Party Planning

Here is a selection of starters, main courses and desserts.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

This is the first time I've made soup in the slow cooker, but it was so easy and delicious.        My slow cooker fries, if yours doesn't, use a pan first.  Add a little oil to the pan, then some vegetables, whatever you have. I used sliced celery, sliced leek (washed), sliced carrot, half a bag of soup mix lentils. With these I never bother soaking over night, I rinse them and then boil them in cold water, and then add to the soup. Add stock to cover the vegetables and seasoning to taste. If for children use low salt stock and don't add salt.

No Cook Ricotta & Courgette Rolls

I have never made these before, and now I have just tasted one, I am actually very impressed. They would make great canapés or a dinner party starter, maybe served on a bed of mixed leaves with some smoked salmon. No cooking required as they are marinated in balsamic vinegar which softens the courgettes.

Ingredients 

• 1 courgette would serve 2 people as a snack or several people as a starter
• a tub of ricotta
• juice of half a lemon
• a handful of basil leaves
• I used chilli flakes as i like things spicy, but pine nuts would also be delicious 
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil

Method

• chop ends off the courgettes
• slice very thinly using a peeler
• drizzle a tbsp of olive oil and balsamic onto a platter
• lay the courgette slices one by one on the platter 
• then drizzle with more olive oil and balsamic
• place in fridge covered for at least 20 mins and up to 6 hours
• Mix the ricotta lemon juice, basil leaves, chilli flakes and pine nuts if using
• season to taste 
• next take one courgette piece and at one end place a tsp of the mixture and then roll from one end to the other 

They can be placed in the fridge until needed.

Spicy Coconut Salmon Anniversary Dinner

It might not look exactly appetising, but I promise, it is very yummy, I will try to do again, and take better pictures, I'm still new to this blogging malarky!

I do find salmon a little boring, and then I came up with the idea (I know its going to sound strange) to sprinkle chilli flakes and desiccated coconut on the salmon and then grill! It's magic!

I served it with salad leaves sprinkled with balsamic and olive oil, boiled new potatoes and griddled baby courgette and asparagus. Oh and a large mushroom, topped with boursin cheese and chilli flakes (yes my staple seasoning), which I cooked in the oven for 30 mins.

I think its reasonably healthy and very tasty.

I'd recommend a slow cooker to any busy parent, I know the idea of cooking something for 4-8 hours may seem like a waste of time. But personally I find it a life saver! I put the dinner on when the little people are having their afternoon nap. Then when I've finally put them to bed, tidied up their mess, the last thing I want to do is start cooking, which is why the slow cooker works so well! It's great for meat eaters, you could put on beef casserole in the morning and it would be lovely and succulent by the evening. 

However my husband doesn't eat red meat - and I'm not keen on chicken, therefore I mostly do veggie meals, and finding veggie recipes for slow cookers isn't that easy. Check out my stuffed peppers in the slow cooker. Stuffed peppers

Vegetable curry recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (use powder if not available)
• 1 onion. sliced
• 2 curry leaves (not always so easy to find in a supermarket - I have some growing in the garden which i had found in a garden centre.
• 1 in piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and chopped
• 2 tbsp curry paste (any according to your preference, I used tikka
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 cauliflour, cut into florets
• 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• pinch tumeric
• 250mls hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 85g frozen peas
• 115g mangetout

My slow cooker fry's, if yours doesn't you may want to use a frying pan first. 

• Heat the oil in the slow cooker on fry setting.
• Add cumin to the pan, if using seeds, when it start popping add the curry leaves and then the onion slices. 
• Stir for a few minutes until the onion has softened.
• Add the ginger and chillies and cook stirring occasionally for a minute
• Stir in the curry paste, cook and stir for a few minutes
• Add the cauliflower and carrots, cook for 5 mins 
• Add the tomatoes, turmeric and season with salt and pepper if required
• Cook for a few minutes, then add stock and bring to the boil
• turn to slow cooker setting, low, medium or high, depending on how quick you need it. I found 2 hours on high was works, but probably best 5 hours on low for the best flavour
• I added the mange tout and peas near the end of cooking, as I found that the mange touts wilt and they both lose their colour.

Here are how I served it for my 11 month old and my 2.5 year old, went down very well.

Check out my stir fry veg rice: stir-fry-vegetable-rice-

Salmon, Salad and Griddled Courgettes

I've been to the gym today in my pursuit of a beach body, and when I get home I want something healthy, filling and quick.

On the way back from the gym I bought 2 salmon steaks which come with watercress sauce, avocados, courgettes, and a bag of salad leaves.

First trim and cut courgettes in half, thinly slice, throw in a bowl with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of Italian seasoning or some pepper and chilli flakes would work just as well. 

Griddle until chargrilled.

You can cook the salmon a number of ways, grill oven or I cooked  in a small frying pan as I like a crispy skin.

I served with a green salad and some steamed rice

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Hubby is on night shift tonight, so thought I'd send him along with a cake for the boys. They are quite partial to a lemon drizzle, they were not so keen on my carrot cake last time!

Ingredients 

• 25g lightly salted butter
• 125g caster sugar
• Finely grated rind and juice or 1 lemon
• 2 eggs 
• 125g self raising flour 
• 65g ground almonds 

Method

• Mix everything together except the juice, pour into a cake tin. This time i'm using a rectangular one, but I also have used a square one and cut it into slices.
•  Cook at around 180 degrees 

• Bake for 25 mins or until firm to touch and a knife comes out clean 

• Pierce several holes with a skewer
• Sprinkle with sugar and pour over the lemon juice 

Yum

Blueberry, Natural Yoghurt, Honey and Toasted Almonds

I love this dessert, I was once served it by a Turkish friend of mine. 

This is great if you fancy something sweet and healthy. It's also full of all sorts of antioxidants and nutrients.                                                           Method: In a small pan dry fry flaked almonds.  In a bowl place some blueberries, natural yoghurt, a swirl of natural honey and top with flaked almonds 

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Stuffed Peppers