recipe and photograph by www.finedinings.com

You might also like:

2 onions
3 peppers
olive oil
half litre water
stock cube
thyme
3 teaspoons sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Peel and dice onions. Wash the peppers and remove the stalk, seeds and white parts. Cut the flesh into dice.

Heat the oil and fry the onions until transparent. Add the peppers and cook for a further five minutes. 

Boil the water and dissolve the stock cube, sugar, salt and herbs. Add to the vegetables and simmer for ten minutes. 

Blend, season, serve hot or cold.
 

You might also like:

4 eggs

leftover shredded meat eg,chicken,turkey

half a small white cabbage

2-3 carrots

1 red onion

3 small potatoes,diced

head of broccolie

butter

Bit of background- I've joined The Daring Cooks (and the Daring Bakers) challenge- basically once a month you are given a new recipe to try out and on the "reveal" day you post up your results. The reveal day for the Cooks challenge is the 14th of the month (the Bakers is the 27th). For more info check out www.thedaringkitchen.com

Anyway, this months challenge was a Vietnamese Chicken Pho set by Jaden Hair of The Steamy Kitchen. The recipe is here: http://steamykitchen.com/139-vietnam...up-pho-ga.html.

I did the long version which meant you made the chicken stock from scratch- The short version was stock from a can.

Here's my effort:

First thing- I need to practice my food photography. I followed the recipe quite faithfully with a couple of differences:

1. I added the chicken giblets to the stock to make a more in-depth flavoured stock.

2. I reduced the stock in order to intensify the flavours and gel up the stock a little more.

3. I didn't skim the stock- I did my usual- made the stock, stuck it in the fridge and then removed the fat layer from the top once it had chilled.

One change I would make in the future is to grind down the spices using a mortar and pestle in order to concentrate the spice flavour. Other than that the recipe was really good. The pho was great- good flavours and unctuous. I'll definitely do this one again.

You might also like:

350g mixed fruit 
200g soft brown sugar 
270g self raising flour 
3/4 pint freshly made tea 
2 medium eggs

Pour the tea over the fruit and sugar, and leave to soak overnight (or longer if you like tea).

Mix the flour and beaten eggs with the fruit and sugar and cook in a greased 2lb loaf tin in a pre-heated oven at 150ºC (300ºF, Gas Mark 2) for 1.5 hours.

Cool on a wire rack and serve sliced with butter.

You might also like:

250g butter, plus extra for greasing
250g self raising flour
300g golden caster sugar
3 heaped tbsp cocoa
generous pinch of bicarbonate of soda
200ml cola 
75ml milk
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
60g of softened butter
200g icing sugar
2-3 tbsp cocoa
2 tbsp cola

Sauce
1 or 2 kingsized caramel chocolate bars
splash of double cream
2 tbsp of mini marshmallows (optional)

Pre-Heat the oven to Gas mark 4, and grease a 24cm loose bottom tin.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarbonate soda into a bowl.

Gently melt the butter and cola drink together in a pan, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix the milk, eggs and vanilla extract together and add to the mixture.

Mix GENTLY but throughly then tip into your tin.

Bake for 40 minutes or untill a skewer comes out clean, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack while you do the topping.

To make the Topping
Beat the butter, icing sugar and cocoa together in a bowl untill blended.

Beat in the cola drink to combine spread over the cake and allow the topping to set.

To Make The Sauce
Melt the chocolate bar gently in a pan with a splash of cream (add more cream if you want a pouring consistency) Then stir in the marshmallows(if using) The sauce is RICH & SWEET so you may either want to serve the topping or the sauce not both.

You might also like:

Thanks to Chris Comley for this one.

Soften a finely chopped onion and, if you like, a mashed up clove of garlic or two in quality oil. When its soft but not browned, lob in tomatoes*, and a finely chopped birds-eye chilli (one should be ample for a two-to-four serving quantity, but it's entirely up to you!!!) and salt to taste. A pinch of oregano. A little white wine perhaps, a dash of wine vinegar. Simmer a while.  You can cook it for as little time as it takes to cook the pasta though you'll get a better flavour if you can simmer it for fifteen to twenty minutes.

You might also like:

You might also like:

 450g (1lb) strong white bread flour
225g (8oz) prunes, cut into small pieces
115ml (4fl oz) milk, warm
110g (4oz) butter, melted
4 tbsp sugar
50g (2oz) currants
50g (2oz) sultanas
15g (½oz) easy-blend yeast
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 pinch salt

Mix milk, sugar, butter, yeast, beaten egg, salt, and spices. Add the flour, beating until smooth to make soft pliable dough.

Turn out onto floured surface and knead till smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover. Allow to stand in a warm place until doubled in volume.

Knock back and knead briefly, adding the dried fruits, ensuring they are evenly distributed.

Divide the dough in two, place into two 450g (1lb) greased and lined loaf tins.

Cover and leave in a warm room to rise until doubled in size.

Pre-heat oven to 190°C; 170°C fan oven; 375 F; Gas 5, bake on a preheated baking sheet for 40-50 minutes.

