Almond Raisin Cake with Madeira

With the impending return of The Great British Bake Off, Ralph's dusted off his easy baking recipes to share with you all and help you avoid the palaver they have on the telly.  All the recipes will be quick and simple to make and we'll be starting off with this delicious Almond Raisin Cake with Madeira (sweet or medium sherry's OK too), perfect for afternoon tea!


It only takes 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook, so it's as easy a baking recipe as you could ask for, but delivers maximum flavour and serves 6 to 8 people (if you can bear to share it).





Ingredients:


250g raisins
200ml Madeira
150ml thick natural yogurt
150ml vegetable oil
3 fresh local eggs (in-keeping with The Egg Award ethos)
140g plain flour
100g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
100g light muscovado sugar
icing sugar, to serve

Method:

Tip the raisins into a bowl, pour over the Madeira, then leave for at least 30 mins to soften. 

Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/ fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly grease a deep 20cm round cake tin, then line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper.

Mix together the yogurt, oil and eggs. Put the remaining dry ingredients into a large bowl, pour in the yogurt mixture, then stir together until smooth. Scoop half the raisins out of the Madeira, then stir into the batter. 

Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with a spoon. Cook in the oven for 50-55 mins until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.


Then take the skewer and prick all over the cake. Pour over 5 tbsp of the soaking Madeira and let it soak in. 

You can make up to this point 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container. Serve warm or leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar. 

Warm the rest of the soaked raisins and Madeira, then serve alongside the cake with some vanilla ice cream.

This cake keeps really well so you can make it at least a day in advance. If you want to warm the cake before serving, put it back in its tin, cover with tin foil and set in a 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 oven for 10 mins.

Just in case you've forgotten, here's Ralph's easy home made ice cream recipe..... 

Ingredients.....

• 4 fresh local eggs (in-keeping with The Egg Award ethos)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g caster sugar
• 300ml pot double cream

Method.....

Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks and and vanilla extract with an electric whisk until light and foamy. 

Clean the whisk, then in another bowl whisk the egg whites, gradually adding the caster sugar until it's
thick and glossy, a bit like making meringues.

Lightly whip the double cream until it softly holds its shape. Mix with the yolks and egg white mixture 
until everything is combined. 

Turn into a container, cover and freeze until solid. 

Take out of the fridge about 10 mins before serving.

Really Easy Beefburgers

Ralph's decided to share his easy and tasty Beefburger recipe and they're so easy the kids can make them, plus they're extra tasty and they freeze well.  

From start to serving they'll only take just over an hour to make, perfect for when the kids get a hunger attack!



Ingredients:

• 500g pack lean minced beef , preferably organic
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder
• 4 slices mild cheddar , if you want to make cheeseburgers

• 4 burger buns
• choice of lettuce , cucumber, gherkin, tomato and red onion
• ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise , or all three!

Method:

1. Flavour the meat: Put the meat in a mixing bowl, then sprinkle over the chilli powder and a little salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands or use a fork. The mild chilli powder gives the meat added flavour without making it too spicy.
2. Shape into burgers: Divide the mixture into 4 equal pieces, then shape with your hands into round burgers about the width of the buns, or pack the mixture into large presentation rings (if you have them) placed on a chopping board. You need to press down on the meat to compact it, then carefully lift off the rings - a bit like making sandcastles.
3. Now get cooking: Fry the burgers on a hot griddle or grill them outside on the barbecue for 5 mins on each side, turning them carefully with a metal spatula. Take care as hot fat from the meat may spit a little.
4. Top with cheese and toast the buns: If you want to make cheeseburgers, put a slice of cheese on top of the burgers when you turn them over and let it melt while the other side cooks. When they are ready, cut the burger baps in half and warm them in the toaster or on the barbecue - take care that you don't burn them.
5. Prepare the toppings: Meanwhile, prepare the toppings of your choice. Separate the lettuce into leaves. Then, using a sharp knife, thinly slice the tomato, cucumber and gherkin on a separate board to the one you prepared the burgers on. Peel and finely chop the red onion.
6. Assemble and enjoy: Spread a little mayonnaise, American mustard, ketchup - or all three if you like - onto the toasted buns, then top with your burgers and salads of your choice, followed by the remaining half bun.

Townhouse Miami.....Style and substance.....

