Monday, September 24, 2007

Fantastic Pumpkin Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
* 1 large potato, sliced
* 1 2/3 pounds sugar pumpkin -- peeled, seeded and cubed
* 2 onions, cut into wedges
* 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 3 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled
* 1 quart water
* salt to taste
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 1/4 tablespoons ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

* Preheat oven to 425 F (220 degrees C).
* Place the pumpkin, carrots & onions in a baking dish or roasting pan. Drizzle with vegetable oil.
* Bake in preheated oven for 40 mins until soft (not blackened).
* In a large pot over medium heat, bring bouillon and water to a boil. Cook potato in simmering water until soft, about 20 mins.
* Combine potato & water with roasted vegetables & puree in a blender or food processor or using an immersion blender until smooth. Return to pot over low heat, & stir in cream, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Heat gently; serve.

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Chicken and Rice Casserole (with Cheese) Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 2 cups cooked white rice
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 3 slices soft white bread (cut into cubes)
* salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

* Cut chicken into small pieces
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
* To Cook Chicken: Season chicken with salt &pepper to taste, place in a microwave-safe dish, cover and cook in microwave for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and cook another 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Let cool.
* In a 9x13 inch baking dish, combine chicken, rice and soup and mix well. Top with cheese, then with bread cubes.
* Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted & bubbly & bread is crunchy.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Fantastic Duck and Peas Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 x 4-5lb (2- 2 ½ kg) duck
10 fl oz (275ml) giblet stock - made earlier with duck giblets, onion, carrot, peppercorns and celery
a bouquet garni made with sage, marjoram and thyme
1 large Webb or Cos lettuce
1lb (500g) podded fresh peas
2 eggs, yolks only
2 fl oz/55ml double cream
salt and pepper
1 lemon, juice only
a large handful of chopped mint

METHOD

* Prick duck all over with fork. This will help to release the fat.
* Put herbs into duck's cavity.
* Heat 2 tbspof olive oil in a heavy based casserole and brown the duck all over. If you do this slowly, it will release all the fat, so it can run out. Ladle some of the fat out of the pot and keep aside (wonderful for roasting potatoes.)
* When nice and brown, pop it breast side down in the pot, cover with stock and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
* When done, turn the duck over and add the lettuce which has been shredded and the peas, season and replace the lid and cook for a further 40 minutes.
* Take out the duck and carve or joint. Keep warm. Drain the peas and lettuce and put with the duck.
* If necessary, skim off any fat off the sauce, season. Mix yolks & cream in a basin and pour over half the stock. Mix well and then pour back into the rest of the sauce. Cook gently, but DO NOT boil.
* Add the lemon juice & the mint and then pour over the duck and serve.

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Monday, September 17, 2007

Great Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Fabulous!



INGREDIENTS

½ onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped
150ml/5fl oz double cream
2 eggs
handful basil, chopped
140g/5oz spaghetti

DIRECTIONS
* Soften the onions in a pan with the oil for two minutes.
* Add the garlic and bacon and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
* Add the cream to the pan and then the eggs.
* Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions and drain.
* Add the spaghetti to the pan with the sauce and stir through to coat the pasta.
* Stir in the basil and serve.

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Saturday, September 15, 2007

Cajun Chicken Recipe

INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breasts
1 tbls Schwarz cajun spice
1 tbls sunflower oil
2 tbls extra light Hellmans mayonaise

DIRECTIONS
* Chop chicken into smallish pieces and the add a littel of the spice and coat the chicken.

* Put the hob on low heat on the big ring and add the chicken to a frying pan and cook on the hob with the rest of the spice for 10 minutes.

* When the chicken is cooked put the chicken into a bowl and stirr in the mayonaise

* Put the chicken on a plate and acompany with a little salad.

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Monday, September 10, 2007

Fantastic Chicken Balti Recipe

A great balti recipe!

INGREDIENTS

500g boneless chicken (cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 red and 1 green pepper (each cut into inch-sized squares)
8 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
salt, to taste
2 cups water or chicken stock
4 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped


DIRECTIONS

* Heat oil or ghee in a large pan over medium heat. Add the peppers. Stir fry for a minute drain and keep aside.

* Add mustard seeds & let them crackle. Add the onions & fry until translucent in colour.

* Add tomatoes & cook for 5 mins, stirring, then add the coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, salt and garlic paste and fry for further 2 minutes.

* Add the chicken pieces and stir fry for few minutes.

* Add water or chicken stock, bring to the boil, then cook on medium heat until chicken is done and gravy has thickened. Keep stirring in between.

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Sunday, September 09, 2007

Lovely Lasagne Recipe

A fantastic lasagne recipe!

