Never say no to a pregnant woman's my motto, so here's a delicious vegetable lasagne recipe at the behest of Liv - 6 months down, 3 to go - whoot whoot - keep at it lady! Recipe has several stages of preparation, but don't let that put you off, it's really super simple.
Tomato Sauce:
2 large cloves garlic, crushed and then finely chopped.
2 handfuls of fresh flat leaf parsely, finely chopped.
1-2 jars of plain tomato passata.
1 medium onion - minced (the finer the better).
3-4 roma tomatoes, finely chopped.
1. Fry off onion and garlic on medium heat until they become transluscent.
2. Add parsely and tomatoes, fry for a few minutes and then add passata and salt and pepper to taste. If I have some sitting around (and let's face it, I usually do, I may add a few splashes of red wine too).
3. Simmer until ready to use - adding water when sauce levels drop (need to have a certain amount of liquid for lasagne. More is more in this case, and if there's leftovers, just freeze and use next time).
Preparation of vegies - all interchangeable of course, but here's what works for me:
1. Butternut squash, pumpkin or sweet potato. Cut into approx 1cm thick rounds. Roast at 180-200 heat (180 for fan forced oven) with a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper and a few bruised whole cloves of garlic until vegies soften - try not to burn them or let them get too squishy.
2. Eggplant. Cut into .5cm thick rounds, brush with oil and salt/pepper. Grill on both sides until softened (again, try not to burn them).
3. Zuchini. Wafer thin slices won't need pre-cooking, so hurrah!
4. Either baby spinach left whole, no need to pre-cook, or ordinary spinach, chop and cook in pan until just wilted.
Final ingrediants:
Cheese - my particular choice would be a combination of mozzerella and shaved parmesan. Use whatever you prefer.
Lasagne sheets - if you can find wholemeal, good luck to you.
Layering - the Final Phase:
1. Layer of sauce (just enough to cover the bottom of the dish).
2. Pumpkin/squash, sweet potato layer. Don't be afraid to leave gaps, no biggie if every inch of dish not covered.
3. Eggplant/zuchini - mix it up within the layer.
4. Lasagne sheets - break them up where necessary to fit the dish, try not to have them overlap, or they may not cook properly.
5. More sauce + a scattering of cheese.
6. Spinach layer
7. Lasagne sheets + sauce.
8. Back to pumpkin, etc, etc.
9. Use common sense to decide how many layers you can fit, and how thick each layer can afford to be. Don't let the layering spill over the dish, or you'll have one hell of a messy oven. Ideally, you want at least 3 - 4 layers of lasagne within the dish, mix and match vegie layers as suits you. Final layer should be: Lasagne, then sauce, then maybe a thin layer of the spinach, then the rest of the cheese.
Oven should be preheated to 180 and lasagne will generally take about 30 mins, however, always test using a sharp knife after 30 mins to ensure lasagne sheets completely cooked.
Notes:
1.Lasagne sheets cook through the process of absorbtion, so ensure there is enough liquid within the layering to allow this.
2. The sauce should be warm when you layer, to start the cooking process.
3. I like to add fresh basil to the layers intermittently for extra flavour.
4. If you run out of sauce, just make sure you have some extra passata on standby.
Hope this works out for you Liv - let me know if there's anything else I can do!
Wednesday 30 September 2009
Monday 28 September 2009
Recipe Sharing 101
I'm so obssessed with this salad, I need to share it. It goes beautifully with any seafood, chicken, etc, or just on its own.
In fact, I think we should all start posting awesome recipes up so we can start some kind of recipe club. NERD alert!
Coleslaw 'Asian Style' - serves 6 with meat (or 2 as an awesome vego main)
Ingrediants:
qtr chinese cabbage
qtr cucumber
10 cherry tomatoes
1 medium carrot
handful snowpeas
half a red, green or yellow capsicum (I like yellow for colour)
3 spring onions, or half a red onion
Preparation:
1. Shred cabbage and put into salad bowl.
2. Use peeler to shave cucumber into wafer thin slices (great technique).
3. As above for carrot.
4. Halve cherry tomatoes and gently squeeze into salad bowl to release juices. Of course whole of tomato also goes into salad, this is just a nice way to add another dimension to the dressing.
5. Julienne snowpeas and capsicum (thin thin thin, long long long).
6. Slice onion (whichever kind) wafer thin for red, diagonal slices for spring.
Toss all ingrediants in salad bowl until well combined. (OK, that was a bit of a 'duh' moment, I know, it's a freaking salad.)
