NanNan's favourite recipes

My Grandmother (affectionately called NanNan) celebrates her 90^th birthday on the 10^th of April. I decided to go and talk to her and find out some of her favourite recipes for families. Written by her granddaughter, Sharyn Smart

Almond Shortbread

10oz / 300g butter                 2oz / 50g cornflour

4oz / 100g icing sugar           2oz / 50g ground almonds

12oz / 350g flour                   pinch salt 

Cream together butter and sugar. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the mixture. Work into a firm, smooth paste. Roll out evenly on a sheet of baking paper or cut into shapes. Bake at 150°C until pale golden colour, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Mince Roll Along

1lb / 500g mince              1 egg

Salt & pepper                   2T tomato sauce

1 cup breadcrumbs           1 cup grated cheese

1 finely chopped onion       2 cups mashed potato 

Mix meat, breadcrumbs, egg, sauce, salt & pepper until smooth. Cut a piece of foil 12” by 10” (25cm x 30cm) and sprinkle lightly with flour. Turn meat mixture on to foil and cover with wax paper. Roll out meat in between papers to about ½” (1cm) thickness. Throw out wax paper when you have finished rolling out the meat mixture. Mix cold mashed potato with onion and cheese and then spread over meat to within ½” (1cm) of edge. Roll up like a sponge roll using foil to enclose the roll. Place in a shallow meat dish. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes. Unroll and serve hot with green vegetables. Makes one large roll or divide the recipe to make two smaller ones depending on family size.

ANCHOR CHEESECAKE 

BASE

6oz / 250g malt biscuit crumbs     ¼lb / 100g butter

TOP

1pkt lemon jelly                                                             ¾ cup boiling water

½ cup lemon juice                                                         2t grated lemon rind

1 ½ cups chilled Carnation evaporated milk                      250g cream cheese

1 cup sugar                                                                   1t vanilla essence 

Dissolve jelly in boiling water. Add lemon juice and rind to jelly and set aside to cool. Put malt biscuit crumbs in a mixing bowl. Melt butter and add to crumbs, mixing well. Press into a 9” (23cm) dish and chill in fridge. Beat cream cheese until smooth and set aside. Whip evaporated milk until thick and then add in cream cheese, sugar and vanilla essence. Fold in jelly and lemon mixture and pour into base and chill.

Can also be frozen.