Boerewors mince Terrinne.

Terrine as described by Wiki: 

So onward with the recipe... 
1. Around 500g boerewors mince. 
2. Packet bacon bits. 
3. Packet of streaky bacon or more if you want. 
4. Diced onion to taste, I use about a cup. 
5. Diced sweet pepper, green, yellow, red, whatever is at hand. 
6. The crust slice from a loaf of brown bread, crumbed. 
7. One crushed clove of garlic. 
8. Garlic and herb seasoning, add later too taste. 
9. 2 lare eggs 
10. Fresh chopped coriander and basil, as much as you like. 
Preheat oven to 180C. 
Assemble ingredients as follows. Grease a pie pan (I used a 170x170cm cake pan) Line pie pan with streaky bacon by dangling half of each peace over the side, so you can fold it back over the filling. 

Add the rest of the ingredients and crack the eggs over the mix, use hour hands to thouroughly blend the ingredients. Start filling the bacon coverd pan with the filling, make sure to fill the corners. Fold the bacon over the filling in a basket weave pattern if you like. 
Pop the lot into the oven and bake for -+ 60 minutes till the top bacon turns crusty. Use a knife to cut portions, serve with a salad and bun in the company of your favourite person.

Moved the food... fixed the world... seen the stars

Moved all my Food of the Blogs posts to this blog... most can be found by looking under the recipes label.
One Reality has moved here too as well as FeXII... all is well in my Blogspace... just need to fix the curtains and paint the banner...
UPDATE: 15 May 2010
Blog Banner fixed!

Update 2 June 2011
Pooratech banner placeholder

Food... for thought

Wow... I really had to scrach my head before logging in to post a blog again, eish... "Met ys ja!" but that is a story on its own... more to follow.
Last week I was doing some shopping and spied soft shin... this was at a bargain price so I nabbed about 750g... had soup in mind, however today I decided to use it in a stew/casserole type dish.
As it can be tough due to sinew and binding tissue I recomend ripening it at least 2 days before use and the marinade also tenderised it perfectly.
Here is my recipe for marinated Soft Shin with Sweet Potato:

750g soft shin
750g sweet potato
500g carrots
Large onion
Packet of oxtail soup
Dried fruit 250g (optional)

Marinade
A pinch of dried garlic, pinch of aniseed (this can be pungent so rather use very little), 2 tablespoons of whole coriander, some cooking oil or olive oil (about 3 tablespoons) and a tablespoon of vinegar. Grind the spices and garlic in a mortar and pestle... sprinkle over meat on both sides after placing in a dish, sprinkle oil and vinegar over meat... let it all rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour, turning from time to time.

Preperation
Dice the marinated soft shin and prepare the vegetables also (unless you bought ready prepared like I did). Nuke the veggies in the microwave for around 6 minutes to par cook.
Heat a pan or saucepan with some olive oil and proceed to brown the meat, add the onion to glazed state before adding 2 cups of water (cover the meat) and simmmer while preparing the soup.
Add 250ml of water to a bowl and add the soup powder... stirr and let it stand for a few minutes while you add the carrots and sweet potatoes on top of the meat, adding some veggie sprinkle at the same time. One can also add some dried fruit at the same time, I used some apricots. Stir the soup one last time and pour over the veggies and replace the lid... let it all simmer on very low heat for at least one hour... this gives you time to make some rice to go with the dish and knock together a salad. Pick up daughter from class and tuck in!

Ja... Poppet has moved in and it really great having her here... although the getting up for school has put paid to my 7 am wake up and dash to the office routine... all good I say.
"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients." Julia Child (1912 - )

Oil for the lamp...

