Pizza again....but a little bit different

This is a another pizza recipe, but this time i used normal white plain bread flour for the dough, so it is not the healthiest version, but very very quick, and easy. Actually making this pizza all together is less time , than waiting for the takeway pizza....so it is definitely wort a try!

SALAMI PIZZA

For the dough: 

1 cup plain white flour

half cup warm water (not boiling)

7 gr dried yeast 

salt, pepper

1 tbsp of olive oil

for the topping: (this is just my version, but you can use nearly anything what you have at home)

milanese salami

black and white olives

sweetcorn

cheddar cheese

wine tomato

red peppers

rocket leaves

cream cheese

basic tomato sauce (onion, garlic,tomato puree, salt, pepper) 

First you need to do the dough, put the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the dried yeast, warm water, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and knead until the dough is becoming elastic. Let it rest for 10 minute on a warm place, and then you can stretch it, put the topping on, and bake in the owen for 20 min on 200 Degrees C.

Sausage and green lentils stew

This dish is a truly winter warmer. Is easy, comforting, filling, and good for you. Not just because it is tasty, the green lentils are packed with a lot of goodness, help reduce the blood cholesterol , high in fiber ,potassium, magnesium  protein, and B vitamine, low in calories but give you energy without quickly raising your blood sugar.

SAUSAGE AND GREEN LENTILS STEW

4 big sausage ( you can use every type, what you have)

250 gr green lentils (soaked overnight)

1 red onion (peeled, chopped)

half of celeriac (peeled, chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

2 big carrots (chopped)

2 dl of red wine

2 tbsp of english mustard 

fresh rosemary

2 tbsp of rapeseed oil

1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of honey

salt, pepper 

First fry the onions on oil in a casserole dish, then add the veggies, and fry them together for 5 min. Then you can add the lentils, red wine, mustard, rosemary, balsamic vinegar, honey, and water (cover the lentils). Cook for 20 min on a medium heat, then season with salt and pepper, and put into a baking tray, on the top the sausages, and roast on 200 Degrees C. for another 20 min, until the sausages are nice golden brown. I served with a little natur joghurt.

Pork chops with crispy roast veggies

One day i had a idea to do some baked veggies with a pork chops, but something more exciting than carrotts with some parsnips. We had at home celeriac, butternut squash, and some lovely fresh beetroot. Usually the people doesnt use this three ingredient together, but why not? I tried, and it is working really well,  they are need the same time to roast, teher is a lot of health benefit to eat them, and of course they are delicius!

PORK CHOPS WITH CRISPY ROAST VEGGIES

3-4 pork chops

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 red onion (peeled, chopped)

half butternut squash (peeled, chopped)

medium sized celeriac (peeled, chopped)

2 fresh beetroot (peeled, chopped)

4 cloves of garlic (not peeled)

2 tbsp of toasted sesame seed oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

salt, pepper

First thing is you need to do is prepare the veggies, and put them into a baking tray , season with salt and fresh ground pepper, add the toasted sesame oil, and the soy sauce, and roast them in the owen for 30 min on 200 Degrees C.
Meanwhile you can fry the pork chops in a hot pan on olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and when its nearly ready add the honey and the sesame seeds, and fry them for another minute.

Chocolate cake with whiskey caramel cream

I baked this cake last week for my friend birthday. I never really made birthday cakes, but i was in the mood to try. I started without recipes, just from my head, and what we had alredy at home. My first idea was just a chocolate cake with a simple caramel sauce, but i decided to use some whiskey, because its much more exiting, and of course with a little bit of alkohol on a birthday party you never go wrong:)

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH WHISKEY CARAMEL CREAM

for the chocholate cake base:

2 cup plain white flour (1 cup = 250 gr)

half cup of cocoa powder

2 eggs (separate)

half cup caster sugar

2 tbsp of honey

pinch of salt

200 gr. melted unsalted butter

half cup of milk 

for the cream:

3 tbsp of caster sugar

1 tbsp of brown sugar

4 tbsp of corn flour 

2dl milk (full fat )

3 tbsp of whiskey

for the chocolate coating:
1 cup of dark chocolate

250 gr unsalted butter

3 tbsp of double cream

First you have to bake the chocolate cake base. Put the sugar into a bowl with a 2 egg yolks (you need the whites later) , stir it, then add the honey, flour, cocoa powder. pinch of salt, and the melted butter. Add the milk too, and stir together, until its smooth. Then whisk the 2 egg whites, and when it is hard, you can gentle fold into the cake mixture. Then put into the owen, and bake for 40 min, on 180 Degrees C.

