Allergy free Thai red curry rice recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tsps olive oil
• ½ red capsicum, sliced thin and short
• ½ small broccoli, cut into florets
• 1-2 tbsps Thai red curry paste (see note)
• 1 chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced or shredded if pre-cooked (see note)
• ½ cup jasmine rice
• 1½ cup chicken stock made from a Massel vegetarian chicken ultracube
• ⅔ cup coconut milk
• 50g green beans, trimmed, sliced
• 2 tsps lime juice
• 1 tsp fish sauce

Method

• Heat the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat.
• Cook the capsicum and broccoli until beginning to soften.
• Add the curry paste and cook until fragrant.
• Add the chicken and cook until browned or heated through.
• Add the rice and stir to coat.
• Add the chicken stock and coconut milk. 
• Bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low.
• Simmer, covered, and stir regularly for 12 minutes or until the rice is almost tender.
• Add the beans and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove the curry from the heat.
• Stir in the lime juice and fish sauce.

Note

• 2 tbsps is hot and spicy. 1 is mild.
• This can be bbq or broiled chicken.

Allergy free strawberry glazed hot cross buns recipe

You can use any jam you'd like but the best are apricot, plum, fig and strawberry. I also have a mostly secret ingredient for some of the buns which is a small shake or two of ground cardamom. 

Ingredients
Dry mix

• 2½ cups Orgran self-raising flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1½ tsp cinnamon, nutmeg or mixed spice
• 2 level tsps baking powder
• 1½ cups dried fruit of your choice (currants are traditional)
• 80g Nuttlex

Wet Mix

• ¼ cup smooth strawberry jam
• 1¼  cup goat’s milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp Orgran No Egg, whisked with 60mls water until thick

Cross mixture

• 2 tsps Orgran plain flour
• 2 tsps caster sugar
• 4-5 tablespoons water 

Glaze

• ⅓ cup water
• 2 tablespoons strawberry jam

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Grease a muffin tin.
• Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Rub the Nuttlex through the dry mix until the mix is a fine crumb.
• Whisk together the milk, strawberry jam and vanilla essence in a separate bowl.
• In another bowl whisk the Orgran No Egg mixture.
• Pour the liquid mixtures into the bowl with dry ingredients.
• Mix well to form a smooth and consistent batter.
• Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tin (smooth the tops with damp fingers if you wish to shape them – use water or goat’s milk for this).
• In a small bowl, whisk the plain four and sugar with water until smooth.
• Spoon into a zip-lock back and cut off a corner.
• Squeeze out flour mixture to create the crosses.
• Bake for approximately 20 -25 minutes or until the buns are golden brown and cooked through.
• Remove the buns from the muffin pan after five minutes of cooling.
• Place the muffins on a wire rack over a baking tray.
• In a small pan, boil the strawberry jam and water for five minutes.
• Brush glaze over the buns while hot.
• Allow to cool completely.

Note

• Reheat to eat.

Rosy's scrawled book recommendation: The Werewolf Upstairs by Ashlyn Chase

The Werewolf Upstairs
Ashlyn Chase

Blurb

Petty crime never looked so good...
Alpha werewolf Konrad Wolfensen sees it as his duty to protect the citizens of Boston, even if it means breaking into their businesses just to prove their security systems don't work. But when his unsolicited services land him in trouble with the law, he'll have to turn to his sexy new neighbor for help.
She should know better...
Attorney Roz Wells is bored. She used to have such a knack for attracting the weird and unexpected, but ever since she took a job as a Boston public defender, the quirky quotient in her life has taken a serious hit. Until her sexy werewolf neighbor starts coming around...


Publisher
Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN

9781402236624

Rosy's scrawlings on The Werewolf Upstairs

Okay, time for another ladies only romance recommendation. Actually, not ladies only but pretty close to it as there aren't that many gentlemen who'll pick it up, of that I'm sure. I bought this book on a whim, mainly for the blurb, as I'm not really all that into romance as a genre. And when I do delve into romance I like it quirky, based on crime or thoughtful, which happens to be harder to find than steamy romances involving gods, angels and devils. So, in one of my more soppy moments, rare but they do happen, I picked this book for the quirky and the crime as well as the comical aspects. I was not disappointed as The Werewolf Upstairs is a really fun and fast paced read, addictive enough that I ended up buying the books that follow. Speaking of which, the books that follow introduce new main characters within the same apartment block and so a little world made of the tenants and an apartment that guarantees romance builds up.

