Posted on

Easy Monster Eggs

Monster Eggs

It’s almost Halloween and while the rest of the world have been having parties and trick or treating, we’ve been so busy I’ve not even thought about it too much. This evening though we did breakfast for dinner, of a sort, with sausages, eggs and potato wedges, and I decided to make them a little Halloween-ish. So here’s a quick recipe for  Monster Eggs to bring some Halloween into your day with little to no effort.Monster Eggs

Fortunately, I happened to have edible ink and edible eyes on hand (That’s normal, right?!) so it was easy to do. If you don’t have those, you could use mayonnaise and olives for the eyes, or even mayonnaise and a sprig of greenery for eye slits.

For this recipe you will need:

  • 4 peeled and boiled eggs (14 minutes in the Thermomix® internal steamer/Varoma) 
  • 50g spinach
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt to taste

Cut the eggs in half, then scoop the yolks out
eggs Combine the yolks, spinach, mayo and paprika in a food processor and blend till it’s a smooth mix (2 mins, speed 4 in the Thermomix®)

If you have edible ink, draw eyelashes on the egg whitemonster-eyes

Scoop spoonfuls back into the egg whites and top with the ‘eye balls’

egg-eyes

Sprinkle salt to taste

These will keep for a few hours in the fridge if you’re making them for later

Follow this link for more Halloween recipes

 

Posted on

Slowcooked Chicken & Tomato Stuffed Pepper

Stuffed Pepper

Temperatures are dropping and the days are becoming shorter, so for us, it means the slow cooker has come out of the dark depths of the cupboard. We’re trying out a variety of savoury dishes for Halloween, a season not normally known for its savoury foods, but I want to have some options available, at least! Stuffed Pepper

For this recipe, I’ve used yellow peppers. I didn’t realise until I was cleaning them out that one of the peppers only had two humps on the apex, rather than three, which meant it couldn’t stand on its own. Undeterred, I just cut a small layer off, not so much that the bottom of the pepper was opened up – just enough to make it stand up straight.
Stuffed Pepper

Cutting faces in a pepper is a whole lot easier than it is on a pumpkin. Simply use a sharp knife and carefully pop the cutout parts out. Stuffed Pepper

You can use any filling you like, really. I’ve used a chicken and tomato one. If you want to stretch this meal, add some rice or couscous to the pepper. Alternatively, serve each pepper on a bed of rice. I didn’t bother in this particular meal. Stuffed Pepper

Once stuffed, I felt the peppers could use a bit of help to stand out a little, so I used a finger to pop some homemade tomato sauce into the eyes and mouths of the peppers.

Stuffed Pepper

I love the way the chicken and tomato looks a bit like brains, topping off the Halloween face. It’s simple, and quite effortless and very tasty!

Slow Cooked Chicken and Tomato Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Slow cooked Chicken & Tomato Stuffed Pepper
 
Print
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 500g skinless, boneless chicken
  • 1 tin of tomatoes
  • 30ml (2tbs) dark soy sauce
  • 15ml (1tbs) balsamic vinegar
  • 5ml (1tsp) dried or fresh chopped rosemary
  • 5ml (1tsp) salt
  • 5 fresh tomatoes
  • 4 yellow peppers
  • For Halloween Faces, you'll also need a little tomato sauce
  • Serve with rice or other grain if you are so inclined.
Instructions
  1. Turn a slow cooker on low for 6 hours
  2. Add chicken, canned tomatoes, soy sauce, vinegar, rosemary and salt , put the lid in place.
  3. With an hour to go, add the fresh tomatoes
  4. With 30 minutes to go, remove the lid so the sauce can thicken a little
  5. After six hours, cut the top off the peppers and remove the seeds. (If you're making Halloween faces, do that now too)
  6. Stuff the pepper, and using a clean spoon or finger, fill the eyes and mouth with tomato sauce.

Find more Halloween recipes here

Posted on

Amazing Pumpkin Parmesan Dip

Pumpkin Parmesan Dip

Another fantastic centrepiece for a party, a pumpkin filled with Pumpkin Parmesan Dip looks great and is versatile for crackers and veggies alike. You can adjust the amount of parmesan, or even substitute for a cheese you prefer – I can’t imagine there’ll be too much difference to the end result.

