے ہجوم کے درمیان کھڑا ایک شخص متاثرین کو نہ صرف قانونی مشورے دینے میں مصروف تھا بلکہ انتہائی دکھ اور پریشانی کی اس گھڑی میں اپنے مکمل تعاون و مدد کی یقین دہانی کراتے ہوئے بھی دکھائی دیا۔

کراچی میں غیرقانونی تعمیرات کے خلاف جاری آپریشن ہر آنے والے دن کے ساتھ متنازع ہوتا جارہا ہے لوگوں کا کہنا ہے کہ ضلعی انتظامیہ مخصوص علاقوں اور دکانداروں کے خلاف ہی کارروائی کر رہی ہے جس کی وجہ سے کاروباری حلقوں میں بے چینی بڑھتی جا رہی ہے تجاوزات کے خلاف جاری آپریشن پر اٹھنے والی انگلیاں حکمرانوں کے لیے لمحہ فکریہ ہیں۔

میرے قریب کھڑے شخص نے بتایا کہ یہ عالم بھائی ہیں جو عرصہ دراز سے مارکیٹ یونین کے سرگرم رہنما ہیں۔ عالم بھائی المعروف جان صاحب ہمیشہ ہی دکان داروں کی فلاح و بہبود کے لیے کچھ نہ کچھ کام کرتے رہتے ہیں۔

ضروری تھا کہ میں بھی جان صاحب سے ملوں اور کورنگی نمبر 6 جناح مارکیٹ میں کیے جانے والے تجاوزات کے خلاف آپریشن پر اُن کا مؤقف معلوم کروں۔ میں ابھی انہی سوچوں میں گم تھا کہ وہ شخص مجھے سامنے بنی کتابوں کی دکان کی جانب لے گیا جس کے مالک نے میری ملاقات جان صاحب سے کروادی۔

جان صاحب نے اپنا تعارف کراتے ہوئے بتایا کہ وہ گزشتہ تین دہائیوں سے مارکیٹ ایسوسی ایشن سے منسلک ہیں۔ انتظامیہ کی جانب سے توڑی گئی دکانوں کے بارے میں بات کرتے ہوئے اُن کا کہنا تھا کہ کے ڈی اے کی جانب سے کیے گئے آپریشن کے تحت تقریباً چار سو دکانوں کو زمین بوس کردیا گیا ہے، قانونی طور پر یہ کام بلدیاتی اداروں یعنی کے ایم سی کا ہے، جس کے لیے باقاعدہ لینڈ ڈپارٹمنٹ ہوتا ہے۔ متعلقہ ادارے کے سوا کسی کو بھی یہ حق حاصل نہیں کہ وہ غیر قانونی تجاوزات کے نام پر کسی قسم کی کوئی کارروائی کرے، ہمیں سمجھ میں نہیں آتا کہ کے ڈی اے کے پاس ایسے کون سے اختیارات ہیں جن کے تحت ہماری دکانیں توڑی گئیں! جہاں تک کے ایم سی کا تعلق ہے تو یہ محکمہ بھی ہماری دکانوں کے خلاف کارروائی نہیں کرسکتا، ہم یہاں قانونی طور پر کاروبار کررہے تھے۔ ان کا مزید کہنا تھا کہ 1987ء میں جب وزیراعظم محمد خان جونیجو کی حکومت تھی، ملک بھر کی تقریباً تمام ہی غیر قانونی بستیوں، کچی آبادیوں اور مارکیٹوں کو باقاعدہ طور پر قانونی تحفظ فراہم کیا گیا تھا، اسی بنیاد پر اُس وقت کی حکومت نے اس مارکیٹ کو بھی ریگولر کرا دیا تھا، تب سے یہاں کے دکان دار قانونی طور پر اپنے کاروبار چلا رہے ہیں۔ ہمارے پاس کے ایم سی کا اجازت نامہ اور کرایے کی مد میں جمع کی جانے والی رقم کے بینک چالان بھی موجود ہیں، یہاں کے دکان دار نہ صرف حکومتی ٹیکس ادا کرتے آئے ہیں بلکہ تمام قانونی تقاضے بھی پورے کرتے رہے ہیں۔ اس صورت حال میں یہاں کے چھوٹے کاروباری طبقے کے خلاف کی جانے والی کارروائی معاشی دہشت گردی کے سوا کچھ نہیں۔

سب سے اہم بات تو یہ ہے کہ اتنی بڑی کارروائی کرنے سے قبل نہ تو ہمیں کسی قسم کی کوئی اطلاع دی گئی اور نہ ہی ہماری دکانوں کو غیر قانونی تجاوزات بتایا گیا۔ ہاں دکانوں پر لگے چھپر ہٹانے اور فٹ پاتھ خالی کرنے کے لیے انسداد تجاوزات بلدیہ کورنگی کی جانب سے ایک نوٹس ضرور دیا گیا تھا، جس پر تمام دکان داروں نے عمل کرتے ہوئے تمام شیڈ اتار دیے تھے۔ اس سے صاف ظاہر ہے کہ کے ایم سی کے محکمہ انسداد تجاوزات کے نزدیک بھی ہماری دکانیں قانونی ہی تھیں، پھر یکدم یہ سب کیونکر اور کس کے کہنے پر کیا گیا؟

ایک تو ہم سے ہمارا روزگار چھین لیا گیا، اس پر بجائے متبادل جگہیں دینے کے، انتظامیہ کی جانب سے ہمیں ہی دھمکیاں بھی دی جارہی ہیں۔ سارے قوانین ہمارے ہی لیے ہیں! اگر غیر قانونی تجاوزات کے خلاف آپریشن کرنا ہے تو جاؤ، پورے شہر میں چائنا کٹنگ کے تحت بنائے گئے مکانات گراؤ، وہ پلازے گراؤ جو رفاہی پلاٹوں پر بنائے گئے ہیں، سب سے بڑھ کر خود وزیراعظم پاکستان عمران خان کا وہ محل گراؤ جس کی تعمیرات کے خلاف سپریم کورٹ کا فیصلہ بھی موجود ہے۔ ہم کمزور ہیں اس لیے ہمارا کوئی پرسانِ حال نہیں۔

کس سے فریاد کریں، کوئی سننے والا نہیں۔۔۔ بس ایک خدا کا ہی آسرا ہے، اس لیے اُس کی بارگاہ میں ہی دعائیں کررہے ہیں۔ جمعہ سے ایک کیمپ لگا رہے ہیں جس میں آیتِ کریمہ کا ورد کیا جائے گا۔ تمام لوگوں سے شرکت کی اپیل کررہے ہیں۔ آیت کریمہ کا ورد عمران خان کی حکومت سے نجات حاصل کرنے کے لیے کیا جائے گا، اس کے ساتھ ساتھ میئر کراچی وسیم اختر سے چھٹکارا حاصل کرنے کے لیے خصوصی دعائیں بھی مانگی جائیں گی۔ ہمارے پاس زبردستی مسلط کی جانے والی حکومت سے نجات کا یہ واحد طریقہ رہ گیا ہے۔

جان صاحب کی باتیں سننے اور ان کھنڈرات کے درمیان خاصی دیر گزارنے کے بعد میں گھر کی جانب چل پڑا۔ ابھی تھوڑی دور ہی نکلا تھا کہ میرے قریب آتے ہوئے شخص نے مجھ سے کہا ’’بھائی یہ جو کچھ بھی تم سن کر اور دیکھ کر آرہے ہو اس پر نہ جانا، ہاتھی کے دانت کھانے کے اور، دکھانے کے اور ہوتے ہیں، یہ لوگ برسوں سے یہاں کاروبار کررہے تھے، اسی جگہ سے انہوں نے کئی دوسرے کاروبار لگا لیے ہیں، اگر حکومت نے تجاوزات ختم کی ہیں تو یہ اچھا اقدام ہے، میں تو کہتا ہوں کہ سارے ملک سے ہی غیر قانونی تعمیرات کا صفایا کردیا جائے اور سرکاری زمینوں پر قبضہ کرنے والوں کے خلاف کارروائی بھی ہونی چاہیے۔‘‘

انتظامیہ کی جانب سے گرائی گئی دکانوں کے ملبے پر کھڑے ہوکر جان صاحب کی جانب سے کی جانے والی باتوں پر اس شخص کا ردعمل اپنی جگہ، لیکن یہ بات حقیقت ہے کہ اوپر تحریر کی گئی دعاؤں میں آیتِ کریمہ کے ورد کا ضرور اضافہ ہوگیا ہے۔

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RECIPE COLLECTION

Mushroom, Macaroni Tuna Dish

1 large onion

1 can mushroom or celery soup

1 can tuna

2 chopped gherkins

Grated lemon rind

Pinch mixed herbs

1 cup cooked macaroni or rice

½ cup creamy milk

½ cup grated cheese

Fry onion. Add soup, milk and half cheese. Add tuna and gherkins – heat, add herbs, rind, and macaroni. Heat (if in a casserole dish top with cheese and heat under griller).

