Recipe(tried): Sarahs Birthday Buffet

Hi All,
Have,t been about much lately I,ve had the usual round of very close family birthdays(my 3 children were born within 3 weeks of each other!!!!!)It was the turn of my daughter Sarah on Monday,she turned 19 which is proof that time is passing as it seems as if yesterday she was toddling all over the place!What makes it extra special is the fact that she had such a struggle to survive in the first place,to cut a long story short.......she was born at 28 weeks with severe problems which meant she had to be in Hospital for the first 9 months of life(at only 9 months on discharge she weighed only 8 1/2 Lbs!)She was late in all developemental stages but Boy has she made up for it !she is still tiny and slight but is sitting Matric this year with the possibility of 5 distinctions (am I a very proud Mum or What?)so she has defeated the odds at ther Birth Totally......to celebrate her birthday we had a buffet type meal for friends and family it was the only way I could accomadate all these youngsters and could they put food away!!!! Here is what we had......Thai-style fish cakes

(I trebled this)
Serves 4

1 Lb boned white fish
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
2 spring onions, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
24 tsp chopped lemon grass
1 - 2 fresh red chillis, seeded
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp lime juice
4 tsp cornflour
sunflower oil for shallow frying

Place fish, ginger, spring onion, garlic, lemon grass and chilli in a food processor and blend. Add fish sauce, sugar, eggs, lime juice and cornflour and process until blended. Shape mixture into rounded patties. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry patties on both sides until golden and firm to the touch. Remove and drain. Serve with dipping sauces of choice

I served......

Thai Cucumber Salad
(I doubled this)

4 servings

2 tb Vegetable oil
2 tb Shelled peanuts
1 large Cucumber, peeled
1 Fresh small red chile finely chopped
1 Shallot, finely chopped (or
-use green onion)
2 ts Finely chopped lime peel
1 1/2 tb Lime juice
2 ts Fish sauce (or just use a
-little salt)
1 ts Brown sugar
1 cn Tiny salad shrimp

Brown peanuts at high heat in a wok with the oil (or brown in microwave,
one minute at a time). Chop them up. Peel cucumber and remove seeds. Grate
one half of the cucumber with a cheese grater, and slice the other half in
very thin slices (or grate the whole thing, or slice the whole thing,
depending on which you like best)

Mix everything together and serve. Be sure to put the peanuts on just
before you serve it or they will get soggy.

Honey dipping sauce
(I doubled this as well)

150 ml (3/5 cup) honey
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice

Mix honey and lemon juice and serve as a dipping sauce.The following is a very typical chicken dish here In S.Africa which is very popular and very yummy.....

Barbequed Chicken

Chicken pieces of your choice

Marinade:

2 tsp chicken spice
1 clove crushed garlic
1 cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 cup Worcestershire sauce or soya sauce
1 cup fruit chutney
1 cup oil (olive or sunflower)
3 Tbls lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken and allow to stand for at least 1 hour. If you can leave it over-night, even better!!If you do not have time to wait for chicken to marinade. Place in microwave for 5 minutes on 100% power or in an oven for about 10 minutes on low heat. This will speed up the marinating process.

Barbecue over coals slowly, turning often. The trick is to not have your fire too hot so that the chicken cooks slowly allowing marinade to penetrate right through. If the fire is too hot the marinade will burn and the chicken will be raw at the bone.Pork sausages in honey sauce with mustard mashed potatoes.
(I Dbled this one)

8 medium potatoes
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
lukewarm milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain, peel and mash. Heat half the butter and add the mustard seeds. Heat until the mustard seeds start popping and add to the mashed potatoes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a warmed swerving dish and keep warm. Meanwhile heat a little oil, slice 3 onions into rings and saut in hot oil until onions begin to brown. Remove from the pan, Fry 8 pork sausages in a little heated oil until done and golden brown. Add about 2 Tablespoons honey. Stir until he sausages are coated with the heated honey. Remove from the pan and rapidly mix the onions with the honey sauce. Serve the sausages and onions with mustard mashed potatoes.
Serves 4-6Hot Papaya Chutney

2 tomatoes, pealed and chopped
3 cups diced papaya
1/4 cup chopped white onion
2 Tbs golden raisins
1 habanero chili, stem and seads removed, minced

Combine all the ingredients and gently simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened.
Serve as a condiment with meat or fish.

