• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

GRUB! (Soft Food Ideas)

Kim

Kim

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
1,859
Location
Hertfordshire
:cook:

Now, I am not sure if this is the right place to post this, and hopefully someone will put me right if I am a bit off track on that one. For ages now, I have been saying I would be putting up recipes that are easy on the mouth and yummy (hopefully) on the tummy :)

So, here is the first of what I hope to be many - enjoy!

Lentil curry - extremely easy.

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
2 tablespoons of oil (vegetable is fine)
3-4 teaspoons of curry powder (I use Madras, but that is a personal preference as I like quite spicy food)
8oz (200g) split red lentils
575mls hot vegetable stock
2-3 tablespoons mango chutney

Directions:

Mix together the onion and oil and microwave on high for 2 minutes

Add curry powder and return to microwave for a further 1 minute

Add everything else, cover with cling film (glad wrap) and microwave on high again for a further 20 minutes, stopping every 5 minutes to stir (be careful when removing the cling film (glad wrap) for the steam that will come out, as it bloomin' hurts if you get it on your hands, and we don't want that)

As we all know, microwave ovens all vary, and because of this, my high might not be your high if you see what I mean, this being the case, you may need to add a little more stock, depending on just how 'saucy' you like your curry!

This can be enjoyed with chapattis and chutneys.

Hope you enjoy.

:cook:
 
Last edited:
Re: GRUB!

What a great idea! I've been wanting to try a curry recipe. I'm facing a few more extractions and I will die if I have to eat more pudding and mashed potatoes, so thanks for posting this.
 
Re: GRUB!

You are more than welcome reallyginny - I just hope it tastes as good to you as it does to us. I did a curry night before my extractions, and did a lamb curry, a chicken curry and this one, and a few of my family said they preferred the lentil one - and believe me, my family take no prisoners when it comes to their opinions on my cooking ;)

:cook:
 
Re: GRUB!

Fantastic idea ;D - I've printed this out... keep them coming :drool:!

(oh I changed the title slightly to make it a little more descriptive - hope that's ok!)
 
Of course it is lets - you know me 'easy ozzy' ;) You'll have to let me know when you have tried it :cook:
 
I don't do sweet stuff but I can find one or two things for you sugar rush kids - tomorrow will be sausage ragout
 
Last edited:
You have started it :jump::jump::jump: I intend to try this curry, I have never had lentils so I don't know if I like them, but it sounds good.

You do come out with some funny stuff Kim what the hell is 'easy ozzy'. I take it it means easy going, which you are.

Any way to our head :cook: thank you. This is going to be interesting, and entertaining :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: :butterfly:
 
Yay Carole - slowly but surely getting my act together :ROFLMAO: and yes, 'easy ozzy' is = to easy going lol.

Now this is an unearthly time of the day (thanks to my very nocturnal son) and so I won't do the recipe for sausage ragout just now, but just to give you the 'heads up' one of the main ingredients is....... sausages :silly:

Will give you the low down on the rest of this recipe later..... much later today - and yes Carole - we will make this interesting and entertaining - gotta have a bit of a :giggle: every now and again, and if we can combine that with my love of GRUB along with some other people's love of it too - then job done

I am sooooo in :love: with the new smilies - and guess which one is my favourite....... ummmm hmmmmmm :cook:
 
Sausage ragout recipe

EASY PEASY RECIPE - and freezable too!

This is a recipe that I have been doing for years, and it is very easy to do once the prep is done. You also don't need to put the sausages in, particularly if you are a veggie (wouldn't be wise ;) ) and you can add other veggies if you want to. Also just for info, when I make this, it is a big batch - probably would do 6 - 8 portions depending on how hungry you are, so if you have a smaller family or appetites, then cut it down by half of everything and you should still be good to go.

Also, I find it better to prep all your veg prior to starting the cooking process, but each to their own, and whatever you find works for you.


Ingredients:

8 - 12 good quality sausages - (Depending on how meaty you want your ragout, and I usually use either Cumberland or a pork sausage with onions and herbs in)

Two tins of chopped tomatoes

Two medium onions (sliced)

Two peppers (either sliced into strips or cut into chunks)

Mushrooms (about ten regular sized ones halved or quartered)

Garlic (sliced thinly and as much or as few cloves as you like)

One chilli (chopped into tiny bits, and again as much or a little as you can take)

Worcester sauce (a good few glugs)

Maggi liquid seasoning (be careful with this, as it only take one too many drops and it will be incredibly salty - remember the golden rule you can always add, but you can never take away).

Oregano (dried - I put in quite a bit)

Mixed herbs (dried, and as with the Oregano, quite a bit)

Smoked paprika (half a teaspoon)

Vegetable stock (500mls - I use a Knorr liquid gel pot)

Ground peppercorns (quite a few twists of the pepper mill)

Vegetable oil (a couple of glugs in the bottom of your pan)


Directions:


Into a heavy pan (if you have) put your oil in, heat it up gently, and then put your sausages in to begin browning.

Once browned remove from the pan and set aside. (don't overcook them or worry too much if you feel they are not totally cooked through, as they will be returning to the pan to finish cooking).