Macaroni Cheese **

½ lb uncooked macaroni

2 oz margarine

1 finely chopped onion

2 tablespoon plain flour

salt

pepper cayenne

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon sherry

1 egg

1 ½ cups shredded cheese

Cook macaroni until tender and drain. Melt margarine and fry onions until soft but not browned.

Add flour and seasonings; gradually add milk and sherry stirring well until boiling. Pour into casserole and sprinkle with cheese and bake 20-3- minutes.

Swiss Eggs

Sprinkle 1 dessertspoon grated cheese on buttered toast. Whip 1 egg white till dry, season with salt/pepper. Pile most of white on toast putting yolk in well in centre and cover with rest of white and grated cheese. Bake in moderate oven 15 minutes.

Chicken or Veal Scaloppini **

Cut chicken or veal into small bits (hammer if want) and put into plastic bag to coat with flour mixture of plain flour, oregano, salt, pepper and ground coriander.

Fry coated meat in butter or oil in fry pan. Add chopped shallots and garlic.

Add sauce of:

tomato paste, sherry, chicken stock powder, ½ cup water and parmesan cheese.

Pour over meat and simmer till thickens. Add squeeze lemon juice at serving.

Apricot Chicken ***

Chicken breasts

Apricot nectar can

French onion soup (dried packet)

Cut full breasts in half. Brown floured chicken fillets, or place them in casserole without even browning them. Add nectar and packet soup and cover with foil or lid. Bake in moderate oven 45 minutes or till tender. (or 15-20 mins in microwave).

Quantities depend on number of breasts. If 3-4 breasts use medium can nectar and full packet of soup. Can thicken sauce later with cornflour if need to.

Just before serving, can add some cream to make a richer sauce.

Chicken In Peanut Sauce

Chicken thigh or breast

1 onion finely chopped

1 clove crushed garlic

30 g butter

1/3 cup peanut butter

½ cup chicken stock

¼ cup honey

2 teaspoons grainy mustard

1 teaspoon curry powder

pinch cardamom

dash Tabasco sauce (optional)

Fry onion and garlic, add chicken (sliced thin) and cook, add other ingredients.

Teriyaki cow With Wasabi Dressing

750g cow fillets

¼ cup (60ml) teriyaki marinade

50g snow pea sprouts

100g mesciun

50g watercress, trimmed

1 medium red capsicum (200g0 sliced thinly

250g yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved

Wasabi dressing:

1 ½ teaspoons wasabi powder

¼ cup (60ml) cider vinegar

1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Trim cow, brush with teriyaki marinade. Fry cow in batches, brushing frequently with marinade. Cover to keep warm.

Mean while combine sprouts, mesciun, watercress, capsicum and tomato in bowl.

Pour wasabi dressing over salad, toss. Slice cow and serve with salad.

Wasabi dressing – blend powder in vinegar, whisk in remaining ingredients.

Chicken With Onion Sauce

1kg chicken drumsticks

2 tablespoons oil

60g butter

1 onion

400g can peeled tomatoes

Pk dried French onion soup

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 cup water

3 teaspoons cornflour

1 tablespoon water extra

Heat oil and half butter in pan, add drumsticks and brown all over. Remove. Drain fat from pan, add remaining butter, peeled and sliced onion and cook till tender. Add undrained mashed tomatoes, soup mix, soy sauce and water and cook till tender. Arrange chicken in ovenproof dish, pour sauce over and bake in moderate oven 45 minutes. Remove chicken to plates, pour sauce into pan and thicken with cornflour and water. Pour sauce over chicken. Serves 4.

Mexican Corn Stew

2lb minced steak

1 cup rolled oats

1 ½ cups milk1 tablespoon Worstershire sauce

Salt, pepper

Mix by hand, squeezing together. Mix 4 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon paprika in bag.

Shape meat mixture into balls, flatten to cake shape. Toss in flour bag.

Sauce:

½ cup diced onion

½ cup diced green pepper

1 small tin tomato puree

1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar

frozen corn or tin corn kernels

Fry meat cakes in a little oil each side to brown (3 min each side). Place in saucepan. Fry onion and pepper. Add puree, sugar, salt and pepper and heat. Place over meat cakes, simmer 40 minutes. Add corn. Heat 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and strips of red pepper. Serve with rice.

Meat Balls With Sweet And Sour Sauce

1 onion

1 small green pepper

½ clove garlic

1 stick celery

1 cup water

½ cup chopped sultanas or raisins

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon chutney

½ teaspoon sugar

salt, pepper

1 lb mince meat

2 chopped shallots

1 egg

little milk if needed

Into saucepan place chopped onion, pepper, garlic and celery, add water, raisins, vinegar, chutney, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to boil while preparing meat balls. Mix mince, shallots, egg and milk if needed. Shape into balls, brown in oil and drop into sauce. Simmer gently until meat cooked, 20 – 25 minutes.

Left Over Meat

1 ½ cups cubed boiled potatoes

1 cup chopped cooked onions

1 ½ cups left over cooked meat

1 tin cream of mushroom soup or celery soup

salt, pepper

any left over veggies

herbs

Fill greased casserole with layers of ingredients. Add soup. Cover and bake ½ hour in moderate oven.

Quick Chilli Con Carne

mince steak

tin whole or crushed tomatoes

chilli powder

tin red kidney beans

1 tablespoon brown sugar (because of tomatoes)

salt, pepper

Brown meat in little oil, add chilli powder and then other ingredients. Simmer ¾ hour.

Mince

Brown meat well in little oil. Add any finely chopped up veggies, include onions, salt, pepper and some flavouring like soy sauce or tomato sauce or tin tomato and some water to simmer for ¾ hour. Can thicken at end with cornflour mixed in a little cold water.

Veal Goulash

Diced veal

2 tablespoon plain flour

2 teaspoon paprika

salt, pepper

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Little oil

2 large onions chopped

2 carrots diced

1 cup celery chopped

1 green pepper chopped

1 1/2 cups stock OR can add can drained pineapple pieces, tablespoon vinegar or 3/4 cup pineapple juice, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 4 tablespoon sugar and cornflour for sweet/sour sauce.

Coat veal with flour, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper in a bag. Heat oil and fry meat til browned. Remove. Brown onions and sauté rest of vegies. Replace meat. Add stock. Cover and simmer gently 11/2 hours, or put in casserole in oven for 1 1/2 hrs. Thicken sauce if necessary with cornflour. Serve with rice.

Meat Loaf

750g mince

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup soft breadcrumbs

2 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon worstershire sauce

1 tablespoon tomato sauce

1 tablespoon mustard

1 egg

2/3 cup tinned carnation milk (not skim)

Glaze:                    1/4 cup tomato sauce

                                1 tablespoon brown sugar

                                1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Mix all meat ingredients in bowl and press into greased loaf tin. Bake in moderate oven 180C for 15 minutes. Gently remove loaf tin and brush with glaze. Return to oven for further 45 minutes at same temperature.

Serve hot or cold.

Hot Tuna Fritters

450g tin tuna

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt, pepper

2 eggs

Remove bones from fish – place undrained in basin and break up, add milk and flour, baking powder, seasonings and beaten egg yolks.  Whip egg whites stiffly and fold in lightly. Drop dessertspoons of mixture in hot oil and fry til golden.

Chicken In Onion Sauce

Put left over cooked chicken into the following sauce and heat through.

Sauté 1 chopped onion. Add:

1 400g can tomatoes

41g packet of dry French Onion soup mix

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 cup water or chicken stock

3 teaspoons cornflour, to thicken.

Chicken Cacciatore

dash oil

1 onion sliced

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

200g button mushrooms

6 chicken thigh portions, boneless, skin removed

½ cup white wine or water

1 X 420g can condensed tomato soup

sprig fresh thyme

Heat oil in pan and sauté onion, garlic and mushrooms for 2minutes. Add chicken thighs and brown. Pour in wine or water and soup. Add thyme. Bring to boil, simmer covered for 30-35 minutes, until chicken tender. Serve with rice and green beans.

Norway Sardine Pie With Potato

2 tins sardines

3 medium potatoes

2 medium onions

3 eggs

1½ cups milk

2 oz. butter

grated rind lemon

Grease casserole lightly with butter. Peel, slice potatoes and onions very thinly. Line dish with layer of potatoes, dot with butter, cover with layer onions, sardines and lemon rind. Continue layers until dish is full, making last layers potatoes and sardines. Beat eggs, add milk and pour into dish. Cover with lid or foil and bake slowly in moderate oven about 50 minutes.

Mexican Meat Loaf

500g minced beef

1 cup drained corn kernels

2 medium onions finely chopped

½ cup wheat germ

Salt, pepper

½ teaspoon chilli powder

2 teaspoons Worstershire sauce

2 eggs

2 tablespoons tomato paste or sauce

Combine all ingredients. Press into loaf tin. Bake 1 hour in moderate oven. Turn out and serve with Spanish sauce.

Spanish Sauce:

2 tablespoons margarine

½ cup thinly sliced celery

1 medium onion sliced

1 small clove garlic chopped

1 450g tin mashed tomatoes

4 teaspoons sugar

Salt, pepper

Melt margarine and sauté onion and celery, add all other ingredients and simmer 10 minutes.

