Quick Update

Hi, I know I haven't posted here in ages and to be honest I've been really lazy with this part of my blog. I probably should merge everything into the same blog.

Recipes I want to put here in the future include:

1) Quiche, short crust and puff pastry
2) Pizza dough
3) Savoury pancakes
4) Vol Au vents and what to put in them
5) French Toast
6) Eggplant Parmesan
7) How to make an easy soup
8) Hollandaise sauce
9) Thick creamy cheese roux

Until then, I suppose I'd best get back to work.

Pumpkin, Turnip and Sweet Pepper Lasagne

This is actually my Dad's recipe and I've kinda made up the exact meausurements and cooking times so adjust to suit who you're cooking for and the heat on your cooker.

Pumpkin, Turnip and Sweet Pepper Lasagne

Ingredients:-
1 Pumpkin
2 Turnips
2 Sweet peppers
Numerous Sheets of Lasagne Pasta (fresh or dried)

For Tomato Sauce:
2 cloves of garlic
500 ml Passata Tomato Sauce
Oregano

For Cheese Rue
Butter
Flour
Milk
White grated cheddar cheese

1) Dice the pumpkin or butternut squash, turnip and sweet peppers into cubes as big as a sugar cube. Pour olive oil into baking tray, throw pumpkin, turnip and peppers into tray. Drizzle more olive oil on top and oven bake for 20 minutes.

2) Place the sheets of Lasagne into hot water and let soak for about 5-10 mins.

3) Make a tomato sauce using the Passata tomato sauce in a saucepan over a low heat. Do not allow to bubble or boil. Add the Oregano, crush the garlic and add as well. Add other herbs and spices as you see fit. Once the vegetables in the oven have finished cooking, add them to the saucepan.

4) To make the cheese rue, add a knob of butter to a saucepan on medium heat. Add a small amount of flour and mix around until all the flour has congealed with the butter. Add a little milk, stirring as you pour it until all the lumps from the flour are gone. Add more milk for the consistency you desire. Add the grated cheese and stir until all the cheese is melted and there are no lumps in the sauce. Do not allow to bubble or boil either.

5) Oil up a glass oven dish for the lasagne. Add a layer of tomato sauce with the vegetables. Add a layer of Lasagne. Repeat this again until you've filled the oven dish. Leave space at top for cheese sauce. Pour the sauce in, filling the dish to the top. Add more grated cheese to the top to garnish. Place in Oven and cook at 220 degrees until golden.

6) Remove, serve and enjoy.

BTW the image on the left is a robbed image, I'll replace it as soon as I get an original photo of my cooking.

Difference between Pancakes and Crepes

Whats the difference between pancakes and Crepes? My good friend Pat has taught me a valuable difference between pancakes and crepes. It would appear that I thought I was making pancakes for years, when in fact I've been making Crepes.

Now I honestly didn't cop the difference. But it's all down to the basic ingredients. There seems to be a few different recipes for them out there, but here's the key difference.

Pancakes contain baking soda, yeast, some sort of raising agent. The way to remember, cakes raise, they get bigger, hence why they're called panCAKE's.

Crepe's are made with flour instead of baking soda. As a result, this means they are lighter and easier to eat. Crepe's can also be used for both dessert and as a savoury dish.

Simple Nachos

The other night I was feeling very lazy and looking to eat junk food. So I made myself some nachos.

Here's what ya need:
Big bag of nacho's (any type you want)
Cheddar cheese
Jalapeno Peppers
Salsa sauce or Sour Cream or Guacamole or all

Put the nacho's on a plate, pile them high. Grill the nacho's under a grill for a wee bit to heat them. Add your sauces on top, in any fashion you like. Add jalapeno peppers. Grate the cheese on top of this and place under the grill again until the cheese starts to go a golden colour.

Eat while hot and enjoy.

Very Tasty Sambo

Ok, here's a sandwich I really enjoy. It's big, full of salad and really is very tasty. It's easy to overload it, but sure have fun, go mad.

What ya need:
Bread
Mayonnaise
Butter
Ploughman Pickle
Tomatoes (sprinkle salt on top to bring out the taste)
Cucumber
Lettuce
Sliced Edam cheese or mild cheddar cheese

I don't think I need to explain how to make a sandwich. So go mad, use three slices if ya like. Toast it if you really want. Have two layers of cheese, add mustard, whatever. It's just a great mix of ingredients, so enjoy.

Caprese salad

Tis a fancy sounding name for something so simple. Basically it's tomatoe, mozzarella, bit of olive oil and basil. It's simple and works great as a starter to a pasta dish.

What ya need:
Big beef tomatoe, the redder the juicier
Mozarrella (the one that comes in the pouches in water are the best)
Olive oil to drizzle (extra virgin olive oil is a safe bet)
Fresh Basil leaf

Slice the tomatoe into big thick slices. About a centimeter thick. Add one or two per plate. Slice the mozarella ball into slightly thinner slices than the tomatoe. Drizzle olive oil on top. Add three of four fresh basil leaves to garnish.

Basil Plant

I suggest buying a herb plant or two, it really makes a difference when making a meal. Fresh supplies will always increase the taste and can look good too.

I've gone and purchased myself a little basil plant, it's looking a little worse for wear but with a little work, it should be grand in a while. I love basil, it works well fresh on a Caprese salad.

Basil, Parsley, Thyme, Sage and Rosemary are good options. They grow all year round and you can even have them on you windowsill in your kitchen so you can take a leaf whenever you want.