Pumpkin & Potato Soup

Wanting to use whatever I had on hand, I trolled the internet for a pumpkin & potato soup and came across this little beauty. Fun to make and full of deep flavour, this recipe makes a big pot that'll serve up to 8 people.

Pumpkin & Potato Soup

0.5 pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and chopped
6 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic, crushed
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1.2L reserved water

Method

Boil the pumpkin, carrot and potato in a saucepan till they're mostly cooked. Reserve 1.2L of the water when the vegies are being strained.

Fry the onion and garlic in a large and deep frying pan until browned. Add the pumpkin, carrot and potato and fry until browned.

Insert sufficient stock powder to taste in the reserved water and then tip the contents of the frying pan into the liquid stock.

Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes or till vegies are fully cooked.

Blend and serve with a dollop of yoghurt and cracked pepper.

Chorizo Frittata

I always find that when I can't come up with something for dinner, like tonight, a good ole' and quick frittata always saves the day.

An egg based dish, the frittata is enhanced with ingredients such as meat, cheese, vegies or even pasta.  I found potato and pumpkin, chorizo and potato or potato with parsley and a good dose of garlic as some of my favorite combinations.  Frittatas can be made on the cook-top in a deep non-stick frying pan or baked in the oven in a round cake pan.

The beauty with frittatas is that they can be served straight out of the oven with a nice green salad or cold straight out of the fridge the next day alongside some more green salad.  Frittatas go down just as nicely for dinner as they do the next day for breakfast.  It is a nice hardy dish, filled with high-quality protein that provides sustained energy to get you through the day.

Chorizo Frittata

2 large potatoes, diced, cooked and fried
3 chorizo sausages, sliced and fried
2 carrots, peeled, diced and cooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
½ cup (125mL) milk
8 eggs, lightly whisked
Salt and ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm round cake pan and line with non-stick baking paper.

Steam the potatoes and carrots.  Three-quarter fry the onion and chorizos, then add the cooked potatoes and carrots and fry until the added vegies get a slightly browned look.

Whisk the milk and eggs together, then season with salt and pepper.  Combine with the fried ingredients, mix together and pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake for 25 minutes and then turn the oven up to 210°C and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until the top of the frittata gets a golden brown appearance. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.  Cut into wedges and serve with a green salad.

Just pulled out of the oven.

With a simple green salad.

Betty Crocker's Rocky Road Bars

On a whim I purchased a Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix to find out that it doesn't come with the frosting as many other pre-packed cake mixes do.  Great what do I do with a slab of cake? 

Not to be disappointed for long, I was intrigued by the Rocky Road Bars the rear of the pack advertised.  With curiosity and some drooling I looked it up on the Betty Crocker website.

Here's what happened:

Doesn't it just look yum?

Oh my and was it delicious and gooey and fudgy.

Not complicated to make at all, especially since we are using pre-packed cake mix, here's the recipe with all of 8 ingredients.

Rocky Road Bars

1 Betty Crocker SuperMoist milk chocolate cake mix
110g butter, melted
0.25C water
0.25C brown sugar
1 egg
3C miniature marshmallows
50g small M&Ms
1/3C Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting

Method

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees celsius.  Line a 20 x 20 cm square baking tray with baking paper.

Combine cake mix, butter, water, brown sugar and egg in a large bowl and stir well.  Pour into pan and spread evenly.  Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle marshmallows and bake a further 15 minutes, then add the M&Ms.

Microwave the frosting for 10 seconds and drizzle on the bars.  Cool for one hour and slice bars into 16 pieces.

As you can see we were very generous with our servings.

For more delightful Betty Crocker recipes check out the website www.bettycroker.com.  There are some amazing dessert recipes that just have to be tested.

Pan-Fried Fish Fillet with Black Bean Sauce

This dish is inspired by a recipe from A Taste of Singapore cookbook and my desperate need to know what to do with two large white fish fillets I had in the freezer. 

Deep in flavour the fish was accompanied by vegetable fried rice and sambal kankong (water spinach wok fried with chilli paste).

Pleased to report that nothing was left and my 3 year old girl enjoyed it just as much.

