Amanda Brooke

Worcestershire Sauce

As requested here is the recipe I used to make the Worcestershire sauce. It is truly delicious and I will never buy this sauce again.

The recipe is adapted from a CWA (Country Women's Association) recipe book.

WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE

2 litres of brown vinegar

600ml of malt vinegar

(I used the above combination of vinegar but alternatively you can just use 2.6 litres of brown vinegar)

220gms of caster sugar

6 green apples, peeled and chopped

60gms of minced or chopped fresh garlic

1/4 tsp of chilli powder

1 tsp whole cloves

1 tsp peppercorns

25gm ground ginger

25gm salt

500gm treacle

1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the treacle, into a large pot. Cover and boil for 2 hours, then strain. (I used a fine sieve)

2. Return the mixture to the heat again and bring back to the boil. Add the treacle and stir for 10 minutes. Pour into steralised bottles and seal.

3. Allow 3 weeks for the sauce to mature before use (however I couldn't wait and used some in a meat dish after a couple of weeks. It was delicious!!!!)

Shake well before use.

This recipe made approximately 10 cups of sauce. To steralise the bottles I washed them first in hot, soapy water then rinsed with freshly boiled water. Place them in a cold oven and then turn oven on to 120 degrees. Turn the oven off after 30 minutes. I kept them in the oven until they were ready to use.

When the sauce was ready I stood the bottles on a tea towel and then used a plastic funnel to pour the sauce into each jar.

This is so simple to make and makes a large batch making it perfect for gift giving. I hope you enjoy making this as much as I did! I will post my 'new' Christmas cake recipe next, but I haven't made it yet, so when I do I'll pass the recipe on.

Thanks for visiting,

Amanda x

 

 

Baking Baking Baking

Quick mix biscuits

Pink salmon patties with leftover pasta, tomatoes and peas

Date scones

Coconut cake

Apple delicious pudding drowned in cream

Worcestershire sauce for Christmas giving

There is loads of baking happening here and these are just some of the yummy treats to come out of our kitchen this past week. I must admit that I do bake more at this time of the year with edible gifts and extra food for family gatherings at Christmas. I am yet to make the Christmas cake and have decided to shy away from our traditional chocolate and fruit cake and go with a recipe I tried last year which was simpler, cheaper and delicious....I think it will go best with our simpler Christmas this year!

Thanks for visiting,

Amanda x

Another Christmas stocking on the mantle

I hung our stockings on the mantle last week and made space for another stocking. As Ben was born shortly after Christmas last year he didn't have a stocking, so I set to work making him one last week. Even though they are only 'used' once a year I like to enjoy them for a bit longer and make them part of our Christmas decorating.

I cut out four stocking shapes (two for the outer and two for the lining) I use calico for the lining and trim the tops with co-ordinating fabrics on the outer. Double the height of the trim fabric if you wish to trim the tops so it is visible on the inside and out. Eg If you want a 2in trim at the top cut is at 4in x the width of the stocking opening.

Join each set right sides together at their tops and so the feet face the same direction. Sew across the edge. Pin the two sets right sides together and sew around the entire shape leaving an opening at the lining end for turning.

Clip edges, turn right way out and sew opening closed.

Stuff lining inside stocking and then press.

I then cut a simple hanging loop from wool felt and attach with a button to either side.

Hang and enjoy!

Thanks for visiting,

Amanda x

 

A Change of Heart and Mind

I've changed my mind.

I know I said that I was reducing the amount of Christmas decorations this year. But I started to set up the simpler version and looking at the remainder of the decorations in their boxes, filled with memories of Christmases past I couldn't stop at just the balls and the beads. I couldn't not use my children's decorations, the tree decoration in memory of my dad, the hand carved santa's gifted to me by a special friend and the handmade quilts and soft handcrafted Santa.

I set up all of the decorations that meant something to me and our family. There is still no front door decoration or lights along the verandah to announce to all that we are celebrating Christmas here....the celebration and decoration is inside with our family and I am glad I chose this year to embrace our Christmases past.

Happy Christmas decorating!

Thanks for visiting,

Amanda x