Seven Vegetable Sauce

A wonderous sauce to tempt even the most stubborn child that vegetables can taste superb.

            

Ingredients

1 finely chopped garlic clove

1 – 2 finely chopped onions

2 peeled and grated carrots

2 grated courgettes

2 sieved tins of tomatoes

1 peeled and grated butternut squash

2 skinned, deseeded and finely chopped red peppers

1 peeled and grated parsnip

large pinch oregano

1 cracked bay leaf

pinch salt

pinch pepper

           

Method

1 Fry the garlic, onion, carrots, red peppers, courgettes, parsnip, butternut squash, until softened but not coloured, about 10 minutes.
2 Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano and bay leaf.
3 Simmer for 30 minutess or until thickened to your liking.
4 Blitz to a puree.
5 Reheat, pour over pasta and toss well.

        

Notes

Serves 4 people generously.
Serve in hot pasta bowls, with grated parmesan on the top.

This sauce can be successfully frozen for a month.

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Crafty’s Chocolate Trifle

This is my birthday treat to myself every year.   Ingredients 1 chocolate swiss roll 1 large drained tin black cherries Kirsch to taste 1 made up chocolate blancmange small tub double cream chocolate to decorate   Method 1 Slice swiss roll and place in the bottom of serving dish 2 Spoon over drained black cherries. 3 Mix Kirsch and black cherry juice, pour over swiss roll and cherries 4 Pour over cooled chocolate blancmange. 5 Cool in the fridge. 6 Whip double cream to soft peak stage and spread over chocolate blancmange. 7 Decorate with chocolate of choice. I have used sprinkles, curls, broken flake and chocolate buttons. 8 Serve chilled.

Serves 6 to 8 people

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Baked Bean Pie

Now I love a quick and easy peasy cheap tea (occassionally), you know the sort, you are on your own and you just can’t be bothered to cook but want something hot, comforting, substantial, nutritious and yet full of flavour.  This favourite of mine just fits that bill, perfectly.

Ingredients

1 200g tin baked beans

cold mashed potato

a little (or a lot) grated mature cheddar cheese

 

Method

1 Oil an oven proof baking dish for 1 with a little olive or vegetable oil.

2 Open the tin of baked beans.

3 Place the contents of the tin into the prepared baking dish.

4 Top with the cold mashed potato.

5 Level the mashed potato carefully, sealing in the sauce.

6 Drag a fork through the top of the mashed potato and make a pretty pattern.

7 Sprinkle over the grated cheese.

8 Pop the dish onto a heated baking tray.

10 Bake in the oven at 200 degrees centigrade/gas mark 6 for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pie is a delicious golden brown.

Serve immediately

 

Serves 1

 

Notes

For a change, add Worcestershire sauce to the baked beans or a shake or 2 of chilli pepper for a bit of a kick.

It is also nice to add an egg and/or more cheese to the mashed potato, beat thoroughly and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Crafty Tortilla Chips

I love tortilla chips, but love to know just what exactly goes into them without too much work.

 

Ingredients

ready made or home made corn tortillas

olive oil

salt

 

Method

1 Brush a baking tray with a little olive oil.

2 Cut the tortillas into triangles.

3 Lay the triangles onto the baking tray.

4 Brush the triangle tops with a little olive oil.

5 Sprinkle over a little salt.

6 Bake at 180 degrees centigrade/gas mark 4 for 4 to 6 minutes.

7 Cool slightly on the tray on top of a wire cooling rack for a couple of minutes.

8 Transfer the tortillas directly onto the wire cooling rack.

Serve with a suitable dip.

 

Notes

Instead of using salt try using a little paprika or cayenne pepper, fresh herbs or even a little grated cheese.

Store in an airtight container.

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Cococnut Ice (Uncooked)

This recipe is so much easier to make than the cooked variety especially if making with children.  Master Cookie and I used to love making these sweets together, he loved to partly dip the sweets into melted chocolate too! (Especially licking his hands afterwards).   Ingredients 250g sieved icing sugar 175g dessicated coconut 200g sweetened condensed milk few drops pink food colouring   Method 1 Place all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. 2 Mix together thoroughly. 3 Sprinkle the work surface with a little icing sugar. 4 Knead the dough lightly. 5 Cut the mixture in half. 6 Sprinkle a few drops of food colouring onto 1 half. 7 Knead the pink colouring into one half. 8 Shape both of the halves into seperate bars measuring 9″ x3″. 9 Lay one bar on top of the other. 10 Press together firmly. 11 Leave to set and dry out slightly. 12 Cut into into small bite sized slices. 13 Place in small sweet cases. Store in airtight container – as it is an ucooked mixture it only keeps fresh for up to a week.

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Cheats Clootie Dumpling

 

This recipe was given to me by a cheating cousin who had not got all of the ingredients for a traditional celebrational clootie dumpling, what was amazing was that it actually worked extremely well!  Ingredients 4 oz rich tea or digestive biscuits  2 oz self raising flour  8oz currants 8oz soaked raisins  8oz  finely shredded suet 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg  8oz caster sugar 1/2 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 level teaspoon ground mace 4oz chopped mixed candied lemon, orange and citron peel 2 oz chopped almonds   4 large beaten eggs 2 standard wineglasses of brandy or white wine buttermilk if required   Method 1 The night before making, place all of the dried fruits in a bowl. 2 Pour the alcahol over the fruits. 3 Cover and leave to soak. 4 Sterilise a white tablecloth. 5 Wring the tablecloth out. 6 Sprinkle a little flour over the centre of the tablecloth. 7 Place the biscuits in a polythene bag and roll with a heavy rolling pin to crush thoroughly. 8 Pour the crumbs into a large mixing bowl. 9 Add the suet, sugar, fruit, peel, spices and nuts.  10 Mix the ingredients well. 11 Make a well in the centre of the mixture. 12 Add the eggs and the remains of the brandy or wine. 13 Mix together thoroughly. 14 Sieve in the flour. 15 Mix together thoroughly to form a soft dropping consistency (if not add a little buttermilk).  16 Pour the mixture into the centre of the floured tablecloth. 17 Gather up the ends of the floured tablecloth, leaving room for the pudding to swell. 18 Tie the pudding up securely with a long piece of string 19 Place an old plate upside down on the bottom of a large saucepan. 20 Place the pudding on the platel 21 Pour over boiling hot water. 22 Simmer for 3 1/2 hours, adding more boiling hot water as required. 23 When cooked take the dumpling out of the cloth and cool for 5 to 10 minutes before removing the cloth.   Serve hot with hot custard.   or   Serve cold as cake   or   Fry on both sides in butter and serve with bacon and eggs for breakfast.   Notes To get the traditional round shape by holding the cloth in a bowl large enough to support the mixture. Gather up the ends of the floured tablecloth, leaving room for the pudding to swell.                                                                                 When ready take out of the pot and cool for about 10 minutes before carefully removing the cloth. Cool completely before slicing.

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