Ensure there is sufficient oil still left in the pan, and throw in your onions, garlic and chilli. Let these cook until the onions are just starting to brown. In the meantime make up your veggie stock.

Add your tinned tomatoes, veggie stock, Maggi, Worcester sauce, smoked paprika, herbs and pepper. Give a good old mix around, and while this is all heating through, slice your sausages. You can either do fairly chunky sausage slices, or like me, and because I find it easier to eat, slice them quite thinly (not too thinly tho').

Once all the sausages are sliced, return to the pan, give a little mix around so they are all covered in the sauce, and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes.

After the 20 minutes or so, add your peppers and mushrooms. If you add these too soon, they will go soggy,so leave these to cook until they are as tender as you want them to be - cook the peppers too long and the skins will come off, some will want them more al-dente than others, so do your own thing with them.

When the mushrooms start to cook through, they will release their own liquid. I like mine to be quite saucy, but not like water, so let it reduce down until it gets to the consistency that I like, not to thick and not too thin.

Remember to taste as you go along and adjust/add to your seasoning as you go.

This goes really well with any kind of pasta, fusillli or penne are good, and we have lately found out that tagliolini is pretty good too, tho' messier as it is just a flattened version of spaghetti ;)

Serve with warmed garlic flat bread, and the sauce will soften the bread for easier eating.

A couple variations to play around with too:

Omitting the sausages and the chilli, start the sauce with the softening of the onions and garlic.

Cook the whole thing exactly as you would have done if you had been doing the sausage version, but this time, add double cream to make a lovely creamy, tangy sauce.

And if you don't want a 'chunky' sauce, you can blitz the whole thing down for a smooth, thickened sauce.

I have never frozen the sauce with the added cream, but I have frozen the normal ragout sauce, and it does freeze ok, but can sometimes be a bit more watery when defrosted.

Hope you enjoy.

:cook: Kim
 
Last edited:
Ooh, Kim,
This sausage ragout recipe sound like one I must try!! It sounds like a variation of sausage and peppers that I make, but without all the flavorings!!
Gonna print this one out, and next time I go grocery shopping.......going to buy the ingredients and try it!!
Great idea writing out some of those recipes we've been reading about, :cook: Kim!!!!!
 
Bless you Jen - you are more than welcome, and do you know what, I am thoroughly enjoying doing them - I will put up more as soon as I can, and I am so happy that you are enjoying reading them (and hopefully trying them) as I am - at this moment in time I am a :cook: on :cloud9:

Kim xx
 
Oranges and Lemons - oh yes, and Limes too :)

On a roll guys - - not a recipe, moreso a bit of a tip.

During our (rotten) summer months, cool drinks are a must whether they be soft or alcoholic. So, for instant 'ice cubes' quarter or slice (I prefer slice) lemons, limes and oranges, put them in either a freezer bag or tub and freeze them - they have a tendency to stick, but can be broken apart - and when added to drinks, are instant ice cubes with a bit of a citrussy twist - enjoy :cook:
 
Last edited:
I haven't tasted the sausage casserole yet, but it sure smells delicious :grin: - back to the kitchen!!
 
You got your peppers then?? or not???
 
It was absolutely gorgeous :drool: - and yes, I did get the peppers :cool: (one green and one red). In-depth update to follow tomorrow, but for anyone attempting this in the meatime, make sure you use a VERY BIG pot :grin:....
 
It would have to be a big pot Kim doesn't do things by half. She cooks for a family and by the bucket load as well, I bet her friends and neighbours never go hungry visiting her. I bet she drives the neighbours insane with the smells from her kitchen, keep going kim. TO :cook: FROM:butterfly:'til next time.
 
It was absolutely gorgeous :drool: - and yes, I did get the peppers :cool: (one green and one red). In-depth update to follow tomorrow, but for anyone attempting this in the meatime, make sure you use a VERY BIG pot :grin:....
Thanks for the tip, letsconnect!! I plan on making this recipe sometime next week and since I have only the 3 of us to cook for, probably eat half, freeze half (since Kim said it freezes well).
:XXLhug:
 
Lol - I did say cut the recipe down by half and you would still have loads - it does freeze well, but you will get more liquid when it defrosts - happy bunny if you enjoyed it (I tend to forget that I no longer have six of us at home now, just the four of us, but still cook as if I am cooking for six plus partners :grin: - will have to take that into account from now on in ;) )xxxxxxx
 
Last edited:
It makes 2 dinners for 2 hungry adults (or am I being greedy :grin:)? Having part 2 tonight (this time with wholewheat spaghetti, last night's was with penne)...

I made some slight changes - left out the Maggi (cos I hate Maggi ;D), 2 chillies instead of 1, 300 ml of stock to start off with and then added el cheapo red wine as necessary (oh and I also put in some tomato puree), and lots and lots of garlic - mmmmm.... :drool:

Keep those recipes coming :cook:!!!
 
I am so glad you are putting your own twist on it - you have to do that to get it to taste to your taste xx
 
Back
Top