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Recipe Collection Thread (recipe board)

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  • Allexie
    Allexie Posts: 3,460 Forumite
    1 small (14 - 16 oz) can crushed tomatoes
    4 cloves of garlic, halved
    4 or 5 anchovy filets, chopped
    3 Tbsp olive oil
    10 - 12 black olives, stoned and coarsley chopped
    2 Tbsp capers, soaked and drained
    2 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
    1/2 to 1 small red chili, chopped

    1 lb spaghetti or spaghettini



    SET aside some of the olives, parsley and capers as a garnish.

    IN a deep pan lightly brown the garlic in hot oil. Add anchovies, crush to a paste with a fork.

    ADD the tomatoes, olives, capers and the chili, cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    ADD parsley and cook for a couple minutes more.

    COOK the pasta. Drain well.

    IN a warm serving bowl put the cooked and drained pasta, add the sauce, and mix thoroughly (you can also do this in your cooking pan if it is large enough). Some like to add a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley at this point.

    This dish is not usually served with cheese!



    (There are a number of stories about the origins of this zesty sauce, the raciest being that a Puttana, or Lady of the Evening, could prepare it in the time it took her to work with a client, and enjoy it while recovering from her exertions. Whatever, it is good.)
    ♥♥♥ Genius - 1% inspiration and 99% doing what your mother told you. ♥♥♥

  • Curry_Queen
    Curry_Queen Posts: 5,589
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    Chewy Fruit Muesli Slice (makes 8)

    1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
    1 eating apple, cored and grated
    1 1/4 cups swiss style muesli
    2/3 cup apple juice
    1 tablespoon soft margarine

    Preheat oven to 375 F. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Press the mixture into an 8 inch non stick cake pan and bake for 35 - 40 mins until lightly browned and firm. Mark the muesli slice into 8 wedges and allow to cool in the pan.
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!

  • Curry_Queen
    Curry_Queen Posts: 5,589
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    Muesli flapjack

    * 5oz / 100g margarine/butter
    * 2oz / 100g brown sugar
    * 2oz / 50g honey or syrup
    * 4oz / 100g porridge oats
    * 4oz / 100g muesli

    1. Melt the margarine with the sugar and honey.

    2. Mix together the porridge oats and muesli, then pour over the melted margarine. Mix very thoroughly and spread into a 7"x 7" greased baking sheet.

    3. Bake at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

    4.Remove from the oven and mark into triangles, leave to cool completely.
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!

  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129
    First Post Combo Breaker
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    Susan.O wrote:
    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CAN SOMEONE POST A RECIPIE OR TWO FOR CEREAL BARS. I SEEM TO GET THROUGH QUITE A FEW AT WORK AND IT MUST BE CHEAPER TO MAKE THEM AT HOME THAN BUY THEM.

    ANY IDEAS, GREATFULLY RECEIVED :rolleyes:

    THANKS, SUSAN.O.

    You could try adapting the oatmeal recipe (from my trusty Be-Ro book) as follows:

    For the basic recipe...

    Ingredients:

    150g 5oz self raising flour
    150g 5oz oatmeal
    pinch salt
    75g 3oz caster sugar
    75g 3oz margarine
    milk to mix


    Instructions:

    Heat the oven to gas mark 4 that's 180C 350F

    Grease some baking trays

    Mix the dry ingredients and then rub in the margarine.

    Add sufficient milk to make a stiff dough.

    Roll out thinly and cut in rounds or sticks.

    Place on the baking trays and cook for about 15 minutes.


    Adapting:

    Swap some or all of the oatmeal for cereals or meusli of your choice.

    Add a little honey [golden syrup?] for energy before adding milk.

    Add your favourite crushed nuts.

    Add bits of dried fruit.


