Fettucine With Ground Beef And Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce For The Secret Recipe Club

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Tandy

When I joined The Secret Recipe Club, my first post was a slight let down, as the person I was assigned did not bother to come along and comment on my post. Well, déjà vu struck when I moved to group C, and my assigned blogger not only did not comment, she did not post! But, I am loving my new group and I have met so many great new bloggers. This month, Mother Thyme is my assignment – don’t you just love that blog name? Jennifer looks like the person whose home you could arrive at unannounced, and she would welcome you in with pleasure. She is a stay at home mum of twins who uses their down down time to create wonderful dishes using fresh ingredients that we can all afford.

As Dave and I are on a restricted diet, I am now making pasta once a week, and I want it to be a special dish. I chose her recipe for Steak Fettucine With Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce as rib eye steak is my favourite cut of meat. However, after shopping for all the ingredients, we ended up eating the rib eye for dinner the next evening. I could not get another rib eye steak and so I had to decide whether to adapt the recipe, or choose another one. At the same time, Dave and I were booking our trip to Venice, and my mind turned to traditional Italian meals. They always start with anti pasti and then move on to the primi of pasta and then secondi of meat and vegetables. So, I decided that as we had already had the second course, I would change up the recipe by making a first course pasta with a sauce of ground beef and follow the rest of Jennifer’s instructions. We loved the result.

FETTUCINE WITH GROUND BEEF AND ROASTED RED PEPPER ALFREDO SAUCE

Ingredients:

200g fettuccine

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus olive oil for drizzling – I use an olive oil spray

1 red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, sliced

250g ground beef

Salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 medium orange pepper, cut into large wedges

1 medium red pepper, cut into large wedges

½ cup crème fraîche

½ cup grated hard cheese, plus additional for serving

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220° Celsius and put your water for the pasta on to boil

Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions

Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion and the garlic until soft

Add the ground beef and brown

Season to taste and add the Worcestershire sauce

Leave the meat to cook while you start on the peppers

Place the peppers onto a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil

Lightly season and roast for 15 minutes until they are tender and slightly charred

Remove from the oven and blend until smooth

Add to the ground beef together with the crème fraîche

Adjust the seasoning and just before your pasta is ready, add the cheese to the ground meat

Stir in allowing the cheese to melt completely before adding the drained pasta

Mix together and serve topped with some grated hard cheese

FETTUCINE WITH GROUND BEEF AND ROASTED RED PEPPER ALFREDO SAUCE PRINTABLE VERSION

I am submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted this week by Juli of Pictures of All My Princesses

Tandy

To see other recipes from the click the linky below: And to see what Aimee made from my blog, click here.

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Red Tomato and Capsicum Pasta Sauce

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Tandy

I am 5’7″ (1.68m) and have been this tall since I was 13. At 13 I weighed 49kg and maintained this weight throughout high school and into my twenties. As my then unknown intolerance to sucrose became worse my weight dropped to 44kg. I then went through a stage of weighing between 52 and 44 while the doctors and naturopaths tried to figure out what was wrong with me. As soon as my blood sugar levels stabilized so did my weight. I gained a bit when I gave up smoking and lost a bit when Dave moved to Gordons Bay before I did. But then after the move and a wedding, I was a happy 54kg. Content and lax, this winter has been a shocker. Despite losing weight in France I am now close to the chubbiest I have ever been, and I know I am not fat! But I don’t feel comfortable and so it is diet time for me. My new routine is my resolution for 2012! It has been going on for two months already. I will gym everyday I can and I will start with small steps – 20 minutes of cycling until I’m back to 1 hour of training a day. I will walk more and I will pay attention to my treats. No more milky coffees, no more sandwiches and no cake. I’ll go back to being good for 5 days and letting go on the weekends. I need to be fit and feel better before we leave on our annual holiday. At the same time I am doing my own ‘no red wine and no cheese diet’, Dave is on a restricted carbohydrate diet. For both of us, the diet is working and it is not hard work. We have both lost weight and feel great. But, with no pasta and no potatoes 5 days a week, each pasta dish has to be something special. I can promise, this one is.