Potato Scones


1/2 lb Cooked Potatoes
2 oz Flour
1/2 oz Butter
Pinch Salt
A little Milk or Buttermilk To bind

To test for the correct heat on the gridle sprinkle it with a little flour. If the flour browns at once it is too hot; it should take a few seconds to turn colour.

Grease a gridle or heavy frying-pan. Mash the patatoes with the butter and a little milk. Mix with a spoon. Add the salt and a little of the flour. Use the fingers until it is all taken up and the dough is fairly stiff. Turn out on to a floured surface. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut into rounds using a breakfast cup as a cutter. Place on the hot greased gridle or frying-pan. Cook for 2 minutes util the underside is brown. Turn and repeat on the other side. Serve piping hot, spread with butter. Minty peas

4-5 lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
1 Lb frozen or fresh peas
1 tsp sugar
sea salt and freshly milled pepper to taste
6-7 mint leaves
1 tsp butter

(Serves 4)
(I doubled this one)

Place lettuce leaves in a saucepan followed by onions, peas, sugar, seasoning and mint leaves.
Add a tablespoon of water and butter.
Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes over moderate heat.

AnD a BIG thanks to Gladys PR as I used her recipe for this salad which everyone raved about,so big pat on the back for you Gladys
(I,ll repost the recipe for you I highly recomend it)

TROPICAL HOLIDAY SALAD
12 servings

2 cups shell macaroni, cooked according to package instructions, rinsed with cold water and drained
2 cups broccoli flowerets
1 cup cauliflower flowerets
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 6oz can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
1 cup sliced stuffed green olives
cup chopped onion
2/3 cup prepared Italian Salad Dressing
1 avocado, seeded, peeled and sliced
1 tomato, seeded and chopped.

In large serving bowl,, combine macaroni, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, olives, and chopped onion. Toss with Italian Dressing. Cover and chill. At serving time, toss with avocado and tomato.Hot German Potato Salad
************************************
8 cups sliced potatoes, cooked
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup bacon, diced

Fry bacon, drain fat from pan .Return 4 Tbsp. fat to pan, and add celery, onions, flour, and salt. Cook gently. Add sugar, vinegar, water and bring to a boil. Put bacon on top of potatoes. Pour sauce over potatoes and bacon. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or put in a crock pot until well heated.Now to desserts and cake we had to have Sarahs Fav......

Frozen Lemon Cream

Serves:12 to 16 condensed milk, 2 cans
1 cup juice, fresh
2 cups cream, whipped

topping

pkt lemon cream biscuits, crushed finely
4 Tblsd butter, melted
1 Cup cream, whipped

lemon rind, and strawberries or kiwi fruit to decorate
Combine the condensed milk and lemon juice until thickened. Fold in the whipped cream. Line a deep cake tin with plastic wrap or baking paper and pour the mixture in. Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top. Freeze to set. When frozen, turn the cake out so that the biscuit layer forms the base. Decorate with whipped cream, sliced fresh strawberries or kiwi and lemon rind.Apple Plate Pie
( I made 2)
8 oz SR flour
4 oz Butter
2 oz Caster sugar
4 Cooking apples
1 Egg, beaten
Little milk
Melted butter for glazing
Ground cloves or cinnamon
Caster sugar for dusting

Set oven to 425F . Grease an 8 inch round flan tin. Rub the butter into the flour in a bowl and stir in the sugar. Peel and grate two of the apples and add to the flour with the beaten egg. Mix well
together. If the dough is rather firm add a little milk to soften. Turn the dough on to a floured surface and knead lightly. Press evenly into the base of the tin. Peel, core and slice the remaining apples and arrange, neatly overlapping, on top of the dough. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a pinch of ground cloves or cinnamon and a little caster sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes and serve warm.
Surprise Carrot Cake

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 cup oil
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine cream cheese, sugar and one egg, mixing until well blended. Set
aside. Combine dry ingredients. Add combined oil and eggs, mixing just
until moistened. Fold in carrots and nuts. Reserve 2 cups batter; pour
remaining batter into a greased and floured 9 inch bundt pan. Pour cream
cheese mixture over batter; carefully spoon reserved batter over cream
cheese mixture, spreading to cover.
Bake at 350 F degrees 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center
comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool thoroughly.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
12 Servings.

The Theme was African with candles in Zebra print lit in various places on the table,matching napkins,lots of woven platters in Grasses and earthenware bowls with african prints on and the centrepeice was a Wooden carved bowl filled with fruit. Cider,fruit punches and some sparkling wine for the Toast.Wishing you all a good day

Love Julie