Pan-Fried Fish Fillet with Black Bean Sauce (Serves 4)

2 large white fish fillets
2 T black bean sauce
1 T oyster sauce
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
0.5 tsp ground black pepper
2 T oil
4 T cooking white wine vinegar

Method

Combine all the ingredients, except the fish, to create the black bean sauce.  Pour into a large & deep frying pan and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the fish and simmer for 10 minutes consistently spooning the sauce over it.  Gently turn over so as not to break the fillets and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked.  This will give the fish a slightly crispy flavour.

Serve with fried rice, your choice of Asian greens and a crisp sauvignon blanc.

Tip: If you find the flavour too deep then add a cup of water to the sauce to thin it out.

German Potato Soup

Fellow cook, Jenny Filips, posted this very yummy soup on Facebook's Homemade Recipes Group.  Immediately I made it and devoured it with my daughter.  Less than a fortnight later, I made it again and this time promptly demolished it with my husband, brother and daughter.

A quick and easy soup, it's thick, flavoursome and filling.  Jenny's recipe calls for bacon but since I didn't have any I used two chorizo sausages instead.

German Potato Soup

1 T margarine
2 onions, peeled & diced
2 chorizo sausages
2 T flour
1 L chicken stock
4 large potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 T freshly chopped parsley

Method

Heat margarine in large saucepan, add the onion and cook till softened.

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the flour until all combined. Return to heat and slowly add the stock stirring continuously.

Add potatoes and parsley, bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Whilst the soup is simmering, fry the chorizos until almost cooked. Remove from frying pan and slice then quarter. Add back to frying pan and continue frying till fully cooked.

When the soup has cooked add the chorizos, stir, season to taste and serve hot.

Chicken & Mushroom Vol-Au-Vents

There's not much to be said about this recipe other than that my sister has been making these Vol Au Vents for about 21 years.  They are easy, delicious and a family hit every single time. 

Whilst the recipe calls for entree size pastries only, if you have small children you will find that the bite size pastries will be their favorites as they can manage it with their hands and eat it in a couple of bites.  My sister always makes a combination of both entree and bite size and I have no qualms in stealing some small ones, whilst I also indulge in the entree size ones as well.

Chicken & Mushroom Vol Au Vents

36 entree size pastry cases (vol au vents)
800g chicken fillets,sliced as if stir-frying (skin-off)
400g mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2T tomato paste
110g butter
0.5C plain flour
2C milk
Salt & peeper to taste

Method

Annie preparing the chicken.

Melt 50g butter in a large and deep frying pan that has a lid and saute the onions.  Add the chicken and salt and pepper, then give it a stir.  Turn the heat to low, put the lid on and let it cook until the juices from the chicken evaporate.  Stir occasionally.

Add the mushrooms and tomato paste, stir and put the lid back on.  Let it cook until most of the juice from the mushrooms evaporate.  Ideally the mixture remains slightly moist.  Set aside and make the sauce.

Chicken and mushroom mixture.

On low heat, in a small non-stick saucepan melt the remaining butter and progressively add the flour and mix it together.  Add the milk in quarter cup portions and stir well and keep mixing.  It should be a pasty mixture without any lumps.  If there are any lumps just push the mixture through a sieve.

No lumps.

Add the mixture to the chicken in the frying pan, give a good stir so it's all mixed. 

In a large baking tray place the vol au vents and then with a tablespoon fill the cases evenly.

No fancy brand needed, just the
local Coles is good enough.

Annie filling the cases.

Place in the oven at 150 degrees to warm them up and slightly brown the cases.

Vol Au Vents ready to go in the oven.

Serve with green salad and
a chilled white wine.

Enjoy.  I sure did and went back for more.

Orange Torte

After several soup recipe posts, I think it's time for a shift to something wickedly sweet.  Mind you this cake is certainly not for the weight conscious.

Made by my grandmother since she was a young lady, this recipe is approximately 80 years old.  Passed down to my sister, she has been baking it for the last 20 years and perfecting it each year. It has become the traditional birthday cake amongst the family and it never lasts beyond the next day.

Whilst time consuming in the preparation and baking, it is certainly worth the effort for those really special events.