I bought myself a neat utensil Sunday, a oil spray bottle for cooking, here is my first recipe using this nifty tool:
Haddock and Veg bake
This is what I had at hand ingredient wise,
4 baby gem squash
8 baby pear shaped marrows, approx 50mm long
Some left over cherry tomatoes and 2 bigger ones
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
punnet of button mushrooms
1 large onion
1 pack frozen haddock fillets approx 500g
Veggie Seasoning
and my new oil spray filled with Olive Oil.
Method
First peel the sweet potatoes and cube, rinse and put into a microwave/glass dish and Nuke for 4 minutes at full blast.
Put your Oven on HIGH in the meantime.
Then trim the ends of the squash and marrows, rinse and do the same as the sweet potatoes but only for 2 minutes.
Now it is time to get out the baking dish big enough for all the ingredients, spray with oil, dump the nuked veggies in and spray with oil and sprinkle with Veggie Seasoning.
Slide the dish into the oven while you do the next step.
Trim the tail bit off your fillets of fish and cut in half, wash the mushrooms and tomatoes, dice/slice the larger ones and do the same to the onion.
Now you can whip your dish out of the oven and add the fish, arrange at will and spray a tad more oil, pop back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
Finally add the tomatoes onion and mushrooms, sprinkle with Veggie Seasoning and spray lightly with oil.
Pop the lot back in the oven for 15 minutes, use a large spoon to mix the lot a bit and return to the oven for another 10 minutes with the Grill on, keep an eye on things from now on, as soon as things get brown do the mix thing and toast the rest... as soon as things go brown again shut the heat off and prepare to feast.
This recipe can be adapted regarding protein and vegetables, use whatever you have, the secret is in the light film of oil and the Veggie Seasoning. I reckon I could have served at least 4 people.
As we are talking of oil I thought this would be a good song for the day.
Oil for the lamps of China - Listening Pool.
So where's the place you call home?
Somewhere to call your own
You need some time to be alone
Somewhere to light up your life
And maybe you'll hold on tight
But now I hope it turns out right
You'd better stop sitting back
And open up your eyes
When are you gonna stop and realise
This is your prize
And now you're lying down
In an old forgotten town
Keep on hoping,
Keeping hope alive

Oil for the lamps of China
You've gotta believe in your pride
Shining from far and wide
Don't you think it's justified?
Somewhere to take by surprise
Under the moonlit skies
Now I hope it turns out right
But you'd better stop looking back
And open up your mind
Who are you gonna try and hope to find
One of your kind?
So here's the black and white
When you're running out of time
Keep on hoping, keeping hope alive
Oil for the lamps of China.
How I got to lamps I don't know but food is the fuel of the body which helps the mind be enlightened so lamps and light are relevant I suppose.
"Genius without religion is only a lamp on the outer gate of a palace; it may serve to cast a gleam on those that are without while the inhabitant sits in darkness." Hannah More

Earthlight

Earthlight:
Another Apod picture to be amazed by. Something else that amazes me is the smell of summer, mowed grass, rain, the scent of flowers, a virtual smorgasbord of smells... I got all that when I put my car in the garage this evening.

Today's recipe is another plonk and roast dish, I think one should call it Le poulet fumé avec les légumes rôtis or in plain english Smoked Chicken with Roasted Vegetables. (French thanks to Free Translations.Com.) Very easy to make and quite quick if one harnesses the Microwave to pre-cook the veggies.
Ingredients:
1 Smoked chicken, one could substitute this with one of those roasted chickens from your Spar/P&P/Woolies deli department.
Assorted packs of prepared veggies of your choice, I picked baby spuds/medeteranian veggie mix with sundried tomatoes/sweet potatoes/butternut/snap peas. You can mix and match as your tastebuds/hunger dictate.
1 Pack button mushrooms
1 Handfull asparagus
1 Large onion
1 Large red sweet pepper
2 Large tomatoes
2 cans tomato & onion mix, one per baking dish.
250 ml fresh cream
Herbs and spices to suit your taste, my choice was 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp Italian herb, 1 tsp majoram, 1 tsp celery salt, 1 tbl spn Veggie sprinkle, dried garlic (one clove fresh) and 2 tsp Coriander seeds. These were all ground together in a mortar and pestle (my new kitchen toy)
Preperation:
Cut the chicken into portions and place in a baking pan/dish and grill for a few minutes, this helps cook out any excess fat...
Put all the veggie packs into the microwave and nuke for 8 minutes or untill semi cooked...
My ingredients were enough for 2 baking dishes, it may vary according to your requirements or amount of ingredients you have.
Remove chicken from grill and set oven on max, drain any fat from the chicken and divide between the baking dishes if needed.
Arrange veggies amongst chicken, slice onion and tomatoes and plonk among the rest of the veggies, cut up the asparagus and mushrooms to spread about likewise.
Spread your spice/herb mix over ingredients followed by the tomato/onion mix and then divide the cream between the dishes.
Return to oven for about 10 minutes, stir and turn bigger vegetables and bake another 10 minutes.
Set oven on Grill and grill the dish for another 10 minutes or until veggies start showing brown... Do not Incinerate!
By this time you should have finished a tossed salad to complement your Le poulet fumé avec les légumes rôtis.
This is a thumb suck recipe as it can be chopped and changed depending on ingredients available. Will serve four comfortably.
The picture and theme remind me of Tree63 and A Million Lights:
Can we hang out tonight underneath your ceiling
I could stare up at a million lights and listen to you breathing
If I fall fast asleep it's just because I feel so safe in you
It won't take much to wake me up