NB// All ingrediants apart from onion, cabbage and tomatoes are optional, but I say the more the merrier. The key is to slice everything super finely.
Dressing:
1 clove garlic (slightly crushed, but not chopped, ie still one piece)
1 large (therefore mildly spicy) red chilli chopped finely, deseed if wussy
fresh ginger (from the root, not the jar!) - one small piece, peeled of outer skin
half a lime (juice only)
1 tablesp soysauce
2 teasp palm sugar (shaved), or honey
1 teasp hoisin sauce
1 tablesp rape seed oil
1-2 'dashes' of sesame oil. Don't overdo this, very strong flavour.
I like to combine dressings in a jar with a nice tight lid so you can shake it all about. Whisk and bowl is ok too, I guess, if you're a chump.
Add dressing to salad JUST before serving. Try not to get chunk of garlic or ginger in salad, but as much chilli in as possible!
As far as the slicing goes, for me it's trying to emulate a coleslaw as much as possible, hence the thin and shredded vegies. Do it whatever way suits you.
In fact, I think we should all start posting awesome recipes up so we can start some kind of recipe club. NERD alert!
Coleslaw 'Asian Style' - serves 6 with meat (or 2 as an awesome vego main)
Ingrediants:
qtr chinese cabbage
qtr cucumber
10 cherry tomatoes
1 medium carrot
handful snowpeas
half a red, green or yellow capsicum (I like yellow for colour)
3 spring onions, or half a red onion
Preparation:
1. Shred cabbage and put into salad bowl.
2. Use peeler to shave cucumber into wafer thin slices (great technique).
3. As above for carrot.
4. Halve cherry tomatoes and gently squeeze into salad bowl to release juices. Of course whole of tomato also goes into salad, this is just a nice way to add another dimension to the dressing.
5. Julienne snowpeas and capsicum (thin thin thin, long long long).
6. Slice onion (whichever kind) wafer thin for red, diagonal slices for spring.
Toss all ingrediants in salad bowl until well combined. (OK, that was a bit of a 'duh' moment, I know, it's a freaking salad.)
NB// All ingrediants apart from onion, cabbage and tomatoes are optional, but I say the more the merrier. The key is to slice everything super finely.
Dressing:
1 clove garlic (slightly crushed, but not chopped, ie still one piece)
1 large (therefore mildly spicy) red chilli chopped finely, deseed if wussy
fresh ginger (from the root, not the jar!) - one small piece, peeled of outer skin
half a lime (juice only)
1 tablesp soysauce
2 teasp palm sugar (shaved), or honey
1 teasp hoisin sauce
1 tablesp rape seed oil
1-2 'dashes' of sesame oil. Don't overdo this, very strong flavour.
I like to combine dressings in a jar with a nice tight lid so you can shake it all about. Whisk and bowl is ok too, I guess, if you're a chump.
Add dressing to salad JUST before serving. Try not to get chunk of garlic or ginger in salad, but as much chilli in as possible!
As far as the slicing goes, for me it's trying to emulate a coleslaw as much as possible, hence the thin and shredded vegies. Do it whatever way suits you.
More?
The Jewish Quarter
I laugh when I see this one. Stu took it, I did urge him to for the castle, but it just looks like we've posed for this picture in front of some non-descript red car. Awesomeness.
Tiny town, I will crush you!
Is it just me, or does this building look like it just had a nasty fright?
Oooh, decay-y.
Oh yeah, I could do that. Got one at home.
I love this idea. Mental Note:
Get bike. Leave it out in the rain to 'weather tastefully'. Buy pot plants. Merge. brilliant.
Stu bought a set. Ugh, does this mean I will have to play?
Ooooh, I want a lace parasol. Oh how the Eburgerians would laugh!
I still think it would've made the BEST lunch spot.
We could've spat on passers by. Imagine the hilarity.
Mmmmm, pretzels. I got one with paprika and sesame.
I tell you, you haven't lived...
Friday 25 September 2009
Poland - Day 2
To start: Bit of a balls-up by a certain member of our party who shall remain nameless.
Heather and Buff had organised a tour of Aushwitz for themselves, or 'Operation DC' as it was more commonly known. Don't ask. Someone, still nameless, organised it for the wrong week. Anyway, yay for me and Stu, as we had company on our walk around one of the most beautiful Old Towns I've ever had the pleasure of visiting.
