Frugal Choccy Cake

This Choccy cake is frugal in as much as you don't have to go out and buy it to indulge yourself 8-)

I think buying cakes and biccies should be illegal LOL

Whatjaneed:
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
100g cocoa powder
100g butter
½ cup milk
2 eggs

Bung all the above in a mixing bowl and use an electric beater beat the whole lot for exactly 5 minutes!


 


Don't forget to clean the beaters!



Bake in a lined bar tin for 45 minutes at 200c and when cooked, immediately remove from tin and allow to cool on a rack (if you can!).







The oven was warm enough to allow me to bake some ANZAC biscuits as well.

I will put that recipe up shortly.

Don't forget to clean up!



Now you have made your cake you can ice it (I don’t) or leave it plain (I don’t) or slice along the length and spread with home made jam and whipped cream, like a sandwich (I do) and eat many slices (I do).



Scarecrow loves it.

Can’t tell you how long it lasts since it usually disappears within a day…must be the mice ;-)

Makes a really nice, good looking (and cheap) gift, too.

Frugalistic Pasties

Docs Frugal Pasties
I thoroughly enjoy making these for my partner, Scarecrow.

Pastry:
1 Cup Plain Flour
1 Cup Self Raising Flour
1 Egg Yolk
A few drops of lemon juice
60g lard
60g butter

Beat the egg then add a couple of drops of lemon juice and a little water.

Bung everything into a food processor and buzz it up until firm.



Roll and fold a few times on a floured surface ready for the filling.



Filling:
Grated assorted vegetables of your liking. I used a spud, carrots, pumpkin and some mincemeat

Spices and herbs according to your taste. I added basil, sage, rosemary and thyme. 

Sounds like a song 8-)

Mix this in a bowl until it is stodgy.



Using a pastry mould or a circle cutter of some sort, cut a circle in the dough.





Place a quantity of the filling into the pastry then paint the edges with milk and fold it over.



Place on a tray and make some more.



When completed paint the tops with milk and cook in a hot oven (230-260c) for 20-30 minutes or until cooked.



Taste great and freeze well (not sure for how long as they get eaten within a month easily).

Bandsaw Blade Jig And Repair

Bandsaw Blade Jig
Whatjaneed:
25mm Square tubing approximately 150mm long
25mm flat steel approximately 150mm long
4 x ¼” diameter bolts approximately 20-25mm long
¼” tap for creating a thread



Step 1
Cut a notch in the tubing with a saw or angle grinder.

Step 2
Do the same to the flat steel.

Step 3
Clamp the two pieces together and drill 4 holes for the bolts to attach to. See the recommended size from your tap set to allow a ¼” thread to be created. You can slightly oversize the flat steel to allow the bolts to fit through. This will not be threaded.

Step 4
Tap the thread in the square tube and assemble.



This is now your bandsaw blade jig.



Repairing Bandsaw blades
I have found that I use a lot of bandsaw blades over time (I make toys and stuff) and found that with a little care you can repair broken blades yourself with ease.

I also have access to some old blades from a woodwork place. These I take and cut to fit my own machine and thus have a decent supply readily available.

Whatjaneed:
Bandsaw blade jig (see elsewhere)
Gas welder for brazing
Grinding tool or file
Brass brazing rod

Step 1
Bevel both ends of the blade to form a scarf joint.

Step 2
Clamp the blade in your bandsaw blade jig so the ends overlap.



Step 3
Apply heat and melt the brass brazing rod into the bandsaw blade joint.





Step 4
When cool grind the joint smooth. Don’t forget to do both sides of the blade.





Ensure that the joint is smooth.

I usually save up half a dozen blades to do and make a morning of it whilst listening to the football or cricket on the radio in my workshop.

Very therapeutic 8-)

Gourd Drum

In an earlier article I made a gourd bowl and I said you could also make the bowl into a drum.

Well, here’s how.

Take a balloon and cut it.





Then using 3 hands 8-) put the balloon over the bowl.



Instant drum.



It works too. Just listen

Regards, Doc ;-)