Author: Padraic Guilfoyle

Alcohol is a toxic, addictive drug that can be very damaging to health. Alcohol products, mainly beer, spirits and wine can be marketed without reference to alcohol in the advertising. Alcohol is consumed without restraint or regard for its health consequences.
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Mary Flahavan’s Chunky Tomato and Oat Soup-A meal in a bowl!

fla tomato soup

Chunky Tomato and Oat Soup
A meal in a bowl!
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 stick celery
1 small onion, peeled
1 carrot
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
750g/1 ½lb vine tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
400g can tomatoes
300ml/ ½pt veg stock
50g/2oz Flahavan’s Organic Oats
I tsp sugar or balsamic vinegar
Olive oil to drizzle
6 basil leaves, torn, to decorate
Method
Dice the celery, onion and carrot finely. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the vegetables gently for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and fry for a few seconds then add the vine tomatoes and red pepper. Cook for a further 5 minutes until softened. Add the canned tomatoes with 200ml water and the stock then bring to the boil.  Add the oats, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.  Season to taste and sweeten with a little sugar or balsamic vinegar if necessary. Decorate with basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
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Odlums Christmas Cake Recipe

Christmas Cake

CategoryCakes

Cook Time3 hours

What you need:

  • 225g/8oz Odlums Cream Plain Flour (sieved)
  • 175g/6oz Butter or Margarine
  • 225g/8oz Shamrock Dark Muscovado Sugar
  • 350g packet Shamrock Sultanas
  • 350g packet Shamrock Fruit Mix
  • 100g tub Shamrock Cherries
  • 100g packet Shamrock Chopped Almonds
  • 100g packet Shamrock Ground Almonds
  • 3 large Eggs
  • Rind and Juice of 1 Orange
  • 1 teaspoon Goodall’s Mixed Spice
  • 2 baby bottles of Brandy

How to:

  1. Put butter/margarine, sugar, fruit, rind, juice and one baby bottle of the brandy into a large saucepan.
  2. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the butter/margarine has melted.
  3. Turn off heat and leave to cool for approx 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile pre-heat oven to 140°C/275°F/Gas 1 and line an 8″/20cm round deep cake tin with greaseproof paper.
  5. Stir the eggs, nuts and ground almonds into the fruit mixture and mix well.
  6. Finally, stir in the sieved flour and mixed spice.
  7. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth it out evenly – the back of a metal spoon dipped in water is handy for this!
  8. Bake for 2½-3 hours approx. After 2 hours, cover with paper if cake is browning too quickly. To check the cake is done, insert a skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.
  1. Make holes in top of warm cake and pour over remaining brandy.
  2. Leave cake in tin to cool completely.
  3. When cold, wrap in greaseproof paper and then tinfoil. Store in a cool dry place.

Note:

This mixture can be divided between two 900g/2lb lined loaf tins or two 15cms/6″ round cake tins or a combination of both and will bake in about 1½ hours at the same temperature. This is ideal for those who just want a small cake and the second cake would make a very acceptable Christmas present!

Christmas Cake