Could i walk out to sea way beyond these breakers
We have no place amongst the movers and the shakers
Yours is the only throne I'll ever get down on my knees before
You have the whole of me

Lover come away
Come away my lover

I heard you say you've stolen my heart with one glance of your
eyes
When I fell down you raised me up
That's gravity

Yours is the only throne I'll ever get down on my knees before
You have the whole of me

Lover come away
When I fell down you were standing there waiting for me
You picked me up, welcomed me home
That's gravity

Won't you come away
Won't you come away with me
Lover of my soul

"Ever since we crawled out of that primordial slime, that's been our unifying cry, "More light." Sunlight. Torchlight. Candlelight. Neon, incandescent lights that banish the darkness from our caves to illuminate our roads, the insides of our refrigerators. Big floods for the night games at Soldier's field. Little tiny flashlights for those books we read under the covers when we're supposed to be asleep. Light is more than watts and foot candles. Light is metaphor. Light is knowledge, light is life, light is light." Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider, Northern Exposure, Northern Lights, 1993

Wellingtons

Made an interesting dish this past week, as I was doing some shopping I saw these Pork Wellingtons and decided to take some home to try out... looking up on the Net I found I had purchased a pig in a poke so to speak... these were not Wellingtons at all but pork sossies dressed up in drag!
Beef Wellintons are usually a peice of beef/pork done in a pastry like the picture here shows.




These were a pork banger wrapped in bacon with a prune stuck in the cente and two half glazed cherries as garnish... but hey! how was I to know! I am not as well versed as Jamie Oliver! However enough carping about terms and descriptions and on to my recipe;


Pork Wellies in Drag roasted with Potatoes, Batatas und other veggies.
Ingredients
8 Pork wellingtons aka Pork bangers done up with a rasher of bacon, a dried prune stuck in the centre and garnished with 1/2 glazed cherries on the ends. These can be made up from ordinary Porkies.
1 to 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into chunks
1 med to large onion, coarsly sliced
1 large green pepper, diced roughly
1 to 3 tomatoes, diced roughly
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped reasonably fine
olive oil for baking dish and to drizzle over veggies
veggie seasoning
paprika powder
Procedure
Preheat oven
Precook spuds
Grease baking dish with olive oil and arrange wellies in dish, pop into oven while spuds are being pre cooked in water or being nuked in the Microwave. If using the latter let the wellies kook for around 20 min. before adding the rest of the goodies.
When spuds are ready arrange around semi cooked wellies in baking dish together with other veggies, sprinkle seasoning and coriander in between to sprad the flavour, drizzle with olive oil and return back to hades set on grill, observe and do not incinerate! This should take about 10 to 15 minutes or until veggies get a browned look.
Serve with a salad of your choice, this is enough for 4 or 3 days worth of leftovers.

I also got some bargains recently at Kloppers CD bar, got albums of Hooverphonics as well as The Troggs, I have always wanted some of their music in my collection, I still think their Love Is All Around was better than the later version by WetWetWet. My MP3 collection is also up to date exept for one or two missing songs that are on the kids CD's... and I still have 26 Gig left... whooo baby!
Love Is All Around
I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes
Love is all around me and so the feeling grows
It`s written on the wind, it`s everywhere I go
So if you really love me, come on and let it show
You know I love you I always will
My mind`s made up by the way that I feel
There`s no beginning, there`ll be no end
`Cause on my love you can depend
I see your face before me, as I lay on my bed
I kinda get to thinking of all the things we said
You gave a promise to me, and I gave mine to you
I need someone beside me in everything I do
You know I love you I always will
My mind`s made up by the way that I feel
There`s no beginning, there`ll be no end
`Cause on my love you can depend
It`s written on the wind, it`s everywhere I go
So if you really love me, come on and let it show
Come on and let it show (repeat to fade)
"Laws are like sausages. It's better not to see them being made." Otto von Bismarck (1815 - 1898)

