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CARROT AND PARSNIP SOUP
A delicious combination of carrots, parsnips, ginger and just a touch of chilli, this Easy Carrot and Parsnip Soup is warming, budget friendly, nutritious and very simple to make.
Course: Main Course, Soup, Starter
Cuisine: British
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 193 kcalIngredients
Metric – US Customary
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion diced
500 g (1 lb) parsnip peeled and chopped into small chunks (roughly 1cm / ½inch cubes)
500 g (1 lb) carrot chopped into small chunks (roughly 1cm / ½inch cubes – see Note 1)
2 cloves garlic grated or crushed
½ teaspoon fresh ginger grated
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock from a cube is fine
Salt and black pepper to taste (see Note 2)Instructions
1. Place the olive oil and diced onions in a fairly large saucepan and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes, with the lid on, until softened but not brown. Stir occasionally.
2. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the chopped parsnips. Fry the parsnips for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions and parsnips are tinged with brown. (See Note 3.)
3. Turn the heat right down and add the chopped carrot, garlic, ginger and chilli flakes. Fry for 1 more minute, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper and turn up the heat.
6. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on, or until the parsnip and carrot pieces are tender.
7. Tip the soup into a blender and blitz until completely smooth. PLEASE TAKE CARE AS THE SOUP WILL BE VERY HOT! (See Note 4.)
8. If necessary, return the blended soup back to the saucepan and warm back up to your desired temperature. (You may also want to check the seasoning at this point and adjust as necessary.)
9. Serve with homemade soda bread (or any other bread you like!)Notes
1. Because this soup is blended until smooth, there is no need to peel the carrots. Not peeling the carrots has no negative impact on the final soup, means you get extra goodness from the skins and saves you a job!
2. Only add back pepper to this soup, as the salt content of the stock cube makes this soup salty enough for most tastes.
3. By turning up the heat and frying the parsnip pieces until they are tinged with brown, you can get a little of that roasted/caramelized parsnip flavour, without the faff of actually having to roast the parsnips in the oven.
4. If you prefer, you can use a hand blender, however I think this soup works best when blended super smooth, which is harder to achieve with a hand blender.
5. Suitable for freezing.Greek Moussaka
Moussaka is a Greek classic! Moussaka is a labour of love, there’s no two ways about it.
There’s a fair few steps, but once you get in the swing of things it truly couldn’t be easier to make.
There’s also a fair few different ways to make Moussaka, but this way is the best way.
Equipment:
Large Pot or Pan & Wooden Spoon (for beef)
Large Pot or Pan & Tongs (suitable for shallow/deep frying veg)
Medium/Large Pot & Whisk (for bechamel sauce)
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
8″ x 12″ Baking Dish (or similar size)
Kitchen Papers Towel (lots of it!)
Serving Spatula/Spoon
Fine Cheese Grater
Jug (for milk)
Kitchen Thermometer (for frying)Ingredients (check list):
Beef Layer
1.6lb / 750g Ground Beef (preferably fairly lean)
1 cup / 240ml Tomato Passata (pureed/strained tomatoes in US)
1 cup / 240ml Beef Stock
1/2 cup / 120ml Dry Red Wine (can sub more beef stock)
1/4 cup finely diced Fresh Parsley, plus extra to serve
2 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste (Tomato Puree in UK)
1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 large White Onion, finely diced
2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
2 small or 1 large Bay Leaf
3/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp Sugar (any)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
1 tbsp Olive OilBéchamel Sauce
4oz / 120g Unsalted Butter
4oz / 120g Plain Flour
4 cups / 1litre Milk, at room temp
1 cup / 80g freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra to serve (Kefalotiri Cheese is traditional, can also sub parmesan)
2 Egg Yolks
1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
1/2 small Nutmeg, grated (or 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
1/4 tsp White PepperVeg Layers (see notes for baking version)
2lb / 1kg (approx 4 smallish) Eggplants/Aubergine, sliced around 1/3″ thickness (Can do lengthways or can make more smaller rounds if you wish)
1.6lb / 750g (approx 2 large) Baking Potatoes, peeled & sliced around 1/4″
1lb / 500g (approx 2 medium) Zucchini/Courgettes, sliced into approx 1/3″ strips (Do lengthways)
2 cups / 500ml Vegetable or Olive Oil, or enough to cover veg in the pan
Few pinches of Parsley & Pecorino cheese (to sprinkle in between layers)
Salt & Pepper, as neededInstructions:
1. Beef Layer: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion and fry until it begins to soften/brown, then add in garlic and fry for 1-2mins longer.