RED TOMATO AND CAPSICUM PASTA SAUCE

ingredients:

2 red capsicums cut in half and deseeded

1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling

12 baby tomatoes, cut in half

1 shallot, sliced

1 clove garlic, sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

¼ cup stock

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

method:

preheat the oven to 180° Celsius

place the capsicums into an ovenproof dish, skin side up

drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven for 30 minutes

remove and place them into a bowl and cover with Clingfilm

place the tomatoes into the same dish and cook in the oven for 5 minutes

heat the olive oil in a pot and gently sauté the shallot and garlic until soft

remove the skins from the capsicums and slice

add to the pot, together with the tomatoes and any juices

season and add the stock, cayenne and tomato paste

bring to the boil and blend until semi smooth

RED TOMATO AND CAPSICUM PASTA SAUCE PRINTABLE VERSION

I am submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted this week by Simona of Briciole

Tandy
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Mediterranean Pasta

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Tandy

There is something about the sea that draws me to it. We live 500m from the beach, and if we go away in South Africa, we usually go to a coastal town along the Garden Route. We have explored the beaches from right up the West Coast all the way along to Natal. My favourite stop is the Wilderness, where the sea really sings and the dolphins play. Our April holiday is always spent going to Europe. We are doing one city at a time, exploring and getting to see the ancient buildings and ruins. We have been to many interesting cities, but each visit is punctuated by a trip to the sea. We have explored the Mediterranean from the west coast to the east coast of Italy and come very close to it in France. We have made sure to take a day out when in Rome to head to the sea, and spent an entire holiday up and down the coastal region of Brittany. This pasta is inspired from the regional products of these areas and Spain – a country still on our list of places to go.

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, sliced

½ red pepper, sliced

50g mushrooms, sliced

1 Spanish sausage, cut in half and sliced

1/3 cup stock

10 olives, stoned and cut in half

salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

2 tablespoons cream

grated Parmesan and micro basil leaves for garnishing

method:

while your pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan

sauté the onion and the garlic until soft

add the red pepper and the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft

add the red pepper and the stock and allow the stock to simmer

add the olives and season to taste

stir in the cream and toss the pasta in the sauce

serve with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese and the basil

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA PRINTABLE VERSION

I am submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted this week by Alisha of Cook.Craft.Enjoy

Tandy

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Pickled Peppers

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Tandy

The upshot of living in a coastal village is that I can walk on the beach everyday, weather permitting. We live very far west in South Africa, which only has one time zone. So, the second plus is that the sun sets really late for us, and we can enjoy daylight up until 20h00 in summer. The down side is how the rules change during tourist season. We can walk our dogs along the dunes 11 months of the year, but now that the out of towners have arrived, this is not allowed. We have to pay for parking along the beachfront 11 months of the year, but with the influx of holiday makers, the fees have been waived. We pay rates and taxes and yet 11 months of the year we barely see a police car – and now, there is visible policing. We spend our money 11 months of the year buying fresh fish, but over season, the prices soar. Our local drinking spot is suddenly full, we cannot get a table, and even if we could, the lack of service would not be worth it. The restaurants have put their prices up for our wealthier neighbours from up North. So, for 1 month of the year, we are house bound. We watch our well spent income making the holiday makers happy – they have clean beaches, free parking and access to all the amenities we ensure are open for them by our support during the year. It saddens me that during my holiday I am better off at home, where the food is good and the view thankfully great. So, to keep me busy, this December that just passed has seen me in my kitchen every day. I have made my way through a lot of recipes I have wanted to try and this is another one I am sharing with you.

PICKLED PEPPERS

ingredients:

240g mixed peppers, cored, piths and seeds removed and sliced

1 red onion, cut in half and sliced

125g sugar – I used fructose

150mls red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

1 stalk rosemary

1 white onion, cut in half and sliced

method:

place the peppers, red onion, sugar, vinegar, salt and rosemary into a heavy bottomed sauce pan

bring to the boil and cover and simmer for 30 minutes

remove the rosemary stalk, give the peppers a good stir and simmer for another 30 minutes

add the white onion, stir the ingredients and continue to simmer with the lid off for 45 minutes

place into sterilized glass jars and leave for 2 weeks before eating

PICKLED PEPPERS PRINTABLE VERSION

Tandy
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Meatloaf for The Secret Recipe Club

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Tandy

Last month for The Secret Recipe Club, my blog assignment was *jam hands*, and Ali (plus the post) made me feel so much better about being a part of this group. This month I have been assigned Crumbs and Chaos. These four sisters feed 10 children and one of the things I love about this blog is their seasonal inspiration link up. For those of you who read my blog you will know that regional and seasonal means a lot to me. In a challenge to cook something from a new blog, I decided I would also cook something I have never tried before. So, I chose meatloaf. This is a BIG challenge for me, as I do not even know what some of the ingredients are.

