Deblyn

It is extremely wet and a bit cold here in the south of England today; I've done some baking, made lemon curd, put the fruit for the Christmas cake in to soak and made the mincemeat. will spend the afternoon knitting, and won't be sitting on any porch!

I don't eat fish (vegetarian), but could use this as a stuffing for something else, it sounds good, and easily adaptable to whatever you have in the fridge - my sort of cooking! I don't buy the tinned soup very often, but sometimes keep a tin in the cupboard "just in case"

Molasses should be fine, as it's mentioned in the book. Our golden syrup is an inverted sugar syrup, so don't know if corn syrup would be the same thing. I will try and find out. Ours is a by-product of something in the sugar industry; it is a very thick viscose golden very sweet syrup. and is made by Tate and Lyle. Barbados sugar is the very dark, soft, almost sticky sugar that sort of clumps together. sorry for the non-culinary description, but that's pretty accurate! Again, will try and find out.

This is how I make tomato sauce for over the top of spaghetti - quick and easy. about 8 tomatoes 2 medium onions, chopped fine 1 clove garlic, chopped fine 1 teaspoon sugar few sprigs fresh oregano salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add the onions, cook until soft, but not overcoloured. Meanwhile, skin the tomatoes(I don't usually bother, though, and add all the parts) if wanted, and chop roughly. Add to pan with rest of ingredients and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so. I use this also as a base for our vegetarian lasagne, but add chpped vegetables, mushrooms, soya etc to bulk it out. Then it gets layered in a dish with the lasagne, and is topped off with bechamel sauce and lots of grated cheese on top and into a hot oven for 30 minutes or so. We like garlic bread with ours, and salad. Hope this helps.

Thanks Cat. I knew about the Chinese coins with the hole in the middle, and I knew about the buttons being worldly symbols for the Amish (I have done a lot of reading on them, as I am very interested in their way of life, history, etc), but hadn't managed to link those two together. I'm sure you are right. I hope to make a quilt in this design as it is very striking.

1/4 lb butter 1/2 lb granulated sugar 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 level tablespoons golden syrup Us e a heavy pan, not too samll, as the mixture froths a bit. Place butter in pan over heat to begin melting. Add rest of ingredients, stir until sugar is melted. Bring to the boil and boil briskly, stirring occasionally, until mixture turns golden brown. Our into a greased, shallow tin ( 7" square is a suitable size). Mark into squares before quite set; it will then break more easily. Treacle Toffee (my favourite!) 1lb Barbados sugar 1lb black treacle/molasses 2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar 4 ounces butter Put sugar and treacle/molasses and vinegar into a large suacepan and stir over a low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring very slowly to boiling point, and keep it boiling for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Carefully and gradually stir in the butter, in thin pieces, piece by oiece. Continue to boil to 284*f, 142*c, soft crack stage. Remove from heat, and allow toffee to settle a minute. Pour gently into a well-greased tin. When cool, mark into squares, and when cold, break into pieces. Variation: substitute half of the treacle with honey.

Deb, The condensed nilk is fairly thick to begin with, but thickens up more as it caramelises in the can. I can't open the can after boiling without just haveing a wee test - it's very more-ish. But be careful, else you'll end up the same shape as me!!!!!

Looks like someone I know!

thanks for that. It cropped up (!) in one of the pages I am working on for Carla emery. Expect more questions!!

........... is posted under Hillbillee's infor on sweetened condensed milk, if you would like to look at it. I would hate for it to stay too hidded because it really is good!

Gentle boil over a long time is best, but take care in case they do explode - never happened to me or anyone I know so far. Also, let them cool before opening them.

Escarole? Can you describe it so I can decide whether it exists in England by another name!

Thanks for that - I've noted the site and will have a look later.

In one of my Amish quilting books, there is a quilt I would like to make called"Chinese Coins"; it is stripes of colours against a navy blue background, and is a beautiful quilt. However, there is no mention of how the quilt got its name. I feel that Chines Coins and Amish seem a bit incongruous! I hope someone can let me know if you have any information on this. Thanks in advance - again!

I read on another forum of making quilt batting from carded fleece. Can anyone tell me how to go about this please? I feel several quilt projects coming on, so will need some batting at some point. Replies in the other forum suggested going to Walmart - not practical when you live in Dorset, England! I would also like to do it myself if possible. My wonderful fabric warehouse does stock batting, but i would love to have a go with the wool. Imagine how warm that will be! Any help greatly appreciated.

I have boiled tins of condensed milk for "toffee" more times than I care to remember when I was a chef. We used to put half a dozen cans into a big saucepan and let them boil away all day, say 5 - 6 hours. When the tin was opened, the milk had turned a lovely light caramel colour. In recent reading, with the great popularity of the recipe that follows, the "experts" no longer recommend boiling the tins in case they explode. I have never heard of any exploding, but suppose it is possible. It is recommended that the milk be put in a saucepan over a lowish heat for a long time until the same result is achieved. I have not tried this, so cannot vouch for it. Banoffee Pie Put one tin of caramelised condensed milk into a baked pie shell. Slice two or three ripe bananas over this, then top with whipped double (heavy) cream flavoured with a little coffee. Chill for a couple of hours before serving. Banana and toffee heaven!! It's a very popular pudding in pubs here now, but the above recipe dates from 1986, when I made it in one of the litchens I worked in, and this seems to be the original and best. Variations can include a base like a cheescake, made from digestive biscuits (Graham crackers) and melted butter, some put in coconut, leave out the coffee, whatever you like. Hope you like the recipe - let me know if anyone tries it.

Deb - that question is even stranger than my one on hot water bottles!!

We had that programme here last year, and it was very good; the children thoroughly enjoyed it a s well. Lots of it will make you laugh, because it is very English in places! The mother copes very well with domestic things. When you see the litchen in the house, it will give you all some idea of my kitchen, even down to the green gingham!!

Lowly??!!! Thanks a bunch!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Stargirl! Wonder if you wnet past my house on the way to Weymouth? We're about 26 miles from there, just the other side of Sherborne. Glad you got to see a lot of dorset countryside, albeit slowly!! The steam engines were on their way to or from the Great Dorset Steam Fair which is held every year. For several days before and after the event, dozens of them and other assorted antique vehicles go past our house, which we all love, but then we're not sitting in a car behind them!

Hi to Hillbilly from England. Hope you enjoy the forum!

He Little Redwing from England! We have chickens and ducks, and I would like some geese, but my husband wouldn't. Wonder who will win that one?!! Hope you enjoy the forum.

Thanks Dee, sounds right up my street. Funnily enough I've spent the day studying quilting books and magazines for inspiration for a project for a particular wall in the house. Isn't that funny? I'll request it from the library next wee. Thanks again.

Thanks for that Hilbillie - great site. I like the 1Crazy Cow one as well! (but I would!!)

Thanks Deb. I nominate that for post of the year.