Even with a drop in temperature and the evenings drawing darker by the day, I'm eager to welcome all that winter has to offer. I'm never too dismayed when brisk, winter chills replace our milder autumnal climate. With a colder spell upon us the opportunity to light up the stove arises, and evenings sitting cosily under a blanket on the sofa is suddenly within our reach. Along with the change of season comes the excuse to indulge in quintessential comfort foods. When we’re in search of warmth from the inside out, stews, soups and carbohydrate-laden dishes become top of our dinner menus again. For someone who gains great pleasure in devouring a bowl of dumpling topped stew or using a crust of toasted bread to savour that last morsel of soup from a bowl, this change of menu can't but make me happy. I also happen to live in a household where Halloween is much celebrated, so the plotting and planning for the scary season brings much delight. Of course I miss the late evening walks or gardening until late, but I do so appreciate the somewhat calmness that winter dictates, and as it arrives I embrace it with open arms.*

Hearty Tomato Tortellini Soup

A big pot of soup is one of the best ways to feed a family. To make it into a more substantial meal a few spuds or some pasta is a great way to bulk it up. Tomato soup is a real favourite in my house, and with the addition of some fresh tortellini, this easy to prepare soup is not only filling but also extremely flavoursome.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1tbsp olive oil

knob of butter

1 large onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed

1 red pepper, finely diced

2 tins of tomatoes (400g each)

500mls vegetable stock

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp sugar

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

Pinch of dried chilli

Handful of fresh basil, plus a few leaves for serving

250g tortellini

Method

1. In a medium sized saucepan add the olive oil and the knob of butter. Over a gentle heat sweat the onion, garlic and red pepper until the onions are soft but not coloured, which will take about 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Season with a little sea salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Add the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of dried chilli. Bring to the boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the basil and using a hand blender or processor, purée until smooth. Place the soup back in the saucepan, add the tortellini and on a medium heat simmer for a further 8 minutes.
4. Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish each one with a few small basil leaves. Serve with a few slices of garlic bread.

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Before popping up this blog post yesterday, I decided to take advantage of our glorious Autumnal weather, and head outdoors with the camera. A shot couldn't be got without the inclusion of a cat, a hen, a duck or an alpaca, so here are a few pics of our beautiful pets.

Millie has named most of our animals, and this little kitty goes by the elaborate, Oz-influenced, name of Pippy Dorothy. 

Always camera-ready, two of our beautiful alpacas, Goldstar and Caesar.

Delilah the duck. 

The ever inquisitive Caesar.

I also picked the last of our apples yesterday, which makes me feel like winter is certainly on the approach. 

*Excerpt from my column in the current issue of Easy Parenting.

I love any dish that all the family will enjoy however when I first made this risotto I expected Millie to be the only taker, but to my delight the boys also really enjoyed it. This is a recipe I submitted for Easy Parenting as a baby meal but if you haven't a baby in the house you could still try this out. It makes a lovely addition to many different meats but is equally delicious on its own.

As a young baby's palate becomes use to the smooth texture of a fruit or vegetable puree sometimes the introduction of lumpier foods can prove a little tricky. It is natural for your baby to spit out the lump or even sometimes gag in the quest to rid their mouth of what they think is a foreign body. I must admit that I was very nervous when it came to introducing lumpier meals and finger foods to my first boy. It always seemed to evoke gagging which not only turned my little man off lumps but also resulted in me being a nervous wreck at mealtimes. However with some persistence I slowly introduced textures into his meals and soon he began to enjoy this new cuisine. With my other children the transition from purees to lumps didn't seem to take as long. Most children develop at different paces and it's always imperative to give them a chance to progress at their own rate. Given some time your baby will begin to control the lumps of food in their mouth and in turn they will learn how to swallow them. It is important to introduce your baby to textured dishes at an early stage, around 9 mths, as it is paramount for the development of their oral skills and also important in the building of muscle tone.
It can be quite labour intensive to cook meals that will suit the babies, children and adults in a house so with this in mind a recipe that suits all is invaluable to the family cook. Risotto is one dish that my whole family enjoy. The risotto is perfect for the baby/toddler, aged 9-12mths, as all of the vegetables are finely chopped and for the older children it makes a perfect accompanient to some roast chicken or a few good quality sausages. Feel free to experiment with this recipe including whatever vegetables are in season.

