Catching up with friends and more food!

It's certainly been a gastronomic week, no wonder I ain't the skinny Minnie I used to be! Do Ilook bovvered? Nah I ain't bovvered, I saw this on Facebook today and thought yup!

Last night we got together with friends, we don't see nearly enough of them as we should and we all agreed we are going to remedy that and try and get together more often. Time flies past so quickly and seven months of the year have all but gone already!

As is the norm here any get together is generally a pot luck dinner, everyone brings plate, with something on it preferably, it has been the mistake of some guests of UK origin in the past to bring a plate, as asked, a bit too literal! lol They probably thought that the poor hosts were short of crockery!

Personally I think think is such a great idea, everyone contributes and you get such a great selection of foods as we did last night. More of that later. 

I took two offerings, a broccoli cheese, the same as a cauliflower cheese but our home grown caulis have been affected by the weather unfortunately. So broccoli it was. 

It was pretty much the same as the one I made in this post

The other dish was a cheesecake, I am about to break a pact of secrecy here and share the recipe. I was given it by a friends mother who said I was never to share! Oops! 

All of these ingredients are easy to find in the UK, some of them are harder to find here in NZ, so luckily we have shops here that sell Brit goodies. I don't hanker after UK foods and so rarely use them but for this cheesecake (apart from Marmite of course!) I have to. 

Obviously we can get digestive biscuits in NZ but these are to die for and have a lovely crumbly texture and of course they taste mighty fine! I could have got away with just one packet but used a bit extra for the top of the cheesecake. Put the biscuits in your food processor or put them in a zio lock bag and bash the hell out of them with a rolling pin. Which is what me and my friend had to do whenever her mum made it, gets rid if pent up frustration that's for sure.

 I used this whole pack of butter, melted, and mixed into the crumbs, could have used less but what the hell! This ain't  cheesecake for dieters!

 Then press it into the loose based tin, reserve some for the top

.

 In a mixer put one tub of extra thick cream

 ..and two tubs of cream cheese

 I had a few lumps from the cream cheese so used an electric whisk that got them out.

 There is one other extra ingredient that I have never found a replacement for and it probably doesn't really need to be in the mix at all but I think it gives it a lighter texture. It's called Birds Dream Topping and is powdered cream that you mix with 1/4 pint of milk, that goes in the mixer too.

Purists look away now!

 Once it's well mixed put it all  on top of your biscuit base and chill for a while

 This tin of fruit filling I've never found a substitute for either and so I have a few on these in my pantry. Once your base had chilled and has set quite fir, then just spoon the whole lot over the top.

 I'm pretty sure they used to have more blackcurrants in the tin than they do now!!

 Then sprinkle the reserved biscuit crumbs over the top.

 When you are ready to serve just remove the outer tin thingie. 

Mine has a clip so lifts off easily, and then eat! Enjoy.

And now some photos of our evening

Lance & Joe

 Martin & Ray

  The feast

 Pauline & Me

Mary, Joe & Martin 

 Joe, Martin, Pete & Kerry(our hosts) and Ray

 Lance & Karen, expert dishwasher loaders, a must have at all gatherings!

And that's me for today, I'm feeling a little delicate and in need of some food. Joe is kitchen bitch today, I think it may be a fry up and leftover cheesecake.

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend

♥♥♥