Remove the loaves from the tins.

Return them to the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until when tapped on the base they sound hollow.

You might also like:

 This is a fabulous recipe to use up your summer harvest of zucchini! I would say that this is more of a cake texture than a brownie texture, but VERY delicious! Enjoy!

 Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1.5 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup nuts (I used chocolate chips)
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Instructions:

Combine all wet ingredients in a bowl. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Stir until well blended. Turn into a 9x13 baker, and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

You might also like:

crunchie bar sponge cake

6oz butter
3oz caster sugar
3oz soft brown sugar
3 eggs
vanilla essence
6oz self raising flour
2tsp baking powder
3 crunchie bars

Gas 4/180

• cream butter and sugar until creamy
• add eggs and mix with a blender
• add vanilla (amount is up to your own taste)
• fold in sifted flour (and baking powder)
• crush crunchie bars and add to mix
• pour mixture into two 8" sandwich tins
• cook for 20-30 mins

enjoy :]

You might also like:

 A cobbler is a fruit dessert topped with something rather like, but not exactly, scone dough. You can make this with any fruit - I made one a few weeks ago with nectarines and peaches, and did one on Saturday with brambles and cooking apple.

Use as much fruit as will fit in the bowl, is my rule of thumb, and I prefer to sweeten with honey rather than sugar.  The topping's the thing, here.

6oz plain flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp caster sugar
3 oz marg
5 fl oz sour cream or yoghurt - works fine with either

Blitz everything but the sour cream/yoghurt in a blender if you have one, or rub it to a breadcrumb consistency if you don't.

Stir in the cream/yoghurt. Turn it out onto a floured surface, and knead a bit - it'll be quite sticky, and so will you when you've finished.  No need to use a rolling pin - just pat it out to about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick, and cut into rounds with a scone cutter, or a handy glass, or whatever.

Lay on top of the fruit, dust with caster sugar, bake at 200˚C for about 30 minutes.  Eat hot, ideally with lashings of double cream.

Enjoy.

You might also like:

... Or Cherry Cheese, or Apple Cheese, or whatever you would like to add!!

This is a great, super-easy recipe that is always enjoyed!

Taken from "The Pampered Chef Favourites", 2002

Impress everyone with this attractive and wonderful dessert; but don't tell them how easy it is to make!

Ingredients:

2 pkg (235 g each) refrigerated crescent rolls (Pillsbury)
1 pkg (250 g) cream cheese, softened (regular or light)
1/4 cup (50 ml) icing sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla or almond extract
1 can (19 oz / 540 ml) cherry or blueberry or other, pie filling

Glaze:
1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar
2-3 tsp (10-15 ml) milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 f / 180 C. Unroll crescent dough. Separate into 16 triangles; reserve 4 triangles for decoration. Arrange 12 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone with wide ends toward the outside edge of Baking Stone and points toward the centre (points will not meet). Using lightly floured Baker's Roller, roll dough to 14 inch/35 cm circle, pressing seams together to seal and leaving a 3 inch/7.6 cm diameter opening in centre.

2. For filling, combine cream cheese, icing sugar, egg and vanilla in Classic Batter Bowl. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough to within 1/2 inch/2 cm of edges using Classic Scraper. Spoon pie filling over cheese mixture.

3. Using Pizza Cutter, cut each remaining triangle into thirds staring at the wide end opposite the point and cutting lengthwise to the point. Arrange dough strips evenly in spoke-like fashion over filling. Press ends to seal at centre and outer edges.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown; cool slightly. For glaze, mix icing sugar and milk until smooth; drizzle over ring.

Yield: 12 servings

Enjoy!

You might also like:

Ingredients:

Turkey parts - I use Turkey drumsticks
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup of orange juice

Put turkey in slow cooker, mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over turkey. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you want to fill the crock with more turkey parts, double the sauce ingredients. You will wants of sauce, because it is delicious!

Enjoy!

You might also like:

This is a Pampered Chef recipe.  I used to work for Pampered Chef, but no longer.  I like a lot of their recipes for the 'short-cut' aspect, and they have great appetizer recipes.  This is a twist on the traditional taco dip.  Enjoy!

Ingrediants:

1 can (398 ml) refried beans
1 pkg (250 g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream
1 pkg (35 g) taco seasoning mix
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 0z (60 g) cheddar cheese, grated (1/2 cup /125 ml)
1 small tomato, cored and diced
1/4 cup (50 ml) green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (50 ml) pitted ripe olives, sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh cilantro, minced
Tortilla chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C. Spread refried beans over bottom of medium sized casserole dish (Deep Dish Baker) using spatula (Classic Scraper). Combine cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning in mixing bowl (Classic Batter Bowl). Press garlic with (Garlic Press); add to mixing bowl. Mix well.

2. Spread cream cheese mixture over beans. Grate cheese over top using grater (Deluxe Cheese Grater). Bake 15 18 minutes or until heated through.