We dined on Polish/Jewish delicacies.
We went to an open air market or three.
We walked and snapped photis and laughed and squealed at the sheer Eastern European-ness of it all. Magical day of sunshine. Then we started drinking beers at lunch, and while nothing is certain, this MAY have led of a certain someone literally crashing, leaping, shrieking and singing her way around Krakow later on that evening. Again, I won't name names, but once that lady's let out of her gilded cage...
We ate a trough of meat and potatoes for dinner. I wish I had Pictures of this. Trough is no exaggeration. It was quite something else, and my body is still paying the price of all that stodge. Ewwww, TMI.
It was a fantastic day. Made even better when I put H:Bomb to bed later than night after she had wrestled on the ground (and lost) against Buffy. That was awesome. She MAY also have tried to break down Buffy's door in an effort to stop her going to bed that night. Like I said, nothing is certain.
Needless to say, come morning, it was awfully difficult to rouse said Bomb, although we did manage when Stu gallantly (hah!) took her to McDonalds for hot chips and McBreakfast a la Poland.
Pics soon to come, but as work has finished for the day, I shall leave it there for now. There are also pics on facebook. I shall try not to repete them here.
Heather and Buff had organised a tour of Aushwitz for themselves, or 'Operation DC' as it was more commonly known. Don't ask. Someone, still nameless, organised it for the wrong week. Anyway, yay for me and Stu, as we had company on our walk around one of the most beautiful Old Towns I've ever had the pleasure of visiting.
We dined on Polish/Jewish delicacies.
We went to an open air market or three.
We walked and snapped photis and laughed and squealed at the sheer Eastern European-ness of it all. Magical day of sunshine. Then we started drinking beers at lunch, and while nothing is certain, this MAY have led of a certain someone literally crashing, leaping, shrieking and singing her way around Krakow later on that evening. Again, I won't name names, but once that lady's let out of her gilded cage...
We ate a trough of meat and potatoes for dinner. I wish I had Pictures of this. Trough is no exaggeration. It was quite something else, and my body is still paying the price of all that stodge. Ewwww, TMI.
It was a fantastic day. Made even better when I put H:Bomb to bed later than night after she had wrestled on the ground (and lost) against Buffy. That was awesome. She MAY also have tried to break down Buffy's door in an effort to stop her going to bed that night. Like I said, nothing is certain.
Needless to say, come morning, it was awfully difficult to rouse said Bomb, although we did manage when Stu gallantly (hah!) took her to McDonalds for hot chips and McBreakfast a la Poland.
Pics soon to come, but as work has finished for the day, I shall leave it there for now. There are also pics on facebook. I shall try not to repete them here.
Thursday 24 September 2009
Poland - 1st Night.
Stu and me in the Square.
Only on blog people.
Love ya Heather!
My peeps!
Soooo many pierogis! What to chooose? Hmmm
The first night we arrived in Poland - sooooo exciting! H:Bomb and Buff Buff, waiting for us at the gate. My heart skips a beat or two. Gorgeous girls! Having told myself, strictly, early to bed for you - biiiiggg weekend coming up - promptly talked around by promises of cheap beer and pierogi. Ahhhh, pierogi - life blood. So late night beer and dumplings it is. And they were delicious, as was our surly waiter. A warm night (warm by my fast depleting expectations), balmy even. Only thin trench required. Bliss. A wander through the main square of the old town - Stu putting up with shrieks and squeals. He would do that a lot over the course of 3 days. Sorry Stu.
Wednesday 23 September 2009
Shame on Me.
I really thought it only happened once to good people, but before we get on to Poland, there's the small matter of a lost mobile phone to deal with.
Lost phone once, shame on phone (and MAYBE those 5 or 6 tequila shots). Lose phone twice, shame on me (for not dealing with long-overdue-for-mending pocket on work trousers). Sigh.
So some Lothian bus drives through the streets of E-Burger with a phone that will never bleep (no-one calls). Oh well, at least it was pay as you go and uber cheap. Replacement pending, so for now, comment here please - I'll need numbers people!
Poland adventures + photos galore to come as soon as work isn't so work-y.
Smooches bitches!
Lost phone once, shame on phone (and MAYBE those 5 or 6 tequila shots). Lose phone twice, shame on me (for not dealing with long-overdue-for-mending pocket on work trousers). Sigh.
