Sausage Soup Italian Style

INGREDIENTS

* 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
* 1 pound Italian sausage
* 2 small zucchini, cubed
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 cup sliced carrots
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
* 2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

* In pot, brown sausage with garlic.
* Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 mins.
* Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
* Remove from heat, and add spinach.
* Replace the lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 mins.

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Spinach and Pesto Pasta

INGREDIENTS

* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 16 ounces fresh spinach, washed & chopped
* 6 ounces low-fat, firm silken tofu
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/8 cup low-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup diced red onion
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* 10 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
* 6 ounces fresh sliced shiitake mushrooms
* 1/4 cup bacon bits
* 1 pound penne pasta


DIRECTIONS

* Cook the pasta according to package directions.
* While pasta is cooking, in food processor or blender, combine spinach, tofu, lemon juice, garlic, broth, cheese, pepper, and Italian seasoning, process until smooth. Set aside.
* Spray a large non-stick saute pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook onions and mushrooms until tender. Reduce heat to low, add pesto mixture and heat until hot.
* Toss pasta with sauce &bacon bits. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Note that if sauce seems very thick, thin to desired consistency with pasta cooking water or broth.

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Curry and Garlic Burgers Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
* 2 pounds lean ground beef
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1 1/2 cups chopped sweet onion
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 3 large cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
* 1 tablespoon mild curry powder

DIRECTIONS

* Preheat an outdoor grill on high heat.
* In a bowl, mix beef, onion, egg, evaporated milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, curry powder & steak seasoning.
* Form the mixture into 8 patties.
* Grill patties over indirect heat for about 5 mins on each side, or until done.

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Fantastic Balsamic Gnocchi

INGREDIENTS

* 3 cloves chopped garlic
* 1/2 cup diced red onion
* salt to taste
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 6 crimini mushrooms, chopped
* 4 small mixed sweet peppers, julienned
* 1 cup butter
* 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
* 4 leaves chopped basil
* 1 (16 ounce) package potato gnocchi

DIRECTIONS

* Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
* Drain the gnocchi and store in pot.
* Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
* Add garlic to skillet and cook for 2 mins.
* Mix in the chopped onions and season with salt; cook until onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
* Stir in the mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes & basil.
* Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir the butter in to melt.
* Pour the balsamic vinegar into the skillet, stir, reduce heat, and simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 mins.
* Toss the cooked gnocchi with the sauce.

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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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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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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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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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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.