Spicy Tomato Sauce

This is a nice little handy sauce that is quick and easy to make, if you need a quick and tasty sauce. change the spicing to your taste - make it hotter or more peppery as your taste buds may require!

Ingredients
2x tins tomato & onion
1t origanum
1t sugar
1/4t coarse ground pepper
2x twists of ground chilli
1t worcestershire sauce
Optional: 1/2t garlic

Method
1. Put everything in a saucepan, mix well and heat till it just boils.
2. Serve with spaghetti, Spaghetti & Cheesy Meatballs, or with any other dish that require a quick sauce.

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch

Spaghetti & Cheesy Meatballs

Who doesn't love meatballs? Well, actually, I didn't. Guess it always reminded me of the tinned version. Not that there is anything wrong with the tinned version, lots of people love it, I just couldn't stand it. I think we ate in kindergarten... and I hated going to kindergarten! I made such a fuss about not going, that my parents were forced to keep me home just before school and our help looked after me.

Another thing about the meatballs that always put me off, was the tomato. For the longest time I didn't like tomato in food. I love my toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches, and I can eat a whole tomato raw like that. And I eat it Spaghetti Bolognaise and Lasagne. But couldn't care for it otherwise.
I must admit, slowly my taste is turning to appreciate the wonder that is tomato. It started with making my own Tomato Soup, and the Spicy Tomato Sauce that goes with these meatballs - well, make it for yourself and see!

Ingredients
800g mince
130g cheddar cheese
1x egg
1/2t ground black pepper
1t salt
1/4t ground nutmeg
1/4t ground coriander
1/2cup raw rolled oats
1tbs origanum
125ml warm water
1tbs sugar
3tbs tomato sauce / tomato puree
Optional:
flour to roll in
butter

Method
1. Mix the mince, cheese, egg, pepper, salt,  nutmeg, coriander, oats and origanum well. Tip: mix everything except the mince and egg well, then mix the mince and egg, and then add the other stuff to the mince and mix well.
2. Make balls that is the size of half your palm and roll it in flour. Arrange it in an ovenproof baking dish.
3. Dot the balls with a little butter.
(The flour and butter is optional, but it gives a little of a crunch to the meatballs)
4. Dissolve the sugar and tomato sauce in the warm water and pour it in the baking dish.
5. Bake at 180degreesC for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until browned.
6. Serve warm with Spicy Tomato Sauce and spaghetti.

... and enjoy!

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch

Prawn Pasta

We are not a rich family, by any material means. We are blessed, though, in having enough. And every so often, we indulge a little in more expensive dishes... like this one... Due to its extraordinary prices, we don't eat a lot of sea food, although we all love it. Especially sushi... but let's not seduce our taste buds with thoughts of other delectable dishes...

It's a very simple dish, but the taste is everything but. Easy to make, quick to prepare and quite filling. And even with the expensive ingredient of prawns, the dish is actually still affordable - especially compared to take-aways or a restaurant dinner. 
We used shell pasta, to add to the "seafood" theme. Any pasta will do, please prepare according to the packet's instructions.

 
 Ingredients
100g margarine
1tbs garlic
1tbs parsley
1t lemon zest
400g prawn meat (frozen)
2 onions, chopped
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Method
1. Melt 50g of the margarine in a saucepan, or a deep frying pan, but with a lid. Add the garlic, parsley and lemon zest and fry for a minute or two.
2. Add the prawns and fry with the lid on, for about 10minutes, stirring every so often.
3. Melt 25g of the margarine in separate pan and fry the onions till nicely browned.
4. Add the cream and parmesan to the prawn mixture and stir well.
5. Cook with the lid on for another 5 - 10 minutes, stirring often.
6. Depending on how thick you want your sauce, cook the prawns with the lid on or off until done.
7. Add to the pasta and mix well.
8. Serve warm with extra parmesan, fresh parsley, lemon zest or even a twist of chilli for a kick.

And enjoy!!

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch

Creamy Curry Chicken

I have been looking forward to making this dish since I put it on my monthly menu planner!! I love the combination of curry and cream, that smooth warmness that covers your tongue and glides down your throat - warming you up from the inside.... This winter is quite colder than the previous 4 years, and in my thatch roof house it is freezing. I am still hoping for really cold weather, though - the ants still haven't left! But it is cold, and this is one heart-warming, tummy-smiling dish that appealed to even my curry-picky kids!

