Minestrone Soup
This hearty, one pot meal is a great winter warmer and is cooked from scratch in under 20 minutes.
1 cup water or stock
1 cup Italian style tomato sauce
¼ cup pasta
½ a brown onion
1 clove garlic
1 small carrot
1 celery stalk
¼ green capsicum (bell pepper)
¼ red capsicum (bell pepper)
½ small zucchini (courgette)
½ cup canned kidney beans
Pinch of salt
Parmesan cheese to serve
Drain the beans and rinse them until the water runs clear and free of bubbles.
Dice the vegetables and slice the garlic finely.
Place the stock and tomato sauce in a saucepan and bring them to the boil.
Add the onions and garlic, carrot, celery, capsicums, pasta and salt.
Cover the pot and reduce the heat.
Simmer gently for ten minutes then add the beans and zucchini.
Simmer for another two minutes then serve topped with grated parmesan cheese.
Orange Chicken
Chicken is an inexpensive and versitile meat which takes flavours well. I love this simple, yet tasty and slightly sweet recipe.
1-2 chicken thigh fillets
½ an orange, juice and rind of
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
Salad leaves to serve
Cut each fillet into three strips.
Place the chicken in a steamer lined with baking paper.
Steam the chicken for about five minutes.
Grate the orange rind finely and mix it with the mayonnaise.
When the chicken is cooked, place a small fry pan over a medium heat.
Heat the orange juice and sugar until it begins to bubble.
Continue cooking the sauce for one minute until the bubbles increase in size.
Add the chicken pieces and its juices to the pan and fry them in the orange sauce for thirty seconds each side.
Serve the chicken over your salad leaves topped with the orange mayonnaise