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

Beef Schnitzel, Mushroom Sauce & Mash

It has been a while since I made Beef Schnitzel, so I am looking forward to creating this dish! It has also been a while since I typed up a recipe and actually posted it, so I am quite looking forward to that too. 
I have the menu for May 2018 all done and dusted, and if all goes well, I will be doing the recipes every night. 
Remember, my end goal is to create easy, but tasty recipes, made with ingredients that is easily found and easy on the budget: 365 recipes for 365 days!

Ingredients:

Mash
8 Potatoes
1 l Water
1 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Cream
60 g Margarine

Mushroom Sauce
30 g Margarine
2 Onions, chopped
250 g Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Cream
2 tbsp Grated Parmesan cheese

Beef Schnitzel
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Ground white pepper
1/2 tsp Ground coriander
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
1 kg Tenderized steak

Method

Mash
1. Quarter the potatoes and boil till very soft in the water with salt.
2. Add margarine and cream to potatoes and mash. Set aside.

The Mushroom Sauce
1. Melt margarine and add chopped onions. Fry till lightly brown.
2. Add the mushrooms to the onions and lightly fry.
3. Add the cream and cook on low heat for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the parmesan, mix well, remove from heat, set aside.

The Schnitzel
1. Mix flour, salt, pepper and coriander. Place in flat dish.
2. Lightly beat eggs and 1tsp  water. Place in flat dish.
3. Put breadcrumbs in flat didsh.
4. Take steak and dip in flour, then in eggwash, then in the breadcrumbs.
5. Fry the crumbed steak in a little oil in a pan / frying pan, until golden brown.

Serve warm with mushroom sauce, mash and salad - and perhaps a glass of wine!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Blue Fettuccini

This is a pasta meal fit for kings. It is full of flavours, even though very little added flavouring is used. It is quick, too!

 Ingredients

Homemade fettuccine / 500g bought fettuccine
2 onions, chopped
2-3 tbs spring onion, chopped
1tbs chives, chopped
1 punnet mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cream
salt & pepper to taste
lemon zest 
blue cheese to taste (about 1-2 tbs)
4tbs butter

Method

1. Cook the fettuccine in salt water until al dente. Pour off excess water and melt 2tbs butter in.
2. Melt the other 2tbs butter in a frying pan and fry the onions until lightly browned.
3. Add the mushrooms and fry until lightly browned.
4. Add the fried mushrooms and onion to the fettuccine. Also add the spring onion, chives and salt & pepper to taste.
5. Add the cream and mix everything well.
6. Just before dishing up, mix the blue cheese in.
7. Grate a little zest over ...

and enjoy!!

Serve warm as is, or with a fresh salad.

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Tagliatelle Al Fredo

Man o man, do I love my Tagliatelle Al Fredo... Creamy, cheesy, bacon, mushrooms and pasta... all my my favourites in one! 

This one is made with homemade pasta. And the lovely thing about Tagliatelle Al Fredo is that you can change the ingredients to suit your taste. So there are no quantities in this recipe, only ingredients.

Ingredients

Tagliatelle Pasta   (about 500g)
Salt
Pepper
Chopped Onion (1-2)
Mushrooms (1 punnet)
Bacon Pieces (about 250g)
Butter
Grated Parmesan (+- 2tbs)
Pinch nutmeg
1t Italian Herbs

Method

Like I said, my pasta is home made. 

Cook until al dente - it shouldn't taste like flour, or be hard and clumpy. If it cooks took long, it will completely disintegrated, though. So keep an eye on it. 

Once done, add some butter and blend in.

 Fry the onion in some butter until browned.

Add the mushrooms and fry until soft.

Fry the bacon separately. (You can fry everything together, my pan is just too small...)

In a saucepan, melt some butter. Add the cream, nutmeg, Italian herbs, salt & pepper. Heat to boiling point. Add the parmesan and whisk thoroughly until it thickens up.

Add the mushrooms, bacon and onion to the tagliatelle, mix well. 

Add the cream, mix well.
And serve

Enjoy with an ice cold glass of crisp white wine! (perhaps some milk for the kids, though..)

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Tomato Soup

Yes, soup, again... But hey, it's almost winter and soup goes with winter!! Besides, once you've tasted this soup - and all the other on Rischlicious - you'll love soup, too!!
I never liked tomato soup. I think it's because I only ever tasted shop bought stuff and it was way too thick and rich for my taste. And my dad added stuff, like Worcestershire Sauce and pepper... I love my dad, but how he could eat that, only he knows!! Since home made food and especially if it is made from scratch, do taste much different that the shops, I decided to give it a go. And I was deliciously surprised...

