You are browsing the archive for 2010 May.




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by bitsofcarey

Mama Mia! Spaghetti ‘n Meatballs

May 31, 2010 in Pasta

4 Comments »

Instead of making your classic bolognaise, why not try meat balls with a rich tomato sauce! I love these meatballs, no egg or bread in it, just pure meat with cheesy herby flavours coming through!

 

Extremely moreish and delish! Ultimate comfort food at it’s best…

 

(Excuse the pic, started devouring it before taking a shot! oopsie!)

 

Spaghetti a la Meatballs

 

 

 

 

You will need:

 

1 pkt spaghetti, cooked in salted boiling water until al dente

 

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

500 g lean beef mince(try a mixture of lamb and pork mince!)

1/2 cup grated pecorino

salt and pepper (loads)

1 tbs heinz BBQ sauce(to give it a smokey flavour)

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs chopped fresh thyme

 

Mix all the meatball ingredients together until well combined and roll into small meatballs (about a heaped teaspoon full for each).

 

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 onion, chopped

1 tbs chopped garlic

+- 450 ml passata

1/2 cup red wine(shiraz is good)

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs brown sugar

S&P

 

Fresh basil

Grated Pecorino

 

 

In a large pan, brown the meatballs in a little olive oil (to seal and for colour). Remove from the pan and set aside.

Saute the onions and garlic in the same pan until soft and glossy.

Add the passata, wine, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.

Bring to a simmer and add the meatballs. Cook uncovered for +- 20 minutes.

Season and stir in some fresh basil.

Toss the cooked pasta in a little olive oil and place into bowls, top with a few meatballs and pour over some delicious sauce.

Garnish with fresh basil and generous amounts of grated pecorino or parmesan!

 

Enjoy!

 

P.s What a fabulous weekend with amazing friends. Friday, Girl time – greasy take out, wine and television.  Saturday – cheese, wine and rugby, Sat night – Stardust(ate 3 types of tagines -yum!) for buddy’s bday, Sun- lunch at Kalk Bay’s Brass bell and deeeevine ice ceam at the Ice Cafe and loads of antique prop shopping of course!

So yes, I am a walking zombie today, but definately worth it!

 

Happy Monday all!

 

Cx

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by bitsofcarey

Rugby Sub

May 26, 2010 in bread, Snacks

5 Comments »

This has to be the biggest sarmie I have made to date! Last Saturday we made this for the rugby! No cooking, no salads and no dishes! Just one huge French loaf filled with salad, cold meats, cheddar, Biltong slices and good ‘Ol Mayo!

 

What more do you need?  An ice cold beer of course!(yes, I admit… I do enjoy a Windhoek light every now and then!)

 

 

The Rugby Sub:

 

Serves 4 – 6

 

1 long french loaf

butter

mixed salad leaves

1 onion, sliced into thin rings

3 tomatoes, sliced

8 slices of ham

8 slices of salami

1 heaped cup grated cheese

1 heaped cup of biltong slices

Woolies garlic mayo

Freshly milled black pepper

 

Fill the buttered loaf with the ingredients, starting from the salad leaves and ending with the pepper.

 

Wash down with an ice cold beer or crisp white wine!

 

Be sure to try it out this Saturday!

 

C xx

 

 

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by bitsofcarey

Rocket Pesto!

May 24, 2010 in Sauces, Uncategorized

10 Comments »

Make your own! Delicious mixed into pastas, on brushetta, part of an Italian-style mezze platter or serve with salads! So versatile.  It has an amazingly fresh, earthy and peppery taste!

I replaced traditional pinenuts with sunflower seeds(I love them and so healthy!).  You could use almonds or even walnuts would be fab!

Rocket Pesto!

Here’s how…

 

You will need:

 

Makes + – 200 ml

 

2 huge handfuls of fresh rocket (+ – 60 g)

1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled(optional)

50 g grated Parmesan or Pecorino

50 g toasted sunflower seeds or almonds or a mixture of both

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

+- 100 ml extra virgin olive

S&P

 

Place all the ingredients into a blender and pulse until well combined but still chunky. Add more olive oil if needed. Season.

Keep refridgerated.

 

HINT: replace the Rocket with other herbs like Basil or Coriander.  Try it out with various nuts and seeds!

