This recipe I am showing you today is a very simple one that you can make for one, or you can make for many, depending on what your needs are. You CAN only cook one at a time however, but once you get started, it moves very quickly along.
Its basically a very thin, crepe-like omelette, which is folded around a quantity of spring onions, cheese and ham. Easy peasy.
Todd really enjoys these, and he is a simple man with simple tastes, so this basic one is all I usually do for him, but they are very easy to amp up with other flavours. You can try adding a line of salsa and using jack cheese for a mexican flavour. Chopped tomatoes, peppers, olives, thinly sliced pepperoni and mozzarella for a pizza flavour. Or just go veggie and have your favourite cooked sliced veggies and cheese. I love broccoli and cheddar myself. I think you are going to have fun making these and adapting them to your own tastes and flavours!
*Ham, Cheese & Egg Breakfast Wrap*
For 12 medium free range eggs
Crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk them together with the salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat. Once the butter begins to foam, swirl it to coat the skillet and pour in your egg mixture, swirling it to cover the base of the pan.
Once it begins to look set around the edges, lay the spring onions down the centre of the egg mixture, leaving some space at the top and the bottom edges.
Lay the cheese out on top of the spring onions.
Lay the ham on top of the cheese.
Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes to heat everything through. Everything should be hot and the cheese should be melted.
Everything should
be hot and the cheese should be melted.
Fold over the top and bottom, and fold over the edges to enclose everything completely.
The neatness of your folds, will of course depend on how much you have inside the omelette. I was rather generous with the ham the other day. I couldn't separate it (hate it when that happens) so I just plopped a quantity on top!
At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter that it look exact. It really only matters that it is delicious, and I can tell you I never hear any complaints what-so-ever! Bon Appetit!
These delicious muffins I am showing you today make for a fantastically tasty grab and go mid-week breakfast. Perfect for days when you are in a rush and don't have a lot of time to dawdle at the breakfast table.
I love muffins. Not quite a sweet as a cupcake, they almost make you feel like you are making a virtuous choice when you choose to have one.
Who doesn't love a muffin? Small individual quick breads built just for one!
These lovely muffins smell heavenly when they are baking and no wonder as they are chock full of lovely nutritious things.
Whole grain oats, grated fresh apple, chopped dried apricots, chopped toasted pecans . . .
Ripe banana, sultanas . . . sweet honey . . . oh, how I love honey . . .
They are a perfect combination of fruit, nuts and fibre to keep up your energy levels and help keep you going the whole morning through!
Because there are only two of us, I always cut the recipe in half, and when using my medium muffin tin, I get 9 medium muffins.
These are just perfectly sized for us. Using a larger tin will yield fewer muffins.
They are moist and delicious, filled with lots of lovely bits . . .
I love these muffin so much I will quite happily declare that they are my all-time favourite breakfast muffin. But they're not only good for breakfast, try them for your elevensies tea break, or in the afternoon with your coffee break.
They are great packed into the kid's lunch boxes, and also freeze well, when stored in an airtight container. They will keep well for about 3 months. Simply reheat for about 30 seconds in the microwave if frozen.
*Apricot & Honey Muffins*
Makes 12
Whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder, spice, apricots, pecans, raisins, and porridge oats in a large bowl. Mash the banana well with a fork and then beat together with the eggs, oil, vanilla, honey and milk. Stir in the brown sugar. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the wet and mix to combine, working from the centre. Spoon into the prepared muffin cases, filling htem 2/3 full. Sprinkle the tops with few more chopped toasted pecans for texture and crunch.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes until golden brown, well risen, and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.
These are fabulous fresh but will keep for several days in an airtight container.
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My husband and I recently decided that we are going to eat a more plant based diet, having fish or chicken only occasionally. I have been experiencing some real digestive problems over these past few months, and we really feel inspired to incorporate some healthier eating principles into our life style. I am also going to be experimenting with fermenting. We will see how that goes! I admit I am a bit terrified of poisoning myself, so I am somewhat hesitant, so if any of you has any advice along those lines to share, I would be most grateful. I still do have meat to use up in the freezer so there will be occasional forays into that area until it is all gone, and I will be the first to admit that I don't think Christmas would be Christmas without a roast turkey for me, and I do adore roast chicken.