Preparation Time: 10min
Cooking time: 5hours +
Difficulty Level: Very Easy
Serves: 6

Ingredients
2kg very ripe tomatoes
1liter boiling water
1 cube of chicken stock
2 bay leaves
10 whole black pepper corns
1tbs parsley
4 spring onions, chopped
4tbs sugar
1 onion, chopped
1tbs oil
1/2 cup cream

Method
Quarter the tomatoes and remove the hard piece where the stem was attached. Place in a pot. 

Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the boiling water and add to the tomatoes. Add the bay leaves, pepper corns, sugar, parsley and spring onion.  

 Cook for 2-3 hours, with closed lid, until the tomatoes are soft and you can easily remove the skin. Remove all the skins and the bay leaves. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into the pot. Heat up the oil and fry the onion until it is well browned and just starting to blacken. Add to the tomato soup. 

Now add the cream, mix well and cook on low heat for another hour or so, with closed lid. If you want it thicker, remove the lid and cook until it has reduced to your liking. This soup can and should sit for a while, for all the flavours to develop. You can serve immediately, or let it rest and just heat it up later. 

Serve with parmesan and fresh bread.

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Creamy Chicken Soup

I never thought I would be able to make my own soup - let alone experiment with various types of soup!! Yet, it is so easy and so much fun. The flavour combinations is limitless and you can tweak and change it to suit your craving. I also like to make my soup from scratch. For me, it just tastes better.

Preparation Time; 5 hours
Cooking time: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy
Serves: 6 easy

Ingredients

7x pieces chicken (preferably with lots of bone)
1liter water
2 Bay Leaves
2 Star Anise
10 Whole Black Pepper Corns
2tbs fat/margarine
1 onion, chopped
250g mushrooms, sliced
2 spring onions, chopped
1cup cream
1cup water
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
pinch freshly ground black pepper

Method

Cook the chicken, water, bay leaves, star anise and pepper corns together. 

Slow cooker is best, for about 4 hours. 

Remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred finely with 2 forks. Set aside. Melt the fat in a large pot and fry the onion, spring onion and mushrooms until just browning. 

Pour the chicken stock into a onion pot, through a sieve. Throw away the bay leaves and stuff. On low heat, cook the soup. 

Add the cream, nutmeg and black pepper. Depending on how fluid you like your soup, you can add another cup of water. Let it simmer for about an hour on low heat. You can serve immediately, you let it sit to warm up for later.

Serve with fresh home made bread and enjoy!!

  

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch 

Pumpkin Lasagne with Bread

Wednesdays being meat-free, I was again scratching my head as to what to make. I didn't have a lot of time and although I am always up for making something with dough, I couldn't think of anything. And then I thought of bread... and cheese... and the idea of making a lasagne with bread, developed. 

To tell the truth, I was quite surprised at the end result. I did not think it was going to be bad, but I did not think it was going this fabulous, either!! 

Preparation time: 30min
Cooking time: 30min
Serves: 6
Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients

3tbs butter
1 onion
200g bacon
500g pumpkin, cubed
2t sugar
9 slices of bread (brown or white)
3 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1t Hot English Mustard
125ml cream
150g cheddar cheese (we used processed), grated
80g mozzarella cheese, grated

Method

Preheat oven to 180degrees C. Melt 1tbs butter in a pan. Fry the onion until starting to brown. 

  

  Add the bacon and fry until starting to brown. Remove from heat. 

Melt 2tbs butter in a pan and add the pumpkin. I used frozen cubes of pumpkin, but it takes a long time to defrost. 

I would suggest fresh, as first choice of course or, defrosted. Cook until done and soft. Add a little salt and the 2t of sugar. Cook until all juices are gone and if possible, it can fry a little. 

Whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise, mustard and cream. 

Spread the 9 slices of bread on both sides with butter. Layer the bread at the bottom of the breadpan.




Evenly cover with half the cheese. 

Then add the bacon & onion. 

Layer bread, 

then the pumpkin, 

then the other half of the cheese. 

Last layer of bread. Evenly sprinkle the mozzarella over. Pour the cream mixture over, covering all the corners and evenly over the entire thing. Top with some cayenne pepper. 

Bake in the oven for about 30min, until the cheese starts to brown as well as the sides. 

Serve with a fresh salad and ENJOY!!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch