Pasta e Ceci (Pasta and Chickpeas)

This soft pasta and chickpea dish is a cross between and soup and a pasta dish.  It is similar to Pasta e fagioli, which uses red beans instead of chickpeas...but the texture and flavours are very similar.  It is filling, warming and comforting (and yet another way to get children to eat pulses!)...I've made it for the boys I've nannied, and also for my fiance...no complaints!

I use Jamie Oliver's recipe from Jamie's Italy, but he uses that same ingredients and method as my friend's Southern Italian father does. 

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and finally chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
olive oil
1 spring of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finally chopped
2x 400g tins of chickpeas
500ml chicken stock
100g ditalini or other small Italian 'soup' pasta
sea salt, freshly ground pepper
parsley or basil chopped for garnish (optional)

Method

Put the onion, celery, garlic and rosemary into a large saucepan with a glug of olive oil. 
Cover and sweat veggies on low heat until soft, but without any colour (about 15-20 mins)
Meanwhile drain chickpeas and drain well.
After 15-20 mins add chickpeas to veggies and cover with stock.
Simmer gently until chickpeas are very soft (about 30 min)

Using a slotted spoon remove about 1/2 of the chickpeas (reserve)
Using a handblender or food processor blitz the remaining chickpeas and stock until pretty smooth
Return the reserved chickpeas to blended mixture and put over med-high heat

Add dried pasta
Simmer until pasta is cooked

Serve with some chopped parsley or basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Enjoy :)

Broccoli, Potato and Cheese Soup

we have enough broccoli in our garden to last a life time! i didnt want it to go to waste, so i used it in this wonderful soup! it was hearty and filling. my kids ate it! its cheap. it was so fast and easy to make!

2 Cups chopped onion
2 Tlbs olive oil
2 1/2 lbs peeled and cubed potatoes
5 Cups water
4 Cubes chicken bullion
3 Cups fresh broccoli, cooked and drained
dash of garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
3 Cups cheddar cheese

in a large pot, saute onion in butter.
add potatoes, water and bullion cubes.
cover.
bring to boil and then reduce heat to med. and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 min.
cook broccoli and add to soup.
in a blender or food processor, puree half of the soup and return to pot.
season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
add cheese and heat soup through until cheese is melted.
serve warm.
goes well with homemade biscuits.

stay warm!

Christmas Gingerbread Pancakes!

These are a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! I know that ginger is sometimes a bit "spicy" for kids, but when they are covered in yummy maple syrup the balance is wonderful.

The basic pancake batter recipe comes from The Joy of Cooking.  From the number of recipes I have tried over the last few years this is the one I always come back to for a no-fail fluffy, light and tastey pancake. 

I serve these with just plain maple syrup (we smuggled some bottles back from Canada in the fall) and crispy bacon.  The sweetness of the syrup combined with the saltyness of the bacon perfectly compliments the ginger and cinnamon in the pancakes.  Of course, you could add  more ginger if you wanted...totally up to you!

Pancake batter (from Joy of Cooking)

*makes about 15 medium sized pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp white sugar

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

3 Tbsp melted butter

1 1/4 cup milk

*1 tsp ground ginger

*1 tsp cinnamon

In a small bowl mix all dry ingredients together.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs and milk, slowly mix in dry ingredients.

Mix in melted butter

Melt a little bit of butter in skillet and pour small amounts of batter into skillet....and you know the rest!

Enjoy xo

applesauce pancakes with apple cider syrup

these are delicious and addictive. such a yummy breakfast for a cold morning.

ingredients::

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup melted butter

combine all ingredients and mix well. drop in dollops on hot skillet. flip and top with butter while warm.

for syrup::
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks

in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. when the butter stops foaming, add the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks. bring to a boil, stirring. continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced by half to about 1 to 1 1/4 cups. this will take about 15 minutes. the syrup will thicken as it cools. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve with pancakes.


enjoy!

Nearly Dead Apple Cake

I am really excited to be contributing to this fabbo blog and thought that I would share a NON-Christmas recipe first because I am totally in Christmas overload at the moment and couldn't handle the sight of more cloves, cinnamon, ginger, orange yule-tideness. 

This cake is pretty simple to make and stays moist out on a cake plate under a dome for a good while (if I actually lasts that long)! It is a great way to use up those apples lurking in the back of the crisper drawer, hence NEARLY DEAD APPLE cake.  The recipe is a family favourite of mine, my Italian Grandmother inherited it from an old Jewish lady whose house she used to clean.  This is a good, dense, moist, rustic cake. 

Ingredients:

(for apple layer)

4 apples, cored and thiny sliced

1/3 cup white sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

(for cake batter)

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

zest of one orange

1 1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tbsp orange juice

2 tsp vanilla

***Grease and line a springform pan*** (I use a 8" pan, my mum uses a 9" springform tube pan)

PRE HEAT OVEN to 375 f / 190C

-Peel, core and thiny slice apples

-toss apples with sugar and cinnamon

-set aside

-In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt

-In a large bowl mix orange peel and sugar, add eggs, vegetable oil, orange juice and vanilla, mix to combine.

-Add flour mixture, fold in slowly (don't over mix)

-Pour 1/2 of mixture into base of pan

-Layer apples over top

-Spread leftover batter over apple layer (might not cover completely, that's ok)

Bake middle rack of oven for 1 hour (or until tester comes out clean)

***Let cool completely before taking out of pan***

Enjoy xo

Scones

I love me a good scone. Here are two recipes to try - easy and SOO yummy!

Maple Oatmeal Scones

1 1/4 c flour
3/4 - 1 c oats
1/8 c sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
5 T chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 c maple syrup
6 T milk
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 c pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter with a mixer. Add milk, egg, maple syrup. Stir until just mixed and add pecans. Shape and bake for 11 min

Cranberry & White chocolate scones

1 3/4 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
5 T chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 T half and half (I use milk and add another 1/2 T butter)
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 c cranberries
1/2 c white chocolate chips

Directions are the same as above. It's important to not over mix the dough and to not bake too long...when they are overdone they are dry and not as good. I barely let mine brown before I take them out.

Try them!

Mom's yummy (and EASY!) cinnamon rolls!

Sorry there is no picture, but I was just craving these so decided to post them. My mom has been making cinnamon rolls during the holiday's for as long as I can remember. I get mad if she tries another recipe because there is no need...these are AMAZING! I haven't tried it, but it would probably also be good with a cream cheese frosting as opposed to a simple glaze (which my mom always uses). ENJOY!

Cinnamon Rolls (Julie Walker)

2 c scalded milk
2 pkgs yeast
3/4 c butter, melted
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten
5 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
2 T cinnamon

Pour scalded milk over sugar, let cool. Add yeast & 1 c flour. Add eggs, 1/2 c butter, salt, and remaining flour. Stir until mixed. Let rise. Roll out into rectangle. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread w/ remaining melted butter and top with sugar mixture. Roll up long ways, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces (easy with dental floss!) and place on greased baking sheets. Let rise again. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.