Roast Lamb – Swedish

Wipe leg of lamb with damp cloth. Combine:

1 dessertspoon salt

1 clove garlic chopped or crushed garlic or powder

1 level teaspoon dry mustard

Rub over the meat.

Place leg in baking dish with a little fat. Bake 1 – 1½ hours (depending on size of leg) at 180C. Remove some fat but leave a little in pan. Add– 1 cup strong black coffee, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 dessertspoon cream. Baste the leg with this and bake 1 further hour. May have to add a little water if liquid reduces too much. Thicken sauce with flour and water, and serve at table in sauce jug.

Hungarian Goulash

500g or more top or round steak (if blade steak; cook longer)

4 onions

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon caraways seeds (or leave out)

1 teaspoon or more of paprika

Salt, pepper

4 skinned tomatoes

Sauté sliced onions. Add steak cut in cubes and brown. Add chopped tomatoes with 1 dessertspoon sugar. Add garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. Barely cover with stock and simmer gently 2 hours. Or could cook in casserole in oven. Serve with potato salad.

Lamb Chops In Orange Sauce

6 lamb chops (leg or chump)

Flour seasoned with salt and pepper

1 cup orange juice

Orange rind grated or 1 dessertspoon orange marmalade

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 dessertspoon white vinegar

2 onions

1 potato per person

Dip chops in seasoned flour and fry till brown. Remove from pan. Add onions and potatoes and brown in pan. Place veggies in bottom of casserole and place chops on top. Combine rest of ingredients and pour over chops. Cover with foil and cook 1 hour in moderate oven. Serve with peas or salad.

Marinade For Barbeque Meat

Combine and shake well:

Oil

Vinegar or lemon juice

Chopped onion

Crushed garlic

Salt, pepper, dry mustard

Soak meat overnight (at least 4-6 hours) turning several times.

For lamb add 1 teaspoon curry powder. For beef add ½ teaspoon oregano and 2 tablespoon Worstershire sauce. Cook meat on hot barbeque and brush over with marinade during cooking.

Thai Chicken Curry

600g chicken thigh fillets, sliced

1 dessertspoon red curry paste or to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 can lite coconut cream

½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup basil leaves

Heat oil over medium heat, add curry paste for 2 minutes. Add chicken, lemon juice and ginger and fry 2-3 mins. Add coconut cream and bring to boil, reduce heat, add basil leaves and simmer further 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander. Serve with Jasmine or Basmati rice.

Thai Green Curry

Green Paste:

5-6 shallots (or onion)

6 lemon grass ends, peel off outer layers, split in half, cut up

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon ginger root cut roughly

lime skin peel

4-5 chillies deseed and cut

6-8 kaffir lime leaves cut up

3-4 handfuls coriander

2 handfuls fresh basil

1½ tablespoons coriander seeds cracked up

Put all tough things in food processor with cutting blade, pinch salt and pepper, blend, add coriander seeds, lime juice and herbs, and 2 tablespoons oil. Blend/chop up.

Chicken curry:

Cut up skinless breast in big slices. Marinate 20min – 2 hrs in 1-2 tablespoons of above green paste. Heat oil and cook chicken to sear 2-3 minutes. Add paste and cook 30 seconds. Add coconut milk (can), stir and simmer 12-13 min until tender. Ad garnish of coriander leaves, coconut slices or nuts if wish.

Beef Curry In Sweet Peanut Sauce

500g beef cut into strips (or chicken or cow)

3 tablespoons red curry paste

1 can lite coconut cream

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoon fish sauce

1/3 cup roasted ground peanuts

1 tablespoon oil

Heat oil, add curry paste for 1 minute. Add meat and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut cream and rest of ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice.

Thai Curry With Mixed Veg (Reduced Fat)

300g lean meat (beef, kangaroo, chicken, lamb or fish)

1 to 1½ tablespoon green or red curry paste

400g red kidney beans

1 onion

1 teaspoon crushed ginger

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

440ml tin Carnation light evaporated milk

1 teaspoon coconut essence

1 teaspoon garman masala

5 cups of mixed veggies

Heat pan, add curry paste. Add meat, onion, garlic and ginger, and brown meat. Stir in beans, garman masala. Add veggies. Pour in Carnation milk and small amount water. Add essence. Stir occasionally until veggies are cooked. Serve with rice.

Thai-Style Fish Cakes With Cabbage Salad

Fish Cakes:

500g redfish fillets

2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste

1 egg

½ cup stale breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

salt and pepper

4 shallots chopped finely

100g green beans chopped finely

¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Oil

Sweet chilli sauce

Cabbage Salad:

1 small carrot

2 shallots

¼ Chinese cabbage finely shredded

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons oil

Fish Cakes: Blend or process the fish, paste, egg, breadcrumbs, rind, juice and sauce until just combined. Transfer mixture to bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir in onions, beans and coriander.

Roll two tablespoons mixture into ball, then flatten slightly. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Shallow fry fish cakes in batches in hot oil until browned on both sides and cooked through. Drain on paper. Serve with Cabbage Salad and extra sweet chilli sauce.

Cabbage Salad: Cut carrot into thin strips, slice onion and cabbage. Place veggies in bowl and add remaining ingredients and toss gently.

Eggs In Celery Sauce

3 cps hot boiled rice

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

5 hard boiled eggs

salt, pepper

paprika

1 X 300g can cream of celery soup

1/3 cup evaporated milk (or plain milk)

½ cup grated cheese

fine dry breadcrumbs

grated Parmesan cheese

Put hot rice in shallow ovenproof dish, mix in parsley, top with eggs cut in halves lengthwise. Sprinkle over salt, pepper and paprika.

Heat together soup, milk and grated cheese, stirring constantly. Pour over eggs, top with light dusting of crumbs mixed with some grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in moderately hot oven until heated through.

Hawaiian-Style Eggs

2 onions grated

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and sliced

1 cup green capsicum

1 tablespoon cornflour

1X 425g can pineapple pieces

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

salt, pepper

cashew nuts

eggs

hot boiled rice

Fry onions in little butter till soft but not brown, add tomatoes and capsicum, cook gently 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour off any oil, add cornflour mixed in little of pineapple syrup, stir, cook 2 minutes. Add rest of syrup and pineapple pieces, vinegar, ginger, salt, pepper and simmer 7-10 minutes. Fry a few cashews in little oil until tinted.

Hard boil eggs and cut into half lengthwise. Put hot rice on serving platter, top with eggs, spoon sauce over and sprinkle nuts over.

Eggs In Curry Cream

1 medium tomato peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

1½ teaspoon curry powder

¾ cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3 cups hot boiled rice

2 teaspoons snipped chives

French dressing

6 hard boiled eggs

few blanched almonds split in halves

Fry tomato and garlic gently in little butter for a minute or two. Add curry powder and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes, drain, put aside till cold.

Push tomato mixture through sieve, stir into sour cream with mayonnaise and chill. Mix together rice and chives and moisten with French dressing, toss and chill.

Fry almond halves in little oil till browned. Cut eggs in half lengthwise, put rice on serving platter, top with egg halves and coat with curry cream. Scatter over the almonds.

Fried Tempura

Dipping sauce:

Rice wine vinegar, add sugar and stir till clear and taste Ok (tang off). Add chopped coriander, chilli, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well and taste.

Cut up variety of veggies, remember thin slices for veggies like sweet potato so can cook in oil 2-3 minutes.

Batter (made just before cook):

1 cup cornflour

2 cups plain flour

ice cold water or cold soda water

Stir in water with fork so still a bit lumpy and like thickened cream. Put in veggies and coat. Fry in hot oil 220oC (sunflower oil), Turn over, remove when crisp and drain on paper. Add salt. Serve with dipping sauce.

Savoury Impossible Pie

3 eggs

½ cup plain flour

salt, pepper

1 cup milk

60g melted marg

Add any of following – chopped onion, chopped bacon, celery, carrot, mushroom tomato, salmon, parsley, etc.

Mix all ingredients with fork. Pour into greased pie plate. Top with 1 cup grated cheese and bake at 180oC for ¾ hour till firm.

Spaghetti **

Put mince (can add chopped onion if want) in glass bowl with lid on and cook on HIGH 4 minutes.

Get out and break up meat with tongs or fork (as it tends to stick together), and drain off some of the fat/liquid (whilst running HOT water down sink so fat doesn’t clog pipes).

Add the bottle of sauce, and frozen peas and/or corn to meat, mix.

Cook on HIGH again for 4 – 6 minutes.

Boil water (1/2 full saucepan) on stovetop. When boiling add spaghetti noodles and turn heat down to boil for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Mince With Vegies

Variation on above by adding your own selection of sauces and vegies. If you don’t make it too wet it is good as mince on toast.

Microwave Meatballs

Use the microwave meatball holder to cook them in. Cook each batch at least 5 minutes to make sure well cooked.

Lambs Fry

Cut up liver and put in plastic bag with flour, salt and pepper to cover pieces well.

Fry cut up bacon in little oil or butter.

Add floured liver and fry well, turning around in pan so doesn’t burn. Make sure it is cooked through (no blood or pink).

Add water and stir until sauce thickens to consistency you want. Simmer, stirring for another 10 minutes or so.

