Tomato and Rice Soup

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
30g/1oz butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
85g/3oz long grain rice (basmati)
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
290ml/½ pint chicken or vegetable stock
small bunch parsley, chopped
season to taste.


Method
1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the rice, tomatoes and stock and cook for about 10 minutes until the rice is cooked.
2. Add the parsley and season.
3. Ladle into warm bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

NB If, like me you use what is to hand and this means a tin of tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes so that you need to blend the soup before serving,

BEWARE

You will blend the rice and have to cook some separately to add to the soup!

Apple and Ginger Cake Bars

This is the recipe from TBSITW. It is delicious!

Ingredients

115g/1/2 cup soft sunflower margarine (we use a soft olive oil spread)
115g/1/2 cup fruit sugar
2 large eggs
225g/1 1/2 cups plain/all purpose wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
2 medium sizedapples, cored and coarsely grated (we don’t peel them)
75g/1/2 cup raisins, sultanas or golden raisins
3 pieces stem ginger in syrup, drained & chopped
2 tsp demerara sugar

Method

20cm (8 inch) shallow square baking tin

Oven 180C/350F/gas mark 4

Grease the baking tin and line the base with parchment or wax paper.

Put the margarine into a mixing bowl, add the fruit sugar and beat until smooth, creamy and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs. (I add a small amount of flour along with the eggs.)

In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and spices, then add this to the creamed mixture and fold together using a rubber spatula. Try not to over-mix (it says) or the cake could have a heavy texture.

Stir in the grated apple, sultanas or raisins and chopped stem ginger, then spoon into the prepared tin.

Level the surface, then sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake for about 35 mins until the top is golden. Gently press the surface, the cake should feel firm - test the centre with a cocktail stick or skewer inserted into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is done.

Cool for 10 mins, then run a thin, flat-bladed knife around the edge of the cake and turn out onto a wire rack to cool. When completely cool, cut into 12 bars and store in an airtight container.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

2 peppers (capsicums)
5 oz basmati rice
5 oz peeled tomatoes. chopped
1 large onion. chopped 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 oz butter
2 eggs, whisked
2 Tbsps parsley, chopped

Method

Soak the rice for 30 minutes, then drain.
Place the rice in a large pan of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile saute the onion and garlic until just starting to brown.
Drain the cooked rice and place into a large bowl.
Place the sauteed onion and garlic on 2 sheets of kitchen roll on a plate to drain.
Add the onion and garlic to the rice.
Add the chopped tomatoes
Add the whisked eggs and stir well.
Add the chopped parsley and stir again.
Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and membrane.
Fill with the stuffing mix.
Replace the tops and spray with olive oil.
Heat the oven to 180 degrees.
Spray the peppers with olive oil or drizzle olive oil over.
Place in oven for 40 minutes.

I developed this recipe as I had 2 peppers from the organic veg box goodie bag delivery and also had skinned frozen fresh tomatoes in the freezer.

The above amount of stuffing would do at least 3 peppers.

I have frozen the balance.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

6 oz chestnut mushrooms, cut small
1 1/2 pints chicken stock (either real or made with a Kallo chicken stock cube)
3/4 pint milk
2 Tbsps dry white wine or 1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 Tbsp plain flour
3 Tbsp single cream
ground black pepper and salt to taste

Method

Place the mushrooms and stock in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove 2 Tbsps milk and add the rest to the pan with the wine.

Mix the 2 Tbsps milk and the flour to a paste.

Bring the pan back to the boil and stir in the flour and water paste. To avoid lumps, it is better to use a balloon whisk at this time.

Simmer for 3 minutes until thickened.

Stir in the cream and bring gently back to the boil.

Serve with some fresh chopped parsley.


Bring the pan back to the boil again

Spinach Soup

Ingredients

a good bunch of spinach leaves, shredded
2 oz butter
2 onions, chopped finely
3 medium potatoes, chopped
2 1/2 pints chicken stock (if I don't have any fresh, I use Kallo organic chicken stock cubes dissolved in 2 - 3 p0ints boiling water.

Method

Saute the onions and potatoes in the butter until onions are soft but not brown
Add the spinach and toss until wilted (At this point the only water you need is the water left on the leaves after washing.)
Add the stock, bring to the boil and cook ffor 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and blend until smoothe

This soup benefits from a swirl of cream on serving.