Orange Torte

Cake

10 eggs, separated
300g sugar
200g plain flour
Juice of 1 lemon

Orange Cream

280g sugar
2 full eggs
6 egg yolks
2 tsp plain flour
6T milk
2 orange rinds
300g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes

Method

Cake

Preheat oven 160 degrees.  Separate the eggs into two large mixing bowls.  Add the sugar to the yolk and mix until it has a creamy texture.

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks then gently fold into the egg yolk.  Add the flour and lemon juice, gently fold again.

Beating the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolks.

Add the flour and lemon juice
and gently fold till mixed.

Pour the cake mix into a large non-stick springform baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for about an hour until the top is golden-brown and the wooden skewer comes out clean from the center of the cake.

Golden-brown on top and the wooden skewer is clean.

Orange Cream

Combine all the ingredients and mix until nice and creamy.  Add the orange rind and transfer into a non-stick saucepan.  Cook on low heat and stir constantly.  You will find as it cooks, the cream will rise in the pot.  Keep stirring.  The cream will start reducing and thickening.  The cream is cooked when the consistency is thick.  Put the saucepan into some cold water in the sink to cool it quickly and stir a couple times.

Combine ingredients until creamy.

The reduced and thickened cream.

Place the cubed butter into a mixing bowl and add the cream mixture from the saucepan.  With an electric mixer, beat until all mixed in, fluffy in texture and the colour is light.

Light and fluffy texture of finished cream.

The necessary taste test.

Cut the cake in half horizontally and spread about half the cream on top of the base evenly.  Replace the top half of the cake and evenly spread the cream on top and the sides.  Decorate if preferred with chocolate sprinkles.

We don't fuss with perfection too much.
We just want to eat it...

...but it was Grandma's birthday,
so we made an effort and junior made
sure we did it right.

Serve with a sweet dessert wine.

Enjoy.

Quinoa & Vegetable Soup

My initial attempt was to make a Minestrone Soup which swiftly derailed once I wanted to add bok choy, quinoa seeds, leek and red bell pepper.  It turned out into a lovely and filling Quinoa & Vegetable Soup. 

I love making soups because they truly are food for the soul.  If you don't feel well, have a soup.  If you want a lightweight meal, indulge in soup.  If you have a bunch of vegies that need to be used, make a soup.

On this occasion I wanted to add some bok choy.  They are readily available in my downstairs mini-mart and they are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

The quinoa seeds I used are an alternative to rice, barley or couscous.  A native of South America it was once considered the 'Inca's gold'.  Cultivated in Peru, Chile and Bolivia for 5000 years, the quinoa was a staple food for the native Indians.  The Spanish Conquistadors destroyed all the quinoa fields as a way to control the natives.  It became illegal to cultivate quinoa and it was punishable by death.  As you can imagine the cultivation of quinoa all but disappeared until the 1980s when a couple of Americans discovered the concentrated health benefits of quinoa and began cultivating it in Colorado.  Not sure if they are available in supermarkets but I found mine in the health food store.

Are you wondering what is so great about the quinoa?  Firstly, it is high in protein as opposed to rice which is high in carbohydrates.  The quinoa includes all nine essential amino acids which play important roles in metabolism and serve as the building blocks for proteins.  

Whilst possibly thought of as a grain, the quinoa is actually the seed of a plant related to spinach and beets.

Following several research studies it was concluded that a regular intake of quinoa can aid with migraines, prevention of heart attacks, reduce the risk of childhood asthma and reduce risk of type-2 diabetes, to name a few.  For more detailed information: Quinoa Seeds Profile.

The best part about this soup is its cooking simplicity.

Quinoa & Vegetable Soup

1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 small leek, chopped
0.5 punnet red cherry tomatoes, halved
2 sticks celery, halved lengthways and sliced (I cut them smaller so my little girl can eat them easier)
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and sliced
1 large potato, peeled and chopped into small squares
3 frozen spinach nuggets (or a handful of fresh spinach thinly sliced)
1 small bok choy, sliced (leaves included)
0.5 red bell pepper, sliced and diced
0.25 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
0.5 C quinoa seeds
1.2L stock

Method

Toss all the ingredients in a large soup pot.  Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 25 minutes.  Serve with a slice of toast.  Enjoy.

