a good bunch of mint
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp boiling water
3 tbsp wine vinegar

Snip the leaves off the stems of mint.
Chop the leaves finely.
Place in a small jug or basin.
Add the sugar and then the boiling water this retains the colour of the mint as well as dissolving the sugar.
Add the vinegar and stir well.
Do not prepare too long in advance because the mint tends to turn brown.

Mock Kahlua

4 cups water
4 cups sugar
4 Tbsp Taster's Choice Instant Decaffeinated Coffee

Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Let cool.

Add:
3 cups vodka
1 cup brandy
2 Tbsp REAL vanilla extract

Pour through funnels into pretty bottles, add a hand made label and raffia ribbon, and put in a basket with a set of pretty coffee mugs.

Ingredients:

2 medium onions
50g butter
2 x 400g cans tomatoes
175g breadcrumbs
1 tsp parsley chopped
finely grated rind of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel and finely slice the onions.
Melt 25g butter in a pan and stir in the onions.
Cook slowly until golden brown.
Spoon into a shallow ovenproof dish.
Halve or quarter the tomatoes and pour over the onions with the tomato juice.
Mix the breadcrumbs with the parsley lemon rind salt and pepper and scatter over the tomatoes.
Dot with shavings of the remaining 25g butter.
Bake in the roasting ovenwith the shelf on the floor of the ovenfor 30 minutes until bubbling hot and crisp on top.

This is a good winter vegetable standby to serve with chops instead of a sauce.

Ingredients:

175g soft light brown sugar
250g butter
900g dessert apples such as coxs
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
50g walnut places
175g caster sugar
3 eggs separated
1 tbsp milk
175g plain white flour

To serve:

creme fraiche
2 pieces preserved stem ginger in syrup drained and chopped

Put the brown sugar and 75g of the butter in a heavy based saucepan in the simmering ovenuntil melted.
Transfer to the simmering plate bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes stirring.

Spread twothirds over the base of a 250mm springrelease cake tin.

Carefully add 150ml water to the caramel remaining in the pan and return to the heat.

Bring to the boil and simmer until the caramel is dissolved and syrupy.

Peel core and thickly slice the apples Arrange over the base of the tin. Mix together the grated lemon rind nutmeg cinnamon and walnuts. Scatter over the apples.

Cream the remaining butter and caster sugar together in a bowl.

Gradually beat in the egg yolks with the milk. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Fold into the creamed mixture alternately with the flour.

Spoon the mixture over the apples in the tin and smooth evenly.

Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting ovenfor 40 minutes.

Slide the cold plain shelf onto the runners just above towards the end of cooking if the cake appears to be overbrowning.

Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then invert onto a wire rack and brush the apples with the remaining caramel.

Serve while still slightly warm with came fraiche flavoured with a little chopped stem ginger.

For optimum colour and flavour use light muscovado sugar. This cake will keep well wrapped in foil and stored in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 days.

Makes 8 slices