For the cream filling, first put all the sugar into a pan, and caramelise, then it is golden brown, you can add the corn flour, what you dissolve in the milk before adding to the caramel. Then stir on a low heat until you have a smooth cream. Wait until it is cool, and then add the whiskey to the cream.

To do the coating just melt all the ingredient on a water steam, and when it is all dissolve you are ready to use.
                                           

My cottage pie / or how to use the leftover roast beef /

Monday we had a lot of leftover roast beef from sunday, and i wanted to use all of them, and create something warming, filling, but also healthy supper. The idea was the cottage pie, but i used sweet potato, because its better for you, and also give a sweet balance with the veggies .

MY COTTAGE PIE

leftover roast beef (chopped)

1 big onion (peeled, chopped)

3 carrots (peeled, chopped)

2 parsnips (peeled, chopped)

few brussel sprouds (also leftover)

half small brokkoli

2 cloves of garlic (peeled, chrushed)

3 tbsp horseradish sauce

leftover gravy

salt/pepper

olive oil

2 big sweet potato ( peeled, chopped)

little butter

1 dl milk

The recipes couldnt be easier, just fry the beef together with the chopped veggies on some olive oil for a couple of minutes, then add the gravy and the horseradish sauce, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 min, until the veggies started to soften.
Meanwhile you can do the mash, boil the sweet potato (just need 10 min), then mash with a little butter and milk, season with salt, and ready for topping the beef vegetable mixture. Into the owen on 200 Degrees C. need a 15 min, and its ready!

Mediterranean chicken pasta

I really like this sauce with a mediterranean veggies, not just because it is delicious, because there is a lot of variation to use , for a pizza topping, with couscus, with rice, and even just without anything is a great healthy, and fresh meal.

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

3 chopped tomato
1 small chicken breast ( chopped)

2 chopped big californian pepper ( i used red one, but doesnt really a matter..:)

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

1 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

2 courgette (chopped)

handful of black and green olives

sundried tomato (just a few, chopped)

olive oil

fresh chopped chillies

salt, pepper

wholemeal spaghetti (250 gr)

What i did, it is a easy way, because i just chopped all the veggies and the chicken, and together in a same time i started to fry them in a pan on a little olive oil. After a 15 minute cooking its ready,  you can season with salt and pepper, and you doesnt need tomato puree, or anything like this, because the fresh tomatoes does the job, and there is a plenty of liquid to use like a pasta sauce.
I served with a wholemeal spaghetti, and fresh grated parmesan.

Hungarian style bean soup

In this time of a year i like to cook much more soups, then in summer, because for me the soups are the warming, filling  and nice dinners when its cold outside. Thats why my soup are more like a pottage, lot of vegetable, some meat, and a lots of flavor. This soup is a hungarian bean soup, but of course not the traditional recipe, its a my kind of bean soup:)

MY HUNGARIAN BEAN SOUP

2 can of red kidney beans (every other type of bean you can use)

half a green californian pepper (chopped)

2 carrots (peeled, chopped)

2 small parsnips (peeled, chopped)

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

1 tomato (chopped)

1 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

hungarian smoked sausages (just a few slice)

smoked bacon 

olive oil

1 tbsp white whine vinegar

4 tbsp sour cream

salt/pepper/marjoram

First of all fry the onion together with the sausages and the bacon on oil, then add the garlic, and after a few minute you can add the chopped veggies (pepper, carrots, parsnips, tomato). Stir and cook for 5 min, and when the veggies started to soften, add the beans, vinegar, salt, pepper, and marjoram, and half liter of water. Cook for 15 min, and serve with some sour cream.

Leeks chicken and mushroom brown rice bake

I like brown rice, not just because its much more healthier then the normal one. It has a nice nutty flavor, and the crunchiness, which is come from a peel of a rice. Yes its different than a normal one, but when you using and eating constantly, its become  a good "habit", and now i doesnt want to eat other rice, because i find them really tasteless. Its contains a lot of goodness , selenium, magnesium, vitamin B3, B1, B6, and iron. So use it, and enjoy!

LEEKS CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM BROWN RICE BAKE

1 big leeks

2 chicken breast

250 gr mushroom (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 dl dry white whine

1 tbsp of english mustard

150 gr grated cheddar cheese

sour cream

rapeseed oil

salt, pepper

1 cup of brown rice (250 gr)

First cook the brown rice in half liter of water, and with a little salt. Meanwhile you can fry the leeks on oil, add the chicken, the mushroom, and the garlic. Fry together until half cooked, then add the white whine, and the mustard, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 min, until the white whine is dissolved.
In a baking tray the first layer will be the cooked brown rice, then the chicken mixture, and a little sour cream, then repeat once more, and on the top you need to put a grated cheddar cheese. When you are ready, put into a owen for 20 min on 200 Degrees C.

