Tomato Pasta

This is such a great dish for the family.   It uses up all the old veg that didn't quite make it into something else.  It is packed with vegetables including the ones no-one likes and the children love it.  How better to sneak some good wholesome food onto their table.

Ingredients 

Oil - just a dash

Onions 

Vegetables chopped to smallish sizes - celery, leek, carrot, pieces of squash, courgettes, whatever you have in the fridge.  Not too much of anyone thing

Tinned Tomatoes -  the plum ones are good for this (2 tins at least for  people)

Dash of Red Wine Vinegar 

Generous spoonful of Brown Sugar

Heat the oil and begin by gently frying the onions and veg such as celery or leek.

Add the other vegetables, toss together

Throw in the tomatoes, they can stay whole for the moment.

Add the red vine vinegar, you only need a little. Then sprinkle liberally with the brown sugar.  This gives a slightly sharp tang then sweetens it which makes it appealing to the children.

Bring it to the boil and leave to simmer so that all the vegetables are cooked through.    If you are adding spinach, kale or other green leaves that do not need much cooking add them at the end just before you puree the mix.

When the root vegetable are softened, but still remain firm add the green veg and then liquidise.  This should be fairly roughly done so there are a few bits of crunch left in the sauce.   I blitz quickly once and then leave.

Serve immediately with fresh or dried pasta and plenty of hard grated cheese.   A chunky fresh bread also goes well with this.  

This is so difficult to replicate as the ingredients change each time; sometimes I add a few fresh herbs or even dried.   The delight is seeing them polish of the plates no matter what is in the pot and they think it is just tomato sauce.   I have added ginger and garlic as well to give it a little more umph.  I should rename it "Mothers Prayer Answered" with all the disguised goodness in there.  It is quick and so easy.

Enjoy 

Tiggy

Find out what I am up to in my other blog  Dawn Chorus

Baked Jackets

This is a very popular way of serving Jacket Potatoes.  It does need a bit of pre-planning but if you prepare this earlier in the day it becomes a fabulous food to have following a cold damp bonfire party maybe after a bowl of steaming soup.

Ingredients

Large Baking Potatoes - 1 per person
Onion chopped
Bacon Lardons
Mixed Herbs
Dash of Olive Oil
Dash of milk
butter
Cheese grated - I use cheddar

Prick the potatoes and bake in a hot oven  for a good hour.





Towards the end of Baking, heat the oil in a small pan and fry the onions adding the bacon lardons.  

Add mixed herbs and cook well until the bacon is beginning to crisp.

Remove the potatoes from oven and  while still hot cut in half and empty shells into a large mixing bowl.








Add the butter and milk to mash the potatoes.

Then mix the bacon into the mashed potato.   Add half the grated cheese.

Return the potato mix back to the empty shells and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.






These can then be left until about 20 minutes before you are ready to eat when they need to go into a pre-heated cooker.  

Take out and serve piping hot with baked beans, salad or other vegetables.   They are very filling and very popular.

I have done this with mackerel fillets, leeks and feta cheese but there are so many combinations you could come up with.  Let me know which one goes down best in your household.

Tiggy

Find out what I am up to in my other blog  http://tiggyhayes.wordpress.com/

Raspberry and Toffee Pavlova

Just picking up milk for home at the supermarket and wondering what on earth to come up with for pudding after our Sunday Roast.   Middle Son being helpful added a pavlova case and toffee sauce to the basket.   I added the raspberries and cream and together we put this very quick and simple pudding on the table later that day.

Ingredients
Meringue Pavlova case - we used a shop bought one
Raspberries - I used frozen and defrosted them
Toffee Sauce
Whipping Cream



Place the pavlova case in a serving dish

Take out a few whole raspberries for decoration later on.   Mix the remainder of the raspberries with most of the toffee sauce.







Add the mix to the pavlova case.






Whip the cream so it stands in peaks and then cover the raspberry mix generously.

Use the saved raspberries to decorate and then dribble toffee sauce over the whole pudding.  we added a sprig of mint to finish it all off.







Enjoy, but don't expect any left for the next meal.   This disappeared off the plates so fast with many appreciative grunts.

See how you would do this differently and let me know.

Tiggy

Find out what I am up to in my other blog  Tiggy Hayes