We have certainly had a cold week here in the UK. Nothing like the Arctic Vortex which has been gripping the North American continent, but cold nonetheless.
Our homes here are not really equipped to deal with real cold, so when we get hit by an arctic blast, we really feel it!
These are the days we huddle in our homes by the fire, not venturing out very far from it's warmth. The roads are icy, the ground frosted. This be soup and stew . . . dishes to warm your bones weather!
This is one of my favourite soups to make in the winter time. Not only does it use simple ingredients, but it is very easy to put together and quick to cook and get on the table.
It uses simple ingredients that most of us have in our homes . . . carrots, potatoes, onions . . .
Celery and green bell peppers . . .
These will be cooked in some chicken stock until tender . . .
Once tender, you whisk in a mix of flour and water to thicken it . . . then milk . . .
It is creamy and has a luxurious feel to it . . . but it is actually incredibly low in fat . . . with the exception of the fat in the milk, there is none.
It is also a recipe which doubles well, and freezes well. I like to freeze it in single serving containers, ready to pop out and heat up as and when.
I am sure that some grated cheese scattered on top would be quite nice, but it really isn't necessary.
This is really a lovely soup which I hope you will enjoy as much as we do! I believe I got the original recipe from a library book. I cannot be sure. It is from the pages of my Big Blue Binder, and back when I was writing up recipes into my binder, I had no idea that one day I would be sharing them with the world. Make the soup. It's delicious.
Yield: 4
Pepperpot Soup
prep time: 10 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 40 mins
An extraordinarily flavourful soup which also freezes well. I like to serve it with some crusty bread, for a heartier meal, or crackers for lunch.
ingredients:
- 480ml chicken stock (2 cups)
- 1 good sized potato, peeled and shredded
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
- 1 stalk of celery, trimmed and chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 small green pepper, trimmed, deseeded and finely chopped
You will also need:
- 35g plain flour (1/4 cup)
- 120ml water (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 720ml whole milk (3 cups)
- hot pepper sauce (optional)
instructions:
- Put the vegetables into a large saucepan along with the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Shake the water and flour together with the salt and pepper in a jar, until no lumps remain. Stir into the simmering vegetable mixture. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens. Slowly whisk in the milk and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. I like to add a nice splash of hot pepper sauce, but it is up to you. Ladle out into heated bowls to eat.
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Not sure how long this cold weather will last, but this soup is a very fitting way to start off the month of February and to ward off some of the cold. I wonder will the groundhog see his shadow tomorrow?
There are no groundhogs here in the UK of course, but I remember greeting the 2 of February every month with anticipation as a child growing up in Canada and hoping that the groundhog wouldn't see his shadow, and greatly looking forward to Spring, which, groundhog or not, always seems quite far off at this time of year! Bon Appetit!
We don't always have days when we are wanting a big meal to eat for our suppers in this house. I think as you get older, your appetites change and you don't eat quite so much as you did when you were younger.
I can remember back when I was first married, some many years ago, having a full supper and then cooking a box of Kraft Dinner or making a boxed pizza mix with my husband to snack on in the evening. My how things have changed!
Not only would I not be hungry enough to eat such a hearty snack before bed these days, but I also would end up suffering all night with acid reflux if I did! No, ageing is not for the weak! It comes accompanied with all sorts of delights to experience!
Anyways, I digress. We don't always want a big meal. Sometimes we only want a sandwich. There is no need for it to be a boring sandwich however! (As if I could ever make a boring sandwich!)
This tasty sandwich takes the concept of a simple grilled cheese and infuses it with the flavours of Alsace . . .
You begin with marinating onions in a mix of vinegar, olive oil and seasoning . . . it doesn't take long to do this, only 15 minutes. You will want to slice your onions as thinly as you can. I used my Essential 5-in-1 vegetable shredder to slice my onions. It is a really handy tool to have in the kitchen. Easy to
use, clean, store and maintain. I love it and use it a lot. You can find out more here.
Once you have the onions marinating, you can slice your cheese. I like Gruyere cheese, which is a lovely melting cheese. Gruyere is a melty type of Swiss cheese, with a lovely nutty flavour. I adore it.
