Falafel

• 2 tbsp olive oil.
• 1 small onion, finely chopped.
• 1 garlic clove, crushed.
• 1 x 400g/14oz can chickpeas.
• 2 tsp ground cumin.
• 1 tsp mixed herbs.
• 1 lemon, zest grated.
• salt and black pepper.

Chop all together. Form mixture into clumps/balls on oiled tray, drizzle. 

Bake 175 - 200 for 20 - 30 minutes.

Cold soup. As in Soup for Colds

Thanks Jack Monroe for this great, warming antidote to colds and flu. Nothing like tomato soup, spiced up, when you're sick...

"30g fresh ginger, 10p (£3.49/kg)
6 fat cloves of garlic, 8p (4 bulbs/69p)
800g chopped tomatoes, 58p (29p/400g)
1 tbsp medium curry powder, 2p (£1.15/100g)
1 tsp turmeric, 1p (£1.15/100g)
Salt and pepper
The easiest way to make this soup is to pop all of the ingredients in a blender, except the curry powder turmeric as it will stain, and blast to a pulp. Then pour into a saucepan, and bring to a gentle simmer. Fill one of the empty cans of tomatoes with water and pour into the pan, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t stick and burn at the bottom."

Chicken divan

Great chicken and broccoli recipe. Thanks Jen Schmidt at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. It even makes me want to buy tinned soup....

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen broccoli spears (or what you have on hand)
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken (or your choice. I’ve mixed mushroom, chicken and even cream of celery soup. If you have homemade made up, even better.)
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese, sharp
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs*
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• seasoning salt, pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook broccoli in microwave according to package.
3. When broccoli is finished, place broccoli in a greased 9×13 baking dish and top with chicken. Liberally salt and pepper chicken breast. I use a basic seasoning salt or garlic salt.
4. While broccoli is cooking in microwave begin sauce.
5. Combine soup and next 3 ingredients in saucepan.
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the cheese melts.
7. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli.
8. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and drizzle butter over breadcrumbs.
9. Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes or until chicken is done. (Check at 30 minutes and cut small slice in middle of one chicken breast to check.)

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Clementine chicken

Or tangerine chicken. Or even orange chicken.  #anythingwillwork

Had a friend (Wendy, dear dear Renee's daughter, my age, ex-teacher, great reader, lovely sense of humour and as caring as her wonderful mother....) to lunch.  It had to be a slow-cooker job as we were in church all morning, so....

Chicken.6 - 8 thigh fillets
6 small clementines
1 small onion
1 carton (284ml) single cream

Brown 6 - 8 thigh fillets or chicken breasts with one finely chopped onion in butter.
While it is cooking, place three sliced clementines (the kind that are DIFFICULT to peel, not the kidn with loose skin) and four small new sprigs of rosemary at the base of the cooker.
Put the chicken on top, add another couple of tiny clementines, sliced, season.
Deglaze the pan with a little water - perhaps 50ml or a little more.
Cook for 4 hours on high.

Mix a large tablespoon of cornflour with a little cream. Add a ladle of juice/stock from the slow cooker, stir, return to slow-cooker. Heat up remainder of a 280ml carton of single cream in the microwave until hot but not boiling, add to slow-cooker. Let cook for a further 20 minutes if there is time, tasting and adjusting seasoning with a squeeze of lemon juice and more salt if required.

Absolutely delicious served with rice and mixed salad.