Cooking recipes

It wasnt really soup weather yesterday, but I had planned to make my Random Recipe for the challenge at Belleau Kitchen and I was bloomin sure I was going to make it!  The theme this month is First and Last with the rules as follows:


 randomly select a book
2. look at the first and last recipes
3. choose one (or both if youre feeling flash..) of the recipes and make it
4. post the recipe on your blog with a link back to my blog and include the random recipes logo
5. deadline is midnight on the 29th May

 The book I picked was the Good Housekeeping Best 30 Minute Recipes which I see is still available to buy, although I must have had mine for over 20 years.  Its a great book which I have used a lot, but never have I made the first recipe for White Bean Soup.


White Bean Soup
Serves 4

1tbsp oil
125g onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 level tsp copped fresh rosemary or 1/2 level tsp dried
425g can haricot beans, drained and rinsed (I soaked dried cannelini beans overnight then boiled for 30 minutes before adding to soup)
1.1 litres vegetable stock
salt and pepper
Toasted wholemeal croutons and sprigs of fresh rosemary to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion with the garlic and rosemary for 1-2 minutes.  Add the beans, stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Puree half the soup mixture in a blender or food processor and return to pan. Bring back to the boil, stirring all the time. Adjust the seasoning.
3. Serve the soup sprinkled with croutons.  Garnish each bowl with a sprig of rosemary.

This was our first meal outside on the patio this year, my son joined us and, on taking a spoonful of soup, pronounced Thats really good with a sound of surprise in his voice!  Praise indeed.

A healthier version of the traditional green bean casserole that your family and friends are sure to enjoy...

Serves: (6)
Prep: 15 mins. |
Bake: 25 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
6 medium-size crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups fresh green beans, sliced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
1 (2.8 oz.) can french fried onions
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9”x9” baking dish with oil, and set aside.

Boil the green beans in the chicken broth for 10 minutes, and drain, and then set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet, and saute the onions and mushrooms, until onions are translucent. Add the green beans, mushroom soup, worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, garlic powder, and pepper to the onion mixture, stirring well to combine.

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes, then top the casserole with the french fried onions, and then the grated parmesan cheese, and bake for 5 minutes longer, just until the cheese melts. ~ Enjoy!

6 servings
1 hour 15 minutes - including 1 hour advance prep, but not cooling time


Roast the Beans and Beets
4 medium-large beets
450 grams (1 pound) green beans
1/4 cup mild vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel the beets and cut them into wedges. Toss them with half the oil and salt in a shallow baking tray.

Wash and trim the beans and toss them with the remainder of the oil and salt in another shallow baking tray.

Roast both beets and beans for 40 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked and showing signs of browning. Let cool until you are about to make the salad.

Make the Dressing:
1/4 cup sunflower seed oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Whisk or shake together in a small bowl or jar.

Assemble the Salad:
1 small sweet onion (about 1 cup when chopped)
100 grams (1/4 pound) blue cheese, crumbled

Peel and chop the onion, and toss with the cooked, cooled beans and beets. Toss with the dressing and mix in the crumbled blue cheese.





Last year at this time I made Cauliflower with Tomatoes & Cilantro.

Another simple but very popular dip, and its always nice to have a dip that isnt based on cheese or sour cream as a contrast to all the ones that are!

If you have any leftover, it can be made into burritos or tacos.

5 cups dip
15 minutes prep time


1 teaspoon cumin seed
2 540 ml (19 oz) tins kidney beans
1 1/2 cups prepared salsa
OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup roasted red peppers or dried tomatoes
1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
hot sauce to taste

Toast the cumin seed lightly in a dry skillet, then put it in the bowl of a food processor. Rinse and drain the beans well, then add them too.

I used my homemade salsa. Use a prepared salsa that is similarly fairly thin, not one that is thick and full of tomato paste. Add it to the beans along with the red peppers or tomatoes, if using, and purée until fairly smooth but some texture still remains. Taste and add the mustard and hot sauce, adjusting until you have achieved a flavour that makes you happy. Thats it! Serve with corn chips.




Last year at this time I made Zucchini Stuffed to the Gunwales and Zucchini Vinaigrette.