November members tasty treats

[Busyalexsmummy]

How about we post recipes here, so they dont get lost in amongst our thread!

Thai Green curry

Two tins of Coconut Milk
Lime
Green Curry Paste
Lemongrass (fresh is best, but dried will do)
Aubergine
Peppers
Chicken or Tiger Prawns
Bamboo Shoots

easier than you might think!..
fry the curry paste on low heat for a couple of minutes
add the coconut milk and heat thoroughly
throw in the veg, bamboo shoots and lemongrass
add a big squeeze of lime, and a little sugar and salt.
add the chicken or parawns (or mushrooms if veggie)
cook for around 5 minutes

serve with rice and prawn crackers

Lime Chicken Fajitas

Strips of Chicken Breast
Lime
Peppers
Red Onion
Watercress or Spinach Leaves
Flour Tortillas
Soured Cream
Guacamole

Fry the chicken in little oil
Add the veg
Add juice of one lime
Warm the fajitas in hot frying pan, 5 seconds for each side
Serve the chicken mix in a big bowl
Lightly oil the leaves and serve in a big bowl
Have smaller bowls of soured cream, guacamole, aubergine dip or salsa

Get very messy and stuff yourself!

Easy Cheesecake

12 Digestive biscuits
Unsalted Butter
2 tubs of Mascarpone Cheese
Tub of clotted cream
Lime and Lemon

Crush the biscuits
Gently heat 4 tablespoons of butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs (you may need to add more butter if the mix isn't sticky enough)
Press the mix firmly into the bottom of a flat dish and refrigerate
Mix the Mascarpone and Cream together, add sugar to taste
Grate a little Lime and Lemon skin into it
Add the juice of either lime or lemon, or melt some chocolate and stir in
Spoon the mix onto the biscuit base, and level
Top with fruit or grated chocolate, or whatever else you fancy
Refrigerate for 3 hours

Heres a few of my favourite salads...

Spinach Leaves, crumled Gorgonzola cheese, Sliced Pear,Walnuts, Olive oil

Iceberg Lettuce, Croutons, Caesar Dressing mixed with a dash of Worcester Sauce, Bacon, Parmesan Shavings

Cucumber, Tomato, olives, Red onion, Feta Cheese, Olive oil, Balsamic Vinegar

Wild rice, Chopped hazelnut, Sun Dried Tomatoes, juice of one Orange and half a Lemon, Vinaigrette dressing

Sweet Potato, Mayonaisse, Onion, Celery

Spinach, Avocado, Goats Cheese, Artichoke hearts, Olive Oil

Pancakes

100g plain flour
3 lightly beaten eggs
1 egg yolk
175ml milk and 75ml water mixed
25ml oil

sift flour and salt
make a well and gradually mix in the eggs
Gradually add and mix in the milk and water
beat in the oil
refrigerate for at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally

When cooking, use an oil spray bottle to lightly coat the pan each time.

wow Bob - can I get an invite to dinner please

Risotto

300g arborrio rice
2 jugs of good quality stock
butter
glass of white wine
finely chopped onion

melt two tablespoons of butter in a large wok
add the rice, a little at a time , coating with the butter
add the onion
fry for three minutes on very low heat
add the stock in small splashes every minute or so, stirring continously
when half the stock is added, throw in the additional ingredients and the wine.
keep stirring..treat it like a baby, with continous care and attention!
after 20 minutes of cooking taste, and cook for longer if neccesary
add sea salt and black pepper to taste

there are loads of options for what to put into the risotto..

• various mushrooms
• mushroom and bacon
• chicken
• asparagus and lemon juice
• grated butternut squash(my favourite!)
• mixed seafood (you can get a ready to eat mixed pack in supermarkets, which works well just thrown in near to the end)

And we always top with loads of freshly grated parmesan..

Skewered Chicken

Bacon
Chicken
Wholegrain Mustard
BBQ skewers

Cut the bacon rashers in half lengthways
coat one side of each strip with mustard and wrap around a chunk of chicken
Thread onto the skewers

also good..is to alternate the chicken cubes with big chunks of mango

serve with salad and rice or roast potatoes

these work great on the bbq!

the skewered chicken was fab, we did it in wraps for tea - yummy

Quick and easy Lamb Curry

You will need:

• cubed lamb pieces (I use about 1/2 kilo)
• onions (a couple)
• 1 tbsp of crushed garlic (or whatever i have)
• oil/ghee/butter (I use oil)
• lamb stock (I use one cube to a cup of water)
• peppercorns (3-4)
• cinnamon sticks (3-4)
• bayleafs (3-4)
• cloves (3-4)
• fresh coriander (I use lots as we love it)
• chopped tomatoes (depends on how you like it)
• potatoes (optional - but I add one cubed)
• chickpeas (optional)
• 1 tbsp of garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger

Fry a couple of onions until golden, add the garlic then the spices (garam masala, turmeric, cumin, corianger and ginger) along with the bayleafs, cloves, cinnamon sticks & peppercorns. Keep stirring and add tomatoes (I use 2 regular chopped tomatoes as opposed to a tin - don't like it to be too tomatoey iyswim) to prevent sticking/burning and maybe a drop of your stock. Add lamb cubes turning over in onion mixture and potatoes if using. Add anymore tomatoes if using and then your stock. Add some fresh coriander and leave to cook for 1-1.5 hours. Stir occassionaly and add more coriander to taste.

