To serve, ladle the hot soup into individual heated soup bowls.  Top each serving with two croutes and serve immediately.

Note, if you are unable to get chicken stock pots, you can just replace the water in the soup with a good chicken stock, and add up to 3 TBS of fresh chopped herbs.  I would use parsley, marjoram, and thyme.  I would also add a broken bay leaf.  Remove the bay leaf before pureeing.

 

I love suppers that I can just throw together during the week, that are fairly inexpensive, quick to make, use store cupboard ingredients and that are just as tasty as can be.  Recipes like this deliciously quick Chicken Fried Rice I am showing you here today.



Not only does it go together lickety split, but it uses things I normally have in my cupboards and freezer.   For instance it uses one of the steam pouches from those packages of frozen steam vegetables you can get.  Just the perfect size for this.



I also always have individual frozen chicken breasts in my freezer as well.  I just buy packages of them and freeze them separated on a baking tray.  Then I wrap them well and keep them frozen in a zip lock baggie. That way I can take out just what I want, when I want . . . and they thaw out quickly as well, as they aren't stuck together in a huge mass.  Handy hint there people!



I always have pineapple chunks in the cupboard.  They are often on special and when they are I usually buy several tins to have on hand.  We like to eat them just as they are and I like to use them in stir fries, etc.



They also often have those pouches of cooked rice on for £1 and when they do I buy lots.  It comes in ever so handy for all sorts . . . soups, casseroles, etc.  It's false economy to have to heat up the stove to just cook a little bit of rice.



 I added some liquid honey and soy, other things I always have, and some Chinese Five Spice powder, another store cupboard ingredient.  A few minutes work and presto chango, we have dinner on the table and it's delicious!

I love it when that happens, don't you?




Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add the onion.   Cook and stir for several minutes.  Add the chicken and cook, stirring, for several minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.  Toss in the drained veggies.  Cook for a few minutes, stirring until they are done.  Stir in the rice and heat through.  Add the beaten egg, and cook, stirring to distribute the egg throughout until the egg is cooked.   Stir in the pineapple and heat through.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary and then serve immediately.



NOTE:  This is also very easily multiplied to serve more people than just two.  I do hope you'll give it a try!  You can also add some garlic if you wish.

 
 


A few of the ladies from my church got together today for a Pot Luck Lunch.  We like to do that from time to time.  It's nice to just spend time with each other outside of church and get to know each other better.  I really enjoy that.  It was also one of the girl's birthday, so there was an additional reason for us to celebrate this time together.



I had a really busy morning as I had an appointment to have my hair cut and so I knew I wouldn't have a lot of time and so I just went to my store cupboard and looked to see what I had to hand.



A bit of this and a bit of that and a short while later I had a delicious casserole created, which took barely any time at all to create.  It went together simply and quickly.



A pouch of precooked rice, some tinned salmon, frozen broccoli, a tin of condensed soup, a bottle of salad dressing, some cracker crumbs and some grated cheese and we had liftoff!  Layered in a dish in an attractive and simple way and then baked.



It went down a real treat with the ladies and is a dish I think I will repeat often, even just for Todd and myself.   It really was quite delicious!  I love it when my experiments come out that way.  Don't you?

Enjoy!



Crumble the basamati rice into the bottom of the casserole dish.   Cook the broccoli florets, according to the package directions, in the microwave until almost done.  Drain and chop.  Sprinkle the broccoli over the rice.   Stir together the condensed soup and the salad dressing.  Spoon a third of this over top of the broccoli.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese.  Top with the flaked salmon and sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of the cheese.  Spoon the remainder of the soup mixture over all and smooth it out with a spoon.   Sprinkle the crushed crackers evenly over top and dot with the butter.  Sprinkle over top the remainder of the cheese.   

 

Bake, uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling away, heated through and the top is golden brown.  Cover lightly with foil if it starts to brown too quickly, removing the foil for the last five minutes to crisp up.  Serve hot.

 

One thing that I have always loved is/are tinned tomatoes.   I could quite happily just sit down with a tin of tomatoes and a slice of bread and butter.  A smattering of salt and pepper and I am feasting.   I find it very satisfying . . .

 

When I was a child it was a real treat for my mother to make us Kraft Macaroni and  Cheese Dinner . . . we loved it.   Often she would stir a tin of tomatoes into it and that was even better.   Through the years I have always done the same.    In fact I cannot remember the last time I ate KD without them . . . mind you I don't eat KD at all over here, because it just doesn't exist.