If you can't get it, you can substitute it with Emmenthal, Beaufort, Jarsberg, Comte or Raclette cheese, but do try to get the Gruyere if you can. Don't use processed Swiss cheese slices. There is really no comparison. NO comparison.
You will also need some grainy mustard. I adore grainy mustard . . . with its robust texture and slight heat, it is lovely in any sandwich.
Sour dough bread is best, but any good white loaf will work well. You do want a sturdy one that will stand up to the filling.
I like to cut my slices about 3/4 of an inch thick . . .
Buttered on the outside with softened butter and spread on the inside with the grainy mustard . . .
Then topped with half of the cheese, and the marinated onions . . . and finally the remaining cheese, and then closed in with the other slice of bread . . .
It is then toasted or griddled in a hot skillet, on a grill pan, or pressed in a panini press, until golden brown on both sides and the cheese is oozingly melty. Yum! These are so tasty!
Yield: 4
Grilled Cheese with Marinated Onions
prep time: 15 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 30 mins
A very different kind of grilled cheese sandwich. Simple ingredients put together easily to give sandwich with real WOW factor!
ingredients:
- 70ml extra virgin olive oil (1/3 cup)
- 2 - 3 TBS sherry vinegar
- (can use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar)
- 2 TBS Kosher salt
- 1 TBS freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medim brown onions, peeled and very thinly sliced
- 8 slices of white or whole wheat sour dough bread
- 62g of whole grain mustard (1/4 cup)
- 230g Gruyere cheese (8 ounces) cut into very thin slices
- softened butter
instructions:
- First prepare the marinated onions. Put the onions into a bowl along with the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper Rub together to combine and then sit aside for about 15 minutes to pickle.
- To assemble the sandwiches, butter each slice of bread on one side only. Place four slices, buttered side down and spread the unbuttered side with the grainy mustard. Top with half of the sliced cheese, trying to keep as much of it inside the edges of the bread as possible. Divide the pickled onions evenly amongst the sandwiches. Top with the remaining cheese and then the other four slices of bread, buttered sides up.
- Toast the sandwiches in a large skillet, or in a panini press until the bread is toasted completely and the cheese has melted. Cut on the diagonal to serve. Serve hot.
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I served them with a bit of rocket on the side and a garnish of some of the pickled onions we have leftover from Christmas. This was pure and utter comfort. There is no other word for it. I can imagine that if you are the drinking sort it would go down really lovely with a sparkling lager or cider, and maybe even a few potato crisps/chips on the side. Simple flavours done well and done simply. You can't beat it! Bon Appetit!
Keeping things fairly simple around here. To be honest, I am not really all that hungry, but my hubby still has to eat. I found a small package of lamb mince in the freezer and so today I did him a shepherd's pie.
People often confuse Shepherd's Pie and Cottage Pie, using the terms interchangeably. In reality, although quite similar, they are actually two very different things, with one using minced lamb and the other minced beef.
The clues are in the names . . . a Cottage Pie, uses beef, and is so called because of the "thatch" of mashed potatoes on top . . . said to resemble a thatched roof cottage.
There is certainly a "Thatch" of mash on both casseroles . . .
"Shepherd's" Pie is so called because it uses minced lamb . . . and it is shepherds who have traditionally cared for flocks of sheep/lambs.
My Todd really loves a dinner like this. Meat and potatoes are his favourite of all food combinations, and you can't get more meat and potatoes than this!
I have sized it down to generously serve two people. (There being only two of us in the home, and me only really wanting to serve it to Todd.) There are quantities in the recipe for both two and four servings.
Its a fairly simple and classic recipe. Some recipes call for the addition of veggies, some don't. I choose to add in some grated carrot, and a layer of peas.
The carrot gets grated into the meat mixture, where it flavours the gravy nicely . . .
The peas I add in a layer between the meat and gravy and the potato thatch on top . . .
I also add a smattering of grated strong white cheddar cheese to the top of the potato . . .
It tastes really good and helps to get a really nice golden brown colour to the finished dish.
