Curried Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon tomato/tamarind based curry paste (such as Patak's hot)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  
• 1 cup raisins
  
• 340 grams dry pasta shells or rotini
  
• 1/2 red pepper
  
• 1/2 green pepper
  
• 1/2 red onion
  
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
  
• 1/2 cup pine nuts

Directions:

Cook pasta, drain, and set aside to cool.
Combine curry paste, olive oil, stock and raisins in a saucepan.
Bring dressing to a boil, simmer for five minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
Slice peppers and onion thinly.
Chop parsley.
Toss pasta with dressing.
Mix in vegetables, parsley and nuts.
Serve chilled.

Fruit Scones

A classic British recipe for scones. When I was a child, my mother made these with sultanas and currents. They are equally good with fresh cranberries and/or apple. Try them topped with raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. all purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 2 oz. unsalted butter
  
• 4 oz. fruit such as sultanas, currants, fresh cranberries or chopped apple
  
• 5 fl. oz. milk

Directions:

Mix flour, salt and baking powder together.
Incorporate butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly.
Add fruit. Mix well.
Add just enough milk to hold dough together, forming dough into a ball with your hands.
Roll dough out into a one inch thick sheet.
Cut into rounds with cookie cutter.
Place scones onto greased baking sheet.
Brush tops of scones with milk.
Bake for 7-10 minutes at 425°F.

These are best enjoyed still warm from the oven, but can be cooled on a wire rack and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.

Apple Spice Cake

This makes a delicious, moist and flavourful cake. I baked one for a camping trip, covered it in plastic wrap once it had cooled, and enjoyed some everyday of a five day trip!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 3/4 cup whole grain oats
  
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
  
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  
• 2 cups filtered apple pulp
  
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
  
• 1 cup raisins

Directions:

Beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs.
Sift flour, oats, baking salts and spices together.
Stir flour mixture into egg mixture.
Mix in apple pulp until well combined.
Fold in nuts and raisins.
Pour batter into greased and floured 9" x 5" loaf pan.
Bake at 350°F for 55-60 minutes (until wooden pick inserted in centre of cake comes out clean).
Allow to cool in pan on wire rack.
Cake is best fresh but cooled leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap, stored at room temperature and enjoyed for several days.