eat more veg!

Last night I was inspired by Jamie's school dinners (yes, honestly) to try and sneak a few more vegetables into the children. I made pasta and a tomato sauce, with some vegetables blended in. I have done this in the past, with more success. Fugs is getting really fussy about what he will eat. The others liked it though. They all ate it for lunch today, mixed together, so they had to eat the sauce! With some fruit salad. I am really trying!

This is just a basic idea.

pasta sauce
olive oil
1 onion
1/2 courgette
2 cloves garlic
1/2 leek
1 can kidney beans
I carton passata
Fry veg in oil, add passata and simmer till just cooked

Blend some of sauce- leave some chunky for those who like chunky.

A welcome to new members, Heather and Tech. I am inviting more members directly via my Home Education/general life blog, Knittingyogurt (not just those who read this blog, who aren't many ATM). I started this blog just to keep a record of some of the recipes I had enjoyed. I am no Nigella, or Jamie, but do spend a lot of time feeding my family, and at times put a lot of thought into it. I got the idea to open it up to other members from another blog, which I can't find at the moment.
Anyone, whether they have their own blog or not, can join, I just need your email address to invite you, then you can start blogging your tasty recipes! Basically anything goes, from simple meal ideas to more elaborate dishes. But it does have to be vegetarian, and I do try to keep it to things I have tried out and were succesful. I like to have fun with seasonal foods- this is part of the educational element. I am always trying to find ways to celebrate different festivals with food. But also trying to be healthy, catering for fussy kids with differing tastes, needs and diets, not always having much time to cook, and not spending too much money, are all factors.
Also, not just recipes, but general musings, info and links on the topic are welcome too.
Happy food blooging! I mean blogging, or do I? Flooging?

Easter

Easter Hare eggs
These are boiled eggs, decorated by the Easter Hare on the night before Easter Sunday, and left in the nests that the children have made and left in the garden. If you look carefully you can make out a shape of a hare sitting up, among the dappled brown patterns, in which children seem to be able to see all manner of other pictures. I believe it has something to do with onion skins and a paper cut-out of a hare, but don't ask me, as it is a secret recipe...

Crispy nests

Crispy nests
Just the thought of chocolate Easter eggs put me off any more chocolate, so I decided to make syrup nests instead. Makes about 15

• 1 oz butter
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• -melt in a pan, (with 'helper' stirring)
• optional: add 1 tsp cocoa powder
• add 10? handfulls of rice crispies, or other cereal, as much as will stick together
• Press down well into cake cases, in tins, and add just 1 mini egg to each, assuming it is a crispy cake you want and not just a conveyor for yet more chocolate ;o)
• BTW, yellow doilly is made in the same manner as a paper snowflake
  

Simnel Cake

Ok, this is basically a fruit cake with marzipan on top. I used a cobbled together recipe for Dundee cake, putting a layer of marzipan inside- you put half the mixture in the tin, then a layer of marzipan, then the rest of the mixture. When it is cool, turn upside down, add rolled out marzipan, and balls of marzipan. I used 12 balls. Then grill till slightly browned. They loved the balls.
This is a traditional Easter cake, (I believe), that my mum used to make, although I could find no reference to it apart from in Marguerite Patten, who's books, surprise, surprise, my mum used.
Actually, it was quite cosmic making it, as I had thought it was all about the apostles, or some other biblical reference, but this marzipan was so yellow (LIDL special, left over from Christmas, as I didn't want to use it!), When I cut out the disc to go inside I realised it was like a big round sun (or moon?) hiding inside, which would be revealed when it was cut open. We had been reading about Easter traditions and the Easter Vigil bonfire (Catholic), and the relighting of the candles, bringing new light, renewal. I said the balls on top could be the moons of the year, but stopped at 12, for some reason, so it ended up looking like a big yellow clock.

Hot Cross Buns

This is a breadmaker recipe: (this is from memory!)
but I'm sure all the breadmaker does is knead it a bit and then lets it rise in a warm place for a bit, It takes just over an hour,anyway, so you can easily do that, if you have enough hands free, that is.

I egg
make up to 8 fl oz with tepid water/milk
1 lb Strong white flour
1 tsp salt
2 oz sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
3 oz currants/ raisins
1 1/2 tsp easybake/dried yeast

Put in this order on a dough setting...
Cut into 12 pieces and form into round bun shapes
Leave on oiled tray in warm place to rise for 1/2 to 1 hour
Cut crosses, or add crosses made of plain pastry- this is the fun bit! you can add spots, too, or anything! (slightly irreverant attitude!)
Brush with egg
Bake for 10 mins at 200C?
When they come out you can brush them with a sugar/water or sugar/milk solution to glaze.

Hot cross bun recipe to follow shortly- sorry, I can't do this in advance. We'll be onto rice crispie cakes soon, but these were are great success- well, apart from the slightly burnt ones that were left till last (as pictured!)