Tooth Fairy Recipes

Vegetarian Pie

matin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:54:00 GMT

I found this recipe while browsing food blogs just before my exams. I believe it is called procrastination:-) The idea of a vegetarian pie is very appealing, even though I love meat, meat pies are often too heavy for my liking and I’ll end up feeling guilty and full after a couple of bites (Ok so maybe after a couple of pies:-). So I’ve decided to give this a go and use up all the vegetables in the fridge. You can find the original recipe in Yumblog which also has many more yummy recipes:-) Enjoy:-) Ingredients: Pie Crust: 450 g/16 Oz White Flour 1 1/4 fast acting Yeast 1 1/2 tsp Salt 1 Egg, beaten 2 tbsp runny Honey 50 ml light Olive Oil 260 ml warm Water

Moussaka

matin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:50:00 GMT

I always wanted to try cooking Moussaka at home but I was worried It may not be as good as the restaurant food and I’ll end up disappointed! However once I found some wonderful and fresh aubergines in the shop, I knew I had to give it a try and it was wonderful. There are many different recipes for Moussaka and I modified mine a bit in order to reduce the amount of fat and make it slightly light without compromising the flavour. I was very happy with the final results and it tasted very much like the ones I had before. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 2 medium Onions, finely chopped 2 medium Potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly 4 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely 500 g/ 17.5 Oz lean Lamb/ Beef, minced 2 tbsp Tomato puree 400 g/ 14 Oz can of chopped Tomatoes 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder 2 tbsp chopped Oregano 3 large Aubergines, peeled and sliced 2 Eggs, beaten 50 g/ 1.7 Oz Butter 75 g/ 2.6 Oz plain Flour 600 ml Milk 4 tbsp light Olive Oil 50 g/ 1.7 Oz Parmesan, grated 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder Salt and Pepper

Chicken with Tarragon and Cream Sauce

matin — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:47:00 GMT

I was watching Market Kitchen the other day and came across this recipe. It looked very easy to do and looked delicious. I also happened to have all the ingredients at the time so decided to give it a try for dinner. It turned out lovely and as expected was very easy to do. You can search for the original recipe on Market Kitchen site but this is quite similar to the original. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 2 Chicken breasts, Skin-less, cut into strips 50 ml White wine (I used medium white) 40-60 ml Double Cream 1 tbsp chopped Tarragon 1 tsp English Mustard 2 tbsp light Olive Oil Salt and Pepper

Butternut Squash Cupcakes

matin — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:24:00 GMT

As you probably know by now, I love love love butternut squash:-) Its tasty, versatile, readily available all year around and cheap too. My Mum makes the best butternut squash cookies ever and I will put up the recipe and photos for them some time soon. Meanwhile these tasty cupcakes adapted from VanillaGarlic recipe will do fine:-) Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 230 g Butternut squash 2 Eggs 100 g unsalted Butter, melted 100 g caster Sugar 100 g brown Sugar 100 self-raising Flour 30 g Walnuts, chopped roughly 1/4 tsp Nutmeg 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1/4 tsp Ginger

Stuffed Mackerel

matin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:01:00 GMT

Although not a big fan of oven baked fish, this mackerel recipe from Anjum Anand, definitely changed my mind about it. I grow up eating fried fish almost all year around and therefore have my reservations about fish being cooked any other way. However, frying fish is a messy business these days. Without a garden and proper out door cooker -like the one my Dad used- we would almost risk eviction from our apartment if make a habit of frying fish:-) The picture in Anjum’s book of this stuffed mackerel with gorgeous Indian spices looked so inviting that I had to try it and I was not disappointed. I used fish fillets rather than whole fish and placed the stuffing over the fillet. Anjum uses garlic and ginger paste in most of her recipes but I used fresh garlic and ginger instead as I was out of the paste. Served with freshly cooked Saffron rice, it made a delicious week night supper and one that I would definitely try again:-) Ingredients: 2 Mackerel fillets 1 medium Onion, sliced 2 cloves Garlic, minced 1 tsp grated Ginger 1 large Tomato, chopped 2 tsp Lemon juice 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil Salt and Pepper