Hungarian "Székely" Cabbage

sour cabbage

This is my favorite dish from home. Because its has the smoky, sour, nice fresh taste, and to be honest i cant really stop eating when we having this at home... But here in London making this dish is not that easy like in Hungary, because the main ingredient the sour cabbage is not popular here at all, and you can't buy this in the big supermarkets. But thanks Good we have hungarian shops, and there you can buy nearly anything what you need for a big hungarian feast.

HUNGARIAN  "SZÉKELY" CABBAGE

2 big tin of sour cabbage

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (peeled, chopped)

3 tbsp of smoked paprika

250 gr smoked bacon lardons

6 pork chops (chopped)

vegetable oil

salt/pepper

sour cream

First thing to do is fry the chopped onion on vegetable oil until it is soft, then add the smoked paprika , (reduce the heat) garlic, and then the bacon lardons and the pork. With a little water cook until the meat is half cooked (10 min), and then you can add the sour cabbage. Sometimes, and when you want your dish to be not really sour you can wash your cabbage before adding to the meat.( I did that too ) After you can add 3 cup of water to the dish,  season with salt and pepper, and the easy thing to do put into the owen for 1 hour on 180 Degrees C., but you can cook on the gas too. I served the dish with some sour cream, and a homemade bread.

Homemade easy bread

Making bread is not that difficult thing what a most of people are thinking about, and you get a lot more benefit making your own. You need just a few basic ingredient, a little exercize knead the dough (which is good for you:)  and thats it, much more healthy, and you can put a lot of different flavor (for example dried spices, sundried tomato, caramelised onion, seeds)  in your bread to make it intresting, and very tasty!

HOMEMADE EASY BREAD

1 cup wholemeal bread flour

1,5 cup plain white flour

7 gr dried yeast

1 tbsp of salt

pinch of sugar

fresh ground pepper

4 tbsp of olive oil (or any vegetable oil)

half cup of warm water (no boiling, just warm)

Take a big mixing bowl, and first put the flours in there, then the dried yeast, olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, and the warm water. Now you need to knead the dough, until it is nice and elastic ( 10 min). After let it rest in  a warm place for 2 hours. (covered with kitchen towel) . Then you can put into a preheated owen for 30 min on 200 Degrees C.

Hungarian apple pie

This pie is very polular in my home country , in Hungary.  We usually bake this time of a year, because the apples are fresh, and this is a really delicius way to use them. I am sure every family have a old recipe how to bake the perfect one. My family has too, but now this is my own version, and a little bit different than the traditionally one.

HUNGARIAN APPLE PIE

8 medium sized apple (peeled, grated)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp of cinnamon

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 cup of plain flour

2 eggs

1 tbsp of sour cream 

half tp of baking powder

250 g cold unsalted butter 

4 tbsp of brown sugar

pinch of salt

First you need to make a pastry. Put all the flour into a bowl, add the baking powder, salt, sugar and the cold butter, and mix all with your hand, then add a sour cream, 1 whole eggs and 1 egg yolks. Knead the dough until you have a nice crumbly pastry. Put into a fridge for a half hour to let it rest .
Meanwhile you can make the filling. Grate the apples into a bowl, add cinnamon, and 1 tp of brown sugar.
Separate the pastry for 2 equal sized,( bottom and top ) and  stretch it. Place to a baking tray, then put the apple filling, and the other pastry sheet. Spread the top with the 1 egg whites, and bake in the preheated owen on 180 Degrees C. for 35 min.

Roasted butternut squash soup

Yesterday when i was walking home i really enjoyed watching the halloween pumpkin lamps nearly a front of every house, and that was the inspiration for this soup. My first though was a pumpkin soup, but in the local shops they are run out,  ( of course because its halloween....) i decided to go for a butternut squash. And anyway this is pumpkin too, just a butternut one:)

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

1 butternut squash (chopped )

chicken stock ( half liter) 

4 tbsp single cream

1 onion (peeled, chopped)

1 cloves garlic (peeled, crushed)

rosemary (dries or fresh one, i used dried)

salt/pepper

olive oil

First thing you need to do is heat the owen for 200 Degrees C., and the same time you can chop the butternut squash, put into a baking tray with some olive oil, and roast for 20 min, until soft and nice golden brown, and then you can peel the skin off. In a pan fry the onions on olive oil, add the garlic, and the roasted butternut squash, the chicken stock (i used fresh one, but the stock cube is good as well) . Boil for only 10 min.,  add rosemary, salt, and pepper and the single cream, and b
lend it together. I served with some toasted pumpkin seeds, and garlic toast.