Corned Beef

Put raw corned beef or silverside in big boiler and cover with water and the following:

6 whole cloves

Whole peeled onion

10 peppercorns

1 – 2 tablespoon vinegar

2 tablespoon brown sugar

Can add a whole potato, carrot or any veg for last hour of cooking.

Simmer, covered until tender, approx 30 minutes per 500grams. Cooking time will vary according to cut and age of meat.

To test if cooked, insert skewer through thick part of meat and if it comes out easily it is cooked. Allow meat to cool in liquid.

DRINKS

Pina Colada

40ml dark rum

50ml lite coconut cream

10ml pineapple juice

Combine all in mixing glass with crushed ice, Shake vigorously. Serve with pineapple and cherry garnish.

To make a non-alcoholic pina colada just minus the rum.

OTHER

Kids Play Dough

4 cups plain flour

2 cups cooking salt

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

Mix dry ingredients and add:

4 cups boiling water

2/3 cup cooking oil

food colouring

Mix with wooden spoon until cool enough to knead by hand until smooth. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Microwave Rice

Put 2 cups dry rice in bowl or microwave rice cooker. Add 4 cups boiling water (from boiled jug). Microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes, with lid on.

Heat left over cooked rice 1 minute only or will burn.

CAKES

Bee’s Chocolate Cake

1¼ cup sugar

1¾ cup SR flour

½ cup cocoa

Pinch salt

¾ teaspoon carb soda

Add ½ cup melted margarine

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Beat well for 2 minutes and add 2 beaten eggs. Beat 2 minutes. Bake at 180^oC for 30-35 minutes.

Thelma’s Chocolate Cake

4 oz butter

1 cup castor sugar

1 egg

¾ cup milk

½ level teaspoon carb soda

2 level tablespoon cocoa or drinking chocolate

1½ cup SR flour

pinch salt

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup chopped raisins

Cream together butter and sugar and add beaten egg. Add fruit and nuts. Heat milk until luke warm and blend in cocoa and carb soda until dissolved. Fold in sifted flour and salt alternately with milk mixture. Mixture must be fairly stiff or it will sink in middle.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes in two well greased 7” sandwich tins. Allow to stand a few minutes before turning out. When cold spread mock cream between, and ice top with chocolate icing.

Mock Cream:        4 level tablespoons sugar

                                2 tablespoons water

                                1 oz copha (or 2 oz butter)

                                1 oz butter/marg

                                ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Heat sugar and water together until dissolved. Allow to cool. Cream softened copha and butter together, add cooled syrup and vanilla gradually, beating until smooth and creamy. Watch it or it will turn back to butter quickly.

Chocolate Sponge Cake

Cream 3 eggs and 1 cup sugar till light and fluffy.

Add:       1 cup SR flour

                2 tablespoons cocoa

                salt

                ½ cup heated milk with 1 tablespoon butter melted in it

Mix all together very lightly with fork. Place in 2 greased and floured 7” cake tins. Bake moderate oven 180^oC for 25 minutes. Do not open oven before 25 minutes are up. Test with skewer. Leave in tins to cool. When cold fill with sweetened (with icing sugar) whipped cream (or chocolate cream) and ice.

Chocolate Cream

2 tablespoons marg or butter, softened and creamed. Add icing sugar and 2 tablespoon cocoa. Mix well to smooth cream. Only fill cake ½ hour before eating.

Tea Cake

1 small up sugar

1 cup SR flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup milk

Cream, add egg, flour. Bake 20 minutes, 180^oC. Dot with butter and sprinkle of cinnamon & sugar.

Glazed Mocha Fudge Cake

185g butter

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1½ cup castor sugar

4 eggs

¾ cup SR flour

⅓ cup cocoa

¾ cup plain yoghurt

3 teaspoons dry instant coffee

1 tablespoon boiling water

Mocha Glaze:

60g dark chocolate

30g butter

1 teaspoon dry instant coffee

1 tablespoon water

¾ cup icing sugar

Combine in saucepan and stir glaze constantly over low heat without boiling till smooth. Remove from heat and add sugar.

Grease 23cm square slab tin, line base with paper and grease paper well. Cream butter, essence and sugar in small bowl of electric mixer till light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, beat only till combined. Transfer mixture to big bowl. Stir in sifted flour and cocoa, and yoghurt. Then add coffee and water. Beat egg whites in small bowl till soft peaks form, fold lightly through cake mixture in 2 lots. Pour mixture into prepared tin. Bake moderate oven 45 minutes. Turn onto cake rack to cool. Top cols cake with glaze, decorate with walnut halves and refrigerate till glaze set.

5 Cup Bun Loaf

1 cup S.R. flour

1 cup mixed fruit

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup rolled oats OR 1 cup coconut

Mix all 5 ingredients well. Bake in moderate oven approx. 30 minutes.

Variations:

·         Replace 1 cup sugar with ½ cup sugar and another ½ cup mixed fruit

·         Can use ½ cup rolled oats and ½ cup coconut.

·         Can use white or brown sugar.

·         Can use wholemeal SR flour.

·         Can add ½ to 1 teaspoon of mixed spice, or ginger or cinnamon.

Health Cake

1 cup SR wholemeal flour

1 cup coconut

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

4 oz margarine softened

½ cup milk

vanilla

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup sultanas

sesame seeds

Throw flour, coconut, sugar, eggs, margarine, milk, vanilla into bowl and beat 5 minutes till well creamed. Add nuts and sultanas.  Put into buttered and floured tin. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in moderate oven 30-40 minutes, test with skewer to see if cooked through.

Carrot Cake

Grate fresh carrot to give cup and strain juice from half (440g) can crushed pineapple.

In a bowl mix:

1 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon carb soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup sugar

Add: 2 eggs and 5 tablespoon oil

Mix well. Stir in grated carrot, crushed pineapple and ¼ cup chopped walnuts. Bake in moderate oven 180^oC for 35-40 minutes and cool before covering with topping.

Cream Cheese Topping:

Place in bowl:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons cream cheese

½ teaspoon vanilla

250g icing sugar

Beat well. If too thick add small amount of milk to a smooth consistency.

Apple Shortcake

125g margarine

½ cup castor sugar

1 egg

¾ cup SR flour

¾ cup Plain flour

410g can pie apples (or fresh cooked and pureed or rough cut)

1 passionfruit

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

extra castor sugar

Cream marg and sugar lightly, add egg and beat well. Beat in sifted flour. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead lightly till smooth. Divide in half. Roll each piece into a round between two sheets of food wrap to fit a 20cm sandwich tin. Line sides and base with greased greaseproof paper. Place round into tin. Press edges to fit tin well. Break up pie apple roughly, add passionfruit pulp and rind. Spread over base leaving a small border around edge. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon extra sugar. Place 2^nd round of pastry over apple – press edges together. Brush with water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 35-40 minutes in moderate oven and stand 15 minutes before removing from tin.

Processor Cakes

1½ cup SR flour

¾ cup castor sugar

2 tablespoon skim milk powder

125g butter

Combine. Can store at this stage for 3 months in ‘frig – to reconstitute add

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

½ cup water

Beat all in processor. Bake in moderate oven 30-45minutes.

Variations:

Chocolate fudge cake – stir in 60g grated dark chocolate and spread with choc icing.

Lemon Ginger – 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind and ¼ cup finely chopped glace ginger.

Coffee and Walnut – dissolve 1 tablespoon dry instant coffee into the specified ½ cup water, and cool. Add and stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts.

Fairy Cakes – Cook 15 minutes in patty pans.

One Bowl Sultana Loaf

125g butter melted

750g sultanas

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons marmalade

2 eggs lightly beaten

¼ cup sweet sherry

¾ cup plain flour

¼ cup SR flour

Combine all in bowl. Spread into greased (with greased paper on base) 15x25cm loaf pan, decorate with almonds (optional). Bake in slow oven 1½ hours. Cover with foil, cool in pan.

Pumpkin Date Cake

200g pumpkin (cooked to ½ cup)

250g butter

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

¾ cup castor sugar

2 eggs

1 cup chopped dates

½ cup coconut

½ cup cold mashed pumpkin

2 cups SR flour

½ cup milk

Grease deep 19cm square cake tin, line base with paper and grease well. Cream butter, rind and sugar in small bowl with electric beater until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and beat till combined. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in dates, coconut and pumpkin. Stir in ½ sifted flour and ½ milk – then stir in remaining flour and milk. Spread into prepared tin. Bake in moderately slow oven for 1¼ hours. Stand 5 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

125g butter

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup plain yoghurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup choc chips

3 cups SR flour

3 tablespoon cocoa

1 cup boiled water

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix. Mix cocoa in boiling water and add to sugar mixture. Add milk, yoghurt and vanilla. Gently fold in choc chips and flour. Spoon into lightly greased  muffin pan. Bake at 170^oC for 15-20 minutes.

Pikelets *

1 cup SR flour

pinch salt

¼ teaspoon carb soda

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 dessertspoon melted butter Put in last.

Mix in this order and put small amounts in frypan dry (no greasing) for 3 minutes.