Out of reach

Still waiting for my net connection to be re-established... in the meantime I have re-instated a few cd's to the
collection, I am getting there, should soon be back to my 4k odd mp3's
Winamp and I have been in a party mood since yesterday when my daughter was here. Even did some shadow dancing, had Myoo very puzzled with my wild gyrations... Westlife - What I want is what I got is playing as I type, not quite my sentiments but quite a beat... Busy compiling a playlist for Guy Fawkes as well... should be blast if we have good weather. Trying to think of what lyrics to put up tonight, as I am off line I am clueless as to what I have put up already... must backup the blog sometime as well. Sash! - La Primavera is playing now... it realy gives me itchy feet...
Still thinking of Hara Miharu a lot, can't seem to stop... The japanese name generator gave me that name, maybe I should use that to disguise persons names instead of using M or I or L... now the PC is playing a song that suits the theme 100%, Out of reach by Gabrielle, will use them lyrics methinks...
Today we have a simple recipe again, made it for me and Yoshikuni Ayumi, my daughter;
Pipes a la Tamate
Ingredients:
+- 500 - 800g mince
1 large onion
1 can onion/tomato mix
1 can tomato paste
Italian herbs
Spices you like
Last left over tomato sauce in a bottle or two.
Pasta - Pipes or any other type that goes well with a saucy bolognaise type mince.
Preperation:
Prepare pasta in a pasta pot of around 3L, using some oil and a teaspoon of salt... drain, put into a bowl and sprinkle with some olive oil when al dente.
Sauce preperation:
Chop onions and saute in a 2.5L saucepan using some olive oil, add mince and brown adding spices of your choice, I used Steak and Chop and some crushed Coriander seeds.
When meat is brown add the tomato paste, tomato/onion mix, using some water to get the last of the can's contents as well. You can also add the tomato sauce (ketchup) dregs using about a cup of water to swish the last bit out as well. Add some sugar to cut the tartness of the tomato if needed.Let the mixture simmer for 15 min. after adding the italian herbs. Serve over pasta with a tossed salad on the side.
Now on to the lyrics.
Out of reach - Gabrielle
Knew the signs
Wasn't right
I was stupid for a while
Swept away by you
And now I feel like a fool
So confused,
My heart's bruised
Was I ever loved by you?

Out of reach, so far
I never had your heart
Out of reach,
Couldn't see
We were never
Meant to be

Catch myself
From despair
I could drown
If I stay here
Keeping busy everyday
I know I will be OK

But I was
So confused,
My heart's bruised
Was I ever loved by you?

Out of reach, so far
I never had your heart
Out of reach,
Couldn't see
We were never
Meant to be

So much hurt,
So much pain
Takes a while
To regain
What is lost inside
And I hope that in time,
You'll be out of my mind
And I'll be over you

But now
I'm So confused,
My heart's bruised
Was I ever loved by you?

Out of reach,
So far
I never had your heart
Out of reach,
Couldn't see
We were never
Meant to be

Out of reach,
So far
You never gave your heart
In my reach,
I can see
There's a life out there
For me
"Happiness is the china shop; love is the bull." H. L. Mencken

Mysterious Times

Today we wus robbed... wel not me personally but one of the tellers in the same complex where I have my office... why was I not on time today? I got up early but something just seemed to make me waste a bit of time, made 2 cups of coffee instead of the usual one, decided to change my shoes to sneakers, forgot the car keys after locking the door... I shudder to think what would have happened if I was on time... criminals would not understand that I have nothing to do with the Tellers! Amazing how we are protected by Angels but once you know they are at work it is nothing more than a miracle! Miracles are but a coincedences in laymans terms, but I know better. Truly Mysterious Times...
Lots of blame and fingers being pointed today after the robbery, the fact is the whole setup was ill though and no research was done nor were the promised security systems put in place... More mystery...
Got quite a bit to arrange but tonight I want to chill out and relax and contemplate my next move so to speak... Cold Case is on again and tonights case music has been pretty good. The episode is titled "Greed" and features Culture Club Karma Chameleon Tears for Fears Everybody Wants to Rule The World ZZ Top Sharp-Dressed Man Journey Separate Ways Talk Talk It's My Life Kurtis Blow AJ Scratch Thompson Twins In The Name Of Love Tina Turner Better Be Good To Me Don Henley Dirty Laundry Cyndi Lauper All Through The Night. However I think the lyrics to suit the theme is this one from Sash!
Mysterious Times - Sash!
Life
Mysterious life
Where we're moving around, dancing the rhythm of life.
Time
Mysterious time
Where we're counting the hours and days to the end of our time.

