Friday, December 19, 2008

Broccoli and Bean Soup

Broccoli and Bean Soup

4 spring onions

1 garlic clove

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

1.5L / 2.5 pts vegetable stock

1 medium potato

450g/ 1lb broccoli florets (i used frozen)

400g / 14oz canned flageolet beans

Place onion, garlic and curry powder in a saucepan with about 150ml of the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining stock, potato and broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the beans and warm through then blend.

Immy's Default Soup

fry an onion in olive oil,
add 3 tins of chopped toms,
add 3 tins of cannelini beans
some chopped garlic,
some basil.
pint chicken stock. fresh is nicest, but knorr is a good second best.
lashings of salt and pepper.
simmer for 10 mins.
serve with crusty bread.

Veggie Broth

Soak broth mix over night. I usually use a cupful as a measurement.

Whatever veggies you want sliced, diced or grated

3 pints of stock(I used veggie stock and if no veggies add in a couple of chicken ones)

Shove it all in the slow cooker on high all day and tada fantastic flung together broth. Great for a winters night.

Curried Courgette Soup

Curried courgette soup - Serves 4

3/4 large courgettes (washed and sliced)
3/4 large potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ginger
frylight
1 pint chicken stock (I use oxo)

1) fry courgettes in frylight for 5-10mins and then add ginger and curry powder
2) add chicken stock and potatoes
3) simmer for 45mins-1hr
4) push through sieve or partially blend with hand blender - yumyum!

Chicken Rice Soup

Bring a pan of water with a generous handful of rice and a cut of chicken(breast, thigh,quarter whatever)

Finely chop a medium swede(tumshie) and around 4 med carrots.(I use my processor) add to the pan.

Stick a chicken stock cube in and one large sliced leek.

Simmer for about 40 mins or whenever you can be bothered to remember like me

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup

1 butternut squash (or one small pumpkin) peeled, de-seeded and cut into chunks

2 Red onions, peeled and cutr into quarters

Vegetable stock (I use Marigold Swiss vegetable Bouillion)

Fry light

Put the squash and onions in a roasting tray, squirt with fry light and roast for about 40 minutes, at 200 degrees, until soft.

Put the veg into a suacepan, add a litre of stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Liquidise, then add more stock if it is too thick.

If you WANT to make it fattening, add a swirl of cream and serve with little cubes of Gruyere or Fontina cheese that melt and go all gooey.

Hot Chocolate Pudding

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 2 heaped Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 rounded tablespoon of butter

Cream the sugar and eggs together until pale.

Add all the sieved dry ingredients and the vanilla essence and mix well.

Place the milk and butter in a pan and heat until just before it starts to boil (it will go frothy around the edges)

Pour it into the mixture and beat well.

Pour into two greased cake tins and bake at 200 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Carrot and Pineapple Muffins

150g Carrots
100g Plain Flour
100g Wholemeal Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
100ml Veg Oil
50g Melted Butter
150g Muscovado Sugar
2 large Eggs
225g Tinned Pineapple finely chopped
50g Sultana's
2tsp Demera Sugar

Oven 160 C Gas Mark 4

Peel and Grate the carrots
Mix the flours, baking powder and ground spices in a bowl.
In another bowl mix oil, butter, sugar and eggs
Add Carrots to the wet mixture and add in pineapple and sultana's
Fold in flour until combined
Spoon the batter into lined muffin tray
Bake for 25-30 minutes