 

I love macaroni and cheese.  It's a real favourite of mine, not so much the Toddsters  . . . but you know.   I do try to please him most of the time.   Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes??  It's even better.   Well . . . I think it is anyways.   I love this dish.   It's easy to make.  It's delicious.  It's economical.   You can make it ahead.   Most people like it.  That spells winner to me.

 

It wasn't that easy to get a tasty looking photograph of this delicious casserole.  But don't let these photos put you off in any way from making it.  This is definitely a "Do not judge a book by it's cover" kind of dish.   It's a delicious casserole that both children and grown ups will love.  Put it this way . . . my hubster, a dedicated "pasta hating" individual conceded that it certainly smelled delicious and proceeded to eat two plates full.   Need I say more???

I thought not.

 

*Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes*
Serves 4 to 5
Printable Recipe

Maybe not the lightest casserole around, but surely one of the tastiest.  Pure nostalgia.

1/2 pound of macaroni (8 ounces)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (400g) tin of chopped plum tomatoes in tomato juice (14 ounces)
3 TBS butter
4 TBS plain flour
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
375ml of semi skimmed milk (1 1/2 cups)
125ml of single cream (1/2 cup)
125ml of chicken broth (1/2 cup)
1/2 pound of mild cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (8 ounces) (2 cups)
1/4 pound of strong cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (4 ounces) (1 cup)
a knob of butter, crushed cracker crumbs

 

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/gas mark 6.  Butter a 9 inch square glass baking dish.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil.  Cook the macaroni according to the package directions just until al dente, usually about six minutes.   Drain well and return to the pot.  Add the tin of tomatoes, stirring to coat.  Heat gently over low heat until most of the tomato liquid is absorbed.  Set aside.

Melt the 3 TBS of butter in a saucepan.   Whisk in the flour and cayenne pepper.  Cook and stir for about a minute.   Stir together the milk, cream and chicken stock.  Whisk into the flour mixture slowly.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture is thickened, whisking constantly.   Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses to melt.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.   Pour this sauce over the macaroni and tomato mixture.  Stir to combine.  Pour into the prepared casserole dish and smooth over.   Melt a knob of butter.  Stir in some crushed cracker crumbs.  Sprinkle evenly over top of the macaroni.  Set dish on a baking sheet.

Bake in the heated oven until the top begins to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.    Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Note:  This can be made ahead.   Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.  When ready to bake, cover with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for a further 15 minutes, until golden brown.

I think you could make this lighter by leaving out the cream and just using milk to replace the cream.   The buttery cracker crumbs on top are not absolutely necessary either.  I just rather like the buttery crunch.

 

I always pick up extra tins of beans and chili when they are on special at the shops.  They make great store cupboard ingredients.  Sometimes its kidney beans, or cannelini, borlotti or chick peas . . . and sometimes it's refried beans.   They always come in handy.

 

Especially these days when our food budget is very tight, and more often than not I find myself looking for an economical and filling meal for the two of us, but also something which is delicious.  These Mexican Pizzas do just that.  It's a great way to make a tin of beans and a tin of chili stretch to feed four people.

 

They're quick to make and are very, very tasty.  I often am able to pick up jars of salsa on special as well.  In any case I always have one or two in the store cupboard, along with pouches of green and black olives, which I also pick up when they are only 99p.

 

I also pick up extra blocks of cheese when they are on special as well.   I throw them into the freezer, which means I also always have an additional source of protein to hand.  Having all these things in my store cupboard means I always have the things I need to throw together a tasty and economical meal at the drop of a hat.



I also make my own tortillas from scratch.  I've been doing it for years.  You will find the recipe below.  It makes more than you will need for this recipe, but they also freeze very well, so that's not a problem and they come in handy for all sorts.



You can use them for wraps, or enchiladas, or soft tacos.   if you don't like to use lard you can use Crisco or White Flora or Trex.  All work well.  I do hope you will give these a try and that you enjoy them as much as we do, and when you do that you come back and let me know!  Of course you could make your own chili con carne, or use leftover chili.   I just wanted you to know that a tin of chili works just as well and is really handy!

 

*Mexican Pizza*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Who wouldn't love an individual Mexican pizza all to themselves, especially when they are this tasty!  (Also very simple to make!)

8 6-inch flour tortillas
1 tin of stag chili con carne
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1 tin (400g/16oz) tin of refried beans
1/2 to 1 tsp chipolte chili paste (depending on how hot you like it)
1 300g jar of tomato salsa (about 1 cup) divided
3 spring onions, chopped
a handful of green olives, pitted and chopped
a handful of black olives, pitted and chopped
120g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)
130g of grated Monterrey Jack cheese (1 cup)
shredded lettuce and sour cream to garnish

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F. gas mark 6.   Line several large baking trays with foil.  Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the chile and refried beans into a bowl and mash well together along with the garlic and chipolte chili paste.   Place 4 of the tortillas onto the baking trays.  Divide the bean mixture between each and spread over to cover.  Top with the remaining four tortillas, pressing down lightly to stick together.

Bake them in the heated oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven.   Spread half of the salsa over top of each pizza, dividing it equally between the four.   Mix the cheeses together and divide this amongst the pizzas as well, sprinkling it over top.  Sprinkle with the spring onions and olives.   Return to the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the pizzas are crisp on the edges.

Allow to cool slightly before serving garnished with additional salsa, lettuce and sour cream.  Delicious!

 

*Flour Tortillas*
makes 14 to 16
Printable Recipe

So easy to do and so much tastier then the shop bought ones.

150g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups all purpose)
100g of strong flour (1 cup bread flour)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
110g of lard or white flora (1/2 cup)
250ml hot water (1 cup)

In a large mixing bowl, combine both types of flour, baking powder and salt. Drop 1/2 cup lard by the spoonfuls into flour mixture and, using a pastry cutter, your fingers or a fork, cut lard until it crumbles and is evenly dispersed in the flour. Slowly add the hot water and stir together until mixture sticks to itself. If not quite moist, add 1-2 more tbsp. lard, as needed.

Knead, in the mixing bowl, for 3-5 minutes or until dough forms a ball and becomes less sticky. Cover bowl with tea towel and let rest for 1 hour. Break the dough into 14-16 smaller pieces and roll the pieces into balls. Cover balls of dough for an additional 30 minutes.

 Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll one dough ball at a time into a thin, round tortilla. Make sure the ball is rolled out to be very, very thin. Carefully place onto the hot skillet and cook until bubbly and golden, about 30-40 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and continue cooking until golden on the other side.

Wrap the cooked tortilla in a clean tea towel until ready to eat. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve immediately or, once completely cool, store in an air-tight bag or container. To warm, wrap in damp paper towel and microwave for 20-30 seconds or wrap in foil and warm in oven. 

With the way today's economy is, it is becoming increasingly difficult keep to the budget we have set aside for food. When you live on a fixed income, like we do, it doesn't really allow much lee-way in things . . . and when prices keep rising . . . far above what your income is rising, it just gets harder and harder to make things work.



I find these days that I am having to rely more and more on our storecupboard and simple recipes which make good use of what we have stored. One of the principles of our faith is to store food. We have been counselled for years to have at least a one years supply to hand, and if that's not possible then at least 3 months. I've always been very good at food storage, and in these lean financial times, that is a skill that has come in pretty handy.



Of course . . . when it's gone, it's gone. But for now, I've been able to augment our budget with storecupboard meals . . . and then when I see a good deal at the shops on non-perishable items like tinned tomatoes, beans, etc. . . . I re-stock.



When they put cheese on sale, I stock up on that as well and store it in the freezer. It comes in very handy for casseroles and such.



This is a delicious casserole I made up the other night, using some tins of pulses and beans from our store cupboard, along with some tinned tomatoes and cheese from the freezer. All I had to purchase was the corn tortillas.



These simple ingredients were layered into a pie dish and then baked in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, the end result being a rather tasty pie. We didn't miss the meat at all, and it was rather filling. It served the two of us for supper that night, and then the leftovers on the night after. The leftovers were anything if not even MORE delicious! I kid you not!



It is something I will repeat because we both really liked it. Economical, easy to do and deee-licious! It was a "Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner" . . . except there was no chicken, lol. Seriously, it made for some pretty tasty eating. A simple salad on the side is all you would need to go with it, and maybe some fruit for dessert, to round out the meal.



*Tortilla Pie*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Who says that economy has to taste bad? This is a delicious mix of corn tortillas, tomatoes, pulses and cheese, baked together in a pie. I am sure Little Jack Horner would have loved this pie too!

1 (400g) tin of spicy bean salad, undrained
(this is a tinned mixture of beans and pulses, lightly spiced with
chilies, in a tomato sauce) (about 2 cups)
1 (400g) tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed (2 cups)
1 35g-packet of either taco seasoning, or fajita seasoning mix
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice, undrained (about 2 cups)
1 335g package of soft corn tortillas (8 in package)
90g of strong cheddar cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
90g of jack cheese, grated (3/4 cup)

To serve: (optional)
shredded lettuce
chopped red or spring onions, raw
chopped black olives
chopped tomatoes
sour cream


Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch round deep pie tin or plate. Set aside. Mix the cheeses together and set aside.

Combine the bean salad, drained beans, taco seasoning and chopped tomatoes in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer together for about 10 minutes. Cut the tortillas in half.

Spoon about a fourth of the bean mixture into the bottom of the pie dish. Top with two tortillas, cut in half, and layed so that the beans are completely covered. Top with another fourth of the bean mixture and 1/3 of the cheese. Top with another two tortillas, cut and layed in the same as the last layer. Top with another fourth of the beans mixture and 1/3 of the cheese. Top with a finally two tortillas, cut and laid in the same way. (You will have two leftover. Wrap and freeze for another day, or use them to make quesadillas for lunch the next day.) Finish with the remaining bean mixture and cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes so that everything settles in. Cut into four wedges and serve along with the toppings of your choice.

Today I tortured my pasta hating husband with some comfort food from my childhood, which rang all my bells, but left him feeling rather off key! haha He says he hates pasta, but he always eats it when I make it. I think it's because he knows it's cheap . . . and that part of him that grew up during the War and during rationing, likes a good bargain!



This might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is mine. I love macaroni. I love tomatoes. I love cheese. Put the three together and you have my idea of heavnly bliss.



This is a great meal to throw together to feed your hungry family on a weeknight when you know you aren't going to have a lot of time . . . and for when it's getting close to payday and you are wanting those hard earned pesos to stretch that little bit further.



I always pick up blocks of cheese when it's on special at the shops and keep it in my freezer until I need it. It is perfectly find for cooking with and to be honest that's how most of the cheese in this house gets used. Oh we will have the odd piece just with some crackers, but mostly . . . it's cooked.



I always pick up tins of tomatoes when they are on special as well. We love our tinned tomatoes in this house. If you've got a tin of tomatoes in the cupboard, you've got the makings of a tasty meal. That's my opinion at any rate!



Milk. Check! We always have milk too. Of course you could make this really decadent and use half cream and half milk. And I have done that from time to time and it is rather good, if I don't say so myself . . . but normally I just use plain old ordinary milk.



This is the kind of comfort food that your mom or gran might have cooked. You could brown off some lean minced beef and add it along with some onions, but it's not really necessary because . . .



This tastes fabulous just the way it is. Who says simple has to be boring??



*Scalloped Macaroni*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This may be simple and plain, but don't let that fool you. Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious of all.

8 ounces of uncooked macaroni (1/2 pound, 2 cups)
8 ounces of grated strong cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (2 cups)
5 ounces scalded milk (2/3 cup approx. To scald milk, put into a beaker and
heat on high in the microwave for 1 minute, or heat in a small saucepan until bubbles appear
around the edges. Don't let it boil.)
a handful of coarse breadcrumbs or crackercrumbs
1 TBS melted butter
salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Butter a 1 litre casserole dish and set aside.

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions in lightly salted water, just to al dente. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again.

Layer the macaroni, cheese and tomatoes in the prepared casserole dish, as follows: a third of the macaroni, a layer of cheese, half of the tomatoes, a third of the macaroni, a third of the cheese,the remaining tomatoes, the remaining macaroni and ending with the remaining cheese. You will want to lightly season each layer of macaroni, remembering that the cheese will be salty so heavy on the pepper, and salting judiciously! (Love that word, don't you?) Pour the scaled milk over top of the casserole, running a knife down through it here and there so that you make sure it goes well to the bottom. Mix the bread or cracker crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the milk is bubbling up and the top is nicely browned. Serve hot.

Note: you can add some finely chopped raw onion with the tomatoes if you wish. I sometimes do.