And we're feeling the change and we don't know why
Choose one direction just one more time
Don't say I'm thinking too much if you see what's behind.

[Chorus]
And these are Mysterious Times
Mysterious Times
No trick of the mind
For this moment I feel like we live in Mysterious Times.
If you see what's behind, these are Mysterious Times.

SoulI
feel my soul
For this moment nobody can stop me from flying so high.

Real
Nothing is real
In a world of illusion you only see what you feel.

And we're feeling the change and we don't know why
Choose one direction just one more time
Don't say I'm thinking too much if you see what's behind.

[Chorus]
If you see what's behind, these are Mysterious Times.

Here is the recipe for Track Potjie:
Ingredients
This was for a No 3 pot.
2 Kg lamb or sheep stewing meat, knuckles, neck and any bit not braaiworthy. Not too much fat.
1 Large onion
1 pack Potjie vegetables
1 can tomato & onion mix
1 can 200g tomato paste
2 cans mushrooms in brine, the stalk and offcut type is ok
Some olive oil
Pack fresh herbs for lamb
Pack Maggi Hearty Stew flavouring

Method
Put the pot over a few coals on your braai, have a seperate bank of coals to add from if needed.
Put about 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot and as soon as it is hot enough start adding the meat and brown.
Add onions after meat has browned.
Add the herbs, throw out the woody bits though.
Add the veggies, add the flavouring and pour the can of paste and tomato mix as well, do not stir!
After 30 min add the mushrooms, brine and all.
Let the pot talk to the coals for at least an hour, add water if needed, the mushroom's should have added enough though. The pot should be ready about 2 hours from when you started. Serve with rice and a salad. Enjoy!

More mystery is the sms I got a while ago... will have to follow it up in the morning, maybe the path is not as rocky as I thought.
"It is better to obey the mysterious direction, without any fuss, when it points to a new road, however strange that road may be. There is probably as much reason for it, if the truth were known, as for anything
else." H. M. Tomlinson

Double Helping Please

Here are the promised recipes:
This is an easy recipe that I knock together in about half an hour and serves around 6 people.
Meatballs in Tomato sauce:
Ingredients:
1 kg mince
3 large eggs
3 slices brown bread, not fresh
1 large onion
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato and onion mix
1 clove garlic
2 serving spoons peppadew
Itallian herbs
Barbeque spice
Any other spices you prefer
3 Serving spoons of your favourite chutney
Olive oil for baking pan and saucepan.
Method
Crumb the bread into a large mixing bowl, dice the onion and add to breadcrumbs, add spices/herbs to taste and crushed garlic if used, add the mince, chutney and 3 eggs and mix until evenly distributed. Form balls from mixture and place in lightly oiled baking pan. Place under griller for 10 miutes a side while preparing the sauce.
The Sauce
A dash of olive oil in a saucepan, saute onions and add peppadew, add tomato paste, can of tomato and onion and a dash of Italian herbs, simmer slowly while you make sure the meatbals brown under the griller.

When meatballs are brown add the sauce to the baking pan and let them all simmer in a 300C oven for 30 minutes.
Serve on a bed of spagetti with a tossed salad.

Hasta la pasta
Ok, I am cheating a bit, this is just my way of cooking spaghetti.
Take your favourite pasta pot, any large pot that holds at least 4 litres is fine, I have a cool one that has a built in strainer.
Fill with warm water (speeds up things) and add 2 herb and garlic stock cubes and get it boiling, add a dash of olive oil and then the pasta as soon as the water is boiling vigourously. Stir a few times to prevent pasta sticking and cook for around 20 minutes until al dente.
Serve with your favourite dish like my meatballs or bolognaise.

