RaeAllen.net

Author: Rae Allen

  • Cheese scones


    IMGP7071_cheese-scones, a photo by RaeAllen on Flickr.

    Ingredients
    3 cups self-raising flour
    50g butter, chopped small
    1 cup grated tasty cheese
    1-1 1/2 cups milk

    Method
    1. Rub butter into flour until its breadcrumby
    2. Add grated cheese and mix through mostly dry mixture
    3. add milk and mix until you have a good doughy consistency.
    4. Pre-heat oven to 180C
    5. flour bench and turn out dough, need and flatten to a 1-2cm circle
    6. flour an oven tray
    7. using a scone cutter, press down on dough and cut out 5-7cm circles (don’t twist cutter as that seals the sides)
    8. place circles close together on the oven tray – I normally work from the centre.
    9. brush a bit of milk on top to brown
    10. cook for about 15 minutes, then sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and return until cheese melted and scones brown.

    makes about 2 dozen scones

    Via Flickr:
    Cheese scones with Parmesan cheese tops

  • Standard emergency warning signal

    Standard Emergency Warning Signal (mp3)

    SEWS by raeallen

  • Beef and bean hotpot

    I made this terrific beef and bean hotpot the other day, using some basic ingredients from the cupboard.

    Ingredients

    1. 500g topside beef, chopped 2-3cm cubes
    2. 1 400g can diced tomatoes
    3. 1 400g can 4 bean mix
    4. 4 small brown onions
    5. 1 teaspoon chili powder
    6. 1 tablespoon olive oil
    7. water
    8. 1kg Dutch creme potatoes
    9. 25g butter
    10. 1 cup milk
    11. pepper, salt

    Method

    1. Put the base of the tagine on the stove and add the olive oil.
    2. When hot, add the beef and brown completely.
    3. Once the beef is browned, add the tomatoes and coat the beef.
    4. Add a teaspoon of chili powder and stir to coat meat.
    5. Add the can of bean mix.
    6. Peel the small brown onions but leave them whole.
    7. Add the onions to the mix.
    8. Add enough water to cover the beef.
    9. Put the top on the tagine and place it in an oven at 160C.
    10. Cook slowly for 3-4 hours, if tagine is loosing moisture too quickly, turn down heat.
    11. Once meat is soft, turn off but leave in oven.
    12. Peel the Dutch Creme potatoes, place in pot, and bring to boil.
    13. Once potatoes are soft, drain off the water.
    14. Add 25g butter and 1 cup warmed milk, and using a fork mash to a smooth consistency.
    15. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    16. Place mashed potatoes with a hollow centre on a plate.
    17. Ladle the tagine mixture into the hollow and serve.

    Instead of beef you may use other meats such as pork, goat or mutton

    Cooking time: 3 hour(s) 20 minute(s)

    Number of servings (yield): 4

    4 :  ★★★★☆ 1 review(s)

     

     

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  • Ekka 2011




    Ekka 2011, a set on Flickr.

    Photos from the first Friday of the Ekka, 12 August 2011.

    Traditionally the Friday is mostly about competition judging, with lots of school groups coming through

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  • Moroccan beef tagine

    Moroccan beef tagine

    A spicy winter warmer

    Ingredients

    1. 500g kilos diced beef
    2. handful parsley, chopped
    3. 1 medium onions, chopped
    4. teaspoon mint, picked and chopped
    5. 60g Moroccan tagine spice mix (because I’m lazy)
    6. 40g butter
    7. 1 apples, quartered
    8. 450g crushed tomatoes
    9. 60ml oil.

    Method

    1. Combine all the herbs and spices in a bowl to form a powder, and add the chopped parsley, mint and coriander. Mix well.
    2. Add the diced beef to the herb mix and massage into the meat.
    3. Allow to stand and marinate for two to three hours.
    4. Heat a little oil in the tagine and begin to seal of the marinated meat, a little at a time.
    5. Put the sealed meat aside.
    6. Repeat until all the meat is sealed.
    7. Saute the diced onions in the tagine and put aside with the meat.
    8. While the tagine is still warm, add the crushed tomato and a little water to form a liquid. Heat gently, stirring occasionally.
    9. Once the sauce is heated add the meat and onions to the tagine.
    10. Place the lid on the tagine, and then place it in an oven set at 160 degrees Celsius and slowly braise for two to three hours.
    11. After about 2 hours add the apple.
    12. Just before serving add a handful of chopped parsley.
    13. Serve with mashed potatoes (yes I know traditionally it would be couscous), and yoghurt as garnish

    Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

    Cooking time: 3 hour(s)

    Number of servings (yield): 4

    3 :  ★★★☆☆ 1 review(s)

  • Gentle on my mind

    Glen Campbell announces he has Alzheimers: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/23/3251159.htm

    It’s knowing that your door is always open
    And your path is free to walk
    That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag
    Rolled up and stashed behind your couch
    And it’s knowing I’m not shackled
    By forgotten words and bonds
    And the ink stains that have dried upon some line
    That keeps you in the backroads
    By the rivers of my mem’ry
    That keeps you ever gentle on my mind
    (more…)

  • HTML5 audio

    MP3 source file

    <audio src="/audio/straw bales.mp3" controls="controls" preload="metadata"></audio>
    This will show the audio and the controls but won’t autoplay or loop. It will preload the metadata only however some browsers may not take notice of this restriction.
    /audio/straw bales.mp3

    <audio src="/audio/straw bales.mp3" controls preload="metadata" autoplay loop></audio>
    This will add the autoplay and loop parameters to play the item on load and loop the audio from the end.

    Browser Support for MP3 audio
    Support for the MP3 format audio is restricted to Safari, IE 9 onwards, and Chrome.

    Ogg source file
    <audio src="/audio/straw bales.ogg" controls="controls" preload="metadata"></audio>
    This will show the audio and the controls but won’t autoplay or loop. It will preload the metadata only however some browsers may not take notice of this restriction.
    /audio/straw bales.ogg

    Browser support for Ogg Vorbis

    Support for the Ogg Vorbis format audio is restricted to Firefox, Chrome and Opera

  • XSSI if and else statements

    if statement

    <!--#if expr="\"$HTTP_REFERER\" = /abc.net.au/" -->
    Content relevant to that site

    <!--#elif expr="\"$HTTP_REFERER\" = /google.com/" -->
    An ‘or if’ statement

    <!--#else -->
    this else statement is used for all other instances

    <!--#endif -->
    finalise the code with an ‘end statement’

    More complex if statement – SSI conditional based on document URI

    This depends on the URI of the document being referenced.

  • XSSI variables

    Set the variable giving it a value
    <!--#set var='site' value='brisbane'--'>

    In normal use add the variable as an echo
    <!--#echo var='site'-->

    If used within another ssi statement use the ‘$’ parameter
    <--#include virtual='/${site}/include.htm'-->

  • Diamonds and Rust

    rust
    Well I’ll be damned
    Here comes your ghost again
    But that’s not unusual
    It’s just that the moon is full
    And you happened to call
    And here I sit
    Hand on the telephone
    Hearing a voice I’d known
    A couple of light years ago
    Heading straight for a fall
    (more…)