8 slices white bread
                  30g butter
                  160g pitted dates, chopped (about 1 cup)
                  4 eggs
                  55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
                  750ml (3 cups) milk
                  1 teaspoon vanilla essence
                  ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
                
              
              Grease 5cm deep ovenproof dish (6 cup capacity).
                Remove crusts from bread. Butter bread, cut in half diagonally.
                Place half the bread, buttered side up, in prepared dish,
                sprinkle with dates, top with remaining bread. Whisk eggs,
                sugar, milk and essence in bowl. Pour milk mixture over bread,
                stand 10 minutes, sprinkle with nutmeg.
                Place dish in baking dish, pour in enough boiling water to
                come halfway up side of dish, bake, uncovered, at 160°C
                for about 1¼ hours or until custard is set.
                
                Serves 6.
                
                Recipe best made just before serving.
                Freeze: Not suitable.
                Microwave: Not suitable.
              
              
              
              DAMPER
              
              
                
                
                  Ingredients:
                  2 cups plain flour 
                  1/2 cup water 
                  1/2 cup milk 
                  pinch salt 
                
                
              
              
                Directions:
                Mix together into a slightly sticky dough. add a little more water or flour if needed.
                Take a small amount, wrap it around a broomstick sized piece of wood and cook over the coals of an open fire
                OR
                wrap in foil and cook in the coals of a fire
                OR
                place on a lightly greased tin and cook in a hot oven.
                
                When cooked, it should sound hollow if tapped.
                
                Alternative: Damper Dog - put a small hot dog sausage on a skewer and wrap damper round it so it is completely covered and cook over an open fire .
              
              WHITE CHRISTMAS
              
                Ingredients:
                  1 cup desiccated coconut 
                  2 cups Rice bubbles 
                  1 cup Icing sugar 
                  1 cup milk powder 
                  185 grams sultanas 
                  185 grams diced dried apricots 
                  60 grams chopped red glace cherries 
                  250grams white vegetable shortening
                
                
              
                Mix all ingredients (excluding Shortening) in large bowl
                
                Carefully melt shortening on stove top (or in microwave)
                
                Pour shortening into mix and stir until combined.
                
                Press mixture into paper lined tray (about 1'/ 2.5 cm high) or spoon into paper cups
                
                Refrigerate until set
                
                Cut into squares if made in tray.
              
              
              
              
                
                  180g (6¼ oz) butter
                  1 cup fine sugar
                  4 eggs
                  170g (6 oz) can mango pulp
                  1/3 cup sour cream
                  2 cups self-raising flour
                  ½ cup chopped dried mango
                
                
              Lightly grease a 15cm x 25cm (6" x 9.8") loaf pan. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in remaining ingredients. Spread mixture into prepared pan, bake at 180°C (350°F) for 50 minutes, or until lightly brown and firm. Stand bread in pan for 5 minutes, turn onto wire rack to cool.
              
              
              
              Golden Syrup is a medium-heavy syrup made commercially from cane sugar. It is thick, dark gold in colour, and very sweet. This recipe was a standard family dessert in the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. It is filling and warming in winter.
              
              
                1 egg. 90gm butter. 
                  3 tablespoons caster sugar - fine grained white sugar. 1/3 cup milk. 
                  1 cup self-raising flour. 1 teaspoon vanilla. 
                  3 tablespoons golden syrup.
                
                
              Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Fold in the flour alternately with milk and vanilla.
                Put the golden syrup in the bottom of a 4 cup pudding basin or ordinary ceramic basin. Spoon the pudding mixture on to the top of the golden syrup. Cover with a lid or pudding cap, or use greaseproof paper or aluminium foil fastened with string or a rubber band.
                
                Put the bowl in a large saucepan with about 10cm of water. The water should come halfway up the side of the pudding bowl. Simmer gently for about 1½ hours. Remove the water, let it rest for 5 minutes and then turn it out onto a dish.
                Serve with cream or icecream or, more traditionally, custard (hot in winter).
              