So some Lothian bus drives through the streets of E-Burger with a phone that will never bleep (no-one calls). Oh well, at least it was pay as you go and uber cheap. Replacement pending, so for now, comment here please - I'll need numbers people!
Poland adventures + photos galore to come as soon as work isn't so work-y.
Smooches bitches!
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Leaving Las Eburger
Michelle and Rick leave us for sunnier, if not greener pastures back in the ol Land of Oz. A sad sad day for E-Town. Mez drowned her sorrows as only she knows how. I have left out some of the less flattering shots, and kept some in for good measure.
Mel and Stu - Stu on the sherry.
The OTHER Meredith (I know, I couldn't believe it either!) and Rickery.
Umm ... yep.
K.I.T
Lazy drunk face takes on a whole new meaning. See? Told you I'd keep in some of the shockers!
Bye Rick and Michelle - we'll miss you terribly!
No no, rotate the camera, I want askew!
Such a pretty couple. 
Well, that's it from me for now. I think I've given you enough to think about for now, like 'why am I not up in ol Eburger with Mez having an awesomely craptacular time?' Yeah, stew that one around your wee noggins ladies and gents.
Mel and Stu - Stu on the sherry.
The OTHER Meredith (I know, I couldn't believe it either!) and Rickery.
Umm ... yep.
K.I.T
Lazy drunk face takes on a whole new meaning. See? Told you I'd keep in some of the shockers!
Bye Rick and Michelle - we'll miss you terribly!
No no, rotate the camera, I want askew!
Such a pretty couple.
Well, that's it from me for now. I think I've given you enough to think about for now, like 'why am I not up in ol Eburger with Mez having an awesomely craptacular time?' Yeah, stew that one around your wee noggins ladies and gents.The Hits Just Keep On Coming
The beautiful Miss Michelle - I'll miss you and Rick muchly, but at least I have the ridiculous amount of foodstuffs, bedding and amazing speakers to keep me company until Berlin!
I NEEd to get a leather jacket. Timeless. Apparently you're nobody round these parts until you're wearing the skin of a cow.
Ok, I know what you're all thinking. But blurry on purpose, I swear. Took the flash off and though this looked sweetcakes.
Eburger, land of colourful lights, castles and ... cooooows!
I may be a masochist who enjoys being put through the wringer of shame. Still, these ones maybe aren't as bad as the last batch. Saw a show, or 5. Fringe it!
By the way, for anyone who cares, Michael Clark's dance spectacular was fab. Festivally, high brow (thank god for friends with freebies!), but awesome. Cept for random old dude we're convinced was on stage either thanks to an outrageous abuse of the concept of nepotism, or because he snuck into backstage area and happened to be wearing a unitard, so was shoved onstage with the rest. He didn't belong.
Eburger Strikes (and strickens) Again!
Only on Blog people. Will never be on facebook. Do you feel lucky? Well ... do ya? Yeah, didn't think so either. It was about 3am.
When Frodo (ie Andy) come to town...
Complete disregard for fellow revellers - we just took stupid photo after stupid photo. How annoying were we? Very probably, very.
Did I steal someone's drink? Was that it?
That's fringe for you. At least some of it.
Uh Oh - who said Tequila? I've been possessed by the Als!
Hmmm, not sure that I mmight not get whipped for keeping this one in.
Maaaaaaaaate.
Mate? What ... errr ... oh nevermind, go ahead.Hey chaps and chappettes.
More photis of madcappery and sculduggery. Ok, so I might be exaggerating the madness slightly and downplaying the general drunken malaise. You be the judge. Only, don't judge, it's a bad colour on you.
Jupiter Artland (3)
'The Love Bomb' - Love that name! As you can see from (sorry it's dark I know) little ol me at the bottom, this was one whoppa of a blast! Digital image of monster orchid growing out of fertile Scottish soil. 
Stu having a snooze on the Life Mounds. I put this in just to show you the questionable nature of Stu's wardrobe. Camo patches on bum? Why yes, yes they are. But actually, they're bulky pockets too. Just where everyone wishes to add a little extra bulk.
These Life Mounds were incredibly beautiful. The only thing that ruined the experience was all the happy campers completely disregarding the pleas from staff not to walk on said mounds due to wet weather compromising their structural integrity. Reminded me of that time Vee and I went around Versailles telling off Eurotrash for using the flash on their cameras!
So peaceful and beautiful! Feel the serenity.
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