Baked Onion Bhaji

matin — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:56:00 GMT

I love onion bhaji but have never tried to cook it before until I cam across a recipe on Jeenas kitchen for baked bhaji and gave it a shot. These are very easy to make and taste good too without all the oil of deep fried bhajis. Ingredients: 3 large Onions, sliced 3 tbsp Flour 1 tbsp Tomato pure dissolved in 100 ml boiling water 1 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Turmeric 1/4 tsp ground Coriander 1/4 tsp Chilli powder 1/4 tsp Ginger 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil Salt

Chicken Milanese with Bubble and Squeak

matin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:51:00 GMT

After a month of strict detox diet after Christmas, I was really in the mood for some fried food and when I came across this chicken recipe over at SmittenKitchen, I knew I had to make it. The side dish here is my version of Bubble and Squeak. there is something very appealing about the mixture of garlic, shredded cabbage and creamy mash potato especially if you have deprived from carbohydrate for some 28 days:-) I wouldn’t normally fry chicken like this but this is one of those meals you can afford to eat once in a while and it was absolutely divine. I’ve chenged the recipe slightly to accommodate what I had in the cupboard but it was still very very good. Chicken Milanese Ingredients: 2 skinless Chicken breasts, lightly flattened 1 egg 4 tbsp of flour 3 tbsp of Parmesan 4 tbsp of Breadcrumbs 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil Salt and Pepper

Butternut Squash Soup

matin — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:43:00 GMT

I have resisted the temptation of adding sour cream or double cream to this soup in following my dairy-less 28 days diet. The soup, however, is tasty in addition to being healthy and if you love butternut squash as much as I do, you will love it:-) Ingredients: 1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into small cubes 1 medium Onion, chopped finely 2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely 2 medium Carrots, cut into cubes 1.2 litres/5 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock 1/2 tsp Cumin Salt and Pepper 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Spinach and Butter Bean Curry

matin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:40:00 GMT

I have never cooked with butter bean before as I am not a big fan of beans in general but this can of butter bean was sitting for ages in my cupboard and I knew I just had to do something with it. I used it in this dish with spinach and coconut cream and it worked well as it gives a lot of texture to the curry and is a good substitute for chickpeas. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 400 g/14 oz. can of chopped Tomatoes 250 g/8 oz. Spinach 1 large Onion, sliced 2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely 200 g/7 oz. can of Butter Bean, drained and peeled 150 ml/5 oz. Coconut milk 1/2 tsp Cumin 1/4 tsp Ginger 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp Curry powder 1 small Green Chili, deseeded and chopped finely a pinch of Cardamom Salt 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Lentil Soup

matin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:38:00 GMT

This is a healthy and hearty soup which keeps well in the freezer. You only need to eat a small bowl to feel full and satisfied. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 450 g/15 oz. green Lentils 1 medium Onion, chopped finely 2 Spring Onions, chopped 2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely 1 Leek, chopped 1 medium Sweet Potato, peeled and chopped into cubes 1.5 litres/6.5 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped 1 tbsp Coriander, Chopped 1 tbsp Mint, chopped 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp Cumin 1/2 tsp Paprika Salt and Pepper 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Tomato Rice

matin — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 13:36:00 GMT

This is another one of my favourite Indian recipes. It is easy to make and a joy to eat. I have taken leftovers for lunch to clinic and it tasted even better than freshly cooked. I used wild rice in this recipe but you can use other types of rice such as Basmati or brown rice if you prefer them. The coconut cream is also optional but it definitely makes the rice creamier. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 200 g/7 oz. Wild Rice 600 ml boiling Water 400 g/14 oz. can chopped Tomatoes 150 ml/5 oz. Coconut milk 1 large Onion, finely chopped 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 3 green or red Chilies, whole 1 tsp Garam Masala 1 green Cardamom 4 Cloves Salt 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Lebanese Spinach and Lamb Dish