Todd was one very happy camper when I set this down in front of him. You would have thought all of his Christmas's had come at once.
Yield: 2
Shepherd's Pie for Two
prep time: 25 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 55 mins
A classic family favourite perfectly sized for two. Ingredient measurements for 4 are in the brackets.
ingredients:
- 2 tsp sunflower oil (1 TBS)
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped (1 medium onion)
- 1/2 medium carrot peeled and grated (1 medium carrot)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced (1 clove)
- 1/2 pound lean minced lamb (1 pound)
- 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs (1 tsp)
- 2 tsp plain flour (1 TBS)
- 150ml (generous half cup) lamb or vegetable stock (300ml/1 1/4 cup)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (1 TBS)
- frozen peas (Optional)
- 1 pound floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (2 pounds)
- 2 TBS milk (4 TBS)
- 1 1/2 TBS butter (3 TBS)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 40g (1 1/2 oz) strong white cheddar cheese (50g/2 ounces)
instructions:
- Heat the oil in a skillet. Fry the onion and garlic in it until softened. Add the minced lamb and cook, breaking up the lamb with a wooden spoon, until browned. Stir in the carrot and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the flour and herbs. Gradually whisk in the stock and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until it bubbles and begins to thicken. Leave to simmer while you do the mash.
- Put the potatoes into a pot and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until tender, about 12 - 15 minutes. Drain well. (Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5) Return to the pot and shake over the residual heat of the burner to dry out. Mash well with a potato masher. Stir in the butter and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning of the lamb mixture. Pour into the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with a layer of frozen peas. Spoon the mash over top to cover, roughing the surface up with the back of a spoon or a fork. Sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown. Spoon out onto heated plates to serve.
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Note - the herbs I used were dried parsley, thyme, rosemary and marjoram
I have to admit that on weekdays I am pretty lazy when I get up in the morning. I don't really want to go to a lot of faffing about when it comes to having breakfast. I'm usually really really starving and more often than not will naughtily eat a piece of cake or some cookies. Not the healthiest way to start your day I know!
I think one of the reasons I am so hungry when I get up is because I don't eat anything in the evenings at all, nada, nothing . . . zip . . . at least not past about 6 PM. Its not that I am not hungry past that time. I occasionally am. But when you have gastric disease, you learn quickly that eating past a certain time of night is a necessary evil which can help to prevent a lot of discomfort later on.
I am a huge fan of overnight oats. Overnight oats . . . a bit of fad with some perhaps, but they are one thing which helps me to behave better in the morning, and to eat much healthier.
With a little prep the night before, I have a delicious and healthy breakfast waiting for me in the refrigerator. Its win/win all round.
I am particularly fond of this recipe, which tastes almost like one of my favourite things . . . Cinnamon Rolls . . . oh boy, who doesn't love those!
Okay so, yes . . . it is a bit of a stretch to compare the two . . . perhaps the only thing they have in common is that lovely cinnamon flavour, and perhaps that cream cheese topping, but you have to pick your battles don't you, and this to me feels like a win.
Yield: 2
Overnight Cinnamon Roll Oats
prep time: cook time: total time:
Your favourite bread in a simple and delicious overnight oat combination, ready to eat in the morning.
ingredients:
- 80g old fashioned oats (1 cup)
- 2 TBS vanilla protein powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBS Vanilla flavoured Greek yogurt
- 240ml milk (1 cup)
- 3 tsp soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
For the optional frosting and garnish:
- 2 TBS cream cheese
- 1 tsp icing sugar
- few drops vanilla
- 3/4 tsp milk
- 2 TBS chopped toasted pecans
instructions:
- Stir together all of the ingredients for the oat mixture in a bowl. Divide between two medium coffee mugs, cover tightly with cling film or wax wrappers and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next morning when you are ready to serve, whisk together all of the ingredients for the frosting (if using), bar the nuts. Drizzle over the tops of the oats in the mugs, and then scatter with the toasted pecans. Serve immediately.
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I often enjoy this with a handful of berries on top, both blueberries and raspberries are very good. I do recommend toasting the nuts first. They are just somehow nuttier and tastier if you do! Good morning!
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