As you all know by know I am a music nut/freak/aficinado and I think I was born 35 years too soon... I have this thing these days for techno/rave/dance/house music, some say it is boring but I find a lot of it very uplifting and energetic. Tonight on Cold Case they had some playing as well, Angelic I'ts my turn as well as some other fine music Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac Dreams - The Cranberries Hey Jealousy - The Gin Blossoms What's Going On - 4 Non Blondes Can't Do A Thing To Stop Me - Chris Isaak Ordinary World - Duran Duran. But here is my choice for tonights lyrics:
Close to the edge - Solex
Do you feel for me, what I feel for you?
Now you're turnin' on this electricity
Runnin' through my veins, pulse begins to rest
Come on satisfy my curiousity

Keep imagining, what it would be like
Got the power to make this reality
You're so close to me, almost taste your lips
Flyin' high can't you feel this intensity?
Only one way to go

When you're on the outside lookin' in
Tell me what I need to know
Don't recognise my own reflection
When I'm in this state of mind
State of mind..
tate of mind..
ohh..
ooh..

I'm, close to the edge
I wanna fall, all the way down
I'm, close to the edge
I wanna fall, all the way down

I'm, close to the edge
Open my eyes, walk straight ahead
I wanna fall, all the way down
I'm gonna run, when I hit the ground

You're takin' me, close to the edge
Open my eyes, walk straight ahead
I wanna fall, all the way down
I'm gonna run, when I hit the ground..

I'm, close to the edge
I wanna fall, all the way down
I'm, close to the edge
I wanna fall, all the way down

Are you readin' me, like I'm reading you?
Are we transmitting on other frequency?
Hear it loud and clear, message understood
Chain reaction 'cause we got a chemistry

Now I'm standing here, with my world below
Body shakin', is this how it's meant to be?
But I'm not afraid, 'cause I'm not alone
Hear you breathin', I feel you inside of me

Only one way to go
When you're on the outside lookin' in
Tell me what I need to know
Don't recognise my own reflection
When I'm in this state of mind
State of mind..
State of mind..
The quote for the day is quite true... I have always loved felines and find it strange that some humans hate them, I don't dislike dogs but prefer the independent nature of cats...
**How you behave toward cats here below determines your status in Heaven.** Robert A. Heinlein

Golden Child

My PC is back and better than before... 52 gigabytes and counting... While getting it going and googling for info on the new disk I came across the new song from DJ Sammy, Golden Child a nice beat and quite cool lyrics and available as a download from his site, the new CD should be good, I really enjoyed his Heaven album;
golden child,whenever you feel lonely,
i'm on your side.
no matter where you go, i will be there
you'll always find my shoulder.
so don't cry ... my golden child.
At the same time I came across this lady, Michelle Marie her song Boys Club from her album Garden Party (read the writeup) is available as download, another Golden Child if she gets more exposure. Sometimes one can come across awesome music on the web. Another cool one was from The Parachute Men, Sometimes in vain, a group that hailed from Leeds in the '80's. Sounds a lot like the GoGo's...
Enough music... let's eat! Tonight I bring a simple adaptable recipe to the web, Bombay Bolognaise... you Italians out there dont throw a tantrum, this is great... One of my staple recipes that I get asked to make often... and it all happened by accident... first the recipe:
Ingredients;
1 kg mince
1 pack of spagetti
1 Big Onion or two smaller
1 can All Gold Indian diced tomatoes (The Bombay Bit)
1 can tomato puree, those 70g no name ones are fine
1 cube beef stock, if you have herb and garlic stock cubes one of em as well. Italian herbs, paprika, olive oil or any other good cooking oil, access to the larder in case of other ingredients not mentioned are needed!
Da pasta
Start by getting the pasta on the stove, a big pot for the cooking of is needed, the bigger the better. Fill the pot with warm water... it boils quicker that way... add a dash of oil and a teaspoon of salt to the water, once it is boiling vigorously add the pasta and stirr a few times to prevent it sticking... cook until al dente.
Da Bolognaise
Start by slice 'n dicing the onion/s, get a fair sized saucepan or nice cast iron pot for this, add a dash of oil and saute the onions, add the mince as soon as the onions are done, add the stock cube/s, pakrika and a dash of whatever else you add to your mince. Then add the canned goods... check for tartness and add a bit of sugar to cut the tomato tartness. Some Chutney may be called for as well but may be added later upon serving. Add some Italian herbs and stirr the whole lot a few times untill cooked.
Finale
The pasta should be done before the bolognaise, serve this in a fair sized bowl and then add the bolignaise over the pasta... garnish with some parmesan or any other cheese at hand and call the kids! maybe they will leave some for the grownups, if not do another session! Goes well with a big salad... and a good red wine.
Oh the story... I was over at a friend one night... his wife was taking a sabbatical in Cape Town and he suggested we get some take aways... I asked when last they had eaten a home cooked meal... then we went looking in the larder and deep freeze... I grabbed the ingredients but in my haste had thought I had gotten hold of a can of plain diced tomatoes and proceeded to lash the meal together... it was only when I took a good look and saw the INDIAN on the can that my heart sank... I have no problem with curry but with kids it could be a problem... no such luck... they scoffed the lot! After that I have made it a few times and it always goes down well. Since the it is known as Bombay Bolognaise to all my friends. Staying with the friends and friendship theme...
"Friendship is made in the heart, silent. Unwritten. Unbreakable by distance. Unchangeable by time. Once a friend, always a friend!"