Millie enjoying a bowl of Risotto.

Nessa's Family Risotto

Ingredients 1 onion, finely diced 1/2 red pepper, finely diced 1 small courgette, finely diced 1 carrot, finely diced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 tomatoes, chopped 225g (8oz) risotto rice, such as Arborio. (Can also use long grain) 1 litre (2 pints) diluted hot vegetable or chicken stock 50g grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve Method: 1. Saute the onion, pepper, courgette and carrot in the olive oil for 5-6 minutes, until soft. 2. Add the garlic and rice and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. 3. Slowly add the hot stock and simmer for 20-25 mins until the rice is tender. Adding a little more stock or water if necessary. 4. When the rice is just cooked and tender, add the Parmesan and leave to stand, covered for a minute. 5. When serving grate over a little extra Parmesan. This article and recipe was published in the Oct/Nov issue of Easy Parenting. Details are here if you would like to come to one of my demos later this month.

The weather sure has changed in the past few days. There's talk, from those in the know, that we're in for another miserable winter. All the rain and frost brings such trouble into people's lives so it's good to keep in mind neighbours that are more vulnerable to these conditions. My own Dad found last winter particularly bad for his arthritis, as the treacherous conditions hindered him from leaving the house. I must say that this time of the year is normally one of my favourites. I love the beautiful colours in nature that autumn brings and the children just love Halloween. Last weekend we had a few early Halloween treats as I was photographing some Halloween goodies for upcoming newspaper articles and for my Halloween Page. If you are planning a Halloween party this year have a read through the page for a few ideas.

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is one that I had published with Easy Parenting.

A slow cooked casserole or a hearty stew always make for a delicious dinner. However when you arrive home from work and need to feed many hungry mouths in a hurry it's paramount to have a few handy dinner recipes at your disposal. Everyone is tired after their busy day so the last thing you want to do is whip out a cookbook to start the impossible search of a recipe that can be on the table in 20 minutes, using only what you happen to have in the fridge. It's like putting yourself on one of those cookery shows with your children acting as the clock, with their screams getting louder to reminder you that you are running low on time! To avoid these situations I have in the past found it quite useful to have a weekly meal plan, not that I would ever stick strictly to it but I would use it more as a shopping aid. It's always reassuring to have the makings of a few dishes in the press and fridge. Another important time saver is to have your meat prepared by your butcher, so that it is ready for the pot. There are fabulous butchers around the country who are more than willing to oblige and prepare your meat to suit whatever dish you are planning.
This dish is one of those rescue recipes which ticks all the boxes it's nutritious, time saving, it is perfect served with rice, pasta or potatoes and it's also very tasty. I have added some spinach which I find the children don't protest against as it's inoffensive to their palate. Any green veg would work nicely as an additional vegetable in this dish. This meal can be prepared, cooked and on the table within 20 minutes.

Creamy Chicken with Pesto & Spinach

Ingredients
2 chicken breast, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, crushed
150g mushrooms, sliced
150ml white wine
150ml cream

1 tbsp basil pesto

Handful of spinach 

25g of toasted pine nuts

Sea Salt and Freshly ground pepper

olive oil 

To Serve
Boiled Rice/ Steamed Potatoes/ Cooked Pasta 

Method
1. Heat a large frying pan and add a glug of olive oil.
2. Add the diced chicken, season with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes until it is browned.
3. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until they are soft but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for a minute.
4. Add the wine and cream. Let that bubble for five minutes.
5. Stir in the Basil Pesto.
6. Turn down the heat and simmer for ten minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Just a minute before serving stir in the spinach.
7. Sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts. I generally leave these off the children's portion.
8. Serve with cooked rice, potatoes or pasta.


This article was published in Issue 2 of Easy Parenting.

Some parents are lucky enough to have children that actually welcome whole vegetables on their plates, however with my boys most veg need to be encouraged or even disguised. A vegetable soup or even a vegetable curry is better received when there is no visible evidence of healthy vegetables lurking in their bowls. I dread rows at the kitchen table so in a bid to avoid them I generally try to cook foods in a way that I know my kids will eat and more importantly enjoy. Anyway I find that day to day life runs a little smoother when all in the house have eaten well!
 My reliable hand blender has become an invaluble piece of equipement in my kitchen. When blending a sauce or soup you are still introducing lots of wonderful flavours and nutrition to a dish without suspicious little ones realising what they are enjoying.  Luckily I know this fussiness is short lived and I won't be forever reliant on my trusty hand blender. Until then I am content to blend my sauces in a bid to keep peace at mealtimes.

