Chicken Noodle Soup

packet of chicken thighs

2 cloves garlic

small piece of fresh ginger

good quality chicken stock

spring onions/scallions

dark soy sauce

fine thread noodles (dried work best)

Skin the chicken thighs and pop into a large pan (stew pan ideal) and cover with water.  I use a garlic crusher but you can chop whatever and add to water.  I tend to use the crusher for the ginger as I am too impatient for grating it (if I do I use a small parmesan cheese grater - makes it finer) and add to water.  I tend to buy 2 bags of Tesco Finest Chicken stock but most kinds will work, I add one bag now and put the soup on to simmer.

Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and remove the chicken thighs, the meat should fall off the bone easily.  Shred the chicken back into the pan and top up the liquid to make the quantity you require.  Add some finely chopped spring onions/scallions and a couple of drops of dark soy sauce before adding the noodles.

Simmer until the noodles are soft..........serve.  My kids like having prawn crackers with the soup....they seem to like the "sizzling sound" they make when you dip them!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”

James Beard

Red Chicken

Imaginatively named after the amount of red ingrediants!!!!

Cubed Pancetta

Cubed Chicken

1 red pepper

1 red onion

Spanish Chorizo Sausage

(any other veg you fancy - I added courgettes)

Garlic to taste

Italian Passata or tinned tomato's if preferred

Put a dash of olive oil into a wok or frying pan and sautee the red onions, gradually add the red pepper. Pop in the pancetta and chorizo and depending on how "garlicky" you like things add garlic now for a subtle flavour or later for more kick. Add the chicken and brown with any other veg you adding.

Transfer to an oven proof dish and cover with a tomato sauce of your choice, chunky tinned tomato's work well as does any passata or tomato based pasta sauce. I used a passata with added garlic & herbs.

Cook on a low heat for at least an hour for all the flavours to mingle and the chorizo to soften a little. Serve with rice, couscous or in our case little roast potato's and green veg.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star.

Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Arabiatta Beef Pasta Bake/Veggie Bake

mince beef
penne or tube pasta

2 eggs

arabiatta sauce or any pasta sauce you like

breadcrumbs

cheese

Brown the minced beef and drain off any fat. Add the arabiatta sauce and simmer. Cook the penne and drain, add in 2 eggs and stir. Add the minced beef and sauce mixture to the pasta and mix together well. Transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle cheese of your choice over the top and into the oven until heated throughout and golden on top.

Alternative - Veggie Bake

Stir fry veggies of choice

I used: potato, carrots, baby plum tomato's, courgettes, broccoli, onion, peppers & shitake mushrooms

add in a sauce of choice (mine was Tesco's Finest Garlic, Basil & Tomato sauce) once simmered add mixture to pasta & egg and stir in well. Transfer to oven-proof dish, cover with breadcrumbs and sprinkle with cheese.

Chilli/Hotdog Tortilla Bake

chili sausages or hotdogs

cherry tomato's or tinned

cup of gravey

tablespoon of seasoned flour

teaspoon mild chili powder (or to taste)

Onions/peppers - veg or not

tortilla crisps

grated cheese

Hubby and I have this with chili/spicey sausages but the kids like it done with hotdogs - works either way.

Cook your sausges/hotdogs, cut them up into bitesize pieces and return to the pan (add your onions/peppers if using). Stir in the seasoned flour over the heat until all sticky. Add your tomato's and then the cup of gravey, bring to the boil. Transfer to oven-proof dish, layer tortilla crisps on top and finish with grated cheese of your choice. Back into the oven until golden and crispy. Serve with salad.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.

Alfred E Newman

Taco Wrap

Chili Beef

Grated Cheese

Cherry Tomato's

Wraps - white or wholemeal

Basically, we found that taco's just make a lot of mess and we (well me) end up with most of it down our front - not great for washing (that would be me as well).

So....just substitute the taco's for wraps.......hey presto much less bovver than a hovver!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sleep 'til you're hungry, eat 'til you're sleepy.

Author Unknown

East meets West Potato's

Potato's

Cherry Tomato's

Onion

Peppers

Ground Coriander

Ground Cumin

Garam Masalla

Olive Oil

A blend of bombay potato's meets meditereannean roasted veg! Parboil potatoes, drain. Add in around half-one teaspoon of the spices and mix well. Add to a warmed oven proof dish with olive oil. Throw in the cherry tomato's and whatever else you fancy. Bake until cooked. Serve with currey's or whatever you feel like.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chili represents your three stages of matter: solid, liquid, and eventually gas.

Roseanne, "Don't Make Me Over," May 1992, spoken by character Dan Conner

Roasted Veg & Goats Cheese Flan

Plain Pastry

Vegetables

Goats Cheese

Cheddar/mix of cheese

2 Eggs

Milk

Make up a batch of plain pastry if you enjoy it (I do) or use some readymade or buy a ready cooked pastry case. Stir fry/oven roast some vegetables of choice and add to the flan case. Add in some cheese(s) of choice - I usually use whatever is in my fridge - Gruyere, Cheddar etc. Next beat your eggs, season add milk and aeriate! pour over your veggies and top with some cut up pieces of goats cheese. Bake until golden. Serve with salad or if you wanna be naughty - CHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste.

Laiko Bahrs