Oh my goodness.... Tonight I made a little piece of heaven...

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup:

100g unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
300mls cream

300mls milk

4 cups chicken stock
4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen), chopped small
1 cup grated carrot
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Individual hollowed out rounds of sour dough bread

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion in the butter for 5-6 minutes, or until it is soft.

Add the other 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot. Add the flour and whisk for 3-4 minutes, creating a roux. Once flour has cooked, slowly add the cream and milk, whisking constantly. Add the chicken stock and bring the entire mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrot, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the soup. Continue to simmer the soup for 20-25 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Remove the soup pot from the heat. If you want less texture and a smoother soup, pour batches of the soup into a blender or use a stick blender, blend the soup to your desired consistency. 

Return the soup to the pot and stir over low heat, add the cheddar cheese. Stir to melt the cheese, and simmer the soup for another 10 minutes. You can add extra milk to thin the soup to your desired consistency if needed. 

Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centres, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.

mmmm

Happy Cooking,

K

Tried something different for tea tonight and thought I'd share - pretty easy to make and YUM, nice family meal..

TACO PIE

Ingredients:
60g butter
2/3 cup milk
1 package taco seasoning mix - as hot as you like it (we're just mild here..)
2 1/2 cups mashed potato flakes (you could also use left over mashed potatoes and omit the butter and milk)
500g minced beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 

sour cream, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add milk and 2 tablespoon taco seasoning. Remove from heat and add potato flakes until incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of a pie dish (and up the sides).
2. Bake for 7-10 minutes until it just BARELY turns golden brown.
3. In a medium skillet, cook beef and onions until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain. Add Salsa and remaining taco seasoning. Cook until bubbly.
4. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
5. Let cool for 5 minutes. Top with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Cut and serve with sour cream.

Happy Cooking!

K

Well it's been awhile... I have to admit I've been a bit stuck on what to blog about...

Following my cousins post on Facebook I did feel inspired to make a really yummy vege soup this week and I teamed it up with the yummiest cheese and herb loaf, with lashings of butter..

So with the weather changing perhaps it's timely to share with you my recipes.

Soup:

For my vege soup I buy bacon bones and place them in a pot, then cover them with water and place on the stove.

I then add grated and chopped veges - now what you choose is really up to you, the nice thing is you can add anything really.

I add -

2 onions chopped finely
2 carrots grated
1 big parsnip grated
1 smallish swede grated
2 sticks of celery chopped
1/4 pumpkin grated

to that I add salt and pepper to taste and then leave it to simmer for at least 2 hours..

Sometimes I add grated potato or chopped spinach or silverbeet, or small pasta shapes like stars... When the soup is done shred the meat and discard the bones.

This is delicious just like that, but you can also use it as stock to flavour your other soups too.

Cheese and Herb Loaf:

1 1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 c grated cheese (I added some grated parmesan to add flavour..)
1/c chopped fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, sage & mint) or I used dried herbs to taste - approx 2 t of each..
pinch of cayenne pepper (I used paprika)
pinch of mustard powder (I added that, it intensifies the cheesyness)
2 eggs
1/2 c milk

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in cheese, herbs, cayenne pepper or paprika and mustard.

In another bowl lightly beat eggs and milk together and pour into the flour mix, move quickly to mix - only just to combine, no more. Mixture shouldnt be too stiff, it should be more sticky, if it's not add a little more milk. Pour into a baking paper lined loaf tin and back at 180oC for about 40 mins or until the loaf springs back when lightly touched. Leave in the tin for 5 mins before turning out onto cooling rack. Slice, and eat mmmmm

Happy Cooking,

K