 

 

Just an example of what you can do with it

 

A simple Caprese Salad with pesto. Served with Crusty Bread.

What a delight!

 

This did not last long!

 

Enjoy!

 

C xx

 

 

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by bitsofcarey

Recession Soup and Sushi – ha ha!

May 24, 2010 in Randoms, Soups

6 Comments »

I got home late last week from doing a cookery demo and discovered that J got very creative in the kitchen. He ran to me in excitement, “babe, babe, I made the most awesome soup AND this cool sushi you could blog about!”. The first thing I thought was, “how did he manage that?”  there were absolutely NO ingredients in the house for these alleged dishes. To my surprise, out came a clear bowl of chicken noodley soup and “cheese and herb sushi”. Not only did the combinations taste good together, I was also impressed with his creativity of cooking something out of nothing. So I dedicate a blog to J every week to show case his/our adventures of making “something out of nothing”! P.s. the recession may be over, but we all struggle with mid month bank balances!

J’s Recession Soup and Sushi

 

The soup

This soup is so basic, but has so much flavour, must use real chicken stock, Nomu or new Ina’s liquid stock concentrate. The chilli is a must too!

 

Serves 2

 

You will need:

 

15 ml chilli infused olive oil (J infused himself 3 weeks ago)

5 ml chopped garlic

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely grated

750 ml homemade chicken stock (had left over in the fridge from previous night, still had bits of chicken in)

a handful of pasta( J used bit of broken spaghetti and some shells)

S&P

 

All you do is:

 

Saute the garlic, onion and carrots in the olive oil until soft.

Add the stock and bring to the boil.

Add the pasta to the boiling stock and cook until tender.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with cheese and herb sushi.

 

TIP: if you don’t have chilli infused olive oil, just add some chopped chilli with the onions.

 

Cheese and Herb sushi

 

 

You will need:

 

2 slices of white bread

grated cheese

dried mixed herbs

 

All you do is:

 

Sprinkle some grated cheese over the bread slices.

Melt in the microwave until soft.

Spread the cheese out evenly and roll tightly.

Slice to resemble sushi.

 

 

Hope you found this as entertaining as I did!

 

Happy Monday all!

 

C xx

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by bitsofcarey

STD 6 Home -Economics Prac Pasta

May 21, 2010 in Pasta

7 Comments »

This pasta goes back yonks ago, my mom used to make this for us every week and we never grew tired of it!. So quick, delicious and satisfying.

I was in Std 6(Grade 8 or something) and had my first Home economics prac - ” cook your favourite dish” and this was it, and it most certainly got me an A!

So years have passed(won’t say how many… he he) and I still make this for my hubby and I on a regular basis.

 

Cheesy Bacon and Mushroom Pasta

(It’s really not rocket science – it was when I was 13!)

 

You will need:

 

2 cups pasta( shells or spirals or good, because the filling gets stuck in them)

250 g Bacon bits

125 g button mushrooms, sliced

1 tin tomato and onion mix

Dried mixed herbs to taste

sugar to taste

1 heaped cup of grated cheddar cheese

S&P

 

Here’s how:

 

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente( cooked but firm).

In a large frying pan, Saute the bacon until crispy. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Pour in the tomato mixture, herbs and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the drained pasta into the sauce, stir gently until well combined.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and season.

Serve immediately.

If there are any left overs, it’s just as divine the next day heated in the microwave!

 

It’s so strange, I spend my days at work teaching and writing about amazing food but when I get home, I always choose the simplest route possible to get a dish on the table…:-)

 

Have a fantastic weekend all!

 

J and I are going for a well deserved get away again, switching the cellphones off!

 

Cxx

 

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by bitsofcarey

Nutella Phyllo Cigars

May 17, 2010 in Pastry, Sweet treats

19 Comments »

Crispy Phyllo with hot oozing Nutella – oh yum! Imagine this with vanilla icecream…hot and cold combination!

Warning…Will not last long in your kitchen!

 

 

Makes 12

 

You will need:

 

4 sheets of phyllo pastry

some melted butter

+- 1 jar of Nutella or Nusfit /Chocolate hazelnut spread

Here’s how:

 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees

 

Brush one sheet of pastry with melted butter(Cover the rest with a damp cloth to prevent drying out). Cut the pastry into 3 strips.  Place a teaspoon full of nutella at the bottom of a strip.