              
              
              
                Ingredients:
                  375g Zucchini 
                  1 cup self raising flour 
                  Half a cup of oil 
                  5 eggs 
                  1 large onion 
                  3 rashers of bacon 
                  1 cup grated cheddar cheese 
                  salt and pepper to taste
                
                
              1. Grate unpeeled zucchini coarsely, finely chop onion and bacon. 
                2. Combine zucchini, onion, bacon, cheese, flour, oil and beaten eggs. 
                3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
                4. Pour into well greased pie dish and bake in moderate oven(180 degrees) for 30-40 minutes or until browned. 
                
                Hints: 
                Can be served hot or cold , but don't be over generous with the oil or it can end up a bit gluggy. Keeps well. Can be made a day ahead.
              
              
              
              Pumpkin scones are called biscuits in the United States. They are associated with the state of Queensland. Australia's
                favourite pumpkin - the Queensland Blue - is readily available there. It is like a giant sized buttercup winter squash. The Queensland Blue has hard, bluish-green skin. Inside is firm, orange flesh. The more easily available butternut squash can be substituted in this recipe.
              
              
                
                
                  2 ozs softened butter 
                  1 egg 
                  ¼ cup sugar 
                  ¼ cup milk 
                  1 cup mashed, cooked pumpkin 
                  2¾ cups self-raising flour 
                
                
              
              Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly grease baking trays. Cream softened butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Add mashed pumpkin and milk. Fold in flour using fork, and mix well. Place on well-floured board or pastry sheet and gently press out to approximately 1/2" or 3/4" thickness. Cut into scone shapes using round cutter (2" diameter). Makes approximately 24.
                
                Place on greased oven tray and brush tops with milk. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, turn out onto clean dish towel, wrap and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm, split open and spread with butter.
              
  
              
  A very easy to make recipe for ''Australian'' shortbread - they're great for a snack, to put in school lunches, or just to nibble on while you're surfing the 'Net !
              
              
                
  1 Cup of Self Raising Flour 
  ¾ of a Cup of sugar 
  ¾ of a Cup of desiccated coconut 
    142g (5oz) melted butter 
    1 Cup of Corn Flakes, or equivalent Breakfast Cereal
                
                
              
  Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and mix well. Press very firmly into a baking dish (not tray!) and cook until golden brown at about 176C (350F) Mark with a sharp knife, and cut into slices while still warm. Allow to cool.
  
    To serve:
    Store in an air-tight jar, if they last that long! Chocolate icing may be used if desired.
              
  
              
  A delicious, healthy, "bran loaf" that's easy to make and delicious to eat. And it'll keep you regular, too!
              
              
                
  1 Cup of AllBran 
  ½ a Cup of chopped, dried apricots 
    1 and a ¼ Cups of milk 
  ½ a Cup of sultanas 
  ¾ of a Cup of sugar 
    1 and a ½ Cups of Self Raising Flour 
                
                
              
  Mix the apricots, AllBran, sultanas, sugar and milk in a bowl. Let stand for 2 hours or overnight. Grease a loaf tin and dust with fine breadcrumbs. Add the sifted flour to the bran mixture and mix well and place the mixture in the loaf tin. Bake at 175C (350F) for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.
  
    To serve:
    Cut into slices and serve warm or cold. Hint: It's extra nice when spread with butter!
              
  
              
  The most incredible Quiche!
              
              
                
  3 beaten eggs 
    1 chopped onion 
    1½ Cups of milk 
    Bacon pieces, or chopped ham 
    1 Tablespoon of oil 
    2 to 3 Tablespoons of parsley 
  
  ½ a Cup of Self Raising Flour 
    Chopped spinach or silver beet 
    1 Cup of grated cheese 
    Salt and pepper to taste 
    Optional: chopped tomato, spring onion or mushrooms
                
                
              
  Put all the ingredients into a large plastic container with a tightly fitting lid and shake well for one minute. Grease a quiche dish well and pour in the mixture. Cook in the oven for approximately 45 minutes at 170C (338F), or until the quiche is firm when gently wobbled (oven temperatures may vary)
  
    To serve:
    This truly incredible quiche can be eaten hot or cold, preferably with a fresh green salad, crusty French bread, good company, and a nice bottle of red wine!