My first challenge was to decide what seasoning I would use instead of Lawry’s Seasoning which is a product not available in South Africa. I chose the NoMU Spanish Rub which has a great blend of paprika, chilli, oreganum, cumin, basil and saffron. I am sure for the hot sauce I could have used any one of Dave’s collection of chilli sauces, but I chose Tabasco instead as I used this in my barbecue sauce. I had to make my own as any shop bought equivalent would contain sucrose. I chose not to bake this in a bread pan but instead made individual portions in my cocottes. The lovely colour on top is from the barbecue sauce I made.

MEATLOAF

adapted from crumbs and chaos

ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

250g ground beef

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup breadcrumbs – I made fresh

2 teaspoons NoMU Spanish rub

1 dropTabascosauce

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

1 dash of Worcestershire sauce

Barbecue sauce for glazing

method:

preheat the oven to 180° Celsius

heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion and pepper until soft

set aside and allow to cool completely

add this to the beef, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, rub,Tabasco, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce

mix together thoroughly

place into ovenproof ramekins for individual portions

bake for 1 hour

after 30 minutes, take out of the oven and brush a layer of the barbecue sauce on the top

leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving – either in the ramekin or tipped out, to suit you

Printable Version

Tandy

to see more recipes from

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Please see the Secret Santa post!

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Tapas Tomatoes

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Tandy

I did not manage to get my tapas recipe in on time for the food24 competition so decided it would be perfect for this month’s vinatics. I just love nibbling while drinking and even more so when it is with friends. We have done a fair bit of entertaining this past month and the one thing I know about myself is that I need to eat when I drink. Tapas make the perfect sense to start an evening off with – a small bite or two to whet the appetite, as well as to make sure the wine does not go down on an empty stomach. We were tasked to choose something from the KWV Classic Collection and this was my choice as it goes down perfectly at the start of a warm evening.

Chill the pinotage before serving and enjoy! This tapas was inspired by my gezpacho however, some people like my husband do not like raw onions, and so I needed to cook the ingredients before serving them. I grew up eating raw onions, but since I have stopped eating them raw to suit Dave’s palate, I have found them quite offensive in some dishes. The raw onion flavour overpowers everything else. These little tapas are a perfect way to start the evening – a little slurp of something before tucking into the wine, and the conversation.

TAPAS TOMATOES

ingredients:

2 roma tomatoes, cut in half

1 red pepper, cut in half and deseeded

2 garlic cloves, cut in half (you can leave the paper on)

olive oil for sprinkling

salt for seasoning

small handful of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon lemon infused olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon hot paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

handful of flat leaf parsley

150mls vegetable stock

method:

preheat the oven to 180° Celsius

place the tomatoes skin side down into a baking tray

play the red pepper skin side up into the baking tray

add the garlic and then sprinkle with olive oil

season with salt, and add the thyme

bake for 20 minutes and then leave to cool

heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions until soft

add the paprika and the cumin

remove the garlic from the skins and add to the onion

roughly chop the tomatoes and the pepper

add them to the onions with any of the juices

place all of the ingredients into a blender with the parsley and the stock and process until smooth

Printable Version

Edit September 21st: I have withdrawn my entry from the Vinatics competition as it does not quite comply with food24′s rules of blogging about the actual evening and publishing photographs of my guests.

Tandy

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Ras El Hanout Chicken

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Tandy

If you read my daily diary you will see that each day I have a gratitude. It started many years ago and one of the things that reinforced this practice was an email I received from a friend. This week I got the email for a second time and I thought I would share it with you:

I AM THANKFUL:

for the wife who says it’s hot dogs tonight, because she is home with me, and not out with someone else

for the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato, because he is home with me and not out at the bars

for the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes because it means she is at home, not on the streets

for the taxes I pay because it means I am employed

for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends

for the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat

for my shadow that watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine

for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing
because it means I have a home

for all the complaining I hear about the government because it means we have freedom of speech

for the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking and I have been blessed with transportation

for my huge heating bill because it means I am warm

for the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means I can hear

for the pile of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear

for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard

for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means I am alive

A friend asked me for some Ras El Hanout and I have made her a jar. There was a little bit left over and so I created a recipe to use up the extra.

