Roast Butternut Squash and Chorizo Soup

Ingredients

1 Butternut Squash

1 med onion diced

500ml chicken stock

30g chorizo sausage v finely diced

Sprig of Rosemary

Salt n Pepper

I tablespoon olive oil

Method

I usually make this if the oven is already on cooking something else. The squash is roasted whole in the lower part of the oven at 150-180 degrees C for 40-60mins.

You can leave this to cool and keep in the fridge until you are ready to make the soup or use straight away.

Cut the squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds and discard. 

In a medium to large pan fry the onion in the oil until soft and then add the butternut squash flesh. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer for about 15 mins while you fry the chorizo in a small pan. Heat the chorizo on a medium heat and it will exude its flavoured oil. Add some chopped up rosemary and remove from the heat.

The soup should be ready to blend to a smooth consistency now. Add some boiling water if you want it thinner. Finally stir in the chorizo and season to taste.

Quick Fruit Cake

Ingredients

4oz soft butter or margarine

4oz soft brown sugar

2 eggs

8oz self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

8oz dried fruit ( raisins, currants and sultanas)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2tbsp milk

Method

Preheat oven to 150 degC fan/ 165

Grease and line a 7" round cake tin

Put all the ingredients except the fruit into a mixer and beat until smooth. Add the fruit and stir until incorporated. Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake for about an hour- check with a wooden skewer, cook for longer if required. Mine was ready after an hour. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Quick Quesadillas

This my favourite Monday lunch at the moment. It's very quick and easy to prepare and so versatile you can fill them with whatever takes your fancy.

Ingredients

2 tortillas or wraps of whichever type you like

Handful of grated cheese

1/4 sliced pepper chopped or sliced

Chipotle paste- widely available in supermarkets

Method

Heat a frying pan that your tortilla will fit in flat

Smear a small amount of chipotle paste on both tortillas

Put one chipotle paste side up in the pan, sprinkle the cheese and the peppers on top. Place the other tortilla paste side down on top and press down gently. Flip over to toast the other tortilla. Serve into a plate once cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy.

There are countless fillings you could use- even sweet like bananas and chocolate spread! 

Be adventurous! Let me know your flavour combos 😃

Celeriac, Apple and Bacon Soup

I have made plain celeriac soup before but I didn't find it too moreish. So when I received another celeriac in my veg bag I had to think of something else to do with it. So here we are -the addition of bacon and apple makes such a difference!

Ingredients

1 large Celeriac, peeled and chopped into large chunks

2 onions, diced

2 Apples, chopped 

4 rashers smoky bacon, chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

1 tbsp olive oil

Method

In a large saucepan, fry the onion and the bacon in the oil until soft. Add the celeriac, apple and stock. Bring the soup up to the boil then simmer until the celeriac is soft. Blend and add a liitle milk or water if needed for desired consistency. Heat to serve.

And for those unfamiliar with celeriac this is what it looks like... Not the prettiest looking vegetable. It's widely available in the winter months so give it a try.

Creamy Polenta Recipe

This is great as an alternative to pasta with Italian dishes.

200g Polenta 

800ml cold water

Knob of butter or splash of olive oil

Handful of grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Put polenta, water and butter into a saucepan and bring up to the boil whisking continuously. As the mixture heats it thickens. Reduce the heat to low once it boils. Be careful as it spits. It should be thick and creamy like mashed potato. Turn off the heat and whisk in cheese and season to taste.