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Be careful not to burn cider. Remove from heat if it boils - cider creates a residue that is unattractive but has no taste if cooked too long - should last about an hour. Make the house romantic this Valentine.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 cups of uncooked oat, 1 tablespoon of vanilla .
Directions:
Put the butter, milk, sugar and cocoa into a bowl Microwave for 5 1/2 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Mix in 3 cups oats and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Scoop and drop onto wax paper. Cool in refrigerator overnight.
Ingredients:
1 x 250g head of broccoli,1 large onion, 2 white parts of leek, chopped, 40g butter, 855ml vegetable stock,150g low fat soft cheese, 2 x 15ml spoons fine oatmeal, 4 ripe pears, 175g toasted, flaked almonds, 570ml milk, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Directions:
1. Trim the broccoli into tiny florets, chop the stalky parts quite small. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the chopped leeks, onion and broccoli stalks (leave aside the florets for later). Stir well and leave to sweat for ten minutes. Then add chopped pears.
2. Stir in the oatmeal, almonds and milk a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the milk is stirred in, add the stock and seasoning. Whisk well and simmer gently for ten minutes. While the soup is cooling, steam the broccoli florets for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour the soup and place the soft cheese into a food processor, and blend until smooth. Return the soup to a rinsed out pan, add the broccoli florets and re-heat gently, adjusting the seasoning.
4. Serve with crusty French bread.
Ingredients:
1 bottle red wine, ½ pt/250ml apple juice, ½ pt/250ml pineapple juice, ¼ pt/150ml lime juice (optional), 2 cinnamon sticks (broken into 3), 1½tsp freshly grated nutmeg, 1 bay leaf, 1oz/25g soft brown sugar, slices of citrus fruit.
Directions:
1. Warm the wine, fruit juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaf and sugar over a low heat, stirring frequently until almost boiling.
2. Remove from heat and leave to infuse for at least 1 hour (the longer it is left to infuse, the stronger the flavours become).
3. Return to heat, add fruit slices and bring close to the boil again, adding sugar to taste. (At this stage you can also add 1tbsp/15ml of your favourite liqueur or spirit, if you wish)
4. Pour into a warmed punch bowl and serve in goblets with the slices of fruit and a piece of cinnamon.
Ingredients:
8 Egg yolks, beaten 8 Tablespoons of powdered sugar 1/2 Cup of Jamaica rum 1/2 Cup of brandy 1 Cup of whiskey 3 Cups of heavy cream 8 Eggs whites, beaten milk nutmeg.
Directions:
Beat the yolks until thick, then add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and keep beating. Add the liquors and let the yolks "cook" for several hours, covered, in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, fold in the whipped cream and stiffly beaten egg whites. If the eggnog is too thick, add a little milk. Serve in sherbet cups with a dash of nutmeg on top.
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