Quick and Easy Tasty Tomato Soup

For a quick and tasty savoury tomato soup that warms and comforts!

In a saucepan heat 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon raw sugar, 10ml quality balsamic vinegar, 150ml V8 vegetable juice I cup water, 1 cup sliced spicey smoked sausage until simmering then turn heat to low.  Cook for 30 to 40 mins.  Remove sausage and put aside (use for sandwich.  Stir through 30ml cream and one tbsp chopped fresh basil.  Add freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste.  Garnish with grated extra tasty cheese and serve with a crusty bread.

Smoked Cod. Old Fashioned Favorite!

Haven't cooked smoked cod in a while but saw it while in market and cooked some up.  It was delicious.  I heated some skim milk to a simmer then turned it to very low, placed the fish into the pan and let it sit and cook in the heated milk.  Meanwhile I boiled some Red Pontiac Potatoes then mashed them with warm milk, sea salt, white pepper and a pat of butter. I made a pepper lemon bechamel sauce.

Make a roux by heating 1 tbsp butter over medium heat until melted then add 1 tbsp flour and combine well to form a paste. Add 1 cup of warm milk and keep stirring to combine well until sauce tickens.  Slowly add juice of 1/2 lemon and keep mixing well to prevent curdling.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Heated some frozen baby peas - don't over cook as they only need to be warmed.  Serve on a warmed plate with a little cracked black pepper to finish.  Comfort food.

Corn and Bacon Chowder

1/2 cup chopped bacon or bacon pieces
4 chopped potatoes
1 chopped onion
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups corn - I used fresh cooked whole kernels but tinned or frozen in fine or creamed corn if preffered
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups of cream

Sauté the bacon until browned and crispy.  Add the chopped potatoes and onions and saute for around two minutes without cooking.  Add chicken stock, corn, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer very gently for half an hour. Stir in cream and heat through.  Don't boil or will curdle.  Serve.

Spring Rolls - So Tasty!

These were quick to make, tasted delicious with spicey tomato & Thai sweet chili sauce!  Yum!

 500 g beef, pork or chicken mince, 1 large sliced onion, 1 cup grated carrot, ¼ cabbage shredded, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp chicken stock powder.  Spring roll pastry sheets.

Pre cook carrot and cabbage until a little wilted but not fully cooked. Brown onion in 1 tablespoon oil in frypan, add curry powder and stir until fragrant.  Add mince and stir until cooked.  Add carrot and cabbage and mix together.  Add chicken stock powder and stir through.  Cool the mixture.  Taste - add salt and pepper if needed.  It should be a dry mix otherwise it will not cook well and will make the spring roll wrappers to soggy. Place a heaped tablespoon of the mixture onto the spring roll wrapper and roll up.  Seal with a little water or egg wash.  Don't overfill as you want nice crunchy spring rolls!

Deep or shallow fry until golden.  Drain on kitchen paper.  Serve with your favourite sauce.  Enjoy!

 

Quick Vegetable and Ham Fried Rice

Make this fried rice to please yourself and your tastes.  The main point is that this is easy and quick so there is no need to buy takeaway foods.  Kids love this as well. Good as a side dish or light main meal.

Add any left over cooked or frozen vegetables or meats.  Add chopped cooked egg - a left over frittata is yummy - or beat one or two eggs with salt and pepper and good pinch of chicken stock powder then make a space and place in middle of wok and stir through until cooked - mix through the rice.  Add ginger and garlic ir desired and chili sauce or chopped chili. Garnish with chopped spring onions / parsley / cilantro. 

HINTS:
Use day old rice as it is dryer and will prevent gluggy fried rice.
Add Thai sweet chili sauce for a little more spiceness.
Any cooked leftovers meats such as bbq chicken or prawns can be stirred through.

Coconut Chicken Curry - Comfort Food!

Easy, tasty and warms the spirit!

Freezes well and tastes even better the next day!

All music used - Country Cue 1, Hoedown and Brookers Blues, created by Jason Shaw - http://www.youtube.com/user/audionautix, http://www.audionautix.com/ Released under Creative Commons license 3.0 with credit to "Jason Shaw @ audionautix.com"