Awesome Dude!

Far out! Way cool... I am on Ageless! Meet my neighbours over there;
KittyKitty – Evil Brainchild, born 4/24/54 - Quite a nice person all in all. Love her Volksies...
Ramblings from a Blue Dot – Robbie, born 6/11/54 - Me? is that me?
Bev's Crazy World – Beverly, born 7/17/54 - Title says it...
Now see my head! Oh and Google... 5 hits all in all, I have to smile here, like anyone really cares but me... but it helps me keep my head clear and my fingers keyboard fit...
Ok macho guys... don't shoot me but Spacefem is sooo funny. If you have time to kill, pay a visit even if you are not a feminist... you may learn something.
Been watching TV this evening, canned myself at Frasier, I sometimes think I am emulating him... hmmmm, must get that analysed... I had also been watching Cold Case, another series that makes use of music that fits the genre of the episode... tonight was all seventies hippie period music, one was from the Youngbloods... Come Together, our lyrics for today and from my teens;

Some may come and some may go
We shall surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moment's sunlight
Fading in the grass

Funky music man... Something else that is funky is cooking, I enjoy it tremendously, except the washing up that is, so today I will add some cuisine to the scene with some recipes I have dished up from time to time.
Le saumon avec la sauce de tomate et vegtables - Salmon with tomato sauce and veggies.

2 to 3 servings, can be squeezed or stretched to suit fish or company.
Ingrédients - Components... errr ingredients
1 fillet of salmon (canadian cos it is cheaper) big enough for your baking dish
2 cans tomato paste
1 leftover bit of tomato sauce in All Gold bottle
1 leftover bit of mayo in bottle
1 nice sized onion
1 serving spoon of peppadews
1 500/750g bag vegetables of your choice from P&P or Woolies, I used one that had carrots/sweet potato and butternut, will be trying other variations to the theme. Some olive oil, black pepper to taste, veggie seasoning and paprika. Set oven on 300 - full blast to warm it while you prep da fish and do the sauce... Get your fav saucepan as well and a baking dish big enough to hold the fish and veggies Dice & slice the onion and peppadew, seperately or together. Put the veggies in the microwave and nuke em for 5 minutes at least, rember to make a hole in the bag, it will explode if not!
La Sauce - the Sauce
A dash of olive oil in the saucepan, saute onions and add peppadew or do em in tandem, add the leftovers in the 2 bottles by swishing around the leftover with 250 ml. warm water, toss into onions that should be ready by then, add tomato paste and some Italian herbs, simmer slowly while you prep the fish... You should have around 750 ml when done, add water if needed.
Le poisson - the Fish
Wipe the fish with about a desertspoon of olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper to taste and colour the fish with some paprika, place in baking dish and put in oven... Don't forget! Turn once when the fish starts browning, this should not take longer than 6 minutes a side.
La combinaison - the Combining of it all
Now whip out the veggies and the fish, open the bag and arrange veggies around the fish in dish (rhymes), pour the sauce over the fish and veggies, return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, put grill on for the first 5 then swich off the oven... the fish and veggies will do the final cooking in the residual heat of the oven.
Prepare your table in the meantime... Goes well with a fine tossed salad and good company or it will serve two days worth of leftover for a single dude like me, there, ain't I awesome.
"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." - Jim Davis, 'Garfield'