Roz Wells, one half of the romantic pair, has recently moved into a particularly special (unbeknownst to her and most others) apartment and soon after is contacted by her neighbour from the top floor. Roz is a plain old human being but Konrad, the man in trouble with the law, isn't. He's a werewolf. Also unknown to Roz is the fact that none of the others in the apartment block are what could be called plain old human either, although they aren't werewolves like Konrad. What Roz has done is move into an almost private apartment block for those who could be classed as supernatural. And with this simple action her life takes an unbelievable and romantic turn.

Normally when approaching paranormal romance you'll find ever increasing worlds that begin from a single encounter but before a single book is over you've found you're dealing with Heaven and Hell, alternate planes and everything in-between. The Werewolf Upstairs and the books that follow though, start with an apartment block and rarely takes you into a wider world, except through a small case involving one or two other supernaturals only. The enclosed world becomes quite comfy and enjoyable, creating a relatively stress free read that's perfect for lazy weekends or when you're feeling overworked.

I'd recommend this book to: women mostly, particularly those looking for a light romantic read that's a little unusual. 

Allergy free choc chip pancake recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups Orgran self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups goat’s milk
• ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp Orgran No Egg whisked with 60mls water until thick
• 60g Nuttlex, melted
• 20-40g Lindt 70% dark chocolate, broken into bits
• Extra melted Nuttlex to grease

Method

• Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
• Make a well in the centre.
• Whisk together the goat’s milk, vanilla essence and No Egg mixture in a large jug.
• Add the goat’s milk mixture to the flour mixture, whisking constantly until a smooth batter forms.
• Stir in the melted Nuttlex.
• Stir through the chocolate bits.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
• Brush with the extra melted Nuttlex to lightly grease.
• Pour ½ cup of the batter into the pan to form a pancake.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface and the pancake is golden underneath.
• Turn and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until golden.
• Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm.
• Repeat, adding more Nuttlex to grease the pan when needed.

Allergy free lemon and honey chicken stir-fry recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 750g chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 5-8 shallots, sliced diagonally
• 2 tbsps honey
• 2 tbsps cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp allergy free soy sauce replacer
• ½ cup red capsicum, sliced
• Handful of snow peas, sliced

Method

• Heat a wok over high heat until hot and add the oil.
• Swirl to coat.
• Add the chicken and stir-fry until golden.
• Add the red capsicum, snow peas and shallots to wok.
• Stir-fry until bright green.
• Add the honey, lemon juice and soy sauce replacer to the wok.
• Stir-fry for 1 minute or until heated through.
• Serve with rice and garnish with extra shallots.

Rosy's scrawled manga recommendation: Hana No Kishi by Nishikata Mai

Hana No Kishi
Nishikata Mai

Blurb
Ever since the day Ran Kurono's older brother was killed while protecting Sei Ohtori, she has dedicated her skills and life to one day becoming the First Knight of the next head of the Ohtori family, even concealing the fact that she's a woman forever. For generations the Kurono family has served the Ohtori family as their First Knight, but 11 other lower knights with ill intentions of using the Ohtori family's authority vie for that title. Not only that, but Sei is being tested for being suitable for the title of head of the family. Upon entering Saint Rogress Academy, the days of both Ran and Sei's trials begin, all the while being helped by Sei's untidy and unrefined fiance, Ibara Tennou.

Alternative names
花の騎士
花之骑士
The Flower's Knight
Knight of Flower
A virág lovagja
Cavalerul florii
Chevalier de Fleur
Gėlės Riteris
فارس من الزهور
De Ridder van de Bloem
Knekten av blomster
Рыцарь цветка
บุปผาผู้พิทักษ์