This recipe has two sauce options. I made it with 2 sauces, but you can only use one. I just loved the combination of flavours! If you only want to make it with 1 sauce, only use 500ml water. 1L water is still a lot of sauce, even for the double sauce option, so you may want to use only 750ml. Note that my suggestions is based on frozen chicken pieces which has a lot of extra water. If you use fresh pieces, your water requirement will be different. 

It is easiest to use an oven-proof pot, which then also makes this delectable dish, a one-bowl winner!

Ingredients:

2 onions, chopped

100g margarine 

1tbs mild curry

1t strong curry

1tbs cardamon seeds

1tbs whole black pepper

2 bay leaves

4 whole cloves

1tbs whole coriander

2t turmeric

1tbs parsley

1/4t all spice

1x chicken stock block

1L water (for a lot of sauce) OR 500ml water (for less sauce)

1/2 cup cream

2tbs cornflour

1x chicken soup powder packet

1x brown onion soup powder packet

7 - 9x pieces chicken (frozen)

Method

1. Melt the margarine and add the onions. Fry till soft.

2. Add the curries, seeds, pepper, bay leaves, cloves, coriander, turmeric, parsley and all spice and fry a little. Don't let it burn! Burnt curry is bitter.

3. Dissolve the chicken stock block in the warm water and add to the pot. Stir well.

4. Add the chicken pieces. Cover the pot and put in the oven at 150 degrees C for about 2 hours. The chicken must be well done.

5. After +- 2 hours, remove the pot from the oven. 

Option 1 - Single sauce

6. Scoop out 500ml - 1L sauce. Dissolve the soup powders in the sauce, add the cream and cornflour and pour back over the chicken pieces.

7. Put the pot back in the oven, uncovered, at 180degreesC, until the sauce thickens.

Option 2 - Double sauce

6. Scoop out 500ml - 1L sauce. Dissolve the soup powders in the sauce.

7. Scoop out another 500ml sauce into a saucepan. 

8. Pour the soup mix over the chicken. Put the pot back in the oven, uncovered, at 180degreesC, until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally.

9. Add the cream, cornflour and zest to the sauce in the saucepan. Cook on the stove till it thickens.

Serve warm with rice.

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Savory Mince Bake

Basically a one-bowl dish, this is a winner. Mince is a very versatile kind of meat, but it can also turn boring quickly - just how many varients on Mince & Macaroni is there? But this dish is something quite different, packed with flavour to tickle your tastebuds and very filling.

Ingredients:
500g mince
1tbs oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup rice, raw
1x packet mushroom soup
450ml warm water
1/2 cup cream
1tbs dried parsley
1t salt
1t origanum
1 cup breadcrumbs
2tbs butter, melted

Method
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the mince till done. Be sure to break the mince well.
2. Add the onion and fry till lightly browned.
3. Mix the soup powder with the warm water and cream, dissolve well.
4. Add the rice, soup mixture, parsley, salt and origanum to the the mince.
5. Scoop into an oven proof dish with a lid and bake at 180 degrees C for 50minutes with the lid on.
6. Mix the breadcrumbs with the butter and sprinkle over the dish.
7.Bake uncovered for another 20min or so, until browned

Serve warm, with a salad for a side and red wine. (The kids can have milk, though!)

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Traditional Quiche

Another dish predominately originating from the need to use leftovers, and yet another dish that can be made super cheap or quite extravagant - depending on your mood (and wallet!) Another great positive for this dish, is that you can make it without the crust and then it can be quite close to a banting dish.

I am not much for these newer eating habits like banting, or low-fat/high protein, or any diet, really. I don't like supplements either. Your body can only absorb so much vitamins, minerals and nutrients. The rest your body simply discards. And, even though a lot of people don't believe it, probably because the media jumps on the band-wagon, I believe that with a full, balanced and natural diet, you get all of these things. And because you get it in the form you were supposed to, your body actually absorbs it better!

My babygirl "helped" mommy again in the kitchen, and my middle son also helped. He always wants to help! 

Up until a certain point and then he wanders off and go play in his tree house... 

I really enjoy cooking, and cooking with the kids (mostly) amplifies this pleasure. Sometimes they get underfoot, sometimes they are just simply more of a bother - but I wouldn't have it any other way! 