Today I cooked us a delicious vegetable curry for our dinner, just using what I had in the refrigerator and larder. It turned out beautiful! I incorporated cauliflower, sweet potatoes, onions, fresh tomatoes, and courgettes (zucchini) along with some frozen peas and fresh spinach.
I made good use of some fresh ginger, plenty of fresh garlic and a variety of spices to bring plenty of flavour into the mix.
There is ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric for colour, cayenne, cinnamon, salt and pepper and a touch of tomato paste.
Very fragrant and very delicious. I also used a mix of vegetable broth and a creamy coconut milk for a lovey richness that we both enjoyed very much.
I served it simply, in heated bowls, with some cooked brown rice (protein there!) and a dish of a good Indian chutney on the side. Neither one of us missed the meat. This was probably one of the most delicious curries I have ever made.
*A Delicious Vegetable Curry*
Serves 4
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp turmeric
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions. Cook,
stirring, until golden brown. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook
until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the coriander, turmeric, cayenne
pepper, and ground cumin. Cook and stir for about 30 seconds then stir
inthe tomato paste, stirring it in completely to incorporate. Add the
vegetable broth, coconut milk, cinnamon, salt and black pepper to taste.
(About 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper) Bring to the boil, then reduce
to a low simmer and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, courgette and chopped tomatoes. Bring back to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the spinach one handful at a time, stirring it in to wilt the spinach. Stir in the lime juice and zest. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve immediately.
Note - Don't cook for too long when you add the spinach. You will want to maintain the green colour, so only a couple of minutes is sufficient. You only want to wilt the spinach.
There are plenty of leftovers for us to heat up and enjoy tomorrow as well. I might try making my own Naan or Chapati to go along with it. Now that would be fun I think! I hope you will give this a go. Vegetarian food need not ever be boring and I am on a quest to prove that fact to Todd! Bon Appetit!
We love Tex Mex style food in this house and these are my all time favourite enchiladas. I had not made them in a very long time, but when we were having lunch with our friends Jo and Colin a week or so back, Jo reminded me of them.
She said that she still uses the recipe I gave to her all those years ago when we were both working at the manor and that it is one of their favourites. I decided then and there that I wasn't going to let too much more time pass before I made them again!
They are a vegetarian type of enchilada in that there is no meat involved. The filling is a very simple one to make. You will need 2 to 3 pounds of butternut squash.
I love butternut squash. Of all the winter/hard squashes it is my absolute favourite.
You cut these in half, scoop out the seeds and then roast them in a moderate oven until they are really tender. I am not kidding when I say that cutting them in half is probably the hardest part of the recipe.
I have never used any other kind of winter squashes, but I am sure any would work well.
Once the squash are tender, take them out of the oven. I let them cool for a little bit, until they are somewhat comfortable to hold.
I generally wear an oven mitt and hold the squash in that hand, and then using a spoon, scoop out the flesh with the other hand into a bowl.
A portion of cream cheese is mashed into the butternut squash along with some spices.
You will want the squash to be a bit on the warm side so that the cheese melts into the mix. I could just eat this mixture with a spoon, its so delicious!
You also stir in a quantity of chopped spring onion, both the green and white parts.
I like to cut the in half (after washing and trimming) down the length of them and then cut them crosswise into thin slices. It makes them just the right size to my way of thinking.
After that you simply fill softened corn tortillas and then place them into a baking dish, seam side down. If you use corn tortillas you will need to soften them as they will crack when you roll them.
Today I used the tortillas that are a mix of corn and wheat and to be honest, they work beautifully. There is no cracking. I actually like the flavour of them better also. But you make your own choice in this.
Finally you simply pour a jar of salsa over top, scatter on some cheese and bake. Easy peasy lemon squeasy. Its really a no fuss kind of recipe. You can make them really spicy by using a hot salsa, or milder using a mild one. (My choice coz I am somewhat of a spice wimp!)
I have never used homemade salsa so I cannot answer to how that will work. I think the store bought variety that you buy near the tortilla chips and snacks department is the best as it is a bit saucier. I am sure you know the kind I mean!
*Enchiladas Calabaza*
Serves 6
Serves 6
I'm not sure where this delicious recipe started. I'm not even sure if it is authentically Mexican. I only know it's an incredibly tasty way to get some extra vegetables into the husband and children. These are fabulous!
2 to 3 pounds butternut squash
170g cream cheese (6 ounces)
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp oregano leaves
1/4 tsp salt
a pinch of cinnamon
12 corn tortillas
340g of tomato salsa, spicy or mild as you wish (1 1/2 cups)
240g of grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
Pre-heat your oven to 200*C/400*F/Gas Mark 6. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and set aside.
Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
Place on a baking tray and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes
until tender. Remove from the oven and then scoop the flesh out as soon
as you can handle them. (I hold them in one hand with a oven mitt and
scoop out the flesh with the other using a spoon to scrape it out into a
a bowl)
Mash the hot squash together with the cream cheese until the
mixture is fairly smooth and the cheese is melted all in. Stir in the
spices and the chopped spring onion.
Lower the oven heat to 180*C/350*F/Gas Mark 4. Warm the tortillas in a skillet until pliable. Fill each tortilla with ¼ cup of the butternut squash mixture and roll up tightly.
Lower the oven heat to 180*C/350*F/Gas Mark 4. Warm the tortillas in a skillet until pliable. Fill each tortilla with ¼ cup of the butternut squash mixture and roll up tightly.
Place into the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Pour the salsa over the
filled tortillas. Top with the grated cheese.
Cover with foil, tightly, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is all bubbly and starting to brown.
Remove from the oven and let sit for a few
minutes before serving. We like to have these with sour cream and more
chopped spring onions for sprinkling on top. Yummy!
I do really hope you will make these. They are fabulous! I serve them with a garnish of sour cream and chopped spring onion and with a salad on the side. Provecho!
Today I am showing you a very adaptable casserole that you will probably find comes in very handy with some of your Easter dinner leftovers. Cowboy Hot Pot. Don't ask me why it is called that, because I really have no idea at all, but I can tell you that it is delicious . . . then again, everything I show you is! This is one of those old fashioned types of dinners, the type that you might have seen your Grandmother putting together with a bit of this and a bit of that.
This casserole involves layering some pretty simple ingredients. Today I have used leftover ham from our Easter Dinner, but you can also use corned beef (tinned) and yes, even spam. All are really tasty!
You drain a tin of baked beans, (reserving the juice from the tin) with your meat of choice in a casserole dish with leftover cooked potatoes, and sliced onions.
The reserved bean juice is then combined with a few herbs and other ingredients and some boiling water and then gets poured over top.
A topping of buttered crumbs is sprinkled over top and the whole thing gets covered and baked, until the onions are tender and the flavours have begun to meld together. You uncover it then and bake it for a little while longer so that the crumbs can brown to a golden crispness.
Just look at those delicious layers. Yes, it might seem a bit old fashioned when compared to the popular dishes of the day. Let's face it . . . there's no Kale to be found or any other fiddly things. Just pure, simple ingredients. I can tell you this, I never had a meal cooked by my grandmother that wasn't delicious, as simple as everything was.
*Cowboy Hot Pot*
Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a 1.75 litre/3 pint casserole.
Spread half of the sliced onion over the base of the casserole. Cover with half of the sliced potatoes. Place half of the corned beef or ham slices on top of the potatoes. Drain the baked beans, reserving the sauce in a measuring cup. Spread the baked beans over the potatoes in the casserole dish. Top with the remaining onions, then the remaining corned beef/ham and finally placing the remaining potatoes on top.
Whisk together the reserved bean juice, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, stock cube and black pepper. Add boiling water to make up the measure to 200ml/7 fluid ounces, whisking all together well. Pour over the casserole.
Cover tightly and baked for 35 to 40 minutes, until the onions are cooked, uncovering about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time and topping with the buttered crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes longer until golden brown. Serve hot with a vegetable on the side.
The thought just occurred to me. Perhaps the origin of this fabulous casserole was meant to use up the leftovers from a Saturday night bean supper. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be when made with leftover home baked beans and ham. Oh boy. Now I simply must bake some beans. Maybe next Saturday. Just for nostalgia's sake. Bon Appetit!
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