Hidden Veg Pasta Bake with Chicken Strips


Ingredients

For the Pasta Sauce
25g Butter
drizzle of olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1/2 stick of celery 
1/2 cougette, diced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
100g mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp caster sugar
1tsp chilli powder 
2 x 400g tinned tomatoes
100mls water
2 tsp Fresh Basil, chopped
150ml cream


For the fried chicken
3 chicken fillets, cut into strips
2 tbsp plain flour 
knob of butter and drizzle of rapeseed oil

500g cooked wholewheat pasta
50g Parmesan, grated
125g mozzarella, sliced


Method
 Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
1. Melt the butter with the drizzle of oil in a large saucepan, and add the onion, courgette, red pepper, mushroom and garlic. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and the sugar.
2. Cook on a medium heat for about five minutes untill the vegetables have just begun to soften. Add the tomatoes and water. Cook for a further ten minutes.
3. Add the chilli powder, cream and basil to the pan. Simmer until the mixture has reduced, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, as necessary. Blend the sauce together using a hand blender.
4. Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour. 
5. Melt the butter with a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan and add the chicken strips. Cook on both sides until golden and cooked through.
6. Add the cooked pasta and cooked chicken strips to the pasta sauce and stir well.
7. Transfer all to an oven proof casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top.
8. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and the dish is golden.

This article was published in Issue one of Easy Parenting.

This baby dish has been a real favourite for my little ones over the years. I love that it is such a nutritionally balanced dish, packed with goodness and as a dessert or snack it is perfect for growing tummies. Pureed pear makes for a wonderful introduction to solids, as it is so appealing to the young palate with it's sweet flavour. 

It is important to choose only sweet fruit that is completely ripe for your baby's fruit purees. When your baby is around 8 mths the pear puree can be combined with greek yoghurt and wheatgerm for a very satisfying dish. Full fat Organic Greek yogurt makes a good choice for infants, as it is more fattening than other standard yoghurts. This is most beneficial for babies as they need fats in their diets for proper growth. It is also higher in protein and has less sodium than regular yogurts. There are so many benefits with including wheatgerm in your baby's diet. It is packed with vitamins and minerals and is particularly high in Vitamin E and Iron. Just a sprinkle over your baby's pureed pear and Greek yogurt is a great way to give an already healthy dish a considerable nutritional boost. 

 

Pear Puree

Ingredients

2  ripe pears, peeled and cored
3 tbsp pure apple juice or boiled water

  

Method

1.Chop your pear into small even sized pieces. Put these into a heavy based saucepan with the apple juice or water. 

2.Cover the pan and cook over a low heat, for about 3 mins, until the pear is tender.

3.Blend the pear to a smooth puree using an electric hand blender.

4.Spoon a little puree into your baby’s bowl and serve either lukewarm or cold.

Pear Puree with Greek Yogurt and Wheatgerm

Combine 2 tablespoons of the pear puree with 2 tablespoons or Organic Greek yogurt. 

Sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of wheatgerm and stir to combine. 

This article was published in Issue One of Easy Parenting. 

A few weeks ago I read somewhere that Easy Health and Living were introducing a new magazine to their line called Easy Parenting. It's a magazine which would be covering all different aspects of parenting giving plenty of advise for dealing with tots to teens. They were interested in including advise from parents so I sent off an e-mail as I would only be thrilled if I could give some handy tips that worked for me as a mother. To my absolute delight the next day I received an e-mail from Emma Parkin, the editor of Easy Parenting. She had read through this very blog and was wondering if I would be interested in writing a recipe column for their new magazine. I simple love both Easy Food and Easy Health and Living so to be asked to write for their sister magazine and the fact that Emma enjoyed reading the blog was just an amazing compliment.
Today the first issue goes on sale nationwide and is bagged up with Easy Health and Living , it includes a few of my recipes with some photos taken at my kitchen table. I had such a busy day today as one of my little men had his 6th birhtday party, which is of course one of the most important events of the year. Hence I couldn't head out in search of the new magazine but I'm eagerly awaiting the read. If you pick up a copy do let me know what you think, I love to hear any feedback! I love new projects and  I'm already scribbling down recipes for the next issue.