    Easy peasy. No recipe is carved in stone. Have fun.
    Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
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  • Curry_Queen
    Curry_Queen Posts: 5,589
    Combo Breaker First Post
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    Low Fat Cereal Bars

    1 cup rolled oats
    1 cup Rice Krispies
    2/3 cup chopped apricots
    3 tbsp roasted sunflower seeds (I don't bother toasting them)
    1/4 cup toasted coconut (I don't toast it)
    1/4 cup brown sugar
    2 tbsp oil
    3 tbsp honey
    2 tbsp peanut butter
    1 tbsp vanilla extract


    1. Melt oil, honey, peanut butter in microwave just until easy to mix up, watch carefuly, probably 20 seconds or so.

    2. Mix in vanilla.

    3. Mix all ingredients together and press down well into 8" square tin.

    4. Bake at 350F/180C/gas4 for 20 minutes.
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!

  • Curry_Queen
    Curry_Queen Posts: 5,589
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    Roasted Butternut Squash & Tomato Soup

    Butternut Squash (or pumpkin) chopped into chunks
    6 large tomatoes, halved
    2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
    olive oil
    salt & pepper
    2 red chillis (adjust to taste)
    1 tsp dark muscavado sugar
    2tsp ground ginger (can use fresh)
    1pt vegetable stock

    Place pumpkin/squash and tomatoes in large roasting tin and sprinkle over garlic. Drizzle with oil and season, then roast in moderate oven 30 mins.

    Finely chop chillis, discarding seeds unless you like it hot! (I keep some in) and add to squash/tomatoes with the sugar, ginger and stock. Return to oven for 20 mins. When cooked blitz with a stick or in blender and serve hot with crusty bread.
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!

  • Curry_Queen
    Curry_Queen Posts: 5,589
    Combo Breaker First Post
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    crazyhazy wrote:
    Curry Queen, which thread is your curry sauce recipe on? Can't find it again and want to try it soon. Thanks

    Here you go ... enjoy! :)
    Curry Sauce

    1 kg onions
    50g ginger
    50g garlic
    1.5 litres water
    1 tsp salt
    225g tinned tomatoes (or passata)
    8 tbsp veg oil
    1 tsp tomato puree
    1 tsp turmeric
    1 tsp paprika

    Method

    Stage 1
    Peel and slice onions, garlic and ginger (if cheating and using minced ginger/garlic from a jar miss next bit out) and put chopped ginger and garlic in a blender with half a pint of the water, and blend till smooth.

    Place onions, blended ginger/garlic and the rest of water into a large saucepan.

    Add salt and bring to boil. Turn heat down and simmer on very low, with lid on, for 45 mins. Leave to cool.


    Stage 2
    Once cooled, blend onion mixture (do half at a time) in a blender until perfectly smooth (this is important).

    Can be frozen at this stage.


    Stage 3
    If using tinned tomatoes give them a blast in a blender until smooth (I use passata as I'm lazy LOL!).

    Heat up oil in a large clean pan then add the tomato puree, turmeric and paprika. Stir in blended tomatoes and bring to boil. Turn down heat and cook for 10 mins, stirring occassionally.

    Add onion mixture to saucepan and bring back to the boil. Turn down again to very low and simmer for 20-25 mins, stirring occassionally. During the cooking process a froth will appear on the surface which needs to be skimmed off.

    The sauce is now ready to use or can be refigerated for up to 4 days. I've also frozen it at this stage and it's been absolutely fine.
    I know it sounds like a long, complicated process, which is one of the reasons I make it in bulk batches, but it really is worth the effort if you want to make curries like the ones they serve in Indian restaurants/take-aways :)
    ~


    The curries themselves only take 10 mins to cook (if using pre-cooked chicken/lamb/veggies) and the basic method is to heat the oil on a high heat in a large deep pan (karahi or wok) then add the base curry sauce and bring to the boil, add meat and cook for 5 mins, add spices and then turn down to simmer for 5 mins. Add any cream or yoghurt if required, and some freshly chopped coriander, and it's ready to serve!

    New addition: I tend to use pre-cooked leftover meat and veggies when making these curries, but occasionally use fresh meat (chicken breast/thigh meat, diced lamb etc) depending what's available and my previous advice was to fry this off in the oil before adding the sauce. However, I found this method made the meat a little tougher and somewhat drier so I've been experimenting again to get a better result!

