1970's style recipe #1 - Simplicity Chocolate Cake (Good)

So I baked a cake recently using a recipe from my dear Mum's 1970's recipe book.

Just choosing radomly I found Simplicity Chocolate Cake.... and it certainly was simple~

Here is the original recipe in my Mum's handwriting:

and here it is in clear format~

Simplicity Chocolate Cake (Good) from my Mum’s 1970’s recipe book 3 tablespoons Butter or Margarine (melt) 2 level tablespoons Cocoa 1 cup SR Flour 1 cup Sugar ½ cup Milk 2 Eggs ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond essence ===== Melt Butter Put all other ingredients into large bowl and pour melted butter over. Beat really hard for three minutes. Pour onto greased tin and bake in moderate oven. (Be careful not to burn) This will stay fresh for days.

duchess_declutter_Wendy

My comments - I used wholemeal SR flour because that is all I buy.  It worked out fine, nicely chocolately, moist and dense.  I cannot confirm that it stays fresh for days because it didn't last long in our household!

As oven temps were not given I cooked mine at 180 deg. for about 35 minutes, but I watched it carefully the last 5 minutes or so, being mindful of Mum's warning not to BURN!  It may need a little longer than 35 minutes, but my oven tends to hot.

So I thought I would use some of my retro props which is likely to happen more often as I change the tempo somewhat with my little blog.  Don't worry - I'm not going to morph into another Martha (or anyone of that ilk) but would like to incorporate more of a retro theme.  So watch this space - more change is on the way!

Feel free to use this recipe, I'm sure Mum would not have been happy to share. 

cheers for now

Wendy 

What's happening today

spring freesias from our garden 

favourite nasturtiums on kitchen bar

this sleepy Dexter face on the couch

Having a lovely day here - after big storms yesterday!

cheers for now Wendy 

Is this the way to Tamarillo?

It's a while since I have written about Tamarillos.  Well let's be honest here, it's a while since I've written about anything really.

However when I made up these yummy poached Tamarillos the other day it reminded me of some earlier posts I had written - like here, also here too..... and noticing that I am still a very irregular blogger!

The Tamarillo is an easy fruit to grow.  The tree looks remarkably uninteresting. However it produces fairly consistently.  The fruit is tart tasting.  A little like a cross between an acidic passionfruit and a tomato (if that makes sense!).

We have found the best way to eat them is lightly poached.  They are fine raw - however like passionfruit there is only really one scoopful of seed and pulp.  Once skinned (dunked into boiling water for a few minutes, the cold water the skin will peel off nicely like a tomato).  Photo below shows pre-peeling.

Then I just add some sugar, vanilla and a spoon of honey.  This all sounds very sweet, but I taste as I go and it is not necessary to add too much of each.  The end result is lovely!  Particularly nice over fruit salad.

or plain Greek yoghurt.

Has anyone tried Tamarillos? You can read more about facts about growing them here.

That's all for now.
cheers Wendy 

Just hitting the pause button for a while ......

source

Oh that's right, the Pause button has been on for a while now.

I've said on several occasions that I'm an erratic blogger.  I think really I'm just a lazy blogger who loves to read and comment on other's blogs!  My apologies.

I will be back soon.  Some major ideas are bubbling away and hopefully next post will be enthusiatic. Summer 2015 has really drained me of ideas.  Bring on some cooler mornings and nights and all will be well!

cheers for now
Wendy

Just some traffic passing by .....

alternate title could be - what I found at the bottom of the garden!
  
It seems they were just passing through.

A small muster - not sure if that is the right term for a group of 3 peacocks and 1 peahen.

I do not have a very good zoom lens. This was taken looking up to roof of our workshop.

and a view of one on the workshop roof..... and yes there are fairies at the bottom of my garden!

In the morning they had gone  They all appeared quite young, the males had lovely colour but not much plumage.  I think a lot of acreage owners buy these birds thinking they are decorative, not realising that they are difficult to contain in a pen.  However they do make a lot of noise - so I was happy they had moved along.  

Then a few days later I spotted these regulars down past the back gate.

Often we see groups of them on our block.

Quite happy to have them around!

Our trip to Tassie was lovely.  A bit of a break from the hot weather - however it was straight back into the hot humid weather on our return.  At least we missed all of Cyclone Marcia.  

Now waiting for an autumn change sometime soon thanks!

  

A quick glimpse of our 10 day, 2000k holiday - and what an amazing, diverse State.

cheers for now

Wendy