Ingredients

Filling
1/4 cup chives, chopped
250g mushrooms, sliced
6x cheese grillers, sliced
1x onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
5x eggs
2x 410g tins sweetcorn
pinch cayenne pepper
1tbs dried parsley
1/2t salt
1/4t white pepper
1t hot english mustard
150g processed cheese, grated
100g cheddar cheese, grated

Crust
2 cups flour
1/2t salt
1/4t white pepper
1/2 cup cream
1tbs vinegar
50g margarine

Method

Filling
1. Mix the chives, mushrooms, sausages, onion and red pepper.
2. Whisk the eggs, sweetcorn, cayenne pepper, parsley, salt, pepper, mustard and processed cheese.
3. Now mix the egg mixture and the other ingredients together.


Crust
4. Mix the cream and vinegar together.
5. Combine flour, salt and white pepper
6. Crumb the margarine into the flour mixture.
7. Mix in the cream until it is crumbly.
8. Press down into a baking dish.

9. Pour the filling into the baking dish and flatten.
10. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 180degrees Celsius for about 2 hours+, until it sets in the middle. Remove the foil and grill for a couple of minutes.
11. Serve warm, with a salad if you prefer.

And enjoy!!

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch

Beef Soup

Aaaahhhh... soup... the wonder of ancient times, the go-to meal for leftovers and the income impaired. It can be made into a culinary taste extravaganza, or it can be as simple as throwing stuff together. It can be used as a starter, served as a side dish or even be the main course. 

 I didn't use to love soup so much when I was younger, probably because I only knew Cup-a -Soup and tinned soups (nothing against them, they do have their place). But only once I started making my own soup, could I appreciate the versatility - both in taste and monetary value - of this extraordinary dish. My favourite soup is Burnt Pumpkin Soup, although Spinach Soup is a close second. I must confess: Tomato Soup has abhorred my senses (some childhood memories involving pepper and worcestershire sauce die hard), but when I made my own with fresh ingredients, I was pleasantly surprised!

This Beef Soup is for meat nights and is so simple, yet packed full of taste sensations. It warms the belly and makes your tongue smile, filling you up with goodness, and a feeling of contentment... Perhaps I am overselling it! But why don't you make it and find out for yourself?

Ingredients

600g goulash
1x beefstock cube
1L warm water
1x packet brown onion soup
1L warm water
2tbs soya sauce
1tbs whole coriander seeds
1t whole black peppercorns
1/2t whole cloves
4x potatoes, quartered

Method

1. Mix the beefstock cube and 1L warm water well.
2. Mix the soup and 1L warm water well.
3. Put all the ingredients in a pressure cooker. Follow your cooker's instructions to cook it. (Mine was 40minutes)
4. Once done, chop everything in a food processor to the soup consistency of your preference.
5. Serve warm with bread

And enjoy!

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch

Mexican Mince & Mash

Cold days and colder evenings are followed by even colder nights, as winter is in full swing here on the highveld of south Gauteng. Our thatch roof - wonderful as is it is in summer - turns the house into a deepfreeze... Instead of putting on warmer clothes when you leave the house, you take some off, as it is inevitably warmer outside, than inside!!

But the cold does have a wonderful advantage... the devouring of hot, feel-good food, smothered in butter, cheese and cream.... from soups to pastas, you allow yourself that extra bite or three - we'll worry about the weight when Spring wafts along!

 For the most part, our menu is working out very well. Tonight is Monday, so it is Mince night. On the menu is Mince & Mash... but as I was preparing  the meal, my thoughts began to wander and I decided to make it a bit different. The result is this spicy dish that warms you from the inside... Mexican Mince & Mash!!

My babygirl wanted to assist during prep! Ah, the joys of little ones.... so willing to help... Pity they grow out of it when they hit their teens!

Ingredients

500g mince
2tbs oil
2 onions, chopped
250g mushrooms, sliced
1tbs margarine
1tbs spice for mince
1t mild curry
1/2t hot curry
1t cardamom seeds
1t origanum
2tbs soya sauce
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 chicken stock cube + 400ml warm water

Method

1. Heat 1tbs oil in a frying pan. Add the onions, fry till lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Melt 1tbs margarine/butter in the same pan. Add the mushrooms and fry till lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Heat 1tbs oil in the pan, add the mince and fry. Loosen the mince well, that it does not clump.
4. Add the spice for mince, curries, cardamom, origanum, soya sauce and tomato sauce. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
5. Dissolve the stock cube in the water and add to the mince. Stir well and let it cook for 5-8 minutes.
6. Add the onion and mushroom, stir well. Cook until it starts to thicken.
7. Scoop generously over creamy mash and top with a dollop of guacamole...

And enjoy!!

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch