The Recipe
600 g bell pepper (~3 large ones)
1 onion
4dl chicken stock (just under 2 cups)
4dl vegetable stock
125g cream cheese
1 clove garlic
200g chorizo (bacon can be used instead)
Thyme
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Heat some olive oil (chili-oil if you like it) in a pot over medium-high heat. Cut the bell pepper and onion in smaller pieces and cook them for a couple of minutes. Add the stock and garlic, bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the chorizo into halves and then into thin slices and cook them in a pan over high heat until they turn brown and crisp. Transfer to a place covered with paper towels and pour the resulting oil into the soup for extra taste!
Use a blender to puree the soup and add the cream cheese. Bring to a simmer again and season with paprika, thyme, salt and pepper according to taste.
The Verdict
Pretty good. I prefer soups with more "bite" (texture, not heat), but the crisp chorizo added enough that it was suitable for an evening meal. Not an instant favourite, but probably something I'll make again. And it'll be easy to adapt it for vegetarian cooking as well.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Week 8: Creamed Corn
The Recipe
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup corn
30g (~1oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 roasted red pepper, diced
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 green onion, sliced
salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the corn and cream cheese, stir until the cream cheese has melted.
Mix in the milk, roasted red pepper, bacon and green onions and cook until hot, about 5 minutes.
The Verdict
Tasted alright, but didn't seem like anything special. I may or may not make this again if I get tired of my usual sides.
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup corn
30g (~1oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 roasted red pepper, diced
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 green onion, sliced
salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the corn and cream cheese, stir until the cream cheese has melted.
Mix in the milk, roasted red pepper, bacon and green onions and cook until hot, about 5 minutes.
The Verdict
Tasted alright, but didn't seem like anything special. I may or may not make this again if I get tired of my usual sides.
Week 7: Butter Chicken Crockpot
The Recipe
~500g chicken
1 tbsp oil for cooking
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
a dash of chili
1/2 tsp ground ginger
25g (~1tbsp) butter
2.5 dl chicken stock (~1 cup)
5 tbsp cream
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
a dash of cardamom and fennel (optional)
1 tsp tumeric
Chop the onion and garlic very finely (or use a blender or food processor) and mix it with the chili and ginger.
Heat the oil in a pan. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and cook until browned on all sides. Add to the crock-pot.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, add the butter to the pan and once it's melted cook the onion paste until it just starts to change colour. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer.
Add to the crock-pot, cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours.
Serve on rice with sliced almonds as topping.
The Verdict
Not quite restaurant worthy but really, really good :) I thought it lacked something but can't quite figure out what. Perhaps just a bit of mango chutney? ;) Some vegetables would also be nice - think I may add corn and/or bell pepper to the crock-pot next time.
But all in all I loved it :)
~500g chicken
1 tbsp oil for cooking
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
a dash of chili
1/2 tsp ground ginger
25g (~1tbsp) butter
2.5 dl chicken stock (~1 cup)
5 tbsp cream
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
a dash of cardamom and fennel (optional)
1 tsp tumeric
Chop the onion and garlic very finely (or use a blender or food processor) and mix it with the chili and ginger.
Heat the oil in a pan. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and cook until browned on all sides. Add to the crock-pot.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, add the butter to the pan and once it's melted cook the onion paste until it just starts to change colour. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer.
Add to the crock-pot, cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours.
Serve on rice with sliced almonds as topping.
The Verdict
Not quite restaurant worthy but really, really good :) I thought it lacked something but can't quite figure out what. Perhaps just a bit of mango chutney? ;) Some vegetables would also be nice - think I may add corn and/or bell pepper to the crock-pot next time.
But all in all I loved it :)
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Week 6: Crockpot Beef and Peppers
The Recipe
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb stew beef
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp ginger
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for about 4 hours.
The Verdict
Can't give an honest verdict of this one, as I thought the meat tasted "off" which of course coloured my opinion of the entire dish. I thought the sauce and the veggies tasted fine, so may make this again another time, and hope I'm more fortunate with the meat.
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb stew beef
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp ginger
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for about 4 hours.
The Verdict
Can't give an honest verdict of this one, as I thought the meat tasted "off" which of course coloured my opinion of the entire dish. I thought the sauce and the veggies tasted fine, so may make this again another time, and hope I'm more fortunate with the meat.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Week 5: Cheese Pancakes
The Recipe
2 eggs
5 dl (~2cups) shredded cheese
1 tbsp psyllium husk
1 tsp oregano
Mix everything together in a bowl. It won't look like pancake batter at all - basically like wet cheese ;).
Heat some butter in a pan, and bake the pancakes until golden brown on both sides.
Makes about 5 small'ish pancakes.
The Verdict
I'd never heard of psyllium husk before and was intrigued. Besides - cheese pancakes? What's not to like?!
