Recipe bank

sce37

As the days are now drawing in my thoughts have turned towards home made soup. Especially as all the tinned varieties are full of added salt etc.

Any favourite recipes out there that I could whizz up in the blender. :P

16011996

have a look here for every sort you could want, i have it on my favourites.

sce37

Thanks 160

16011996

you're welcome corrina. let us know what you try, i've only done a few up to now, but i esp like the veggie ones. the survey pop urs are annoying thou.

beachbeth

Talking of chilly days and nights drawing in. Here is my own recipe for Chili Con Carne. I absolutely love it and its just as easy to make as buying a tin of sauce and adding to mince. I started to make it because I don't like those awful beans that you usually get in it. I make it without the beans and its absolutely gorgeous. You can put them in though if you like. It looks like a lot of ingredients but its just a case of adding a couple of teaspoons of each spice to your chili and it doesn't take that long to make. (I freeze some of mine to eat later too. I defrost overnight and reheat in my oven for 1 hour on Gas 4.)

If you like your chili hotter just add more cumin and chili powder.

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
400g tinned Chopped tomatoes
140g tin tomato puree
12oz beef stock (water and 1 oxo cube)
500g extra lean minced beef
2 bay leaves
2tsp ground cumin
2tsp dried oregano
2tsp cayenne pepper
2tsp mild chili powder (or not mild if you like it hot!)
½ tsp salt
14oz canned red kidney beans, drained (optional - yuck!)

Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft and cooked. Add the mincemeat and cook, breaking it up until brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well and leave to simmer for 1 hour, giving it a stir from time to time.

Remove bay leaves and serve with white rice.

If using kidney beans, add after the hour and continue simmering for 30 minutes, then remove bay leaves and serve.

sce37

Had a quick look through might try the sweet potato recipe as I have a lonely looking one in the fridge. Will probably do it over the weekend.

beachbeth

This is my daughter and I's favourite pasta recipe. It may seem weird having sausage and carrot together but believe me it doesn't taste carroty and it is really very, very tasty!

I use my blender with the grater attachment to grate the carrot and then to puree the tinned tomatoes.

8oz pork sausages, skinless (or take the skin off yourself)
1tbs cooking oil
½ oz butter
½ medium sized onion, chopped finely
3 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
14oz (400g) can tomatoes
4 fl oz chicken or beef stock (water and ½ cube)
1 bay leaf
1tsp dried oregano
12oz macaroni or spirali
3oz grated parmesan or mature cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Slice the sausages into small rounds. Heat butter and oil and cook onion until cooked and translucent. Add the sausage rounds and cook until browned. Add the carrots and stir for a few minutes. Puree the tomatoes in a blender and add along with the stock, bay leaf and oregano and cook, covered, over a low heat for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook and drain the pasta according to the packet instructions and pour into a warmed serving dish. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and pour sauce over the pasta. After serving onto plates sprinkle on the cheese according to taste.

16011996

ooh they both sound good. i have done the sweet potato soup, and its lovely.

ben500

CHILLI FRUIT C0CKTAIL
Ingredients:
Mango
Pineapple
Banana
Kiwi Fruit
Strawberries
Grapes
Apple
Tangerines/Clementines
1 tbl spoon sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
2 Bullet Chillies
1/4 pint water
METHOD
Cut mango into various shapes (you will be surprised at the difference in taste) cubes, slices, wedges etc.
Slice Kiwi Fruit but leave skin on for contrasting texture.
Pineapple cubes as no taste differential for alternate shapes
Tangerines/Clementines in segments
Bananas sliced thick
Apple sliced medium
Grapes and Strawberries sliced in half lengthways but leave some grapes whole!

Bring spices, water. chillies and sugar to boil strain and pour over cubed/sliced fruit

METHOD
Bring water, sugar and spices to boil and pour over fruit that you have already placed in a sealable tuppaware type container, place in fridge for at least one hour but returning periodically to give a little shake to ensure all fruit is coated in syrup.
Serve with vanilla ice cream Yummy!

ben500

FREEZING HOT!!
Take your favourite vanilla ice cream and gently whip until you get that icecream van texture to it.
Take half a "Scotch Bonnet" Chilli it really does have to be a "Scotch Bonnett" for this recipe and it doesn't matter how big it is NEVER use more than half unless your a really big he man type and can take pain right in the head!!
Put the half chilli along with one teaspoon of ice cream into a blender and do your worst with it then simply fold it into your whippy type icecream this is a passion booster served with freshly whipped cream with one teaspoon of Grand Marnier and one teaspoon of sugar whipped in.
You might at first baulk at the sound of these two chilli recipes but give them a go and you will be surprised they are a sheer shock to the tastebuds!
By the way if anybody would really like to try this and can't get their hands on Scotch Bonnets just pm me I grow my own and can supply a very limited amount of people with one in the post or seeds to cultivate and try next summer.