matin — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:56:00 GMT

I used to eat in a little Turkish restaurant a good few years ago while I was working in London. Me and a couple of other people from work would go to this place every Tuesday for lunch. The owners wife was a nice Lebanese lady who would cook specials on Tuesdays. The food was simply amazing. I can still taste the slow cooked lamb and vermicelli in the rice after all this time. As I moved across country in the past few years, I never came across Lebanese restaurants or food so I was glad when I stumbled upon hommus w tabbouli food blog. The recipes here are easy to follow for even those unfamiliar with middle eastern cooking. Most of them reminds me of my childhood foods and I couldn't resist trying some of them. the following recipe was my first attempt at the recipes and it turned out nicely. I changed the quantities slightly as I didn't have enough pine nuts at home but otherwise I stayed through to the recipe. I served the dish with saffron rice which worked very well. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 200 g/ 7 oz. fresh Spinach 50 g/ 1.7 oz. Pine nuts 1 medium Onion, finely chopped 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped 2 tbsp Olive Oil 1 Lemon, juice only 1 tbsp Tomato pure 250 g/ 8 oz. Lamb mince 1/2 pint boiling Water 1 tsp Turmeric Salt and Pepper

Mushroom and Cream Fusilli

matin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:15:00 GMT

Creme Fraiche is now officially my new best friend:-) I bought a 500 ml HealthyLiving creme fraiche last week and been using it in almost everything I cooked this week. This one has the same calorie as Greek yogurt but the texture and flavour of double creme. So far this week I used it in chicken curry and scramble eggs and both were fantastic. I also used it in this pasta dish which often ends up being too dry and flavourless and it was very good. Now I know how it feels to eat creme and not to feel guilty:-) The following recipe is very easy to make, tastes good and makes a great lunch for next day. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 350 g Mushrooms, chopped 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped 350 g Broccoli 3 tbsp Creme Fraiche 200 g fresh egg Fusilli 3 tbsp grated Cheddar 1 tbsp Breadcrumbs 1 tbsp Olive Oil Salt and Pepper

Lemon and Ricotta Cake

matin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:58:00 GMT

I am not a big fan of lemon cakes, I must admit but this recipe from GoodFood web site sounded so easy that I couldn't resist. Ricotta in this recipe makes the cake really soft and creamy but not too rich. The sweetness of sugar and tartness of lemon zest work well together, making this cake a must bake:-) Enjoy Ingredients: 175 g Butter, softened 175 g Caster Sugar 125 g self- raising Flour 250 g Ricotta 3 Lemons, zest only 3 Eggs, separated 1 tsp Baking powder

Lemon Chicken with Butter and Cheddar

matin — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:38:00 GMT

First thing that comes to my mind when thinking about chicken breast is a chicken curry especially ones with lots of coconut milk. This time however I've decided to make something different. These chicken breasts marinated in plenty of lemon juice and garlic are full of flavours. Chicken kebabs from my childhood had the same taste as they would have been marinated in lime juice and drizzled with melted butter when on the grill. you don't have to marinade them for long, Half an hour in the fridge with plenty of lemon juice, garlic and salt does the trick for this simple yet tasty dish. Accompanied with some fresh asparagus which I cooked for a couple of minutes with butter and salt and some creamy mash potatoes, it made for the perfect mid week supper. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 2 Chicken Breasts, skinless 1 Lemon, Juice only 4 cloves of Garlic, peeled and crushed 40 g/ 1.4 oz. Butter 2 tbsp grated Cheddar 2 tbsp Breadcrumbs Salt and Pepper

Carrot and Lentil Soup

matin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:12:00 GMT

Tasty and Easy Vegetable Soup with Carrots, Lentils and Fresh Spinach Ingredients: 5 Carrots, grated 150 g/5 ounce Spinach 1 Onion, chopped 2 cloves Garlic, chopped 200 g/7 ounce Lentils 1 litre Vegetable Stock 1/2 Lemon, juice only 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper Salt and Pepper