Serve in deep dish with fresh coriander to decorate. Eat with rice, paratha and mint yoghurt.
Voila. Do hope that made sense.

Peppers Stuffed with Rice for BabyonBoard

Serves 6

You will need:

1 large onion, finely chopped
6 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
250g (8oz) short-grain or risotto rice
salt and pepper
1-2 TSP of sugar
3 TBSP of pine nuts
3 TBSP of raisins
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
1/2 TSP of ground cinnamon
1/4 TSP of ground allspice
2 TSP of dried mint
3 TBSP of chopped dill or flat-leaf parsley
juice of 1 lemon
6 medium green or red peppers

(Choose peppers that can stand on their base)

Fry the onion in 3 TBSP of the oil until soft. Add the rice and stir until thoroughly coated and translucent. Pour in 450ml of water and add salt, pepper and the sugar. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed but the rice is still a little underdone. Stir in the pine nuts, raisins and tomato, the cinnamon and allspice, mint and dill or parsley, lemon juice and the rest of the oil.

To stuff the peppers, cut a circle around each one at the stalk end and cut out a cap (with the stalk). Remove the cores and seeds with a spoon and fill with the rice mixture. REplace the caps. Arrange side by side in a shallow baking dish, pour about a finger of water at the bottom, and bake at 190C (375F) for 45-55 mins or until the peppers are tender. Be careful that they do not fall apart.

BoB - Will try to find a recipe for one that uses mince for you.
My dad always fills the dish with excess rice by the way - that way we always have loads of yummy rice even when peppers are gone! Yum.

ooh..thanks so much Chacha..
i'll probably end up eating only half of one, but dp will be happy, and I'm sure they will be good reheated, or cold for lunch too (I have excluded the mince i originally talked about.meat is turning my stomach at the moment)..
Lamb curry looks great as well..just minus the lamb..hehe..will it work with chicken, or bulky veg?

ooh and Harizeb..glad you liked them..guaranteed to make you new friends if you bring a pile to a bbq..hehehe!

Good Luck with the cooking BoB
I was just asking myself the same question the other night when i made the lamb for DH. Am not a big meat fan and was toying with the idea of veg..suppose we could give it a try and see how it tastes.

Aubergine and those giant mushrooms...it can taste quite 'meaty' sometimes

just had to add a salad...

juice of two blood oranges
fennel
cherry tomatoes
one pomegranete
thinly sliced green chilli
rocket, or spinach leaves, or both!
chopped chicken breast

and then...

now we will soon have little time to cook we should add some good dishes that can be prepared and frozen with easy reheateing....

Enchiladas

6 flour tortillas
tomato puree
pot of salsa, or tinned tomatoes and chopped chillis
refried beans
fresh tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon of ground cumin and oregano

• any combination of - mince, peppers, aubergine, red onion, sweet and bell peppers, mushrooms, courgettes, leftover roast chicken,anything else you fancy or need to use up...

fry the veg/ meat in a litle oil, add the tomatoes, salsa and spices and simmer on very low heat for 15 minutes.
Cook the refired beans for 5 minutes then add to the mix.
lightly cook each tortilla..5 seconds each side..in a very hot frying pan.
Roll the mix up in each tortilla very tighly and place side by side in an ovenproof bowl.
Cover the top with tomato puree and salsa.

At this point you can allow to cool and freeze, or bake in the oven on a medium heat for 30 minutes.
after 20 minutes cooking you can add grated cheese and olives/ chilli etc to taste.

If frozen, then allow to defrost and cook as above or cook from frozen at a very low heat for an hour or so.

Serve with green salad leaves, guacamole, and if very hungry instant packets of spicy rice are pretty good!

Lasagne

1 carton passata
lasagne sheets (the ones that don't need precooking are easiest)
any veg or meat you want..though my favourite is aubergine, mushroom, courgette, sweet pepper and red onion)
any herbs you like
1/2 a finely chopped fresh chilli

cook the veg and meat as you usually would..
add passata
At this point add whichever herbs or spices you like..we find a bit of nutmeg is particularly good..
add a healthy splach of balsamic vinegar and/or red wine
and simmer for as long as possible
layer into a dish with the sheets, then cover with cheese sauce..
(our cheese sauce involves boiling milk and just adding cheese and flour until it tastes right..so hopefully you will know a better way..hehehe)
bake for 45 minutes..ot stick in the freezer!