Pumpkin Parmesan Dip

My kids are particularly antsy about raw garlic – they can pick it out of anything – so if you prefer, you can saute the garlic for three minutes at 100C. I only do that if I’m making it, especially for my children.

Pumpkin Parmesan DipI decided to put the dip into a bowl and hover the bowl inside the mouth of the pumpkin. I don’t know if that’s necessary or if you can just put it in the pumpkin, but I decided it would be easier in this instance to keep cool, and that the pumpkin itself was reusable for a number of days and other recipes if not. Also, if you’re particularly skilled at carving (I’m not!) a fake candle inside, under the dip could look very pretty too.

Pumpkin Parmesan Dip Recipe:

Amazing Pumpkin Parmesan Dip
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
To cook the pumpkin, add 400 - 500 g chopped raw pumpkin to the internal steamer. Fill water to the 1-litre mark. Thermomix® 15 minutes/Varoma/speed 4. Once finished, leave to drain and cool for a while before making the dip
Author:
Serves: 600g
Ingredients
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 50g parmesan
  • 100g cream cheese (I use full fat)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 400 - 500g cooked pumpkin
Instructions
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Add 1 clove garlic 5 seconds/ speed 5
  2. Add parmesan 10 seconds/speed 10
  3. Add cream cheese, paprika, salt and cooked pumpkin 30 seconds/ speed 4
  4. Scrape down sides 1 minute/ speed 10
  5. Set aside to firm up again, and serve
Regular Instructions
  1. Finely chop the garlic, or crush it and add to a food processor
  2. Grate parmesan and add to the garlic.
  3. Add cream cheese, paprika,salt and cooked pumpkin
  4. Mix following your food processors instructions till it's all well blended and smooth.
  5. Set aside to firm up again, and serve.

Try these Halloween recipes too!

The cheese biscuits in the images are round versions of these cheese straws.

 

Posted on

Cheesy Straws

Cheesy Straws

These cheesy straws are a lovely snack for lunch boxes and last minute visitors. They can be prepared whenever you have time, and the pastry frozen – then just pop out a handful and bake when you need them.  I was setting an Autumn scene for some photos I had to do, so we broke up the straws to make a ‘woodpile’. I was glad when the kids walked in and said ‘Oh, look at the brooms!’  Always useful when people can tell what you’re going for!
Cheesy Straws

These cheesy straws can be made as straws, though simply baking them in rounds is okay too – I tend to freeze them as round biscuits, making them easier to use with dips. If you’re going to make brooms, I recommend that you use the stringy type of kids cheese, rather than regular blocks of cheese which crack rather than pull apart. And have more chives than you think you need as they break really easily too. Cheesy Straws

I also like to add paprika or rosemary to cheese strings – it just depends on what flavour you like, or whether you like something different from time to time! Also, you don’t have to add parmesan, it just heightens the cheese flavour. If you decide not to, just make another 50g cheddar cheese.

Cheesy Straws Recipe:

Cheesy Straws
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 60 sticks
Ingredients
  • 375g plain flour
  • 225g butter
  • 150g cheddar cheese
  • 50g parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp mustard (I use a grainy mustard, but powder will work too)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • pinch of salt
  • pepper to taste
Instructions
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to the Thermomix® bowl
  2. Mix speed 5/30 seconds
  3. Remove and shape into a log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes
  4. Heat the oven to 180C
  5. Break off pieces and roll into sticks using your hands
  6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool before moving but be gentle as they are fragile
Regularly Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor
  2. Mix until everything is combined and the dough forms a ball
  3. Remove and shape into a log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes
  4. Heat the oven to 180C
  5. Break off pieces and roll into sticks using your hands
  6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool before moving but be gentle as they are fragile

 

 

Posted on

Pumpkin & Parmesan Soup

Pumpkin Parmesan Soup

Pumpkins in the UK have been a bit of an education for me. Where I grew up, pumpkins came in one size: big. And they had thick, hard-to-cut-through skin and bright, dark orange flesh, and tasted… well, like pumpkin. Here I find pumpkins come with thin skins, and light flesh that doesn’t taste like a whole lot of anything, so I normally try to mix some butternut squash in for a bigger hit of flavour if I’m making a soup.

Pumpkin Parmesan Soup

I think it may vary again in other places because I have read on US boards that they say the smaller pumpkins have more taste than the bigger ones, but this certainly isn’t my experience. In South Africa, we used to make pumpkin fritters, and they definitely were bright orange and tasted of pumpkin!Pumpkin Parmesan Soup

The smaller pumpkins are very easy to cut, though, and to scoop out, so they make a convenient soup bowl if you’re making this recipe for two – three people.
Pumpkin Parmesan Soup

I love fresh sage, lightly fried in butter to crumble over this, but I can’t always find fresh sage. Never mind. If you like chillies you can add some spice to this soup too, and if you have a bit of spare time, sautee an onion first and add it at the start with the rest of the ingredients. If you have fresh or homemade chicken stock, that’s even better than a stock cube too.

 

Pumpkin and Parmesan Soup
 
Print
If you're able to find fresh sage, lightly fry the leaves in butter till the edges go brown, and sprinkle over the soup for a crunchy, tasty topping. 2
Author:
Serves: 3 servings
Ingredients
  • 700 - 800g Pumpkin or Butternut Squash, cut into cubes
  • 20 - 50g Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 Chicken or Veggie Stock Cube
  • 250g Water
  • 1 Teaspoon Sage
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Granules (or 1 Fresh Clove of Garlic, crushed and sauteed)
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • Pepper to Taste
Instructions
  1. Add everything except the pepper to the Thermomix® Bowl
  2. Put the MC in place, and hold it down while you liquidise - 30 seconds/ speed 10
  3. Turn the heat up to Varoma/15 mins/speed 3. Keep the MC in.
  4. When it's done, serve and top with pepper.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 419 Fat: 16 Carbohydrates: 55 Sugar: 19 Sodium: 3568 Protein: 26

 

Posted on

Fun-tastic Thermomix® Halloween Ideas

Thermomix Halloween Ideas

It’s coming up for spooky time again, and all our groups and activities seem to like Halloween parties, so I’ve been on the lookout for quick, easy, and frightfully fun Thermomix® Halloween ideas. I want these to be as quick and uncomplicated as possible, so I’m on the lookout for Thermomix® recipes.

For a lot of these recipes you’re going to have to rely on Google Translate, but as far as I can tell, that shouldn’t be a problem. Read through the recipes first and if there’s anything you’re unsure about, you can always fall back on an English recipe, using these themed-styling ideas. 

Thermomix® Halloween Ideas

Witch Fingers

These have been redone on loads of blogs, but the original seems to be this one. If you scroll towards the bottom there’s a pretty decent English version (once you’ve done a Google translate)

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Everywhere

Pumpkin Parmesan Soup

Pumpkin Parmesan Soup is perfectly seasonal, and served in a large pumpkin would make a fabulous centrepiece too. And use clementines to double as jack-o-lantern pumpkins, or peel them and stick a tip of celery stalk inside to look like pumpkins. That looks really cute!

Eyeballs

Another recipe that would look great on the Halloween table, the eyeballs recipe from Thermomix® Tarif Defterim.

Brooksticks & Log PilesCheesy Straws

Make cheese biscuits into cheese straws, then stack them up as log piles or turn them into brooms using string cheese and chives. Individual portions as starters or dotted around a table, they do add to the effect.

Spider Cupcakes

Another from Thermomix® Tarif Defterim, these Spider Cupcakes require specific items, like the liquorice strings, but they do look rather spectacular.

No Bake Spider Web Cake

I love the look of this no bake spider web cake, but the instructions are a bit confusing if you don’t speak the language – Google translate doesn’t do a great job on this one! I might try this with a Nutella Cheesecake filling instead, using the Oreos around the outside as their recipe suggests, and then make the spider web out of something white.

Ghost PizzaPizza ghost for Halloween

This is such a simple and effective Halloween theming idea, and you can adapt it to any ghoulish shape, really. So clever! The main thing to remember is that you need to put the cheese on afterwards, so that it doesn’t melt and lose it’s shape.

Minipizza Scream

mini pizza mini pizzas scream Scream

I love love love these mini pizza scream crackers – they are so great for dips. You could season them with herbs or salt, I expect.

Carrot arancini (Rice Balls) rice balls Rice balls Halloween

Thermo Recetas has a fabulous looking carrot rice ball recipe that involves carrot and olive and is a nice savoury option.

Frightful SoupPurple Carrot and Clementine Soup

The Ghoulicious Carrot And Clementine Soup Recipe uses purple carrots and clementines to colour the food quite (un)naturally, making for a weird coloured but supremely tasty soup.