3. Add in beef and break up with a wooden spoon until fully browned.
4. Stir in tomato paste and fry for a couple of mins, then pour in wine.
5. Deglaze the pan if needed, then pour in passata and beef stock.
6. Add in parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, pepper & bay leaf and give it a good stir.
7. Keep on a gentle simmer for around 30mins, stirring occasionally until nice and thick.Meanwhile…
PREP Veg Layer:
1. Rest few sheets of paper towel on a flat surface and lay on your eggplant/aubergine slices.
2. Rub a pinch of salt over both sides, then add two layers of paper towels on top.
3. On top of that add the zucchini / courgette slices, followed by another layer of paper towel, followed by potato slices and finished with another layer of paper towel.
4. Gently press down to soak up the moisture. Can use tea towels instead if you wish.COOK Veg Layer:
1. Heat up enough oil to cover the veg in a suitably sized pot/pan until it gently sizzles (you’re aiming for around 150C/300F).
2. Carefully start sliding in your potato slices and fry both sides until lightly golden with the potato fork tender.
3. Remove, shake off oil and place on fresh paper towel.
4. Increase oil temp slightly to around 170C/340F and fry the zucchini slices until softened & lightly browned, then finish with the eggplant slices.
5. Leave everything to drain on paper towels. You can use two pans to speed things up or bake one or two of the veg (see notes).Béchamel Sauce:
1. In a suitably sized pot over medium heat melt butter.
2. Stir in flour to create a paste then gradually begin whisking in your milk.
3. Once you’ve poured in all the milk and the sauce is thick, stir in salt, white pepper and nutmeg.
4. Take the pot off heat and stir in pecorino until the sauce is lump free, then quickly whisk in the egg yolks.
5. Take 1/2 cup of the sauce and stir it into the beef.Stack Moussaka:
1.Add a layer of potato to the baking dish (overlapping as needed) and sprinkle over a hefty pinch of parsley, pecorino, salt & pepper.
2. Follow with zucchini / courgette and parsley/pecorino/salt/pepper, then half the eggplant / aubergine with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Try and close all the gaps and make it all nice and compact.
4. Spread over beef layer, top with the rest of your eggplant/aubergine, then top with the Béchamel sauce.Cook & Serve Moussaka:
1. Finish with a sprinkling of pecorino then place in the oven at 180C/350F for 35-45mins, or until golden on top.
2. Leave it to sit for at least 15mins, just to help it keep shape. Serve up and enjoy!Notes:
a) Baked Veg – You can bake the eggplant/aubergine, zucchini/courgette and potato instead of frying if you wish.
You can also bake some of it (i.e. the potatoes) as you fry the eggplant/zucchini to save time.Recommendation if you bake:
– Still salt the eggplant/aubergine and pat everything dry with paper towels first.
– Coat everything in olive oil, salt and pepper, then space out on baking trays.
– Bake at 200C/390F. Potatoes will take the longest (around 30mins), then eggplant/aubergine (around 20mins) then zucchini/courgettes (around 10-15mins). This is all depending on thickness though so just be vigilant. Just bake until everything is lightly golden and fork tender.b) Prep Ahead – You can definitely prep the beef part ahead of time, just cool and tightly store in the fridge over night (or freeze up to a month), then allow to come back to room temp before stirring through Béchamel and stacking.
If you want to prep the whole thing ahead of time just make up until baking then tightly cover in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temp and bake as needed. Can also freeze just thaw and bake as needed.c) Make Ahead – Allow to completely cool then store in the fridge for 3-4days (can also freeze for a month).
Thaw then bring to room temp before baking for around 30mins, or until piping hot again through the centre.
You could bake straight from the fridge but it’s sometimes difficult to cook it right through the centre without the outside burning.d) Frying/Oil – Because you don’t fry at a super high temp you can use olive oil. This will add a good punch of flavour, almost like a gentle zing of spice. Vegetable oil will give you much more of a neutral flavour.