 

Tuck in the sides all the way to the top and brush with more butter to allow sticking when you roll it.

 

 

Roll tightly to form a “cigar” or spring roll. Repeat with the remaining two strips and 3 sheets under the damp cloth.

 

Place on a greased baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until slightly golden.

 

I got this lovely idea from a quaint little Greek Restuarant called Leesia’s in Rondebosch. They prepare authenic Greek food! Awesome skhordalia and hummus. Out of this world Greek lamb – fall’s off the bone and of course baklava and their signiture chocolate spring roll, all of which the owner’s wife prepares herself!

I dedicate this blog to this wonderful couple.

 

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by bitsofcarey

Chicken Korma

May 12, 2010 in Curries and casseroles

3 Comments »

Chicken Korma

So mild, yet full of flavour. The friendliest curry by far!

 

 

To make you will need:

 

 

4 -6 chicken thighs(skin on or off)

1 T olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3 T garlic and ginger paste

2 T Chicken Korma Spice(I used Spice Mecca)Got at Pick n Pay

2 tomatoes, chopped

125 g peeled baby carrots(or sliced)

125 g peeled baby potatoes

1/2 tin tomato puree

1 T tomato paste

1/2 cup coconut milk( or small tin)

1/2 cup plain yoghurt

S&P

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Handful of fresh coriander

 

Brown the chicken with the oil in a medium pot. Remove and set aside.

Saute the onions with the garlic and ginger paste and korma spice until soft and translucent.

Add the chicken back into the pot together with the tomatoes, carrots, baby potatoes, puree, paste, coconut milk and yoghurt. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer cooking for about 40 minutes.

Season with S&P, lemon juice and stir in 3/4 of the coriander.

Serve with jasmine rice and a coriander yoghurt sauce.

Garnish with fresh coriander.

 

*the trick to a good curry is lots of onions sauteed until sweet and golden

* The carrots and potatoes are optional

 

So comforting for a cold winters night!

 

Over and out from cold and wet Cape Town

 

Cx

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by bitsofcarey

Quick and Easy Bread for soup days or any day for that matter

May 10, 2010 in bread

9 Comments »

Since so many soups have been shared, I felt it’s about time to share this “Quick bread” recipe with you all. Minimum effort, maximum results. Even the hubby can do it! It guarentees perfect bread everytime. Crispy crust and soft and spongy crumb, delicious with lashings of butter.

 

Freshly Baked Rosemary Bread

 

All you need:

 

500 g Self Raising Flour

500 ml Plain yoghurt

50 ml olive oil(I like to include this as it keeps the bread moist for longer)

5 ml salt

Black pepper

3 sprigs rosemary, chopped or 10 ml dried

 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

 

Mix all the ingredients together into a large bowl, combine well to form a soft dough.

 

Shape the dough to fit into a greased medium loaf tin. Sprinkle with left over rosemary and bake for 1 hour.

 

Remove from the tin and allow to cool slightly before cutting.

And…woweee! Perfect.

 

This bread lasts up to 4 days.

 

Other variations:

Replace the yoghurt with beer or buttermilk

Add cheese, sundried tomatoes, olives, fried onions to the mixture.

 

On day 3…

 

Delicious topped with Colchester cheese and grilled or microwaved…yum yum

 

 

P.s. Well done hubby! Your bread was amazing xxx

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by bitsofcarey

Broccoli and Bacon Soup – The new Pea and Ham

May 5, 2010 in Soups

3 Comments »

It has been so cold and rainy so I thought another soup was in order and this one is my all time favourite. It’s just as comforting as a Pea and Ham soup, yet somewhat lighter(less starchy). It has a lovely thick consistency that resembles a Pea soup. The saltiness of the bacon enhances the flavour to a new level.

 

I try to eat broccoli, be it frozen or fresh every week. So versatile and delish! It has excellent cancer fighting and preventative properties due to it’s high levels of phytochemicals/nutrients. Being a cancer survivor, broccoli is tops on my grocery list!