Fruit Pastry

matin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:35:00 GMT

This is another one of The Pioneer Woman's recipes, again some changes were made simply because I didn't have all the ingredients at home. It was an easy and enjoyable Sunday afternoon baking mainly because I knew I would be eating this sugary and buttery delight in less than 40 minutes:-) Enjoy. Ps: You can use half the amount of butter and a bit less sugar but I was pretty desperate for something fatty and sweet at the time:-) Ingredients: 1 large apple, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices 3 medium plums, stoned and cut into halves 100 g/3.5 ounce Butter 200 g/7 ounce ready rolled Puff Pastry 100 g/3.5 ounce Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Lentil and Spinach Curry

matin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:31:00 GMT

It is no secret that I am a big fan of curry and Indian food in general, although most of the things I cook in the name of curry are not the real thing. They are often modified versions which are easier for an armature cook like me and also kinder on the palate of my spice-sensitive Hubby. I've read about lentil and spinach curry in several blogs and although they all looked pretty tasty, they didn't have that creamy texture that I associate with curry so I took a risk and added thick Greek yogurt and it worked pretty well if I say so myself:-) Served with freshly cooked rice or warm Naan bread, this makes a healthy, easy and more importantly tasty supper. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 150 g Lentils, washed and draiend 100 g fresh Spinach 4 tbsp Greek Yogurt 1 large Onion, chopped 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 400 ml Vegetable/Chicken Stock 1/4 tsp Cumin 1/4 tsp Curry powder 1/2 tsp Chilli powder (Optional) a pinch of Cinnamon 2 tbsp Vegetable/Olive Oil Salt

English Onion Soup

matin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:44:00 GMT

As the temperature going down gradually here in the west country, its time to bring the soups back. While I am a big fan of tinned soup especially Heinz varieties, there is a pleasure in cooking a pan of soup from scratch which can't be matched by opening the tin and heating the contents :-) This recipe is inspired by Jamie Oliver's English onion soup. As usual I changed and skipped a few ingredients to make it simpler. This is very easy to make and tastes really good. Don't be full by the amount of chopped onion and leek, once cooked it doesn't make much! I was hoping to have it for lunch for a couple of days but E and I managed to eat it all in about 10 minutes! E also complained that it wasn't enough and that's always a good sign:-) Ingredients: 2 medium white Onions, sliced 2 medium red Onions, sliced 1 large Leek, sliced 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 1 Litre hot Beef/Vegetable Stock 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 100 g Cheddar, grated 2 slices of Granary Bread, toasted 2 tbsp Olive Oil 50 g Butter 1 tbsp chopped Sage Salt and black Pepper

Chocolate Cupcake with Cream Cheese Topping

matin — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:05:00 GMT

This is another recipe from Stephanie at Joy of Baking. I must admit this is the first site I go to whenever I crave something sweet. Her recipes are very detailed and the cakes or cookies always turn out great so I am one happy costumer:-) The only change I made to this recipe was to use some caster sugar in cupcake batter because I didn't have enough light brown sugar, I don't think it changed the taste that much. Brown sugar definitely gave it more texture. Ingredients: Chocolate cupcakes: 210 g (1.5 cup) plain Flour 100 g (1/2 cup) Caster Sugar 100 g (1/2 cup) light brown Sugar 2 tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda 1/4 tsp Salt 6 tbsp Vegetable Oil 240 ml (1 cup) water 1 tbsp white Vinegar 1 tsp Vanilla extract Cream cheese topping: 227 g (8 ounce) Cream cheese 4 tbsp Caster Sugar 1 large Egg 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Salad Olivier

matin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:26:00 GMT

A Tasty and Filling Chicken Salad with Potatoes, Eggs and Gherkins Another Childhood favourite! This is what mayonnaise was invented for:-) No park picnics or beach trips in my childhood was complete without Salad Olivier. I don't know where the recipe originates from (I am guessing Russia because of the name). Chicken is optional in this recipe, the vegetarian version is just as tasty as the original. Serve cold on its own although I love it as a filling in a fresh French Boquette with extra ghergins. yummy:-) Ingredients: 4 Chicken Tights, Skinless 1 medium Onion, peeled 3 large Potatoes, peeled and boiled 4 large eggs, boiled 100 g Gherkins 100 g can green Peas, drained 100 g Mayonnaise 1/2 tsp Turmeric Salt and Pepper