RAS EL HANOUT CHICKEN

ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

4 chicken pieces

1 onion, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon ras el hanout

1 aubergine, thickly sliced

1 yellow pepper, thickly sliced

1 tin cherry tomatoes

½ cup white wine

A teaspoon arrow root

Small handful of fresh fenugreek sprouts

method:

in a tagine or heavy bottomed casserole dish with a lid, heat the oil

season and brown the chicken pieces

remove and set aside

sauté the onion until soft

add the ras el hanout and when you can smell the spices add the aubergine, yellow pepper and tinned tomatoes

add the white wine and return the chicken to the dish

cover and cook on a low heat for 40 minutes

make a paste using a tablespoon of the cooking liquid and the arrow root

mix back into the sauce and when thickened you can serve

garnish with the fenugreek sprouts

Printable Version

to see how to sprout, please see here

Tandy

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Red Pepper, Sausage and Rocket Pizza

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Tandy

I really never did get the saying my sister from another mother - not because I did not understand the meaning, but because I did not get the sentiment. I grew up with someone – from when we were 3 to when we were 23 we were like a married couple. And when that relationship ended, it was more like getting divorced than losing a sibling. Then, the other day a reply to an email popped into my inbox “I cannot imagine a time when you were not part of my life”. And then, I GOT IT. I have a friend who is so much more than a friend. She is like my sister. It is as if she has always been a part of who I am. I am ‘friend shy’ and so I don’t always make a move friendship wise. I fear rejection. And yet, with this person, I know she is more than my friend.

To my darling friend, I know you will read this, and know it is about you! There is a space in my heart where you belong! My home is always open to you and my ears will be there for listening, my shoulders there for leaning on and any time you need it, a bottle of wine will be open for us to share. You are my sister from another mother!

This pizza is a perfect meal for sharing – slice for slice, or bite for bite!

RED PEPPER, SAUSAGE AND ROCKET PIZZA

ingredients:

1 pizza base (you can use a standard bread dough recipe)

1 tablespoon olive tapenade

½ red pepper, sliced

1 sausage sliced (I used a German Vienna)

10g Parmesan, grated

handful of fresh rocket

method:

preheat the oven to 180° Celsius

put your pizza dough into a pizza tin

use the back of a teaspoon to cover with the tapenade

spread the sausage slices evenly around the pizza

sprinkle over the Parmesan

bake for 15 minutes

add the fresh rocket before slicing

Printable Version

Tandy

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Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Tandy

I am quite an aware person, and I know my short comings. One of them is that I love to talk! I really enjoy a good conversation and can chat away for hours. I do know that sometimes I need to listen as well This said, I have met someone who talks more than I do, and who does not stop to hear what other people have to contribute to the conversation. Quite sad actually, as there are people out there who have better knowledge on certain topics and this person is missing out on learning more about things they are passionate about. Part of my daily conversations includes the one at night, over the butcher’s block that Dave and I have about dinner. We always talk about what we are cooking and how to cook it. Sometimes he does not listen properly – but most times he does. This sauce is a great example of how we arrive at a simple meal.

RED PEPPER AND TOMATO SAUCE

ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

¼ cup vegetable stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

method:

heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the shallot until soft

add the tomatoes, pepper, vegetable stock, tomato paste and garlic

cook until soft and has a nice sauce consistency

Printable Version

Tandy

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Tomato and Aubergine Chutney

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Tandy

Chutney is a word we have borrowed from the Hindi language and even though the condiment is from South Asia, it is an extremely common ingredient that can be found in most South African homes. In fact, when I went to Germany earlier this year Michelle asked me for Mrs. Ball’s Chutney. This is a truly South African product, and when we were growing up came in one flavour only. The brand has grown, and all sorts of flavours are now available. Unfortunately for me there is no sucrose free one available on the market and so I have resorted to making my own for the past 20 years.