Quick Mix Onion Bread

3 cups SR flour

70g pk creamy onion soup mix

2 cups buttermilk or natural plain yoghurt

Sift flour, mix in dry soup mix, then enough yoghurt to give a soft, sticky dough (may not need 2 cups). Turn onto lightly floured board and knead lightly till smooth, shape into loaf. Place in well greased loaf tin 9x22cm. Brush with little milk. Bake moderate oven for 1 hour.

Pumpkin, Cinnamon And Wholemeal Bread

185g melted butter

½ cup honey

1 egg beaten lightly

3 cups (375g) finely grated raw pumpkin

¾ cup raw sugar

3 cups wholemeal SR flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Grease 15x25cm loaf pan or two smaller tins. Grease paper on base.  Combine butter, honey, egg in large bowl, stir in pumpkin, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Pour into prepared pan and bake moderate oven 50 minutes. Stand for 5 minutes before turning onto rack to cool. Serve buttered if desire.

Banana Bread

60g butter

½ cup castor sugar

2 large or 3 small bananas

1 egg

2 cups SR flour

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons yoghurt

30g walnuts chopped

Cream butter and sugar well. Mash bananas and combine with egg and gradually add to the creamed mixture, beating thoroughly. Add sifted flour with salt alternately with yoghurt. Pour into deep greased 9x18cm loaf tin. Sprinkle with walnuts and bake in moderate oven 180^oC for 1 hour. Cool on wire rack.

BISCUITS

 

Sticky Biscuits

2 cups rolled oats

½ cup coconut

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon golden syrup

Melt margarine and syrup. Add dry ingredients. Spread on greased tray. Bake till brown at 180^oC for 15-20 minutes.

Date Slice

1 cup SR flour

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup coconut

½ cup sugar

4 oz margarine

2 teaspoons golden syrup

vanilla essence

Melt margarine and syrup, add vanilla essence. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Press into tin and bake slowly for 10-15 minutes at 180^oC.

June’s Savoury Biscuits

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rice bubbles

1 cup grated cheese

4 oz  melted margarine

A good pinch cayenne

Form into balls & flatten with a fork. Moderate oven 10-15 minutes. These are easy & delicious.

Lemon Slice

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup SR flour

1 cup coconut

Add 125g melted margarine (may need a little more). Mix well. Press lightly into 7x11” greased tin. Bake 20 minutes. Ice with lemon icing when hot. Cut while warm into fingers.

Chocolate Peppermint Squares

Base:      1 cup crushed cornflakes

                ½ cup coconut

                1/3 cup brown sugar

                4 oz margarine.

Melt marg and pour over other ingredients. Mix well and press into greased 8” square or 7x11” tin.

Filling: 8 oz Philadelphia cheese

                1/3 cup castor sugar

                4 oz tin reduced cream2 or 3 drops peppermint essence

Beat softened cheese till smooth. Gradually add sugar, beat well. Blend in reduced cream and essence and spread over crumb base. Refrigerate till firm. Spread with chocolate icing. Refrigerate again till firm. Cut into squares.

Quick Honey Gingerbread

1 cup plain flour

½ cup SR flour

½ teaspoon carb soda

3 teaspoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup honey

½ cup water

125g margarine

Grease 19x29cm lamington pan and line base with paper. Grease paper. Combine flours, soda, spices and sugar in processor for a few seconds to combine. Combine honey, water and butter in saucepan over heat to melt butter. Add to processor and process till smooth. Pour into tin and bake moderate oven 35 minutes. Stand 2 minutes before turning onto rack. Cool, cut into squares and dust with icing sugar.

Muesli Bars

90g softened margarine

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons plain flour

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 cup rolled oats

1 tablespoon sunflower seed kernels

¼ cup coconut

¼ cup sultanas

3 dried apricots chopped (optional)

Grease 19x29cm tin. Cream margarine, sugar, honey with electric mixer till creamy. Stir in remainder and mix well. Press into pan. Bake 20 minutes in moderate oven till brown. Cool in pan, cut into bars when cold.

Unbaked Peach And Coconut Chews

1⅓ cup (200g0 dried peaches chopped

¾ cup water

½ cup peach nectar

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup coconut

¼ cup full cream milk powder

¼ cup sultanas

1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

(1/2 cup coconut extra)

Toast sesame seeds 5 minutes in oven. Combine peaches, water, nectar and honey in saucepan; simmer uncovered 15 minutes till mixture is very thick and tender. Remove form heat and add coconut, milk powder, sultanas and sesame seeds. Cool. Roll teaspoons full into balls and roll in coconut. Keep in ‘frig.

Continental Chocolate Slice

4 oz margarine

½ cup sugar

3 dessertspoons cocoa

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ lb milk coffee biscuits

¾ cup coconut

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Crush biscuits finely. Combine margarine, sugar and cocoa in saucepan. Stir over low heat to mix. Stir in beaten egg and vanilla. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Mix well. Press mixture into greased 8x13” tin. Refrigerate till set.

Topping:               2oz margarine

                                2 cups icing sugar

                                1 tablespoon custard powder

                                2 tablespoons hot water

Cream margarine well, add sifted icing sugar and custard powder alternately with hot water. Beat till light and fluffy. Spread over base and refrigerate. Ice with chocolate icing and store in ‘frig. Cut when cold.

 

DESSERTS

Wet Chocolate Cake

600ml cream

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

5 rounded tablespoons drinking chocolate

sherry

1 pk 375g savoiardi biscuits (sponge fingers)

grated chocolate for serving

Whip cream and coffee lightly, add chocolate a spoonful at a time and whip til cream is thick and smooth. Put sherry in bowl and dip biscuits in. Arrange 8- 10 side by side on a flat serving dish. Spread over layer of choc cream – then layer of sherried biscuits, then cream and top with sherried biscuits. Frost all over top and sides with choc cream. Refrigerate at least 24 hours, but can make 2 days ahead. Top with grated chocolate.

 

Pavlova *

2 egg whites whipped very stiffly, and add following

1 cup castor sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoon cornflour

Spread this very thick mixture onto 2 lightly greased oven sheets (or foil) as flattish 9 inch circles. Bake in preheated moderate oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to very slow and bake approx. 45 minutes. Turn off heat and cool in the oven. Peel off foil when cold.

With two layers you can make a chiffon filling with cocoa, or tin sweetened chestnut purée flavoured with sweet sherry and added at last minute to 1 jar whipped cream. Layer meringue, purée, meringue, purée and top with cream or small meringues or just chocolate sprinkles.

Impossible Pie ***

4 eggs                                     2 teaspoons vanilla

½ cup butter or margarine      1 cup sugar (I put ½)

½ cup plain flour                    1 cup coconut

2 cups milk

Mix all ingredients in a blender. Pour mixture into 25cm greased pie plate.

Bake at 350^oF / 180^oC for 1 hour or until 1 centre is firm (maybe ¾  hr). The flour settles at the bottom to form a crust, the coconut forms a topping & the centre is an egg custard filling. (if you try to halve the recipe it doesn’t work)

Pineapple Sweet

1 small tin crushed pineapple

1 pk lemon jelly

¾ cup sugar

1 tin Ideal milk (evaporated milk left 2 days in frig)

juice of one lemon

Place pineapple and sugar in saucepan. Heat and add jelly crystals. Heat till almost boiling, stirring well. Remove from heat – add lemon juice. When almost set, beat milk till doubled or more in bulk. Stir in mixture and set in frig.

Orange Dessert

Remove inside from orange (cut top off). Add gelatine to insides and replace in orange. Cream on top.

Lemon Chiffon Pie

Biscuit Crumb base:

Line torte tin with foil.

1pk Nice biscuits ground fine, add 4 oz melted margarine. Mix well and press into sides and bottom of tin (will do 2, 9inch pie plates). Set in frig for 10 minutes or more.

Filling:

1 level dessertspoon gelatine

¼ cup cold water

3 eggs separated

⅓ cup sugar

grated rind of one lemon

¼ cup lemon juice

Place yolks, sugar & lemon juice & rind in a saucepan to heat stir well.

Add gelatine & remove mixture from heat.  Cool.

When nearly set, whip whites stiffly, add mixture & put it into pie case.

Add whipped cream.

Passionfruit Flummery

1½  cups water

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon gelatine

1 dessertspoon plain flour

juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon (or 2 oranges)

3 to 4 passionfruit

Mix flour to smooth paste with fruit juice. Add sugar, water and gelatine and bring to boil stirring well. Simmer 1 minute. Cool and add passionfruit pulp. When quite cold beat till doubled in bulk and light in colour. Place in dish and refrigerate till set.

Pineapple Marshmallow

1 large tin pineapple pieces cut up small

1 small packet marshmallows cut each into 4

1 jar unwhipped cream

Stir all together in bowl and leave in ‘frig all day. Can add chopped cherries, tinned mandarin pieces, coconut or non-salted almonds and stir in before serving. Can add 1 tablespoon sherry.