INGREDIENTS
450g/1lb lean minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tsp tomato purée
1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
oil
1 green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
150g/5oz button mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
300g/10½oz 'no pre-cook' lasagne sheets
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
butter, for greasing
300g/10½oz cottage cheese
150g/5oz mature cheddar, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
green salad
garlic bread

DIRECTIONS
* Preheat the oven to 180C.
* Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add mince and cook until brown all over. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
* Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms. Fry over a medium heat until softened.
* Return mince to pan. Add the tomato purée and bay leaves and cook for five minutes.
* Add tomatoes and dried herbs. Heat to bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to simmer for at least 30 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
* Grease a 25 x 20cm/10 x 8in baking dish and line the bottom with pasta.
* Remove the bay leaves from the mince mixture and spoon about one third of the mixture onto the pasta.
* Place blobs of cottage cheese (again totalling one-third of the cottage cheese) on top of the mince.
* Repeat this layering process of lasagne sheets, mince and cottage cheese for more layers, finishing with a good sprinkling of cheddar all over the top.
* Transfer to oven and bake for about 45 mins to 1 hour, until the top is golden-brown and bubbling and the pasta cooked through.
* To serve, cut out squares of the lasagne and place onto plates. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Pasta with Artichoke Recipe

This is a fabulous, yet simple to make, pasta.

INGREDIENTS
110g/4oz artichokes, marinated in oil
1 tbsp finely chopped thyme, leaves only
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
450g/1lb linguine pasta, cooked
half a lemon (only the juice)
parmesan shavings

METHOD
*. Pour the artichokes, with their oil into a pan and mash them down with a fork.
*. Add the garlic, parsley and thyme and heat through for a couple of minutes and then pour over the warm pasta.
*. Add the lemon juice and toss thoroughly.
*. Serve in large bowls topped with parmesan cheese.

More great recipes here:
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and
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Thursday, September 06, 2007

Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon hot chili oil
* 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
* 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
* Lettuce leaves (optoinal)
* 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
* 2 green onions, cut into short, thin stripes


DIRECTIONS

* Cut the chicken into pieces. Toss chicken with garlic and chili oil in medium bowl.
* Blend soy sauce into cornstarch in cup until smooth.
* Heat the wok over a high heat. Add the oil; heat until hot. Add chicken mixture; stir-fry 3 miutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
* Stir the soy sauce mixture and add to wok along with peanuts and green onions. Stir-fry 1 minute or until sauce boils and thickens. Serve bed of lettuce leaves.

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and http://www.aldram.com

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Chilli Con Carne Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 pounds lean ground beef
* 2 large onions, chopped
* 1 chile pepper, chopped
* 5 cloves garlic, chopped
* 3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
* 2 tablespoons paprika
* 2 tablespoons dried oregano
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* 6 whole cloves
* 2 (15.25 ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS

In a medium sized pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onion, chile pepper and garlic until soft. Add ground beef: cook and stir until meat is browned.
Pour in tomatoes with liquid, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in kidney beans, and cook another 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks before serving.

http://www.recipewitch.com
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Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Traditional Roast Beef Recipe

A fabulous recipe:

INGREDIENTS
1 sirloin of beef on the bone, weighing 5-6 lb (2.25-2.75 kg) - this would be 3 ribs
½ onion, peeled
1 level dessertspoon mustard powder
1 level dessertspoon plain flour
freshly milled black pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 9.
2. Place the beef, just as it is, upright in a roasting tin, tucking in the half onion alongside it.
3. Combine the mustard powder and flour, then dust this all over the surface of the fat, and finally season with a few twists of freshly milled pepper. This floury surface will help to make the fat very crusty (for those like me who want to eat what I call the crispies), while the onion will caramelise to give the gravy a rich colour and flavour.
4. Place the joint in the oven - it will have plenty of fat so do not add extra. After 20 minutes turn the heat down to 190C/375F/Gas 5, and continue to cook for 15 minutes per lb (450 g) for rare, plus 15 minutes extra for medium-rare or 30 minutes extra for well-done.
5. While cooking, baste the meat with the juices at least three times. To see if the beef is cooked to your liking insert a thin skewer and press out some juices: the red, pink or clear colour will indicate to what stage the beef has cooked.
6. Remove the cooked beef to a board for carving and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving (while it is resting you can increase the heat in the oven to finish the roast potatoes if you are serving them).
7. This resting period allows most of the juices which have bubbled up to the surface of the meat to seep back into it, and the meat itself firms up to make it easier to carve. Some of the juices will escape, though, and these should be poured into the gravy.

Great recipes at: http://www.recipewitch.com
and http://www.aldram.com

Monday, September 03, 2007

Hot Sour Fish Recipe

A great recipe!

INGREDIENTS
450g/1lb fresh white fish fillets such as sole or plaice
cornflour, for dusting
150ml/5fl oz groundnut oil
For the hot and sour sauce
150ml/5 fl oz chicken stock
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1½ tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp chilli bean sauce (available from Asian grocers)
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
2 tbsp Chinese black rice vinegar or cider vinegar
2 tsp sugar
For the garnish
3 tbsp finely chopped spring onions

METHOD
1. Remove the skin from the fish. Cut the fillet across the width and at a slight diagonal into 2.5cm (1in) wide strips. Dust the pieces with cornflour, shaking off any excess.
2. Heat a wok until it is very hot. Add the oil and fry the fish strips gently for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
3. Drain the cooked fish strips on kitchen paper.
4. Pour off all the oil. Wipe the wok and reheat. Add all the hot and sour sauce ingredients, bring to a boil then simmer.
5. Add the fish strips and simmer in the sauce for two minutes.
6. Serve on a warm platter garnished with spring onions.

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