The batter looked totally weird, and I didn't think they'd ever turn into pancakes, but the end result looked decent enough, and it tasted good too. But very, VERY rich! I'd thought I could eat them "as is", but their richness really needs to be "cut" with something. I had some avocado which worked nicely, but I think salmon or sausages of some kind would do the trick too.
2 eggs
5 dl (~2cups) shredded cheese
1 tbsp psyllium husk
1 tsp oregano
Mix everything together in a bowl. It won't look like pancake batter at all - basically like wet cheese ;).
Heat some butter in a pan, and bake the pancakes until golden brown on both sides.
Makes about 5 small'ish pancakes.
The Verdict
I'd never heard of psyllium husk before and was intrigued. Besides - cheese pancakes? What's not to like?!
The batter looked totally weird, and I didn't think they'd ever turn into pancakes, but the end result looked decent enough, and it tasted good too. But very, VERY rich! I'd thought I could eat them "as is", but their richness really needs to be "cut" with something. I had some avocado which worked nicely, but I think salmon or sausages of some kind would do the trick too.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Week 4: Chicken Thai Nachos
Chicken Pad Thai Nachos
The Recipe
2 tbsp lemon concentrate or 1/2 fresh lime juice (1/4 lemon I guess...)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 heaped tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chili sauce
1 heaped tbsp peanut butter
450g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (200g) bag nachos
1 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
2 spring onions, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
avocado
Pour the nachos into an ovenproof dish.
Heat a bit of oil in a pan over medium heat, and cook the chicken until cooked through and easily shredded. Break into smaller pieces if necessary. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce and peanut butter and stir frequently until the peanut butter has melted and all the chicken is nicely coated. Pour mixture over the nachos. Top with carrots
Add bell pepper and spring onions to the pan and give a quick stir to pick up the last of the sauce. Pour over the nachos.
Top with cheese.
Broil until the cheese has melted - about 5 minutes in my oven, but keep an eye out.
Serve with avocado and chili sauce.
The Verdict
DH and I love nachos, and this was a nice chance from the usual mince sauce I make. The peanut butter gave it a nice twist - I really like the way it tasted :)
The Recipe
2 tbsp lemon concentrate or 1/2 fresh lime juice (1/4 lemon I guess...)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 heaped tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chili sauce
1 heaped tbsp peanut butter
450g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (200g) bag nachos
1 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
2 spring onions, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
avocado
Pour the nachos into an ovenproof dish.
Heat a bit of oil in a pan over medium heat, and cook the chicken until cooked through and easily shredded. Break into smaller pieces if necessary. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce and peanut butter and stir frequently until the peanut butter has melted and all the chicken is nicely coated. Pour mixture over the nachos. Top with carrots
Add bell pepper and spring onions to the pan and give a quick stir to pick up the last of the sauce. Pour over the nachos.
Top with cheese.
Broil until the cheese has melted - about 5 minutes in my oven, but keep an eye out.
Serve with avocado and chili sauce.
The Verdict
DH and I love nachos, and this was a nice chance from the usual mince sauce I make. The peanut butter gave it a nice twist - I really like the way it tasted :)
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Week 3: Tortillas Pizza
The Recipe
2 pizza tortillas per person (thicker than regular tortillas, but I guess you could use one regular one and fold it double for thickness)
1 tbsp tomato paste per tortillas (70g was enough for 4 tortillas)
Pizza toppings such as...
bell pepper
ham
salami / pepperoni
Onion sliced thin
Sausages sliced thin
Gorgonzola (I cannot stand gorgonzola... except on pizza!)
Shredded mozzerella cheese
Preheat the oven to 250C.
Prepare all the toppings.
Put the pizza tortillas on a baking sheet and spread thinly with tomato paste. Add toppings to taste, ending with the cheese.
Bake for 7-9 minutes. Mine weren't quite done after 7 but nice and crisp after 8.
The Verdict
A new favourite! All the great taste of pizza with none of the hassle. I absolutely loved it! And since you make individual pizzas, it's easier to cater to everybody's taste as well.
Really yummy, really easy - DEFINITELY something I'll be making again!
2 pizza tortillas per person (thicker than regular tortillas, but I guess you could use one regular one and fold it double for thickness)
1 tbsp tomato paste per tortillas (70g was enough for 4 tortillas)
Pizza toppings such as...
bell pepper
ham
salami / pepperoni
Onion sliced thin
Sausages sliced thin
Gorgonzola (I cannot stand gorgonzola... except on pizza!)
Shredded mozzerella cheese
Preheat the oven to 250C.
Prepare all the toppings.
Put the pizza tortillas on a baking sheet and spread thinly with tomato paste. Add toppings to taste, ending with the cheese.
Bake for 7-9 minutes. Mine weren't quite done after 7 but nice and crisp after 8.
The Verdict
A new favourite! All the great taste of pizza with none of the hassle. I absolutely loved it! And since you make individual pizzas, it's easier to cater to everybody's taste as well.
Really yummy, really easy - DEFINITELY something I'll be making again!
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