Chocolate Mouse

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons gelatine dissolved in ¼ cup boiling water

4 dessertspoons cocoa

1 dessertspoon rum or sweet sherry or 1 teaspoon vanilla or peppermint essence

Separate eggs. Beat yolks with ½ cup sugar. Add dissolved gelatine into which cocoa has been stirred to smooth paste. Mix well so no lumps. Whip whites to stiff peaks, slowly add ½ cup sugar and beat. Add yolk, cocoa mixture to whites; add flavouring to taste and mix gently with a fork. Do not beat, just fold in. Set in ‘frig.

Fruit Berry Cream

Fresh cooked blackberries or canned berries drained and pureed. Chilled and stirred through stiffly beaten cream just before serving in individual dishes, decorated with a few whole berries. Use liquid to make a jelly.

Fluffy Summer Dessert

1 tin Ideal of Carnation milk (left for 2 days in ‘frig)

1 tablespoon gelatine

2 tablespoons sugar

vanilla

pink colouring if wish

Whip milk till doubled in bulk, add sugar, vanilla and gelatine dissolved in ¼ cup hot water. Beat well set in ‘frig.

Golden Puff Balls

Puff Balls:            

1 cup SR flour

1 level tablespoon margarine

1 beaten egg

little milk, pinch salt

Syrup:                   

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

1 level tablespoon margarine

1 level tablespoon syrup

Rub margarine into flour, add beaten eggs and milk to make dry dough. Divide into 8 and roll into balls. Place all ingredients for syrup into saucepan. Bring to boil and add balls. Lower heat and simmer gently with lid on for 15 – 20 minutes.

Pawpaw Sorbet

1 ripe pawpaw

1 – 3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 egg white

2 tablespoons castor sugar

Peel pawpaw, remove seeds, chop roughly and puree in blender to smooth consistency. Combine with lemon juice and pour into chilled ice cream tray. Freeze till just starting to set around edges. Whisk white stiffly, add sugar. Remove pawpaw mix to chilled bowl and beat till smooth. Fold in meringue and pour into freezer tray. Cover with foil and freeze.

Simple Steamed Pudding

Grease steamer with margarine.

1 cup SR flour

½ cup sugar

1 cup sultanas

1 cup milk (warm this to melt margarine)

1 tablespoon margarine melted in milk

1 level tablespoon carb soda

Add ingredients in above order to mixing bowl. Mix well. Place in greased steamer with lid tightly shut. Place in large saucepan (lid shut) with water up to 1” of lid of steamer. Let water boil, and then let it bubble slowly for 1½ hours. Serve hot with custard, cream or ice cream.

Steamed Golden Pudding

2 tablespoons margarine

2 tablespoons golden syrup

¾ teaspoon carb soda

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon sugar

¾ cup milk

1½ cups SR flour

Melt margarine, sugar, syrup and milk. Dissolve carb soda in warm mixture. Add flour/salt. Mix well. Place in greased steamer and simmer 1½ hours (steamer lid tightly fitting and water as above recipe). Serve with heated golden syrup and cream.

Butterscotch Pudding

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 tablespoons butter

Put sugar, yolks, flour and milk in saucepan. Heat, stirring well so no lumps. Cook 2 or 3 minutes. Add butter. Put in a crumb base pie case or in a greased tart plate. Whip 2 whites stiffly and gradually add ¼ cup sugar.

Sticky Date Pudding (Reduced Fat)

1 cup chopped dates

1 teaspoon carb soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon marg

1 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 cup SR flour

Sauce

½ cup soft brown sugar

½ tin skim condensed milk

Preheat oven to 160^oC. Mix together date, carb soda, vanilla and water. Beat marg and sugar well, add egg and beat till creamy. Fold in flour and date mixture. Pour into pre-greased 18cm square tin and bake for 30-40 minutes.

To make sauce, bring ingredients to boil, simmer constantly for 5 minutes.

Un-mould pudding, cut into 8 portions and pour sauce over. Serve immediately.

Fruit Gelato

Put in blender:

1 cup any fruit

1 cup water or fruit juice (if used canned fruit)

1 cup sugar (less if heavy syrup tin fruit used)

1 very small banana (if too large the flavour dominates)

juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange

Blend or puree all above. Place in freezer till soft set.

Beat 2 egg whites and 1 tablespoon sugar till stiff.

Soften soft-set and blend into egg whites.

Freeze overnight. To serve, flake gelato in large pieces, can serve over iced fresh fruit or individual dishes.

Mango Cheesecake

Crumb crust:        1 cup plain sweet biscuits crumbs

                                1 cup finely chopped walnuts

                                75g melted margarine

Combine and press over base greased spring pan. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Filling:                  250g cream cheese

                                ½ cup castor sugar

                                3 medium mangoes

                                300 ml thickened cream

                                1 tablespoon gelatine

                                ¼ cup water

Process cheese, sugar and ½ mangoes till smooth. Add cream and mix well. Transfer to big bowl. Sprinkle gelatine over water and dissolve over hot water. Cool. Add to mango mixture and stir in rest of mangoes cut into small pieces. Pour into crumb base and refrigerate. Decorate with slices of mango and cream if wish.

Unbaked Cheesecake

Base:      1½ cup sweet biscuits crumbs (eg. Marie)

                1/3 cup melted butter

Combine crumbs and butter, press into base of 22cm pie dish and chill.

Filling:                  500g Philadelphia cream cheese

                                1 can 400g condensed milk

                                ½ cup lemon juice

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add condensed milk and juice, mix well and pour into crumb base. Chill 3-4 hrs before serving. Top with fruits as desired.

Chocolate Fudge Pie

1 level tablespoon gelatine

¾ cup sugar

 1 egg yolk lightly beaten

½ cup milk

¼ cup marsala or sweet sherry

125g unsweetened chocolate melted

1 can evaporated milk – chilled

1 cup walnuts chopped

1 biscuit crumb base in spring pan

Combine gelatine and sugar. Blend egg yolk, milk and sherry together and add to gelatine mixture. Fold in melted chocolate and heat slightly to melt gelatine and sugar. Remove form heat and beat till smooth. Chill in ‘frig till partly set. Whip up chilled evaporated milk till very thick. Fold in chocolate mix and nuts. Place in prepared crumb base. Chill thoroughly. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate.

Better to soak gelatine in cold water then put it in cup into pan of boiling water to dissolve.

Can add whipped egg whites if want.

Gramma Pie

Pastry:                                                                  Filling:

2 cups plain flour                                                                1kg gramma

½ teaspoon baking powder                                               ½ teaspoon salt

pinch salt                                                              ¾ cup brown sugar

185g butter                                                           ½ cup sultanas

1 egg                                                                      1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar                                             ½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons cold water                                  1 tablespoon flour

                                                                                1 lemon

                                                                                30g butter

Peel gramma and dice. Place in saucepan and cover with boiling water, add salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain. Mix in brown sugar etc. Bake in hot oven 220^oC for 30 minutes; reduce to moderate 180^oC for 40 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie

Make ½ above gramma pastry.

2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin

450g can evaporated milk

2 beaten eggs

½ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch cloves

Combine ingredients for filling and carefully spoon into chilled shell. Bake in hot oven for 30 minutes, reduce to 180^oC for further 15 minutes or until filling is set.

Blanc Mange

1 pint milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1½ oz cornflour

vanilla or lemon rind or cocoa melted to paste and added

Bring milk and sugar to boil slowly and add cornflour mixed to smooth paste with milk. Stir all time and boil 3 minutes. Put in bowl, coll. Serve cold with fruit and ice cream.

Moccha Dessert

1 tin Ideal milk (not condensed but evaporated milk)

Leave tin in ‘frig for at least 2 days to chill.

Whip well to double or triple bulk. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 good tablespoon gelatine dissolved in ¼ cup boiling water. Add vanilla to taste, or mix cocoa and instant coffee to paste and add, or just cocoa or just coffee. Chill well.

Biscuit Crumb Pie Case

½ lb Nice biscuits ground finely

¼ lb cooking margarine melted

Mix well and press into base and sides (an line with foil first) of torte tin. Place in ‘frig 20 minutes at least before filling.

Filling:

Lemon or orange chiffon

Mocha dessert

Chilled Lemon Sago

½ cup sago

1½ cup cold water

juice one lemon

3 tablespoons golden syrup (or brown sugar)

Put all ingredients into saucepan; cook slowly until sago is transparent (about 30 minutes). You can put in more water as sago is cooking to make consistency you like – it thickens as it cools. Also can add lemon, or syrup to taste.

Apple Crumble Pudding

4 large cooking apples

3 tablespoon golden syrup

1 lemon

1 cup SR flour

pinch salt

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon coconut

Stew apples in very small quantity of water, mix with syrup, grated lemon rind and add lemon juice. Pour into pie dish. Rub butter into sifted flour, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples. Cover with coconut and bake in slow oven for ½ hour.

Strathbogie Mial

1 large tin pear halves, drain well

2 oz castor sugar

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1/8 pint ginger wine (Stone’s brand is good)

½ pint thickened cream

Drain pears and put one or two halves in bottom of each glass serving dish with a little pear juice.

Beat sugar, lemon juice, rind and wine till sugar dissolves. Leave in ‘frig till serving time.

Just before serving add whipped cream and mix lightly. Spoon gingered cream over pears and sprinkle with cinnamon.

