Sweet Chilli Mushroom Pasty - recipe

It's been a while since I blogged a recipe, so here is a lovely, quick to make, almost storecupboard, one for you.

A Sweet Chilli & Mushroom Pasty.

As usual, no measurements, just chuck in what you think will work - honestly, it's the best way to cook!

You will need:

• Mushrooms
• Cheese Spread (I used Seriously Strong Sweet Chilli, but any will be good)
• Ready to use Puff Pastry (or make your own)
• Egg (for wash)

What you do:

• Wash, chop and put your mushrooms in a pan with a little drop of olive oil, sunflower oil or even butter.

• When they are cooked down and soft, drain off any excess juices.

• Then add a good blob of cheese spread  (Philadelphia Cheese will also work)

• Mix..... then leave to cool.

• Meanwhile, roll out your pastry and use a side plate or saucer to cut a large circle.

• Plop some mushroom mix just off centre.

• Then fold over.  Add a little bit of water to the rim and press to seal.

• Give it a brush with beaten egg and slit the top to let the steam escape while cooking.

• Serve with mash and veg for a main meal, or eat on it's own as a snack.

Nom!

Sweet Potato & Mushroom Pie - vegetarian recipe

Don't you just love pie!  Especially on cold evenings, with the curtains closed and the fire on, there is nothing better than a good belly warming pie to warm up your soul.

I really fancied pie last week, but after having a root about my fridge and cupboards, seemed to have very little to go in it - a sweet potato and a handful of sleepy mushrooms.   That would have to do!

I chopped up the potatoes, tossed them in a little olive oil and sprinkled some rock salt and chilli flakes over the top for a bit of a kick.

Then I bunged them in a hot oven to roast for about 20 mins.

Meanwhile I needed a sauce of some sort, so I found a cup-a-soup - I like using these as sauce bases, they are always in my cupboard and work very well.  This one had croutons which I had to pick out as I really didn't want soggy lumps in my pie.

Always use less water that directed when making up the soup, as you need it thicker.  Try half the amount of water to start, you can always add to it later.  Leave it to  cool.

Next roll out the pastry for your pie.  I like to have a ready-to-roll pack in the freezer.  I appreciate the ready rolled sheets are easier but you get more for your money if you roll it out yourself. One pack does two good sized pies.

Once the sweet potatoes were roasted I mixed them with the washed, chopped, but uncooked, mushrooms and the soup mix.

Then into the pie it went, it was a generous pie  :)

Lidded and egg washed - you know to do your egg wash before you cut slits in the lid right?  Otherwise the wash will seal the slits and your pie wont have any air escape routes.

Then bake - half an hour at around Gas mark 6 will be good.

Then all you have left to do it enjoy it.  You don't actually need anything to accompany this pie as it has the veg and potatoes inside.  You can make them before you need them too, just keep them in the fridge until baking time.

#ShareYourTeaTuesday

Vegetarian Haggis stuffed Pancakes

What did you have in your pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?   Sweet or Savoury?

We decided to have both  :)  As you do.

First off the savoury ones.  It was a real fridge/cupboard buster - using up bits we already had in.  Well, that is what pancake day is all about really isn't it?

I found half a packet of Vegetarian Haggis in the freezer so thought I would use that, but you can bung almost anything into a pancake you know.  Try it and see.

As per usual, I don't measure ingredients.  Chuck a bit of flour in a bowl.  A mug or two full should do 6 pancakes.  I allow two each for the main savoury dish, then a smaller sweet one for afters.

Make a hole in the middle of the flour and crack in an egg.  Mix this middle eggy bit round and around until it becomes too stiff.

Then alternate between milk and cold water, adding splash by splash until you have a thick cream consistence.

Heat up some oil or butter in a non-stick frying pan and when hot, drop in a ladle of mix, turning the pan so it swishes to the edges.   The first pancake is never going to look pretty - they always look a bit rough around the edges, the the next look look great!

Wait until it is cooked then flip it, toss it - whatever you are comfortable with.

Make as many as you need and pile them up.

Next prepare your filling.  As I mentioned I used this Veggie Haggis that I had in the freezer.  I cooked it according to the instructions as your feeling needs to be ready cooked.  Leftovers are great for this, curry, bolognese, lentils....

Plop your filling into one half of a pancake.

Roll up and place in an overproof dish.

Cover with a tomato based sauce.  I keep this budget (37p) pasta sauce in the cupboard for emergencies, so it comes in handy for meals like this.

Then add grated cheese and a sprinkling of dried herbs.

Bake for around 30 minutes at Gas 6 - or regular medium heat.

 Voilà!

A yummy stuffed pancake dinner.   The veggie haggis worked very well in case you wondered.

I did Hubster a Chilli Chicken one.  I spread the pancakes with soft cheese, added the flavoured chicken and rolled up. I finished with the sauce and cheese in the same way.

He is posh and has lemon and sugar on his sweet pancake, whereas I had a dollop of golden syrup  :)

Nom!

Oaty Plum Crumble recipe

Sometimes you just need something fruity and warming, especially with the colder evenings drawing in, and what could be better than an oaty plum crumble?  Here is my favourite pudding recipe.  You can use any fruit of course underneath the crumble, even tinned.

What you need:

• Fruit (in this case plums)
• 150g Plain Flour
• 100g Sugar - granulated, caster, soft brown - whatever you have
• 75g of butter / cooking fat / cooking margarine
• 50g Porridge Oats

What you do:

Cut the plums in half and wiggle out the stone.  (for other fruit, prepare in the manner it needs to be prepared)  Lay them in an ovenproof dish.

In a bowl rub the cold butter into the flour with your fingers until it resembles a rough breadcrumb.

Stir in the sugar and the porridge oats.

Pour the crumble mix onto the fruit and press down lightly.

Bake at Gas 6 for about 30 minutes, then scoff it all up with ice-cream, cream or custard - or all three!

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Risotto Recipe

I made myself this dish the other day and it was really rather yummy, so thought I would share it  :)

I was good and measured it for you - kinda......

So....

What you need:

• Risotto Rice  (Or I used the Gallo 3 Grains box which is a mix of rice, spelt and barley.)
• A good sized Sweet Potato
• A cup-a-soup sachet of your choice
• Herbs & Spices of your choice

What you do:  

• Pour a 'cup'  (100g) per person of rice into the cooker.

• Peel and chop up the sweet potato and chuck that in too.

• Grab your choice of cup-a-soup - I particularly like this Creamy Thai flavour, and spinkle it on the rice & sweet potato.

• Spice it up a bit if you like with curry powder, or other herbs.

• Cover everything with water, turn on the slow cooker and forget about it for 3-4 hours.

• Eat   :)  The result is a lovely creamy, no hassle, no effort risotto style dinner  :)  Deeelishus!

 (That little thing that may look like a fly, isn't.  It is a bit of parsley - I am a vegetarian, don't you know?)

Change the soup, change the spices, change the veggies - what can you come up with?