With puff pastry on hand, it won't take long to produce these stylish canapes.
It all began with a recipe involving a calf's foot filling (the less said, the better), but Eccles cakes are now one of Britain's most famous sweet treats.
Probably more famous than the town from which it comes, the Eccles cake began its rise to popularity in the 1790s in what is now part of Greater Manchester, where bakers James Birch and his apprentice-turned-rival William Bradburn battled for supremacy in the apparently fiercely competitive fruitcake market.
These small round patties of flaky pastry with a currant filling are not to be confused with similar-looking Chorley cakes (less sweet) or Banbury cakes (more oval). Today Eccles cakes hold a special place in the nation's heart, which not even their unappetizing nickname -- "dead fly pies" -- can diminish.
This satisfying spiced soup is packed with protein and will keep hunger at bay for hours. You can substitute about 2 cups of leftover shredded cooked chicken and 2 cups cooked and cooled lentils to make this soup even quicker to prepare. Just simmer the soup until the sweet potato is tender, about 10 minutes.
Ginger syrup and toasted coconut accent this refreshing fruit combo. Feel free to vary the fruit to suit your brunch crowd.
A sweet pear on creamy baked cheese will have guests coming back for more. Serve with sliced baguette, crisp breads or flatbreads.
This recipe, in a slightly different version, was given to me by a co-worker 40 years ago. Over the years, I have adjusted it to include the shredded mozarella, adjusted the spices, replaced cottage cheese with ricotta and added the Parmesan. The meat sauce is also the same sauce I use for spaghetti and the base for chili. It is the most frequent request of one of daughters and my husband for birthday dinners.
Serve in shallow soup bowls with multi-grain rolls. Started making this years ago for something hearty and filling for my large family and economical.
This salad has a tangy sweet dressing that you can make well ahead of time.
The mother of Darlene Schmidt of Edmonton received this recipe from an aunt in the 1930s. Her mum changed the base and the squares have been a family favourite ever since.