    When you're making the base curry sauce, keep back about a cupful of the onion puree mix, before adding the tomatoes, then heat up some oil in a pan and add the reserved onion puree. Once it has combined together add your raw meat, cut into bite-sized chunks, and bring to the boil. Turn it down and leave to simmer for around 20-30 mins until the meat is just cooked through - a bit less for chicken than lamb. Drain the meat and throw away the juices/sauce. This makes the meat far more succulent when you come to use it your curries and you can do this beforehand whilst making the base sauce and fridge/freeze until needed.

    ~

    Some tried and tested recipes ...

    Chicken Korma
    (serve 3-4)

    4 tbsp veg oil
    425ml curry sauce
    450g cooked chicken
    2 tbsp cashew nuts, roughly chopped
    1 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp turmeric
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1/2 tsp garam masala
    150ml coconut cream
    1 tbsp finely chopped coriander



    Chicken Bhuna (serves 3-4)

    50g mushrooms, sliced
    1/2 green pepper, sliced (fry both of these in the oil for 5 mins before adding sauce)
    6 tbsp veg oil
    425ml curry sauce
    450g cooked chicken
    1 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp chilli powder
    11/2 tsp garam masala
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1/2 tsp dried fenugreek
    1 tbs finely chopped coriander

    Chicken Moghlai
    (serves 3-4)

    6 tbsp veg oil
    425ml curry sauce
    450g cooked chicken
    1 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp turmeric
    2 eggs
    150ml single cream
    11/2 tsp garam masala
    1 tsp ground cumin
    4 mango slices, tinned or fresh
    1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

    After adding meat, turn down and simmer 5 mins ... whisk eggs and add to cream ... spoon off excess oil on surface and stir in eggs/cream. Add spices and simmer further 5 mins. Serve with sliced mango on side.
    Links to three more curry recipes I've since added:
    Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)



    Chappatis


    225g chappati flour
    110ml water (approx)

    Place flour in bowl and slowly add water, bringing it together with fingertips, until you have a soft pliable dough. Knead with wet hands for a couple minutes then leave to rest for 15 mins.

    Heat up a hotplate/griddle type thing to cook them on. Roughly divide dough into 8-10 pieces and with flour-dusted hands, roll each piece into a ball. Press flat and dust flour on both sides then roll out into circles approx 6" diameter. Place on hot griddle and cook for approx 30 seconds each side. Remove from griddle and using tongues hold over a meduim flame and it will puff up in seconds. Wrap in clean tea-towel to keep warm.
    Naan Bread

    450g SR flour
    1/2tsp salt
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    2tbsp veg oil
    4 tbsp plain yoghurt (beaten)
    2 eggs (beaten)
    150ml water approx

    (can add garlic, herbs, spices to flavour)

    Sift flour, salt, baking powder into bowl and add oil, yoghurt and eggs (plus any herbs/spices you want to add) and mix. Add water slowly, using hands to bring together until you have a soft dough. Knead with wet hands for a couple mins then leave to rest for 15 mins.

    Pre-heat oven to highest temp and place baking tray in to heat up.

    Divide dough into 6 equal portions, and with floured hands roll each piece into a ball in palms of hand. Pull each ball out into a tear shape and place 2 at a time onto hot baking baking tray and return to oven immediately for about 3-4 minutes. Remove tray from oven and place under hot grill for about 30 seconds to brown and crisp top lightly. Keep warm in clean tea-towel.



    Pilau Rice

    2 cups Basmati rice
    1 tbsp ghee or oil
    1 tbsp finely chopped onion
    6 green cardamons
    2" cinnamon stick
    4 cloves
    2 bay leaves
    3 cups cold water
    1/2 tsp salt
    red & yellow food colour (optional)


    * Pre-heat oven to 160C/Gas 3 and wash rice in several changes of water - drain well.

    * Fry onion, cardamons, cinnamon stick and cloves in ghee/oil for a couple of minutes till soft.

    * Add the drained rice and fry for a further minute or two.

