Tuna and Spinach Cannelloni

I haven't posted anything for awhile now, so here is an old receipt from Sainsbury's.

 

Ingredients

250g of Lasagne Sheets
1 Onion
125g of Mozzarella Cheese
500g of Passata Sauce
370g of Tuna Chunks
700g of Frozen Spinach

Seasoning to taste
Serves 4

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC, gas mark 4. 
2. Gently shallow fry the onion, peeled and finely chopped, until softened. Add the tuna chunks and the frozen spinach. Heat until the spinach has broken up and the mixture is piping hot. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
3. Meanwhile, Cut all the lasagne sheets in half to make squares. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture onto the end of each square and roll up so you have 12 cannelloni. Place along the bottom of a large ovenproof dish.
4. Pour the passata over the cannelloni. Drain and tear into pieces the mozzarella cheese, sprinkle over cannelloni.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, then grill for 2-3 minutes until top is golden and the cheese is bubbling. 

Notes

Mozzarella is a full-fat cheese, so for those seeking a low-fat option a number of different cheeses can be used, Ricotta is just one such option.

Quick Chocolate Brownies

These are very quick and easy and always turn out well. Might be useful to use up any left over Easter chocolate.... This recipe makes 16 brownies.

INGREDIENTS:
45g / 1 1/2 ozcocoa
125 g / 4 oz butter
2 eggs
225g / 8 oz caster sugar
60 g / 2 oz self-raising flour
100 g / 3 1/2 oz chopped chocolate or nuts (optional)

METHOD
You need a 20 cm / 8 inch square baking pan, greased and lined with baking paper. Preheat oven to Gas 4.

Melt the butter with the cocoa in a pan or microwave. Leave aside to cool.

Whisk the eggs with an electric mixer until thick and pale. Whisk in the sugar a little at a time. Mix in the cooled cocoa mixture. Sieve in the flour and fold in carefully. Add the chocolate / nuts if using.

Pour into the pan and bake for 25 - 35 mins until cooked through and springy, but don't over cook. Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes then turn out and cut up!

Butterscotch cream pie

6-8 oz rich shortcrust pastry
For filling
2 oz bitter
4 oz dark brown sugar
1/4 pint boiling water
2 tbs cornflour
1 tbs flour
large pinch salt
1/2 pint milk
2 egg yolks beaten
2 drops vanilla essence

8 inch diameter flan ring

Method
1) line the flan ring with pastry, blind bake and chill cooked flan case
2) melt butter and when golden brown add the brown sugar, stir until foaming and boil for 2-3 mins
3) remove from heat and stir in boiling water
4) place the cornflour, flour and salt in a saucepan and mix to a smooth paste with the milk, then add the brown sugar mixture
5) stir over gentle heat until boiling and cook for 1 minute
6) pour half the mixture on the beaten yolks, return mixture to the pan and continue to cook for 1 minute, add vanilla essence
7) pour the mixture into the baked pastry flan and chill flan.

Fatless sponge

2 eggs
75 g (3 oz) caster sugar
75 g (3 oz) self raising flour

1) heat oven to 180 c, gas mark 4. grease a 18cm (7 inch) cake tin
2) whisk eggs lightly in a bowl, add sugar and whisk until thick, creamy and almost white in colour
3) lightly fold in flour. place in prepared tin and bake for 30 mins

Recordings from the SALT conference, Feb 25th 2012

I thought i would share this with everyone here. It is the link to the audio recordings from the SALT (Serious About Loving Truth) Conference on 25th February, that a few of us attended and thoroughly enjoyed.

The topics covered were:

1. Conquering like David Oliver Allmand-Smith Ramsbottom Evangelical
2. Believing like Joseph (interactive) Ali McLachlan GBP Scotland
3. Submitting like Mary Oliver Allmand-Smith Ramsbottom Evangelical
4. Overcoming like Timothy Conrad Pomeroy Trinity Baptist, Dundee

"Hey everyone!

I hope that you really enjoyed SALT. God really worked through the speakers yesterday and they all spoke powerfully. I’m sure most of us were very challenged and encouraged. I think someone said yesterday, “Wow, I’m going to have to listen to the recording again. It’s like a goldmine, there’s so much I can draw out of these talks!” I heard another girl say that she was full, as if she had just had a three-course meal. Well that certainly was the case. I think that it was Ali who said it was like an energy drink, packed with caffiene. But the question is, what’s next? Are we just getting off our spiritual, conference high? Or are the messages going to make any difference to the way we conquer our daily temptation, the way we submit and the way we overcome our troubles? Let me encourage you to listen again to the talks, so that you can refresh yourself with what you heard and may God help all of us to glorify Him. So there is a link here that will take you to our audio page and you can either listen on-line or download the talks. God Bless"

http://saltguys.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/salt-talks-2012/

Focaccia with Tomatoes, Olives and Rosemary

I am departing from the Spanish theme, for a brief moment, to give you a basic flat-bread recipe. The Italians have Focaccia which is a very popular flat-bread and forms the basis of many variations, just like a basic rice dish, many different ingredients and toppings can be added. In ancient Rome, panis focacius was a flat bread baked in the ashes of the fireplace. The word is derived from the Latin focus meaning “centre” and also “fireplace” – the fireplace being in the centre of the house. In this version, tomatoes, olives and rosemary are added, but any of these and more could be changed according to taste.

Ingredients

Dough

475g Strong white flour

1tsp Sugar

1tsp salt

1.5tsp Fast acting yeast

3Tblsp Olive Oil

275ml water (warm)

Topping

200g Cherry Tomatoes

A few sprigs of Rosemary

A few Black olives

1tsp Salt flakes

3Tblsp Olive Oil

Method

Put the flour, sugar, salt and yeast into a large bowl. Add the olive oil then gradually mix in enough warm water to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough well on a lightly floured surface for around 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with an oiled clingflim and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead well, then cut into 2 pieces. Press each piece into a oval shape.

Transfer the pieces to 2 greased baking trays then, make indentations in the surface of each piece with the end of a wooden spoon. Press the tomatoes and olives into the indentations, adding the rosemary accordingly. Sprinkle with the salt flakes and leave to rise, uncovered, for 20 mins.

Drizzle the pieces with a little of the olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 200oC, Gas mark 6, for 15 mins. Swap positions in the oven to ensure even browning. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve warm.

Lemon Curd or Lemon Cheese

Ingredients:

- 1 cup sugar
- 2 lemons
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp butter

Preparation:

1) Grate the lemon rind from both lemons into a saucepan along with the juice from both lemons and the sugar
2) Bring to the boil
3) In a separate bowl, beat the 3 eggs until thickened
4) VERY gradually add the lemon mixture to the eggs whilst beating vigorously (Take care to add it very slowly so as not to curdle the eggs)
5) Return mixture to the saucepan on a low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens.
6) Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and the butter, Mix.
7) Place in a clean jar, immediately in the refrigerator.

Enjoy on toast, scones, crumpets.......or just a teaspoon!!!!!