 

Broccoli and Bacon Soup

 

Serves 6

 

You will need:

 

200 g bacon bits

 

1 onion, sliced

1 large broccoli head, cut into florets

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

+- 750 ml chicken stock

125 ml milk or cream

Black pepper

 

In a large pot, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Add the onions  to the hot bacon fat and saute until golden and soft.

Add the broccoli and potatoes and heat through.

Pour in the stock, stir well and cover.

Simmer for +- 40 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Add the milk or cream and blend until smooth.

Stir in the bacon and season with black pepper. Keep some bacon aside to garnish.

 

 

This will probably be my last soup for a while because I have loads in the freezer!

 

Yay! The weekend is in sight! This week has flown by, wow.

 

C x

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by bitsofcarey

A Salad and Soup after an Indulgent Weekend!!

May 4, 2010 in out and about, salads, Soups

2 Comments »

 

What a fabulous break away and not even that far from home! On friday night we stayed at Calders Hotel in Fish Hoek, 4 star, very conferencey but still clean, neat and modern. Staff are clued up and welcoming. We had dinner at our fave place in the area - Cafe Olympia, we were early birds so got a good cosy table. J had oysters and a paw paw and Goats cheese salad, both top class. I wore the pants at this dinner – tomato and basil soup to start with loads of ciabatta, olive oil and balsamic followed by a lamb shank(that can kickstart a boeing)with tomato and rosemary sauce, mash and trimmings. Tender and succulent. However, they usually have the lamb shank with a thick glossy red wine sauce that I adore, but this hit the spot all the same. We ended off with divine Origin coffees and the best ever lemon tart, so tart that you can’t laugh because your jaw will lock, which was the case! But it was worth it!

Next morning we got a knock on our door, it was breakfast in bed, yay! Haven’t had this in years! Juice, full brekkie, fruit, yoghurt, toast crossaint, coffee. Was nice to have a choice to have it in your room.

Off to next venue, Zevenwacht. Absolute heaven. The vineyards are right on your patio.  Indulged in copious amounts of wine, cheese and really rich food including crispy duck with black cherry sauce on sweet potato puree. I had tomato soup again and let me tell you, it was sublime,  it inspired me so much that I thought about it all weekend and made a pot on Sunday. See below. Sunday morning, we had a breakfast buffet – impressive, I’ve seen many, but this was good! A variety of hot and cold dishes, including smoked salmon, creamed cheese and farm bread – guess what I piled on my plate? The good stuff of course!

Enough about the food. It was also a romantic and lovely weekend,  but I don’t kiss and tell. A break away is so needed in our fast paced lives!

Anyway, we rolled back into our house on Sunday and thought what can we possibly eat for dinner?

“NOTHING RICH PLEASE!!”

So it was a TOMATO SOUP(because I had to try it) and a Chicken and Roasted Veg salad with coriander yoghurt dressing.

Tomato and Basil Soup

Yes, I know you have seen enough soups, but this really is an awesome one! You cook the tomatoes whole. No mess no fuss. It all adds to the flavour!

 

 

You will need:

 

15 ml crushed garlic

1 onion, roughly chopped

olive oil

6 whole tomatoes

1/2 tin tomato puree

500 ml chicken stock

30 ml sugar

salt and pepper

Handful of basil

125 ml cream/sour cream optional

 

Saute onion and garlic in some olive oil until soft and golden.

Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Add basil and cream and puree until smooth.

Season to taste.

Serve with crusty bread

 

I didn’t use cream at all and it turned out lovely! Will be even better with cream – but you can understand why I didn’t add it after the weekend!

 

And the salad, because we also felt like something light with protein.

 

Chicken and Roast Veg Salad with Coriander yoghurt dressing

A warm salad for Autumn

 

 

You will need:

 

2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced

1 pkt of Roast Veg for 2(get at Spar)

2 handfuls of rocket

1 feta round

 

DRESSING:

100 ml bulgarian yoghurt

25 ml kraft mayo

juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon

small handful of coriander, chopped

S&P

 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees

Place veggies in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and season. Roast for 30 minutes.

Mix dressing ingredients together.

Toss the chicken, veg, rocket and feta together in a large bowl. Drizzle with yoghurt dressing.

YUM!

 

You could also add crispy bacon bits or avo in this salad too.

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your week all!

 

C x

 

 

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