3. To prepare toppings, dice tomato and thinly slice green onions using knife (Utility Knife). Slice olives using (Egg Slicer Plus). Mince ciliantro. Sprinkle tomato, green onions, olives and cilantro over dip. Serve with tortilla chips.

This recipe is from The Pampered Chef Favourites 2002.

Pampered Chef recipes are designed to show-off the items that they sell, so that the recipes feature many of their products. I've put the names of their products in brackets, but of course you don't need to have these things to make their recipes!

Enjoy this great dip! I've made this many times, and it always enjoyed!

You might also like:

This recipe was inspired by the flavours of lemon and parsley from tabouleh.  Enjoy!

2 large cans beans (any will do, I like the ones that have a variety in them)
1 large sweet onion (honey sweet or vidalia)
1 large bunch fresh parsley
1-2 lemons
1-2 sweet peppers (yellow, orange or red)
splash of olive oil
salt and pepper

1) Rinse the beans really well to get all the sludge off of them
2) cut up onion into bean sized chunks
3) remove parsley stems, rinse the parsley really well, and snip into bite size using kitchen scissors
4) using a lemon zestor, remove lemon zest, then juice lemons
5) chop peppers into bean sized chunks
6) mix everything up in a big bowl with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper

Enjoy!

This recipe works really well with other veggies thrown in too!

You might also like:

I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com. Turned out really great!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
4 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
4 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
6 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon liquid hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco™

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic and tofu; cook and stir until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, the whole process should take about 10 minutes.

2. Pour the black beans into the slow cooker and set to Low. Stir in the vegetables and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Stir gently and cover. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

I posted this recipe exactly as copied from Allrecipes.com, however, I did change it slightly. I'm not a big fan of green peppers, so I used red, yellow and orange. Also, I ran out of chilli powder, so I threw in some asian hot sauce, and that seemed to do the trick. We ate it with scoop corn chips and grated chedder on top. Delicious!

You might also like:

1.75 kg greengages or plums
250 ml white grape concentrate (you can probably get away with grape juice but it might be a bit thin)
1.5kg sugar
1 tsp citric acid
1 tsp pectolase
yeast and nutrient (white for greengates, red for plums, ideally)
1 cup cold black tea (no milke or sugar).

Pour 2 pints boiling water over the fruit and leave overnight.  Then add four pints of cold water, and everything else.

Leave 24 hours and strain off.  Don't squeeze too much or you might release too much pectin, which will cloud the wine.

Pour into a demi john  add another 1/2 teaspoon of pectolase. Fit and airlock, and leave until the wine stops frothing (should be around 48 hours). Top up with cold water to the shoulder of the demi john.

When it stops fermenting, syphon off into a clean demijohn  and add a campden tablet and a potassium sorbate tablet. 

Leave about a month if it doesn't clear, add finings and another campden tablet.

Bottle when clear.

You might also like:

 I have a gallon and a half of this mulling quietly to itself right now.  Should be drinkable somewhere around October 2010.  

To make 1 gallon:

2.75 kg / 6 lbs apples - I used Bramley windfalls from a friend's orchard
1 kg / 2.5 lbs granulated sugar
150ml/1/4 pint grape concentrate
1 teaspoon citric acid
1 lemon
4.5 litres/1 gallon water
yeast and nutrient

Wash and chop up the apples - stalks, core, brown bits, the lot.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes in one gallon of water (I used a preserving pan).

Strain the liquid onto the sugar, and the thinly grated rind of the lemon, and stir well.

When it's cooled to luke warm, add the juice of the lemon, the yeast, and the nutrient and concentrate to the liquid, cover and leave for 24 hours in a warm place.  

Then pour into a sterilised fermenting jar, and fit an airlock.

Leave in a warm place to ferment for four weeks (I keep mine by the hall radiator, as we have no airing cupboard (sob)).  Siphon off into a clean fermenting jar, and ferment out under airlock.  Then mature for six months before bottling.

You might also like:

This should produce a dry wine, "indistinguishable from hock".  We'll see!

6 lbs/2.7kg ripe green gooseberries 
2.5 lbs/1.25kg sugar (I just use ordinary granulated)
6-7 pints/3-4 litres water
yeast and nutrient
pectic enzyme (you should get an idea of how much to use of these ingredients from the packets, as they differ).

My recipe says to top and tail the gooseberries, but I didn't bother, I'm afraid.  I put them into my large fermenting bucket, and squished them by hand until pulpy - it was quite satisfying!  And the enzyme and water, then allow to stand for three days, well covered (my bucket has a close fitting lid), stirring from time to time.

Strain through two layers of muslin, and add the sugar, stirring until it's all dissolved, then add yeast and nutrient.  Put into a sterlised fermenting jar and fit and airlock, and wait for it to stop bubbling.  I'd imagine 4-5 weeks - mine is still bubbling merrily after 2 weeks.

Then rack off, and leave to mature, siphoning off the lees again after another six months.  Leave for another 12 months before drinking.

Home wine making is not a speedy process!  My gooseberry wine will hopefully be drinkable in about Feb 2011 ...

You might also like: