- 2 1/2 cups (300g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (340g) dark molasses
- 1 TBS honey
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
- 2 large free range eggs, beaten
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square deep baking tin and line with baking paper. Set aside. (I usually crumple the baking paper all up and then uncrumple it. It seems to fit in better.)
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom together in a bowl. Set aside. (This helps to evenly distribute the spices in the flour.)
- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (If your butter is at room temperature this will be easier.)
- Beat in the molasses and honey. (Don't worry if the mixture looks a bit curdled.)
- Dissolve the soda in the boiling water and beat into the creamed mixture.
- Beat in the flour mixture until smooth, then beat in the eggs. The mixture will be runny. (This is perfectly normal.)
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (The top should also spring back when lightly touched.)
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack. Carefully remove the baking paper. (It should easily peel off.)
- Serve warm with either whipped cream or ice cream.
Blue Ribbon Gingerbread
This deliciously old-fashioned gingerbread is an heirloom recipe. Its dark and spicy. Serve it warm, cut into squares along with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to grace the top.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (340g) dark molasses
- 1 TBS honey
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
- 2 large free range eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square deep baking tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the molasses and honey.
- Dissolve the soda in the boiling water and beat into the creamed mixture.
- Beat in the flour mixture until smooth, then beat in the eggs. The mixture will be runny.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack. Carefully remove the baking paper.
- Serve warm with either whipped cream or ice cream.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Another Sunday, another Meals of the week post. The post where I catch you up with all of the things which I have cooked for myself over the previous week. I may live on my own, but as you can see, I eat very well.
I love doing these meals of the week posts. I know that I, myself, on occasions need a bit of inspiration when it comes to meal planning and if I can help anyone to do that for themselves or their family that makes me very happy.
I try to keep everything as nutritious as possible, and I try to cook my own meals from scratch most of the time. Readymade food is usually not all that good for you, being loaded with salt, sugar and fat. I do not believe it is meant to be consumed on a regular business.
I, like many seniors, live within a budget so what I eat also has to fit within that structure. It is getting more and more difficult to do, but it can be done with a little bit of planning ahead.
I also have my daughter staying with me at the moment while she recovers from a major surgery. That does present a bit of a challenge as I try to tempt her appetite with things that are simple and yet delicious without being overly rich or complicated.
She is spending quite a bit of time sleeping at the moment and isn't really all that hungry, although she is drinking plenty and soup seems to be a favourite meal, always a good thing.
These are my main meals, not my breakfasts and suppers. Breakfast will usually be something simple like a protein shake. I buy my protein powder here. They have loads of flavors. The Orange Cream Pop is my favorite. Sometimes I will have toast, and other times Oatmeal or my homemade granola. (Usually with some plain yogurt and fruit.)
My lunches will be very simple. Sometimes a salad and some fruit, sometimes a sandwich, occasionally soup, and sometimes a bowl of cereal and milk, or some cheese and crackers.
In any case, here are the meals of the week I enjoyed over the past seven days! I hope you will be inspired to want to cook a few of them for yourself! Delicious, nutritious and economical for the most part!
.jpg "French Onion Cottage Pie")
SUNDAY, October 18th - French Onion Cottage Pie
We were not able to get out to my sister's again because of Eileen's slow recovery, so I decided to make us a comfort meal we could hopefully both enjoy. I cooked the meat in the slow-cooker the night before. tender and juicy beef, falling apart and melt in the mouth. I only made two small individual ones though, freezing the extra meat for another time.
This is always so delicious. You get tender chunks of beef in a delicious gravy at the bottom, topped with peas, carrots, and corn and then a thatch of buttery Parmesan mash gilding the top. So delicious.
I was grateful I had made only the two servings. Eileen was only able to eat a small portion of hers. She did eat some of the gravy with some bread though, which was good. I had made a small salad to enjoy with it. She ate some of that as well. Baby steps.
MONDAY, October 18th - Monterrey Chicken Quesadillas
I tried tempting her appetite again with these delicious Quesadillas. We both really love Mexican food flavours and I know she really likes Quesadillas.
The filling in these is delicious and never disappoints. Shredded rotisserie chicken (I used canned), crumbled bacon, chopped onion, plenty of cheddar cheese and some spicy sweetness from the use of BBQ sauce.Then there is the crispness of the flour tortilla shell. Brushing them with butter prior to baking ensures that they turn out crisp and golden brown and deliciously buttery flavored.
And there you have it, these were my Meals of the Week for the past week. I think we ate pretty well. What do you think? None of it was very complicated at all, and everything was homemade as well as within budget! I do hope that you will be inspired to cook some of these tasty meals for yourself and your loved ones!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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