Go for olive oil if you’ve not got much oil (i.e. shallow frying), but use vegetable if you’ve got a much bigger pot and deep fry with bigger batches.How to layer a Moussaka
1. Potatoes – Sprinkled with cheese, parsley, salt & pepper.
2. Zucchini/Courgette – Stacked in the opposite direction to the potatoes. Sprinkled with cheese, parsley, salt & pepper.
3. Eggplant/Aubergine – Only use half, sprinkled with salt & pepper.
4. Meat Sauce – Ensure this is nice and level/flat.
5. Eggplant/Aubergine – Second half stacked in opposite direction to the first layer, seasoned with salt & pepper.
6. Béchamel Sauce – Topped with more cheese.
BEER BACON SOUP
6 slices thick cut bacon
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground chile de arbol (or cayenne pepper; to taste)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup beer, Belgian style wheat beer (Blue Moon)
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
chives
croutonsWarm an 8 quart pot over high heat. Using clean scissors; cut bacon into pot. Cook bacon until lightly crisp, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite size pieces.
Remove bacon from pan and place on a plate with papertowel to absorb excess grease. Add chicken into bacon grease to cook. Stir occasionally until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken onto plate with bacon.
Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and add to pan drippings. Whisk in flour and spices. Add beer, broth and half & half. Whisk to combine and bring to a bubble. Add cheese whisk to combine, stir until you have a smooth mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce, chicken and bacon. Stir to combine.
Allow to simmer until ready to serve, stirring occasionally. Garnish with chives and croutons. Enjoy! serves 6-8
Check Egg Freshness With Water
Eggs get a really bad rap when it comes to smell, and the rotten egg has been a favorite insult amongst young children for decades. Let’s face it, the thought of cracking open an egg only to find it is rotten is a nightmare, especially if you are cracking it into a dish that has taken a lot of work, like a cake or a quiche.
How can you check the date of your eggs?
Well, relying on the date stamp is one way, but we all know that mistakes happen, and the odd rotten egg can most certainly slip through the proverbial cracks.
All you need to do is put the raw, whole egg into a cup of water, if it floats it’s rotten, if it sinks you’re good to go!Decrystallize Honey in the Microwave
Pure, raw honey often crystallizes, but that doesn’t mean that it’s gone bad.
You can tell when the honey has crystallized because it will be lighter and paler than normal honey.
This means that the glucose sugar has separated out, causing white crystals to form. To get honey recrystallized, place it into a microwave-safe container without a lid.
Then, microwave the honey on medium for thirty seconds at a time. After thirty seconds, remove it and stir.
Continue until the white crystals have dissipated, but be careful not to boil or scorch the honey, as that will ruin it.Crystallized Honey is totally normal, and natural.
Crystallized honey is just as edible and delicious as liquid honey, but if you don’t like the texture of crystallized honey, it is quite simple to soften honey by adding heat. Heating honey will liquefy crystallized honey.
So you can also add the jar to a jug of hot but not boiling water.Damp Dish Towels Prevent Slipping
Cutting boards that slip aren’t just annoying, they’re downright dangerous. If you’re slicing something with a sharp knife and the board slips, you’ll be lucky if the food on the floor is your only damage. You could be looking at an ER trip.
To prevent cutting boards from slipping, place a damp dishtowel between the board and the surface of the counter. The damp towel will act as a grip, preventing the board from sliding or slipping. If you don’t have a dishtowel on hand, just use a damp paper towel or two damp washcloths, side by side.
French Onion Soup in Slow-Cooker
Ingredients:
3 pounds yellow onions, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
2 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
8 cups (2 32-ounce cartons) beef broth
⅓ cup brandy, optional but recommended
4 to 6 baguette slices, toasted (1 slice per bowl)
1 ⅓ to 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (⅓ cup per bowl)Directions:
1. Put the onion slices in a 5-quart (or larger) slow cooker, along with the butter, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
Cover the crockpot and cook on low overnight, or for 10-12 hours. The onions should be dark golden brown and soft.2. Add the beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and fresh thyme. Cover and continue cooking on low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and stir in the brandy, if using.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celcius).
5. In evenly-portioned amounts, ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Place the bowls on a baking sheet to catch any spills while in the oven.
6.Top each bowl with a baguette slice and the shredded Gruyere.
7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted.
8. Turn the oven to broil and brown the tops for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before enjoying!
Want an amazing and healthy side dish?
Marinate sliced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar for 4-6 hours.