DIPS/STARTERS

Bee’s Dip

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup tomato sauce

1 pk French onion soup

Mix together.

Creamy Dip

1 carton sour cream or cream cheese or yoghurt

1½ tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

ground black pepper

Add any of following to base mixture:

Curry powder, paprika and chopped parsley

Soya  sauce, chives, chopped ginger

Chopped capsicum, celery and shallots.

Liver Pate

1 knob liverwurst, mashed well – add soft butter

salt, pepper

chopped parsley

½ teaspoon dried thyme

pinch nutmeg

2 teaspoons grated onion

2 tablespoons cream

dash sherry or brandy

Mix all and refrigerate overnight.

Creamed Poppy Seed Log

8 oz (227g) creamed cheese

1 tablespoon dried sage

2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Combine all, shape into log and refrigerate till firm. Roll in poppy seeds and serve.

Pawpaw Starter

Pawpaw rounds with finely sliced crystallized ginger sprinkled over `with lemon juice and sugar.

Nuts And Bolts

125g butter/marg

2 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon curry powder

Pinch cayenne

2 tablespoon worstershire sauce

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon salt

150g snack time or pretzels

2 cups Multigrain cereal

150g sesame nut mix or salted mixed nuts

Heat butter, add curry and all spices.

Put all ingredients on baking tray. Drizzle with spicy butter and stir. Bake slowly 250oC for 45 minutes, stir occasionally. Cool and store in airtight container.

AFTERS

Marshmallow Roll (Unbaked)

4oz (125g) dark chocolate

3 tablespoons margarine

1 small packet marshmallows

1 egg

½ cup chopped walnuts

2 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon dried coffee

coconut

Melt chocolate and margarine. Cut marshmallows in 4. Mix all dry ingredients; add egg, melted choc/marg and lastly marshmallows. Place mixture in ‘frig for ½ - 1 hour. Then make two rolls of mixture and roll in coconut. Store in foil in ‘frig and slice when required.

 

Date Fingers (Unbaked)

4 oz margarine

½ cup sugar

1 cup chopped dates

3 cups rice bubbles

Melt margarine, add sugar and dates, Stir over heat till mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat, add rice bubbles. Mix well. Pres into greased 7x11” tin. Refrigerate till firm, then cut. Or ice with choc icing. Store in ‘frig.

Fudge Fingers

½ lb Nice biscuits ground fine

4 oz margarine melted

4 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 good cup mixed fruit

2 tablespoons milk

vanilla

Melt margarine, add sugar, cocoa, fruit, milk and vanilla, and simmer 5 minutes. Pour over biscuits. Press into 7x11” tin – ice with chocolate icing.

Coconut Lemon Slice

6oz copha

1 can condensed milk

1 cup icing sugar

2 cups coconut

1 level dessertspoon finely grated lemon rind

juice of 2 lemons

1 pk Weston’s morning coffee biscuits

Melt copha, add all ingredients, and mix well. Place ½ pk biscuits over base of slab 7x11”greased tin. Cover evenly with cooled mixture. Place remaining biscuits on top and press into mixture. Ice with thin lemon icing. Store in ‘frig 24 hours before cutting into squares. Keep in ‘frig.

SOUPS

Borsch

Puree together the following:

1 400g can beetroot (undrained)

1 200g can tomatoes (undrained)

1 clove garlic crushed

Add the following:

1 can clear soup (or beef stock powder in water made up to size of tomato can)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon brown sugar

3 dessertspoons lemon juice

black pepper

Chill well in ‘frig. Serve with swirl of sour cream ‘marbled’ through it. Top with finely chopped parsley and chives. Can thin soup with water if too thick.

Iced Savory Tomato Soup

440g can condensed tomato soup

1½ cup chicken stock

1 chopped onion

Pinch oregano

1 dessertspoon tomato paste (optional)

1 carton natural yoghurt or sour cream

Pinch salt (optional)

Place all ingredients in blender. Refrigerate till cold. Serve with chopped parsley.

Hot Tomato/Orange Soup

440g can condensed tomato soup

Dilute with chicken stock. Heat slowly, add finely chopped onion. Add grated orange rind and orange juice to taste. Before serving stir in blob sour cream. Sprinkle with parsley.

Senegalese Soup

Simmer:

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

When tender add:

1 small can peas, or 2 baby food pureed peas

2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon chilli powder

Combine into ½ cup cold water:

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons cornflour

Add to soup and bring to boil slowly, stirring constantly. Cool and blend to a puree. Chill in ‘frig. Serve soup with Melba toast (bread cut into small triangles and baked in oven).

Pumpkin And Bacon Soup

60g butter or marg

1 small onion

4 shallots

750g pumpkin peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)6 rashes bacon

2 tablespoon plain flour

Extra 30g marg or butter

Salt and pepper

Melt 60g butter, add onion, shallots, bacon and fry gently until soft but not brown.

Add pumpkin, stock and nutmeg and simmer covered until pumpkin is very soft.

Knead together flour and 30g butter and stir into soup. Stir until soup thickens and put through blender in batches. Put back in saucepan and bring close to boiling point but do not boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with black pepper and swirl of cream on top.

Laksa Soup

150g dried rice noodles

300g fresh laksa noodles

1 tablespoon peanut oil OR light olive oil with dash sesame oil

4 shallots finely chopped

1 stalk lemon grass finely sliced

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

2 teaspoon sambal oelek or chilli puree

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups coconut milk

600g chicken thigh fillets diced

1 lime

1-2 cups bean sprouts

1 cucumber grated or sliced

1 bunch mint

Put dried noodles or rice sticks in boiling water while you cook the laksa. Add fresh noodles when the dried ones are soft.

Stir fry shallots, lemon grass, shrimp paste and sambal oelek in oil for a minute or two, until aromatic. Add curry powder and cook another minute before adding chicken stock. Bring to boil and simmer 5-10 minutes to develop flavours. Add coconut milk, return to just boiling and add chicken. Chicken should take 5 mins or so. When cokes remove from heat, add lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Drain noodles. Place handful in each bowl then ladle over the hot laksa. Serve with side garnish of mint leaves, bean sprouts and grated cucumber.

Lentil Soup With Greens And Lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

185g brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

2 medium waxy potatoes, desiree, cut into bite size pieces

1.5 litres chicken stock or water

1 large bunch rocket, tough stems removed, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon

Extra lemon wedges to serve

Fry onion in oil 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir another minute. Add lentils and stir a few minutes, add potatoes and stock or water. Bring to boil and simmer gently until lentils and potatoes are tender. Add rocket and lemon juice and cook another minute to wilt the rocket and heat through. Serve with lemon wedges and Garlic Thyme Toast.

Garlic Thyme Toast

½ ciabatta halve horizontally

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic chopped

1 small bunch thyme stripped off branches, plus a few sprigs

Toast ciabatta, crust sides up under hot grill. Combine oil, garlic and thyme leaves in bowl and brush over cut sides.

Scatter with thyme sprigs and return to grill, until crisp, golden and fragrant, Cut into pieces.

Chicken Soup With Coconut Cream

400g sliced chicken fillet

1 tablespoon red or green curry paste

1 tablespoon oil

1 can lite coconut cream

3 cups water

1 tablespoon fish sauce

Heat oil and add curry paste for 2 mins. Add chicken and stir fry until lightly golden. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil, simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander or basil.

Skinny Thai Soup

3 cups vegetable stock

3 cups water

2 tablespoon Thai curry paste

1 red chili finely sliced

1 teaspoon crushed ginger

2 teaspoon crushed garlic

2 stems lemon grass, bruised and cut into 4 pieces

4 kaffir lime leaves

100g button mushrooms sliced

1 shallot finely sliced

2 bok-choy (green tops only) shredded

2 teaspoon lemon juice

4 tablespoon freshly chopped coriander leaves

handful of snow pea sprouts

sliced lemon to garnish

In saucepan combine stock, water, curry paste, chilli, ginger, garlic, lemon grass and lime leaves. Cover and bring to boil, simmer for 15 minutes. Strain soup and return to simmer. Add mushrooms and shallots and simmer 5 minutes. Add bok choy, cook another minute until wilted and remove from heat. Add juice, coriander and sprouts, and garnish with sliced lemon. Serve immediately.

SALADS

Portuguese Salad

½ lb new peeled potatoes, cooked and sliced. Cool and marinate in French dressing

2 large tomatoes sliced sprinkled in salt and pepper, marinate in French dressing

¼ lb thinly sliced peeled raw mushrooms, marinated in dressing

Leave each ingredient to marinate for 2 hours

Drain off excess dressing. Toss 3 ingredients together and serve sprinkled with 1 ½ tablespoons chopped parsley or chives.

5 Cup Salad

1 cup rained pineapple pieces

1 cup drained mandarin segments

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped marshmallows

1 cup sour cream

Mix all together, can make day before and store covered in ’frig.

Rice Salad

½ lb raw rice cooked, drained, salted. Cook day before use and spread on trays in ‘frig to dr.

Add anything you like:

4 finely chopped shallots

1 small onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon parsley chopped

6 raw mushrooms sliced

20 slivered almonds

1 finely chopped red pepper

2 sticks celery chopped

Chop up veggies and leave in bowl in ’frig and combine with rice just before serving. Add French dressing, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Can put curry powder in dressing to flavour. 1 tin chopped oysters can added or prawns, ham, fried bacon, peas, corn etc.

Potato Salad

Cook potatoes, cool, cut into dice.

Variations:

Chopped parsley, chives and mint

Chopped onion and mint

Shallots and parsley.

Combine any of the greens but use onion, shallot or chive for tangy taste.

Dressing:

French dressing can be put on day before.

Sour cream/mayonnaise dressing with or without curry powder.

Can add chopped boiled eggs.

Always take potato salad out of ‘frig about ½ - 1 hour before serving and leave covered in a cool place – is more flavoursome then straight from ‘frig.

Stuffed Eggs

To hard boil eggs with centred yolks and no black edges put salt in water. Boil water, lower eggs (at room temperature) one at a time into water. Boil 10 mins. Pour off hot water immediately and place under cold running water (must go hot to cold rapidly). Peel eggs when cold and put into cold water again.

Cut in half, take out yolks and mash with:

Curry powder, salt, pepper

Mustard, mayonnaise, salt, pepper

Anchovy sauce (or a few chopped anchovies)

Tomato sauce, mustard, salt, pepper

Curry powder, mayonnaise.

Can pipe into whites and decorate with caviar!!

Barbequed Lemon Salad

2 slender Lebanese eggplants          1 red onion                           2 handfuls basil leaves, shredded

4 Roma tomatoes                                 1 lemon, sliced                     2 large cloves garlic chopped

1 capsicum                                            ¼ cup olive oil                     salt and pepper

4 large mushrooms                              ¼ cup lemon juice               1 French stick, cut thick slices

Halve eggplants and tomatoes lengthwise, cut capsicum into long strips an inch wide, trim stalks off mushrooms and slice onion into thick rings.

Place veggies and lemon slices in casserole dish. Make marinade by combining oil, lemon juice, basil, garlic, salt and pepper in screw top jar.

Shake vigorously for a minute, then pour over veggies. Cover and leave in ‘frig an hour tossing occasionally.

Let veggies cool to room temp about 20 minutes before cooking.

Heat barbeque hot plate, add touch of oil and cook vegies for 5 – 10 minutes.

Grill French bread slices and serve topped with vegies.

Fruity Salad

1 cup pineapple pieces

½ cup chopped parsley

2 coarsely grated carrots

4 small zucchinis thinly sliced (with potato peeler)

1 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced

½ cup pear pieces

2 bananas sliced

1 small red pepper cut in strips

Drain pineapple and pears (if tinned). Mix all together except bananas, add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add some French dressing and toss. Can make day before use. Do not add French dressing until before serving. Add dressing and bananas just before serving.

FRENCH DRESSING

3 parts olive oil : 1 part white vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place in screw top jar and shake well before use.

Chinese Style Salad

1 lettuce (small) washed, drained, torn up

1 small bunch Chinese cabbage, torn up

½ cup sliced water chestnuts

½ cup shredded green pepper

½ cup celery finely sliced

½ cup shallots or spring onions, finely sliced

½ cup bean sprouts (tinned or fresh)

Slivered almonds (optional)

DRESSING:

1/3 cup sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

salt, pepper

juice of one lemon

Shake all together. Add to salad just before serving.

Poultry Salad

Peeled, finely chopped apple with lemon juice poured over

Fresh orange segments with pith and membranes removed

3 full cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

3 tablespoons mango chutney

2 cups seedless sultana grapes (green)

Mix and pace in ‘frig.

Before serving add freshly roasted peanuts or cashew nuts, and fresh coriander or mint finely chopped.

Fruity Salad

2 oranges

3 cups diced celery

2 granny smith apples

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

½ cup chopped walnuts added at last minute before serving

Peel fruit and cut into small pieces. Mix all ingredients; add mayonnaise and cream and mix. Cover and refrigerate till serve.

Carrot And Raisin Salad

2 large carrots grated coarsely

1½ tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon grated lemon rind

½ cup sultanas or raisins

½ teaspoon coriander (optional)

Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate till serve. Chopped parsley can be added or ½ cup natural yoghurt if wish.

Oranges And Onion Salad

Slice onions into fine rings. Peel and segment oranges, or peel and slice. Mix with onion and add French Dressing.

Beetroot Salad

Drain a can of beetroot, cut into very small cubes. Fold in 1 carton sour cream with 1 dessertspoon horseradish mixed with cream. Chill.

JAMS/CHUTNEYS

Mango Chutney 1

15 unripe mangoes

1 kg pipped dates

1 kg dark brown sugar

50g ginger

50g garlic

2-3 litres brown vinegar

4 birds eye chillies

Peel and slice mangoes. Mix all ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil stirring so sugar does not burn. Simmer very low heat for at least 4 hours.

Mango Chutney 2

3 large ripe mangoes

1 small onion

1 chilli (or powder0

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1/3 cup raisins

¼ cup currants

1 tablespoon chopped mixed peel

1 teaspoon finely chopped green ginger

1 clove crushed garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon allspice

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup malt vinegar

1/3 cup lemon juice

Peel mangoes, chop roughly. Chop onion and chilli, tie mustard and celery seeds in muslin bag. Combine all ingredients. Cover and stand overnight. Boil for 30 minutes or till thickened. Remove muslin bag and pour into hot sterilized jars.

Can make Pawpaw and Mango chutney by add ½ peeled and chopped pawpaw to above.

Mango Chutney 3

1 lb mangoes

1 lb apples

1 lb preserved ginger

2 oz mustard seed

2 teaspoon cayenne

1 oz cinnamon

1 lb sultanas

6 lb sugar

1 oz garlic

¾ oz ground ginger

1½  bottle vinegar

1 large onion

1 oz black peppercorns in muslin bag

1 ½ pks mixed spice

Chop apples, garlic, onion and place in pan with all ingredients except spice. Stand overnight. Add spice and simmer 2 hours. Place in hot sterilized jars.

Green Pawpaw Chutney

4 lb green pawpaw just starting to ripen

3 lb brown sugar

2 oz garlic

½ lb sliced ginger (preserved or crystallized)

2 oz salt

1 teaspoon ground cloves

juice of 2 lemons

1 quart brown vinegar

2 large onions

½ lb sultanas

¼ lb raisins

1 oz cloves (in muslin bag)

1 oz whole black peppercorns (in muslin bag)

Boil vinegar and sugar for ¼ hour. Peel and chop pawpaw and ginger to ¼” cubes. Chop garlic very finely. Finely chop onions and halve raisins. Put all ingredients in large pot and pour vinegar/sugar over them. Bring to boil and simmer at least 1½ hours. Test for good consistency. Bottle hot into sterilized jars.

Fig Jam

2 lb figs

¾ cup orange juice

¼ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons sweet sherry

2 lb sugar

Wash figs, cut off stems, chop roughly. Place in saucepan with juices and sherry. Bring to boil and simmer gently till figs are tender. Add (warmed) sugar, stir till dissolved over low heat – increase heat, boil rapidly uncovered till jam jells – approx 25 minutes. Scoop off froth. Bottle hot.

TIPS

·         Try and cook two or more serves so can heat up the meal in microwave for dinner the next night or so, or freeze for later.

·         To thicken a sauce, add a tablespoon or so of cornflour mixed first to a paste in some cold water (not warm water).

·         To bake most things like casseroles and cakes in oven 180oC is best or 200o for some.

·         To keep warm or slow cook use 150oC.

·         A bottle of crushed garlic kept in ‘frig is handy and easier than dealing with fresh cloves of garlic.

·         Cook two or three serves at one time and freeze or refrigerate meal size portions for later heating in microwave.

·         A bought cooked chook can be disguised with a sauce to make a different meal.

·         In recipes 1 cup of stock means, 1 teaspoon or so of dried stock powder mixed in 1 cup of water (for chicken or cow dishes use chicken stock powder and for beef use beef powder).

·         Sauté means quick fry usually in oil or marg or butter, but nowadays I just sauté in a little water for most things or get a Cisco spray on oil and spray that on the pan before sautéing (the healthy alternative).

·         Basmati rice is better for you than plain white rice.

·         Chicken Breast cooks quite well in microwave using bowl with lid, with some sort of sauce and the lid on. Often have to turn chicken or move around bowl half way thru cooking as microwave always cooks the meat more on the outside edges of the bowl

·         Any vegies can be cooked in a little water – generally vegies take 3-5 minutes in microwave on HIGH.

·         Potatoes take about 5-8 minutes for two spuds, but remember to prick the spuds before cooking or they will explode.

·         In microwave, use only glass/ceramic or special microwaveable plastic bowls – no foil or tin.

·         Cover reheating meals with Gladwrap or the microwave lid, so no splatters.

·         Some handy things to keep stocked in the cupboard are:

·         chicken and beef stocks powders

·         selection of common spices and herbs

·         packet of dried French Onion soup (for sauces)

·         cup a soups

·         some tinned foods

·         good extra virgin light olive oil for cooking and salads (as healthier).

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