Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup.

Ingredients:
SERVINGS 4-6
1 butternut squash
1 large sweet potato
3 medium carrots or 2 large carrots
1 large red onion
2 celery ribs
1 red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 vegetable stock cube
salt and pepper
1 large fresh parsley sprig

Directions:
Peel the squash, sweet potato, carrots, and onion.
Dice the above ingredients and the red pepper and parsley.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and soften all the above ingredients for a few minutes.
Make up a pint of stock with the stock cube and pour this over the softened vegetables.
Add the salt and pepper to taste, add more water if required.
Put a lid on the pan and simmer until the carrots, sweet potato and squash are all completely cooked.
Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool a bit, then liquidise the whole lot until smooth.
Serve with nice fresh crusty bread.

Clotted Cream Rice Pudding.

Rinse 200g pudding rice in cold water and drain.
Place in a saucepan with 800ml full cream milk.
Bring to the boil and add 3 Tbs sugar.
Turn down heat to a simmer and add 3 Tbs Clotted cream.
Simmer for about 30-40 mins, stirring occasionally.
If the rice becomes too thick add a little more milk.
Cook until the rice is thick and soft.
Pour into a heat proof dish.
Sprinkle with golden caster sugar and a little nutmeg.
Place under a hot grill until browning and bubbling.
Serve with extra clotted cream and jam if liked.

Raspberry+Blueberry Buttermilk Cake.

My everyday cakes!
Adapted from Smittenkitchen - APRIL 7, 2008.

You can just ignore the word “raspberry” up there and swap it up with any which berry you please, like blackberries or blueberries or bits of strawberries or all of the above.
This is a good, basic go-to buttermilk cake — moist and ever-so-light!
Makes one thin 15 cm/9-inch cake, which might serve eight people...or for "Two of Us".


1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (146 grams) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1 large (57 grams) egg
1/2 cup (118 ml) well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup (5 ounces or 140 grams) fresh raspberries+blueberry


Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F with rack in middle.
Butter and flour a 15 cm/9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup (146 grams) sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla and zest, if using.
Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.
Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top.
Scatter raspberries+blueberry evenly over top and sprinkle (optional) with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar!

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more.
Invert onto a plate.



Make your own almost-buttermilk:
No need to buy buttermilk especially for this or any recipe.
Add one teaspoon tablespoon [updated, as an astute reader pointed out that the larger amount is more common] of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk and let it sit until it clabbers, about 10 minutes.
Voila, buttermilk!