Toss it all in a pot...

...add the stock, boil, simmer and....

...serve.

Top 10 Juices

As we experimented with different juice combinations and largely relied on The Big Book of Juice and Smoothies by Natalie Savona for inspiration, here is a list of our top 10 juices that we found ourselves going back for again and again.  Toss them all in the juice extractor.  It usually makes for two sometimes three depending on preferred serving size.  Just add more or less to suit your needs.

The juices marked with an asterik are extracted from the abovementioned book.

An Oldie but a Goodie

2 apples
2 carrots
2 sticks of celery

Aids with detox, lower cholesterol, immune boost, skin improvement, digestion and diuretic properties that help dispose of excess water in the body.

An Oldie but a Goodie

Beet Basic*

2 beetroots
2 carrots
1 apple
1 orange, peeled
1 stick celery
1.5 cm ginger root

Aids with detoxing, immunity boost, energy lift and skin improvement.  A yummy and terrific all-rounder.

Beet Basic

Carrot Beet

3 carrots
1 beetroot
4 oranges

Load up on vitamin C, boost the immunity and detoxify.

Carrot Beet

Celery Delicacy*

0.5 bunch of celery
4 pears
1.5cm ginger root

A soothing juice that aids with digestion and detoxing.

Celery Delicacy

Grapefruit Zing

2 pink grapefruits
3 carrots
2 apples
1 nashi
1.5 cm ginger root

Packed with vitamin C, detoxifying and aids with digestion, along with lowering cholesterol.

Grapefruit Zing

Nashi Morning

2 large nashi pear
2 carrots
1 fuji apple
2 sticks celery
1.5 cm ginger root

A nice all rounder with extra energy boost and delicious sweet flavour to kick off anyone's morning.

Nashi morning

Nashi Sweetness

1 large nashi pear
2 oranges, peeled
2 fuji apples
2 sticks celery

Aids with detoxing, digestion, skin improvement, lower cholesterol, immunity boost and has diuretic properties that help dispose of excess water in the body.

Nashi Sweetness

Orange Zest

1 pineapples
2 oranges
1.5cm ginger root

Rich in vitamins and minerals the pineapple's alkaline nature is complimentary to the oranges more acidic form.

Orange Zest

Pineapple Basic*

0.5 pineapple, peeled
1 apple
3 carrots
1 stick celery

A full on booster in energy, detox, immunity and digestion. 

Pineapple Basic

Pineapple Yum

0.75 pineapple
2 apples
2 oranges

Aids with digestion, immunity boost, detox and lower cholesterol.

Pineapple Yum

Lentil and Vegetables Soup

I am a big fan of pulses such as lentils, chickpeas and beans.  Besides the fact that I enjoy their flavour they are packed with protein, nutrients and fibre, are low in fat, have no cholesterol and has a low glycemic index.  A terrific alternative to meat or for vegetarians to boost their meal.

With over 1800 species, the pulse crop has been sustaining humans for more than 5000 years.  It is an important source of protein in developing countries and an excellent food source for people wanting to manage their weight, diabetes, heart disease or coeliac disease.

The following soup recipe is one of many different versions I make but the best part is how easy it is to prepare.  Chop, toss in pot, boil & simmer and it's cooked in 25 minutes.

Lentil and Vegetables Soup

2 small leeks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
1 C green beans, cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 C brown lentils
0.5 C parsley, finely chopped
1.25L stock
Salt & pepper, to season

Method

In a big pot add all the ingredients along with the stock, bring to boil and simmer for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  That's it.  Enjoy.

Toss in the ingredients...

...add the stock...

...and voila, time to indulge.

Pumpkin, Leek and Sweet Potato Soup

The power of pumpkin and sweet potato are in their anti-cancer and antioxidant properties, whilst the leek is a good source of potassium and iron aiding with arthritis, gout and bladder stones.

Stuffed with Vitamin A, carotenoids, complex carbs, fibre, folate, B1 & B3, calcium, iron and more, makes this soup not just tasty but nice and healthy.  The sweet potato "boosts resistance to infection and helps maintain optimum energy levels"; the pumpkin "helps prevent the formation of cancer cells and helps promote healthy skin"; and the leek "is a diuretic, laxative, antiseptic and excellent for a healthy digestive tract" (extracts from The Complete Guide to Nutritional Health).

There are several varieties of sweet potato worldwide but they can be easily classed into two types.  The white type which has a chestnut-caramel flavour and the yellow/orange type which is sweet and watery.  I used the white version in the soup to reduce the sweetness and give it that chestnutty flavour.

The sweet potato pre-dates the normal potato by nearly 500 years.  It was cultivated in prehistoric Peru and is a staple food in the Caribbean and southern US.  It reached Polynesia and NZ in the 14th century and thanks to Columbus' exploring he introduced it to Spain and finally made its way to England mid-16th century just in time for the infamous Henry VIII to indulge in it.

Making its first appearance in the 17th century, the pumpkin most likely inspired Perrault's "pumpkin turned into a golden coach" in his Cinderella story.  Originally from the US, the pumpkin is steeped in Thanksgiving and Halloween traditions.  A winter vegetable (but found all year round), the pumpkin stores well for long periods of time in a dark, cool place.

With a long history, the leek was once considered a sacred plant in ancient Egypt and highly enjoyed by the Romans and Greeks of that time.  It seems to have fallen out of favour during the 16th-18th century.  According to Wikipedia, "the leek is also a national emblem of Wales.  Legend says, Saint David ordered his Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by wearing the vegetable on their helmets in an ancient battle against the Saxons that took place in a leek field".

Pumpkin, Leek & Sweet Potato Soup

1 large leek, chopped
1 garlic, peeled and chopped
0.5 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 kg pumpkin, peeled and chopped
600g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp minced ginger
3 tsp ground cumin
1.5L water or vegetable stock
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to season (I used water instead of stock and hence added 1tsp of sea salt)
Natural yoghurt, optional

Method

In a saucepan, saute the onion, garlic & parsley with 0.25C of water for 5 minutes (add a bit more water if it evaporated).

Add the pumpkin, sweet potato and coriander, stir well and cook for a further minute. Add the water or stock, bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

Let it cool and blend until smooth. Add a tablespoon of yoghurt for a creamier flavour. Season with sea salt & freshly ground pepper.

Broccoli, Carrot & Celery Soup

Originating 2000+ years ago from the Northern Mediterranean, the broccoli is an Italian vegetable that was highly regarded by the Romans.  It spread into France in the 16th century, followed by England in the 18th century, then the US in the 19th to early 20th century.

Broccoli's health benefits abound which makes this very light and soothing soup a desirable recipe in a cook's collection.  Packed with vitamins, the good ole broccoli just like the yummy cauliflower is full of antioxidants. 

According to Healing Foods for Special Diets antioxidants neutralise free radical chemicals which are released in your body when "...oxygen is processed through the bloodstream and into the tissues".  Whilst the free radicals are in your body for only a couple of seconds it seems to be sufficient time for them to "...cause all kinds of damage in the body including taking hydrogen electrons from molecules in body tissues and damaging the tissues in the process". Top up with plenty of antioxidant inclined foods such as broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage and you can keep those free radicals on holidays. 

More reasons to indulge in broccoli are: aids with detoxing, energy and strength boosting, protects the health of the heart, skin, nerves & muscle tissue, and has anti-cancer and anti-stress qualities.

Broccoli, Carrot & Celery Soup

1 broccoli (about 400g)
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
3 sticks celery, chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp sea salt
1.2L water or stock

Method

In a saucepan, saute the carrot, onion, celery, garlic & ginger with about a cup of water for 10 minutes on low.  Add the broccoli and saute a further 5 minutes (add a bit more water if the previous has evaporated).

Sauteing carrot, celery, onion, garlic and ginger.

Adding the broccoli and sauteing a further five minutes.

Add the water/stock and salt, then bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer on low for approximately 20 minutes or until the vegies are cooked.  Blend till smooth and serve.  Add a dollop of live yoghurt, if desirable.

Finished soup before blending.

Served with cracked pepper.