Status
Completed

Manga reader sites (free)
Manga Fox, Manga Here, Manga Reader

Rosy's scrawlings on Hana No Kishi
I thoroughly enjoyed this manga. It contains some heavy gender role themes but is written with such a light touch, focusing on letting the characters tell their perspectives rather than the narrator/writer, that the story becomes enjoyable for watching the characters mature. For a gender role story concerning a young woman though, it contains an unusually high proportion of males. Normally you'll find a tomboy amongst the ladies but here you find a lady becoming a knight amongst knights. A knight of knights, to be exact, as she is the First Knight.
The story revolves around Ran Kurono's determined measures to cast aside her feminine side, become a man in everyday life, and replace her lost brother as the First Knight of Sei Ohtori. She does this believing it all she can do to find a way to avenge her brother's death and also as she's loyal to her childhood friend. While guarding Sei, Ran put through a series of challenges from her fellow, mostly still unknown, knights who are doing so in order to usurp her position. Hidden amongst the school's students and teachers, however, are quite a  few willing to go to great lengths to see Sei and Ran hurt or dead. Through all this Ran faces a series of situations that force her to face and maybe reaffirm as a young adult the choice she made after her brother's loss. Including facing the developing feelings she has for Sei's fiance.
As a love and action story mix discussing a serious theme, Hana No Kishi stands out as concise, light hearted and comedic at times. It also has a few unexpected twists to keep you on your toes. I found the finale and conclusion moved a little too quickly, though not fast enough to be called rushed, but what was included was satisfying and neatly rounded up Ran's issues as well as everyone else's.
The art of Hana No Kishi is balanced and smooth, with a focus upon expressions. There's almost no difference between the facial features of some characters and the difference between male and female features is particularly blurred in Ran's case. This does help highlight that she could choose either path in life easily but it can be a little disconcerting when her twin-looking cousin enters the story and proclaims his love. Many of the males have hair left white too, to help distinguish each character, following a popular manga illustration style (it doesn't necessarily mean they have blond or bleached hair). The main attraction of the illustrations is the variety of expressions, from warm and open to closed and forbidding. They are brought about by the interplay of the characters but it is the expressions that pull the story along and leave you wanting to know and see more.

I'd recommend this manga to: women mostly, particularly those who are or have struggled with traditional gender roles. Otherwise, for those who love knights, gentiles, school dramas, somewhat unconventional romances and swordplay.

Notes on manga reader sites
The quality of manga readers can vary. The uploads are often done cheaply or as a serious hobby by a collective. Be aware that sometimes licence hasn't been given but the sites noted above, Manga Fox in particular, are extremely careful about adding and pulling mangas according to license agreements. So you shouldn't have to worry too much about the material being pirated. There are also translated works and non-translated. Amongst the translated works you will find that the quality of translation may vary according to the skills of the translators. Usually the works are perfectly readable anyway, with only a few added or dropped words or a word in the incorrect tense or with/out plurals. But sometimes the text becomes gobbledygook. In which case, either seek another version or give up and buy an official copy once a printed translation comes out. The other issue of note is you may need to expand the screen to read the text easily as sometimes the scans are minimised a little.
I find that if a page doesn't download properly or some other issue occurs (too slow or someone ordered the pages incorrectly etc.) with one reader then skipping across to another reader and picking up where I was is quite easy and rarely annoying.
Otherwise, enjoy and watch out you don't get too addicted you forget about the necessary things in life.

Allergy free bubble and squeak with crispy chicken sausages recipe

Ingredients

• 4 tbsps Nuttlex
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• Leftover mashed potato
• Leftover cooked vegetables, chopped if needed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 plain chicken sausages per person

Method
Bubble and squeak

• Melt the Nuttlex in a large frying pan or wok.
• Add the onions and cook until softened.
• Add the leftover vegetables and stir to combine.
• Add the mashed potato and stir to combine.
• Fry for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables are golden brown and crispy bits of potato form.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring to combine.

Crispy sausages

• Place a line of aluminium foil across your oven grill.
• If you don’t have an oven grill cook on a greased griddle or frying pan.
• Turn the heat to high and place the sausages on the grill, unpricked.
• Allow the sausages to cook until golden brown.
• Remove the sausages from the grill and slice each down the middle without halving them entirely.
• Rest the butterflied sausages on the foil, insides up.
• Cook both sides until crispy and crunchy.
• Serve with a side of bubble and squeak.

Scariest ghosts in fiction

The heart in Tell Tale Heart

Miss Jessel and Peter Quint from The Turn of the Screw

The Overlook in The Shining

The cat/kid hybrid from The Grudge & Ju-on

The mother from The Grudge & Ju-on
(I can make the sound she does and scare the sh*t out of my hubby - super fun.)

