Her first cucumber and Cake Recipes

Hello fellow frugellers!

This weekend saw our first cucumber. By "our" I mean YGD and myself. She started the seeds off in the front greenhouse on 8th March, which I potted into the main greenhouse. Here she is proudly showing it off.

I have finally managed to get the leeks planted. I started them off in a cold greenhouse 6th February. This is how I prepare and plant the young plants. I am sure many of you do the same, but this is for virgin leek growers .
 I trim the leaves and the roots thus....

And them puddle them in thus...

I made the holes with a stick as I couldn't find my dibber, but the old blokes tend to use a broom handle so that there is less bending.

As promised, here are my simple recipes for Carrot cake, Date and Walnut Cake and Mincemeat Cake.

 CARROT CAKE
Turn on oven to 180 degrees
Line an 8" tin
Grate 4 and a half ounces of carrot onto a plate
In a large bowl put
4 and a half ounces SR Flour (brown if you like)
1 tsp Cinnamon
4 and a half ounces of sugar (soft brown if you like)
and mix well
add...
2 beaten eggs
100ml oil (sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable - NOT olive)
Stir and add..
The grated carrot.
(If you wish you could add walnuts or dried fruit at this stage, but as a committed frugeller I never add anything that is not necessary to a good cake)
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 25 - 35 until firm to touch.
How you decorate the top is up to you. Some people make a cream cheese topping. I make a simple glaze with grated orange peel, orange juice and icing sugar.

DATE AND WALNUT CAKE.
Turn the oven on to 160 degrees
Line a 2lb loaf tin
Boil kettle of water
Chop 4 ounces of dates onto a plate
Chop 2 ounces of walnuts onto a plate
In a large bowl  put
The chopped dates
 2 ounces margarine
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
225ml boiling water
mix until cool
Add to the cooled mix..
8 ounces SR Flour
6 ounces Sugar
One egg
The chopped walnuts.
Pour into tin and bake  for 60 to 70 mins until firm to touch

MINCEMEAT CAKE
Turn on oven to 160 degrees
line a 2lb loaf tin
In a large bowl
Soften 4 ounces margarine
Add
8 ounces mincemeat
3 ounces sugar
5 ounces SR Flour
2 Eggs
Mix together with a metal spoon
Pour into tin and bake for 35 -45 minutes until firm

Hope these turn out well for you. These are all favourites for teas and gathering and go down well on cake stalls, with little effort.

All for now
Gillx