Spinach & Mushroom Pasta

I also added some cooked chicken for the meat eater - turned out well.

100g cooked pasta shells or spirals

1 tbsp. olive oil with garlic

8 mushrooms sliced

1/2 onion chopped

100g spinach sliced

150g light soft cheese

parmesan

milk

1. Heat oil and gently fry onion and mushrooms, set aside

2. Place spinach in pan and heat until the leaves wilt

3. Remove from heat and add soft cheese, parmesan and milk to form a sauce

4. Add back cooked pasta, mushrooms and onion

5. Heat gently till warmed through

Scalloped Potato Loaf

Quite a nice change for a mince meal.

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large white onion, chopped

200g lean ground beef

pepper

salt

1 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoons paprika

4 oz diced tomato,

2 cups fresh spinach

Philadelphia cheese

grated mozzarella cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef and break apart, then cook for 3 minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Add the pepper, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and tomatoes. Mix thoroughly and remove from pan.
3. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add enough Philadelphia to make a soft mixture.Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside until ready to use.
4. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
5. Peel the potatoes and cut into thin slices; boil for about 10 minutes.
6. In a  dish, arrange overlapping potato slices on the bottom of the pan so the entire bottom is covered. 
7. Spread 1/2 of the beef mixture on top of the potatoes. Arrange another layer of overlapping potato slices over the beef mixture. Spread the spinach mixture on top.
8. Spread the other 1/2 of the beef mixture over the spinach, then add another layer of potatoes. Top with the grated cheese.
9. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp. Let cool a bit.

Seafood Linguine

Very good especially with the mussels. This amount serves 2.

100g linguine

8oz of cooked large shrimp or prawns

1/4 tsp paprika, or to taste

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 tbsp Butter

1 small onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Tin of crab 

Handful of cooked mussels

⅓ cup white wine

1 cups heavy whipping cream

Milk to thin the sauce if required

2 T. fresh parsley or 1 t. dried parsley

1.    Add pasta to a pot of boiling water with pinch salt and cook according to package instructions until al-dente. Drain without rinsing and set aside.

2.    While pasta is cooking, prepare the shrimp and sauce. Season shrimp with ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper and ¼ tsp paprika. Please a large, non-stick pan over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and warm through. Remove to a separate dish to prevent overcooking.

3.    In the same hot pan, add 2 Tbsp butter with finely chopped onion and sauté until soft and golden (3-5 mins), stirring often. Add minced garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant. Stir in white wine, crab and mussels and boil for 3 minutes.

4.    Stir in cream and milk, bring to a light boil then simmer 2 min. Let it come just to a simmer without boiling then turn off the heat and season sauce with more salt, pepper and paprika to taste.

5.     Stir in the drained pasta and cooked shrimp, tossing until noodles are well coated in sauce. Serve in warm pasta bowls with a generous sprinkle of finely chopped parsley, parmesan cheese and some freshly cracked black pepper.

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Nice and tasty especially with the cinnamon. This amount serves 4.

·         Olive oil

·         knob butter

·         700 grams diced butternut squash and sweet potato

·         1 onion chopped

·         1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

·         1/2 teaspoon ground mace

·         500 ml semi-skimmed milk

·         1 litre vegetable stock

·         sea salt

·         freshly ground black pepper

1.     Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, squash and sweet potato. Gently fry for around 10 minutes.

2.     Add the spices and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours. Pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

3.     Check that the vegetables are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.

4.     For a thicker soup omit the milk and add cream later.

Based on recipe from Nigella Lawson

Lamb Shanks in Red Wine sauce

The meat just fell off the bone - delicious

4 Lamb Shanks
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 sticks celery chopped
1 onion diced
1 carrot sliced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
Salt & Pepper
2 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
200 ml Red wine
1 beef stock cube made up to a pint
Cornflour to thicken sauce

1. Brown the lamb shanks in the olive oil
2. Place all vegetables in the slow cooker
3. Place shanks on top and sprinkle with sugar, salt & pepper
4. Add wine and tomato ketchup to stock and pour round the shanks
5. Slow cook for 8 hours
6. Remove lamb shanks and keep warm
7. Blitz sauce and thicken with cornflour

Mixed Mushroom Soup

 I used a mix of wild , brown and portobello mushrooms - very tasty. This amount serves 4 

·         Olive oil

·         400g mixed mushrooms, sliced (shitake, oyster, brown)

·         25g dried porcini mushrooms

·         1 onion chopped

·         2 garlic cloves, chopped

·         Thyme sprigs

·         200 ml cream or milk

·         1 litre vegetable stock

·         sea salt

·         freshly ground black pepper

1.     Pour boiling water on the porcini mushrooms to just cover them.

2.     Heat a splash of olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic and thyme. Fry for 5 minutes.

3.     Add the mixed mushrooms and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours. Then add the dried porcini mushrooms reserving the juice and fry for a few minutes.

4.     Pour in the stock, reserved juice and milk/cream, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

5.     Carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.

6.     Make some croutons by frying bread cubes in some butter.

7.     Serve soup with some chives and the croutons.

Based on recipe from BBC Good Food

Cauliflower and Stilton Soup

I don't like Stilton but I did have this soup at a Monkspath Soup a day so decided to use up some Stilton from a family gathering. It does taste really nice.

2 Shallots
1 veggie oxo made up to 1 1/2 pints
4 fl oz cream
1 head cauliflower chopped in florets
good chunk of blue stilton


1. Melt some butter in a pan and add chopped shallots; cook till golden
2. Add veggie stock and cauliflower florets; cook till tender
3. Add chopped Stilton and cream; cook for 15 minutes
4. Use a blender to puree the soup