Hot Cross Bun Recipe

In a large bowl put
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tblsp surebake yeast
2 tblsp sugar and mix well.
Add
1 cup milk
1 cup boiling water and mix to a smooth paste.
Leave for 2-3 minutes until starting to grow and bubble
Stir in
50 gms butter(melted)
2 eggs (beaten)
2 heaped tsps mixed spice
1 level tsp allspice
1 heaped tsp cinnamon
1 cup currants and mixed peel
3 cups flour.
Put out on to bench and knead 3-4 minutes adding flour slowly if too sticky.
Knead a further 4 minutes until dough is soft, smooth and easy to stretch.
Should be able to make an indentation with finger and it will bounce straight back.
Put back in bowl,cover with cling wrap and a toweland leave to proof in a warm place for at least 15minutes.
Turn out on bench again and cut into bun pieces,half the size of the finished bun required.Shape into buns and put on greased tray.Cover again and leave in warm place for at least 45minutes or until double in size.
Put crosses on top..I use a sharp long knife and just make indentations on mine.
Glaze with 1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup warm milk.
Bake @ 220C for 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and hollow to the tap.
Take out, reglaze lightly and put back in the oven TURNED OFF for about 2 minutes to dry the glaze.
Enjoy.

Mother is 85 years old

My mother, Dorothy celebrated her 85th birthday on the 22nd November this year. Celebrated quietly with the Blind Association at their Christmas luncheon and then the following evening I had the grandsons around for dinner. Monday a surprise morning tea with a few of her great friends ended her celebrations.

EASIEST CHOCOLATE SAUCE

In a microwave proof jug or bowl put
2 heaped tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons Butter

2 tablespoons Cold Water

1 tablespoon Cocoa

2 small teaspoons Vanilla Essence

Cook on High for 45 seconds.

Whisk and cook a further 45 seconds.

Whisk and serve over sliced bananas and vanilla icecream.

Delicious!!

QUICKEST APRICOT CHICKEN

4 serving size Chicken pieces
1 packet French Onion Soup

1 x 450(or similar)ml can of Apricot halves

Place the chicken into a microwave bowl and sprinkle the soup over .

Pour over the apricots.

Cover and cook on high for 15minutes.

Stir during the cooking.

Serve with green vegetables of your choice or on a bed of rice.

My Favourite Recipes

I have so many people asking for my recipes so have decided to add them to 'Pammy's Post'.I just love cooking and messing around in my little kitchen(and it is very little)!! A niece and a nephew who have both gone flatting now are always texting me asking Aunty Pam how to do something in the cullinary field. Hope you enjoy these recipes from New Zealand.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP

1 Whole pumpkin( any sort but the grey ones are best)
3 medium to large Onions.

2-3 tablespoonsButter

600 mls Water

2 x chicken stock cubes or 2 tablespoons of chicken stock powder

Pop the whole pumpkin into the microwave to soften the shell for 10 minutes turning over after 5minutes. Cool enough to handle.

Peel and chop the pumpkin and onions roughly.

Dissolve the stock cube or powder in the water.

Put all ingredients into a large saucepan and cook until soft enough to mash down.

Remove from the heat and add

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon White or Black Pepper

(add more if you like it hot and spicey)

1 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/4 teaspoon Mixed Spice.

Stir in well.

Cool slightly , then put into a food processor and blend until smooth adding more hot water if required. DO NOT make too runny.

Put into containers to freeze.

When ready to serve, add cream or milk for a lovely smooth silky soup.

Chopped parsley or chives sprinkled on top is nice too.

Enjoy

Easter weekend

A fabulous weekend away in Auckland for Ben and myself. We left Hastings after an early rising at 5am with Mum ,and had a very foggy drive to Taupo.Stopped at Waireki for a cuppa then it was a nice drive to Hamilton to drop Mum off at Aunty Mary's for her weekend away.Traffic started to build from Hamilton but most going south. Piece of cake for us and we pulled up at Mike and Lou's in time for lunch.

Amy arrived not long after we arrived and it was a real bonus to have her stay for the weekend too. She is flatting over the otherside of the harbour bridge and going to Massey Uni in Albany to hopefully finish her degree and her 2 flatmates had gone home for Easter and she was lonely!!

Saturday we took Amy home to pick up her ID so she could get in to her work and we had a quick squizz around the flat which is lovely.3 stories high and very compact and modern. Is really an apartment of many and has a lovely communal swimming pool with a great bbq and entertainment area Very nice. After dropping her off at her work, Mike had a job to do at his work in the city and then out to Henderson to do a little shopping!