Please note this is not a current offer.....
it's only on because it looks like me!

Where better for some sunshine
than Miami!

Now Ralph's a pretty cosmopolitan dog and likes a nice hotel as much as the next Jack Russell so when it came time for him to chose a Pied à Terre in Miami the obvious choice was the stylish yet comfortable Townhouse.  Conceived as a refreshing and inviting beach house, Townhouse offers accommodations and lodging with a playful combination of modern design and old-fashioned comfort at unassuming prices.  Perfectly situated in the heart of South Beach and only a few steps from the beach, Townhouse serves as an ideal hideaway for a weekend getaway or an extended retreat.

Originally built in 1939, with 69 rooms and 2 penthouses, Townhouse was creatively re-envisioned by Parisian designer India Mahdavi.  Her understated approach to design resulted in a timeless mix of Art Deco and modern hospitality.  It has the look and atmosphere of a boutique hotel without the boutique prices!

They offer a complimentary Parisian breakfast daily and complimentary coffee and tea throughout the day. The serene Roof Top garden is ideal for all day sunbathing and relaxation. Bond Street Lounge, Miami's outpost of the famed New York sushi restaurant is open daily from 6PM to midnight and available for in-room dining.
You can experience in Townhouse, a comfortable and creative alternative to the ordinary. A place where you are just steps away from the ocean and all the best of South Beach - where history and design come together. Relax, rejuvenate, enjoy vibrant nightlife, and the spirit of South Beach. Make Townhouse your home away from home.

The BONDST sushi is overseen by former chef de cuisine of LeCirque of New York, Andy Choi.  If Carlsberg made sushi chef's the Andy would probably be the best in Miami. 



 Items inspired by the restaurant’s New York City flagship include:

• Chilean Sea Bass Skewers
• Spicy Tuna Rolls with Chili Mayonnaise
• Fresh Sundried-Tomato and Avocado Rolls with Garlic Ponzu Oil and Green Tea Salt
• Lobster Tempura Rolls with Yellow Tomato Dressing and Chive Oil
• Sesame-Crusted Shrimp Rolls with Orange Curry Dijon

Hey...don't forget the beach is just
opposite the hotel if you want to chill!

So if you're planning a trip to Miami and looking for a stylish hotel with an outstanding restaurant that wont break the bank head for Townhouse. It's an absolute,  'under the radar' budget gem which is ideal for the European traveller, especially with the family in tow.  It's opposite the beach for the kids and next to the famous Lincoln Road Mall for mum while dad can spend some time relaxing with a Margarita on the fabulous roof top terrace.  The atmosphere is relaxed, the staff attentive and the surroundings stylish.  In fact it's so de rigueur there's every chance you might find yourself in the middle of a Hollywood Movie.....location scouts from around the world have put the Townhouse high on their list. When photographers and film-makers need a Miami Beach location with fresh and inviting interiors, exteriors, and proximity to the beach, the Townhouse provides a collection of superb backdrops.

The Rooftop Terrace.....during the day, a comfortable hideaway for sunbathing, relaxing, and enjoying a gentle ocean breeze.

At night, a staple of the South Beach scene with full bar/lounge on the weekends.

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Rochdale Dog Rescue.....and how we can help.

Bruno

The third in Ralph's features on the plight of animals in general and dogs in particular takes him to Rochdale and a visit to The Rochdale Dog Rescue Centre.  Pat Crabtree established the rescue in 1975 when she began helping unwanted dogs in the Rochdale area. These dogs were either in foster homes or their own homes needing new owners, and Pat began by placing advertisements in the local papers. Over time this developed, with more dogs being helped in this way.

In 1993 Coryn Shields lost her own dog (Sam the Boxer) to cancer, and when she felt ready to re-home a rescue dog she answered one of Pat's adverts. Two year old Bruno was suggested as a suitable match, and an introduction followed; it was love at first sight. A special bond was formed and Bruno became Coryn's new companion.

Having seen the good that Pat was doing Coryn offered to help if she could ever be of use.

Jake

Little did Coryn know that just a few hours later she would be driving around in the dead of night hunting for a missing dog with Pat, and another new friendship was born. Thanks to Bruno bringing them together Pat and Coryn worked together for two years, developing Rochdale Dog Rescue and re-homing more dogs in Rochdale and the surrounding areas, and in 1994 Coryn added to her family with Zara, a bitch who'd come into rescue heavily pregnant having been found as a stray.