Strawberry and Cream Cake

matin — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:05:00 GMT

Simple Cinnamon Cake with Creamy Icing and Fresh Strawberries We celebrated my gorgeous Hubby's birthday last week and I wanted to bake him a cake as I do every year. Now if you ask him what type of cake he wants he would have said chocolate but since he had a Nutella cake last year, I decided to bake a different cake. The recipe for the main cake is very simple, your usual "equal parts sugar, flour and butter cake" as my Mum calls it:-). I topped it up with some icing not because E is a big fan of cream but mainly because I've been trying to lose some weight (this is the story of my life really) so I really fancied something sweet and creamy. Add some fresh and frankly giant strawberries to it and you have strawberry and cream cake:-) The whole thing turned out well and E really liked it and that is what matters most especially on his birthday:-) Ps: I am going to try and use ounce and cup in my measurements as much as possible but bear with me as this is all new to me and I am not good with numbers anyway:-) Ingredients: 175 g (6.1 ounce) self-rising Flour 175 g (6.1 ounce) Caster Sugar 175 g (6.1 ounce) Butter, room temperature 3 Eggs 1 tsp Baking powder 1 tsp Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder a pinch of Salt For Icing: 250 ml Double Cream 1 tbsp Icing Sugar 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Courgette Cakes

matin — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:29:00 GMT

As a child I never liked courgette. I couldn't see the point of it, it didn't taste like anything. I loved aubergine though and still do. If it wasn't for the huge amount of oil it takes to fry an aubergine, I would have consumed it day and night. However my taste has changed dramatically especially since discovering joy of cooking which means I can cook things in different ways. So now I decided I like Courgette. Its versatile, doesn't eat up as much oil as aubergine so it is healthier. I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman whose blog I am a big fan of. The only change I made was to use Cheddar cheese. This is a easy thing to make and taste great and very light too. Enjoy:-) Ingredients: 2 medium Courgette 2 Eggs, Beaten 3 cloves Garlic, grated 110 g Breadcrumbs 100 g Cheddar, grated 4 tbsp Olive Oil Salt and Pepper

Adas Polo

matin — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:53:00 GMT

Traditional Persian Rice Dish with Lentils, Dates, Raisins and Fried Onions This is an easy and delicious dish which is favourite in many Iranian households. Cooked lentils, sweet and sticky dates and raisins lightly fried and golden fried onions give the rice tons of texture and flavour. If you are a meat lover, then add some fried lamb or beef mine to the mixture. This version however goes down well with vegetarian friends:-) Ingredients: 200 g Basmati Rice 150 g Green Lentils 400 ml Vegetable stock 150 g Raisins 120 g Dates, stones 2 large Onions, thinly sliced 1 tsp Cumin 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 25 g Butter 3 tbsp Olive oil Salt and Pepper

Chocolate and Banana Cake

matin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:32:00 GMT

Chocolate and Banana Cake with Chocolate Moose and Blackberries This recipe is based on the Chocolate Banana Cake from Joy of Baking. I've cheated a bit and used ready-made chocolate moose for topping:-). Banana in this cake gives it a better texture so it does not taste just like another sponge cake. The combination of sour blackberries with sweet almost sticky cake is perfect. Thanks again to Stephanie at Joy of Baking for recipes that always inspires and never disappoints:-) Ingredients: 200 g caster Sugar 125 g plain Flour 35 g Cocoa powder 3/4 tsp Baking powder 3/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda 1/4 tsp Salt 3/4 tsp Vanilla 1 large Egg 1 medium Banana 120 ml warm Water 60 ml Milk 60 ml Canola oil 200 ml chocolate Moose 150 g Blackberries