Sadako from The Ring

The little girl from The Sixth Sense

The twin girls from The Shining

The slit mouthed woman from Carved or A Slit Mouthed Woman

The sack wearing child from The Orphanage

Allergy free quinoa and peach scones recipe

Ingredients

• 1¾ cups Orgran self-raising flour
• ½ cup quinoa flakes
• ⅓ cup Orgran gluten free gluten
• 2 tsps baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• 20g Nuttlex
• 1 Orgran No Egg whisked with 40mls water until thick
• ¾ cup goat’s milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ½ cup dried peaches, diced
• Extra goat’s milk for glazing

Method

• Preheat oven to 220°C
• Lightly grease baking tray.
• Sift the flour, Quinoa flakes, gluten free gluten, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl
• Rub in the Nuttlex, using fingertips until the mixture is fine and crumbly
• Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour the No Egg mixture, vanilla essence and goat’s milk into the well.
• Add the dried peaches.
• Mix lightly with spoon or spatula to form soft dough.
• Slowly add small quantity of flour to prevent sticking, if needed.
• Gather the dough together (do not knead) and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Lightly press out the dough until it is 2.5 cm thick.
• Cut out rounds with a floured 5 cm cutter.
• Heat a baking tray in the oven for 5 minutes
• Glaze with the extra goat's milk.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
• If you are serving the scones warm, wrap them in a clean tea towel while still hot.

Rosy's scrawled manga recommendation: Hammer Session by Tanahashi Namoshiro

Hammer Session
Tanahashi Namoshiro

Blurb
Two prisoners managed to escape after the police truck carrying them crashed on the highway. One of them , Mr Sawazaki (?) is a gangster who has sent 10 opposite bosses to hospital. The other called "You" - our protagonist - is a con artist whose cheating profile has piled up to approximately 100 billion yen. Accidentally, "You" then becomes the new teacher for the nearby high school, under the new name Takeda Shindo, and according to a deal of "Hammer Session" with the headmaster.

Alternative names

ハンマーセッション!

震撼鮮師

Hammer Sesshon

Hammer Session

Hammer Time!

Thầy Giáo Tuyệt Chiêu

Status

Ongoing

Manga reader sites (free)

Manga Fox, Manga Reader 

Rosy's scrawlings on Hammer Session

Hammer Session is a variant on on the unusual teacher plot, this one made interesting for the main character being a swindler on the run rather than a gangster or yakuza member/leader. Hammer Session is less violent that its counterparts as the story involves using psychology and mental tricks to help students and anyone else concerned solve their problems. For this reason, if you like the unusual teacher plot, Hammer Session is worth a read.

As a variant on a common theme Hammer Session is an amusing and enjoyable read. Like some of the others there's an attempt to hide the background of You by those in the know but the likelihood of his cover as the would-be-and-uncaught arsonist teacher lasting isn't likely. You, in the meantime, is living in Takeda Shindo's (You assumes Takeda Shindo's name when at school) home, which is worryingly filled with lolicon posters and materials. To add to this there is a tendency for the girls' skirts to blow up in the wind so if that sort of thing isn't appealing reading or you can't ignore it then this manga may not be for you. It is rather manga-ish in that respect. You spends his time playing teacher and shows through his "Hammer Sessions", which aren't classes at all but rather ways of making those in trouble grow and develop as people, that he is a surprisingly caring and good-hearted swindler. He's much like a Robin Hood figure, using his skills for a good cause rather than swindling for money he could spend himself.

The art of Hammer Session, by Koganemaru Yamato, is well produced and smooth. There's a somewhat comic aspect to the style when characters are viewed from afar but otherwise the overall style is a blend of several manga trends. Expressions are drawn in bobble fashion (for want of a better term), drawn in impossible extremes and also drawn in ways that are rather attractive. There's an even pace to the text and the drawings follow along easily, the intense action often found in yakuza or gangster teacher stories being less of a stop-start problem to work around. The play of light and dark is also easily managed and while the details aren't overly worked there's more than enough to fill the panels.

I'd recommend this manga to: those who love stories of unusual teachers, growing up issues and school life. The manga would appeal to a younger audience as it is light-hearted and about the teen years as much as a swindler's tale but it isn't really for children.