In 1995 Pat moved out of the area, and Coryn took over the day to day management of re-homing.

As time went on, Coryn was contacted on occasions by a local Dog Warden, asking for help to save a dog in the pound who had run out of time. Although this was not a regular part of the work of Rochdale Dog Rescue, Coryn realised that there was a whole group of dogs whose plight she had previously been unaware of, and between 2004 and 2005 she began to develop a relationship with this particular pound.In March 2005 a formal link with the pound was formed, and Rochdale Dog Rescue began to offer help for all of the dogs reaching the end of their 7 days.

The team developed too, with new volunteers joining Coryn to take on other roles. In January 2006 the website became live and Rochdale Dog Rescue in its current form was born.

Please help.....

Rochdale Dog Rescue are currently facing a very uncertain future during this current economic climate as they receive fewer donations and have to pay more for our emergency boarding - their account is currently in the red and it is a real struggle each month to cover their costs for the dogs we have in their care let alone to continue to save more dogs from the pound - monthly bills are often close to £2000.

The number of dogs coming in is ever increasing as more people abandon their dogs, causing them to struggle to pay the bills and they anticipate that things will only get worse - the summer holidays can be an especially bad time as uncaring owners really do abandon their dogs before the holidays not seeming to care they are at a real risk of being put to sleep if it was not for organisations such as Rochdale Dog Rescue.

Rochdale Dog Rescue are there for all the dogs who find themselves abandoned and alone, they work really hard to save the dogs in the pound who face being put to sleep and we never turn a dog away regardless of breed/age/health/temperament. These dogs come in all shapes, ages and sizes and all of them deserve the chance of a safe future and to be loved.

Bertie

The number of dogs in boarding has steadily increased as the dogs in their care will stay with us for as long as it takes to secure a rescue space or their forever homes - like lovely Bertie who has been with them for a while patiently waiting for a rescue space or loving home and they'll continue to keep him safe but need to raise vital funds in order to be able to do so.

Sadly there are just not enough funds to guarantee the security of these dogs until their rescue space or forever home arrives.

They don't like to ask our generous supporters and visitors for more, but unfortunately unless they do so the future of the dogs in the pound and emergency boarding will be uncertain; there's a real danger that they'll run out of funds! 

It costs us £5-8 a day to board a dog ..... and of course the dogs receive any vets treatment they need as well as being neutered, vaccinated and microchipped if they are with them for longer or being re-homed directly by themselves.... no donation is too small to help them through these difficult times.

There are many ways to help them raise funds in addition to donations. Please take a look at their Fundraising Forums for details on these and other ways to help.

If you are able to donate or even set up a monthly donation the button below will directly take you to Paypal. Donations can also be made by Cheque or BACS please contact them for more details.

 

Payment Options

Option 1 : £5.00GBP - monthly  Option 2 : £10.00GBP - monthly  Option 3 : £20.00GBP - monthly  Option 4 : £30.00GBP - monthly  Option 5 : £40.00GBP - monthly  Option 6 : £50.00GBP - monthly  Option 7 : £60.00GBP - monthly  Option 8 : £70.00GBP - monthly  Option 9 : £80.00GBP - monthly  Option 10 : £90.00GBP - monthly

 

Alfie's Law.....and how we can help

Following writing a piece on Serbia's forgotten dogs Ralph had the opportunity to interview a young bearded collie called Alfie who, along with some friends started a campaign to help to raise awareness of the current law in the UK regarding animal abuse, neglect & murder and how the sentences are not being used to the maximum. Too often minimum fines are given to people who inflict the most disgusting abuse and harm to our animals.

Click here to sign the petition 

I asked Alfie what had inspired him.....




"Paws for thought Alfie's Law came about from an idea I had with a few of my wonderful friends after reading some dreadful stories of abuse inflicted on animals. Most of them too horrific to even mention."




And how would the campaign have an impact?  




"This campaign will help to raise awareness of the current law in the UK regarding animal abuse, neglect & murder and how the sentences are not being used to the maximum. Too often minimum fines are given to people who inflict the most disgusting abuse and harm to our animals."

So what's the current situation in this country?  