I hope you enjoy making these creative Thermomix® Halloween recipes!

Posted on

Fun Halloween Misfortune Cookies {Review}

Halloween Misfortune Cookies Packaging

I don’t normally fall over myself to do anything special for Halloween, but when I saw these Mis-Fortune cookies, I pretty much had to have them.

They would make the most perfect after dinner treat if you’re doing anything on Halloween – or if you’re a closet Goth and want to bring your inner darkness to the table.

The box contains – obviously – an unlucky 13 misfortune cookies. Each is individually wrapped in a frightful wrapper decorated by frightened cats, ghouls and a teddy bear that’s seen better days, all in a style reminiscent of Tim Burton.

Halloween Misfortune Cookies Packaging

Inside the wrapper is a pitch black misfortune cookie, shaped like a traditional fortune cookie. Crack it open with a perfect snap, and inside you’ll find a black paper with your mis-fortune written on it.

My first misfortune cookie was so macabre, I had to laugh out loud: Your best days are already behind you. Well, I’d just spent the morning with two tired and grumpy children after an intensely busy week. How did the misfortune cookie know?!Halloween Misfortune Cookies Packaging

Well, on that cheerful note, I risked a bite of the cookie, half expecting it to be made of dried out black pudding or something equally unpleasant sounding and tasting. Fortunately the producers take mercy on your taste buds and provide a delicious tasting fortune cookie – but it is the only thing they take mercy on.

With messages like “Happy? It won’t last!” and “At least I believe in you. Me. A piece of paper” your guests will be served a hard dose of reality, but I bet they’ll laugh about it. This will be like Christmas, where everyone’s taking turns sharing theirs for everyone to groan and laugh over.

Whether as an after dinner amusement, or if you’re feeling flush and want to give them out to trick or treaters, these will go down a storm, I’m pretty confident!Halloween Misfortune Cookies Packaging

These Misfortune Cookies are made from wheat flour, sugar, glucose syrup and contain Soya Lecithins. They are coloured by carbon, rapeseed oil and also contain flavouring, salt and sodium bicarbonate.

You can find them at a number of retailers online:

Posted on

Ghoulicious Carrot And Clementine Soup Recipe

Carrot and Clementine Soup

I remember making this Carrot and Clementine soup almost five years ago, with ordinary carrots and I remember that it was lovely. I found it a few days ago in the bottom of my drafts folder, and decided to make it again soon. As it happens our organic vegetable box arrived this week with purple carrots – the original carrots, apparently – and I thought these would make an eerie, spooky, fun addition to your Halloween festivities.

Carrot and Clementine SoupOf course, you can make it with normal carrots too, and it will be delicious, but not purple.

Also, I like creamy soups, so I add cream before serving. You can add cashew cream instead to make it vegan, or  you can make it without any cream at all, if that’s your preference.

Serve with Cardamom Braid or Soda Bread – both are just as delicious.

Carrot and Clementine Soup Recipe:

Carrot And Clementine Soup
 
Print
Author:
Recipe type: Soup, Winter
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 600g (+- 5 large) carrots finely diced
  • 1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) crushed coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) corn flour or ground rice
  • 6 clementines/mandarins/nartjies or other sweet citrus, liquidised
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • cream to serve
Instructions
  1. Sweat the finely diced carrots and onion in large saucepan with the butter – keep the lid on and keep stirring them until soft, for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the crushed coriander and heat through for about 2 minutes to release the fragrance, and then add the hot stock, ground cumin and fresh ginger. (If you are using ground coriander add with the other spices and the stock.).
  3. Add the thickening agent (rice or corn flour) and liquidised citrus– stirring well, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then liquidise in a food processor or with an immersion blender.
  5. Return the soup to the pan and reheat for 5 minutes or until piping hot, remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Drizzle with a little cream, and top with dehydrated carrot or twists of citrus zest, and serve with bread.
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Chop the carrot and onion finely, speed 4/ 5 seconds
  2. Sweat for 3 minutes/100C/Speed 1.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt, pepper and optional cream.
  4. Cook for 15 minutes on Veroma/Speed 1.
  5. If you like it smooth, pulse on Turbo a few times, otherwise leave it as is.
  6. Drizzle with cream and season to taste. (optional)
Notes
Any left overs can be frozen, and reheated when required.

Find more Halloween Recipes here