Belle and Lou decided against this new eyewear!

Isabelle is off to London for 4weeks in April and needed some warm pj's ( was snowing there this week) and Lou neede some new Egyptian sheets and I just needed the therapy of shopping!!!

Saturday night we visited Stamford on Albert a flash restaurant and had a fabulous upper class dinner.Went through the menu and the drinks list.Had a 50% off voucher courtesy of Mike's work and it was well used.Lovely setting and great food and company was the best.

Mike,Lou,Belle,Amy,Ben and me

Amy, Lou and Ben

4 roses amongst the lillies

Sunday was another fabulous summer's day and we decided to take a run out to Betthels Beach, a west coast beach .Waves for the surfers and a estuary for the littlies. A cave for the adventureres and a lovely soft sandy beach for the loungers. It also boasted the best cafe and cappuccinos I have ever had at a beach location.

Set up on Bethels BeachMike @ Nth End

Estuary(a pic for Geoff)

Betthels beach to the south and the cave

Looking straight out to the Tasman Sea

Belle amongst the mussells.

Annual photo of Ben and Belle!!!

Me with Ben and AmyAunty Pam and Amy

Monday another lovely day but sadly Ben and I had to leave for home again.Had lunch then on the road by 1.30.Picked up Mum in Hamilton, tea in Taupo and home to drop Ben off by 7.30pm.A Great weekend away and all oh so tired for the next 2 days!!!

The Hoffys Now in Ireland

Katie and Sam

Katie and Ruth in Rosslare
Haven't heard very much from the family of late.They have moved from Glasgow now and are the residents of Rosslare in County Wexford on the East coast of Ireland. Looks like a pretty place and they will love being closer to the sea. Geoff is like his mother, I just love the water.
The children, Sam and Katie are growing far too fast, but are happy ,healthy and just love their new surroundings. Now that they are hooked back into the world of communications I do hope to keep more up to date with them.Have missed the skype talks.

Other News

Mike and Lou, my brother in Auckland, had an unsettling time recently and thought they would like to move back to the Bay. We all got vey excited about having them all back here and so close again, but in the end they have decided to hold on for another few years to let Isabelle finish her college years and hopefully the housing markets will be in a better place for buying and selling. So Morepork Manor is still available for us as a R and R retreat!

Evan,Amy and Ben

January 2008

Amy had a sojourn on the Gold Coast Australia from August but is home now and off to Varsity in Albany this year and in the process of setting up flat with 2 other girls.

Evan is off to Canterbury Uni, in Christchurch next week to do a engineering course and living in the halls of residence for the year.He had a brilliant year ,his last one at College and ended up runner-up to Dux.(His girlfriend,Alice was Dux) So a very proud family here.Mike and Lou along with me and Mum all there to witness the announcement etc. He has done well and is looking forward to his next step in life, out on his own.

Prizegiving

Evan,Lou,Mike and Ben

Ben also did well at College last year and I think is looking forward to being out of the shadow of his brother this year. He and his Nana have a lovely relationship and comes to see her every Friday and keeps her updated with his doings.They are all great kids or young adults I should say. A credit to their parents. Terry was very taken with the boys when he was here for Christmas Day.

Josh,(Lou's son) came home from London last year and has been working in Glen Eden.He is off to Australia in March and from there, who knows.

Belle at Mount Albert Grammar this year and is a lovely young woman. Pretty thing she is. Sings in a band from intermediate and loves the stage.

Tony,Pamela,Lou,Belle and Me

Ben,Mum and Evan

Feb 2008

Mum has been up and down with her health this past year. Had a couple of nasty falls but bounced back well from those. Had a slight stroke mid year and fortunately no side effects from that apart fro being slowed down immensely. Now on Walfarin and that takes a toll on her. But she is still keeping as active as she can and still has a hand in the church affairs, even though in a smaller quantity. She is relishing the family coming to visit when they can and was delighted to see Carl, Wendy and Jayden one day in Decmber. Carl is her 1st born grandson and has always been very special. He is married to a lovely Dutch girl and they have a fine handsome little boy in Jayden - just turned 15 months .

Nice to have a visit from Tony(my eldest brother) and his wife Pamela from Kapiti Coast recently and it coincided with Lou and Belle's visit last month

Wendy,Jayden and Carl

Jayden and Mum

Me and Jayden telling stories!