Notes on manga reader sites
The quality of manga readers can vary. The uploads are often done cheaply or as a serious hobby by a collective. Be aware that sometimes licence hasn't been given but the sites noted above, Manga Fox in particular, are extremely careful about adding and pulling mangas according to license agreements. So you shouldn't have to worry too much about the material being pirated. There are also translated works and non-translated. Amongst the translated works you will find that the quality of translation may vary according to the skills of the translators. Usually the works are perfectly readable anyway, with only a few added or dropped words or a word in the incorrect tense or with/out plurals. But sometimes the text becomes gobbledygook. In which case, either seek another version or give up and buy an official copy once a printed translation comes out. The other issue of note is you may need to expand the screen to read the text easily as sometimes the scans are minimised a little.
I find that if a page doesn't download properly or some other issue occurs (too slow or someone ordered the pages incorrectly etc.) with one reader then skipping across to another reader and picking up where I was is quite easy and rarely annoying.
Otherwise, enjoy and watch out you don't get too addicted you forget about the necessary things in life.

Allergy free peach and coconut choc chip cookies recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup Orgran all purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup rice flakes
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• ½ cup dried peaches, diced
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• 125g Nuttlex, melted, cooled
• 2 tsps Orgran No Egg whisked with 120mls water until thick
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 30-40g Lindt 70% dark chocolate, broken into small bits

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Line two large baking trays with aluminium foil and spray the foil with olive oil.
• Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl.
• Add the rice flakes, coconut, apricot and sunflower seeds and stir until well combined.
• Make a well in the centre.
• Whisk together the melted Nuttlex, No Egg and vanilla essence in a small bowl.
• Add the Nuttlex mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
• Use your hands to roll heaped tablespoons of the biscuit dough into balls.
• Place the balls on the prepared trays, leaving room for expansion.
• Press some chocolate bits into each ball of biscuit dough.
• Flatten each biscuit slightly until round.
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Allow the biscuits to rest of the tray for a couple of minutes.
• Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

Rosy's scrawled book recommendation: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?
Philip K Dick

Blurb
World War Terminus had left the Earth devastated. Through its ruins, bounty hunter Rick Deckard stalked, in search of the renegade replicants who were his prey.
When he wasn't 'retiring' them with his laser weapon, he dreamed of owning a live animal - the ultimate status symbol in a world all but bereft of animal life. Then Rick got his chance: the assignment to kill six Nexus-6 targets, for a huge reward.
But in Deckard's world things were never that simple and his assignment quickly turned into a nightmare kaleidoscope of subterfuge and deceit - and the threat of death for the hunter rather than the hunted.

Publisher
Doublebay

ISBN
0345404475

Rosy's scrawlings on Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?
I don't believe I've ever seen the movie Blade Runner but my memory of some of the movies I watched years upon years ago is nowhere near as good as that of the books I read. It is probably safe to say though, that I haven't, except for the famous scene of the Nexus-6 giving his dying speech. I've heard reports of the movie being fantastic and also of Harrison Ford's acting being absolutely wooden and his final tears a bit out of 'character'. So when I first approached Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? I did so purely on the worth of its literary reputation, which is far and away better than that of Blade Runner. Still, I have noticed that many people have watched the movie but not read the book despite the two being quite different at times, especially concerning the ending, that famous speech and the Nexus-6 Roy Batty. So I decided that I should give the book a reread, refresh my memory of this complex story and write up a recommendation as I believe anyone who loved Blade Runner will greatly enjoy the book too. It is always interesting to see favourite characters fleshed out again in different ways, meaning I'm going to do the reverse and watch Blade Runner.
Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? is, as I mentioned, a complex story. Enough so that most readers will come away with different interpretations and impressions of the issues addressed. Central to the story, however, is the difference between organic life and artificial life, illuminated by Rick's struggle to understand and the remaining six Nexus-6's struggle for survival. It is proposed by mainstream culture, which is supported by the odd structures of empathy boxes, emotional implantation and peer observance/pressure, that the main difference is empathy. Humans are supposed to be naturally empathetic and this is highlighted by their near obsession with caring for the organic animals that have survived the dust (no one knows how the apocalypse happened but it all sounds rather like nuclear war with androids in the mix). Rick, however, has an electric sheep that he uses to disguise the fact that his organic sheep has died. When Rick begins his hunt for the six Nexus-6 androids he is almost entirely concerned with gaining enough money to replace his despised and shameful electric sheep with an organic one.
Rick's hunt takes place over a single day and during that day his entire understanding of the world is challenged, in particular his concerns over the difference between android and organic life. Rachel is the first to challenge his views of electronic life and from there he's views begin to crumble and reform. By the end of his hunt he does not reach a clear conclusion, leaving the conclusion up to the reader. Empathy seems to work for each form of life within the bounds of each form of life, with androids assisting other androids but showing no empathy for humans or other organic life and humans caring for themselves and the organic over android life. Only Rick's wife seems to have a more inclusive view of life. At the same time, humans use technology to reach each other, reinforce empathy and manipulate their own emotions in a rather AI fashion while the androids work hard to imitate and assimilate themselves into human culture, taking on roles that aren't technologically focused such as opera singing. So is AI life in any way less or more than organic life? It seems that each mirrors the other and that each lacks somewhat in different areas. The conclusion to this and other themes I will leave to you, dear reader of recommended reads. What is so great about Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? is that Rick doesn't come to any clear and grounded opinion, leaving it up to you to take it as is or draw your own conclusions.