Bake at 350 for about 7 minutes or till a little tender.
Meanwhile, sauté spinach and garlic with a dash of salt and lemon juice.
Put spinach on top of tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese of your choice (I chose Italian blend) and broil til cheese is golden!
Ta da. Delish and muffin top friendly! Enjoy!
Classic Italian Bruschetta Recipe
6 Roma Tomatoes (1 1/2 lbs, diced)
⅓ cup Basil Leaves (chopped)
5 Garlic Cloves (divided)
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ teaspoon Black PepperBalsamic Glaze (optional)
1 Baguette
⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded)Directions:
Make the Tomato Topping:
Core and dice tomatoes (or use a food chopper). Drain any excess juice and transfer tomatoes to a medium bowl.
Stack basil leaves and roll them into a tube. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the basil into ribbons and transfer to the bowl with tomatoes.
Finely mince 5 garlic cloves. Mix 1 tsp of minced garlic into 3 Tbsp olive oil and set aside. Add remaining minced garlic to the mixing bowl with tomatoes.
Season tomatoes with 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp balsamic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir gently to combine and set aside to marinate for 15-30 minutes.
Serve with bruschetta toasts and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or balsamic glaze.
Make the Bruschetta Toasts:
Preheat oven to 400˚F with a rack in the center of the oven.
Place toasts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut toasts into 1/2” thick slices, slicing diagonally.
Arrange toasts on the prepared baking sheet and brush the garlic infused olive oil on both sides of toasts. Sprinkle tops with parmesan cheese and bake at 400˚F for 5 minutes then broil on high heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. (Note: If you do not have garlic infused olive oil slice a clove of garlic and manually rub each slice of bread with it and then brush on olive oil as described)
Build the toasts right before serving.
A personal favorite!!
MOTHER LOAD BLOODY MARY – A “MUST” SUNDAY MEAL!
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 1/2 ounces Vodka (per drink)
* 7 ounces V8 juice (or tomato juice)
* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* Cajun / Creole Seasoning
* Pound of bacon
* 4 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (Can be dragged in old bay seasoning if desired)
* olive oil
* salt/pepper
* lemon and or lime
* 1/2 teaspoon tabasco
* celery
* olivesOptions: Cubes of cheddar jack cheese, slim jims
DIRECTIONS:
* Mix the brown sugar and cayenne together, sprinkle over the top side of the bacon slices – bake @350 for 20 min
* Brush shrimp with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper & place under broiler for a few minutes each side
* Pour the Vodka, V8, worcestershire, tabasco, salt/pepper, and squeeze of lemon (or lime) into a cocktail shaker – shake vigorously and pour into a tall glass with ice
* Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon seasoning on the top of the drink and/or rim the glass.
* Garnish with olive spears, celery stalk, shrimp and bacon skewers
These are a hit in my house and no matter how many I make I never have leftovers.
I have made them both as an appetizer and for a lunch/brunch.
INGREDIENTS
Garlic butter:
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
(I usually add a bit of salt & pepper to taste.)Mushrooms:
5-6 large Portobello Mushrooms, stem removed, washed and dried thoroughly with a paper towel
5-6 fresh mozzarella cheese balls, sliced thinly
1 cup grape, (or cherry) tomatoes, sliced thinly
fresh basil, shredded to garnishBalsamic Glaze:
(You can use store bought, or this recipe)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar (OPTIONAL)DIRECTIONS:
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Preheat oven to grill/broil settings on high heat. Arrange oven shelf to the middle of your oven.Combine all of the Garlic Butter ingredients together in a small saucepan (or microwave safe bowl), and melt until garlic is fragrant. Brush the bottoms of each mushroom and place them, buttered side down, on a baking tray.
Flip and brush any remaining garlic over the insides of each cap. Fill each mushroom with the mozzarella slices and tomatoes, and grill/broil until cheese has melted and golden in colour (about 8 minutes).
To serve, top with the basil, drizzle with the balsamic glaze and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Balsamic Glaze:
(If making from scratch, prepare while mushrooms are in the oven.) Combine sugar (if using) and vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes or until mixture has thickened and reduced to a glaze. (If not using sugar, allow to reduce for 12-15 minutes on low heat).
Note: Steaming vegetables is much healthier than boiling them and would take about the same amount of time. If you do choose to boil them save the water and use in soups or stews.
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