    * Add cold water to rice and bring to the boil, then put lid on and leave to simmer on low for 5 minutes.

    * Give gentle stir with fork so not to break rice then replace lid and simmer for 3 minutes. Repeat and cover for further 2 minutes.

    * Remove from heat then sprinkle few drops (or pinch if using powder) food colouring onto rice.

    * Replace lid and put in oven for 15-20 minutes to finish cooking and set colours. (Time to prepare and cook curry then!)

    * Stir with fork before turning out onto serving plate to distribute colours, and voila! ... the perfect pilau rice :)
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!

  • Lucie_2
    Lucie_2 Posts: 1,482
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Mushroom Risotto

    I do it the Delia way - cook it in the oven instead of constantly stirring on the hob, but you get just as good results. An Italian would consider this nearly blasphemous, but it works for me.

    My quantities are a bit vague, cos I'm a bit of a "chuck it in til it looks about right" kind of cook - sorry!

    1 onion chopped
    Couple of cloves of garlic
    A few dried porcini - soak in a mixture of sherry & hot water for 1/2 hour before cooking. Keep the soaking liquid.
    Chopped/sliced mushrooms – I guess I use about 5/6 medium ones, not tiny button. Chestnut are nice if you have them.
    Risotto rice – a handful & a bit per person (depends how big your hands are!)
    A pint of so of stock – I use mushroom stock cubes I bought in Italy (never seen them over here) but vegetable or chicken are fine
    Freshly grated parmesan

    I use a shallow casserole dish with a lid.

    Fry the onion, garlic, porcini & mushrooms until softened. Add the rice & stir in. You could add a splash of wine at this stage too if you like, not compulsory. Add the porcini soaking liquid – it should sizzle loudly. Then add most of the stock, stir, cover with a lid & put in the oven for about 15-20 mins. Check & add more stock if necessary (probably will need to – water will do). Cook for further 10-15 mins til rice is cooked. It should have a “soupy” texture & not be completely dry. Mix in parmesan, salt & pepper if req’d & serve.

    Sometime I slice up big field mushrooms & fry in garlic butter & serve on top of the risotto instead of putting so many mushrooms actually into the dish.
  • Allexie
    Allexie Posts: 3,460 Forumite
    • chopped fresh tomatoes
    • chopped onions
    • peeled and diced cucumbers
    • lots of fresh chopped basil
    • a loaf of vienna bread
    • olive oil
    • red wine vinegar
    (The trick is to get the bread slices really crunchy.)



    Combine the chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, diced cucumbers with a bit of red wine vinegar in a bowl.
    Season to taste with salt and pepper and the basil.

    Lightly toast the vienna bread in thick slices in the toaster first. Then brush the slices with a bit of olive oil and toast until nice and crunchy.

    Heap the tomato mixture on top.

    Serve as a side dish or, for a snack, put a slice of goats cheese on top and grill again.
    ♥♥♥ Genius - 1% inspiration and 99% doing what your mother told you. ♥♥♥

  • Allexie
    Allexie Posts: 3,460 Forumite
    I cup of bulgar wheat
    4 or 5 large tomatoes
    A seriously large bunch of fresh parsley
    2 or 3 sprigs of fresh mint
    A small onion or a few spring onions
    Juice of half a lemon
    2 or 3 dessert-spoons of olive oil
    Salt
    A pinch of cinnamon



    Soak the bulgar wheat in hot water for about 20 minutes then drain in a sieve and rinse with cold water. Chop the tomatoes finely (1cm squares) and the onion very finely. If you chop the herbs in a cup or mug with scissors, you'll probably have to do two or three cupfuls for the parsley. Otherwise do it on a chopping board with a knife. Mix everything together in a bowl and leave it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. Give it a quick stir before serving. This salad keeps for days and just gets better and better.

    Serve in a bowl lined with lettuce leaves. Traditionally eaten by using small lettuce leaves as 'scoops'!
    ♥♥♥ Genius - 1% inspiration and 99% doing what your mother told you. ♥♥♥

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