I'd recommend this book to: those who love robot, cyborg and android stories, futuristic settings, post apocalyptic tales as well as works that address identity, what it is to be human and what life is and means.

Allergy free hot buckwheat flat cakes recipe

These are heavier than pikelets (closer to fritter texture) so I've called them hot cakes, for want of a better name. To alter the below to a pikelet mixture, substitute the buckwheat crumbs for buckwheat flour. You may also need a little less goat's milk.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup Orgran all purpose flour
• ¾ cup Orgran buckwheat crumbs
• 3 tsps baking powder
• 2 tsps Orgran No Egg
• 1½ cup goat’s milk
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup
• Melted Nuttlex, to grease

Method

• Sift the combined flours, No Egg and baking powder into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
• Whisk together the goat’s milk and maple syrup in a jug.
• Gradually add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth.
• Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.
• Brush a frying pan with melted Nuttlex and heat over a medium heat.
• Add ¼ cup portions of cake batter into the frying pan.
• Gently shape, as necessary.
• Cook until the cake is golden underneath.
• Turn and cook until golden.
• Transfer the cakes to a plate.
• Cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm.
• Repeat, in batches, with the remaining batter.

Strange fictional holidays

Whacking Day - May 10th, when one beats snakes to death with a club - The Simpsons

Shoe Giving Day - you exchange gifts of shoes - Hyperdrive

Dogbert Day - a holiday designed to replace all holidays-and be incredibly bothersome while doing so - Dilbert

Robanuka - robot day of leisure including dance and Jewish-style music - Futurama

Scotchtoberfest - version of Oktoberfest created by Skinner - The Simpsons

Soul Cake Days - a cross between Hallowe'en with trickle-treating and sticky toffee rat on a stick, and Easter, when wizards roll boiled eggs down the Tump and the Soul Cake Tueday Duck lays chocolate eggs - Discworld

Everybody Hide the Corn Day, Hay Day, the Day of the Princess Pig, and the Day of the Wheat - Rose Nylund reminisces on St. Olaf holidays - The Golden Girls

Garlic Tuesday - a day to celebrate all that is smelly - The Legend of Dick and Dom

Do Nothing Day - Nobita uses one of Doraemon's magical gadgets to declare Do Nothing Day - Doraemon

Beethoven's birthday observance - Schroeder creation, celebrated December 16th - Peanuts

Feast of Maximum Occupancy - Homer's creation, based on a sign at Moes - The Simpsons

Kwanaza - Futurama

Clam Day - Family Guy

Hogswatch - New Years and Christmas combined - Discworld

Flying Car Parts Day - Marvel Mash Up

Festivus - including a customary “Airing of Grievances” followed by a “Feats of Strength”. Festivus only ends when the head of the household has been wrestled and pinned to the floor - Seinfeld

Verdukian Holiday Of Mouth Pleasures - 30 Rock

Allergy free banana and date pudding recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup dates, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp bicarb soda
• 1¼ cups boiling water
• 2 large bananas, mashed
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 60g Nuttlex
• 2 cups Orgran self-raising flour

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Grease a large bundt pan.
• Place the dates and bicarb soda in a heatproof bowl.
• Pour over the boiling water and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the date mixture to a blender.
• Add the banana, sugar, Nuttlex and flour.
• Process the mixture until it is almost smooth.
• Pour the cake mix into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Turn out on a wire rack to cool.