"Within the UK Judicial System, sentencing guidelines are set by the Sentencing Council and they provide detailed guidance to Magistrates Courts across the UK. These guidelines state that offences of Animal Cruelty (as described in the Animal Welfare Act 2006) is triable only summarily (cannot go to Crown Court) and carry a maximum penalty of £20,000 fine and/or 6 months imprisonment)."

Then surely that's a deterrent isn't it?  



" No, not really as It is highly unlikely that anyone would receive the maximum sentence and usually dis- proportionate fines are imposed."





So what are the aims of Alphie's Law?

"We'd like to see a zero tolerance on animal abuse as there is absolutely no excuse for it." 

"Also we would also like to see sentencing increased to a maximum of 2 years custodial and a lifetime ban for persistent or serious offenders."

"Finally we'd like to see animal protection agencies (such as the RSPCA) become part of the Criminal Justice System under the stewardship of the Crown Prosecution Service."

"They can then continue to undertake prosecutions within the law but will not have to pay the prosecution costs. This would allow them financially to provide better training, recruit more inspectors & support re-homing centres with the money they receive in donations from the public."

So how can we help?

"Everyone can help by supporting the campaign, spreading the word, especially on Twitter and Facebook where you can follow me and of course signing the petition."

So there you are animal lovers.....help Alfie's Law by signing the petition now.....it needs 100,000 signatures!  Surely with the viral potential of Twitter and Facebook we can get Alphie's petition past the 100,000 mark soon.....

Status Update: 3rd Jan 18:00 

      25,395 signatures!.

Petition Status: LIVE (day 217)

Click here to sign the petition  

                                                                     Please remember to check for a confirmation e mail or your signature will not be counted

Serbia's Lost Paws.....and how we can all help

Now Ralph's looked at a few good causes but this is one that's really close to his heart as it's about dogs and well, I am one.  I'm lucky as I've got a nice warm home, well fed,  a coat to put on when it's cold and get loads of treats so despite the pathetic look I've got on my face in the picture I'm pretty lucky really.  Oh yeah and I've got my own laptop so I can write blogs.  As most of you know I spend a lot of time on Twitter too and it was just today that a Tweet appeared asking me to join and help Serbia's Forgotten Paws.....so I did join and I wrote this.....maybe after reading it you'll help too? 

Hana looking for her Forever Home

Serbia's Forgotten Paws aim to improve the lives and welfare of the dogs in shelters and cats in foster care in Niš, Serbia.

The 

group was formed in January 2012 by three unpaid volunteers from across the UK brought together by their love of animals and the impact of the powerful images and distressing stories found online regarding stray animals and animal shelters in Niš, Serbia.  

The shelter they're supporting is run by Jelena Kostic, who has over 350 dogs in her care.

Food from Belgium, Austria & The UK

Other groups and individuals already assist with providing food, vaccinations, kennels and general care for the dogs and cats in Serbia, however they felt strongly that they could make a huge difference in improving the quality of life of these animals.

Achievement of this aim will require focus in many areas; they primarily aim to re-home as many animals as possible through adoptions in the UK and  throughout Europe however, there will always be some who will never leave these shelters. 
Maybe they're too old and scared, maybe they're just too damaged from the terrible lives they led before Jelena rescued them... For these dogs they must try to improve their lives through improving their living conditions. In order to do this they must also raise funds to purchase land for the 2 shelters to allow them to build warm, safe permanent enclosures and provide socialisation and opportunities to interact with other dogs and  their human carers.

see what the nice people have sent us!

There is little awareness in the UK & beyond of the terrible cruelty faced by animals in Serbia . They have access to many pages of reading material and links and stories which they feel it would not be appropriate to publish on this blog due to the incredibly disturbing content, including torture and abuse but if you wish to find out more about the life of a stray dog in Serbia, please contact them and they'll forward you the relevant information.

Perhaps most distressing and  unforgivable is the lack of will from the authorities to improve the situation. Although some Politicians are now making the right noises, as yet there has been nothing positive seen on the streets of Nis. 

ouch - vaccination time!

Serbia's Forgotten Paws are a positive and determined group of like-minded volunteers who simply refuse to sit back and accept the lives these animals are forced to endure. They have stood together, shoulder to shoulder with their friends in Serbia to say 'We care and we will help you!' 

As always with Ralph's blogs all the coloured words are nice links...please feel free to use them and find out more...but in the meantime please watch this video...